Labeling Budget Envelopes

 Tonight I labeled some of my Budget Binder envelopes. Got a few done but still have a few more to go!

Here We Go Again

 It's time to go back to using budget envelopes/budget binder so I ordered one on-line. I really thought these days were behind us. 😥

Depression Meal

Tonight we had a recipe from the Great Depression called the Poor Man’s Meal. The goal of this meal was to have a meal that was cheap and hearty – two big goals of any meal during the Great Depression. With people out of work, they needed a meal that could feed their family but do so cheaply. Enter the hot dog.  Right around 1929 the humble and inexpensive Hot Dog could be bought for about $0.08 per pound.

With a few ingredients that most people already have on hand, this meal can be prepared rather quickly.  Below is a recipe I found with measurements, I usually just throw it together.  

Ingredients (makes about 6 servings):

*6 regular sized Russet potatoes, washed peeled and cubed bite-size

*1 large yellow or white onion, sliced or chopped

*some vegetable oil for cooking (about 3 Tbsp. or as needed)

*optional: about 1/4 C. water

*4 hot dogs, cut into bite-sized pieces

*about 2 Tbsp. salsa (I like using Pace Chunky Mild Salsa)

       We didn't use salsa in ours

*salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put the cubed potatoes and the chopped onion in a large frying pan (I used a large cast iron skillet).   Drizzle the cooking oil on top and turn the heat to medium. Let potatoes slowly brown, and mix them around every few minutes so they cook more evenly. If you want to add about 1/4 cup of water to help the potatoes soften, you can.

Once the potatoes are tender to your liking and the onions are cooked, add the bite-sized hot dogs and salsa. Gently mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

ENJOY!

“Before, during and after the Depression, hot dogs were the food of everyday people, because they were good, they were tasty, and they could stretch a dollar!”

Recyled Parmesan Cheese Container

I hate to throw things away, so when I can find a good use for something and not have to add to send it to the landfill, I get a nice feeling of doing something positive for our environment.

While I was on pinterest a few weeks ago, I found this really cool idea of what to do with those empty parmesan cheese containers.  The bottoms I already use to hold pens and pencils on my computer desk, but I never really had a use for the lids……until now.  

Did you know that these lids fit perfectly onto the jelly and pint canning jars?  Yup, they do.  I don't know about the quart jars with the regular lids since I only have those with wide mouths.  These are great to hold those homemade seasoning mixes in.

Do you have any good recycling ideas to share?  Please leave a comment with a link bast to your post so we can stop by and visit!

Shave And A Haircut - Being Frugal

I have been cutting Kiddo's hair for years.   It grows so fast that it was costing me a fortune so I decided to cut it myself. When it gets buzzed, My Skippy Man does it, but when it gets scissor cut, I take care of that. Yesterday, he needed both a cut and a shave, as you can tell by the first pic. I sometimes joke with him and call him Wolfman Jack.  He says, "Who?"  lol

I love to cut his hair.....it's FREE!  And that is one word this Frugal Female LOVES!  

This is one of his senior portraits I took last month at the zoo.
Not sure why it's showing up blurry on here

One finger length all around is all it takes

Can you tell what he's doing?  Yup....he's playing

his Nintendo DS.  lol

TADAAAA......that's my handsome young man!

I LOVE YOU, KIDDO!

LOVE!!!!

Most of you already know how much I LOVE MY WOOD STOVE!  I am such a happy camper when the cold weather comes around.  Not only because I love to see the change of the seasons; like the changing of the leaves, the brisk air, the amazing smells of autumn, or the beautiful snow in the winter as the awesome colors of the sunset dance across the top of the snow, but that I get to REALLY USE my stove!

There is nothing like curling up on the couch with my Bible, a blanket, a hot cup of tea right next to a crackling fire.  Yes, I can hear the wood crackle and sizzle, but I also get to see it as well, thanks to My Skippy Man picking out one with a glass front.   It is a wonderful time that lets me get in some "Laura Ingalls Wilder" time as well.  I love the frontier/pioneer era, and always felt I should have been born back then.  Using my stove gives me a little bit of a time-warp that I gratefully embrace with open arms.

As you can see, I made hamburgers the other night.  I try and use the stove during the cold months to cook on as much as I can.

This morning when I woke up, it was 64* degrees.  But not too long after that, it got dark, started to rain, and then got cold and windy.  I started the stove earlier, but had an awful time getting it to really catch and get hot. Shortly afterwards, Skippy called and said, "If you make a fire, don't use the wood in front of the stove.....it's WET!"  AH HAH!  Now I understand why I was having so much trouble!  lol

After I got it going good and hot, I put the coffee/tea pot on the top.  This really helps in putting the moisture back in the air that the stove takes out.

This is actually good too for when I do the dishes.  It takes hardly any time at all for the water to heat up.  It saves on the electric bill, not having to heat the water.   For this Frugal Females, that's a WIN-WIN situation!! 

PLUS, there is also an added bonus:  I have hot water for coffee/tea/hot chocolate at the ready......ALL DAY LONG!

I am using my special DISNEY PRINCESS mug my sister, Noony gave me a few years ago.  It is one of my favorites.  So today, I get to not only be "warm & fuzzy" but I have the pleasure of remembering  wonderful times with my beautiful sister!

Homemade Foaming Hand Soap

I have been making my own foaming hand soap for awhile now. I really like the foam kind much better than the liquid so I thought I would give it a try and see if I could make it.  WOO HOO, it was sooooo EASY!

I used an old foam bottle that I had and just followed the simple steps below. . . . .

I know of a few people who also throw in small pieces of soap into a bottle of water and get the same results.  I haven't tried that yet, but you know it's on my list!

Did You Know. . . .

. . .I LOVE MY COFFEE CREAMER?  I reeeeally do! I love it even more when I can get it on sale.  The Bailey's creamer that I have pictured here, is normally $2.49 a bottle at Martin's, Food Lion, and/or Wal-Mart.  Martin's had it on special one week for their savings card members for $1.50 a bottle.  My sister and I each had $1.00 off coupons, bringing the cost of each bottle to $.50 each.  WOO HOO!  Needless to say, we stocked up!  These freeze really well too!

Did you know that your coffee creamer is not just for coffee anymore.  I use my coffee creamer in place of milk when I make pancakes, French Toast, waffles, desserts that require milk, and so many other things...it gives it an extra boost of flavor. 

You can also use the powdered creamers as well:

*Mix two parts creamer to one part cold milk, add sugar and vanilla if desired. Whip until stiff; it makes flavored whipped topping for desserts.

*Add 5 teaspoons of coffee creamer to a cup of water, and it can be a replacement for milk in recipes.

*Use the liquid creamers to thin down ice cream when making milk shakes, home made blizzards, or add to smoothies. You can also use both liquid & powder for malts and hot cocoa.

Do you use flavored creamers in more than just your coffee?

Another Way To Recycle

If you know Kiddo, you know he is ALWAYS eating or drinking something.  He has a habit though, of not always finishing what he pours, and would wind up putting it in the fridge.  I'm glad he did that instead of pouring it down the drain, but it was usually in the door where it was easily knocked over. 

One day I was making YUMMY Macaroni Salad and used up the last of the mayonnaise.  "What can I do with these plastic jars?  I thought to myself, "I hate throwing them away!"  (light bulb going off)  I know....we can use these for our drinks and then just put the lid back on 'em and stick 'em back in the fridge.  Now we won't have to wear sweet tea upon opening the refrigerator door!

Compost Bin And A Walkway

Last year, my AWESOME brother-in-law, CF, gave us a bunch of pallets to use for the chicken run. We have a bunch left over, piled up by the shed.  I was looking on-line for different uses for these pallets, when and I found two really great ideas.

The first one I found is for a compost bin.  (http://ducktruckcomposting.com)  I have been wanting one for some time now, but they can be quite expensive.  It is going to be so easy to put together!  WOO HOO!


The second one is a walkway I found on the Funky Junk Interiors blog.  Isn't it so pretty? This one is on a slope, but I think it will be just as nice in my front yard, leading up to the front door.

So, what would you make if you had extra pallets lying around?

Summer Months Energy Saving Tips

If you are a "frugal female" like me, you try and take advantage of every opportunity you can to save a little money. During the summer months, the temperature is not the only thing that can soar sky high. Our electric bill can soar as well. And goodness knows I don't want mine going any higher!  However, by eliminating wasteful habits and power guzzlers, you could cool your home with up to 50 percent less energy and save more than $400 on annual utilities. Now how's that for a savings? :> )

Here are a few things that you CAN do to help keep your energy costs down during the summer months:

Window Units
We have one window unit in the family room.  When we use it, we block off the other rooms so it doesn't work overtime to cool the hallways.  Window units can't compete with central air's efficiency for whole-house cooling, so use window units only in contained areas. For maximum comfort, keep fan speed on high except on the most humid days, when you'll want low speed to remove more moisture. If it's time for a new unit, choose one with the Energy Star label for greatest efficiency; since oversized units tend to waste energy, select an AC sized for the space you intend to cool (visit energystar.gov for guidelines).

Thermostat
Give the air conditioning a rest when you're away for even a few hours. Set programmable thermostats to kick in half an hour before you return home unless you have heat-sensitive indoor pets. Cranking the thermostat to penguin-worthy temperatures won't cool the house faster, since AC works at full throttle until a set temperature is reached. With every degree you lower it, cooling costs increase by about 7 percent.

Electronics
Unplug small appliances whenever you can. Computers, cell phone chargers, and other electronics often continue to use power -- and radiate heat -- even when turned off. To simplify, plug items into a power strip that you can use as a master switch.

Lights
Incandescent bulbs put more energy into generating heat than light, so replace high-use bulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). They burn cool and bright with only a third of the power required by incandescents.

Window and Fans
Position a fan to blow air out a window. But if you're lucky enough to have a strong wind, set the fan to blow in the same direction to maximize air flow. Close nearby windows to keep exhausted air from flowing back in and open those on the other side of the house (ideally in cool, shaded areas). In a multilevel home, place the fan in a top-floor window and open windows on lower floors, where air is cooler. For windows that catch direct sun, use blackout blinds or heavy drapes to minimize solar heat gain.

Central Air
If you have central AC, schedule annual servicing. Visits cost up to $100, but repairs and tune-ups that increase efficiency soon pay for themselves. If you want to invest in a new system, look for a seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) of at least 14 to qualify for up to $300 in tax credits. But take note: Credits only apply to home improvements made through the end of this year. Tax credit or no, you stand to earn significant savings by replacing a system sold in the 1990s, which can guzzle up to 40 percent more energy than today's most efficient systems.

Freezers
Don't keep extra refrigerators and freezers in unconditioned spaces, such as garages, where heat tends to build up. Save more energy by opting for a chest freezer, which loses less cold air when opened. Keep all freezers relatively full for maximum efficiency.  (easier said than done, right?)

Appliances
Run appliances such as clothes dryers and dishwashers at night to avoid peak energy rates and the humid heat they generate. Excess humidity is more than uncomfortable- it can also be expensive, since air conditioners use extra energy to process the moisture.

Ceiling Fans
Partner ceiling fans with AC to make rooms feel at least 4 degrees cooler (so you can raise the thermostat and save energy without feeling the heat). Turn fans off when you leave the room; windchill makes you feel cooler but doesn't drop room temperature or ventilate the house. Opt for counterclockwise rotation, which pulls hot air up and away.

Cooking/Outdoor grilling
Take advantage of summer weather and cook outdoors, as prolonged baking or stovetop cooking makes AC work overtime. Too muggy outside? Use a microwave or toaster oven, which use less energy and generate less heat. When you need to use a burner, keep pots covered to cook food faster and minimize humid heat in the kitchen.

STAY COOL!

WOW......What A Deal!!!

Today I got a TREMENDOUS DEAL on Shick Hydro 3 razors today at CVS.  They are on BOGO (Buy One Get One FREE) when you use your ExtraCare card.

In the past few weeks there have been $4.00 off coupons in the newspaper.  Since you are getting 2 razors, you can use 2 coupons on your transaction.  The original price in our CVS is $9.39 each - $8.00 for my coupons, making my total for both razors, only $1.86 (including tax) - or .93 cents each!  WOW...how can you pass that up?  : > )

My sister informed me that they are even cheaper at the CVS in FR, which is where she got hers yesterday!

If you want this deal you'd better hurry up and get there.  The sale ends July 2nd!

A FREEBIE -- BUT YOU MUST HURRY

WOW, THAT WENT FAST!  I'm sorry, but this offer has already been closed! 

HURRY!! FREE Tide Stain Release Sample for FIRST 15,000 ONLY!   

To get your FREE sample, please click HERE!

SUMMER MOVIE EXPRESS

THIS IS AWESOME!

Regal Entertainment has planned a fun-filled summer of select movies for kids and parents. Regal has proudly offered this summer fun since 1991. This year, all selected movies will have only a $1.00 admission.

Selected G or PG movies start at 10:00 am every Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theater capacity.

The Summer Movie Express is safe, lots of fun, and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer. (and did I mention it's air conditioned?  :> )  Tickets for the 2011 Summer Movie Express are exclusively available at select theater's box office on the day of the show.

To find out if there is a participating theater near you, please click HERE!

Thank you, Regal Entertainment. You're AWESOME!