Nov. 3, 2009 - Pumpkin Latte
Pumpkin Latte 
2 cups milk (or soy milk)
1 cup strong coffee
2 T vanilla
2 T sugar (or artificial sweetener)
2 T canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice **
Mix all together. Can be warmed in the microwave or put in the crock pot overnight.
** Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 29, 2009 - FREE Snuggie Blanket
FREE Snuggie Blanket!!!
http://gizmodo.com/5390239/gadget-deals-of-the-day
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 20, 2009 - Cheap Ways to Protect Yourself from the Flu
I got this info in an email and asked a few people in the health care field if they thought it was good advice. They did, and so, I pass it on to you! 
|
Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memoria l etc.
Presently, he is heading the Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W). The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu): 1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications). 2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap). 3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. 4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.* 5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. 6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm. |
• 8 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 13, 2009 - Homemade Spray 'n Wash/Carpet Cleaner
Homemade Spray 'n Wash
2 parts water
1 part ammonia
1 part Dawn dishwashing liquid
Mix together and shake well before using.
When I saw the pizza sauce on the carpet, you can imagine the feeling in the pit of my stomach. 
However, I cleaned what I could with a wet rag. Next, I decided had a 
moment and decided to spray it with my homemade Spray 'n Wash. Imagine my 
when I saw that it completely removed the stain! 
I know where I'll be going one day after work this week! ~~~
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 6, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday - Olive Garden Soup Recipe
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale
1)Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2)In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3)Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
4)Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5)Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
6)Stir in the sausage.
7)Add kale just before serving.
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 5, 2009 - Fifteen Things You Can Do If You Get the H1N1 Flu Shot
Filed Under Natural Solutions, Pandemic, Vaccines
Dr Blaylock's List of suggestions on How to Reduce the Toxic Effects of the
A/H1N1 Vaccine, is as follows:
1. Number one on the list says Dr Blaylock, is to bring a cold pack with you
and place it on the site of the injection as soon as you can, as this will
block the immune reaction. Once you get home, continue using a cold pack
throughout the day. If you continue to have immune reactions the following
day, have cold showers and continue with the cold press.
2. Take fish oil. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the omega 3 fatty
acids found in fish oil supplements, is a potent immune suppressant. If you
take high dose EPA you will be more susceptible to infections, because it is
a powerful immune suppressant. However, in the case of an immune adjuvant
reaction, you want to reduce it. Studies show that if you take EPA oil one
hour before injecting a very powerful adjuvant called lipopolysaccharide
(LPS), it would completely block the ability of the LPS to cause brain
inflammation. Take a moderate dose everyday and more if needed to tame a
cytokine storm.
3. <http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w00/flavonoid.html>Flavonoids are third on
the list, namely curcumin, quercetin, ferulic acid and ellagic acid,
particularly in a mixture. The curcumin and quercetin in particular have
been found to block the ability of the adjuvants to trigger a long-term
immune reaction. If you take it an hour before the vaccination, it should
help dampen the immune reactions says Dr Blaylock.
4. Vitamin E, the natural form that is high in gamma-E will help dampen the
immune reactions and reduces several of the inflammatory cytokines.
5. An important ingredient on the list is Vitamin C at a dose of 1000 mg,
taken four times a day between meals. It is a very potent anti-inflammatory
and should be taken in a buffered form, not as absorbic acid, says Dr
Blaylock.
6. <http://www.naturalnews.com/002156.html> Also use astaxanthin as it's an
anti-inflammatory. According to Dr Blaylock, fatal reactions to vaccines in
aboriginal and African children occurred in those who were deficient in
carotinoids, like astaxanthin. It is a good protection against the toxic
effects of the vaccine.
7. Likewise, it was found that children who were deficient in zinc had a
high mortality rate. Zinc is very protective against vaccine toxicity. (Do
not use zinc mixed with copper however, as copper is a major trigger of
free-radical generation according to Dr Blaylock).
8. Ensure you avoid all immune-stimulating supplements, such as mushroom
extracts, whey protein and <http://www.betaglucan.org/>beta-glucan.
9. Take a multivitamin-mineral daily one that does not contain iron. This
multivitamin-mineral is to make sure your body has plenty of B vitamins and
selenium. Selenium, said Dr Blaylock, is very important for fighting viral
infections and it reduces the inflammatory response to vaccines.
10. Magnesium citrate/malate 500 mg of elemental magnesium two capsules,
three times a day. (This was not mentioned during the show, but was posted
at Dr Deagle's website,
<http://www.clayandiron.com/news.jhtml?method=view&news.id=2103>ClayandIron.
com).
11. What is very important is vitamin D3, which is the only 'vitamin' the
body can manufacture from sunlight (UVB). It is a neural hormone, not really
a vitamin says Dr Blaylock and helps if you are over-reacting
immunologically by cooling down the reaction. Similarly, if you are
under-reacting, it helps to boost your immune response. In addition it also
protects against microorganism invasion.
Black people and those in colder climates are particularly deficient, so
they will almost certainly require supplementation.
Dr Blaylock recommends that following vaccination it will help to keep the
immune reaction under control if:
i) All children get 5,000 units a day for two weeks after the vaccine and
then 2,000 a units a day thereafter;
ii) Adults get 20,000 units a day after the vaccine for two weeks, then
10,000 units a day thereafter;
iii) And with that adults should take 500-1000 mg of calcium a day and
children under the age of 12 years should take 250 mg a day, as vitamin D
works more efficiently in the presence of calcium.
12. Ensure you avoid all mercury-containing seafood or any other sources of
mercury, as the heavy metal is a very powerful inducer of autoimmunity, is
known to make people more susceptible to viral infections and will be in
H1N1 vaccines.
13. Avoid the oils that significantly suppress immunity and increase
inflammation - such as corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, canola and
peanut oils.
14. Drink very concentrated white tea at least four times a day. It helps to
prevent abnormal immune reactions.
15. Pop parsley and celery in a blender and drink 8 ounces of this mixture
twice a day. Dr Blaylock says the parsley is very high in a flavonoid called
apigenin and that celery is high in
<http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/antioxidants/flavonoid-antioxidant.php>lute
olin. Both are very potent in inhibiting autoimmune diseases, particularly
the apigenin, so go and plant some parsley in your garden now.
http://rense.com/general87/vaccin.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com
Source: http://www.naturalnews.com
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Sep. 29, 2009 - Looking at the Big Picture
Sometimes we forget to look at the big picture when we purchase our groceries. By being diligent at trying to save $ on groceries, we give ourselves a "raise" because it leaves more money in our pocket.
• 6 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Aug. 25, 2009 - Facial cleanser (again)
I have mentioned before about making my own facial cleanser. I wanted to mention it again because I have gotten so many compliments on my skin in the short time that I have worked at the hospital. I used to wear foundation anytime I was away from the home, but with working so many early-morning hours, I just don't want to mess with it. So I head off to work wearing only my eye make-up. The fact that I am not wearing ANY foundation on my skin, yet still receiving so many compliments about my skin, testifies to how great this homemade facial cleanser works!
Here is my tip from when Mary was taking a bloggy break:
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbsmama/711633/
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Aug. 18, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday - Grocery Shopping
This may seem so basic for many of you, but for others who go to the grocery store without a list, perhaps this will make you think again.
- PREPARE YOUR MENU BEFORE YOU GO! (I cannot stress this one enough!)
- Make a grocery list as you prepare your menu.
- Take the list with you when you go shopping.
The grocery stores have many end-caps where they like to tempt you to buy things you don't really need. By keeping a list in my hand, I am focused on my list, NOT on their tempting offers. This allows me to spend LESS when I am grocery shopping.
I have taken a spiritual principle and put it to work in the grocery store. The Bible mentions several times about walking straight ahead and not looking to the left or to the right. I often use this principle at the grocery store. For instance, let's say I need some sugar or flour. They are both down the baking aisle, which is FILLED with tempting goodies. While I walk down that aisle, I am often quoting to myself, "Look straight ahead. Do not look to the left or to the right." I have VICTORIOUSLY made it out of that aisle MANY times without giving into the temptation of buying sweet treats that we don't need.
In the early evening hours, DH will start looking for things on which to snack. I can't tell you how many times he comments, "There is nothing in this house to eat!" Yet, dd and I will say, "YOU are the one who always wants to snack on junk food, yet you tell us we need to eat a healthier diet. WE aren't the ones who bring the junk food home. We bring home things that are better choices. There are plenty of things to eat for snacks. You just don't want to eat them." 
DD and I have learned to curb our appetites where sweets are concerned. When we go to the store, if I do get sidetracked by the tempting items, dd will gently nudge me and say, "Mom, keep moving. We don't need that." I love it that dd is learning those principles early in life. She is a very good shopper, and knows how to look for the best deals. She is more a of tightwad than I am, so whoever marries her one day will get a very prudent wife!
Here is a freebie for high school students. It is a financial course:
http://www.actuarialfoundation.org/programs/youth/BuildingYourFuture.shtml
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 20, 2009 - 5 ingredients or less
In trying to spend less on groceries, but still be able to eat great-tasting meals, I came across some cookbooks that have helped tremendously.
Fix It and Forget It 5-Ingredient Favorites
Fix It and Enjoy It 5-Ingredient Favorites
These recipes only take 5 ingredients or less! To make this an even cheaper idea, check your library for these books! I borrowed both of them from the library long enough to determine that it was definitely worth the money to purchase them. And when I did purchase them, I found them online for much cheaper than the retail price.
When I got the books, I sat down with a pen and paper, jotting down every recipe I knew I wanted to try. I came up with a method to make finding the recipes very easy. Each page has 3-4 recipes on it. If I wanted to try to the second recipe on page 25, I would write it down as 25:2. (Page 25, the second recipe.) I taped my note in the front of my recipe book. Now when I am looking for something different, I can go directly to the pages I have already determined I'd like to try, rather than searching through the entire cookbook every time. If we try a recipe and don't like it, I simply cross it out on my handwritten list.
This week's devotion: UNITY
Since the doctor put me on steroids again, I am being a tightwad with my time, making the most of this opportunity to have excessive energy for a couple of days. The first time he put me on steroids, I noticed a HUGE difference that very night. (I only slept 90 minutes the entire night because I was so energized from the pills.) This time, the energy surge didn't hit me until the third day of the six-day pack. I am guessing that the reason why is because the asthma was so bad when I first started using the pack. Anyway, here is a list of what I have accomplished since I got off work Sunday:
- Made facial cleanser
- Made anti-perspirant
- Made body sugar scrub (all of these recipes are in the body-care section of my blog
- Made supper last night and cleaned up all the dishes.
- Went to church
- Came home and washed all of my scrubs from the previous week
- Got things set out on the counter so I could begin my day with things in order
Monday:
- Made granola
- Did school with dd
- Checked my favorite internet hang out several times throughout the day
- Did some blogging
- Went to the bread store,
- Doctor's office,
- Post office,
- Library,
- Got gas in the car,
- Took dd to get one of her free treats from the summer reading program,
- Did some research online for a cheaper way to get my meds,
- Did a load of laundry,
- Ironed clothes
- Got my clothes ready for work this week,
- Made a couple of phone calls,
- Went to visit a friend,
- Went to McDonald's for a free iced mocha (can I just say YUCK!)
I'm so glad it was FREE! - Took inventory on the freezer contents so I can hopefully plan a menu for the next month,
- Straightened the pantry closet, which was in desperate need of attention,
- Went to the grocery store and CVS,
- Made supper, washed the dishes, and put them away,
- Did something special with dd,
- Uploaded photos to the computer and then to Walgreens online site so I can post them on my blog later,
- Took two baths (I noticed after visiting my friend, I was itching a lot. I think I am allergic to her dogs, so I took a second bath to see if the itching would stop. It has slowed down quite a bit, but not completely stopped.)
- Just put a batch of brownies into the oven,
- Wrote out dd's geography lesson plans for the rest of the course (Can you hear a big
?) - Discussed with dd what course she wants to start after she finishes her home ec course next week,
- Ran a couple of other errands,
- Typed this entry,
- And now I am preparing to read my Bible because I am in much-need of a refreshing from the Lord (even if I do have loads of energy today!)
This post is also posted at:
www.homeschoolblogger.com/canadagirl
http://beingfrugal.net/2009/07/21/tightwad-tuesday-camping-for-beginners/
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jul. 7, 2009 - Packing a lunch and running errands
DD and I needed to run several errands one day. I knew we would still be busy at lunch time. I had moment and thought, "Why don't I use my insulated lunch bag and take sandwiches for us?" I have a few smaller ice pouches I use to keep my food cold every day for work. I just added those with our pb&j sandwiches. I also reused the styrofoam cup I brought home from work. That way my drink stayed cold, even when the car was turned off and the windows were up.
It was a cheap meal, but quite tasty since we were both very hungry after a couple of hours of running our errands and trying on clothing.
For those of you who may also be struggling financially, I want to share a neat story with you. Our pastor had the opportunity to meet John Trent. John shared a story about how poor they were when growing up. If I remember correctly, his mom may have been a single parent. Anyway, she knew the only thing they could afford to eat was pb&j sandwiches. She decided to try to make it look as if the kids were really special because they got to eat this every night. She invented the "PB&J club" and told the kids that their family was extra special since they were in this "club." He said they never realized that they were dirt-poor and couldn't afford anything better. He just thought they were extra special because they belonged to this exclusive club. You gotta love a creative mom like that!
I told someone just a couple of weeks ago that I never thought that in my mid 40s I would learn to love pb&j's, but I do. I try to eat them once or twice a week when I am at work. To make it even more special, I usually include some kind of "treat." It might be crackers, pudding, fresh fruit, or even a cookie, but I do something to make the meal a bit more interesting. When eating them, I always remind myself that I saved my family quite a bit of $ by choosing not to eat at the cafeteria.
It could be so easy to fall into the trap of eating at the cafeteria because you don't have to have cash. You just swipe your name badge, and it is deducted from your paycheck. In the two months that I have worked at the hospital, I have spent less than $13 in the cafeteria. Most of that $13 was spent in the early weeks on coffee or diet pepsi to give me a needed boost since I was having to get up at 5AM. That isn't the case now except for when I work weekends, so I rarely go down there.
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jun. 2, 2009 - Credit card safety
Credit card companies offer to keep your credit cards "safe" for a fee. If they get stolen or lost, you call the company, and they will handle it for you. I found a cheaper way to do this. I make copies of my credit cards once a year. Under the photo copy, I write the phone number I need to call if that card is lost or stolen. There are a few options for storing the information:
- File them in a fireproof box,
- Store them in a bank safe deposit box,
- Give the copy to a family member you trust who will keep it in their own fireproof box.
Here is another idea:
They say you should video tape the items in your home in case you ever have a fire, hurricane, or tornado destroy your home. Give the video tape to a family member, keep it in a safe place at the office, or in a safe deposit box. I suggested to my mom that I should video tape our house on one tape, tape their house on another, then we swap tapes. She would keep mine. I would keep hers.
They say that if a disaster should ever hit, one of the hardest things to remember is all of the valuables you have in your home. If you have the video tape, you can prove it to the insurance company.
This week's devotion: Priorities
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
May. 26, 2009 - Cheap way to bless someone
It is wonderful to keep in touch with people through emails and blogging. However, there are times when it's nice to use snail mail. We all have times when we like to receive something we can hold in our hands, rather than just read it on the computer.
I try to find good deals on notecards at places like garage sales, Goodwill, Walgreens, the Dollar Stores, etc. If I want to do something more than just a card, but money is tight, I will enclose a $1 bill with a note explaining that we moms tend to set our own wants aside in order to provide for our family. The $1 is for my friend to treat HERSELF to something like a candy bar. It may seem like so little, but for the friend who needs a pick-me-up, your note and the $1 will mean so much.
Here is something I also feel is worth mentioning: Since I recently started working full time at the hospital, I have to evaluate if some of my money-saving tips are worth the time I must put into them. MOST of them are worth it. However, I posted about making grape nuts cereal. It does taste better than the store-bought stuff, but it is very time consuming to make:
- First, you have to mix up the cereal and spread it on a baking sheet and bake it. (Takes roughly 20-25 minutes.)
- Once you take it out of the oven, it has to cool quite a bit. (Add another 30-45 minutes of time here.)
- Next, you have to grind it in a blender. (Add another 15 minutes of time.)
- Spread it on two clean baking sheets and return to the oven for another 30-45 minutes.)
- Remove and let cool completely. (Add another 90 minutes, just to make sure it is completely dry before you put it in a container.)
- Finally, you can put the cereal in the designated container. But you still have to wash 3 baking sheets, a large bowl, plus all the parts to the blender. (Add another 20 minutes here.)
At minimum, it is going to take almost 3-1/2 hours of my time. Is it still worth the savings to me? Nope! Time with my family is more important than this money-saving idea. When I was a SAHM, I didn't mind at all putting in that kind of time on it. However, working full time drastically changes the way I think about it now.
We all know that having peace of mind is priceless. What will give me more peace of mind these days is learning to delegate so that I am not working 3 full-time jobs (working outside the home, hs'ing, and managing the home). That is going to take some time and a lot of prayer because I want to delegate in a gentle, loving manner as opposed to nagging about it. Me, nag? Unfortunately, yes. 
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Apr. 28, 2009 - Water bill, hand sanitizer, high school curriculum
I have several tips to share today:
1. Find a shower head that puts out 3 gallons less per minute than your current shower head. It will save hundreds of gallons of water over a year's time. Also, if you contact your electric company, they may give you one for free. We got a large box that had several items to help cut our expenses, all for free.
2. A faucet aerator can cut water usage in half. You can find aerators for the kitchen and bathroom faucets at a hardware store for between $3 and $10. Simply screw them into your faucet nozzle and start saving money!
3. I saw this article last week on the dangers of young children ingesting hand sanitizer: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp This tip may end up saving your child's life!
4. For those of you who are interested, I posted all of the curriculum I plan to use during the high school years. Where possible, I even added links to the cheapest places to find the items. It can be found here:
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbsmama/680505/
6. I didn't go to many garage sales last year due to the high price of gasoline. Since it has dropped quite a bit, I went to a few sales which were all within a mile of each other. One was at a church. You can often find great deals at churches because they are looking to get rid of all of the donated items. We were needing to find a few things for dd since she has grown so much taller this year. Here is what we found today:
- 3 pairs of jeans for $3.00
- 1 pair of capris at a garage sale for $2.00. Bought three more pairs at Goodwill for $17. (One pair at Walmart was more than $17.)
- 3 books for $1.25. One was a 3-in-one Nancy Drew hardback.
- I found 2 tote bags that were clearly from Israel. They had "Jerusalem" on them, as well as a scene from Jerusalem with a camel. They were $1 each. (Once we get our computer running better, I will post a picture of the tote bag.)
- Pillow cases that were like new for .25 each. (On last Tuesday's tips, I shared that for allergies, you should frequently change the pillow cases, so I was praying I'd find some that were really cheap, but in nice condition.)
- 3 videos from the Moody Institute of Science: Human Life, Animal Kingdom, and Planet Earth. Cost: $1
- Once we were done at the garage sales and Goodwill, my mom bought dd a new dress at Kohl's and a pair of shoes to go with the dress. Dress was $48 and she paid $21. Shoes were $19.99 and she paid $10.
7. You know how at the beginning of every season it is nice to have a few new articles of clothing? I learned something from my mom on this: Pay more but buy less. It will last longer. I have some tops I bought at Walmart last year. I also have a few from Kohl's. The Walmart tops are very worn and stretched out because the quality just isn't as nice as what Kohl's has. It is better to have a few really-nice tops that hold their shape, as opposed a whole closet of cheaply made shirts that look awful after wearing them for one season. Plus, by having less items of clothing, it cuts down on the stress of trying to find space to store them.
Fourteen years ago today, my first baby went from my womb to the arms of Jesus. I cannot believe that much time has passed! God was so faithful and so gentle to me during that time. For those who have not read the devotions I wrote about that experience, they can be found here: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/proverbs31devotions/Miscarriage/
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Apr. 21, 2009 - Allergy relief
Here are some tips for dealing with allergies:
- Many people take Claritan D, but that stuff is very pricy! I found a cheaper alternative. Claritin-D contains Loratadine and Pseudoephedrine. I buy the Equate 24-hour Non-Drowsy Allergy Relief tablets from Walmart. I can get 30 of them for only $4.00, and you only take it once a day. These tablets contain the loratadine. Next, you go to the pharmacy and request a box of the generic version that has 120 mg. pseudoephedrine. Now you have "Claritan D;" but you have it in a much cheaper form.
- If you haven't tried the Netty Pot, here is a much cheaper version that I use myself, and it does wonders.
- I have also started using Visine A.C. for the constant redness in my eyes. During the weeks that my allergies were the worst, my eyes were constantly red. It isn't too pricy, and worth the money.
- If learned a tip from an opthamologist for dealing with crusty eyes due to allergies. Every day, wash your eyelashes with cheap baby shampoo in the morning and evening. It will do wonders for the "eye crispies."
- Wash your pillow cases frequently. Pollen gets in your hair, then ends up on your pillow at night.
- Another money-saving tip is to use toilet paper instead of kleenex to blow your nose. This is especially helpful for young children who won't need an entire kleenex. With t.p., you can pull off just what you need without wasting the rest.
Come see my Ebay stuff! http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/proverbsmama
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Apr. 14, 2009 - Biofreeze
I have used Biofreeze for pain for several years. After starting a new workout program, I was incredibly sore on my upper legs. I decided to try the Biofreeze on them. Within a couple of minutes, I felt like a new woman! I was able to bend down and dust furniture, clean the baseboards, and lots more that wouldn't have gotten done had the pain continued.
Normally, I purchase Biofreeze from my chiropractor for $10 for a 4-oz. tube. However, I found a website where you can get a 32 oz. pump bottle for $44.99. Plus, if you sign up for their emails, you will get an immediate discount on your first order.
http://www.ithacasports.com/bi32ozpufsh.html
I managed to get eight times as much for $38 less than what the 8 tubes would have cost me, had I bought them individually. Plus, I got free shipping, and.....it saved me a trip to the other end of town to purchase it!
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Mar. 31, 2009 - Menu planning
I used to plan my menu for 3-6 weeks at a time. However, since I started working part time (and odd hours), I can't plan more than a week in advance. I found a new system that still allows me to have a bit of control, which also gives me peace of mind for that week.
- My first step was to take inventory of the meat in my freezer.
- When using my prior menu plan, I would circle any meals we decided not to use so that I would know I needed to make that meal at a later date. My next step with the new format was to look at the calendar to determine what days' meals had not been used and write those meals down on another piece of paper.
- Next, I took the meals written down from future dates, and added them to my list. Some of the meals would be made more than once, so for those, I would use a stroke tally to the side of that meal.
- Now, when I get my schedule for the coming week, I can quickly check my list and plan a menu that will work for that week. Once I use that meal, I will cross it off my list so I keep my list current. (Since I often work during the evening meal, I need to plan something easy for dd to make. Or I pick something that I can make ahead of time and just have her reheat it.)
This week's devotion: Drained and Scarred
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Mar. 17, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday - Surveys
If I see a shirt I really like, I will look at the price tag and think, "That will require X number of hours of my paycheck. Do I want it that badly?" Most of the time, my answer is no.Here's a tip for earning money at home:
http://www.harrispollonline.com/ - You earn points and once you accumulate 800 points, you can choose a reward. I have gotten $5 Pizza Hut cards, as well as $5 Bath & Body Works cards.
http://promo.yahoo.com/user_research/- participants may receive US $50 or more for participating, depending on the type of research
http://www.fusioncash.net/- you get paid for initial registration, signups and referrals. Only one account allowed per household in USA, Age limit 18+ (younger allowed with parental permission). Minimum payout is US$25, payment through PayPal, Neteller, Check. Your account is credited after you signup for an offer. Some of the offers require a credit card, it is advisable to use a temporary credit card or prepaid debit card. Temporary (or virtual) credit cards can be generated using your online banking account. You can set a low limit like US$5 and they expire within 48 hours.
http://www.instantprofitz.com/- not a survey, get paid to complete free offers
http://www.i-say.com/ - by answering surveys, you will be entered in a quarterly draw.
http://www.opinionsquarerewards.com/- you earn points which can be redeemed for gift certificates or merchandise
http://www.surveyspot.com/- send multiple surveys and pay regularly
http://www.rewardtv.com/- Opinion on recent TV programs
http://www.mysurvey.com/- USA, Canada, Europe. You earn points which can be converted to cash. They send a http://www.opinionoutpost.com/- USA, Canada. You earn points which can be redeemed for cash
http://www.arcsurvey.com/
http://www.lightspeedpanel.com/ - USA, Canada, Australia , you earn points which can be redeemed for cash, gift certificate or products. Offer payment through http://www.greenfieldonline.com/
http://www.gozing.com/- UK, USA, Canada - you receive payment after a long time. Before starting a survey, note down the project number for the survey, it will be required if you have problems getting payment.
http://www.your2cents.com/ - USA, Canada, payment by checkMedia Transfer - credits received for taking surveys can be redeemed for Amazon vouchers
http://www.surveysavvy.com/ - international, large survey company, pays in cash/check , surveys are not very frequent, no minimum withdrawal amount
http://www.viewpointforum.com/ - very popular website for surveys, you can join only through referrals. You can encash points for cash after you accumulate 375 points. They have a limited number of referrals (5) per person at a time. Members earn 100 points per referral.
http://www.bloggerwave.com/
http://www.blogitive.com/
http://www.blogsvertise.com/
http://www.bloggingads.com/
http://www.blogtoprofit.com/
http://www.linkylovearmy.com/
http://www.loudlaunch.com/
http://payperpost.com/
http://payu2blog.com/
http://www.reviewme.com/bloggers.php
http://www.smorty.com/
http://www.sponsoredreviews.com/
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Mar. 10, 2009 - Dish soap and Castile soap
Castile Soap
-
1 bar soap, grated (I used Dove)
-
1 gallon water
-
Melt soap in a pot with the water.
-
Pour into a bucket, along with 1 more gallon of water.
-
Stir well, then pour into empty milk jugs.
Dish Soap:
-
1 oz. castile soap
-
7 drops citrus essential oil (Do not leave this out! You need it to help cut the grease.)
-
2 T. glycerine
-
2 c. water
-
1 T. vinegar
-
Mix together and store in a plastic container.
-
Please note: This will not suds up much. Most companies add a sudsing agent to their products. It is hard to get used to using a dish soap that doesn't later up much. However, I have used this several times, and it does a fine job. I also add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to my rinse water.
Dishwashing Gel
1/2 pound plain white bar soap
1/2 gallon water
Grate soap into flakes and place in large pot with water. Stir to dissolve flakes. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour into a glass jar and allow to cool without a lid. Once cool, cover to prevent soap from drying out. As soap sits it will thicken to a gel consistency.
To use, pour into a squirt bottle, filling bottle 1/4 full. Fill bottle with hot water and shake before using. (I have not actually tried this one yet.)
Saving even more money:
I recently implemented a few more ideas for cutting expenses on the monthly utility bills. Here is what I discovered:
I have started washing dishes only once a day, unless I'm doing lots of baking.
We try to bathe every other day. On the nights when I've had night sweats, I obviously can't skip a bath/shower in the AM.
Anyway, our gas bill dropped over $55 this month. It has still been pretty cold too. We had a few days of warmer weather, but it was only like 3 days. (Now if I could get dh to quit turning up the heat when he is home, we could save even more.)
The water bill dropped only $3, but still it is $3 that gets to stay in MY pocket and not the water company's.
Plus, added up over a year, that is $36 saved. Our electric bill even went down $13. I'm not sure what I did to cause that to drop. I suppose part of it is cutting back on the heat. Even though it is gas heat, it still plugs into the wall, so it does use some electricity. We have also tried to cut back on using lights during the day. In the evenings, we try to turn off the big spotlights in the kitchen. If we are watching tv, we don't need a lot of light.
I even learned another trick regarding our kitchen spotlights. They are 120 watt bulbs with a dimmer switch. I didn't realize that if you dim the lights a bit, it will actually make the lights last longer, plus save $ on electricity. I have already started implementing that tip, in hopes of cutting the electric bill even more next month.
These are just little things I've done over the last couple of months, but look at the savings! It's over $71 in just one month!
And warmer weather is just around the corner. 
~~ Stacy ~~
• 6 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Mar. 3, 2009 - Table Mate
Before I share my tip this week, I need some help. Somebody posted a recipe a few weeks ago for some cookies that called for pudding to be added to the recipe. This person also mentioned that her dh sold the cookies for $7.50 a dozen to his coworkers. If you are that person, could you PLEASE give me the link to that recipe (or post the recipe here)? I thought I saved the recipe in a Word document, but now I can't find it anywhere.
Now for my two tips:
First, if you have seen the link on the internet for a free Quizno's sub, call your local store to see if they are participating in this offer. DD and I drove out there on Monday, only to find a note on the door that our local store is not honoring the coupons. Thus, we wasted ink from our printer and gasoline for the trip out there, and got nothing in return. 
My second tip is to invest in a Table Mate. Because of the way the legs can slide under a couch or chair, it is very convenient. Plus, the flexibility of the table top is very handy too. DD has used it for doing school. We have also used it when she has been ill or when my back is out and I am on bedrest. We can put it right next to the couch, making it very easy to keep drinks nearby, yet not have to worry that someone will trip over the legs. We have also used it for extra space when playing games at the kitchen table. For instance, when playing Monopoly, dd likes to keep her properties stored on the Table Mate, but keep her money on the kitchen table. It is also nice for holding extras when you are scrapbooking. Very versatile. Good quality item too.
These are a bit pricy. We paid around $40 for ours several years ago. However, Bed Bath and Beyond often sends coupons in the mail, so you can get a discount on one at their store. (That is where we bought ours.)
This week's devotion: Staggering Drunk
• 5 Comments
• Post A
Comment!
• Permanent Link
Last Page | Next Page
