$2/1 Reach Toothbrush Printable Coupon (available again)

Head over to Walmart.com to print off a $2/1 Reach toothbrush coupon! This should definitely make for a inexpensive or free toothbrush when paired with a sale!

Thanks, For the Mommas!

Walmart: Free Scrubbing Bubbles One Step

Starting this Sunday, 10/2, Walmart will have the Scrubbing Bubbles One Step toilet cleaners on sale for $3.97. Use the $4/1 coupon from here to get them for FREE!

Thanks, For the Mommas!

FREE SAMPLE: Dial NutriSkin Replenish Lotion

Head over to Walmart.com to request a free sample of Dial NutriSkin Replenish Lotion.

Thanks, CouponPro!

SWAGBUCKS: 100 Swagbucks for New Members!!!

If you are still waiting to sign-up for Swagbucks, NOW IS THE TIME!!! As a special promotion, all new members get 100 Swagbucks to start off with (usually only 30--this is the highest special offer I've seen). Earn Swagbucks when doing your normal internet searches, for printing & using coupons, taking surveys, inviting friends, and more... then redeem your Swagbucks for gift cards or other prizes. A $5 Amazon Gift Card is only 450 Swagbucks (those are my favorite because you can buy almost ANYTHING on Amazon!). 

So if you're new to Swagbucks, here's how to sign-up and get your 100 Swagbucks:

- Go here to sign-up* (it's free to join)

- Enter your name & email address

- Before completing your sign-up, make sure to enter "BIGTIMEBUCKS" into the Swagcodes Box on the sign-up page... you can't come back and do this after you sign-up (so you would not get credit for the extra 70 Swagbucks, only the usual 30)

If you are already a Swagbucks user, go grab your referral link and start inviting friends so you can earn some extra Swagbucks! Make sure to tell them about this special offer (I'm not sure when it ends, but I'm working on finding out).

Thanks, Saving & Giving!

* The links in this post do contain my referral link, since that's one of the many ways to earn extra Swagbucks!

Posie Necklace Giveaway ENDS TODAY!!!:

This giveaway ENDS TONIGHT!!! Last chance to enter!

I am so excited to announce our Autumn Giveaway: A Posie Necklace (pictured above) from LuBeth Designs! LuBeth Designs creates hand-crafted pieces of jewelry that are beautifully unique, accenting a variety of styles/colors. The owner/creator of LuBeth Designs is a Stay-At-Home mom who lives in Ohio with her sweet husband and three terrific kids. She loves to make her home a warm, inviting place for family & friends. Making jewelry is a way she gets to express her creativity, and she enjoys creating simple pretty things that others will enjoy wearing.

As a busy mom, I love having jewelry pieces that are versatile with various outfits, and that can quickly add a touch of feminine on a not-so-great day (you know the kind: where all the time you had to get ready was to quickly pull back a ponytail, dash on some lip gloss, and pull on a mostly-clean shirt... and as you walk out the door you get spit-up on!). A Posie Necklace by LuBeth Designs definitely fits that description, since it looks gorgeous with just about anything. (Seriously anything: t-shirt & jeans, a dressy top, summer dress, winter slacks...) As part of this giveaway, LuBeth Designs sent me a Posie necklace of my choice (I chose the Snow Posie), and I have loved wearing it (not to mention getting compliments when I've gone out, which comes at a very nice time since I'm 8 months pregnant and not feeling so feminine!).

Now you have a chance to win a Posie Necklace yourself!  The winner will get to choose their favorite Posie Necklace from the LuBeth Etsy shop. The Autumn Giveaway will run from Sunday, September 25th-Saturday, October 1st. 

LuBeth Designs has graciously offered a 15% discount off all Etsy orders with the promo code "COLORS15" (through October 31st). Christmas is right around the corner, and a Posie Necklace ($24.95) would make a fabulous Christmas gift since they are unique & beautiful, while helping support a fellow SAHM (stay-at-home-mom!) It's also the season to show your school pride, and she does custom "Triple Posie Necklaces" in the school colors of your choice ($17.95). 

Now down to business... here's all the ways you can earn entries! After you do each entry method, come back and click the green "I Did This" button!

1. "Like" Saving With A Smile on Facebook (Mandatory-1 entry)

2. "Like" LuBeth Designs on Facebook (1 entry)

3. Follow "Saving With A Smile" blog (1 entry)

4. Favorite the LuBeth Designs Etsy shop (1 entry)

5. Leave a blog post comment with your favorite Posie necklace color in the Etsy Shop (1 entry)

6. Share this Autumn Giveaway with friends (1 entry per day, up to 7 entries)

One winner will be randomly chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Monday, October 3rd!

Target: $.25 Bottles of Clorox 2 Stain Remover Spray or Gel Pens

If you'd like to get bottles of Clorox 2 Stain Remover or Stain Fighter Gel pens for $.25 at Target (through 10/15---although the coupon might not last that long online, so print it now!), check out the post here on how to get a $1.50/1 Clorox 2 product coupon to use (and you can print it twice per computer).

There is also a $1.50/1 Clorox 2 Stain Fighter coupon here that you can use on the pens (but I don't think you can use on the spray, since the spray is just "Stain Remover".

Thanks, Hip2Save!!!

Walgreens or Walmart: FREE Brita Slim Pitcher

Update: You can also get this for FREE at Walmart after rebate, or $3.97 after just the coupon!

Money Saving Mom shows you how you can get a FREE Brita Slim Pitcher this week at Walgreens (after coupon and rebate), or just $5 with coupon. You could also use the $5/1 coupon elsewhere if you don't have a Walgreens or don't like messing with rebates! This would be a great gift for a college student!

Free Sample: PepPod Energy Drink

Here's another energy drink sample available today: go here to sign-up for a free sample of PepPod Energy drink (I've never heard of this one, have you?)

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Target: Juniors Jeans only $6 Shipped!!! (today only)

One of Target's Daily Deals today is B1G1 Free Junior's Mossimo Jeans, which are priced at $16 (making each pair $8). they also qualify for another promotion, because when you buy 4 pairs at once ($32), your price drops to $24, making each pair only $6. And all Daily Deals ship free. So if you or someone you know need new jeans, that's a great price! Other than some of my favorite resale shops, I can't think of anywhere that you can buy four pairs of jeans for $24. Or even two pairs for $16...

Thanks, For the Mommas!

Sign-up here to get a sample of 5-Hour Energy drink!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

AUTUMN GIVEAWAY: Posie Necklace (1 Lucky Reader!)

I am so excited to announce our Autumn Giveaway: A Posie Necklace (pictured above) from LuBeth Designs! LuBeth Designs creates hand-crafted pieces of jewelry that are beautifully unique, accenting a variety of styles/colors. The owner/creator of LuBeth Designs is a Stay-At-Home mom who lives in Ohio with her sweet husband and three terrific kids. She loves to make her home a warm, inviting place for family & friends. Making jewelry is a way she gets to express her creativity, and she enjoys creating simple pretty things that others will enjoy wearing.

As a busy mom, I love having jewelry pieces that are versatile with various outfits, and that can quickly add a touch of feminine on a not-so-great day (you know the kind: where all the time you had to get ready was to quickly pull back a ponytail, dash on some lip gloss, and pull on a mostly-clean shirt... and as you walk out the door you get spit-up on!). A Posie Necklace by LuBeth Designs definitely fits that description, since it looks gorgeous with just about anything. (Seriously anything: t-shirt & jeans, a dressy top, summer dress, winter slacks...) As part of this giveaway, LuBeth Designs sent me a Posie necklace of my choice (I chose the Snow Posie), and I have loved wearing it (not to mention getting compliments when I've gone out, which comes at a very nice time since I'm 8 months pregnant and not feeling so feminine!).

Now you have a chance to win a Posie Necklace yourself!  The winner will get to choose their favorite Posie Necklace from the LuBeth Etsy shop. The Autumn Giveaway will run from Sunday, September 25th-Saturday, October 1st. 

LuBeth Designs has graciously offered a 15% discount off all Etsy orders with the promo code "COLORS15" (through October 31st). Christmas is right around the corner, and a Posie Necklace ($24.95) would make a fabulous Christmas gift since they are unique & beautiful, while helping support a fellow SAHM (stay-at-home-mom!) It's also the season to show your school pride, and she does custom "Triple Posie Necklaces" in the school colors of your choice ($17.95). 

Now down to business... here's all the ways you can earn entries! After you do each entry method, come back and click the green "I Did This" button!

1. "Like" Saving With A Smile on Facebook (Mandatory-1 entry)

2. "Like" LuBeth Designs on Facebook (1 entry)

3. Follow "Saving With A Smile" blog (1 entry)

4. Favorite the LuBeth Designs Etsy shop (1 entry)

5. Leave a blog post comment with your favorite Posie necklace color in the Etsy Shop (1 entry)

6. Share this Autumn Giveaway with friends (1 entry per day, up to 7 entries)

One winner will be randomly chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Monday, October 3rd!

Eversave: $25 for $75 Voucher to Picaboo (photo books, calendars, cards, etc...)

Save 66% on photo books, calendars, and cards at Picaboo with today's Eversave*: $25 for a $75 voucher to Picaboo. Picaboo* is one of my favorite photo book sites because you can truly customize every last aspect of your project! I ordered photo books of my son's first year for Christmas last year as the gift for all my siblings, parents, and grandparents, and everyone LOVED them! If you're new to Eversave, you get a $3 credit just for signing up, making this only $22.

This voucher cannot be combined with other Picaboo offers, but it CAN be applied towards shipping and used over multiple orders. It expires January 23rd, 2012, so it's perfect for ordering cards or gifts for the holidays! (this deal is offered for the next 9 days, so you have time to decide and check out Picaboo if you want!

* Picaboo & Eversave have "friend referral" programs that offer a member credit if they refer-a-friend, so I did include my referral link for both sites above. I appreciate every referral that helps me in my adventure as a Stay-At-Home-Mom! I highly recommend passing on your referral link to friends so earn some extra credit! If you would rather not be a referral, just go directly to those sites!

GROUPON: $2 for 5 Blockbuster Express Rentals

If you like renting movies from Blockbuster Express, head over to Groupon and for $2 you get 5 One Night Rentals from Blockbuster Express ($.40 a movie). No more waiting around for a free code on a certain day! The codes don't expire until May 1st, 2013!!! Not valid on Blu-Rays or Hot List titles.

New to Groupon? Sign-up and start getting some fantastic daily deals email right to you! Refer friends to Groupon, and get $10 Groupon Bucks when they buy their first deal! (so yep, I shared my referral link above!) Have fun!

LANDSEND: 25% Off EVERYTHING + Free Shipping (no minimum!)

LandsEnd has some seriously great deals going on right now... Not only are their products high quality that last a long time, but the 25% OFF EVERYTHING applies to Overstock (clearance) items, too! Just use promo code "SAVE25" and pin #1231 when checking out. This offer is good through Tuesday, September 27th.


I'm debating about getting one of the adorable TinyTake or SmallHaul backpacks (pictured above) for $7.50 shipped, and stashing it away as a Christmas gift or birthday present for Levi. Since he's going to be a big brother, I thought his own little bag might be a great gift when he turns two in January!

But they also have some wonderful coats, jackets, scarves, gloves, swimsuits, etc... for the whole family in the Overstocks, at fantastic prices since winter is just around the corner!

What great deals do you spot?

Free Shipping on ALL orders at Snapfish with promo code "FREESHIPWK". Offer ends Tuesday, September 27th.

Plum District: $10 Credit for New Referrals

If you haven't signed up for Plum District, another daily deals site, now is your time! They are offering a limited time promotion of a $10 credit for all new referrals (for the first 10,000 referrals). So definitely head over here and sign up! (you can use the credit later, but sign up now so you get it!)

If you're already a Plum District member, check your email to see if you got this deal, and then start inviting your friends! You earn $5 when every new referral makes their first purchase!

HOT: $5/1 Schick Quattro Razor or Refill (or Hydro)

This will be gone FAST!!! Head over here to print off any of the following three coupons:

- $5/1 Quattro for Men razor
- $5/1 Quattro for women razor or refill
- $5/1 Schick Hydro Razor

These don't expire until 11/19, so you have two months to pair them with a great sale for FREE or cheap razors!!!

Don't forget, if you sign-in or sign-up for Swagbucks, you can click on the "coupons" option to print these same coupons from coupons.com and earn 10 Swagbucks for every coupon you redeem!

Thanks, CouponPro!

HURRY: $2/1 Reach Toothbrush Coupon (printable)

Head over to Walmart and you can print a coupon good for $2/1 Reach toothbrush! Other bloggers have reported these go on sale for $2 often, when means a free or cheap toothbrush! Don't wait around, because these coupons usually don't stick around long!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Hobby Lobby: 40% Any One Item Coupon (printable)

Go here to print a coupon good for 40% any one regular priced item at Hobby Lobby this week (through 9/24). Do you have any crafts, sewing projects, or rooms being redecorated right now? If you want to see what's on sale right now at Hobby Lobby, here is this week's sales flyer!

Target: Wii Bundle w/ MarioKart only $114!!!

This week at Target, you can buy a Wii Bundle (console, controller*, nunchuk, wheel, & MarioKart game!) for $134. Get a FREE $20 Target giftcard when you buy the bundle this week, making it only $114 after giftcard! This offer is valid in-store from Sunday, 9/18 through Saturday, 9/24.

We have a Wii, and I have to admit MarioKart is probably my favorite game!

* Most of the time the console comes with one controller. Although the picture in the ad shows two controllers, I don't know if the bundle actually comes with two. I'm guessing not.

NoMoreRack: $5 for 5 "Angry Birds" & Slingshot Toy

In case your iPhone or Android falls into the bathtub or you're not supposed to play on your phone while at work (which is really a reasonable rule), you can play Angry Birds in real life with these five Angry Birds and slingshot! No More Rack is offering these for $5 (plus $2 shipping) through noon tomorrow (9/19). Have fun sending these birds flying!

NoMoreRack: $5 for 5 "Angry Birds" & Slingshot Toy

In case your iPhone or Android falls into the bathtub or you're not supposed to play on your phone while at work (which is really a reasonable rule), you can play Angry Birds in real life with these five Angry Birds and slingshot! No More Rack is offering these for $5 (plus $2 shipping) through noon tomorrow (9/19). Have fun sending these birds flying!

DIY: Biblical Creation Unit for Toddlers

Want ideas for teaching your toddler or child about the 7 Days of Creation? Check out the "Creation Unit" put together by When You Rise.

When You Rise is a new blog started recently by two moms with small children. On their blog, they will be sharing ideas for teaching your toddlers & children basic biblical concepts and stories in practical, hands-on ways. Most of their ideas use everyday household items! Their honesty in their journey as mothers and women of God has already been refreshing and encouraging me. As my own son is getting old enough to start doing some of these little lessons (like the Creation Unit), When You Rise is definitely a blog I will be following regularly for ideas! Check out the ideas and activities here.

DIY: Wood Chalkboard Clips

Aren't these Wood Chalkboard Clips adorable? Happy Clippings shows you step-by-step how you can make your own, and several creative ways you could use them. I definitely want to try and make these sometime! I'm already thinking up the many ways I could use them around the house!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

O'Charley's: 20% Your Entire Order (this weekend only)

Here's another date night/family night deal for you: Go here to get a coupon for 20% off your entire order at O'Charley's this weekend (9/16-9/18), excluding beverages & alcohol. I love the soft dinner rolls at O'Charley's!

Chili's: $35 Margarita Meal Deal

Print this coupon and take it with you to your nearest Chili's for a great date night this weekend! 

For $35, you'll get:

- 2 Top Shelf Margaritas (Frozen or On the Rocks)

- 1 Appetizer to Share

- 2 Full Entrees

- 1 Dessert to Share (I love the chocolate molten cake!)

This offer is good Today through Sunday only! (September 16th-18th) 

Enjoy!

Getting Ready for "Sweet Pea": God ALWAYS Provides

               

As many of y'all know, we're expecting a little girl ("Sweet Pea" until the name is decided) in November. We have one son, Levi, who will be 22m at my due date. This little girl was a surprise for us (we weren't thinking quite yet about another baby since I still feel like a "new" mommy so many days!), but we knew that God is the Giver of Life, and we would have to trust Him every step of this pregnancy & our parenting!

I am a planner. I like to map things out, make lists, and basically, be in control. In the last 31 weeks of pregnancy, I have seen God in so many ways as He has just stepped in and shown me how much HE is in control of everything in my life. Not only does He provide, but He also provides GOOD THINGS (Matthew 7:11 & James 1:17). A few years ago, a pastor at our church challenged us to bring all of our needs before the Lord in prayer, by praying for specific needs/things and not just for the money to get those things... So over the last couple of years, my husband and I try to pray for things specifically, not just for more finances. :-) At the beginning of this pregnancy, I made a checklist of items we would need when this little girl joined the family. God would have to provide many of them, because I'm a stay-at-home mom, and we're committed to staying out of debt, paying with cash for all purchases.

God has just blown us away with His provision. It has gotten to the point that sometimes we just laugh when we get a phone call from a friend or someone stops us in church to ask if we could use a certain item. My heart has been given so much hope that God is indeed in control in everything. I have been reminded again and again that the Lord provides GOOD THINGS for us, not just what we could "make-do" with!

I started keeping a list of the ways God has provided, so that when I have hormonal, emotional days (and I have those quite often during this pregnancy, which I didn't have during my pregnancy with Levi, so it definitely must be a girl thing!) I can pull back out the list and say, "God is working. He loves us and is taking care of us. He is so good!" Here are a few things that He has provided (and there is a story behind every item and every giver, but that would make this blog post way too long!):

- Crib (Levi still sleeps in his)
- Changing Table/Dresser combo (we didn't have a changing table in the nursery before, since it's so tiny, and God dropped one of these in our lap! So excited!)
- Crib Mattress
- Changing Pad (& several like-new covers!)
- Clothes (and very few duplicate items... sleepers from one person, onesies from another, little sweaters from another... it's been crazy watching everything match up!)
- Cloth Diapers, gently used (6 Bum Genius AIO's, along with 3 dozen infant pre-folds! HUGE blessing since Levi will still be in diapers!)
- Baby Monitor
- Pink Carseat Cover (not a need, but just something we got blessed with as we enjoy a girl!)
- Double Stroller, brand-new 
- "Baby Fund", fully-funded!!! (we live on a cash budget, following many of Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace" principles, one of those being saving up cash to pay for big expenses. As anyone who has had a baby knows, there is a pretty hefty chunk of money that goes with bringing that baby home. I have worked part-time and seasonally to set money aside for our "baby fund", but we were less than halfway there when we found out we were expecting, and I wouldn't be able to work over the holiday like usual. Around this time we filled out our tax returns again, and this time was able to get child credit--Levi was born in 2010--, and that amount almost perfectly met our need! Another HUGE praise!)


"My" checklist is almost completed, but all because of God and His provision. You're probably facing a different circumstance, a different story going on in life. But I can say that God is working. He is providing. He wants to bless all of us with GOOD GIFTS. So talk to Him about what's going on, put specific things before Him, then leave them there, knowing He will take care of it in His way, and surprise you with His goodness!

Snapfish: 5 FREE cards (up to 25 FREE cards per customer!!!)

Snapfish is still running their 5 FREE Cards promotion through September 30th. Use promo code "TRY5CARDS" when checking out, and just pay $2.49 shipping, plus tax (if applicable).

I already ordered mine, and they turned out adorable. But guess what I read in the fine print today when I got another snapfish email reminder? "Coupon may be used up to 5 times per customer". That's 25 FREE cards! At only $.50 a personalized card (when you include shipping), you can make some fantastic cards to stock up on for birthdays, showers, weddings, Christmas, holidays... the possibilities are endless! Don't forget you can mix and match cards, it doesn't have to be 5 identical cards!

Have fun!

$2/1 Kashi printable coupon (Recycle Bank)

Recycle Bank is offering the $2/1 Kashi product coupon again for 75 points (normally 125). You earn points on Recycle Bank through watching short videos, making pledges (which are usually things I do already), etc... It's free to sign-up if you haven't already! You print the coupon directly from your computer!

I bought 6 boxes of Kashi cereal yesterday at Target for $7.50. Target is running a special this week of buy 5 Kashi products, get 1 free. The cereal was $2.99 a box, $15 for 6 boxes after the free box promo. I used the following coupons:
- (1) $1.50/1 Kashi product coupon I received in the mail with a sample a while ago
- (2) $2/1 Kashi product coupon from Recycle Bank (one from my account, one from my husband's account)
- (2) $1/3 Kashi cold cereal Target coupon (which can be stacked with manufacturer coupons)
Total: $7.50 (plus tax), so only $1.25 each box

As I mentioned on Facebook yesterday, I had forgotten another $2/1 Kashi coupon at home somehow, which would have made the boxes under $1 each, but knew it wasn't worth it to go home or try to get back to Target this week. I am definitely slowing down as my due date approaches! $1.25 a box is still a good stock-up price for healthy cereal!

Freezer Cooking: Pancakes & Homemade "Uncrustables"

My mom got to visit me for the weekend, so I didn't do any freezer cooking the last several days. Today I decided to donate another hour to this new adventure. I chose to cook lots of pancakes & make homemade "uncrustables". And guess what? I really did finish this in an hour... but it was in two 30 minute segments today to allow for time with my toddler. And I also opted for a nap instead of completely cleaning up my kitchen, since Levi was napping. The 3rd trimester pregnancy fatigue definitely comes in waves!

I made a quadruple batch of pancakes: 2 batches of "silver dollar" pancakes, and 2 batches of "large" pancakes. I used the basic Bisquick pancake recipe (x4):

- 2 cups of Bisquick
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 eggs

I buttered the pancakes while they were still warm, then let them cool. I layered them in gallon size freezer bags, with wax paper in between each layer to help them not stick to each other so much. They just have to microwaved for 30 seconds when ready to eat! (and Levi & I might have taste-tested a few in the process...)

Then I made homemade "uncrustables", but I didn't cut them round. I just slightly trimmed off the crust for fun and left them square. As suggested in the recipe, I put peanut butter on both pieces of bread so the jelly wouldn't make the bread as soggy. I tried to crimp the edges with a fork (since I don't have a fancy "sandwich maker"), but it was not wanting to look nice, so I decided my two "men" (hubby & son) wouldn't care if the edges would crimped! I individually wrapped them in baggies, then put them all in a gallon freezer bag. Now those will make quick snacks or lunches!

Have any of you done some freezer cooking? How is it going? Here are some of my other experiences with freezer cooking in an hour:


- Why I decided to jump on the "Freezer Cooking in an Hour" Bandwagon
- Starting Small & Simple: Banana Bites & Breakfast Egg Sandwiches
- Freezer Cooking: Chicken Stuffing Casseroles

Check out other great freezer cooking ideas over at Money Saving Mom!

Diaper Bag Wrangler Sale: Wet Bags, Aprons, and more!

If you use cloth diapers or cook, you should check out some of the fun items over at the Diaper Bag Wrangler. And today she will be having a huge sale at 1pm ET, with many of her items on Etsy 40%-60% off. Her stuff is adorable, and I've been waiting to get a wet bag (to stuff soiled cd's in when we're on the go), so I think today will be the day! A treat for mommy & baby. :-)

The best part is everything ships FREE! (any size order, in the U.S.)

Bath & Body Works: $1 Shipping, plus great clearance! (today only, 9/13)

 If you need to stock up on some great gifts (house-warming, birthday, or even Christmas...), check out some of the fun clearance items over at Bath & Body Works. All orders $25 or more can be shipped for $1 with promo code "SWEET25". And you wouldn't even have to leave your home! The fall scents are definitely my favorite of the entire year! Soaps are 6 for $20 ($3.33 each). And here's some of the fun summer clearance things I spotted:

Five Citrus Explosion PocketBacs for $3.75 ($.75 each) or a bunch of other PocketBacs for $.75 each.

Antibacterial Soaps for $2.50 each.

And candles for $9.75.

Have fun!

Amazon: Huggies Wipes 1.5 cents each!!!

Check out this great deal on baby wipes over at Amazon: If you're a member of Amazon Mom (sign-up or sign-in), you can grab the Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes, Fragrance-Free, Refill, 216-Count Pack (Pack of 3) for $10.15 shipped to your door (When you choose the subscribe & save option. Just make sure you cancel the subscription after you get your order). You get 15% off for being an Amazon Mom, and 15% off for Subscribe & Save. This is like buying 10 tubs (64ct) of wipes for only $1 each! I definitely snatched up this deal, because not only is that the lowest price I see without doing a drugstore scenario, but I didn't even have to leave my house! Don't wait around for this if you're interested because prices on Amazon change often!

Thanks, Passionate Penny Pincher!

My Sheetz Card: Get Great "Freebiez" (& save on gas!)

If you live near a Sheetz gas station, or pass by them while traveling, you should definitely sign-up for a free "My Sheetz Card" to get some great freebies, as well as save $.03 off each gallon of gas you purchase there. Once you have your card, go register it online with your email address, and you will be emailed freebie notifications like the following one:

My husband and I both signed up for cards, and every couple of weeks (literally like every 3 weeks) we get an email letting us know a freebie has been placed on our card for a few weeks. We have gotten fun things like a free King Size Reese's, 20 oz. Mountain Dew, 20 oz. Fanta, sugar cookies, "fruit-to-go" pouch, full-size Monster energy drink, beef jerky, etc... No other purchase necessary, you can just grab your freebie if you want!

Also, any size fountain drink, coffee, slush, or hot beverage are $.99 all the time.

Freezer Cooking: Chicken Stuffing Casserole

(If I had taken a picture, it would go here...)

I did another session with freezer cooking yesterday (I have a huge motivation to do this throughout my week right now... a little girl will be joining our family in about 9 weeks!). I'm getting braver about doing this, and gaining courage to tackle new recipes! I went with two more recipes tested & found good from the Money Saving Mom website: chicken stuffing casserole and corn dog muffins.

I'll just say up front I only did the chicken stuffing casseroles and never got to the corn dog muffins. So my freezer cooking session ended up only being 31 minutes from start to finish, instead of an hour. I ran out of steam, and had planned on making the corn dog muffins while one of the casseroles was baking for 30 minutes. Instead I decided to go sit down and watch a little bit of Finding Nemo with my toddler (his favorite movie and a treat when he gets to watch part of it!). It was just one of those days! :-)

However, I did double the recipe for the chicken stuffing casserole, and since it called for cooking it in 13x9 (which usually means a lot of leftovers for our family of three), I made four 8x8 casseroles instead. I baked one for supper & froze the other three. I bought foil pans at a local store for $.30 each (including a lid) so we have less dishes to do with a newborn around. I will try out the various methods of freezing in a casserole dish lined with plastic wrap or wax paper sometime, but right now is just not my time for that.

Free Sample: Green Mountain Coffee

Choose between two FREE SAMPLE options of Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee: bag of coffee or a K-cup for a Keurig brewer. Just "like" Green mountain on Facebook. Limited to one sample per household.

Thanks, Hip2Save!

Freezer Cooking in an Hour: Started Out Small & Simple

60 minutes. One hour. That's all the time I set aside this afternoon to prepare a few new things for my freezer. I decided to stick with small & simple. I chose three things:

1. Frozen Banana Bites*
2. Breakfast Egg Sandwiches*
3. Homemade "Uncrustables"* (PB&J sandwiches)

The ingredients for all three of these things I already had on hand, which meant I didn't need to make a grocery store run. I did make a list of other recipes to try this coming week and what supplies I will need for those... I used the "fancy" printable planning pages from Money Saving Mom. Such simple ideas and instructions there, so I'm not going to re-create or battle through something!

I made my "prep" list of things I was going to tackle, step-by-step:

(no, the handwriting at the top isn't mine, it's the printable I told you about...) The session went good, but had a few hiccups, of course!

I preheated the oven, sprayed my muffin tin (I used my Texas-size muffin tin instead of a regular, but either works) Then I put the eggs in... notice the size difference in yolk? The eggs from Aldi's were way bigger than the Walmart eggs!

While the eggs were baking, I started the bananas. Of course the Pyrex cup I wanted to use was dirty, so I had to wash that. Then the chocolate I thought I had I couldn't find, but I finally found some. Then the measuring cup for the peanut butter was dirty, too (I have done a lot of cooking this week!). But finally things were underway!

Halfway through the banana dipping process, I realized I hadn't taken the english muffins out of the freezer to thaw out. So I grabbed those and thawed them in the microwave. Then put them on the cookie sheet to get toasted in the oven. The eggs took a few minutes longer to cook, since I wanted to make sure they were cooked all the way through and no egg yolk was runny. I finished dipping the bananas and put them in the freezer.

Then I put the egg breakfast sandwiches together. (don't those look delicious?)

Because of those small delays, by now I only had 10 minutes left of my hour, so I decided to scratch the "uncrustables" off my list, and tidy up my kitchen instead. The best part? I had already thrown together supper in my crockpot this morning, so I wasn't going to have to come back to the kitchen to cook later! I tried another recipe recommended on the Money Saving Mom website called "Taco Chicken Bowl"*. It was REALLY easy, and my husband approved tonight when he ate it for supper!

* I provided the direct links to the recipes recommended on Money Saving Mom, because while her site is where I saw the idea, she gave all recipe credit to the original sources of where she found the recipes. So these are the links to the recipes I found on Money Saving Mom website, and I'm referring y'all directly to the original recipe blogs as well!

My New Adventure: "Freezer Cooking in an Hour"

I love good homemade food. I like feeding my husband and son good, healthy food. I do not like cooking all day every day. I like simple, quickly prepared meals that taste wonderful... Growing up in the country, we used a deep freezer on a regular basis because we couldn't just "drive to the store" real quick. When my husband and I got married, I started freezing extra meat, leftovers, etc... to help save money and diversify our meals (cooking for just two is difficult!). After I started my couponing/deal-finding adventure a year ago, I immediately decided we should start saving for a stand-up deep freezer so I could really start doing more freezer cooking. We paid cash for our wonderful deep freezer last fall, and I have used it quite a bit, but never to it's full capacity.

I am now 30 weeks pregnant and am ready to start stocking up that wonderful freezer with breakfast foods, snacks, already put-together meals, and more. Except since I am in my 3rd trimester, and chasing a 19m old boy, my energy levels are lagging... Money Saving Mom (one of my top three favorite bloggers) introduced me to the idea of "Freezer Cooking in an Hour", and it's finally time for me to start tackling this project! "Freezer Cooking in an Hour" basically challenges us to all set aside one hour a week (or a couple times a week) to prepare/cook a few recipes in bulk. I will probably be doing it a couple times a week since I have a special goal in November, but for some of you, once a week would be what works for you.

Money Saving Mom has some great worksheets to print off (for grocery lists & planning the hour), and shares  once a week what she has been up to during her "Freezer Cooking in an Hour" session. I am totally going to start off by trying out the recipes she shares, and make this new adventure the least difficult on myself that I can! (why reinvent the wheel, right?) Seeing what others try, seeing pictures, price cost, etc... all help my out when I'm deciding the new things I should try. So I will share my experiences with it, but most of the links will be for the ideas & recipes over at Money Saving Mom (or where she got the recipe).

Here's to a new budgeting adventure!