February 2018 No-Spend Challenge Update

It’s hard to believe that today marks the first day of March in my 2018 No-Spend Year! While this past month was very trying for me personally, financially is was a boon.

This past month I spent a total of $362.34 and saved our family $2,081.99.

What I spend on:

$246.98 in groceries (including tax) for the month
$35.00 on a new bookbag
$80.36 charge to have our gas line and heating system serviced

How I saved:

$416.00 on requesting interlibrary loan books for all 12 of my reading club and Facebook group reading selections for the month of March
Used earned Amazon gift cards to purchase $175.00 in household goods for my ETSY and Art business.
Earned $1,400.00 on sponsored blog posts in a 2-week span that was used to fund a personal savings account.
Groomed pets at home which saved us $70.00
Reviewed a microphone filter product for my upcoming podcast saving me $20.99

I was very encouraged by my savings this past month. Especially with what I was able to put back from blogging.

Keep in mind, I’m only counting a third of what I earned. As those were the funds went directly towards our savings goals. With the remainder of the funds paying for yearly blogging fees and pre-paying the myriad of taxes we pay at home each year.

Anyone who has been a professional blogger for some time will know that quarter one drives are often slow, and I’m over the moon that blogging is starting to pick up for me this season!

How I’m not spending at home

You may also be curious to know what I personally do during a no-spend month at home? Luckily I find it easy to amuse myself without spending any money.

Early Spring is generally a busy time of year for my family. As we are in the throws of Seaperch aquatic robotics competition season for my husband as well as preparing for regional science and history fairs and modern dance team finals for others.

Spring has also found its way into my garden. With the sprouting of hyacinths and the blooming of magnolia trees and dogwoods, my time to start landscaping and gardening also begun.

I’ve spent a lot of time germinating seeds, weeding flower beds, pruning crepe myrtles, mending the trellises for our climbing roses, planning to build additional compost bins, and turning the last of fall’s leaves into mulch for the warmer months ahead.

There’s also been the cultivating and creating of new videos for my YouTube channel, including a new YouTube venture, The Lady Prefers Plants. I’m also still pre-recording and editing podcasts for my upcoming Spring podcast. As if that wasn’t enough, I’m working on not one but two ebooks set to be published later this coming season.

Additionally, I’ve been spending more time focuses on my personal health. Despite a few setbacks, I’ve lost an additional 16 pounds and have been making an intentional effort to utilize my at-home gym.

Needless to It has been a busy time at The Lady Prefers 2 Save, so I haven’t had time to worry about things to buy. With one exception.

Budget DIY

We have finally started the process of repainting the interior of our home. We started with using the leftover paint we had on hand from several art projects. We then repurchased that same brand from our local hardware store. Our paint color of choice? A good, solid white!

Speaking of hardware stores, our little bitty hometown recently opened a new mom and pops shop. In this shop, besides the usual and obvious, were trendy items like milk and chalk paint, an entire aisle of French-themed wallpaper selections, eCloth, Mrs. Meyers, Method, and an entire section of zero-waste all metal, stone, or wooden household, yard, and children’s items. Bestill my heart. And the kicker? The shop is within walking distance of our home. Shopping small has never felt so good!

For the foreseeable future whenever the need to nest strikes, you already know where I’ll be. For which I’ve already started a slush fund to take care of. Thank you very much!

There is also plenty going on at home that doesn’t cost anything. Including trips to the library, date-nights-in, listening to my husband’s immense vinyl collection, and taking long walks as a family by our local lake. All things that give me all the feels while costing none of the dimes. Perfect for this challenge!

Meal Prepping and Planning

February’s food bills were pretty low. While we still can’t see the bottom of our deep freezers, which are often very full, we are grateful that food is getting used rather than hanging around going stale.

Obviously, we have also been purchasing food. Just not nearly as much as we would have several years ago. We purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, almond, soy, and coconut milk, and staples we go through often like lentils and pasta. Overall we are just trying to minimize our spending by using up what we have.

Meal prepping and meal planning have been a blessing for us this month. As I plan meals for the week and prep meals only twice a week, on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. Then for the rest of the week, I either throw pre-packed meals into my Instapot or Crockpot for dinners, use jarred salads or pre-made spreads for lunch, and enjoy smoothies or tofu scrambles for breakfast.

This saves me hours at home each week. As a family, we plan to continue this trend long after our no-spend season is over.

Where I’m not saving

One area of my life that needs some help is my personal self-care routine. Specifically my hair! I really need a haircut. Every day is a bad hair day at the moment.

Because I didn’t want to spend much I have been putting this chore off. But in March I do have an appointment and have already set aside funds for this purpose.

I am also setting aside funds for purchasing new cruelty-free makeup because after becoming vegan my stash was decimated after purging any and all brands that weren’t cruelty-free, including 3rd party overseas, testing, fair tread, and came in post-recycled packaging.

And if you have any suggestions for affordable, low-plastic, cruelty-free makeup, skin, nail, or haircare products, let me know below!

Besides, it’s truly an investment. Proper skin acre in your 20’s and 30’s can save you on costly plastic surgery procedures in your 50’s and 60’s, am I right?

Overall, I want to feel better about myself each day and so I’m giving myself permission to bend the rules a little and indulge in these two areas this Spring. Afterall, I’m worth it.

Lessons learned

Friends, those are the savings and situations that went down during the second month of our 2018 No-Spend Year Challenge. A month full of both great lessons, both learned and garnered, on living a more savvy savings season at home.

There are so many ways to save money that are worth trying. Maybe they will work for your family and maybe they won’t – but you never know until you try!

This past month of not spending reminded me that the little things do add up. With my biggest lesson being: When you want your savings to start adding up quickly, stay home and eat from the pantry! Solid sage advice!

For those who are thinking of starting a no-spend challenge this month or for anyone interested in learning more about a no spend challenge, check out my past no-spend challenge series.

And if you participated in our no-spend, or your own frugal February, be sure to leave your comments about what you learned! If you didn’t participate, I’d still love to hear how and where you saved the most this month! Share your stories below!

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Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum Review

Disclosure: This review is sponsored by Shark. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you!

Convenience. My go-to mantra when it comes homemaking and cleaning. As a work-at-home blogger, I need valuable cleaning products that help me maintain my home each day with little effort or difficulty. Helping me get back to juggling the myriad of other hats I wear each day!

When it comes to cleaning convenience at home, one thing is for sure. Cordless vacuums are key. They give you the freedom of movement that upright vacuums simply can’t provide.

However, all cord-free vacuums are not made the same. Some cordless vacs, particularly stick-vacuums, work well enough but lack floor nozzles. Leaving you unable to tackle everyday messes, such as sugar, cereal, crumbs, and coffee at home.

Many cord-free vacuums are limited in their functionality. Geared for use for only one type of flooring, either carpeting or hardwood floors. As most homes include both types of flooring, this is very problematic in design.

Others aren’t able to reach under furniture. And, worse still, as every cordless vacuum runs off battery power, few cordless vacuums provide power packs with enough power to allow you to finish cleaning an entire floor of your home. Making you chose between cleaning or charging each day.

With so many issues surrounding cordless vacuums, it’s hard to know which vacuum to choose from reviews. However, there is one cordless vac that eliminates all these problems – the Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum.

What I liked about the vacuum:

Upon opening the vacuum, it’s easy to see how sturdy and well designed the Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum is.

This vacuum can help you clean every surface of your home. From household floors and stairs to playrooms, vehicles, workshops, and sheds, this vacuum has you covered. With the durability and power of a standard vacuum with the convenience of a stick vac.

The IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum delivers a powerful clean with dual brush rollers that work in tandem to clean carpets and hard floors while providing you with the ability to customize the needed suction levers for both surfaces depending on your specific cleaning needs.

Weighing in at only 8.7 pounds, this Shark delivers the power of an upright vac with the ease of a stick vac. Making it easy to move from room to room with ease. Perfect for busy gals like me!

Cleaning Tools:

This vacuum also features several awesome attachment tools, including its MultiFLEX Wand. This wand is unique to the IONFlex cordless vacuum and features technology allowing the wand to bend halfway across the main cleaning tube. With just a single press of the unlock button, the hinged cover opens up, revealing a bendable hose. Perfect for high cleaning.

The MultiFLEX Wand also allows you to maneuver in and out of tight spaces. Such as under cabinets and beside major appliances, all without bending over or having to move heavy items in order to clean unsightly debris out of the way. Particularly important for those with back issues or for more heavy-duty preparatory cleaning during the holiday season.

You’ll also receive a duster-crevice tool. This 8-inch combo attachment features soft bristles and a tapered nozzle to help you dust narrow spaces. Moreover, you can customize your dusting with this tool by sliding the duster head. This takes you from brush to crevice dusting instantly.

In addition, the vacuum comes with an anti-allergen dust brush, which works well for removing fine dust from decor objects, such as picture frames, figurines, lampshades, bed frames, and books.

If you’re a pet owner, like me, you’ll appreciate the included multi-tool that can not only lift piles of debris from carpets but also removes pet hair from fabric without damaging fabric or clog your wand. Altogether eliminating the need for wasteful, expensive lint rollers at home.

The dust cup is also easy to open. Just press the wand-release button to open the dust cup lid. Perfect for emptying your dust cup in the compost bin or when your hands are full with little ones or fuzzies at home.

Power and Performance:

In terms of overall daily cleaning performance, this cordless vacuum works incredibly well. Utilizing dual brush head technology, with both a strong-bristled brush is able to reach deep into carpet fibers and a softer roller brush that not only draws in large debris but also lightly polishes hard floors.

With both brushes, you’ll be able to bring in larger dirt and debris to the surface. Since they operate in unison, you get the benefits that both brush rolls provide no matter what type of floor you’re cleaning.

The IONFlex also features a brush roll indicator light that glows green when the brushes are in working order and red when they are jammed, so you’ll know right away if your brush heads need cleaning. Saving you the time spent on troubleshooting.

Removing the brush rolls is also super simple. Simply slide the two door-access buttons and pull the tab to release the brushes.

As we all know, every flooring requires a different level of care. Which is why Shark integrated its Smart Response technology, that gives users the ability to adjust the vacuum’s power settings.

From the display panel, you can choose from among two surface settings and two suction settings. Making the brush rollers spin faster for high-pile carpeting or slower for hard surfaces. You can also control the suction strength. Ther’s also the extended run-time feature. Perfect for doubling the battery life between charges during daily 1-hour power cleaning.

I also love that with just one touch of the release button, you can detach the handle and canister from the wand and floor nozzle, instantly turning the floor vacuum into a handheld vac. This allows you to clean everywhere around your house, including ceiling fans, door frames, cabinets, mantles, and more.

Battery Life:

With the Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum, you get twice the length of vacuuming time without battery-life restrictions as this cordless vac comes standard with two batteries, so your vacuum will always be charged. Making you ready to go at a moment’s notice for all of life’s mom moments.

Both power packs come with a rechargeable 25.2-volt lithium-ion battery and Single Battery Charging Dock. Allowing you to charge a single battery while using your additional power pack in your vacuum while the other battery is charged and waiting to be swapped.

Each power pack is equipped with a battery light indicator, so you check its power status at a glance. It’s also worth noting that it took me only 3 hours to fully charge a depleted power pack at home.

Shark’s integrated Smart Response technology gives the ability to quickly switch over to heavy-duty vacuuming too. In extended runtime mode, you can get about 23 minutes’ worth of vacuuming time before the battery must be recharged, without sacrificing speed or dirt-lifting performance.

Best still, each power pack comes standard with its own individual 2-year warranty. Should either power pack fail to charge, Shark will replace your pack for free!

In terms of performance, this cordless stick vacuum works incredibly well. It glides across carpets and doesn’t drag on tiled or wood surfaces. Making it even easier to keep my hard surfaces clean at home!

Storage:

Storage, especially for those living with minimal available storage space, is super simple with the IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cordl-Free Vacuum. As this vacuum can be lowered and folded in half, it allows you to store the freestanding vacuum in small areas such as pantries, closets, or playrooms.

When you are ready to return the wand to its upright position, pull the handle until the hinge locks into place.

Warranty and Affordability:

The IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cordless Vacuum also has you covered with a 5-year warranty on all parts except the batteries, which again, have a separate warranty.

This Shark Cord-Free Vacuum is also affordably priced. With a price point nearly $100.00 less than its next comprehensive competitor. Making the IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum is your best-buying bet this holiday season.

While I’m an already existing Shark owner, having purchased and used their products in my home, including their standard, upright vacuums, steam mops, and handheld steamers for nearly a decade, I’ve been over the moon with this IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum. It’s upped my cleaning game beyond measure. Taking it to a whole new convenient level!

Friends, I encourage you to check out this awesome product and the other awesome Ninja and Shark products for your gift-giving list this year!

lean Cordless Vacuum. And, if you’re looking for other cleaning tips, check out my cleaning tab for more frugal tips too!

Now, I want to ask, are you currently a Shark user at home? What has your experience been with the brand? I’d love to hear about it below!

Connect with Shark:

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5 Tips For Zero-Waste Cleaning at Home

Disclosure: This post contains my personal affiliate links. All opinions are mine alone.

I’ve learned so much on my journey to becoming a zero-waste household this past year. Especially when it comes to cleaning. While there has been tons of trial and error along the way, one thing has remained true throughout my process, my understanding that a house is not truly clean if the process of maintaining my home results in all kinds of unnecessary waste.

While traditional cleaning methods rely on various chemical products, plastic bottles, paper towels, plastic bags, sponges, disposable wipes, and a ton of unrecyclable stuff, it just doesn’t have to be that way. You can alter the way you clean at home to be less wasteful, more frugal, and less time consuming too! Here are my five tips for getting started with zero-waste cleaning at home!

1) Rethink your cleaning tools: Start your zero-waste cleaning by first minimizing the number of ingredients and the tools required to keep your house clean. This will also help to limit the waste generated by the cleaning process as a whole. Things you’ll need include:

Bagless electric vacuum. Makes it easy to compost dirt and debris when emptied.
Wooden-handled straw broom and whisk brush. Long-lasting and biodegradable!
Galvanized steel dustpan.
Glass spray bottles for DIY cleaners.
Glass and stainless steel shaker. Readily found at Dollar Tree stores.
Mop with a wooden handle and washable head. For dust mopping wood floors.
Steam mop with washable pads for mopping all non-wooden surfaces.
Washable cleaning cloths.
Pumice stone. Naturally, scours toilets bowls without scratching.
Galvanized bucket. Purchased at feed stores for half as much as plastic buckets.
Collapsible basket. Used to pick-up items while cleaning and tidying.
Tapioca scrub brushes. One for cleaning dishes and another for cleaning grout.
Squeegee. Used to clean glass, shower doors, and tile. Also found at Dollar Tree stores

2) Create a cleaning routine: Cleaning routines are by no means new business. But creating cleaning routines based on how you clean and not what you clean it. A zero-waste cleaning routine relies on durable, lasting, renewable tools that can be washed and reused.

Once you have your tools, place your cleaning gear in the rooms they will be used, as opposed to one central cleaning space. This will keep you from wasting valuable time while cleaning having to go from room to room finding your cleaning tools. Next, you’ll want to create a routine based on your habits. For example, start your daily cleaning not in the morning but after dinner. This way you’ll start your days off with a clean home which will motivate you to keep your homes clean throughout the day. I start by cleaning my kitchen, followed by bathrooms, and high-traffic areas such as dens, living rooms, library, office, playrooms, and entrance ways. Bedrooms, on the other hand, can be tidied in under a few minutes each morning before you start your day.

Keep in mind, cleaning routines work best in organized spaces. If your home is super cluttered, start there. Once you’ve maintained your cleaning routine for a full season, it will become easier and over time you can even start to eliminate seasonal purges and tedious weekly cleaning sessions. When I started zero-waste cleaning a year ago it took numerous hours to clean my 3,000 square foot home. Now, I can clean my entire home in under an hour and tidy my house in half that time. Remember, cleaning is habitual and will take to master. Aim for consistency, not perfection.

3) Minimize the number of cleaners you use: When I first started my zero-waste journey I found my home to be in full possession of no fewer than a dozen cleaners. Each purchased because corporations and advertisers reassured me that I needed a specific solvent for each and every cleaning need in my home. With an average cost of nearly forty plus dollars each month! I soon realized that this was as far from the truth as could be. My favorite zero-waste cleaners are:

Baking soda. A true a workhorse. It can do almost anything – cleaning, scrubbing, absorbing odors, clearing drains, shining silver, killing mold and unclogging drains (when used together with white vinegar), in DIY dishwasher tabs, and many more uses. Buy it in bulk in reusable containers or in bulk bins to get the most bang for your bulk and less impact on the planet! I add it to topping shakers and keep it in my bathroom and kitchen for scrubbing and scouring.
Castile soap: Castile soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s, can be purchased at many bulk food stores in reusable containers or online. A few drops go a long way toward disinfecting surfaces and leaving your house smelling amazing, especially if you use peppermint- or lavender-scented soap. I use castile soap to wash my dishes, to mop wooden floors, to creating dusting spray, to wash my pets, and to clean our cars.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil, purchased in bulk, is good for removing stains from upholstery and carpets, polishing patent leather, removing chewing gum, cleaning shower scum, and for polishing stainless steel and stone countertops. Coconut oil is also naturally antimicrobial and so it’s great for rubbing into bamboo cutting boards after washing for extra disinfecting!
Vodka: Vodka, when mixed with cedar and lavender essential oils, creates the best fabric refresher!
White vinegar. This agent disinfects surfaces, softens fabric in the wash, cleans toilets, removes wax from vegetables, cleans floors, removed calcium buildup, and clears drains. You can also make your own vinegar cleaner. Three go-to varieties include:

All Purpose Vinegar Cleaner:

1 Cup Warm Water
1 Cup White Vinegar
Mix together in a spray bottle for use.

Scented All Purpose Cleaner:

1 Cup of Warm Water
1 Cup White Vinegar
10 drops essential oil of choice.
Mix together in a spray bottle for use.

Citrus-Infused Vinegar Cleaner:

Combine the peels of four lemons or limes in a quart sized mason jar.
Fill mason jar to neck with white vinegar.
Seal and store for one month.
When ready to clean, strain and add to glass spray bottle.
Use full-strength to clean shower stalls or diluted for windows and countertops.

4) Utilize the power of the sun and wind: Fresh air and sunshine should not be overlooked! The sun is the ultimate zero-waste cleaning tool! Laying cloth items in the sun to dry, known as sun bleaching, is a natural way of disinfecting fabrics and killing most surface contaminants. Opening your windows and airing your home out on non-windy days (to avoid dust contaminants coming into your home), is another way to help you live a healthier life while simultaneously reducing your need for toxic aerosol air fresheners.

5) Invest in good zero-waste cleaning cloths: I’m a firm believer in using the right tool for the right job. This is especially true for cleaning. You should always invest in good cleaning cloths to clean, polish, and sanitize your home. You will also need a few to get started.

Bar towels: Great for drying dishes without lint.
Drying mats: Used to air dry non-dishwashable items.
Shammy towels: Used to clean electronics without scratching.
Microfiber towels: Used to clean heavy spills, counter tops, general cleaning, and more.

My favorite microfiber towels? e-cloth. Because with e-cloth you can clean many surfaces in your home with just good old tap water! My favorite thing about e-cloths? They are also reasonably priced. My 8-piece home cleaning kit cost under $40.00. This is nearly a 1/4 of my annual cost for paper towels just a few short years ago! This is such a small cost for what you get, making e-cloth my go-to zero-waste cleaning cloth brand at home. If you’d like to learn more about the e-cloth 8-Piece Home Cleaning Set, click here.

So, friends, those are my 5 favorite tips for zero-waste cleaning at home. I hope they will challenge you to rethink the way you clean your home. Now I have to ask, do you already use any of these tips at home or do you have zero-waste cleaning tips you’d like to share as well? I’d love to hear about them below!

5 Tips For Zero-Waste Cleaning at Home

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How to make DIY Summer Pet Food Stations

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PurinaPetPack #CollectiveBias

My family lives in a small town. A really small town. A really small town surrounded by the sticks. I live in an area where the closest health food store or specialty pet food chain is a three hour round trip drive for my family and me to make. Especially for my family, who provides for 4 furry family members, each of whom hosts individual diets that require various specialty pet foods which is why we are a Purina® family.

While we are committed to purchasing Purina® products for our fuzzy family members, traveling for hours at a time to pick-up your next bag of pet food is simply out of question. So when it comes to buying dry food, wet food, and treats for our pets, we rely on online delivery services to make that happen!

By now, you’ve heard of Amazon.com‘s Subscribe & Save, which allows you to get household items delivered on a subscription basis. For instance, when we are in need of purchasing zero-waste household staples, such as Castille soap, essential oils, and other compostable products, we schedule for at-home monthly deliveries.

This brings me to our last Subscribe & Save purchase, Purina® ONE® Tender Selects Blend with Real Salmon Dry Cat Food. I was particularly happy with this purchase because as a savvy saver, I was able to snag a sweet deal! By adding this product to my regularly scheduled Subscribe & Save delivery, I was able to save 15% off my total delivery, because my delivery then totaled 5 or more items. Then to sweeten the deal further, I was also able to combine this 15% off savings a current Purina® saving promotion, giving me additional $5.00 stacked savings off my order too! Saving 15% off my household product haul is a total win for my monthly family budget!

As you can imagine, I rely heavily on Amazon Subscribe & Save program. Not just for the convenience of home delivery but the ease of mind that comes with knowing my fuzzy family’s need will be taken care of for another month! It’s also worth noting that if you have never used the Subscribe and Save feature, you get $5.00 off your first purchase using it. You’ll also save 5% every day when you subscribe to 1-4 products, and you’ll save 15% when you subscribe to five products each month!

Just for my ability to have my Purina® products delivered to my home I’ll always be an avid Amazon shopper! In particular, I prefer to feed my pets Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® products. It’s very important for me to feed my pets food that is full of the highest quality ingredients, backed by veterinarians and scientists, and a governed by a top-notch quality control department. I know for certain that what Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® products provide my pets.

As I mentioned before, all of my pets have specific food needs. For example, Roxie, our older West Highland White Terrier will be turning 12-years-old this year, and our Chihuahua Harley, who will be 14 this year, both require age-specific food blend for memory and focus, as well as urinary tract health blends, for both their daily wet and dry foods. Our Shih-Tzu, Sassy, will be turning 9 this year and so we will be started on this same focus blend as well. We also have three sweet cats to provide for as well. Our American short hair cat, Boo Radley, who will be 2 this year, requires protein-heavy premium cat food, as does our kitten, Mr. Darcy, and our Bombay, Shadow, will be turning 16 years old this year, and like our, Westie requires high-quality focus-specific wet and dry food blends and foods designed to help with proper urinary tract health. Domestic male cats have a higher chance of urinary tract infections throughout their lives.

To keep everyone healthy, happy, and wise we added additional Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® products to our latest Amazon Subscribe & Save order. We ordered:

Now if you’re ready to get started with the Subscribe & Save from Amazon, it’s really easy to get started. Just use this link, which will take you to this screen:

Then scroll down to either the Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® products, or both is you have a large pet family as we do:

Click on the item you wish to subscribe to. In this case, we’re subscribing to Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend with Real Salmon Dry Cat Food. You’ll then you’ll see the Subscribe & Save offer on the right side of your screen. You’ll save 5% when you subscribe to one product.

Then click the Subscribe Now button to confirm your subscription! Repeat this step for each additional item you wish to subscribe to!

you’ll then need to repeat for each additional item you wish to subscribe to!

Remember, you’ll save 15% when subscribing to 5 products each monthly subscription delivery! And for those who may not need regularly delivered cat and dog food, consider ordering Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® products to your order to donate to local animal shelter drop off bins in your area — or if we have time, stop by and see all the cute cats and dogs. Cats and dogs currently ready for adoption at your local pet shelter will sure be glad you did!

Your pet food will arrive at your doorstep in those cool Amazon boxes in just a couple of days, and continue coming as scheduled each month as well!

So what do we do with the time we save by using Subscribe & Save? Less Paying. More Playing! We spend more time with Roxie, Harley, Sassy, Boo, Darcy, and Shadow, of course!

As all of our pets are adopted, being able to provide them with a happy life is important to me. So when we are able we love to clear our furniture out of the way in our living room and library and play with fuzzy friends. As you can see, Boo and Darcy love to play with the laser toy. Roxie, Harley, and Shadow, love to sleep, but they help referee games in spirit!

Sassy, on the other hand, is my wild child. She loves to jump into laser tag games. She also loves nothing more than a game of fetch.

Now there’s also another reason we love Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® products. We love these products as they help us set up the perfect DIY pet food stations for our pets. Check out how we created fun and frugal pet food stations below.

To create a DIY Cat Food Station you need the following items:

How we assembled our DIY Cat Food Station:

Contact Paper
Scissors
Screwdriver
Microfiber towel
Pet-safe cleaner
5-15 Gallon Aquarium filter & filtering pump
Pet toys (hanging and rolling)
Toy basket
Staple Gun & Staples
Food Tray
Ice Tray
Pet Food (we used Purina® ONE® Tender Selects Blend with Real Salmon Dry Cat Food & Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Adult Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice)
Baby Socket Cover

To begin, we used pet-safe DIY Castille cleaner to clean a shelf in our library. Making sure the shelf was completely dry before continuing.

We then removed the shelf above our food station and electrical outlet plate from the wall. We then measured out our roll of contact paper, and carefully attached it to the back of our food station. We went with contact paper to help us keep our food station easier to wipe down. A Quick Tip: An electrical wall plate helped smooth air bubbles from behind our contact paper while being applied.

You will now need to replace your electrical plate to the wall along with replacing your shelf to your bookcase. For added safety, we added a plastic baby socket cover for added safety.

As cats prefer running water to still, we opted to use a 5-15 gallon aquarium water filter and in-freezer ice tray to create our water fountain feature. You’ll need to remove your filter from its packaging, and according to the manufacturer’s instructions, prime your fountain before its initial usage as directed. Once installed, we filled our filter with cold, filtered water from the fridge.

We then attached two hanging cat toys with a staple gun to the underside of our bookshelf. For added fun, we rubbed the hanging toys with organic catnip before hanging. As cats need a group, individual, and owner-driven play and prey stimulation each day, we also added a small wire basket of plastic cat balls of varying sizes.

We finished our DIY Cat Food Station with a glass bowl of kitten milk and a three-tray easy-to-wash plastic dish of Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® wet and dry food products.

As you can see, Darcy, Boo, and Shadow loved the DIY Cat Food Station! It’s been a great addition to our home. What’s even better? All the supplies used can be purchased online on Amazon.com for under $20.00!

Now we didn’t forget about our dogs either! We created a DIY Dog Food Station. In this second station, we featured a self-dispensing water bowl, three stainless steel food dishes (which accommodate all three dogs food needs), and a small bowl of rawhide treat sticks and organic dog toys. A quick tip: store pet toys in ceramic baking dishes. This helps keep toys weighed down on the floor and the ceramic dishes, compared to their plastic counterparts, are less porous and easier to clean in the dishwasher!

Then with everyone’s food needs to be met with our DIY Pet Food Stations and our Amazon Subscribe & Save Purina® Pro Plan® and Purina® ONE® wet and dry food products, we’ll have plenty of time this summer for play and fun! So be sure to pop on over to Amazon and sign up for all of your pet food and other household needs, because the more you subscribe for, the more you save! So, friends, I have to ask, how will Subscribe & Save give you more quality time with your pets this season? I’d love to hear about it below!

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Why every cat needs a pet hammock

Disclosure: This post was made possible by BrandBacker.com and Pet Magasin. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

If you’re anything like me, there are few things more reminiscent of summer that swinging in a hammock outdoors. In fact, it’s one of my all-time favorite activities. I love to lay out on my patio, between Magnolia trees in my backyard, on the beach, and even at my local the lake–I can do pretty much most things in a hammock. From reading to remotely working on my laptop, life is best lived in a hammock. I also love the idea of giving the gift of relaxation to my other family members as well. My furry family, particularly my cats. So when I was sent this cat hammock bed free of charge to facilitate this post, I gladly jumped at the opportunity.

As any pet owner will tell you, there’s a ton of products on the market for pets. Even when shopping for cat hammocks, there is a lot to consider. How much room do you have? How skittish is your cat at trying new things? Will your cat be open to using this product indoors or outside? How much do you want to spend on your hammock? All questions considered, I’m glad to have gone with the luxury line of cat hammocks from Pet Magasin.

Pet Magasin is a company known for developing, sourcing, and testing quality pet products. They take pride in creating safe in-home furniture for pets and their owners at an always great value and price. They also source their materials from all over the world, including Japanese steel, U.S.-grown cattle hides, and organic Canadian catnip.

In terms of this product, Pet Magasin Cat Hammocks feature durable maple stands and high-quality fabrics, all at affordable price point options. This hammock may be made for cats, but it’s truly a finely crafted piece. The Pet Magasin Pet Hammock’s solid maple frame is free from cheap particle board, plywood, or plastics. The wood is also generously protected with a clear top coat, which allows its natural beauty to shine.

Other materials included are sturdy chains and hardware. All made of durable of polished steel. Also included are soft, washable, easy-to-maintain microfiber hammock cover and blanket! A blanket that can be put over the hammock bed, or if your cats are as spoiled as mine, can be used to tuck your cats them in instead!

These hammocks are also super simple to assemble. In under fifteen minutes you’ll have your hammock fully assembled and ready for cat’s next nap! I must confess, this was a major bonus for me. After all, what’s worse than buying and assembling furniture for your fuzzy friends only to have your pet not want to use it?

I also loved that this hammock is designed for even the timidest of cats in mind. After assembling the hammock, I put some of my cat Darcy’s favorite treats on the hammock and then allowed him time alone with the hammock to get used to its design. In typical cat fashion, as soon as I laid the assembled hammock on the floor Darcy eagerly inspected the hammock and laid claim to his favorite new nook of the house!

Later, after noticing the hammock was a bit wobbly and Darcy seemed nervous on the hammock, I remedied this by re-tied the stabilizing strings on each side of the hammock tighter together. This way the hammock felt more stable to Darcy and would encourage his to utilize the hammock moving forward. This seemed to work out well, as a couple of hours later both my kitten and Chihuahua, Harley, started exploring the fabric and taking turns laying on the hammock itself. In fact, both laid in the hammock the next evening for hours at a time each. Totally relaxed. totally comfortable. Making me totally pleased!

Now both my fuzzies love this Pet Magasin Hammock. As of yesterday, we’ve placed the hammock in our sunroom and it’s been the go-to spot for our pets since. Everyone knows that taking naps is a cat’s favorite pastime. Now with the Pet Magasin cat hammock, my pets will be able to indulge in the fine art of sleeping in true southern style.

This luxury cat hammock is currently on sale on Amazon and on PetMagasin.com for under $30.00. What’s even sweeter? Pet Magasin is giving my readers an additional 30% savings when you use promotional code 5F2WSQO4 on either site this season.

Friends, I encourage you to visit their website to find out more information about this pet product, as well as many other high-quality items they currently offer as well for your small pets and cats at home this summer! So now I have to ask, what furniture do you have for your own pets at home? I’d love to hear about them below!

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Ways to Honor Your Soldier This Memorial Day ( & Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs Recipe)

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #USOCarePacks #CollectiveBias

While Memorial Day traditionally marks the beginning of summer for most in this country, for our family it means so much more. It’s not just a time for families and friends to come together for a barbecue and enjoy the first long weekend of the season, it’s also a time for my family to honor the man I admire most in this world, my husband Daniel.

You see, my husband Daniel has worn many hats in his life, including a son, student, musician, educator, husband, father to many, but most importantly, veteran and former Sergeant in the United States Army. So it goes without saying that as a family, we always take time each Memorial Day to reflect on how blessed we are to not only be able to get together with our loved ones on that beautiful spring day but that our soldier came home to be able to share in these glorious days of summer.

Did you know that Memorial Day originated from Decoration Day, a day when people honored soldiers who died in the Civil War by placing flowers on the graves of memorial park headstones but was later expanded to all the men and women who have died in military service after World War I? Making Memorial Day one of the longest-celebrated federal holidays in American history.

As a family, we chose to remember the significance of the day, as well as to honor my husband, veterans, active servicemen, women, and the fallen, in a myriad of ways. We do this first, by flying our American flag in front of our home. Did you know, according to flag etiquette, the flag should be raised at half-staff from sunrise until noon and then on full-staff for the rest of the day. Before noon, with the flag at half-staff, we remember those who died in wars; in the afternoon we praise the living veterans and those who continue fighting for liberty and justice for all.

We also honor our soldiers by thanking any and all veterans we know for their service while visiting our local WWI Doughboy Memorial and attending our local Memorial Day parade. We also make a point of keeping our military history alive by asking my husband to recount his days of service and by observing the National Moment of Remembrance, where we pause for one minute at 3:00 p.m. (local time) each Memorial Day, to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by many to ensure American freedoms.

May is also Military Appreciation Month. So another way we appreciate our soldier’s military service is by giving back to military service projects. One of our favorite military charities is that of the United Service Organizations Inc., the USO, a nonprofit organization that provides programs, services, and live entertainment to United States service members and their families. The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation.

Currently at Sam’s Club, during the patriotic 6 weeks of summer, Coca-Cola™ & Sam’s Club are working to connect club members with USO charities. Families like my own can help honor our soldiers by purchasing specialty USO-labeled Coca-Cola Classic cans 35 packs, new Mini Can Coca-Cola Classic 30 packs, and Diet Coke 35 packs.

When you purchase these packages you help to send military care packages overseas, and Coca-Cola is hoping to donate 3000-5000 USO packages overseas this season. When I saw these USO Coca-Cola and Diet Coke 35-packs in-club at Sam’s I made sure to pick them both up! I knew these awesome USO 35-count packs would be a perfect way of honoring my soldier this Memorial Day, by giving him his favorite summertime meal, smoked baby back ribs, and Coca-Cola!

My husband is nothing if not a connoisseur of all things smoked and grilled. So today I’d love to continue to honor my soldier’s love of the flame by sharing his famous Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs recipe. These ribs are always a crowd-pleaser!

Here’s how to make Daniel’s Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs:

Start with a clean slate:

My husband always starts each smoking session by thoroughly cleaning his electric smoker by pressure washing the inside of the main barrel the night before cooking and allowing it to air dry overnight.

Marination is key:

The night before cooking he also makes sure to prep his ribs. He does this by first removing any excess membranes from the underside of each slab of ribs. He then marinates his ribs in a simple blend of fresh garlic, ginger, spices, and one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola. He then adds the ribs to a glass bowl, drenches the ribs in the marinade, covers the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerates the ribs overnight.

Prep for success:

The next morning, an hour before he intends to start smoking, my husband starts the day by assembling the smoker and setting the external thermostat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit; you’re looking for a low and slow cooking process. For added flavor, Daniel uses Coca-Cola-soaked hickory chips (that have been soaked for up to one hour) in his internal smoking boxes. Filling each box completely before placing each box inside the smoker’s furthest bottom compartment. The Coca-Cola gives the chips a deeper, sweeter flavor.

Remember, while smoking ribs be sure to replenish your wood chips hourly while smoking to ensure even heat and consistent smoke. Then while the smoker is coming to temperature and the chips are soaking, he finishes prepping his ribs inside.

A quick tip: adding an additional 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola to the internal smoking infusion bowl, as well as the remaining rib marinade, will help to keep even moisture in your ribs while smoking.

Give it a rub:

My husband is a Memphis-style rib man, so he likes to add a rub mixture to his ribs before smoking. So after removing the ribs from the fridge, and allowing them to come to temperature on the counter for ten minutes, he pulls the ribs from their marinade bath, patting down each slab to remove excess moisture with a paper towel, and then rubs each slab with Cajun mustard.

He finishes seasoning the ribs by coating each side of his slabs with his DIY curry rub blend; the mustard acts as both a moisture barrier and helps the curry rub stick to the ribs. He then lets the ribs rest on a cutting board for ten minutes. He then adds the ribs to the smoker and smokes them for six hours.

Make the most of your downtime:

While the ribs are a low and slow cooking process, they do require an hourly inspection. So while the ribs are smoking my husband loves to sit on our patio playing with the kiddo and pets, or one of his favorite hobbies, juggling; he’s pretty adept at most forms of juggling including balls, rings, and clubs. It’s a great way to pass a lazy summer afternoon away while grilling out and smoking food for friends and family.

Check your ribs hourly:

Here you can see the overall progress of the ribs smoking at thirty-minute segments for a total of six-hours-you’ll know your ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 203 degrees Fahrenheit and have a visible smoke ring around the entire perimeter of each rib slab.

7) Enjoy your smoky success:

When your ribs are finished, remove them from your smoker and let them rest an additional ten minutes on a cutting board before cutting into each slab.

To finish this dish, I added sides of curried carrot and snap pea salad, fresh lemon wedges, lemon pepper couscous, and of course, an ice-cold can of Coca-Cola!

These ribs are amazing, and affordable, and make the perfect pairing with the USO Coca-Cola 35-count packs which can be found in-club from Sam’s Club. Even better, this recipe can be made ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated in an oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees Ferenheight for 10 minutes, served immediately.

I encourage you all to check out the USO Coca-Cola 35-count packs next time you are in-club or consider donating online to the USO to help join Coca-Cola in donating care packages to military soldiers overseas, and if you’d like to make Daniel’s famous Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs, as a way of honoring your own soldier at home this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, well I’d like to think I can speak for Daniel in saying that would be pretty awesome too!

Now, friends, I have to ask, how will you be honoring servicemen in your own life? I’d love to hear about it below!

Here’s to the brave, and may they always keep marching along,

Daniel’s Memorial Day Ribs Recipe

Serving Size:

Time:

8 hours and 30 minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

6-pound bone-in pork ribs
3 cups Coca-Cola soda
1 cup Flavor God dry ketchup seasoning
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons chili powder
4 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons dry curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon marjoram

Directions

Place the ribs into a large baking dish.
Pour 2 cups of Coca-Cola over them. Reserving one-third cup of the soda for a sauce to be made later. Cover the pan securely with plastic wrap and let the ribs marinate in the fridge overnight.
Pour the remaining 1 cup of soda into a blender or food processor and add the ketchup seasoning, brown sugar, chili powder, pepper, dry mustard, cinnamon, and dry curry powder. Blend until smooth.
Put the ribs in a roasting pan that has been coated with cooking spray, brush liberally with part of the sauce, cover the pan with a lid, and refrigerate for one hour.
Add the ribs to the smoker. Smoking for six hours-checking every two hours. The initial temperature of the smoker should be 225 degrees Fahrenheit, cooking the ribs, until tender.
To finish, pull the ribs out of the smoker, selling aside for 10-15 minutes. Serve with vegetables and cous cous.

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Meet Nicole

Email me at Nicole@theladyprefers2save.com

Hello there! I’m Nicole, a Jersey Shore girl turned Southwestern Virginia transplant who found her way to finally becoming an Eastern Mississippi blogger, the mother of a fabulous little one, adoptive parent to several courageous fuzzies, and wife to an outrageously loving husband. I moved to Mississippi in 2004 from Roanoke, Virginia where I had lived for almost 8 years. I love everything about the deep south, from the lush farmer’s markets to the history that seems to be around every corner, and it’s clear to me that I was absolutely destined to become a southern belle!

Nearly 3 years ago, I was a wife and mother living in Mississippi and was looking for a way to both celebrate and work through the challenges of all that being a full-time work-at-home-wife entailed. I started The Lady Prefers 2 Save to chronicle my own personal journey.

This site has evolved, though, and now it is a resource for women looking for encouragement as I share my two-year road to paying off close to $80,000 and becoming a debt-free, minimalist, zero-waste blogger and online business. In addition to helpful tips and information, I share intimate stories about my life, my family, struggles with fertility and PCOS weight loss, and to let other women know that regardless of their circumstances, they are not alone.

I hold degrees in Public Policy, Art History, and a Juris Doctor, and for just about a decade, I was a Paralegal, then a lawyer, specializing in Civil Rights Law in Eastern Mississippi. I am also the proprietor of a local Mural Art Business as well as a creative art business shop, Shadow Cat Crafts. In addition, I have been a community volunteer for underprivileged women and children, teaching ways to encourage the community through budgeting education and positive body image and self-esteem in girls and women. Uplifting women comes naturally to me, and I’ve carried that same hands-up attitude into The Lady Prefers 2 Save!

Meet the Family:

Daniel, our sweet Daddy Bear, has taken to being a husband, father, and handyman like a champ. Calm and organized, he loves reading, gaming, traveling and is the reason our family is USM Golden eagles and Saints fans. A public educator and robotics chair, his heart and mind are as big as his handsome smile!

Family: You will notice an absence of kid-centrist posts on the blog. There’s an awesome reason for this! As a family in 2015, we made the decision to have a no-kids online policy on The Lady Prefers 2 Save. This was done to protect our children, family, pets, and my husband’s students from cyberbullying, exploitation, and excessive conspicuous consumerism. We want all of the children in our lives to be carefree and fabulous for as long as possible. Allowing them to decide whether or not they chose to have a public voice and presence on this blog and social media channels.

I had no idea when I first started this blog how much it would change my life! Since 2014, I have been fortunate to have opportunities open up for me like becoming a contributor on Green News, a brand ambassador, and working with national brands like CVS/pharmacy, Luvs, Pampers and much more. I love partnering with agencies on sponsored posts, reviews, press trips and experiences for brands and companies that my family and I authentically use in our everyday lives.

In addition to working with brands, I love to publish on LinkedIn. Check out my portfolio on Contently.

If you look through this blog, you’ll see that I cover a lot of different topics that appeal to busy, three-dimensional women. One day I might talk about what it’s like to become minimalist, or pushing through depression, and another day I could be sharing tips on making the perfect cup of french press coffee. Life is amazingly diverse and full of so many different experiences. That’s what I share with The Lady Prefers 2 Save. Here are a few of my favorite (and most popular) posts:

Brand Ambassador and Influencer:

My goal for this blog is to not just work with brands and organizations. I want to be a true partner in sharing information, inciting brand excitement and building real relationships. A few of my most popular partnerships in 2016 were Scotch®, Scotch-Brite®, Emergen-C, and much more. My audience really responds to my anecdotal posts that feature brands to help enhance their lives. Please email me at Nicole@theladyprefers2save.com to discuss partnership opportunities!

Let’s Connect:

Send me an email at Nicole@theladyprefers2save.com

If you look through this blog, you’ll see that I cover a lot of different topics that appeal to busy, three-dimensional women. One day I might talk about what it’s like to become minimalist, or pushing through depression, and another day I could be sharing tips on making the perfect cup of french press coffee. Life is amazingly diverse and full of so many different experiences. That’s what I share with The Lady Prefers 2 Save. Looking to see what we’re up to day-to-day? Follow me on Twitter at @LDYPrefers2save and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, Bloglovin’, Pinterest, Google+, Tumblr, Linked’in, or YouTube to see how the Lady Prefers 2 Save!

I can also act as a travel resource and am available to answer any questions you might have regarding veganism, minimalism, savings, debt-free living, and zero-wasting. The best way to reach me with questions is to send a tweet to @ldyprefers2save

I hope that you enjoy my travel adventures and that I can inspire you to create your own.

XOXO

Misty Nicole

Older Posts

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pets

February 2018 No-Spend Challenge Update

What I spend on:

How I saved:

How I’m not spending at home

Budget DIY

Meal Prepping and Planning

Where I’m not saving

Lessons learned

Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean Cord-Free Vacuum Review

Disclosure: This review is sponsored by Shark. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you!

5 Tips For Zero-Waste Cleaning at Home

Disclosure: This post contains my personal affiliate links. All opinions are mine alone.

How to make DIY Summer Pet Food Stations

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PurinaPetPack #CollectiveBias

Why every cat needs a pet hammock

Disclosure: This post was made possible by BrandBacker.com and Pet Magasin. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

Ways to Honor Your Soldier This Memorial Day ( & Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs Recipe)

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #USOCarePacks #CollectiveBias

Here’s how to make Daniel’s Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs:

Start with a clean slate:

Marination is key:

Prep for success:

Give it a rub:

Make the most of your downtime:

Check your ribs hourly:

7) Enjoy your smoky success:

Daniel’s Memorial Day Ribs Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Meet Nicole

Meet the Family:

Popular Posts:

Brand Ambassador and Influencer:

Let’s Connect:

search

pets

What I spend on:

How I saved:

How I’m not spending at home

Budget DIY

Meal Prepping and Planning

Where I’m not saving

Lessons learned

Sharing is Caring:

Disclosure: This review is sponsored by Shark. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you!

Sharing is Caring:

Disclosure: This post contains my personal affiliate links. All opinions are mine alone.

Sharing is Caring:

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PurinaPetPack #CollectiveBias

Sharing is Caring:

Disclosure: This post was made possible by BrandBacker.com and Pet Magasin. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

Sharing is Caring:

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #USOCarePacks #CollectiveBias

Here’s how to make Daniel’s Smoked Curried Cajun Ribs:

Start with a clean slate:

Marination is key:

Prep for success:

Give it a rub:

Make the most of your downtime:

Check your ribs hourly:

7) Enjoy your smoky success:

Daniel’s Memorial Day Ribs Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Sharing is Caring:

Meet the Family:

Popular Posts:

Brand Ambassador and Influencer:

Let’s Connect:

Sharing is Caring:

search