tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716296456816733212024-02-07T08:47:53.959-08:00Stretch Your SavingsHow To Have More While Spending LessStretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-78246900356317742312019-01-11T12:59:00.002-08:002019-01-11T12:59:57.869-08:00Doing a Pantry Challenge / Freezer Challenge -Pt. 2 How To Prepare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations! You've decided to take control of your grocery budget and your food waste! Now what?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step 1: Gird Your Loins</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that's something only Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show" would say, but we need to do it. In other words, you need to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for what this upcoming month will be like. Embrace the fact that this will be worth it! But, in the meantime, we will not have access to convenience, laziness, or constantly feeding every craving that comes our way. And it's OK. It will just take some getting used to and some planning. The pile of cash at the end of the month is gonna be sah-WEET!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step 2: Rally The Troops</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have a family, do this however and whenever you think is best. Find a time when your husband is in a good mood...OR when he's really frustrated with not having enough money. This could be the answer he's been looking for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When approaching this subject with my kids, I framed it as a fun challenge. Let's see how creative we can be. Let's think of fun things to do with some of the extra money we'll have. I wonder how many new recipes we can try. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know your family best and you will know how and when to get them excited about this challenge. If you're single...rejoice that you don't need to lobby for support every time you want to do anything. :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step 3: Take Inventory</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the major reasons for embarking on this challenge is to use up what we have. I HATE when something gets shoved to the back of my pantry or bottom of my freezer and I end up throwing it in the trash when it's very expired. (I'll eat mildly expired food without a problem, but that's just me.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find a food inventory sheet online, print it out, and start digging. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have separate sheets for my freezer, my pantry, and my fridge. I then chose to further divide each sheet into sections. For example, my freezer sheet has areas for meat, vegetables, fruits, prepared foods, and meals. My pantry sheet has areas for dry goods, home canned foods, store-bought canned foods, mixes, and baking staples.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if you only have a tiny bit of something left, write it down and note the small quantity. It needs to get used up and not wasted. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step 4: Menu Plan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I printed out a free, generic, blank one-month calendar sheet and filled in this month's dates. I then chose my most perishable items and wrote down meals made from those items for the first days. When I've "used up" all the perishable items, then I can move to my frozen and shelf-stable ones and plan meals out of those. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep in mind, you can leave yourself some money to spend on perishable items weekly (if you want). I allow myself $20/week before sales tax. I usually spend it on fresh fruit, almond milk, and maybe bread. Just because we're eating random stuff from the deep, dark corners of our pantry, doesn't mean we forego nutrition. We thrive when we have fresh fruit to provide us the vitamins and fiber that we need. It's a big morale boost for my husband and kids too and that helps keep the natives from getting restless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feel free to look up recipes as needed. I was not sure how to use up the things I had (especially without adding more purchased items to them). There are helpful websites and Facebook groups out there. Pinterest is also useful when searching for recipes based upon a particular item.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>WHAT NOT TO DO</u> to Prepare:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Go out and stock up like a maniac before starting. That defeats the entire purpose. You spend more and you add to the already cluttered food stash. How silly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Wing it! Without a plan and without an iron-clad commitment, you will give up (or, at the very least, cheat). Write down what you plan to cook for dinner each night and write ideas for breakfasts, snacks, and lunches too. If you end up shuffling some days around, cool. I just recommend having something written down so you don't end up panicking at the last minute and ordering pizza.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Freak out and shut down ALL categories of spending. This challenge is already extreme enough. If you restrict yourself too much, you're likely to burn out quickly and begin to resent the process. We still have our dining out budget, household item budget, and personal "fun money" budget in full swing. I truly don't think we would've succeeded without doing that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Examples: A) When we run out of shampoo, we buy another bottle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B) I don't cancel my kid's birthday and he doesn't deserve to be slighted because of my drive to reduce food waste. We budget for it throughout the year, and the money is ready to devote to his cupcakes, dinner, gifts, and party. You get the picture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There you have it! Those are my top tips on how to prepare for a pantry challenge / freezer challenge. Feel free to ask any questions you may have and I'll try my best to answer them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Saving!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-75733597286048138132019-01-04T14:15:00.000-08:002019-01-04T14:15:17.156-08:00Pantry Challenge / Freezer Challenge Failure #1<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ooopsy. Well, guys...we're only 3 days into the month & I already goofed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's nothing big. It's nothing irreversible, yet it was an avoidable mistake and a good lesson learned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During our pantry/freezer challenge we are aiming to spend only $20 + tax on perishables each week. My first grocery haul totaled $5.99 before tax which is great. We got fresh foods that will brighten up our frozen and pantry items.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However...I didn't get the best bang for my buck. Here's what we got:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOPMbJwOmOxekcd8EYFmahNX_5tgqIo4QrNYewx5J2JZYtOwidTj8loSnFfOd4-pCUn9QM3jgwr0cz2rV1LRzKE_3lXs1ZBSPsBaDP_IAD51wVOByjqt_iq_PLxvphJZ_rBr3xtueX6M/s1600/groc+haul+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOPMbJwOmOxekcd8EYFmahNX_5tgqIo4QrNYewx5J2JZYtOwidTj8loSnFfOd4-pCUn9QM3jgwr0cz2rV1LRzKE_3lXs1ZBSPsBaDP_IAD51wVOByjqt_iq_PLxvphJZ_rBr3xtueX6M/s200/groc+haul+1.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See those 2 tiny containers of blueberries at the top? They were an awesome price. They were only 98 cents per container which is usually my "stock-up-like-a-maniac" price! However, I should've passed on them this month. Why? Because they lack volume. They won't fill us up. We could easily each gobble up a whole container as a snack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead, I should have opted for a bulkier fruit like the apples and pears that were 98 cents/lb or the bananas that were 44 cents/lb. They would have filled our bellies much better than these tiny berries will.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that's OK! This is by no means a catastrophic failure. It's just a reminder of HOW I need to start shopping. Just because something is a good deal, doesn't mean it's the BEST deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to focusing on price, I need to be aware of an item's volume, nutritional value, and versatility! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our next haul was $10.18 pre tax and contained:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> -- hot dog and hamburger buns (we're having friends over for lunch this weekend and will serve burgers and dogs and potato salad...hopefully they won't be able to tell we're feeding them on such a tight budget...but if they can, they won't mind. They're used to our weirdness and love us anyway!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> -- 8 lbs of navel oranges</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> -- 2 half gallons of organic almond milk</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will be keeping plenty of fresh fruit on-hand to keep morale in-tact for my hubby and kids. The almond milk will help us blow through the random boxes of cereal that I have found on clearance over the past few months. It'll also serve as my coffee creamer and will be used in recipes because we don't buy the sweetened or flavored kind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far, so good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Saving, y'all!</span><br />
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<br />Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-82978118939631219502019-01-02T13:42:00.001-08:002019-01-04T14:16:17.081-08:00Doing a PantryChallenge / Freezer Challenge Pt. 1 - The Reasons Why<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welp...here we go again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can't commit. Eek!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you ever done a pantry challenge (a.k.a. a freezer challenge)? It's where you commit to using only the foods you have on-hand for the month with the exception of a modest weekly stipend for fresh produce, milk and other perishables.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We did one 2 years ago and then another one a year and a half ago. They helped us in 3 major ways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) We saved a ridiculous amount of money. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, our monthly grocery budget is $500 and we spent under $80. Yep. For real. I chose to allot myself $20 per week and I didn't use it all. How much fun could you have with an extra $420? How nice would it feel to pay off some debt?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) We got out of our usual dinner rut. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We started eating some new, creative (read: weird) dishes and it really shook things up. It was refreshing to get out of our normal routine and the kids were always so excited to see what adventurous dish was next. Now, some of them might be staples in your home, but they were new to us and we started adding them into our rotation. Who knew that salmon patties made from canned salmon would be such a hit? Not this girl. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) Most importantly to me, we became more content with what we had. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was priceless to me. Our kids blew me away with their excitement about what was for supper that night, even when it was something they had never had before (and sometimes never wanted to have again!). We stopped feeling entitled to eating what we wanted and we became content with eating what we had. It. Was. Awesome. Food became fuel instead of a reward that always deserved fanfare. We're not entitled to that anyway and MY love of food had let us slip into that bratty mindset.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">OK, bonus benefit #4: It bonded us as a family. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the risk of sounding cheesy and "first world problem-y", we felt a sense of pride about sticking to something that was tough. A month is a long time. Cravings don't disappear overnight. Laziness on my part certainly didn't disappear overnight either. I wanted to grab something quick after a long day. We wanted to run through a drive-thru when we were short on time and nowhere near home. I wanted my kitchen to magically clean itself after cooking 93 meals! *twitch, twitch*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But we made it! We were in it together and that blessed us with a neat sense of unity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We actually did our 2nd challenge due to the prompting of my son. He thought it was "fun to act all survival-y". Again with the first world problems, right? I know. But I think if we're all honest with ourselves, this would stretch most people out of their comfort zones. $80 a month for a family of 4 hearty eaters is not normal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To be fair, we do have more than one freezer and a very well-stocked pantry. If you don't, then this could be a beneficial challenge to do for a couple of weeks until everything is gone. I was surprised at how much stuff had gotten lost in our very own home. Half-eaten boxes of French fried onions, a frozen batch of chili from 4 years prior...it was a nice excuse to get more organized as well. Hey, I guess that's benefit #5!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I might have just talked myself into it. We could all use some extra wiggle room in our budget (especially after Christmas spending, amiright?). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Part 2 of this Pantry Challenge / Freezer Challenge series will be about how to prepare for it. As with most things in life, your experience can be dramatically improved with a little foresight and planning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are you crazy enough to join me? Could you use a few hundred extra $ this month? Have you ever tried this before? Please share your questions and tips/tricks with us!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy Saving, friends!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-13848125673771704542018-12-01T11:57:00.001-08:002019-01-04T14:17:42.447-08:00How Can I Serve You?This is a completely unplanned, unexpected post. Why? Because this blog has been collecting cobwebs for a few years. I am amazed at how much traffic this blog has gotten even while being 100% unattended.<br />
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The good news is: I'm considering dusting it off & jumping back in to helping people live large on a tiny budget.<br />
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So! It's time for you to call the shots! Tell me whatcha want!<br />
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What types of questions do you have about saving money? What do you want to learn how to do? Are you looking for free printables to help keep your progress on track?<br />
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Holler at me! :) I'll see what I can do to help equip you to achieve your wildest dreams.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2nXYf5Zi2q_caCX4LivsUKtpZ0-fpYOJP1G0LGzjYoxG4vXZXppqmea4G73hR-vavM7q7UaAF8Na9mpk4LE8G7_DEuJEQpmMHYARNQqiJu2Ulw9RGbTWxTMhv6YiQCa74ftqd1UCUJo/s1600/collage+06272016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2nXYf5Zi2q_caCX4LivsUKtpZ0-fpYOJP1G0LGzjYoxG4vXZXppqmea4G73hR-vavM7q7UaAF8Na9mpk4LE8G7_DEuJEQpmMHYARNQqiJu2Ulw9RGbTWxTMhv6YiQCa74ftqd1UCUJo/s320/collage+06272016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For any of you who may be interested...the photo shares a glimpse of what I've been up to for the past 5 years. We moved from Las Vegas, NV to central Alabama to build a farm & learn to grow our own food. We love empowering & educating folks about the healing properties of healthy foods. And, YES, we did all this while still following the principles that Dave Ramsey & his team taught me several years ago.<br />
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I still employ the money-saving tips that I wrote about on this blog at the very beginning. Being on a budget has enabled us to stretch every dollar and become debt-free except for our home. I'd love to share more about our crazy journey with you.<br />
<br />Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-60313238956003384192014-02-25T09:32:00.000-08:002014-02-25T09:34:35.899-08:00Free Printable Labels<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow! I just ran across one of THE best free printables & I had to share them with you. This lady is a killer designer & offers some pretty vintage labels that you can actually customize. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://blog.worldlabel.com/2011/round-labels-in-a-vintage-style-design.html" target="_blank">Go to her blog & enjoy!</a> Customize, print & label your hearts out!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpGcURewdo7qdMFZpvdYF3ZWBK_xk-UXd7UCtxQXJTZAIoErwIrg9W-aQRITy2RY9L6ieq1G4mHqUXkz7sVFhESSHKRDZJiMpVt9WWkFq_RUs34XPcATv3uN2KJYvOKpr7eIq5yOFhBU/s1600/labels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpGcURewdo7qdMFZpvdYF3ZWBK_xk-UXd7UCtxQXJTZAIoErwIrg9W-aQRITy2RY9L6ieq1G4mHqUXkz7sVFhESSHKRDZJiMpVt9WWkFq_RUs34XPcATv3uN2KJYvOKpr7eIq5yOFhBU/s1600/labels.jpg" height="320" width="307" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-80451197097212773082014-01-30T08:50:00.001-08:002014-01-30T08:56:25.254-08:00Party Ideas for The Big Game<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I am a sucker for party food. If your team is playing in 'The Big Game', I'm sure you're having or attending a party. If your team isn't playing...let's just use this as an excuse for some killer party snacks! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today, I'm sharing two <em>knocked-outta-the-park</em> victories & one epic fail!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Over the years, I've been using Pinterest to find innovative ideas for snacks, drinks, party decor & other things you wouldn't believe if I told you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">One of my biggest party food victories has actually been about party drinks! I am obsessed with kitchen gadgets & my sodastream is no exception. Even after having (mostly) eliminating soda from my diet, I still put this bad boy to work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I use it to make sparkling water & just add some mint, lemon, lime, rosemary, cucumber...whatever sounds good. It's a quick, cheap, healthy alternative to soda & that extra-chemically diet soda. Sparkling lemonade is also transcendent. I highly recommend it. AND then...you can also make soda. Duh. The money this thing saved me when I drank soda was mind-boggling!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.sodastreamusa.com/default.aspx?siteID=FBWIN2n4Up0-VCMZtxZvX_XVRJYHgeS0MQ" target="_blank"><strong>I bought mine here.</strong></a> They're offering free shipping right now too. Score!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlo2JYOWm4md2aZ-QuFNgq0QBq0cI6KqArX4_oFS_-5bt6_oYXv081_RCy6fkMMjIZSMamaZH1ISb5h7ZF7tcuyEub1th1lxUrC8g9nGgUFGnFbWnS70-Oc9mcyaHuKbklRI3Ba5dbQcc/s1600/Detox-Water-1024x682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlo2JYOWm4md2aZ-QuFNgq0QBq0cI6KqArX4_oFS_-5bt6_oYXv081_RCy6fkMMjIZSMamaZH1ISb5h7ZF7tcuyEub1th1lxUrC8g9nGgUFGnFbWnS70-Oc9mcyaHuKbklRI3Ba5dbQcc/s1600/Detox-Water-1024x682.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My second party food victory was these fantabulous stuffed jalapenos. Dang, they were good! I've actually made them for dinner on a normal, non-party night. I get really excited when I find a healthier version of a sinful food that is actually enjoyable. <a href="http://www.gonnawantseconds.com/2010/07/cream-cheese-and-bacon-stuffed-jalapeno-poppers/" target="_blank"><strong> This is it!</strong></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZH3GpglGrPmXYSzx3hC5qRWFg21k4VV8HDW8ubswJnTnuyPwj6EFHlUernvBaIcYp3kNPzpvh3S5W88byOzOTuQOGL4U-xIxG_JxSIRT3hWW7K-CH8_M9cvJxUMXmjs2wSoMz9eHjFU8/s1600/stuffedjalapenos2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZH3GpglGrPmXYSzx3hC5qRWFg21k4VV8HDW8ubswJnTnuyPwj6EFHlUernvBaIcYp3kNPzpvh3S5W88byOzOTuQOGL4U-xIxG_JxSIRT3hWW7K-CH8_M9cvJxUMXmjs2wSoMz9eHjFU8/s1600/stuffedjalapenos2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now, for the epic fail:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Last year, I tried making these baked mozzarella sticks. I <em>lurve</em> me some fried cheese & was ecstatic that I could indulge with less guilt! I was wrong. It was an utter trainwreck. I ended up with a pizza stone full of melted cheese puddles topped with crumbs. Huge time-waster & even huger disappointment for my tummy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEer0Kd4VzfBG0rGOHb4xD9uPNOug3O4i-PFZrCqrz5KaSds67GsDm7tB2dlzDFrV27r8p4BjN38IlB16Z9FCIADvlD_pwVuMvm1J1vIh5GT33CvAYrAOLlg0YFl4HHjUvJ0AyLk93q4/s1600/meltedmess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEer0Kd4VzfBG0rGOHb4xD9uPNOug3O4i-PFZrCqrz5KaSds67GsDm7tB2dlzDFrV27r8p4BjN38IlB16Z9FCIADvlD_pwVuMvm1J1vIh5GT33CvAYrAOLlg0YFl4HHjUvJ0AyLk93q4/s1600/meltedmess.jpg" /></a></div>
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"String cheese chopped into bite size pieces, dipped in milk and bread crumbs, baked at 425 for 8-10 minutes- serve with marinara sauce!" <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sounds reasonable enough, right? Wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Save yourself the trauma. (Fortunately, the recipe has been yanked from where I pinned it, so I'm not directly embarrassing anyone.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Happy Snacking!!! ...and for those of you actually watching the game, may the best team win!</span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-82220837316373829152013-12-15T07:16:00.000-08:002013-12-15T07:20:34.844-08:00How To Stretch Your Grocery Dollar (Even After Your Shopping Trip)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipg1jbgU5eTtonRnCgz_ym9rnD4y2yc7-KO45gLf_lRkiNKFVlK3DQEQJZLG_FtBiAWFY049zxdsOJg4QJ14DqgoXU5dBc7pIJt9QN4w6sifK4abBlTY7a3EUrK26G0ucUdRT6f-6uutM/s1600/grandmachef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipg1jbgU5eTtonRnCgz_ym9rnD4y2yc7-KO45gLf_lRkiNKFVlK3DQEQJZLG_FtBiAWFY049zxdsOJg4QJ14DqgoXU5dBc7pIJt9QN4w6sifK4abBlTY7a3EUrK26G0ucUdRT6f-6uutM/s1600/grandmachef.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot of this blog is about stretching your savings. It's important. A penny saved is a penny earned!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But another crucially important part of saving money is stretching what you've already bought. I get SOOOO mad at myself when I find an awesome deal on food, buy a ton of it, bring it home & end up losing most of it. It's usually my fault & could've been prevented. Even if I had saved 75%...it becomes a 100% unnecessary expense with 0% nourishment of my family. Anger!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of us already have our own ways of stretching our grocery dollar at home. Some people have instituted "Meatless Monday" at their house. This saves money and helps their cholesterol. I haven't convinced my husband yet, but I'm working on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of us have fun, quirky tips & tricks to stretch recipes by substituting less expensive ingredients, switching out cuts of meat, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning I ran across a post about how most of our depression-era Grandmas would stretch their pantry ingredients. This article is different than most I've read. This article deals with a problem that I face on a regular basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We (as couponers, stockpilers, whatever you call us) usually buy a lot of food at once. We find a spectacular deal on an item & stock up with enough of that item to last us until it goes on sale again. ...Or we buy as much of it as we can possibly afford that week if it's something we know our family likes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enter the problem:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We over-bought & some of it is starting to go bad. Oops! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Maybe I didn't need that entire case of oranges after all."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I wish I had done a better job rotating my 5 million boxes of cereal so the older ones didn't get stale."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope I'm the only one this has happened to, but I imagine that I'm not alone here. That's why I decided to post a link to the article below. It shares tips on how to save food that's going bad, how to revive food that's past its prime & how to prevent items from going bad as quickly as they naturally would.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a decent list. Decent enough to make me take time out of my peaceful Sunday morning & post it on a blog I haven't touched in a long time! Enjoy.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.stretcher.com/stories/03/03dec15d.cfm?slider" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">14 Frugal Food Rescuing Tips From Grandma</span></strong></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, I'm not getting compensated. But even if I was, I'd still be honest about what I do & don't think you should spend time reading. Because your Time IS Money & I get that! :) </span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-79913229222444331052013-12-04T07:51:00.000-08:002013-12-04T07:51:37.321-08:00Free Owl CalendarHow fun is this?<br />
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I found a free, customizable, printable 2014 Owl Calendar! You can pick from 50 different owl-themed masterpieces & choose which month you want for each one.<br />
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I downloaded it & it's basically a 3-page format with 4 different months per page. It's going to make a cute, free gift for my daughter's teacher who adores owls. How fun! Enjoy!<br />
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Click on the precious icon below to start creating your calendar.<br />
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<a href="http://www.myowlbarn.com/p/owl-lover-2014-calendar.html"><img alt="Owl Lover 2014 Calendar" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2T7F2_DZqSSgGtIPowwRsEqo4WuDvQnGfGGJo3zaPsKxMGaNvaZi6XXN-WT3aB31AAbSyWO6RRJA4U9UbVUXrbrl3nXuSZE2jofY2ZWwpa7BnzyhWeGOsvS6Y_Cu0GtwM6Fq5-gdNlVC/s1600/share-logo-170.jpg" /></a>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-39585169765992748762013-08-12T17:20:00.000-07:002013-08-12T17:20:00.076-07:00Moving MadnessWhew! If anyone out there is moving into a new home (like I am), you know it's the epitome of exhaustion. And chaos. And disappointment that's hopefully at some point counteracted by excitement.<br />
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I just heard that blinds.com is running a couple of unprecedented sales this month. And, as always, they pick up the tab on shipping AND sales tax (when the government lets 'em).<br />
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Click on the cute photo to learn more. I'm stoked. And in serious need of a foot rub. Repeat after me: "A pretty house is worth the agony...". :)<br />
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<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=FBWIN2n4Up0&offerid=64972.10000062&subid=0&type=4"><img alt="Blinds.com" border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=FBWIN2n4Up0&bids=64972.10000062&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=9" /></a>
Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-40577453371831753002013-02-23T12:12:00.002-08:002013-02-23T12:13:13.323-08:00Hey, New Couponers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome to Stretch Your Savings! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope you enjoyed the Stewardship/Couponing Workshop. Congratulations for taking your first step towards spending less & having more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With a little hard work, you'll totally change things for your family. It's awesome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find the link to the <a href="http://www.stretchyoursavings.com/2011/02/best-grocery-prices.html" target="_blank"><strong>grocery price spreadsheet here</strong></a>. Like I said in the workshop, inflation is a beast! If you can get anywhere close to these prices, it's probably worth stocking up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you have any questions or would just like a little refresher course, you can check out the earliest posts on this blog. I began by explaining what motivated me to start & then wrote about each step of what I do every week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can find posts on <a href="http://www.stretchyoursavings.com/2011/02/how-to-organize-coupons.html" target="_blank">how to organize your coupons</a>, <a href="http://www.stretchyoursavings.com/2011/02/congrats-youre-about-to-be-bi-lingual.html" target="_blank">understanding coupon lingo</a>, <a href="http://www.stretchyoursavings.com/2011/03/make-your-own-cleaning-supplies.html" target="_blank">making your own cleaning supplies</a> & lots of other helpful tips.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Enjoy! Start slow. Stay organized. Don't give up. :)</span><br />
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Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-10627174189474247452012-12-24T09:16:00.003-08:002012-12-24T09:19:35.309-08:00Free Stocking Stuffers<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Merry Christmas!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF2fiCoRdYgajhIXCekAoZZ7xnA3GF1SflPAOrTTeOI1GRR0fW7o995fppuX7NbKIv2cUWM_wz0PTO-j2MuxCnjQ-_7xFlb-QIHEyEwquFAM8e-WasGR1JmtxxNGQvCqm7DQm-hVv4oM/s1600/stockings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF2fiCoRdYgajhIXCekAoZZ7xnA3GF1SflPAOrTTeOI1GRR0fW7o995fppuX7NbKIv2cUWM_wz0PTO-j2MuxCnjQ-_7xFlb-QIHEyEwquFAM8e-WasGR1JmtxxNGQvCqm7DQm-hVv4oM/s1600/stockings.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I thought I would share some of my newest free stocking stuffers with you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These things are adorable, free & will create fun memories with your kids. What more could we ask for?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click on the link below to be able to save & print your Christmas Coupons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/201254677069799026/" target="_blank">Follow this link to pinterest</a></strong> & enjoy! I printed out a set for each kid & I know they'll love them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Have a very Merry Christmas Eve & God bless! Love, Janie</span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-709725631672874112012-07-29T10:12:00.003-07:002012-07-29T10:15:22.256-07:00Backpacks for a Penny?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-_LxO9-FE5N5rtSsNsoHoP2yW12qhHJgQ_XHjG_ZpUftlkhr-kLw3NYlS6l7CSUoO4KkzyLu8VBzo9ZqyjYwpcayMiaEjJy_OcH27G-pHXW0ib4NiCoX7IeK3JsIGZqnh_oVIrRAb0M/s1600/Office-Maxbackpack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-_LxO9-FE5N5rtSsNsoHoP2yW12qhHJgQ_XHjG_ZpUftlkhr-kLw3NYlS6l7CSUoO4KkzyLu8VBzo9ZqyjYwpcayMiaEjJy_OcH27G-pHXW0ib4NiCoX7IeK3JsIGZqnh_oVIrRAb0M/s1600/Office-Maxbackpack.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this time of year! Back To School deals are popping up all over the place!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite so far has to be this:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.southernsavers.com/2012/07/office-max-backpacks-messenger-bags-1%c2%a2-after-rewards/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click here to read</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a post on </span><a href="http://southernsavers.com/"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SouthernSavers.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">! It gives the details on how to get 2 backpacks at Office Max for just a penny each!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I can't wait! We love donating as many school supplies as possible each year & this is the perfect way to start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Walmart has the basics on sale right now & there are some coupons that match. We've found good deals on crayons, markers, colored pencils & pens so far. I imagine that the rest will go on sale soon. Keep your eyes peeled!</span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-59892620920759203902012-07-05T09:25:00.002-07:002012-07-05T09:26:04.499-07:00Funny FarmersI am still dreaming of the day I am out of the Las Vegas ant farm. I feel claustrophobic (and a little creeped out) with my neighbors basically on top of me when I'm in our backyard.<br />
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My hubby and I want to grow our own food. We do the best we can with the tiny yard we have here, but we want acres! Enough food to feed us, our extended family, friends and whoever's in need.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5w4fR5_4YzUbGD3IRq7F_IvNl8CZleku68_ddQ3R_eHVWQIFrJRnTd97w-ezr7Y_dhZMOBkDrt9rgoFL2_aAJChWlyBVwJDLB8sAr_z7SqW18ZWWfNwKjd1uvQI_DWmGdnVaHQPImPw8/s1600/cow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5w4fR5_4YzUbGD3IRq7F_IvNl8CZleku68_ddQ3R_eHVWQIFrJRnTd97w-ezr7Y_dhZMOBkDrt9rgoFL2_aAJChWlyBVwJDLB8sAr_z7SqW18ZWWfNwKjd1uvQI_DWmGdnVaHQPImPw8/s1600/cow.jpg" /></a></div>
These Kansas farmers made a parody to "I'm Sexy And I Know It". They sing, "I'm Farming And I Grow It"! I'm glad they're proud of what they do. I'm proud of them.<br />
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The average age of a farmer is surprisingly old (with the majority of them being in their 70s!). We need more young, enthusiastic farmers like these guys. Enjoy!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H7zOQrX3U&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">Click here for the video!</a></strong>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-31885219619573455902012-06-28T09:33:00.003-07:002012-07-29T10:16:41.545-07:00Dave Ramsey and Your Grandmother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXuqbYpR6e7X5pjxegL85CM0BoXJvpi1S4MRasIkCJ9yfSilqoRkut33nuk8-ZYwRRSsW61N2SiRDrIMzyXg_7AoKaq5OfjgJIB1R6kk2OahCbQc4E85EvDb0pHAHun4UHK2ZckOGHeU/s1600/cnn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXuqbYpR6e7X5pjxegL85CM0BoXJvpi1S4MRasIkCJ9yfSilqoRkut33nuk8-ZYwRRSsW61N2SiRDrIMzyXg_7AoKaq5OfjgJIB1R6kk2OahCbQc4E85EvDb0pHAHun4UHK2ZckOGHeU/s1600/cnn.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Believe it or not, Dave Ramsey and your Grandmother have a lot in common.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes Grandmas share crazy wives' tales so we just smile and nod...then secretly roll our eyes. But other times they offer timeless wisdom that's invaluable...and we should be taking copious notes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A fella named Dave Ramsey has also shared some timeless wisdom, but is the first to admit, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm not telling you anything different than what you're grandmother would tell you.".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gmIDNQ7GIKQ7EfgQLzVqHA252kr33qxW-DYuWwbGl8OLVBpahvT44kx-9qoHd9v99fVl_fo51jyw4qwYNdZ1BFR-B90atVzzP0XegPUkIaATGz8SPwGFqRz6mX4PAeWzsgKdTu4vsx8/s1600/Dave_Jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gmIDNQ7GIKQ7EfgQLzVqHA252kr33qxW-DYuWwbGl8OLVBpahvT44kx-9qoHd9v99fVl_fo51jyw4qwYNdZ1BFR-B90atVzzP0XegPUkIaATGz8SPwGFqRz6mX4PAeWzsgKdTu4vsx8/s200/Dave_Jane.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am one of Dave Ramsey's Financial Coaches and he's a pretty smart cookie. He's also paid his fair share of what he calls "Stupid Tax" over the years when he's ignored the simple financial principles he teaches today. (Haven't we all!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, fortunately, he's come a long way & so have we. All because of some timeless wisdom. </span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2012/06/22/pf-hd-old-money-marriage.cnnmoney/?iid=SF_PF_River" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click here for a cool video of Grandmothers</span></a></strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and consider taking some notes! Turns out Dave Ramsey AND your Grandma are pretty smart cookies!</span><br />
<br />Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-61218231337055790332012-05-19T13:43:00.001-07:002012-05-19T13:43:50.934-07:00Food Revolution Day 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNWWSHDts3fm3IpKiH8LY9iDLoaVKcXf8IrjjEGIdREBS3_10atR_SR3FnlNFLyFt1XWD-hsZDXMugfI2BW4oQ7KxZYK4mbMST3xR_XvWZgG6bUUH0wYjJ-ujUR_-lKv5ZKxCNL__f_I/s1600/food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNWWSHDts3fm3IpKiH8LY9iDLoaVKcXf8IrjjEGIdREBS3_10atR_SR3FnlNFLyFt1XWD-hsZDXMugfI2BW4oQ7KxZYK4mbMST3xR_XvWZgG6bUUH0wYjJ-ujUR_-lKv5ZKxCNL__f_I/s320/food.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One of my favorite chefs, Jamie Oliver, made today Food Revolution Day! It's about eating real food instead of the processed junk that I (way too often) fall back on just to save time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Over 600 cities around the world are participating by focusing on real food today. Some people are having dinner parties, restaurants are holding events...WE went to the Orchard & picked our own food! Yes. In the Las Vegas desert.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I can't wait to concoct something scrumpty tonight! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The little ones at carrots & apricots with their lunch & couldn't get enough. It is VERY true that kids will try more foods if they're involved in either growing, picking or cooking them. I can't wait to try 2 new kinds of squash tonight: Starburst and One Ball. Who knows what they taste like, but I'm happy that we get to find out!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgsWBt4rJF9A8Ue9X6xNFfehHl6QxvHwFi8OcY4bS9jwC4If_RSpAYHsagF1ZraGlyewCTJLjGpxCwe71Yg_wUdQGlG-sc531GgfTJpOOYIalopM5llBjJflqGyGM5Kl7KCxScfgWG5A/s1600/EJ+squash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgsWBt4rJF9A8Ue9X6xNFfehHl6QxvHwFi8OcY4bS9jwC4If_RSpAYHsagF1ZraGlyewCTJLjGpxCwe71Yg_wUdQGlG-sc531GgfTJpOOYIalopM5llBjJflqGyGM5Kl7KCxScfgWG5A/s200/EJ+squash.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you haven't visited The Gilcrease Orchard yet, you need to! They charge $3 entry fee per car or you can park outside & walk in for free. Then, pick to your heart's content! Most of the produce is $1 per pound. It tastes, looks and smells infinitely better than anything from the store. It's bright, juicy, crunchy Heaven on earth!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Even if you just make something from scratch for dinner tonight, you can participate in Food Revolution Day! Let's get fresh, everyone!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EI4WSrxc7aZykGLDEm-wgt9QIoEhLNmsUzHvEX2I69oIGwQTVk7wcX7ugCPPmms8JDaok94FJbH_waHYRBrOoaNJcRT9ptS4u0ehZdOTACBYS9kUfVsOCPsgtDx_35ZfRtK1_gfXlxY/s1600/orchard+guy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EI4WSrxc7aZykGLDEm-wgt9QIoEhLNmsUzHvEX2I69oIGwQTVk7wcX7ugCPPmms8JDaok94FJbH_waHYRBrOoaNJcRT9ptS4u0ehZdOTACBYS9kUfVsOCPsgtDx_35ZfRtK1_gfXlxY/s320/orchard+guy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-42596206172171764192012-04-29T20:08:00.001-07:002012-07-29T10:16:03.473-07:00How To Know Exactly When To Buy Store Brands<br />
It might sound silly, but people tend to have surprisingly strong opinions on whether or not to buy store brands. <br />
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One camp says you should always buy them because (legend has it that) they're made at the same factories & are an obvious way to consistently save money. Another camp says to avoid them & buy name brands whose high value coupons make them a better deal.<br />
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I, however, live in neither of these camps. Why? Because I have been given a foolproof way to determine which store brands are indeed produced by the exact same folks that make the fancy, schmancy name brands. Pretty awesome.<br />
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<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-grocery-stores-arent-telling-you-about-generic-goods-2012-4" target="_blank"><strong>Read this article to learn my secret method.</strong></a> Fortunately, it's as simple as reading the label...& knowing exactly what to look for. Mystery solved! ...& having one less thing for the couponing world to quarrel about means more time to shop! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnaLRg2BWcB49K8K3p4NhusKtfRXQ_LU7vxOQQ6kWER4dlB0pf1lB2aWt2d8Cd1KLOppqrP-YUo8sj1x7zMfI2s9ZXdDU_Kmj7DdpUWGrXFl3uAQ-IxPxkNEe69YjneySgfVTWxHkEQU/s1600/storebrandPB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnaLRg2BWcB49K8K3p4NhusKtfRXQ_LU7vxOQQ6kWER4dlB0pf1lB2aWt2d8Cd1KLOppqrP-YUo8sj1x7zMfI2s9ZXdDU_Kmj7DdpUWGrXFl3uAQ-IxPxkNEe69YjneySgfVTWxHkEQU/s320/storebrandPB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-32519339512130178152012-03-18T16:46:00.000-07:002012-07-23T09:01:05.334-07:00Money Survey<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hi, everyone! I need some help & would love it if you'd share your opinions with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I made a 10-question survey that's super-quick to take! It will provide invaluable information as we refine what services to offer through our Financial Coaching. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbMy8BKP979gtboQ1dCRud14s78rCpw4UOsFtggqWg96f9MISticDUYCsqjgIpPr1KUCO5vkLkkvfYtlBdY6TVKltoNA9mrN7Bkae4fjkkj8dwI5yh2N_1FzRtvNMtTIIqeHPXVV_Sl0/s1600/surveybox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbMy8BKP979gtboQ1dCRud14s78rCpw4UOsFtggqWg96f9MISticDUYCsqjgIpPr1KUCO5vkLkkvfYtlBdY6TVKltoNA9mrN7Bkae4fjkkj8dwI5yh2N_1FzRtvNMtTIIqeHPXVV_Sl0/s320/surveybox.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thanks for your help! I realize that your life is probably at least as busy as mine & that your time is extremely precious. If you're interested, I'll post the results once they're in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a great week!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/G3K9VQG">Click here to take the survey.</a></em></strong></span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-88989726583769661282012-01-23T09:58:00.000-08:002012-01-23T09:59:02.996-08:00Money-Saving Household Hints- Fabric Softener<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Mom has sent me some handy new books about quirky household & money-saving ideas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So far, I've found out that fabric softener & the sheets are pretty darn multi-functional.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF8isknjIl0FySUH0F8CXk3m08Wkic4CjArriO8v4rFDY6gqZmKZ1DqsEV0W527rSj2v35Fq1NPpctZRL2DkLQl9dqIr2eLeYxPRYRWgh82D4h7ZDAiqSgA8G5khHKs52-DTAObGU2BA/s1600/fabricsheet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF8isknjIl0FySUH0F8CXk3m08Wkic4CjArriO8v4rFDY6gqZmKZ1DqsEV0W527rSj2v35Fq1NPpctZRL2DkLQl9dqIr2eLeYxPRYRWgh82D4h7ZDAiqSgA8G5khHKs52-DTAObGU2BA/s1600/fabricsheet.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* You can spray your broom with 3 parts water & 1 part liquid fabric softener to reduce the amount of dust it kicks up. I WILL be trying this at work (at Starbucks) because simply re-arranging the dust in the cafe is annoying to everyone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* You can apparently dust your TV & computer screens with a used fabric softener sheet to get the dust AND static off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* An unused fabric softener sheet can be used to clean up pet hair. Just wipe it on the sofa, carpet, your dog...anywhere the hair's stuck to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The name of the books are <em>Who Knew?</em> and they've published 3 volumes so far. They're written by Bruce & Jeanne Lubin & I plan on sharing a lot of their hints with you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Have a great week! :)</span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-61924393896353681342012-01-17T10:02:00.000-08:002012-01-17T10:03:25.535-08:00The Easiest Way To Save Money!<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, folks...I think it's finally happened. After 80 long weeks of price matching which has cost me countless hours of combing through grocery ads, there is finally an easier way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I found a website (whose services are now free!) that I've been using to price match all of my grocery & household items for the past few weeks. They're unlike any other site I've been using & I'm hooked. Here's why:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* The prices are good. They don't just lazily post every price in the weekly ads (because some of those prices are downright highway robbery). I know if the price is on this site, it at least deserves a second glance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* The dates are accurate. They're very quick to update the info, so you aren't seeing a 2-day sale price that expired 3 days ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* They include most of the ethnic markets whose prices are MUCH better than traditional grocery chains.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* You can arrange the departments in the route <em>you </em>specifically travel around the store. Then it prints the list in<em> that</em> order which eliminates the frustration of back-tracking when you've missed an item as your flipping back & forth between 3 lists! Grrrr! Life is good now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">* When the list prints out, the back pages contain little photos of each individual ad. Walmart is supposed to ad match even if you don't have the ad, but it never hurts to have some concrete proof with you...especially if it's a particularly sweet deal on meat.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oR4cI0cYrOUyuK9qP4k53ucnx4EIwnsnAxbvtF0wq3vlrGRxBpzqEjY7Fvi3GQqZRp9jGJBiBLu1UTM1htHveoU5scIG_EYUmgz6jgtrDp-l_5z1HO39zloY0sHABV4t-AQJE28L6zw/s1600/grocerycart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oR4cI0cYrOUyuK9qP4k53ucnx4EIwnsnAxbvtF0wq3vlrGRxBpzqEjY7Fvi3GQqZRp9jGJBiBLu1UTM1htHveoU5scIG_EYUmgz6jgtrDp-l_5z1HO39zloY0sHABV4t-AQJE28L6zw/s1600/grocerycart.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Enjoy, Las Vegas! Dramatically cutting your grocery costs has just gotten a lot easier. And for my readers outside of Vegas...hopefully this inspires you to find or create a resource like this in your part of the country!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">All this (& a blog) can be found at<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><a href="http://ipricematch.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">ipricematch.com</span></strong></a>. I probably spend 30 minutes creating my shopping list now...it used to take a couple of hours between all the ads & websites. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I've been able to spend my last 3 Tuesday nights bonding with my hubby instead of being stuck combing through hundreds of ad prices. When I first found this site, I was envious that I didn't have the technical resources to share my grocery prices in an efficient way...now, I just cuddle up & watch a movie with a handsome man & feel thankful that somebody else did! :) </span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-67127714031713599062012-01-05T13:02:00.000-08:002012-01-05T13:02:12.026-08:00Grow Your Own Green Onions<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drumroll, please! Here are the results from our latest Money-Saving experiment. I was pleasantly surprised at what happened! ...despite a bumpy start.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPOB-v1I53Ob-sPI5bgdOT1xzGZDghVkwEJ6460yTPRD9e-3S8PDBp2DLHePxUfhrC2S2Slq4h1Cj2UI6vYnwcB4-1LDHgNRWSJd9iXaFxv_F5qJH6NANLdha2akklTAXKTDJy-A-psc/s1600/onionsdiybefore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPOB-v1I53Ob-sPI5bgdOT1xzGZDghVkwEJ6460yTPRD9e-3S8PDBp2DLHePxUfhrC2S2Slq4h1Cj2UI6vYnwcB4-1LDHgNRWSJd9iXaFxv_F5qJH6NANLdha2akklTAXKTDJy-A-psc/s320/onionsdiybefore.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial;">I heard that green onions will keep regenerating themselves in water. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, I headed to the fridge to grab some (that I got for 20 cents thanks to some <strong><a href="http://stretchyoursavings.blogspot.com/2011/12/best-grocery-prices-in-las-vegas-122811.html" target="_blank">price-matching prowess</a></strong>), </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">filled a canning jar with water & stuck 'em in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's what they looked like after a few days</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not great, but notice all the new growth! There were 7 or 8 new onions growing up from between the old ones. To be honest, this was an older, semi-slimy bunch of onions to begin with, so I wasn't expecting stellar results. I was just impatient (as usual) & wanted to get started right away with whatever I had on-hand. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I also stripped the slimy outer layer off of these before placing them in the water which turns out to be a mistake since the new onions grow out of the 'cracks' between the current ones. Leave them as much of their natural protection as possible.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fortunately, green onions were still on sale the following week, so I started over with a proper bunch of fresh guinea pigs. Much better, yes?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvgWAoYmgU4b935b7fq3jZvSL-wNVQMEteqKL3KvAF8zLihifOlcMOS8SCgduo1GkuWH1FGrd_6m1rW3GVzzVYmEovn2f6sU1BBav70k933W0R4taDTHptqfWOuBg6GlRzhNL-Ms4wKE/s1600/onionsdiy1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvgWAoYmgU4b935b7fq3jZvSL-wNVQMEteqKL3KvAF8zLihifOlcMOS8SCgduo1GkuWH1FGrd_6m1rW3GVzzVYmEovn2f6sU1BBav70k933W0R4taDTHptqfWOuBg6GlRzhNL-Ms4wKE/s320/onionsdiy1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 7 days, we had ourselves some gorgeous, tender new scallions! Two of them actually grew so high that they fell over & broke. Maybe I should transfer them from the canning jar to a clear vase for some extra support. They were scrumptious, mild & fresh-tasting. Success!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivANoYtPWDSERhZwUJlwOsh1eOQcw7kL8tvtC7fLTXvXqzq1uuKPOtwqUj6XK053LewnFks9AvLWQBbBghQPe2ak-vqqmxjgHA8Ie8glhYbh5pBuUpjnwX-gMzOn2StRS3gtM4mvCNNzE/s1600/onionsdiy2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivANoYtPWDSERhZwUJlwOsh1eOQcw7kL8tvtC7fLTXvXqzq1uuKPOtwqUj6XK053LewnFks9AvLWQBbBghQPe2ak-vqqmxjgHA8Ie8glhYbh5pBuUpjnwX-gMzOn2StRS3gtM4mvCNNzE/s320/onionsdiy2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was exciting to know that we can still grow our own food even when it's freezing outside. My green thumb gets a bit depressed during the winter & this was just what it needed. Now, to find some thrifty recipes & put these bad boys to use! Have fun!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-37753675140847246752012-01-05T11:19:00.000-08:002012-01-05T11:27:58.299-08:00Oven-Fried Pickles!Well, Pinterest strikes again! I swear, I adore that site. I found a healthier, easier recipe for fried pickle chips. My little sister's coming into town today and we WILL be making these.<br />
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For those of you who are unfamiliar with these crispy, salty bites of Heaven, you can find them at Smashburger in Las Vegas. They're the perfect side dish for a spicy burger. For my Southern readers, you're probably already addicted to these & are currently opening a jar of pickles in anticipation for this recipe.<br />
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That's me in New Orleans last year...recovering from an infamous bout of the stomach flu. Really infamous. A foodie like me being queasy in the Big Easy was torturous. BUT, as soon as I felt human again, I hit the fried pickles! These were at a little dive oyster bar & they were especially heavenly. (I wasn't brave enough to assault my poor tummy with raw oysters at that juncture, so I was elated to see these guys on the menu!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3J7Xgd1G5v-tKljfnBXQ62UYM2uX5tG0FWotPkYlpxu8XZkTMfpO3zcU1jVTgW_u7xMwwp8tfx-Pr9IiprCyBzqNKbn_uxr1eJV76NJNgyXy_MKrqk4QANxdLDifzZi6-6hoku2zVuBs/s1600/NOLA+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3J7Xgd1G5v-tKljfnBXQ62UYM2uX5tG0FWotPkYlpxu8XZkTMfpO3zcU1jVTgW_u7xMwwp8tfx-Pr9IiprCyBzqNKbn_uxr1eJV76NJNgyXy_MKrqk4QANxdLDifzZi6-6hoku2zVuBs/s320/NOLA+061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I don't own a deep fryer & happen to be absolutely terrified of spattering, spitting grease in a frying pan. So this recipe just might change my life...without changing my waistline as much as the original recipe tends to do. ;)<br />
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I plan on dipping these little suckers in some Ranch dressing, whole grain mustard & Cajun remoulade! A cold beer, some pork spareribs & good company will round out the perfect evening.<br />
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Well, here we go...<strong><a href="http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/175869/oven-baked-pickles"target="_blank">Click here for the easiest recipe known to man.</a></strong><br />
Who says good ol' Southern comfort food can't fit into our New Year's resolutions? Enjoy!<br />
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-80364413145120440002012-01-02T21:05:00.000-08:002012-01-02T21:08:20.798-08:00Yep!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGKG0TYHkYEoBypAZlqYLoL5QYjYS2-vK8v343bCIcLeeBantvnijDWHz_5WCGRoRcArM8cIBNtXHnZ8Y7Jc-qeUo5uSeyY9pnhLJd-nFZhh5ugXk1i8-Ul3tUaezR7UNcqxKfrRiIS4/s1600/devil+sux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGKG0TYHkYEoBypAZlqYLoL5QYjYS2-vK8v343bCIcLeeBantvnijDWHz_5WCGRoRcArM8cIBNtXHnZ8Y7Jc-qeUo5uSeyY9pnhLJd-nFZhh5ugXk1i8-Ul3tUaezR7UNcqxKfrRiIS4/s400/devil+sux.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Found this on<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cdiv%20style='padding-bottom:%202px;%20line-height:%200px'%3E%3Ca%20href='http://pinterest.com/pin/201254677067639526/'%20target='_blank'%3E%3Cimg%20src='http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/201254677067639526_7hRf0vvF_c.jpg'%20border='0'%20width='480'%20height%20='475'/%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20style='float:%20left;%20padding-top:%200px;%20padding-bottom:%200px;'%3E%3Cp%20style='font-size:%2010px;%20color:%20#76838b;'>Source: <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/217463786_meMOpfme_c.jpg'>d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net</a> via <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com/ericswife/' target='_blank'>Jane</a> on <a style='text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com' target='_blank'>Pinterest</a></p></div>"> Pinterest</a>. Love it.</div>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-47932216257984405902011-09-01T10:58:00.000-07:002011-09-01T10:58:38.016-07:00God Bless America<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDIbrG_rvwW43ZSoNnfHhn2-0fPL_CIK-pj2pKDq8BDMwft3OTKKq5eqKoN3NTvwlO-TCXR6yJcKUOz8Gv_x0n3XAXp8lgUTd0Hb-yUg3l-3E-hhcP0jWE4dutG61OzBIckZn1IO95uA/s1600/sept11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDIbrG_rvwW43ZSoNnfHhn2-0fPL_CIK-pj2pKDq8BDMwft3OTKKq5eqKoN3NTvwlO-TCXR6yJcKUOz8Gv_x0n3XAXp8lgUTd0Hb-yUg3l-3E-hhcP0jWE4dutG61OzBIckZn1IO95uA/s1600/sept11.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Amidst our crazy, hectic lives, I'd like to invite us all to take a minute to pray for our country. I still get tears in my eyes as I remember the day we were all minding our own business & got sucker-punched on our own soil by a bunch of misled cowards. <br />
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I am indescribably thankful for everyone who sacrificed their time, resources or lives that day in an effort to help their neighbor. My deepest appreciation also goes to all military personnel & their families who have made painful sacrifices in an effort to keep us safe.<br />
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God bless you all & God Bless America. :_-)<br />
Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-79695237631343689992011-07-11T10:38:00.000-07:002011-07-11T10:39:39.389-07:00Our Next Canning Adventure<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_62ritK7k2YCgEkIJWDNoZ3DNTHVKRhu9i9Ui8xPN9rgY16N094uw6rosaW7KuDhwe7uSw3Od6d3XxiRk-1bTmXM26CnrOjjvUdhr5t12j744Lv8IGUFCyHR3nPZIirBLYwOAAMEHzTI/s1600/pickles1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_62ritK7k2YCgEkIJWDNoZ3DNTHVKRhu9i9Ui8xPN9rgY16N094uw6rosaW7KuDhwe7uSw3Od6d3XxiRk-1bTmXM26CnrOjjvUdhr5t12j744Lv8IGUFCyHR3nPZIirBLYwOAAMEHzTI/s320/pickles1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We did it! We learned so much about canning at our Discover You CAN House Party. I've been super-excited to attempt another batch of canning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sooo, after an exhausting, 103 degree morning at the Gilcrease Orchard (accompanied by 2 slightly overheated pre-schoolers), we had enough pickling cucumbers to make a batch of pickles! We also had a nice little haul of pickling cukes from our garden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I used the "Dill Pickle" recipe from the Ball Canning Blue Book & then added some components from other pickle recipes. I chose to add a bay leaf, a hot chili pepper, a clove of garlic, a few mixed peppercorns & 1/4 teaspoon of Ball Pickle Crisp to each pint jar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We had to get creative with the different sizes & shapes of pickling cucumbers. We left the tiniest guys whole, made spears from the long ones (so they'd fit in the jar & leave the required 1/2 inch of head space) & we sliced the fatter ones. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzZGRT4ObZtj7MNj3Ky2sMNCiQ10aBaoDCOOjRpFdVjVy-dMLt3Sbs65nnf6MO0l5skzi_WrHV-mn-oH25gdRShIuxeKODc2QXhEuROVI193YCui4RzTGjzh8VKx_tjk6_cRq8NWA-Lg/s1600/pickles2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzZGRT4ObZtj7MNj3Ky2sMNCiQ10aBaoDCOOjRpFdVjVy-dMLt3Sbs65nnf6MO0l5skzi_WrHV-mn-oH25gdRShIuxeKODc2QXhEuROVI193YCui4RzTGjzh8VKx_tjk6_cRq8NWA-Lg/s1600/pickles2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzZGRT4ObZtj7MNj3Ky2sMNCiQ10aBaoDCOOjRpFdVjVy-dMLt3Sbs65nnf6MO0l5skzi_WrHV-mn-oH25gdRShIuxeKODc2QXhEuROVI193YCui4RzTGjzh8VKx_tjk6_cRq8NWA-Lg/s320/pickles2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">The first few jars were kinda pathetic. I didn't pack nearly enough into them & after being processed, they're mostly liquid with some pickles floating around. I even had to make an impromptu partial batch of the pickling liquid in order to use all of the cucumbers. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">But, near the end, my hubby packed those suckers in there so tightly that we needed about 1/2 of the pickling liquid we used in the first jars. And they looked beautiful, if I do say so myself...that's them in the photo. The chips are also far more cooperative than the quirky, irregularly-shaped whole cucumbers, so you can get them packed much tighter.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We haven't tasted them yet. They've just been sitting on the counter, taunting my 3-year-old pickle fanatic of a daughter. We'll take a jar or 2 to Alabama & let my parents, grandparents & cousin taste them with us. I think pickles are like pizza...even when they're bad, they're still alright. I'll give you the verdict when we get back from Alabama.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLcH626zKcE36GrYihZe-T5HWdjaUWJ0EHM7vNtwImqmgSFBl7n9jhwTtBiuix3Rv6i5r7uwh07rPvmY2rQdRzt8xGtMW3G6qRB6eFywMpPVG-faplf8fFE-aUVMf6yHO0QHMn9VZxjA/s1600/salsa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLcH626zKcE36GrYihZe-T5HWdjaUWJ0EHM7vNtwImqmgSFBl7n9jhwTtBiuix3Rv6i5r7uwh07rPvmY2rQdRzt8xGtMW3G6qRB6eFywMpPVG-faplf8fFE-aUVMf6yHO0QHMn9VZxjA/s1600/salsa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLcH626zKcE36GrYihZe-T5HWdjaUWJ0EHM7vNtwImqmgSFBl7n9jhwTtBiuix3Rv6i5r7uwh07rPvmY2rQdRzt8xGtMW3G6qRB6eFywMpPVG-faplf8fFE-aUVMf6yHO0QHMn9VZxjA/s320/salsa2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm anxious to use some of the tomatoes from our garden to can some salsa! Now that they're finally turning red, they're ripening so fast we can hardly use them quickly enough. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhON4NVFKX0nf_OsKLhMRbMlt757mvRtohBFR8qVatpH-MyLx4jUA_XJsQzLtdmGD9jHEIDv3mB2jf_ghzLOY6vzorbQCjP1KV2LrFp550uvjvzrYn2WnBDxBON_u7JNnHRkbQKfEuZ-HA/s1600/tomatoesgarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhON4NVFKX0nf_OsKLhMRbMlt757mvRtohBFR8qVatpH-MyLx4jUA_XJsQzLtdmGD9jHEIDv3mB2jf_ghzLOY6vzorbQCjP1KV2LrFp550uvjvzrYn2WnBDxBON_u7JNnHRkbQKfEuZ-HA/s320/tomatoesgarden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This weekend alone, I've made homemade pomodoro sauce, pico de gallo & bruschetta & we still have this many left. It's a great "problem" to have & I'm glad our little garden has been blessed this season. I'll keep you posted.</span></div>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371629645681673321.post-6471415416532710432011-07-03T17:22:00.000-07:002011-07-03T17:22:56.092-07:00Canning Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQlVC2GpoaT2zI5svmfTZlg1xVzav_hA9tgcEwhrboKxv91SYAPUcBiuymU5CrocXcFuTdXQZsjq_MsY4lEb5okughHXG1sS_oMCZqcpzN_0bW26hh5WCSwxzpfCeRkNoS74RmqSJHLk/s1600/ball+kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQlVC2GpoaT2zI5svmfTZlg1xVzav_hA9tgcEwhrboKxv91SYAPUcBiuymU5CrocXcFuTdXQZsjq_MsY4lEb5okughHXG1sS_oMCZqcpzN_0bW26hh5WCSwxzpfCeRkNoS74RmqSJHLk/s320/ball+kit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We won! Ball Canning sent us this kit to have a "Discover You CAN" House Party! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was really fun & we learned a lot. We made strawberry jam, which I don't really even like, but I was desperate to learn more about canning. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We made a plain strawberry batch & added blueberries to another batch & added peaches to the 3rd batch. Of the 3 batches, we cooked 2 & made 1 batch of "no-cook". We used Classic Pectin, Instant Pectin & Liquid Pectin in the different batches. And we even experimented with some jars that we simply turned upside down after putting the lid on. We didn't even process them & they sealed just like the others! My neighbor who couldn't attend the party told me that trick the week before. We learned SO much!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbdElJxFENP9oS3kDbuRGBaJNGGexZC8_tSidojrndI_5jMERT940KNXOYd5xU9em4ajAsUGz4FoosLu1NDZz_dctbgy-xP2i_kztIn9GZLVwfe6Ocn6zz3b7OP72cj3V5aB6C67ow_A/s1600/ball+party1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbdElJxFENP9oS3kDbuRGBaJNGGexZC8_tSidojrndI_5jMERT940KNXOYd5xU9em4ajAsUGz4FoosLu1NDZz_dctbgy-xP2i_kztIn9GZLVwfe6Ocn6zz3b7OP72cj3V5aB6C67ow_A/s320/ball+party1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This picture shows the strawberry & strawberry-peach batches. The photo below is of the strawberry-blueberry batch. It was significantly smaller. We think it's because we used the "no-cook" method which means we didn't boil the fruit, sugar & pectin mixture. When we boiled the other batches, they got very frothy & puffed up which added volume. The batch we didn't cook should be super-dense. It was much easier to skip the cooking step, but I was disappointed to get 9 jars instead of 14.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMf5m2Cxqoisx6Zbl-KyXf7P9RK70w_SYUqUbMcQaUX7GBvcq0drN4VGBCbYNSiTvs1b8tet4pOENwq3He9cwHT1bE31guhU97GBnX_uDr6uBxgUnm9d19eBLDNMvink_aFzlTvSEfuM/s1600/ball+party2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMf5m2Cxqoisx6Zbl-KyXf7P9RK70w_SYUqUbMcQaUX7GBvcq0drN4VGBCbYNSiTvs1b8tet4pOENwq3He9cwHT1bE31guhU97GBnX_uDr6uBxgUnm9d19eBLDNMvink_aFzlTvSEfuM/s320/ball+party2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Canning is a great skill to have, but making jam is not cost effective unless you grow your own fruits & veggies or can source them very inexpensively. We got 42 half-pints out of 20 pounds of fruit & 10 pounds of sugar! I'll stick to canning what I grow for now.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to some pickles, salsas, pestos, tapenades & hot sauces! Who knows...maybe I've found my calling & will come up with the next Tabasco! :) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S.- Thanks for being patient with my absence. I still love you & I will try to be more consistent now that life appears to be a tad less complicated...for the moment.</span>Stretch Your Savingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482347527920254075noreply@blogger.com0