Shopping tips

Good Morning!

I had a few people write in to me with their own tips for shopping trips. I too have a few more I would like to share and since its FRIDAY! What a better way then to show you how to save a few cents.

I will start with the readers tips first. And any other people who would like to share thiers can contact me on here or on Facebook. I would love to add you to my blog. ALSO please follow this blog,the more followers the better. That way I can review products and start doing giveaways. Fun Fun.

*"I try my hardest to buy fruit and vegetables when they are in season"-Ann S.

*"I grow my on herbs,that way I know they are fresh and it saves me from going out each week to purchase more." - Amanda W.

*"I watch the size of products. Sometimes a sale item will be 2x smaller in size or weight then another brand,so it no  longer makes it a better deal even on sale. I have also noticed sometimes buying two of something to equal a size is cheaper then buying say the "party" size." Brenda F. ---This is a awesome tip, I do this all the time. Take for example gas station snacks...They cost more there then if you bought a bulk of chips or a few big bags of chips and put up a bag for work each day or for a snack some where. Another good example is when people buy just a normal soda instead of buying a 2lt or something that will last. For 89 cents at Market basket I get 2lts. No Pepsi 1lt or anything is that cheap.

*I pack my own lunch. I work 5 days a week and I was doing take out almost 4 days our of the 5. Even for just myself it came to about $8.00 without soda for me to eat A DAY. I can take lunch for around $5.00. And its healthier." Sara W.

*I take advantage of free items at the gas station. 7-11 will offer free drinks or coffee once in awhile and Cumberland does the same and sometimes has free donuts. Summer they do slushies for free as well" -Diana P.

*"I own a Keurig,pays for itself in time and expense. I use to hit dunkin donuts for coffee then grab a doughnut or 4 and found myself 10lbs heavier. Now I grab a coffee to go from my keurig and a flat bread sandwich I pre make each time.Saving time,frustration(from the lines) and my body!!!" -Julie B.

I love all of those tips and suggestions. 
Here are a few of my findings just in this week that relate to some of the tips said above.

I was in my kitchen trying to find dinner when I thought about how much people spend on take out...then 15mins later I heard a commercial for a pizza place and how they were offering a large pizza for $11. I can make 2 pizzas,cheese for just about $8.89, add toppings and it comes out to be just under $11 where the $11 take out pizza had no toppings. I know when your tired take out is the way to go and I agree. But if your struggling with where your money goes or even how to save its a thought.

Last night I made Shepherds Pie. I made a 15x10 pan for 5 people. It cost me as follows:

10lb bag of potatos=$4.89- I used 6 potatoes. 
1 jar gravy-$1.00
2 cups milk for mashing and 1tbs of butter roughly maybe 69 cents for both. (Not for the WHOLE product just the amount I used) 
2 Cans of corn @ 67 cents each (Aldi's Brand)
Hamburg which was left over from another meal but I paid for 2lbs of hamburg $6.23 and had a YELLOW STICKER from hannafords for $1.50 off. Making it $4.73.
Salt used so little I would not even count a price but for a whole product its 69 cents at Aldis. 
I spent a total of= $8.53 on a meal. Roughly. To go to a fast food place it costs about $25.00. Now I could have thrown tv dinners at them or something but its not my style. I like home cooked meals. We also had left overs for my boyfriends lunch. Perfect.

I would love to hear what anyone else does to save money!!! Especially when it comes to seafood and Pork as I only eat certain fish and nothing else and I do not eat pork. But I would like to give people ideas on those things.

The amazing Keurig!!!

This is a coupon I got off of doing freebies online. A free product. Add companies on facebook  and watch what they post or join some freebie groups.

CROCK POT WEDNESDAY!

**First I would like to say I have not created any of these,they are just recipes I have tried and liked or loved!**

Slow-Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

photo by:

kraft

3K+

Here's everything that's delicious in a loaded baked potato—cheese, bacon, sour cream—all in one easy slow-cooker soup.

time

prep:

35 min

total:

8 hr 35 min

servings

total:

8 servings, about 1 cup each

What You Need

8

slices  OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped

1

 onion, finely chopped

2

Tbsp.  flour

1

carton  (32 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

3

lb.  large baking potatoes (about 6), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1

pkg.  (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided

1/2

cup  milk

1/2

cup  BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1/4

cup  chopped fresh chives

Make It

COOK and stir bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels; refrigerate until ready to use. Add onions to drippings in skillet; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in flour; cook and stir 1 min. Add 1 cup broth; cook and stir 2 min. or until sauce comes to boil and thickens. Pour into slow cooker. Stir in remaining broth and potatoes; cover with lid. Cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours (or HIGH 5 to 6 hours).
USE slotted spoon to transfer 4 cups potatoes to medium bowl; mash until smooth. Add 1-1/2 cups cheese to remaining mixture in slow cooker; stir until melted. Stir in mashed potatoes and milk; cook, covered, 5 min. or until heated through.
PLACE bacon on paper towel-covered microwaveable plate. Microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 sec. or until heated through. Serve soup topped with bacon, remaining cheese, sour cream and chives. 


**I use turkey bacon and only half a onion. I also put a touch of garlic powder in. Delicious!!! This is one of my favorite recipes. I even created a potato soup of my own that I will share with you *Below* that stemmed from this recipe!! Thanks to kraftrecipes.com for having the website to find such great recipes. 


Raving Potato Soup

1/2lb to a lb of cut up potatoes
2 cups half and half
1 cup 1% milk
Salt (To your taste)
 1/4th teaspoon Pepper
Paprika(To your taste)
2/3 cup of Sour cream
2-3 pieces of cooked turkey bacon,cut up into pieces.
1 bag(8oz) of Extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Cook your bacon. Cut up your potatos. Then cut up your bacon. Mean while be putting everything else into your crock pot. Then add Bacon and potatoes.  Mix well. Cook on high for about 5 hrs. time might vary on the size of your  potatoes.

A penny counts.

So I love watching extreme couponing. I love reading blogs. Pinterest is my favorite site. One thing I am not afraid of is learning. I do not think my way is the right way all the time and that helps me be a good listener and learner. I am not stubborn. I am not selfish so that helps when it comes to where my money is going.



Today I wanted to do a blog on what I have learned since being on my own. Little tips that can help! Not all tips and things I am sharing will help with money,some are for the environment.. This is just a start. I hope to do quite a bit more. More photos. More tips. I am a pretty good orginizer so I would like to do a post on that.

 Broken crayons- We re use and re use till nothing is left or close..then its time to crush down and bake...Making bigger crayons or neat shapes or what ever else I might do.

 Dog bed. Hand made. Plus the old blankets I had laying around were placed inside. One end is snapped together so I can take the blankets out and wash the bed. Its huge when its all the way out.  Fabric was free,old blankets were taking up room and Nakita needed a bed..ta da!

 Jars make wonderful cups!! This one had salsa in it. Now my daughters favorite glass.

 Crock pot=My life!! Okay okay close to my life...Its easy,its convenient and its big enough to make a meal for all of us. I will do a crock pot recipe every Wednesday! Working parents can do this. Do your kids get home before you? There are recipes that only take 2 hrs too cook,have them turn it on when they get home! Don't work? Still easy. Busy day? Put it on in the morning and forget about it.

 We recycle. Saves us on our garbage! Every can,bottle,box,etc goes to the recyclables. We use less garbage bags. Plus we are helping the environment.

 Store brand! Now I do recommend people try store brand or a cheaper brand first before committing to it. I will buy nothing but Windex. But most products are just as good as the expensive name brand. My mom always said "You are paying for the brand".

 This is not easy for everyone...but I do not have a dryer. And if I did, I would not use it as often as everyone seems too. I hang my clothes on racks or outside.  I am never behind on laundry so the speed of a dryer really does not effect anything. I do encourage you to atleast in summer hang your clothes out! You can put a rack on your porch if you have one as well. Many options. Some people will dry private clothes,which is understandable. 

 Hannafords. Around here they have certain days in the morning where they mark down their meats.  I refuse to pay $3.99 or more for a lb of meat. Silly to me.  With chicken I will pay no more then $1.99 a lb. Turkey bacon compared to pork bacon is a world wind difference in price. Now I know most of you will never convert lol but its an idea. 

 Home made items. My mom makes mittens for the kids. Helps a lot in winter. Not everyone can or knows someone talented enough but if you do take them up on it. Or learn. I have tried and failed many times. 

 Containers! I love them. I save almost everyone I get! I re use them, freeze hamburg in them,use them for my boyfriends lunch..leftovers.. I use them to organize drawers or closets. For pieces to kids toys...So much to do with them lol. I have never bot a container from the store.

Change! It adds up. Take it out of your pockets or car and place it in a jar or container. Watch it add up. You can even make one up for a specific reason like for a dinner out or Christmas. Ours is just for saving and one day we will count it or maybe might even need that money.

 Rummage sales! Look or them! We get a lot of stuff at them for dirt cheap. Also around here we have whats called a SWAP. Its all free items that people go and donate. Its once a week,we have gotten a bunch of kid toys from there. Its lovely. I have also donated!

 DIY PROJECTS!! I made these two items. For nothing. It cost me nothing. Tag Sales was involved. But see if a tag sale is all weekend....by Sunday they usually have a free box or table..which is where the seashells and frame came from... the jar I found in the woods on a walk. And the sand was again free. The drawing was done by my son. Fun! Sometimes you might need to spend some cash but its worth it and normally still cheaper.

 Antiques as wall decorations? Yes please. Again tag sales and family members! this was my dads,so I paid nothing for it and it hangs over my washing machine. Very cute. Again its all about deals and negotiating or just plain looking.

 Kitchen aid with  attachments. Paid $100. Savings of about $250.00. Bought on a online site. They should have them in your area. Just look in the search engine on facebook.

 Pasta. We eat a lot and I have a pasta maker that I just got and need to try but for now I will not spend more then a dollar on a box of pasta. Hannafords they are mostly 88 cents. I do spend a bit more on lasagna and pastas like that.

This is a hard one. Some people say that they have to use more of the cheap detergent to make up for it not cleaning well. I find that not the case,I buy the cheap not the cheapest but I use the same amount per load as I would with say Tide and it goes further because its a bigger container and way cheaper.  This is the same with other products. Take the time to notice what you are doing. Take the time to do your math.  

Here are a few examples of paying a bit more,pays you back in other ways down the road. The beginning of this summer I bought 98 cent gloves for the kids....
A.They were not water proof
B.They were not that warm.
C.They were ruined in about 3 wks....  So off I went to buy another pair. In the end I paid for a better quality and the gloves are lasting.

We were picking up stuff up for our guinea pig and there were so many houses for us to choose. One was cheaper and she could eat it. Well I got thinking that if she eats it we will be back to buy another one...which made it the same price as a plastic house for her,same size and all so we spent more so that we would not have to buy more then just one.

Cat food. I have 6 cats. Buying a small bag a week is ridiculous. I buy a 24lbs back of kit and kaboodle which is the cheap but not the cheapest and it lasts a month.


Tomorrow I will write about how I have kept my kids Birthday party under budget. My kids share a birthday,not twins but they are a yr to the day apart. I have 26 people coming. A handful of kids. Presents. Decorations. Etc. Its nothing fancy but I did it cheap and its going to be fun.

I will also be doing more posts on money saving and once again on Wednesdays,I will post a crock pot recipe!

Your average family

Living off of the system

Here I am again with those topics that are so touchy and your stomach turns wondering what I am gonna say.

This post is stemming off of something I saw on Facebook, posted by someone I know did not mean to insult everyone that needs the systems help one way or a other but it bothered me. 

It was a picture of a receipt with all this lobster and steak and soda on it and it was paid for by foodstamps. People are finding that offensive..I guess is the word to use because they work hard for their money and feel like they can not afford that type of food. Also believing they help pay for that food bought that day.

Here we go with the trying to know it all, the you post on thing and you insult many and the judging. My other half works 50 + hrs a day...if any of you have seen his photos you can tell he is a redneck simple man..he does not spend money on anything but the basics and bills... We get food stamps.  We hate lobster...we buy steak on sale which according to another post on Facebook is GLUED together...ICK! But we do not know that for sure but you get my point.  This house does not drink soda. Or the people in it...haha. Any way we do not buy processed foods. I buy things on sale. I buy things with coupons and I can tell you the store with the lowest price of just about any product.

Now we have the option of receiving benefits from the Humane society which means food,bedding anything for your pets...We do not. 9 pets and we pay for everything they need out of pocket. We have a extra person 4 days out of the week. We eat healthy. We do not get help with Rent or any other bill. We simply get food stamps.  I do not flash it around that I do. I am not a person who tells the world I am broke or that I get food stamps or that I do not buy fresh fish because I can not bring myself to pay the price.All little things that no one would know about me. I even have grown some food. I am very into being self sufficient so to know I get food stamps does damper my mood.

 If we did not have animals sure maybe we would have about an extra 10 bucks a month...that's it though. But we are stable. We all have what we need. House is not falling down. We each have a vehicle. BOTH USED. I buy stuff off of the online sites for a much cheaper price...and so on so on. We are just basic country people. My town is very small. It has a lot to offer and we take it up on it. We go to the park for free. We do things as a family. We walk to the stream up the road. Etc.

We sadly are your average family and to see that post and feel insulted was down right not fair. Now I do not mean to sound like a child but isn't that like a Christian putting down a Homosexual? Is that not like a Raciest being cruel? When you judge the whole ratio of people...You are being just as unfair as the judgmental people,the courts,the non understanding people.

Now I have my moments where I am so frustrated with people. People who get more and more pets and live off the benefits of our local Humane Society. The people that have money yet go to free food places. The people who spend their money (There are different programs this state offers where you get actual cash) on cigarettes. I get crazy about people who do not use their food stamps wisely...BUT at the end of the day I was taught how to. I'm someone who understands how to make a penny go a mile. I know a home cooked meal is cheaper in the long run and healthier for my family and if the only way I can pay for that is by some state assistance that so be it. I am  not proud.  But I am proud to know that I am thankful, that I am doing all that I can to make it work for my family. To know my kids have no idea what most processed food is. To know we do not eat out and eat junk.  I am proud to bake for my family too cook for my family and be a stay at home mom the right way.  Not that there is a right or wrong but no one else cleans,no one else cooks..MAJORITY of the time...My kids do help and my other half can cook a mean meat sauce. I do not take my birthday off...I do not sit on my butt all week so my family can clean on the weekend...I am the basic stay at home mom. Most are better then me some are really just a lazy person...or lack in some areas.<--Bam a little judging by me. I can say I am sorry. I just see a stay at home mom one way and I see so many others that are the opposite.

I grew up where things are balanced. The man works then you work at home(If you are a stay at home mom of course). I guess all I can say is be careful how you say things...when you post something like that photo you are coming off frustrated with all of the people on food stamps. If that man was the only one,he might work,he might be buying stuff in bulk for the whole month...You never know what his story is. I know there is more bad then good..or so it seems...but give us the ones that really try to do good and do good for the community and our families...credit and not make us feel like you are grouping us with the low life's. 

I am a animal abuse activist
I sign up for freebies online
I coupon
I sale shop
I compare shop
I go to rummage sales
I buy from online groups
I am against child hunger
I have a no bullshit tolerance for domestic abuse
I watch the news
I do not watch garbage on tv
I clean
I cook
I photograph the world with a huge passion
I have anxiety
I hate lobster =)

 This chick also does not approve of how the system works. Drug tests,bring them on. Working single parents should get some help...Children of the system need more help. I could go on and on. Its hard when everything is not perfect. Its frustrating. But its life and again my favorite line "Everyone gets dealt a different hand."

You can only help yourself before others can help you.
 
TGIF all!

Gay RIghts

As you have all seen..facebook has been dominated by the equal rights concern. 

I am not god, I can not judge, I can not insult..Love is love. When you walk into a home with 2 dads or 2 moms you can't tell me you are not paying more attention to their parenting to their child or how house look.. If you are, you might want to reevaluate. The most important thing is there is no abuse there is true love...no cheating,etc. If two dads can parent better then crackheads(all respect to people with addiction) why can they not have the same rights? 

We all have seen this before... African american and Causaion...Jewish and Christian...lets not all forget Hugh Hefner and his young wives... We have all had our opinions. We have all made comments. Now we are demanding respect for Gays...yet we have at all one time judged...?

My relationship is one of those, There is a 16 yr difference between my amazing boyfriend and I... Difference this is the happiest I have ever been. I had the same people who are screaming for people to accept Gay rights tell me "He will treat you like a child" "I could never imagine dating someone that much older" etc etc.... TO GET YOU NEED TO GIVE!!!!

None of us are perfect but lets stop worrying about how many divorces Larry King has had. Right there we are judging,we are assuming we know all the answers. We are trying to make people as good as us...That is silly. Life deals us all a different hand of cards.

Gay rights are important. Like I said before its all about the treatment of people. The bible says it all. We are not to hate.  We are the next generation. Lets not make people stay in a un happy marriage because we are trying to make a point about gay rights and announcing people who get divorces are bad. I am a divorcee and its the best thing ever for my family. 

The moral is lets not judge. Do not ask for respect on something you believe in if you never gave the same respect. I have never judged a couple. I have judged, do not get me wrong but it was always on dear to my heart concerns-like their parenting or something that I will not sit back and just shut my mouth on. 

Personal story. I had a ex boyfriend who had gay parents. No judgment. No thought he was gay too or anything ridiculous. His step parent was beyond abusive. Horrible. In this case it had nothing to do with his parents being gay it had to do with his safety. Cops were called on them.  I also know a child who was taken from their family, a family of a man and a woman because of how horrible the house conditions were....Good parents except they didn't keep a clean house...at all... The children and animals were removed. Sad story.
We need to sit back and not judge others until we have looked in the mirror. We need to allow all rights to all people. We should look more at the person then the persons sexual preference. The importance is the safety of the next generations. We need to remember we are not the higher power. God is. He will make the ultimate decisions. For now love not hate. Let hearts feel the way they want no matter who its for.


I am for gay rights. The right for all people. For people to be looked at as people not who they are in love with. 
I know some people who are not gay and are in relationships with people who personally I can not stand..but thats not my say that's not my call...they get the same respect and rights as anyone else.End of Story. Love who you want.When you want.How you want. As long as its the kind,respectful,honest,best way you can love. 

That rope is not long enough

** The title is met for the expression "I am at the end of my rope". As a person that has lost a few people to suicide this has nothing to do with it.** Thank you.


I am back and I plan to keep this blog rolling so people can understand other people instead of judging them. I also want people to understand what its like to have Anxiety and the anger issues a normal good mom good daughter good person can still have. 

Today before I even had the chance to get dressed, there was a knock at the door and it was my land lady...
First thing out of her mouth was about my dog..Apparently my Pitt/lab mix jumped on the next door neighbor and made her fall....yea..first thought shoot the dog!!! Second thought DAMN you Nakita for loving people too much...Third thought, this is not how I want my neighbors and land lady to think of me...  I understand so many people do not care about what others think of them.. and in my opinion thats why we have so many people going into Walmart with a thong,pink fluffy hat and flip flops on...Why our teens talk back and why girls get pregnant so early. No one knows shame or embarrassment anymore. Majority of society does of course but lets me real. Look at the direction of the world.
Nonehteless I am stuck with having my dog that usually have free roam of going in and out on her own tied to a damn post in the ground. I am a big one of how animals should be treated and being tied up is not my idea of okay. I have worked hard with her. She usually stays right in our yard.Never goes to the road. She sits. She gives paw. She is a good dog. 

But I respect that its my dogs fault that this all happened so I need to do what I need to do. BUT the real issue for me is feeling embarrassed. I don't want this type of relationship with my neighbors and land lady. I want them to feel like we are the good American family. We take good care of our kids and animals. We don't have a dumpy yard. We do not throw parties. We do not curse. We extended our helping hand quite a few times to the only neighbors we have. We heard on the scanner about the mom who is 80yrs old having a health issue,paramedics were there and everything that morning. That afternoon we let them know we heard it on the scanner and we are here if they need anything and to give our well wishes to her. Etc. This is the people we are. Not bad pet owner of a dog that misbehaved. 
There is more obviously to why I just feel low now. That has nothing to do with Nakita. Whole another story on that one.  This post is mainly about how I feel. I don't want my old neighbors to hear gossip and go with it. They has issues with me when I left that I never even knew about then went to my land lady now and told her how horrible I was...horrible? Me? They never even say the side that most people see. The side that is off her rocker when pushed to far. I keep that from my kids and the world for the most part. What she said was hurtful because I had lent her my camera,stuff for cooking,watched her kids etc... I felt like we had a nice neighborly relationship. Now since their kids go to the same school,gossip could fall on ears and that is not the status I want here in town. I know I'm a good person. Not always outgoing hard to do with nerves like mine but I am always honest open minded and friendly. Most people know all that but when you have other people planting stories into someones head its hard to compete...
For me the hardest thing is feeling emotion when I am angry. Most people can still feel love for their spouse or other half, or compassion for someone who did something uncalled for....etc. Me. Well.I forget all emotions when I am angry. I forget how much I love my other half. I forget how much I love this town. How much I really don't care if my old neighbor thinks its okay to do what she did,in the end I am happy. I just do not want to feel embarrassed. 
This all has a issue that lays deeper. I was not liked in school,I had one or two friends here and there and that was it. Now I have practically no one. I'm not a social butterfly. For the most part I am okay with that. I do want to have people like me though now that I am a mom and a person of society.  Now that I am out there I want cashiers to like me,I want neighbors,land lords/ladies,I want people who walk by my house to like me... its all a want. The conversation I had this morning really rocked my boat. Shame for what my dog did. Shame for what else is going on. Embarrassed that people are frustrated with us knowing we are a normal good family. No drug dealing. No animal breeding. I hang my clothes out on the line like the country girl I am. I keep my rabbit safe. I have groomed cats. My kids stay in our yard and play when outside. My stereo is not blaring when I come in the driveway. I have taken on my other half's family with ease. I bake pies. Okay I don't bake pies but I do cook.  My garbage is cleaned up. My house does not stink or have maggots flowing out of it. There is no domestic issues at all. I could go on and on. I am a country girl. We wave.We say  hi,how are you. Dang it. I just want to cry.
I am not bragging,there are many other people that are better then me of course. I just try so hard to be a good citizen.  I see houses with junk piled high,dogs chained up and barking like crazy,people drug dealing and they seem to be more liked then this family now is.
My anxiety already works over time to make sure I am a anti social witch and then I work 10x harder at being friendly and just a simple country girl.  I was raised with respect and compassion. I was raised to not allow myself to embarrass myself. Simple stuff like a name mix up or tripping all that fun is life.  I know how to laugh at myself. 
Life goes on but this does not mean I am not upset.  I enclosed some photos of my bad dog. Some photos of us. =) I will be back on here more often then you can stand probably. The mind is something so many people just do not understand. I hope to let you into mine and get an idea of the struggles a normal looking person goes through.