Crockpot Breakfast

Cheesy Creamy Hash Browns

Hash Browns

Items Needed:

Crockpot
Large Bowl
Spoon

Ingredients:

32oz frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
8 ounces shredded or cubed Velveeta
16oz container sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh ground)

Cooking:

1. Place potatoes in an ungreased crockpot
2. In bowl add butter, salt, pepper, cheese, and both soups
3. Pour over potatoes and mix well
4. Cover crockpot
5. Cook on low for 4-5 hours
6. ENJOY!!!

http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-crockpot-breakfast-recipes

Shopping after Christmas Tips

A lot of us know that shopping after Christmas gets us great deals but, did you know that returning a item that you got for Christmas right after Christmas gives you  the reduced cost. If you wait a week or two you will get the regular price for the item.

When buying children's clothes for next year remember to get them 6 months larger so, that way they will be able to fit in them.

When buying present for next Christmas make sure that  whatever you buy doesn't expire within the coming year. Many of us buy the hot cocoa mix or soup mixes and those can expire before you can give them as gifts so always check and when in doubt do not buy.

  Do not buy trendy items as they go out of style so fast and probably by next year they will not be in style.

Buy tons of lotions and perfume right after Christmas since they are going to be reduce a lot for quick sells.

DO NOT GOING SHOPPING DECEMBER 26th.

Homemade Laundry Soap

5 gallon bucket with a lid.

4 Cups hot tap water

5 oz of  Zote soap bar **

1 Cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (not baking soda) **

1 cup 20 Mule team borax.**

4 oz Oxiclean **

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water.  Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water, add melted soap, washing soda and borax.  Stir well until all powder is dissolved.  Fill bucket to top with more hot tap water.  Sitr, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

This mixture is a 2/1 mixture so when you put in a used container (used detergent bottle) only fill half way and fill rest with water.

Stir the 2/1 mixture before putting in smaller container.  Store with the lid on the 5 gallon bucket unless you have enough container to store otherwise.

You can also add essential oil to sent the detergent. 10-20 drops per 2 gallons is recommended. 

Each time you fill up another container I will add a different sent of essential oil just to try it out.

Favorite Christmas Song?

Mine is Silent Night

1. Silent night, holy night,
all is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin
mother and child.
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

2. Silent night, holy night,
shepherds quake at the sight;
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

3. Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light;
radiant beams from thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

4. Silent night, holy night,
wondrous star, lend thy light;
with the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Craft: Christmas tree/ Snowman Globe

Who doesn't love decorating for the Christmas holiday but, with the economy the way it is many of us have to cut back on decorating. Crafting is a great and cheap way to decorate your house.



Snowman/Christmas Tree Snow Globe:
Items Needed: 

• Plastic clear container with a lid 
• Hot glue Gun
• Glitter/Fake snow 
• An old Christmas ornament/figurine
• Water

You will first need to get a cup of cold water, get 2 tsp of the glitter/fake snow and heat the glue gun up. Once hot glue gun is ready you will need to get the lid and your figurine. Glue the Figurine/ornament into the inside of the lid. While it is drying, get your cold water and your glitter/snow and pour it in leaving about 1 inch of air. Leaving container with water flipped up take the glue gun and glue all of the rim then slowly put the lid on it and screw it wait till the glue dries to flip the your snow globe.



More Craft Ideas:
http://www.listmyfive.com/b0a80b8a/The-Top-Five-Christmas-Crafts

http://www.squidoo.com/fun-easy-christmas-crafts-for-kids

Bible Verses on Money and Frugality

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24

Eccl 5:10
"He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity."  

Haggai 2:8 All silver and gold belong to me, [says the Lord God]

Proverbs 13:18  All who refuse correction will be poor and disgraced; all who accept correction will be praised. 

Proverbs 31:16  A good woman knows how to buy land and how to plant a vineyard,

Proverbs 28:19  Work hard, and you will have a lot of food; waste time, and you will have a lot of trouble.

Eating out, and stretching your dollar

Everyone loves getting to go out to eat but, not everyone can afford to go out eat. I have several tips that can help everyone save when dining out.

    Places that offer specials

• Kids eat free
• Discounted price at certain time
• Coupons
• Offers 2 for blank price 

    Make sure they have free appetizers.

• Most Mexican places serve free chips and salsa
• Some Italian places give free bread sticks and or salads
• Some Chinese restaurants give you free soup

When you are going to leave make sure to get to go boxes for your appetizers

    Your food

•  Make sure you are getting big portions
• Cut up half of your food and get a to go box
• Try to get a plate that has all you can eat  so, you can refill it before you are ready to leave
• Get to go drinks
  

Being Sytlish and Frugal

Many people think you can't be stylish when buying used but, they are dead wrong.

Tips for buying Second Hand:
Buy  pieces that can be used to create more than one stylish outfit.

Go after they have restocked new seasonal items

After Christmas is a great way to start buying your clothes many people sell their unwanted Christmas clothes and most are brand new or worn once are twice for Christmas parties.

After each season you can get great deals on staple items that you can wear next year. To go with that years trends.
Staple items Examples:
For Women

Knee high black boots

Black dress preferred mid-length about an inch higher than knee *that way you can dress it up or down*
A white button down shirt one long sleeve and one short sleeve
Black pants are a must they go with everything
Blue jeans are never out of style and you get great deal at Spring for them
A long dress in a neutral color you can you belts and accessories to add color
A good neutral heel
For Men
A good boot black is best
A long sleeve dress shirt
A short sleeve dress shirt
Khakis pants
Blue Jeans
A dress jacket that can be dressed up or paired up with jeans
Dress Shoes

Consignment Shopping: is one of the best ways to start living frugally. We have a store here in East Texas that is called Hope's Closet and you can get most items between $2-$4 and a lot of the proceeds go to abused women.
Online Shopping: Usually a little bit more expensive due to shipping but, when you buy it in bulk you save so much.
Craigslist: Not the best place for clothes but, every once in a while you find nice clothes

Couponing! No, not extreme.

Couponing Tips:
That I have learned along the way.

1.  Online Coupons:  The easiest way to start couponing is go online and find  trusted sites. 

• Coupons.com  * clicking on link will open a new window*
• RedPlum.com 
• Smartsource.com
• Cellfire.com
• Couponsuzy.com 

     2.  Printers: 

• Buy a printer that will be cost effective: Canon I560 or I860 are two great ones to invest in.
• Always, printer in grayscale on draft or normal quality to save ink 
• Buy paper in bulk * Sometime you get coupons for printer paper*

    3.  Newspapers:

• Sunday papers
• Make sure you know when the paper will have the inserts and what inserts. Bookmark this site Coupon schedule
• Go early in the morning to get newspapers
• Get at least 2 newspapers. 3 when there are deals that you love 
• Ask your family and friends for their inserts
• Go to recycling newspaper binds

    4.  Notebook:

•  Have a larger binder at least 2 inches wide 
• Get Dividers 
• Baseball slip Covers 2 packs 
• Markers to write on the dividers to separate each category
• Use the Couponing Coach site to organize notebook

   5.  Planning your Shopping: 

• Always, get your local stores weekly or bi-weekly flyers 
• You can go to couponing 101 site again to find  matchups for coupons and the store
• Make a list of sell items
• Pull all coupons out of binder and paper clip together with your list
• Always, bring your binder just in case there is a deal not listed

  6. Shopping Day:

•  Go as soon as they are done stocking items *ask what time they stock*
•   Make sure you have your list and coupons together along with your binder
•   Only get items you can get a discount 
•   Do not get an item just because it's on sale or you have a coupon for it. 

I will be posting more tips as I get better at  couponing.
Best percent of savings: 42%
Best Deal: I was able to get 9 pizzas for 2.50 a piece and had two coupons for buy 2 pizzas get one half off.

 Where I learned to coupon:  Couponing Coach http://www.couponcoach.org/category/learning/couponing-tools/
Couponing101 site  Which is http://www.couponing101.com/