June 2015

Organic, Natural Pesticide Spray, For Under $1.00!

Hello again, savvy savers! Yesterday I received the following message from reader, Nicole:

I’m a single mother and this is my 2nd year trying this. (Last year bugs ate all my crops) i was wondering if you by chance had a recipe or cheap pesticide so my daughter (and myself) don’t go through the unbearable site of our crops being eaten again?

Well, Nicole I concur. Garden pests are one of the few things I find simply deplorable; working day in and day out on weekends, tilling a patch growing seeds by hand, waiting for seeds to germinate, be planted, nurtured, and mature, only to be eaten- by pesky garden bugs! What could be more frustrating, in terms of gardening? Whether it’s the snails taking over your lettuce, or the aphids decimating on your roses — it’s annoying! But fear not, there is no need to again reach for harmful, toxic sprays as I am going to share my go-to recipe for DIY, Natural, Organic Garden Pesticide Spray!

This spray is easy to keep on hand, costs under $1.00 to make, and should take care of most of those annoying common pests such as aphids, mites, white flies, thrips, Japanese Beetles, borers, grasshoppers, mealy bugs, and slugs. Garlic also deters larger pest like deer and rabbit.

Here is how to make your pesticide base:

Spray bottle
Strainer
Funnel
Glass Bowl
1 1/2 Teaspoons Murphy’s Oil Soap
25 Drops of Lemon Essential Oil
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Chili powder
1 Quart Water

Instructions:

Take your water and heat until warm; place into your bowl.
Next, add the baking soda and oil to the water until it dissolves.
Add all your spices and stir until mixed.
Cover your bowl and let sit overnight to steep.
The next day, strain over a strainer and funnel into a spray bottle.
Add your essential oil.
Your spray is ready for use.
This blend will last one month.

Please note: Always spray your plants with this blend in the morning, before the sun is too hot or you run the risk of burning the leaves of your plant; generally before 11 am and before the outside temperature is 80 degrees. Also, while this spray is non-toxic, it will kill beneficial bugs along with the harmful ones, too. I recommend using these sprays sparingly, only treating the infected plants, not with a garden sprayer or the like. Enjoy!

Here’s to gardening,

(Please note, this blend was first seen on TheLadyPrefers2Save.com)

No-Spend Challenge, Day 4: Coupon Swap Boxes!

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, a new challenge! So for today, I want to discuss a way that you may be able to get food, goods, and toiletries this month for free, and that is with a coupon swap!

So, you may be thinking, why a coupon swap? Well that’s easy… using free coupons this month, for items you may anticipate needing, and only having to pay applicable tax, can still fall within the No-Spend Month Challenges! So, here are a few suggestions:

Simply put it is a box of coupons that is set up at a central location, that allows people to swap and share coupons.
Those who contribute to the swapbox have the privilege of taking coupons from the swapbox.
Before you set up a coupon swapbox, you need to find a good location.
Think of locations where there are a lot of people.
Good examples are daycares, preschools, churches, libraries, schools, community centers, work, local children’s museum, etc.; be sure to ask permission to start a coupon swap box!
When starting the box, post a note outside the location telling people you are starting a swap.
The beauty of this challenge is that by donating your unused coupons to the swapbox, you can look through the coupons donated by others.

Once you have a location, simply:

Cut out all the Sunday coupons.
File the coupons you wish to keep in your coupon binder.
Put the remaining coupons in a Ziploc bag along with an index card, listing the coupon sources, your name, and date.
Add your bag to the swapbox.
As time goes on, check the box for coupons you might need.
Maintain a list of coupons for freebie grocery items, meaning coupons that you will only pay applicable tax for, at store such as Target, Walmart, and the Dollar Tree, and keep an eye out for them at the swap box.
You can also post a note asking for specific items, such as a brand of coupon.
Even if you don’t coupon, add inserts for those you might!

Once you have an established box, you can advertise at your local grocery stores, laundromats, PX’s, library, or other areas where people will see listings. That’s it! Also, be sure to take an half hour a month to clean out expired coupons from your box, too!

For those with less drive, but still looking to participate in this challenge, you should check out a Facebook site, that I use often, Christine’s Coupon Swap! This awesome group allows users to post messages for coupons you need, as well as postings for coupons you wish to donate or trade. Group members pay for their postage. This is a great way to find the coupons that may not ordinarily be delivered to your region each week, without having to buy an excessive amount of newspapers weekly!

So today I challenge you all to consider physically, or virtually, working on starting coupon swapping practices, to donate the coupons you won’t be using this month while not spending, to help purchase free groceries this year during No-Spend Month challenges!

Here’s to saving,

No Spend Challenge Day 3: Stockpile Clean-Out!

Good morning, savvy savers! I hope you are all well rested and ready for a new No-Spend Month daily challenge!

Today I want to focus on one of the most neglected areas in my home, and perhaps yours, my couponed stockpile. Yes, the cave of Frugal Wonders! My stockpile, housed in my homes basement, though it’s well lit, houses many built-in shelving features, the area still seems to always be in need of rearranging, sorting, and cleaning! The one saving grace of this area, the exhilarating feeling I get each time I am able to gaze over my shelves, from the bins filled with shampoo to the well stocked baskets of paper products, and then proceed to “shop from my home!”

My stockpile, though hard earned, is an immense blessing to my home. And as they say, to whom much is given, much is asked, and this rule equally applies to my stockpile! My stockpile saves my family thousands of dollars a year, allows me to give generously to my local food pantry and women’s shelter…but I must admit is one of the most neglected area in my home. So, in order for me to be able to adequately access all that I have within in my home, singling out what I will not need to purchase this month, I will be giving my stockpile a much needed Spring Cleaning this afternoon.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1) Rotate your stockpile. “Rotating your stockpile” means rotating your stockpile per season. You will need to place goods in order of expiration date, my seasonal usage, as well as keeping climate into consideration; you may need to start storing it in one location for summer and another location for winter, in terms of baking tools, cans, chemicals, etc.

2) Long Term Storage: If you plan to store any item for longer than a week or two, you need to know its long-term storage requirements. Some items will only last months or longer if stored in a cool, dry place. Some items must be stored in a refrigerated or frozen environment in order to last longer. Make lists, and create sub-areas in your stockpile; examples are canned goods, cosmetics, paper products, etc.

3) Take Note of Patterns: Start a list of your product usage, this will allow you to see what you need, will use in a years time, and what should be donated accordingly. Unused goods are cash wasted.

4) Last Forever Items: Nothing lasts forever. Even goods such as bottled water, start to have an altered taste after a decade, so keep this in mind.

5) Canned and Preserved Goods: Keep inventory and note the dates of home-preserved items; a rule of thumbs is to only keep items no longer than two years.

6) Pests: Pests love your stockpile, almost as much as you do! Be sure to check goods monthly, especially in Summer, and any goods that look altered, chuck immediately!

7) Dehumidifier: Humidity can alter and mold many goods, so consider running a dehumidifier twice weekly.

So, today I challenge you to check your shelves, inventory your goods, and make a point of donating all goods that you will not be able to consume, as a family, within one year! For as any couponer knows, cyclical sales, like the tides of the shore, just keep on a comin’!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for today’s recap, and tomorrow’s new challenge!

Here’s to saving,

DIY Hanging Pot Rack, Only $3.00!

Good morning, savvy savers! It’s Tuesday, and you know what that means… another awesome upcycled project tutorial!

For this weeks Tuesday Tutorials, I wanted to share with you how I made my kitchen, vertical hanging pot rack, for only $3.00!

That’s right, $3.00! How did I do this?

I used two $1.50 decorative, metal garden fences from my local Lowe’s, inverted them together, and secured them to the wall using metal hanging hooks.
The spokes of the gates fit snugly inside each other and will not come apart!
I hang pots and pans using coated s-hooks as well; I purchased the hooks, here, from Amazon.com using gifts cards earned by taking online surveys!
The $3.00 for the garden gates came from iBotta cash earned from redeeming grocery store offers.

This is such a super simple project, which can be adapted to hang pots, kitchen supplies, garden tools, and office and art room staples as well! I also plan to construct something similar to display my marionette collection as well! This rack could also be adapted for horizontal hanging, as a full unit, or a half-unit extending from the wall as well; this method would need brackets, though!

Here’s to DIY’ing!

June No-spend Month Challenge, Day 2: Affordable Menu Options!

Hello again, savvy savers! Welcome back! I hope you are all well rested and ready for a new daily challenge. So, today I want to tackle one of the biggest budget busters of each planned No Spend Months, menu planning.

So, why menu plan? I generally consider menu planning a staple in my home buegting arsenelo, but for those who may now, here are three key points to keep in mind.

1) Your Health: Your health should be one of your main concerns, as with most people, and one way to ensure your health and well being is in good working balance, is healthful food preparation. Having a menu plan in place helps you avoid sodium and fat-laden take out and fast food, and instead opt for a more balanced and nutritious diet.

2) Budgeting: Groceries cost a lot, period. Even with coupon shopping and app rebate deals, constantly going to the store can negate all of your best budgeting plans. Save yourself some financial stress by planning your meals in reverse; shop for cyclical deals, plan meals around what you have on hand, and essentially plan “pantry-ready meals.” By shopping in reverse, I generally spend $30.00 or less per week, for a family of four on groceries.

3) Time Management: Your time is important. Whether you work outside the home, from a home office, are a busy entrepreneur, or you’re a stay-at-home parent, we all juggle an endless task sheet on a daily basis. While planning a menu in the first place takes a bit of time, it will save you double that amount of time in the end. For when you have planned, purposed meal lists and ingredients on hand, you essentially eliminate the need to run to the store for a last minute item, saving you both time and money in the process. With a plan in place, all you have to do is to look at your proposed weekly menu, prep, and serve!

So today, I am challenging you all to come up with a list of a list of meals, with all of the staples being comprised of your freezer, deep freeze, stockpile, and pantry items.

You will need to come up with:

13 Breakfasts
13 Lunches
13 Snacks
13 Dinner Options
13 Desserts

Each option will be eaten twice for the remainder of the month, as the entire month will be rotated bi-weekly. Now, this task may seen daunting to you all, but consider the following:

No-spend months are a great time for 5-can soups, dump cakes, casseroles, and pot pies.
This is also a great time to consider “Food Swapping,” with family, friends, and neighbors, where you will prep meals and then exchange the meals accordingly.
This is also the time to consider menu streamlining; eating the proper amount of meals, as well as small snacks throughout the day, as well as cutting your dependency on carbonated beverages, and instead eating healthier options all around, will not only fill you up more, stave off food cravings, which will ultimately end up costing you less the month over.
Consider using “Meatless Monday,” food options; you can save up to $240.00 annually using this method once a week!
You can also check out sites like SuperCook, where you can add the ingredients you have on hand to their database, to find recipes to suit your stockpile of goods!
My best tip for today’s challenge, “Rollable Meals,” or meals that leftovers can be made into different meals using the same ingredients; for example on day 1 you make double the amount of hamburgers and a pan of brownies for dessert. On day two, you can take one patty, broken up and make breakfast tacos, and as a beef topped salad(s) for lunch, and using your additional reserved patties, make crockpot beef patties and gravy for dinner, and using your leftover brownies you can make two additional desserts to last the remainder of the week, brownie parfait cups, brownie flurries, or brownie and berry trifle!

So, just get out a tablet, make a boxed grid; 11″x 8″, divide into a calendar, with seven boxes across, and four boxes down, and there you go!

For further ideas, be sure to check out my Weekly Menu Section and Pinterest Menu Idea Boards!

Be sure to check Instagram tonight for today’s review!

Here’s to saving,

1-Hour Morning Cleaning Routine

Mornings. My former long-time foe. From dirty dishes to kiddos pulling at your clothes, finding time to clean just countertops in my home use to be an issue. Each and every morning. This was until I created a plan that helped me to not only tidy my home in under an hour each morning but to reset the way I considered cleaning my home in total. So today I wanted to share with you again one of my current cleaning goals, and that is to create morning and evening Cleaning Zone Chore Lists.

For me, a cleaning schedule is basically just a daily, weekly, or monthly plan for how you will clean your house. It can be as simple as one main task per day or as complex as a spreadsheet that accounts for every single housekeeping task that needs to be done over the course of a year. It really is up to you, and what will work best for your family, not this week, but every week going forward.

If the idea of creating any sort of cleaning schedule sounds overwhelming, no worries—I promise it is not as bad as it sounds. In fact, as you will see below, you can do it in three easy steps! The point of a schedule is to relieve guilt and to create a routine that gives you less stress; a schedule for cleaning will be a lot less overwhelming in the long run.

So, do here’s how to it:

Step 1: Create a Master Chore List:

Before you can decide when to clean you must first know what to clean, and how often. Create a cleaning schedule that works for your life and your schedule, you need to assess your own home and cleaning needs.

You can start with the following master list and then customize it to fit your own home’s needs, my suggestion is:

Step 2: Pick the Best Plan for YOU:

The next thing you need to do is figure out what sort of cleaning plan will work best for your life and your schedule.

Are you the kind of person who wants to do a little every day?
Would you rather tackle it all at once so that you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the week?
Do you work full time or are you home during the day?
Do you have young children at home whose chores can be incorporated into this system?

There is no one “right way” to keep house, and so no universal cleaning schedule that will fit every household’s needs. Just sit down, take an hour, and create a system that will work best for you!

Also, I’m going to share with you my true cleaning secret, you will want to consider creating a master list, and then smaller, daily and weekly lists, too!

If you are like me and have a hard time functioning when your house is messy, this may be the best option for you. I have personally found that my home runs best on a daily morning and evening zoned routine, in addition to my master list.

Each morning, Monday-Friday, before work I complete my Zone 1 Cleaning Project:

Make all beds in the home.
Empty the dishwasher.
Start one load of laundry.
Wipe down my kitchen countertops.
Wipe out my bathroom sinks and vanity tops, and clean off a mirror.
Sweep my entryway and front porch.
Start a crockpot meal, marinate foods, etc.
Feed my fuzzies.
Put a load of laundry in the dryer.
Spray and squeegee out shower stall, after your morning shower.
Check out your to-do list, for the day.

I will typically spend about 45 minutes cleaning morning, between the daily tasks, and do 1 or 2 weekly tasks each day; these morning tasks helps to keep deep cleaning projects at a minimum in my home. This also allows me plenty of time for walking my fuzzies, take a shower, have breakfast, take my medicine/vitamins, read from my daily devotional, all before heading into the office.

Each evening, Monday-Friday, before bed I complete my Zone 2 Cleaning Project:

Pack lunches and snacks.
Set your home up for the next day; set the coffee maker, re-stock paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, napkin holder, wipes) in home, check briefcases and back backs for anything you might need the next day, pack gym bags, pre-harness pets for morning walks before being crated, and layout morning outfits.
Clean your kitchen: Be sure to wipe down counters, load and run your dishwasher, sweep the floor, lay out a clean dish towel, scrub the kitchen sink (if needed), and remove trash.
Pre-treat any laundry, as needed.
Plan your morning meal: Plan your breakfast, and layout utensils/settings, if needed. You can also set-up clean, sanitized pet food/water dishes, placed in the fridge for the morning meals, too. Also, lay out your medications/vitamins.
Five minute pick-up: using a basket, take 5 minutes before bed, walk around your home, lightly straighten the house, and anything that is in the wrong room can be placed in your basket, to be sorted as you go from room to room, so items can be put back in their proper places!
Check for piles: Sort any bills, mail, and paper piles to their proper places, daily.
Create a to-do list for the next day.

I will typically spend about 35 minutes preparing my home each evening; I typically take my nightly melatonin and can complete all Zone 2 tasks, prep my face for the night, read a few chapters of my current book selection, in the time it takes for me to become sleepy! This also allows me plenty of time to both relax each night, and to efficiently start my next day.

So, today I am challenging you all to accomplish three tasks:

Create a mater household cleaning list.
Establish a morning cleaning ritual (Zone 1).
To establish an evening cleaning ritual (Zone 2).
Consistently use your newly created Zone Cleaning Methods for one month!

Now, while this list seems extensive, depending on the size of your home, should only take one hour daily, and in the long run, should greatly help you not only today but in the future. This week is not only about creating long-lasting cleaning solutions in your home but establishing routines that will help you not only keep your home cleaner and safer but to shave the time it takes you to do so, in half!

So, as you can all see, my mornings running as smoothly as possible are VITAL to the overall success of my businesses and home life, and for that reason, I also have another secret weapon and that is simply getting enough sleep each night! This gives me the momentum to get up each day, help my family off to school and work, and then finish my chores quickly. So that I can get on my own day too!

I encourage you to develop not only a better morning routine but basic, simple-to-apply strategies that you can use each day, to get the most out of your mornings. Each daily lesson will enable you to better manage your vitality and energy, not just your time. Friends, if you take a moment to think about it, you’ll probably realize that you are better at doing certain tasks at certain times, a better, more focused person, and this can help you harness this power to your mornings, too!

You may be thinking, what can change up your morning routine do for you? Simply put, what you do each morning is an indicator of how you approach your entire day. These choices morning habits, determine the life we will ultimately live, the health we hope to enjoy, the work we need to create, and the love we put into the world.

So I ask you, what type of energy do you have in the morning? Do you feel that your days never seem to stay on track? Are you the type of person who thrives with the direction of consistent, self-motivated changes to your overall goals? I’d love to hear about your routines at home below!

Remember, you’ve only got 25,000 mornings. What will you do with each one?

Meal Plan Monday & Stockpile Shopping Trip!

Happy Monday, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a sunny, yet chilly start here in Dixie. Thankfully, this weeks menu is going to be a breeze, and consists of Cupboard Clearing ideas, so stepping out to the market is not necessary! I am cooking and prepping solely from what is in my deep freeze pantry, and stockpile this week! I have spent nothing for this weekly menu plan, part of my 30-Day No-Spend Challenge!

As well, here is my weekly stockpile shopping trip, purchased on 5/30/15; all goods which will be used in my pantry, blanched, frozen, or used for freezer meals! Please note, the funds used to purchase this weeks groceries were purchased using two earned affiliate gift cards, thus allowing me to stay within my No-Spend limits.

Here’s what I purchased:

Sam’s Club:

2 1-Gallon Jugs of Italian Dressing, $4.01 each
Split Chicken Breasts, $0.69/lb; 10 lb. pack
Boulder Sweet Potato Fries, $1.81
Simply Right Grain-Free Cat Food 18 pound bag, $8.81
2 3-Packs of Libby’s Pumpkin Mix, $0.91 each
3 piece Neutrogena Body Wash & Oil Gift Set, $5.71 each

Used: $5.00 Sam’s Gift Card Credit (from Savings Catcher Savings)

Total Spent: $27.88, Plus Applicable Tax

Winn-Dixie:

4 Jumex Juices, $0.49 each
Candied Orange & Lemon Peel Tubs, $0.25 each
Ripe Banana Bags, 2/lb for $0.39
2 Marshmallow Fluff Cups, $0.39 each
(2) 1-Liter Coke Bottles, $0.99 each; Submitted for a $1.00 iBotta App, and only paid $0.50 after rebates
2 Zapp’s Chips, 2/$2.00
2 lb bag of Cabbage, $0.49/lb
3 bags of Yaki Nori, $1.00 each
Tomato, $0.89 each; submitted for $0.25 Checkout51 Credit
2 cloves garlic, 2/$1.00
2 Tubs Move Over Butter, $1.19 each
1 Quart Fat Free Land-O-Lakes Hal and Half, $1.39
1 cucumber $0.50; submitted for SavingStar 20% back credit
Ortega Packet, $0.79
3 pound bag of Bolthouse Carrots, $1.29
EarthBound Farms Salad Tub, $3.99; used $1.00 Earthbound Farms Coupon

Total Spent: $20.38, Plus Applicable Tax

So this week I paid $49.16 for $181.23 worth of groceries and home goods, all of which went to replenish my stockpile, freezers, and pantry!

And here is our Monday Meal Plan Menu:

Monday
Breakfast: Meatless Monday low-fat Mozzarella and Spinach Omelette, with Green Tea.
Lunch: Almonds, Cheese Crackers, Cheese rounds, with celery, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Almonds, and Gala Apple Slices.
Dinner: Crockpot Three Bean Chili, cooked with Boca Crumbles, with Diet Cola.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Cups.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Green Tea, Coconut Milk, and Strawberry Smoothie; made with Truvia.
Lunch: Freezer Cooking Chicken and Dumplings, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Frozen/Thawed Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Taco Roll-ups; in lieu of taco shells I use Romaine Lettuce Sheets.
Dessert: Gluten-Free Brownies.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Baked Frittata Cups, with Unsweetened Almond Milk.
Lunch: Taco Salads, with crystal light.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Curry, steamed peas, and crystal light.
Dessert: Homemade Gluten-Free Truvia brownies.

Thursday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, with fruit cup, and Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Tossed Salad with Turkey, light vinaigrette, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Grilled Turkey Burger Patties, sweet Potato Fries, with Crystal Light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies; we use Edy’s Sugar-Free Ice Cream.

Friday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, with fruit cup, and Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Tossed salad, with homemade Greek Yogurt dressing, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Strawberries and two pieces of Sugar Free Chocolate; candy is used as melted drizzle for berries.
Dinner: Barbecue Pork, Steamed Green Beans, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Diet Coca-Cola slushies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, with fruit cup, and Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Chicken Salad, and Crystal Light.
Snacks: String Cheese and grapes.
Dinner: Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, Quinoa, and lemonade.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Cups.

Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon, Eggs, and Toast, with Unsweetened Almond Milk.
Lunch: Grilled Sausages, Steamed Broccoli, Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese, with Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and walnuts.
Dinner: Crockpot Orange Chicken with Almonds, Steamed Peas, and crystal light.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Cups.

Here’s to saving,