Simplifying Life with.....
TIPS & HELPFUL HINTS
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COUPON MANIA HAS HIT!
My mother will tell you that stores see me coming and start marking things on Sale - Truth is, I'm just a savvy shopper. I'm not much of an impulse shopper and I can wait it out on things I need until it is on sale. I figure if it sells out before I find it on sale, then it wasn't meant for me to buy!.Of course there are those times when I find something I have to have, but I've shopped smart and have the extra money to buy those few things in between sales. My philosophy is that if I go home and wake up the next day still thinking about those great shoes, then I go back and buy them (and usually, believe it or not, they have gone on sale! -
Ask my mom!)
In today's times, we are ALL looking for ways to pinch pennies. Coupons have always had a bad rep - but now they are making a comeback. With sites like www.couponmom.com and (my favorite)
it is now SUPER easy to save money. If you are a frequent visitor to my site, you know that I only endorse products and sites that I try myself and find worthy and viable. These sites are FREE and updated daily. It is much simpler for you to check out these sites to learn the tricks than for me to tell you(plus I don't want to steal their knowledge and post it here) - but I do want to share with you my actual shopping receipts and break it down for you so you can see that it CAN be done.
Below are this week's shopping totals (not including groceries which I will list separate).
Step One - BUY ONLY ITEMS ON SALE
Total of Purchases @ Regular Price: $425.22
Total Purchases at the SALE PRICES $331.86
Money Saved By ONLY BUYING ON-SALE ITEMS: $93.36
Gives us a Total of $331.86 before coupons and rebates
Step Two: ONLY BUY FOR WHICH YOU HAVE A COUPON:
Total of Purchases (from above) $331.86
Total of Coupons Used: $140.44
New Total After Sales and Coupons: $191.42
Step Three: Purchase Items that Give you Rewards Bucks (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid all offer some type of rebate. Products change every week)
Starting Total after sale price and coupons (from above):$191.42
Total Rebates Earned:$110.96
New Total: $80.50
Step Four: Use Special Offers and Mail in Rebates. This week I transferred two prescriptions and got (2) $25 Gift cards, plus (2) $5 SC Johnson Mail-in Rebates, one $1.99 Sure Deodorant Rebate and one $5 off $25 purchase Coupon Total Rewards Bucks and Rebates: $66.99
New Total after buying at sale price, using coupons, using/earning reward bucks and using special offers and mail in rebates: $13.51
TOTAL OUT OF POCKET COST THIS WEEK: $13.51
So - If I had purchased everything at full price without using anything, it would have cost me $425.22 Instead I paid only $13.51. I have scanned some of the receipts so that you can see what all I got for my $13.51. I am stocked up on toothpaste, shampoo, cereal, laundry soap, TONS of items (see the picture of my storage cabinet).NOW - you tell me....is it worth another look at coupons?//www.southernsavers.com/ is FREE and No, I don't get paid to tell you about her - I just love to pass on great info I try myself. Think of me as your very own Good Housekeeping Seal Test Mom. I will tell you - it does take TIME to cut and organize the coupons. But the website tells you exactly whats on sale, what coupon to use (sometimes there is even a link to print one out) AND you can "click and print" your own personalize shopping list for each store.
As for groceries - the grocery stores don't have rebate programs like the drug stores, but there is a system to get the lowest price for each item. A great website that explains it is www.Couponmom.com.com. Southern savers does list each week's sales and coupons for you so use her for your shopping list, but check out http://www.couponmom.com/ for the "hows and whys" of shopping for groceries.
My Ingles list this week was very long, but I saved $99.61 at the end of it all......
Post your comments on your own ways you save or if you try it out and what your experience is on my BLOG. Good Luck and more tips on the way soon!
Click the link below to see an ACTUAL break out
of my receipts!
FIRE SAEFTY FOR KIDS
Your home should be a safe haven. But do you regularly check for home fire hazards? If not, there is the potential for danger. Fire departments responded to nearly 400,000 home fires in 2006. That's why the theme of Fire Prevention Week 2008 is "It's Fire Prevention Week: Prevent Home Fires!"
From October 5-11, 2008, fire safety advocates will spread the word to their communities that, with a little extra caution, preventing the leading causes of home fires - cooking, heating, electrical and smoking-materials - is within their power
PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
A portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the
fire department arrives.
To operate a fire extinguisher: - Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking
mechanism.
- Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
- Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.
Fire extinguishers are one element of a fire response plan, but the primary element is safe escape. Every household and business should have a home fire escape plan and working smoke alarms.
Sending Soilder Care Packages
Since we are focusing on sending cards and packages to the troops in Iraq this month, our first set of tips and hints will be about how to send letters, cards and care packages to the soldiers.
"A soldier in Iraq cannot see your ribbon
or the flag at your front door
But a letter they hold in their hands
To them, means so much more"
Liam Sweeny
When my brother served in Iraq, we sent him weekly packages. He passed many of the items onto friends who did not receive things from home. He had so much that often he had to leave much of it behind when they had to pack up quickly and move. First tip: Instead of sending large volumes to one soldier, send smaller packages to many soldiers.
Do not send food and non-food items in the same pack. If ants or other bugs get into the food, then your other items will not be damaged.
Some of my brother's requests - Containers of powdered Gatorade, sweat-proof sunscreen (Bullfrog is great), socks, chewing gum, baby powder (for gauding), vasolene (can be used for wind-block) and batteries.
AnySoldier.com discourages sending DVDs and CDs as they're often stolen and re-sold to the soldiers.
If you would rather donate than send a package, this month's charity, Operation Bartow Cares, will put together a package and send it for you. Visit their website for more info www.operationbartowcares.com
Speaking of donating.....
Most people are wary of donating to charities away from the big-named organizations. www.give.org is a great website for more information on how to donate safely.
Here are a few tips when choosing a charity and donating money.
When solicited by phone, if you are unsure if the charity is valid, request that written material be mailed to you instead of pledging over the phone. NEVER give out your checking account or credit card information over the phone. If you ask for the information to be mailed to you, any reputable organization will gladly send it to you.
St. Jude's and other well-known charities send free address labels in the mail. If you read the insert, you will find that they are asking for a donation in return for your use of the labels. Be honest - if you use the labels, send in the requested donation.
For larger donations, never give cash. When you pay by check, make the check out directly to the organization, not the group collecting the money. Most donations are tax deductible and a canceled check is a good way to keep records of your donations.
For smaller donations, give items instead of cash. Bags of groceries can be left at most church's food bank (www.goodneighborshelter.org). Extra sheets and towels can go to the local homeless shelter. Magazines, books, and school supplies can be sent to a Shelter for Teenagers (www.advochild.org).
During Thanksgiving and Christmas, the donations pour in - try donating at other times of the year when the charities really need your help.
Don't know which charity to donate to? Pick one that is close to your heart. Here are few examples:
Love pets? Donate to your local animal shelter (www.bartowga.org/animalshelter). They will accept cans and bags of food in lieu of money. Our local animal shelters hold birthday parties where guests bring in food and treats for animals instead of the birthday girl/boy. It is a great way to support your shelter and teach the children about charity.
Have a soft spot for those homeless children in other countries? Try your local children's shelter (www.advochild.org) or Boys and Girls Club (www.bgca.org). You can actually see your money making the difference in a local child's life instead of sending your money off to some other country.
Does someone close to you have cancer or another disease? Donate to your local chapters (www.gabcc.org) . Check with local churches for families in need of help with medical expenses such as www.abigalsmiles.com.
Halloween Safety TIPS
-Purchase only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame- resistant or flame- retardant. -Use flashlights or battery-operated candles when illuminating Jack-o- lanterns.
-When lighting candles inside Jack-O-Lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches and be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can
burn including doorsteps, walkways and yards.
-Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.
Be Green
Simple Steps To Help You Get Started
Recycling can be easier than you think. I tried to recycle on and off through the years but gave up, well, because I was a little lazy! I got serious and started my home recycle center after reading "Garbage Land - On The Secret Trail of Trash" by Elizabeth Royte. Royte lives in New York and, while she goes into all the gross and intricate details of WHERE our trash ends up, it really came across as a challenge to me, as well as a fact finding tale. In no way does she rant and rave about our "duties" to recycle but she does get to the heart of the matter of trash. It's a funny read and I recommend you read it - for steps to create your own recycle station at home, click HERE.
Recycling is really more than rinsing out soup cans and saving your Sunday paper. Although even if you just start ONE type of recycling, it makes a huge impact. There are really three ways to recycle. Reuse your stuff, reduce what you buy and recycle what you can. There are tons of websites to give you facts and stats, including my own page, but here I simply want to help you get started.
TIP:To keep your trash clean and not smelly, you can usa a kitchen tabletop compost pail (if you don't have a garbage disposal) for about $15 - just search "kitchen composter pail." A yard composter is more complicated and expensive for my tastes but if you feel gun-ho, do a google for that as well.
My own recycle center (shown above) is easy and inexpensive to set up, see HERE for instructions. In the kitchen, one trash can is actual trash and the other is for recycled cans, bottles and plastic (our county recycle center does not require that these be separated.) The bins are labeled "newspapers," "cardboards" - such as cereal boxes and "color papers" - such as catalogs. I also have a wall-mounted bin for plastic grocery bags (which I return to the store) and a bag for empty cardboard paper towel and t.p. rolls (which go to the art dept. at Grace's school.) All our magazines are recycled separately during my Opus Sorority Nights. I took card stock paper and printed out the labels from my home computer and taped them on each bin so the kids could keep it all straight.
When the kitchen bins get full, we transfer the contents downstairs where I have three large trash cans, with secure lids. Make sure you get the lids to keep bugs and animals out of the cans! The recycled cans, etc go into the trash cans and the newspapers, etc go in a plastic laundry basket with handles.
TIP:I don't recommend lining these with plastic trash bags because it is easier to spray out the cans with the hose than deal with sticky trash bags, plus once you get to the recycle center, they make you empty the plastic bags into the dumpster. It's just a waste of a trash bag.
I monitor the bathroom trash cans and have a small shred box in both mine and my husband's office. Everything from deodorant empties to rubber bands gets recycled or reused. It's become almost like a game to me - nothing goes in the trash! (of course, the kids don't think it's so much fun, but they are learning!)
Something the kids DO participate without any nudging, is the donation box. I used to constantly purge their closets and rooms of old clothing, toys, books, ANYTHING they didn't regularly use, and take to the children's or women's shelter. Now that they are teenagers, to keep me out of their rooms, they automatically put unwanted stuff in the "donation" box in the garage. It makes me proud to peek in and see sweaters, shoes and old stuffed animals they have added on their own. They have been with me to deliver these items to the shelters and have seen the children and women they are helping - and I think that helps them keep their clutter to a minimum on their own. They don't realize they are helping reduce the landfills and helping the earth too.
About once a month, when the cans are full, we track it to the recycle center in our county. I take the paper stuff to the fire station drop off centers and the donated items to the shelters. It takes a little effort, but the results are worth it.
The final "part" of our home center is the "ebay," "yard sale," and "freecycle" box. These are items that hold some type of value, are collectible, are too large to move myself or things I just feel need a really good home.
Yard Sales are alot of work but if you have enough items, they can be worthwhile and eBay is a great way to trade out things you used to love for a little profit. You can check out more hints and info on the Kendal Kleanz It Out site.
Freecycle.org is a website that is divided by communities. For example, local to me there are separate sites for each of the surrounding counties and one of the entire North Georgia area. You post items for FREE and then other members contact you for pick up. Everything must be listed as FREE and it is up to YOU who picks it up. It's great for left over yard sale items - the last yard sale I had I listed that the person could not sort through the stuff, but had to TAKE IT ALL! It was fabulous!
The kids had a hard time remembering to recycle at first, but now it's a habit! Our actual trash went from an average of one full bag per day to one per WEEK! I kid you not! For a family of five!
Do your part - even if it just using BOTH sides of a sheet of paper! I'm not one to harp, chant and rave, but I do think a little goes a long way,
one family at a time.
More great recycling tips:
Children learn by example. It may be hard for us, as adults, to get going on this bandwagon, but if children learn as part of their routine - they will continue it throughout their lifetime.
One of the reasons people give up on recycling is that, over time, Coke cans, beer bottles and food containers attract gnats in the bins. To combat this problem, purchase outdoor trash bins with SECURE lids. If bugs can't get in, they won't gather around your treasure of recyclables!
Another reason is smell. Rinse out soup cans, milk jugs and other containers carefully. If there is no residue in the collection bins, then there will not be a smell.
Many businesses offer trade-in coupons for electronics. Check Staples.com for ways to recycle your printers, monitors and other electronic devices. Staples also offers a reward program for ink cartridges. You get $3 per cartridge you recycle through them.
Composting is a great way to create your own soil for gardening. Use the chart below as a starting point for what can be composted and what can't. Check your local library for books on setting up your compost bins.
AT&T will recycle your old cell phones and send them to the soldiers overseas.
Click and print out the chart below as a great guideline for recyclables.
DECEMBER
Christmas Decor Slide Show
How to Throw a Simple, but ELEGANT, Party
December is a BUSY time of the year for most. Here are a few party planning hints to help make your party dazzle WITHOUT the added stress!
•Use place cards to label the food for your guests. For cheeses, tape the place cards to toothpicks and stick directly into the cheese wedge. Nice touches make all the difference
•Set up your food table the day before. Decide where each serving dish will be placed, add corresponding serving utensils, and place a post-it note on each one to remind you what goes where. This is a great time saver!
•Use real dinnerware, crystal and utensils when possible. It makes the statement that your guests are important. It doesn’t take that much time to load the dishwasher and it reduces the amount of trash your party collects.
•If you don’t have enough real dinnerware to serve everyone, start with what you have then replace with clear disposable-wear. Buy purchasing all clear plates, cups and utensils, you can use the leftovers at any event. Instead of 10 plates in 10 different colors stacked in your cabinet, you will have something that matches it all.
•Use real linen, all-white tablecloths. Again, it makes a statement, can be used at all your events and is easily cleaned. Add layers of colored linens for dramatic (or subtle) décor. Make sure they are straight!
•Use clippings from your yard as décor in all areas. Magnolia, nandina with berries and pine are wonderful choices. Use fresh herbs such as rosemary to accent food such as creamy dips and cheese assortments. Store bought flower bouquets come across as cheesy – but taken apart, the single flowers of sunflowers, peonies and other large blooms are magnificent alone. Try placing one bloom in the bathroom on a plate for easy, classy décor. Using real décor also cuts down in the amount of decorations you need to store every year.
•If children are to be involved, have a special area just for them. They should have their own food table with special treats and an area full of activities to keep them busy. Try setting up a table where they can create their own gum-drop trees from Styrofoam cones.
•At the coffee station, use sugar cubes instead of regular sugar. You’ll be amazed how many people notice! Also offer Splenda, Sweet & Low and individual creamers as an added touch. All the leftovers can be saved for another party.
•Expand beyond the usual holiday balls in a bowl - Simple things like cranberries add color and create wonderful, simple displays.
•Take store bought foods and dips out of the container and put into nicer bowls and trays. It’s all about the PRESENTATION. Use grandma’s china – she did!
•Designate a “dirty dish” area. If guests can see where to place their dishes they are more likely to put them there than leave them laying around your home. Set up a bowl with warm soapy water for utensils and a trash can designated for trash/food. While working the room, casually pick up dishes and cups left laying around. This will cut down the time spent cleaning up later. NEVER load the dishwasher while you still have guests.
•Designate an area for coats and handbags.
•Simmer cinnamon sticks and whole cloves on the stove at the beginning – it will create a warm atmosphere.
PARTY THEMES AND IDEAS
•Create a poster or cork board with pictures of your guests from throughout the years. Ask guests to bring their own pictures to add and swap out. Your guests will love (and laugh) at pictures of themselves and others. To expand on this idea – try it with your neighbors. Many times neighbors do not exchange the many pictures they take throughout the year of each other’s children. It’s a great way to collect and exchange these photos.
•Have Santa make a surprise visit at your adult parties too. Guests can give Santa a wish list and have their photos taken. Great way to start the laughs – and maybe get what you really want this year!
•Arrange for the neighborhood kids or another group to stop by and Christmas carol for your guests. OR, have a Christmas Caroling party. When I was a child, we would meet at someone’s home and take a hayride to people’s homes to carol. Every third or fourth house we would go in for hot chocolate and treats before going on to the next house. After the last house, we would go back and the adults would socialize with Hot Rum while we decorated the tree. How I loved it!
•Have a Christmas Card Making or Baked-Good Baking Party – Gather your friends for pot-luck dinner while you all sign and address your Holiday cards or bake and package your baked gifts.
•For “Christmas in July” try the following: Place the lid of a large Rubbermaid tote on the center of your food table. Cover it with a tablecloth. Fill the lid with play sand. Add Barbies in swim suits, shells, and other summer items for décor. Suggest Hawaiian shirts, serve margaritas, mini BBQ sandwiches and homemade ice cream. Play Jimmy Buffet music and have everyone do the “limbo!”
•Create “stations” instead of a food table. Banana split bars, soup stations and taco bars are great easy to fix tables.
AFTER Holiday but BEFORE New Years, TIPS
Now that the holidays are over, don't just stuff your trimmings in a box nor your trash in the dump - THINK about how you can re-think the way you end this holiday season and how it carries over to next year. When you only have a couple of days off - it's easy to throw it all back in the box but DON'T! Read through the following tips to tweak your routine in order to start the year off right - and get yourself better prepare for next Christmas!
Use these simple steps as a starting point to a great new way of
Simpler Living...
As you starting pulling down your tree and gathering your other holiday decor, designate one area to collect and put everything there. I use the dining room table. I pull all my empty storage bins, tissue paper for wrapping delicate ornaments and my camera to the room. I go from room to room, gathering all the things to store and take them to the table. I try to separate the items into "piles" that will be stored together or stored by room what room they go in. Example: All Christmas balls go in one storage bin so they are placed together because I place them throughout the entire house. Everything that I use in the kitchen (cookie cutters, hand towels, etc) goes in one bin, so next year, when I start my holiday cooking , I can pull this one bin out to use if I haven't put up my other decor yet.
After I have been to each room and EVERYTHING is on the table (or surrounding floor!), I begin to pack. Each item is cheeked for damage and put in the "donate" pile if damaged or unwanted. Sometimes I go several years without using an item - when this happens I may keep it separate for a few years to see if I still want it. After a few years of not using it , I will offer it to my brother or it goes in the "donate" box. I also make a list of what I may need for next year (lights, etc).
By carefully packing UP your items this year, it will make Unpacking them next year a breeze. I photo the inside of each bin and place the photo on the outside with a label. This helps me find items later.
Read on for more great tips....
RECEIVED HOLIDAY CARDS - Chances are, with this year's economy, you didn't receive as many holiday cards as usual - but what do you do with the ones you did get? St. Jude's Children Ranch accepters used cards until Feb. 28th. The children participate in making the new recycled cards by removing the front and attaching a new back made with recycled paper. The new card is a beautiful, “green” card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive "green" holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of "going green". For the address and more details, please click HERE. The Kendal Companies will also collect your cards and mail them for you. Contact Kendal HERE for more details
TAKE STOCK NOW - not next December! Take a minute to make a mental list of what you need to restock for next year. Holiday wrapping supplies can be found at drastically reduced prices in January. Store gift wrap in tall kitchen trash cans that can be easily stored. Keep all your holiday wrapping supplies separated and stored with your holiday decorations. This keeps it from combining with your everyday wrap and handy when the holiday comes back around.
ORGANIZE your WRAP - Take loose rolls or scraps of ribbons and roll them around an empty paper towel cardboard roll. Use a paper towel stand to stack rolls of ribbons that have their own holders. Use a clean small trash can to stack the long rolls of wrapping paper up. To keep rolls from unrolling and getting crushed, roll a rubber band around each roll, instead of taping the ends. This makes it easy to pull out what you need. Take a sturdy shoe box and fill it with everything you need to wrap - extra Scissors, multiple tape rolls, gifts tags, pens, etc. Any torn or unusable ribbon, save for kid's crafts in a clear tub. They can be used for homemade cards and crafts next year.
SORT your DECOR, as you put it away - Go through an examine each item before you store it. If it's broke, get rid of it. If it still holds sentimental value - then store it with other valuable items, NOT with your usable ornaments. Do you have tons of things you keep but don't use? Don't put it back in the closet. Collect these unwanted treasures in one box and donate them to a children's shelter for their use next year, or contact me HERE and I will keep them for next year's Un-loved Decorations Swap.
ORGANIZE your DECOR - Use everyday household items to retire your decor for the year. Egg crates can hold delicate ornaments. Tissue paper and gift bags from this year's gifts can be packed with holiday tins, towels, stuffed decor. Put all kitchen holiday utensils such as cookie cutters, snowman salt and pepper shakers and holiday paper plates all together and store OUT OF THE KITCHEN and with your decorations. You only use them once a year, keep them with the other holiday items. Keep all the same holiday items in clean, matching, PLASTIC tubs. Label the outside with a picture of the contents.
DONATE unwanted gifts - It's sounds terrible to "re-gift" but if you don't love it and it's only going to end up in the closet - move it out. Take it to the women's shelter. Donate to the military overseas. Give it to your mother - just move it from your house! This is YOUR year to de-clutter, don't start by keeping unwanted gifts.
For great ways to help kick-start your home "de-cluttering" project, click HERE
