Printable Coupon For Ziploc Big Bags

Visit Ziploc's website to print a coupon for buy one, get one free on the Big Bags.

If you haven't tried them yet, they are very sturdy! On top of being usefull for traveling, they are made of the same plastic as regular quart and sandwich size Ziplocs, making them food safe! You can use these to organic your pantry, as well as store open bags of bigger foods (such as 10 lb bags of flour during holiday baking season!)

Free Sample Cascadian Farms Organic Granola

If you'd like to try a sample of the new Cascadian Farms Organic chocolate chip chewy granola bar, just fill out your mailing information on their website! You'll receive your sample in the mail in 6 to 8 weeks.

I am drooling already! :)

Happy New Year To All!

Have a wonderful New Year all! If you are going out to celebrate, stay safe! (and post about it, so I can live vicariously through you! LOL)

Are you making any resolutions? Here's mine: to find even more great deals this year!

Free Sample Of Total Cranberry Crunch Cereal

Fill out your information to receive a free sample of Total Cranberry Crunch Cereal. It should arrive in 6 to 8 weeks.

Preparedness Tuesday: Job Loss Budgeting

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I am talking about budgeting in case of job loss or the possibility of it. Even if you are pretty sure your job is safe, you may want to go ahead and prepare just in case, and enjoy maybe saving some cash!

The first thing you will want to do is file for unemployment if you are able to. Sometimes, even if you don't think you are eligible, you actually might be, so don't step away from this very important source of help!

One tip is to always make sure your resume is always up to date and ready to go. You never know when the perfect opportunity might land on your lap, even if you're not in danger of losing your job!

Next, sit down (with your DH/DW/SO if this applies), pull out a pen and paper, and list every bill, including extra ones like Netflix, cell phones etc. Work through the list and make sure you place them in order of priority. All SECURED debt such as mortgages and car loans need to be at the top of the list! After you've done this, you'll want to see how much available cash each month you have to pay these bills. Try to avoid touching your savings if you can - this might be easier if you are a two income household.

A lot of financial folks will tell you to cut off everything non-essential - from your internet, to your cell phone, to your gym membership. I'm actually not one to suggest that unless you absolutely have to. What I do suggest is that you pare down - for instance, if you are paying for 7mbs high speed cable internet, drop it down to 1.5. My reasons for keeping internet? Simple:

1) You can job hunt without wasting gas (or bus fare) and study up on topics in your job field, as well as get tips from others in your same situation.
2) You can search for deals on shopping, as well as do online surveys and print coupons to help stretch your grocery budget. (you generally can't do this at the library)
3) If you have entertainment at home, such as being able to watch TV shows online, you're less likely to want to leave the house to find something to do and be more likely to break down and spend money you shouldn't be.

Your cell phone is pretty useful too, as potential employers could reach you anywhere, although I would also suggest you pare that down to the minimum plan.

Cable, Netflix, gym memberships again: if you're not 100% using them (such as going to the gym on a daily basis) close them down until things are more stable. You can usually borrow movies for free from the library, and every Monday, a new code is released for a free Redbox movie - that will help you keep up to date on new releases. If you need to work out, and you don't like to run outdoors, check your local freecyle or Craigslist for used equipment for free or very cheap. I often see weights, treadmills, and rowing machines on ours. Yes, they may be a little older in some cases, but at least you are able to work out.

If you decide to keep your cable and internet, call and see if there's a better rate available. The same goes for any phone lines, and your credit cards - often they will drop the interest rate a couple of percents if you just ask. Even if you don't carry a balance on them at the moment, it's still nice to know if you need to, you won't pay as much in interest.

I don't suggest cutting your credit cards in this situation, because I feel you never know when you might need them for an emergency. However, you want to stop using them immediately if you can, and definitely for anything other than food, gas, or shelter. If you're a compulsive shopper (see the guilty look on my face?) slip your credit cards into a zip lock sandwich bag and squeeze all the air out. Grab a plastic tupperware container, fill it with water, and put the ziploc bag of cards in it, and freeze them! You'll have to wait for it to defrost before you can use it, which usually curbs the shopping craving.

Remember, once you create your budget, you will have to stick to it. The first few weeks are generally the hardest part while you adjust, but after the first month, it gets easier.

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

Quick Link To More Great Blogs!

Twitter Moms: The Influential Moms Network

Menu Planning Monday

Monday: Olive Garden for dinner

Tuesday: pasta & garlic bread

Wednesday: Salsa Chicken Quesadillas

Thursday: homemade pizzas

Friday: Veggie Toss

Saturday: breakfast for dinner - pancakes, scrambled eggs & bacon

Sunday: Taco Bake



Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Fred Meyer Deals 12/28 - 1/3

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*USDA Select Beef Loin New York Steak $4.99 lb (family pack)
*USDA Choice Beef Flat Iron Steak $4.99 lb
*Broccoli Crown or Cauliflower $0.68 lb
*Nature Made Vitamins BOGOF
*Reser's Chip Dips 10/$10
*Stagg Chili 10/$10
*Country Oven or Vita Bee Bread 3/$5
*Solo Cups, Plates, or Bowls 2/$5
*Pace Salsa or Picante Sauce 2/$5
*Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk 2/$5
*Tree Top Apple Juice or Blends 2/$4
*Pepsi or Aquafina 12pks 2/$9
*Tyson Bagged Chicken Products $6.99
*Kraft Singles 2/$5
*Quaker or Fred Meyer Cereals 5/$10
*Norelco Razor Replacement Heads Save $5
*Sensodyne Toothpaste $2.99 after in store MC
*Mitchum Deodorant or Antiperspirant $1.99 after in store MC
*Herbal Essences Hair Care $2.79
*Tampax or Always $5.49
*Atkins Ready to Drink Shakes 4pk 2/$10
*Alli Starter Kit $39.99
*Large Avocados 4/$5
*Jazz or Pink Lady Apples $1.48 lb
*Jumbo Artichokes 2/$5
*FM Dressing 2/$5
*Organic Mini Peeled Carrots $1.49 lb
*Organic Grape Tomatoes 1 pint 2/$5
*Organic Navel Oranges $0.98 lb
*Bulk Deluxe Mixed Nuts or Cashews $5.99 lb
*Knudsen Spritzers or Santa Cruz Organic Sodas 6pk $3.49
*Knudsen Sparkling Juice 3/$5
*Kettle Chips or Mexi Snax Tortilla Chips 2/$5
Imagine Foods Organic Soup 2/$5
*Yogi Tea 2/$6
*Charmin Bath Tissue $6.99
*Bounty Paper Towels $6.99
*Tide or Cheer Laundry Detergent $10.99
*Iams Dry Dog Food $17.99
*Dunkin Donuts Coffee $6.99
*Downy Liquid or Bounce Fabric Softener $5.99
*Cascade Dishwasher Detergent $3.99
*Fresh Boneless Skinless Fryer Breasts $1.99 lb (family pack)
*Wild Jumbo Snow Crab $4.99 lb
*Country Style Pork Ribs $1.98 lb (family pack)
*Hillshire Farm Rope Style Smoked Sausage 2/$4
*Farmland Bacon 2/$5
*Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Fillet $8.99 lb
*Jumbo Cooked Shrimp $8.99 lb
*Kroger Ibuprofen BOGOF w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*BigK 2 ltr soda 3/$1 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
*Stouffer's Party Size Lasagna $7.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
*Lay's Potato Chips 3/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Nabisco Snack Crackers 4/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Kroger Brick or Shredded 16 oz 2/$6 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Hillshire Farm Lil Smokies 2/$6 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Chicken Tenderloins 3lb bag $6.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)


All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price! All Christmas and other holiday clearance is 75% off as of Sunday, and probably by the end of the week be down to 90% off.

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

And The Winner Of The Baby Banz Giveaway Is...

Alayna said...
I love the pink floral!
I'm in Arizona, and sun protection is a must! These would be great for my little one (due in 3 weeks) this summer!
Thanks for the fantastic contest!

Alayna, please get back to me as soon as possible so Baby Banz can mail your prize! Thanks to everyone else who stopped by Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife and entered. I have lots of other great product reviews coming soon, and of course, another giveaway on the way!

Printable Yoplait Light Coupon

Alright, admit it. Chances are, you overindulged this holiday season.

Yoplait Light has 110 fat free calories, making it the perfect snack or light meal to help you feel a little more healthier in the New Year. You can print a coupon for $1 off 4 Yoplait Light yogurt cups. Hurry, before they pull this offer!

Printable Muir Glen Coupons

You can print a coupon for $1 off your next purchase of any varierty of Muir Glen organic tomato products by visiting their website.

(It's a Brick's coupon for those having problems with Smart Source)

Albertsons and Fred Meyer sometimes have their diced tomatoes and pastes on sale for $1, so with this coupon, you could get one free!

That Might Be A Bit Of A Problem...

Murphy, could you just PLEASE go away, even if just for a few days?

I went to take the Pudgy Princess outside and put our recycling in the bin.

Panic kicked in when I realized I couldn't open the door to get back inside. Now, I know the police should help in a situation like this (I hope?) but it didn't change the fact that I didn't even have my cell phone with me to call them!

It's not the first time it's happened - except it usually happens to DH and I'm inside and able to budge it from the inside. It's not that it's locked - for some reason it keeps acting like it's locked. I'd like to blame it on the cold, but it's been doing it for several months now. Maybe invisible gremlins keep holding it closed?

10 minutes later, and thoroughly frozen, I kicked the door hard enough that it opened back up. Luckily, all was fine on this side of the door (whew!)

I refuse to go back outside until DH is home tonight!

These Clips Rock!

Thanks to Baby Swags, I received an awesome set of clippies from Creative Clips by Colleen

Words simply cannot describe the cuteness of these little clips. They are incredibly well made, and come even with no-slip grips for those of us with little girls who have virtually no hair! (and even us adults with thin hair - I tried one in my hair and it was perfect! lol)

Pink AND a skull - how perfect, right? There's lots of other adorable clips to choose from, including cupcakes, flowers, dragonflies, and butterflies!

(Psstt... Jessica Alba's little princess Honor Marie was spotted wearing Creative Clips! How cool is that?!)

Free Sample Of Don Francisco Coffee

Would you like to try a 1.75 oz sample of Don Francisco's Breakfast Blend coffee? Simply visit their website and fill out your mailing address to receive your sample in the mail!

Don Francisco's Breakfast Blend is a dark coffee and is roasted to let the coffee’s natural sugars caramelize to deliver smoky, caramely, dark chocolaty flavors.

Wordless Wednesday : Jingle Cat

Printable Coupon For Tasters Choice Coffee

Nescafe Taster's Choice has printable coupons available on their website for any variety of their insant coffee. (It should be for $1.50 off, but I didn't print it) Enjoy!

No Matter What You Celebrate...

I hope you have a wonderful time! Here's to a better New Year for us all!

Preparedness Tuesday: Learning Lessons

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

Things I've learned from this weather:

No matter how much water you think you have, it's not enough. We had drinking water for us and our pets for 1 week. What we didn't have: water to cook with, flush toilets, sponge bath with! From now on, I am keeping a bucket with a lid on full of water out on the porch. Because it won't be for drinking, rather for flushing the toilet, I won't have to worry about whether the water is stale. I'll probably still replace it out every couple of months.

Having supplies in the car is a lifesaver. DH couldn't come home the last few nights because of the weather. Luckily, work decided to keep him on the schedule and pay him for it. Luckily for DH, he always carries a bag in the car with several spare changes of scrubs, other personal effects, and toiletries, as well as his disaster backpack that has snacks and books. (I doubt he complained too much - at least he can take a hot shower at work, they are feeding him, and he has access to cable - which as most of you know, we don't have at home) If he didn't have his change of clothes, he would have been stuck wearing the same clothes for 3 days - ew.

Have comfort snacks. If you don't have any water, but you have electricity, you can't wash dishes (even melted snow water isn't really "clean", it is better than nothing, it will help keep the smell/mold away, but I wouldn't advise re-using the pan unless you are desperate) You'll want easily snackable foods, such as chips and chocolate (trust me on the chocolate!) Worry about the calories and sodium content later.

Melting enough snow takes FOREVER. I mean it. It took me over an hour to get enough snow to flush the toilet.

Don't use your nice stockpots to melt snow, even on the stove burner. Again, a learning lesson. I was trying to get it to melt faster by putting it on medium -high, and all I did was ruin my stockpot - it melted to the burner! (can't quite figure out how, but it did!) I'm recommending you own at least one cast iron pan or dutch oven to melt snow in or cook on the fireplace or charcoal grill OUTSIDE when you don't have power. Also, have good quality oven mitts to handle the cast iron - the handles get very hot!

After using an assortment of different types of wood and wood products over the last week, Duraflames are the best bang for your heating buck. Why? First of all you don't even need kindling to start them. You just leave the wrapper on and light one log on each side. They also burn with little oxygen, and they burn the longest without having to babysit the stove. We have an older potbelly style stove, and I could cut off most of the oxygen, and one log burned for over 4 hours without me having to do a thing. The next best wood was the Presto Logs, but you need kindling to start them, and you have to add more wood. If you're paying for wood as an emergency source of heat, I honestly recommend having a case of Duraflames around at all times. If this is your only heat source, one case (nine 5 or 6 lb logs) will give you around 3 days worth of heat if watched properly.

Head on over to your local sporting goods department and go over to the RV aisle. There's two things you want to have: one is the septic powder for RV septic tanks. This will help keep down any smells from skipping flushing the toilet for a few hours. Just sprinkle a little in. There is also a product called Doody Bags. I know, I laughed too, but right now I am wishing we had some in. (this is on my shopping list for when I finally get back out!) Doody Bags will help you get rid of your solid waste safely.

Having my winter supplies ready to go really helped me to deal with the weather. My shovel was waiting outside the door, so I didn't have to tire myself out finding said shovel and hoofing it through the snow to get to the shed. I had a bag of pet friendly salt to melt the snow ready to go inside. I also had my winter boots, several pairs of mittens and gloves ready (for when the first pair gets wet I can switch out and have the first pair drying by the stove)

Have plenty of baby wipes (even without kids), hand disinfectants, and Lysol type wipes for the kitchen and bathroom on hand. Even if you usually use towels, you'll go through these very fast without water - just have a package for "in case" Hand wipes can be bought individually packaged at restaurant supply stores (no membership needed). I purchased a package of 100 for around $2 a few weeks back.

We have lost the power several times over the last week. Make sure everything is recharged at all times - this goes for portable DVDs and Nintendo DS's too - kids will get quickly bored. (or even you will - I was bored stiff an hour in because it was dark and hard to read, and all our toys hadn't been recharged!) Also make sure you have good quality flashlights (I recommend an LED) and at least one portable lantern to read or play board games with.

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

Menu Planning Monday

Well, since I am not sure what is going to happen with the weather, what days I will have electricity, and what day I will finally see DH home, my menu plan for the week looks like this:

Monday: soup

Tuesday: soup

Wednesday: soup

Thursday: soup OK, I am making marinated steak & mashed potatoes if the power stays on when DH is home late tonight

Friday: soup

Saturday: soup

Sunday: soup

Seriously, I am not going to plan ahead this week. If I am the only one eating real food, I'll probably just make soup. If DH is home, and the weather stays alright, then I might defrost some meat. But since I have no idea when I will be able to get back to grocery store, it shall be interesting meals. No "Christmas dinner" here - DH is on the schedule both Eve and Day, and he wasn't home for Solstice, either.

For those just stopping by my blog to read my menu, Happy Holidays to you! :)

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Recipe: Pizza Soup

I found this recipe over at Jenn Cooks (stalk her! she has great recipes!) - it's what I plan to make for dinner tonight if my electricity stays on!

Here's your ingredients list:

1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
8 oz. mushrooms
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. ground beef
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
12 oz can tomato paste
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 Tbs. Italian seasoning
3 oz. pepperoni slices
mozzarella cheese

I'll be skipping the onion and pepper in mine, as I don't have any in the house. For prep instructions (and better pictures than I would be taking!), you'll have to visit her blog! :)

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

Alright, it's not nearly as bad as what some of you have gotten in other parts of the country. The thing is, they are not quite used to this kind of weather in this part of Washington. I feel like I am back in the Midwest!

If you're following me on Twitter, you've probably already seen that our water pipes froze early Saturday morning. We finally got it back last night around 11... only to loose the power (and the water again!) for the night. It came back on.... only for us to loose it again.

Yes, I feel like SUCH a ray of sunshine. ;)

The photos below were taken this morning. I had completely cleared off the deck by Saturday's storm (I needed snow to melt!) - so this was accumulation since then (so ignore the earlier photos in a previous post - that snow's not included in this pile of snow!)



Gorgeous, but I severely dislike snow. At least it's beginning to melt a little. My Preparedness Tuesday post will tell you what I've learned from this lovely experience!

And don't forget to enter my Baby Banz giveaway! :)

Ah Hem? Santa?

Dear Santa Claus,

I think we need to talk. Either you've got me mixed up with someone else, or you really need a new pair of those glasses. Nowhere in my letter did I ask you for a White Christmas.

I didn't even ask you for a Pina Colada Christmas; though, perhaps you thought I did and that's where the white stuff was mixed up. Actually, I'd take a Pina Colada Christmas over a White Christmas, any day... even if there was that one incident back in college where I swore I'd never touch the stuff again.

I asked you for a QUIET CHRISTMAS. I suppose maybe if that funky looking little elf next to you read my letter out loud, that maybe, just maybe, he mispronounced the word quiet and it sounded like white. Maybe.

So Santa, you're going to have to make it up to me. I realize it's far too late to get rid of this ugly white stuff that doesn't want to stop coming down and have it all melted before Christmas, so next year, I hope you get this very simple request right:

I'm dreaming of a palm tree Christmas. Palm Tree, OK? I don't think the elf can mispronounce that one, and if he does, I am going to boycott everything with an elf on it - and I think the Keebler Elves would miss my purchases of those yummy cookies I buy for DH when I am too lazy to bake.

So, to get back to the palm tree Christmas next year - a trip to visit Shamu or the Mouse sounds good to me already. I can hear the giggles (OK, I am praying for giggles and not screams) and I can wear only one layer of clothes without feeling like I have icicles hanging from my ear lobes instead of earrings. While you're at it, throw in that Pina Colada - m'kay?

XOXO,
Storm

Fred Meyer Ad 12/21 - 12/28

Thanks for hanging in there with me the last few days until I finally was able to dig out and get ahold of the new ad! Fred Meyer will be open on Christmas Eve, but will be closed Christmas Day. Be warned, some of the Fred Meyer stores have their shelves pretty bare. Don't wait until the last minute to grab anything you need for your holiday celebrations!

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Clementine Mandarins 5lb box $4.48
*Hershey's Packages Holiday Candy 2/$4
*Beef Rib Eye Roast $3.98 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Rib Eye Roast $4.98 lb
*FM Frozen Vegetables 16 oz 10/$10
*Mrs. Smith's Pumpkin Pie $1.99
*FM Whipping Cream 3/$5
*Kellogg's Cereal or PopTarts 2/$5
*Tropicana orange Juice 2/$5
*FM Brown and Serve Rolls 4/$5
*Nabisco Snack Crackers 3/$5
*Mountain Dairy Egg Nog 64 oz 2/$5
*FM Canned Yams 2/$3
*Darigold Sour Cream 16oz 4/$5
*Philadelphia Cream Cheese 4/$5
*FM Cups, Plates or Napkins 3/$5
*Florida Tropic Chocolate Break Aparts 2/$5
*Kroger Comforts Baby Wipes or Cotton Swabs $1.99
*Axe Shampoo or Conditioner $4.99
*Homedics Handheld Quad Massager $4.99
*Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron $9.99
*Tooth Tunes $9.99
*John Frieda Hair Care $4.99
*Breathe Right Nasal Strips $9.99
*Nature Made Vitamins BOGOF
*Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, or Jonagold Apples $0.88 lb
*Potatoes 10lb bag $1.48
*Asparagus $2.98 lb
*Gold Pineapple $0.79 lb
*Celery Bunch $0.58 lb
*Tomatoes on the Vine $1.98 lb
*Hothouse Bell Peppers 2/$3
*Kettle Bulk Cashews or Deluxe Mixed Nuts $5.99 lb
*Knudsen Sparkling Juice 3/$5
*Naturally Preferred Organic Berries 10 oz 2/$6
*Bulk Pecans or Walnuts $6.99 lb
*Pacific Foods Natural Brother or Organic Soup 2/$4
*Javatopia Organic Coffee $6.99 lb
*Green & Black's Organic Chocolate 2/$6
*USDA Choice Beef Cross Rib Pot Roast $3.49 lb
*Hormel Cure 81 Boneless Ham $2.99 lb
*Leg of Lamb $3.99
*Foster Farms Fresh All Natural or Norbest Refrigerated Tender Timed Turkeys Save $5 w/ in ad coupon
*Flame Crafted Spiral Sliced 1/2 Ham Save $10 w/ in ad coupon
*Medium Cooked Shrimp $4.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Colossal Red King Crab legs $11.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Whole Sockeye Salmon $3.99 lb
*8" Pie 2/$7 (bakery)
*Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese $4.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($1 MC)
*FM Large Eggs or Bagels BOGOF w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Dreyers Ice Cream 2/$6 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($0.50 MC)
*Folgers Coffee $5.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($0.25 MC)
*Swanson Broth 4/$2 w/ in ad coupon (limit 8) ($0.35 off 4 MC)
*Fletcher's Stak Pak Bacon $3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
*Tyson Game Hens 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Hershey's Pot of Gold $3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Hershey's, Neslte, Or Cadbury Large Bars $0.88 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*crest Toothpaste or Oral B Manual Toothbrushes $1.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)


All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Review And Giveaway: Baby Banz

I'm all about sun protection! I burn when it's gloomy outside (strange, I know!) so I keep a stockpile of SPF for us all over here. I also made sure to buy some of matching little sunglasses that went with some of the outfits I bought for our munchkin.

Except... have you ever tried to keep sunglasses on any small child or baby? Ha Ha! Good luck! (I can't say I wasn't warned though)

My first thought when I opened the box with the Baby Banz and saw them was how stinking CUTE they are! We picked out the Purple, and they are adorable as can be. Even my DH was oohing and ahhing over them.

The best part is Baby Banz have this unique soft neoprene band with Velcro to ensure a close fit. They really do stay on pretty well! Adjusted properly, they don't slide down. We haven't lost any accessories yet, but I am sure when the time comes, it isn't going to be the Baby Banz we loose because of this nifty strap!

Even better, the Velcro on the strap makes it adjustable so it will grow with your little one. The pair we got are infant size (0 to 2 years) but the next size up is 2 to 5 years. That's a lot of use from one pair of sunglasses! We'll definitely be purchasing the next size up when that time comes.

The lenses also are 100% UV protective, made with a special material that blocks out all the harmful rays. They are made super tough to withstand a toddler tossing them around them too - which I am sure, anyone with a rambunctious toddler knows, sturdy is a very good thing. ;) These definitely aren't your cheap dollar store glasses!

The little matching hat from the combo pack has an extra wide brim to help keep the sun's rays off your baby's precious skin too.


I definitely give two thumbs up on Baby Banz, and I think I've found a new gift for the kids in our family back in sunny Texas!


Baby Banz has generously offered to give one of my readers their own combo set! To enter, please visit Baby Banz and tell me which set you'd choose if you won AND something you like about Baby Banz. For extra entries:

*Subscribe to my feed. Subscribers always get an extra entry in all my contests!*Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and Baby Banz
*Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway
*Fave me on Technorati
*Digg or stumble Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife.

Contest ends December 26th at 11:59 PM PST. US only (sorry!) I submit my winner(s) to Prizey and post my winner(s) on the blog, but please leave your email if you want me to contact you. You have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner.

Fridays Featured Etsy: Mia Claire

Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

This week's feature is an Etsy store called Mia Claire. Mia Claire features adorable onesies and jewelery too. As Mia Claire will be going out of business when the last item is sold, everything has been marked down to 50% off - you can get some incredible deals!

Look at this super cute little onesie with a bunny that says Snuggle Bunny.


Or how about a giggle with this Stink Happens onesie?


You can even request that the onesies be personalized!

If you are looking for a gift of jewelery, check out these prettyPatience earrings.



Stop by Mia Claire today and check out the wonderful deals!

Thrifty Thursday: Budget Meals And Grocery Shopping

As the economy seems to be choking and food prices rising, lots of us are in panic mode. How do I make dinner with a grocery budget of well, virtually nothing?

My first piece of advice: Ignore all the pretty cookbooks. Seriously. You'll only be depressed when you realize you can't afford half the ingredients on the list for most of the recipes (trust me) Instead, google terms like "budget recipes" and "cheap dinners" to find other bloggers and websites with recipes that actually have ingredients you can afford. If you have to have a recipe book, try to stick to ones that are smaller, fundraiser related (like the ones many churches or organizations put out). These are more likely to have cheaper (and easier to find!) ingredients.

Next, take stock of your kitchen supplies. A good meat cutting knife, vegetable peeler, and paring knives are worth their weight in gold. If you don't own a crockpot or slow cooker, take advantage of the holiday sales to get one. I used to snicker at them until I realized how much money you could save owning one. If you can't afford one, or any other cooking supply, hit up your local Craigslist or Freecycle group in search of them. It may take you a few weeks, but you'll land one.

Some folks will disagree with me on this one, but fresh vegetables and fruit are not always better. Between higher produce prices, and the fact that most items don't store properly, you're generally better off grabbing frozen or canned. Most canned and frozen are generally fresher than what you buy in the produce department - think about how long it takes for the items to make it from the farm to the store to your kitchen! Whenever canned vegetables hit 3 cans for $1, or 1lb frozen bags are $1 or less, grab what you can afford and use before their expiration date arrives. Some exceptions are potatoes, celery, and carrots. Try to always keep these on hand.

Stalk the store circulars for meat sales, and learn what days they tend to mark down their meats. Some stores, Mondays are the best days for mark down meats because they are trying to get rid of what didn't sell on the weekend, but many others it's odd days such as Wednesday or Thursday. If you see a certain package of meat, but it's not cut the way you'd like (for instance, thin cut steaks you'd rather have in stir fry strips) simply ask. Almost every meat department will gladly cut or grind the meat for free! This will save you a step in your kitchen prep too, which is great on busy days. Almost any cut of meat can end up in your crock pot - even chicken legs and thighs! Even the cheaper cuts of steak can be turned into mouth watering beef stew.

You'll also want to stock up on spices. Often, Walgreens has a weekly coupon in their store circular for 2 containers of spices for $1. Grab ones like cumin, paprika, lemon pepper, parsley, basil, etc. These will go along way in stretching your food budget by making ho-hum meals turn into restaurant quality meals!

Other good budget stretchers are cans of Cream Of soups when they are on sale for 50 cents or less (Fred Meyer for instance has their Cream of Mushroom soups regular price at 50 cents this winter) or cans of Broth for under 50 cents. Bags of pasta that are 12-16 oz for 50 cents, and large cans or jars of tomato sauce for $1 or less are stock up items. Grab as many as you can afford that week and will use before the expiration date.

Learn to be creative and substitute whenever needed. Don't be afraid to make something without an ingredient!

Two cheap and easy side dishes:

Peel and quarter potatoes into mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (bought at the dollar tree!) or whatever oil you have hand, sprinkle basil (or seasoning salt) and toss. Bake on a cookie sheet.

Potatoes really are a budget stretchers best friend. Peel and quarter potatoes, drizzle with oil, sprinkle spices and place into a crockpot. Cook on high 2 hours.

The most important thing of all is not to panic. Take advantage of coupons and sales to stock up on items your family uses. Many delicious, filling, and nutritious meals can be made for under $5 for a family of 4.

Winter Wonderland

Look what we woke up to this morning:



DH is home because of the weather :( I am hurriedly finishing up the laundry and other chores just in case we should lose the power again.

It doesn't snow very often here. I know some folks love snow, but I loathe it!

Recipe: Pizza Roll Ups

This is a quick and easy kid friendly meal (or snack!) Just please ignore my ugly old baking pan!

2 burrito size tortillas (or 4 soft taco size)
3/4 cup of tomato sauce
pepperoni and/or other pizza toppings
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tomato sauce all over the tortilla.


Next, place the toppings in the middle portion (leave a 1/4 portion on each side) so that the are semi-flat (don't pile them too high or you won't be able to roll them!) and sprinkle with cheese.



Place on an ungreased baking sheet FLAT and bake until the cheese has melted (around 3-4 minutes).


Quickly remove and roll the tortillas like a cigar, then cut into halves or quarters.

Menu Planning Monday

Well, Thursday and Friday's meals are quick and easy ones because we're not sure exactly what DH's schedule is going to be like - he could be home at 8, he could be home at midnight. There's nothing that drives me more crazy than planning a meal around his schedule on days like that - I hate it when meals get dried out in the oven!

As always, our lunches usually consist of soups and/or a sandwich, or leftovers.

Monday: Cheesy Green Bean & Sausage

Tuesday: Going out for dinner (Chinese, I think?)

Wednesday: pasta with garlic bread

Thursday: french fries, chicken nuggets & salad

Friday: Hamburger Helper

Saturday: BBQ Chicken Bake

Sunday: roast, mashed potatoes with gravy, steamed veggies

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

The Economy Strikes Again!

If you're wondering why my blog has been pretty much devoid of printable coupons and free samples lately, it's because there haven't been any (new) good ones to share! I fear the economy is starting to show, and companies are going to be offering less and less over the coming months. Even WalMart's samples have slowed to a crawl.

I don't like to share freebies that I'm not certain will come. If an offer looks like it has been posted just to harvest our emails and mailing address information, then I will not post it.

Printable Coupon For Pepsi One

If you like Pepsi One or have been wanting to try it, you can print up a (Bricks) coupon for $1 off a 12 pack of Pepsi One.

It's Cold Out There!

It's currently about 25 degrees out here and we got a good dusting of snow last evening. (Have I mentioned how much I hate snow?) So far we haven't lost the power again since Friday. (hurray!)

This is the kind of weather that makes me want to hide under the blanket and ignore all my chores! Laundry, what laundry? Cleaning the bathroom can wait! (Hey, at least the dishes are done?)

Can I go on strike? No? Alright then, I'll just ignore everything that's not incredibly important, snuggle up, and wander the blogosphere! (and Twitter!)

Did I mention I have a giveaway coming up later this week? ;)

Here Comes A Vent!

Remember the sound Muttley the dog makes in the Dastardly cartoons from Hanna Barbara when he's muttering? That's me right now.

We purchased this house the day after Thanksgiving last year and moved in officially on Christmas Day. So give or take, depending on which day you want to use, we've been here a year.

Up to today, we've received EIGHT different phone books.

Earlier when I went to take the Pudgy Princess potty (there's a tongue twister!) I almost tripped over yet another one.

Make that NINE PHONE BOOKS then.

Now, we don't even have a land line. We've never had one since we moved to Washington. I don't really see the point when our cell phones serve us well. There's certainly no need for any phone company to drop them off.

I don't even need ONE phone book. I have a computer to look up any number or address I might need (which is rare!)

I do realize there are those that feel the need for a land line, and don't own a computer. They are in the minority - so here's my suggestion:

You're paying someone to drop off the books anyway. How about you help keep the USPS in business and mail folks a pretty little envelope with an enclosed postage paid postcard we can mail back to you if we actually WANT a phone book? Think of the money and TREES you'll save - not to mention Tylenol!

Why Tylenol? Because I guarantee you, if I catch one of these books being dropped off next time, people might want to run as fast as they can....

Just say NO to phone books!

The One Dollar Diet Project Blog

Yahoo had an interview posted on their main page this morning with the couple behind the One Dollar Diet Project Blog.

You can pop over and read more about it on their website (please do!), but I'll give the Cliff's notes: their food budget was $1 a day (each). Breakfast was oatmeal, lunch was Pb&J, dinner was beans and rice.

I instantly thought: but that's without shopping with sales or coupons. A lot of the coupon queens can easily feed their family on $1 a day too (per person)

For instance, pretty much all the cereal in our house costs around $1 a box, and it will last a week for DH. 1/2 gallon of milk will last a week for cereal too. So right there is 7 breakfasts for around $2. So let's say 35 cents a day (each).

Lunch can be a bowl of soup which usually runs around 50 cents a can. A box of crackers with 4 sleeves usually costs around $1. Add in a cheese sandwich with bologna several days a week (Even without coupons: loaf of bread: $0.88 FMV store brand white or wheat bread. 16 slice store brand American cheese $0.99 regular price at Grocery Outlet. Bologna $0.99 or less store brand Safeway, FM's etc, and you have for a whole week with all of this cost - we'll say 30 cents each meal)

For dinner: can of veggies bought a Dollar Tree 2/$1 shared between two (so 25 cents each) Pack of ramen noodles $0.25 split between two, served with steamed can of veggies. Switch out rice for ramen on some days (2lb bag $1 at Dollar Tree) Dessert: $1 can of fruit from Dollar Tree, split in two.

So total cost for just one day on this menu (per person) : $1.78 for an entire day's worth of food. You can easily make it cheaper by skipping the sandwich on several days, (and buying on sale! I often get loaves of bread like that for 49 cents.) Of course, I'm not taking into account kids on that menu as I don't believe the couple behind this project has munchkins (if I am wrong, please let me know!)

Now I had to pop over to my kitchen cabinets & freezer and I started pricing items in it. I have some meals that are a little more pricey myself of course, but take these cheap meals for a family of 4 for instance:

*pasta (50 cents a bag at Dollar Tree or great stock up sale on store brand) + Hunts tomato sauce ($0.69 a can on sale) + box of garlic bread ($1 at Dollar Tree every day!) Total cost for 4-5 servings: $2.19

*tuna casserole - pasta (50 cents a bag) + cream of soup ($0.50 store brand, Fred Meyer's regular price) + can of peas ($0.50 Dollar Tree) + can of tuna ($0.89) Total cost for 4-5 servings: $2.39

*beef stew - $1.50 tray of beef slices (check the markdown area) + 5 large potatoes ($0.75) + 4 carrots ($0.40) + can of peas $0.50 (dollar tree cans) Total cost for 4-5 servings: $3.15

Using one of those meals a week alone would already shave $10-20 off a grocery bill. Granted, they won't keep you at $1 a day per person, but at least around $1 or less a meal.

Tell me, what's your thoughts on the matter? Did you think it was too extreme? Was your first thought the same as mine - You can eat better with coupons and sales?

Fred Meyer 12/14 - 12/20

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Beef Rib Eye Roast Bone In $3.98 lb (limit 1)
*USDA Choice Beef Rib Eye Roast Bone In $4.98 lb (limit 1)
*Large California Navel Oranges $0.48 lb
*Ocean Spray Juice 4pk 12oz bottles or 64 oz juice 2/$5
*General Mills Chex Cereals 2/$5
*Marie Callender's Fruit or Cream Pies $4.99
*Lay's Potato Chips 2/$4
*Starbucks Coffee 12oz $6.99
*Country Oven or Vita*Bee Bread 3/$5
*FM Sour Cream 16 oz $0.99
*RC, Diet Rite, A&W, 7-Up, Sunkist or Pepsi 12pks 2/$9
*Coffee Mate Flavored Creamer 32 oz 2/$5
*Minute Maid Enhanced or Simply Orange Juice 2/$6
*Dole Pineapple or Fruit 10/$10
*FM Cranberry Sauce Whole or Jellied 3/$2 (first 3)
*L'Oreal Vive Pro or Studio Line Hair Care 3/$10
*L'Oreal Dermo-Expertise Revitalift or Age Perfect Skin Care $10.99 after in store MC
*Fusion Phenom, Fusion, Venus Embrace or Breeze Razors $6.99 ($2 MC)
*Mucinex products Save $1
*All Sally Hansen BOGO Half Price
*Crest Spin Brush $5.49 after in store MC
*Red, Yukon Gold or Baker Potatoes $0.38 lb
*Blackberries or Raspberries 2/$4
*Honeycrisp Apples $2.48 lb
*Mayan Sweet Onions $0.98 lb
*Large Hothouse Tomatoes $1.88 lb
*Private Selection Organic Salad 5 oz 2/$5
*Private Selection Organic Carrots 2lb bag $0.98
*Naturally Preferred Organic Gallon Milk $4.99 lb
*Kettle Chips 2/$5
*Imagine Foods Organic Broth 2/$4
*Chino Valley Organic Brown Eggs $3.49 dz
*Oregon Chai Save 30%
*Bulk Almonds $4.99 lb
*Natrol Select Supplements Save 30%
*Henry's Crab Cakes $1.00 each
*Northwest Shrimp Meat $3.99 lb
*Medium Cooked Shrimp $4.99 lb
*Wild Jumbo Snow Crab $5.99 lb
*Fresh Dungeness or King Crab Meat $9.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Colossal Red King Crab Legs $11.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Fillet $8.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Halibut Fillet $12.99 lb
*Wild All-Natural Bay Scallops $2.99 lb
*Beef Loin New York Steak $5.99 lb (family pack)
*USDA Choice Beef Loin New York Steak $6.99 lb
*USDA Choice Beef Bottom Round Roast Boneless $3.49 lb
*FM Breakfast Links or Ground Pork Sausage 2/$5
*Private Selection Ham or Salami $4.99 lb (deli)
*8 piece Fried Chicken $6.99 (deli)
*Private Selection dz Cookies $3.99 (bakery)
*6 pk Muffins $3.99 (bakery)
*Clairol Natural Instincts Hair Color $5.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Advil 80-100 ct $6.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($1 off MC)
*Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk or Egg Nog 2/$5
*FM Butter 16 oz 3/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Breyers or Private Selection Ice Cream 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*FM Broth or Canned Vegetables 3/$1 w/ in ad coupon (limit 9)
*Campbell's Cream of Mushroom or Chicken Soup 3/$2 w/ in ad coupon (limit 9) ($? MC on 4?)
*Land O' Frost Deli Shaved Meats 3/$7 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Chicken Tenderloins 3lb frozen bag $6.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Almond Roca $3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)


All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

And The Winner Of The Girls Can't WHAT? Giveaway Is...

(whew, that was a mouthful!)

thinkingbrain135 said...
I love the Football Jr. Raglan t-shirt in black/white with the light red football girl as the emblem. These rock! Thanks so much!

Remember, you have 24 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by both Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife and Girls Can't WHAT? Don't forget, you still have time to order your favorite design and have it arrive in time for Holiday deliveries!

Sound Folks, Bad Weather Coming!

Those of you in this area of Washington, look out for this nasty weather starting! Two years ago, about this same time, a lot of us didn't have power for several days. It's always better to be safe, than sorry!

Fill up your gas tank - if you get stuck somewhere, if you can still run the engine, at least you'll have enough gas to run the car until AAA or other help arrives. Don't leave home without an umbrella for the rain, hats, mittens or gloves, and scarves for everyone who will be traveling with you in the car. The Dollar Tree here still has a good selection of hats, gloves, and mittens if you can't find them and are on a short budget. (sets of 2 pairs of stretchy gloves for $1 - you can't beat that!)

Make sure your cell phones are fully charged in case we loose power. For more suggestions on getting ready for power outages, check out this post I wrote back in June.

Don't forget to have a plan in case we are out of electricity for several days. Do you have an alternate source of heat? If not, start checking hotel rates before you loose the power so you have an idea! Don't forget to verify that they will accept pets if you have them!

If you do have an alternate source of heat or a back up generator (do you have enough fuel to run it?). If you do have a fireplace, make sure you have kindling or fire starters, and a supply of logs for 3 days. I suggest the Duraflames or Presto Logs because they are already cut to the right size, and tend to burn cleaner. Keep a fire extinguisher close by in case of emergency. Make sure you have enough extra blankets, as well as drinking water (1 gallon per person or medium size pet per day) and snacks that are shelf stable and do not require a microwave or oven to heat.

And don't forget those pipes! If you are unsure how insulated they are, let a faucet drip very slowly (have a pan to catch the water and use it for watering indoor plants) overnight if it drops below 28 degrees out. It will help them stop from freezing and bursting.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

We finally found a "gift tree" at our local library with ages of kids to buy a holiday gift for. We had come across several drop off spots for toys, but nothing that was a tree with specific kids to buy for, and that's what I really wanted. (I guess I am picky?) I finally just decided to do this one.

We ended up getting two kids: one for a 0-2 year girl and the other is a 9-12 boy or girl. Obviously, the baby girl is super easy for us to do, but I am stuck on the 9-12 year old. It says toys only on the tag, so what do you buy in that age range? All my ideas so far wouldn't work - I guess a DVD doesn't fall under toys, and I worry that some cartoon characters might upset a parent. A Webkin maybe? Would they be bored with a board game? Or Legos?

If anyone has any suggestions I would LOVE to hear it! (Help!)

Preparedness Tuesday: Winter Safety

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I am talking about winter safety. Here's a reminder list:

*Have proper weather gear for each member of your family, and have it easily accessible. If you're in a colder area, make sure each member has warm boots, gloves, hats, and scarfs. If you're in the rainy area, make sure you have waterproof boots and jackets available as well as umbrellas.

*Never leave home without a coat, mittens, and a warm hat stashed somewhere in your car or a backpack. The weather can often change very quick, and you also have to think about what happens if your car breaks down. Even with a cell phone and calling for help, there's still a window where you may need to keep warm.

*Even if you don't tend to get a lot of snow or ice storms, keep a bag of Ice Melt or the like inside your front door just in case. It's better to be safe than sorry.

*Own a snow shovel, and keep it on your porch or inside the door - don't be caught in the mad rush just before that first storm trying to get one of the last shovels in town. Besides, wouldn't you rather be at home, warm, than out in the cold?

*Have a back up plan if the power goes out and you loose your heat source. If you have a fireplace that you can use instead, make sure the chimney has been cleaned in recent years, and have a supply of wood and matches for several days. (The Presto logs or Duraflames are perfect for those who don't often use their fireplace!) Remember if you own a generator, do NOT use it inside!

*Make sure all your pipes are properly insulated so they don't burst. $25 on some foam pipe covers is a lot cheaper than having a professional come in to fix it!

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

Menu Planning Monday

I may swap Thursday's meal around and ask DH to pick something up for dinner, because I plan to spend the day baking holiday cookies, and who wants to cook after all that baking! ;)

Monday: garlic chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy

Tuesday: Chimichangas

Wednesday: breakfast for dinner - eggs & bacon with toast

Thursday: Taco Bake

Friday: pasta with garlic bread

Saturday: homemade hot subs and french fries

Sunday: Easy Deep Dish Pizza


Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Creamy Chicken Baked Potato

This one's pretty filling with a nice salad and rolls:

1/4 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip, if you're a MW household)
1/2 lb - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package frozen broccoli
1/2 loaf of Velveeta
4 decent sized baking potatoes (or 6-8 smaller ones if you just want to use what's in the bag)

Wrap the potatoes in foil and bake until thoroughly cooked.

Heat the mayonnaise (or MW) in a skillet, add in the chicken and cook until lightly browned. Next, add in the broccoli and cook until tender, stirring the mix frequently. (You can cheat on this one and steam the broccoli in the microwave if you have the steam bags while you are cooking the chicken!) Stir in the Velveeta, and turn the burner to low. Stir frequently so you don't burn the cheese!

Once the mixture is well cooked, slice open the potatoes and fluff the insides of them with a fork. Spoon the mixture over the open potatoes.

Another variation is to peel the potatoes, and cube into chunks. Place in the slow cooker with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper if desired, and 1/8 cup of water on high for 2-3 hours. Spoon mixture over the potatoes before serving.

I've used canned nacho sauce in a pinch once, it works but it's not as good as the Velveeta. I vary the chicken from 1/2 pound to a full pound based on your tastes and budget, of course. You could also substitute the broccoli out for cauliflower if that's what you have on hand, and feel free to use fresh vegetables if you desire.

Week Three...

Or close it to, of having no running water in the bathroom sink.

Have I mentioned how rather annoying it is to have to brush your teeth and wash your hands using the bathtub faucet?

Remember when DH managed to drop one of the blades from his brand new razor down the drain? Well, we had a little help in trying to see if we could get it out. Come to find out, not only did the *insert unhappy word here of your own imagination* former owner previously glue the board in front of the drain pipes, he also glued the PIPES together. Yeah-huh. Instead of attaching things normally with screws and bolts, and fitting them properly, the moron just glued everything together.

So our choices have either been:

A) pay a real plumber to come fix this mess OR
B) wait for free help

I'm beginning to think we should have picked option A.

The problem in this house, and the reason why we have so many things going wrong now, is that *once again insert unhappy word here of your own imagination* former owner took the path of quickest resistance to get this place sold, and pretty much glued everything together. I don't think he even used the good glue!

Did I also mention the kitchen faucet is leaking underneath again?

So my public service announcement of the day: No matter how good of a deal you are getting on a house, always, ALWAYS pay to have it inspected by a PROFESSIONAL so someone can point out the obvious. Trust me.

So Who's All Finished...

with their holiday shopping? Do you have all of your decorations up, or are you waiting?

I still have a few things to pick up, but most of our shopping is done. We don't have a single decoration up yet though!

Fred Meyer 12/7 - 12/13

Well, I certainly will be running for the milk this week! I wasn't thrilled with the idea of the $2.19 regular price that's been lately.

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Hillshire Farm Spiral Sliced Ham $1.98 lb
*Fuji or Braeburn Apples $0.68 lb
*Celestial Seasonings Tea 10/$10
*Hormel Chili $0.79
*Rice-A-Roni or Pasta Roni Sides 5/$5
*Gatorade or Propel 10/$10
*Keebler Townhouse Crackers $2.18
*Ruffles Potato Chips 2/$5
*Pepsi or Aquafini 12pk 2/$9
*Friskies Canned Cat Food 10/$4
*FM Nice N Strong Paper Towels 10/$10
*Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 3/$5 ($0.35 MC)
*MJB Coffee 34.5 or 39 oz $6.99
*Nestle Jingles 2/$4
*Chocolate Break Aparts 2/$5
*Garnier Fructis Hair Care 2/$5
*L'Oreal Feria Hair Color $5.99 after in store MC
*Nivea Lotion or Moisturizer $3.99 after in store MC
*Mitchum Deodorant or Antiperspirant $1.99 after in store MC
*Soft Soap Body Wash or Liquid Hand Soap 2/$7
*Halls Cough Drops 10/$10 (BOGOF tear pad out there, $0.50 MC)
*Prilosec 42 pk $23.99
*Playtex Baby Care 25% off
*Fresh Express Salad Kits or Blends 2/$4
*Large Avocados 2/$3
*Clementine Mandarins 3lb bag $3.98
*Private Selection Vegetables 12 oz 2/$3
*10 lb bag of Potatoes $1.98
*Organic Grape Tomatoes 1 dry pint 2/$5
*Organic Bananas $0.79 lb
*Kashi Cereal 2/$6 (printable $2 off coupon here if not already signed up)
*Imagine Rice or Soy Dream 32 oz 3/$5
*Kettle Packaged Chashew or Deluxe Mixed Nuts 1.25 lb $7.49
*Clif, Luna, Sunrise, Tea Cake or Mojo Bars 10/$10
*Earth's Best Strained Baby Food 10/$7
*Seventh Generation products save 20% (printable coupons available here)
*Nature's Way Standard Herbs Save 30%
*Beef Loin T-Bone Steaks $5.99 lb (family pack of 3 lb or more)
*USDA Choice Beef Loin T-Bone Steaks $6.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Whole Sockeye Salmon $3.99 lb
*Foster Farms Whole Fryer $0.99 lb
*Boneless Pork Top Loin Chops $3.99 lb (3 lbs or more)
*USDA Pork Top Loin Chops $3.99 lb (3 lbs or more)
*USDA Choice Beef Cross Rib Roast $3.49 lb
*Colossal EZ Peel White Prawns $6.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Colossal Red King Crab Legs $11.99 lb
*Rotisserie Chicken $6.99 (deli)
*Turkey Store Turkey Breast $7.99 lb (deli)
*Centrum or Centrum Silver $6.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4) ($1 off MC)
*Aquafresh Toothpaste $0.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
*FM 1/2 gallon Milk or Orange Juice 10/$10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 10)
*General Mills Selected Cereal, Bars, or Fruit Snacks Save $4 WYB 4 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Mountain Dairy or Private Selection Ice Cream 5/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 5)
*FM Eggs 18pk or English Muffins BOGOF w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*All Laundry Detergent or Snuggle Fabric Softener 3/$10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
*Al Fresco Smoked Chicken Sausage $3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Hormel Black label Bacon 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*liberty Orchards Gift Box or Hershey's Pot Of Gold BOGOF w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)

All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!

Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Friday's Featured Etsy: Kitt's Krafts

Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

This week's feature is an Etsy store called Kitt's Krafts. Kitt's Krafts makes an assortment of fun home made items, including recycled notebooks and beaded bracelets!

One of my favorite items is this fun set of recycled Monopoly Railroad notebooks. Wouldn't this be a fun stocking stuffer?


Another great item is the Purse Pal pouch. You can easy keep things hidden from view in it when you are out shopping, or keep things together in your purse, such as feminine products! There are lots of other fabric choices to choose from in their store!


I've been drooling over this Candy Lane Purse since I first visited their store! Isn't it neat?


Kitt's Krafts has so many different items listed in their store, I could post about the fun stuff all day! Stop by today and have a look around! Follow them on Twitter for sales and updates.

Review: Girls Can't WHAT? And A Giveaway Too!

How perfect is this tagline?

Have you ever been told you "can't" because you're a girl?

Raise your hand if somewhere in your lifetime you've ever been told or heard someone tell you something wasn't for girls! As a kid, I remember being told hockey wasn't a girl friendly sport. Pffft! So when I landed on Girls Can't WHAT? and spotted the hockey design, I was in LOVE!

Girls Can't WHAT? has a ton of great designs to suit all the girls in your life, from Police Officer, to Bull Riding, to Drummers, and tons more to choose from! You can have the design you want printed on different styles of shirts in pretty much every size, from baby onesies (whoo hoo!) on up to a plus size shirt. Or how about boxer shorts, notebooks, or throw pillows? For the upcoming holiday season, they even have Christmas ornaments! (I know those of you who put up a tree the day after Thanksgiving just got very excited!)

How about this Air Force design?

You can even get your design personalized as a special gift! December 15th is the last day to order your gifts in time to receive it for the Holidays.

Girls Can't WHAT? is offering one of my readers their own choice of t-shirt (any size!) with their choice of design. Visit their website, and come back tell me your favorite design, and which style of t-shirt you'd like if you win.

Extra entries for:

*telling us all a story about when you've been told you (or your daughter) couldn't do something because they were a girl)

*Blog about this giveaway and include a link to Girls Can't WHAT?

*Follow me on Twitter and twitter about this giveaway (include your twitter name)

*subscribe to my feed or follow this blog

So that's 5 entries! This contest runs through December 12th, at 11:59, and US only (sorry!). I submit my winners to Prizey, but please include an email address if you want me to email if you win. You'll have 24 hours to email me back, or I'll have to choose another winner. Good luck! :)

Thrifty Thursday - Cars

This week's Thrifty Thursday post is about being thrifty with your car!

By taking good care of your car, you can extend it's years of usage by several years. Make sure you have the oil changed on a regular basis. For older cars, it's recommended every 3 months or 3,000 miles, but many newer cars actually don't need it as often. Read your owner's manual to find out your recommendation. You can often find coupons for discounts on your oil change. Your ValPak envelope that arrives every month is often a good source of discounts for oil changes and other car repairs. If you have a preferred place to get your work done, you can check their website for coupons or specials, or even just call the place directly and ask if they have any specials.

Another part you don't want to ignore is your brakes. If they need work, besides the safety issues, you will put more wear and tear on your tires, which means you'll have to replace them sooner than you would normally need to.

Whenever you fill up for gas if the weather is good, make sure you check your air tire pressure. Many gas stations will give you free air and water if you purchase gas at their station - just ask the attendant. You'll be able to get more mileage out of your gas as well as help extend your tires lifetime. Take advantage of being able to wash your windshield as well when you are filling up. It will help with your visibility.

Before leaving on any long distance trip with the upcoming holidays, take the time to stop by a repair shop and have them inspect it. Many will do an inspection for free. This way you will know if there's any pressing repairs that need to be done before you end up stuck on the side of the interstate. Also, make sure all your fluids are topped off before leaving.

Albertsons Pasta Meal Deal!

This week, Albertsons has their store brand of pasta, all styles (12-16 oz size) on sale 20/$10! The ones I was buying had expiration dates of 2011 for those who love to stock up. If you can store these properly in your cabinets where they won't get punctured, you could grab a few extra to have on hand. I bought 10 of them since I have a lot of different recipes for pasta dishes.

Next, Hunt's pasta sauce, the large can, is on sale for $0.69! If you haven't already printed out and used the Hunt's coupon I told you about here, you can use it on these and get very cheap tomato sauce!

Add in a pound of meat (which a lot of their meat this week is buy one package, get another free!) or some yummy veggies, a nice loaf of garlic bread, and you've got a great cheap meal!

Preparedness Tuesday: Holiday Safety

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I am talking about being safe this holiday season!

Tis the season for unscrupulous folks to start casing for easy prey. If at all possible, instead of leaving your recycling out in the bins on the street, keep it inside and then take the time to drop it off at a local recycling point. If you can't do this, I recommend the following:

* remove your address label and any forms inside catalogs that have your name and address on it. Make sure you get the part that has your customer number on it as well! Shred this, or burn it if you have a fireplace.

* place all catalogs at the bottom of the recycling bins, underneath all the cans and plastic containers. Make any one work for it! The noise is likely to cause them to not bother.

Why bother with hiding the catalogs? Most people who get a lot of catalogs to their home address tend to order online or receive packages at home. Thieves can see what kind of items you are interested in, and if they see a mountain of catalogs that interest them, will start to stake out your house, either for packages, or to break in.

* All cardboard boxes, especially electronics and high interest toys, cut them up so they fold easily into the recycling bins. You don't want them (and all your neighbors) to know everything that has come into your house this holiday season. For this reason too, try to cover any items with a blanket when you are carrying them into your house, or slide them into grocery bags.

As a reminder, if you, have all your bills sent to you online, and drop all your mail off in the mailbox at the post office INSIDE. Last year, before we moved here, we were walking the Pudgy Princess around the track at the local school. We came across an entire pile of mail that had been ransacked - someone had opened up a blue box and was looking for holiday mail with cash and gift cards. You don't want anyone to be snatching mail looking for the good stuff, ending up with one of your bills. Believe me, when the thieves are done, they aren't going to take the mail they don't want back to the box. You'll be sorry out of luck and slapped with a late fee!

When you leave, make sure all your doors and windows are locked properly.

Make sure all your outdoor lights are working properly, even the ones you rarely use. Make sure you can see a clear path to your car or your garage if it's not attached to your home. If you are going to be gone shopping late at night, leave the lights on outside so you can clearly see if anyone is lurking in the shadows as you make your way back into the house. With your arms full of holiday shopping, you are easy prey.

And remember when you are out shopping at dusk or night to be parked close to any outdoor lights to deter thieves from trying to break into your car and steal holiday gifts. Keep a blanket in your car or a rubbermaid tote to hide any shopping with or in.

Stay safe this holiday season!

For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.

Precious Moments Giveaway Over At Iowa Geek!

Head on over to Iowa Geek for an wonderful Precious Moments giveaway that includes:

The Faith musical water globe. Faith is the guardian angel only Katie and her dog, Patches, can see.
A charm bracelet. It comes with a rainbow and Precious Girls Club charms. Other charms are available for purchase.
A set of 3 friendship bracelets to give to friends.
And a Precious Girls Club web access code

This will be a wonderful Christmas present for the little girl in your life if you win! (Don't worry, I'm not your competition - we've got a long way to go before we hit this age range! lol) While you're over there, would you please vote in her Blankie giveaway?

Menu Planning Monday

I'm cheating with a lot of quick and easy recipes this week.

Monday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Tuesday: DH gets to grill - bratwursts and fries

Wednesday: Hamburger Helper with rolls & salad

Thursday: spagetti with turkey meatballs & garlic bread

Friday: Creamy Chicken Noodle Bake

Saturday: pork chops & mashed potatoes

Sunday: Southwest Stuffed Tortilla Wraps

Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

What A Bummer!

Over the last week, all my samples from WalMart have ended up in my mailbox smashed :( Nothing like your entire mailbox smelling like toothpaste!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don't laugh, but when I married my DH I had never ever baked chocolate chip cookies from scratch before. Sure, I had baked other kinds of cookies, but somehow, never chocolate chip cookies! So, in honor of Holiday baking season and cookie swaps, here's the one I use.

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons milk
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. Start creaming the shortening with the brown sugar and white sugar in a good sized mixing bowl. Next stir the eggs, coconut extract and milk with the shortening mix, and then add the flour mix. Make sure everything is well mixed together, and then stir in the chocolate chips.

If you are gifting these or watching your waistline, you'll want to make golf ball sized portions onto a well greased cookie sheet. But if you want to be the most popular baker all year round (lol) double that portion to make giant cookies.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven. If doing multiple batches, make sure the oven has warmed back up to 375 after taking the last batch out, before you put the next one in. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 4-5 minutes before placing onto a wire rack. (and hope that by the time they have cooled off, there is one left for you!)

I've been known to mix it up with this recipe by skipping the coconut extract and substituting 1/4 cup of coconut flakes instead. I'll also add walnuts to the mix. You can use this recipe with M&Ms instead of chocolate chip morsels as well.