October 2011
getting my groove back…. {& LWSL reader survey}
The past 2 weeks have been an emotional roller coaster, and I have to be honest that writing this blog has been the last thing on my mind. I can’t thank you enough for all for the kind comments and emails, as well as for your patience. I am just now today starting to get back into the swing of things again, and I’m afraid it may take me a little while to get my groove back. My poor email inbox, having been largely ignored for the past two weeks, is overflowing, and I am more than a little overwhelmed. If you are awaiting a response from me, I apologize ... read more
Halloween DiY: Bumblebee Costume {Part 2}
A few weeks ago I posted part one of this year’s bumblebee costume for the girls. The pillowcase dress design turned out cute, but my little bees were sadly lacking in necessary bee accessories. They needed wings and antennae! I found some cute options at Gymboree, but even on sale, the total cost for 2 sets plus shipping came to almost $40. There was a slightly cheaper set on Amazon that I almost purchased with Swagbucks, but I was worried that the yellow wouldn’t match. Plan C took slightly more effort but was definitely the cheapest option, costing less than $5 for the whole project. I found fairy wings at ... read more
coupons 101: how to shop at walmart
I want to thank you all for your patience and kindness–the comments, emails, and words of encouragement–during this time. My mother-in-law was a special woman and she will be missed. We are currently in Chicago; the funeral was yesterday but we will be staying for a few more days to tie up the loose ends. I hope to get back to my regular posting schedule soon! In the meantime, my dear friend Jennifer Camp has written an awesome tutorial for shopping with coupons at Walmart. Many of you probably already know her from all her hard work on Saving Well Spending Less and Print Hot Coupons. Jenny is our resident ... read more
in memoriam
Marie Anne Soukup July 29th, 1924 – October 17th, 2011 * * * My mother-in-law passed away this morning after an extended illness. Even though it was not entirely unexpected, death is always a shock, and I just wanted to let you all know that I will probably not be posting too much here on LWSL this week so that I can spend this time with my family.
Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Muffins {Recipe}
Sometime last winter I found canned pumpkin on clearance at Walgreeens. It made the perfect “filler” item to complete my multiple transactions, so I stocked up and bought all the cans they had left. I’m so happy fall is finally here so I can start to use it! (I am incapable of eating pumpkin anything at any other time of the year. Is that just me?) These muffins were a breeze to whip up and soooo yummy! If you’re not into coconut or chocolate, you could easily omit one or both and have them taste just as good. Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Muffins Muffins 1 c. sugar 1 ... read more
My Savings Story
Today’s post is a little different. Right now I am in New York City attending Save Up ’11 with my fellow Savings.com DealPros. Today, at the request of Savings.com, all 41 of us are posting our personal Savings Stories on our respective blogs. This is mine. Some people are born to shop while others are destined to save. There has never been a question of which category I fall into. For as long as I can remember, money has burned a hole in my pocket. In fact, I’m sure more than a few of my friends and family members find it beyond ironic that I, of all people, now earn ... read more
10 Thrifty Ideas for Getting Organized
I am headed off to NYC (for the first time EVER!) this morning to attend Save Up ’11 with my fellow Savings.com DealPros. Can I just tell you how excited I am? Tomorrow all 50 of us will be posting our unique Savings Stories on our respective blogs, so be sure to come back and check out my personal story of learning how to be the thrifty girl I am today! Getting prepared for this has definitely been a challenge! I’m sure any of you moms who have travelled before can relate to the massive coordination that goes on to make sure your kids will be cared for, dressed, chauffeured, and fed ... read more
Halloween DiY: Bumblebee Costume {part 2}
I have never attempted to sew a costume before, but Princess really wanted to be a bumblebee this year. When I started looking at the bee costumes that were available, I was appalled at the idea of anyone spending $25 or $35 per child when I knew I could make it for much cheaper. At first I thought about making a black tutu and pairing it with a yellow & black t-shirt, but then I remembered the pillowcase dresses I made for the girls a while back, and decided that would be the cutest and easiest solution. To make one costume, you will need about a yard of yellow fabric, ... read more
sunday shopping 10-9-11
Happy Monday! We picked up our 15 empty Operation Christmas Child boxes at church over the weekend & the whole family is excited about starting to fill them. I thought for sure I’d be able to pick up some stuff this weekend, but neither Walgreens or CVS had very exciting sales this week. Remember to go and leave a comment here if you are planning to fill an OCC box this year or do any other sort of charitable giving this holiday season. 2 lucky readers will win $50 worth of FREE product coupons from Fast Fixins, Kid Fresh, Cool Juice, Freschetta, & more! I did spot a fairly decent deal ... read more
Black & White Chili with Roasted Butternut Squash {Recipe}
Remember that butternut squash I bought on a whim last week? Well, I have a teeny tiny confession to make: I have never actually cooked a butternut squash before, at least not one that wasn’t already peeled, mushed, then frozen. I had no idea what I was supposed to do with it. So it just sat there on my counter for a week or so, taunting me. And then a few days ago I opened up my pantry, saw the cans of beans that have also been mocking me and had an epiphany: White & Black Bean Chili with Roasted Butternut Squash Ingredients: 1 bag vegetarian protein crumbles 2 small onions, ... read more
thursday shopping 10-6-11 {& weekly shopping linky}
Wow! You guys REALLY had an an opinion yesterday about my dress options! It was so great to see what everyone thought, and I really, really appreciate all the feedback! I still haven’t made a final decision–I may bring them all–but I am leaning towards 1 or 2. Or 6. Or maybe 5. But I like 4 too. Oh shoot….decisions are so hard! At least 3 is definitely a no. Almost everything on my list was a “staple item” this week–milk, eggs, yogurt, toilet paper, condensed soup–so I thought it would be fun for Princess & I to make a video about saving on those type of items. One of ... read more
Fashion on a Dime: How to Look Your Best Without Breaking the Bank
Do you ever feel like you are on a never-ending quest for that perfect piece of clothing? You know the one–the super flattering dress that will instantly make you look 10 pounds slimmer, or the ultra-cute top that makes your eyes sparkle, or the to-die-for boots that make perfect strangers stop just to tell you how great they are. My problem is usually that I’ll like something for a while and then suddenly I’ll hate it and have nothing to wear. Again. There was a time in the not-so-distant past where I spent way too much money on clothes, only to hate them all a short time later. These days, ... read more
Operation Christmas Child 2011 {& giveaway}
One of the very coolest things about using coupons (besides saving crazy amounts of money on groceries) is being able to give back and donate to charity. I’m sure those of you who have an abundant stockpile built up probably already donate a lot to local food banks and shelters, and hopefully those of you who are just learning to use coupons will continue that trend. One of my favorite organizations is Operation Christmas Child (OCC), which I’m sure lots of you have heard of. OCC sends shoeboxes filled with toys, candy, & toiletries to kids in need around the world. Although it may seem like just a small thing, ... read more
sunday shopping 10-2-11
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Here in Florida the weather finally cooled off just a little & now it actually feels like fall. Well, at least to us. (Yes, 75 degrees is a “cool” day here!) We celebrated by turning off the A/C for the first time in about 8 months, opening up all the doors and windows, and putting up some Halloween decorations, which thrilled Princess to no end. She is a BIG fan of Halloween, and has literally been talking about her costume for months now. (After shopping around and comparing prices, I decided it will be cheaper to make it myself. I’ll ... read more
