the bargain shopper in me…

…is enjoying the buzz today for Cyber Monday!  Except that Amazon was running a bit slow earlier this morning (or maybe this was just our computer?). 

I think it’s safe to say I like a bargain.  Shopping for our essentials, and for some wants as well, while paying rock-bottom prices is just plain old FUN!  And keeping the extra dollars in our pocket makes me smile too. 

Nothing new, this bent towards frugality has been a part of me for as long as I can remember.  Scanning the paper for coupons, checking out grocery fliers & such was not a task my mother enjoyed, and so I simply accompanied her to the store with my envelope of ‘deals’ and we often shopped together this way. 

As now manager in my own home with many more responsibilities than groceries, the process still finds its way into my days.  I like the feeling of ‘beating the system’ (or maybe I’m simply competitive this way!).

Seasons come & go and depending on where we are in life, this hunt for a good bargain is often present or sometimes takes a back seat as it does take time.  And time is very precious to me, so it’s a balancing act.  In ‘honor’ of Cyber Monday and the pursuit of a good deal, I’ll share a few of my favorites ~

photo by renjith krishnan

:: are you using Swagbucks yet?  I discovered these virtual dollars earlier this year, and they are great!  The primary way of earning is online searching, but there are options for taking surveys, sharing referrals, etc.  I’ve only used the search feature (I type everything into the swagbucks toolbar, even if I know the website address already) and have so far earned $50 in Amazon gift certificates!  Which I promptly use on…

:: ….buying diapers on Amazon Mom’s new feature.  On this site, there are many deals for the family and FREE 2-day shipping is included for a limited time.  My diaper deals go like this ~

• sign up for Amazon Mom & save 15%
• save an additional 15% by using the Subscribe & Save feature (the item ordered is delivered on a regular basis, say every 2 months; unsubscribe as soon as the item is shipped with no penalty)
• often I have another coupon code for another 15% or even 20% off. 
• then I pay the balance using as many Swagbuck dollars as possible!

:: right now I’m in a season of coupon clipping and so I receive updates from two sites that offer online coupons to print for local stores and also many other deals ~ Saving Naturally for organic or health foods & products, and then Money Saving Mom.  Both sites are run by godly Christian women who I had the privilege of meeting and talking with last month.  I highly recommend them!

:: I’ve also recently discovered Walmart’s ALL YOU magazine which offers tons of coupons (at least $70 worth in each issue) on groceries, toiletries, etc.  I only take time to scan for the coupons, but the articles seem helpful as well.  Check it out at Walmart & if you like it, here’s a super deal on a subscription.  Using coupons & local drugstore offers, I usually buy our toiletries for next to nothing or receive them for free.

:: check out restaurant.com for dining out deals in your area.  Right now, they are offering up to 80% off certain gift certificates.  A few weeks ago, I bought a $25 certificate for $2.00 and enjoyed a night out sampling Indian food with friends…fun!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I should mention that all of this evolved slowly and it’s a process I enjoy.  It does take time (though I’ve figured out ways to cut down on that!), and it should be worth it in your book.  If I wasn’t clothing & feeding young children still or if for another reason this just didn’t fit life now, then it wouldn’t be a priority.

All that said, it IS a lot of fun!

the bargain shopper in me…

thankful for Advent

A BLESSED THANKSGIVING to all who celebrate today...
this day of remembrance naturally lends to the upcoming celebration of Advent,
when we give THANKS for the coming of our Messiah, Jesus.


The season of Advent is a joyous occassion for the family! Advent is a time of anticipation, of longing and of waiting for the birth of the Messiah, Christ who came to earth for us. Celebrated the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, Advent this year officially begins on Sunday, November 28th.

An Advent calendar is a special way to mark this passing of time and can be a practical tool to teach little ones (and big ones!) about the Christmas story and the true 'reason for the season'. This calendar usually counts down the 24 days before December 25th, but can be adjusted by a day to begin December 1st if wanted.

Last year I chose a simple method to celebrate our family traditions, and to prioritize the many ideas of how to influence our children with the meaning of Christmas ~ a calendar of envelopes! Each morning from December 1st, at our devotional time we opened one envelope that first focused on giving or sharing, and then sometimes on an activity or craft to be completed that day. I opted for mostly quick & easy ideas and other days had more time or effort required. Practical and fun, this idea is easy to duplicate.....


For complete instructions & ideas, hop on over to Frugal Granola....Michele has graciously allowed me to share in her Simple Living series.  Join me? 

   
   
  

thankful for Advent

putting food by

 

This year I’ve got a serious plan to put away food ~ a lot of food, as much seasonal produce as I can!  So, with bags still unpacked from our vacation, the children and I headed out to a friend’s strawberry patch to pick…and pick and pick.  In reality there is still quite a bit of jam from last year and we didn’t take home that much.  These berries will be used for smoothies and pies I think.  I’m hoping to do asparagus and broccoli soon.  Yum.

A great online resource for freezing and canning just about anything is Pick Your Own (with lots of pictures for the visual learner!)  How about you—putting any food by?

putting food by

‘tis the season

to be jolly…

…about YARD SALES!  or garage sales, or tag sales—whatever the wording may be for your part of the country.  Having lived from the deep South all the way up to the Northeast, I’ve noticed that there are several different names for the event.  Interesting.



I had vowed to fully declutter our home before heading out to search for ‘treasures’ among the discards of others, but well, that hasn’t happened.  I tried…really.  But last Saturday morning found us out and about as the girls decided to join in on the fun.  Homeschooling materials, home decor, summer clothing for the baby…we had a great shopping experience. 

But in an attempt towards frugal living, I am also challenged not to bring stuff home simply because it’s inexpensive; often I have to remind myself that we do not need a particular item.  Saying ‘no’ is a little hard at times! 

photo credit

‘tis the season

food on the brain

Yep.  Food is on my mind these days.  Having less time for other pursuits (such as sitting quietly to read a book), I’m finding that cooking is a solace, a bit of a retreat from it all so to speak.  Yes, it gets routine and no, every evening doesn’t include a new recipe!  But one of the benefits of enjoying cooking is that I get to both take care of my family and do something relaxing as well.

With a newly turned 6-month old (yikes, how did that happen?), there’s been a lot of making of baby food—pureed avocado, squash, bananas, and the like being eaten & stored up.  I like the Super Baby Food book or Wholesome Baby Food website as a resource.

And I’ve been really getting into vegan cooking since several of us cannot have eggs or dairy—um, we still eat meat though so it’s a contradiction so to speak.  Anyway!  My new cookbook of interest is Vegan Soul Kitchen, a gift from my sister-in-law.  This week I’ll be trying a butternut squash and pear soup that gets its creamy smoothness from coconut milk; the recipe had my mouth watering.  We’ll see if the family likes it.

And though I don’t plan to grow a big garden this year, I’ve spent many evenings curled up in bed for a few minutes of browsing through Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog.  Oh. My.  If you’re a gardener, get one of these!  I plan to just do a few potted plants or a small raised bed.  Here’s a great post on getting organized for a larger garden planting.

So…food, food, food.  Does the mind and body good.

food on the brain

settling in to the new year

First, thank you very much for the prayers :: our family members in Haiti were finally able to contact my mother yesterday, all are well! Homes have collapsed, life must restart afresh in a country that is devastated…there is a lot for them to take in. We rejoice in the news that they are safe!

Last week I finally decided to embrace the new year by moving out of vacation mode and gearing up for another season of fullness in our family. Inspired by the cookbooks recently checked out of the library, preparing and putting away some foodstuff for the upcoming weeks was top on the list. No pictures (at least not mine), we were too busy! We being my 11-yr old girl and I who worked away with a determined focus; lots of fun and memories made.

photo by beauty that moves

Here’s what we accomplished~

• granola (recipe blogged about here)
• in the VitaMix blender we made applesauce, almond butter, pureed butternut squash for the baby, and ground wheat berries for flour
• the flour we used to make lots of orange cranberry muffins, loaves of pumpkin bread and dozens of oatmeal raisin cookies
• the crockpots were bubbling with a few roasts and chicken was cooked and shredded for future use
• oh, and we made samosas~just because (I used the recipe from Extending the Table cookbook, but there are many recipes on the web)

The whole plan began with the idea to make some soups to freeze, but as you can see, that didn’t happen. Hmmm…think I got distracted?

settling in to the new year

good ole beans 'n cornbread

A delicious, inexpensive southern meal! The children were amused to hear that beans and cornbread were served at my church gatherings or meals when I was growing up. It was just tradition :: someone always brought it to a potluck.

The recipe I used for the beans~

Soak overnight

2 c. black, kidney or pinto beans

6 c. water

Before cooking add

1 t. salt

1 ham hock

Cook about 2 hours or until tender (add more water if desired). Cut meat from bones and return to beans.

Add:

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

2 t. ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1/2 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. crushed red pepper (optional)

1/2 t. basil

3 T. lemon juice (also optional, but tastes great)

pepper to taste

1-2 cloves of sliced garlic

Cook uncovered until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite cornbread recipe!

good ole beans 'n cornbread

preparations

Using the fading glory of this year's leaves to provide nutrients for next year's planting :: the girls enjoyed preparing the soil as we all worked outdoors to get our garden plot ready for Spring planting...a long way off, but preparations must be made! After paying higher prices for various produce this summer, I decided it was high time we got a bit more serious about planting at least some of the staples--lettuce, tomatoes, peppers & other salad fixings. We need to add more 'browns' to this bit of land in hopes to balance out the pH.

I had to chuckle some while posting these pictures :: my daughters are so very different! One was completely decked out with sparkly purple gloves {it really wasn't that cold}, tights and a headband. The other content to just put on the basics. But they both love the outdoors.

My firstborn? College-at-home-freshman? Not as much. But we forgive her, because she made us these:

With a bit of glaze, they were just right. And she double-batched and froze some for upcoming winter mornings. Her contribution to our preparation days!

preparations