Bargain Becky

Santa Shop Creations: Homemade Hair Clips

2013-12-04T05:46:00.000-08:00

I pumped out some cute, yet relatively cheap hair clips to sell at an upcoming kids' Holiday Shop. If you can cut ribbon and use a hot glue gun, you can do this:

First, I went to Sally Beauty Supply and picked up a box of these. 100 count Single Prong Clips. They were $6.39.

Then I went to Michaels and got 7 spools of bargain ribbon that was 3/8" wide. They were $1 each. So $7.

You can get all the detailed directions HERE at HelloBee.com.

I kept them simple and when I was done, I just got some blue card stock that was laying around and cut some cards to put the hair clips on to "sell".

I got 50 pairs and spend $14 out of pocket. Not bad - and they were fun to make.

Santa Shop Creations: Homemade Cat Nip Treats

2013-12-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

I'm chugging away with Holiday Shop Creations. The point is to create a lot of gifts for kids to buy for their loved ones for very little cost out of pocket.

So I whipped up 66 homemade cat nip treat toys for the loved fur balls. Cats need love too.

I had leftover material from an old project - so no cost for the project. I ripped open an old throw pillow I didn't want anymore for the fiberfill. No cost there. I went to the Dollar Tree and bought 3 things of cat nip - so $3 out of pocket.

These are simple. I cut 3.5" squares in in the fabric. Put the right side facing each other and sew around the edges, leaving a hole. Turn the fabric inside out, fill with some fiberfill and put a teaspoon of cat nip in side.

You could hand sew the hole shut, but that takes a lot of time so I just machine sewed them shut. It does the job.

I had leftover catnip but managed to get 66 of these done. I could have probably gotten 80 treats in total using 1 teaspoon of catnip with the three packs I got.

So not bad for $3 out of pocket.

Santa Shop Creations: Baby Booties

2013-12-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

So the only thing I do as far as parental involvement in the kids' school is taking over the Holiday Shop so the kids can "shop" for their family members and whatnot. I'm so into it because I love it. Christmas is wonderful!

So I've been spending the past few months creating cheapo, yet fun stuff for the kids to buy.

One thing I've been making are baby booties:

I have a round loom set that I've been playing around with it and I found this awesome training video off YouTube to teach me how to do these.

I've just been using all random yarn from around my house so it's really no cost out of pocket for me. I can whip one out in about 10 minutes now and it's just relaxing to sit there and do these.

Do-It-Yourself Advent Calendar

2013-12-01T05:19:00.001-08:00

It's December 1st! Which means it's advent calendar time!

The past few years, I got my kids those Lego advent calendars which were great and everything. But this year, my kids are obsessed with Pokemon cards so I made a really easy and cheap version of my own.

The supplies were simple and all stuff I had around the house:

- 25 envelopes

- Numbered scrap paper

- rubber cement (reg. glue would work fine too)

- Pokemon cards (which I had bought for Christmas but decided to do this instead. I got a random lot of 100 off Amazon - those suckers are expensive in the stores)

- tape

I just cut out my numbers from the scrapbook paper and then glued them on the front of the envelopes.

I put two Pokemon cards in each envelope (one for each kid, each day).

Then I used a sponge and some water to seal them - because I don't lick envelopes. I'm a snob.

Then I just taped them around a door with regular old scotch tape.

It's a little festive. It's a little fun. It's a whole lot of cheap.

Lowe's: 10% Discount for all Veteran's This 4th of July Weekend

2013-07-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

Lowe's offers a 10% discount to all active and retired military EVERYDAY. Just whip out your ID card to get the savings. Have no shame!

If you aren't currently active or didn't retire, but you are a Veteran and still have your DD-214, dust it off and bring it on Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veteran's Day weekends for a 10% discount on your purchase.

Not valid on Lowes.com. Thanks Lowe's!

Lowe's: 10% Discount for all Veterans this Memorial Day Weekend

2013-05-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Lowe's offers a 10% discount to all active and retired military EVERYDAY. Just whip out your ID card to get the savings. Have no shame!

Not valid on Lowes.com. Thanks Lowe's!

Military Discount: Canobie Lake Park - Armed Forces Appreciation Days

2013-05-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Canobie Lake Park for offering GREAT discounts this Memorial Day weekend. You can save a bundle if you go this weekend....they're giving military personnel AND their dependents admission for only $10 each!

Adult Prices: $35
Kids under 48": $26

Normal Family of 4: $122
Military Family of 4: $40

Savings: $82! Yahoo!

Canobie Lake Park offers a special discount throughout the season for those with
US Armed Services Identification. Please see Guest Services on arrival.
Armed Forces Appreciation Days
Memorial Day Weekend
Saturday, May 25, 2013 | Sunday, May 26, 2013 | Monday, May 27, 2013

US Armed Services Personnel receive $10.00 Admission

Anyone presenting a valid US Military ID on Memorial Day Weekend may purchase their Park
admission for $10.00 valid for the date purchased. Each individual must present their own ID to
qualify for the reduced admission. Children ages 12 and under may receive the $10 admission if
accompanied by a parent or legal guardian holding a valid US Military ID.
May not be combined with any other special, discount or promotion.

Military Discount: Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth Port

2013-04-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

The folks over at the Edward Gorey House on the Cape offer free admission to Active Duty military and their families.

Adults: $8
Children (6-12): $2

A military family of four can save up to $20 and get FREE admission to the Edward Gorey House.

My Minimalist Refrigerator

2013-03-30T13:36:00.001-07:00

My husband and I used to hoard magnets. It was like we were young 20-somethings on a mission to fill our fridge with as many different various places that we've been too. From Singapore to NYC to Hawaii to Japan and even Boston, we had a magnet hoarding problem. This lead to paper and other misc. junk hoarding on the refrigerator. See:

Then we had kids. And we stopped spending $3-$6 on magnets. And I have recently decided to give said magnets a break and put them in a storage bin. If the magnets are not on the refrigerator, I can not be tempted to hang random crap on it. Now, my refrigerator is a minimalist. Another small step in my new Wannabe Minimalist lifestyle.

Cheap Party Favors - Recycling, Minimal & Pretty

2013-03-27T03:33:00.003-07:00

Birthday season is coming around again - which means I'm a crazy lunatic planning and plotting the perfect birthday party for a bunch of 7 year-olds. I can be a little anal when it comes to birthday parties but it's fun, so I don't care. Here, I'll show you how create cheap party favors that incorporate some of my latest passions.

Birthday Party Crackers!

Items Needed & Cost:

Empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls (Free! Save them as you go through them!)

1 package of tissue paper ($1 at the Dollar Tree)

Ribbon (I have a storage bin of curling and fabric ribbon. If you don't, you can buy some at the Dollar Tree for $1)

Scotch Tape (I had this - Dollar Tree sells it for a $1)

3 bags of candy ($3 at the Dollar Tree)

Total Cost for me: $4. I made 24 of them, so it cost a whopping 17 cents each.

Quick How To:

Gather your supplies. If you have paper towel rolls, you'd probably want to cut them in half to make them about the same size as the toilet paper rolls.

Take your package of tissue paper and cut it in half.

Put your candy or whatever you want in the toilet paper roll. Then, take 2 sheets of tissue paper. Tape it to the roll and roll up the roll with the tissue paper. Tape the tissue paper to keep it secure. Double knot the ends with some curling ribbon.

Use your scissors to curl the ribbon ends, and voila - you have a cheap, homemake party favor.

Why I like these?

Cheap - These are cheap to make. You could put whatever you want in them - but I chose non-chocolate candy. So of course I picked up my loot at the Dollar Tree. When you go to the Dollar Tree, you have to remember that not all candy is created equal. Some of the candy they sell is so cheap because the bags are so small. So when filling things like these or pinatas, I go for what gives me the biggest bang for my buck. Here is my cost analysis of best Dollar Tree candy:

Bubble Gum Balls - 72 individually wrapped pieces per bag (1.3 cents each)

Smarties - 26 rolls per bag (3.8 cents each)

Dum Dum Pops - 26 lollipops per bag (3.8 cents each)

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! - Instead of just tossing my toilet paper and paper towel rolls for 2 weeks, I just saved them. Why buy plastic treat bags that are just going to end up in the garbage anyways? Just one little thing to help the environment and all that other happy crap.

Minimalist - Another thing I like about these things and the way I personally made them is that it teaches kids "portions" and all that other nonsense. I did not want to put plastic crap that just gets thrown away in them. They are pretty small so there isn't much candy in them. Do kids really need a buttload of candy though? Nah.

Oh - and for the record, I'm pretty much a hypocrite because I have a piñata that is stuffed with way too much candy. So these are just being used as a parting gift of sorts. I'm taking baby steps with this minimalist crap.

Carters: 50% off EVERYTHING Plus another 20% off

2013-03-24T09:27:00.001-07:00

Carters is having an incredible online and in-store deal. Until tomorrow, everything is 50% off.

On top of that - you can save an extra 20% if you spend more than $40 by presenting this coupon:

Happy Shopping for the stuff you NEED!

FREE 8X8 Photo Book From Shutterfly

2013-03-24T09:22:00.004-07:00

Think Mother's Day....Shutterfly will give you a FREE photo book from now until Tuesday with code MYBOOK.

Community Easter Egg Hunts - Why They Suck

2013-03-24T04:33:00.002-07:00

I despise big, crazy Easter egg hunts. We've done Easter egg hunts at the house here with friends and have gone to friends' houses for them. But the kids have never been to a huge one with a ton of eggs or kids. I was reminded why I don't take them, yesterday, when my friend shared her experience at one recently.

So the rules at this Easter Egg Hunt were simple. Each kid can get 4 eggs. So she said there were a ton of kids who had a good 20-30 eggs. And the parents were just like, "whatever" and some even cheering them on. See, if I went to these things - I would want to slap these parents so hard. And I don't want to be a news story. "Homemaker Goes Crazy at Local Easter Egg Hunt." That would be wonderful. What is so hard about telling your kid, "Hey Dummy - you're 10 years old. You heard the lady say 4 (FOUR!) eggs. Go put them back." Okay, you can leave out calling your precious offspring, "dummy". But you know what I mean. Because if you don't do that, what are you teaching them?

- It's okay to break rules. Who cares what adults say?

- It's okay to take what YOU want. Who cares if there isn't enough for others.

- More is better.

- Greed.

- If you're a jerk as a kid, you'll probably be a jerk as an adult.

Her story reminded me of an Easter Egg Hunt that my grandfather took me to when I was probably 8 or 9. There was no limit on eggs taken. So I went out with my little basket and I was able to get 1 stupid egg. Wonderful. I felt like a loser. But that's life. You win some, you lose some. Little did I know though, that the organizers had "special" eggs. And my stupid, lonely egg had the number "1" on it. So first they asked who had the egg with #3 on it. They got a little prize. Then #2. Another prize. Then #1. That was ME! So they handed over to me this gigantic chocolate bunny! I was so thrilled! It didn't really dawn on me at the time - but even though I only scored 1 egg at that hunt, it was the quality of egg that mattered - not the quantity. Similar to how I want to live my life now as an adult.

You might be thinking, "it's just a stupid Easter egg hunt. Who cares." I don't know - this type of stuff irks the bejesus out of me. And that, my friend, is why I think community Easter egg hunts suck. But many thanks to all the churches, schools and community groups that host them. You have more patience and understanding than I ever will.

Practical Gifts for the Easter Basket - Yes or No?

2013-03-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

I got this idea because my kids will be starting baseball (t-ball) this spring. They are excited for it. We recently went to Sports Authority just to check out stuff - we didn't buy anything. Baseball crap can be expensive. My 6 year-old made some comment about how I HAVE to buy him a batt and mitt. Do I though? Well - I can't very well say, "Go get a job and buy your own baseball stuff." But I just didn't like his tone or attitude of thinking I need to buy him everything he needs. So on the car ride home, I thought of something - I'm not just going to hand over mitts and crap to them - the Easter Bunny will. The son is right - I do have to buy some of this stuff - but I don't want to let him know that. I could buy it used and I might. But I'm not giving him the satisfaction of knowing I'm just here to buy everything he needs. So I told him I am poor and will have to save up money by May to buy it before baseball starts.

If you want to spend some dough on the kids this season above and beyond candy, here's some ideas for some more practical baskets that the kids will love just as much as assorted crap from CVS and the Dollar Tree. If you haven't stocked up on Easter Basket goodies yet - try thinking outside the normal Easter Basket crap and get stuff that your kids could really use and get them active - if you WANT to give them a bountiful Easter Basket. There is nothing wrong with keeping it simple and little. I'm only putting baseball stuff in my kids' baskets because I NEED to buy them anyways.

Now don't get me wrong - I love CANDY. I am not saying do not put candy in a basket, but one can be conservative with candy (or not - fill that sucker up to the brim with Mini Eggs if you want!) but still have a stellar basket for their kids to wake up to. I just hate all the useless, plastic crap that manufacturers pump out in drones. I don't know why - it just all seems so useless. Plastic crap that breaks, stuffed animals, cheapo games that have a gazillion pieces (that all get lost under the refrigerator). It's all a bunch of crap.

Things you may buy for your kids this spring/summer but can be "brought" by the Easter Bunny:

- Bathing Suit and Towel. Chances are, your child needs a new bathing suit this year. Have the Easter Bunny bring it!

- Soccer Ball

- Baseball Glove & Bat

- Musical instrument

- New markers and/or crayons (and throw away all those gross old ones)

- New books!

- Do you have a little girl who is interested in crafty things? Get her some yarn and a crochet needle and teach her how to crochet!

- Sidewalk Chalk

- Bicycle helmet (because your kid has probably outgrown theirs)

- Beads & thread to make bracelets & necklaces

- Gymp!

- Sand Toys for the beach

- A kids cookbook - and have the ingredients on hand to make one or two things in it.

- A new pet (fish, hamster, bunny, etc.) Remember though - pets aren't cute and they aren't stuffed animals. Before purchasing even the tiniest of pets - they do take work and you have to be prepared to pick up any slack of maintaining and healthy and happy home for them.

The possibilities are endless. Good luck with your Easter adventures! Only 8 days away until the Bunny comes a-hopping along.

***Many thanks to all the comments on My Facebook Page to help me create this list!*** Your input is greatly appreciated!

Less = More. Trying to Teach the Sons in Hidden Messages

2013-03-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

I have two kids. They are different than night and day. They shared a room for about 5 1/2 years until one day, in their infinite wisdom decided, together, that they wanted their own rooms. Since we had the third bedroom, I said, "Sure".

Son #1 is generally more orderly than Son #2. If he's playing with Legos - he's playing with Legos. He typically cleans stuff up or if he's asked to do it, he does without too much complaining. Son #2 loves crap. He loves playing with all sorts of crap - and when he's in his room - it looks like a bomb went off because he merges Army guys with Matchbox cars and Batman guys swoop down to attack them all. Son #2 hates putting stuff away.

Why does Son #2 hate to put stuff away? It's not because he's lazy (well maybe a little - and stubborn). He does clean up at school with no complaints - but his school is neat and orderly. His room becomes such a cluster of crap, that even I am overwhelmed by it. So when it's cleaning day - I always head straight for Son #1s room because it's easier to clean because he has less crap in there. And it's not so much that it's less crap - it's more organized crap. Son #2 has a plethora of crap that has "no home". McDonald toys, random Christmas crap that he wanted so much to keep in his room, goodie bag treasures, etc. etc. Also - because I know Son #2's room is always a bomb, I typically throw all the crap I find around the house in there. Who's going to notice?

I can pump out a good clean in Son #1s room in about 30 minutes. Son #2's room takes a good 2-3 hours. So obviously, I am more enthusiastic to clean Son #1s room. It's quick, it's easy, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Cleaning Son #2s room feels like being locked in a prison.

So we've been tackling Son #2s room. Throwing away broken or "stupid" things. Putting some stuff in a Tag Sale bin. I'm using this "cleanse" to tell & teach the kids that their rooms are more functional and peaceful if they have less stuff. There will be more room to play with less stuff in their. You'll want to play in there even more if it's not always crazy. I'll clean it more if there is less stuff because it's not so intimidating for me. It sunk in a little - when I told them the more floor space they have, the bigger wrestling rink they'll have. The promise of more fulfilling wrestling matches between the two sounded pretty darn good to both of them.

Hopefully some of the "less is more" crap will sink into their little heads, but then again, maybe the only thing they'll get out of it is, "Mommy's gone off the deep end again". Either way, at least maybe I'll have a grasp on Son #2s room here soon and be able to keep it that way for a while.

Inspiration Can Come From the Most Unlikely Sources

2013-03-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

The past few years, I have befriended an older man who goes around the neighborhood collecting cans from people's recycling bins. He drives a beat up car that is usually filled with cans and other assorted "treasures". On the surface, he probably looks kind of sketchy to the average person. In fact, I've had some neighbors ask me, "what's the deal with the weird guy who's always looking for cans?" Well, for some reason, I love him.

Most people probably think he's just a homeless bum who is trying to feed a drug or alcohol addiction. And I'll admit - I kind of thought that when I first saw him back about 5 years ago. But for some reason, I started talking to him one day about 3 years ago. Even though he may look a little off - he is one of the nicest, most down-to-Earth, and inspirational people I have ever met.

Here's some of the things I have learned about him in the past few years: He doesn't have a drug or alcohol problem - or if he does, he is treating it with sobriety - He's just says he doesn't drink - and in all my times talking to him, he doesn't seem like he's on any type of drug. He's always focused and knows what's up - but he does have an element of natural kookiness to him. That's why I like him. He actually has a job (most likely close to minimum wage - given what he told me it is) - but supplements his income by collecting cans. He's a Vietnam vet and has "saw things that he does not care to share." He doesn't use VA services because he doesn't want to take away funds and services from other veterans who might actually need them. In fact, he doesn't receive any government assistance (and never has) except for recently - when he turned 65 and became eligible for Medicare. He would have liked to stay/re-enlist in the Army after Vietnam, but the country pretty much told most soldiers to take a hike. He goes to church every week - not because he's some religious freak, but because he is thankful for all he has and someone greater than him must have given that to him. He lives in a house on the other side of the neighborhood - not in a shelter or tent in the park. He never got married and never had kids. He considers himself lucky because he has never been really sick or had any major health issue. One time I asked him how is was and he replied, "I have my health, that's all I need." That's a very interesting thought.

I guess it's just nice and refreshing to see and talk to someone who is relatively happy and content with not having much. I've never heard him complain. Sometimes I'll apologize to him for not having any cans or bottles and he just laughs and says, "Don't be silly." He thinks I'm an "angel" because I put any redeemable stuff to the side for him. One time, someone else stopped to get my cans and I wanted to go out there and yell at them - but I realized that would have been really odd.

The point of all this babble I guess - is if we judge people by what they have or what they don't have - we might be missing out on talking to some really incredible people.

Nantasket Beach: Park All Year for $35!

2013-03-17T04:34:00.002-07:00

Nantasket Beach Goers - Don't pay $8 - $12 to park every time you want to soak up the sun! Get a season pass for only $35!

If you don't know, Nantasket Beach in Hull is actually a MA owned DCR park. What does this mean? If you have a MA DCR Parks Pass, you can park there for free whenever. The pass costs you $35 if you are a MA resident. If you are aged 62 or older - the pass is FREE! All you have to do is ask for it!

Internet purchasing should premier this spring, but if you want to be ahead of the game, you can mail in your application. It's easy. It's quick. I mailed my in about a month ago and got it the following week. You can get all the information by CLICKING HERE ON THE DCR PARKS PASS PAGE.

You can also get "free" parking at the following MA state parks and beaches which charge a parking fee. While you are out exploring all these great state parks this summer with your parking pass, be sure to check out the Parks Passport program. This is a free program that lets you get a stamp at various state parks. Kids get a big kick out of "stamping their passport" all over creation.

MassParks Facilities where parking fees are charged and MassParks Passes are available. (Fees listed apply to cars without a ParksPass)

Greater Boston –

Nantasket Beach $7 Get your MassParks Pass at Nantasket Beach Headquarters, 215 Nantasket Avenue, Hull, MA 02045. (Monday through Friday) beginning May 1, 2013 thru September1, 2013 between 8am and 2pm.
Nahant Beach $3 Get your MassParks Pass at the Eliot House, 1 Eliot Circle in Revere, (Monday through Friday) between 9am and 3pm.

Southeastern Massachusetts

Borderland SP $2 Parking fees charged Jan – Dec
Demarest Lloyd S.P. $7
Horseneck Beach S.R. $8
Myles Standish S.F., College Pond Area Only $5
South Cape Beach S.P. $7
Scusset Beach S.R. $7

Watson Pond $5

Northeastern Massachusetts

Bradley Palmer S.P. $5
Cochituate SP $5
Great Brook Farm S.P. $2 Parking fees charged Jan – Dec
Halibut Point S.P. $2
Hopkinton S.P. $5
Maudslay S.P. $2 Parking fees charged Jan – Dec
Pearl Hill S.P. $5
Salisbury Beach S.R. $9
Walden Pond S.R. $5
Willard Brook S.F. $5

Central Massachusetts

Blackstone District:
Douglas S.F. $5
Quinsigamond S.P., Regatta Point $5
Rutland SP, $5
Streeter Point R.A. $5
Wells S.P. $2

Connecticut Valley District
Chicopee S.P. $5
Hampton Ponds S.P. $5
Robinson S.P. $5
Mt. Holyoke Range S.P. $2
Mt. Sugarloaf S.R. $2
Mt. Tom S.R. $2

Quabbin District
Dunn S.P. $5
Erving S.F. $5
Lake Dennison R.A. $5
Lake Wyola S.P. $5
Leominster S.F. $5
Otter River S.F. $5
Wachusett Mtn. S.R. $2
Wendell S.F. $5

Western Massachusetts

Beartown SF, $5
Clarksburg S.P. $5
D.A.R. S.F. $5
Gardner C M $2
Mohawk Trail S.F. $5

Mt. Greylock S.R. $2
Natural Bridge S.P. $2
Pittsfield S.F. $2
Sandisfield S.F. $5
Savoy Mtn. S.F. $5
Tolland S.F. $5
Windsor S.F. $5

Do-It-Yourself Party Game: Ring Toss

2013-03-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

I am kind of psychotic when it comes to my kids' birthday parties. I just like planning unnecessary crap. It drives my husband crazy and I think that's why I like to do it so much. One thing I have planned for this upcoming party is a Ring Toss Game. The cost for me out of pocket was ZERO. It would be pretty cheap otherwise.

We're doing a "Skylander" theme party - so we're calling this game, "Dino Rang Toss". Dino Rang is a character on the game or something. You can improvise based on whatever theme you choose (if you are fruity like me and do "theme" parties).

First. I don't drink. So how was I going to get 48 beer bottles? I asked friends! Had 48 of them in a snap. I did give one friend $2 because her husband usually turns them in for deposit. She told me not too but whatever. I'm too good like that sometimes. I soaked them in soapy water and the labels all peeled off greatly and the beer smell left.

I had a big box from Amazon that I was saving. It was the perfect size for 48 bottles. I reinforced it with some more packing tape. I found a paint sample that I got for free from Valspar that was sitting, collecting dust in the basement. So I used that to paint the box.

We recently replaced our shower curtain rod which came with new rings. So I saved the old, crappy, plastic rings - they work great for ring toss! If you don't have old shower curtain rings laying around, you can pick them up cheap at the Dollar Tree or Wal-Mart (even though I hate Wal-Mart).

I printed out the words, "Dino Rang Toss" and glued them on the box just for a little pizazz. There you have it - a practically free and environmentally friendly party game.

Stop the Insanity: I Hoard Leftovers

2013-03-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

See this beautiful pile of plastic containers, containing food? Yeah. It's not beautiful. They are all full of old, some moldy, leftovers that all went in the garbage can. I think I hoard plastic containers, just to hoard leftovers that I know I won't eat or have intentions of eating but don't.

My solution: Growing to "love" leftovers won't happen. Easiest for me for my likes/desires: Learning to prepare meals that don't have leftovers. Make smaller portions. If we're out of dinner and still hungry? Eat fruit. It can happen.

Eating Healthy on the Cheap: Tacos

2013-03-14T11:25:00.002-07:00

Taco Kits. So easy. So fun. But they can make you pay more than you have to for a fun and festive Taco Night - both on the wallets and the hips. So prep your kitchen to have Tacos on a whim any night of the week!

How?

- Buy a big container of Taco Seasoning at BJ's for about $6. It will last forever. Or MAKE YOUR OWN TACO SEASONING.

- Have tortillas on hand. Tortillas are a basic staple in my house. I make a lot of crap for my kids with them. Wake up wraps. Quesadillas, Tacos. Great to have for Tacos on a whim. They last a while. Soft tacos are healthier than the crunchy ones.

- Instead of browning up a full pound of ground beef, use 1/2 pound for your family of four. Heat up a can of refried beans for your tacos to supplement the beef. Beans are healthy and keep you full. Lots of protein and fiber in them! My kids love beans - they won't sit and eat a bowl of them, but if they are in tacos - they are fine.

- If you like Taco Sauce, you can buy a jar of it for under $2. It will last a while.

Voila! Healthier, easier, cheaper tacos if you have the staples on hand.

Eating Healthy on the Cheap: Salads

2013-03-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read diet or "healthy" cookbooks and sort of ask yourself, "what the HECK is THAT all about?" Or "What would THAT be good?" Maybe I'm a simpleton, but sometimes I feel that people try to go "over the top" to be healthy.

For instance:

A salad. Here is a salad with goat cheese, cranberries, walnuts, apples. For me, this does not sound appealing at all. But I feel like nowadays - "healthy" equals "fancy." I'll talk to trainers, gym-goers and just overall people in general. Sometimes I feel that people have to rain on my "trying to be healthy parade." What do I mean?

I eat an apple. "Oh, is it an organic apple? You should really buy organic produce."
Me: "Shut up! I'm eating a friggin apple and not a Snickers bar!"

I eat a package of instant oatmeal everyday. "You should switch to all-natural rolled oats! They are great. You can buy them at bulk at Whole Foods."
Me: "The fact that I eat oatmeal everyday is a friggin miracle. Don't friggin ruin it."

I eat Yoplait yogurt. "You have to try Greek Yogurt. So good. Also, Yoplait is full of artificial colors and other chemicals."
Me: "I don't care."

You have to pick the degree of healthy for you. And there are many factors to consider. Cost, obviously. Amount of additives. Convenience. Me, I need to actually like the crap - a.k.a. Taste. I don't care how healthy or how cheap Greek Yogurt can be - I'm not eating that crap. It doesn't jive with me. Healthy doesn't have to cost a ton. It doesn't have to be all fancy. For me, mandarin oranges, pine nuts and funky-animal cheeses in salads are for the birds....

For salads, I like to stick to the "regular" stuff: Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and carrots. If I'm feeling wild, I'll throw some green pepper in. You might like all the funky, fancy stuff. But the point is, you don't have to over think or over spend to be "healthy". Like many things in life, if you just stick to the basics, you'll be okay.

Even If the Minimum Wage Does Rise, It Will Still Suck

2013-03-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

So Obama wants to raise the minimum wage to $9. It's currently $7.25. It all sucks! I'm just taking my own past 17 years as an example.

Back in 1998, I could fill up my 11 gallon Ford Escort with gas for about $10 - it would fluctuate from .88 - .92 cents a gallon my college years up in NH. This was no big deal. I was big pimpin' at the time - making about $6 an hour as an ice cream server at a local ice cream parlor and minimum wage in 1998 was $5.15 an hour. So a tank of gas would make you work 1.94 hours. Let's say 2 hours in 1998.

Now in 2013, I fill up my 11 gallon Ford Focus with gas for about $40 (assuming a $3.69/gal rate for gas) in Massachusetts. If I was a minimum wage worker making $7.25 an hour, I would have to work 5.5 hours to afford that same tank of gas. Massachusetts has it's own minimum wage of $8. So a MA worker has to work 5 hours to afford that 11 gallons of gas. Doesn't that suck? So even if the minimum wage does go up to $9/hr. That $40 in gas will still be 4.44 hours of work. Half a day of work JUST to fill up your tank? That just sucks - even with the minimum wage increase.

Another thing with minimum wage - it's not meant to be a "living wage". It's meant to not exploit workers. Don't get me wrong - I think minimum wage is way too small - or should I say, the economic disparity in this country is nuts. But if minimum wage does go up - think of the types of workers who that affects. Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, Wal-Mart, convenient stores, grocery stores, summer camp workers, etc. So if their wages go up, guess what happens? The product they are selling there goes up to cover the costs. So that $2 cup of coffee is now $2.50. The extra value meal at McDonald's that is $6 is now $7. Not to say "rich" people don't frequent these places - but for the most part, it's the lower and middle classes who do. So they are picking up the slack for wage increases - which sort of negates the minimum wage increase. Heaven forbid the CEOs or head honchos take a pay cut. What really needs to happen is a wage ceiling. I'm all about "if you work hard, you deserve every penny you make" - but seriously. Look at the 2010 salaries of some popular company CEOs (includes salary, bonuses, stock and other perks):

Starbucks: $21.7 Million

Coca-Cola: $19.2 Million

Aflac: $15.9 Million

GE: $15.1 Million

CVS: $15.5 Million

Pepsi: $14 Million

Kraft Foods: $13.5 Million

FedEx: $7.4 Million

These figures are PER YEAR. And they are higher now because I took data from 2010. Sure the CEOs are smart and deserve something - but let's take Starbucks for example.

If you are a barista making $10/hr working almost 40 hours a week every week of the year, you'll make $20,000 a year. A far cry from the $20,000,000+ the CEO is making. My point being - the CEO does deserve more - but does he deserve over 1,000 times MORE than the barista? If you made $20 Million a year - that is like bringing home $384,615 a WEEK. Most of us can't even fathom what it is like making $384K a year - little alone a week. It's just scary and gross that it's completely legal that multi-million/billion dollar corporations are allowed to funnel such a huge portion of their money into a handful of people. It just seems that the rich in this country is the bigger problem - the richest 20% of America owns 85% of the country's wealth. The rest of the 80% of us - own the combined 15% rest. That's scary. This is what needs regulating - not the minimum wage people. Because it's gotten out of control.

From the Washington Post

If you have 6 minutes - check out this video. It's really interesting - well, if you like this crap.

Found on YouTube.

Military Discount: Lowe's Home Improvement Stores

2013-03-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Lowe's offers a 10% discount to all active and retired military EVERYDAY. Just whip out your ID card to get the savings. Have no shame!

If you aren't currently active or didn't retire, but you are a Veteran and still have your DD-214, dust it off and bring it on Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veteran's Day weekends for a 10% discount on your purchase.

Not valid on Lowes.com. Thanks Lowe's!

Military Discount: Southwick's Zoo in Mendon

2013-03-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Southwick Zoo in Mendon, MA offers FREE admission to the active duty service member as well as 50% off for their Dependents. So what will the savings for a military family be?

Adults: $20
Kids (3-12): $15

Regular admission for a family of four would be $70. A military family of four needs to shell out $25. Many thanks Southwick Zoo! Southwick Zoo is open from April 13-October 27, 2013.

Eating Healthy on the Cheap: Lettuce

2013-03-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

Sure. It's super convenient. It's just there in a bag ready to dump in a bowl. It's pre-packaged, pre-washed salad. Which is really just pre-packaged cut-up lettuce. Although handy, these suckers are expensive. Normal shelf price is about $3.69 a bag. They'll go on sale for $3 or BOGO Free. Sometimes they go down to $2.50 a bag. Even on sale, you don't get a great bang for your buck. Why? Because in reality, it's a small bag. Generally, they are anywhere from 5oz - 10oz. You get about a whole pound if you go strictly iceberg.

Also - not like I'm super conscious about additives and crap in food - but these suckers are constantly testing positive for some sort of bacteria: E. Coli, listeria, salmonella, cyclospora, cryptosporidium, giardia. Which are indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination. Ewww. Poop on my lettuce!

So what does one do? BUY LETTUCE IN THE FORM IT COMES OUT OF THE GARDEN! A head of lettuce is significantly cheaper than these bagged beauties of contamination. It might not seem like it - but when you cut up a head of lettuce (iceberg, romaine, etc.) - you do get a significant amount. Much, much more than the bags. And sometimes I think conveniences really "dumb us up". These bags make us think that cutting/ripping up lettuce is a hard task. Is it though? Seriously. It probably takes a minute or two (if that to cut up a head of lettuce). Run it through some water to wash it and dry it off. If you're like me - you add other vegetables to lettuce so you have to wash and cut those too. I can't just eat lettuce and call it a salad. So I have the knives and cutting board out anyways when making salad so why not just cut up the lettuce too?

Have kids? Have them rip it up! Rugrats LOVE to destroy things. If you are brave enough, supervise them and have them cut it up. Yeah, knives are dangerous - but kids need to learn how to use knives properly. Teach the kids to wash the lettuce. Not to just "open a bag and enjoy!"