How we did all our back to school shopping for about $6!

I finally completed our back-to-school / fall weather shopping this morning... from the comfort of my own home!  I will be honest that as much as I sometimes find grocery shopping "fun", I am not a huge fan of clothing shopping, particularly when it involves chasing a 3 year old around a store!  I love shopping online for clothing because it's just much easier.

I've been planning my online fall clothing shopping for quite some time.  I will be honest that it would be difficult for you to replicate my "deal" without the pre-planning.  However, with that being said, it's never too early to start planning for next fall... or for the holidays... or the next birthday, etc.

Old Navy really is having a great sale on little kid clothes right now so even without the gift cards I used, you can score a really fantastic deal.  I put all of those details below, so keep reading!

Here are some things I did...

Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a website that offers lots of ways to earn "swagbucks".  That makes sense right?!  Basically you can earn points or "swagbucks" by doing different things such as searching the internet, printing and redeeming coupons, entering bonus codes they post on facebook, signing up for offers, referring friends, watching advertisements, playing games, etc.  There are tons of ways to earn but I will be honest and say the only way I earn is through internet searches, printing and redeeming coupons, and entering bonus codes.  Just by searching for something through their search engine you have the chance to earn any number of swagbucks... it's totally random.  You can read more about the details on their website or ask me if you have a question but eventually, when you have enough swagbucks, you can redeem them for things.  Over the course of the last several months I redeemed swagbucks for two $10 Old Navy gift cards in preparation for my fall shopping.  You can sign up for swagbucks here.

Mypoints
Mypoints is a website similar to swagbucks.  It works along the same general premise although I don't believe they do internet searches.  I think you can complete surveys, invite friends, etc.  I earn all of my points on this site through BzzAgent.  You can read more about BzzAgent here, but in short, they are a company that sends me free stuff to try and all they ask is that I talk to other people about the product.  There are no strings attached except that they ask me to report back on my conversations (super easy) or post pictures of enjoying the product, etc.  Let me know if you'd like me to send you an invite or you can sign up through their website here.  For each task I complete they award me with points on Mypoints.  I redeemed those points for a $25 Old Navy gift card.  You can sign up for Mypoints here.

So far, that's $45 in completely free money.  FREE MONEY!  

I ordered 3 pairs of pants, 3 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, and 1 pair of pajamas from Old Navy online.  I took advantage of their 30% off sale, a 20% off coupon code they emailed me today (thank goodness I waited until the last day because yesterday it was only 15%!!), free shipping for spending $50 before the coupons, $45 in gift cards I earned totally free, and paid $6.52 out of pocket.  I will get 2% back through Ebates which isn't a lot but every little bit counts.  You should not ever shop online without using Ebates because again, free money, is free money... take advantage of it!  You can read about Ebates here.

Even if you don't have any swagbucks or mypoints saved up, Old Navy is really having a great sale on little kiddo clothing right now - 30% off everything and then 20% off everything with coupon code ONEXTRA20.  Today is the last day of the sale and coupon so shop now!  And remember, 2% back through Ebates!

Please don't ever believe that paying full price is the only way... there are so many ways to save!

FYI - I love my countertop compost pail!

Do you compost your leftover table scraps?  My husband got us into composting a couple of years ago.    We purchased a large outdoor compost bin where we could dump all of our vegetable and fruit scraps, leaves, grass clippings, egg shells, coffee grounds, egg cartons, chicken poop, etc.  When the composting process was complete, we had free potting soil which grew us some gigantic sunflowers (among other things, but the sunflowers really were huge)!  In a nutshell, when you put all of your scraps in the compost bin, it decomposes, mixes all together, and comes out as a nutrient filled fertilizer.  It reduces waste in a sanitary way and gives back to the environment as the cycle of healthy soil creation goes on and on and on!  You can do a google search and read a million articles on the ins and outs of composting and its benefits.  I didn't take a whole lot of time researching it, I just followed along and collected in a bowl on the counter everything that my husband told me was compostable and he would dump it in the bin.  

I quickly realized a problem however... we started to get fruit flies all over the kitchen if we didn't dump it right away!  I tried storing in a plastic bag instead but the problem persisted.  I tried a concoction of apple cider vinegar and dish soap as a fruit fly trap and I thought this solved my problem.  (It really is a good home remedy... watch for a blog post on that!)

But then... we were given a gift of a countertop compost pail.  I never knew such a thing existed!  But I have now realized that EVERYone should know this exists!  I use it and love it every day and it occurred to me that I should share my love so others don't miss out!  This little gem sits right on the counter and when I peel a cucumber (fresh from our compost fortified garden!) I dump the peel right in there.  Again, google will give you lists of what can and cannot be composted.  But basically, all of our waste that is compostable goes into that bin where it starts its decomposition while it waits for my husband to bring it outside to the big bin... without smelling up my kitchen or attracting fruit flies!  This has been such a great addition to our kitchen.  I would recommend it to anyone!

I'm not sure where the pail we have was purchased, but it can be found on amazon (link below).  I was surprised to see some poor reviews on there!  We haven't had any issues with rust or bad odors (unless you leave the cover off... but I would expect this given that it's storing decomposing materials).  But I saw lots of other compost bins on there as well if you don't want to take your chances on this one.

If you're looking to add some "green" to your living, save on next years gardening supplies, or avoid fruit flies, don't delay!  This is a great product!

        

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Homemade Salsa - SO EASY!!

So here's the thing.  I love making things from scratch.  Or maybe it's safer to say I love serving and eating things I've made from scratch.  But the reality is that it's usually easier to buy things (like salsa) at the store!  The problem with that however is that I am sometimes too cheap to buy it!  I went to five stores today - YES five stores - all which sell salsa.  Target.  Market Basket.  Stop & Shop.  Shaws.  CVS.  In that order.  But I did not buy salsa because it wasn't on sale and I didn't have a coupon.  My poor family!  Thankfully my husband gave me encouraging words before he left for work this morning, telling me that he believed I could make salsa from a can of diced tomatoes.  And... I did it!  And... it was SO EASY!  EASIER (and cheaper) THAN GOING TO THE STORE!  In fact, this salsa was totally free because I had absolutely everything I needed right in my kitchen.  If you have some of this stuff in your garden, that's even better!  Here it is, my friends.  Make your family some salsa tonight!

I got my inspiration from the recipe I found here, and tweaked it to fit what I had since I was not about to go to the store or spend any money on this!

FYI: I will never spend money on salsa at the store again!

Ingredients

• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes & green chilies
• small onion, chopped
• clove garlic, pressed
• jalapeno slices (I don't know how many I used... I found them in the fridge and put maybe 8-ish slices in?)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cilantro (if you don't think you have any, see if you have any of those McCormick Recipe Inspirations Garlic Lime Chicken Fajita thingies in your stockpile - it was in there!)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (I would have used lime but didn't realize I had it until after the fact)

Directions

• Put all of the ingredients in a blender (or food processor) and pulse until combined (about 30 seconds or less depending on how you like it)

Let me know how it turns out for you!

Thanks, Mountain Mama Cooks for sharing your recipe!

Yumbox!

I wrote an earlier post about my new love of bento style lunch boxes but at that point I was still on a quest for the best one for our family.  My search has ended!  After much research I decided to try the Yumbox for our three year old's preschool lunches and I (and she) could not be happier!  I posted about my experiences to my friends on facebook and was shocked to see how many other Mommy's needed some mealtime solutions.  If you are struggling with mealtimes, please give this a try.  It's a gem that I will never regret purchasing and I don't think you would either!

Here are some things I love about the Yumbox... (I'm sure I'll forget something so I may have to come back and update as I remember more... there is just so much!)

• It is leakproof!  This means that I can continue to pack strawberries without juice spilling into the lunchbox.  I can pack yogurt and ranch dressing right next to sandwiches and chips with no leakage whatsoever!  Does it get any better than that?

• It is compartmentalized.  I can stay organized as I pack and my daughter can look at an organized lunchbox with several healthy options, all in one place for her to choose to eat as she wishes.

• It is labeled.  This helps me be sure that I'm packing a healthy and balanced meal.  I will admit that we cheat in the vegetable department because my daughter is not interested in bringing veggies for lunch but would love extra dairy and I'm fine with that at this point.

• Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge.  When my daughter doesn't finish her lunch, she likes to keep it in the fridge and come back for another snack later.  With the Yumbox filled with healthy snacks, I don't have to worry about what she chooses at lunchtime or later because I know that the only choices she has are good ones.

• It has a removable tray for easy cleaning and can be used as a dinner plate or lunch plate for non-school days.

• It is easy to open and close.  My three year old can do it without assistance.

• It is compact and fits in our LL Bean lunchbox with room to spare!  This was not true of the last bento box we tried.

I just love love love the Yumbox.  My anxiety about packing lunches has significantly decreased and I feel so good about packing this up and sending it to school.  I have fun packing it, and my daughter has fun eating it.  If you have a picky eater, anxiety about lunch packing, or just want a fresh start and something fun and special, the Yumbox is for you!

You can order Yumbox directly from the company's website or through amazon.  They are new and tend to sell out quickly so if you are interested, I would order ASAP!  You can follow Yumbox on facebook or Pinterest for some lunch packing ideas as well.  The Yumbox is currently available in pink and green.

 

Several people have asked me about the little food picks - they just add a little more fun our meals!  They are inexpensive and adorable.  Some are very small so I am picky about which ones I use until our daughter is a little older.  I got ours on amazon.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Yumbox didn't ask me to write this review, I just wanted you to know about how great this product is!

Review of The Berenstain Bears: Golden Brother Edition and Golden Sister Edition gift sets

This is a repost from my review on HTSFF... you can find the original review here.

I was super excited when kaboom! Entertainment asked us over on the How to Shop for Free blog to do this Berenstain Bears review!  On May 21, 2013, they released two limited edition DVD sets and sent us a copy of each to watch, play with, and review.

When I was younger I had tons of Berenstain Bears books and sadly, I think we must have gotten rid of them somewhere as the years went, by but my almost-3-year-old daughter has recently developed a love for the Berenstain Bears herself having seen their shows on TV.

You should have seen the look on her face when we opened the big box that arrived from kaboom! and she was able to see what was inside!  Actually... I'll let you see it!

There really are no words... in fact, I'm not sure any review of these products I might write would communicate quite what that picture does!

As you can see from the pictures, there are two sets available, The Berenstain Bears: Golden Brother Edition and Golden Sister Edition.  Each comes with a 120 minute DVD and a 10-inch soft cuddly Berenstain Bear plush.  Each DVD includes several short stories about the Berenstain Bears family adventures and the lessons they learn along the way.  They are easily applicable to real life and are not only entertaining but full of healthy values.  Young children are sponges - they soak in whatever they are exposed to.  I have no worries about my daughter being exposed to what is included in these DVDs!

We have really enjoyed these sets!  Although my daughter does not typically watch the entire 120 minutes in one sitting, this is definitely her go-to television viewing right now and she'll watch a few stories and come back for more later.  She sings along with the catchy songs and has been heard saying on more than one occasion in real life situations, "just like on the Berenstain Bears movie!"

If you are looking for a new DVD for your little ones or are in the market for a great gift for someone else, you should definitely check these out.  These limited edition sets are $19.99 and available exclusively at Walmart and Sam's Club stores.

PB&J Pinwheels

Today I came across a fantastic tutorial for totally fancying up our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!  You should check out the original source for sure, but basically you use two pieces of bread, cut off the crust, flatten, spread, roll, and cut.  It was so easy, and was a big hit!

I've recently become kind of intrigued (or maybe obsessed) with the idea of bento lunches.  Are you familiar with them?  Basically, in a nutshell, we're shooting for a balanced and creative mealtime that is pleasing to the eye and the belly.  We're also cutting down on waste and not having to use plastic baggies, etc, so we're doing our part to be kind to both the environment and the budget.

I've blogged before about how easy it is to add some fun to ordinary mealtimes and this is a lot of what bento lunches are about.  We already do a lot of cookie cutter sandwiches and creatively cut fruit around here... it's way more exciting!  Our daughter has been stuck on peanut butter and jelly "star, moon, and duck" for a while now and she doesn't seem to be getting bored of it, but I will be honest and say that I have been in need of something different.

This week we started preschool and after a lot of researching ways to creatively, efficiently, and frugally pack lunch, this is what we sent in for the first day of school.  Of course, we had a PB&J star, moon, and duck...

I can't wait to pack tomorrow's lunch with pinwheels!

Do you bento?  Do tell!

FREE Admission to The Discovery Museums this Friday night!

On the first friday of every month the Discovery Museums in Acton offer FREE admission from 4:30 - 8:30 PM!  This Friday, June 7, is the first Friday of this month so if you are looking for something to do, you may want to check it out!

I've posted about this before.  Our family LOVES the Discovery Museums.  There is a Children's Museum and a Science Museum.  They are much smaller than the big city museums, much more hands on, and don't require traveling in and out of the city!  We love these museums so much that we actually purchased a year long membership that gets us into those museums for free any time and gives us free admission or discounts at many other children's museums around the state, country, and world!

I HIGHLY recommend a visit to the museums, or at the very least to their website or facebook page where you can check out all that they have to offer.  And if you want to visit it for FREE, this Friday would be the time to do it!

From their website:

Join us with free admission and explore the museums at night on the first Friday of every month! We will gratefully accept donations for the Acton Food Pantry. Sponsored in part by Emerson Hospital with additional support from Alexander, Aronson, Finning and Company, P.C. and the Local Cultural Councils of Acton-Boxborough, Billerica, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Harvard, Hudson, Leominster, Lexington, Littleton, Maynard, Waltham, Wayland, and Westford.