Oxygen Bleach, My New Favorite Household Cleaner {PLUS Giveaway!}

July 8, 2013 By

Oxygen Bleach has recently become my most favorite household cleaning ingredient. When I first started using oxygen bleach, I bought the cheap stuff at the dollar store; and while it was effective, I quickly realized that it was not pure oxygen bleach. Since I couldn’t figure out exactly what was added to it, I opted to be safe rather than sorry, and go for the good stuff.

Thankfully, around that time, Tropical Traditions offered to send me a big container of their oxygen bleach. I jumped at the chance, of course! And I am so glad I did! Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to try another natural brand of oxygen bleach, and I have to say the Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach was of significantly higher quality. It cleaned better and left less residue behind.

What do I do with my oxgyen bleach? The better question is, what don’t I do!? But here are a few of the household uses I have found for my bucket of oxygen bleach:

Clean carpets quickly and easily with oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach has become just as essential to me as vinegar and baking soda in my selection of household cleaning supplies, and that’s saying something! To compete with those workhorses means a product has to be multi-purpose, effective, inexpensive, and easy to use, and oxygen bleach is all of those things. To be fair, it does cost more to purchase than either vinegar or baking soda, BUT you typically only need to use a tablespoon or less at a time, so it lasts forever. My big container from Tropical Traditions probably lasted a good six months.

Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach Giveaway

So you have the opportunity to win your own container of Tropical Traditions’ Oxygen Bleach! Lucky Ducky You! Please fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter the contest. This contest is only available in the US. This contest ends at midnight, Sunday, July 14, 2013.

And now for some legalese before the giveaway begins:

  • If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.
  • Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

If you are not familiar with Tropical Traditions, here’s some info about this great company that provides high-quality food and household goods for those seeking to avoid chemicals and other additives:

  • Tropical Traditions: The Best Place to Get Virgin Coconut Oil
  • How to Use Coconut Oil
  • What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

Note: If you’re having trouble accessing the giveaway below, try entering via my Facebook page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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4 Books I’ve Been Reading (That I Highly Recommend)

April 25, 2013 By

First of all, can I just say that I love my Kindle? (Actually… what I really love is my Kindle app on my tablet… but my Kindle makes it possible to enjoy my Kindle app… so I love my Kindle!) I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my Kindle in the last few days, and have actually devoured quite a few brand-spankin-new eBooks in the past 24 hours. I’ve been toting my Kindle everywhere - to the living room, to the dining room, to the kitchen, to the bedroom, and, of course to the bathroom (where else does a busy mom find time to read?!).

Whether or not you have Kindle, too (my friend Erin wrote a very helpful post about reading digital books without an e-reader), you can benefit from the ever-growing digital library of wisdom out there that is far more accessible (and takes up a lot less space) than its old-fashioned hard-covered, paper-backed ancestor. In particular, there are 4 recently published digital books that I have been perusing the past couple days and highly recommend to you!

Cloth Diaper Guide
1. Confessions of a Cloth-Diaper Convert

Whether you’ve been cloth-diapering (or CD-ing, as the lingo goes) since before it was popular or are pregnant with your first little one and curious about the possibility, you will learn something in The Humbled Homemaker’s brand new eBook, published just a few weeks ago. I promise. Erin leaves absolutely no stone un-turned and shares every little shred of knowledge she has learned in her years of researching (and using!) cloth diapers. I totally wish I had access to this book when I was researching cloth diapers, because I would have avoided some mistakes along the way that led to the demise of my first set of CD’s. Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert is currently available right here via PDF for $9.95 (But the price is going up soon, so get it while you can!).

2. Accidentally Green

Accidentally Green is a memoir of one woman’s journey from “normal” to “green“… almost by accident! Wherever you are on your journey to improve your health and your environment, you will identify with the questions, obstacles, and issues that provoked Hillary to discover “new” and better ways to eat, clean, shop, heal, and just plain live! I found myself empathizing with Hilary at times, and admiring her at others. Her determination to research the best for her family is inspiring to me and encouraging as I continue on my own journey to simplify our family life without sacrificing what is authentic and real. As someone who strives to make EVERY decision in life based on the Word of God, I also really appreciated her Biblical perspective. This quick read is available for just $2.99 via PDF, Kindle, and Nook.

IB 300x250 ad 2 Affiliate Program 3. Intentional Blogger

 

Can you believe that when I first started my own blog, I had never actually read one before? I had only heard of them. It makes me laugh to think about the earliest beginnings of my blog when pretty much me, myself, and I were the only ones who ever visited it. And then when I started it up again - in earnest and for reals - I still had absolutely no earthly idea what the heck I was doing. I didn’t even know for the first year that I could actually monetize it beyond Google Adsense. Crazy, right? Too bad I didn’t have LeighAnn and Nikki’s new (as of yesterday!) eBook, Intentional Blogger, then! I would have started out right instead of making a zillion mistakes along the way and falling flat on my face more than once. Huh! If I had read their book first, I might even be a mega-blogger today (Haha!)!!

Clearly, I’m in the place where I’m supposed to be… but if you’re a blogger at any stage, I really think you need to read this eBook. Packed - and I mean PACKED - with resources, you’ll have everything you need to take your blog to the next level (whatever that is). And I love their emphasis on focusing on God and what HE wants from your blog. You won’t be a success without that determination as your guiding focus. And since it’s a brand new eBook, you can currently get this book for $12 (25% off the price) by using the code “LAUNCH25” at checkout. (Only for a limited time.) Alternatively, if you subscribe to the authors’ newsletter, you can get 50% off the purchase price until 8am April 26 (which is Friday morning). Buy Intentional Blogger here.

Easy Peasy Chores @ GoodOldDaysFarm.com 4. Easy Peasy Chores

This last one is more of a tool than a book you sit down and read. But WHAT a tool it is!! Busy mamas everywhere have been needing this resource for a loooonnngggg time. I can remember back when I was growing up, and my mom organized our chores using index cards in a little file box. She would have loved this system! Alina has broken down all the possible chores that need to be done in your home into simple tasks that even the children can help with. Whether you want to organize the tasks by person, by room, by zone, or by day of the week, you can do so with this - truly - easy peasy system. There’s an initial cost for printing out the cards and purchasing the supplies, but Alina’s even got some great ideas to help you get started with minimal out-of-pocket expense. I am SO excited to get The Boys (ages 4, 2, and, um, 33) and myself started on this house-cleaning system, especially now that I’m teaching again and my boys are going to school with me. Anything that simplifies my life excites me, and I’m pretty sure you’re going to find this resource exciting, too! It’s only $15.99, and it’s worth every stinkin’ penny. (It would honestly be worth even more.) You can buy the Easy Peasy Chores system for yourself here.

PS> Several of these books will be available in an eBook bundle sale coming up next week. $30 for almost 100 eBooks, all of them just as good as the ones I mention below. It’s not a hard choice to make… $16 for Easy Peasy Chores today? or $30 for Easy Peasy Chores PLUS 96 other books, ecourses, printables, planners, etc etc?! Yeah, like I said, not a hard choice. It’s coming on Monday, so stay tuned!

PSS>My very own eBook - Your Grocery Budget Toolbox - is in the same eBook bundle. Yippee!

PSSS> The very last one I promise. I’m a total cheapskate, but even I have to say that this bundle deal is gonna be kickin awesome and totally worth it. $30 is a lot to spend on books all at once, but it’s WAY more than books. Stick around and I’ll be telling you more about it here on the blog, on FB, and on Pinterest.

PSSSS> Oops. Really the last one. I forgot to mention that there are more than $140 in bonuses that come with each purchase of the book. Seriously, this is a no-brainer.

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Mother’s Day Gift Idea

April 4, 2013 By

This post is sponsored by South Hill Designs Independent Consultant Katie Parsons.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner - it might be a month away yet, but that’s just enough time to find the perfect gift for the perfect mom! And I have the perfect gift idea for you: a personalized, custom necklace from South Hill Designs.

South Hill Designs helps you create necklaces that tell your story. You start with a silver or gold locket and then fill it with carefully chosen items that reflect the people and things you love best. There are flat hammered metal coins with words like “Faith”, “Family” or “Blessed” that form the backdrop for your life-story-in-jewelry. Fill the remaining space in the locket with charms that identify your heritage (small flags), your hobbies and passions (a red high heel, anyone?), birthstones of the people you love, or symbols of your faith. Top it all off with a “droplet” that dangles from the chain and you have a lovely, personalized necklace that’s unique to you alone.

Are you seeing why this would be such a perfect gift for Mother’s Day?! My own necklace is a silver locket with a tin that says “family”, filled with an emerald birthstone for me and my DH (we were both born in May), and two little boy charms with the appropriate birthstones, plus an ichthys to represent our faith. I love it and wear it all. the. time!! It’s like keeping my family with me throughout the day no matter where I am or what I’m doing.

If you agree with me that this would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift, you should check out Katie’s Facebook Party for April. Follow the instructions for ordering and you can get shipping for only $4! Katie’s got some great ideas for filling your lockets to impress and honor the moms on your list.

Mother’s Day isn’t the only perfect time for South Hill Designs, though. You can give personalized necklaces for birthdays, Christmas, and just-because! Or you can get one for yourself… or two, or three.

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Purchase Gift Cards at a Discount with Gift Card Rescue

March 27, 2013 By

*Sponsored Post brought to you by Gift Card Rescue So, have you followed my advice and started saving up gift cards to spend at Christmas? I’ll be honest - I haven’t yet. Life has been kind of crazy and in upheaval from the beginning of this year, but now that things are starting to settle down - and I actually have a working budget written out to start in April - I’m definitely going to get started on this year’s Christmas stash of gift cards.

Whether or not you choose to save money for Christmas in this way (although I honestly think it’s a great way for anybody and everybody to pay for Christmas!), you will still like what I have to share with you today. Because whether or not you use gift cards to buy Christmas gifts, you’re likely going to want to give away a gift card or two for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, Admin Professionals Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and just-because-I-love-you days.

And when you go to buy those gift cards, make Gift Card Rescue your first stop. Gift Card Rescue is a trade-in service for gift cards - if you have one you don’t want, you trade it in for cash. They, in turn, sell it at a discount to someone who does want it. You don’t have to trade in gift cards to get access to their collection of cards for sale, most of which are at least 5% off, some up to 30% off the cash value!

You know I’m always interested in saving money wherever I can, and this is a fabulous and simple way to do that: purchase a gift card at a discount, and you’re automatically getting a sale price on whatever you buy with that card!

And you can rest assured that the gift cards are legitimate and will work. I had the privilege of using a gift card to Payless from Gift Card Rescue, and bought myself some super cute black flats and a whole set of bangle bracelets. The magnetic strip on the card was worn, but the cashier just typed in the card’s account number and it worked just as well. If for some reason your card does not work as advertised, Gift Card Rescue backs up their cards with a 90-day guarantee, and you can get a refund or be issued a new card to replace the defective one.

Chances are, though, your discounted gift card will work just fine, enabling you to buy gifts (for others… or for yourself!) for less, and, of course, save up for a debt-free Christmas!!

 

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5 Nutritious Free Foods From Your Backyard! {Guest Post}

March 8, 2013 By

backyard foraging

Many thanks to Kristen of Smithspirations for guest-posting for me today as I am busy in the middle of moving! Please visit her site and say “hey” for me!

Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies. I just love going outside, picking a fresh bunch of vegetables and herbs, and walking into my kitchen to cook or prepare them. Right on par with my gardening affections is my fascination with using the many edible weeds that grow in my backyard. Most of us have no idea how many weeds that we consider bothers are actually tasty and nutritious foods! I’m excited to share with you five of my favorites that are well-known, nutritious, tasty, and easy to find.

Before you go picking and eating, keep in mind some foraging basics. Make sure that you only gather edible wild foods where you have the right to do so. Choose places that haven’t been contaminated with pesticides or other harmful chemicals; urban roadsides or sprayed lawns are places to avoid. Lastly, and most importantly, check before you chew. Make sure you know that you have positively identified your plant and haven’t mistaken it for a potentially harmful look-alike.

And now… on to the food!

dandelion flowers and leaves

Dandelion

Everyone is familiar with dandelions. Children love them for making bouquets, and adults tend to hate them for marring their lawns. But how many of us know that dandelions are nutritional powerhouses? Chock full of nutrients like beta-carotene, iron, calcium, B vitamins and other vitamins and minerals, dandelions offer a greater nutritional punch than spinach and other domesticated greens for the great price of free. Dandelions are usually best harvested in the early spring and late fall.

Young dandelion greens can be enjoyed raw in salads, as can the yellow flowers (minus the bitter green sepals, which are the small green leaves that hug the base of the flower). I like the leaves better cooked. Just sautéing them renders them quite bitter, but gently simmering them in a sauce or other liquid for about ten minutes after sautéing removes the bitterness, leaving you with a nutritious, economical, and tasty green side dish! Dandelion roots and leaves also make a very healthful tea that supports the liver. I like to roast freshly dug and washed roots and dry the leaves in the fall to have a detoxifying tea through the winter.

violet flower and leaves

Violets

Violet flowers not only look pretty, they also have a taste very similar to black pepper, and we enjoy them raw. I love sending my children out to gather violets for salads. They are so easy to spot and identify, and they add a wonderfully spiciness to an ordinary salad of garden veggies. My children think that it is so neat to eat wild flowers in their salads, and I think it makes them more willing to eat their greens. Though we usually just eat the flowers, violet leaves are also edible and said to be tasty anywhere other cooked greens would be used. You can find violets in the spring. Please know that African violets, the popular houseplants, are poisonous and not safe to eat.

purslane

Purslane

I’ve recently started seeing purslane seeds in the seed catalogs I get in the winter, but I never have any trouble finding purslane in my yard. These succulent plants with thick red/purple stems and plump oval-shaped green leaves are a common weed found in many gardens. When looking for purslane, be sure that the leaves have no dark spots and that the stems aren’t wiry. That plant might be spotted spurge which somewhat resembles purslane and is poisonous.

Purslane is excellent raw in salads or on sandwiches. It has a nice mild flavor, somewhat sweet and sour, and a juicy crunch that my children especially enjoy. You can also cook it by steaming, sauteing, boiling, or stir-frying for about 10 minutes. When it comes to nutrition, it is hard to beat purslane. It’s bursting with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and C, and minerals like calcium, potassium, and iron. According to foraging expert Steve Brill, purslane is one of the most nutritious plants on the planet! I’ve heard of it becoming a popular ingredient at fancy posh restaurants now, too. I’ll probably just eat it at home and pretend to be posh.

chickweed

Chickweed

I finally realized what chickweed was this past year while gardening and constantly pulling out mats of a green weed with small leaves, tender stems, and itty bitty white flowers. Once I realized I could eat it, I couldn’t believe all of the food that was dumped into the compost bin! Along with being delicious, another great thing about chickweed is that you can often find it during colder seasons, allowing you to enjoy free greens for a greater part of the year.

Raw chickweed has a wonderfully sweet green flavor. I like to chop it up fine for salads. You can also quickly saute it, and I’ve found it to be an excellent ingredient for egg frittatas or omelets in place of spinach. If you like sprouts on your sandwiches or wraps, you might just find chickweed to be an excellent addition or substitute! Another highly nutritious plant, it provides ample amounts of vitamins A, C, and D, along with folic acid, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, and other nutrients.

sheep sorrel

Sheep Sorrel

A neighbor once allowed me to taste some sorrel that was growing near his house years ago, and I had never tasted anything like it. It looks like a baby spinach leaf with rounded points on the sides, but tastes like lemons! I decided to grow a garden variety so that I could enjoy it at our new house, but was delighted last year to find a patch growing in our backyard. Like most other wild greens, sorrel provides a host of various nutrients. The best time to find sorrel is in the early spring and fall.

Its bright, strong, lemony flavor is a nice addition to salads, sandwiches, soups, and casseroles. If you have a recipe that calls for spinach, chard, or kale, throwing in some sorrel leaves just might take the dish to a whole new level! One of the best chicken soups I’ve made had a few handfuls of sorrel in it, and our whole family was amazed at the flavor. The leaves cook quickly, so try adding them during the last 10-20 minutes of cooking time for a soup or other dish.

Want more ideas and information?

There are so many more delicious, nutritious, and free foods available to us in our backyards. I love my Wild Edibles app, available both as a free “lite” version and a paid full version with over 150 plants listed. There are loads of photographs, illustrations, and information relating to harvesting, seasons, nutrition, recipes, and more. If you are interested in wild foods, I highly recommend it! No smart phone? No problem! “Wildman” Steve Brill’s website has a great section all about some of the most common wild plants in the United States area.

My name is Kristen Smith, and I am above all else a Christian, filled with God’s Holy Spirit, and living by every Word of God and that only by the grace of God. I am married to the handsome and admirable Jesse Smith, my high school sweetheart, pastor, and best friend. We have been blessed thus far by four precious children here and one waiting in heaven. I thoroughly enjoy homeschooling our older children in the Charlotte Mason and Classical styles; cooking real, whole foods via traditional, nourishing methods; living a more natural, DIY, and economical style of life; venturing into creative projects when I can somehow make the time.

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Cute Coffee Cozy - You’ll Never Guess What I Upcycled to Make It!

January 24, 2013 By

I love re-usable coffee cozies, mostly because I hate waste. Those disposable ones at the coffee shops always seem so pointless, but then I have this little problem of accidentally throwing away the re-usable kind. Henceforth and therefore, I have no desire to spend any amount of money or time on a re-usable coffee cozy (as cute as some may be, and I’ve seen some awfully cute ones!) when it’s just going to end up in the trash one day anyway.

When I was on my organizing spree earlier in January, I cleaned out my sock drawer. (Yes, my sock drawer.) In there was a lonely old slipper sock that had lost is mate a loooonnnngggg time ago and was merely biding time in the dark old drawer, waiting for me to sadly end its life. Only I couldn’t quite bring myself to do that, the poor lil’ slipper sock having been worn only a few times before being reduced to singlehood, and thus in excellent condition still. (I think I have already mentioned that I hate waste.)

As I sat staring at the spinsterly sock, waiting for inspiration to strike… it did! Inspiration, I mean. It struck! This perfectly good slipper sock (that was not dirty in the least, thankyouverymuch!) could have a new lease on life with a new purpose and a new design! All it would take was a snip of my scissors and what was old would be new again.

Almost gleefully, I grabbed a pair of scissors and made two short cuts (don’t worry, it didn’t hurt a bit). Reluctantly disposing of the heel portion - but only because no inspiration struck as to what I could do with that ridiculously shaped tube - I ran into the kitchen and tried first the toe and then the band. And woohoo! It worked! Perfectly, I might add.

Why, yes, indeed. I turned that lonely - but adorable - slipper sock into not one, but TWO adorable coffee cozies that, being free, will not cause me one moment’s grief if they happen to be accidentally disposed of. (OK, well, maybe a tiny moment, because they are awfully cute!)

So. Happen to have any spinsterly spare socks lying around your house in lonely dark drawers? (Of course you do, who am I kidding?!) Give them a new lease on life and release them from their loneliness with a fresh purpose as your own adorable little coffee cozy.

The best part? Everyone will think you knit it yourself by hand. (*snicker*)

11 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Handmade, In The Budget, Waste Not Tagged With:

Your Guide to Meal Planning

January 23, 2013 By

How to Meal Plan I think everyone of us struggles occasionally with the “5:00 Panic” - you know, that dreaded moment when you realize that your family is going to be simply starving any minute now and you have no clue what in the world to feed them. In most households, these panic attacks usually end with feeding the masses cold cereal or takeout.

Uh huh. I’m wise to your tricks! You thought I didn’t know, huh?

The 5:00 Panic

Well, I know because I’ve been there. Not the cold cereal part because we don’t buy it anymore, but the takeout part. That I’ll admit we have succumbed to on occasion when dinner was not adequately planned.

As I mention ( kind of ad nauseum, to be honest) in my eBook, Your Grocery Budget Toolbox, I have discovered that the best (and really the only way) to avoid the 5:00 Panic (and the cold cereal) is to plan ahead. I know, I know. I wish I had an easier answer for you, but I don’t. Some things in life are worth the extra effort, and I have discovered that menu planning is one of those things.

In fact, since last fall, I have been regularly planning our meals a month at a time using Plan to Eat, and I cannot tell you what a relief it is to to have that mealtime guide as I go through the month. Sure, the plans change occasionally, especially the breakfast and lunch options. But I would be a lot more stressed out (I know because that’s how I used to be before I started menu planning!) if I didn’t have a plan.

Menu Planning, Really?! Do I Have To?

I can totally understand, though, if menu planning is just not your thing: I’ve been there! I used to think it was pointless, since nine times out of ten, when I did plan a menu, we didn’t follow it! I felt like if I had enough staple grocery supplies in the house at all times I could just whip up any ol’ thing when it came time for dinner. Plus, I’m kind of a spontaneous girl in many ways, and the thought of having a menu plan seemed, well, rather rigid, to be honest.

Yeah, I had all kinds of excuses.

Yes, Really. You Gotta Learn How to Plan Your Menu.

You, too? Then you may want to read Crystal’s (of Crystal and Co.) new eBook, “How to Meal Plan: a Step By Step Guide”. It truly is a step-by-step guide to get you going on the path to menu planning freedom.

What I particularly love about Crystal’s book is the adorable printables that help you work through the menu-planning process. Not only does she offer you the standard menu planning chart, but she has worksheets that help you analyze your family’s needs and your own desires when it comes to cooking and meal planning. It’s not about what works for her, it’s about what works for you. She doesn’t just throw a calendar at you, and say, “Get busy planning!” No, she walks you through the process of determining how a menu plan would work best in your family and in your situation, and then how to trouble-shoot it when things go wrong.

Menu Planning Help for $0.99!!

Here’s the truly lovely thing: for the rest of the month (which is only like a week, so don’t relax now), you can get Crystal’s guide to meal planning for only $0.99. I think you can spare less than a buck to get some peace of mind at 5:00 for the rest of your life. Normally, it’s $5.99, which is still a good price, but for $0.99? Can’t be beat. And what do you have to lose?

I dare you. No, I triple dog dare you! Face 5:00 head on and kick that panic where it hurts!

Ahhhh. Feels good, doesn’t it?

 

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Frugal and Easy Essential Oil Storage {From an Upcycled Spice Rack}

January 17, 2013 By

Since joining Young Living Essential Oil’s distributor program in order to get a great discount on their oils, I have been slowly amassing my essential oil stockpile. It’s exciting, but it presented a new problem: where to put them.

Enter the spice rack I purchased at a yard sale a while back for the measly little price of $2.00! I’d been hanging on to it for a while, intending to freshen it up a bit for a new purpose (not being useful for containing spices, in my opinion), but hadn’t gotten around to that little task yet.

As soon as I started pondering how I should handle my essential oil storage situation, I immediately thought of that old spice rack! It was perfect for the task on multiple levels:

  • It was just the right size to hold the bottles.
  • The open shelves make accessing the bottles easy!
  • I had a spot on my bathroom wall where it would fit perfectly.

However, it was quite ugly. That dark brown stain is not exactly my thing.

So I set out to beautify it with an “almond” colored spray paint. Easy task, yes? Well, unfortunately, either me or my can of paint was struggling because the paint came out all drippy and splotchy instead of in a smooth, even coat. I followed the instructions on the can exactly so I would like to say it wasn’t me… but it had been a long while since I’d spray painted anything.

Whatever the case, my final coat of paint resulted in a strange crackled texture that I found to be appalling initially. But the longer I looked at it, the more I liked it! It kind of gave an antiqued textured look to the spice rack, which was rather serendipitous in my opinion. I had originally planned to apply some sort of filigreed rub-on transfer to the shelves as a decoration, but I think I actually like this sort of shabby chic look better.

I have no idea how you can replicate this look yourself (ha!), but at any rate, I do think a coat of spray paint in the color of your choice will dress up an old spice rack (you can find them at thrift stores and yard sales all the time) to store your own essential oils (or any other small bottle that needs storage, like nail polish… or spices).

Think essential oils are out of your price range? Think again! Read how I afford essential oils here.

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Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes {and Giveaway!}

January 17, 2013 By

I love my crock pot, but I can get very frustrated when flipping through crock pot recipes: it seems they all call for canned this and packaged that, which makes me very sad. For oven or stove-top recipes, I can typically figure out some good substitutions for the processed stuff, but the crock pot? It’s kind of a different animal.

Which is why I’m so happy Stacy of Stacy Makes Cents took the guesswork out of the whole thing for me. She’s written an amazing eCookbook (appropriately called Crock On!) with all kinds of great recipes adapted just for the crock pot. The best part is that none of the recipes include creamed-this or powdered-that. Oh, maybe a can of vegetables here and there, but nothing processed or fake in this cookbook!

And she doesn’t cut corners either. I got a crock pot cookbook once that was 95% soup recipes, which was kind of a disappointment. I like soup and all, but we only eat it once a week or so, so that wasn’t super helpful. Stacy’s cookbook, however, goes way beyond soup and brings you recipes for sandwiches, sides, and even desserts! (Can you say Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake?)

The very very very best part? (Kind of like the cherry on top?) The price. You know I like things to be nice and cheap. Well, this book is. It’s only $5. You can totally afford $5! Especially considering what you will get with those five little bucks.

But wait, my friend. It gets even better! Stacy has generously set up a special 15% discount code for my readers, so that each and every one of you can purchase Crock On! for only $4.25!! Just use the code: “authentic15”. (Please leave out the quotation marks. I know you know that, but just in case…) This code will expire January 31, 2012. (Oh, and no worries about wasting your money on the book just in case you win the giveaway. Stacy will refund your purchase if you win! It’s a win-win.)

And just when you thought the deal couldn’t be any sweeter, Stacy has given me permission to give away not one, but TWO, copies of Crock On! Suh-weet! Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you make in your slow cooker?

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Save Money on Groceries {By Keeping Your Freezer Clean}

January 10, 2013 By

It is no secret that I am passionate about reducing waste and saving money on groceries. I even wrote the book about it. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that saving money on food (and other things) is a lot more involved than merely clipping coupons or finding the cheapest price.

In fact, I would say that a bigger impact on your grocery budget (and other parts of your budget, too, I daresay) is a little thing I like to call “Inventory Control”. Yes, I gave it a fancy little title and everything, but really, the concept is quite simple: keep track of how much food you have in your house.

Before you assume that you have all of this under control already and go clicking off to other great world wide web destinations, let’s chat for a minute. I have a few questions for you:

  • Have you ever unearthed a package of food that’s way past its expiration date?
  • Is your freezer (pantry/fridge/cupboard) ever so full that you don’t know what’s beyond the obvious front row?
  • Have you ever gone grocery shopping without a list, only to return home and find that half of what you bought you already have, and you forgot to buy half the things you really need? (Maybe that’s just a slight exaggeration?)
  • So tell me. How often do you clean out your fridge/freezer/pantry/cupboards?
  • Can you tell me right now off the top of your head how many cuts of meat you have on hand? How many packages of frozen vegetables? How many eggs? Or pounds of beans?

If you passed my little pop quiz with flying colors, then good for you. I mean it! You are on top of your Inventory Control, and you are well on your way to grocery budget success. But if you failed any of those questions, I have a suggestion for you.

Clean out your freezer.

That is, in fact, what I did today. The organizational bug that hit me at New Year’s still has a death grip on me, but I’m enjoying it, so I don’t mind. And the process of cleaning out my freezer was so gratifying I determined that I’m going to make it a monthly habit as preparation for my regular grocery shopping trip. There were a few things tucked in the back that I had completely forgotten about, and one or two things I realized I didn’t have (that I thought I did!).

Because I cleaned out my freezer I was able to:

  • Make a large batch of chicken broth
  • Make a batch of bread pudding and probably some bread crumbs as well
  • Put navy beans on my grocery list because I found a ham bone
  • Take stock of the cuts of meat remaining
  • Make room for what I will be buying at my big monthly shop next week
  • Organize what was left neatly so I can see at a glance what is available.

All that from about twenty minutes worth of work! In my opinion, the benefits of keeping my freezer (and other food storage areas, like the pantry, fridge and cupboards) neat and organized are such that I plan to work it into my monthly shopping routine. If I do it on a regular basis, it will take me 10 minutes or less to quickly go through the items in the freezer, toss out the yucky stuff, and put to use the leftover bits that need to be made into something. This will save me money because I won’t be buying food unnecessarily, and I can use what’s in the freezer to make something new (like the bread crumbs) from something that would otherwise be trashed.

How do you keep your food inventory under control?

Need some more help with your Food Inventory Control? Read about how I keep my pantry neat and organized without spending a dime.

Read many more money-saving tips in my eBook, Your Grocery Budget Toolbox. Each chapter presents a new tool that will help you save money on groceries, with an emphasis on healthy, whole foods. No extreme couponing allowed! These are all common-sense strategies that almost anyone can adapt to their personal needs and family situations. Read Crafty Garden Mama’s review (and get a discount code!) for more information. If you are interested, you can find purchasing information here.

10 Comments Filed Under: In The Budget, Waste Not
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