Drop A Dime

As a mom with a 2 month old and someone who loves to bathe and shop, i have learned that the baby wash is a way to go when washing up. It leaves you smooth and clean and it comes in awesome smells.It is also pretty cheap to buy when you are on a tight budget.

I watch food places because different ones have kids eat free on different nights so we can eat out much cheaper.

My new years resolution is to walk into my newly purchased home in 2010. To be and live freely. To become a great mom!

New Year’s Resolution:
Make recipe booklets for friends to give as Christmas gifts in 2010.
Get 3×5 cards a hole punch & metal rings. Let your kids color on the “unlined” side of the 3×5 cards. Neatly write in recipes on the “lined” side. Punch holes in 1 corner of the cards and attach them together with the metal rings. Voila!

I shop at Burlington, TJMaxx & Marshall’s. You can’t beat brand names for less! I got a Chinese Laundry bag for only 10 bucks & the original price was $45!!!

I sign up online at the manufacturer’s website for products I use a lot. They will often send you coupons, free samples, and let you know when new products are coming out or when they are having a sale.

I watch for estate sales in my area and only go the last day when everything is half off, I get there when the doors open and have scored some amazing things. le Cruset pans for five dollars, sterling silver cuffs for two bucks!
I also use my community Freecycle and give and get things for free, you can also post for wanted items there and usually someone has what you need.
We have had a garden and compost pile for years, there is nothing more satisfying than going to the store and seeing tomatoes for $5.99 a pound and yours cost less than a dollar for seeds and you have many many pounds!

I use the library to get all my media as opposed to paying for DVD rentals and buying books that I will never read again. It is silly to pay for books that cost $20 and pay monthly rentals of $14 when that money could be going into a retirement or college account for the future. If and when I do buy books I use amazon and buy used for a 10% of what the original cost was. I have never been disappointed!

Dig through Dollar General !! Wow really some nice stuff if your bitch ass has some taste!

This year, I will make all my bread. Not only is it a lot cheaper (.50 a loaf compared to $3.00 at the grocer) but kneading the bread is great therapy and can actually be quite relaxing!

Craigslist, Craigslist, Cragislist. Yes there ARE scams there, but you can also find GREAT deals there too!!!! Also Freecycle!

EBags is a great source for all manner of accessories. However….EBags prices are NOT the same every day. Troll the site, find what you like and then every morning at 6AM check the price, shipping (sometimes it’s free) and by all means join Bing cash back and EBags rewards for more savings. You may have to follow an item for a couple of months but that’s how I got the 119.00 rolling laptop bag for 59.00. Well worth the effort.

Instead of spending $1000 or more on a new play house for our 4 children, we salvaged items from different sources…siding from my parents garage that was no longer wanted, 4 windows and a door from different peoples “trash” (we call it recycling!), wood from a fellow freecycler, roofing from an old barn being taken down, a school size chalkboard for $3 at a garage sale, etc. And for the things that we did spend money on (like fun yellow paint!) we had a garage sale and the kids had a lemonade stand. We spent less than $100 on it and it is beautiful! And our neighbor is making curtains for it!!

Instead of buying greeting cards, save wrapping paper, bags, construction paper, buttons, colored paper clips, all the little things you would normally just toss with a little construction Paper or Card stock you can create a beatuiful unique greeting card that your friends and family will value more than one you bought

New Years Resolution:
Workout….. in stilettos! This will increase my endurance for dancing in high heels all night at the club with my friends. Therefore if I do pay to go somewhere I will be able to get my money’s worth!

I spend coupons (free money) combined with products on sale and buy things that I use when I don’t need them at the lowest possible price. That way, when I need it, I can get it from my stockpile and not have to run out and spend full price because I ran out. visit http://www.crystalclearsavings.info to find out more!

Shop your friends first!!! I’m usually pretty quick to run out and get something I want, but in this economy it’s not the wisest choice. Need a necklace to go with the little dress for the party? Ask your artsy friend who always has the best accessories! Don’t have the perfect height heel for the perfect date? You know who wears your size shoe! Ask, and you just might receive (if not for always, at least til the date is done!).

Great All Purpose Cleaner – All the hotel shampoos you collect and don’t actually use, put in a spray bottle with water (1 part shampoo, 2 parts water, 1 part hydrogen peroxide). When using on carpet or fabric, check for color fastening. Great on grease and stain removal.

Wal-Mart, and other stores, have all Christmas decorations and other Christmas items at 50%-75% off after Christmas. Wal-Mart also has a box of recyclable Christmas cards. Each card has a smaller card on the front that can be planted, and it grows into a beautiful tree! How cool is that!?!

P.S. If we were to vote, my vote goes to Leslie Vincent-Martinez. You go girl!!!

My son’s pre-school does a monthly gift certificate fundraiser, in the earlier pre-holiday months i stocked up on lettuce entertain you, starbucks, sephora, old navy, children’s place, gap, grocery store and many other retailer gift cards etc…yes it put a damper on my wallet in august/september but it saved me from running out and making purchases as the holidays approached! The truly nice thing is not only did I already set aside holiday gifts, but I gave back to my son’s school and my clients and family loved the gift cards and were able to post holiday shop and buy twice as much!

Another great money saver…American Express rewards points, not only did I find great gifts for my husband, I was able to splurge on a little something for myself and still have PLENTY of points left for next year!

I plan to “green” my beauty routine with things like oatmeal, salt, sugar, egg whites, tea, and herbs. I made a flavored apple cider vinegar to give for xmas with sage, thyme, and rosemary. These herbs hae antiseptic, antibiotic, and astringent qualities (as does the vineegar). This potion works better on my (still thinks I am 15) skin better then anything else I have tried, and I have tried pretty much everything! There are tons of recipes and ideas out there, just a little google will point you in the right direction. So easy, so cheap, and so effective!

Buy your clothes and shoes in December (after Christmas) and July/August. that’s when all the good stuff goes on clearance!

Don’t be a broke bitch in the new year. Pay yourself first! Put away a little every pay check in your minor child’s savings account, not linked to an atm card, tax free! Forget you even have it. At the end of the year you can choose to invest in higher interest bearing accounts and get a tax write off. Or you can choose to have those monies taken pre tax out of your check and put into an IRA for example.

Great ideas and congrats to all!. Leslie I knew you would win!!

I bake cakes from European baking books. The bitches in Europe know how to turn out a cake. Every woman has it in her. So I learned a foreign language, lived there for two years and taught myself how to bake. Now cakes and tortes look like the finest a big-city can offer.

I love to DIY, mainly home decor and jewelry items. I can be in a store and see a cute necklace and a cute pair of earrings that cost $30 and attempt to figure them out myself and make them for $5 for the set. I’ve turned the kids old clothes and baby blankets into decor for their rooms, or even doll clothes. Its all about finding a “template” or instructions online and figuring it out.

Honey i have learned how 2 do my own hair,, from relaxin to coloring, and curling and straightening my own… i do my own eyebrows, nails and pedicures and thats already $160.00 i am saving a month on those things alone when ur paying ppl 2 make u look right… Then im a graphic tee girl, so i get those 5 dollar rainbow stretchy teeshirts and some inexpensive fabric paint from ac moore and design shirts 2 wear and make them match what i want them 2 match… i watch movies ON DEMAND instead of rushing 2 tha movies,,, and buy all my toiletries ON SALE!! best way 2 do it,, all saving me a bundle on things i use 2 buy @ full price,, and helping me 2 really save my $$$

Install your own appliances and fixtures to keep home updating costs down. I needed to install some new sink fixtures which only cost me $50 each for my bathroom sink – it was going to cost me $100 to have them installed! So I got online, looked at some how-to videos, read the instructions (gasp) and installed them myself. I figure I might as well try and if I mess it up, I can call the professionals. I’ve since moved on to install a garbage disposal, kitchen faucet, microwave, dishwasher and three lighting fixtures and saved $700!

With being a single mom of three teenage boys, things are always going array in my house. Things mysteriously get broke or disappear all together, so I have come to be a mother of “make-do”. My wealth of knowledge has come from many searches online to “cope” with the latest mishap.
One example was when my special shampoo and conditioner disappeared. I used a bad generic that left mats in my long hair! Literally, you touched one part of my head and the whole scalp moved! I tried everything suggested to me. Finally I tried them all together; it worked! You use a lemon water solution and wash it with that and hand soap. Then of course condition it very well after you remove the matting. I would suggest that you use a warm oil condition as the hand soap is very damaging, although worth the result!
Another example would be when the cupboard doors in my kitchen were wearing out and I tried to fix them but the holes were too big to put the screws back into. I had learned that if you put a toothpick into the hole (or two if needed), and then screw in the screw again, it will grip; and if you use wood glue, it will help make last even longer.

Bitches? I was out of work for a year. Besides going online to find some amazing recipes with beans (heaps of folic acid and potassium) and cabbage (heaps of vitamin C), I was seriously scrimping and suffering in the food department. When an air miles update report came in from United Airlines I started scanning the list of participating partners and found Target to be one of them. I didn’t have a lot of miles and figured I couldn’t use what few I had before they expired so I turned them in for $250 worth of Target gift cards, I was able to but food and wine (hoo-rah!), terlet paper and gifts for a baby shower. I even bought the Flight of the Concords Season 1 DVD. Those Kiwis got me through a lot of penniless night.

Lastly, those too hard bits on the end of your Parmesan and Romano cheese? They’re called ‘rinds.’ Save them for soup making… throw them into pots of simmering white beans OR cabbage. I’m hear to tell you cabbage AND beans, together, are nearly lethal.

KS- super rock star of saving

I am nominating my mother for the DIY contest. Hoffman is right. My mother designs window treatments, however due to the upcoming holiday she couldn’t find the time to make her own curtains. So, she paid another designer to create her bedroom window treatments. Total disaster! In the end, my mother had to DIY and recreate beauty from the designers mess. http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs172.snc3/19964_236874423933_618563933_3065097_1293678_a.jpg

I make calendars out of old cds (you know, the expired antivirus, AOL, homemade cds that are scratched) and scrapbook photo calendars with them. They make great gifts for godparents, aunts, uncles & grandparents. They look forward to them every year. By recycling cds, its keeping them out of the landfill and makes a cheap gift that is treasured after the calendar because the calendar can be removed.

I watch a lot of YouTube. I’ve learned how to do so much watching people on YouTube including making my own lip gloss, threading my own eyebrows, even doing my own acrylic nails! I’m learning how to do all my personal grooming and all myself to save myself TONS of money on fees to maintain my look!

I started making my own sugar scrub. Plain sugar and a few packages your favorite tea. I use fruity smells or mint for a sudden “refresh” in the shower. Great for face, and all over body. Supposedly the tea is great for antioxident or something, but i like it for the smell.

Paint is a girl’s best DIY friend! There is sooo much you can do with a can of spray paint, or left over paint from a previous project. Since I couldn’t afford a new dishwasher, I spray painted my old white dishwasher black to match the rest of my appliances. It looked so good, people thought I got a new dishwasher! All for the price of a can of spray paint. I also love the look of oil rubbed bronze. I have found a spray paint that will give me the look that I like without the added cost. Most recently, I painted my mudroom floor in a checker board pattern with paint I already had from a previous project and “mistake” paint that I had purchased in the wrong finish. The result was fantastic, and many of my friends thought it was tile! That project not only used paint I already had, but only cost me the price of a quart of polyurathane!!! I have found that paint gives me the chance to reuse and repurpose many things in my home while saving a ton of $$.

as a money saving measure i have decided to not pay for cable. i have a dtv box since i work alot and don’t get to watch t.v much anyway. so instead i use my computer as my cable. most cable websites show full episodes of their most popular shows and websites like hulu have them all in on place i save money, i get to watch what i want to when i want to and everyone knows bitches do it on their own time

As a lover of nutritios foods and a hater of crazy prices and being unsure of the chemicals hiding in them, I decided to start sprouting my own stuff at home.

There are tons and tons of sources for detailed info on how to do it, but really all you need is a large bowl or flat container (even take out containers work!), water to cover what you are sprouting, papper towels, and time.

Cover the seeds/legumes with water and soak overnight. Use the water to water plants or drink it yourself (too nutritious to throw out!)
Then sprinkle the seeds with a bit of fresh water, cover with papper towels, and wait. Check them once or twice a day so they don’t dry out. Depending on what you are sprouting, you may need to remove the skin/shell from the bean/seed.

How much can you save? Well, I bought a bag of seeds specifically for srouting for $3 and it says it produces 15 (3.5 oz) servings, which is about the same amount in ONE $3 container from the store. So that means it is 1/15 the cost when I do it myself…which is awesome!

Before redecorating a room or your home, try some rearranging and repurposing. I change furniture around and repaint or refinish. Old drapes can be sewn into great throws, pillows or comforters. A slipcover can spruce up that sofa with the juice stains…and is washable. Simply recovering the seats on dining chairs can change the look of a room. Instead of replacing a lamp, try a new lampshade. Doing this also helps to avoid establishing the decorator’s horror of a ‘theme’ and establishes your personality in your home with a more eclectic flavor!
If you find you just must purchase something….buy and add one thing at a time like an accent chair or chandelier.

sign up with your local restaurants to get text’d specials……HOULIHANS here in Kansas city sends me foody call’s…..I just show them my text and get a good deal….

Children’s birthday party- pajama party (6. y.o. girls)
Invitations were homemade on computer- bed on front/details inside
Food was part of the activities- homemade waffles the girls got to decorate with all their favorite toppings. Bacon, eggs, coffee available for adults.
Cake was bakery made and was a bed with a little head sticking out of the covers for each of the girls attending. They loved eating “themselves!”
Party favors were small boxes that contained bedtime goodies, including $1 sleep masks found at the Target Dollar Spot.
Thank you note was a picture of all the kids in one bed “sleeping” with a caption of thankfulness.
My friend Kelley threw this party, and it was great. I wore my pajamas, too!

Cheap Kids Party: This past summer I threw my daughter an outdoor water party. Every was set up in shifts and purchased at the dollar store. We had a slip n slide set up before we did food. Then after a kid & budget friendly feast of hot dogs, chips and watermelon…we played with water balloons…then had messy water balloons and played hot potato with those. We also had off brand super soakers filled up, the boys just loved playing with those! Decorations were all bought at the dollar store; all in all I spent less than $25 for everything and all the kids there had a blast. We even had goody bags filled with cheap candy and left over water balloons!

Birthday parties.

Backwards party/sleepover. Sent thank you cards for the invitations. Kids came to the party in their PJ’s and got dressed to go to bed. Had dessert for dinner. Kids played backwards games. Birthday Cake was upside down cupcakes. Very easy and inexpensive.

I through a rock star party for my daughter complete with stage and guitar shaped cake. We borrowed a Karaoke machine and made the stage out of milk crates and a folding table. White Christmas lights around the stage for drama. Glow in the dark necklaces from the dollar store and some rock in roll decorations. All girls were told to come as … See Moretheir fave rock star. We hung silver stars with each girls name and celebrity alias from the ceiling. We made the cake ourselves. Food was just chips and easy stuff. We hung a sign and plastic table clothes at the kitchen entrance and marked it backstage VIPs only. For a thank you I burned all the pictures from the party on a cd for everyone.

Kids Birthday party:
I live in Japan and a friend of mine, for her son’s 7th birthday, had a Sushi Bar party. The birthday boy was the sushi master and made everyone’s sushi! She made signs for the “restaurant”, set the table up to look like a real sushi bar, gave the boy an apron and a “#1 Sushi” headband. She had all the raw fish cut and on a tray ready to go….he took the guests orders and put the sushi together. The cake was actually a few cakes on a tray…all looking like sushi. It was such a success, she did it again the next year!!!

Birthday party tip
Theme: American Girl/favorite doll/Stuffed Animal Pajama Party
Ages: 7-12
Everyone shows up in pj’s with their favorite doll/animal/etc. Serve French toast sticks, sausage links ( or veggie alternative) and fruit. play musical sleeping bags and have a crazy bed head contest ( tease hair, add rollers & hairclips), watch cartoons!

for next Halloween and christmas…do you like sev. pumpkins around for Halloween and Thnxgiving? Don’t know what to do after? If you have not carved them, spray paint silver, red, and green(already had the paint), put them in yard under a tree, look like big ornaments.

My oldest daughters last birthday was a serious blast!! Its in July, and I always try to have a theme, so I know what I’m to take advantage of instances such as last year. The month before Corrins birthday, I stopped in at walmart to pick up a few things, nothing to do with birthdays! I strolled down the paper plate isle looking for trash bag when I saw IT. Luau accesories on SALE!! for mere dollars, down from twenty and thirty dollars! It was such a steal I had what surely would have cost me 350 dollars worth of decor and misc including favors and treat bags, for under 30 bucks. Needless to say, I was able to throw one “heck of a shindig” without breaking the bank or compromising my party.

Birthday party idea –
it was my sons 8th birthday party. He wanted to have a big “dance” party with all his classmates. Here is how we did it on a budget.
We rented part of a local community center (very reasonable). We handed out invitations at school, save on postage. we made them ourselves on the computer and put Dance pictures, music notes, etc… all over them.
the Center was decorated in Christmas lights, black table clothe covers, and home made decorations from cardboard, shaped like music notes and cd’s. We sprinkled glitter on the tables and decorations as well, so they would glow off the Christmas lights. We have a friend that has a sound system that he let us borrow, and we made a bunch of mixes cd’s to play. I talked to a local pizza shop who gave us a deal on the pizzas because we ordered so many, and bought “store brand” soda for the kids as well. The cake was made of cupcakes that i did myself and then shapped them to look like a music note on a large peice of cardboard. Every child took home a party favor, which was a CD composed of the birthday boys favorite songs. the kids had a ball, and it was very economical. I heard from many parents that the kids loved it, and played their cd’s over and over again.
for games, we did the usual “music games”, the hokey pokey, the chicken dance, YMCA, and musical chairs! and unforgettable birthday on a budget.

When I clean out my closet once a year, I donate. I don’t forget the receipt though!

I’m a single mother on a tight budget but I always like to have a big bash for my son’s birthday. 2 years ago, we had just moved into our house and money was tight. So I did an olympic themed party. Instead of bags filled with junk – each child got a white oversize tshirt they decorated as their olympic jersey (we used fabric markers) and all of the party games were olympic events. At the end of the party we had a ‘medal ceremony’ and each kid got a little gold medal I found a party supply story. All of the decorations were the same decorations we use for the 4th of July with the American flag & the cake was an American Flag cake. It was the cheapest party I ever threw for him but was the biggest hit! Cousins & friends have stolen the idea.

This is Lily and we adopted her on 9/7/08. I had wanted a dog for the longest time but my boyfriend (Mark) was hesitant. I started my search knowing that he would eventually come around and eventhough It took me awhile, on day while on Petfinder I came across Lily, (known then as Bubbles). I showed Mark the picture and he said contact them and see what they say (do I know my guy or what ;)) They sent me an app and I filled it out truthfully. Well I should have lied because what they had to say was not really what I wanted to hear. They initially declined us since we have a pool and Mark is allergic to everything. So, I took it as a sign from above and didn’t beg…at least not then. Over the next two months I looked just about every day and noticed she was still available. I don’t know why but I knew this little girl belonged with us, I just couldn’t shake it, I couldn’t get her sweet little face out of my mind. I begged co workers, family members and friends to apply for us but I knew I needed to do it. So I wrote another e mail, I only slightly begged and lucky for us they caved! Since that day we drove 2 hours to pick her up, there hasn’t been a dull moment. She wakes us up sometimes chasing god knows what in her sleep. She totally understands she nees her pink camo raincoat for a walk in the rain because it frizzes her blond locks and a fleece sweater to walk in when it’s cold. She loves other doggies and kitty cats too…but not all cats like her, she gets smaked sometimes. She didn’t bark for the first year we had her but now voices her opinion on a regular basis. She’s the sweetest 15lb little girl, and I know that us finding each other was meant to be.
BTW, the boyfriend that didn’t want her is completely wrapped her little paw.

My dog Sophie is one smart adorable cookie and has like the best little dog personality ever… I don’t think she knows she’s a dog. Besides being able to follow most commands, she knows how & does wipe her paws when she comes in from being outside, she gives kisses like a human without using her tongue or licking- all you have to do is ask for a kiss…:) But the most important thing she has done was saved our house & me from a fire… A skillet of grease had been put in the oven, and someone must of accidently turned the oven on… I was napping & didn’t smell a thing & the smoke dector battery was dead -we figured this out later, but she kept persistently nudging me with her snout over & over & whining- which she never does… I finally woke up and assumed she needed to go outside really bad, and she booked downstairs where it was extremely smoky and went straight to the oven that was on fire… I was able to use the estinquisher to put it out, the fire fighter’s said I caught it in just enough time to prevent MAJOR damage & that I was lucky she woke me up or I might not be here today…

I love to bitch! In the best way possible, of course. I just discovered BoaB!
You want money saving tips? Well, there are two things I’d like to share:
1) Head to DailyWorth.com. You and founder Amanda Steinberg must get together! Sassy-ness rules… What’s that idiom ladies? Put your money where your mouth is? Just do it? Kudos on empowering a new (and old-er) generation of bitches. 2) Invest in reading — glasses, that is. I just bought a good pair. I spend way too much time reading small type on-screen; so in lieu of killing trees (not to mention my wallet), I’ve gone librarian. I no longer waste reams of paper, printing out all the articles I want to read. It saves a small fortune, you know.

Not only is he the cutest Puggle out there, he is also my trainer. And… a lot cheaper! Every morning, when I hit that snooze button, I am hard pressed not to get out of bed with puppy breath in my face. He is a constant reminder that the morning walk is necessary! So, in finding my Otis, I have found a best friend and a cheap trainer on my small budget!

Wanted to share our story of our cat Kalli, we found her along the road when she was about 5 weeks old, frozen & VERY hungry, when i picked her up she immediately started sucking on my clothes thats how hungry she was. We brought her home & fed her, she ate till we thought her lil tummy would bust. That night we shut her in our bathroom so she wouldnt get lost in the house (she was sooo tiny) Next morning i awoke to find the bathroom doors still closed & no kitty cat…seems somehow she got into the underneath of our sink (thru a hole we didnt know about) and wedged her lil body thru the hole that goes down to our basement beside the drain pipe…Hubby & I both accused each other of throwing her out during the nite, then we discovered the hole & he went to the basement to look, sure enough she greeted him with a great big ‘Meow’ and he brought her upstairs & again she ate like she couldnt get enough…afterward she lay on hubbys shoulder & sucked his shirt like he was her mama…a tradition she still does today at 2 years old! LOL She has him (and me) wrapped around her paw now, and she definitely rules the house…talk about being a B sometimes! She still loves to play & has toys as well as ‘beds’ throughout the house, for Christmas this year we both purchased her numerous toys during our shopping trip for each other, and she had a VERY full stocking…of course her favorite toy of all though…A Christmas bulb she stole from the tree!!! We love her so much & dont know what we will ever do if we lose her, she has been with us thru so many things in the past 2 years, cant imagine life with out her. Thanks for letting me share my story.

Here are my boys, Hank and Harley!

Hank is a Black Lab/German Shorthair, who was born on 07/07/07 and it has been very lucky for him! When he was just a baby, he got into and ate my partner’s Via*** – 5 of them! In a panic, I called the vet, who instructed me on how to make Hank vomit (a little hydrogen peroxide poured down his throat). 2 weeks later, he went missing for about 12 hours on a sub-zero Minnesota winter day – the neighbor had ran him over with his car and poor Hank lay unconscious for hours in the freezing cold at about 6 months old! We brought him into the vet and surprisingly, he was only bruised and cut up – no broken bones or internal injuries, thank goodness! The vet clinic did laugh when I told them that he was the infamous Via*** puppy! He’s been in numerous scrapes since then…

Harley actually belongs to my partner’s cousin, whom is currently serving in the US Navy. we’ve been “babysitting” for a year now. Harley is a 16 month old Bull Mastiff/Boxer who loves to snuggle and play with his “brother” Hank.

Both boys are quite spoiled and tend to think that they’re actually lap dogs…I often have 140 pounds of puppy in bed with me! They love to romp through the snow and play “hide and seek.”

We also have Molly, a nine year old Black Lab. Molly used to be a very agile and avid hunting dog. She loved to sneak outside (by opening the door herself) and would often be found on the neighbors’ house roof! Yes, the roof! Unfortunately, after having a litter of 10 HUGE puppies, finally getting fixed at age 6, and just getting a little old and lazy, she’s now topping the scales at 160+ pounds and has had to retire from hunting…she can’t get in the truck anymore – I actually have to help her get into the minivan!

We adore all of our dogs – our family wouldn’t be complete without them!

This is cool and there sure are alot of bitches out there and one big one here.(so my husband says)

For the baby savings contest, I’ve got to recommend EC (“elimination communication”). We bought a couple dozen plain cloth prefold diapers and I got some knit wool diaper covers as a gift, and with the EC we’ve gone from washing diapers daily (at birth) down to once every three days (around 7 mos), and we haven’t had to deal with poopy diapers regularly since he started solids at 5 mos. Since he goes on the potty most times during the day (he’s 9 mos old now) we don’t use baby wipes, we just keep a squirt bottle with water on the toilet and pat him dry with regular TP.

Huge cost savings for not buying disposable diapers or wipes, but the big thing is that having a toilet-trained baby is CONVENIENT!!! And it’s not difficult– it’s the cultural norm in other parts of the world but it just hasn’t caught on here.

And breastfeeding really kept the cost down, too– no baby food expense for the first 5 months. Savings over $500. Now I make my own baby food, it’s super easy since I just run dinner (or parts thereof) or leftovers through the food processor for baby, put it into 4 oz plastic containers and freeze. Cost is pennies per serving vs $1.00 for the organic baby food and it tastes better, too. Savings = about $100/month

I signed up to be a Mary KAy consultant. It cost me $100, I got over $100 in free makeup and now I get 50% off the retail price. I don’t sell it, but I give all of my friends and family my discount!

I have two products that will help make your skin absolutely flawless!

*Go to your local dollar store and pick up a bottle of plain, uncoated aspirin. Coated works, but uncoated is better. Place 7-10 in the palm of your hand with several drops of warm water, crushing them with your fingers to create a paste. Apply this to clean, damp skin. Let dry and then lightly remove with wet fingers in a circular motion. The aspirin reduces redness, heals blemishes, exfoliates, and makes your skin glow. All for only around 10 cents! You can also add a squirt of aloe vera or honey if you want it to have moisturizing properties, too!

*Do you get red bumps when you shave your bikini line, but don’t want to shell out for the spendy Tend Skin? Guess what? Grab that bottle of aspirin and make your own!! Crush up 10 of the aspirin with the back of a spoon (get the powder as fine as possible) and add 3 oz of witch hazel. Put in a little squirt bottle and apply with a cotton ball!

*Revlon Colorstay Foundation is pretty much the best foundation in the world, for around $13! It offers really neutral colors and exceptional coverage. For a sheerer tinted moisturizer, mix a drop or two of the foundation in with your normal daily moisturizer and apply with your fingers!

This is more of a facial cleanser tip than a makeup tip, but it comes to mind because makeup removal is also an important (and potentially pricey) part of the whole beauty routine. I am 29 years old, and for about 7 years I have been washing my face with Baby Wash. A large bottle of off-brand baby wash runs me about $2-$3. It is a very mild, gentle cleanser. Since there are ‘no tears,’ you can wash that mascara and eyeliner off pain free. Over the years I have been complimented on my skin by friends, strangers, and estheticians, all asking, “what products do you use.” When I say baby wash they are always stunned.

Another item I find to be a great all-purpose product is baking soda. Three parts baking soda, one part water is a fantastic exfoliant. Put it in a bath for a relaxing soak, and add some to your daily tooth brushing for sparkly white teeth. Again, about $3 for a large box of off-brand product.

These are the secrets the cosmetic companies and facial product companies don’t want us to know!!

steal- Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Stick…this has been a lifesaver for my face and body when I get out of the swimming pool as well as i use it on my legs in the winter. it has been just as good as any other moisturizer.

splurge- urban decay’s eyeshadow primer…i worked at a cosmetic store eons ago as a second job and i used to have to be at work by 6am…I had another job where i worked from 2pm-11:30pm…one night i took a power nap which turned into 4.5 hours of sleep with my makeup on (i don’t recommend this at home kiddies)…and when i woke up, my eyeshadow was still in place.

steal: the best all around item….petroleum jelly for lips before night time and as an all day lip gloss!
splurge: Kerastase hair products…my hair never looked better!

hey girls! for a great manicure, splurge on a good topcoat. that will make or break your polish job. my two favorites are Seche Vite or Quick & Slick by Olan. both dry lightning-quick, both seriously prevent chipping. you can save on just about everything else, from emory boards to lacquer, but a good topcoat will keep it looking fresh days later.

Broccoli Soup Recipe:
(Roughly, I don’t measure unless I am baking). 😉

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped yellow onion, saute’ed in olive oil
3 T flour
1/2 C low-fat plain yogurt (make sure there’s not a lot of sugar or artificial sweetener in it -it ruins the flavor of the soup) OR you can use the same amount of low fat or fat free sour cream
4 cups water seasoned with vegetarian bouillon (Better Than Bouillon is my favorite brand)
2 cups diced potatoes (I used Fingerlings because of their nutty flavor)
4 C broccoli, trimmed & cut into 1 inch pieces
2 T dried Italian seasoning or herbes de provence
season with Kosher salt and white pepper to taste

Garnish: 1 slice Alpine Lace low fat or fat free cheese of your choice per bowl of soup.

Directions: Saute your onions in olive oil if you haven’t already; Add the flour. Once it’s mixed in remove from heat and add yogurt or sour cream and set aside.

Put the rest of the ingredients together (except the cheese) and cook on low to medium heat for about 30-40 minutes. Turn heat to low and add your onion paste mix. Simmer on low for another 5 minutes or so. Garnish each bowl of soup with a slice of low fat cheese cut into strips.

The soup seems wrong without a giant loaf of crusty hot baked sourdough, but we’re dieting so we had a piece of whole wheat toast. 🙂 Enjoy!
Budget tip: Always make this when broccoli is in season, but can be made with frozen broc. Also, asparagus can be substituted, just add more white pepper; puree’ the soup; and reserve a few asparagus sprigs to garnish and omit the cheese.

Fave HOMEMADE Salad Dressing:

For one large bowl of greens to feed about 4 people:

2 Tbs. Gulden’s or your favorite spicy/whole grain Mustard
1/4 C. Balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs. Honey (4, if you like it a bit sweeter)
1/3 C. (or to consistency/taste) Extra Virgin or Light Olive Oil
Fresh ground black pepper to taste (optional)
Whisk together until creamy (mustard acts as an emulsifier). Coat greens as desired; add as much as you like, but don’t “drown” your greens. I mix it with Spring greens, English cucumer, shaved parmesan, toasted walnuts, sliced Roma tomatoes and other varied veggies (whatever I’ve got). Dressing is GREAT to marinate chicken with before grilling!

Was just sitting here doing my nails for the week, and after 3 coats of polish & 2 coats of top coat (yes thats 5 coats all together) how many of you use top coat on your nails? Do you have a fave? Is it a ‘cant live without’ item on your list? Is it a splurge?.. My choice at the moment (and this stuff is SUPER shiny) N.Y.C. Extra Shiny Top Coat #271A & it is also pretty cheap too!

Yay! Thank you so much!

Oops! Just realized that I replied to the wrong post. So here is a re-post (in the proper place of course!)

I’ve been actively involved in volunteering for years. Whether it was participating in collecting bears for kids with cancer, walking in the relay for life, sending textbooks to literacy programs for Africa, or feeding the homeless a Thanksgiving meal, I was front and center for years.

Unfortunately, as a grad student, and part-time clerk, I have had less time to donate. These days, I help raise money for St. Baldrick’s each year, as my boyfriend shaves his head for kids with cancer, I attend fundraisers and donate money to the local no-kill animal shelter and more recently, our cat hospital’s benevelant fund, and I donate about 10 hours of my time a week volunteering at the local library. I can’t imagine a time in my life when I won’t find something to keep me volunteering and actively involved!

~kimm

Well, no tip really, just following orders to use this forum to brag about my totally badassed pug for that sexy doggie style hump day contest. So I have this pug called Fern and then I sort of have another pug off and on for months called Lily but don’t know yet if I get to keep her. All depends on who’s the bigger bitch: Lily, or the girlfriend of my ex-300lb-malignant-tumor-to-whom-I-was-once-married. Seems that the gf thinks he has one too many dawgs, funny, I was thinking the same dayumed thing. But I digress. Anyway, one evening I went on a date with this guy who had brain cancer—long story, and I got home all on cloud 9 cuz he treated me like a princess (clear evidence of the brain cancer) and I paid little attention to a) where I had put my evening back down b) closing the sliding glass door after letting Fern and Lily out. I fell immediately into bed with dreams of roses and chocolates and a new husband with brain cancer swirling in my head. Next morning, reality set in when my cell phone/alarm clock/life line went off and I had to scurry to work/hell/the eventual death of me. Guess what? Yeah, could not find my freakin purse from the night before. I tripped out. Searched for an hour like I was seeking the holy grail, then by happenchance, found the bag outside, in the garden, drenched in rainwater, with contents strewn all over creation. Perplexed, I checked for all my items and all were accounted for, aside from a small make up sponge that was torn into miniscule bits. Then, the tell-tale teeth marks brought me to the rude realization that this was pugs’ work. They had stolen the purse and tried to punish me by destroying my stuff. Fortunately, they have smushed faces and don’t destroy stuff too well, plus they like their sleep, so no doubt found themselves embarrassed to be snoring in the middle of the rain with heads propped on a purse, crept stealthily back through the open door, leaving the formerly super precious red clutch to the elements. To add insult to injury, I did not marry the man with brain cancer. I can’t even get a guy with freakin brain cancer for christsakes.

Thai Chicken Pizza Recipe

Step 1: Make pizza dough a day ahead (I also marinate the chicken a day ahead, see below). I don’t include a recipe for the dough because it’s basic white-flour dough. Just remember it’s a thin crust pizza (about ten inches), and use corn meal to keep it from sticking to your pizza pan.

Also, remember to take your dough out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before prep-time in order to get it to room temp. Roll out a thin crust, poke holes in it.

Ingredients for sauce:
1/4 C peanut butter (I use crunchy)
2 T teriyaki sauce or marinade
2 T hoisin sauce
1 T brown sugar
2 T water
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1.5 tsp minced onion
1 minced garlic
1/2 crushed red pepper
1 tsp minced ginger root

Mix together sauce ingredients above and pour into a food processor. Blend for 20-30 seconds or until onions and ginger are in tiny pieces. Pour sauce into a pan and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir constantly and don’t overcook it.

Ingredients for toppings:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1.5 tsp olive oil
1.25 C grated mozzarella
2 green onions (julienned)
1/2 C bean sprouts
1/2 carrot (julienned or grated)
2 tsp cilantro
1 T chopped peanuts

Cut chicken to bite-sized chunks and pour 1/3 of the peanut sauce into a container. Seal and marinate over-night.

Stir-fry the chicken 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

Spread the remaining peanut sauce (not the stuff you used to marinate the chicken) onto the pizza crust. Some versions of this recipe call for a thin amount of sauce and states that you may have sauce leftover. I prefer to use all of the remaining sauce. In fact, I have doubled the sauce portion of the recipe and love the sauce-y version.

Top your pizza with 1 cup of the mozzarella; add the green onion. Add the chicken, the bean sprouts and the carrots.

Add the remaining mozzarella and cilantro and chopped nuts.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 475*. Slice. Enjoy. Serves two. I usually make two pizzas so there’s not fighting over that last piece. 😉

Best re-purposing: From my grandmother (almost 89 years young, Mary Purdy-Humphrey). She takes the waxes paper that cereal comes in (you know, that inner liner?) and opens them and cuts them so they lay flat. She washes them off with soap and water. Then she uses them underneath when she rolls out pie crust, biscuits, whatever. <3 my grandma! And of course, I have a few in my kitchen drawer too. Second thing, and I learned this from watching Sesame Street with my two year old grandson, is to take empty, thoroughly rinsed out plastic liquid detergent containers, gallon milk containers and similar. Cut a hole in the top and turn it into a planter. You can glue ears on it, make the screw top a little nose. SO CUTE! PS Gallon milk jugs, according the the EPA contribute as the largest amount of plastic in our landfills.

My baby, Myrtle!!

Went to Family Dollar, they have those cute Valentine coffee cups filled with the hard candies…well, I found a set of 8 that just have a heart & say LOVE on them in red & white, very cute! So for 8 bucjks I replaced my Christmas snowmen cups with these & I can use them all year long!!!

We thought your readers might like to know about this!

100% off a $25 Adorn.com (Jewelry) gift card through Friday on DressRush.com

Dress Rush just launched last week and is Gilt for Weddings.

Your readers can get instant access to this deal free without needing an invitation if they use this link:

http://dressrush.com/auction.php?id=98&referer=aaronmhall

“Dress Rush is the first social commerce site to target the $100 billion wedding market. We offer rarely discounted designer wedding fashions to brides, bridesmaids, and wedding guests at a fraction of their retail cost through our members only Rush Sales. We expect an addressable market of over 500 million consumers shopping for wedding related product each year, with an estimated $100 billion in retail sales. Shopping on Dress Rush is risk free, as our our Rush Deals guarantee members savings on every purchase. With a proven team of wedding industry experts, strategic product and marketing partnerships, Dress Rush is quickly set to become a force in the shopping space.”

If you’d like to know more about Dress Rush, contact Sara Morgan at sara@dressrush.com