Ebates for Travel

Have you signed up for Ebates yet?  I hope so!  I waited a long time before singing its praises a couple months ago because I promise you: I will never recommend something to you unless I've fully tried it out already.

I love using Ebates for my online shopping.  Since I tend to look for the rock-bottom deals, I'm not generally earning very much at a time but, hey, every little bit adds up!

Recently, I set out to plan a tenth anniversary trip to be taken this fall.  My husband and I talked a lot and did a whole bunch of research and, finally, decided to take the family on a cruise.  (Yay!  Can't wait!)

And here's my tip for you today:

If you're planning a trip of any kind, be sure to check Ebates!

Here are just a few of the travel sites currently offering a percentage back when you go through Ebates:

• Expedia 1-4%
• Budget Rent-a-Car 3%
• Comfort Inn 3.5%
• Holiday Inn 4.5%
• Orbitz 1-3%
• Southwest 3%
• Travelocity 1-3%

Are these huge percentages?  No.  But travel, by its very nature, tends to be a significant purchase.  Even though I scored a fabulous deal on our cruise for five, I still got about $30 back through Ebates.

That'll pay for some fun souvenirs.  Or a bottle or two of wine.  Or a couple hours of babysitting services. ;)  Not a bad return for a single click!

Don't forget Ebates when you're booking your travel!

linked to Frugal Friday

(Heads Up: Affiliate links used in this post!  Thank you!)

10 Things I Bought For Less Than $10 (total)

I live in New England. We're known for a few things here... beautiful foliage, snowy winters, a whole slew of Ivy League schools, and, oh yeah, a high cost of living.

I won't lie. Even though I grew up here, I was seriously concerned when I moved back here from the Midwest. How would this impact my grocery budget? Would I have to make huge changes?

Answer? No.

Groceries DO cost more here. Produce can be outrageous. That's why it's nice to have some tricks. And, rest assured, I didn't have to go nag or bargain with anyone to get these prices. (I tip my hat to those of you who haggle with the best of 'em but, me? No thank you...)

Here are ten things I picked up on Saturday for a total of $9.01...

1. 5 lb organic carrots ($1.99)
   
2. 3 lb organic apples ($2.04)
   
3. 1 head organic lettuce ($.99)
   
4. 2 mangoes ($.99)
   
5. 3 lb grapes ($1.50)
   
6. 6 lb bananas ($1.40)
   
7. 6 limes, 5 lemons, and 6 navel oranges ($1.83)
   
8. 2 lb strawberries ($1.37)
   
9. 3 broccoli crowns ($1.08)
   
10. 5 lb green bell peppers ($2.92)

How on earth did I score those prices? I shopped the "discount produce rack" which is, oddly enough, located next to the lobster tank in my store. Honestly, I've only encountered anyone else shopping there twice in all my trips. Could be because it's hard to find.

In case you're doing the math, those things actually add up to just over $16. By scanning my own groceries as I shopped, I saved about two dollars. I also had a $4 off any produce purchase of $15 or more coupon from a previous trip. Many grocery stores like to entice you to spend more money the next time with these coupons. Most, I just cast aside, but coupons for fruits and veggies are rare!

I didn't even know that rack was there for the first few months we lived here. I resigned myself to having to rely heavily on canned and frozen veggies since fresh were often cost-prohibitive. Now? As long as I keep an open mind, I can almost always fill our fridge (and some of our freezer!) with fresh fruits and veggies.

Wondering what's wrong with them? Sometimes, I have no idea. The lettuce had one brown edge on an outer leaf. The bananas were spotty. Two carrots were poking out of the bag. The grapes were in large part "loose" and no longer attached to their vine. The apples and citrus were absolutely gorgeous.

I do try to deal with my discount produce fairly quickly. If we're not going to eat it right away, I prepare it for freezing. Things like citrus, carrots, and potatoes (I often score fingerlings for less than a dollar a box!) give you more wiggle room.

In a state not known for great local deals, I save a ton by shopping off the discount produce rack. And that makes me- and my wallet- very, very happy.

When it's not gardening season, how do you save money on produce?

Linked to Top Ten {Tuesday}

Why I Adore Ebates

Have you heard of Ebates yet? Oh, of course you have. Right? I mean, since I've seen about a zillion bloggers post about it, I have to assume you have too. Here's a better question:

Are you using Ebates yet?

I hope so!

I tend to be pretty late when it comes to jumping on these bandwagons, I must admit. But it's been well over a year now that I've been using Ebates. So I want you to know that I really waited to tell you about it... I don't like passing on things that I'm not totally confident in! Mine is not a "deal blog", after all, so it's not so time-sensitive around here.

In case you haven't heard or have forgotten, Ebates works like this:

You go to the Ebates website first, sign in, and select the store you wish to shop from. You'll be redirected right to the regular online store site and carry on as usual. You'll earn a percentage back from your purchases that you'll get back in a check.

Pretty simple process, really.

Here are a couple things I'd like to add, based on my experience:

• You do not have to save, submit, or track anything. Ebates will do it all for you.
• If you start shopping somewhere and then realize you forgot to go through Ebates, you can go to Ebates, choose the store, and- at least every time it happened to me- your items will still show up in your shopping cart.
• Coupons codes still work when using Ebates.
• You are still ordering all your items directly from the store's site- your shopping experience will feel exactly the same.
• You really will get a check- I just got the email that thirty some odd dollars are on the way- and every little bit counts.
• This is an easier way to save money than coupons or running around town!

So here's the deal.

I really don't get too involved with too many programs or sites. I'm skeptical and simple. But Ebates? Ebates really, really works for me. If you think it could work for you too, you can sign up right here.

The links above are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, I will earn a referral bonus- Thank You! :)

Stretching Meat to Feed Your Crew

We've all heard this tip, right?

To save on groceries, be sure to serve one (or more) meatless meals each week.

It's good advice. And, truth be told, going meatless doesn't really bother me a bit. My family's game for just about anything too but, let's face it, I have guys under my roof. And you know what most guys like?

Meat.

Our budget doesn't lend itself to serving up a big slab of meat and then little piles of side dishes. So, that's not how I tend to cook. The way I cook enables us to eat lots of "meaty" meals without buying a whole ton of meat.

Next week, I'll be sharing how I feed five people five nights' worth of dinners made with a grand total of five chicken breasts. You can check out the meals and read more about that right here. Now, lest you think I'm just tossing together a handful of casseroles, let me assure you that that's not the case! The following are all excellent ways to make your meat go that extra mile:

Cut in smaller bites. Lots of recipes call for 1" - 1 1/2" cubes of meat as "bite-sized". Go ahead and knock that down to 1/2" - 3/4". You'll still get noticeable bites of meat to chew on... but you'll get a lot more of them out of your piece of meat!

Butterfly. Slicing your slab o' meat into two thinner slabs obviously doesn't magically create more meat... but it creates twice the surface area and that goes a long way to "fooling" the eye and tummy!

Stir-fry. Small pieces of meat tossed with tons of veggies in a flavorful sauce can be super fulfilling!

Make soup! It's a no-brainer, but soup doesn't require much meat and the piece you add can be relatively tiny. Especially if you're using stock, you'll have plenty of authentic meat flavor without using much meat.

Vary your starches. Egg noodles, rice, pizza crust, various pastas, potatoes... they can all be mixed and layered and laced throughout your meat dish, making it go just that much farther.

I'll be using all of the above methods to feed my family of five off those five chicken breasts for the whole week... and you know what? We won't be suffering a bit and I guarantee my husband won't ever have to grumble, "Where's the meat?"

Linked to Frugal Friday.

Saving Money On School Pictures

Maybe your school offers really great deals on portrait packages. Maybe they take multiple shots to ensure a great pic. Maybe you feel confident that your child's hair is still going to look great by the time they get to her. If those things hold true for you... awesome. But they do not for me.

Around here, a small package of prints (1 8x10, 1 5x7, 2 3x5, 4 wallets, and 8 of those useless teeny little "wallets") runs you $34.00. Per child. Ouch. You don't get to choose a pose- they just send them home and you either take it or try again at retake day. One more shot. If you're lucky, your child's picture is taken early in the day before gym and lunch and recess can wreak havoc on her 'do but, well, you never know.

This year, I put my foot down. I sent polite notes in with my two children indicating that we were opting not to purchase school pictures this time around.

Some people would just take pictures of their kids at home and call it good. And I think that's great. But I am not one of those people. I LIKE professional photos. I LIKE sending them out to the out of town relatives. And, well, I STINK at ever printing out the photos that I take so doing my own just never works out for me.

We went to JCPenney. JCPenney? Really? Really.

For $7.99, we received a package including 2 8x10, 2 5x7, 4 3x5, and 16 wallets. We did that three times (we have three kids, you know) and still came in under the cost of ONE (smaller) school package. And we were able to choose from multiple poses. And we could straighten hair and clothing as necessary. Our photographer was fantastic and he took the time to make our children genuinely smile...

A few tips if you decide to go the same route:

• Be sure to be clear with the school that you are choosing to not order portraits. You don't want them to think that your child simply forgot their form.
• Print or collect any coupons you will need for the photo place you've chosen to use.
• Be prepared-- there will be multiple cute shots of your child. It is the photographer's JOB to try to sell you bigger packages and multiple extras. It is YOUR job to commit to one pose and stick with your inexpensive package deal.
• I choose to be upfront with the photographer. Quite frankly, I don't want him spending oodles of time creating darling collages that I know I won't be buying anyway. I let them know I am looking for one good shot.
• Be polite. Just a good rule of thumb- always.
• Don't feel guilty. The store offers these deals because they figure they'll be able to convince people to buy more. Often they can. They do realize that some people will just take the $7.99 package and roll. That is a choice they have made.

So there you go! That's how we saved a bundle on photos this year... and walked away with higher quality shots.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

**I am not affiliated with JCPenney in any way, shape, or form. I have not been compensated to say good things- or even asked to say anything, for that matter. I would gladly, however, be willing to... we were THAT pleased!

Ten Ridiculously Easy Ways to Delight Your Children This Week

We all want to delight our children... right? But, well, sometimes I see ideas for crafts that, while darling and impressive, just seem overwhelming for where I'm at on that particular day. And sometimes I read about amazing adventures people design for their children and I think, "Wow! What an awesome mom!" but... do I do it? Not usually. Does that mean I can't be a rockstar in my kids' eyes? No way! I don't have to spend a dime... or even a lot of time. Here are ten EASY ways to delight your children. Want to join me in keeping it simple and special?

1. Cut their sandwiches in triangles. Yes, you could earn bonus points for using cookie cutters but- really- these are super simple ideas I'm offering up for today!
2. Wake them up with a song. I love the first verse of "Good Morning, Beautiful"- true, it's a love song. But that verse works perfectly! Seems cheesy, I know... but it's such a happy way to be greeted.
3. Let them wear their favorite colors. I'm actually just not laid-back enough to give my children carte blanche when it comes to choosing their own garments... I'm not willing to permit things that are inappropriate for the weather! But can I make sure C. gets a pink shirt? Yes. I sure can. And that makes her day.
4. Draw a smiley on their food. You can use about anything for this- ketchup, raisins, chocolate chips, jelly... whatever fits with what you're serving!
5. Leave a random note laying around that says "____ is a super star!" I do this occasionally and it always makes that child's day... so simple!
6. Serve dessert after lunch.
7. Ask them for help. Sincerely. As in, "I really could use some help making this grilled cheese sandwich... would you mind helping me?"
8. Thank them- sincerely- after they've helped you. Yes, I know. It would have been easier- and cleaner- to have done it by yourself. Nonetheless. Show real gratitude.
9. Give them each a new responsibility- not necessarily a "chore", mind you. At least, not in so many words. Make your daughter the "Queen of the Cushions" who is responsible for making sure the couch pillows are where they belong each evening. Make your son "Sir Recycler" and have him put the cans and what-not in the bin for you. Be sure to use their proper names.
10. Go for a walk. I don't care if you walk ONE BLOCK. Go outside and walk with them. It is so good for all of you.

I'm committing to doing two of these things each day for the rest of the week... it's going to be easy-peasy. Care to join me?

Image Source

This post is linked to Top Ten {Tuesday}.

A Desk For Baby

I mentioned that my husband is a big fan of Doritos. I like them sometimes too. I also have a recipe or two that call for the chips.

We do one big, monthly Aldi shopping trip. It takes an hour and a half, total, to make the drive there, so we try to get everything done at one time.

Sometimes, we buy a case of their tortilla chips. It's easier to just haul the box with twelve bags out of the store than it is to bag up eight individual bags.

The box is a pretty good size, but definitely not suitable for "play house" type play like those awesome appliance boxes can be.

I would have trashed it.

My four- and five-year olds had other ideas.

Armed with stickers and crayons, they flipped it over and decorated for over an hour. When finished? My son declared...

"It's a desk for the baby!"

Not bad, kiddos, not bad.

This post is linked to:
Works For Me Wednesday
Frugal Friday

All Grocery Budgets Are Not Created Equal

This is something I've been thinking about for awhile now... and a recent Twitter conversation really got my wheels turning.

All grocery budgets are not created equal.

Do you read those blogs? The ones that post their weekly budgets every week and then list the deals they scored? Me too. I find them so inspirational! I'm fascinated by the different ways we all choose to feed our families and save a buck or two. I've posted my grocery budget once or twice on here too, though it's certainly not a weekly feature.

Sometimes, seeing these super low "grocery budgets" can be encouraging. And sometimes it's just the opposite. It can be frustrating to see someone else feeding the same number of people for 10 or 15 or 20 dollars less a week than you. But here are a few things to think about...

• Does their budget include going out to eat?
• Does their budget include household items?
• Do they use SwagBucks to pick up items that supplement their groceries?
• Do they have access to more/better coupons than the "average" consumer?
• Do they have family members/friends who provide them with fresh eggs/milk/meat?
• Do they garden extensively or have fruit trees on their property?
• Do they have food allergies/sensitivities to work around?
• Do they have to follow a specific diet due to religious convictions?
• Do they stick to only organic or raw foods?

I'm not saying that doing or not doing any one of these things is "cheating". Certainly not. But will it affect a budget? Absolutely! We each come at this whole "food budget" thing from a different place.

For me, it's not just a "grocery budget"... it's a food budget. That means if we decide to go out to eat- a very rare event- I need to find the money within the food budget. I manage to snag most (but not all) of our "household" items (diapers, cleaning products, etc) within that same food budget. I garden, but it's on a fairly small scale. I think I've only managed to earn one $5 Amazon gift card from SwagBucks so far. ;) I buy all my meat, eggs, and milk... none for any great discounts. I would say I get my fair share of "better-than-average" coupons by being a member of VocalPoint, BzzzAgent, and, well, being a blogger. We have no real restrictions, though we try to use as much "real" food as possible. That's my story.

Do I think we should all put a disclaimer on our published budget? Nah. I don't think that's necessary, nor would it be much fun.

What I DO think is that we all need to keep these things in mind as we peruse others' budgets... should I feel bad about myself because I can't feed my family of five for $35/week? Nope.

And neither should you.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Saving Money On Fancy Cheese

When I shared my Baked Rotini recipe the other day, I mentioned how I had a chunk of provolone to use from a package of cheese ends I'd picked up from the deli. This is something I do fairly frequently.

At one of my local grocery stores, they sell the scraps and leftover pieces of cheese from the deli in packages for $3.99/lb. Now, listen...

Almost four bucks a pound is not a remarkable price for cheddar or mozzarella or American cheese... you've kind of got to peer into the shrink wrap and try to determine what might be in there. In the past I've scored provolone, aged swiss, havarti dill, smoked gouda, and- most notably, a gigantic chunk of gruyere. One would be hard-pressed to find any of those cheeses being sold for less than five dollars a pound!

My store happens to just package them up and sell them that way. If yours does not, it may be worth speaking to the deli manager. You could probably score an even better deal than I'm getting. If they're not already marketing them, they may be happy just to make a couple bucks off what could just be considered waste!

Image credit

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Where to Find Replacement Balls for the Playskool Busy Ball Popper

Long ago, I wrote about how much our family loves the Playskool Busy Ball Popper. Three babies have played with it so far and it is- by far- a favorite around here.

Readers agreed! They didn't much like chasing the balls down for their children (that's what older siblings are for! ;)), but they loved theirs too.

Months later, I laughingly shared with you all how "Playskool Busy Ball Popper replacement balls" is one of the top search terms that lands on my site. What a disappointment for all those people... I definitely didn't answer that question in my post!

I'm here to answer it now, folks.

Should you be in possession of a Busy Ball Popper with missing balls, you can go here , fill out the form and, for $4.00, get a set of five replacement balls in a bag. Much cheaper than buying a whole new toy (at $24.99).

There. Don't say I never helped you out. ;)

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

(Incidentally, whenever you find yourself in this situation, the easiest first step is to go to the manufacturer's website and find the link for customer service. Sometimes they'll have a section for "missing parts". Otherwise, fill out the contact form and someone will email you back!)

Make a List, Check it Twice

Those of you who know me in real life know that I completely defy the Connecticut norm... I spend less on one month's groceries for my family of five than many spend on one week's. There are a lot of reasons for this. One of them is my commitment to try to use coupons and still buy things that we actually use. Another is the fact that I do almost all of my shopping in one bulk monthly trip. But one of the biggest reasons I can stay right around $200/month despite living in one of the highest cost of living states in the union?

I make lists.

And that's my frugal tip of the day for you all.

Make lists. Detailed lists. Know exactly what you need and what you plan to get and do not waver. If you find that you forgot something, try to live without it. If you're not used to making lists, if you're one of those people who likes to "go to the store and see what looks good", this can be hard at first. You'll find, though, over time, it gets super easy. Your eyes don't even wander. You develop tunnel vision for the items on your list.

And, that, my friends, can save you a whole lot of money.

(Note: Someone is bound to point out that you need to keep your eyes open for amazing markdowns and discounts that may not have been adverstised- this is true. However, I will go so far as to recommend that- until you get "list shopping" down pat- you even let those deals go for a little while. Just my opinion.)

This post is linked to Frugal Friday where you can find tons of good tips!

Customized Baby Gift

My baby girl turns one on Saturday.

Sniff.

We'll be having a little family gathering and giving her some little gifts. I'll be making some cake balls a la Bakerella because, while not a sweets lover, my littlest child loves them.

Because she is my second daughter (and I have nieces), we do not need much in the way of clothes. Because she is my third child and babies do not need oodles of things, she does not need anything in the way of toys.

I still want to give her something. Something besides the cute socks I found.

I asked myself...

"What does this sweet baby like to do more than anything in the world? What occupies her during church and stops her crying when stuck in traffic? What do I give her to play with during long t-ball games?"

Answer??

My wallet.

There is nothing G. enjoys more than opening my wallet and pulling out all the cards and photos. I let her do it- because she adores it- but it's a bit stressful ensuring that I leave wherever I happen to be with all that I came with.

For her birthday, my sweet little girl will be receiving her own wallet with pictures of family, playing cards, and daddy's business cards tucked inside.

I think she's going to love it.

*The wallet pictured above is not "her" wallet... my camera's memory card is currently in Indiana. Yikes! We should be getting it back soon. :)*

This post is linked to:

Works For Me Wednesday

Frugal Friday

Image credit.

How To Write a Good Complaint Letter

I don't want it to sound like I'm forever complaining to companies and businesses because I am not. Quite frankly, I'm not all that picky and I also don't have oodles of extra time on my hands. However, there are certain things that are just unacceptable... like when the laundry detergent stained a whole mess of my children's clothes with purple spots... or when the tabs broke off every.single.diaper in one particular pack... or when the store was out of about 20% of the items on my list. These are things I feel justified in complaining about and, to be honest, most companies would rather you let them know about these situations rather than just go around town bad-mouthing their product.

I don't write tons of complaint letters, but I probably write a few each year. I have amazing success in getting really good responses. I believe that if you approach your criticism in the right manner, most businesses don't mind hearing from you. If you decide you are going to write a letter of complaint to a company, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Keep it brief. The customer service departments reviewing these letter do not have tons of extra time on their hands. You'll make their jobs easier- and happier- if you get right to the point.
• Remain polite and upfront. There is absolutely no reason to be nasty, vulgar, or rude in your letter. I lead off with "Dear Sir or Madam:" and use proper and polite structure throughout the letter. Even if you're really angry about something, try to remember that the person who will be reading your letter is likely not the person who ticked you off. At the same time, leave out all the flowery, "First of all, I'd really like to thank you for taking time out of your doubtless busy day to sit down and read what I need to say. It really means a lot to me that you are reading my letter and I hope that you will find what I have written to be valuable information..." Be courteous, but not long-winded.
• Stick to one topic. If you're upset because you were treated really, really shabbily then that's what you should write about. The fact that you noticed the store could have been cleaner doesn't really help drive home your point... it makes you sound overly picky and whiny.
• Be honest in your "threats". Do not say you'll "never shop there again" or that you'll never buy another of their products unless you truly mean it. In my recent letter to Aldi, I was very honest about the fact that I would continue to shop at their store... but I did mention that it made it hard for me to recommend their business to my friends and family when they were out of stock of so many products. Companies really like good "word of mouth"... finding out that I didn't feel confident recommending them is enough of a threat.
• Don't exaggerate or make things up to try to score free stuff. I can't emphasize this point enough. Being dishonest in order to gain coupons or free products is never okay. It is unfair to a company to spend time researching an issue that was, in fact, contrived. Just don't do it.

I don't think you should be scared to let a company know what you really think... but that also leads me to my final point...

Write letters about good stuff too. I write probably four praise letters for every letter of complaint. I love to let businesses know about outstanding service I received or how much I adore a particular product of theirs. These letters truly mean something. If you've ever worked in a service industry, you know how precious it is to receive a letter commending you on a job well done. Don't be stingy with your praise.

Write on, my friends!

How about you? Do you take the time to let businesses know what you think about them... good or bad? What response have you received?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

A Tale of Customer Service...

I drive an hour and a half (total trip) to do most of my grocery shopping. Sound crazy? I don't think it is. We make the trek three towns over to Aldi once a month where I stock up for the next four weeks of meals. It's worth it for us. It helps me stay within my "$200/month for my family of 5" food budget.

I love Aldi. While I enjoy using coupons (and do!), I also enjoy the convenience of not having to bother with them and the simplicity of "one size/one brand". That makes shopping quick and simple.

And so, on May 1st, when we set out for the monthly stock-up trip, I assumed everything would go smoothly, just like always.

I was so disappointed.

My Aldi was out of: baking powder, baking soda, slivered almonds, old fashioned oats, swiss cheese, and yellow onions.

My careful plans were falling apart. I made do, sure. But it was so frustrating to not be able to get all that we needed. I can understand running out of a thing or two, but that seemed excessive.

A couple days later, I emailed Aldi's customer service. I just wanted to let them know. I had no intention of stopping my trips there and I said as much. I wasn't actually angry at anyone, just disappointed; I brag about Aldi all the time and I think my friends and family would be unimpressed if they made the trek only to discover so many gaps in stock!

A week and a half went by and I heard nothing. Until yesterday.

I received a personal phone call from the regional manager of Aldi. She listened to me. She apologized. She offered some explanation, but not an excuse. (Their truck was delayed and they got hit hard on the first of the month since that's when food stamps are issued.) I was satisfied with the call and prepared to say my goodbye. The manager said this:

"I just want you to know that, while the trucking situation obviously impacted us, what is most upsetting is that it impacted our customers. I've given your name to the manager of your store and, next time you're there, please stop to see him. He will bag up every item you were looking for that was out of stock and give them to you free of charge. Is there anything else I can to help restore your confidence in Aldi?"

I almost dropped the phone.

I wasn't prepared for that kind of service.

One more thing to love about Aldi? Truly phenomenal customer service. Talk about going above and beyond.

Aldi is always a frugal part of my month... this past week, it became one of the finer points of my month as well.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday and Finer Things Friday.

Noodles with Marsala Cream Sauce

I love Chicken Marsala. It's one of my favorite suppers. When I don't have the time (or the money) to make that dish, here's a vegetarian quickie that carries the same flavors and comes together in a flash.

Ingredients:

1 bag egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms (or 1 can)
1 tablespoon butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or approx. 1 cup of your own homemade)
1/3 cup marsala wine (if you choose to use cooking wine, please omit the salt listed later!)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon parsley
parmesan, for sprinkling

Melt butter in large skillet and saute mushrooms until nicely browned. Remove to bowl for later. Combine soup, wine, and water in large skillet. Heat to boiling, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Add mushrooms. Toss noodles in marsala cream sauce. Sprinkle with salt and herbs and mix gently. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with parmesan at the table.

4 servings

This post is linked to:
$5 Dollar Dinner Challenge
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Flowers For Mother's Day

It's true that my favorite kind of flowers to receive are this kind.

But, when the occasion calls for real, live flowers, there's little more beautiful than simple forsythia in a blue glass vase. (Or dandelions in a juice glass...)

Go outside! Comb your yard! What treasures can you find? Beautiful arrangements are so much more than 1-800-blah, blah, blah...

This post is linked to:
Frugal Friday
Finer Things Friday

Save Dough- Make Dough

I live in an affluent area now. I feel a little bit like a fish out of water, but I'm not about to give up my frugal, money-saving ways. (For the record, we couldn't AFFORD for me to give up my frugal ways either, so it's a good thing that I'm pretty set in them!)

I don't find many people to "talk thrifty" with, it seems. Recently, however, at a four-year old birthday party, I started chatting with another mom who originally hails from Wisconsin. She has a frugal spirit much like my own. We got along smashingly. One of the things we discussed happened to be the tradition of a Friday night Pizza & A Movie Night. That seems to be a pretty common weekly event, even around here. What's not so common? Actually making the pizza yourself. But we both do. Hooray! Someone who understands! Further conversation revealed that she buys her pizza dough for $2.50 at a discount grocery store... way more affordable than buying a pizza pre-made, for sure, but not nearly as affordable as making your own...

I shared my pizza dough recipe and she has never looked back.

Here's how I do it:

1 tablespoon yeast (.05 - I buy my yeast in bulk bags!)

1 teaspoon sugar (.01)

1 cup very warm water (free)

1 tablespoon oil (.05)

1 teaspoon salt (.01)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional- I sometimes add it and sometimes don't...) (.03)

2 1/2 cups flour (.15)

total: .27 (max... I think I usually come out even less than that what-with sales and coupons... and the fact that a teaspoon of salt doesn't even cost a penny.)

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water until nice and foamy. Add remaining ingredients in order listed. I like to mix mine in my KitchenAid with a dough hook. Transfer dough to an oiled glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm place for 20 minutes. Punch down, let rest a couple minutes, and spread on pizza pan. Continue as usual with your pizza making!

Making dough saves dough. Easy as that.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

I Call My Lawn Boy "Honey"

Lawn boys are a common sight around here. I watched them tidy and rake the neighbors' lawns throughout the Fall and now they're back again, mowing and fertilizing. I see the homeowners around me step out to critique the work they've done and inquire about additional treatments they may need.

Those lawn boys... they've asked me before if I needed their services, if I'd like to get on the schedule.

But I politely decline.

Because, you see, I already have a lawn boy. Fact is, I have two lawn boys.



And I call them both "Honey".

This post is linked to Finer Things Friday.

Saving Money at the Grocery Store: Local Contacts

I'm far and away the biggest "deal-shopper" in my family-- either side, for that matter. I'm the one who matches all the sales and coupons and saves 75+% with staggering regularity.

But get us together and here are some things you'll hear:

from Dad to sis, "Hey, they had canned clams marked way down at Big Y."

from my mother-in-law to me, "Eggs are 69 cents a dozen right now at Walmart."

from me to sis, "Did you see that they had unbleached flour for a buck at Northville?"

from Dad to me, "I saw they had whole chickens for 89 cents a pound..."

from me to Mom, "Stop & Shop has a good deal on yogurt right now... I found coupon blinkies right next to the display..."

from me to my brother-in-law, "They marked the canisters of steel-cut oats down to 89 cents at Aldi!"

It's all just casual conversation. It's not some big discussion about grocery shopping or the merits of couponing or any of that. It's just little snippets in passing.

And you know what?

It saves us money. We may not jump on every deal we hear about, but we're able to file those little nuggets away and use the ones that work for us.

The bloggy world is far-and-away my best source for finding good deals, but there's something to be said for having local family and friends with whom you share deals too. For one, the deals they mention are easy for you to get to... that's the beauty of "local". Added to that, they're less likely to bother telling you about sales on things you never buy anyway and that saves a little time and energy. People who shop the exact same stores as you can let you know of specific items on close-out or the marked-down shelf. Handy!

Sharing deals with local contacts saves me money. How about you?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Kids' Toothpaste

Have you see these toothpastes before?



Or maybe this kind?


What about this neat-o tube with Elmo on it?

Those marketing people are geniuses. They're banking on a few things:

1. Your kids will whine and beg for these products because of the nifty-snifty characters they have on them.
2. You'll buy whatever you have to in order to get your kids to brush their teeth.
3. You'll buy into the hype that, for some reason, children require pastes that taste like bubblegum or berry punch.

But you know what? While you can manage to score a decent deal on those kids' toothpastes by combining a coupon and a sale, I've never managed to find a way to get them for free. And, believe me, I get free toothpaste all. the. time.

And here's what those marketing people won't tell you...

Cartoon characters may get kids excited, but you know what else gets them excited? Getting to be like the "big people".

And so here's our kids' toothpaste:


Minty-fresh. Easy. And, oh yeah, free.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.