All Posts By

Nicole

Homemade Brown Sugar Citrus Body Scrub!

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Homemade Brown Sugar Citrus Body Scrub. A simple to make scrub full of essential oils and DIY goodness from items I purchase online from Amazon.com, can be purchased at your local Dollar Tree, or you may have on hand as is! I love this blend, as I keep a jar in my shower, as well as a jar by my mudroom sink, to scrub off garden debris! The scrub is both exfoliating, as well as moisturizing to skin. I apply this scrub weekly in the fall and winter, and bi-weekly in the summer.

I can make this scrub for $0.48 for 16 ounces.

Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coarse brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar in the raw
1/2 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon dried orange zest
10 drops essential lemon oil
2 drops eucalyptus oil

To make the scrub: mix all ingredients together, and store in a glass jar or container at room temperature. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings!

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Good afternoon, savvy savers! Today finds us with yet another one of my weekly recipes, this time my Couponed Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings! I use chicken from Zaycon, and my other ingredients from the Dollar Tree, and am able to make recipe for under $5.00, which feeds 8!

Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced (or use blacnhed or bagged frozen onions)
2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Pwder
2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 Cup Luke Warm Water
1 Teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions:

1) In a Crockpot, add the chicken halves, cut into chunks.

2) Next, add your onions and soup to the Crockpot.

3) Cook the mixture on high for 6 hours.

4) On the 5th hour, start to make your dumplings. Start by sifting flour and baking soda in a sperate bowl, and then add your oil, water, and parsley, until a dough forms. Let the dough rest on your countertop for 10 minutes.

5) 30 minutes before completion, break your dough into small pieces, and add to the crockpot. Cook additional 30 minutes.

6) Enjoy!

Neapolitan Trifle Pudding Recipe!

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Good afternoon, savvy savers! Today’s recipe is for one of my families favorites, my Spring and Summer Neapolitan Trifle! I can make this dessert from ingredients solely from the Dollar Tree, use frozen cake, cupcake, and cookie scraps crumbled to save money, and aside from the berries which I often buy on buy-one-get-one-free sales from Winn-Dixie, I can make this dessert for under $4.00, which consists of fourteen 1 cup servings. The Trifle dish itself was purchased at Walmart for $4.98! This is a favorite recipe, and one that I find works best made the night before, which allows the juice, pudding, and layering-medium of choice to meld together!

Neapolitan Trifle Pudding Ingredients:

10 cake slices, or cupcake crumbles (6 cups of crumbles, if used)
1 lg. container (12 oz.) whipped topping
2 lg. pkgs. vanilla instant pudding
2 pts. fresh or frozen strawberries
1/4 c. maraschino cherry juice
Maraschino cherries & pecans, or cookie toppings; on this trifle I used Breyer’s chocolate sauce from the Dollar Tree!

How to make Trifle Pudding:

1) If using fresh strawberries, hull, wash, slice and add sweetener to taste; a good rule of thumbs for making a simple fruit glaze is one tablespoon of water to 1/4 cup sweetener. Once the fruit is glazed, let stand ten minutes.

2) Line a trifle bowl with cake slices, or cupcake crumbles, if that’s what you have on hand.

3) Make the vanilla pudding according to instructions on the package; add 1 tablespoon cherry juice.

4) Sprinkle the cookies, lady fingers, cake slices, or cupcake crumbles with maraschino cherry juice, then put a layer of pudding, strawberries and whipped topping.

5) Repeat step 4 with a second layer and end with the whipped topping.

6) Arrange quartered strawberries on the top of the trifle, seed-side out.

7) Add chocolate sauce around the strawberries; the sauce will spread out.

8) Refrigerate to chill before serving.

9) Enjoy!

Book Review & Weekly Giveaway: I Like Giving, by Brad Formsma!

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Good morning, savvy savers! Today, I am bringing you another awesome book review, this time  I Like Giving, by Brad Formsma, the creator of ilikegiving.com.

The book cover itself, drew me in, for my family has an instilled belief in giving; I am the descendant of Irish and German immigrants, who overcame great diversity, and created a tradition of expected volunteerism, empathy, and cultural awareness within our family and community ties.  I Like Giving, gave me the initial impression that it was going to be a deeply felt text, and I was not disappointed. This story  is both very personal and very humatic, as its core focuses on the belief that giving to humanity, to our fellow brothers and sisters, is not about the act of bettering the lives of someone else, but of bettering ourselves, through the joy of giving.  The book is comprised of numerous personal accounts and stories, from people who stepped outside of their comfort zones, to give a hand-up, in various compassionate, empathetic situations.

What I greatly appreciate about the book, its reiteration of the idea that citizens can make a positive change, and break common held apathetic beliefs that no one person can make a difference, by way of simple, heartfelt actions and contributions. Moreover, this book is not about financial generosity, but a giving that is even even harder to delve into, the giving of ones compassion. The author leaves the reader with a challenge, to find ways to understand how they can learn to more effectively give to themselves, and in turn, to others; a concept greatly needed in our modern, face-paced, easy-to-overlook culture.

Although the book speaks at length about the beauty of giving, it doesn’t romanticize this ideal, and instead honestly addresses the challenges that can accompany giving. The book also helps the reader overcome instances of giving as an awkward, or when generosity might be rebuffed, or rejected, and how this act should not suppress your spirit of optimism, and giving. The book lends itself to the overall idea that people inherently need to give, more than people need to receive, and in doing so lives are changed!

As well, here is a trailer for the book, for those interested:

 

 

And in the spirit of giving, I am conducting the first of its kind customized reader giveaway. I will be giving one reader a copy of   I Like Giving, by Brad Formsma, as well as donate $25.00 to the charity of the winners choice, in their name, or name of their choosing. I love the idea of paying things forward, and I hope that this idea will spring ahead to other bloggers as well!

I believe in a simple theory, I am not my brother and sister’s keeper, I am my brother and sister!

To enter leave me a message on my Facebook group page, as well as this post, about where you would want your $25.00 to be donated to, and why. I would love it if you would consider subscribing to my blog and liking my Facebook page, but for this giveaway, its not required.

Good luck, everyone!

Here’s to giving!

 

In compliance with FTC regulation, I hereby disclaim that I received a free copy of the book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers, via the Blogging for Books Program in exchange for my review. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions of this book, its author, and publisher, are that of my own.

Healthy Lifestyle Series: eMeals!

Hello again, savvy savers! Today I wanted to post again about on of the diet strategies I have implemented into my new diet and healthier lifestyle, eMeals! The folks at eMeals have graciously allowed me to partake in a free one-years subscription of their service, and I will be including these meal options into my current healthy lifestyle strategy, and I also wanted to bring you, my readers, information on their services as well!

Here is an interview-style feature of eMeals.com:

Emeals

eMeals, was founded by Jane DeLaney & Jenny Cochran in 2003. Both Jane and Jenny are  typically very busy moms! Jane was frazzled over trying to pull off dinner for the family week after week. Her meal plans were scribbled on napkins and lost in her purse. So she went to work creating a better way to make meals happen. Jane recruited Jenny, a fabulous cook, and her sister to help her with the everyday operations of the company. Working with a talented team of meal planners, they developed eMeals to feed their families and preserve their sanity. Hundreds of thousands of partnerships, friendships, and business relationships later, Jane and Jenny built a way to make moms’ lives easier, by bringing manageability back to America’s dinner table.

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What is eMeals?

eMeals is an email based service, which offers over 50 weekly meal plans based on a user’s preferred food style, family size, and grocery store. Food styles, or prepared eating habits, include classic meals, clean eating, paleo, simple gourmet, low fat, low carb portion control, natural and organic, vegetarian, gluten-free, slow cooker, and our new 500 calorie plans. eMeals also  provide 7 simple to follow recipes with corresponding grocery lists each week. Meal plans are tied to the weekly sales and seasonal specials at selected grocery store chains. The result is our mass following of loyal customers who save time, money, and their sanity while providing delicious and healthy home cooked meals for their families.

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Can you really save money by using eMeals?

The average eMeals customer says they save around $1,000/year on groceries, and that doesn’t even include all the time they save. And we all know time is money! Over 50% eMeals subscribers have a targeted weekly budget for their grocery spending.  As well, keeping this in mind, eMeals structures meal plans around seasonal specials and in the case of specific stores such as ALDI, Kroger, Publix, Ralphs, Safeway, Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods!

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Does eMeals have any new promotions?

We just released our new 500 calorie plans, a new Publix Portion Control Meal Plan, as well as a new COSTCO Meal Plan. We are always looking to expand our meal plans to what our community tells us they need! We are happy to offer The Lady Prefers To Save readers 15% off with the coupon code DINNER15.

Are you involved in any charity work?

For five years, eMeals has been one of the largest funding sources for the Haiti Nutrition Project which is a program that curtails and reverses severe malnutrition within infants and children in Haiti. This program distributes Medika Mamba, which is a Haitian term for “peanut butter medicine,” a daily food supplement that provides complete nourishment needed for the growth and health of young Haitian children.

What should new customers know about your company?

We are a company based on the ideals of having dinner together as a family. That is such a valuable gift you can give to your children, your spouse, and anyone else that joins you at your table. We want to make it easier to facilitate dinner together as a family where connections and memories are made.

How can your customers get the most out of eMeals?

Sporadic grocery spending and multiple trips to the store is money down the drain. Having a plan, period, is what saves people the most money and controls spending. Having a consistent plan at your fingertips, ready to be shopped at a moments notice is GOLD. In comes eMeals. Forgetting to bring your list to the store is also money down the drain. Eliminating that problem is gold too. In comes the companion eMeals app. Your list is always on your phone – ready when you are.

Useful tips:

1) Determine how many meals you need for the week. There are seven meals on each week’s menu.

2) The app can skip any of the meals you choose to not cook and it will automatically delete those items from the grocery list.

3) Shop your stockpile first and delete items you may already have from the grocery list

4) Be sure to purchase the pantry staples that you may not have that are required for the meals you choose to cook.

5) Stick to the list!

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We also have not only dinner plans, but breakfast, lunch and dessert to help you get all your meals planned out with minimal effort. Use this tool to your advantage!

Is there anything else that you would like for The Lady Prefers To Save readers to know about eMeals?

eMeals is always adding more plans to meet the growing eating lifestyles that emerge. Paleo and Clean Eating are examples of that and happen to be two of our most popular plans! We would love to have The Lady Prefers To Save’s readers sign up for eMeals with the discount code DINNER15 for 15% off.

Here’s to the Journey!

In accordance with FTC Guidelines: I hereby disclose that I received complimentary products from the company being reviewed above, in exchange for my honest opinion and review of my experience.  I was not compensated for this review, but received a free membership. All opinions in the post are 100% my own. Individual results or experiences may vary. Please consult your physician, dietitian, or diabetes specialist before starting any diet. You can obtain more details information about the company, its products, and policies by visiting their respective websites, which will be linked above.

Throwback Thursdays: Homemade Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers!

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Calling all Lip Smacker Fans! For this weeks Throwback Thursdays, I am featuring my budget-friendly version of two of my favorite childhood items, Lipsmackers Dr. Pepper Lip Gloss! These two items were staples in my In my Duplo Bunny bag! I felt so grown up wearing my clear lipgloss and clear mascara! I make my version, using simple, safe, ingredients for only $0.19 a pot/tube! I purchase my beeswax, chapstick tubes, gloss pots, and cola extract on Amazon.com using earned survey gift cards; my Kool-Aid was purchased on sale at my local Save-A-Lot for $0.05 a packet!

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Here’s how I make it:

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Butter
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
20 drops of Cola Syrup
1/4 Tablespoon Kool Aid Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Aloe Vera Gel
1 Pinch Extra Fine Glitter

Instructions:

1) Put 1 inch of water in the bottom of a small pan, and turn on medium heat.

2) Place a pint jar in the water, and begin to heat.

3) Place all ingredients in the jar, except the oil, syrup and Kool Aid.

4) When all ingredients are melted, stir well and turn off heat, but leave jar in the water to keep warm throughout project.

5) Stir in the essential oil and Kool Aid.

6) Using a medicine dropper, fill you containers, while leaving the jar still in the water.

7) Wait 2 minutes, and top off containers as they will settle, and then let this layer firm as well.

8) Let tubes and pots sit, undisturbed, for 3 hours.

9) If you prefer a firmer, more chapstick-like product, add a 1/2 teaspoon more wax to your mixture.

10) I also add 10 drops mint or eucalyptus oil to the pots during winter, to help prevent chapped lips!

11) For glittery gloss or balm, add a pinch of extra fine glitter to a 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera gel and add to pots while still warm.

11) Enjoy!

Homemade Puffy Paint!

Thrifty-Thursday

Calling all crafters! For this weeks Thrifty Thursdays, I am sharing with you my recipe for Puffy Paint!

homemade-puffypaint

This recipe will cost you $0.15 a bottle, a savings of $2.75 a bottle, from commercial blends! Since one of my two majors was Art History, I often spent time while at home, on breaks from college, experimenting with Art mediums, and this was one of my concocting sessions!

Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Room-Temperature Water
1/2 Cup Table Salt
Food Coloring

Instructions:

1) In a glass bowl, mix the salt and flour together.

2) Add the water slowly, whisking it together, be careful not have any lumps.

3) Add 3 drops of food coloring to mixture; tempera paint, or natural fruit or vegetable juice, such as beet, mint, spinach, or carrot juice, can be used as well.

4) Add contents to a squeeze bottle; I found three-packs of squeeze bottles at the Dollar Tree for $1.00! Use a separate bottle per color.

5) Please note, paint will dry with 3 hours, and paint tends to break-up after use in bottles, so when done, clean out bottles after each use.

6) Enjoy!