Love That Dollar Store!

Our local dollar store is Deals and I hit it hard for my son's 9 year old birthday party. I must say I am very proud of myself! And my husband, of course. We threw a great party for our 9 year old son and we did it pretty inexpensively. We had told our son after his last birthday party that this year would be a small party, maybe a couple of friends for a sleepover. Something of that nature. Well, when we talked about his birthday a few weeks ago he said "Can I just have some friends over to play football?" I thought that was a great idea. We found sports themed computer paper at Deals and miniature football helmets for $8 at the Kroger. We printed the invites at home, rolled them up and attached helmets and hand delivered the invitations. The invitations told everyone to wear their favorite team jerseys and to be ready for football and cake and ice cream. We hired an older neighborhood boy to "referee" for 2 hours (we gave him $20 because he did such a great job!). We had 14 boys playing football in our backyard for over 2 hours yesterday and they had a blast!
Here is what we bought for the party and where:
1/2 sheet cake from Costco $16
Paper for invitations $1
Helmets for invites $8
Paper plates, napkins and cups (sports themed) from Deals $1 per package
9 helium balloons for the mailbox $9 from Deals
Goodie bags included:
mini footballs $1 each from Deals
Skittles and Starburst (Costco 30 pack for $9.50)
Candles $1 from Deals
Referee $20
Powdered Gatorade to make huge Thermos full $6 Kroger
Pretzels, cheese balls and Bugles $6 Deals
Total cost of party = $92.50
So that makes the party $6.60 per guest. For over two hours of fun complete with snacks, cake and ice cream (already had the ice cream), I think we go t our money's worth!
I did order 14 pictures (one for the birthday boy too) of the "team" to send along with the thank you notes which cost an additional $3.30 so make that $95.80!



TIP FOR THE WEEK
Ok, this isn't really a money saver but it is a time saver and very convenient. For those of you who shop at Costco, did you know that when you check out you can add food from the "restaurant" area to your bill? As you check out just tell the cashier what you want form the food area (hot dog, slice of pizza, frozen yogurt, whatever) and they will add to your bill and give you a slip of paper to take right over to the counter. I never know that until the other day when the woman in front of me ordered like that. Occasionally I do eat there, especially if the kids are with me--they think it is a treat!

SMILE!

Okay, fun and games are over! I am back to the serious business of writing my blog. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer! We had a great summer and it was over too quickly, isn't it always?
We got back last week from Long Beach, IN on Lake Michigan (and yes, I am still unpacking and doing laundry!) and my black car was parked outside under a tree (read BIRDS) for the two week duration and it was filthy. I mean it was so dirty even I noticed and felt embarrassed driving around in my dusty, so-sticky-from-sap-I-couldn't-put-down-my-driver's-side-window, bird poop covered car. For the first time in a long time I considered washing my car myself. It would save me money and it would be better for the environment, right? It turns out I was wrong (gasp). Environmentally at least, it turns out that car washes conserve more water and their run off goes into the sewer system where it is treated and cleaned. When you wash your car at home, that dirty, greasy water goes right into the storm sewer and right into our lakes, rivers and oceans without being treated. Plus washing at home uses about 3 times more water than a car wash.
Thank goodness I researched before getting out the pail and bucket! Me in a wet t-shirt washing my car in the driveway (nobody needs to see that!)

TIP FOR TODAY Want whiter teeth?
Don't go to the dentist for the expensive trays and laser whitening. Go to Target and buy a night guard. The kind that you put in hot water and mold to your teeth. Buy one for the top and the bottom, they are about $15 each. Then go to your dentist's office, or any dental office, and get a tube of their teeth whitening bleach--they all sell it. My dentist sells it for $10 a tube and you get 4-5 uses from it. They will give your instructions on how to use the bleach. Then go home and follow the directions for your "night guards" and viola! Dental trays! True, they are not as tight a fit as they would be from the dentist and they are definitely bulkier BUT they are about $200 less expensive and they WORK. I accidentally threw away my $250 whitening trays from the dentist (DON'T ASK) but still had some of the bleach tubes left over. Then after a visit to said dentist, I was told I was grinding my teeth (no surprise there, if you don't de-stress in other ways, oh say like exercising or meditating or throwing things, turns out you might be a clencher or a grinder) and they would outfit me with a night guard for about $400! Yikes! Then the hygienist told me I could try the over the counter night guards form Walgreen's or Target. I love going to Target so I made that my next stop after the dentist and bought their Target brand dental guard. I think it has helped with the clenching and grinding, I seem to sleep a bit better. Then one evening getting my head gear on for bed, it hit me, let's try the bleach in this baby (I only bought a tray for my upper teeth) and over the last 3 months I have been using this method my teeth are just as white as when I was using the more expensive trays. I think the key is to get the bleach from the dentist and not use the OTC stuff--I did try that and couldn't tell a difference. The only caveat to my method might be that you will have to do the top tray and then the bottom tray, both at once might be a bit bulky. But if you are like me and have a big mouth, who knows? Happy bleaching and let me know your results!

Too Long!

I have been away too long, from my Blog that is. Once I didn't write for a few days it just got easier and easier to put off posting anything new. I hope I didn't lose my few loyal readers!
We just got back from a lovely long weekend in Long Beach, Indiana on Lake Michigan. Our dear friend is kind enough to invite us up to his beach house to share lots of laughs and fun with him and some of his wonderful family members. It was a great weekend and so nice to get away even for a few days. It really reminded me of how precious friends and family are and how fortunate myself and my little family are to have such amazing friends. I guess we all need reminders now and then to stop and (excuse the cliche) smell the roses.
I picked up a book over the weekend "The Contemplative Heart" by James Finley.
Here is a quick excerpt "We see, too, how these fleeting glimpses [of grace] have occasioned within us the desire for a more abiding , daily awareness of the depths so fleetingly glimpsed."
Intriguing, no? I will let you know when I am finished with the book. I am only a few pages in it so far.
Dime saving idea for the week:

Rit Dye
(and in all honesty, it will save me money but I have a black cotton dress I just love and that is the main reason I want to try this)
I used to Rit Dye my clothes back in college, to extend their life but I have not done it since. I am going to follow the instructions exactly and post my findings later this week for anyone who is interested.

SUMMER FAVORITE
I keep a glass pitcher of water and sliced lemons (and sometimes strawberries or limes, or even cucumbers) in the refrigerator. It is very refreshing and encourages me to drink my 8 glasses a day. Plus it looks pretty--like I am at a spa!

Also, since I seem to have trouble even keeping up with writing one Blog, I have added two others...
Check them out when you have time!

http://kitkatsmusicalmusings.blogspot.com/

http://readysetpreppy.blogspot.com/

We Can All Use A Little Help Once In A While

Dear Heart of Jesus: In the past, I have asked for many favors. This time, I ask you this very special one (mention favor). Take it dear Jesus and place it within your own broken heart, where your father sees it. Then, in your merciful eyes, it will become your favor, not mine. Amen.

Say this prayer for 3 days, promise publication and your favor will be granted. Never known
to fail.

Spring Here We Come

The sun is shining, the D's leave for Florida in 3 days and all is well! Let me share my happiness with you!
Check out www.fitzandfrannie.com and buy yourself some happiness! If you put the word PREPPY in the special instructions box when checking out, you get 2 pair for $30 + free shipping (the adjustment will be made after check out)

Go ahead--you deserve it!

Erin Go Bragh!

Freezing Your Nuts

Literally.
I was making my favorite salad for lunch today and I wondered how many of you realized you can freeze nuts? I happen to buy bags of walnuts, pecans and pine nuts at Costco and keep them in the freezer and use them as I need them. I also toast them and keep small amounts on hand in the refrigerator for tossing in salads or pasta. Lightly toasting or roasting the nuts really brings out the flavor. Pine nuts "toast" well in a saute pan on low for 5-7 minutes, stirring often. I toast the pecans and walnuts in the oven at 350 for 5-10 minutes, set the timer in 2 minute increments because once they start to cook, they can burn in the blink of an eye. Store in your refrigerator for up to 3 months. Nuts can stay in the freezer, tightly sealed, indefinitely.
Now for the good stuff!

Catherine's Spinach Salad
Baby spinach
Toasted pine nuts
Canned mandarin orange segments
I use either Light Creamy Balsamic dressing (Kroger Private Selection) or Girard's Raspberry dressing

A very simple salad but the oranges help you absorb all the iron in the spinach, the pine nuts give it a great nutty flavor and both dressings compliment the whole salad. Substitute strawberries or walnuts or add a little goat cheese. YUMMY!
Everything was purchased at Costco except for the salad dressing.

Possible RX From Prescription Drug Prices

I received this story by email this morning. I did check it out on "Snopes" and their research showed the information to be correct. Just remember that there is no guarantee Costco will have the lowest price on generic drugs, but their pharmacy will fill prescription for non-members, just be prepared to pay by cash or check.

"Since the cost of prescription drugs is so outrageous, I thought everyone should know about this.
It pays to shop around! This helps to solve the mystery as to why they can afford to put a Walgreen's on every corner. On Monday night, Steve Wilson, an investigative reporter for Channel 7 News in Detroit , did a story on generic drug prices gouging by pharmacies. He found in his investigation that some of these generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. So often we blame the drug companies for the high cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with the pharmacies themselves. For example if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills.
The pharmacist might tell you that if you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are saving $20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills may have only cost him $10!
At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr. Wilson whether or not there were any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently charged little over their cost for the generic drugs.
I went to the Costco site, where you can look up any drug, and get its online price. It says that the in-store prices are consistent with the online prices. I was appalled. Just to give you one example from my own experience I had to use the drug Compazine which helps prevent nausea in chemo patients.
I used the generic equivalent, which cost $54.99 for 60 pills at CVS. I checked the price at Costco, and I could have bought 100 pills for $19.89. For 145 of my pain pills, I paid $72.57. I could have got 150 at Costco for $28.08.
I would like to mention, that although Costco is a 'membership' type store, you do NOT have to be a member to buy prescriptions there as it is a federally regulated substance. You just tell them at the door that you wish to use the pharmacy, and they will let you in."

How do you like them apples?

GREAT IDEA
Have you tried Craig's List? Free classifieds, job postings, homes for sale and personals. I have sold an elliptical, a stereo receiver and a handheld game system--all for free and for the price I wanted. Give it a try @ Craigslist.org

A Little Levity

I think the time has come for a good laugh. I can't even read the headlines these days without going into a deep funk. So my wish for today is that this story gives you a good laugh. I always thought that if I ever pursued a career as a stand up comedian, this would be something I would work into my monologue.
I was about 19 or 20, home from college on summer break and getting ready to go out for the evening. I was putting on my makeup and I used a headband to keep the hair away from my face as make up application is critical and stray hair can be very annoying. That past Valentine's Day, my mother had given me a three pack of cute cotton underpants decorated with hearts and trimmed in red. My sweet mother, always thinking I was a size or two smaller than I actually was, had way underestimated the size I would actually need to cover my rear end (thongs were not the thing back in the 80's) so I tucked them, unworn, into my underwear drawer.
On this particular day, I could not find the stretchy elastic headband that I used to keep the hair out of my eyes during the all important make-up application. I looked everywhere but could not find it and then had a sudden "bright idea" and reached into my underwear drawer and pulled out a pair of the Valentine panties. I popped them over my head and then pushed them back up to keep the hair out of my face. Worn thus, a casual glance wouldn't even give away the fact that I was indeed, wearing panties on my head. I proceeded with my make up application only to be rudely interrupted by my father who reminded me that I had promised him I would go to the liquor store to pick up his order. The order was a large one (I loved that about my dad, go big or go home!) and I had to take his big Lincoln Town Car to get the whole load o'booze. So I hopped in my dad's car and off I went. Upon arriving at the liquor store, I happened to glance in the rear view mirror and the panties were still on my head! Whew! Close call! I whipped them off, fluffed my hair and stuffed them in the garbage can in the car. I got the liquor, finished my errand, finished getting ready for my big night out of what? I remember so many details but not what I was doing that night! I didn't give the underwear another thought.
A few days later my father came home from work very red faced and agitated. He was a manufacturer's sales rep, a salesman, and spent much of his time in those days calling on accounts. My father had discovered my underpants in his car and realizing they were mine, since he had seen me wearing them on my head and had just shaken his head and not commented, put them in his pocket on his way home from work. He decided to make one last call that fateful day since it was on his way home. It was to an old customer and as they were wrapping things up and my father stood chatting with the store owner, he had a coughing attack. My father always carried an handkerchief in his pocket for just such an occasion since he was prone to coughing. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out what he thought was his handkerchief only to wipe his face with the heart covered panties. My father was horrified, as it was VERY obvious what he was holding in his hand, but innocently made this situation much worse by declaring "Oh don't worry, these are my daughter's!"


TIP FOR THE DAY
Dryer sheets. I love them, but I tear them in half. The laundry is just as fluffy and soft and I get twice the amount!

Jai Ho

(loose translation "hallelujah")

I kid you not when I say that in 5 years we have been in our house, that we have never changed a single one of our recessed light bulbs. There are 8 recessed light fixtures on the main floor and they are almost always on in the evening. How can that be you say? DIMMERS I say. Ask anyone who knows me, I love dimmer switches. When you get to be a certain age, they are a necessity but they are also kinda green, who knew? Forget those bad fluorescent light bulbs (truly, they cast a bad light and they are ugly to look at) and invest in dimmer switches, you won't be sorry. Jai Ho!

BRIGHT IDEA FROM JUDY
Use empty egg cartons to store jewelry-perfect for pendants and rings!

FIND A FRIEND
Do you sew or know someone who does? My 5 year old still fits into pants that are too short for her--what to do? I extend the legs on her pants with fun fabric or grosgrain ribbon. My 8 year old son blows through the knees in most of his pants, time to sew on some patches! If you can't sew, swap with a friend for another chore/errand.

Swap babysitting with friends. You each get one Saturday night out a month for free and the kids get to hang with friends.

Our Daily Bread

Sometimes we go through 2 loaves a week here at O'Dwyers Family Restaurant, sometimes the loaf stays untouched in the bread drawer for days. What to do with that still good but slightly dry loaf of bread?
When life gives you stale bread, make bread crumbs!
Line cookie sheets with single slices of bread, "toast" in a 200 degree oven until slightly dry (if you want to use then right away) or very dry (if you want to freeze them for later use). Let them cool. Process the slices in a food processor. Experiment with garlic salt, onion powder. sea salt and/or herbs. Store in a air tight container in the freezer.

Homemade Cleaning Products That WORK!

Vinegar Distribute partially filled saucers of
vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white
vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking
odors. I have used this technique after a party to get of the smoke smell.

Baking Soda Sprinkle a teaspoon or two in the bottom of your dishwasher before using. It really helps with hard water spots.

Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Mix 2
parts oil and 1 part lemon juice. Apply and polish with a
soft cloth. This leaves furniture looking and smelling
good.

Don't Say I Never Gave You Any Good Advice!

A recent headline caught my eye while surfing the web.

"Library services boom as the economy fizzles"

No kidding.
The virtues of the public library are numerous and all are free! Those of us who are library fans have known this for years. Let's face it, our government doesn't get it right often but when they do, like the public library system, it is a winner.
Go online to your local library's website and reserve some books, they will call you or email you when they come in. Need tax forms? Go to the library, some even offer tax help. Check out some new release DVD's for the weekend or get some CD's from the music section. You will be surprised at how current the offerings are. Even my local library, housed in a skeevy little strip mall, has some great offerings and they will get almost anything else I want from within the library system here in Cincinnati.
I remember my first trip to the library with my mother when I was about seven. My hometown of Eden Prairie, MN had a small library that was about the size of a mobile home set out in a field near the high school. I thought it was wonderful. The smell of the place, the shelves and shelves of books and children's section with the small tables and chairs was all magical to me. I left with a load of books that day and my mother checked out a few for herself. Neither my mom nor my dad ever complained or said no when I wanted to make a trip back to the library. My kids now love going to the library and checking out books and helping choose some DVDs to watch at home.

Your public library-go check it out!

Really cheap beauty treatment!
Vaseline. A big tub is less than $5 and if you buy the store brand (which is the same stuff) it is even less and a tub will last an entire winter. If you have dry skin, rub some all over your face before going to bed at night. Coat your hands and feet with it too and wear those cotton socks and gloves to bed at night, all that itchy, rough skin will be gone in the morning. It is definitely a look to go to bed that way but worth it! Also, if you use waterproof mascara that is hard to get off, coat your lashes before bed and the make-up just swipes off in the a.m. You'll look like a raccoon but the added benefit is that it moisturizes your lashes and mascara will go on better than ever!

Etsy.com
Buy and sell handmade goods. This site is amazing! You can find jewelry, clothes, gifts, stationery and much more. All handmade and usually pretty reasonable. Support the handmade arts! Some of my favorite Etsy sellers

foofooandmore.etsy.com

BoutiqueMiaByCXV.etsy.com

decalmonograms.etsy.com

Marang97.etsy.com

crazeecrafteez.etsy.com

dollcloset.etsy.com

Success!

I am very happy to report I was able to rent and use the Rug Doctor yesterday after all. The Rug Doctor is easy to use, the directions are right on the handle and it did a decent job on my carpets. Not as good as a professional but for about $200 in savings, it will do. The hose attachments to do upholstery and stairs was another $3 and I couldn't get the hose part to work so that was a waste of time. In the future, I will schedule my usual carpet cleaning company for the heavily soiled areas, like the stairs and hallway and do the rest myself. The cleaning solution was $12.99 and I still have some in the bottle after 3 good sized rooms and a hallway. I am going to tackle the basement this morning and then return the machine. What a riveting life I do lead!

RUG DOCTOR RESULTS
Cost A+
Ease of Use B
Results B+

DIY Project Postponed

Due to 6 inches of snow, school is closed for the 4th day in a row! I came to my senses and realized the Rug Doctor would not be a good idea with both kids home and 70% of our house being carpet. "Okay kids, let's stay in the kitchen and play board
games while the carpet dries." No one can play that much "Guess Who" or "Junior Monopoly".

Sent from my iPhone

DIY or Gerald Pays

Get ready for the upcoming DIY post on carpet cleaning Friday. After paying a professional around $250 to clean the carpets in my house twice a year for the past 5 years, I am going to rent The Rug Doctor! Talk about saving a dime. The Rug Doctor rents at my local Kroger for $24.99 for 24 hours and there is something called the "wide track" that rents for $26.99. I think I may just spring for the wide track, whatever that is.
Cross you fingers and hope for success, otherwise Gerald's life will be hell if this little adventure in DIY doesn't pan out. By the by, Gerald is out of town and has no knowledge of the Rug Doctor scheme. He will just bear the brunt of it if something goes wrong. For better or worse and all that crap. Hey, life ain't fair!

We Still Have Power!

Usually our power goes out at the drop of the hat but yesterday's snow and last night's sleet did not plunge us into cold and darkness. Yeah! Now I can enjoy how pretty it is outside!

It's The Little Things

I firmly believe that even while on a budget, some little indulgences should be allowed. It is kind of like being on a diet, if you restrict everything you really enjoy, odds are one stressed out day you are going to eat all the Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby you can lay your hands on and undo those 24 hours of hardcore dieting. Not that this has ever happened to me.
To that end, I am going back to real, name brand Q-Tips. While at my local grocery store yesterday, I picked up a couple boxes of off brand "cotton swabs" for CHEAP. I felt so virtuous and budget conscious! I used them this morning to remove eye make-up and they hurt! Like a mother! "Cotton swabs" do not have nearly as much "cotton swabbing" as one would think--the little plastic stick part almost poked my eye out and the harsh cotton left my sensitive eye area all red and irritated. Lesson learned.


Check It Out
http://www.e-rewards.com/home.do
Hey, many of us waste time online, why not do it while earning some e-rewards? The surveys are fast and easy, and maybe you earn a magazine subscription or 500 Delta miles. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick (or a cotton swab) as my father used to say!

A Little Something I Learned From My Mother...
Butter is expensive. If you use it often, buy it on sale and freeze it. Nothing funky happens to it and once it thaws, you would never know it had been frozen. I have been doing this for years, just as my mother did. The added benefit is I always have butter on hand and never run out. If you read my first post, you know how I feel about running out of something.
You can freeze cheese also but the consistency does change a bit, making it alright for cooking but not for serving with crackers.

You Decide!
A loyal follower of my Blog, one of 4 thank you very much, was wondering about cloth napkins versus paper napkins.
Here is what I found on www.care2.com
"If you are hugely careless in your treatment of cloth napkins and dishtowels (like running a load of hot-water wash for a few barely-soiled napkins), paper can be the more eco-friendly option. But if you approach your cloth towels and napkins conscientiously, cloth is the greener option. Some say that washing cloth must be more energy-intensive than using paper, but electric dryers are actually twice as energy efficient as the manufacture of paper towels. When you factor in all of the components of making a paper towel or napkins (harvesting the material, processing and bleaching it, packaging it, shipping it, stocking it at a supermarket, transportation to and from the store to purchase it, etc). all for a single use, you find that the paper towels and napkins are about twice as energy-intensive and create more greenhouse gases overall. A cloth napkin or dishtowel may go through similar processes to get to your kitchen drawer, but it will stay there for many, many years, rather than being sent directly to the landfill."
That is for you Lisa!

Bright Start To A New Era

Like most of America, I watched the Inaugural proceedings most of the day yesterday. I watched CNN Live on Facebook and shared comments with my Facebook friends, it was a totally new experience for me and a great way to start off a new presidency. Now I feel I have a responsibility to change the way I live my life, or at least be willing to make some sacrifices and change the way I do some things. The tone that President Obama set in his speeches yesterday were of accountability, responsibility and the hard work and difficult decisions ahead. I have made a resolution to be mindful of the choices I make and to become more involved in my community.
To that end, I have started this Blog to keep myself on track, share insights and humor, and pass on all that "Depression Era" wisdom that my parents taught me over the years.
Both my parents lived through the Great Depression and the way I was brought up reflected a lot of the lessons they had learned and the hardships they went through. Some of my memories from childhood and the things I do in my home now as a wife and mother, are a direct result of their parenting, as is true for most of us. However, I bet most of your mothers did not have a full pantry in the basement with a year's supply of most canned and jarred foods. A common request from my mother was for me to run down to the basement and get her a can of soup or a bottle of ketchup. And there it all was--laid out before me. Neat row upon neat row of pickles, soups, ketchup, mayonnaise, baked beans, mustard, BBQ sauce, jelly, jam, tuna fish, condensed milk, vegetable oil, you name, we had it. Each in its own row, with 3-6 backups behind it, sorted by expiration date (never take from behind, only from the front otherwise my mother would notice and there would be a lecture!) Running out of something in our house was almost unheard of. All items were purchased on sale and with coupons and lists were kept so that when stocks were running low, sales would be watched for to replenish particular items. Household cleaners also had a place in pantry, Lysol, Pinesol, Scrubbing Bubbles, Windex, Comet-- all stockpiled in the same manner. Friends would ask to see my mom's pantry when they came over to play and stand in awe of the bounty before them. It was just how my mom was, the way we lived. Reserves of toilet paper and Kleenex were kept upstairs in the linen closet, reams of paper towels were kept on the shelves in the laundry room.
We laughed about it. My mother was very good natured and took a lot of teasing for her "depression era" mentality. You have to embrace your foibles, right? I will give you one guess as to what is in my linen closet right now.
12 boxes of Kleenex and 60 rolls of Charmin. Don't even look in the basement!


A Little Something I Learned From My Mother...
Old towels, t-shirts, even old boxer shorts (much to my dismay growing up) were washed, cut up and used for cleaning rags around the house thus eliminating the need for paper towels. Cost effective AND better for the environment. Barbara was way ahead of her time environmentally!


Money Saver For Today
Save money at the pump
and reduce your emissions. When you are at the ATM, the
drive-thru pharmacy, or just waiting to pick someone up —
don’t idle your engine, just turn it off! The American Society
of Mechanical Engineers proved in a recent study that
the average fuel-injected vehicle requires
the same amount of fuel to start
its engine as it would to idle with the air
conditioning ON for only 6 seconds.
Every second counts, so turn off your
car!