Cut your dryer sheets in half. They'll work just the same and last twice as long. Use a coupon, pair it with a sale, cut them in half and you've got major savings! K.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tip Of The Day: 12-08-2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Recipe: Lazy Cobbler
This recipe tastes and looks great but is so simple to make you don't even need a recipe card to remember the directions.
Ingredients:
2 Cans of a pie filling of your choice
1 Boxed yellow cake mix
2 Sticks of butter or margarine
Directions:
Pour the pie filling evenly in to a 13x9 baking dish. On top of the pie filling pour the dry yellow cake mix. Then to finish off the preparation cut the sticks of butter into tablespoon size pieces and drop evenly over the top.
Bake: 350 for 45 min to an hour or until golden brown on top.
Yields: About a dozen servings. You could stretch out the amount of servings by cutting down on size and adding a scoop of ice cream when served.
Also, try using apple pie filling and a cinnamon ice cream. Or cherry pie filling and a chocolate cake mix for something very decadent. To peach pie filling you could also add one cup of walnuts or dried cranberries. These substitutions will keep your taste testers from getting bored and always leave them wanting to try more! Leave a comment with your ideas for substitutions! I'd love to hear them! K.
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Saturday, October 29, 2011
Halloween And Vacation
Halloween, my favorite holiday, is just two days away. And with family coming in town I will once again be on a small va. K. ;-)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Samples Again!
My sister-in-law has another great sample suggestion. Go to www.allyou.com and sign up to receive their daily sample email. Who doesn't love free samples in the mail everyday? Better yet, sign up your mom, your friend or your wife and send her a surprise. She'll love it, no matter what the product, she'll love that you thought of her. K.
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011
How To: Hurricane Hangers
Supplies:
- Power drill and small drill bit
- Branches (About 12 inches longer than the length of a standard coat hanger and about 1in thick)
- Wire (A heavy bailing wire that comes in a coil at home improvement stores)
- Needle nose pliers, two pairs
- Wire cutters (These should be built into the pliers tho)
- Hand saw
- String, ribbon or any other decoration you prefer
Let's get started!
Step 1: Pick out your branches.
Step 2: Clean up the branches. Cut off any tiny branches, leaves or pine cones.
Step 3: Use your hand saw to cut off the ends of the branches. The length should be about 12 to 14 in.
Step 4: Find the center of the branch, along the width, and drill a small hole all the way through the branch.
Step 5: Cut a piece of wire between 1 and 2 feet long. The length of the wire depends on how much experience you have with wire bending. If this is your first time crafting with wire you'll want a longer piece. Remember: You can always cut off the extra.
Step 6: Thread the wire through the hole in the branch and bend as desired. I used a refill for a caulking gun to get the round shape of the top of the hanger and made a small swirl shape to secure it on the bottom.
For one of the hangers I personalized this gift with initials but you can leave them blank or make a heart or star. I also used a piece of yarn to tie a bow around the wire. This made the hangers more feminine and I thought they were a nice touch for a friend who loves to crochet.
Good luck with your crafting and send me some pictures of your artwork for this digital fridge of mine. K.
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Friday, October 14, 2011
Free Samples In The Mail!
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Phone Blogging
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Vacation October 2011
The upcoming posts for October will soon be on their way! I had a great vacation this past week! Where are you planning on vacationing in the upcoming months? What states will you travel to for the holidays? Leave some comments. K.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Tip Of The Day 10-06-2011
If you find a drop cookie recipe that you like, stick with it. Just change up the special ingredients once and a while for some fun. If the recipe calls for 2 cups of chocolate chips you can use 1 cup chocolate and 1 cup peanut butter chips instead. Or even 1 cup of white chocolate chips and 1 cup oatmeal or coconut. Come on. Live on the edge. K.
Monday, October 3, 2011
October Savings Series: Part 1
Part one of the October savings series is one of my favorite money saving rants. :-) The pros and con's of Super Stores versus Membership Stores. The main focus of this post will be exactly how much money you can save on baby products. However, baby products are not the only items you can save on, they are just examples of which I can give the most accurate information.
Disclaimer: If you shop at a convinence or grocery store for these items and switch to a Membership Store your savings will be even greater than I mention.
Disclaimer: These numbers are for one child. If you have two children you can multiply everything by two, which means twice the savings! And so on for the number of children you have in your family.
Avg amount of money spent on Membership Store Diapers in one year = $456
Money SAVED = $584! You're only paying 43% of the Super Store cost!
Disclaimer: If you shop at a convinence or grocery store for these items and switch to a Membership Store your savings will be even greater than I mention.
Disclaimer: These numbers are for one child. If you have two children you can multiply everything by two, which means twice the savings! And so on for the number of children you have in your family.
DIAPERS
Avg amount of money spent on Super Store Diapers in one year = $1040Avg amount of money spent on Membership Store Diapers in one year = $456
Money SAVED = $584! You're only paying 43% of the Super Store cost!
FORMULA
Avg amount of money spent on Super Store Formula in one year = $1300
Avg amount of money spent on Membership Store Formula in one year = $342
Avg amount of money spent on Membership Store Formula in one year = $342
Money SAVED = $958! You're only paying 26% of the Super Store cost!
Don't forget to subtract the amount of the yearly membership = Just $40
Total Yearly SAVINGS = $1502!
Like I mentioned these savings are only for one child and only on two items sold in Membership Stores. If you start adding in the savings on additional children and the savings on other items you could end up with as much as $800 saved per person annually.
A family of four (two adults and two small children) will save over $4700 a year! That's awesome! That's a used car! If a Super Store advertised that after one year of shopping there you could get a used car, no questions asked, everyone would shop there! With our savings we bought a new flat screen TV and still saved over to a $1000! That's one year at a Community College! That's a brand new wooden swingset for the kids! That's enough for a condo on the beach for vacation! That's FIVE pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes! That's an amazng donation for a non-profit organization like http://www.semperfifund.com/!
I know that there is a new extreme view of coupoining and people feel like saving money takes alot of work. However, this is a method of saving that takes the same exact amount of work that you're already exerting. At some Membership Stores you can even order items online and pick them up in the store, including grocery items. This method helps prevent impulse shopping.
These Membership Stores sell most items in bulk but that doesn't mean that a small household can't shop there. You can purchase things like chips one bag at a time and milk one gallon at a time. They sell alot of nonperishable items that you can stock up on; paper towels, toilet paper, boxed and canned foods, pet foods. They also have pet supplies, books, dvds, eletronics, furniture, clothing and shoes, patio furniture, outdoor grills, office supplies, childrens toys, books and clothes... I could go on forever, but don't worry, I won't.
So instead of asking you if you're convinced yet, I want to know... Are you still spending thousands more than you need to each year? I'm not. I want to own those FIVE pairs of designer shoes! K.
Tip Of The Day 10-03-2011
Go outside! Turn off the technology, turn on the conversation. No matter the age of your children, if you don't have children in the home or you don't have children at all. With all of the problems that accompany technology (cyber bullying being the main problem on my mind today) we could all use a little time away from the laptops and cell phones and a little more time with the "world wide world." (I love those new Jeep commercials). While you're out there you could pick up sticks in the yard, or pine cones if you live in my town :-) You can take a walk, meet those new neighbors, play a game of football or Frisbee. Say you don't have a large yard? Or you live in an apartment and don't have a yard to clean? Walk to a nearby museum or river or park. Talk about the things you see on the way or how the last week has left you feeling. It doesn't matter what you do, it only matters how you do it. Talk some talk. Walk some walk. K.
Friday, September 30, 2011
September Savings Series: Part 4
Part four of the September Saving Series is the last of this month, and it is all about coupons and freebies that can be mailed to your home.
One of the most popular coupon books is the P & G coupon booklet that is mailed out every 2-3 months. They change the name of it often but it's always similar to the "P&G Everyday Savings" or "P&G Everyday Solutions." It always has P&G in the title so it's easy to locate. The plus side of them changing the name is that every time it changes it becomes availible again. You are only one able to recive one of each of the books so this gives you the opportunity to recieve multiple books in one season. http://pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/pg-brandsaver-samples-coupons.jsp If you follow this link you'll find the resources to sign up for it and possibly get some FREE samples too! As of publication the booklet is NOT available but I will write a seperate post to the blog when it does become available again. So check back often because they do not always last very long.
Other great sites for freebies and coupons are http://www.walmart.com/ and http://www.target.com/. I know it sounds obvious, Walmart and Target, two of the most popular super stores, but they send out freebies for well known items all the time! Most recently I've recieved samples of Scope mouthwash, Crest toothpaste, Dove body spray and Zantac, and that's just to name a few. Go to either of these websites and type "Free Samples" in the search bar in the upper right hand corners to find out what they're offering. As of publication Walmart is offering a free sample from Poise Hourglass and Playtex, plus coupons for Reynold's foil and other products.
One last idea for getting free samples and coupons mailed to the house is to contact the companies of products you already use or want to try. If you've never tried a certain product from a company, send them an email and ask if you can try a sample or get a coupon to make trying it that much more enticing. And if you already use a product, look around the companies website for coupons and samples, try typing "coupons" and "samples" into a search bar if they have one on that specific site.
A great website for coupons and freebies is http://www.beechnut.com/! They have not only sent me coupons for their products in the mail, but also by email and I even recieved a coupon for one FREE product.
So don't be afraid to get your opinion out there or to ask for coupons and samples! These can also be a really fun thing to sign your friends or famliy up for if you know they may like the product, even more so if you find something your wife may like(She'll know you remember her favorite products and be happy that you thought of her). In the age of technology a little something special in the mail box is always nice to see. K.
One of the most popular coupon books is the P & G coupon booklet that is mailed out every 2-3 months. They change the name of it often but it's always similar to the "P&G Everyday Savings" or "P&G Everyday Solutions." It always has P&G in the title so it's easy to locate. The plus side of them changing the name is that every time it changes it becomes availible again. You are only one able to recive one of each of the books so this gives you the opportunity to recieve multiple books in one season. http://pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/pg-brandsaver-samples-coupons.jsp If you follow this link you'll find the resources to sign up for it and possibly get some FREE samples too! As of publication the booklet is NOT available but I will write a seperate post to the blog when it does become available again. So check back often because they do not always last very long.
Other great sites for freebies and coupons are http://www.walmart.com/ and http://www.target.com/. I know it sounds obvious, Walmart and Target, two of the most popular super stores, but they send out freebies for well known items all the time! Most recently I've recieved samples of Scope mouthwash, Crest toothpaste, Dove body spray and Zantac, and that's just to name a few. Go to either of these websites and type "Free Samples" in the search bar in the upper right hand corners to find out what they're offering. As of publication Walmart is offering a free sample from Poise Hourglass and Playtex, plus coupons for Reynold's foil and other products.
One last idea for getting free samples and coupons mailed to the house is to contact the companies of products you already use or want to try. If you've never tried a certain product from a company, send them an email and ask if you can try a sample or get a coupon to make trying it that much more enticing. And if you already use a product, look around the companies website for coupons and samples, try typing "coupons" and "samples" into a search bar if they have one on that specific site.
A great website for coupons and freebies is http://www.beechnut.com/! They have not only sent me coupons for their products in the mail, but also by email and I even recieved a coupon for one FREE product.
So don't be afraid to get your opinion out there or to ask for coupons and samples! These can also be a really fun thing to sign your friends or famliy up for if you know they may like the product, even more so if you find something your wife may like(She'll know you remember her favorite products and be happy that you thought of her). In the age of technology a little something special in the mail box is always nice to see. K.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tip Of The Day 09-29-2011
Do you hate trying to clean popcorn textured ceilings? And having all of those pieces fall down into your hair and face? Well I have the ultimate solution! Pop a couple of lint roller refills on to an empty paint roller and Ta-Da! You can now dust and remove cob webs without wearing a shower cap and painter's mask. Plus this is a great use for that old paint roller that's taking up space in the garage. K.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tip Of The Day 09-28-2011
Supplies needed for today's tip include:
*Liquid Fabric Softener
*A clean hand towel
Completely soak a hand towel in liquid fabric softener. Let it dry completely over night. Then it's ready to use in your dryer, in place of a regular old dryer sheet and it lasts up to 40 loads!
With this tip there's no need for the more expensive dryer bars that are now popular (unless you have a great coupon, that is). And you can always leave it in the dryer so you won't forget next time and end up with a dress full of static. K.
*Liquid Fabric Softener
*A clean hand towel
Completely soak a hand towel in liquid fabric softener. Let it dry completely over night. Then it's ready to use in your dryer, in place of a regular old dryer sheet and it lasts up to 40 loads!
With this tip there's no need for the more expensive dryer bars that are now popular (unless you have a great coupon, that is). And you can always leave it in the dryer so you won't forget next time and end up with a dress full of static. K.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
National Coupon Month!
Guess what September is?
http://www.nationalcouponmonth.com/
That's right, National Coupon Month! "By just spending 20 minutes a week clipping and clicking, you could save over $1,000 annually." What would you spend an extra $1000.00 on? In case you didn't know, that's over $57 an hour. K.
http://www.nationalcouponmonth.com/
That's right, National Coupon Month! "By just spending 20 minutes a week clipping and clicking, you could save over $1,000 annually." What would you spend an extra $1000.00 on? In case you didn't know, that's over $57 an hour. K.
Tip Of The Day 09-27-2011
Today's tip was picked up when I worked at a major coffee shop, can you guess which one? ;-)
When cleaning windows and mirrors use a (clean) coffee filter, instead of a cloth or paper towel, and a window cleaner of your choice. The coffee filter will leave the surface clean and free of any streaks. It will also keep it clean longer. K.
When cleaning windows and mirrors use a (clean) coffee filter, instead of a cloth or paper towel, and a window cleaner of your choice. The coffee filter will leave the surface clean and free of any streaks. It will also keep it clean longer. K.
September Savings Series: Part 3
Part 3 of the September savings series is all about... Daily Deals! Here's the information you need to know about them:
*The deals change every 24 hours.
*The prices may go up depending on how many other people take advantage of the deal.
*The prices may go up if the 24 hour window is almost closed.
From there, these websites are just like any other website that sells a product. You select the item you want, put it 'in your cart,' and 'check out.' (For a faster time checking out you should have your credit/debit card with you at the computer if you don't have your information memorized.)
Here are some great daily deal websites:
www.tanga.com (Tanga is great for magazine subscriptions. You can snag a one year subscription for as low as $3.99! And you can subscribe up to 4 years at that same price per year. NOTE: If you already subscribe to that publication your purchase will be added to the end of your subscription). Today Tanga is offering up a 1 year subscription to Bridal Guide Magazine Subscription for just $3.99! They also sell t-shirts, mens watches and other items.
www.1saleaday.com (1SaleADay offers different categorized deals each day. For example, today's Family category deal is a "6-in-1 Solar-Powered Educational Robotic Kit With 6 Models" for only $4.99! Be sure to hurry over there and check it out if you're interested, as of publication this deal only has about 15 hours left).
www.walmart.com (Walmart's website actually has a "Value of The Day" tab at the top of the homepage that offers items at a discounted rate, in case you have any trouble finding it I've listed the link below. This item changes daily and can be anything from a flat screen TV, outdoor grill or today's deal, a Hanes - Girls Fleece Crew Sweatshirt and Sweat Pants Value Bundle for just $9.00!).
Value of The Day Link: http://www.walmart.com/cp/Value-of-the-Day/1058864?povid=cat14503-env172199-module101210-lLink1_VOD
Other great Daily Deals websites to check out:
www.woot.com
www.dailysteals.com
BONUS TIP: If you subscribe to a magazine through one of these websites be sure to look for coupons. Many times you can find enough coupons to cover the cost of subscribing, making it free for a whole year! K.
*The deals change every 24 hours.
*The prices may go up depending on how many other people take advantage of the deal.
*The prices may go up if the 24 hour window is almost closed.
From there, these websites are just like any other website that sells a product. You select the item you want, put it 'in your cart,' and 'check out.' (For a faster time checking out you should have your credit/debit card with you at the computer if you don't have your information memorized.)
Here are some great daily deal websites:
www.tanga.com (Tanga is great for magazine subscriptions. You can snag a one year subscription for as low as $3.99! And you can subscribe up to 4 years at that same price per year. NOTE: If you already subscribe to that publication your purchase will be added to the end of your subscription). Today Tanga is offering up a 1 year subscription to Bridal Guide Magazine Subscription for just $3.99! They also sell t-shirts, mens watches and other items.
www.1saleaday.com (1SaleADay offers different categorized deals each day. For example, today's Family category deal is a "6-in-1 Solar-Powered Educational Robotic Kit With 6 Models" for only $4.99! Be sure to hurry over there and check it out if you're interested, as of publication this deal only has about 15 hours left).
www.walmart.com (Walmart's website actually has a "Value of The Day" tab at the top of the homepage that offers items at a discounted rate, in case you have any trouble finding it I've listed the link below. This item changes daily and can be anything from a flat screen TV, outdoor grill or today's deal, a Hanes - Girls Fleece Crew Sweatshirt and Sweat Pants Value Bundle for just $9.00!).
Value of The Day Link: http://www.walmart.com/cp/Value-of-the-Day/1058864?povid=cat14503-env172199-module101210-lLink1_VOD
Other great Daily Deals websites to check out:
www.woot.com
www.dailysteals.com
BONUS TIP: If you subscribe to a magazine through one of these websites be sure to look for coupons. Many times you can find enough coupons to cover the cost of subscribing, making it free for a whole year! K.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tip Of The Day 09-26-2011
When purchasing new decorations for fall look for items in solid colors. Specifically in Orange or Red so that you can leave them displayed from the back to school season through Thanksgiving.
Bonus Tip: Red is a great color to invest in when it comes to seasonal home decor as long as the item is a basic, plain item (table cloth, napkins, door mat etc.) Red can be used for Fall, Christmas, Valentine's Day and the 4th of July which helps to stretch the decorating dollar. K.
Bonus Tip: Red is a great color to invest in when it comes to seasonal home decor as long as the item is a basic, plain item (table cloth, napkins, door mat etc.) Red can be used for Fall, Christmas, Valentine's Day and the 4th of July which helps to stretch the decorating dollar. K.
Fall Update
Yes, you're on the right page, this is still Story Of A Wife! I just did a little fall updating to match the season!
Something else that's new around here: A Tip Of The Day post! So check back daily to see which great ideas get posted! K.
Something else that's new around here: A Tip Of The Day post! So check back daily to see which great ideas get posted! K.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
September Savings Series: Part 2
Part two of the September Savings Series is all about Online Couponing. The easiest way to begin online couponing is by going to www.coupons.com. It's easy to remember ("Where did she say I should go for online coupons? Oh yeah! Coupons.com!") and it's a website that's easy to use.
With this website, and others like it, what you are really doing is printing out manufacturers coupons that you can clip and take to the store. Just like other coupons in the newspaper they all have an expiration date, they are for the specific product/s listed and they are for well known products.
HINT: When you print online coupons you can almost always go through the process twice, gaining double the savings! What "double the savings" means is that you will end up with two coupons that you can use on two products. You can't use more than one manufacturer coupon per item. But if you think the coupon is of good value it is also of good value to stock up on the item, the savings are even greater if paired with a sale or stacked with a store coupon. NOTE: It is okay to use one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon on the same item.
How to use www.coupons.com
Step 1: Click on the link or copy and paste to your browser.
Step 2: Enter your zip code in the top left hand corner. You can try your own zip code, or the zip code 90210 (also easy to remember if you've heard of the show 90210) to sometimes find different coupons or the same coupons with a higher value.
Step 3: "Clip" the coupons you would like by simply clicking on the box on each coupon.
Step 4: Page through. You can page through the coupons without printing on each page. It's better to go through all the pages and click on each coupon that you want to print as you go, then print at the very end. Otherwise you could end up wasting alot paper (which wastes money ultimately).
Step 5: Printing. Make sure that your printer is on, loaded with paper and ready to go. (To even save on printer ink you can set your printer ahead time to print only in black ink).
Step 6: Clip your coupons. They don't have to be perfect just make sure that the bar codes and expiration date and product details are still visible. The main reason for clipping is so that no two coupons are attatched to each other. Feel free to leave all the margins that you want.
Step 7: Take them to the store and start saving! If you have any questions about how each store uses coupons ask a sales associate or manager as soon as you enter the store so there won't be any confusion while you're shopping. You can also look at each stores website and print off there coupon policies for more information.
Other websites that offer printable online coupons:
www.target.com
www.riteaid.com offers what they call "Video Values" where you watch a short video about the product, usually the length of a tv commercial and then earn the rights to print a coupon for that product.
Gerber and Beech Nut baby food websites offer a variety of coupons.
You can also search any of the products you use in your household and sign up for their monthly emails or newsletters that often contain coupons. Chili's and Pizza Hut are just two of the many restaurants that email you coupons for free appetizers or desserts when you sign up for their emails.
So instead of reading that 14th post about what your friend ate for breakfast lunch and dinner, start looking for a coupon to save them some cold hard cash at their favorite restaurants. K.
With this website, and others like it, what you are really doing is printing out manufacturers coupons that you can clip and take to the store. Just like other coupons in the newspaper they all have an expiration date, they are for the specific product/s listed and they are for well known products.
HINT: When you print online coupons you can almost always go through the process twice, gaining double the savings! What "double the savings" means is that you will end up with two coupons that you can use on two products. You can't use more than one manufacturer coupon per item. But if you think the coupon is of good value it is also of good value to stock up on the item, the savings are even greater if paired with a sale or stacked with a store coupon. NOTE: It is okay to use one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon on the same item.
How to use www.coupons.com
Step 1: Click on the link or copy and paste to your browser.
Step 2: Enter your zip code in the top left hand corner. You can try your own zip code, or the zip code 90210 (also easy to remember if you've heard of the show 90210) to sometimes find different coupons or the same coupons with a higher value.
Step 3: "Clip" the coupons you would like by simply clicking on the box on each coupon.
Step 4: Page through. You can page through the coupons without printing on each page. It's better to go through all the pages and click on each coupon that you want to print as you go, then print at the very end. Otherwise you could end up wasting alot paper (which wastes money ultimately).
Step 5: Printing. Make sure that your printer is on, loaded with paper and ready to go. (To even save on printer ink you can set your printer ahead time to print only in black ink).
Step 6: Clip your coupons. They don't have to be perfect just make sure that the bar codes and expiration date and product details are still visible. The main reason for clipping is so that no two coupons are attatched to each other. Feel free to leave all the margins that you want.
Step 7: Take them to the store and start saving! If you have any questions about how each store uses coupons ask a sales associate or manager as soon as you enter the store so there won't be any confusion while you're shopping. You can also look at each stores website and print off there coupon policies for more information.
Other websites that offer printable online coupons:
www.target.com
www.riteaid.com offers what they call "Video Values" where you watch a short video about the product, usually the length of a tv commercial and then earn the rights to print a coupon for that product.
Gerber and Beech Nut baby food websites offer a variety of coupons.
You can also search any of the products you use in your household and sign up for their monthly emails or newsletters that often contain coupons. Chili's and Pizza Hut are just two of the many restaurants that email you coupons for free appetizers or desserts when you sign up for their emails.
So instead of reading that 14th post about what your friend ate for breakfast lunch and dinner, start looking for a coupon to save them some cold hard cash at their favorite restaurants. K.
Friday, September 9, 2011
How To: Revamp Your Kitchen Counter - 25 Cents - $1.50
Here it is! The 25 cent kitchen revamp!
For my 25 cent revamp I purchased one bottle of a Glidden's Paint Tester (originally $3 and I used a $2 coupon making my end total $1 plus sales tax at WalMart, go to http://www.gliddentesters.com/ for the latest paint coupons). I used only 1/4 which is why my revamp only cost me 25 cents. Attention! Coupon Tip: You can print this coupon twice, just print, close the window and use the link again. You can also go to http://www.coupons.com/ which has the same coupon, as of today, and you can do the same thing to print twice. So you could score a pretty big savings with a total of four coupons. Even better, if you have multiple computers in your household, or a friends, you can print again. Just make sure that you purchase the correct amount of bottles for the amount of coupons you have. It's not okay to try and use 6 coupons on one item. Also you could purchase multiples of the same color for larger projects or lots of different colors for different rooms, think of the possibilities: painted towel racks in kids bathrooms, a new desk color, painted drawer handles. The size of the project is up to you, your time and your budget. Painting an entire desk could take you a weekend but painting the drawer handles could take just a few hours.
I chose to spruce up my regular old knife set with a fresh coat of lime green paint! My kitchen theme is a mix of blacks, whites and lime greens with a little silver here and there, so lime green paint was perfect. But you could repaint this item in any color, and the paint testers come in a variety of colors(really any color they offer in larger sizes is offered in tester size). So, let's get stated...
Step 1: Print your coupons!
http://www.gliddentesters.com/
http://www.coupons.com/
Step 2: Decide which items you would like to paint and what color/s you would like to paint them.
Step 3: Go to the store and purchase your paint. (You do not need to buy any paint brushes or trays with this brand of testers. The brush is attached to the lid just the same as a bottle of nail polish, however you may want to shop on a Sunday and also buy a newspaper so you can score some more coupons and have a drop cloth when your done reading).
Step 4: You may also need to buy primer if the original color of your item is darker than the tester you purchased. A white primer will help the color of your tester to look it's best and look the closest to what you hoped for based on the paint label.
Step 5: Dust and clean the item with a damp cloth to remove any dirt and dust.
Step 6: Sand the item if needed.
Step 7: Prime the item if needed. (I didn't need to prime)
Step 8: Paint the item! Finally! Remember to paint one coat at a time and paint in one continuous direction so your brush strokes all go the same way.
Step 9: Let the paint dry for 2 hours and then decide if you want to re coat the item. I only used one coat of paint.
After it has dried it's ready to use! Check out my newly vamped kitchen counter!
For my 25 cent revamp I purchased one bottle of a Glidden's Paint Tester (originally $3 and I used a $2 coupon making my end total $1 plus sales tax at WalMart, go to http://www.gliddentesters.com/ for the latest paint coupons). I used only 1/4 which is why my revamp only cost me 25 cents. Attention! Coupon Tip: You can print this coupon twice, just print, close the window and use the link again. You can also go to http://www.coupons.com/ which has the same coupon, as of today, and you can do the same thing to print twice. So you could score a pretty big savings with a total of four coupons. Even better, if you have multiple computers in your household, or a friends, you can print again. Just make sure that you purchase the correct amount of bottles for the amount of coupons you have. It's not okay to try and use 6 coupons on one item. Also you could purchase multiples of the same color for larger projects or lots of different colors for different rooms, think of the possibilities: painted towel racks in kids bathrooms, a new desk color, painted drawer handles. The size of the project is up to you, your time and your budget. Painting an entire desk could take you a weekend but painting the drawer handles could take just a few hours.
I chose to spruce up my regular old knife set with a fresh coat of lime green paint! My kitchen theme is a mix of blacks, whites and lime greens with a little silver here and there, so lime green paint was perfect. But you could repaint this item in any color, and the paint testers come in a variety of colors(really any color they offer in larger sizes is offered in tester size). So, let's get stated...
Step 1: Print your coupons!
http://www.gliddentesters.com/
http://www.coupons.com/
Step 2: Decide which items you would like to paint and what color/s you would like to paint them.
Step 3: Go to the store and purchase your paint. (You do not need to buy any paint brushes or trays with this brand of testers. The brush is attached to the lid just the same as a bottle of nail polish, however you may want to shop on a Sunday and also buy a newspaper so you can score some more coupons and have a drop cloth when your done reading).
Step 4: You may also need to buy primer if the original color of your item is darker than the tester you purchased. A white primer will help the color of your tester to look it's best and look the closest to what you hoped for based on the paint label.
Step 5: Dust and clean the item with a damp cloth to remove any dirt and dust.
Step 6: Sand the item if needed.
Step 7: Prime the item if needed. (I didn't need to prime)
Step 8: Paint the item! Finally! Remember to paint one coat at a time and paint in one continuous direction so your brush strokes all go the same way.
After it has dried it's ready to use! Check out my newly vamped kitchen counter!
I love the end result! The newly green block really helps to brighten things up next to my white mixer, and white walls.
If you have a room that is in need of a new look than this could be just the thing your looking for! It's inexpensive, fun to do and it comes in the perfect color and size. Now that you're done reading go print your coupons quick, before the sales change. K.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
September Savings Series: Part 1
Let me start by saying that I know I promised a post about kitchen revamps but that can wait for tomorrow. Tonight I'd rather post what's on my mind...
September Savings: Post One!
The first post of the September Savings series is about coupon basics. First things first, you need coupons! The easiest way to do this is to buy a Sunday paper, but they can also be found online or in magazines. Inside of each Sunday newspaper will be 1-3 coupon inserts. When I first started to coupon I would try to find coupons (for products I actually use, or wanted to try) that added up to the value of the newspaper. For example if my newspaper cost me $1.25 I tried to find at least $1.25 worth of coupons to make my money back, though I usually found more. This is an easy way to find out if couponing is 'for you' or not. You can also try what's called "stacking" to get more for your money. Stacking simply means using a coupon for a product while that product is on sale. Let me break it down for you... And this is just an example of prices too.
The store sells diapers at $20.00 per box.
You have a coupon for $2.00 off of this brand of diapers.
This week the store also has a sale on diapers.
Original price: $20
Sale price: $18
Price after coupon: $16
So now you've doubled your savings by "stacking" your coupon with a store sale!
Resources to find great coupons:
All You Magazine
http://www.coupons.com/
That's all for Post One of the September Savings series. It's a short post but a huge foundation for later information. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekends and hey, only two more days until the next one gets here. K.
September Savings: Post One!
The first post of the September Savings series is about coupon basics. First things first, you need coupons! The easiest way to do this is to buy a Sunday paper, but they can also be found online or in magazines. Inside of each Sunday newspaper will be 1-3 coupon inserts. When I first started to coupon I would try to find coupons (for products I actually use, or wanted to try) that added up to the value of the newspaper. For example if my newspaper cost me $1.25 I tried to find at least $1.25 worth of coupons to make my money back, though I usually found more. This is an easy way to find out if couponing is 'for you' or not. You can also try what's called "stacking" to get more for your money. Stacking simply means using a coupon for a product while that product is on sale. Let me break it down for you... And this is just an example of prices too.
The store sells diapers at $20.00 per box.
You have a coupon for $2.00 off of this brand of diapers.
This week the store also has a sale on diapers.
Original price: $20
Sale price: $18
Price after coupon: $16
So now you've doubled your savings by "stacking" your coupon with a store sale!
Resources to find great coupons:
All You Magazine
http://www.coupons.com/
That's all for Post One of the September Savings series. It's a short post but a huge foundation for later information. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekends and hey, only two more days until the next one gets here. K.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Labor Day 2011
Have a great holiday weekend everyone! I'll be back to work on Wednesday with a How To: Revamp Your Kitchen Counter... For only 25 cents! Be sure to stay tuned!
Also on the to-do list
*How To: Paint a bookshelf
*How To: Redecorate a bookshelf (using just the things already on your shelves)
*Monthly Money Saving Tips: September (I've been working on this one for a while, so I'm pretty excited about it :-) So clean out your wallets- You're gonna have to make room for more money!)
Safe travels this weekend. K.
Also on the to-do list
*How To: Paint a bookshelf
*How To: Redecorate a bookshelf (using just the things already on your shelves)
*Monthly Money Saving Tips: September (I've been working on this one for a while, so I'm pretty excited about it :-) So clean out your wallets- You're gonna have to make room for more money!)
Safe travels this weekend. K.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
How To: Chore Charts
Today's Goal: Not only tackle those chores but a chore chart as well to help make things easier on us day to day. Now all chore charts are going to be different. They can be different colors, sizes, shapes, they can chart out the week or month, they can be set in stone or they can be a chore wheel to mix up the activity for each person in the household. They can even have different names: Chore Chart, Chore Wheel, To Do Chart, Cleaning Wheel, anything that works for you or your family.
Before you gather your supplies you need to decide what type of chart you would like. Would you like a chart that is clear and direct or something you can play a game with that adds variety? Keep in mind whether or not you would like to make a new chart each month or keep the same chart all year long. You also need to determine the number of people you will have listed on the chart and ALL of the chores needed to be done in the house (Dust, vacuum, dishes, sweep, clean the windows, laundry etc.) You can be as detailed as you need to on the types of chores depending on the number of and ages of people on your chart. For example a younger child may need to be told to "fold the laundry" and to "put the laundry away," whereas a teenager could simply be told to "do the laundry."
I'll show you how to make a simple and direct chore chart. This type of chart is great if you have a busier schedule, need more discipline or have many people living in the same household.
Supplies:
Poster Board or a Dry Erase Board depending on your budget. (The size really depends on the space you have in your home, but you should roughly estimate size by one sheet of 8x11 paper per person in the house).
Markers, Pens, Crayons, Colored Pencils, Dry Erase Makers (Anything that offers you a variety of colors).
A ruler or tape measure
Names of people who will be on the chart
List of ALL the chores that need to be done in your house.
Step one: Decide how many days you would like on the chart. Do you want to do chores on the weekend, if so you need 7 days, if not you only need 5. Add the number of days you want on your chart plus one (so you have a space to write names). Measure the width of your poster board and divide by the number of days plus one. (A 5 day week needs to devide by 6, and a 7 day week needs to devide by 8) So if your poster board is 30 inches wide and you devide by 6 columns, you should make a vertical line every five inches.
Step two: Decide how many people are going to be on your chart and add one (So you have a space to write the days of the week). If you have a family of four you need to measure the heigth of your poster and devide by five, drawing horizontal line each time. You should have what looks like a checkerboard pattern now.
DONT write anything in the TOP LEFThand corner!
Step Three: Write in the days of the week across the top, writing one day in each square, remember to skip the first square.
Step Four: Write in the names of your family members down the left hand side, one name per square, remembering not to write in the first box.
Step Five: Start filling in your chores!
Step Six: Hang it up on a common wall or on the refridgerator or the back of a door. Just make sure it is some place that everyone can see often and that its not too high on the wall for little ones to see.
Then you're done! And ready to clean!
Variations: You can use lots of different colors or just colors that match your homes decor. You can make a new chart for each person and hang it in there seperate rooms. You can use brightly colored poster board to draw attention to it. You can also double up on chores through out the week by having one person sweep on Monday and another perosn sweep on Thursday.
I recommend adding in a reward system as well. For each person that does well that whole week they earn a sticker, if you have four stickers at the end of the month, you receive a special treat: dessert, allowance or picking the movie or restaurant on family outings.
So go make your charts and send pictures of the end results back to me. K.
Before you gather your supplies you need to decide what type of chart you would like. Would you like a chart that is clear and direct or something you can play a game with that adds variety? Keep in mind whether or not you would like to make a new chart each month or keep the same chart all year long. You also need to determine the number of people you will have listed on the chart and ALL of the chores needed to be done in the house (Dust, vacuum, dishes, sweep, clean the windows, laundry etc.) You can be as detailed as you need to on the types of chores depending on the number of and ages of people on your chart. For example a younger child may need to be told to "fold the laundry" and to "put the laundry away," whereas a teenager could simply be told to "do the laundry."
I'll show you how to make a simple and direct chore chart. This type of chart is great if you have a busier schedule, need more discipline or have many people living in the same household.
Supplies:
Poster Board or a Dry Erase Board depending on your budget. (The size really depends on the space you have in your home, but you should roughly estimate size by one sheet of 8x11 paper per person in the house).
Markers, Pens, Crayons, Colored Pencils, Dry Erase Makers (Anything that offers you a variety of colors).
A ruler or tape measure
Names of people who will be on the chart
List of ALL the chores that need to be done in your house.
Step one: Decide how many days you would like on the chart. Do you want to do chores on the weekend, if so you need 7 days, if not you only need 5. Add the number of days you want on your chart plus one (so you have a space to write names). Measure the width of your poster board and divide by the number of days plus one. (A 5 day week needs to devide by 6, and a 7 day week needs to devide by 8) So if your poster board is 30 inches wide and you devide by 6 columns, you should make a vertical line every five inches.
Step two: Decide how many people are going to be on your chart and add one (So you have a space to write the days of the week). If you have a family of four you need to measure the heigth of your poster and devide by five, drawing horizontal line each time. You should have what looks like a checkerboard pattern now.
DONT write anything in the TOP LEFThand corner!
Step Three: Write in the days of the week across the top, writing one day in each square, remember to skip the first square.
Step Four: Write in the names of your family members down the left hand side, one name per square, remembering not to write in the first box.
Step Five: Start filling in your chores!
Step Six: Hang it up on a common wall or on the refridgerator or the back of a door. Just make sure it is some place that everyone can see often and that its not too high on the wall for little ones to see.
Then you're done! And ready to clean!
Variations: You can use lots of different colors or just colors that match your homes decor. You can make a new chart for each person and hang it in there seperate rooms. You can use brightly colored poster board to draw attention to it. You can also double up on chores through out the week by having one person sweep on Monday and another perosn sweep on Thursday.
I recommend adding in a reward system as well. For each person that does well that whole week they earn a sticker, if you have four stickers at the end of the month, you receive a special treat: dessert, allowance or picking the movie or restaurant on family outings.
So go make your charts and send pictures of the end results back to me. K.
You Have To Begin Somewhere
The idea to begin blogging came partly from my ability to form an opinion about everything and partly my ability to craft. My friends and family know about my rants, some of which are repeated as needed, and a few of them encouraged me to blog about them. So this is where they'll end up now. I love to share my latest craft or money saving tip with them as well. Add to the list that I love to cook and bake, that I'm a mother and obviously, I'm a wife. A wife to a United States Marine none the less. So expect some recipes and marital or parenting tips as well. I hope you enjoy and I hope you visit often. And I hope "you" are not just my mother.
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