Coupon Queen Diaries

RECIPE: Loaded Potato Soup

2012-01-06T20:35:00.004-06:00

Here's another favorite at our house. We actually had it tonight. YUM!

LOADED POTATO SOUP

2 large baking potatoes
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper
2 green onions, chopped
6 slices bacon
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Peel and chop potatoes into small pieces. Boil in water until tender. Set aside. Cook bacon, drain and crumble. Set aside. In a dutch oven, melt butter and whisk in flour. When combined, pour in milk. Stir over high heat until a roux is formed. Reduce to low-medium heat. Add salt, pepper, onions, bacon, cheese and half of the potato chunks. Mash the remaining potatoes and add to the mixture. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Garnish with extra onions, bacon, cheese, and sour cream if desired. Serves 4. Can be doubled.

FREE Finance Software to Start The Year RIGHT!

2011-12-30T12:41:00.003-06:00

Last year about this time I was introduced to Mint.com. I tried it for a few weeks and I loved it. You can read what I had to say about it here but I was anxious to come back and review this program after a year.
Mint has been a HUGE time-saver for me! My favorite features include being able to set up my own categories and budgets that are specific to our family. I also love all the visual tools they have available. A quick glance on the bar graph lets me know if we are on track with our budget for this month or not. I also really enjoyed looking at the data over a year's time to really see where our money goes. What can I say, I'm a sucker for pie charts. ;)
One of the neatest features is being able to "split" a transaction. Let's say I'm at Target purchasing household items and also picking up a birthday gift. Instead of me having to "split" the transaction at Target, I can do it with a click of the mouse at home and designate just how much of the purchase should go into each category. They also have apps for iPhone and Android, so you can check it on the go.
It's the start of a new year, which is the perfect time to get your finances in order. I hope that you will love MINT just as much as I do. Did I mention that it was FREE? Check it out for yourself.

Mint.com also comes with some amazing reviews from Time, PC Mag, and Money Magazine who give it extremely high marks for security, functionality, and ease of use!

Shutterfly Winners Announced

2011-11-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

Well, our big family picture day is tomorrow. I'm saying a prayer now for Grace over at Clearly Photography who has the ~~honor,~~ ~~priveledge,~~ task of capturing our extended family crew of 14 on digital media to be preserved for all time. Bless her. Luckily, the weather is going to be delightful so we do have that going for us. :) I can't wait to get the pics and order our cards from Shutterfly.

And, I'm pleased to announce the winners of the Shutterfly giveaway who have won 25 holiday photo cards. Drum roll please......

clgleaves@

jennysue1538@

loriquesinberry@

Congratulations! Your photo codes will be sent to the email address you provided within 72 hours.

Welcome FiftyForward Staff Members

2011-10-28T11:31:00.004-05:00

Today, I had the pleasure of speaking at The Retreat for FiftyForward. If you aren't familiar with this organization, you can check them out here. They are the leading resource in Middle Tennessee for those 50+ who seek to live longer, more fulfilling lives. I spoke at the Donelson Station location, which also houses The Larry Keeton Theatre. My family and I are very excited to be attending their production of Miracle on 34th Street in December, but they have performances year round!

If you are a FiftyForward staff member, WELCOME! I rather enjoyed speaking to your group and answering your questions. I hope you will be able to use some of the tips I shared with you during our workshop and I also want to help you navigate your way around this site.

If you are new to couponing, then I would highly recommend you take a look at my Frugal 101 series. This is kind of a step-by-step guide to get you going. Next, you'll want to browse through the FAQ list for some added info. Don't forget to stop over and "Like" Coupon Queen Diaries on Facebook!

Also, right now I'm hosting a giveaway sponsored by Shutterfly for 25 personalized holiday photo cards! Go here to register to win. THREE winners will be chosen!

Thanks again for stopping by and best of luck as you start on your money-saving adventure!

Shutterfly Giveaway - 3 Winners! [CLOSED]

2011-10-24T14:15:00.002-05:00

**This giveaway is now closed. Winners announced here.**

I love sending out Christmas cards. This is one of the first things I try to check off my list. I love getting cards too, especially Christmas photo cards. I mean, it's really nice if you send me a heartfelt card but I particularly enjoy seeing how my family and friends and their children have changed and grown over the past year. A part of my decorating routine is to look back over the cards of the previous year that I safely tucked away in the bins with tree decorations.

Last year Shutterfly offered me some complimentary holiday cards and they turned out beautifully. We used our picture from Thanksgiving at Disney and I thought it looked fantastic. They were the 5x7 cards and the paper was nice and thick. It's my favorite! This year I am planning to order from Shutterfly again. We are having family pictures in just a few weeks where we will be sporting T-shirts from our favorite football team. We are a house divided (Me: Go Bama! - Hubby: War Eagle!). It might be no small feat to select an appropriate card for that photo, but with hundreds of designs to choose from, I'm sure I'll find one that is perfect! Shutterfly also has photo gifts, which make great presents. My grandmother looks forward to her calendar every year.

Are you a blogger? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here: http://goo.gl/DDw7Q

Shutterfly isn't just treating bloggers to free cards this year. They are also offering 25 cards to 3 of my readers. Complete the form below for your chance to win (Email subscribers will need to visit the site in order to complete the form).

Required entry:

Let me know how many holiday cards you usually send out.

Bonus entries (will be verified): Current subscribers are eligible too.

Subscribe to Coupon Queen Diaries Email Updates or RSS Feed.
Go over and "Like" Coupon Queen Diaries on Facebook.
Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet the following: "Check it out! @bishopstaci is giving away 25 holiday cards from @shutterfly. Enter to win! Three winners. http://bit.ly/tETvoB"

Details, Details, Details:

This giveaway is open to residents of US & Canada only.
Comments will not be counted. You must fill out the form below. One entry per person. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
This giveaway will end on November 3, 2011 at 9 PM. Winners will be selected by Random.org and posted on Coupon Queen Diaries.
After the winners are selected, I will send the promo code within 72 hours to the email address provided.

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: Shutterfly has offered me 50 free cards in exchange for this post. However, all opinions are my own.

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