Missouri
Short On Cents
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Missouri Is Now On The Map
It took some time to get Angie up on here because my computer decided to take on a mind of its own a couple of weeks ago. It seems that somehow the "view" on my e-mails was changed so that once I opened an e-mail it "disappeared". I thought my computer was eating my e-mails.
Angie contacted me some time back about being added to Missouri for the Blogger Links. She is the owner/author of "Short On Cents" and it's an adorable site.
Angie regularly does the coupon matchups for Walgrees, CVS and Target as well as great local finds for the Missouri area. Take a moment and stop by Angie's site and tell her hello.
Angie contacted me some time back about being added to Missouri for the Blogger Links. She is the owner/author of "Short On Cents" and it's an adorable site.
Angie regularly does the coupon matchups for Walgrees, CVS and Target as well as great local finds for the Missouri area. Take a moment and stop by Angie's site and tell her hello.
New Year's Changes
Notice I didn't say Resolutions. Why? Everyone sets Resolutions and everybody I know, lets them fall by the wayside, including me. Why not call it New Year's Changes instead. Let's make some changes.
Where are we going to make the changes......in ourselves, of course! Now we all know that we are starting to change our finances with the groceries, but there are many many ways we can save money, but to save the bucks, we need to stand up and go to the bathroom and take a good hard look at ourselves in the mirror. O.K. I'm on a soap box and this time I'm going to be there a while.
O.K.....let's talk seriously...you know that I love to meet people and I have been blessed through this blog and Facebook, to be meeting tons of great wonderful people out there and I love it. But I'm seeing a trend that has made me stop and think about things. I've had people say to me that they can't figure out for the life of them how they got into the economic diaster they are in and it takes everything I have not to say "are you freakin kidding me", but that wouldn't be very polite so I currently have several sets of teeth marks on my tongue.
The other phrase is I hear often is how did this happen to our economy or why didn't we see this coming? Now we can sit back and blame the big wigs at AIG, etc., but if we really look at the big picture, we have to take a big part of the blame. Now before you scream at me to *(*& off, hear me out.
We have our priorities out of wack and that's the truth. All you have to do is look at the newest generation of kids out in the work force and it doesn't take long to figure it out. Kids today expect the best of everything and don't know how to do much to take care of themselves. I see kids in their early twenties who don't know how to balance a checkbook let alone fix themselves dinner in their own kitchens. I see people standing in line to get $500 phones! Everyone rushes out to buy Wiis and the newest little furry critter that their child just has to have. But does he or she really need it. What are you teaching your child when you go out and drop $50+ for a Wii game this week and again two weeks from now.
Now I know that I am probably making some people a bit upset and that is not the thing that I am trying to do, but unless you can show me in the good book where God wants me to run out and buy a $500 phone and then buy the next latest and greatest that will be out in probably a year for even more than $500, then I'm going to stick to my guns.
I see people out there saying they won't work for less than $14/hr. And we wonder why jobs are outsourced. We've turned into a society of money. Everything is about money. Who are we trying to impress. The neighbor next door, the member of our church, the people we work with? Who are we suppose to impress??? I only worry about the man upstairs and believe me that's enough for me to have to worry about. It takes everything I have to try to do what's right by him every single day and I admit that I fail more often than I succeed.
We've made the big cats fat. If you pay attention to the price of things at the grocery stores, they are going up pennies at a time yet the product sizes are shrinking substantially. Coupons that used to be $.50 off of one item are now coming out at $.25 off of 4. And some manufacturers have even taken to reducing the production of their products which equal a shortage of product on the shelves, which creates a demand, ending with them raising their prices. Supply and Demand Fat Cat Style. Remember your economics classes from school. You've living it now.
Now, what can we do about it.....change ourselves. Let's start the New Year with making changes. Changes to ourselves, changes to our priorities and changes to the way we live.
It's the snowball effect of.....if I make a change and tell two people and they make the change and tell two people and so on and so on. We helped create the mess the economy is in....if we don't change now....our Great Grandkids are in for a world of hurt and I don't think that is the way God intended it to be.
Together we can make a change and we can make a difference. One idea, one item, one manufacturer at a time.
I would love to hear your ideas, suggestions, comments, etc. Spread the word....starting January 1st let's vow to make a change and see what we can do to turn things around. Let's get Frugalistic and see what we can accomplish in our lives and in our world. Let's move a mountain!
Where are we going to make the changes......in ourselves, of course! Now we all know that we are starting to change our finances with the groceries, but there are many many ways we can save money, but to save the bucks, we need to stand up and go to the bathroom and take a good hard look at ourselves in the mirror. O.K. I'm on a soap box and this time I'm going to be there a while.
O.K.....let's talk seriously...you know that I love to meet people and I have been blessed through this blog and Facebook, to be meeting tons of great wonderful people out there and I love it. But I'm seeing a trend that has made me stop and think about things. I've had people say to me that they can't figure out for the life of them how they got into the economic diaster they are in and it takes everything I have not to say "are you freakin kidding me", but that wouldn't be very polite so I currently have several sets of teeth marks on my tongue.
The other phrase is I hear often is how did this happen to our economy or why didn't we see this coming? Now we can sit back and blame the big wigs at AIG, etc., but if we really look at the big picture, we have to take a big part of the blame. Now before you scream at me to *(*& off, hear me out.
We have our priorities out of wack and that's the truth. All you have to do is look at the newest generation of kids out in the work force and it doesn't take long to figure it out. Kids today expect the best of everything and don't know how to do much to take care of themselves. I see kids in their early twenties who don't know how to balance a checkbook let alone fix themselves dinner in their own kitchens. I see people standing in line to get $500 phones! Everyone rushes out to buy Wiis and the newest little furry critter that their child just has to have. But does he or she really need it. What are you teaching your child when you go out and drop $50+ for a Wii game this week and again two weeks from now.
Now I know that I am probably making some people a bit upset and that is not the thing that I am trying to do, but unless you can show me in the good book where God wants me to run out and buy a $500 phone and then buy the next latest and greatest that will be out in probably a year for even more than $500, then I'm going to stick to my guns.
I see people out there saying they won't work for less than $14/hr. And we wonder why jobs are outsourced. We've turned into a society of money. Everything is about money. Who are we trying to impress. The neighbor next door, the member of our church, the people we work with? Who are we suppose to impress??? I only worry about the man upstairs and believe me that's enough for me to have to worry about. It takes everything I have to try to do what's right by him every single day and I admit that I fail more often than I succeed.
We've made the big cats fat. If you pay attention to the price of things at the grocery stores, they are going up pennies at a time yet the product sizes are shrinking substantially. Coupons that used to be $.50 off of one item are now coming out at $.25 off of 4. And some manufacturers have even taken to reducing the production of their products which equal a shortage of product on the shelves, which creates a demand, ending with them raising their prices. Supply and Demand Fat Cat Style. Remember your economics classes from school. You've living it now.
Now, what can we do about it.....change ourselves. Let's start the New Year with making changes. Changes to ourselves, changes to our priorities and changes to the way we live.
It's the snowball effect of.....if I make a change and tell two people and they make the change and tell two people and so on and so on. We helped create the mess the economy is in....if we don't change now....our Great Grandkids are in for a world of hurt and I don't think that is the way God intended it to be.
Together we can make a change and we can make a difference. One idea, one item, one manufacturer at a time.
I would love to hear your ideas, suggestions, comments, etc. Spread the word....starting January 1st let's vow to make a change and see what we can do to turn things around. Let's get Frugalistic and see what we can accomplish in our lives and in our world. Let's move a mountain!
The Cheapest Easiest Cookies To Make
Seems like these days you are being asked to make cookies for everything. You've got your kids parties at school and don't forget Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and Day Care parties and don't forget the office luncheons and the Ladies Auxiliary and your hubby's office party, etc.
Whatcha gonna make...Peanut Butter cookies, Sugar Cookies, Brownies, Oatmeal Cookies, or do you go for the fancier kind like Chocolaty Carmel Thumbprints, or Toffee Bars or maybe Brown-Sugar Hazelnut Bars and we can't forget the famous Lemon Bars. They are all awesome cookies and everybody loves them and everyone loves making them as well. But with today's economic times, when you are stressed enough as it is trying to pay the bills and buy the Christmas gifts, why strain your wallet any further by spending a small fortune buying the ingredients to make all of these goodies. Why not try an old standby that everyone loves, is the easiest cookie in the world to make and cost pennies. What cookie is that?
The shortbread cookie of course. Now don't turn your nose up....you know when you see that familiar can at the office you know what is going to be inside and you KNOW you are going to grab one or two.
Three ingredients:
1-1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons sugar
Make sure the butter is softened, mix them all up and away you go. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the counter, or board, or whatever you use and roll them out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite little cookie cutters or make little circles or little squares or whatever you like. Sprinkle a little sugar on top and there you go. Turn the oven on 325 and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Now let's look at the cost.
Flour cost = $.6 - I purchased the Flour for $1 a couple of weeks ago at SuperValu (I told posted it in the machups) when they were on sale and there was a coupon (Golden Medal)
Sugar = Free (Remember when Meijers had the Kool-Aid/Sugar special. You purchased 20 packets of Kool-Aid and get $2 off sugar.) You bet I was there.
The butter I purchased at Wal-Mart for $1.50 for a package of 4 sticks. You use 1 stick per recipe. So that cost = $.37
So for a grand total of $.43 I made two dozen cookies.
I only use real butter when baking cookies, but I'm sure you could use something like I Can't Believe It Isn't Butter which you can get free on occassion with the right coupons which would make your cost even cheaper.
So there you have a couple of dozen cookies for change. It's easy and very cheap on your pocket book which is exactly what you are after. If you have a cookie press, you can make great little designs.
Whatcha gonna make...Peanut Butter cookies, Sugar Cookies, Brownies, Oatmeal Cookies, or do you go for the fancier kind like Chocolaty Carmel Thumbprints, or Toffee Bars or maybe Brown-Sugar Hazelnut Bars and we can't forget the famous Lemon Bars. They are all awesome cookies and everybody loves them and everyone loves making them as well. But with today's economic times, when you are stressed enough as it is trying to pay the bills and buy the Christmas gifts, why strain your wallet any further by spending a small fortune buying the ingredients to make all of these goodies. Why not try an old standby that everyone loves, is the easiest cookie in the world to make and cost pennies. What cookie is that?
The shortbread cookie of course. Now don't turn your nose up....you know when you see that familiar can at the office you know what is going to be inside and you KNOW you are going to grab one or two.
Three ingredients:
1-1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons sugar
Make sure the butter is softened, mix them all up and away you go. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the counter, or board, or whatever you use and roll them out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite little cookie cutters or make little circles or little squares or whatever you like. Sprinkle a little sugar on top and there you go. Turn the oven on 325 and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Now let's look at the cost.
Flour cost = $.6 - I purchased the Flour for $1 a couple of weeks ago at SuperValu (I told posted it in the machups) when they were on sale and there was a coupon (Golden Medal)
Sugar = Free (Remember when Meijers had the Kool-Aid/Sugar special. You purchased 20 packets of Kool-Aid and get $2 off sugar.) You bet I was there.
The butter I purchased at Wal-Mart for $1.50 for a package of 4 sticks. You use 1 stick per recipe. So that cost = $.37
So for a grand total of $.43 I made two dozen cookies.
I only use real butter when baking cookies, but I'm sure you could use something like I Can't Believe It Isn't Butter which you can get free on occassion with the right coupons which would make your cost even cheaper.
So there you have a couple of dozen cookies for change. It's easy and very cheap on your pocket book which is exactly what you are after. If you have a cookie press, you can make great little designs.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A Moment To Remember
Had to stop by Wally-World aka Wal-Mart to get some food for the pooches. I really should be getting a statement in the mail soon telling me how the stock I must surely own by now is doing.
While there I remembered I needed Almond Extract for some more cookies I have to make tomorrow so I trucked off to that part of the store.
As I came down the isle I noticed a woman about my age standing there and her mother or Grandmother was pushing the basket and attempting to turn it around in the isle. The woman looked up at me and apologized and I told her not to worry to take her time. Her mother/grandmother got the basket turned and they walked past me and we all smiled at each other. I took about 5 steps and stopped and turned and said "service member". The woman my age turned and looked at me and said Yes?
I left my basket where it was and walked up to her and asked if she was serving. She said no, but she was retired Navy. She asked how I knew and I said your flag pin on your jacket. I told her my father served on the Midway and my step-son had been a medic and that my husband was in the Guard. She looked at her mother/grandmother and back at me and said "I worked on Torpedos." I looked at her and said "That makes you family." Her mother/grandmother was staring at me like I had lost my head so I explained that I just wanted to thank her for her service and to wish her a Happy Holiday and hadn't meant to take up their time. When I looked back at the woman she had a tear running down her face. Don't you know I wasn't on the hankie isle. We smiled at each other and she said thank you and I told her she was welcome and we both went on our way. And....yes I had tears running down my face the whole way down the isle.
Never take for granted the freedoms we have and the people in the past, present and future that protect those freedoms. And don't wait till a patriotic day to tell them Thank You.
Needless to say, today is a day that will stay in the memory banks forever.
While there I remembered I needed Almond Extract for some more cookies I have to make tomorrow so I trucked off to that part of the store.
As I came down the isle I noticed a woman about my age standing there and her mother or Grandmother was pushing the basket and attempting to turn it around in the isle. The woman looked up at me and apologized and I told her not to worry to take her time. Her mother/grandmother got the basket turned and they walked past me and we all smiled at each other. I took about 5 steps and stopped and turned and said "service member". The woman my age turned and looked at me and said Yes?
I left my basket where it was and walked up to her and asked if she was serving. She said no, but she was retired Navy. She asked how I knew and I said your flag pin on your jacket. I told her my father served on the Midway and my step-son had been a medic and that my husband was in the Guard. She looked at her mother/grandmother and back at me and said "I worked on Torpedos." I looked at her and said "That makes you family." Her mother/grandmother was staring at me like I had lost my head so I explained that I just wanted to thank her for her service and to wish her a Happy Holiday and hadn't meant to take up their time. When I looked back at the woman she had a tear running down her face. Don't you know I wasn't on the hankie isle. We smiled at each other and she said thank you and I told her she was welcome and we both went on our way. And....yes I had tears running down my face the whole way down the isle.
Never take for granted the freedoms we have and the people in the past, present and future that protect those freedoms. And don't wait till a patriotic day to tell them Thank You.
Needless to say, today is a day that will stay in the memory banks forever.
Big Lots - New Buzz Club
All of you Big Lots shoppers this is for you. Big Lots has implemented the Buzz Club which is a Big Lots card that earns you up to 20% discount on a future purchase.
Here's the skinny....
You have the cashier scan your Buzz Club Rewards Card every time you shop. Make 10 qualifying purchases of $20 or more and earn a 20% discount on a future purchase. Once you have made your 10 qualifying purchases, you will have 60 days to use your 20% discount.
Calling cards, alcohol, online purchases, rentals and chairtable donations do not qualify. You have one year from the first qualifying purchase to make 9 more qualifying purchases or you start over. You must present your card at time of purchase or at least provide them with enough information that they can find you in the system.
I'm not a regular shopper of Big Lots but there are a few items that I like to get there. One of which is Olive Oil. They have the best price on Olive Oil in town.
If you are a regular shopper of Big Lots this would be a very good discount to use on a larger ticket item, such as an electronic item or piece of furniture, etc.
Go here to Pre-Register. Scroll down till you see the button.
Here's the skinny....
You have the cashier scan your Buzz Club Rewards Card every time you shop. Make 10 qualifying purchases of $20 or more and earn a 20% discount on a future purchase. Once you have made your 10 qualifying purchases, you will have 60 days to use your 20% discount.
Calling cards, alcohol, online purchases, rentals and chairtable donations do not qualify. You have one year from the first qualifying purchase to make 9 more qualifying purchases or you start over. You must present your card at time of purchase or at least provide them with enough information that they can find you in the system.
I'm not a regular shopper of Big Lots but there are a few items that I like to get there. One of which is Olive Oil. They have the best price on Olive Oil in town.
If you are a regular shopper of Big Lots this would be a very good discount to use on a larger ticket item, such as an electronic item or piece of furniture, etc.
Go here to Pre-Register. Scroll down till you see the button.
Posting for the Next 48 Hours
Just wanted to tell you that is going to be difficult posting for the next 24 hours as I have a Christmas dinner to go to tonight and about a kazillion billion cookies to fix for the neighbors. Will post as I can........
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