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Frugal Costumes!

Abby H.2 Comments

Halloween is coming, are you ready? If your family is like our family, there are times throughout the year when you need a costume. Prior to being mommy and Mrs. Bear, full time, I owned a costuming company, specializing in medieval and renaissance costumes, but I made all kinds of stuff, including a few wedding dresses (never again!), costumes for exotic dancers (helped me learn how to sew velcro in really well!), and pieces for local theatres.

Here are some tips on putting together inexpensive (and awesome) costumes:

1- Plan each costume.  Start with a sketch.  You don’t have to be Bob Mackie, it can be as simple as a stick figure wearing the costume you want or a collage of photos from magazines or the internet.

2- Make a list of everything you need, including accessories (shoes, hats, jewelry), and makeup.

3-Check your closets before you shop.  You might be surprised at what you alredy have and how it can be re-purposed.

4-Ask friends if they have anything you can borrow.  We were able to borrow a lab coat for one of Hubs Comic Con costumes last year and that saved us about $20!

5-Start at your local thrift stores.  Most thrift stores have a great selection of clothing, shoes, accessories, and even fabric!

6- If you find piece(s) that fit, but require minor alterations (hemming, shortening sleeves) and you have the skills, consider buying the piece(s).

7-Give yourself time to plan, sew, and shop. It may take a few trips to various shops to find what you need.

8-Set a budget and stick to it. If you are making an expensive costume, make sure that you will wear it multiple times.  You want to get your moneys worth!

9-Know your limits. If you can’t sew, don’t plan an ambitious costume without assistance!

10-Check estate sales, yard sales, garage sales and Craigslist.

11-If you are planing children’s costumes, check with your mommy friends to see if someone has a costume you can borrow. One of my local mommy groups does a costume swap each August. It’s a great way to score new to you costumes without breaking the bank!

12- If you are going to be sewing your costume, pre-wash the fabric, and follow the pattern directions!

Here is Mr. C. in his Dr. Jonas Venture Sr. Costume (thanks to the Frame Guy for the Pic):

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If you are looking for some books about easy costuming (and no sew costumes) here are a few titles that are in our collection:

Babywearing: Getting stuff done with the Mamaway Ring Sling Baby Carrier!

Abby H.

I’m a baby wearing mama. Why? Well first off, both my kiddos did really well being close to me. They slept well, and were less fussy when I was wearing them, in contrast to the times when they were in their stroller or carseat. There is something to be said for the comfort of being close to Mommy.

IMG_0880Secondly, you can get more stuff done when you are baby wearing. You aren’t trapped in the room with the baby swing or whatever contrivance the kiddo is chilling in. Washing dishes, folding laundry, doing crafts with Lil’ Man. All of these things are possible while baby wearing.

Recently I got the chance to try out a new ring sling from the cool folks at Mamaway. Their ring sling is made fron 100% Pima Cotton, so it’s super comfy, breathable and machine washable!

Mamaway Ring Sling is an all-around baby carrier perfect for your newborn. The right fit and customizable shape gives your baby the perfect comfort, snugness and love they deserve. Position your baby any way you want; upright or lying down, in front, on your hip or behind your back. Ideal for hands-free cuddles- as you can see from my photos in this post.

IMG_0878You can also nurse your kidlet in this sling too, which is a plus in my book! While this ring sling can hold up to 100 pounds, I don’t think I’ll still be toting around Birdy when she’s that big!

Screen Shot 2015-09-05 at 7.21.23 PMI chose the striped “Cesar Salad” Color because I’m trying to keep everything gender neutral. I’m just not into pink. The rings are STRONG, and there is a little pocket in the sling too- perfect for stowing a few things (like my sunglasses!). This is a must have, and would make a great Baby shower gift!

I was given a free Mamaway Ring Sling to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and I received no financial compensation for this review.

Score some food freebies from Ralphs!

Abby H.1 Comment

I love that Ralphs has their Free Friday Download each week where you can score something free each week. This week, there are THREE freebies!

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If you are new to Free Friday Downloads from Ralph’s, here is more info about how it works:

WHAT IS FREE FRIDAY DOWNLOAD? An exclusive benefit to having an account online at ralphs.com is FREE products (yes, we said FREE!). When you download the free product coupon, it will be loaded directly to your Shopper’s Card and applied at checkout in-store.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Visit this page on Fridays

DOWNLOAD the digital coupon for the free product (make sure to download between 12:01 am and 11:59pm PT). View the coupon under ‘My Coupons’ in your account online or in the mobile app.

You have two weeks to redeem this coupon in store! Pick up the product at your local Ralphs store and digital coupon will automatically apply at checkout.

Free lightsaber with every order at BuyCostumes (Today Only!)

Abby H.

(This Post May Contain affiliate links)

The force is with you this Friday, September 4th! When you make a purchase at BuyCostumes on 9/4, you’ll get a free lightsaber! No code or minimum purchase amount is needed, but this incredible gift is only available for one day — 9/4. BuyCostumes will also be releasing new Star Wars costumes just in time for Halloween. Plus, they will continue to run $4.99 flat rate shipping during this time. Make yourself a note to shop BuyCostumes this Friday, September 4th and get your very own lightsaber!

Offer Link: Free lightsaber with every order at BuyCostumes
Coupon Code: No code required
Start and End Date: 9/4/15

Make Money doing Surveys!

Abby H.1 Comment

I love to earn money, I mean who doesn’t?

Taking surveys online is a quick, easy way to make some money in your spare time.  I do surveys when I’ve got downtime (nap time, waiting for school pick up, on nights when Hubs has dinner meetings with clients or is out of town, etc.)  I don’t watch a lot of TV, so surveys are a good way to pass the time and make a little scratch. I work on surveys about 15-20 minutes each day, usually in the morning while Birdy is still asleep and Lil’ Man is watching Sesame Street and enjoying a warm cup of milk.

Here are a few of the survey panels that I am crazy about. I also included how much I’ve earned doing surveys from each one this year.
Valued Opinions sends my emails about twice a week to do quick surveys that take 10 minutes or less. : $25 so far in 2015

 

 

 

MySurvey.com is a group of consumers from throughout the United States who influence future products and services by volunteering to participate in consumer research. By sharing your opinions about products and services, you are rewarded with Reward Points to redeem for cash and merchandise. $30 so far in 2015

 

 
Opinion Outpost conducts surveys because businesses, governments, public bodies, and similar organizations are interested in the views and attitudes of the people who use their products and services. Take Surveys to give your opinion and shape the future.

Rewards include get cash, Amazon gift cards, game points, donations to your favorite charities, and more. Everyone is also automatically entered to a $10,000 sweepstakes by joining and taking surveys. The minimum cash out for Paypal is $10 and only $5 for Amazon gift cards. $60 so far in 2015.

Earn Cash with Paid View Point. Surveys are short (less than 5 minutes).  Earn cash with each Survey.   You get $1.00 when you sign up! The pay out is $15.00, and it takes about a month to earn $15.00. So far in 2015, I’ve earned about $75.00.

Earn Gift cards with Mypoints. I take surveys, click links in emails, and do all of my online shopping through Mypoints. So far in 2015, I’ve earned about $45.00.

I love to do surveys with Pinecone Research. They aren’t always looking for new participants, but check out their website and see if you fit their open demographics. I make about $20/Month doing short surveys (10 minutes or less).

With all of these survey companies, these are surveys I am pre-qualified for. No spending 10-30 minutes only to learn that you aren’t getting paid and they don’t want your opinions (that’s the #1 reason I do not do Swagbucks surveys and I don’t recommend you waste your time doing them either). All of these companies will email you when they have surveys for you to do. Take surveys, and collect points towards rewards (like Paypal payouts or gift cards).

Which survey companies do you use and like?

 

A New Month means New Coupons!

Abby H.

file000786402730Here is your monthly reminder!  A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

One of my favorite website is the Sunday Coupon Review.  It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of https://hewesfamilyfun.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/saving-money-with-your-smartphone/Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks!

Here are just a few of the new coupons that have me excited:

$0.50 off ONE (1) package of HUGGIES Wipes
$0.50 off 1 Reese's Puffs cereal It’s our favorite family snack!
$1.00 off any 1 BOCA Foods product
$1.00 off any one HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER Meats

Review: Disney Pink Minnie Costume from Wholesale Halloween Costumes

Abby H.

Halloween will be here before we know it. So I’ve started the hunt for costumes early. Lil’ Man is presenting a challenge because he keeps changing his mind every 20 minutes, but Birdy is easy. Whatever I want to put her in works!

So this year she’s going be Minnie Mouse! Wholesale Halloween CostumesIMG_0731 IMG_0730 IMG_0729 has TONS of great, quality licensed Disney costumes. It was hard to chose, but after lots of hemming and hawing, we settled on Minnie. Right now it’s too big, but by Halloween it should be perfect!

The Minnie Mouse Costume Includes Onsie Tutu with Headband with Ears. It comes in two sizes: Fits 6-12 months or Fits 12-18 months.

What I love most is that the costume is based on a onsie, so in case of diaper change, it’s a quick job, no fussing to get the entire costume off and back on.

The fabric is excellent quality, and after inspecting it from head to tail (figure of speech, there is no actual tail on this costume) and I couldn’t find an errant thread or missed stitch.

I can’t wait to pair this dress up with a pair of white lace ankle socks and a cute pair of patent leather Mary Jane shoes (or maybe I’ll just get her a pair of Trompette socks)!

Wholesale Halloween Costumes has tons of incredible costumes new for 2015, including this cute Minnie Mouse costume. If you don’t have a little girl, don’t fret, they have costumes for little boys, teens of both genders, and and great variety of adult costumes.

If you order your costume before 4pm EST and your costume is shipping THE SAME DAY!

You can catch up with Wholesale Halloween Costumes on Twitter, Facebook, and of course, their website!

Lil’ Man is carefully weighing his costume options. We go to a bunch of Halloween events before the big day, including the Boo Parade, local community carnivals, and our play group halloween party. What do your kids want to dress up as for Halloween?

Disclosure: I was provided this costume in exchange for my unbiased, honest opinion. I was not financially compensated to write this review.

 

Two VentureFlex Shoes for $40 Plus Free Shipping at Reebok!

Abby H.

**The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

If you haven’t finished your BTS shopping yet, here is a great sale. Through tonight, can get two pairs of  two pairs VentureFlex Shoes for $40 + Free Shipping with the code Venture.

After years of Lil’ Man destroying shoes (Boys have some crazy super powers!), I wised up and started buying him better made shoes. They may be a little more expensive at the start, but they last so much longer that I’m saving money in the long run!

Reebok has a lot of great sales coming up! I’ll try to post about them as they go live!

Savings Bonds: The gift that keeps on giving!

Abby H.

file0001658617775Thanks to hubs for the idea to post about this! Savings bonds are an awesome gift for the kiddo in your life that may have everything, or for the sullen teenager on your list.

Savings Bonds are an awesome long-term investment for kids. It teaches patience, and the value of savings.

You can no longer purchase paper savings bonds (the government nixed that program a few years ago), however, the $25 EE bond can still be given electronically.

The 0.10 percent interest at purchase turns into 3.5 percent-plus rate of return once the bond is held for 20 years and its value doubles! Depending on the age of the recipient, it may mature in time for college expenses!

A friend of hubs Grandmother purchased bonds for him and his sister each year got about 10 years. The bonds started to mature a few years ago, so he’s been cashing them out as they mature. It was a very thoughtful gift, and over the years the money has come in handy.

The interest is subject to federal income taxes, but free from state and local levies.

To give a savings bond (available in any denomination from $25 to $10,000) an adult has to set up a Treasury Direct account in the child’s name, but the account is only accessible by the giver until the youngster reaches 18.

While the savings bond is only digital, making a certificate and attaching the receipt to the back (for mom and dad’s records) is a good idea. The Treasury website is there to help! There is still a choice of seven colorful gift cards that can be printed out and wrapped.

Heck, I heard that even Santa likes to give Savings Bonds!

For more details on giving savings bonds and the paperwork, click here.

Recipe: Corned Beef in the CrockPot

Abby H.2 Comments

file291242792789I usually save this recipe for right around St. Patrick’s Day, but there are people who enjoy Corned Beef all year, so I thought, Why not post this now?

I know a lot of people don’t like corned beef because every time they’ve had it, it was chewy or tough.  I’ll share a secret with you: bake it, don’t boil it!  When you bake the meat at a low temperature in a crock pot for hours and hours, the heat breaks up the collagen and fat, leaving you with a tender, falling apart yummy corned beef, not the rubbery mess you got at the pub last year with your annual Guinness.

If the crock pot isn’t your speed, you can bake the corned beef in the oven at a lower temperature over several hours and get the same effect.

Baked Corned Beef

Ingredients:

  • 1 Corned Beef Brisket (2-4 lbs),
  • 1 cup (not packed) brown sugar- Light or dark, use whatever you have
  • 1 jar Stone Ground Mustard (I like Ingelhoffer or Moorehouse)- DO NOT USE DIJON. USE STONE GROUND MUSTARD ONLY.

Directions:

For Crockpot: line your crockpot with a Crockpot liner and turn on to LOW.

For Oven: Preheat oven to 250 degrees

  1. Remove beef from package. Rinse meat. Discard packaging and spice envelope.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar and mustard. Stir until combined. It’s ok if it’s lumpy.
  3. Place beef in crockpot or baking dish.
  4. Pour sugar/mustard mixture over meat.

Crockpot: Put lid on pot and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Oven: Cover loosely with foil and bake at 250 degrees for 3-4 hours.  Remove foil for last hour of baking.

Serve with baked or boiled New Potatoes, cabbage, and carrots.  I dislike boiled cabbage, so I usually make Coleslaw with Walden Farms Coleslaw dressing.

If you have any leftovers (you probably won’t) it makes great corned beef hash too.

Oh, and Corned beef stays pink after it’s cooked because of how it is cured (or corned), so if you are squiffy about stuff like that, get a food thermometer. It should read 160 degrees or higher.