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Nicole

Easy, DIY Method Grapefruit Cleaner!

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Good morning, savvy savers! So this past week at my home, albeit low-key, have been jammed packed with DIY projects and freezer cooking sessions! With all that cooking, comes a whole lot of cleaning, and for me that means whipping out my commercial for keeping my counter tops cleaned, Method Grapefruit Spray! That spray rocks!

As much as I love the cleaner, I am also looking to further cut my bankbook strings in 2015, so I decided to try a DIY version this year! With that said, for the past few days I have been using apps savings from Snap by Groupon, to save on Scarlet Grapefruits at my local Sam’s Club (shopping scenarios to come in the next few days), and instead of composting the Grapefruit peels, I started the first steps to making Homemade Grapefruit Counter top Cleaner!

With the outrageous cost of commercial glass cleaners, I created an organic, non-toxic, child and pet-safe all purpose cleaner which can be for under $5.00 for a years worth of cleaner! As the average cost of a bottle of store-bought orange cleaner is 3.89, and I use a bottle of spray a month, that’s a savings of $48.68 a year! Here’s how to make this!

 Ingredients:

  • 1 Clean, dried mason jar
  • The peels of 3 grapefruits
  • 2 Cups Distilled, white vinegar
  • 10 drops Essential Grapefruit Oil
  • 1 Empty Bottle
  • 1 Funnel
  • 1 Plastic Bowl
  • 1 Sifter

Instructions:

  1. Obtain a clean mason jar, and fill it with 16 ounces, 2 cups, of distilled white vinegar.
  2. Place the peel of three grapefruits in the mason jar with the vinegar.
  3. Add the 10 drops of essential oil to the top of the jar.
  4. Secure the cap and ring on the mason jar.
  5. Store the jar in a cool, dry place for 14 days; I have stored the jars in both my pantry and garage without issues.
  6. On the 15th day, open the jar and strain the contents into a sifter, over a plastic bowl.
  7. Return the solution to the mason jar with a funnel; label your jar as cleaning concentrate.
  8. Open a spray bottle and add 1/4 cup of the solution, 2 ounces, to 5 cups water.
  9. Seal the bottle and shake gently.
  10. Use in conjunction with newspaper to clean most glass surfaces, including counters.

This is an awesome cleaner! I hope you will think so, too!

Enjoy the clean!

mbnlogosm

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Affordable Ways to Plant Grass Seed In Fall!

Tutorial Tuesday (1)

Hello again, savvy savers! I’m not sure about you, but I’m ready for milder weather to start ushering in the change of seasons in my neck of the woods! Though we are in Summer, there are still gardening chores which need our attention at present, including planting various types of grass seed in that will be used this Fall.

So, why plant grass see in Fall? A lush green yard is the envy of every neighborhood, but it can be a challenge to obtain. There is much more to green grass than simply sun and water! A beautiful green yard is often the result of using the correct fertilizer, aeration techniques, type of grass seed used, and most importantly, when the seed is planted. 

Here’s why: The time in which the grass seed was planted is the most important factor in determining proper seed germination. A lush green yard is the envy of every neighborhood, but it can be a challenge to obtain. There is much more to green grass than simply sun and water! A beautiful green yard is often the result of using the correct fertilizer, aeration technique and type of grass seed. The time in which the grass seed was planted is also an important factor. To complicate matters further, the type of grass seed planted and when to plant it varies from state to state, but a general rule of thumbs is that Fine Fescue Grass, Rye Grass, and Kentucky Blue Grass should always be planted in winter. 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planting Winter grasses:

  • First, look for any storms that may be coming up. You’ll be more successful if you sow the seeds just prior to a rain shower, but not a down pour, to avoid washing your seeds down the drain.
  • Secondly, do not plant during an extreme cold snap; temperatures of 40 degrees or over during the day are ideal.
  • After you plant your grass seeds, you should see new sprouts no later than two weeks afterwards.
  • If it has been two weeks and there are no grass sprouts or very few then reseed and make sure you water thoroughly.
  • The soil you plant your seeds in should remain moist during germination; moist, not saturated.
  • Do not walk on grass seeds once planted. Grass seed germinates and grows best in dirt that is loose and not compacted. 
  • Compost. Be sure to add compost over seeds when planting. 

Beyond these tips, my greatest piece of advice I can give to those planting grass seed in winter? A natural, organic ground cover! For me, I like to create a re-usable seed blanket for my lawn using Autumnal Display Hay Bales, as so many people use bales as part of their Fall Garden Displays, which were torn apart, and thrown over top of scattered grass seed.

Here how I did it:

  1. Clear your area. I used a blower and mulched under all debris left from the Winter.
  2. Rake your area. Rake, till, or shovel your area until the top soil is loose and easily moved.
  3. Purchase seeds for your yard; find the appropriate type of seeds based on the amount of sun, wind, rain, and what forms of recreation will occur on your seed.
  4. Spread your seed! Lightly and evenly is key here!
  5. Cover your seeds with hay!
  6. Water your seeds daily. In my case, I layered seed today as it was going to rain. Be diligent and water daily, by hand, and do not use a sprinkler.
  7. Lay the Hay! That’s right, shake it up, shake it loose, shake it down to the ground! I danced my way to a covered first tier.
  8. Do not walk on the seeds. Like tile work, work your way from corner to corner, and work your way backwards, and away from your projects!
  9. Allow your seed to grow. Your lawn will begin sprouting in 2-3 weeks.
  10. Maintenance. If you grass has patches where seeds have not grown, use emergency my tried-and-tested seed repair kit, bird seed mix! Take two cups bird seeds, add water until its porridge-like, and apply to the ground! The water will detract birds, and help jump-start the seed germination.
  11.  Grooming. Yes, grass should be groomed, too! Be sure to wait a full two months to mow your new lawn for the first time, and when you do so, make sure your mower is not adjusted down too low, and be sure to be even in your cutting!
  12. Aerate your lawn. Use cleats, spikes, or the like to aerate your soil twice a year, in April and October.
  13. Water your lawn. Water your grass three times a week in Spring and Fall, and daily in Summer, unless prohibited by drought; if drought is an issue consider other means like rain barrels or collected bath water.
  14. Feed your lawn. Be sure to feed your law appropriate lawn-feed in Autumn, and a grass-supported food, bi-monthly in warmer weather. 
  15. Weeding. If you need to remove weeds, use white vinegar in a spray bottle! 

So, that’s it! That’s how you can achieve your best lawn, for those with Fine Fescue Grass, Rye Grass, and Kentucky Blue Grass, is to plant your lawns in winter!

Here’s to gardening,

mbnlogosm

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Mid-Season Linen Change Tutorial

Tutorial Tuesday

  

Hello again, savvy savers! For this weeks Tuesday Tutorials, I want to share with you a mid-season change to my bedroom linens in my master bedroom. As longtime readers will know, I’m a sucker for fluffy linens and towels, and as a general rule of thumb always change linens seasonally. This past weekend, for a change of pace (and due to the fact that Mississippi and most of the deep south actually has a true Indian Summer), I opeted to change my linens. 

So before showing my newly pull out set, I wanted to share a few rules for changing linens seasonally:

1. Higher thread count doesn’t always mean higher quality: It goes without saying that one should purchase the best linens one can afford. While this may sound like a bank-busting practice, think again! Did you know that any thread counts exceeding 500 are actually two textiles that are woven together, and so linens in the 350-450 category, priced between $20.00-$30.00 after coupon at stores like Bed Bath & Beyond will due. You will save money, and chances are will sleep on sheets without synthetic finishes; chemicals used to treat all thread counts above 500 count.

2. Some materials are cooler than others: Synthetics have a tendency to trap heat, making for a more uncomfortable sleep experience; quality cotton keeps you cooler, and can even keep you warmer in winter. Egyptian cotton also helps to remove all impurities, mites, and dust too. Also worth noting, for menopausal women prone to hot flashes and night-sweats, cotton should be your go-to for most linens, including blankets and layers, for they help to provide moisture-wicking coolness at night.

 

3. Wash new sheets before you use them. Make sure that you wash your sheets at least two times before putting them on your bed, to remove any irritants on sheets.

4. For sleepers with sensitive skin: Always wash linens in a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup borax powder. 

5. Wash linens weekly: Toss bedding in the laundry basket every seven to 10 days. Quilts can be steamed in the dryer weekly as well.

 

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So onto my reveal. I firmly believe, seasonal bedding makes all the difference in the way your bedroom feels. I seasonally change out my linens for several reasons, including that a change of pace and color scheme is always pleasant, but my primary reason in doing so is to help cut down my cooling costs in the warmer weather months. As I live in Mississippi, and the seasons are anything but normal and average, we have warmer spells lasting until nearly Thanksgiving many years, and so thinner, layered sheets and linens help keep my husband and I cooler in the summer evenings, but also help break the chill of central air and ceiling fans as well.

 

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In warmer months I use:

  • Layer one: lightweight jersey sheets; I rotate between aqua, coral, and cream.
  • Layer two: A lightweight knit blanket; I seasonally use a blanket in a box weave pattern in aqua.
  • Layer three: A thinner, patterned quilt, folded in half along the bottom half of the bed; this layer is removed at night.
  • Layer four: A lightweight throw; I again us an aqua throw, which is removed at night.

In cooler months I add additional pillows. As with my other seasons I use two Euro Inserts and cream colored cases for summer, and then two sets of queen-sized standard pillow inserts, one set of these pillows being cooling gel pillows from Sam’s Club, both with two sets of funky pillow shams; I like to mix and match patterns for the standard pillowcases, for a more shabby chic look. I then add several throw pillows, and in this case a set of coral-inspired pillows, in the front; please note, I always buy throw pillows within a month of a season ending, and generally pay 80-90% off at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I also purchase other bedding items out of season as well.

This set will stay on my bed until the end of September, in which case I will switch to a Halloween set, and then an Autumn ensemble, and then a winter/holiday set which will stay on until Spring. I find that cooler layer help my husband and I sleep better, help out body temperature stay better regulated, and all without having to sacrifice style in doing so!

Here’s to saving!

mbnlogosm

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August No Spend Monthly Challenge Wrap-up!

 

Hello again, savvy savers! I cannot believe another NO SPENDING month cycle ends today! 

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Do I still stand by my idea that this was a crazy idea? Well, a month of NO spending is an awesome way to both reset your spending patterns, as well as to either kick-start your budget or revamp and make changes to any existing budget you or your family may have. This is also a great challenge for personal responsibility; you can track what you have been spending your hard earned funds, and keep yourself on track, in terms of responsible spending thereafter. Was this difficult, yes. Am I glad I finished another cycle? Absolutely. Am I ready for a dinner out of the house? You bet! 

This past month I blogged daily about my various NO SPEND struggles, victories, and suggestions from day-to-day. Each day I’ve learned, saved, struggled, and gained insights on ways to save around the home.

The rules were pretty simple:  

  • No spending on anything  beyond absolute necessities.
  • Eat from your pantry & freezer as often as you are able.
  • And make changes to the way you purchase and consume goods, services, and commodities in your home. 
  • The idea of the challenge is to keep up with your daily activities,, but the main goal is simply to stop spending.  
  • This challenge can be a life changing experience, as you may just be amazed at how your mindset and perspective will change after just a month of seeing how you can enrich your life, without spending more!

 

 

There were a few exceptions to the rule as follows:

  1. Unavoidable expenses related to employment, such as gas, are okay.
  2. Unavoidable school related expenses.
  3. Doctors appointments, veterinarian appointments, co-payments, family/pet prescriptions, and therapy sessions are okay.
  4. Do keep existing service and repair appointments that can’t be rescheduled to “Spending” months, such as hair appointments, lawn care services, trash removal, in-home repair services, etc.
  5. Do keep existing tithing and charitable giving.
  6. Do have an adequate stockpile of necessities prior to beginning this challenge, such as pet food, bedding, litter, laundry detergent, dish soap, snow salts, bottled water and emergency staples (if you live in areas frequently affected by seasonal weather), etc. 
  7. Do keep up with healthy living habits. I will continue to use my envelope saving system to fund app purchase rebates (iBotta, Shopmium, Snap by Groupon) for fresh produce and milk savings that may pop-up during my no-spend months; due to my PCOS I need several servings of fruits and veggies daily, and these app savings help keep my freezer stocked on a budget. 
  8. And it goes without saying, please do pay all of our monthly obligations; rent, mortgage, insurance, utility payments, banking fees,  student/financial/business loans, medical expenses, and assumed or credit card debt. 

This NO Spend month was not just about a decrease in spending, but a  challenge to find ways to live well, live better, find new sources of joy, will spending less. This month proved to be a time of being able to a life rich with family, friends, and creative planning, secured by fiscally responsible measures. This month was made all the better by the amount of encouragement and accountability shared by all of my readers, too!

I’m not gonna lie, there were tough moments, moments I felt I was simply doing without;  I longed for Cherry Coke Zero, Brumble & Brown Strawberry Spread, and a large bag of Life Should Taste Gluten-Free Chips!

This month I was able to save a total of $1,021.34, and some of the ways I did this were by:

  • Pantry Organization
  • Utilizing On Hand Food Options To Help Make Weekly Menu Ideas Sheets
  • Learning Home to “Dine Out At Home”
  • Working on a personal #Choose30 Challenge
  • Creating a local Coupon Swap
  • Rain-Check Shopping for next months needed coupon staples and groceries
  • Learning ways to  Save On Monthly Utility Bills
  • Learning ways to better clean my home
  • Establishing Cleaning Routines & Decluttering Zones)
  • Establishing new, lasting ways to organize by Bathrooms & Linen Closet
  • I clean off my Counter-tops
  • I Clean Out my Closet
  • I organized my Home Office & Craft Room 
  • I sold my closet finds on Facebook Local Groups, Craigslist, and eBay which garnered $213.00
  • I sold crafts on ETSY totaling $109.00 from items I had on hand
  • I started selling patterns on Crafsty

All-in-all, I am pleased with this months progress and will be thinking of new and better ways to save come October’s next No-Spend Month Challenge! The funds from this challenge went towards my yearly savings goal for acquiring a rental property/tax sale in the year and a half to come. I am proud of myself, and so proud of you all as well. If you were able to follow along with this challenge, I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to Saving,

mbnlogosm

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August No Spend Challenge Day 30: Create A Coupon Swap Box!

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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! This seems like an opportune time as Sunday’s are usually my days to organize my coupon binder and create shopping lists fir the week ahead! 

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:

  1.  Simply put it is a box of coupons that is set up at a central location, that allows people to swap and share coupons.
  2. Those who contribute to the swapbox have the privilege of taking coupons from the swapbox.
  3. Before you set up a coupon swapbox, you need to find a good location.
  4. Think of locations where there are a lot of people.
  5. 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!
  6. When starting the box, post a note outside the location telling people you are starting a swap.
  7. 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! Though this is Sunday, you can still create boxes to go out this week. Go for it! 

As for me, today I went online and posted a few coupons I currently had, and requested a few deals that I knew would make for freebies at my local Dollar Tree! I have had a few hits so far, and was even able to work out a deal today on a handful of freebie coupons, which should be on the way to my home soon! I love making a deal, don’t you! So for an hours worth of work today, I have gained $40.00 in free products, which all tax-only buys! As I’m set for bread, cheese, creamer, and the like this month, these items will be tucked into my deep freeze for April’s next No-Spend Month! Score! 

That’s my kind of an afternoon!

As well today, I was also able to accomplish:

  1. I woke up at 6:30, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
  2. Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
  3. I read part of a new review book.
  4. I finished today’s Day 5 No-Spend Challenge!
  5. I enjoyed a Free Chik-fil-a- chicken sandwich (holiday 2014 calendar redemption)!
  6. I cooked from my pantry, three times.
  7. I walked for three miles!
  8. I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
  9. Read my daily devotional.
  10. I cleaned out my coupon cabinet, paper files for my ETSY business, and recycled numerous bins of random scraps of fabric around my craft room, too! 

So today I saved:

  • I was able to subscribe to a new, free magazine subscription, which will have a combined savings of $12.00.
  • I completed 2 surveys online via Ipsos-iSay, and earned a $1.00 towards my next Amazon gift code.
  • I eat at home three times today, saving our family $8.91. 
  • I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $0.25, the cost of 1 trash bag. 
  • I received $17.99 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
  • I used two gift cards from Jolly Awesome Pet Tags, and scored $29.98 worth of pet tags, one for all of my fur-babies for free, with a spare for my kitty who “misplaces his collar!”
  • Scored $40.00 in free item coupons to be used at the Dollar Tree
  • I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.

So, overall today my family saved: $76.80

This months savings goal remaining: +$101.80

Hopefully today’s challenge will have helped you to start thinking about more in your life that simply surviving in the day-to-day world! Until tomorrow’s challenge! 

Here’s to savings,

mbnlogosm

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August No Spend Month Challenge Day 26: How to Become A Book Reviewer

Day 26-

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, and a new way to save with today’s No-Spend Month Challenges! If  a mug of soup, a cup of hot tea, and a great, new book sounds like your perfect night, than that makes two of us! If you are anything like me, than you are nothing short of a bibliophile! Well, you are in luck, as today’s challenge centers around being able to score free books.

How can be score free books?

  • You can become a book reviewer, with one of several dozen online book reviewer programs.
  • The best part is that you do not need to be a designated book blogger, to be able to review books.
  • You simply need to have a love of the written word, a social media following, and a verifiable mailing address.
  • Each blogger will need to apply for book reviews, and just wait for the reviews to come in.
  • Keep in mind, you will need to keep reviews legal, by always disclosing your reviewer status. 
  • Beyond this, you will need to review books online, as well as reviewing on an online purchasing outlet, such as Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble. 

Here are a list of Reviewer Programs:

  1. BookSneeze:  They have both print and e-books available. Booksneeze sends out a monthly newsletter informing participants of the latest books available for review.  

  2. Blogging for Books: This program is ran by Waterbrook Multnomah. It has a pretty simple sign-up and I like that they send out email notices monthly informing you of the different books they have available. 

 3. Bethany House: Here is a link to the latest newsletter with the list of books available for review.

  1. Tywebbin: Offers a quick simple sign-up to be host of one their virtual book tours. Books offered from this review program tend to be primarily African American books. 

  2. Cross Focused Reviews: This program is a service of Cross Focused Media, LLC. Once you have signed up on their list, you will receive email notifications of available books on tour. 

  3. TLC Book Tours:  Offers a quick sign up process to get on their list of tour hosts. 

  4. Tyndale Blog Network:This program is hosted by Tyndale House publishers. Each month they send out a list of available books once you have been approved. 

  5. NetGalley: This program offers books from a vast number of publishers. According to their website, “NetGalley is a service to promote and publicize forthcoming titles to readers of influence. 

  6. The B& B Media: I have done several reviews through this program. Once you’re on their distribution list, you receive an email notification of available books they have and you simply fill out the form to be a part of that book’s tour. They give you a date the review must be posted by.

This list provides a great start for book lovers and bloggers alike, that are looking to review books. Each program offers free books in exchange for an honest review and have their own requirements about review length and where you must publish your reviews.  So, today I challenge you look into saving on your monthly book purchasing costs, by becoming a book reviewer!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a new day’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

mbnlogosm

 

 

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