How To: Make Giant Bows For Decoration

How to: Make Giant Bows For Decoration:

1. Cut plastic tablecloths into strips.

2. Take two colors and tie into a bow.

3. Use a pencil or dowel rod for an anchor if you have a hard time tying it.

4. Tape, glue, or tack to the corners of the table or any other object you wish to bow-ify.

Suggestion: for a more permanent giant bow, consider purchasing tulle or heavier waterproof fabric like the kind used for outdoor furniture.

These are great for any occasion, especially ones with kids, because even if something gets spilled on them, they can be washed or recycled! Easy clean up!

For more party tips, check out How To: Make A Wishing Tree.

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How to Be a Super Mom: Part 2: Morning Routines

Krystal's three beautiful children...

 
The following is the second in a guest post series by Krystal Taylor my good friend and “Super Mom” of three...

 A few months after her second and third children were born (surprise, twins!), her husband got laid off so she had to go back to work. Here are a few of the life saving tips that she uses to balance work and home life.

Getting ready for school…..the battle of the sleepy kids! My son, like most five year old children, much rather play then to get ready for school. Since I realized (late in life) that being organized and managing time is important I wanted to start teaching him the same thing. I made him a chart he is responsible for each and every morning. Every day he completes his tasks he gets a sticker. He can use them for small rewards (choosing a movie on movie night) or save them up for larger ones (getting a new game or book)

Karson and his morning routine chart

Other Posts By Krystal: 
 Miss How to Be a Super Mom Part 1? Check it out here: What's For Dinner?
Here's some sound financial advice: How to Set Up a House Account

Check out Krystal's Blog: Quest Of A Crazy Mom

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How to Be a Super Mom: Part 1: What's For Dinner?

The following is the first in a guest post series by Krystal Taylor my good friend, “Super Mom” of three, and blogger…

Krystal, and her beautiful family. Photo courtesy of questofacrazymom.com 

Our family first began with one beautiful little baby boy. We were blessed and happy, life was easy. Around the time our son, Karson, was about one, my husband and I decided we were ready for another baby. Boy, oh, boy did life change! All I can remember from the day of the ultrasound was my doctor saying, “Congratulations, you are having twins,” and my husband saying, “Now we need a minivan.” All I wanted to do was cry! I was happy, sad, overwhelmed, and scared all at once; what a rush of emotions. Time went on and I soon go to meet my two precious babies. Life was good, staying at home raising my children.

Then a few months later, my husband got laid off! As if life with three children was not time consuming enough, I had to go back to work. This meant I had to do everything at home and manage a job. Well, to my pleasant surprise, my husband was a big help.  I also learned that in order to be somewhat successful at this parenting thing, I was really going to have to get organized and manage my time better. Every parent knows how hard being a parent is…. but I thought, “What if I can make my life easier?” so I tried. Here are a few things I have learned along the way. They may not work for everyone, but they sure are life savers for me. J

Krystals DIY Meal Planning Chalkboard

What is for dinner!!?!?!?  
Even if you don’t have children, this is something most people don’t know until a few hours, or even one hour before its time to eat. So I decided to plan ahead with a menu for the whole week. It’s easy…no thinking necessary! I first shop for whatever meat is on sale (I buy in bulk). I then plan my meals around the sales and figure out side dishes! I cannot tell you what I lifesaver this has been for me!

To help keep my family organized and informed, I made a chalkboard to hang in my kitchen so everyone knows what’s for dinner- and it helps me!

Here's the best part: I made it for only $10.00!!!

I bought a cheap framed picture for $6.00 from the store. Used chalkboard paint to paint over the glass. I simply use the kid’s sidewalk chalk to write on it ;)

~__________________________________________________________~

Want to hear more from Krystal? Look out for the next installment of her guest posts and check out her blog at: Quest Of A Crazy Mom!

Looking for other posts like it?

How To Set Up A 'House Account' - Guest Post By Krystal Taylor

Saving Money Saving Seeds

February seed starting is just around the corner!

Now is the perfect time to start a seed train!

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How to Save Over $3000 A Year On Groceries

Couponing 101: Build Your Coupon Binder!

Supplies Needed:
- 3-4" Binder
- Scissors
- Clear binder sheets
- Baseball card holder sheets (located at the front of your local big box grocer, usually near magazines, baseball cards, and/or As-Seen-On-TV merchandise) or 8.5" x 11" clear photo divider pages
- Calculator
- Binder Organizing Pages --> I use this one:
 http://thekrazycouponlady.com/wp-content/uploads/kclcouponbinder.pdf?7db95a
- Store Coupon Policies (Print from store websites)

- Sale Ads for all local stores (for price matching when possible)

- Computer with administrator rights
- Printer
- Printer Paper
- Printer Ink Cartridges

Optional Supplies:
- Pencil cases for 3 ring binder
- Smartphone ( for calculator and/or internet use in store for coupon match-ups)
- Notebook
- Mini pair of scissors
- Envelopes
- Paper clips
- Pen/marker
- Clear Tab dividers

Basic Directions:
1. Obtain Coupons: Purchase multiple Sunday newspapers. Separate the coupons by page and stack them up with like pages. Print coupons from the internet, facebook, and other coupon sites.
2. There are 2 methods for detailed coupon organization. You can store them uncut and cut them as needed. Or you can organize them by coupon for easy retrieval in store.
3. Match coupons with sales for the lowest price possible. Stock up based on your need until the next sale cycle begins.

Since I don't consider myself a coupon blog, I will not go into the step by step details, but I will tell you this: There is a plethora of resources out there that makes couponing very easy. Once you get yourself organized, it will become second nature.

Resources:

Beginner Couponing:
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/beginners/   <-- This is where I learned how to coupon.

Coupon Match-ups:
www.thekrazycouponlady.com
www.passionforsavings.com
www.iheartthemart.com

Printable Coupons:
http://coupons.walmart.com/
http://coupons.target.com/
http://walgreens.shoplocal.com/walgreens/default.aspx?action=entryflash&storeid=2489450&pretailerid=-99389&savezone=Y
www.smartsource.com
https://www.recyclebank.com/join/earnpoints

** Coupon match-up sites will list links. I just follow those links, unless it is a site I have not heard of before. Make sure it is a reputable source.
This is what I use most:
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/print-coupons/

Other Ways to Receive Coupons:
- Newspaper subscription/ in store newspapers (check for all coupon inserts)
- "All You" Magazine
- Sending emails/letters/phone calls to companies
- Join Customer Review sites or P&G sites which send periodic coupon mailings
- Social Media "Likes" & contests
- Contests
- Visiting recycling centers
- Collect from friends/ start a coupon swap

Money Saving Mindset:
http://pennilessparenting.com/
My new blog: www.savingwithselena.blogspot.com (I don't post coupon match ups, but I will post basic couponing how-to's and resources to other sites as well as other ways to save money and get into the money-saving-mindset)

Eat Cheaply: Home Made Gourmet Popcorn

There's nothing like the scent of the salty buttery goodness wafting through the air at a movie theatre. In fact, sometimes I think I enjoy that more than the movie experience itself. Back home we had The Art Theatre in the middle of town and it was a tradition for my girl friends and I to go once a month. Now that I've moved several hundred miles away, I sometimes get bitten by the nostalgia bug whenever I smell the scent of buttered popcorn.

These days I prefer to stay home and watch a movie on Netflix or Hulu and make my own popcorn. You don't need a fancy popcorn machine. All you need is some popping corn, a little oil, a pan, and a lid. At home you can tweak the recipe!

Popcorn is rather bland on its own so it can be flavored anyway you want. If you forgo the butter, and avoid salt you can make it a really healthy snack! Or slather it on for a more traditional treat!

 Here are a few easy recipes:

Basic Ingredients & Tools (plain popcorn):

- 2 Tbs Oil
- 1 handful popping corn
- 1 large pan or pot with lid (the lid is very important!)
- Stove

Flavor options: 

Photo: CC Andy Nguyen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigburpsx3/4524086636/

Curly French Fry:
- Butter, melted (optional)
- Garlic powder
- French Fry seasoning (Oops! Don't get Encore brand. Turns out it has MSG!)
- Cayenne pepper

Photo: CC edkohler
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edkohler/2354328985/

Cheese Puff:
- Butter, melted (optional) 
- Salt
- Macaroni and Cheese Mix Cheddar Cheese Powder (a little goes a long way!)

Photo: CC Geishaboy500
http://www.flickr.com/photos/geishaboy500/4340534267/

Parmesan:
- Butter, melted (optional)
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt (optional, as the Parmesan tends to be a bit salty anyways)

Photo: CC Elle C.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cquem/2118941537/

Cilantro Lemon Pepper:
- Butter, melted (optional)
- Lemon zest (finely zested)
- Dried chopped cilantro (optional)
- Lemon pepper seasoning or combine the following:
   - Black Pepper or Cayenne Pepper
   - Lemon infused salt (prepare a day before, put a few drop of lemon juice concentrate in a few tablespoons of salt and wait a few days, stirring every few hours)

Photo: CC Steven D Polo
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4710817662/lightbox/

Wasabi Ginger:
- Peanut oil (optional)  
- Powdered wasabi or horseradish powder
- powdered or grated toasted ginger
- fish sauce (mix with peanut oil, optional)
(OK, I don't know if it really counts as Thai or not but it has peanut oil and fish sauce! SCORE!)

Photo: CC Dorothy Finley
http://www.flickr.com/photos/santafeegret/4094816333/

Spiced Apple Crisp:
- Butter, melted (optional)
- Dry apple cider mix
 -Brown sugar
- Salt
- Cinnamon, ground
- Nutmeg, ground (optional)

(There's an apple crumble recipe I'd like to try from the source of this photo!)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil on the stove and coat the pan.
2. Add 1 popcorn kernel and place the lid on the pan.
3. Constantly move the pan. When the kernel pops, the oil is ready.
4. Add the handful of popping corn. Close the lid again.
5. Constantly agitate the pan as the popcorn pops. It will slow down eventually and stop popping.
6. When the popping appears to be complete, remove the pan from the heat.
7. Leave the lid on for a few seconds to make sure there are no un-popped kernels about to explode in your face (trust me, it is not as cool as it sounds. Those kernels are HOT).
8. Pour into a bowl.
9. If you are adding melted butter, add it now and toss to mix.
10. Add spices to taste.
11. Best served immediately.

Do you have any good gourmet popcorn recipes you'd like to share? Have any suggested flavor combos?

 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. Please follow links below photos for licensed attribution. All others CC Selena Marie Norris.

EASY Amazing Way to Build Your Credit & Earn Rewards!

This little piggle went cha ching, cha ching, cha ching all the way home...

Set up autopay to pay bills with your credit card. Then pay off your credit card every month using the budget you already have for that bill. If your bill is a fixed amount all year you can set up your bank account to pay off your credit card each month. You can also set up on your credit card website to have your balance paid off each month as well. I prefer to pay it off right away each day to avoid any possible interest or fees.

Earn points and rewards for things you would already be paying for anyways. Essentially this cycles your money and bill pay through two systems (but don't worry, you are only paying it once).

Recap:
1. Set up autopay from your credit card to pay your bill.
2. Set up autopay from your bank to pay off your credit card.
3. Easily earn points, rebates, miles etc. & build your credit score.

Check this out if you want to learn about ways to save money without spending anything!

Do you have any tips for earning bonus rewards from credit card companies, without paying interest or fees?

What Size To Buy: Price Per Unit

Most people think that buying food in bulk will save them money. When I talk with friends and store associates about finding the lowest cost items, they are often surprised to hear that sometimes the bulk buys are actually not the best deal.So here’s a quick run down of how I calculate which size to buy so I can get the biggest bang for my buck.

Warning: This will involve using your brain and flexing your math muscles. Come on! You can do it!

Tip of the day: Compare prices per unit.

Don’t compare price per item because some packaging makes it difficult to tell how much product you are getting. If you factor in the size of the product, the material it is made from (glass, plastic, paper, etc), you’ll start to realize that some items take up the same shelf space but they don’t have the same amount of product.
So when you go to the store, pull out your calculator and do a little math.

Price / # of units = price per unit

If you have a coupon for a specific item, you will want to factor that into the equation:

(Price – coupon value) / # of units = price per unit if you have a coupon.

Sometimes items without coupons are cheaper and the coupons might not actually save you money. Keep this in mind!

Real life application:

Say for instance,  you have a coupon for $1 off of any Dr. Pepper 12 pack and the sale price at the store is 3 packs of any soda for $10.  This is the equation you will do:
$10/ 3 packs = $3.33 per 12 pack
or
$10/ 3 packs/ 12 cans = about 28 cents a can!

With a coupon your equation will look like this:

($10- $1 coupon) / 3 packs/12 cans =
$9 /3 packs = $3 per 12 pack
or
$9/ 3 packs/12 cans = exactly 25 cents a can!

Some of you might say, well 3 cents a can is not really that great of savings. However if you have one can of soda every day for a year and can save 3 cents per can, you’ve saved about $11 on soda alone. Now imagine you follow this same tip for all groceries and personal care products that you buy. Every penny adds up! Once you get this process down, it will come naturally.

No Calculator? Look at shelf tags:

If you forget your calculator or you are in a hurry, or have no coupons, look at the price tag on the shelf. Usually it will be listed as a price per unit. Watch out for similar products that are measured by different units. This can make one product appear to be cheaper than the other one.

This is a great tip, even for those of you who don’t clip coupons. If you follow this tip alone, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars per year.

I hope this helps break down one of my basics for how to find a great deal at the grocery store! This time, I hope you’ll grab whichever one is truly the best deal!

Zero Waste: How To Make Lazy Pickles

The easiest pickle "recipe" ever!

I love pickles. There's something about the salty, sour flavor that makes me crave pickles when the weather is hot and stormy. When I buy pickles, they are usually gone before I know it. I save the pickle jar with the brine for making "lazy pickles." There's really no recipe. All you do is clean 'em, cut 'em, and drop 'em in. Simple as that. Chop, chop. Splish, splash.

As if cutting the cucumbers in half would make me eat less... ;)

I also really enjoy purchasing fresh vegetables when they are on sale, or buying "seconds" at the farmers market. I'll post more about seconds in a future blog, however this one covers the easiest pickle recipe ever. If you have cucumbers, carrots, or peppers that started to go soft, cut them up and put them in your pickle brine and set them in your fridge at least overnight to let the vinegar set in.

In case you are worried, the vinegar and salt combo kills any germs there may be so the brine lasts a long  time and is perfectly safe to re-use.

When I get around to doing it, my next pickle post will hopefully be about lactofermentation... exciting! For now, these simple pickles will do.

Do you ever pickle veggies that are going soft? What other ways do you save your soft veggies from going to the trash?

Free Bridal Guide Magazine! (GONE)

Click here and you can get one free issue of Bridal Guide Magazine!

Not getting married anytime soon? Already married? That’s OK! Sign up and then give it to a friend. I’ll be giving my copy to a girl friend at work who got engaged a few weeks back. I always give her bridal catalogs and she loves those so she will be very excited about this!

Hurry, before the deal ends!

How To Get What You Need Without Spending Anything!

No, it's not the "5 finger discount."...

It's bartering!

Back in the days before we had dollars and cents, let alone a rapper named 50 cent,  before we had Ben Franklin’s portrait on paper, bartering was the most common way of getting what you needed.

Think back to your elementary school days- what did we do when we had a snack in our lunch box that we didn’t really want?  We bartered. Nowadays this concept seems pretty foreign, but I promise you, it is innate and it works for almost anything… except perhaps utility bills. There are plenty of places you can find to barter. Try farmers markets, craft shows, local bulletin boards, and websites like Craigslist.org.

1. The key to successful bartering is that both parties must walk away feeling like they won.

2. Offer a reasonable barter…

Keep in mind that they may counter you. So don’t start with your absolute best offer. Aim a little better and wiggle back and forth until you both come to an agreement.

3. Don’t be too eager.

If you really need something, that puts the ball in their corner, meaning you could end up with the bad end of the deal. Don’t show all your cards right away. Be aloof but firm and leave your emotions at home.

4. Remember the value of your bartering relationship.

Whether the deal is better on their end or yours, or one of you concedes slightly for the sake of the bartering relationship, at the end of the deal you should both walk away satisfied with what you are receiving.

5. Finish the paperwork…

Have fun, be honest, be aware, be kind, and of course, if these items are large ticket items, make sure all the proper receipts are accounted for and the paperwork is squared away. You don’t want to take your items home and find out they were stolen goods, or worse- be scammed out of your item by someone who was playing you all along.

6. Safety First!

If you don’t know the person with which you are trading very well, make sure to take a buddy!

Eat Cheaply: Lentil Soup

My lunch today.  Remember my "secret" to making any meal look fancy.

Bean dishes are known for being especially tasty, especially cheap, and healthy to boot! According to this site, lentils are high in fiber, iron, B vitamins, and protein. So eat up! 

Here's my very own cheap and easy recipe for lentil soup.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups dry lentils
Water
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Black pepper

Optional:

Ham or Steak bone (already cooked, meat removed from bone)
Red pepper flakes
Minced onions
Chopped chives
Fresh parsley for garnish

Prep:

1. Put 2 cups of lentils in a big bowl. I prefer a Tupperware bowl or Mason jar, but anything big enough that can hold liquid will do.
2. Rinse and strain.
3. Then cover with twice as much water. Loosely cover with a lid.
4.  Let sit overnight at room temperature. The lentils will soak up all the water and grow up to double their size. They may even possibly show signs of beginning to sprout. This is perfect!

Cooking:

1. Rinse the beans one more time.
2. Then pour them into a saucepan, and top with water, just above the beans, or more if you like your soup thin.
3. If you have a ham or steak bone, now is the time to add it.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Add spices to taste (sorry, I never measure...trust your senses).
6. Boil for 20 minutes or until beans are soft.

Enjoy:

1. Remove bone and give it to your dog. He will love you.
2. Scoop soup into bowls and add garnish before serving.
3. Take a photo and post it on my blog. ;)

This is a great soup when you are stuck home sick (like I have been the past 2 days) or when the weather gets chilly.

I wrote this blog using the Blogger app while sitting in the doctors office. Do you have any go-to soup recipes for when you are sick?