Much Ado 'Bout Money

Freezer frenzy

2011-01-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope your Christmas and New Year's were wonderful! I can hardly believe they're already over and we're on to 2011.

If I'm being honest, though, I'm officially beginning the new year next Monday. This weekend I've got a big competition looming over my head. It really belongs in 2010, so that's where I'm putting it. That way I can start Monday officially fresh! It gives me another week to ponder my goals and resolutions, too.

Who says you need a big freezer?

This week, because I'm only home for a few days before taking off again, I am trying to only buy groceries that are absolutely necessary. So I decided to actually go and do an inventory of my freezer and see if there was anything edible in there.

Boy was I surprised! This is what I found:

Frozen meals
1 Moroccan chicken
2 Elk stew
2 Kielbasa stew
1 butternut ravioli stew
1 2/3 c. homemade chicken broth
2 spinach artichoke pasta
1 pkg. Mom's Mexican shredded beef

Fruits
1 pkg. raspberries
7 bananas

Beans and veggies
2 cans black
7 cans Anasazi
3.5 chopped green peppers

Baked goods
2 mini loaves of banana bread
1 loaf of rye bread

Dairy
1 pkg. Mexican style shredded cheese
4 pkgs. mozzarella cheese
2 pkgs. Italian style shredded cheese
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 lb. salted butter

Meats
3 (giant) chicken breasts
3 elk roasts
3 elk stew meat packages
1 lb. ground elk
2 lbs. salmon (8 4 oz. fillets)
7 pork chops
1 whole roasting chicken
1 lb. bacon

Spices
Garam masala
Curry powder

Are you shocked? I was! I didn't know that much food could fit into such a tiny freezer! It's got a few wheels turning in my head, though. In an effort to rotate out the foods that are in there, and simultaneously streeeeetch my budget for January (anybody else hurting after Christmas and with the new semester starting?), I'm cooking up a plan for eating out of my freezer as much as possible during the next month. I've been meaning to post some recipes for you anyway, so here's what I'm considering making:

Homemade pizza
Coconut chicken curry
Blackened salmon
Poached salmon with horseradish sauce
Enchiladas
Street-style tacos
Chili of some kind
Homemade croutons
Pot roast
Shepherd's pie
Southwest pork chops
Roast chicken
Chicken noodle soup
or maybe Chicken wild rice chowder
Chicken laab salad
Smoothies
and maybe something wrapped in bacon, because when is that not delicious?

Mmm, I'm getting hungry! Leave me a comment below with your favorites, and I'll post those recipes first!

Free Savings Tracker

2010-12-30T08:29:00.002-07:00

How is your couponing and money-saving going? Are you curious how much you've actually saved?

Crystal at Money Saving Mom has put together a free 2011 Savings Tracker to keep track of both your budget and your coupon savings. I think this looks great, and I'm loving the fact that it's available as a Google Doc as well as an Excel spreadsheet!

You can download it here.

Do you use cash to budget?

2010-12-30T08:21:00.001-07:00

I can't wait for the new year to begin! 2010 has been an eventful, busy year, and I'm so looking forward to a fresh start. I've been mulling over my New Year's resolutions for the past month or so, thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2011 and who I want to become.

At the top of my list is managing my finances better. I don't think I do terribly, but there is certainly room for improvement. One thing I'm going to put into place beginning January (holy, that's in two days!), is an envelope system of budgeting. I've been turned off by it previously, because I don't like the idea of having to deal with cash all the time, and having to carry various envelopes around with me.

At the same time, budgeting is a weak point for me, because I'm terrible at tracking my expenditures, and because I over-complicate things. For Christmas I received this sweet envelope wallet, though, so I figure now's as good a time as any to try out the envelope budget. I've got the next couple days to get my budget ironed out for January, so I'll give you some kind of update then.

In the meantime, I'm curious if any of you have used the envelope system and have any tips or warnings?

Get 10% off at Target.com

2010-12-28T08:12:00.003-07:00

Any Target lovers out there? Here are a few codes you can use on your online Target shopping right now:

     Receive 10% off when you use this code: ON6LKVO9

     Use this code to get $5 off a purchase of $50 or more: TGTMBL05

     You also get free shipping when you spend $50 or more.

These could be combined for some great after-Christmas shopping deals. I've been ogling a couple of cardigans at Target, so I might be cashing in on these codes myself! If I do, I'll be using Ebates, Mr. Rebates, or Cashbaq to maximize my savings. Stay tuned for a future post on these online rebate sites.

$5 Credit for Amazon Video on Demand

2010-12-28T08:11:00.036-07:00

Have any of you ever used Amazon's new Video on Demand service? I'm a Netflix subscriber, so I've never really felt much need, but I'm about to give it a try. Right now, Amazon is offering a $5 credit for Video on Demand! All you have to do is follow them on Twitter.

The (extremely simple) instructions are found at this link.

Basically, all you have to do is sign in to your Amazon account, then click the button to follow @amazonvideo on Twitter. It'll automatically send a tweet about the $5 credit, so you can spread the love to all your Twitter followers.

Then just browse Amazon's Video on Demand department (found here) for something to watch.

I was surprised to see there are a number of free videos/TV shows, including some that aren't available on Netflix yet.

What will you be watching with your $5 credit?

Free MP3 Downloads from Amazon

2010-12-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

I've been anxious for some fresh music to put on my iPod, and now here's the perfect opportunity! Right now, there's a free code for $2.00 of MP3 credits at Amazon!

To redeem your free credits, just head over here and enter the code GIVEMP3S

Then just head over to Amazon's MP3 downloads page and pick out your music. The credits should automatically be applied.

Just remember that the credits expire on December 26th, 2010.

I'd love to hear what music you'll all be downloading with this code. Leave a comment below so the rest of us can enjoy your good music taste!

Thanks to Shannon at For The Mommas for the tip!

I'm back!

2010-12-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Well hello! It's been awhile, hasn't it? Welcome back after a looooooong break!

You may have thought I forgot about this blog, and to tell you the truth, I wondered if I should forget about it. Grad school hit me like a tidal wave, and I found myself much busier than expected. But after surviving my first semester, I've got more ideas and tips to share than ever, so hang with me! I want to give this another shot!

Thanks for sticking around, and watch for new posts coming your way!

FREE Movie Ticket at Fandango!

2010-08-13T13:14:00.000-06:00

Great news for your Friday night! Right now when you purchase a movie ticket at Fandango, you can get a FREE ticket to the same show! Go here to cash in!

This is good on any movie on Fandango, even new ones. The offer is only good for purchases made today, August 13th, and only for as long as supplies last so you'll want to get on this one quick!

The only catch is you must have a Visa Signature card. Your card should either say "Visa Signature" across it, or you can check to see if yours is valid here.

I might be able to justify seeing Inception for a second time with this deal! What will you be seeing?

An Explanation

2010-08-11T23:48:00.000-06:00

Well I planned on this being a pretty busy week for blogging on here, but things have turned out otherwise. I'm recovering from what I certainly hope is not another bout of salmonella (which I experienced back in May), but boy, do I feel crummy. I am on the mend, though, so hopefully I can get back to blogging soon. While I've certainly had the time, I just haven't felt up to it. I hope you'll understand, and watch for new posts soon!

Coupon Deals: Week of 8/8-8/14/10

2010-08-09T08:26:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! Welcome back from the weekend!

I've decided to do something new over here at Much Ado 'Bout Money. In the past I've written about how to find and use coupons, and how to put deals together, but I haven't talked much about where to find these deals. I've been considering the best approach for this blog, and I've found a solution.

What I didn't want to do is list a whole ton of deals that you have to wade through each week. That goes against what I'm trying to accomplish here, which is to show you how to use coupons and save money in simple ways. Most college friends I've talked to don't use coupons because it simply takes too much time to get through all the loads of information. A lot of deals blogs post 20-30 times a week, and most students don't have the time to search through all those posts.

So, each week, I'm going to highlight 5 deals/scenarios from my favorite stores. I'm also going to rotate which blogs I get these lists from in an effort to expose you to some of the coupon blogs I read. That way you'll be exposed to some of the deals blogs I read, and if you do have more time, you can see more substantial deal compilations. Then as you find ones you like, you can create your own blog list for getting deals.

I'm hoping this will accomplish all my objectives, and still allow Much Ado 'Bout Money to be the condensed version you know and love, perfect for the busy college student. Wow, does that sound like a soup ad or what?

Anyway, without further ado (ha!), here are this week's highlights (good from 8/8-8/14/10):

Rite Aid (Thanks to Pinching Your Pennies--catch the full list here)

Crest Pro Health Sensitive Shield Toothpaste $2.69
Use Crest Toothpaste, any 4 oz. or larger or liquid gel excluding Crest Cavity, Baking Soda, Tartar .75/1 (8-31-10) PG-8/1
Get a $2.69 SCR
Final Price = FREE plus overage after coupon and rebate!
(qualifies for the Oral Care Rebate)

Visine Eye Drops $5.49
Use Visine product, any $2/1 (10-31-10) RP-8/8
$1/1 in-ad coupon
Get a $3 +UP Reward
Final Price = FREE plus overage after coupons and rebate!

Schick Hydro Razor $5.99
Use $5/1 coupon from SS 8/8 (this is a regional coupon)
Send in for Mail in Rebate
Final Price = FREE plus overage after coupon and mail-in rebate!

Schick hydro Shave Gel $1.99
Use $1/1 coupon from SS 8/8 (regional coupon)
Final Price = $.99 after coupon!

Mead Notebooks 4 for $2
Get a $1 +UP Reward on two
Final Price = $.25 each after reward

Target (Thanks to Stretching a Buck--full list here)

Post It Notes (3×3) – $1/ea
Use $1/1 Post-it Super Sticky Notes (PDF) or
Use $2/1 Post-it Products, $10 Purchase (PDF)
Final Price = as low as FREE

Scotch Magic Tape – $0.50/ea
Use $0.50/1 Scotch Magic Tape in Donut Dispenser (PDF) (exp 8/31/2010) (if donut is included)
Use $1/3 Scotch Magic Tape 8/8/2010 SS Insert (exp 11/19/2010)
Final Price = FREE or $0.17/ea when you buy 3

Mead 5 Star One Subject Notebook – $1/ea
Use $1/2 Mead Five Star 8/8/2010 RP Insert (exp 9/30/2010) (regional – Central OH didn’t receive)
Final Price = $0.50/ea when you buy 2

Dannon Activia Yogurt (4-6 pk) – $1.67/ea
Use $1/1 Activia, 4 pk (IE) or Printable (FF)
Use $1/1 Dannon Activia Yogurt 8/8/2010 SS Insert (exp 9/12/2010)
Use $1/1 Dannon Activia Yogurt 7/18/2010 SS Insert (exp 8/8/2010)
Final Price = $0.67/ea

Ortega Yellow Corn Taco Shells (12 ct) – $1.50/ea
Use $1/2 Ortega Products
Final Price = $1/ea when you buy 2

Walgreens (Thanks to Coupons 4 Utah--catch the full list here)

Dial NutriSkin Body Wash (16 oz) $3.99
Get $3 RR
Use $1/1 Printable Coupon here
FINAL PRICE = FREE after RR

Pilot V5 Precise Pens 2 pk. $1.99
Use the $1/1 coupon found here
Use the $1/1 coupon from the August Coupon Booklet
FINAL PRICE = FREE

Biotrue Multi Purpose Contact Solution (4 oz) $4.99
Get $4 RR
Use $1/1 Printable Coupon here
FINAL PRICE = FREE

Pilot Pens $1.99
Use $1/1 Printable Coupon here
Use $1/1 Coupon from the August Coupon Booklet
FINAL PRICE = FREE

Schick Hydro Razor $7.99
Get $2 RR
Use $5/1 Coupon (8/8 SS)
Submit Try Me FREE Rebate Mail in Rebate FORM HERE
FINAL PRICE = FREE +Money Maker

Coupon abbreviations: PG = Procter & Gamble Instert; RP = Red Plum Insert; RR = Register Rewards (Walgreens only); SCR = Single Check Rebate (Rite Aid only); SS = Smart Source Insert

Try Sam's Club for Free: Sam's Club Open House 2010

2010-08-03T21:15:00.000-06:00

I've got great news for all of you! This weekend you can try out Sam's Club for free! You don't have to have a membership to get in, and you won't be charged the normal 10% up-charge fees! You can read more about the details here, but this will take place August 6th, 7th, and 8th only.

I'm really excited for this opportunity, because I can never justify getting a Sam's Club membership due to the fee, but there are some great deals there. I'd keep an eye out for low prices on baking goods, meats, and bathroom items (TP!) Oh yeah, and let's not forget the free taste samples!

Are you planning on checking out Sam's Club for free this weekend? What do you plan on buying?

Assorted Freebies for the Weekend!

2010-07-31T15:06:00.000-06:00

Here are a few freebies and deals floating around the webs:

Today (July 31) and tomorrow (Aug 1) only, grab a FREE antibacterial Pocket Bac from Bath & Body Works, no purchase necessary! Just print out the coupon here and take it to the store. ~ Thanks, Freebies2Deals

Grab a free sample of Origins GinZing Eye Cream by heading to the Origins Facebook Page. I can't wait to try this!

Today is the last day that you can get Restaurant.com $25 Gift Certificates for just $2.00. Just use the code PLATE. These are a really great discount! I've used them at Gloria's Little Italy in the past. ~Thanks, SLC Mommy

Coupon Database Rundown

2010-07-31T10:32:00.000-06:00

I am very pleased to announce a new feature to this blog! If you've been poking around on the site lately, you may have noticed a new page called "Coupon Database." This is such a big help when you are using coupons, and it is going to save you a lot of time and money!

The database allows you to search for any available coupons, telling you exactly where to find them. You can search by description, source, and date.

Here's a scenario to show you just how great this is:

Let's say you are brand-new to couponing--you haven't had time yet to build up a stockpile of toiletries and beauty items. You find yourself suddenly in need of deodorant. That is an urgent need! So you take a look at the coupon database. You can enter "deodorant" in the search terms, and you'll find yourself with similar results to these:


(click to enlarge)

There are lots of options here, so you could look through and see if any of these coupons match up to sales you've seen in your local ads. Or if you have a favorite brand (I am personally very picky about deodorants), you can run a search for that, too:

(click to enlarge)

On the left-hand side, you'll see the coupon details. If it is underlined in blue, it's a link to the online source (you can print many coupons online). Then you'll see the date and source for finding the coupon, so you can go look it up. What I love about my folder system is that I know very easily whether I've even got a certain coupon. If I look one up and it is found in the 3/1/2010 Red Plum insert, I can go to my box and see if I even have that insert. If I do, then great; if not, I don't waste any time hunting through hundreds of coupons trying to locate it.

While I try to use coupons and follow deals scenarios as much as possible, there are often times that I quickly need to run out and get something--I'm working on stockpiling with coupons, too! I love knowing that I can search for coupons on things I'm going to be buying anyway. This database is also great to use to do your own coupon match-ups when there are sales, and you don't have to memorize every coupon that you own.

So, that is the coupon database! Pretty simple, right? I am thrilled to be able to provide it here on the site (much thanks to Abe for working the javascript magic!), and I would love to hear how you are able to use it.

What do you think about the coupon database?

*Click here to access the database directly. For more on collecting, organizing, and using coupons, check out Not Yo' Mama's Guide to Couponing

It's Time to M.O.V.E. It, Move It!

2010-07-30T01:02:00.000-06:00

Every year it seems like Moving Day gets earlier and earlier. By Moving Day, of course I am referring to the day in August when all of us Provo students simultaneously get kicked out of our apartments two weeks before our new apartments become available. This year, for me at least, it falls on August 16th--so soon!

I don't know about you, but I detest packing and moving. I loathe it so much that I usually put it off until the night before, and suddenly find myself in a sea of stuff (seriously, who knew I had so much stuff?!) with long checklists of cleaning to accomplish. Not fun! This year I am determined to change things around by beginning early, and being organized about this. And I'm inviting you to join me! Whether you are moving or staying, we're going to be de-junking, organizing, cleaning, and packing all to the tune of

M.O.V.E. 2010

(that's Move Out Very Efficiently--who doesn't love a good, tacky acronym?)

I'll be making it easier for you by gathering resources, and posting activities and tips to get the job done as painlessly as possible. And we begin today!

Don't worry, it's easy!

M.O.V.E. Day 1:

Change of Address

Ok, I admit it, might be a passive-aggressive tactic of mine to get everyone to use a change of address form. It is my biggest pet-peeve when I move into a new apartment, or when an old roommate moves out, and I am left sorting all their mail, attempting to send them their credit card bills or letters from Grandma. It's just a big headache, and it is easily avoided by letting your local post office know that you've relocated.

To change your address, just head on over to the U.S. Postal Service site, and follow the steps! If you're wondering when is the right time to change your address, the USPS website suggests that you begin having your mail forwarded 7-10 business days before you plan on moving to your new place. The form allows you to set the date in advance, so figure out when you'd need your mail forwarded, set the date, and forget about it! One less thing to worry about.

In addition to changing your address with the postal service, I'd also recommend making a list of other things you'd need to change the address for, so that you can be sure you haven't missed any important mail. By beginning the list now, you can just add to it as you go. When it's closer to moving day, you can block out a little time and get all those addresses changed at once. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Bank statements
Magazine and newspaper subscriptions
Credit card statements
Insurance
Directory listings on the university's website
Cell phone provider
Health clubs
Doctors

In addition, you could get fancy and send out a change of address card--I'm a sucker for good old-fashioned etiquette like that. Plus, you can't receive birthday or Christmas checks if nobody knows your address...

Cookie Scoop Giveaway Results!

2010-07-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am sure the suspense has been mounting all weekend! Who will be the lucky new owner of the cookie dough scooper?!

As promised, I have the results right here. I assigned a number to each giveaway entry, be it comment, new google follower, addition to blogroll--each received a number. I then submitted said numbers to Random.org, and received the following result!:

Will the winner of the scooper please stand up, please stand up, please stand up!

Congratulations Tyler, you are the proud new owner of the Oxo Good Grips Cookie Dough Scooper!

Contact me with your mailing address and the scoop will be headed your way! Thanks everyone for entering the giveaway, and watch for more in the near future!

Scoop Your Way to Some Extra Lovin' and a GIVEAWAY!

2010-07-23T14:33:00.000-06:00

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but we are almost at the end of July, and that means that summer will be over sooner than you think! I've still got lots of things I plan on doing before school starts up again, but in the meantime, I've been thinking a lot about how to really smooth the transition from summer to fall. This next month, I'll be doing some features on how to get organized and ready for the new semester, including some great advice on packing, cleaning, and organizing. Not my favorite activities, either, but spreading them out over the coming month will make it easy-peasy.

As part of those features, I'll be doing some posts on utilizing your freezer and pantry (yep, even as a college student!) to get prepped for school to start. To kick things off, here's a tip I saw recently that I think is great for us college students!

Freezing Cookie Dough
How often do you find yourself in the most stressful week of your life, with three tests, a project, two papers, and several friends' birthday parties/concerts/plays/what-have-you to attend? And in the midst of that, you'd still like to be a nice person and volunteer to bring treats to that reception, or drop a plate of cookies by a visiting-teachee or friend in need of some lovin'?

Yup, I think we've all been there. And we've all found ourselves thinking it's impossible to do it all.

Well, that certainly is true, but there is no harm in faking it! When you find yourself needing some kind of instant treat, you could always head to the grocery store and buy some pricey, over-processed cookie dough that produces flat, greasy, crunchy cookies...

Or, with a little forethought, you could have a fresh, hot batch of your favorite homemade cookie recipe.

How? It's easy!

Next time you make cookies, just make a double batch. Bake some of them like you normally would, but using a cookie scoop, create balls of cookie dough from the rest.
Stick them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer until they freeze hard.
As soon as they are frozen, just pop them into a Ziploc freezer bag, mark the date and type of cookie, and you're done! Frozen cookie dough stays good for about 3 months, so these cookies will last you the whole semester. To use the dough, you can either let the cookie balls thaw, or just pop them in the oven. You may need to experiment with your individual cookie recipe for best results.

Now the next you find yourself needing some sweet treats to take to a social event, you've got them! When you want to impress that special somebody with your super-human abilities to study, go to class, ace your tests AND bake them homemade cookies, the magic is waiting at your fingertips. Or let's be honest, when you find yourself slogging through midterms or busting out that 20-page paper that's due the next morning, YOU can stuff your face with soothing chocolate chip cookie dough.

To help you whip up your first batch of frozen cookie dough balls, I am hosting a giveaway!

If you win, you'll be receiving this lovely Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop!

To enter, just submit a comment below, and tell me your favorite kind of cookie. You can also get extra entries by posting my button on your blog, blogging about this giveaway, subscribing to RSS/email, or following me on Google Friend Follow.

The giveaway starts now, and ends Monday at 5pm MST, and the winner will be announced Tuesday morning.

Ready? On your mark, get set....GO!

Pinecone Research is open! Hurry!

2010-07-21T20:24:00.000-06:00

I've been hoping that I'd be able to tell you about this for awhile now, so I am pleased to inform you that Pinecone Research is accepting applicants right now!

You'll want to hurry and apply, as this is not always available. If you're accepted, Pinecone is a really great, reputable survey company. I've been doing their surveys for awhile, and have been really happy with them. The surveys cover many different topics, like your laundry usage, beauty products, or just product packaging. For each survey (which take 15 min. or less to complete), you receive $3. You can opt to receive the money through mailable check or via Paypal. In my experience, I have always been very promptly paid for each and every one of these surveys, and occasionally, I've even received free products to review!

To apply for Pinecone Research (don't worry, it's pretty quick and painless), go here.

And remember, you'll want to jump on this quick, before the portal closes!

Thanks, Utah Deal Diva

Greetings from Indiana!

2010-07-19T11:02:00.000-06:00

Hello from Indiana! I just arrived this morning for a week-long class in Indiana. This is my first foray into the Midwest, so that'll be a new experience for this Western girl--helloooo humidity! I'm both nervous and excited for my class, but I am going to take a lot away from it, I think. I'll be staying busy this week, but it'll be nice to get a break from work, and I plan on getting a few posts up here as well--like that Rite Aid instructional I've been promising! Stay tuned this week, and I hope you had a lovely weekend!

Cheap Steaks and Beauty Products -- Now There's a Combo!

2010-07-16T23:19:00.000-06:00

Some last-minute coupons before the weekend, just in time for some weekend shopping!

Sign up for Chef's Requested email updates to receive a $3/1 coupon! It's reported that Walmart sells Chef's Requested steaks for only $3.28, so you could net some $0.28 steaks! This is a great way to stock up on some cheap meat for the freezer. ~Thanks, Money Saving Mom

Right now, Procter & Gamble is offering a rebate for $10 off $30 of any Olay, Venus, Covergirl, Secret, or Pantene products, valid on purchases between 6/30/10 to 9/17/10. The form must be postmarked by October 1. You can print it off right here.

Head's Up: Barnes & Noble Clearance

2010-07-16T22:13:00.000-06:00

Barnes & Noble is having a summer clearance sale right now! Go here to check it out.

There are some books marked down as low as $1.99, which would be a pretty good deal if you can find some books you like. Most of the $2 ones look pretty skanky, but I spotted a couple good children's books that would make some great gifts for nieces and nephews:

Were you able to find any great bargains? Let us know--post a comment below!

Here a Little, There a Little: Earning Some Extra Money on the Side

2010-07-15T15:43:00.000-06:00

In just a little while, I'm heading up to campus to take part in a taste panel. This is one of my favorite ways to earn a few dollars! Yep, you heard me right: I get paid to sample foods!

It's done through BYU's Food Science Sensory Lab--you can read all about it here.

I've been doing these taste panels for the last couple of years, and I love them. The timing is sporadic, and they certainly aren't a significant source of income, but here are some of the reasons I enjoy doing taste panels:

They only take about 15 minutes or less to complete
Free food! While you're obviously there to help determine which food tastes and smells the best, I've never had anything so horrible I couldn't finish all the samples--on the contrary, they're usually quite tasty. You won't get a full meal here, but it can definitely supplement breakfast or lunch, saving you a little money on the food you'd normally buy.
You only attend the panels that fit into your schedule--no long-term commitment
If they're doing a panel of a food you don't care for, you can pass--ie, the skim milk last week
$3 in cash for every panel! Not a lot, but enough to buy some lunch, or just to add to your savings
Maybe it's just the nerd in me, but I feel all spiffy doing a top-secret survey and pushing cool buttons (see below)

If you are interested in being part of BYU's taste panels, send an email to Sandy at tastepanels@gmail.com and include your name, age, gender, birth date, phone number, and mailing address. I'll also add that this is available not only to BYU students, but to community members as well, since they are testing many demographics.

Once you've signed up, you'll receive an email whenever panels are being done that you qualify for. They'll give you some available time ranges, and you'll make an appointment. Then just show up at the Sensory Lab, sign in, and they'll tell you what to do!

Catch you all later, I'm off to sample some mashed sweet potatoes, mmm!

A few coupons and offers

2010-07-14T15:22:00.000-06:00

Here are a few mid-week goodies to get you through Wednesday!

$3 off any Oil of Olay facial moisturizer - After a brief questionnaire, the coupon is mailed to you in 4-6 weeks. ~Thanks Dixie Coupon Chicks

$5 off $25 Rite Aid printable coupon - Expires 7/31/10. These are great to use in addition to your other Rite Aid scenarios--just be sure to use this coupon before your other coupons for maximum savings (ie, take $5 off the total pre-coupon amount, rather than after). ~Thanks Bargain Briana

http://www.rightathome.com/Offers/Pages/2010-07-ziploc.aspx - You can sign up for these every 180 days. It looks like you'll get full-size samples of Ziploc products! These only go to the first 10,000 to respond, so you'll want to hurry! ~Thanks For The Mommas

Check out the Tanger Outlets Facebook Page and hit "Like" to request a FREE coupon booklet! You'll be emailed a voucher for the booklet which you redeem at the Customer Service center. These coupons are great--normally they cost $5, and they can usually net you a few dollars' worth in savings when you're shopping at the outlet. The nearest Tanger Outlet is in Park City, and I've gotten some fantastic deals there on clothing at high-end stores like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and J. Crew. This would be great for back-to-school shopping! ~Thanks Utah Deal Diva

Free Amazon Prime Membership for Students!

2010-07-13T00:53:00.000-06:00

Holy smokes, you won't want to miss this! Amazon is offering a free Amazon Prime Membership for students...for an entire year! I have signed up for several Prime promotions in the past, but they've never lasted for more than three months--this is an incredible deal!

To sign up, you'll just need to have a .edu email address. If you're a BYU student, you can just make sure you've got this listed as one of your email aliases and it'll work fine. If you're not a student, then buddy up to one, because Prime memberships can be shared with up to four household members.

If you didn't already know how great Amazon Prime is, here are some of the perks:

Free two-day shipping on anything--no minimum purchase
Free two-day shipping
Free two-day shipping

Just wanted to drive that point home. You'll see the other benefits on the sign-up pages, but free shipping is where it's at--you can score some really great deals on textbooks and other online sales when shipping prices no longer factor in.

To sign up for your FREE Amazon Prime Student Membership, follow this link. You can also take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions and other info here.

Blueberry Muffin Recipe

2010-07-10T18:25:00.000-06:00

Did you manage to grab any of the blueberries at Sunflower I mentioned last week? I went on Monday and snagged 4 pints--the last 4, in fact! I planned on freezing most of these, but I wanted to have another go at a blueberry muffin recipe I tried recently. I wasn't satisfied with the results before, but I felt certain it was due to some error on my part, like doubling a liquid or leaving out a cup of flour or something. This time, the muffins were more successful (they didn't overflow onto the bottom of the oven!), but they were still rather flat on top. The good news is, the taste is still fantastic, so I've post the recipe for you to try below. What I love about this recipe is the idea of using a blueberry jam to intensify the flavor--it really helps make these blueberry muffins, not plain, bland cupcakes with an occasional blueberry. The lemon sugar on top is really great, though I think a strudel top would be delicious as well. I want to keep tweaking this recipe, so if you have any tips for getting muffins with a more rounded top, I'd love to hear those as well. Enjoy!

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

As seen on America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

Lemon-sugar topping

1/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest from 1 lemon (I didn't bother with measuring and just zested the whole lemon

Muffins

2 c. fresh blueberries (about 10 oz.), picked over (you should get this much from a 1 pint container)

1 1/8 c. sugar plus 1 tsp.

2 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/4 c. canola or vegetable oil

1 c. buttermilk*

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Adjust oven to middle rack, and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 tsp. of sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
While berries are simmering, zest lemon and combine with 1/3 cup sugar to create the topping.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 11/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not overmix.)
Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick, skewer, or toothpick, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over muffins.
Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving. Best eaten while still warm!

*Fresh buttermilk really makes these taste great, but you can always substitute by adding 1 Tbs. vinegar or lemon juice to milk to create 1 cup of liquid. Mix and let it set for 5 minutes before adding to the recipe.

Hot Printable Coupons

2010-07-06T21:17:00.000-06:00

I generally like to wait to print out online coupons until I know I'm definitely going to use them. Often I'll print them right before heading to the store. This keeps me from having a huge paper mess and wasting paper and ink, not to mention having to clip out a bunch of extra coupons. Occasionally, though, there are exceptions. When there are really good coupons that I'll probably use, and they may not stick around, I print them while I can. Here are some coupons you can find online that you might want to take advantage of!

$0.50/1 Del Monte pineapple coupon - there have been lots of deals on pineapple lately, and even if you can't eat a whole pineapple, you could always freeze it for making smoothies.
~Thanks, Money Saving Mom

Target coupon for $1.00/2 Bic stationery products - this is a good one to save for the upcoming back-to-school sales, when Bic gets marked down. Even if you don't prefer these kind of pens, they're good to use for ward activities or other times when you may not get them back :)
~Thanks, Money Saving Mom

FREE can of Libby's vegetables - this is a rare find! Free vegetables! You might even be able to snag some free canned pumpkin to stock up for yummy fall recipes and pies. Just be aware that not all stores will accept a free coupon.
~Thanks, Tight Wad in Utah