budgetsmartgirl

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Ramblings From a Budget Smart Girl

In The Blog on November 1, 2011 at 3:33 pm

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween. 

Last week I went shopping for calendars for 2012…hard to believe it’s almost the end of the year. First stop was an office supply store for one of those daily calendar refills and while I was there I browsed other ones too. I couldn’t believe that the average wall calendar, (you know the type with various photos) is now $15.95.  Right next door is a Micheal’s  store and I’ve often found bargain priced calendars there in the past so decided to take a look.

Here are three I bought and wait for the price, the Kittens and Painted Cats were both $1 each, the Butterflies one which also has a 2 year planner and mini calendar…perfect for the kitchen was $1.50. They look exactly like the ones in the office supply store and yes, the price difference is amazing. Don’t know if all Michael’s stores carry these items but check them out. Buy some for yourself orto keep as great stocking stuffer gifts. Also something to keep on hand to give to that someone who wasn’t on your list but gives you a gift.

One thing I love about this time of the year is bargains and corresponding coupons start appearing at the supermarket. I’d say I stock about 50 percent of my pantry during the next two months. Look for things like canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, chocolate chips, flour, sugar etc., to go on sale and you can use them all year round.

I’m working on the November newsletter right now and hope to have that ready by Friday.

Have a good week.

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Ramblings from a Budget Smart Girl

In The Blog on October 25, 2011 at 4:42 pm

 

 

I’m always looking for different things to make and this recipe hit my e-mail at just the right time. Pringles Ghoulish Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

·         6 ounces baking chocolate, unsweetened

·         3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine

·         2 cups sugar

·         3 eggs

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         3/4 cup flour

·         1-6.41 ounce can of Pringles Original or 1-5.71 ounce can of Reduced Fat Pringles Original

·         1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

·         Orange and black frosting (optional)

·         Edible decorations, such as sprinkles and candy corn (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 F

2.       Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, and spray foil with cooking spray.

3.       In a glass bowl, microwave chocolate and butter on high for 2 minutes.  Stir until chocolate melts. 

4.       In a stainless steel bowl, mix sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well mixed. 

5.       Pour in butter chocolate mixture and mix well.

6.       Empty Pringles and flour into a food processor, and puree until very fine. 

7.       Empty flour mixture into chocolate mixture and mix well; add nuts to distribute.   

8.       Bake for 30 minutes, and cool.

OPTIONAL DECORATION DIRECTIONS:

1.       Before pouring Pringles into food processer, reserve 3-5 crisps and set aside.

2.       While brownies cool, gently break Pringles crisps in half and decorate with frosting gel.

3.       Top brownies and frosting and place crisp “gravestones” in brownies along with other edible decorations to create a fun and playful graveyard scene.

One Way to Save Money

One way I’ve found to save money and sometimes get free shipping is to shop around Thanksgiving time, especially on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In fact, I was thinking just the other day if you can hold off on making a purchase until then even if it’s for small items like cosmetics or books, buying at the end of November rather than at the beginning can give your budget a big boost.

Interesting Things on the Web this week-

Beware of sneaky price increases at your local supermarket-

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113688-11401-3-supermarkets-may-sneak-in-price-increases?hp=true?ywaad=ad0035&nc

Cold weather’s on its way and if you love hot chocolate here are some tips for making your own-

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/the-perfect-hot-chocolate-2590715/#photoViewer=1

I use vinegar for cleaning and here are some other ideas for using this very inexpensive item-

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/20-unusual-uses-for-vinegar-2588664

Later this week some make-up tips from Dale, Pat’s first blog post, and some ideas about getting out of the food doldrums from me…and a recipe too.

Have a good week.

Ramblings From a Budget Smart Girl

In The Blog on October 18, 2011 at 2:31 pm

Days are getting shorter and maybe that’s the reason I always seem to have lots of things to do this time of the year. Despite being busy I’ve taken advantage of  harvesting some goodies from the yard such as herbs. This year the lavender did really well so I’ve been drying it.

 Once ready I’ll put inside pot holders, oven mitts etc. for a wonderful aroma when something hot is placed near it. I’m thinking these might make some great additions to the closet too and nice inexpensive Christmas gifts as well.

Fall and early winter always means more time for reading. One trick I’ve learned if you borrow books from the library is to opt for large print editons if there’s a waiting list. Yes, there’s still a list but sometimes only 50 people ahead of you instead of 400. Obviously some people don’t want to be seen reading a large print book!

Halloween’s around the corner and I’ll have tips on how to save some money this year. Also, Dale will be offering her first blog of make up tips for us.

Some items of interest this week-

I love tea and Tetley Tea has a new promotion. A $25 gift card for Barnes and Noble inside some boxes-

http://tetleyusa.com/

And on the subject of tea, interesting article about uses besides drinking it-

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/15-new-uses-for-tea-2580093/

Eggs are cheap and these recipes look great-

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/photos/10-best-egg-recipes-1318506156-slideshow/

Family Dinners for $1 a person

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/family-dinners-for-1-per-person-2579641/#photoViewer=1

Have a good week.

Ramblings From A Budget Smart Girl

In The Blog on October 11, 2011 at 5:00 pm

Short on time this week so just a quick blog post to let you know what’s coming up on the site this week. Our first post from deal expert Georgine and some tips on floral decorations for the Halloween season from a floral expert. And I’ll be introducing you to another contributor who will cover make up and fashion.

I’ll be starting my book tour next week but hope to squeeze in some time to post at least one if not two articles on the site.

Have a good week.

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Ramblings From a Budget Smart Girl

In The Blog on October 4, 2011 at 2:35 pm

One thing I can never resist is a book sale. My local library held one this past weekend and I picked up a stack of paperbacks ready for winter reading. While they used to be just 25 cents a piece, now they’re $1 but as most of the ones I bought were like new I still think they’re a bargain. Something that did surprise me though is the lack of people there. Previous years it’s been elbow to elbow but plenty of room this year. I don’t know if people are thinking new items are already cheap enough so why buy used, or if folks aren’t buying anything, period.

I do my best not buy anything that isn’t on my grocery list and stop myself from impluse buying when I’m at the grocery store. However, I think there are exceptions and that’s when you spot a one time bargain. I found these packages of potatoes on sale for $1.37. I decided at that price I’d stock up. I really like this brand and they’re be perfect for when I’m pushed for time.

October already and the stores are filling up with Halloween items and yes, Christmas stuff too. It’s the beginning of the season for picking up bargains that you can use later. Like discounted Halloween candy for holiday baking. And coupons become abundant too.

Some things I found of interest on the Internet-

Speaking of potatoes, I found this selection of recipes on Yahoo UK, can’t wait to try some of them-

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/photos/10-best-potato-dishes-1317211750-slideshow/

I raise my hand and say I’m guilty of buying the odd bottle or two of water and yes, even though I own a water filter. Here’s a site offering $5 off a new Brita water filter-

http://www.filterforgood.com/

Shopping is sometimes all about psychology so thought this article was insightful-

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113560-11114-3-7-shopping-secrets-retailers-wont-tell-you?ywaad=ad0035&nc

Hope to get the newsletter to you sometime this week. Also Marcia will have her first blog on coupons. And if I have time I’ll be introducing you to yet another contributor who will be offering us insider tips on make-up and fashion.

Have a good week.

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Ramblings from a Budget Smart Girl

In The Blog on September 20, 2011 at 4:49 pm

Are watches becoming the new printers?

That’s what I asked myself last week when I purchased a new battery for my watch. With tax it cost $5.07. Sad thing is I’ve seen watches selling for as little as $9.99, especially around the holidays.  Sometimes I think it’s not worth buying ink cartridges with printer prices so low and now I’m thinking why buy a battery for my watch when I can get a new one for a couple of dollars more.

One thing I always had on my pantry supply list was breadcrumbs but then got into the habit of making my own. I discovered day old bread made the best kind. A couple of weeks ago while I was in Wal-Mart I stumbled upon a section that has day old bread for sale. I intended to buy some for making croutons and breadcrumbs but it tasted so good, I wondered why I was paying full price. The flavor and textures is the same as the freshly baked bread but these loaves cost $1.89 and a couple of them are artisan breads that are delicious for making sandwiches. I’ve been buying five or six at a time and freezing them and they’re just as good when they’ve been defrosted.

Here are some articles I found on the Web this week-

Saw this one listed in one of the freebies and deal e-mails I get daily and if you have a Kindle, unfortunately I don’t, check out this free cookbook

http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Chili-Cookbook-Cooking-ebook/dp/B0046H9KRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1316318987&sr=1-1

Sometimes cooking bloopers can cost you money, so this is a useful read-

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/7-kitchen-tricks-you-should-know-2551725/

Some foods are more satisfying and therefore more budget friendly than others, so check out this list-

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/8-foods-that-keep-you-full-and-4-that-don-t-2545588#photoViewer=12

Check out what’s hot in fall fashions and then check your closets-

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/fallstyle/14-of-the-most-wearable-fall-trends-2386670/#photoViewer=14

Later this week I’ll be introducing you to another of the new contributors and this week’s food focus is yogurt, a budget friendly food that’s good for you too.

Have a good week.

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The Blog-Great Coupon Booklet

In The Blog on September 6, 2011 at 5:14 pm

Hope everyone had a wonderful long holiday weekend. I have a busy fall ahead, writing, teaching, book tour, and this weekend, a garage sale. After putting it off every week this summer I decided the weather’s cooler and I need to clean out the garage and basement.

This past weekend I made another batch of peach jam and also found a great deal on strawberries at Wal-Mart so made a batch of strawberry jam too. Can’t wait to add them to oatmeal when the weather turns cold.

Last week I stumbled across one of my favorite finds, the great coupon booklet from Morningstar Farms. It was in the freezer section so be on the lookout for it in your store too.

And you know how I’m always telling you about All You magazine, they have a new feature that I just love. A grocery circular that let’s you see all the deals in your area without leaving the house. It’s a wonderful way to plan your meals and grocery shopping. Here is the link http://www.allyou.com/static/weekly-circulars/

Some other interesting things I found online this past week-

Don’t know about you but I often wonder if my car actually needs service or repairs so this made for some  interesting reading-

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/confessions-of-a-car-dealership-service-manager.html

If I’m not busy enough already I actually checked this one out!

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113435-10898-2-fall-home-renovation-projects?ywaad=ad0035&nc

Don’t you wish when you bought something it would last forever? This might help-

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113328-10701-2-how-to-make-home-appliances-last-longer?ywaad=ad0035&nc

It’s a short work week so no regular article but I will be introducing you to the second new contributor who will give us the inside scoop on getting the best deals on the Web and in the stores.

Have a good week.

 

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The Blog-Guess I Won’t Be Shopping There Now

In The Blog on August 29, 2011 at 6:41 pm

I used to shop at my local co-op at least once a month. It’s not that far away but seems I’ve been too busy over the last ten months or so. On Saturday I decided to make a trip there and couldn’t believe how expensive things had gotten. I suppose these days stay away from a store more than a few months and you get sticker shock. Bulk bin items still seemed reasonable but everything else, no way would I buy it there. Seems a shame because a decade ago it was always a reliable place to shop for good bargains and great tasting food.

Another thing I did last week was make some peach jam following a recipe I’d found in the September 5th issue of Woman’s World. It’s taken from a book titled Jams and Jellies in 30 Minutes or Less by Pamela Bennett. Here’s the link from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Jams-Jellies-Less-Than-Minutes/dp/1423618718/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314642652&sr=1-1

Looks like a great book that’s probably going on my to buy list.

I’m using half the peach jam for toast and topping for yogurt, the other half I’ve frozen. Peaches are on sale this week, less than a dollar a pound so I’ll be making another batch. It’s delicious and amazing that this recipe uses only three simple ingredients, peaches, sugar and lemon juice.

This Week on Budget Smart Girl-September newsletter.

Have a good week and a safe Labor Day Weekend.

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The Blog-Stocking Up for Future Meals

In The Blog on August 22, 2011 at 5:22 pm

My last couple of trips to the supermarket have yielded some bargain buys that I’ve decided to keep for future meals. Last week green peppers, sweet onions and baking potatoes were all on sale so when I got them home, I chopped the green peppers and froze them. The onions; half were chopped and also frozen, the rest sliced and carmelized and stored in the fridge. The baking potatoes turned into twice baked potatoes and ready for a chilly fall day.

And here are some more bargains. These one pound bags of fish were just $4 each. Great eaten as is or for turning into soups and chowders for a cold snowy day.

Yogurt has also been on sale a lot lately and I use it for everything from salad dressings to smoothies. One type I really like is Greek style yogurt and good news is more companies sell it these days. Here’s a link I found just today for a free sample of Dannon’s Oikos Greek Yogurt. If you live in CA, LA or NJ it’s $1 off coupon.  One of my favorite flavors in their key lime. http://oikosyogurt.com/promotions/

This Week on Budget Smart Girl-another Friday recipe, this time a quick and easy lunch idea or even a light supper. And later this week I’ll be introducing the first of the new contributors to the site. Let me just say this lady knows all about couponing. To kick things off she’ll share some tips and tell us about her new book on the topic.

Have a good week.

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The Blog-Summer is Winding Down

In The Blog on August 15, 2011 at 5:05 pm

I can’t believe we’re half way through August. This summer has flown by and I’m trying to catch up on all the things I’d planned to do outside this year. I also had big plans to dry herbs, can tomatoes, make jam but it’s been too hot so my motivation’s been low.

One thing the hot weather has forced me to do is spend time at the computer to check out more money saving sites and items online. So this week I’ll be sharing some of my findings with you. There will also be another recipe…this time a dessert.

Don’t know how many of you visit the Budget Smart Girl site each week but I changed the design so the last three posts are always visible now. I think I prefer it but I might tweak it some more. I’ll also be gradually adding a constant resource page for you where you’ll find ideas and links to more ways to save money.

Starting next week I’ll be introducing you to the first of the expert contributors who will share their tips and ideas each month.

An article of interest on the Web this week-

With money being tight for lots of people these days getting enough protein is a challenge but I thought this was eye-opening-

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-2523319/

Have a good week.

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