The Good Life ... on Less

Homemade Cheesesticks

2011-10-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

My husband is tired of spending so much on cheesesticks for the kids. I started chopping up cheese and putting them in those snack size zip storage bags. You can't cut them up too far ahead or they can start tasting old, but when you're making dinner with cheese, cut some up and put them in individual baggies for when you're running out the door in a hurry. It saves quite a bit of money to do it this way instead of buying the cheesesticks at the store.

Carlsbad State Beach

2011-10-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

We went to Carlsbad State Beach Park the beginning of October. It's a great deal if you want to visit San Diego and don't mind camping. All sorts of shopping is close by and it's really close to Legoland. If memory serves, it's about $50.00 a night. I've heard it's hard to get a spot in the summer, that you have to do it way in advance, but our reservations in October were made about a month before. You camp up on a bluff and walk down to the beach. They have bathrooms and showers. Not super clean, but not awful either. We had a couple sunny and a couple rainy days the beginning of October.

It's time to exfoliate! Cost-Effective Efoliation!

2011-09-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

I have really dry skin. This is the time of year when I have to ramp up my exfoliation. I might be a little slow on this concept, but the other day on the Today Show a gal was talking about how she kept her skin in shape. All she does is uses those gloves that are a little bit textured. I think they call them exfoliation gloves. She uses her regular shower gel or soap and lathers up as usual, just scrubbing a little as she's doing getting clean. I tried it and it really is nice. I've been doing it once a week, but the gal on the Today Show does it everyday. I put a couple of those suction hook things on the outside of my shower for them to air dry, then you can toss them in the laundry with your towels. Cost-effective and sanitary (no disgusting loofa's!). Love it! I've found them at many different discount places like Ross, Tuesday Morning, etc. I also found a "mitt" that I like even better, you just switch hands.

Click here to read an old blog about how I exfoliate my very dry hands.

It's Swimsuit Time ... to BUY that is!

2011-09-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

Now is a great time to buy a swimsuit. I bought a bottom (skirted bottom) a couple days ago at JcPenney. It was normally $50.00, I bought it for $4.37.

ps-My first skirted bottom and I LOVE it!

Free Fonts!

2011-09-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

I'm helping my sister choose new fonts for her blog. There are a couple sites we are using with free fonts:

dafont
Free Fonts from Kevin and Amanda.com

While I'm at it, a place I sometimes go for free pictures, etc. is:

stock.xchng

Drug Store Cosmetics I Really Like

2011-07-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to use more drug store cosmetics to save both time and money. I'm not super close to the mall, so I love being able to just refill at the grocery store. Here are some I've tried and like. Most are Loreal. Loreal is really coming up with products lately that are close the quality of some expensive stuff I've tried.

Loreal De-Crease set's eyeshadow. It helps eyeshadow last longer without creasing.
I LOVE this foundation. As I'm getting older, I have larger pores. I know, bummer. Anyway, this foundation feels strange to me. It's whipped and you don't need a lot. It's basically Spackle for pores. It fills them up and skin looks much smoother.
Magic perfecting base is also like Spackle, but without tint. If you have another foundation you like, I'd try this with it. I tried using this with the Magic Souffle, but it was just too much "Spackle" together.
This mascara has been around for years (I think it's 20 years this year?). Anyway, I like to use it when I'm trying to get my eyelashes big or if I'm trying to run out the door quickly and only want to put on a single coat.Cover Girl Lash Blast is a great mascara also, and for the same reasons. Big lashes, can use just one coat if you're trying to leave the house quickly.
I read Charla Krupp's book "How Not To Look Old" last year. She suggested pink lipgloss for looking younger. This is the first I tried, and so far still my favorite. I have fair skin and the pink of this is really nice. I get a lot of compliments on it. I don't remember the name off the top of my head, but it's the one with the pink breast cancer ribbon.
This last product is not from the drug store, but I love it so much I had to include it. It's MAC Studio Fix and I've used it for years. It's not my all time favorite foundation, but it's my favorite foundation/powder combo for getting ready quickly and for keeping in your purse. Mine lasts quite a while and I think MAC is fairly well priced for "fancy" makeup.

Quote

2011-07-01T11:54:00.001-07:00

"Live simply, so others might simply live."

Another Good Deal/Meal at Ikea

2011-04-07T14:40:00.001-07:00

A friend and I hit Ikea this morning. Not only did I get curtains at a phenomenal price, (really long ones that will fit a higher ceiling) but we had this for breakfast for $1.99. I think they call it their "Big Breakfast." Such a kid-friendly place ... just LOVE Ikea!

Neighborhood Sports Teams

2011-03-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Something we've been involved with the last year is a group of parents getting their kids together to play various sports. All the parents volunteer to do something: coach, team mom, pictures, trophies, etc. We pay $12-$15 dollars per child and have played t-ball, soccer and football. It's pretty relaxed and we keep it as simple as possible. Everyone brings their own drinks and snacks, etc. A great way to introduce children to different sports and at very reasonable price.

Saving Money on College Textbooks

2011-02-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine wrote a really helpful article on buying college textbooks at reduced prices. Here's the link.

A Little Money Saver

2011-02-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

The last couple months I've been trying to come off my expensive and unhealthy Diet Coke addiction. What I've started doing when I hit a drive-thru is get a water with my meal and use a little crystal light packet in the water. The packets are cheaper than buying a soda and although not that healthy themselves, I think better than the Diet Coke addiction.

Stop Counting the Pennies!

2011-01-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

There's a book I started reading a while ago, and only got about 75 pages in before my life got super busy, but think it's a great book. It's called, "All Your Worth, The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan" by Elizabeth Warren and her daughter, Amelia Warren Tyagi. I've really liked Elizabeth for years. She's was appointed recently by Obama to develop the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She really does seem to care about the shrinking middle class.

She gave a piece of advice in the book I think is really true. She says everywhere we go, we are told to save our pennies, watch the Starbucks, etc. She says that's wonderful, but they want us to spend our "precious minutes where they count most: your dollars. Instead of spending your time on how to squeeze a few nickels out of small purchases, it's time to focus on the really big expenses, where an hour on the phone can save you thousands of dollars. This step starts with an incredibly simple premise: Dollars are worth more than pennies."

I've always felt that we really blow our budget on our big purchases rather than one too many rentals at Redbox!

She goes on to discuss the big-ticket items, house, car, insurance, etc. She says, "If you are overspending on these big monthly bills, then money is draining out of your pocket a lot faster than you can replace it by getting double coupons on your frozen vegetables. She calls this step in her plan, "the foundational step for getting straight with your money.

Then comes the tough love.

"Who says you shouldn't spend all your money on a normal house and a normal car? We do. It doesn't matter if you are living in a regular house. It doesn't matter if you are driving an average car. It doesn't matter if all of your Must-Haves seem perfectly ordinary and no different from those of your neighbors. Because you can't use your neighbors as a guide. Why not? Because most of your neighbors are not building wealth."

She wants us spending no more than 50% of our income on "must-haves." Must haves being food, shelter, etc. This book was published in 2005. If everyone in the country had read this, it would have saved us all so much money. We would have been keenly aware if we really could afford the houses we were buying, etc. Anyway, more from her later. Such a voice of reason.

After Christmas Perfume Shopping

2010-12-29T21:57:00.000-08:00

If you're a perfume gal, I noticed Target and Walgreens blowing out those Christmas perfume gift sets. You can get some of the different stars perfumes like Faith Hill, Halle Berry and Beyonce (not sure I spelled their names correctly!?) and oldies but goodies like CK one, Eternity for Men, and Obsession for a fraction of their normal cost.

After Christmas Shopping

2010-12-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

I haven't written for a long time, we bought a house and between that and the holidays, I've been a busy gal.

Had some time though for some after Christmas shopping yesterday. Besides getting all the Christmas decorations, etc. for cheap, one of the things I like to buy is wrapping paper that doesn't look overly "Christmas-y" so I can use it for gift wrapping during the year. You can also get tissue paper at great prices. Yesterday Target had bulk white tissue paper half off.

Links to a couple old posts.

2010-10-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here are links to a couple old posts that are appropriate for this time of year. The first is about Halloween candy, the second a quote on gratitude.

Beach, Soccer, Etc. Bag

2010-10-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

Bought a great "mommy" bag recently at LL Bean. I chose the extra-large bag and it is REALLY, REALLY big. I use it for soccer balls, at the beach, etc. I thought it was a decent price for how large it is and LL Bean is featuring free shipping through December 20th.

Here's the link if you're interested.

Outdoor Furniture

2010-10-22T10:03:00.001-07:00

This post might be a little late to help this year, but just wanted to remind everyone that outdoor furniture is often highly discounted from the end of summer to early fall. I really love the bench above. I saw it at Lowe's for $300.00 last spring. I waited and recently paid $50.00. There were also some fun retro chairs normally $40 that we picked up for $10. I've found outdoor furniture will often go down to 75% off or more this time of year.

Artisan Bread

2010-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

A friend gave me this recipe and I was so glad. This bread tastes just like you're at a fancy restaurant and it couldn't use more basic ingredients. You REALLY, REALLY should try it. You will impress yourself!

Here's the link to the video on how to do it. Mark Bittman, who I really like, introduces this bread from a NY bakery to us. Here are the instructions written out.

They tell you to do this fold thing, but I didn't and it turned out fine. Also, at the end when you brown the bread, make sure you watch it because I needed to take mine out early.

A List of Inexpensive, Healthy Foods

2010-10-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

In my quest to find cheap, healthy, quick food my children will actually eat, I've started a list of healthy, inexpensive foods. Thought I'd share. If anyone has any other ideas, please let me know!

apples

bananas

beans-lentils, black, pinto, white, garbanzo (cook yourself and freeze with a little liquid)

broccoli

brown rice (takes about 45 min. to cook, so make in bulk and freeze-then just "nuke")

canned tuna

chicken on sale, freeze

corn tortillas

eggs-even organic are still a good deal for a protein

frozen veggies

fruits & veggies in season

homemade bread, tortillas & pizza

hummus (cook own garbanzo beans-about 2 cups of beans equals 1 can)

jar of spaghetti sauce, use coupons

low fat milk

oatmeal

oatmeal cookies

popcorn for snack (buy popcorn and pop yourself on stove or air pop)

potatoes-baked w/ skin

spinach

tofu

whole grain pasta

Homemade Tortillas

2010-09-23T06:11:00.001-07:00

The next few posts I do will probably involve food. I've been thinking a lot lately about how to reduce our food bill. Here's one recipe that's dirt cheap. Homemade Tortillas. I grew up on Mexican food and to me it's comfort food. These tortillas are a healthier version of the ones we all know and love that unfortunately contain lard or shortening.

3 cups flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup warm water

Blend dry ingredients.

"Rub" in oil with your fingers until fine crumbs appear.

Add water with a spoon or fork ... really does need to be warm water. Then knead dough until smooth (you can do it right in the bowl) about 2 minutes.

Cover the bowl with a bag, a slightly wet cloth or saran wrap. Let it sit ("rest") about half an hour. They cook up much better if you don't skip this step.

Divide dough into small balls. I use a melon baller to get them to a somewhat uniform size. Some people say to make them into the balls before letting the dough "rest." I do it either way ... whatever I have time for.

Roll out as thin as you can with a rolling pin. I've seen people do this with their hands, but I just can't make it work. I don't worry if my shape is off ... still taste's the same. Use a little dusting of flour if things are sticking.

Bake on a hot griddle until freckled, about 20/30 seconds on each side. I like to use a flat cast-iron pan. (We bought it at Walmart and LOVE it! In fact, my flat cast iron pan never leaves my stove top ... we really like pancakes and tortillas!)

I'm not sure how many servings this makes. It really depends on how large you make your tortillas. I like to make mine small.

*Note: I usually use half all-purpose white flour and half whole wheat or soft white wheat flour. The tortillas taste better and are easier to make if you use only white all-purpose flour. If you try to use all whole wheat flour they will taste like cardboard.

A Cheap & Yummy Snack

2010-09-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is what I do for dessert when I want my kids to eat something healthy and they want something more along the lines of ice cream. Sliced bananas and Hershey's syrup. Yummy and really inexpensive!

Free Online Books

2010-09-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about this yet, but last night my husband found this page while looking for a book. We don't have a "Kindle" yet, but you can download the Kindle app on your computer and then download a ton of classic books for free. The bummer is you have to read them on your computer unless you buy a Kindle, etc. (Probably wouldn't be too bad with a laptop.) It also lists other places to get free online books. A person could become very well-read without having to buy one book. Worth looking into.
archive.org
gutenberg.org
openlibrary.org
manybooks.net

These Microfiber Cloths are Cheap & Really Work!

2010-09-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

I found out about these microfiber cloths on a blog I can no longer find. They are great! I bought them a few months ago at Walmart for about $5.00 in the automotive area and have been meaning to write about them. I'm sure I'm a little slow on the uptake, but microfiber cloths clean so much better than the ones I normally use. Anyway, I have these really hard to clean blinds and used one of these on them recently and couldn't believe what a good job they do. They also don't use as much cleanser, since you can almost clean with just water and the cloth. Highly recommend.

Uses for Christmas Tissue Paper!

2010-08-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

Made these big tissue flowers with the kids the other day. I got tons of tissue paper at Christmas a couple years ago at 90% off if I'm remembering correctly. Anyway, I've used it in birthday gifts and now to make these huge flowers. I just love paper flowers. I think I'm going to save them and put them up for Christmas this year! :) I'm all out though, so I'll have to hit the after Christmas sales again!

Magazines for FREE!

2010-08-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the library looking for last months Consumer Reports. The librarian told me I could check it out. I had no idea you could checkout past issues of magazines. If you need a magazine fix and don't mind reading a month behind, you might want to check out your local library and see if they also check them out.

Target Rocks!

2010-08-11T10:22:00.001-07:00

Hit Target yesterday for some "end-of-summer" shopping. Bought the kids swimsuits and sandles for future summers at dirt-cheap prices.

On my way in I spied flash cards for a dollar a pack. My kids are really interested in the "Space" and "Landmarks" cards ... actually, so am I! I highly recommend them.

Ikea

2010-08-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

Last night we took the kids to Ikea for dinner. (My kids LOVE Ikea ... I know, kind of different. I think it's left over from our stint in the Northwest. I used to let them run wild at Ikea when we reached about our 90th straight day of rain! Also, they are VERY family friendly. family restrooms, etc.)

Our Ikea was having a "kids-eat-free" promotion. The whole dinner for a family of five ... plus a big piece of cake to share for dessert was a little over $11.00. If you have one close, it's a great idea if you're on a budget and don't feel like cooking one night. I noticed they have various nights where they run specials ... again, worth a check if you live close to one.

An Update on Do-It-Yourself Laundry Soap

2010-07-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

A while ago I did a post on how to make laundry soap. We recently bought a front-loader machine. (Love the state rebates ... got $275 back in rebates and Lowes had already marked it down 10%.)

Anyway, the grated soap, Fels-Naptha, in the recipe I was using wasn't dissolving in the new washer. I switched to Ivory soap and all is well. Works fine. (The Fels-Naptha bar is 5 1/2 oz, so I eyeballed how much Ivory would equal that, about 1 1/2 bars of the size Ivory I was using.)

Sew a Makeup Brush Holder

2010-07-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

Another plug to learn to sew a little. This is in no way a fabulously executed craft; I just wanted to show a project you can do with very little time, money and effort.

One day I realized I could get ready faster if I had all my makeup brushes in the same order I put the makeup on. As a mom, I get interrupted about 15 times while putting on my makeup and always lose track of where I am. It ends up taking far longer than it needs to.

Anyway, I grabbed a bandanna I bought at Walmart for about 90 cents and just kind of threw this together in about 5 minutes -- no right or wrong way to do it. Nothing lines up well ... a really bad example of quality sewing, but it serves my need and I didn't have to think about it much, spend much and best of all, it really helps me get ready quicker .... when I actually put makeup on!

Back to School Supplies

2010-07-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

It's back to school time! Even if you don't have children, it's a GREAT time to buy your household office supplies.

I bought 12 rolls of scotch tape and other supplies to hopefully last until this time next year when the deals hit again. I go through a lot of tape during the holidays and I'm hoping this will last. You can also get index cards, glue, highlighter pens, etc. for next to nothing. Spiral note books are 15 cents each at most stores!

Walmart and Target usually have really great prices and surprisingly, our local grocery store also had the dirt cheap pricing.

Interesting Quote

2010-07-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting quote I read today. At first, I thought ... "Well that's not me! I like things to look nice because I like them that way." Then I realized I could see myself in this quote ... at least somewhat. I've heard it before, but nice to ponder again. Not sure who said it.

"We spend money we don't have
on things we don't need
to create impressions that won't last
on people we don't care about."

All Purpose Cleaner I've Been Using

2010-07-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe for the cleaner I've been using lately. I wanted something cheap and a little greener than what I've been using. I think this fits the bill. I found this recipe in many places on the internet. You can use it on glass and quickly wipe up counters and toilets. It smells like vinegar at first, but then the smell goes away. You can buy vinegar in huge bottles and then buy a 99 cent water bottle at Walmart, a cheap plastic funnel and you're in business!

All-Purpose Cleaner (does glass!)
2 cups Water
1/4 cup White Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Liquid Soap

*Ps-if you've used water and vinegar to do windows in the past and it hasn't worked, it's because of the residue left from your normal glass and window cleaner. By adding the 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, it gets that residue off.

Cheap Videos

2010-06-25T12:50:00.001-07:00

Got this stack of videos this past week. I'm sure you've noticed, but all the video stores seem to be going out of business. My sister got a lot of animated videos if you're looking for those. I purchased these for $2.00 or $3.00 each at the Hollywood Video down the street. It seems to me they clear out videos cheaper than the Blockbuster stores do. It's sad to see the employee's losing their jobs; I guess it's a business model time has passed. A good opportunity to get cheap videos though.

Sewing

2010-06-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

A great way to save money is by using the somewhat lost art of sewing. I'm not great at sewing, but can sew a straight line. It can really save money, especially in decorating your house. Many of the things you need in your house (curtains, pillows, duvets) require very little more than knowing how your sewing machine works and how to sew a straight line. Also, if you want more designer-looking items, such as the super long curtains that go from ceiling to floor, you will either pay through the nose, or have to sew them yourself. (By-the-way, Ikea also has some good options for the long curtains.)

Here's an example of a quick project I did recently. This is a high-quality man's shirt I got for free. I took in the back to make it have a waist and shortened and tucked in the sleeves; a nice cover-up for summer. I highly recommend learning to sew (at least a little).

A Few Cheap Things to Do with the Kids This Summer!

2010-05-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

Visit Local Landmarks
Visit Local Parks
Family Bike Rides
Craft with Grandma
Sprinkler
Swim at the Local Pool
Swim Lessons at the Local Pool
Give Them Each a Squirt Bottle and Send Out Back
Make Popsicles
Make Fudgesicles
Make Ice Cream Sandwiches
Make Necklaces of Macaroni or Fruit Loops
Bake Bread-Each Child Makes Own Small Loaf
Color & Draw
Make Paper Airplanes
Movies-Harkins Does Really Cheap Ones Where I Live
Visit Relatives
Have Sleepovers with Cousins
Make Treasure Boxes
Go to the Zoo (Early in the Day if it's Hot)
Go to a Lake or River; Ocean if You're Lucky!
Head to the Mountains
Summer Reading Programs at Major Bookstores or Library
Library! Take Advantage of All the FREE Stuff!

A Couple Costco Favorites

2010-05-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

My husband loves Costco, so we do a lot of our shopping there. Here are a couple of my favorites. Really good and fairly healthy. The pasta sauce tastes really good with parmesan and the soup I use as a base and add rice and veggies.

Cheap, Quick Cookies

2010-05-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I made these cookies the other night when I needed a treat to take somewhere but was pressed for time. I always try to keep a couple bags of these for just such emergencies. The Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip are my favorite. They really do taste (almost) homemade. When I remember, I add extra Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips (Can get a big bag of Ghirardelli chips at Sam's Club). They have coupons for these cookies all the time. I rarely pay over a dollar for the bag of cookie mix. Yummy and fast! (Overcooked these cookies a bit!)

TV Dinners

2010-05-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

I need my life to be easier ... and I need to lose some weight! Here's an easy solution. I made up a bunch of healthy and cheap TV Dinners. I put cooked beans and brown rice in half (my favorite) and cooked chicken and rice in the other half. You need to lay them somewhat flat while freezing. I put them in baggies and then use kitchen scissors to cut them open. Then I put the ice clump of food covered in the microwave for a couple minutes. Great when you are hungry and tempted to eat something you shouldn't and need food fast! Obviously you can do this with all sorts of food. When I was single and poor I used to do this for my lunches to take to work. I'd take frozen taco meat and a tortilla, potato soup, etc.

Dumpster Diving!

2010-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm always amazed at what great things you can get if you're not proud about it. I found this leather couch and a chair sitting outside on the curb in our neighborhood for trash pickup. A serious shame if the owners were really intending them to go to the dump. I assume they expected someone to pick them up. Anyway, I asked the neighbor next door if the people getting rid of the couch and chair were fairly clean, she said yes, so I loaded them into the truck. I know some college students who needed something to sit on and after cleaning and sanitizing the furniture, (a plus you can do with leather) they now have free furniture to get them through school.

Love these Glad Bags

2010-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

I love these Glad bags! My mother-in-law told me about them. They are much cheaper per bag than a gallon-sized ziplock bag. They are good for bagging a smaller loaf of bread, a bunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a picnic, etc. I got mine at Walmart.

The Abundant Life!

2010-05-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yummy tomatoes, fresh basil ... it just feels so abundant to watch your little fruits and veggies grow in your own garden. Over the past couple years I've started dabbling in gardening. I don't really know what I'm doing, but am slowly learning a thing here or there. At first the whole project wasn't a huge savings on food because I bought pots (I'm doing container gardening), soil and seeds. It was still rewarding and just so fun. Now it's getting cheaper. I just need fertilizer (which I plan to eventually get from composting) and seeds or small plants you can buy at the nursery. I would like to encourage everyone to at least get a tomato plant in a pot this summer. It just feels good to watch something grow!

A Cheaper Swiffer

2010-04-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have one of those old "Swiffer" mops that I use too often. What can I say ... I'm weak! They are just so quick to rid up your floors. The only problem is the wipes you buy are expensive (even the generics), they aren't exactly environmentally friendly and I personally don't like the smell.

I had heard about doing something like this and finally tried it. Love it! I bought a bunch of really bright washcloths for (I think) $4.00. I bought them bright because I don't want to use the same washcloth on my face as on my floor. To use, you just put some water on them, I put a little splash of Pine Sol and attach them to the Swiffer mop the way you would the Swiffer sheet. They don't stay in quite as well as the Swiffer sheets, so you could use an office or some other type of clip at the top to keep the fabric together if it was really bothering you. To do my kitchen I go through about four washcloths and then just toss them in the laundry.

So happy I found this way of mopping. Much cheaper! Also, I like to actually use some water on my floor.

Dollar Store / Fresh & Easy

2010-04-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Went shopping today at the dollar store and a small grocery store called Fresh & Easy.

First the dollar store. Even though I'm a bargain shopper, until the past year I've pretty much stayed away from dollar stores. I had the impression everything in them is of poor quality. I recently changed my mind ... a little. While I still think most of the "stuff" is pretty cheap, I've found one by us that actually has some decent things to purchase from time-to-time.

Today I bought music CD 's for my "gift-stash." They are those "relaxation" type CD's. I had bought one for myself and liked it so much I went back to buy more for gifts. I've also bought gift bags there at a really good price. Our store has a school supplies section for teachers I love ... work books, flash cards, ABC & math posters. I've bought some fun books for myself. I buy cheap toys as a reward for finishing homework on time.

Next store was Fresh & Easy. If you have a chance to visit one, you should. They are small grocery stores I thought would be expensive, but are reasonable. They are in the southwest and great for a fast stop. You can get in and out very quickly. All of their house-brand products I've tried have been decent to really good. If you're in a hurry for lunch, you can pick up a good salad for $3.99. I can also find specialty-type products I can't find at my local grocery store, such as light cheeses, etc. ... for a reasonable price. Here's some of the things I like to buy there (all house-brand):

Milk $1.99
Honey Pretzels $1.59
Canned Beans (various prices, cheaper than my large grocery store)
Pizza Dough $1.29 (I like to make my own, but in a pinch it works.)
Pizza Sauce (Can't remember price, I think a little over $1.00)
Tofu $.99 (I think?)
Pita's (6) $1.58

Listen to Free Music Online

2010-03-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Another great tip from today's Tiphero newsletter:

I might be a little slow discovering this, but there are various sites where you can listen to free music on your computer. I tried Grooveshark today and really enjoyed listening to the playlist I made.

Use Those Coupons!

2010-03-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

An example of how coupons can really be helpful. There is this moisturizer with spf 50 I've been wanting to try, but it's really small and costs about $24.00. Eeek! I found it on sale for $18.00, had a $3.00 coupon from the vendor and a $5.00 coupon from the store, so I got it for $10.00. If there is something you really want, if you're patient, I've found there is usually a way to get it for less.

Garage Sales

2010-03-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here's my fancy new (to me!) TV I got at a garage sale. I like to keep a small TV in my bedroom and the kids had broken my last one, so bought this one for $15.00 at a garage sale to go with my $4.99 VCR I bought at a thrift store recently ... what a bargain! ... Of course, with the new conversion to digital, you need to get cable (we buy basic for a minimal fee) or have a converter box to use these older tv's.

I also picked up a kid's bike for $15.00 at a different garage sale (quite the hit!) and a couple pair of really cute shoes for $2.00 each.

A word of advise about garage sales ... you really have to be choosy or you end up bringing home things you don't need that take up too much room. We've had a number of sales around here recently and I've made myself pass on a lot of "maybe" purchases.

ps-Not advertising for "The View," it just happened to be on!

I love a clay mask!

2010-03-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Nice picture huh? One of my favorite cheap beauty things is a clay mask. When I'm taking care of myself well, I try to do a mask once a week. I use whatever mask I find at the drug store (nothing special) and one tube lasts me forever. They usually are green or blue and really make your pores look better. I usually do the mask on a weekend morning before makeup, leave it on until dry, then wash off with warm water. I follow with some sort of exfoliation and a wash with my normal cleanser. Today I used brown sugar and olive oil to exfoliate. If you do this, I wouldn't rub the sugar too hard and the oil was a little heavy on my face, so definitely felt I needed to use cleanser after. Here's another cheap way to exfoliate.

A "Special Days" Calendar

2010-03-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Today at Walmart I ran into four racks of $1.00 clothing. They do this from time-to-time. Just the night before I had checked my list of "Special Days" to see which birthday's were coming up. I was able to get one niece 5 clothing items and another 3 items.

It really saves to keep in mind birthdays/events that are coming up in the next few months so you can try to get gifts on sale. Here's a link to a post I did on having a gift stash.

Simplifying our Wants

2010-03-07T12:29:00.001-08:00

I was sitting in church today and started thinking of how abundant (and easier) our lives become when we simplify our wants and then feel gratitude for what we do have.

I just ran into this quote that kind of sums up what I was thinking:

"With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy."

-Lope de Vega

I Love Thrift Stores!

2010-03-07T11:27:00.001-08:00

This is just a reminder to all of us about how great thrift stores are. One of my friends has told me I can live better on little money than about anyone she knows. Besides having free flights a majority of my adult life (sis & hubbie worked for airlines) ... thrift stores have been the other great resource to help me live "The Good Life ... on Less."

I've bought clothes, furniture, dishes, books, toys, baby clothes, movies, a lawn mower, you-name-it at thrift stores. Where I live, many of the stores have 50% off days. Three or four years ago I spotted a whole set of really nice Mikasa dishes. There were 10 big plates, 10 small plates, 10 bowls for $26.00. Being incredibly cheap ... I mean thrifty ... I chanced it and waited a couple days until 50% off day and got the whole set for $13.00. I just checked the Mikasa website and one dinner plate is selling for $16.99.

Yesterday I stopped off at a thrift store while running errands. I bought a movie I love, the book Anna Karenina and a VCR. I just have basic cable ... no fancy way to tape, no Tivo, etc. About a year ago my VCR broke and so I haven't been able to tape shows ... generally not a big deal since you can just go and view most television shows on your computer now, but on occasion I can't find a show online and want to tape it. My husband is horrified that I bought such an archaic machine, but I found one in good shape for $4.99. It was half-off since it had been sitting on the shelf so long. Apparently my husband is not the only one who thinks they are archaic. But it does the job for me, so I was tickled pink.

I don't have a thrift store very close to my house these days, but in the future I'm going to try and remember what a great resource they are!

Shower Caps!

2010-03-04T19:45:00.001-08:00

Ok, this one isn't a money-saver but a time-saver ... time is money ... right? I recently bought a shower cap on a whim. Unfortunately mine isn't as rockin' as this one, but I LOVE it! "Pre-children" I used to wash my hair every other day. Now, I honestly only wash it about every four days (I know, gross). Anyway, with this lovely shower cap you can pretty much keep your hairstyle lookin' good (especially if you have frizzy/curly hair like me) until your next wash.

My mother used one of these and she was one of the most "put-together" women I've ever met ... and with minimal effort. It's taken me umpteen years, but I'm finally realizing what a genius she was!

Another "help" I've tried is to sleep on a silky pillow case. Really helps keep the hairstyle smooth the next day.

Another Great Link from Tiphero!

2010-03-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend getting the weekly newsletter from Tiphero if you're serious about saving money. They had a link to this article today. It's about a gal trying to feed her large fiance for a week on $25.00. I have eaten on less many weeks of my life and it's a real challenge ... especially if you're trying to eat healthy (healthful?) foods. I thought her findings were interesting.

Walking

2010-02-15T22:29:00.001-08:00

I discovered a new gem of a park today. It's just 3 miles from our house, has these really great long trails, bathrooms and drinking fountains. Best of all, walking really lifts my spirits and is completely free! Here's to walking!

"Thoughts come clearly while one walks." ~Thomas Mann

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." ~John Muir

"The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk." ~Jacqueline Schiff

"We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down." ~Robert Sweetgall

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow." ~Henry David Thoreau

"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right." ~G.M. Trevelyan

Casserole Basics

2010-02-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

I just got my weekly newsletter from TipHero. I've been wanting to come up with a few go-to casserole recipes. For a good review on "Casserole Basics" click here.

Really Good Corn Bread

2010-02-04T08:30:00.001-08:00

Cornbread can really stretch a meal. Mark Bittman, a well-known cookbook author and NY Times columnist says of cornbread, "This is one of the most important recipes I know. With the possible exception of brownies, there is no other baked good that packs so much flavor, and can be used in so many situations, with so little work."

After some searching, I found this recipe. It's based on the recipe from the Alber's Cornmeal box called "Sweet Corn Muffins." A friend of mine tweeked the amounts of flour and cornmeal in the recipe on the box and I like it this way much better. Enjoy!

Sweet Corn Bread
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white or yellow corn meal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, vegetable oil and butter in small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Put Your Own Art on Canvas

2010-01-25T14:43:00.000-08:00

My sister found a place that is very reasonable for putting photographs on canvas. They did a few pictures for her last year and a small one for me. They all turned out quite well, especially for the price.

There is an aged picture of a local building I've wanted for a really long time. At a gallery I saw it for $800. They said they would sell it to me for $400. I still couldn't stomach the price and really couldn't imagine what my husband would say about it. I ended up taking a picture of the building myself, aging the black and white photo in Photoshop and sending it to ZaZa Gallery. They were having a sale at the time and I got the photo on a 16x20 canvas (a little smaller than the one at the gallery) for $55.00 + $15.00 shipping. I then put it in a frame I purchased on sale at Michael's for $15.00. Total price $85.00 for a piece of art I will really enjoy.

Cheap Laundry Soap

2010-01-21T12:45:00.001-08:00

I've had this laundry soap recipe forever, but just started using it a month or two ago. It's so cheap and easy to make, I wish I wouldn't have waited. I'm not sure how it is on clothes long-term, but so-far, so-good ... seems to work pretty well! I got the recipe at www.tiphero.com.

Laundry Soap
1 bar Felds-Naptha Bar Soap (grated)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda

Mix together, store in container with a lid. Use 1 to 3 Tablespoons per load of laundry. I have been using 1 1/2 Tablespoons per load.

ps-It takes a while to grate the soap, so turn on a good show and grate away!

A Simple and Cheap Face Scrub

2010-01-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to go "green" lately with my lotions and potions; trying not to put so many toxic things on my skin. Here's an inexpensive facial scrub I used yesterday. It wasn't quite as good as the micro-dermabrasion product I have in my cupboard, but it did a decent job, is MUCH cheaper and I'm sure much less toxic.

It's really simple. Put a squirt of your normal face cleanser in your palm, then add about a teaspoon of baking soda. Make a paste of it and rub it on your face to exfoliate. Follow with moisturizer.

For an inexpensive hand scrub click here.

Biscuits & Gravy Like Grandma Used to Make - Cheap ... cheap ... cheap!

2010-01-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! I am trying to get organized for the New Year and have been going through some of my recipes, so I thought I'd share ... this one is not great for diet resolutions, but is really economical and reminds me of my sweet grandma!

I thought my grandmother was the best cook ever! She was mother to 11 and I can't even count the number of grandchildren. When I used to visit, she would often whip up gravy (a white sauce) and serve it over white bread. I wished my mom would cook like that. I thought it was such a treat. Only recently did it occur to me that bread and gravy was an inexpensive way to feed a lot of people. She also served lots of pinto beans ... I'll share a "toot-less" bean recipe another time.

Biscuits & Gravy

Whole Wheat Biscuits-All Recipes.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup milk

In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until moistened. I just drop big spoonfuls of the dough directly onto an ungreased baking sheet for a "drop-biscuit." Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

White Sauce (Like Grandma used to make!)-Cooks.com

Thin White Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Medium White Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

In saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and a dash of pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

Tasty, Easy, Inexpensive Granola

2009-12-14T12:54:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe online at Recipezaar. It's really easy to make and will keep in an airtight container for about a week. (We usually eat it up way before that since it is so yummy!) I was looking for a granola recipe with easy, simple ingredients. We like to eat this as cereal or on top of our yogurt. I usually double the recipe.

Quick 'n' Crunchy Granola - Serves 4 to 6
3 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (uncooked)
1/3 cup Butter or Margarine
1/3 cup Honey
1/4 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla (I often put a little more!)
1-2 teaspoons Cinnamon (We added this one-optional.)

1. Melt butter in microwave.
2. Heat honey in microwave for 45 seconds (if too thick.)
3. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. (I sometimes mix the other ingredients first, then add to the oats.)
4. Pour into cookie sheet with a lip or baking pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Very important to stir once while baking.
6. Stir again and cool completely.
7. Store in air-tight container.

Inexpensive Furniture

2009-12-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

The key to finding a good deal on furniture is patience. Wait for it! Here is an example of some of the different ways to get decent furniture without paying a fortune. (Excuse the lack of decoration in the picture!)

The rug was bought at Lowes 75% off. It was normally $400, on sale for $100.

An end table you can't really see (Christmas Tree on it) was $40 at Cost Plus because it was missing a knob ... something easily fixed.

The armoire and two side consoles were between $500 & $600 at an outlet store in the scratch and dent section. Do small scratch and dents really matter? Call it patina!

The leather and wood ottoman was $120 at a model home furniture sale. There are companies who handle these events. You can check their web sites for upcoming sales. All the ones I've been to have long lines when they open and are cash and carry. These sales can be a really great place to get furniture. You have to be careful though, sometimes the furniture in model homes isn't that sturdy.

The couches are hand-me-downs. They were "messed-up" and needed the attention of an upholstery shop to the tune of about $400, but still MUCH cheaper than buying them at a furniture store and great for the environment.

Another wonderful furniture option (also good for the environment) and a cost effective way to buy unique furniture is to shop antique stores. You can really get some great deals if you shop around!

Ideas for Inexpensive Christmas Gifts

2009-12-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

I've been busy, busy lately so haven't posted for a while. Thought I'd get back on the saddle with a post on various sites with ideas for inexpensive Christmas gifts.

This year the best thing we did to save money was buy at the after Christmas sales last year. We are still using gifts we bought last year! Also, I'm making homemade bread for teachers and people at church and am giving gifts of photography in frames I got on sale. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I'm using leftover Halloween candy for the Christmas stockings. I'm also using the Christmas sales to pre-buy gifts for upcoming kids birthdays.

Who says gifts have to be new? We can also nab them at Thrift Stores and feel good that we're doing good things for the environment.

One of my favorite gifts to get is salsa ... simple, healthy and inexpensive. May the force be with you while you strive for frugality this season!

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/money/personalfinance/pkgholiday/20081103_orig_savemoney (Have to go through the slide show)

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/money/personalfinance/pkgholiday/200812_omag_cheap_gifts (Have to go through the slide show)

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/money/63giftsunder10dollars.htm

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/gifts/Cheap_Christmas_Gift_Ideas.htm (This one is really good ... has lots of links ... homemade gifts, food gifts, free gifts.)

http://rubyglen.com/articles/handmadechristmas.htm

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/consuminginterests/blog/2009/12/cheap_easy_lastminute_homemade.html

Savoring the Little Moments

2009-11-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

Stress. Lately it seems I can't hide from it. The economy ... so many people suffering ... our children ... surgery ... church and school ... homework ... looking for a house ...

I'm trying to figure out how to keep from exploding in the coming year. The thought that keeps occurring to me is that I need to enjoy daily the small, pleasurable moments of my life.

I'm reminded of a book I read a few years ago by Anna Quindlen, "A Short Guide to a Happy Life." She talks about witnessing family members die and how it has given her a greater appreciation for life. I watched my own mother die fairly young and realize life is short, but it is still so difficult for me to simply slow down and enjoy. Here are a few quotes from her book:

"The lights came on ... I was never again going to be able to see life as anything except a great gift. It's ironic that we forget so often how wonderful life really is."

"It is so easy to waste our lives: our days, our hours, our minutes ... It is so easy to exist instead of live. Unless you know there is a clock ticking. So many of us changed our lives when we heard a biological clock and decided to have kids. But that sound is a murmur compared to the tolling of mortality."

"Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over the dunes, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over a pond and a stand of pines. Get a life in which you pay attention to the baby as she scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Turn off your cell phone. Turn off your regular phone, for that matter. Keep still. Be present."

" ... think of life as a terminal illness, because, if you do, you will live it with joy and passion, as it ought to be lived."

May we all live "The Good Life" in our small moments.

Basic Pancakes

2009-11-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Pancakes are really cheap to make from scratch and quite tasty also! Mark Bittman, author of "How to Cook Everything" says of pancakes, "Americans must have been sadly alienated from the kitchen for pancake mixes to ever have gained a foothold in the market, for these are ridiculously easy to make." He has shamed me into never buying pancake mix again ... except maybe for camping! :) Click here for his recipe with lots of detail. Below is my edited version of his recipe:

Basic Pancakes
Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk (I use skim milk)
2 tablespoons melted, cooled butter (optional) (I use olive or canola oil)
plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use neutral oil

I mix the dry ingredients, add the other ingredients into the same bowl and use a wisk to stir for about 30 seconds. Then cook 'em up!

We freeze these and waffles all the time for a really quick breakfast for the kids. Just throw them in the toaster frozen or nuke them and you're off!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

2009-11-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

Found this recipe at tiphero .com a day too late! (By-the-way, Tip Hero is a great website to find money saving ideas.) I was making pumpkin pies with my left over pumpkin puree and all I needed was Sweetened Condensed Milk. I hate running to the store for one item. If I had this recipe it could have saved me the trip and also some money! Haven't tried it yet, but looks like it should work fine. If anyone tries it before I do, let me know how it worked for you! Happy Holiday baking!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup dry powdered milk
1/3 cup warm water
2/3 cup sugar
3 TBS melted butter

Mix together in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate. Makes 1 1/4 cups or one can of homemade Eagle milk.

Fun Holiday Idea

2009-11-02T21:58:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I got a fun idea for Halloween decorations from a friend of mine. She takes a picture of her daughter in her costume every Halloween and buys a cheap frame at Ross or at an after Halloween sale and frames it for the next year. I started doing this and have quite a few framed pictures now. I haven't paid more than a few dollars for each frame. It makes me smile every year. I think I'll really enjoy them when I'm an empty-nester and have all these fun memories to look at each year. I think this would also be really fun to do for Christmas.

Stealing from Little Children!

2009-10-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

I just had the best idea. Tonight while my children sleep, I'm going to take some of their longer lasting Halloween candies and save them for their Christmas stockings. Now I can check Christmas stocking candy off my list. Yeah!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T11:50:00.001-07:00

Hope you have a very enjoyable Halloween! We're making pumpkin puree (for soup) and roasting seeds for the first time. Hope it turns out!

PS-Do not try the soup on this link unless you're diabetic with a heart problem and doctors have told you that you aren't allowed any good tasting food forever more! It was WAY too healthy to taste good! :) The pumpkin seeds turned out well though ... cleaned them, soaked in salt water a few hours, dried overnight ... tossed in olive oil, put on a little salt and baked in the microwave for a couple minutes.

Interesting Quote

2009-10-30T13:53:00.001-07:00

“It isn’t so much that hard times are coming; the change observed is mostly soft times going.”
~Groucho Marx

Coupons

2009-10-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

I like, but don't love coupons. My husband shops at Costco and we don't eat a lot of processed foods (many of the items offered are highly processed), so we don't have the need to go crazy with coupons, but I do like to use them to save a little here and there.

We don't subscribe to the local newspaper, but I get the weekly Sunday coupons from a relative who does. I save only the coupons we really use or think would be fun to try. My favorite coupons are for makeup. I save the makeup coupons and then when the local drugstore runs a 2 for 1 special on an item, I'll use my coupon in addition to the 2 for 1 special and get the items at a drastic reduction. I also like to use coupons to buy cleaning supplies and toiletries.

All of the items in the picture above were $1.00 off because a local grocery store ran a special where any coupon you brought in would be honored as if it was a $1.00 coupon. This made a 25 cent coupon worth $1.00. The Bryers ice cream (our favorite!) was already on sale for $1.99, so it made the ice cream 99 cents each.

Another thing I like to do with coupons is use them at Walmart. Walmart will match the sales other stores are having. You just have to take in your Wednesday grocery fliers to get the match. Then I try to find coupons on the sale items. You can really save money this way. By matching prices at Walmart, it saves me running all over the place to various stores. You can really save money by doing this, but it does take more time and some organization at the checkout stand. Also, they have a few rules, so good to check with your local Walmart to see what their matching policy is.

Cutting a Boy's Hair

2009-10-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

When our boys were toddlers and starting to need haircuts, my husband told me there was no way we were going to pay the barber or hairdresser every few weeks to cut their hair. As fate would have it, I'm REALLY not good at cutting hair. What to do?

One day I was complaining about my situation to a gal who used to be a hairdresser. She told me about this quick way to cut a boy's hair if you're "hair challenged" like me. It's not the best haircut I've ever seen, but it gets the job done and keeps my husband from taking matters into his own hands and "Kojaking" my sons.

First you need a few supplies ...

Comb
Scissors (I use the kindergarten kind.)
A Hair Trimmer

Attachments to the Hair Trimmer (#8, #3 & #1).

Something to drape over the neck to keep hair off the body like a towel or cape.

Haircut:

When you cut with a hair trimmer, you want to cut with dry hair. (Believe me, I've tried it wet and it's not pretty!) Run the hair trimmer over the whole head with the #8 attachment. Go against the way the hair grows.

Then go up the sides of the head with the #3 attachment. I try to make my motions go floor to ceiling; a straight line up. You want to leave the hair on the top of the head longer and the sides shorter, so don't use the #3 attachment much higher on the head than about the top of the ears.

I clean-up the neck with the #1 attachment. I've tried doing the neck with no attachment and it was too painful for the kids.
Trim around the ears and any stray hairs you missed. (I like to use children's scissors so the boys don't get poked when they suddenly move ... as happens often.)
We usually have a candy reward after the haircut. If they are really struggling with the cut, then I will give them a lollipop or treat to hold during the haircut ... gets really messy, but seems to calm them down! Good luck!

Hulu

2009-10-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

I just watched a biography of Hugh Jackman (by Biography) on Hulu. LOVE that my computer can now be used for entertainment. We only have basic cable, but get to watch programs on our computer for FREE.

Here is a list of web sites with a variety of TV shows and movies you can watch at your leisure ... on your computer. Just click on them to be directed to the web site.

Hulu
ABC
NBC
CBS
FOX
PBS
TV.com
FANCAST
joost
SPEEDCINE
sling

The Best Pizza Dough Recipe!

2009-10-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Everyone loves pizza, but sometimes takeout can get expensive. A friend of mine gave me this recipe for pizza dough. It is really good. I've tasted a lot of homemade doughs that taste kind of like the pizza you ate in the grade-school cafeteria. This dough tastes authentic and makes a really good thin-crust. You can put whatever you want on top.

The recipe originates from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network. She tops her dough with tomatoes and basil. Here is the link.

I make it by topping with inexpensive spaghetti sauce I buy on sale (like Ragu) mozzarella cheese and usually fresh basil and tomatoes from the garden. It's also good with sun dried tomatoes. My husband likes to sneak in spinach chopped up with the Basil.

To make it really healthy, I use whole-wheat flour for the dough. You can mix half white flour and half whole-wheat flour also.

I like to double the recipe. One recipe will make a pizza about the size of one cookie sheet.

I take a lot of short cuts on this recipe. I mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with a spoon, use a fast-rising yeast, throw in the liquid ingredients, mix in the mixer, don't wait for it to rise and then just roll it out. It's a pretty dry dough and can be a little tough to roll out.

An inexpensive and healthy way to get your pizza fix!

(The pictures are of the pizza before it was baked.)

Library Card

2009-10-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

I got a new library card yesterday (recently moved to a new neighborhood). There is a book I want to read, but don't want to purchase. It's a popular one so I was put on the waiting list, but that's ok .... the book usually costs about $26.00, but for me it will be FREE!

I can't believe all this little library has to offer. They have storytime for the little kids, beginning computer classes for adults, TONS of DVD's for children and adults, of course books and even music. All can be taken advantage of for FREE!

At most libraries you can reserve books and DVD's online. They will email you when the book or DVD is available and put them on hold for you.

I plan on spending lots of time at my new library!

Gratitude

2009-09-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

-Melody Beattie

The Best (and Cheapest!) Hand and Body Scrub

2009-09-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

When the seasons change my hands really dry out. In college, one of my roommates taught me how to make a really easy, inexpensive and effective hand and body scrub. I've tried much pricier scrubs and like this one best!

First, get out your white sugar and olive oil. You can also use vegetable oil, baby oil, etc.
Next, smear the oil all over your hands.
Add about a tablespoon or so of sugar.
Give your self a good scrub and then rinse with warm water.
I usually don't need lotion after this, but if my hands are really dry I'll follow the scrub with a good hand lotion. My mitts are one of my least favorite features. I can't believe I have posted pictures of them! :)

Redbox=Cheap Movies!

2009-09-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Redbox!

Ever since my first job at 15 working for Mann Theaters, I've loved movies. I got used to going for free at a young age and so now I get sticker shock every time I enter a theater. Redbox is a great alternative to get your fix ... for $1.00. Yes, if you're not familiar with Redbox, that's $1.00 per movie, per night.

These "red boxes" can be found in various stores, etc. and because you can rent and return at different locations, you can pick a movie up on the way home from work and then return it to a location close to your home.

If you want to keep the movie for a second night, no problem, but they do charge your credit card an additional dollar. I love that I don't have to deal with the guy behind the movie rental counter and that I can get the movie while I do my shopping. Super convenient!

Check it out at redbox.com ... you can even search and reserve movies online.

The Gift Stash

2009-08-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a big believer in a "gift stash." Whenever I see something at an insanely good price, I snatch it up and put it in my gift stash. I learned this from my mother. This also makes heading to an impromptu party in a busy week much easier.

Today I have two birthdays, so I just went to the stash, wrapped with old Christmas wrapping paper my sister gave me and da-da! Done! (Obviously, most people aren't as tacky as me with the whole using old Christmas wrapping paper thing, but I feel good about myself for just getting them wrapped!)

Outlet Shopping

2009-08-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

You can get great deals on quality purses when you shop outlets. I bought this Dooney Bourke purse in Cabazon, CA. The store price was a little less than $400.00. I paid $70.00. I went with a little more conservative design and leather so I could use it for a long time.