Guest Post - Graham Cracker Toffee Bars

This DELICIOUS recipe comes from Sarah at A Thrifty Mom!

Thanks, Sarah

When I was little I was addicted to sugar...but now that I am an adult I am more excited about a good salad, than dessert. But this recipe is one of those that still makes me want to eat the whole pan, I LOVE them!

Start out by smashing one package of graham crackers ( not the whole box just one of the clear packages inside)

Once you get the crackers all smashed up, put in the bottom of a 9X13 pan

pour one stick of melted butter on top

Take a fork and make sure the cracker crumbs are well coated with butter

Then press down in a flat even layer in the bottom of the pan.

Place in an oven at 350 degrees for 12 min

this will create a crust

While still hot out of the oven pour one can of sweet and condensed milk ( not evaporated)

Pour in a thin even layer over the whole crust

Top with what ever you like, I use about 1/2 a cup of the following

• chocolate chips
• peanut butter chips
• nuts or ( i use sunflower seeds, my friend who had a daughter allergic to nuts made it this way and I LOVE it so, I have never switched back)
• coconut
• M&Ms candys

While still hot place back in a 350 degree oven and bake for another 25-35 mins till edges are golden brown. Let cool at least 30 mins.....and enjoy

This is what Matt and I did to the pan in ONE night......I am telling you this is one of my favorites! Hope you enjoy them too.

Guest Post - Understanding the Coupon Language

joshuawillis

This post is part one of My Frugal Adventures's Welcome to Coupon World!!

I know some of the acronyms and the lingo can seem crazy so hopefully this reference guide will help you navigate my posts! Trust me when I say that it gets easier and easier as you go along. If you still have questions just leave a comment below because I am sure lots of other people have the same question you do!

BOGO or B1G1: That is a Buy One Get One sale. I usually spell this out so it is clear.
You might occasionally see B1G2 which is just a Buy One Get 2 free sale and so on...
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FAR: Free after rebate! If an item is $2.99 and you can send off a rebate for $2.99 that item is FAR. We also love to combine FAR items with coupons to make a little profit (and cover the cost of the stamp!)
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SS/RP/P&G: This simply refers to my good friends the coupon inserts (which you will find in the Sunday paper). Each insert is from a different company Smart Source, Red Plum and Proctor and Gamble and they change from week to week. You can see exactly how to tell the difference HERE.
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OYNO: On Your Next Order. This is usually used in reference to a catalina coupon. Often times if you get a catalina coupon or a gift card (like at Target) you can not use it on the same transaction- you can use it OYNO.
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Catalina: I have a much longer explanation HERE but basically a catalina is a little coupon that prints at the cash register. It can be an actual coupon or it can be for a dollar amount off your next transaction. Catalina is simply the name of the company that makes these machines. You will ALWAYS want to check the catalina machine at your stores because you never know how much money you are leaving on the table by forgetting these little papers.
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Peelie: This is a coupon that is stuck to the front of an item and can be peeled off. You can see an example of a peelie HERE- see the little sticker that says Free? These are usually coupons but can also be rebates.
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Blinkie: The little machine you might see at the grocery store that spits out coupons. Grab the blinkies when you see them. They are typically available when an item is at the highest price. Just hold those blinkies for a sale!
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MQ: Manufacturer coupon. (MFR as well)
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OOP: This is your out of pocket expense. We are always trying to reduce the OOP by using gift cards, rebates, Register Rewards, store coupons etc... The bottom line is to keep your money in your pocket!
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Rolling: This is when you use a gift card or catalina to pay for another transaction and get yet another catalina. For example, if you buy 2 boxes of cereal at Target and get a gift card for $2 back- you might want to "roll" the gift card by buying 2 more cereals- use the gift card to pay and get another gift card and on and on...
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Stockpile: This refers to whatever you are able to stock up on at dirt cheap (or free) prices so you don't ever have to pay full retail again. You might have a stockpile of 6 boxes of cereal that you bought with coupons and a sale for .25 a box. Since you have multiple boxes you never have to pay $3 or more for cereal again since you have enough on hand to get by until the next sale.
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Stacking: This is when you use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon. For example, you can use a Target coupon for a specific item as well as a manufacturer coupon on the same item (so 2 coupons for the same product) to double your savings.
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MIR: This is a mail in rebate offer.
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TMF: A type of rebate that allows you to Try Me Free. So the manufacturer will refund your full purchase price- often times you can also use a coupon and still get reimbursed the full retail price of the item. This is different than a Money Back Guarantee as that rebate requires you to be dissatisfied with the product to get your money refunded.
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Register Rewards: The catalina program specific to Walgreens. Read more about it HERE.
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WAGS: Walgreens
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ECBs or EBs: CVS's store program. Extracare bucks are awarded for specific items you purchase and can be used like cash on virtually anything in the store. See my CVS posts HERE and HERE.
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YMMV: I rarely use this abbreviation as it confuses people but it means Your Mileage May Vary or Your Market May Vary. Basically it refers to deals like a clearance find might be YMMV because not everyone is going to get the exact same clearance deals. It can also mean your luck with your cashier may vary- for example x is priced at $.99, use $1.50 coupon to get $.51 overage- YMMV. So basically if you get a stinker cashier they will refuse the coupon and you are out of luck. The same person can be in the next check stand and get the overage, so YMMV.

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So the bottom line is what does this mean:

Kellogg's Cereal $1.50

Use $1.50 from 8/9 SS

Final Price: FREE

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That means to go look in your Smart Source coupon insert from the weekend of 8/30 and cut the coupon for Kellogg's for $1.50 to get your free cereal.

Guest Post - Making Your Own Cheap Popcorn

I am thrilled to tell you about this super easy (notice I'm all about simplicity) way to make healthy popcorn! I've tried it and will never buy microwave popcorn again - that is, unless I can find it this cheap. At only $.11 per bag, I have found this to be the most cost-effective way to make popcorn. It's a no mess, no fuss method that I'm sure you'll love.

Here's what you'll need:

Yes, that's it! You could add a teaspoon of oil to the bag for flavor, but the simple method I'm showing you involves only the above ingredients.

Add 1/4 cup of popcorn to your brown paper lunch bag - just enough to cover the bottom of the bag when held upright.

Then fold over the top edge twice like so, and lay the bag on it's side in the microwave. This allows more space for the kernels to spread out and prevents burning.

Microwave for approximately 2 minutes. Like always, listen to when it stops popping or if you start to smell burning. Everyone's microwave is a little different, so you'll need to do some trial and error to figure out what the right timing is for yours.

And Ta-Da! You have fresh and healthy popcorn. Add melted butter, salt, or season as you like. There are no additives, just healthy popcorn. My kids are content to eat it as is.

Here's the cost breakdown:

I purchased 100-ct brown paper lunch sacks from Walmart for $1.92 ($.02/bag). Considering I can use the bags more than once is another thing to keep in mind.

I also purchased a 2-lb bag of yellow popcorn for $1.36. Since I only use 1/4 cup each time, that equates to $.09/bag.

This makes my total $.11/bag (or less if you're reusing the bags)!

Thanks, Stephanie at Coupon Saving Game.

Guest Post - Tips and Tricks in the Kitchen Baking a Cake

How to bake a flat top cake!

If you are wanting a flat top cake so you can decorate it, here is how!!

Put your cake batter into a "complete" cool oven. Set your oven heat to 250 degrees, 10 minutes later increase the oven temperature by 50 degrees. Ten minutes later, set the oven temperature to the correct setting for your recipe!!

This does a great job at stopping the big dome effect!!

Thanks, Deb at Frugal Living and Having Fun!

Guest Post - Bargain Shopping is Cool, Cheap is In!

What do you do after 25 years of marriage? Wipe out your debt.

About a month ago my husband and I decided that we were going to TOTALLY reduce our debt which includes credit cards, car loans, school loans and eventually our mortgage. Our debt free journey will most likely take us about 6 years but the financial freedom we will have when we are done will be worth the sacrifices we are making now.

We have always been very fortunate over the years. When my children were young I was able to stay at home to raise them. My husband consistently moved up in his career and with that came raises, some large some small. When my kids were older I started to work, part time and then full time. Our income was always growing, but so was our spending. We made it and we spent it. We never lived below our means. NEVER! And because of those decisions, not preparing properly for our kids college tuition, choosing to put our kids through private schools, and finally not being prepared for layoffs (2 in 1 year) has put us in a, well I'll call it, not able to breath position.

We started to read the Dave Ramsey book, The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness and were amazed at the simple yet common sense ways he suggested to manage our money. I was like, duh, how stupid are we. It's really just ways that our grandparents used to do it before there were credit cards and crazy balloon mortgages. Dave Ramsey is also the host of the very popular and entertaining talk show on Fox Business Network called The Dave Ramsey Show where he talks about becoming debt free and features viewers that have become debt free and how they have done it.

Well now we have taken control of our financial future. All credit cards have been cut [knife through heart], budgets have been written (including my grocery budget) and are being followed to a T. Cuts have been made, against some unhappy teenagers wishes (more on that in another post). I will admit, this month has been hard [[uhh yeah]], I mean after all I have no credit cards, but we are determined to do this and I know that we can.

There was a great article today on Wallet Pop called Dave Ramsey on bailouts, foreclosures, and how the recession can save America. In the article Dave talks about who is to blame for this recession and how people that are debt free don't even know we are in one . My favorite line in the article is this:
..."for the first time in decades, the savings rate is climbing! Bargain shopping is cool! Cheap is in! For once, many people are starting to pay attention to their finances and take personal responsibility for their households. There is always a lesson to be learned from a fall."
I absolutely love that line..."Bargain shopping is cool! Cheap is in!" It's my new motto and it is why I write this blog, because I'm cool and in. [[snicker and think how my kids are rolling their eyes about now]]

I encourage you to read his book and watch his show. It's really inspiring.

I hope that you will follow (and join) our journey to living completely debt free.

Note: They should come up with a credit card patch..ya know like the one for cigarettes. I could use one about now.

Cindy Livesey, Living Rich With Coupons - http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/

Guest Post - Cheap But Good Whine That Is...

Sometimes mama needs a glass of wine (or two) and I believe being frugal doesn’t mean doing without. Since I started couponing last year, our family has eaten better quality foods, tried new things, and I always seem to have a well stocked pantry and refrigerator. Wine can be a tricky addition to a tight grocery budget but it can be done!

Before becoming a Stay at Home Mom, I spent 9 years in the wine industry. I have had the pleasure of tasting some of the world’s greatest wines and have also had the pleasure of discovering hidden gems that were surprisingly affordable. Hopefully some of these tips will help you to navigate the world of wine and find the best value for your dollar.

1 Explore the world. To truly find the most amazing deals, you have to break out of your comfort zone. Napa Valley Cabernet and French Champagne is always going to be fairly expensive. To really find an incredible value why not try something new from a lesser known region- like Vinho Verde from Portugal. This white is perfect for spring and summer and is slightly spritzy and refreshing and can easily be found for $5 or less. I love Champagne- really love Champagne- but I can’t always justify $25-35 for one bottle. I can however find great deals on sparkling wines made outside of Champagne, like Alsatian Cremant, Italian Prosecco, or Spanish Cava. You can find a huge variety of bubbles for less than $10 that are very well made.

2. Loss leaders. Grocery stores feature wine as loss leaders as well. Depending on what state you are in, wholesale prices vary according to how much a retailer can purchase. Large grocery chains will likely get the best price possible and often feature the wines at less than 10% mark up. Pay attention to the ads for your store- especially around the holidays. For Valentine’s Day this year I spotted a California sparkling wine that was featured at less than $1 over wholesale cost. Note- a large display doesn’t necessarily mean a great buy. Remember wine is a business and a massive display may not mean the best bottle or the best price around.

3. High scores don’t mean great bottles. The silent salesman (or little tag hanging on the shelf) telling you so and so gave this wine X points is an incredibly effective method for selling wine. While there are a few well respected wine writers/trade publications that can really be helpful in finding spectacular bottles, there are also a lot of ways to manipulate this information. When I was a salesperson a coworker put up a tag stating that Charlene gave this wine 96 points as a joke. The tag was only up for a short time but we were ashamed to find several people actually purchased the bottle based on the shelf tag. If you are going to purchase based on a review, check the vintage and description very carefully. Another trick (I mean accident) is when sales people forget to take the tag down when the vintage changes. If you don’t know a lot about wine and feel more comfortable buying based upon reviews, I would suggest becoming loyal to that reviewer. They likely have a palate similar to yours and you will have greater chances finding something you like. PS: Often times a spectacular review = spectacular increase in price.

4. Stick with the local specialties. Not every grape is suited to every region. Most areas have a few grapes they do beautifully, a few they do marginally and a few that are a disaster. If you love Sauvignon Blanc- try California, New Zealand or France. The areas known for amazing Sauv Blanc. I would be suspicious of a New Zealand Cabernet but wouldn’t hesitate to grab a juicy NZ Pinot Noir. Not sure of what a region does well? Take a look at the shelf. If there are 25 Chardonnays and one Pinot Grigio than that might be a hint that the area does well with Chardonnay. Don’t be afraid of the unfamiliar too! One of my favorite frugal reds is Chilean Carmenere. It is a yummy red that is similar to Merlot and can be found for $4-6. The incredible prices are partly due to a lack of familiarity with the grape and the incredible values from South America.

5. Go to a wine shop. Good prices don’t always mean grocery stores. A good wine shop should have wines at all price levels and should have employees that can offer recommendations. Lots of great whites can be found for $5 and reds for $6-7, there is no reason to be embarrassed to ask for a good buy. A good shop is tasting hundreds of wines every month and typically buy the best of the best. While you are there ask if they do tastings. These are often free or extremely inexpensive and providing you can get a babysitter, offer a seriously frugal date night. Wine tasting is a great way to explore things you might never have tried and to get out of your comfort zone. Tip: If you are tasting a bottle you love that is out of your budget- check out the web site or ask the sales person for second labels they might produce. Back in the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay heyday, people would spend $10-12/ bottle. Few people knew that KJ also produces a second label Chardonnay that retails for $4.89.

6. Costco. If you already have a membership, Costco is known as having an incredible selection at the lowest margins anywhere. I once had a Sales Manager from a well known winery tell me they actually lost money selling wine to Costco. Costco will often feature coupons for certain wines that make them a really incredible bargain. They have a variety of lesser known wines as well as the big names. Don’t be afraid to try something new- the wine buyer at Costco takes the job very seriously. I don’t want to name names but it always makes me cringe when people throw a bottle into their cart because the winery sells millions of cases, advertises everywhere and puts goodness knows what in the bottle. To put it in coupon terms, the store brand isn’t always the best buy at the grocery store right? Often times the name brand can be found cheaper by just paying attention. Look past the 200 case display of x and see if you can’t find something comparable for the same price or cheaper. I bet it is higher quality AND your friends won’t make fun of you at parties.
A few more tips to keep the bottles tasting great after all that bother picking them out:

**Heat + sunlight = stanky wine. Don’t store your wine in the kitchen. Wine likes cool, dark places (like cellars) or the pantry or a closet or even the garage.

**Be sure wine is stored on its side- with the liquid touching the cork.

**Smell your wine first- if the wine has a cork (as opposed to a screw cap)- it should not smell musty or dull like a wet dog or cardboard. If it smells bad you can return it (open or not) for a refund or replacement. Typically as many as 1 bottle in 10 is corked and most people don’t recognize the problem.

**An open bottle of red will last longer if you put it in the fridge. Just take it out and let it warm up before you are ready for a glass.

**Can’t finish the bottle? Trying freezing leftovers in ice cube trays. The cubes can be used later for cooking.


Do you have any other tips to get a great bottle on a budget? I would love to hear from you!

Thanks, Charlene at My Frugal Adventures

Guest Post - Tips and Tricks in the Kitchen Making Biscuits

For Fluffy Biscuits

When you cut out biscuits from the dough, be sure to press the cutter straight down-don't twist it even slightly. Doing so seals the edges of the biscuits and they won't rise as high!

This really works!!

Thanks, Deb at Frugal Living and Having Fun!

Guest Post - Organic Composting

Our family really enjoys composting! I will always remember the first time I turned over my compost pile and it "steamed"!! I actually called my husband at work and told him that my compost was cooking!! I actually ask my friends and relatives if I can have their peels/scraps when I'm at their house watching them make a salad or peel potatos! Of course, I get the "look" when I ask, "What are you doing with those peels?....Can I have them?" But I don't care, I just want their scraps! "smile"

You don't need to be a farmer or have a lot of land to reap the benefits of composting! Basically all you need is a small outdoor area, at least two feet from any structure, and a pitch fork and/or shovel. Composting can be as much or as little work as you want it to be. As with most things, the more effort you put into it, the better it will be. Composting is a great job for little ones to get involved in. It is something that they can do at a very young age, and actually enjoy. I have images in my mind of my little girls as young as four walking out to the compost pile on a "cold winter's day" with a huge smile on their face as they looked back at me in the kitchen window. Even young children will feel a sense of accomplishment by composting!

There are often many surprises from composting as well, because whatever seeds you throw in your compost have the potential of growing! We get all kinds of things growing out of our compost! Every year we get a surprise! We've had squash, tomatoes, onions, and strawberries. The things that grow out of our compost taste and look really good!!

According to the United States EPA, yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 23% of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. That's a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become very useful compost instead!

There are numerous benefits of composting. It builds good soil structure; helps soil to retain nutrients, helps maintain a neutral pH, protects plants from diseases commonly found in gardens and helps increase water-holding capacity of soil. It does not matter what kind of soil you have. All soil can be improved with compost! Once you have achieved your finished compost, you can add it to your plant's soil at any time of the year without fear of burning plants.

Any one can compost!! There is no single "right" compost technique. There are several ways and variations using some basic principles of aerobic decomposition. The technique you start may be modified at any time as you gain more knowledge and experience. "Keep it simple, convenient, and fun!!

When your pile looks like dark, rich soil, your compost is complete. It should smell sweet, earthy, and woodsy! It should crumble through your fingers. A lot of times the bottom of your compost pile is ready first. It is very easy to just scoop out some of the completed compost from the bottom with a shovel.

Here is a small list of what and what not to compost to get you going! It is recommended that you turn your compost pile over about every two weeks and keep your pile in the sun! Remember to put both nitrogen and carbon materials in your compost! Have Fun!

Do Compost:

Nitrogen:
barnyard manure
coffee grounds
flowers
fruit & vegetable trimmings
grass clippings
green leaves
sod
weeds

Carbon:
Ash-small amounts
bread
coffee filters
dry leaves
eggshells
hair
lint
paper with no ink "small amounts"
sawdust
straw
tea leaves (bags, not staple)
wood shavings

Do Not Compost:
bones
butter
cat litter
cheese
chicken
diapers
diseased plants
dog or cat feces
fish
greasy foods
lard
meat
milk products
oils
peanut butter
salad dressing
sour cream
vegetable oil

Thanks, Deb at Frugal Living and Having Fun

Guest Post - Getting the Most Out of Your Coupons

Couponing is somewhat of an acquired skill. It takes time, energy and organizational skills. Many people are not successful with using coupons because they do not take the time to learn a system. Along with learning the system, the key to making the most out of your coupons is to find an organization method that works for you. The most common method seems to be the photo album/baseball card method shown HERE. This method requires quite a bit of work, especially if you have multiple inserts each week. Another common method is the shoe box method. This is where you cut and file your coupons by category. While I believe that both of these methods work wonderfully for many people, they can be time consuming. If you need a quick, easy way to organize your inserts, try the "file and go" method.

Step 1: Organize inserts into piles by type, i.e Smart Source, Red Plum, General Mills, Proctor & Gamble. If there are two inserts that week for each type, sort individually.

Step 2: Write on the front of the insert in crayon or other non permeable marker the date of the insert. (Note do not write in sharpie, because it will go through to the inserts)

Step 3: Write on the front of a file folder the number of inserts in the folder by type. SS = Smart Source RP= Red Plum GM= General Mills PG= Proctor & Gamble

Step 4: Put sorted inserts in file and file away. You can use a traditional file or portable carrying case. Once your coupons are sorted like such, you simply need to follow the grocery store posts. Clip the coupon as per the post instructions. For example, if the post says to use $1.00/1 in the 09/13 SS - you will simply pull your 09/13 folder, cut the coupons needed and return the intact folder to the file. You may not be able to bring your entire stash of coupons with you, but you will no longer be searching through endless piles!

If you are looking for a coupon for something that is not on sale, you can always look it up on Hot Coupon World Coupon Database. Here is an example of a coupon listing from HCW. Ragu Product, Any - 09-13-09 RP Hopefully, this system will allow you to quickly get a handle on your coupons. As you become more familiar with couponing or have more time to spare, you can get into a more complex system that will allow you to carry your coupons to the store -- and score even more deals!

Thanks, Shannon at For the Mommas

Guest Post - Stockpiling: The How, Why & What

Stockpile, noun: a large supply of food gathered and held in reserve for use during a shortage or during a period of higher prices.

Stockpiling, verb: to accumulate for future use; put or store in a stockpile.

Well there you have it. These definitions say it all. "Food gathered and held in reserve for use during a period of higher prices". I couldn't have said it better myself. This is Why we stockpile. When we are able to purchase products for free or at a very low price we purchase multiple items of it. Sales of products go in cycles. What is on sale at a great price this week may not be on sale again for another 8 - 12 weeks. We need to have a supply on hand that will at least take us through that time period so we do not have to purchase the item(s) at full price before the next sale.

Looking for sales + manufactures coupons + store coupons is How we build our stockpile. Finding the great match ups is the key to you getting your stockpile to a point where you only need to go out every week and buy the items that are rock bottom prices as well as produce, milk, etc that are needed on a weekly basis. The bigger your stockpile gets, the less money you will be spending each week.

What are the items you should put in your stockpile? The list is long but here are some:

Condiments (BBQ Sauce, steak sauce, mustard, ketcup, mayo)

Rice & PastaSnacks (crackers, nachos, salsa, popcorn)

Canned goods (tomatoes, sauce, soups, vegetables)

Cereals

Cleaning supplies (cleaners, garbage bags, laundry)

Drinks (water, soda, iced tea, coffee, tea, juice)

Dairy (butter, creamers)Meats & Fish (keep frozen)

Breads (keep frozen)

Health & Beauty Products (band aids, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, soap, etc)

Start your stockpile slowly only looking for those items that are cheap or free. Within 4 weeks of starting your stockpile you can start to see approximately $50 knocked off your grocery bill. Within 8 weeks you can get to as much as $100 or even more off your weekly bill.
You will never pay full price again!
(savings will vary per family and family size...these numbers are based on what I was able to do with my family's grocery bill)

Cindy LiveseyLiving Rich With Coupons - http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/

Guest Post - Tips in the Kitchen Vegetable Oil

When a recipe calls for vegetable oil, try substituting half of the oil with applesauce. It's an easy way to reduce the fat content.

I've tried this plenty of times, and it really does taste just as good, while not using as much oil!

Thanks, Deb at Frugal Living and Having Fun

Guest Post - Vacation on a Budget

With many Americans either losing their jobs, or have had their hours cut, taking a vacation has often times taken a back seat. Many people are opting for the "Staycation" type of vacation. Others have simply just not done anything. Yes, saving money is important, however taking a vacation is also important. A vacation is time meant to reset your Brain, and relax. It shouldn't cause you additional worries. There are many ways that you can save money when on vacation, no matter if your going away for several days, or do like my family does, take multiple day trips spaced out throughout the course of the Summer.

If you've decided to do a day trip to a local amusement park, one great way to save money is on the cost of food. Bring a cooler packed with the makings for grinders. Cut up your veggies, the night before and store in small containers, pack all the condiments that everyone likes. and only buy enough lunch meats to accommodate everyone's sandwiches. Buy 1/2 or 1/4 pound sizes of different meats. Pack sodas, juice and chips for everyone, and come lunch time, have yourself a tailgate party with the family out at your vehicle!

If you have smaller children, another way to save at the amusement park is to make a trip to the Dollar store ahead of time, and pick up a few small toys, and pack them, so when you are in the park, and there are toys that they see that they want, you will be able to pull out the ones you brought prior to. Just remember to pick something out that travels easily, and isn't too heavy for them to carry!

Often time’s travel clubs like AAA have discount passes for many amusement parks. Check your local office if they have passes for an amusement park that's in your area.

If a longer vacation is your way of relaxing, there are many ways to save here as well. Try staying at a National Park. They tend to be much more reasonably priced than your traditional hotels. The National Parks Association (www.npa.gov) has listings of beautiful parks all throughout the country. If your bold enough, you can even look into staying at a Hostel. These are dormitory like rooms, with a single bathroom a short walk down the hall.

When my family and I go on longer vacations, we often drive to our destination. There are several reasons that I like to drive more so than flying. The first is always, that we get to see more of the country, then we would if we flew. Another reason is that if we are planning on a longer trip, we plan way in advance. Since gas is a big part of our expense, I will purchase a pre paid Visa card and put a set amount each week on the card. This card is used to purchase the gas when we are on the road.

Before you leave on your trip, try looking to see where your children eat for free. A great website to see if one or several are in an area where you'll be vacationing is www.mykidseatfree.com. You can also save on meals for yourself if you order an Entertainment book for the area in which you'll be staying. Before you buy the book, you'll want to make sure that the cost of the book will benefit your trip. You won't want to purchase a book, and only use it for a $5.00 coupon. Go to the Entertainment website (www.entertainment.com) and view the book before you make a purchase.

Thanks, Brandy at Brandy's Big Bargains.

Guest Post: How to Host a Successful Meal Swap

One key thing when everyone arrived was to get out all the food and get the kids settled. Then start cooking!

Make sure everything is labeled when you're done!

Do you get sick of the same old food night after night and wish you could add some variety to your diet? Then I’ve got a great idea: Host a Meal Swap. Last week 3 of my friends and I got together for a meal swap which you can see here.

There were 4 of us and 3 of us are stay at home Moms on a limited budget. The idea is that we brought ingredients to cook 2 healthy meals each at my house. We made enough in one dish for 12 people (3 people in each family) and made 2 dishes each. We walked away with 8 meals each all of which are healthy, can be frozen and were super cheap. The two meals I made cost no more than $5 for a family of 4.

The great thing about these meals is that they can be frozen so that on a busy night you can just pull them out of the freezer and pop them straight in the oven with no prep time.. If you have cooking days like this it really does cut down on your food budget and your time so that you don’t have to run in somewhere for a cheap burger, and also helps you serve healthy meals quickly. Here are my tips for a successful meal swap:

1. Have the kids there so there’s no need for a babysitter. Sure it may seem like a madhouse but it saves money and they'll play together.


2. Provide lunch so that all your hard work isn't blown by running out for a bite to eat.


3. Each plan easy meals to make and bring all the necessary ingredients for them as well as utensils and storage containers. Have labels ready to mark what you make.


4. Cut up some of the things beforehand. What really helped was that we had pre-cut onions, already cooked pasta for some of the meals which cut down on pan usage.


5. Although we were each responsible for our own meals, we pitched in to help each other. One person stirred all the pots while another prepped something.


6. This is more of a prep day so there won’t be too much cooking going on which will cut down on oven use. On the day that they’re cooked they can simply be taken out of the freezer and cooked saving on prep time.


7. We’re each using meals based around meats we found on sales at the local stores. That way we get more variety but it’s still on budget.


8. Finally.........rotate houses then one person's doesn't get messy all the time.

One great resource is a book I reviewed here called Don't Panic....Dinner's in the Freezer. I also love Lite and Easy Assets.

For some of the recipes used, you can go here and here. We ended up with:

• Lasagne Roll Ups


• Turkey tacos


• Chili


• Sloppy Joes


• Chicken and Rice


• Meatloaf


• Taco Casserole


• Stuffed Shells

Thanks, Clair at Mummy Deals

Guest Post - How Do You Save Money on Ink?

We are in the business of finding all the great deals for you, helping you cut the cost of your shopping bill & we are always telling you to go here and print this coupon, but how can we cut the costs on our ink usage? Here are a few ideas on things you can do to help cut your printing costs:

1) Refill your ink cartridges. In my town there is a local shop that fills them for ½ of what it would have cost to buy a new one. Check around your area, you can even find refill stations in your local mall. Walgreen’s refills your cartridges for $10-$15 typically. Also you can recycle your old ink cartridges at Staples & they will give you a $3 voucher which you can then use toward a new one!

2) Use recycled paper for your printing. This can include the kid’s leftover assignments from school, scrap papers, newsletters, etc. Any paper with a blank backside. I simply turn them over and print on the back. When using clean brand spanking new white paper I print coupons on both sides…You know how you print off a coupon and it has a whole bunch of writing below it….what a waste! I print another single coupon on the other side running the opposite direction. My printer even does a great thing: When I am printing a single coupon, right after it shows the coupon coming out of my printer I can hit cancel and it doesn’t print all that extra wording. Saves ink there!

3) Set your printer to “draft quality”. Simply go into your printer settings and select options and adjust accordingly. This uses half the ink and you still get the full coupon printout effect. I also print my coupons in black ink only. Color ink is so much more expensive to purchase, so not using color saves me a lot of money there. I haven’t had a coupon denied yet due to the fact that I print in black only.

Do you have other helpful ways to save money on your printing costs?

http://shoppingwithcents.blogspot.com/

Author: Hollie

Guest Post - Customer Service Calls

Customer Service Calls

I wanted to pass along this piece of information. I've had a lot of food products that I've brought home only to find that it just didn't taste or look right. (I've had Ritz crackers that tasted very sweet, Weight Watchers Smart Ones Desserts that weren't packaged/sealed properly, and a tub of Crystal Light that was punctured).

I've actually had this happen on a number of different products from different companies and have done the same thing in each instance. I've found the customer service number on the side of the package and have called the company. I simply tell the customer service rep whatever is wrong with the product. They always are very nice and apologetic. They ask for certain numbers off of the package and may ask where you bought it. In every case, I gave them my mailing address and received coupons in the mail to purchase another item...usually I received a couple of very valuable coupons.

I think that it's good to not only tell the company about the bad product, but also to let them know about the mistake to better their manufacturing system. Plus, the coupons aren't that bad either!

Thanks, Kristina

Guest Post - Shop Online, Save More Money

Rather than trolling the mall parking lot for an empty space or idly standing in the long checkout line of Wal-Mart, stay at home and shop online. While you can’t buy everything online, you can conveniently make big purchases in electronics, clothing, home appliances, and much more on the internet. Many retailers offer more choices online than in stores, and with the ease of buying from your home and shipping to your door, online shopping is simply convenient. But did you know that shopping online can also save you money?

1. Email Lists. Many retailers have exclusive online sales and discounts, and while customers may be paying full price in stores, internet customers could be getting a drastic discount. Sign up for retailers’ email lists and you’ll find that some send online coupons to your inbox. If you’re worried about getting spammed, create a free email account just for store sign ups. If you would rather shop in the store, be sure to check the price of the item you’re eyeing online first. Some retailers will match their online price if a customer asks, but others do not.
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2. Coupon Codes. Before hitting the “Submit Order” button, remember to check around the internet for coupon codes. Often, retailers will have one or two codes out there for free shipping or an additional percentage off. Websites like RetailMeNot.com and FatWallet.com contain user-submitted coupon codes and are a great resource in finding online savings. Some retailers also allow “stackable” coupon codes, where customers can apply more than one coupon to an order for additional savings.
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3. Returns and Exchanges. Be aware of the cost of shipping and handling when buying things that you may consider returning, like clothing. It costs money to ship the item back, and most retailers will not reimburse shipping charges if you return the item, meaning you paid for nothing in the end. Always look for free shipping codes so that this will not happen. You can return or exchange your online purchases to the retailer’s brick-and-mortar store to avoid paying a return shipping fee.
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4. Online Shopping Safety. Online shopping is mostly safe and secure as long as customers take a few precautions. Using PayPal is a valuable tool in safeguarding your credit card information, so use it when you can. Shop with reputable online retailers, and never save your information on a public computer. Keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software updated and running to minimize the chance of keyloggers and other malicious bugs from stealing your information. All and all, online shopping is just as safe as ordering something over the phone. Use common sense when shopping online and you’ll enjoy convenience and savings.

This post was contributed by Donna Scott, who writes about the online associates degree. She welcomes your feedback at DonnaScott9929 yahoo.com

Guest Post - For Beginning Couponers

If you're anything like me, when I was first exposed to the world of budget saving couponing, I was so overwhelmed that I didn't know where to begin. I started once, thought it was too difficult and quit. I didn't think you could truly save the money people said they could, and it definitely didn't seem to be worth my time. However, I have now discovered that it does work and I can save more money than people said you could save.

Some basic budget saving principles to follow are using coupons when items are on sale, stocking up on items that you frequently use and going to more than one store for your purchases. Often I buy the smallest rice, diaper package possible because I am more likely to get that item free. Most stores allow you to stack coupons. That means that you can use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on an item that is on sale and often get that item for pennies or even better for free. When I first began couponing, I learned how to coupon at one store at a time. Some stores can be confusing at first, but I have posted the basics for each of the stores that I have learned to coupon at. Coupons really can help you save much money and live within your budget.

To help those of you who are new with this, I've come up with a Weekly Plan to ease you into couponing and explain some things along the way. I hope you enjoy and start saving money.

Week 1 - Getting Organized
* Buy a Sunday paper. Cut out ALL of the coupons. This may seem overwhelming, and you may think - why do I need all of these? Start by clipping all of them because you'll be surprised at the coupons you can use and then get paid for buying an item that you had already gotten for free. Since you don't know which ones of these there are yet, clip all of them.
* Print all coupons from bar in the left column. (You can click "See all Coupons," then select to print all.) (You can also print coupons from SmartSource.com and Redplum.com)
* Buy a 3 ring binder, baseball card holders, and dividers. Click here and here to see how to organize this notebook.
* Unless you're Superman or Wonder Woman - don't try and shop this week.

Week 2 - Get Started (Rite Aid and 1 Grocery Store)
* Buy a Sunday paper. Cut out ALL of the coupons. For reasons why see week 1.
* Print all coupons from bar in the left column. (You can click "See all Coupons," then select to print all.) Check back at Smartsource.com and redplum.com to see if there are any new coupons to print.
* Using Budget Saving Mom's deal finders (the drugstores should be published Sunday/Monday, and the grocery store deals will come out Monday/Wednesday/Thursday), pick a drug store and one grocery store to go to. I would suggest starting with Rite Aid because they are the easiest to follow. To see Rite Aid's policy click here. For a list of all store policies and budget saving tips, click here. REMEMBER YOU HAVEN'T STOCKPILED VERY MANY COUPONS YET, SO YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET ALL THE DEALS THAT ARE LISTED. BE PATIENT, WITHIN 3-4 MONTHS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE ENTIRE LIST OF DEALS.
* BEFORE going to the stores, get two envelopes and label them with the names of the stores. Print the deals from Budget Saving Mom's site that you plan on buying. Pull the coupons that correspond to the deals that you will be getting and put them in the envelope. You can still bring in your notebook and search for additional deals after you have gotten the items from your list in your cart (or stroller if you are like me.)
* Since you're new at this and until you have a good idea of how much you should pay, limit yourself to buying only items that are free, less than a dollar after coupons, and things that you are pretty sure you will use. Remember, when you're buying an item that you can get multiple sizes of, get the smallest size you can to maximize the amount of money you will save. (For example if you have a $1 off coupon for a body wash, buy the 4 oz. one that costs $1.25 as opposed to the $3.50 8 oz. one).

Week 3 - Rite Aid and another grocery store
* Buy a Sunday paper. Cut out ALL of the coupons.
* Print all the printable coupons on the sidebars.
* Go to your drug store from last week. And using Budget Saving Mom's deals that are listed, pick the best money saving grocery store for this week to go to.
* Do the same as last week. Print your list, highlight which items you're getting, and put your coupons in an envelope and bring your list. Also, bring along your notebook for any extra time you may have to find other deals.

Week 4 - CVS and a grocery store
* Buy a Sunday paper. Cut out ALL of the coupons.
* Print all the printable coupons on the sidebars.
* Try out CVS. When you get into the store, don't forget to get a CVS card BEFORE you make your purchases. To see how CVS works, click here. Limit yourself to only purchasing those things that you can get Extra Care Bucks back and that will then turn out to be free or moneymakers.
* Also, pick the grocery store with the best deals for this week, print your list, pull your coupons and envelopes and hit the road. Print your list, highlight which items you're getting, and put your coupons in an envelope. Also, bring along your notebook for any extra time you may have to find other deals.

Week 5 - CVS again with extra care bucks and a grocery store
* Buy a Sunday paper. Cut out ALL of the coupons.
* Print all the printable coupons on the sidebars.
* Do CVS again, this time you can spend some of those Extra Care Bucks, but make sure that you are also purchasing something that will replenish your Extra Care Bucks stash.
* Pick your grocery store to shop at. Print your list, highlight which items you're getting, and put your coupons in an envelope and bring these items with you. Also, bring along your notebook for any extra time you may have to find other deals.

Week 6 - Walgreens
* Buy a Sunday paper. Cut out ALL of the coupons.
* Print all the printable coupons on the sidebars.
* If you're feeling bold, you can try out Walgreens. Click here for instructions on how to save at Walgreens.
* Pick your grocery store. Print your list, highlight which items you're getting, and put your coupons in an envelope and bring these items with you. Also, bring along your notebook for any extra time you may have to find other deals.

So, there you go - you're 6 weeks into this, your stash of coupons should be building, and you should be saving money!

For additional information:

1. Stocking Up (buying more than you need right now to save later)- a new way of shopping.
2. Balancing Coupons with Life: part 1, part 2, part 3
3. A Newbie Success Story
4. Store Policies
5. Additional ways to get coupons
6. Budget Saving Tips when shopping
7. Budget Saving Freebie Tips

For even more tips including how to organize coupons, click on basics for beginners on the right side of the site.

Rene and Karen
Budget Saving Mom
http://www.budgetsavingmom.com/

Guest Post - Don't Throw It Away

Don't Throw it Away!

Every Thursday, in our neighborhood, is bulk trash day. I always see so many things that could be donated or reused. I've seen couches, chairs, toys, bikes even a punching bag. All of theses items "looked" in good shape. I don't inspect them, unless it looks like something I need or want, but I often wonder why theses things are not being donated to a local charity.

There are other ways to get rid of unwanted items without throwing them in the trash and filling up our landfills.

Join Freecycle. Here you give away for free what you have and don't need and you receive for free what you need, but don't have. There are local Freecycle groups everywhere.

List items on Craigslist. There is a section on Craigslist that lists items you want to get rid of for free or you can find items for free too!

Find a new use for the item. Can it be repainted or used for something else. A neighbor has a baby's changing table in their garage to store thing on.( It's been there for at least 8 years!)

My family actually has a yard sale three or four times a year and whatever doesn't sell, we load it up and take it straight to our local Goodwill.

So don't throw it away - give it away, donate it or reuse it.

To see more recycling and going green ideas please visit Anne at Mommy Has to Work.

Guest Post - Tutorial 3 HCW Trading Program

This is the third post of three from Lori at Moms by Heart. It is an excellent "how to" for beginners.

{TUTORIAL #3}

In previous tutorials, we’ve learned how to set up a HCW account, and how to navigate our way around the forums & coupon database. Today we’ll learn how to trade coupons!

The first bit of advice I have is DON’T GET OVERWHELMED! When all this stuff is new to you, it can seem like too much information. Just go slowly through and give yourself time to absorb it all. It is most helpful to open up a second screen and follow along on the actual HCW site.

All beginners are required to start by joining the HCW Trader In Training program. Read the rules and follow the program carefully. If you have any questions the moderators are very helpful. You will need to stay in the program for 30 days, and until you have received 5 positive feedbacks. After that, you can send a request to your moderator to move you up to Trader status. This allows you to host an auction, bid on auctions, ride a coupon train or join a secret pal exchange.

Now on to the details of trading:

The first steps to trading are a bit tedious (but well worth the hassle). You need to establish your HAVE LIST & WISH LIST. You’ll find these tabs on the coupon database page shown above. Before we begin, let's locate the following items on this screen:

1) The Have List, Keep List, Wish List and Trades (Actual and Potential) tabs.
2) Find the box entitled Description. This is where you’ll type in the coupon you’re looking for.
3) Find the column entitled Action. To the far left of every coupon description, you’ll find a drop down menu in the Action column.

The Actions column will be very important in establishing your list. The pic above shows what the drop down menu looks like.
Your options are:
• Report – choose this if you need to report a problem with a coupon listed
• Have List – choose this to add this coupon to your Have List.
• Keep List – I don’t use this feature much, but if you find a coupon that you have, but don’t want to trade, you can start a Keep List by clicking this option.
• Wish List – these are coupons you’d like to trade for. Personally, since I have so many insert coupons, I have a lot of peelies, winetags, tearpads and hangtag coupons on my wishlist. Sometimes folks who have these are willing to trade for printable coupons (no photocopies), PS (postage stamps) or CC (concealed cash). Because of the risk associated with sending cash through the mail, I have always opted to trade for stamps. More on that later.

For now, you can use the search feature to go through and find all the coupons you have, and all those you want and use the Action menu to add them to your lists.

Next, we'll be using a cool feature found under the tab Trades (Actual and Potential). Here’s what my screen looks like:

You’ll see there are three new tabs within this tab:

~Incoming – tells you who has the coupons YOU WANT. The above screenshot is taken from the Incoming tab.
~Outgoing – tells you who wants the coupons YOU HAVE.
~History – Shows your trading history.

Let’s use the first item on my incoming list as an example (remember, this is a list of coupons I want to find). The first coupon is for a FREE Dove Body Mist when you buy a Dove Deodorant. Next to the coupon description, you’ll find a column that lists who has this coupon. Clicking on the drop down menu will give you a list of more traders who have it.

Trader Details Button – this will show you the history and feedback rating of this trader.
Trader Lists Button – this will show you the Have and Wish list for this trader. You can use this to determine a potential trade.
Initiate Trade Button – brings up a pop-up screen (shown below). You can specify your trade proposal here and it will be sent to the trader.

It’s always a good idea to send a private message to this trader as well, just in case they don’t regularly check their trades lists.

TRADING TIPS:
~Keep your coupons well organized and your lists updated for better trading success.
~Keep in mind the price of a postage stamp when determining if a trade is worth your while.
~If you are a Trader In Training, some traders may be hesitant to trade with you. It will help if you let them know that since you’re in training, they can wait to send their part of the trade until they receive yours!
~Find the best coupons to put on your Wish list by searching for only Winetags, Peelies, Tearpads or Hangtags. These tend to be high value coupons for items like meat, produce, snack foods, cheese, etc.

ADDING A LINK TO YOUR HAVE/WISH LIST IN YOUR SIGNATURE:
Once you have your Have List/Wish List finished, you can place a link to these lists as part of your HCW signature. This makes it easier for your friends to find your list. Here’s how:

To the far right of the screen (you may need to scroll right to see it), is a box with your HCW user info. Just above your avatar, you’ll see a link that says User CP. Click on it. You’ll come to a page with a list of menu items for changing your user info (shown below). Click on Edit Signature.




You’ll get a screen containing your current signature. This signature appears each time you post in the HCW Forums. To add your Have List/Wish List, type the words: Have List/Wish List in the box.
Next, highlight the words with your mouse and click on the “world” icon




as shown below:

You’ll see a pop up appear asking for the URL. Type in:
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/userlist.php?membername=yourmembernamehere
replacing "yourmembernamehere" with, well, your member name! Now you’ve created a link to your list! Save the signature, and voila! You're officially ready to dive into the coupon trading world! If you have any questions, you can email me at momsbyheart at gmail dot com (spaces removed).

Thanks, Lori at Moms by Heart

Guest Post - Tutorial 2 on HCW Trading System

This is the second post of three from Lori at Moms by Heart. It is an excellent "how to" for beginners.

{TUTORIAL #2}

Begin by going to the HOME PAGE (shown above). The black arrow indicates where you’ll find the Register tab. You’ll be asked to agree with Terms of Use, then choose a username and password.

Once you are registered, you can now proceed to Edit Your Profile:





To the left of this page (shown above), you’ll see several ways to improve your HCW experience.
~Add contacts or friends if you know of others who are HCW members (I am justusseven).
~Click on Social Groups to view a list of groups available to join within HCW.
~Clicking on Group Membership send you to a page which will show the Trader In Training program as AVAILABLE TO JOIN. Follow instructions here to start your training.
~Edit your Avatar - Avatars are small graphics that are displayed under your username whenever you post. You can upload a pic from your computer. Here’s what mine looks like:





~Edit Signature – your signature can include your name, favorite quotes, or smilies. It cannot include a link to a site outside of HCW unless you get the approval of an administrator. Many people have a link to their have/wish list. I’ll share how to develop your own lists of coupons you have/coupons you’d like to have in a future tutorial. Here’s what mine looks like:

Next, we will talk about the HCW trading program.
Thanks, to Lori at Moms by Heart.