It’s baaack! Once a year, Chick-Fil-A celebrates Cow Appreciation Day. You can celebrate too and score free food when you dress like a cow.
Need some inspiration or more info? Check out their Tumblr Page.
frugal life
Who wants free hair color?
If you are waving your arms around shouting, “Me, Me”, then you have come to the right post.
I color my hair. I won’t lie. Looking this awesome isn’t cheap, but it can be when you sign up for L’oreal Gold Rewards.
When you enter 5 codes found inside L’Oreal boxes, but you can also find them free online (Check here), you’ll receive a coupon for a free box of L’Oreal hair color. They also have a free sample that you can try for each Monday. There are only 500 samples available, I’ve never gotten one. But getting free hair color is even better.
You can enter 2 codes per month, and Gold Rewards members have a shot at receiving one awesome freebie per month (information available on their website).
I received a coupon for a box of free hair color 2 weeks ago, and I redeemed it for some much needed Light Auburn. Now I’m looking a bit less disheveled. Just a bit. I still have spit up on my shirt…
For those of us who color our hair, share a hair coloring secret. How often do you re-color? What’s your favorite brand and color? What’s your biggest hair color disaster? I was platinum blonde! OY Vey, thankfully there is no photographic evidence!
And if you are looking for a coupon to get you started on collecting L’Oreal Codes, check this out:
All East County YMCA locations are FREE and OPEN to the community every Friday in July!
Great news for my East County peeps!!
All East County YMCA locations are FREE and OPEN to the community every Friday in July!
With activities and programs for all ages, Freebie Fridays at the Y are a perfect opportunity to connect with family and friends this summer. Spend some quality time working out alongside your child, taking a spin class with a neighbor, or grab your bathing suit and beat the heat at one of our beautiful pools! At the Y, the doors are open to everyone because all families count!
I am super excited to hear this! I’ll def. be taking advantage of this with both Lil’ Man and Lil’ Miss. I see some open swim time in our future!! We LOVE the interactive rec pool and water slide at the Cameron YMCA in Santee!!
Exciting Science fun: Little Passports Coral Reef Kit
**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.
I am super excited to share this deal. Lil’ Man and I are up to tons of sciencw-y fun this summer, and I JUMPED on this cool kit when I saw it!
Are you looking for a fun science project for your kids to do? What about one that can spark conversations regarding different ecosystems around the world? Sound like something for your Little Explorer? Little Passports has you covered!
With simple step-by-step instructions, this easy science activity for kids demonstrates how crystals form and encourages an understanding of underwater ecosystems.
Set up your trays with the paper coral forms, add the terraforming solution, and enjoy your child’s amazement as you both watch the transformation!
The Companion Guide features new adventures in Australia with Sam & Sofia as they explore the world’s largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef.
The kit includes:
- Three coral forms, trays and terraforming solution
- Instruction booklet with easy to follow step-by-step instructions
- Companion Guide, featuring more Australia adventures with Sam and Sofia
The Coral Reef Kit is recommended for ages 6+
This fun science project is only $12.95 + shipping! Click here to purchase your very own Little Passports Coral Reef Kit .
A New Month means New Coupons!
I saw a reader today at Walgreens (She recognized Lil’ Man) and she asked why I stopped reminding readers that there are new coupons at the beginning of each month. I told that I shifted my focus away from deals and couponing, but she asked if I could *please* bring back my once a month reminder posts. So Here ya go Liz, just for you!! But, remember, there are no coupons this weekend due to the holiday!
A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!
Check out the following sites:
- Coupons.com (printable an e-coupons),
- Redplum (printable),
- SmartSource (Printable),
- SavingStar (E-Coupons)
You can also sign up for Free Printable coupon alerts via email. You’ll get an email whenever printable coupons meeting your search parameters are available!
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.
Free Photo book from Shutterfly!
(**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.)
SQUEE! So I’m a little behind on some of the deals going on right now, but here is one I am super excited to share! Now through tomorrow at midnight, you can score a free 20-pg 8×8 hard cover photo book from Shutterfly when you use Coupon Code SUNNYBOOK at checkout.
I’m ordering one tonight!!
Here is the super boring (but important) fine print: Offer expires June 30, 2015 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for one free 20-standard finish page 8×8 hard photo cover photo book through shutterfly.com, our mobile-friendly site or Shutterfly apps. Offer cannot be redeemed more than once per account and/or billing address. Taxes, shipping, and handling will apply. Customer may add options to their 8×8 book (additional pages, StorytellingTM styles and elements, photo book accessories, other cover types, etc.) at additional cost. Alternatively, customer may apply the current price of a 20-standard finish page 8×8 hard photo cover photo book (after taking into account any current discounts on shutterfly.com) toward the purchase of a larger photo book. Not valid on 5×7, 7×9, or 8×8 soft cover photo books, TripPix, prepaid plans, other products and prior purchases. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale.
Crockpot Recipe: Moosie’s Pot Roast!
This is a family recipe that’s been around for years. Moosie was a friend of my great-grandmother who lived up in Chicago.
This pot roast recipe is what Moosie served when they had company from out of town. It’s easy enough to make for your family any night of the week. The leftovers (if you have any) make a great open faced sandwich.
Moosie’s Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 2-3 lb. pot roast, your favorite cut (I like Chuck Roast)
- 1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
- 1 envelope powdered onion soup mix (I like Lipton’s)
Directions:
- Brown the pot roast, place it in the crock pot.
- In a small bowl, mix the soups, and pour over the roast.
- Place cover on crock pot and cock on low for 6-8 hours.
- Before serving, shred the roast with a fork.
- If you would like creamier gravy, add 4-6 tablespoons of low fat sour cream 20-30 minutes before serving.
Serves about 6-8. Serve with mashed potatoes or broccoli.
You can also place 1 whole onion, sliced in the bottom of the crock pot, then the roast, and then poured the gravy sauce overall of it.
Trips and tricks for saving money on your next car purchase…
We had to replace Mr. C’s 14 year old Pontiac last year. It was time. Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of friends talking about replacing their older cars that aren’t as fuel efficient or that are starting to need some pretty costly repairs.
We knew the time to replace the old, creaky Pontiac was coming, so to prepare for the new car I did the following step
- We made a list of cars that met our qualifications: price, specific gas mileage, features (safety & comfort). With a price range in mind, we could make sure that we had enough saved for a down payment.
- We made sure that we had room in our budget for a car payment. We paid my car off last year (an entire year early!! I rounded up payments each month to the closest $10 and when we had extra money from rebates or bonuses, I sent a few extra hundred dollars to the finance company- those things really do help!).
- I had been saving money each paycheck for a down payment. It wasn’t a lot of money each month, but we’ve known for about a year that the Pontiac was on it’s last legs.
- We filed our tax returns as soon as we were able- We wanted to use the majority of our refund toward the downpayment.
- We looked online for vehicles that fit our qualifications, we used connections (that would also provide us discounts) through our credit union, insurance carrier, and through sources like UPromise to find vehicles within our price range.
- We went into the dealerships pre-approved for a loan through our credit union.
- We knew what was on our credit reports and our scores (Thanks to using CreditSesame), so we knew that we could leverage that if needed to try and get a better APR.
- I checked with our insurance carrier prior to purchasing the new car to see what the insurance premiums would look like on several cars on our list. We needed the premiums to stay pretty much the same.
In the end we purchased a 2011 Prius from Toyota of El Cajon. The process was easy, fast (4 hours, but if you’ve bought a car, you know how long it takes), and our sales consultant, Jason Mongold, was awesome. He and his managers helped us find a car that met our criteria and budget, and they gave us a great amount for our trade-in.
Take your time and make sure you review all of your options when buying a car. Whether you buy new or used, from a dealership or private party, do your research!
Carfax Reports– learn all about the car you are about to buy (accidents, title status). Most dealerships that sell pre-owned cars will show you the CarFax report before you purchase.
KBB.com– Find out the value of your trade-in, and the value of the car you are about to purchase.
What are your tips and tricks for purchasing a car?
Greek Yogurt- A great frugal ingredient!
I bet a lot of you see the coupons for Greek yogurt and pass it by. Maybe you’ve sampled it at Costco or the grocery store and were turned off by it’s thick texture or tart taste.
Greek yogurt (or strained yogurt as it is referred to in other parts of the world) has a lot more going for it than the sugary yogurt in the little cup with a french name.
1- It’s got double the protein than regular yogurt. That means you’ll stay fuller longer.
2- It’s lower in Carbs. That’s because most Greek yogurts don’t contains all kinds of funky sweeteners.
3- It works well in all kinds of recipes in place of sour cream, mayo, and oil. I use it in baked goods instead of the liquid oil or butter. It adds a richness without adding fat.
4- It makes a killer chip or veggie dip, baked potato topping, or chili topping plain or dressed up with herbs and spices.
Greek Yogurt is a frugal ingredient because it’s so versatile! You can eat it as is, dress it up with herbs, fruit, granola, or use it in recipes. We buy the large carton of Fage at Costco every few weeks. It’s the cheapest place in town for us to get Greek Yogurt. If you aren’t a Costco shopper, keep your eyes open for coupons and sales! Here are just a few:
- $1.00 off any five cups of Yoplait Greek yogurt
- $1.00 off any three CHOBANI FLIP Greek Yogurt
- $1.00 off three CHOBANI SIMPLY 100 Greek Yogurt
Here is my favorite dip recipe with Greek Yogurt- perfect for sharing at any potluck! It’s got thicker texture, and it’s not for a wimpy chip- I dip pita chips and veggies.
Herbed Yogurt cheese dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups greek yogurt
- 2 T. chopped shallots
- 2 T. minced onions
- 1 T. minced garlic
- spray release (like Pam)
- 3 T. herbs of your choice- I like Mural of Flavor from Penzey’s. (You may want more or less)
- Salt and pepper to taste (I don’t add either)
- cheese cloth (It’s on the baking aisle at the grocery store)
Directions
- Wet the cheesecloth, wring out and stretch over the mouth of a bowl. Secure with string or a large rubber band.
- Gently pour the yogurt over the stretched cheesecloth, and spread evenly over the cheese cloth. What you are doing is straining out any extra whey (liquid) from the yogurt. This is cause it to thicken up and make one helluva dip! You can leave it on the counter for 1-2 hours to drain, as long as the temperature in your house is at or under 75 degrees. (We never turn on the heater at our house, so that’s never a problem). If you house is warm, you can place the bowl in the fridge.
- In the mean time, spray a saucepan with spray release (or you can use a little EVOO if you prefer), and saute the shallots, onions, and garlic over low for 45-50 minutes until they start to caramelize. Remove from heat, and pour int oa large bowl. Place in fridge to cool.
- After yogurt has drained, scrape the yogurt solids from the cheesecloth into the bowl with the sautéed shallots, onions, and garlic.
- Mix well and add herbs. Place in fridge for a minimum of 1-2 hours before serving. I make this dip the day before I want to serve it.
- Discard the liquid that drained off the yogurt and the used cheesecloth.
- Serve the dip with veggies, pita chips, or use it as a topping on your baked potato or chili.
Serves 10-20.
If you like your dips sweet instead of herbs and veggies, you can add a few tablespoons of jelly or jam to strained yogurt and a smidge of cinnamon to make a fruit dip.
How do you like to serve Greek Yogurt?
Shopping for real food on a budget!
As you can see from the photo, we buy a lot of fruit.
I bought this fruit late last week, and within 3 days, the raspberries and cantaloupe were GONE.
So why am I sharing this photo of my fruit purchases? To illustrate that you can eat healthy on a budget.
I visited Our local Ralphs, armed with 8 $1/1 Driscoll Coupons (Internet printable coupons from their surveys), a $5/$15 Produce E-coupon on my Ralphs card (like them on Facebook here and you’ll be notified when new produce coupons are added- usually once a month), and a free Muller Yogurt E-coupon (Free Friday Download).
For $4.19 Out of Pocket, I brought home:
8 containers of driscoll’s raspberries
2 bananas
1 mango
1 personal sized watermelon
1 cantaloupe
1 muller yogurt
1 carton coolwhip
The raspberries are $1.28/carton, so after $1/1 Q they are a paltry .28/carton. SCORE. I saved over $50 with my coupons and ralphs club card. UGH. I can’t imagine paying full price for anything.
The only not so “real food” purchase was the whipped topping. I made the Cool whip into Bachelor Mousse (1 small box instant chocolate pudding, 1 1/2 cups milk, whole carton of cool whip, beat together and serve with fruit) and we had it for dessert a few times. It’s quick, easy, and the boys LOVE IT.
So you can do it- keep your eyes open for sales on produce, meat, whole grains, and other stuff your family likes to eat. Don’t forget to take advantage of printable coupons and rebate/money saving apps!
Hewes Family Fun 