Blog Spotlight- It All Makes "Cents"

Now I have my fair share of frugal blogs that I look at each week. There are so many that you may get dizzy just thinking about it. That's why I love a good frugal blog that not only show the deals, but has a fun person behind it. Jennifer from It All Makes "Cents" is definitely one of those people. I love seeing her pictures of her deals, and her "tackle it tuesday" entries crack me up!


She also has a great blog called Organized Chaos where she talks about her family and features the cutest picture of them.

Jennifer, thank you for following my blog and making yours so entertaining!

Rite Aid Huggies deal! 25.00 gift card!

Thanks to Money Saving Mom for posting this awesome deal! It looks like it's good until the end of July, but if we shopping "hounds" know anything, it's that you should do a deal right away before the store's inventory is all gone. So, get thee to a Rite Aid if you need diapers! This deal is good for regular diapers, pull ups, goodnights, and swimmers, so it's a great opportunity for stockpiling.

Rebate #61, Buy 50.00 of Kimberly Clark, Bayer, Schick or Unilever products(includes huggies) get a 25.00 gift card
Rebate # 53: Get 2.00 when you by a Huggies Mega Pack
Rebate # 800: Get a pack of diapers free when you buy 5 participating items(mega packs and swimmers are included

If you purchase the right items, you can submit for all of these at the same time! Here's one of the scenarios that caught my eye for the summer:

Transaction #1:
Buy 2 packs of Little Swimmers at $9.99 each
Buy 1 large Huggies wipes refill (184-ct) at $6.99
Subtotal: $26.97
Use $5/$25 Rite Aid Coupon
Use 2 $2/1 Little Swimmers coupons from the 4/19 or 5/17 SmartSource insert
Use $1/1 wipes coupon from the 4/19 SmartSource insert

Transaction #2 (same as above):
Buy 2 packs of Little Swimmers at $9.99 each
Buy 1 large Huggies wipes refill (184-ct) at $6.99
Subtotal: $26.97
Use $5/$25 Rite Aid Coupon
Use 2 $2/1 Little Swimmers coupons from the 4/19 or 5/17 SmartSource insert
Use $1/1 wipes coupon from the 4/19 SmartSource insert

Final out-of-pocket for both scenarios: $33.94 plus tax
Submit for Rebate #61 to get $25 Gift Card
Final Price after Rebate: $8.94 plus tax for 4 packages of swim diapers plus 2 large wipes refills

Need regular pull ups? Use this scenario:

*Pull-Ups Scenario*

Transaction #1:
Buy 1 mega pack of Pull-Ups at $19.99
Buy 1 large Huggies wipes refill (184-ct.) at $6.99
Subtotal: $26.98
Use $5/$25 Rite Aid Coupon
Use $3/1 Pull-Ups coupon here (or $2/1 from the 5/17 SmartSource insert)
Use $1/1 wipes coupon from the 4/19 SmartSource insert

Transaction #2 (same as above):
Buy 1 mega pack of Pull-Ups at $19.99
Buy 1 large Huggies wipes refill (184-ct.) at $6.99
Subtotal: $26.98
Use $5/$25 Rite Aid Coupon
Use $3/1 Pull-Ups coupon here (or $2/1 from the 5/17 SmartSource insert)
Use $1/1 wipes coupon from the 4/19 SmartSource insert

Final out-of-pocket for both scenarios: $35.96 plus tax
Submit for Rebate #61 to get $25 Gift Card and submit for Rite Aid Rebate #53 for $2
Final Price after Rebates: $8.96 plus tax for 2 mega packs of Pull-Ups and 2 wipes refills after rebates!

Wanna make this deal even better? Sign up for caregivers marketplace, and get back .75 for each pack of swimmers you purchase!

Meal Plan Monday!

Thanks to the holiday, this will be a short week for this cooking mama! My stockpile is building up again with the current shop rite deal, so I'm pretty happy that once we do come back, we'll actually have food to eat! I'm also trying a new recipe with BBQ sauce stockpile I have, so stay tuned for that! Here's a hint: it will be perfect to take to a cookout this upcoming holiday.


Monday: Faux crab cakes with carrots and yellow rice
Tuesday: Minute Steak with corn on the cob and baked beans
Wednesday: Vegetable lo mein
Thursday: Fried Chicken with carrots and baked beans
Friday through Sunday: We're off to the In-laws! Ohio, here we come!

Bread of the week: none! we shouldn't need any...
Dessert of the week: ice cream sundaes

Shop Rite 6/28- 7/4

This is the last week for the 40.00 of free groceries promotion! For all the details, click here.

Here are the new sales that are eligible for the promotion:

Oscar Meyer Franks- 1.49
use 1.00/2 coupon from 5/10SS- .99 each

General mills chex mix or bugles- 1.50
use .50/1 printable coupon doubled- .50

Catalina deal: Buy up to 5 boxes of general mills fruit snacks, receive 3.50 OYNO

Betty Crocker fruit snacks- 2 for 5.00
use .50/2 coupon from 6/14SS doubled- 2.00 each

Scenario:
Buy 6 boxes for 15.00
use 3 .50/2 coupons doubled- 3.00 off
get 3.50 catalina back- 3.50 off

after coupons and catalina, get 4 boxes for 1.42 each, PLUS get 15.00 credit towards the promotion!

other deals:

McCormick grillmates- .49
use 1.00/2 coupon from 5/3RP or .50/1 coupn from 4/19RP- FREE

Chinet casuals plates- 1.99
use 2.00/1 coupon for the lunch plates from 5/3SS(expires on the 30th!)- FREE

French's yellow or spicy brown mustard- 1.49
use .75/1 coupon from 3/29SS or 5/10SS doubled- FREE

Heluva good dip- 1.29
use .75/1 coupon from 5/17SS doubled- FREE

Turkey Hill Ice Cream- 1.88
use 1.00/1 dynamic duos flavors from 3/29RP(expires on the 29th!)- .88

Sun light dish detergent- .77
use .25/1 coupon from 2/22SS or 5/31SS doubled- .27

sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce- 1.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 5/10SS(expires on the 30th!)- .49

ken's salad dressing- 1.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 5/3SS(expires the 30th!)- .49

Buy 4 Keebler/Eggo/Sunshine products, get 5.00 OYNO

Eggo waffles(excludes nutri-grain and special K)- 1.88
use 1.00/1 printable coupon for eggos bake shop- .88
and then print 2 more from this printable site...

Money Maker Scenario:
Buy 4 bake shop eggo products- 7.52
use 4 1.00/1 printable coupons- 4.00 off
after coupon and catalina, get 4 boxes for FREE, plus make 1.48!
(this deal is YMMV...technically the bake shops are under 9.9oz, so they shouldn't be 1.88, but my store adjusted it for me)

Regular Scenario:
Buy 4 bake shop eggo products- 11.96(2.99 regular price)
use 4 1.00/1 printable coupons- 4.00 off
after coupon and catalina, get 4 boxes for 3.00 or .74 each

B&M baked beans- 1.00
use 1.00/4 coupon from 5/17SS- .75 each

Wise potato or kettle chips- 1.49
use .50/1 printable coupon doubled- .49

smuckers ice cream toppings- 1.99
use .75/1 coupon from 5/17RP(DND 5)- .49 if you store doubles it anyway

Ittibitz ice cream- .99
use BOGO coupon from 5/10SS- .50 each

Luigi's italian ice- 1.99
use .75/1 coupon from 5/10RP doubled- .49

hormel pork tenderloin- 4.79
use 1.00/1 coupon from 5/17SS- 3.79


non-coupon deals:
80% ground beef- 1.69/lb(rock bottom! stock up!)
Top Round London Broil- 1.29/lb(rock bottom! stock up!)
Corn on the cob- .25/ear
2% milk- 2.39/gallon

Letting go of income....

What do you do when you have a "side hustle" that just seems to take up more time than you ever expected? What if this same "side hustle" produces great money for you household, but takes you away from your family even more than you thought it would? In these times, would you keep it or would you let it go?

What is a side hustle? Well, it's the little jobs that you may take on to help add to your house's income. Mowing the neighborhood lawns, sewing quilts, or babysitting kiddos.

My side hustle is modeling.

I've been print modeling since I was 19 and it's been one of the best experiences of my life. It also provided a great side hustle for me, even though I didn't realize it until I started planning my own family. I pretty much squandered the money I got from it up until that point. Now, that I understand the value of a dollar, the opportunity is much more appreciated.

Now, especially since the start of the recession, I have noticed that this "hat" has caused such a strain. Although it is extra income, it feels like a job. Better yet, a job a hate, and I have a hard time staying in a job I hate.

So, I'm letting it go. I hate to do it. So many people out there are struggling to find a side hustle, better yet a job, and here I am, just letting go of income. But, I'm tired of missing things.

Tired of having to miss weekends at home with my husband that works so hard and long all week. Tired of being so tired at the beginning of the week, that I can't do all the things I want to do with my boy. Tired of wanting to pay more attention to the other aspects in my life and having to put them on hold for almost 24 hours to do shoots. Just so tired.

Now for the frugal aspect of it: income may be lost, but we're planning to supliment it. With Hubby's promotions(another one coming this July) and the amount I am making with my main career in the military, we will be able to keep up with our savings. At this time in our lives, while we are still a small family, we decided that me being burned out will only hinder the smooth sailing in our house. Plus, although I love to think I am. I'm not superwoman(rats!).

How much will this effect us in the long run? I see me being effected the most. With my rank in the miiltary bringing in what it does, and what I was bringing in with modeling, I still felt like I was neck and neck with Hubby when it came to contributing to the household. Now I know that won't be the case. Even with all that I do as CFO (chief financial officer) of our household, I still love to bring in the cold hard cash. I'll just have to get over that. Besides, that means that I can dedicate even more time to this here blog! :o)

As much as I loved being her:

And posing as her:
I think being her makes me the happiest:


How about all of you? Do you have a side hustle? Have you recently acquired it? Has it increased the stress level in your household?

Quotable Wednesday

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity."

-Charles Mingus

Zero OOP at CVS...

I love when this happens. No need to search for pennies, or use my gift card. Just in and out....legal shoplifting, if you will.


12 bars soy joy berry(all they had left)- 1.00 each
1 can bumble bee tuna- on sale 1.00

coupons used:
1 2.00/10 soy joy bars
1 BOGO free soy joy bars
10.00 in ECBs

Total OOP: 0.00! And I got back 12.00 in ECBs so a 2.00 money maker for me. I really didn't want to get these bars again because NO ONE in this house likes them, but to my surprise, Sonny Boy asked for one when we got home. Maybe it's because I let him count out 12 bars and put them in the basket for me. Kids are so weird lol!

Meal Plan Monday!

This week should be pretty interesting. I have to use up some leftover cans of tomato products and I still want to use the lamb chops that we didn't have for father's day. There are also some leftover mashed potatoes, so I'll have to figure those in some meals this week. Add in the fact that it's going to rain all week, and I have quite a few ideas for dinner this week. Let's see what I can "cook up":

Monday: Crockpot Chili with cornbread
Tuesday: Turkey croquettes with braised carrots
Wednesday: Grilled cheese with french fries and salad
Thursday:Lamb chops with broccoli, rice and gravy
Friday: Some type of pizza....or maybe garlic cheesy bread again :o)
Saturday: Breakfast for dinner!
Sunday: No fry mustard tenders with baked cheese grits and carrots

Bread of the week: Wheat again! We love the recipe :o)
Dessert of the week: Blueberry dumplings and yet another version of frosting blondies :o(

Super Savings Saturday- Old Navy edition

Those bags are FULL of clothes and shoes from one of my favorite stores, Old Navy. And I only paid 26 bucks for all of it. Want to know how? Old Navy Weekly, that's how! If you have been living under a frugal rock and don't know about this, I'll give you the skinny: Old Navy has a site in which they feature their new advertising phenomenon....the modelquins. On old navy weekly, they make a game out of finding wonderful coupons while interacting with the modelquins. Would you like a coupon for 75.00 off 100.00 of old navy items? Find it. Want a coupon for 25% off a 50 dollar order? Search for it. It's faboulous!

Now, it isn't as easy as pie. There are lots of people who have turned this weekly event into somewhat of a career, catching 3, 4, or 5 75.00 off coupons in one sitting. But, there is hope! Stop into swaggrabber.com and see when the next Old Navy night is. We all meet up in the chat room while we wait for the site to reset the best coupons. While we wait, we have a grand old time! Once the site comes up, we help each other find the best coupons in the little bit of time we have.

Now, for the deals! Today was 2.00 tank top day, so I cashed in on that deal and got the maximum of 5. There is also a sale for 50% off all mens clothing, so I got my dad a few more things for tomorrow. But, let's see the whole list of what I got:

4 rib tanks
2 packs of womens socks
1 shirt dress(just came out this week)
2 clearance autumn tops
4 pairs of flip flops(2 for me, 2 for sonny boy)
1 pair of kids sneakers
1 pair of boys khakis
1 pair of black yoga pants
1 active wear men's jacket
1 active wear men's t-shirt
1 pair men's pajama pants

used the 75.00 off 100.00 coupon

Total OOP: 26.20

According to the reciept, after the coupon and the sales, I saved 145.75! It's great to see that I can not only save on groceries with coupons, but I can also save on clothes! I'm so glad hubby insisted that I spend most of this on myself(he was "pampered" with our 50.00 off coupon last week). As much as I hate to admit, a good amount of these things I needed or needed to replace in my wardrobe. All of these items will last me for quite a while.

Shop Rite 6/21- 6/27

We are in for a great next two weeks! Take a peek at the great deal that starts on the 21st:

Spend $120 or more with your club card on ALL UNILEVER, KRAFT OR GENERAL MILLS PRODUCTS, GET A $40 OYNO ORDER COUPON! You get two weeks to hit your spend level. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ALL IN ONE ORDER!!!

Spending is tracked on your receipt by your club card and savings amounts print out incrementally based on what you spend.

SPEND $40, YOU GET $5 SAVINGS VOUCHER ON BOTTOM OF YOUR RECEIPT
Spend $80 you get $20 (or another $15 + 5)
Spend $120 you get $40 (or another $20 on top of the $15 and $5 from before)

so if you spend $80 on the first trip, you'll get a $20 voucher. If you then spend $40 on these items the next week, you'll get another $20!

Now, here's the best part: there are catalina deals for General Mills cereals and Betty Crocker fruit snacks starting the 21st. That means you can possibly get the 40 dollar voucher AND up to 10 dollars in catalinas! The details of the catalina deals haven't been put up yet, but SR shoppers have reported getting the paper alerting us to the upcoming deal. Since neither of these items are on sale this week, we don't have to worry about it until next week, but just imagine!

Here are the items that are on sale AND eligible for the promotion:

crystal light singles or 8qt- 1.99
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- .99

country time drink mix- 1.99
buy 2 and use 1.50/1 printable coupon- 1.24 each

kraft BBQ sauce- .89
use .55/1 coupon from 6/14SS doubled- FREE!

kraft mayo- 2.49
use .75/1 coupon from 6/21SS doubled- .99

A-1 steak sauce- 2.99
use 2.00/1 coupon from 6/14SS- .99

knorr rice or pasta sides- 4 for 5.00
use .75/2 coupon from 5/17RP doubled- .50 each

breyers yo crunch yogurt- 20 for 10.00(or .50 each)
use .50/4 coupon from 4/5SS doubled- .25 each
EDIT: as of today, sunday, the yo crunch isn't working on the deal BUT SHOULD BE. Shop Rite customer service says that they are working on fixing the problem, so you may want to wait until later in the week to purchase these. OR, buy them now and just bring your receipt back next time and have them credit you the points.

kraft macaroni and cheese, original boxes- .86(limit 4)
use Buy 3 get 1 free printable coupon- .64 each

nabisco single serve tray packs- 2.99
use .75/1 coupon from 6/21SS doubled- 1.49

capri sun 10 pack- 2.19
use 1.00/1 coupon from 4/19SS for capri sunrise- 1.19

pillsbury brownie classics or moist supreme- .88
use .35/1 coupon from 3/29 or 4/19RP doubled- .18

NEW: Lipton iced tea to go- 3 for 5.00
use .60/1 coupon from 5/17RP doubled- .46 each

NEW: Kraft easy mac cups- 3 for 3.00
use BOGO coupon from 6/21 parade magazine- .50 each

fiber one deal: buy 4 participating fiber one products, and get a box of fiber one bars FREE

fiber one yogurt packs- 2 for 4.00
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- 1.00 each
(If you can somehow print 4 of these, you'll end up with 5 items for 4.00)


other deals:

Chi Chi's deal: buy 2 salsas and get a bag of chi chi's tortillas for FREE

chi chi's salsa- 2.49
use .55/1 coupon from 5/17SS doubled- 1.39

fisher fusion nuts(4.25 to 6oz)- 1.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/14SS, 1/18SS, 3/15SS, 3/29SS, or 6/7SS- .49

fisher dry roasted peanuts(12 to 14oz)- 1.99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/14SS, 1/18SS, 3/15SS, 3/29SS, or 6/7SS- .99

international delight creamers- .99
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- FREE!

superpretzel, pretzilfills or Tio Pepe churros- 1.84
use .75/1 coupon from 3/15RP doubled- .34

bar S franks- .99
use 1.00/2 coupon from 5/10RP- .50 each

david sunflower seeds- .88
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- FREE

NEW: Aquafresh toothpaste- 1.49
use .75/1 coupon from 6/21SS doubled- FREE

shop rite eggs- .99 a dozen(limit 4)
shop rite gallon oil(canola, corn or veggie)- 3.99(with additional 15.00 purchase)
broccoli crowns- .99/lb
dole greener selection salad bags- 2 for 3.00

Garlic Cheesy Bread!

Oh boy....see that picture up there? When I revealed this to Hubby tonight for dinner, he just about cried. And it was beyond delicious. Heavenly. I saved some for me to snack on later. Can you blame me? Ok, let's get down to business. Here's the recipe:


1 loaf of italian bread(I used a day old loaf I got on clearance)
8 oz of cheese(I used mozzarella and cheddar above)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder


Set your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the oil, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
Slice your bread 2 times lengthwise. You want to slice it close to the bottom, but not all the way through.
Open up the sliced areas and baste the insides of the bread with the oil mixture.
Place the cheese in each of the slits.
If you have any olive oil mixture left, baste the top of the bread. This will help to make a crispy texture on top.
Cover the bread completely in foil(I used one piece for the bottom and one for the top).
Place in the oven(on a cookie sheet, if you want) and bake for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, open the foil and expose the top. Let it cook for 7 to 10 more minutes.
Let it cool slightly....or not. We didn't and look what happened when we cut it:

That's just so unfair to my booty. Oh well....it was worth it!

Missing snow already?

Is anyone missing the snow? Not the pain in the butt snow, that takes over your car and gets in your shoes. But, the beautiful snow that falls around Christmas, or makes January actually seem like one of the most exciting months in the year. If you are, no need to fly to the southern hemisphere(it's winter there!). I'll hook you up...frugally, of course. Take a look at these puppies:






Ahh.....that should last you for about 4 months, and you didn't even have to book a plane ticket anywhere. I know, I know....You're welcome.

Fried Rice Feng Shui

If you enjoy this tutorial, take a peek at my tutorials on Re-visiting the Casserole and Making the Perfect Fried Chicken...



One of the most frequent questions asked here on 4 hats and frugal, food-wise, is "how do you actually make fried rice?"

I put in on my menu plan at least once a month, since it's a perfect way to use up leftovers and create a quick meal that won't leave me at the stove for a long time. Now, although fried rice is so easy to make, there is a balance to it. A Feng Shui, if you will. Today, we'll talk about it a bit.

As you can see above, I make sure to have all of my mise en place, or recipe ingredients, ready to go before I even pull out the pan. Onions are chopped, veggies are placed in one bowl, garlic is measured and put in a small cup, etc. This is important to do because once you turn on that heat and put the oil in the pan, you won't have time to stop.

Not pictured above is the rice. The rice is sooooo important! Making two cups of white(or brown rice) the same day just for fried rice is a no-go. The rice will be too soft when you make the fried rice and will result in a gummy mess. It's best to make the rice the day before and let it sit overnight. This is why this is a great leftover meal, because actual leftover rice works so well. So, make sure that rice is nice and old! It will be sturdy enough to accept all the flavors but will hold it's shape very well.

Now, once you have everything in place, you can pull out your pan. If you have a wok, you are super lucky! But, if you don't, try to look for a pan that is as close to a wok as possible. Most kitchenware sets have these types of pans, but if you don't, just use the biggest skillet you have with the flattest bottom. Turn the heat up to medium, give it about 20 seconds and add your oil.

Now, the order that we place the ingredients is the real Feng Shui of this meal. Do it right and you'll have success. Do it wrong, and well, you can still eat it, it just won't be as yummy :o)

Once the oil ripples, crack the egg and add it. Stir very quickly until the egg is half done.
Next, add the onion and continue to stir quickly.
Add the garlic and stir stir stir! (we are trying to get all the raw items cooked first)
Add any other veggies that you have that ARE NOT cooked, such as cut-up carrots. If you are using leftover veggies, they can be thrown in after all the raw items.
At this time, turn up the heat to medium high. Yes, I said turn it up. You gotta get the rice and other protein(if you have any) warmed up without turning the rice gummy.
Once you start to hear the veggies really sizzling, you can add in the protein, whether it's chicken, seafood or beef.
If using raw seafood, let it cook for about 2 minutes in the pan. With the temperature and the carryover cooking later, the seafood will be perfect once it's time to eat.
Now, add the 2 cups of rice. At this time, I tend to use two spoons to help get the rice coated with the oil from pan and veggies, and allow it to "fry" before adding the seasonings and soy sauce.
Add your pepper and ground ginger, if you have it. Trust me on the ginger....this is where it starts to actually taste like take out fried rice.
Once everything looks hot, start adding the soy sauce. Now, this is to your discretion. Some people can't use too much salt while some will still add even more to their share when it's time to eat. For us, I pour 2 turns of the pan and call it a day.

Once everything is incorporated, I stop tossing(you'll start to break apart the rice), turn off the heat and get the bowls ready. It's go-time, people!
I do love the economical factor of this meal, as well. If we have no extra protein in the house but leftover rice and veggies, I can just add another egg or two to the mix and it's still a hearty meal for everyone. Now, since there really isn't a recipe for this(it's mostly to your taste and what you have in the fridge), I'll at least make a list of what I tend to put into ours, so you have an idea. Here's our usual mise en place:

2 cups leftover white rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 to 2 cups protein
1 egg
1 to 2 cups veggies(whatever we have in the fridge)
2 tablespoons light oil(no olive oil!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tsp or so of ground ginger
ground pepper to taste
soy sauce to taste

Whew! That was a lot of info! Did I miss anything? Anyone have any questions?

Quotable Wednesday

"It's funny that no matter what your status is at work or in the world, when you come home, you are the person who cleans up you kid's poops."

-Tina Fey

Frugal Magazine Tips- May

I decided that with all the wonderful, FREE, subscriptions I get to great magazines, I should share the best frugal tips and blurbs from them. Also, this will give me a place to reference back for my favorite tips without keeping loads of magazine pages on file somewhere. Every month I'll do this rundown, and hopefully you all can learn something too!

Yes, I know it's a little late to put up the May tips, but this mama's been quite busy!

All from Woman's Day:

5 non-traditional things to do with petroleum jelly
-place some on the skin around your hair before coloring or around you nails before painting. Once you're done, you can wipe away any mistakes
- use to get gum out of hair instead of peanut butter. It works a lot better.
- In a pinch, you can use it as a substitute for WD-40. Squeaky drawers and metal parts can be fixed temporarily.
-If you spread a bit on the base of a candlestick or votive candle, once you are done with it, the wax will pop right out of the holder.
-(my favorite trick! used to do it when I wasn't allowed to wear make-up!) Smear a tiny bit of jelly on your finger, hold it in front of your lashes, and blink. It's mascara without being mascara!

Have a hard time keeping track of gifts you give every year? Go to GiftElephant.com and you can track everything that you have given, and even received.

Did you know that you only need a shot glass full of sunscreen to properly cover your body? You should, of course, re-apply every hour if you are outside for more than an hour.

5 things to do with tennis balls
-Put them in the dryer to fluff towels, comforters, or coats.
-Cut a ball in half or cut an "X" in it, and use it to cover sharp corners.
-Cut one in half and place under the legs of your furniture when moving. No scratching the floor!
-Slit a tennis ball and hide important objects in it, like jewelry or money.
-(my favorite!) Give yourself a foot rub! Place the ball on the ground and rotate the sole of your foot over it.

Meal Plan Monday!

This should be a quick and easy week to plan. I stocked up on fruit on Saturday before the good sales were over, so that's what Sonny and I will be having that as part of our lunches this week. Hubby tried to suggest, on the sly, that he wants red velvet cake for father's day so that will be made by Friday to start the Father's Day weekend. I had Guinness cupcakes planned, but the man wants what he wants. And since it's Dad's week, you are going to see a lot of meat. Hubby likes meat. Also, for some reason, my freezer looks so bare! So I'll be using some of my catalinas this week to fill it back up and make some interesting meals.

Monday: London Broil with spinach and rice
Tuesday: Crockpot crab dip, made with imitation crab
Wednesday: Beef Fried Rice(tutorial this week!) with side salad
Thursday: My version of Rachel Ray's Not-Sagna pasta toss
Friday: Pizza! (we've been missing it lately, so making sure we have it)
Saturday: Red beans and rice(finally have leftover hot dogs!)
Sunday: Dad's Day! Pan seared lamb chops with pan gravy, carrots and mashed potatoes

Bread of the week: Wheat(or brioche...whichever I have time for on Monday)
Dessert of the week: still working on my frosting blondies, so lots of those
Dad's Day Dessert: Green Velvet Cake(only have green food coloring in the house :)

Get Going (frugally) for Dad!

Father's Day is just around the corner and boy did it sneak up fast! It seems like sometimes Dad's day gets the short end of the stick because it's so close to Mother's Day, but it doesn't have to be that way. Even with the little time left to plan, you can make this Father's Day pretty special...while staying frugal!

1. Make a "Dad pack." This is something that we did last year for my Dad and he couldn't get enough of it. If you are a couponer and lover of your local drug store deals, this should be easy for you. Grab that men's razor and shaving cream that's on sale, and pair it with a lightly scented(or non-scented) lotion. Find some of Dad's favorite candies and a 99 cent card and you're all set! Last year, there were sales on Men's body wash around Father's Day, so my dad got his very own wash. When you're in a house full of women, this small gift goes a long way.

2. Focus on his likes...and do the little things. Does he spend a good amount of time in his car and take pride in it? Take it out Sunday morning while he's sleeping in and clean it for him. Loves to golf? Drive him to the local driving range and hit a few balls with him. Is he an electronics nerd? Offer to spend the day bouncing from one electronics store to another, and window-shop.

3. Cook, Bake or Grill. This may be a hard one to do if you're the cook all the time anyway, but it is true: the way to a man's heart is through that darn stomach. If he's the cook, then it's time to get in there and make him something special. Is he the one that grills? You take over on father's day. If you need a tutorial, ask him to grill the weekend before and make sure to watch. Ask questions if you want, or if you want to make it a total surprise, sneak some notes on what he does. While he's sleeping in, you can turn into the female Bobby Flay, grilling up all his favorites.

Or, if all else fails, make him cupcakes. Boys love cupcakes. :o)

4. A mini shopping-spree might be in order. This time of year, there are lots of great deals on menswear. If your guy is in need of new duds, check them out. Kmart is offering 2 free movie tickets to see the new Transformers movie when you purchase 50 dollars worth of clothing. Sears has a similar sale, but will give you a 50 dollar gift certificate towards any menswear purchase in July and August, if you spend 50 dollars on menswear. Old Navy always has great deals on Men's clothing, and with the launch of Old Navy Weekly, you can score some great coupons to use towards the deals.

5. Go all out, but look for coupons! Last year, I wanted to surprise my dorky, yet cute, Husband by taking him to a place he's been talking about for years...Medieval Times. I knew it was going to cost quite a bit for all 3 of us to go, but I also knew that if I planned ahead, I could find a great deal. I ended up getting our son in for free and Hubby and I in for half the ticket price. Check your local entertainment book or check here for coupons on some of the popular places in your area.

6. Remember, Dads are Dads....even to furry babies! How cute would it be to give a gift from your furry babies to daddy? Is it from a puppy? Put a stick in a box with a note, "hey dad...let's play later!" Or, is it from a kitty? Run to the dollar store, buy one of those toy mice, and place that in the box. Have the note read "hey dad! caught this one just for you!"

I hope some of these ideas got your wheels going for Father's Day this year! What do you all have planned for the big day?

Quotable Wednesday

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

-Proverbs 19:20

Blog Spotlight- Chi-Annie: at the table!

Annie is a great grocery "hounding" buddy of mine, and an all around great person! I just love reading her blog, Chi-Annie: at the table, and getting new ideas on how to make life a bit more enjoyable without breaking the bank. I also LOVE to read her recipes! It's nice to see someone else's version of your favorite things and my favorite things are desserts. Any and every kind. Anne has dessert recipes to last you years.

She's also a Chicago-based shopper, so anyone looking for the best deals in that area can use her as a reference.

Check out her new series, Common Cents. Such great tips on how to stretch those dollars!

Annie, thanks for following my blog and for all the great information you post on yours! You're a kind heart and I appreciate you. Keep up the great work :o)

When life gives you car accidents.....

You thank the Lord you aren't dead!

This is what Hubby went through last tuesday, the first day I was due down at my base for a week from hell.

It was raining horribly; lightening storms and monsoon-like downpours. I was so upset about the weather while I was in the southern part of the state, that I didn't realize that my family up north were getting these storms just hours before me.

Hubby was on his way from work to pick up Sonny from my parent's house when tragedy struck. He was on a mountain road that goes downhill for quite a while, and all of a sudden he noticed that the car had dropped significantly in the front and sparks started to fly from the left side of the car. Then the spinning started. With the major storm happening right over his head and his driver-side front wheel gone, the car began to do tricks only seen in the best of action movies.

When he told me what happened, he said he really did think he was going to die. The axel under the car had broken in half and with the traffic that was oncoming behind him, he really should have been in more trouble than he ended up being. Somehow, by the Lord's blessing, he was spun pretty close to the right side of the road, so cars were able to see him and divert to the left.

Oh, but it gets better! We both have roadside assistance with our cell phone providers, but of course, on this day, they had no record of that service being attached to my Hubby's phone. Figures. An hour later, they checked some of our old bills and realized that we have been charged for the past 3 years for the service, so they arranged for the tow truck to come out....at 167 out of our pocket. Of course, they promised to reimburse us on our next bill. After another hour, the tow truck never showed, so my Dad was called to the rescue. He used his AAA card to get the car towed to one of his mechanic friends and finally got my family home. All of this while I was stuck on duty hundreds of miles away.

Hubby and Sonny Boy ended up being stuck at home until Sunday and I ended up worried sick for a least 2 days. After that whole fiasco, my Love was more than happy to stay at home, away from danger, for a few days. He was also glad that he didn't have our son with him at the time. So was I.

Here's the real kicker: since we had to put lots of work into my truck when we bought it, in order to pass inspection, our vehicle emergency is pretty much non-existent. It's going to take us about a month to get this car fixed. But, God is good, and we are thanking Him for the one car that we do have and the fact that it's all fixed up and can take a few drives with Hubby into work for the next 4 weeks. We're also thanking Him for the fact that Hubby can ride the train for free, so on the days he isn't working overtime in the next month(which won't be many), he can ride the train into work.

God is good, God is good, God is good....

You think I said that enough? :o) So, that's the story, all. Everyone is fine and the shock of it all has finally worn off. Needless to say, I was glad to run into the house on Sunday and kiss my boys. Life without them would just be, well, boring. I do love those little buggers.

Meal Plan Monday!

I'm back in effect and ready to plan some meals! OK, truthfully, I'm still pretty tired from working 6 days straight last week, but I gotta plan some meals. As God as my witness, I will never go hungry again! I love Gone with the Wind....

Monday: Hamburgers on the griddle with chips and side salad
Tuesday: Slow Cooker rotisserie chicken, rice with gravy and carrots
Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese with tomato soup
Thursday: Slow cooker BBQ turkey wings with onions and carrots
Friday: Pizza!
Saturday: Faux crab cakes(with imitation crab) and yellow rice
Sunday:TGI Friday Night! We'll use the BOGO coupon and a 10.00 gift card I got from mypoints

bread of the week: wheat
dessert of the week: going to try to make blondies using this recipe for brownies. Hope it works!

Guess who's back....

Back again....

It's me! Back from 6 days of torture and ready to frugal the heck out of my household again! I looked at all the money used over the past 6 days and I can't even call myself a somewhat frugal mama right now. Hubby was in a car accident and now we have to pay 700 dollars to get the car fixed. Yay for constant monetary problems! Can't wait to figure out how we are going to take care of that!

So, stay tuned this week! I'll have lots to say to make up for the days I was gone and I have some great posts lined up. Maybe even a Military Woman entry? Who knows :o)


I missed you all!

Monkey Bread....from scratch!

This was originally posted on March 20th, 2009. It's still my all-time favorite birthday cake lol!

Well, as you all know, I decided that for my birthday, instead of a cake, I wanted to try to make monkey bread. I had seen it on TV before and had heard of it many times but never made it. Let me just say, it was absolutely delicious! Because it is technically bread, when you bake it, it creeps that "fresh baked bread" smell all through the house (love love love that smell) but once you taste it, you automatically get a sweet, dessert vibe from it. Such a great combination! This would be great to make for easter because the pieces are made for many to pull away what they want, when they want it. Just a note: the dough that is made from this recipe can be used as an easy yeast roll as well. Just separate the dough into 12 pieces and put into muffin tins or place side by side in a square casserole pan. Top each dough piece with butter or margarine, bake and enjoy!

1 package of active dry yeast
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons veg. oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for kneading
1/4 lb butter or margarine (you won't use it all but just in case), melted
1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon, mixed together

Heat water to 105 to 115 degrees.
Dissolve the yeast in the water in a large bowl.
Stir in sugar, oil, salt and egg.
Stir in one cup of flour until smooth.
Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Get out bundt pan and do not grease it (I greased mine which is why my bread came out so brown, so don't grease yours!)
Stir down the sponge and add 1 1/2 cups flour. If you have a stand mixer, just use the paddle attachment until the flour is totally mixed in and then change to the bread dough attachment.
(If you don't have a stand mixer) Take dough out of bowl and onto a floured surface.
Knead for 3 minutes adding flour if the dough is still sticky(you want it to be kind of sticky though).
Divide the dough into 32 pieces(use a pizza cutter to make it easier) and shape into balls.
Roll each ball into the melted margarine and arrange balls into the bundt pan, sprinkling the cinnamon sugar mixture in between layers.
If you want, you can baste the top of the bread with the remaining butter or margarine(waste not want not!).
Sprinkle the top of the bread with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Let rise another 25 minutes in a warm place and preheat oven to 425 degrees. If the oven was your warm place the last time, then well, I guess you'll have to put it next to the oven on the counter. Yeah, that sounds like a plan.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes until light brown.
Remove from the pan to a rack or plate to cool.

Note: you can roll each dough piece in the butter, then in the cinnamon sugar if you want, but i'm lazy so I did it the "lazy mom's" way.

Happy Doughnut Day!

Yes, you read right! Today is national Doughnut Day, so get out there and get those freebies!

Dunkin' Donuts is offering a free doughnut with the purchase of any beverage. Grab an iced coffee for .99 cents, and your favorite doughnut and call it a happy friday!

If your lucky enough to have one near you, Krispy Kreme is offering a free doughnut, no questions asked, no other purchases needed. If only had had a Krispy Kreme....right next door. Mmmmmmm....Doughnuts....

Frugal Megalinks to start the Summer!

When you combine frugality and the coming of summertime, you get wonderful links to follow. I got so many great ideas from each of these links, and they've got me eager to continue out frugality throughout the summer. Take a gander at these puppies and be inspired!

The Simple Dollar shows us loads of frugal marinades that use items right in your pantry. They also give us the best tips for proper marinating. This is a great list to have for the upcoming grilling season.

Cheap Healthy Good gives us the blow by blow about how to properly grill corn. Can you say Yum?!

Frugal Family Fun Blog gives us the Top 5 Hobbies for Tightwads. Can you guess which one is mine? (psssst! it's the cooking one...)

Meredith at Like Merchant Ships has decided to give her children a summer of "Yes." Imagine the frugal possibilities!