Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Free Redbox Rental 5/29/13

Use the code "YYNNM957" to get a free dvd rental from redbox! You can upgrade to a blu-ray, but you will have to pay the 30 cents difference (if that makes a difference to you).  The code expires today, 5/29!

-Kristen

Free Full Size Body Wash from CVS

Go here and enter your email address!  The Minute Clinic from CVS will email you a coupon for a free full size body wash.  Mine has an expiration date of 6/23, so you have plenty of time to redeem the coupon. 

If this isn't something you will use for yourself, you can always donate it or give it to a friend or family member.

-Kristen

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Party's Over :(

Well, vacation is over and I'm finding it very hard to be back at work.

It seems that any small step that could have been taken to save me a ton of work was studiously avoided.  It's not about having to do the extra work- it's about the little bit of thoughtfulness that clearly no one had.  It's about the lack of respect- just pile it up on Kristen, she can deal with it all when she gets back, even when it is as simple as walking two extra steps to do it themselves.

Yes, I'm a little more bitter than usual.  Does it have anything to do with my raging headache? Maybe.

Does it have anything to do with Tim being gone for a week, leaving me with ALL the chores?  Perhaps.

Mostly, it revolves around the fact that I truly dread going to my job.  I wonder what stupidity I will have to deal with each day.  Who is going to be overly dramatic about everything? Who is going to try to use me as their personal slave for the day?

There is so much more to life than this.

I'm planning a meal schedule now, then hitting the budget hard again.  A church yard sale coming up will net us some additional money and I plan on cutting down the rabbit herd for the summer- less to feed and money in my pocket, if all goes according to plan with the sales.

Meanwhile, it's back to job searching.  Vacation is over, the good times have stopped rolling. 

Back to work.

-Kristen

Monday, May 13, 2013

Kindle Fire Owners:

If you are an Amazon Kindle owner, I have good news!  Amazon is offering $5 in free "Coins" to buy any apps for your kindle that you want.  You don't have to do anything special, just go to www.amazon.com and there is an announcement on the homepage!

Coins are going to be a new currency for apps on amazon and you can buy them at discount (each 100 coins is equal to $1). So if you purchase them, you are essentially getting a discount for buying something you wanted anyway.

But again- if you own a Kindle Fire, you get 500 free coins to spend on apps!

-Kristen

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Free Target Giftcard

Shopkick is offering a free $2 Target Giftcard to new and old users alike!  I've been using Shopkick for months and I love it.  You earn points by opening the app as you walk in to certain stores (Target, Best Buy, Macys, etc).  You do have to remember to do it close to the front doors, otherwise the app has trouble verifying you are actually in the store.    Then, you earn more points (as many or as few as you like) by scanning items in the store or referring friends.  I can't tell you how many giftcards I've redeemed from them, but they stay right on your phone and you just have them scanned at checkout.  You can also use multiples per transaction.  LOVE IT! :)  It's really easy to earn your rewards and the sky is the limit.  I have also found the app to be unobtrusive, so no worries it is going to bug you to death.

If you don't have Shopkick, go here to download it to your phone!

After you sign up, go here to get your FREE $2 Target giftcard next time you open the Shopkick App in Target.

Done!  It's a free $2.00!

-Kristen

Dave Ramsey's Guide to Budgeting

Go download Dave Ramsey's Guide to Budgeting now, while it is free.  DR's "Total Money Makeover" is what started this whole thing for me- the way I look at money, the way I view debt- even my intense couponing.

This guide to budgeting will help you understand how to make your money work for you.  It walks you through the fears people have about their money (fear of seeing that you are really eating out way too much in a month, for instance).  He'll explain his baby steps and the envelope system.  He covers various paycheck scenarios, marriage and having a baby!  This is just the icing on the financial cake, as obviously he goes more in depth in his books- the ones you have to pay for.  However, it's enough to get you facing in the right direction!

What are you waiting for? It's free and it just might start you on the journey to living debt-free. 

-Kristen

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Making Soap!

I had a block of melt and pour coconut soap base that was sitting around, taking up space in the house.

Today, I decided to finally use it up!

To begin with, melt and pour is extremely easy soap to make. You literally chop the block of soap in small pieces, melt it in the microwave, then pour it in to molds.  Done.  Oh yes, you can color it, and fragrance it- you can add things to make it an exfoliating bar, but ultimately, it's as easy as its name implies.

My one pound block of based made 4-3oz. bars of soap and 2 2-oz. bars of soap.   A few of them are Eucalyptus scented, the rest are apple scented.

I think that ultimately, melt and pour soap will be less satisfactory than the soap you're used to using in the stores.  Not to mention that start up costs, while not prohibitive, they are at least going to cost you around $15 for the bare minimum block of soap, fragrances and mold(s).  The fancier you get, the more costs you have.

Now, if you are clever with your use of coupons (think 40% off at Michaels), you can cut your start up costs to $9.00 or under.  Still, you are looking at $0.56 per ounce of soap, plus the time to actually make it, costs to wrap it up and keep it clean, etc.

Now, if you have an excess of goats milk, a good market and really want to go at this in a business sense, I know there is money to be made selling a good quality milk soap.  However, it is certainly not melt and pour easy.

If you don't mind the extra costs and time involved, if this is something you just want to do for the pleasure of working with your hands, then it's enjoyable to see your creations pop out of the mold.  If you think you are going to save a ton of money, then at best I am thinking you can eventually get down to around $0.32 an ounce or cheaper, but you can still purchase soap at the store cheaper, especially if you coupon.  So- it is what it is. 

-Kristen


Monday, May 6, 2013

Nearly Vacation Time!

Tim and I are gearing up for vacation time and I have to say- mentally I've already pretty much checked out.  It has been a trying time recently, with stress over my job(s), tragedy striking some dear friends and just the gloomy weather we have been subjected to for the past week and a half or longer.  I try not to focus on how long it has been dreary (and cold!) so I hopefully don't struggle with every minute of it.

This year we are going on vacation with a pair of friends.  I am so excited because they are making the trip down from Toronto, Canada to visit with us! I'm feeling a little pressure to get us some extra good deals because of their costs in flying down.

So far, my attempts at cutting costs haven't been the most successful thing ever- with the economy beginning to recover, everywhere is stopping the constant promotions.  I have heard Disney World is even trying to cut back on Free Dining Offers, with the thought of cutting them out entirely in the very near future.  If Disney World isn't doing promotions, what hope do I have of finding something in Tennessee?

Still, we'll do our best! We plan on doing some cooking while on vacation and of course I will stop at the state border to pick up pamphlets and brochures, which often contain money saving coupons.  Several days we have "free" activities planned, such as hiking.  My trust "gas buddy" app will help us score the cheapest gas in the area.  All in all, as things stand the vacation isn't going to be too expensive as is.  However, every penny counts!

-Kristen

Friday, May 3, 2013

Yard Sale Season (12 Months of Christmas Post)

Ahhh May.  The time of year where the pollen has mostly died down, even our friends and family to the North are finally putting away the snow and a staple of summer begins to show up in your local newspaper- Yard Sales!

Keep an eye out, while you're out and about.  I can't tell you how many times I have found new-in-the-box items at yard sales.  Most recently, I found two crystal "sweet trays" that are Christmas themed, still in the box, for $1 each!  I bought them both and they will be making their reappearance this December in one of those various "draw a number, steal a gift" parties that small groups are so fond of.  Perhaps you can find a beautiful plate that can be washed and later grace the table of a friend, piled high with heaps of freshly baked Christmas cookies.  Vases, mason jars, pots- there are tons of items that can be useful to the forward thinking gifter!

If the thought of buying your loved ones gifts from someone's front yard makes you feel a little squeamish (and for some folks, it does!), check out the christmas decor that is usually available.  Maybe you can find a new strand of lights to replace the burned out one for pennies on the dollar.  Maybe there are boxes of Christmas cards that you can use.   You just never know what you'll find in the modern day treasure hunt known as yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, etc.

If you find some out of season clothes still with tags on them or toys new in the box for a good price, why not consider picking these items up to donate them during the Christmas season?

-Kristen

Catch up on all the 12 Months of Christmas posts here.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

No Beer Purchase Required-

If you live in FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA or WV run to print this $4 off an $8 purchase of meat or seafood!  You don't have to purchase beer to get this rebate, so it's like getting your meat 50% off!  It runs the month of May, but the rebate will probably hit max prints before that. 

You must be 21 years of age to participate in this rebate.

-Kristen