1-14-10

Went to Meijer with mom while she did some grocery
shopping. I returned the Sketcher shoes I bought
for the kids and got money back. Those were a joke!
The kids couldn't even get their foot through
the opening of the shoe!

While there I noticed they still had a few, but dwindling,
Christmas items. Now 90% off!!

REGULAR PRICE BEFORE....$39.88

PRICE I PAID AFTER...$3.58

This is what I bought:

Sherry snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Jon snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Marilyn snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Lee (couldn't find Tony) snow globe ornament
regular $3.99 now .39 cents

Don candy cane ornament
regular $2.99 now .29 cents

Christopher candy cane ornament
regular $2.99 now .29 cents



Then I found more hair accessories and misc. so I bought
some to add to the bosses daughter's gifts
I have been buying for this upcoming Christmas.

2 Holographic sticker books
regular $3.00 each x's 2 is $6.00
now .15 cents each x's 2 is .30 cents



Package of 2 sparkly head bands
regular $1.99
I paid .19 cents

3 fancy ponytail holders
regular $1.99 each x's 3 is $5.97
I paid .19 cents each x's 3 is .57 cents



1 bobble head Santa pen
regular $1.99
I paid .19 cents

1 bobble head snowman pen
regular $1.99
I paid .19 cents



-----------------------------------

I notice that Meijer doesn't have the greatest
mark downs. Only about 35% to 40% off compared
to kroger's 50% + off.

If you find a mark down and are unaware of the price
before then I would find where the items usually
is in the store to see what it originally cost.

Today in Meijer I saw a rug marked down to $17.99
and it said 50% off. Sounded like a good deal BUT...
when I looked further to see what the other rugs
were priced just like it they said $13.99!!!
So that discounted rug was not actually half off!
It was more than what it was to begin with!!
Gotta watch out for crap like that.
BUYERS BEWARE!


-----------------------------------

Tony called to say he is trashing out the one apartment
today. He keeps finding lots of goodies that have been buried
in the place. Plus I forgot a bag of stuff yesterday when
leaving. So keep watch to see what else we've found
and I'll post pics of everything.
It's like Christmas for mom and dad all over again.
Which we don't buy much for ourselves at Christmas,
it's mainly for the kids.

-----------------------------------

The weather is warming up some. Was 38
when returning home from Meijers.
Snow and ice is dripping and melting off rooftops,
sidewalks, driveways and streets. YEAHHH!!!

-----------------------------------

Today I decided to whip together a bed warmer.
Took a flannel pillow case and cut it completely
apart, well into 2 pieces of fabric.
Then folded those halves in half length wise.
Filled the tubes about 3/4 the way full with rice.
It was something practical that could be used now
since the weather is cold and the bedroom are chillier
than the rest of the house.
So I made it up then put it in the microwave
at 30 second intervals and kept rotating and flipping
it til it got warm. I put it under the covers
in the bed. Then had lunch. By the time I got
to be nappy time my side of the bed was toasty
warm. I even laid on it when sleeping.
So I can actually say these things work.
Probably not for an entire night but to take
the chill off for about the first hour.
I am done sewing for now and can't start a
second one as I am officially out of thread.



-------------------------------------

Tony forgot to take the camera to work today
obviously as I am still posting pics. So
it looks like I might get the chance to send
it with him tomorrow to get more pics
of the one apartment since I don't think
they ended up trashing it out today.
He is the one being left to do it.
Lucky him! Don't know why someone
else couldn't come give him a hand
with that much of a mess!

-------------------------------------

I had a discussion today with my step-dad
who is over 70 years of age and has hearing
aids. I'm not knowledgeable in this field but
figured I'd talk about it anyway.

Why is it, it costs so much for hearing aids.
They can run $4,000 to over $8,000!!!
Then I found out that he gets the so called
"good" hearing aids recommended by the doctors.
Ones that are digital. So why is it that they
only last a couple of years for that ridiculous
amount of money??? Then they quit working
and the doctors want him to come back in for another
set. He has been through at least 3-4 hearing
aids already and I don't even want to know how
much those cost!
If it was me I would learn sign language before
paying those costs.

Then I find out that hearing aids are not
covered at all under any of his health insurance plans.
I don't understand as this is a medical
condition!!

Someone recommended to him about going to the VA
to get free or little out of pocket medical supplies
or services. Don't know much about that either
so here is the website that explains it all:
Department of Veteran Affairs

Like I said I am not knowledgable in hearing aids
or VA and am only going by what I was told.

I don't like doctors! I take my kids to them if
they need it but for myself I couldn't tell you the
last time I've been! I'm still living just fine!!!

This is just my opinion...
While I know there are doctors out there that
can save lives and do you some good, I feel
like they scam you out of your money.
I feel as though I am a guinea pig when
visiting the doctor and they guess at what
is wrong most of the time. If they guess wrong
then you go back in for another visit and another visit,
then keep on getting prescriptions, and those aren't free!
It's not coming out of their pockets!
I wouldn't think it's good to keep popping pills.
Heck look at antibiotics. The prescribe them so
much some are becoming immune to them.

Why in the world are they now advertising prescription
medicines on tv, magazines, radio and newspapers???
Then to hear the list of side affects you could
develope when taking them! I'll pass and suffer
with what I have before having liver failure,
heart attacks, go blind and so on.

Here is another way I think doctors scam you out of money.
I would take the kids to their pediatrician for their
shots and when they got sick. But so help me,
I let a year go by with no visits because they had all their shots
and weren't getting sick, I was penalized for it!!
I get a letter and a couple phone calls stating that if
I didn't bring in each child to get a check up their
medical charts would go in storage. And in order to see
the doctor again I would have to pay $40 each to have
them taken out of storage. I would also have to
physically go get their files myself from another office and bring them
to them. This is crazy BS and a way to make money if
you ask me!!! So needless to say their files are both
in storage. If they get sick I take them to Urgent
Care which is covered partially under our health insurance
until I can get them another doctor, a family doctor.

Even family doctors can be asses. I had one in Ashville
that was so mean to my kids. They were all of about 1 and
2 years old. He was not joyful to talk to and seemed
to have an attitude. He would call my kids fat right to
their faces in a mean way. Get pissed if we waited
in the patients room forever and had nothing to do
but play with his little roller chair. He'd walk
in and yell at them to leave his chair alone.
It's a freakin chair for crying out loud!

I eventually found another pediatrician that was
the best there ever was in Circleville!
She was sooo nice like a
best friend. You never felt like she rushed in and
out in a flash. She spent time with you no matter
how long it took to ask questions. She even got to
know you and about your family and she would
even talk about hers to you. We moved and I still
drove an extra 20 miles for those doctor visits if
that says anything. But unfortunately another move
put us too far away and that is how I ended up with
the "if you don't come in for this check up we are putting
your files in storage" doctor's office.

So to see my step-dad going to the doctors
about 8 times a month for something on
a regular basis disturbs me. And if one
doctor can't find anything wrong, then another
and another and another doctor is referred
for him to go to. The end result is still the
same. Nothing wrong!!
Do you see a pattern here with doctors????

----------------------------

Here's a kitchen tip I used today.
When I need a funnel I always cut the
top off of a 2 liter bottle of pop.

----------------------------

Do you know that last night while
watching tv I saw a Walmart commercial
still advertising Christmas sales!!
And I'm not talking about after
Christmas sales either!.

-----------------------------

Businesses have it so bad for customers.
My mom always gets booklets in the mail
from places like Miles Kimball
and Carol Wright. I used to think
it was interesting to go through them
and see what crap was in there.
But after looking at the latest edition
yesterday of Carol Wright I was in shock!!
They have a complete section of sex toys!
And I don't mean basic vibrators that could
pass as a neck massagers! I mean everything
from rabbits, to butterflies, g-spot things
and pumps (won't go into details as to what kind!).
So if you are getting these mail order magazines
DON'T LEAVE THEM LYING AROUND FOR KIDS TO BROWSE THROUGH!!!

------------------------------


I swear I have Gremlins sometimes known as
Dirty Laundry Gremlins and Dirty Dishes Gremlins.
No matter how hard I try to keep up with daily
chores I can't get ahead. I think these Gremlins are
coming out when I can't see them.
They are nasty critters that cause so much laundry and dishes
to pile up! One minute I can do all dishes and then turn
around and there's another sink full. I thought
tonight I had laundry caught up only to find these
Gremlins had left another pile of clothes in the
hall. I need a way to transfer all these Gremlins
back into fuzzy, cute and loving Gizmos so they don't
wear mommy out!!

--------------------

One find from Tony's work the other day
was a bottle of Dawn's Power Grabber.
You're supposed to spray it on dishes with baked
on stuff. Let it sit then wash and it comes
off like a charm without
scrubbing.
Wonder how much that bottle cost?
Who needs this stuff when you have things
in your home that can do the same thing!
Fill your pots, pans or baking dishes with
hot water. Then add a dryer sheet to it
and let it soak. No dryer sheet?
Then add about a tablespoon of liquid
fabric softener. It does the same thing
that Power Grabber does at a fraction of the cost!

--------------------------

Last week Tony handed me a recipe he found in the
mail from the Hellmans Mayo taste test.
He wanted me to make something called
Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Sounded and looked good!
I just hadn't gotten around to making it just yet.

Today while in Meijer I was waiting for mom
to get some produce and was standing by the deli.
I usually don't buy stuff from the deli but today
I noticed a bright orange sign taped to the front
of the case. It said Buffalo Chicken Dip!
On sale at .99 cents a pound when it was
$6.00 a pound regular price.
Well I had to jump on that and got Tony
a pound of it.

For those who don't have that sale at that
price here is the recipe for

Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip

--------------------

Also today while at Meijer I had to get some
Meijer baby powder to put in everyone's stinky shoes!
I hated paying the $2-$3 price for it.
Mom got a tub of Meijer petroleum jelly for
around the same price.

Do you know you can go to Big Lots
and pick up petroleum jelly and baby powder for
probably less than a buck! That's usually
where I buy it.

I shop many stores. Where I live there is
every kind of store within about a mile
or two from me! Soooo many shopping centers
now a days. How did we ever get by without them?
In one shopping strip I can get an oil change,
grocery shop, eat fast food, have my hair
cut, get a new outfit, buy a computer or cell phone,
get some fish or buy some lumber. This is crazy!!
All at the same time, due to the stock market crash,
we have empty buildings sitting everywhere from
people going out of business. On ONE
ROAD near here I can count about 6 car
dealerships or used car lots sitting empty that went under.
Do you think we're over doing it just a tad????

------------------------

Mom always goes to the salon to get her hair cut
and colored. And pays around $50+ for it plus tip.
That's for short hair.

Not this chicky babe!!
I find hair coloring manager specials at Kroger
in the mark down bin and use coupons on top of that.
I get them free or for around $1.00 each.

Not long ago I used a Walgreen coupon and manufacture
coupons to get 4 boxes of hair color that would
have cost $16 for only $3.00!!

I do my own hair. I even trim the ends when they
look a little frayed. Tonight I decided to color
my hair because I noticed a few too many highlights
if you get my drift, lol. Still waiting for it to get
done, lol.
I noticed on the directions it says for hair
that is shoulder length you should use 2 boxes.
I have hair clear down the middle of my back and
have yet to use 2 boxes! Just a way to get you
to buy more uneeded things!

I do all the boys and hubby's hair with clippers.
I save lots of money by only purchasing a $10 to $15
hair clippers and can cut many many of hair with them.

1-13-10

Today in the Columbus Dispatch is an article about
the $5.00 Dinner Mom, the book and website
I mentioned not long ago. Well the owner
of them is from Ohio of all places.
You'll have to read the article from the
Dispatch which is available online!
Skip the daily paper and read things online
for free.

Mom wanted to go to the thrift store this morning.
It was freezing cold out! My toes and fingers
were tingly. BRRRR!!! I think the cars said
it was 14 degrees.

I found a few things at the thrift store of interest.
I walked around for a few and put back two things
after really thinking them over.

-Flannel pillow case .59 cents
plan to cut these in half and fold over
and turn into bed warmers for the kids.
Sew tunnels in them and fill with rice.
Then microwave before bedtime and stick under
covers to make their beds warm.



-Lap shelf .90 cents. It had crayon markings
on the top of it but came clean with a MR Clean
Magic Eraser. I got this to use in the evenings
when I want to take the laptop to the bedroom
with me. Now I will have something to put it
on while in bed to watch movies.

BEFORE CLEANING
You'd have to enlarge picture to see all
the crayon markings on it.


AFTER CLEANING WITH MAGIC ERASER


-Lastly, 2 pillow shams .59 cents each.
And here is the story behind this...
I must have found a nice comforter at Tony's work
that I liked, brought home and washed up. I use
it on our bed all the time. Then last year
at a yard sale I managed to find some matching shears
and drapes that match the comforter. The lady
had $7 on them but I offered $5 and she took it.
Now I have the matching pillow cases for $1.18.
I use beige sheets on my bed so it looks like
a matching set. Total cost for my bed set
$3.68. I took of half the price of the curtains
because while I use the shears in my bedroom
the drapes I used in my living room.

SHAMS


SHEERS


COMFORTER


DRAPES


---------------------------

I forgot to add another one of
my freebies from mail call yesterday
as I didn't realize what was in it til
I opened it today. I got more free
address labels.

-------------------------------------


I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite
crafting tools, the hot glue gun.
And it's not just used for crafts.

To stretch the life of the kids tennis shoes
I used hot glue on them in thin layers,
not gunked on. I spread the hot glue
around and flatten it out with the hot tip.
Tennis shoes will start to crack or sometimes
come apart. This is when the handy glue
gun comes out to temporarily fill in those cracks.
It is water proof and keeps moisture out of their
shoes on a rainy day providing they are not
jumping in puddles.

I have to buy my kids larger pants and cut
the bottoms off to their size. I hate
getting the sewing machine out for this.
I now get out the hot glue gun and
hem the bottoms of the pants. It has worked
and lasts through wear and tear, through washings
and the dryer.

Mom bought today at the thrift store the bottom
to a dish drying rack. She accidentally got it
caught in the car door and caused a corner of it
to chip off. So this afternoon I will go down
and try to fix it by putting hot glue in the hole.
Like I said it is water proof and should hold
up to put wet dishes on.

When it comes to hot gluing plastic
items I would recommend using
sand paper or a finger nail file to lightly
scuff the surface so the glue will better
adhere to it. Glue will not stick to a flat,
slick surface and be expected to stay on
without roughing it up a bit.

---------------------------

Who doesn't like to come home to a good smelling
house. I know I sure do as it acts as a
stress reliever for me at times.

During yard sale season I search for
used smelly candles. You can find them
dirt cheap from .05 cents to .50 cents.
The candle may have burned down and the wick
is covered with wax. This doesn't bother me
and I don't see it as something that can't be used.
I dig a little wax out of the jar and add it
to a miniature electric potpourri crock.
It makes the house smell sooo good and I don't
have to worry about open flames unattended being
left around children as a fire hazzard.
When it looses it smell I add more wax to the pot.
When the pot gets to the halfway point I unplug
it and allow the wax to harden then scrape it out
into the trash with a knife and start all over
again.
If you've ever priced scented candles you know
they can be very expensive! So this is my
cheaper way of still enjoying those candles
at a fraction of the cost.


Or you could find a cheap mug warmer and use
that to sit a small glass candle on top of.


---------------------------------

Tony just called. He's getting off work
early today. He says he found me some goodies, YEAH!
He found a box of dishwasher detergent and
bottles of new cleaner for one of those mop
thingies that spray out onto the floor.
Having a brain fart at the moment as to what
they are called.

That sucks he just found the dishwasher detergent
because I just bought a box.
I had a good supply of detergent but finally ran
out. At one time I think I had 4-5 large boxes
from his work that he found.
Hey I ain't too good for freebies, bring 'em on!!

Yesterday he brought home a full bottle of spray
cleaner for the kitchen.
Very rarely do I ever have to buy cleaners due
to what he finds and brings home from work.
Residents leave them behind.
This saves me on a ton of money!!!

------------------------

DISCOUNTED OR SALVAGE GROCERY STORES

Don't know if anyone has ever heard of
these before. I just discovered one
last year. It was called
Downtown Discount Grocery
in Lakeview (Indian Lake), Ohio.
For example I got a 20 pound bag
of rice for $2.00.

I found a list of them throughout Ohio.
So maybe if you are planning a trip
you could stop in one and check it out.
Salvage stores might offer scratch
and dent items. Or have items that
were acquired from stores
who went out of business.
They sell food and non food items.
Just be sure to watch expiration
dates!

Plus as you all may know Big Lots
sells cheap grocery items.

OHIO

Applecreek
D & S Discount Grocery, 8828 Dover Road, Ph 330-698-0137

Bellefontaine
Stites Grocery, 3524 County Road 130, 937-593-9223

Burton
Shedd Road Salvage, 15067 Shedd Road

Circleville
Discount Grocery Outlet, 900 South Pickaway Street, Ph 740-474-6501

Dorset
T & M Surplus Grocery, 2760 SR 193, Ph 440-858-2250

Hartville
R Grocery Outlet, 254 Market Avenue, Ph 330-294-0876

Kinsman
Kinsman General, 6416 Kinsman-Nickerson Rd., No Phone number presently available

Lakeview
Downtown Discount Grocery, 155 North Main Street, Lakeview, oh 43331-9463
Phone: (937) 842-5880

Lima
Daly’s Discount Groceries, 506 North Main St., Ph 419-225-2907
Stites Grocery, 8100 Harding Hwy, Ph 419-225-9710

Middlefield
B & K Salvage, 5515 Kinsman Road (SR 87)
Kurtz Salvage, 16777 Shedd Road
Nature's Nook Grocery & Salvage Store, 12960 Bundysburg Rd., Ph 440-272-5079
The Surplus Outlet Store, 15240 Shedd Road, Ph 440-834-8311
Triple M Salvage, 16029 Nauvoo Road, Ph 440-632-0554

Minerva
Overholt's Bargain Grocery & Variety, 912 East Lincolnway, Ph 330-868-6644

Orwell
M & L Salvage, 640 East Main Street, Ph 440-437-5714
Tower Salvage, 4652 SR 322

Plain City
Dings 'N Dents Grocery Outlet LLC, 228 Gay Street, Ph 614-634-6626

Rome
Dodgeville Food Salvage & Grocery, 1293 Dodgeville Road, Ph 440-294-3805

West Farmington
Bontrager Salvage Grocery, 172 Second Street, Ph 330-889-3678

----------------------------

Well it's lunch time. Our family
doesn't eat out too often if we can help it.
It's not too often that hubby has off work
when the kids are in school and when it
does happen we like to share the moment
together and go out to eat.
I'm thinking Arby's as I sit here
looking through my saved fast food coupons.
They have pretty good subs. But I wait
for their 2 for $4.00 coupons before
I consider getting them. I'm not sure
you can find a sub in Columbus for $2.00.

You can get exclusive promotions
and offers if you become an
Arby's Extra's Member by registering
at arbys.com

We got an Italian sub which was regular $4.00
and a swiss and dip sub which was regular $3.80
So we saved $4.80 by using the coupon!!

A small drink was $1.49 which we shared
and got free refills.

------------------------------------

After all this talk about finding things
in apartments today was a good day for it!

Tony got a call from a coworker just after
we ate lunch saying they just got clearance
for leftovers in an apartment. So the
maintenance men could take whatever they wanted.

So we went back up to his work and came home
with a truck full of goodies.

Remember me saying earlier today that I don't
hardly ever have to buy cleaning supplies.
Well here is an example of what I got today...











And that's it for cleaning supplies.

Oh yeah I did find a new bag of flour.
I needed flour as I was almost out so this was a plus.



Now onto other goodies that you won't believe!

PLAYSTATION 2
Tony's already playing it, LOL.
Works great, had controller, memory card, wires
and him and other coworkers split whatever games they found.


BRAND NEW CARPET CLEANER IN BOX NEVER OPENED!!!


HUMIDIFIER


20" TV


EXTENSION CORDS


--------------------------------

Remember me talking about Hoarders the
other day? Well I am awaiting photos
to show you of an apartment I was in today.
You will not believe what I will show you!!!
This is reality and could be in your neighborhood.
This is not from the tv show Hoarders!!!
Houses you walk past may hold hidden secrets.
And here is one with it's secrets about
to be discovered.

I did not have my camera with me so have to wait
for Tony's coworker to send his pics via
cell phone. I would have had a ball if I had
my camera!!

------------------------

Sometimes I have good days while others are so so.
Today I'm sure you can tell it is good by the amount
I post, lol.

So here is something else I found that I am sure everyone
can use.

Go to Coupons.com.
On page 9 is a printable coupon for
up to 75% off a prescription drug to
use at your pharmacy.
I haven't printed it out to see
exact details but figured I'd give
everyone a heads up on it.

-------------------------------

Ok got some pics in from the trashy apartment.
I will be sending the camera with Tony to
work tomorrow to get more pics as everything
was not seen in the ones I received.
Could you imagine living this way.

I thought the resident left food in the
cupboard. Come to find out when Tony
investigated it further, the resident
had put the empty food cans back in the
cupboard! Trash was everywhere. It
didn't look like he ever took trash out
of the apartment!
You just can't understand the overall view
I had today of this apartment! The pictures
aren't clear from a cell phone to express how all
this person lived! That mess you see is trash,
not clutter!


These pictures don't show how disgusting this
bathroom was!! Do you see the discoloration in
the sink, well that's how the bathtub and toilet
looked. The toilet will need replaced.
The floor around the toilet was black!


This is a bedroom which I think the resident used as
an office. Trash everywhere! He really like Choco-cakes
as there was TONS of those wrappers everywhere.
They were a smoker and cigarette butts were all over.
There were cups filled with butts on the floor.

This is the kitchen floor. It's not a very
large kitchen! Due to all the trash
there is no way they could have access to the
cupboards or even to oven as it blocked them.

This was the first thing I saw in the apartment
and was just blown away! This heaping pile of
trash overflowed the sink basin in the kitchen.
Most of it was tea bags! There had to be about
a thousand of them piled up in there among
other trash!


------------------------------

Tonight supper was Stroganoff.

I had leftover mashed potatoes from
last night's supper of crunchy potato
balls.

I then made up some hamburger, mixed in
a can of cream of chicken soup (didn't have
mushroom soup) and it called for sour cream
and chopped onion which I didn't have either.
So instead I used sour cream and onion chip dip.

Made this up and poured over the mashed potatoes.

Leftovers from this will go for Tony's lunch.
I make his lunches in a plastic bowl/plate that is
divided into three sections. They come with lids.
Then store them in the freezer like an entree.
When he needs a lunch it's ready to go to work
with him. Come lunch time all he has to do is
microwave it. Sometimes the guys get jealous
because he gets a home cooked meal for lunch, lol.
But hey it saves on money and is better for you
than buying fast food.

1-12-10

Today I am going to be a food critic
and tell you about some experiences
with places that serve breakfast.

Today me, mom and my step-dad went out for breakfast at Cucos.
Never been there before but wanted to try someplace
different and had a coupon from the
Entertainment Book.
For starters we walked and and stood there.
A person was behind the counter as you
entered the door. They ignored us for about 5 minutes
then finally told us we could seat ourselves so we did.
We looked around and realized we were the only
customers in the whole place.
So we sat there what seemed like 10 minutes with
no service, no menus. Finally a waiter comes
over and brings menus and asks what we would
like to drink. It seemed to take awhile for
him to return with drinks and take our order.
I didn't think what we chose off the menu would
have been difficult to make, eggs, potatoes,
bacon, tortillas with sour cream and salsa.
We waited about 45 minutes to get our food!
There was still no other customers in this place.
Mom gave him the coupon when paying and realized
they didn't take off another $2.00 which she
did not fight it as we were ready to leave!!
No tip was left for how we were treated in this
place. There was no excuse for it!!
Kind of makes sense there was no one else
eating there with that slow of service!!

It states on their web site that they are an
award winning place. Of what????
I nor my parents were impressed at all
and will not be returning for a second trip.

If a food place can't impress their customers
on their first visit there then it's not
a place I want to eat at.

Breakfast places I recommend in order of recommendation:

Tee-Jays (barnyard buster)- High Street

Bob Evans (pot roast hash)- Cleveland Ave/270

Fitzy's- (pork tenderloin) Shrock Road

Nutcracker- Pataskala

Wildflower Cafe- (sausage & biscuits) Indianola Ave.

Scramblers- Cleveland Ave/270

And the award for worst breakfast goes to...
Kountry Kitchen on Morse Road which is no
longer there thank goodness.
I got a sausage gravy and biscuits.
The biscuits were rectangular and cut from
a pan like corn bread. Not even sure
if they were considered biscuits.
The sausage gravy was horrible and could
have passed as book paste with no
flavor. It was like flour gravy!
And when I got a diet cola it was flat!!
HORRIBLE.

------------------------

MAIL CALL

I love freebies and getting them
in the mail. At least I have something
to look forward to other than bills.

Here's the result of today's mail,
no bills all free stuff!

1. 10--$1.25 coupons for Yoplait Smoothie
and another coupon for a FREE Yoplait Smoothie.
I got these from PSST!


2. A booklet from Kroger with all kinds
of coupons in it.


3. $5.00 in cash surprisingly for completing
a survey from AC NEILSON.



4. Free Atkins starter kit with 3 fiber bars,
quick start guide & carb counter.


----------------------------

I know this is a blog about Columbus, OH.
So this will be a challenge for you and
a chance to win a t-shirt.
Take the trivia challenge and if you
are good enough you can win, or be
entered to win a t-shirt.
Think You Know Kansas

I know Kansas as that's where I was born, but not raised.
I have relatives from there including my mom
and aunt who reside here in Ohio.
So it's hard for me not to know this stuff, lol.

-----------------------------------

Working at an apartment complex has it's benefits.
So many people are wasteful, throw out good things,
and leave behind things in their apartments
when they move. I have actually seen people up
and leave a full apartment behind! And it makes
you wonder why! Then it makes me think how
lucky we are. We have furnished almost
all of our home and then some with things
from these wasteful residents. These residents
being most college students.
You will probably hear me talk on here
a lot about the things we get or find.

Tony brought the boys home some goodies tonight
seen below.
About 25-30 matchbox cars and some figurines.
There was also a guitar with case.
Believe me after hearing that thing this
evening I threatened Tony if he found
drums to NOT bring them home!
Jonathan is holding the guitar. He has the
rock star image tonight doesn't he, LOL.




---------------------------------

SMALL PLACE NO STORAGE SPACE

I was thinking about this while taking my hot
bath this evening. All the while having a dog
poking it's nose at the shower curtain like
something from the movie Shining. And a kid
who came in later to sit by the tub while
I helped him do homework. Told you taking
a bath is a luxury for mom's!

Anyway I know many that have small homes
and not enough storage areas. I have one of them
and thought I would jot down a few things I do.

-Rotate seasonal clothes in your closet.
Store clothes in plastic bins that slide
underneath a bed.


-Over the door shoe racks are not just for shoes.
In the kids bedrooms I don't have room for dressers.
Instead I have a shoe holder hanging on the back
of their door. I put their shoes, socks and
underwear in them.
You could also use one in your bathroom for
extra space to store toiletries, brushes, combs,
hair dryers and so on.


-Store extra blankets between the mattress
and box spring.

-Bookshelves. I store things on bookshelves.
Then to keep them looking tidy and not an eye
sore I bought a tension curtain rod and hung
a curtain from the top of them.

-My cupboards in the kitchen only have one
shelf in them. There seemed to be so much
wasted space I could be using in there.
I trucked on over to the thrift store
and found wire racks to put in them to
double the space. They probably cost
all of .90 cents each.


-Door wire racks. Hang these on basement doors
or in coat closet to expand your pantry if
you have little storage in the kitchen.
Use to put cans, bottles or small boxes in.


------------------------------

I'm off here for the evening to listen
to all these squeaky, screaming and annoying
singers on American Idol.

1-11-10

Just returned from Walgreens.

I needed some fabric softener as I
only have about 2 loads left.
I saved $5.58 by using a
Walgreens coupon on Suavitel
fabric softener,
buy 1 get 1 free.
Limit 4.
I bought a total of 4.

Walgreens still has Christmas items
50% off.
BUT their Christmas candy is now 75% off.
I picked up 2 story book boxes of
regular life savers candy.
And 2 story book boxes of
gummy life savers candy.
Regular $2.00 each now .50 cents each.
I remember getting these as a kid!
I saved $6.00!! Hope they will last
a long while til next Christmas.
I could have opted for some chocolate
candy but didn't think it would last
that long.



While at Walgreens I also used another one
of their coupons from the paper and picked
up 2 Peak windshield washer fluid.
Regular $2.49 each but with coupon
it was $1.29 limit 2.
You can hardly find windshield washer
fluid for around $1.00 anymore!!
I saved $2.40 on those.

My total bill was: $24.14
minus the walgreens coupons and 75% off items.
I paid: $10.16
Saving $13.98

Mom found a large box of candy, kind of like an
Anthony Thomas candy box with assorted chocolates.
Originally $10 marked down to $2.50.

I can't wait til after Valentine's Day sales!
Last year mom found $10 boxes of assorted chocolates
at Factory Card Outlet for .10 cents a box,
90% off!!!!

---------------------------

Was trying a pair of sweat pants on
Jonathan this morning for school.
I noticed some holes forming in the knees.
I made him wear something else.

I don't throw something like this away!
I can't let something go to waste if
I can reuse it for another purpose.

Now these holey sweat pants will be used
for pj bottoms OR
If I see pants getting holes in the knees
and they still fit well around the waist
then they will go into a pile, I start
during the Winter months, to become
shorts for the Summer.
I will cut them off and hem them up.

----------------------------

I would love to be able to have my
Christmas shopping or gifts made way before
Christmas gets here this year!

I hate shopping the month of December with
the crowds! Plus you are tempted into
buying so much crap just to be buying a gift
whether the recipient really needs, wants
or will like it!

Take time throughout the year to really think
things over without the pressure.
Make lists if need be when others mention
something they would like to have.
Keep those lists in your purse when shopping
those thrift stores or yard sales.
I also have another list I keep in my
purse of the sizes of everyone from shoes,
pants, shirts and so on.

-----------------------

Throughout the year I like to keep a folder in my
bookmarks of projects I would like to make as gifts.
I run across so many cute and sometimes practical
items I could make.

Here's one I found today of a tea mouse.
They want $2.00 for directions to make it
but I think I could figure it out on my
own from looking at the pictures.
I liked the idea that she used
dryer lint to stuff these small proects.
You'll have to scroll down the page to see it.
Tea Mouse

This would be so cute for a little girl with a tea
set, for a teacher or a grandmother. Maybe make
it into a pin cushion for someone who sews.

---------------------------------------


Here is another idea to recycle old clothes...

Make homemade tissues. They wouldn't be any different
than using a hanky.
Cut up flannel shirts or cotton t-shirts.
You could use pinking shears to keep the edges
from fraying.
Then make a hanky hamper. I use a woven basket
for those used tissues by the bedside. You could
also use an old pail or decorated coffee can with a lid.

Scroll down past the mouse directions to find it.
Cloth Tissues


I have even heard of people making their own washable
feminine pads and toilet tissues.
Don't know if I would ever go that far.
But if interested here are web sites with directions:

Menstrual Pads

Cloth Toilet Wipes

When researching this I discovered some
diaper services has cloth toilet
wipes that they will pick up and clean for you.
I'd hate to have that job!


When it comes to paper towels we rarely
use them. I always have a stash of rags
underneath the sink handy for anything.
When I was a cleaning sub contractor I
made tons of my own rags from cut up old t-shirts
or took old towels and cut them up to make
about 8 rags about the size of washcloths.
For the towels I zig-zagged all the edges
so they wouldn't fray.
When socks lose their mate or develop
a hole I then cut them in half to open
them up to make a dust cloth out of.

-----------------------

Here is a trick when buying socks and
making your life easier.
Buy your kids, hubby or yourself
the same kind and color of sock.
Come time to match them up
it makes it so much easier.
No mismatched socks to figure out.
When one sock comes up missing
save it as a back up sock.
Then when another one comes up
missing you have an instant match.

-------------------------------

When clothes are totally wore out
and can't be passed on I will look
to see if they have buttons on them
and cut them off. We loose so many
buttons on clothes at times
and when I need an extra one to sew
back on I turn to my collection of
buttons in different sizes and colors.

If you own a nice button down shirt and
it looses a button check on the bottom
underside of where the shirt buttons up.
Sometimes manufactures will add extra
buttons in case you should lose one.

I have had jeans or pants loose a button.
For a quick and easy repair I would
put a large safety pin in its place.
Insert the closed safety pin through the
button hole and wallah, instant fix.

------------------------

Enter to win free milk for a year!

Enter the Great Gallon Giveaway and the first 125,000 people to enter will receive a coupon good for a FREE 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk with the purchase of 2 gallons of white milk (up to $3)! It’s a Bricks coupon, so be sure to hit your back button to print two of them.

-----------------------

MEIJER COUPON POLICY

Meijer now has their coupon policy posted on
their website concerning using Mealbox (meijers)
coupons and manufacture's coupons together.
I am so glad they finally did this because
I have had so many problems with them accepting
both type of coupons that I got to the point that I
quit trying to do it. There was an
argument every time! Even with the store manager!
So be sure to print this out if you shop
Meijer and have it handy in your coupon book
when trying to use them!


Here is a list of counterfeit printable coupons.
DO NOT TRY TO USE THESE IF YOU COME ACROSS ONE!!!

---------------------------

Here's a kitchen tip...
To save money on buying cooking spray
you can use a plain baggie, cover your
hand with it then dip it in the butter
bowl to grease baking dishes.

---------------------------

Here are some free websites with games for
the kids or adults to play:

CLUB PENGUIN

COOL MATH

ANDKON

CAFE GAMER

MINI CLIP

GAMES FREAK

HOT WHEELS

DISNEY

---------------------------

Stopped in Kroger tonight. I know it seems like
we go there a lot but when there's one on
every corner around here you can't resist.
Hubby needed Apriva (Kroger brand of Splenda)
for his coffee. Sometimes he gets tempted
to use real sugar in his coffee when he is out.
I'd rather trudge through snow and ice to
get him some Apriva considering he is diabetic.

I did see Kroger had Christmas things 75% off.
I didn't see anything of interest.

The road are very slipper and covered.
No plows or salt trucks in sight. Plenty
of wreckers with their lights on though.

As I am walking out of Krogers a lady walks in
wearing fuzzy slippers on her feet!!!
What in the world is wrong with people
that we can't bend over and put on a decent
pair of shoes or boots for this weather???

-----------------------------

I keep thinking about the bed warmers I posted
yesterday. I am half tempted to make some this
week for our beds. It just sounds good to
crawl into a warm heated bed. I used to love
our waterbed in the Winter time with the heater.
But waterbeds don't like us anymore because
of bad backs so now we are back to using
a regular mattress.

-----------------------------

My stomach and bowel is still bothering
me today. I'm thinking of heading off to the
bedroom with the computer and watching a movie.

I watched Food, Inc. the other day and I can
say it was quite an informative movie about
the food industries. I recommend that everyone
watch this movie!

---------------------------

1-10-10

Woke up to Tony's pager going off.
Oh goodie!
Then I started getting blurred
vision which usually means a
migrane is on it's way.
I have learned over the years
how to stop it before it
starts by taking a couple
Tylenol or Ibuprofen immediately.

Today I have a ton of laundry to do.
I love doing laundry during the warmer
weather. Smaller articles of clothing
and smaller loads of laundry.
Come Winter I have a hard time
keeping up. Large, bulkier clothes
that are changed a couple times a day
due to getting wet. Bulkier clothes
lead to more loads of laundry due
to their size. I sometimes try to
reduce the amount of laundry by
having the family hang back up pants
after one wear if they are not soiled
or smelly. Now shirts, socks and undies
I wash on a regular basis.

Do you know I get paid to do laundry???
I have a small container with lid
that I sit on the dryer. Each
time I find money in the washer or
dryer I put it in my little bank!
If you don't empty pockets before I
do laundry then I claim the money
and it goes into the laundry fund.
Today was unusual as I found $11.47
falling out of the dryer when opened.
Woo Hoo!

I've noticed I'm running low on fabric
softener. If this happens to you,
you can use straight vinegar in your
rinse cycle.
But hey I raised enough from doing
laundry today to buy some fabric
softener.
Walgreens this week has a store
coupon to get Suavitel buy one
for $2.79 get one free. Limit 4.
$1.40 each sounds good to me.
Sauvitel is my favorite anyway.
I like it better than Snuggle or Downy.
The smell, I think, seems to stay
in the fabric longer.

Weather.com says it's 9 degrees out
but feels like 0. BRRR!

It's cold in our basement this time
of year and another reason for not
liking to do laundry now.
I have noticed the windows down there
are leaking in cold air. We had discussed
the option of getting glass block windows.

I priced them at homedepot.com for
a complete glass block window from
$60 to $109 and those included a vent in them.
Times that by 6 windows is $360 to $654
just to start and doesn't include other
supplies needed to put them in, and
we don't have the experience in doing so.

So one of our goals this year is to go around
and caulk all basement windows. Then maybe
get sheets of plexiglass and have it cut to
the size of the windows. Then caulk that
in place in front of the other window making
it like a double paned window.
Then go around with a can of spray foam
insulator and spray it into any cracks from
where wires, cables and pipes run through the walls
in the basement.

--------------------------------

Like I said before I ALWAYS research items
that we consider purchasing. I want the best
bang for my buck.

So my research for today is about portable
heaters.

-How much of an area do they heat?
-How much do they cost?
-What kinds are there?
-How much to run?
-Safety features?
-Does it actually save you money to run them?

I have found these web sites to be very
informative. At the moment I am still
researching a couple different products.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-best-space-heaters-004646

http://www.alternative-heating-info.com/Small_Space_Heaters.html

Stores will eventually be moving out Winter
stock and setting up Spring items.
So I would like to be on the lookout
for portable heaters to be marked down.
Timing is everything and finding the right
sales at certain times of the year can
save you lots of money.

------------------------

I'm slowly moving around today trying to get
things done. My stomach has been hurting,
I haven't any energy and am having bowel
problems to put it nicely. Hubby said I
should call the doctor and make an appointment.
I'm not one who goes to the doctor. I will
wait out my problems for a week or two
to see if they clear up and they usually do.
Could you imagine how much I would be
forking over to a doctor every time I had
an ailment if I did!! But some others out there
are like hypochondriachs
and run to the doctor if they get a paper cut.
And people wonder why doctor bills and insurance
are so high! Unnecessary visits to the doctors.
It's a no wonder they drive Porsches.
Now I know if I need medical attention right away.
It takes common sense for that!
I just figure the problems I have now are the
results of much stress from the past week or so.
Doctor's usually don't tell you about home remedies.
Why would they? They don't make money off you if you
do. So go to the library and look for home remedy
books or search it online before heading to a
doctor.

-----------------------------

I got my dishes put away and another load
in the dishwasher. To save money make sure
you run full loads in it! Never run a load
only half full!
I also got tired of kids dirtying every cup
in the house every time they wanted something
to drink. I took 2 plastic cups, and with a
sharpie marker, wrote their names on them.
This is now their own personal cup!
Now if they want more to drink, we wash or
rinse out the same cups.

I also made up a batch of Teriyaki deer jerky
and have it in the dehydrator. So much cheaper,
and probably healthier for you, than store bought.
I used:
2 pounds of deer burger at $2.00 then teriyaki
sauce for 1/3 cup probably cost about .60 cents.
So look how much jerky I made for $2.60.
Next time you're at the store see how much
they want for some!!


---------------------------

Yesterday in the mail we received from
Hellmann's Mayo a taste test to see if
we could figure out which packet was light
and which one was regular mayo. We nailed
it correctly! One was more saltier than the
other while you could taste the imitation
sweetener in the other.
These results come from a family
with a diabetic who uses things
like Splenda.



Next we received a packet from the
Arbor Day Foundation.
In this packet was a free sheet
of address labels.
Then if I send them a $5.00 donation
and fill out a questionnaire I get
these items free:
-10 free trees specifically chosen
for the area we live.
-free purple Lilac
-free Arbor Day magazine subscription
-free copy of The Tree Book

Then if I am one of the first 50
to respond (not likely) I get a
year's supply of Arbor Day Specialty
Coffee.

I might do it then maybe they will
keep me on their mailing list and I
can get more free address labels, lol.
Just be sure to read any small print
to see what you may be getting into first.
And make sure it's a reputable company,
one you've heard of!



--------------------------------

Tried to make a quick trip to Kroger today
to get some more Big K pop while it
was on sale for .59 cents.
While there we found Kroger brand
sour cream chip dip for .50 cents each.
Picked up one for our chips
then another one to use on some
baked potatoes.
I'm already thinking of meals to make
this coming week.
One night will be pork chops with
baked potatoes.
Then the pager went off in the store
so we rushed to get checked out.

----------------------------

Then another recipe came across a Yahoo groups I want to try.
This way I can use up some more leftover ham I have
in the freezer. I also have a 10 pound bag of potatoes.

Crunchy Potato Balls

2 cups cooked, stiff mashed potatoes
2 cups finely chopped, cooked ham
1 cup (4 ounce) shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups crushed cornflakes

Combine potatoes, ham, cheese, mayonnaise, egg, mustard and pepper in mixing bowl. Mix well. Add enough flour to make a stiff mixture. Chill.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll in crushed cornflakes. Place balls on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Serve hot.

Makes about 6 dozen.

-----------------------------------

I can't wait til tomorrow. That
will be the end of being on call
for Tony for at least another 4-6 weeks.

I hope he doesn't get on call when we
have a thawing of ice and snow.
That's when roof leaks will appear!

From what I have figured up so far he's looking
at 22 to 25 hours overtime. The day is not
over with yet and he just got paged out
yet again!! So more hours will
be added on top of that time.

----------------------------

Sitting here for a moment waiting
for the loads of laundry to end.
Tony has me addicted to this one
game called 8 Ball Quick Fire Pool!
We used to shoot in real pool tournaments
years ago but don't anymore due
to kids and not having the money
for the extra expense.
So for now we like to play
Yahoo Pool or Mini Clip pool online.

Give it a try and see if you can beat
my score of 32,850. No one else
here can, LOL!
My longest streak to continuously
hit balls into their pockets
without missing is 48 balls!
My top rack to reach is rack 8.

http://www.miniclip.com/games/8-ball-quick-fire-pool/en/

-------------------------------

At the moment me and my oldest son
are discussing using these plastic
cards for different stores.
Every time you use them you get
savings or points.

At Kroger using your card you
get sales prices and double coupons
with it. It also keeps track
of how much you spend so you
can earn discounts on gas.

http://www.kroger.com/in_store/fuel/Pages/columbus_program_details.aspx

I think Giant Eagle has
a card that can be used
towards discounted gas.
I don't shop there so don't know
exact details about it.

http://www.gianteagle.com/fuelperks/home

At Speedway you can use your
card for every purchase except
alcohol or cigarettes. You
accumulate points to get free
merchandise, gasoline discounts
or coupons for free drinks and such.

I got an email stating if I purchase
something from Speedway 10 different
times in 3 weeks using their card I
will receive 7,000 bonus points.
I told Tony to be sure to use his
card when he goes there!
Currently we have 55,605 points.
We've already turned in 50,00 points before
that for a free cell phone awhile ago.

Sign your card up at SpeedyRewards.com
In doing so you can keep track of your points.
Also if you lose your card you can get a
new one and transfer your current points
to it. I've lost mine before!

---------------------------

We don't rent movies or order them
from the pay per view channel as those
are extra expenses. Instead we watch
movies online for free. They may be older
but hey it's probably something we haven't
seen yet, lol.

Also when the kids have the tv tied
up with game playing we can still
watch our favorite shows online free.

http://www.hulu.com/

http://www.fancast.com/

http://www.joost.com

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4od

http://www.nbc.com/video/library/full-episodes/?__source=front-door|video|video-library

http://www.cbs.com/

http://www.thewb.com/

http://www.fox.com/

http://community.abcfamily.go.com/watch

http://www.syfy.com/rewind/?__source=Syfy_Global_Nav


Every once in awhile we'll take the kids to
the movie theater. It's a special event
if we do.
Our movie theater of choice is
Cinemark Theater on Bethel Rd.

http://www.cinemark.com/theater_showtimes.asp?theater_id=172

.75 cent admission on Mondays.

Bargain matinee before 6pm $1.50
for Friday and Saturday.

Senior day is all day Monday anytime of day for $1.00.

----------------------------------

Getting close to bedtime.
Thinking about cuddling
up under the covers to keep warm.
I have plenty of blankets for everyone.
I'm a blanket addict, lol.
Even though we have a small house with limited
storage other than the basement, I have found
a way to store several blankets.

In the kids room I take off their mattress
and lay all the blankets as flat as possible
over the box springs. Then return the mattress
on top. To keep it from looking ugly on the sides,
I throw a fleece/velour type blanket over top their
mattress and sheet sideways so it hangs down
the sides of the bed to cover it up. Kind
of like a larger dust ruffle.
Plus this blanket on top of their sheet
helps to keep them warmer at night when
sleeping on it.

We use electric blankets and heating pads
if needed because sometimes the bedrooms
feel a little chillier than the rest of the
house.
If you don't have one you can make a
microwavable bed warmer with white rice,
NOT instant. Put drops
of essential oils on the rice before sewing it
up. You could use the legs off an old
pair of jeans and sew tunnels in it to
distribute the rice. Don't pack them too full
leaving room for the rice to move around some.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5364928_make-microwavable-bed-warmer.html

http://makeitdo.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/make-it-do-gift-cozy-bed-warmers/

------------------

I don't buy regular pj's for the kids.
They are too clingy and the kids don't like them.
So instead of pj's they have designated sweat pants
and shirts we use at bed time. They are roomy
and plenty warm!
Hubby's parents got him a sweat suit for Christmas.
He doesn't wear sweat suits so tonight I am wearing
it to bed. Love it! I call it my Snuggie PJ's
considering they are about 2 sizes too big on me, lol.
Had to roll up the legs and arms.

1-9-10

LIVING WITH THE BASICS

Some of us don't have money to
purchase whatever we want.
We have to live with basic items.
So here is a challenge I thought
of for today...

If you had a fire in your home today
and the fireman said to grab only
5 items from your kitchen, what
would you grab?
These 5 items
would last forever and could be
the only 5 things you could
use the rest of your life for
cooking or baking. This would
not include your silverware,
steak knives, plates, soup bowls or cups.
But would include small appliances.

What would those 5 items be???


Here is my list:

1. Crock pot.

2. My largest casserole dish.

3. My largest soup pot. (not a canning pot)

4. Microwave

5. Manual or electric can opener

-------------------------------

Been a slow day. Tony got called out on a page
about 30 minutes after crawling out of bed.
He got another emergency call while out.
Another one of those calls that makes
you wanna shake your head!
He was told there was no water coming from
the bathroom sink. So he ran right over
thinking it was frozen pipes.
Come to find out the aerator wasn't spraying
water out properly.
DA DUH DUH DUH!!!

I started dishes in the dishwasher and put
the clean ones away.
Then I got 3 large pork chops in
the crock with a can of cream of chicken soup.
Might serve with some rice and green beans.

Then for dessert I made up a cookie bar
from one of Betty Crocker cookie mixes.
The house is smelling so good at the moment.
Here is the result of my bar cookies


I have a question...
What happened to Kroger brand cookie mixes??????

I used to buy those to save money instead of
Betty Crocker brand. But I noticed yesterday
they no longer existed. I am bummed and wonder
where they went.

--------------------------------

I took a nap for a little bit not long ago.
When I awoke I started flipping through channels
on the tv and landed on the The Antique Roadshow.
This lady had a set of 4 Jade pieces.
They were appraised at $700,000 to over a million!!
That's when I think I would draw a line between
family mementos that are passed down and
the time to sell them so my family could be
better off!!
I would have crapped myself hearing the appraisals!
You would have had to pick me up off the floor.
It would have been like hitting the lottery!!

In the second video below they question her
after the show to find out what it is like
to be the person who had the highest appraisal
in Roadshow history.
Come to find out she has more jade pieces and
other oriental items at home that may hold more value.

Time to sell, sell, sell!!!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200902A05.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/video/AI_200902A05.html