Thred Up- Kid's Clothes & Toy Swap

I just wanted to take a minute to give a shout out to "Thred Up", a kid's clothing & toy swap website. We're full-swing into the new clothes shopping season which can be costly. When I was a kid quite a bit of my clothing, ok most, were pre-owned, purchased from kid's consignment shops or hand-me-downs. I never minded one bit. They were all "new" to me! Children outgrow their clothing so fast, that in my kids' world, unless it's something special (ie. an Easter dress or Christmas dress maybe) it's often purchased used. The "Thred Up" idea is simple, yet brilliant (wish I'd come up with it). You select a size, gender, season or type of item in the listings (similar to eBay), pay $5 for the clothing plus $10.95 for a flat rate priority mail shipping box, and voila! You'll have clothing on your door-step for about $1.50 an item of gently used clothing. Parents who list items have feedback scores, so you can make sure you're not buying from a louse. You can also list your child's outgrown gently-used clothing. Items need to be in style as you will receive "style" points from the recipient. Joining and listing are free! So, check them out, and save your money for more important things-like quality time with your babies.

Thrift Store Find- Mini Dresser Refurbished

I love taking something ugly and turning it into something fabulous, and just this last weekend I had the opportunity to exercise my creative muscles. We have company coming to stay with us for the next ten days, and we I decided that we needed to have some kind of small dresser for storage, so our guests don't have to live out of their suitcases the entire time. Thus began the hunt! Maybe, I was just looking for an excuse to buy something to play with, but nevertheless, it worked. For a whopping $19.50, we found an old Ethan Allen three-drawer dresser. The piece was actually in great shape overall. The drawers pulled out nicely, and the finish was in good shape. Aside from the molding around the top, it wasn't very beat-up; it was just a little homely. The top had white plastic molding that was broken with pieces missing. Yuck. Why would you put plastic on a wood piece?! Shame on you, Ethan Allen! But, nevertheless, it was the perfect size and had potential. Here she be in all her whiteness..... 



The plastic molding has already been pulled off the edges in this pic. See below.



This is the plastic molding that was coming off

We pried the rest of the plastic crap off the sides, and then purchased at Lowe's some decorative molding in the lumber area to put around it. My husband used wood glue to attach it, followed by a few small nails.


Here is the unfinished wood molding replacing the plastic garbage

Now, you'll notice that the piece is an off-white color. Not horrible, but boring. The hardware just looked dated on it in that drab color. So, I purchased a can of spray paint in a creamy yellow color and went postal on that beezy. It took a couple coats to fully cover over the white, but there it was....yellow. Next came the fun part-Glazing. Using a single bottle of dark brown Americana paint (from Michael's for about $1) and a cheapo brush from Lowe's (for about $1.70), I got to work.


Painting sections of moulding with the brown

Using your brush, paint on the dark color, making sure to get it in all of the grooves. You want to glaze in small sections so the paint doesn't dry before you get a chance to wipe it off. Then take a large rag and wipe, wipe, wipe. You may want a dry rag and a damp one, to make sure you can get as much off as you want. I just played with it, wiping in various directions until I was happy.



Trim, painted in yellow and glazed

Once, I had the trim done, I started working on the drawer faces.

Going in the direction of the grain, I brushed on a few strokes of the brown. Then I wiped with my dry rag back and forth and in a circular motion.

Notice the color difference on this now, from the lighter yellow on the picture above. This is called "'I'm a woman now' Yellow".

Then I concentrated on the edges of the dresser, where I imagined their would be more "wear" and put more paint there, wiping it off. I did this all over the dresser until I was happy ;). Once the glazing was done, I added a couple thin coats of glaze in a semi-gloss from Minwax with a sponge brush (also from Lowe's).
And here she is in all her lovely, lady yellowness!



I ended up keeping the original hardware. It wasn't so bad once the color was different.



Side frofile, notice the glazing



Top- there were a couple spots I would have changed, but it dried too quickly. Gives it character though right?



Ta da! I'm uber happy with this dresser! I think it's one of my favorite pieces of furniture now. It's amazing how a $1 bottle of paint can make such a big difference too. I hope I've inspired you! 
 


What's the Deal With the Lettuce!?!?

I was recently reading a post from The Farmhouse Kitchen in which the author was mentioning that they almost always have tacos once a week because it's easy, and you usually have the ingredients on hand. For us, in California, that would have been true, but in Connecticut, I've found it's more difficult to keep fresh ingredients (specifically produce) "fresh" for long-mainly lettuce. What is it with the lettuce here?! It doesn't seem to last long at all! However, I must confess I've been slacking on using one of my secret "saving money in the kitchen" weapons. What is it? Well, if I told you it wouldn't be a secret now would it? Ok, ok. I'll spill it. My "secret saving money in the kitchen weapon" is the Progressive Lettuce Keeper. I know, rather anticlimactic, but it's awesome, and it works (and it's only $13.98 on Amazon)! It's not just for storing lettuce either. You can use it for all sorts of produce. The lettuce keeper has a little guide on the front that tells you which veggies need the vent open or closed and which need water at the bottom of the container. My favorite thing to use it for though, is lettuce. I have found my lettuce lasts significantly longer using this. And that's where the saving $ part comes in-waste in the kitchen means wasted $$. If a head of lettuce costs you $3, and you only got to use half of it before it went bad, that lettuce just turned into a $6 head! So, with that being said, I guess I'll stop grumbling and go get that puppy out of the cupboard and into the fridge ;).

Save $: Cut Back on That Cable Bill....

Or maybe, CUT that cable bill! Ugh. Cable is so expensive! If you sit down and think about how much you spend in a year's time for cable and then how much you actually watch it, can you justify that bill? How much does it cost you an hour? We had cable for a couple years, but then life changed, and we moved to Connecticut, and my husband became a full-time student, and we had to change too! Well, thanks to my Internet-browsing hubby, we got ourselves a Roku. What is a Roku you ask? It's an "Internet streaming player". You purchase the unit (for $80-$100), hook it up to your Internet, and you have access to movies and TV without the high price of cable. You get "The Channel Store" which gives you a weather app, sports app options, movie apps, a local community and arts channel and more. Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video are available for purchase at a monthly subscription through your television. Netflix and Hulu Plus are both $7.99 a month, and Amazon, I believe is available by purchasing an Amazon Prime Membership or shows and movies can be purchased A la carte for a couple of dollars. We currently just have Hulu Plus, and it has been enough for us. It has tons of current TV shows as well as some movies. At some point we may sign up for Netflix, but as little time as we have to watch movies, I figure I can pick up a "Red Box" if there is something we've been dying to see. We absolutely love our Roku, and I don't know that I'll ever go back to cable at those prices. $7.99 a month (or more depending on what you purchase) plus the one time Roku purchase. In one year, we're spending about $15 a month (Roku cost divided by 12 months) compared to more than double that a month! That's a big savings! So, if money is tight, and you're looking to cut back but can't bare to lose some of your favorite shows, I suggest looking into a Roku option.

Save $: Basic Household Items Repurposed

I came across this article yesterday on Yahoo and thought it had some very helpful tips, and it's always interesting to see what creative things other people have come up with. I love multi-purposing things to save money and be, well, just a little cooler, so here are some money-saving ideas that you can hopefully use in your household.  

Via Bex Barker in "First Person: The Six Surprising Money Savers Hiding in My Home"

1) The mesh bags onions and potatoes come in from the grocery store generally end up in the garbage can. Instead of tossing them, I save a few and use their naturally abrasive texture to scrub pots and pans. The bags are far more gentle on hands than S.O.S pads filled with chemicals.  (Via SAHM I AM- you can also use foil squished into a ball as an abrasive scrubber. It works pretty well, and your hubby will think you're a genius).

2) Paper towels are ridiculously expensive. Many people have moved to cleaning with old washcloths or a sponge, and that is certainly a great alternative. However, I am one of those people who prefer to throw away things I have used to wipe the toilet. If you are like me, try using cheap coffee filters. They clean better than paper towels (especially mirrors), and are way cheaper.

3) Speaking of cleaning, "going green" is in these days, so why not hop on that bandwagon for some of your kitchen and bathroom cleansers? Simple ingredients like baking soda splashed with vinegar are terrific for cleaning showers and toilets, and they're especially great at opening drains. If your bathtub drains are clogged with hair, replace the Drano with a few shakes of baking soda, a splash or three of vinegar, and a kettleful of boiling water. These products are generally in the pantry already and when combined they make amazing cleaning agents. (Going to have to try that one- between my uber thick hair and my daughter’s we constantly have clogged bathrooms drains)

4) I love baking soda. It has so many uses. Another of my favorite tips is to pour about half a cup of baking soda into a small dish, add 12 drops of essential oil (or your favorite scented oil from Bath & Body Works), and place the dish wherever a little freshening is needed. I like to put a dish in the car after I've forgotten to bring in a cup of coffee and the spoiled cream has left a distasteful odor.

5) While I'm discussing cleaning, I would be remiss in not bringing attention to the most amazing corn cleaner ever. I love corn on the cob, but I hate the corn silk that can seem impossible to remove. Now I just use an unused toothbrush to brush the corn. The bristles do a great job of cleaning out all the silk, and I don't have to spend half an hour per ear of corn. (This one is a little weird to me, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it right?)

6)Finally, the easiest of them all. Outdoor activities like concerts or picnics can be less comfortable if you are sitting on a blanket in soggy grass. I like to keep a cheap shower curtain liner with my picnic blanket for these occasions. The liner keeps the blanket dry, and my family and I no longer have to worry about wet bottoms after our picnic.

Find Lost Money!

Wouldn't it be great to find money you didn't know you had? Similiar to finding a $20 bill in a pants' pocket or change in the couch cushions, you may have some money out there from an old student bank account or bond your parents took out for you that you never knew existed or forgot about. Straight from Suze Orman, check out Missing Money or Unclaimed.org and simply put in your name and state to see if you have lost money out there! This is a free search, and you will not be put on any junk e-mail lists. You never know-this could be the highlight of your week!

Swagbucks

Have you heard about Swagbucks yet? I love it! I've been part of Swagbucks for a year or so now, and it's been great. I've earned $150 in Amazon gift cards-and I'm on the low side, btw. There are many people who have won much more than that in a year's time. I very rarely actually pay for anything on Amazon anymore. I just use my GC balance. This year, I'm trying to save up gift cards through Swagbucks for Christmas gifts for my kids-makes that time of year a little more affordable, but my husband and I keep finding books and music we want ;). Anyhow, what is Swagbucks? It's an online search engine that you sign up for. You do your webbrowsing through their server and you randomly win points, or Swagbucks. As you accumulate them, you can cash them in at the Swagstore for prizes like giftcards. My favorite is Amazon because the possibilities are nearly endless. You can also earn daily Swagbucks by doing surveys, taking polls, watching videos, and playing games. They're also on Facebook and Twitter. I have never had any problems with it at all and don't know anyone who has. So, if you're interested sign up here and start earning just for doing what you already do!

Recyclebank

Have you signed up for Recyclebank yet? They have just recently reset their earning opportunities which means more chances to earn points! For those of you who don't know what Recyclebank is, it's a recycling promotion website that teaches you various ways you can recycle in your community and household through quizzes and more. Once you've completed a quiz you are rewarded points that you can then redeem for coupons for groceries and toiletries in store or at various websites online. I accrued 90 points after about five minutes of quizzes on their site and learned a few things too. So, if you're interested in signing up (you'll need to provide them with an e-mail address) or just checking it out, go here to visit their site.

Grocery shopping- it's boring, but someone has to do it

It's Friday, which means it's time for my weekly grocery store adventure at my local Stop & Shop. I chose Friday because that's when my hubby is around to watch the kids. If you've ever grocery shopped with your children and attempted to score good deals using coupons, you know what a juggling act that can be! I prefer to either take him with me if the kids are along or just go by myself. If I'm feeling lazy I wing it-set out with a mental list of needs, but what I almost always try to do involves much more planning. You've probably read that "winging it" when grocery shopping is generally a bad idea because you 1) forget things, 2) buy stuff you already have and/or didn't need 3) buy items not on sale without coupons. You tend to spend a lot more that way, so it's best to stick with a plan. Here's my system:

1) Compile a list of groceries-stuff I need for the next couple of meals I'd like to make well as things we're running low on or are out of. I browse the store circular on their website and click what I want and make a virtual list, which I can then print out. Most store's websites allow you to do this now-so handy!

2) I then compare my list with a blog or website that follows the store I shop at for their deals and coupon matchups. I personally like Wicked Cool Deals because they're in the New England area, and The Coupon Divas , but there are a ton of others out there. Just do an internet search using the terms "coupon match-ups" and your grocery store choice.

3) I look up whatever items I don't yet have coupon match-ups for on a coupon database. Coupon databases are great because they allow you to search circulars, website links, and other sources for specific coupons on any item on one source. Check out this Coupon Database to see what I mean.

4) I then gather the necessary coupons and paperclip them together with my list. And that's it!

Yeah, ok, so it took a bit of planning, but it saves me money in the long run because hopefully I won't be making any extra trips to the store-which costs extra time & money, and I won't have missed using any coupons I might have been able to (and that's the worst!). So, hi ho, hi ho. It's off to the store I go!

Save $: Driscoll's Berries Rewards Program

It's often difficult to find great deals on fresh produce, so imagine my delight this morning at seeing this!Driscoll's Berries has a new rewards program offering exclusive promotions and discounts, a special berry offer on your birthday, sweepstakes entries, and a bonus $.50/1 coupon when you sign up here . My Stop & Shop grocery store doubles coupons up to $1.00, so this will make some nice savings on berries. The coupon link should show up in your initial e-mail. Sign up while this offer is still available!

Save $: Make your own croutons from the left-overs

I regularly make my own croutons and bread crumbs. Yeah, they're not that expensive to just purchase, but I hate waste. Waste= $ in my opinion, and on one income, saving money is important. Last night I had two ends of dry Italian bread left-over (in CA it'd be French, but for whatever reason they only sell Italian in Cheshire), so I started cutting it into chunks to be made into croutons. I typically like to toss them in olive oil and then whatever seasonings I fancy-usually Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and Parmesan. They then are spread out on a baking pan or cookie sheet, and put in the oven until golden (15-20 min) at about 350 degrees or so. Think about it-you'd otherwise be tossing out that left-over bread and dropping a couple bucks on croutons! Do this regularly, and you're saving yourself around $50 a year or more depending on how often you eat croutons. You can also choose instead to toast up the bread a tad, so it's on the dry side and then put it in a food processor to make bread crumbs. Put it in a Tupperware container or zip lock baggy for storing.
Here are a couple simple crouton recipes to give you some ideas. Homemade Croutons , Sharron's Homemade Croutons , Italian Salad Croutons .