12-13-09 FREEZER

I try to keep my freezer full at all times. If you have extra space in your freezer that means it has to work over time to keep cold. Save money on your electric bill by filling up that space with milk jugs or 2 liter pop bottles filled with water.

If you have a large chest freezer and find it difficult organizing things and being able to dig out things from the bottom try using crates to sit in the bottom and stack on one another.
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We try not to eat out for lunch. At supper time I try to make a couple extra
servings to put in the freezer for lunches. It's like making your own
microwavable entrees for a lot less than those found in stores and probably
more healthy for you without all the preservatives!

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I freeze everything I can if I know I can't use it right away.

For example I might find a good deal on milk for $1.00 a gallon.
I'll bring them home and store them in the freezer. When using
milk that's been frozen you want to make sure to shake the container
before using due to it possibly separating.
One time we got a ton of free Sunny Delights and froze them.
You may want to open and pour a small amount out so there is
room in the container for expansion when frozen so that it
doesn't leak everywhere.
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Other things that can be frozen:
-Butter
-Juice
-Biscuits
-Flour
-Bread
-Cakes
-Milk
-Fruit Juice
-manager special meats that may expire in a day or two. Snatch those
up and freeze to extend it's life. I'm always stocking up on manager
specials. I get my meats for at least half price at kroger!

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I stock up on certain vegetable when in season and I can get them
for a great price. I'll chop them up and blanch them with hot water.
Then pack into freezer bags. When needed I'll toss them in soups,
casseroles, hash, omlets and so on.
-celery (chop up the leaves also)
-onions
-bell peppers
-tomatoes

Potatoes are a little bit trickier as they may turn brown when frozen.
I either boil them or fry them before freezing and add just a bit of
lemon juice to keep from turning brown. They don't taste as good
as fresh and may be a little mushy.
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Extras and leftovers

If I have leftover vegetables from supper I may start a large freezer bag to put them in. Then each time I have other vegetables I can keep adding to that same
bag until full. Once full you could make a vegetable soup or casserole dish.

I also save the juices/syrups off certain canned/jarred foods such as
fruits, pickles, hot peppers and so on. You could also do this with extra
fruit juice from the carton.
I'll take the liquids and pour into ice cube trays. Once frozen I will
remove them and store in their own freezer bags.
These are great for adding to soups and casseroles when needing a little
extra flavored liquid. Or when baking you may want to use the syrup or juice from
fruit to add to a cake mix, cookies or bread.
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12-12-09 LAUNDRY SAVINGS

I usually do all my laundry on the weekend.
And since I am currently doing laundry I thought I would share ways I cut back costs.
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WASH CLOTHES IN COLD WATER.
Only use hot or warm water to wash undergarments, socks, sheets, blankets or heavily
soiled items.
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CUT BACK On FABRIC SOFTENER.

I dilute the liquid fabric softener down.
Only use half of the recommended amount and add water to the rest.
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HOMEMADE FABRIC SOFTENER #1

2 cups cheap hair conditioner
3 cups vinegar
6 cups water

Combine together and store in a reusable bottle such as an old fabric
softener bottle.

This is great for those who may have sensitive skin to laundry products.
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HOMEMADE FABRIC SOFTENER #2

1 Cup White Vinegar
Add vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

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HOMEMADE FABRIC SOFTENER #3

1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener
4 Inexpensive sponges, cut in half

Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

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DRYER SHEETS

If you use dryer sheets you can cut them in half and they will have the same affect.

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HOMEMADE POWDERED SOAP

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
1/2 Cup Borax

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can often be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2 per batch.
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In warmer weather I hung lines up in my backyard and line dried
all my clothes. It's more work than using a dryer but you save that
extra money by not using your dryer for hours on end!
I compared this years electric bill with last years during the
months I line dried and figured I saved $40 a month!!
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When using the washer fill it to the capacity.
Don't run half loads.

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Be sure to clean washer and dryer lint screens
so it will run more efficiently.
Also clean out the dryer vents.
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Do laundry in the evening or early morning.
This is when electric loads are less during the off peak hours.
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I recommend reading the Duggar Family's web site for more hints and tips.
Who are the Duggar's? They are the family who has been featured on tv
and has their own show. They are due to have their 19th child in March 2010!!
They are a family of almost 21!!

They also have a new book out called
The Duggar's 20 and counting,
Raising one of America's largest families and how they do it!
I have read the book and found it to be very informative!
Don't waste money on buying books! Check them out at your local library!!!
The Columbus Public Library has 33 copies of it!

http://www.duggarfamily.com/

To be able to search for a specific book and reserve it
through Columbus Public Libraries go here:
Less time is wasted if you can compile a list of books you want
and have them ready for you at their nearest location.
Walk in, pick up, check out, walk out. Simple as that!

http://www.columbuslibrary.org/

12-12-09 GAMESTOP

This weekend only til tomorrow 12-13-09 Gamestop has buy 2 used games get 1 FREE.

Might use my $25 FREE Gamestop gift card from e-rewards.
Half way there to getting a second gift card from them :0)

Will let you know how this turn out if I am able to go.

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Just back from Gamestop. The boys had a friend who wanted them to come
over for a visit so me and dad took advantage of the free time and went
to Walgreens and Gamestop.

GAMESTOP

I got $41.85 worth in PS2 games for $5.85!!!!
15 games all together
5 games were FREE due to the buy 2 used games get 1 free
I used my FREE $25 gift card from doing surveys

1-IHRA Drag Racing 2
2-High Heat Major League Baseball
3-RTX Redrock
4-Rebel Raiders
5-Riding Spirits
6-Silent Scope
7-Antigrov
8-Tiger Woods PGA Tour
9-Tasmanian Tiger
10-Splashdown Rides Gone Wild
11-High Rollers Casino
12-King Of Route 66
13-Cabela's Deer Hunt
14-Pirate's Legend of the Black Buccaneer
15-Mack Davis Pro Bass Challenge


WALGREENS

Picked up an Entertainment Coupon Book for mom and Don for Christmas
It's normally $35
there was a $10 off coupon in the Walgreens ad
Then I got a $5.00 catalina coupon for $5.00.

So it was like I got the Entertainment Book for $20

A perfect gift for someone who likes to use coupons and eat out!!
Usually I get them a $20 gift certificate to Tee Jays Restraunt.
This way they can get more out of the coupons and have more variety than one
restraunt.

12-12-09 EASY PEPPERMINT FUDGE & SUPPER

Today I made Peppermint Fudge. It was so easy and tasted so YUMMY!
COST $2.96
Could have been cheaper as there are coupons for frosting and my
printer is not working!

1 bag white chocolate chips (.99 cents)
1 tub vanilla frosting ($1.25)
24 mini candy canes crushed up (.72 cents)
(I took the end of a butter knife and hit them
in the package. Then cut off plastic ends and poured into fudge)

Melt chips in microwave until smooth and creamy.
Stir in frosting then stir in crushed up candy canes.
Smooth out in a baking dish either lined with foil or sprayed with cooking spray.
I'm trying my hand at putting them in small molds and will see how that works out.

I'm adding these to goodie baskets for Tony's work and the kids teachers.
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TURKEY MAC CASSEROLE

This recipe I threw together using leftover turkey and stuffing.
It was a spur of the moment supper meaning I had nothing planned.
So it was nice to have things in the freezer I could throw together.

Chopped turkey (free)
Stuffing (free)
2 boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (Free)
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce (.25 cents)
1 cup shredded cheese ($1.00)
1 can Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup (.27 cents)

Heat turkey in saucepan with teriyaki sauce.
Make mac and cheese according to box directions.
Make stuffing according to box directions but use about half the water.

Stir cream of mushroom soup into mac and cheese. Stir in turkey.
Place in greased baking/casserole dish. Evenly spread stuffing on top.
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

TOTAL COST TO MAKE: $1.52
SERVINGS: 8 big servings @ .19 cents per serving

2 servings were stored in the freezer for Tony's lunches to take to work.

12-12-09 SURVEY SITES

I belong to a few survey sites and wanted to share those here so others can reap the rewards of them. They offer entries into contests, gift cards, money, sometimes they send you things to try and other offers. Not a get rich quick thing but is fun to do and get rewarded for your time.

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PINECONE RESEARCH
https://www.pineconeresearch.com/Index.htm

For every survey I complete they send me a $3.00 check in the mail.
So far this month I have completed 5 surveys.
Hey that's free money even if it's only $15.00!!

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IPSOS isay
http://www.i-say.com/rewards.aspx

Earn points towards gifts and enter in contests.

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NIELSON DIGITAL VOICE
http://digitalvoice.nielsen.com/pnl/us/home

Chance to win prizes and money.
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MY SURVEY
https://www.mysurvey.com/index.cfm

Earn reward points and enter in sweepstakes.

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E-REWARDS
http://www.e-rewards.com/home.do

Earn points towards gift cards.

12-11-09 KROGER & MEIJER DEALS- SAMPLES-CATS

I'm tired and flustered. I decided to give the new editor on this blog a try and it sucks. When I try to go back to the old one it won't switch it back. Now I have no access to colors or text sizes or being able to center the text. So until this gets fixed this is the way it will look.

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Kroger has Sprite on sale for $1.25
When you buy 6 two liter bottle of Sprite you get 2 free.
$7.50 (for 6) minus $2.50 (2 bottles) is $5.00
There are coupon hang tags on the bottles for $1.00 off 3, use 2 of those.
So $5.00 minus $2.00 in coupons is $3.00.
It's like getting each 2 liter bottle for .50 cents


I also found 2 whole Kroger Chickens
one was 4.92 pounds regular price of .89 cents a pound total price $4.38
Manager special was $2.60 or .53 cents a pound
So I saved $1.70 with the manager special.


The second whole chicken was regularly $5.10 or .89 cents a pound for 5.10 pounds.
Manager special was $2.70 or .53 cents a pound.
I saved $1.84 with the manager special.
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I would like to try out my Ronco Rotisserie that I bought at a garage sale for $2.00!! I also got at another garage sale the accessories such as the basket, scewers and injector for FREE.
These things go for $150 to $200 new!! And that doesn't include the accessories!!
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I also want to add that I got a freebie by mail yesterday.
It was from Walmart for a 1.75 ounce Hazelnut Cream Coffee.
Stuff like this is great for stocking stuffers.
Or I had thought about making a teacher basket with mug, baked goods
and maybe throw in some coffee samples I have received.
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Walmart always has samples they'll send you on their website.
You'll have to copy and paste it into your browser as this editor doesn't have
even a place to add links like before, grrr.
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid81107.aspx

They have these free samples at the moment.
They do change so check back to see what might be available.
-Prilosec
-Pampers
-Benefiber
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Cats- What are CATS? These are the coupons that print out at the cash register.
See photo. They've been spitting out like crazy for me when I go shopping.
I got 2 more today not seen in the photo for $10 off $25 at Fashion Bug
and $5.00 off Prevacid. I will have to watch to see if Walgreens has a store
coupon for Prevacid to combine the two to get a better deal on it.
Hmm wasn't thinking when I said that. I will have to ask Walgreens if
they take coupons from other stores.
I know Meijer has taken Kroger Cats (Catalinas) BUT Kroger will not
take Meijer Catalinas.
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MEIJER

Meijer has a printable coupon on their website for
$5.00 off $25 purchase of food.
Print as many as you want. It may be for separate transactions though.
Make sure to give the cashier that coupon first before
any other coupons!
I think they expire December 24th.
http://www.meijer.com/content/content.jsp?pageName=FoodOffer

It's is freezing cold out today with a wind chill of 4 degrees. Went to a couple thrift stores this morning and then headed home where it was warm!
Here's my deals I found at the thrift stores:

Shrek Operation .60 cents

Junk Yark Jalopy (like Operation) .60 cents

Trouble .60 cents

Firestation with lights and sounds, Cb, garage and ambulance .40 cents

Dog figurine set .90 cents

Basball Goofy .75 cents

Laser Tag with 2 Guns $5.95

Who Wants To Be A Millionare Game with Batteries .60 cents

Who Wants To Be A Millionare Game .60 cents

Wheel Of Fortune Game .60 cents

Tetris Game .60 cents

Large National Guard NASCAR .50 cents

5 Tractor Trailer Matchbox Trucks 1 Tractor Truck $1.91

Beef Jerky Maker Kit $2.92 (Tony)

Jeff Gordon Ball Cap $1.50 (Tony)

Wooden Magazine Rack $3.00 (Sherry- no pic)