Great Deal on Diapers!

Just got an amazing deal on diapers on Amazon. I got 100 size 4 pampers cruisers for 16.99 shipped!!

I signed up for the subscribe and save plan (which saves you 15% and you get free shipping-you choose how often things come and can cancel each item ANYTIME) then there is another special right now for an additional 15% off diapers and supplies THEN there is a on time only use coupon in this month's parenting magazine for 20% off diapers......


diapers

SOOO loving amazon right now:)

"Free" DVDs?

Wanna hear my new hobby? First I went through all of our VHS tapes and treid to convert only to DVD. Our three year old son however is obsessed with Snow White. He sings "Im fishing! Im fishing! For the one I love..hahahahaha" Some VHS will stay for now.

We have been using PaperBack Swap for some time now with very good results but never ventured over to DVD swap. Not sure why.

I finally did and OH MY OH MY!!

You must check it out!!



I got rid of Dorah dvds and the Wiggles and ones I picked up for under a dollar at yard sales and thrift stores and I'm trading for things like Davey and Goliath (LOVE those classic cartoons) and the Jim Elliot documentaries--things I totally would have paid for.

Check it out! And if you do join, would you mention that I referred you?

Many wouldnt think this is very Green or Thrifty...but it works for me:)

Linking up on the Green Blog Hop, Works for Me Wednesday,the 46th Penny Pinching Party

NOT Going To Blog-Her..Wanna be freinds?

There are times when Blogging makes me feel like one of the not so cool kids. Like when it feels like EVERYONE who is anyone is going to a cool blog conference and bonding without me. I get annoyed with myself for having the mentality of a middle schoolers during those times. There are other times when I am so inspired and enriched form just a few minutes with a "friend" via cyberspace and all centering around time with my family and little ones who need me.

I am participating in th No go Blog-Her lilnk up and am going to answer a few interview questions Ok?

When did you start blogging?

I had been reading blogs for awhile but starting my own when I was about to deliver my 5th baby. Not very good timing:)

Why did you start blogging?

As a live journal, to document the good days for the bad days. To show others that we arent all Mrs. Cleaver or perfect and thats OK. I know it wasnt a very good time to start and I havent always given 100% but sometimes you just need to step out and do what you can instead of waiting for the perfect time to come. It may not come.

What is one thing you are going to do this week that is WAY cooler than going to BlogHer?

Hmmm...I dont know about cooler ( remember my fighting those terms?) but I know that I am needed her right now. AND as providence would have it I spent August 5th (my sons birthday) and August 6th in bed with a horrendous flu. So glad I didnt take that with me!!

Share a post that you think says a lot about you are, or is your favorite. (share the link in YOUR post so we all can see)This is a hard one. I have pondering that for some time... Here are 3 chioces for today

Raising Little Ones
My Current Calling

My Son's Scleroderma

Frugal Fun-Making Peanut Butter

Many of us are facing hard financial times. I see people doing many of the things that seem familiar to me (From the ages of 6-14 I lived with a woman in her then 70-80's who grew up during the Great Depression) Im tired. I don't have that extended family and support that came with the time, but I could really use the saved pennies so hear I am:)

So what can I do?
You may have seen my post on Laundry Soap--not very enlightening but I am trying here:)

I figured out how much we spend on food a month. Right around $1000. I nearly fell off my chair until I broke down a rough average of 30 days per month (that's between 30 and $40 a day) and 3 meals a day (a little over $10 per meal) for 7 people (now its getting tight and $1000 doesnt sound like so much.) Felt a little better.

We stick by our tried and true favorites and tend to have peanut butter EVERY single day. So that would be a good way to save some pennies and I'm dreaming of adding coconut oil and raw honey in there for fun. I am worried about the qualify of the food processor. That could be a problem.
Have any of you made peanut butter? Do you have any enlightening words and wisdom for me. I bought a Black and Decker Food Processor CHEAP and I found bulk peants. It is an investment of $70.00. Hmm...

We are pretty frugal and green. We use cloth diapers and cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels (for the most pasrt)But there is more we could do:)

Any other ideas for me?

Im dreaming of a garden and working on getting rid of the gophers in the yard and have started a Vermiculture bin. Thinking about growing potatoes in a trash can or trash bag.

We can't have a clothes line because of our HOA. BUT I did find an incredible scratch and dent gas dryer when our electric one died.



linking up at Hop a long Friday The 45th Penny Pinching Party Frugal Fridays and The Green Blog Hop

laundry soap

It seems that everyone is making their own laundry soap. I researched it. I saved up for a food processor. I did price comparisons and figured out cost per load (that is approximate because I don't pay full price if I can help it)

I considered our needs: hard water, allergies to everything, not too much time to devote to this.
I researched many many different recipes:
this one looked good

I bought some "homemade" laundry soap from a neat lady on Etsy.

I beat myself up over and over for all the money I was "wasting" by not being cool enough to make my own laundry soap.

I have five children. I have three in different stages of puberty and two in toddler hood. Two in cloth diapers. We do ALOT of laundry. We make most of our food from scratch. I home school. Our laundry used to be done down our driveway in our garage in a anot so nice neighborhood, only during the day and not in the rain. We moved. We moved into a huge house. Not the problems I ahd beofre, but yet new things taking up all my time:) I'm trying to impress upon you that my time is limited. but really. Im just really not that person.

I looked into trying Charlies Soap. It sounded just about right. but there was a big investment. My husband was ordering some vitamins on Amazon and needed $9.99 more to qualify for Super Saver Shipping. I found this "trial of Charlies Soap:

So far it is working really really well.


Who knows. Maybe someday I'll have an empty house and make loads and loads of soap to deliver to my childrens' homes.OOH and design cute little labels for the cool unbreakable jars I put it in...but, at least for now, Charlies is a good fit for us.

Freecycle!

I really enjoy finding just the right things to make our home feel like ours.We recently moved into this amazing home. Really amazing. It had been decorated by professionals. But I didn't get to see that:) I'm feeling very overwelmed finding just the right things.

There is a narrow front room with a high GEORGOUS fireplace. I really wanted two wing back chairs on either side of that fireplace. I set out looking on Craigslist and found two perfect ones! $100.00 each. They were sold. I kept looking and soon found other things to spend the money on (like food and transportation:)

Then I saw two wing back chairs offered on Freecycle! One was blue and one was pink. They belonged to an 84 year old woman and were used as decoration in her bedroom.
They are in immaculate condition. I found the perfect covers for $25.34 each on Amazon.I applied for the Amazon Chase card and recieved a $30.00 credit...so they REALLY only cost me $20.00 :)




I havent had a chance to REALLY tweak the room but here are the chairs all dressed and in their new home:


Picture them moved back after people have been reading and talking and playing and sliding them accross the floor. While we are at it, also picute the picture on the mantle centered and everything around it tweaked. Thanks.

A friend asked me today if I had used freecycle and what I had offered or received. I said "YES!" Then went blank. I blurted out things every few minutes over the next hour we visited. THEN I remembered this happening before and that I had started a list... It is in no way exhaustive and I somehow got more excited about the getting than the giving :(

I really did offer more than shown. I tend to want to hold on things and find just the right new home for them. I KNOW what joy I get from finding things at the thrift store..but sometimes Freecycle is just the right way to place your discards in loving hands.

things we received from Freecycle in 2008
baby clothes
johnny jump up
swing/bouncer (later sold)
nursing bras
trundle bed frame
baby seat/toys
crib
silicone baking dishes
baby clothes
maternity clothes
boy scout shirt
Breast Pump
toddler bed
2 cell phones
child's play rug
2 framed pictures to makeover

GIVEN
crib/toddler bed
cradle





Items from freecycle 2009-10

5 boxes Tassimo coffee
silk flowers, wicker cornucopia
G Diapers (4 packages--unused)
Diaper pail
Wine glasses



OFFERED:

CD cases
Queen bed frame
Toddler bicycle Helmet
magazines
leather chair
portable dish washer
Lane leather recliner
moving boxes
Danish modern dining chairs
2 bar stools
Ikea Armoire
dresser

I encourage to find and join the Freecycle in your area!

What have you recieved or given through Freecycle?

Linking Up at
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

GIVEAWAY! I Surrender

I told you HERE how great I thought the I Surrender e-book is.

Judy is going to give a copy to one of our readers!!

To enter:
-leave a comment here
(if you feel inspired to share something encouraging that you recently read..Please do!)


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