I filed my taxes the other day, and was absolutely thrilled to see I was getting a lot more back then I normally do. I qualified for a higher EI credit and I made a little bit more this year. I am a freelancer too, so I don’t get back as much as others usually because I have to actually pay my taxes, but I usually get something back. This year I get a lot more.

The problem is, I know I will spend it quickly. It’s the one time of year I am less than frugal. Last year I got a new laptop and an iPod touch among other things – some new clothes, a few dinners out, software, books, etc. I’m always happy with what I buy though, so its not like I am just blowing it. I’m still not sure what things I will be doing with it this year, except I know I need a new laptop cord for one of the laptops the kids use, and I’d like to upgrade from my tiny netbook I got a couple of months back to a full size laptop again. I guess I’ll check back in with my tax spending in a couple of weeks and let you know what came about.

Do you have plans for your tax check yet?

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Wow. Sometimes people seriously go to extremes to be frugal. And honestly, the woman I am about to tell you about, did it more for the principal of it being her money, but she fought for over 10 years about 14 cents. Is that not the craziest thing ever?

It all started over a cheap phone plan on pre paid phone bill. She was left with .14 at the end, and one day it just disappeared. She felt it was her .14 so she began a long process to get it back. And guess what? She did!

She was sent her check for .14. I know its the principal, but is it really worth it to be THAT frugal? Here is the article.

DO you know anyone who has done, or does something crazy to save money?

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This Christmas is definitely a frugal one. We simply just don’t have as much as normal, but we were dealing with it (or ignoring it completely). I have been quite stressed about it, and have gone as far as to talk to the kids about the fact that we just don’t have what we normally have for Christmas. They were receptive, and honestly I was happy to see their Christmas lists this year, except for one kid that asked for a new MP3 player – her THIRD. She keeps breaking them.

Anyway, the rest of them asked for practical items like clothing, socks, etc.

I was ecstatic last night to hear that Mike got offered two nights of working overtime after Christmas. Why would that make me happy when we need the cash FOR Christmas? Easy. The guy that offered, paid him $200 to work them! Up front. Like as in he has it in his hand right this very minute. It’s such a mundane amount normally, but for us it means getting a few more Christmas gifts than we would have.

So here’s to Christmas overtime! LOL (You will never hear me say that again, I’m sure!)

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There’s nothing better than getting a good deal while still getting a nice gift for someone, and feeling happy when its well received. With Christmas quickly  approaching, I thought I would share a nice list of cheap/frugal gift ideas that I posted on my other frugal blog once upon a time. This list isn’t just for Christmas though. It would be good for any holiday or birthday or just as a “because”. If you have any great frugal gift ideas that I haven’t shared on this list, please feel free to leave a comment down below with your idea. At this time of year especially I can use as many cheap gift ideas as I can get or ways to save money and I am quite certain you can too. Wouldn’t it be great to have a $10 Christmas?

You can! Just check out this list or let it get your own creative thinking juices flowing!

1. Journal
2. Book (check out Walmart or Target)
3. Picture frames. Throw in a  picture too.
4. Personally Painted Picture. You don’t have to be an artist.
5. Gourmet Coffee
6. Ornament
7. CD
8. $10 itunes gift card
9. Wall Calendar
10. Gift in a Jar: cookies, brownies, cocoa mix, etc.
11. Greeting Card Set – Make them yourself and its even less.
12. Seed Packets with gardening gloves in a basket.
13. Kitchen Timer
14. Small alarm clock
15. flashlight set
16. magnets
17. a game
18. Puzzle
19. deck of cards
20. movie night basket – coupon for free rental, couple of cans of soda, bag of popcorn and box of candy (you can also get DVD’s for as low as $4 or $5 at Wal-mart.
21. Coffee Mug
22. Package of socks
23. Gloves
24. Scarf
25. Belt
26. Craft Supplies for a craft they enjoy
27. Address Book
28. Bath Poof and Soaps or Shower Gel
29. Body Spray
30. Lip gloss/lipstick in a make-up pouch
31. Bath Salts
32. Candles
33. Christmas Decorations
34. DVD or Video
35. Wallet
36. Crazy Socks
37. Slippers
38. Slipper Socks
39. Sunglasses
40. Notebooks and Pen Set
41. Tea Cup with Box of Tea
42. Mug and Packets of Hot Chocolate
43. Brush/Comb Set
44. Earrings
45. Necklace (check out Rue 21 – COOL STUFF there!)
46. Child’s artwork framed.
47. Post Its and Paper Clips (office supplies)
48. Stationary and Pens
49. Nail Polish, Manicure Set
50. Handmade Recipe Cookbook
51. Hand Towels or Dish Towels
52. Kitchen gadgets
53. Photo Album
54. Potpourri or other nice smelling stuff.
55. Pet toys for the pet owner
56. Travel coffee mug for the commuter.
57. Mouse pad
58. Ear Buds or Head Phones
59. Mixing Bowls
60. Platters or Trays for serving
61. Candy Dish with some candy
62. Hand held mirror, you can find small vanity mirrors for cheap too.
63. Stamps and Greeting Cards
64. Coupon Organizer
65. Homemade breads, muffins, cookies or cakes.
66. Bottle of wine. Some cheap wine tastes great!
67. Set of wine glasses or drinking glasses
68. salt and pepper shakers
69. organizing item (look through an organizing section – there are plenty of things under $10)
70. Can of tennis balls, golf balls, golf tees, etc. Look in the sports aisle for things under $10 for the sports nut.
71. Keychain
72. Markers/colored pencils/crayons and drawing pad/coloring book/tracing paper (depending on age and recipient)
73. Chocolate. No really, chocolate. Have you  no clue what the perfect gift is?
74. Perfume or Cologne
75. Make a whole meal and take it to them.

I had a second list at one point that was called 75 MORE Gift Ideas for $10.00 or less, but I cannot find it at all. So while I’m looking for that, feel free to share any ideas you have that are $10 or less.

Reader suggestions:

• coasters
• 6-pack of craft beer
• a plain shot glass painted by you.
• personalized item from a gift shop.

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I get some of the strangest emails, and this particular post is all about a strange forwarded email I got. I’ve seen it once before and it is definitely interesting, but many of the solutions/ideas I already know, but maybe you don’t. It is a whole list of ways to use products you might already have as home remedies. I thought I would share the ideas with you, because who can’t use a few Home Remedies using products we might already have on hand. I can honestly say, that I have every one of these products in my house right now… and I feel a headache coming on. Where’s the Gatorade?

Here ya go:

Who knew?

• Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers?
• Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?
• Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They’ll clear up your stuffed nose.
• Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.
• Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.
• Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer.. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never advertised for this use.
• Honey remedy for skin blemishes… cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.
• Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.
• Easy eyeglass protection… to prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
• Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer… if menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can’t find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.
• Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer’s Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
• Hunt’s Tomato Paste boil cure.. cover the boil with Hunt’s Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.
• Balm for broken blisters… to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.
• Vinegar to heal bruises… soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.
• Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.. it’s not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

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Do you ever wonder how long your bottle of mayo or ketchup is good for in your fridge before it goes bad?
I found an awesome website that is filled with the answers to these questions and lots of other tough food questions. I love the articles and information from the site, and I think you will probably find it useful too. And the website lists all kinds of food and how to keep them fresh longer as well as when you should toss them out.

Check out Still Tasty.

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When I first saw the Keurig coffee maker, I thought it was totally not for me – I was in love with my current coffee maker and had no need for a new one. And with as much coffee as I drink in a day it seemed that a single cup coffee maker would not work in my household. It took me months after I first discovered it, to even see one in person and even then, while I was impressed, I still couldn’t see how it would fit into my lifestyle.

A couple of months later, my favorite coffee maker decided to take a break on me. It just died. Not even a year old, over $100 retail and there was no logical reason that it quit working, it just did. The grinder worked on it, but it wouldn’t transfer the water. I tried to make it work but to no avail, and I was annoyed. I knew I would have to do something soon, because using a borrowed coffee pot from your best friend is not the way to make a good pot of coffee.

A few nights later I was at the store with the kids and we were looking at the newer George Foreman grills because I am wanting one for Christmas. We decided to wander into the coffee machine aisle and immediately I feasted my eyes on the Keurig again. The machine truly had me intrigued by its design, shape and concept and it was on clearance for a substantial discount, since they had just come out with a new model. I won’t lie, I bought it on a whim. Even as I set it up when I got home, I started to think – seriously, my frugal mind has gone out the window. Why would this coffee maker work for me?

I loved the large reservoir for the water, I could fill it each morning, and I have yet to need to refill it before the days end, which is nice. When you first turn the machine on, it takes a moment or two to get the heat element hot, so your first cup of the day probably takes about 2 minutes total to brew from start to finish including dropping in the k-cup and filling the water reservoir. After that? Every cup of coffee takes about 30 seconds until you turn the machine off for the day.

As soon as one cup is brewed, provided you don’t turn off the machine, it immediately sucks water out of the reservoir and holds it on the heating element until the next cup, which means that as soon as you are ready for a new cup of coffee, the water is already hot. The brewing takes about 30 seconds to fill your cup and voila! Very cool.

At first, I loved popping the little K-cups in and having a fresh brewed cup of coffee less than 30 seconds later. Actually, I said at first, but I still love that – those little K Cups are ingenious and the flavors are awesome. But after a week, I was out of the starter set of K-cups they give you (a box of 40 that are a mix of coffee, tea and hot chocolate) and it was time to get some new ones. So we headed out to the store to purchase them. I was a bit surprised at the cost for a box of them. Maybe to others that is a great deal, but since I buy my Folgers in bulk, and when I do buy gourmet it is only when it is drastically discounted or I have a coupon, it was alarming. I would be spending over $10 a week on coffee, when right now I spend less than $7 a month on coffee.

Deflated and discouraged, I decided I would stick the Keurig in my garage sale in the Spring with a $20 tag and a note that said “only used 7 times”. I decided to browse the other, less expensive coffee makers that brew an entire pot. I had chosen one, and was ready to spend another $50 on a coffee maker that made more sense, when something caught my eye.

I found this beautiful little piece of equipment. Suddenly I saw my frugal dreams coming true. This little reusable coffee filter fits right inside where the K-Cups go and you can use any ground coffee you want. Awesome.

It has now been about 2 months since I started using the Keurig Single-Cup Home-Brewing System, and honestly I think I am saving more money now than I was on coffee before. Here’s why.

I am used to drinking about a pot of coffee or more a day. When the coffee pot would get low, often I would fill my cup with the last bit of coffee and brew another pot. When that was fresh and hot, I’d throw out what I was drinking and pour myself another cup. One cup wasted. Then, if I got tired of coffee, however much was left in the pot, got wasted too. Now, I make exactly how much coffee I need in a day and I never waste a single cup.

Also, when I would need to get up in the morning and leave immediately, I really only needed one or two cups, there was no real way to do that. I would brew a pot of coffee, pour myself one when I was getting ready, drink that and then grab a travel mug and fill it. All the rest of the coffee in the pot got wasted. That doesn’t happen anymore.

With the additional reusable filter, I can buy any coffee I want. If I want to make it flavored or gourmet, I can do that too. I can add a little bit of spice to the coffee grounds, and when that cup is freshly brewed, I have gourmet coffee. Delicious, hot and fresh.

The only thing I can honestly say that I don’t like about the coffee pot, is that I have to constantly refill the reusable filter. I clean it out between each use and fill it again just to get a cup. It’s a bit annoying, but its not a huge deal. I give the coffee pot FOUR stars. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is due to the price of the K-Cups and the suggested retail price of the actual coffee maker. They are a bit high in my opinion, since many of the cheaper models still make delicious coffee. Yes, I recommend it to others, but only if you can justify spending the money on the coffee maker, and are willing to spend the extra $10 on the reusable filter.

Do you have this coffee maker? What do you think?

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Ack! I am so sorry about the Blog Carnival and its untimely posting. I’m relieved I came to check on the carnival this morning. For some really strange reason, it posted my original draft version of the carnival, instead of the final copy. I am SO sorry. HERE is the Blog Carnival in its entirety and not all crazy.

While off to a rough start this morning, the Make It From Scratch Blog Carnival rocked this week…

Cute Craft and Gift Ideas

• Emily made the cutest T-Shirt Scarfs posted over at Insert Catchphrase Here. Great gift idea and super simple.
• I thought of so many ways I could incorporate the cute Tissue Paper Flowers that Crafty Rose posted over at Fine Craft Guild .com. These could embellish all kinds of things and would look really cute in a vase clustered together.
• The minute my daughter saw the cute Mother/Daughter Aprons that Abi posted at lighter side, she wanted to get started right away. These are GREAT gift ideas, and I am positive that my daughter and I will probably be sporting matching aprons at Christmas time.
• Brooke presents a DIY Backless T-Shirt posted over at her blog Rambling Brooke. Not only is this the easiest thing to do, it looks absolutely amazing – there is no way you can tell it is handmade and not store bought. Totally fashionable and really cute.
• gp gave us a glimpse into a Fall To Do list with Gotta Help with the Chores Here « Musings from Montana and even ended with a delicious recipe for Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf posted over at Musings from Montana. Can I just say, I really wish I was in Montana at this time of year. So beautiful.
• Kerry Fletcher taught us How to Decorate Your Christmas Tree Like a Professional Designer, which made me so ready to put up the tree. It’s posted over at Interior Design Info.
• Lori Vaughn had a really cute idea for a Make It Yourself Christmas #2 Clipboard. My kids tell me it would be a fun gift to do, check it out over at Telling Secrets
• RecycleCindy showed us how to make a really cute Recycled Flat Bottom Plastic Tote Bag. Not only is a great “recycle” project but it would make a great gift idea! Find it over at My Recycled Bags.com.

Money Saving

• Lucky made bringing the holidays into your home a little bit easier and cheaper, thanks to her great post Thanksgiving — Natural Decorations Are In This Year! posted at Making My Own Luck.
• June Tree tells us all about a DIY Debt Management Plan: Go On Oprah’s Debt Diet!. As far as I’m concerned, Oprah is my hero – it helps that she is famous, but she always has the best advice. Check it out at The Digerati Life.
• Wise_Bread just taught me how to go natural for a lot less than I thought I could with the post Stock A Natural Food Pantry For Less. This is a great post that gives you ideas and ways to save money and still eat healthy posted at Wisebread
• Rosey Dusk had another take on decorating anytime, with Give a Room a New Look when your Broke. which she posted over at living cheap now.
• The Smarter Wallet (I need one of those!) shows us 7 Frugal Tips To Clean and Care For Your Clothes, which is awesome because there are simply not a enough ways to save money on things we need to do. Cleaning clothes is a must, so this article was awesome, posted at The Smarter Wallet.
• Jennifer Powlison gave us a great Laundry Detergent Recipe, AKA Jenn’s Laundry Jello Soap, which I found really unique and cannot wait to try. It is posted at Confessions of a Cheapskate.
• Quirky Momma closes out this weeks Money Saving articles with Tiny Storage Solutions for Cluttered Spaces which anyone who knows me, knows I needed to read that! Check her out over at Tips for Moms, Activities for kids by Quirky Mommas.

Delicious Food

• There is nothing better than making S’mores over an open fire, unless it is eating the Smores Cupcakes that cookingfor5 posted at Budget Crafting.
• When I think about Fall, apples always seem to come to mind. Cyndi L gave us the recipe for Apple tarts that look absolutely delicious posted over at Real Food Fast!.
• Kristia had my mouth watering this morning checking out her Make It Yourself Monday – Turkey Sausage, Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe posted at Family Balance Sheet.
• Nutella has always been interesting to me. Toni got my curiosity further peaked with her Nutella Wontons she posted at Wifely Steps. They sound yummy!
• The Homemaking Helper showed us a recipe for one of my favorite holiday cookies, Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss Cookies. The recipe is posted on her blog The Homemaking Helper.
• Fabulously Broke (which I always am – cute name) gave us Recipe: Vanilla Almond Pound Cake that sounds amazing and has me in the mood to bake today, posted over at Fabulously Broke ….in the City.
• We just made pretzels the other day, but this recipe that Amanda Louden shared, Soft Homemade Pretzels looks far less complicated then the one we used. I love homemade pretzels, check it out posted over at Daily Diner.
• Make it from Scratch always shares something awesome, and of course this time is no exception. Those Home Roasted Peanuts – MMM good! sound well,… mmmm good. The recipe is posted over at Make It From Scratch.
• Joanne gave us Gift Basket Snacks, which I immediately found useful because we are trying to be bit more frugal this Christmas. Everyone is getting gift baskets with home made goodies and items inside. She shared ideas and a few recipes that sound easy and yummy – Check it out, posted at Personalized Gift Baskets.
• I’m not a vegetarian but wow! Liss shared her recipe for Vegetarian ‘Rainbow’ Lasagne that looked so scrumptious my mouth was watering from the start. I’m definitely trying it, you should too – it’s posted at Frills in the Hills.
• The recipe for Butternut Squash Gnocchi: A Recipe for Victory that Kris posted, not only sounds amazing, but looks super easy to prepare and would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. Find it at Cheap Healthy Good.
• Before I saw this recipe for POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Cake from Mama Bear, I’m not sure I would have ever thought to use pomegranate juice (which I love) in a cake – awesomely posted at Gotta Little Space. Thank you!
• Annette Berlin shows us how to make Bubby’s Lemon Pie which can I just say, sounds to die for. I love lemon pie. Seriously. No really, I would eat it daily. Awesome recipe posted at Craft Stew.
• NerdMom brings it all home with a great recipe for her Chicken Tamale Pie. I think a few of my kids will actually eat this, and I know I will too so I’m definitely trying it. Thanks! It’s posted at Nerd Family Food.

I have hosted the Made From Scratch Blog Carnival in the past on other blogs, but this is the first time, I loved every post that was shared!! Thanks for participating this week in the Make It From Scratch Blog Carnival. I look forward to seeing what everyone brings next week over at: Frills in the Hills.

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Handmade Recipe Cookbook

Holy cow I cannot believe that Christmas is just over a month away! I feel like just yesterday we were swimming and running through the sprinklers – how did Christmas get here so fast!?!?!

Want a great frugal Christmas Gift Idea? Try one of these!

Personalized Cookbook

You’ll need:

• A large, white, 3-ring binder with a clear front covering (one in which you can slip a cover in)

• A package of white printer paper

• Clear sleeves you can put in the binder

• Markers, scissors, glitter, glue, and any other craft items along that line

• Your Chef’s favorite recipes! (or just some family favorites)

All you have to do is write down, or type, the gift-receiver’s favorite recipes on the printer paper. Then you can decorate the paper by hand or print some images and paste them onto the paper, and slip the paper into the clear sleeves when it’s all dry.

This is a great gift because not only is it completely personalized and it protects the recipes from damage while in use, but you can keep adding to it and it keeps all the recipes together- you don’t have to go to a bunch of different cookbooks for one meal!

It’s also a good idea to add dividers and mark them ‘Poultry’, ‘Desserts’, ‘Salads’, etc.

Happy gift-giving!

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I absolutely love making these little wonders, and they are perfect for stirring coffee, hot chocolate or even steamed milk.

They are super simple to make, and are the perfect gift for that coffee drinker in your life.

What you need:

• Plastic Spoons (if you are trying to “go green” then purchase inexpensive silverware (try Deals, garage sales or Walmart) and do it that way.

• A bag of milk chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips, butterscotch, peanut butter, dark chocolate, whatever)

• Variety of toppings – peppermints, vanilla candies, powdered cinnamon or crushed cinnamon candies, decorators sugar or coarse sugar, mini marshmallows, nuts, powdered sugar, anything you can think of.

Melt the chocolate on the stove top stirring constantly. Watch carefully so that the chocolate doesn’t begin to burn. As soon as its soft enough, dip the spoons into the chocolate and then place them on wax paper.
Immediately sprinkle them with your various toppings. Do one with crushed peppermint candy, crushed almonds or another nut, sprinkle cinnamon or find different flavors of hard candy – I found vanilla and raspberry last year and they were AWESOME on the spoons.

After they air dry (I recommend letting them sit for at least 12 hours at room temp), wrap them in cellophane and tie with a festive ribbon.

Put a few spoons in a coffee mug along with some individual hot cocoa or coffee packets and you have a great gift for those chilly nights!

Cheap, easy and thoughtful for anyone who loves coffee or loves a hot cocoa! Pair with a book, or movie for a nice night in.

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