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Magic Eraser

Ways to Save Money And Energy Around The House

WFMW
I will be honest, I.......am a tight wad. I will always choose Kirkland over name brand, Old Navy over Gucci, and even day old half-off donuts over fresh warm ones. I have a hard time spending more money on something that I know I can get for less. Don't get me wrong, I am willing to pay SOME money for good clothes, but there is a limit...for example. I wear Silver jeans, they are long enough for me (which is a struggle), they make my butt look great (which is near impossible), and they are in an acceptable price range. So I don't mind spending $50 on them because they cover all my jean needs. But I am also sensible enough to not spend $20 on pants that only look okay because I know I wont wear them, so I am basically flushing $20 down the toilet.

At the same time I have continued to place a pair of amazing Citizen jeans on sales now for about 3 years. Every once in a while I will find my size, drool, try them on, realize that I will never again look this good, and place them on hold. I have even gone to the extent of buying them and returning them with out even wearing them. I can never own them too long without having huge guilt that I spent THAT much on jeans. I have done this several times....I think the longest that I have ever owed a pair has been three days.

You may all be asking yourself, "If I want something this bad...why don't I just buy them and get it over with?" and I would answer, " Because they are $130-$180 DOLLAR JEANS!" I don't even enjoy wearing them, cause all I can think is, "Don't fall, don't spill, don't rip!". I have a hard time enjoying jean that cost 3 times the amount of my $50 dollar jeans that look great, have lasted, and don't give me an aneurysm from worry.

So as you can see I have already mastered my money saving skills when it comes to clothes and what not, but I have been doing some research trying to find the best ways to save money around the house....mainly with the utility bill. Maybe if I save enough, I can finally justify buying me some jeans :)

Wash in Cold Water
Up to 85% of your energy can be coming from your washer, mainly washing clothes in warm water. Simply picking cold as your choice can seriously save you some money, especially if your family does a lot of laundry. My husband and I usually don't even hook the warm water up because he never use it.
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Lint Filter
Cleaning your lint filter every time after use is not only safe, but helps your dryer to dry your clothes faster. Lint build up can actually cause fires in your home also dramatically drying clothes faster.
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A/C In Shade
Place your window A/C in the shade to help keep the temperate for the A/C accurate. The shade will keep it from working too hard and at unnecessary times. Plus, will also help your unit stay it better shape for longer.

Water Heater
Just simple limbo it.... how low can you go.... how low can you go?! It is suggested that 120* is a fine temperature. High effect to sanitize dishes for the dishwasher and for hot showers, but not high enough as too waste money maintaining its temperature.

Door Breezes
Opps....I see crack. So many doors have cracks and gaps. You can easily buy product that are meant to lay next to your door spotting the breeze from coming into your home, while allowing your door to still open with ease.

Cover Food
Covering your foods that you place in your fridge will help keep your fridge from working too hard. Also letting foods cool first will help save energy as well.


Toilet Level
Put a brick in it! If you have an old fashioned toilet, put a brick in the tank above the seat. This’ll mean you use less water every time you pull the flush handle. This will not only help you not waste water, but also electricity. One of a cities biggest use of electricity is for supply water and cleaning it up. So this will help you with both.

Outside Lights
If your family leaves a security light on overnight on your deck or door step, change the bulb to a compact fluorescent one, which cost more, but last 6 times longer and use less energy. Some compact fluorescent lamps ever come in yellow so they won't attract bugs, which is something I am ALL about!

Shower Heads
This is a tough one cause I hate a weak shower head, but you can save some money with a water saving shower head.


Blocked Vents
Move furniture away from the heater vents . Blocking the heat source forces the system to work harder because the house is not being heated like it should be.


I love these tips because most of them don't mess up my life too much, but also helps me save money. So maybe, just maybe, after a few months of bricks in toilets, lower water heaters, and florescent bug-free patios, I might be able to give myself and break and get my butt into the convented jeans. Just maybe :)

Cheap Affordable Dates

With money being really tight with us now and with the economy making more than a few people nervous I figured it was the right time to start busting out my best money saving tips; and since there is nothing more than I love than date night... I figured I would start with that. Especially since between paying for babysitting, going to the movies, and out to dinner; a couple could easily drop at least $60. And I'm not even talking about you East Coasters out there, that have to fork out $10-$15 bucks per movie ticket and $20 a plate easy for dinner! Rumor has it that you even have to put a kidney down as collateral!

But, Curtis and I have always tried and to go out on one date a week....okay, I should rephrase that....we WANT to go out once a week, but then reality sets in and we realize that once-a-week-date-nights are probably going to happen once we can pay cash for a new car!

So since the only way we can start dropping $180-$240 a month on date nights are unless we start feeling that certain necessities like.....toilet paper and food are beneath us and don't need them anymore; I am pretty sure we are going to have to start making some adjustments. And I not talking about getting crafty enough to make homemade toilet paper. I don't know if I would want to go down THAT road!

So here are some fun, silly, serious, goofy date nights that we have planned in mind...

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Split Meals - Okay, before you turn this idea down I will admit something. I am not a sharer when it comes to food. It is like Joey, for all you "Friends" fans out there. "JOEY DOESN'T SHARE FOOD".

I order what I like and I want to eat what I ordered. I don't mind letting you try my food to see if maybe next time you want it, but I don't want to give up my yummy pasta for some yucky fish. No no, that is a no go. But, what Curtis and I do, is that we go to restaurants that have a free never-ending bread basket, salad, or chips and we can eat those all we want. Then, we order a meal to share. We save money, have better portions, and yet we still walk away stuffed. The best restaurant for this is Olive Garden. They have that wonderful salad and bread sticks....ohhhh soooo good. Oh wait...I now need to go clean the drool off my keyboard. :)

House Hunting - Curtis and I love driving around and looking at houses in the Daddy Warbucks neighborhoods. Even though we can't afford a house right now, we love looking. We take mental notes on why we like that house, what's good in a yard, we will even grab the fliers sometimes to see prices and what the inside of the house has. We have a lot of fun talking in the car, making plans, and just imagining what the our first family house might be.

Museums/Imaginariums - These places might seem more of a fit for the kids, but when you take children to see a museum/imaginarium/planetarium you don't really get the spent the kind of time you want looking and reading about everything. My husband and I are going to go to the imaginarium here in Anchorage and take out time doing everything and reading all the facts. Plus, learning about things like this will give you hours of things to talk about later. And a nice bonus is that you are supporting your cities way of providing culture to the public.

Borders Book or Barnes & Noble - We love books, craft books, "learn how to", biographies, fiction...everything. It is fun to go into a book store and find a few books, sit down with each other and read through them. Maybe even pick up a coffee, hot coco, or muffin and just talk and read. But, instead of buying the book, just go home afterwards with a list of the ones you liked. Then if you really want them buy them on http://www.amazon.com/ and save yourself some serious money. We just love that relaxing, quiet environment. I don't know about all of you guys, but we could spend hours there.

Dollar Theaters - Not all cities have these, but you would be surprised how many cheap theaters there are out there. I love these theaters because they show the newly released movies, just a little bit later. Most discounted theaters cost anywhere from $1 - $4. Here in Anchorage, there is this fun place called "The Bear Tooth" and it is a restaurant/theater. You pay 2 bucks to get in and get to keep your kidney, plus then you can go and order food from their kitchen, they will then bring it to you in the theater. So, you get to watch your movie and eat, I love it! You can go see a movie and eat dinner totaling $16. Not to shabby ehh? Alaska doesn't sound too bad of a place to live now, does it?

Afternoon Dates - If none of these things are ringin' your bell then just have you and your honey go on a afternoon date. The movies are at matinee prices, restaurants have lunch menus, and then you also get to have your nights alone. What do I mean by that? Well, I love our daughter, but we already get a nice break every night. Lucy goes down at 8 so we always have 8-12ish to hang out and do our thing. But, we never get to go out and do stuff in the afternoons. So go get your self a sitter and head out on an afternoon date. Lunch, movie, maybe some errands and head home for dinner. Then a little after dinner , your sweet ones are down for the night and you get to have more alone time. I look at it like more bang for your buck! Pay a sitter for 4-5 hours, but really get 11!

Romantic Laptop - If you are more romantic and cuddly, you might like this one. Curtis and I use to go get a movie, a laptop, and then drive out to somewhere romantic. We would then climb in the back seat and......ohhh don't worry, this post is "G" rated......... but we would put down the seats and watch a movie under a big fluffy blanket. We loved this because it was sooo pretty, really cuddly, and if you are watching a scary movie, man, being out there in the middle of no-where REALLY adds to the suspense. Plus, being in the back of the car does make a nice little setting for a pecking party ....hee hee.

Game Night - Plan a date where you get to play all the good games you love. We love Scrabble, Catan, card games, really....just all games. Crack open some good soda, get some chips, and have a bunch of fun. If you are looking for some social company, get some friends over and teach them a new game! Skip-Bo is a good one for having people over and so is Bohnanza and Scene-It.

Prank Your Friends - There is nothing like being a kid again... well, just once in a while. But who didn't love toilet papering. We use to do it to our friends always. It was practically a sign of love! The bigger and better the job, the more you cared for them. It is like a giant three-ply hug! And the best part is, you don't have to worry about getting caught as much. There are no parents at home that can receive a call about kids running around causing chaos.

Shopping - I just love to look and wonder around the mall. Stepping into new stores and checking everything out. Especially since having a kid, I don't really get to just mosey on through a store and take my sweet time. So, you guys can go out and take turns with which stores you want to pop in and each get to pick one thing. Or set your selves a spending limit and get what you guys would like. Hungry!? Just pick up a snack at the mall. I am a sucker for Pretzels with good ol' fake nacho cheese. Call me sick, but I could drink that stuff.

Make a Fancy Meal Together or Have a Cook-Off - Find a good fancy recipe and both of you make dinner. It will give you guys nice time to chat and goof off. Then after dinner, make dessert! A fun chocolate fondue is great cause it is low maintenance and you can slowly snack on it while watching a movie. Just get some strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows, bananas....anything you love to smother in chocolate. If you guys are a little more competitive....have a cook-off! You each pick a dessert or meal and see who makes the best one. Not only is it fun, but you get loads of delicious food. Loser does dishes....or maybe gives a foot rub! Being a winner can be tiring and you will need your relaxation!

Mini Road Trip - Pick a city that is far enough you don't normally go to, but within an easy driving distance. Go there and try to find a "new spot" for you guys. Enjoy the nice drive out, make a traveling CD, have good music, enjoy some chatting, and get to know the city more. Find a cute little cafe', a good mall, maybe some fun events that are going on. Just a chance to get out and see new things, plus I love a good drive with my sweetie!

Library - Now, this one isn't a dreary as it sounds. I am not suggesting a library research date, to make you feel like you both are back in college cramming for that exam. But simply, go through and pick out some good Cd's and movies. Most public libraries have a fairly good selection of media. You might have to use the waiting list, so go check out the library before you plan anything. But, this one is great if you are really in a jam for money. You can't get much better than free, can ya?

Nature Walk Box From Scribbit

Sorry for the late post and honestly... sorry for me being flaky with my blog these last few weeks. I don't know why, because we havn't been THAT busy, but I keep finding myself tired, overwhelmed, and really not following through with things. So, I decided to kind of take a break from being a good blogger. It was nice, I mean... don't get me wrong, I wasn't sitting around the house in a lush silk robe eating bon-bons all day, but it was just nice to not have to be my regular compulsive blogging self. I got time to do so many of the things I ignore when I blog... you know what I mean... laundry, dishing, vacuuming, making lunch for the kids... uh... wait.... scratch that last one! :) So, now I am back and hopefully more on the ball!

I had a fun craft I have been working on for 2 weeks now and I was allllll excited to get it posted and to show all of you how to do it (I guess you will just have to wait till next week). But instead, I saw this fun activity/craft project over at Scribbit a few weeks ago and just thought what a GREAT idea it was, plus summer is quickly slipping away, so it might be nice to get this last activity in before the season is gone. Scribbit made a fun color coded nature walk box where you simply take an empty carton of eggs and color each cup with a different color. Then send the children out (to give you some piece) to find something out in nature that is matching that color.

This I think is just so creative and fun. Besides it just being something fun to do in the backyard, it can also help keep children busy on hikes, camping trips, or park picnics if they are getting board. So, hop over to Scribbit and check out all her information on the color coded nature walk box.

Family Items & Toys

FAMILY MOMENT MONDAY

My husband and I try to plan ahead what big items we want to purchase for our family; like right now we are looking at a bike trailer and bike so we can go riding as a family. So, right now we are looking around for ones that we like and try to get an idea of how much we want to spend. We like doing this because it helps to keep us from buying impulsively and also makes us appreciate the item more... which helps us to take better care of it.

This is something that we want to carry on with our children as well. We want to make some family items a family decision. A good idea is to first,

Pick some items that you have been looking at purchasing or from a wish list that you already have; things that the family can enjoy all together. Examples - fire pit, trampoline, slip n' slides, tree fort, even a day at an amusement park/family outing)

From the list you have, privately pick just a few, maybe three, that the kids can help vote on. Also try to get an idea of how you want the kids to pitch in to pay for it, like parents pay for half and the kids covering the other half, something like that. Making some of these decisions privately can help avoid some children squabbling later. You guys make most of the decisions and let the kids choose from what you guys think is best.

Now that there are some choices, let the family vote on the item they all want to help save for.

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The item is now picked, so discuss and figure out what the best way the family can save up for the item. Examples - maybe having to pay for a percentage, extra chores can help pay their share, having a garage sale, volunteer work... anything could help count.

Now, just enjoy watching your kids work to help pay for this item. This is a great way to help teach our children about pitching in, helping the family, importance of hard work, how things don't come free, plus the kids will take better care of the item because they know how much work it took to get it.

Plus, you can have some fun saving up for the item. You can make a progress chart to help show how far everyone has left or plan a family chore day where everyone is cleaning and doing yard work together specifically to help with the family item. And when everyone has their money it will be great to all go to the store, purchase it together and then running home to set it up/play with it. It will be a great family moment to remember and a great lesson for the kids, heck... a great lesson for the whole family.

Please remember to add your link only if you are participating in Family Moment Monday. Family Moment Monday consists of people who are sharing crafts, activities, lessons, ideas, service projects or anything else that you can learn/do/enjoy as a family. Please remember to link back to Motherhood For Dummies, so other can learn about F.M.M. and participate also. :)

Teaching Your Children Finances

FAMILY MOMENT MONDAY

Finances, economy, money, we have all heard these words and either respect them or fear them. Money is something that will always effect everyone.... whether we like it or not. I wouldn't like to think that my life is dependent on money or that my life revolves around it, my husband and I like to think we don't care about money very much, but when the truth comes down to it, we do. We care about putting food on the table, getting into our first house, paying for our education, and clothing our child. These are all important and necessary things in our lives, so we need to make sure that we understand money. We can't hide from it, not talk about it, or pretend we don't know how to handle it... because in reality, you can't hide from it.

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I hope that this isn't coming as a downer, but more as a motivation for us to embrace our education of finance. The more we know, the less likely it is for us to get burned and Curtis and I have tried to remind ourselves of that and we want to pass that information down to our children. It is important that we, as parents, try to educate and inform our kids of money in the real world. How important it is to save, to plan for those rainy days, and that being frivolous now, can really hurt in the future.

A great way to help children understand the importance of money is to help them see the undersant the relationship with physical labor and the value of money. When I wanted my very first bike, my parents informed me that I would have to pay for half, which they said was $10. So I worked hard to earn that money. I pulled weeds, washed windows, and set up lemonade stands. It took a while, but when I had my money I remembered how proud I was of myself, being able to walk into the store and pick out the bike I wanted.

I never forgot that lesson they taught me or the value of that bike. I appreciated it more since I bought it with my money, not my parent's (though they did help). I understood the value and was more careful with it and when the time came that I out grew it, I didn't simply toss it aside, I fixed it up all pretty and sold it so I could have money for a new bike.

Setting a night aside to talk to our kids about how to be better with finances is a great idea. To make sure they understand saving and true value. Even taking them to get a Savings Account started; I know Wells Fargo has some free Savings and Checking accounts and if you are under 18, you only have to have $25 to open a Savings account. Wells Fargo even has free pamphlets, CDs, and DVDs for children to help them understand how to get started.

Banks always have bankers and financial experts that are more than happy to sit down with you and talk about options for you and your children, so don't be afraid of going in and asking questions.... they there to help and want to help.

We need to help teach our children not be fearful of handling money and for them be confident in their knowledge, especially in a time where there are so many people who are getting in over their heads or losing money when it could have been avoided. Money problems leads to stress, health problems, marital problems, and emotional problems if they get out of hand. Because of this, we have decided that when our children are old enough to start asking for material items that will be a good time to start the explanation of money. It is never too early and never too late to educate them.

How do you teach your children how to handle money?

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P.S. Family Moment Monday Rules:

1. I am going to start having the Family Moment Mondays up and running by no later than 6 P.M. Alaskan time, so that will be 10 PM Eastern Time and 8 PM Mountain Standard time on the Sunday night before the coming Monday.

2. Only put your link in Mr.Linky if you are participating in Family Moment Monday.

3. Place a link from your post back here (Motherhood For Dummies) so others can participate if they want to.

Thanks and enjoy

Best Deals At Costco

Costco is great. I don't know about you, but I could wander around and look at what they have for hours. Plus, I can stop by their food mart and eat my weight in their amazing pizza.... um.... hand me another combo slice pleeeease!


But there is also a down side. As good as Costco is, they don't always have the best deals and I found myself being tricked into thinking, "wow.... 24 cases of eye drops.... I MUST HAVE IT!" So, here is my breakdown of 13 always great deals at Costco.



Ground Beef
Beef is something that can really add up on the pocket book, especially if you like to have leaner healthier beef. But over at Costco you can find a 5 pack pound of beef (5 case of 1lb beef) for only $9. It is even 85-90% lean. So basically, you are paying about $1.65 per pound for fairly lean beef... which I don't know about you, but I like that. I especially love how they are packaged in 1 lb containers, so I don't have to defrost 5 pounds of meat when I really only need 1.


Wipes
Oh Costco, you make buying wipes something enjoyable. A giant box of wipes cost around $15 and comes with about 10 cases of wipes.... in the end, giving you about 700-800 wipes. I love having that many cases around, because I can keep one upstairs, in the kitchen, the car, my diaper bag, and any where else I want.


Photos
If you are looking to get some photos printed then Costco should be your place. They have really good price, but they can print anything and everything you could think of. Want a mouse pad with your kids face on it? DONE! A mug with your sexy hubby? EASY! A calender filled with family pictures and memories? THEY GOT IT! They are also really fast. My family was just there this week and we dropped off our photos and went shopping. By the time we were done they and finished and waiting for us. What can I say... I like it cheap and fast :)..... um.... don't read into that :) But here is a link to the pricing and items they have available.
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Sodas
Whether you want to buy the name brand or the Kirkland brand, you are bound to have a deal on your hands. You can buy 24 cases of sodas for $10-5 dollars, depending on what brand. They can even have some good deals on the fancy glass bottled soda; if your taste buds are searching for something more refine.


Gift Cards
Most Costco carries some nice gift cards for restaurants, spas, or amusement parks in the area. They usually consist of 2 $50 gift cards, so $100 total, but you only pay $80 for them..... receiving $20s free. Not all of them are that much, they also sometimes have movie tickets. Here in Alaska they will sell two movie passes for $14 when you would normally spend about $18. We tried to always stop buy Costco if we are going to hit the movies just to help save us a couple bucks.


Free Samples
Um.... enough said..... Free Samples :) best deal ever


Diapers
When it comes to baby items, Costco diapers are the best deal you will find. You can get them from any price range of $29 - $40. The pricing depends on what size you are getting and what brand. Costco sells both Huggies and Kirkland and depends on where you live, Huggies might even be cheaper than the Kirkland brand. But, I like both and they both do a GREAT job. With our little Lucy... she wears size 2 and it takes her months to go through them. Seriously... if you have a baby and don't have a Costco card.... it is worth the $50 a year membership fee just for baby diapers alone.
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Cleaning Supplies
Whether you are buying disinfectant wipes or 409 you will probably get a deal. You can purchase a 4 gallon bottle of 409 for a steal. Costco does sell several different brands and types of disinfectant wipes and not all of them are deals. The Kirkland brand has the best savings.... you can usually buy 3-4 bottle of giant wipes for $9. Make sure you really look at the pricing and amount of what you are buying when it comes to the cleaning supplies if you want to make sure you getting a good deal.


Cereal
The cereal isn't the best deal ever because Costco might not carry the kind you like. But it you are a fan of Lucky Charms, Trix, and Coco Puffs then yes... you will like it and you will save your self some money.


Formula
The formula at Costco has really saved us when it comes to baby expenses. You can buy a large 2 pack of formula cans for only $19.99. We know people who have dropped $100 or more a month on formula alone. Curtis and I spend about $40 a month feeding our kid a month, max. The Kirkland formula is just as good as the name brand stuff and I have even bought both and compared the ingredients.... they are the EXACT same.


Pizza
Hands down Costco is the best pizza for its price... heck, for me.... it is the best pizza period. I love love LOVE their combo pizza and could eat it all the time. But besides being sacred... it has an amazing price. You get their huge pizza for only $9.99. I don't know about you, but I can't even remember a time when I could buy a large combo pizza for that much. What I like also is that we can call ahead and order place an order with Costco. The last time we bought pizza the one pizza costs us $18..... so yea... I think we are going with Costco more often.