Freebie Friday: Doctor's Orders

There are those among us with an unhealthy addiction. That addiction is Dr Pepper soda. Feed your addiction for FREE on November 23, 2008! Click here to find out more thanks to Budget Help$!

Works for Me Wednesday: Peeling a Banana

I recently read somewhere that if you peel a banana from the bottom up, you don't have to pull off those little strings that some folks find annoying. Well, I just tried it--it works!

Do Over Menu Plan Monday

Ugh! I was so sick this past week. In fact, five (of the six) of us got a nasty bug. The menu plan went out the window. However, I did get a whole wheat brownie recipe tested.

On to this week's menu:

Meatless Monday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Potato Soup

Tried and True Tuesday

Breakfast: Cheese grits

Dinner: Steak Riders with peppers/onions in a pita (do over from last week)

Work less on Wednesday

Breakfast: Omelets

Dinner: BLTs, baked beans, salad

Thanksgiving Thursday (named after traditional post-Thanksgiving menu planning): Leftovers!

First Time Friday

Breakfast: Baked Donuts (definitely did not make it into the menu last week with all of the sickness...do over)

Dinner: Dinner will be at church right before the Trunk or Treat activity!

Simple Saturday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Tacos (and another do over)

Slow Cooker Sunday

Breakfast: Absolutely Delicious Bran Muffins (do over)

Dinner: Roast, carrots, potatoes, salad, rolls (do over)

For more menus, visit Orgjunkie.com!

The Caregivers Marketplace

Are you the caregiver for a child under 5? Are you the caregiver for a parent? If not, perhaps you at least take care of yourself by purchasing vitamins, natural supplements, or a number of other health-related items. If so, head on over to The Caregivers Marketplace and sign up for a FREE account. Once you purchase at least five items from diapers to pain relievers and a bunch of stuff in between, you can submit the receipts for a rebate on your purchases. While I haven't actually participated yet myself (I just recently learned about it), I have read about the program all over the blogosphere. It seems to be legit. So, click the above link, read the FAQs, and start saving. Oh, happy day!

Energy Saving Opportunities Defined

I first saw this link about appliance energy usage posted on The Crock Pot Lady's website. And now, I share it with you. Because it is awesome. Now I have proof (without having to defend my own calculations) that it is far cheaper to iron the wrinkles out of clothes. And, here's a bonus savings idea (for you, that is): set up a jar for your teenager to deposit loose change when choosing to use the dryer instead of the iron. :)

Thank you, Crock Pot Lady. Thank you.

Freebie Friday: Absurdly Cool Edition

Pick your own freebie on this Freebie Friday by checking out the AburdlyCool Freebie Frinder.

Another Woot Off!

I hear there is another Woot Off today (Wednesday, 10/22)! Click here to check out the goods.

Menu Plan Monday

I am so sad....I typed up my entire post and then accidentally hit the delete key somehow!!! :( So, here it is without all of the original wit and entertainment that you would have loved and appreciated....really....you would have. :)

(P.S. I know I still owe a whole wheat brownie recipe...I'm working on it!)

On to this week's menu:

Meatless Monday

Breakfast: Eggs with salsa

Dinner: Grilled cheese and Rich and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Tried and True Tuesday

Breakfast: Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Dinner: Steak Riders with peppers/onions in a pita

Work less on Wednesday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Hamburger Soup, cornbread

Thanksgiving Thursday (named after traditional post-Thanksgiving menu planning): Leftovers!

First Time Friday

Breakfast: Baked Donuts (what can I say?....I'm feeling ambitious this week!)

Dinner: Herbed Chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, rolls

Simple Saturday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Tacos (I know, I know...I think this is the fifth week we'll try to have those dang tacos!)

Slow Cooker Sunday

Breakfast: Absolutely Delicious Bran Muffins (I've got some Fiber One cereal I bought on sale to use up! It's questionably fit for consumption as a morning cereal.)

Dinner: Roast, carrots, potatoes, salad, rolls (repeat from last week)

For more menus, visit Orgjunkie.com!

Freebie Friday: FREE Haircut!

Another freebie offer from Herbal Essences. Click here to see how you can receive a FREE haircut!

Menu Plan Monday

Having recently acquired an electric wheat grinder, I've been experimenting with whole wheat recipes this weekend. Of course, one of the first recipes I tried was a dessert....whole wheat brownies! I adapted it from the tried and true brownie recipe I posted about here. Since I'd like to ensure reliable results, however, I am going to test it once more this week before I post it on my recipe blog. So, check back mid-week if you're looking to justify your brownie intake like me.

On to this week's menu...

Meatless Monday

Breakfast: Whole wheat toast with jam

Dinner: Hummus with toasted pita bread, fruit salad

Tried and True Tuesday

Breakfast: French Toast

Dinner: BLTs, fries, cinnamon apples

Work less on Wednesday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Pizza and salad

Thanksgiving Thursday (named after traditional post-Thanksgiving menu planning)

Leftovers!

First Time Friday

Breakfast: Southern Cheese Grits (cooked in the crockpot!)

Dinner: Mexican Corn and Bean Soup, cornbread

Simple Saturday

Breakfast: Yogurt with mix-ins

Dinner: Tacos, refried beans (honestly...we've tried for a month to have tacos...for Delta's sake, I hope it happens this week!)

Slow Cooker Sunday

Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins

Dinner: Roast, carrots, potatoes, salad, rolls

For more menus, visit Orgjunkie.com!

Thrifty Thursday: Inexpensive and Easy Window Treatments

I saw this idea posted and wanted to scream with delight! I've been looking for an easy way to dress the girls' bedroom window. I think this will do nicely!

Family Rules

Our preschooler's class was discussing family rules at school this week. She brought home a list yesterday of her idea of our "Home Rules" as told to her teacher. They are:

1) Go outside with a grown up.
2) Don't go in the street.
3) Don't bother Santa.

I might add "until after Thanksgiving" to that third one.

Feeling Fallishly Productive

Did you sign up for the free holiday countdown e-course? I'm thrilled to report that we have: 1) planned costumes (except for one hold out), 2) decorated the interior windows and some doorways with homemade garland (see picture), 3) calendared some exciting activities such as a trip to the Butterflyfest and a local "haunted" history tour (age appropriate, of course), and 4) bought treats to hand out at our church's Trunk or Treat. Whew...I'm feeling very productive, indeed! Amazing what a little e-course will do to get your fall holiday spirit going. :)

Wish Bone Bountifuls Salad Dressing Coupon

Woohoo! Click here to print a coupon for the tasty dressing I mentioned in my Menu Plan Monday post!

Menu Plan Monday

Looking for my menu? You might skip down a paragraph, unless you want to hear my opinion of a fairly new product on the market that we used (unplanned, of course) in our menu last week. I typically don't do "reviews" on this site, and I'm not getting any kickback for this one, but my mom gave us a three-pack of salad dressings from the Wish-Bone Bountifuls line, and hubby and I really liked it! Just as I was about to pound out the chicken to make Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu, he informed me he wanted his without the ham and cheese. WHAT?! That's the whole point! So, I reached into the cupboard determined to try something new and placed my hands on a bottle of Wish-Bone Bountifuls Tuscan Romano Basil dressing (for my recipe, which is embarrasingly easy, click here). It was delicious and sooo simple. :) And, now that I've visited the Wish-Bone website, I see they have recipes listed for each flavor; I'm adding one to this week's menu plan (see First Time Friday below)!

Meatless Monday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Cuban Black Bean Soup

Tried and True Tuesday

Breakfast: Eggs with salsa

Dinner: Easy From-Scratch Chicken Pot Pie

Work less on Wednesday

Breakfast: Oatmeal

Dinner: Grilled Cheese sandwiches, oven fries, Easy Fruit Smoothie

Thanksgiving Thursday (named after traditional post-Thanksgiving menu planning)

Leftovers!

First Time Friday

Breakfast: Easy Granola Bars (tried these for the first time last week as a snack--YUM YUM!)

Dinner: Italian Pasta Salad with Chicken

Simple Saturday

Breakfast: Cereal

Dinner: Tacos, refried beans (repeat - got bumped)

Slow Cooker Sunday

Breakfast: Cheese grits

Dinner: BBQ Riblets, BBQ beans, salad, garlic bread

For more menus, visit Orgjunkie.com!

Freebie Friday - Nearly FREE Halloween Decorations

I LOVE this post about budget decorating for Halloween. Most of the ideas use things you already have around the house (such as milk jugs, egg cartons, and black markers) and are very easy to pull together. Long live the frugal decorator!