Are you Frugal?

Are you Frugal? Do write out a budget each paycheck, use coupons, shop garage sales, or consignment stores, make your own food instead of buying convenience food??? Why?

Yes, I did just ask why! If you are not doing any of the above mentioned "frugal" behavior Why not?
For myself, I do much of the above "Frugal" behavior. Now at times I do more of them, than at other times. However, I am pretty much a frugal, or well "tight" with my money. Why, you may ask, well at first I had to, in order for our family to make ends meat. Then as things improved I decided that if I continued my "thrift" or "frugal" behavior it freed up more money from our budget to allow for extras - or as I like to call the "sugar" in life. The "sugar"

items are the extras like: dance lessons for the girls, or a new nice bottle of lotion and matching bubble bath for me. All of the things we could live without but life is soooo much sweeter with them!!!

I love hearing how people spend their money!! I love hearing why they spend their money on certain items over other items. I think it is about as fascinating as a tour of some one's home. So are you frugal?

Frugal Birthday Treat

Every year at my child's school, parents arrive on their child's birthday with a treat for the kid's class. Our school has a strict no homemade food allowed policy (only store bought), thus this means parents arrive at the school carrying a box of 24 cupcakes that cost approx $18.00 to hand out to little Johnny or Suzy's classmate. This cost is on top of the birthday party that the family is throwing for little Johnny and Suzy - you can see how this can quickly add up. However you don't want your little Johnny or Suzy to be the only child who does not have anything special to hand out to the class on his or her birthday.
So I was thinking "This is crazy!", "I don't want to spend approx $20 for kids to eat a cupcake for my daughters birthday - when half of them are coming to her birthday party and will have a piece of her birthday cake then. So I think I came up with a cute, frugal solution. I went to the store and bought 3 pieces of scrapbook paper approx $3.00, 2 of them were solid black, 1 of them were cute decorated bday paper. I cut the 2 solid black pieces of papers into squares. Then because this was for a daughter's day, I took pink thread and sewed the 2 pieces together leaving an opening at the top(I used my sewing machine to sew them together) Basically a pocket. Then I cut the cute decorated paper into a little smaller square than the pockets turned out to be. I then glued the cute (slightly more expensive paper) onto the front of the pockets. Now to glam it up a bit: I glued on little black bows to the front top side of the pocket. (Now I had this black ribbon already at home, I know, you hate it when someone says this, but it's true. However this inexpensive, thin black ribbon is sold for .50 cents at Walmart). I had cute little pink shiny stickers that I put in the middle of the bows. (I did run out 1/2 way thru - so I did not sweat it, some had the sparkle others did not).

Then I went to the store and purchased 3 packages of mini Hershey candy bars. (Dollar General sales a package for $1.00) then I placed a candy bar into each pocket. Filled the basket with the pocket of goodies and off to school I went to deliver my daughters treat for her class in honor of her birthday. (The picture at the top of this post shows the basket filled with the little pocket treats) The teacher really loved this idea because she did not have the mess of the icing from all the cupcakes to pickup. So in the end my daughter got to be the center of attention handing out her special treat for her birthday,and all I had spent was approx $6.00 - whew!! Kept my budget, and my reputation as a loving mother. I luv it, when it all comes together! Hope this helps another mother looking for some alternatives to the "cupcake" game.

Party Game - Are you a Hot Tamale?

One Tues. I posted about our mom's group having a Mocktail/Cocktail party (see older post) and told all from how we threw the party, what our invitations were like, and a few drink recipe to get you started if you wanted to throw your own. I mentioned that we played a real fun girlie game called "R U A Hot Tamale?" I told you I would post the game later, so ta da!!!! That day is here. You too can play this game in with your girlfriends. (It was good for lots of laughter and conversations)

R U A Hot Tamale?
1. Daily shaving in the past 2 weeks gains a point for you sister!
2. Shaving above the knew gives you another point you see!
3. Make-up everyday for the last 3 weeks gives you 3 points sweet cheeks!
4. A skin care line every day & girl you are smooth! or you want to be. So you get 4 points that's key!
5. Fixing your hair with more than a ponytail holder for at least 1 week gets you 2 points.
6. Lotion on the bod after shower or anytime, everyday for the last 2 weeks get you 3 points - your slick!
7. Perfume is so yummy! If you've worn perfume in the last week twice (2x) you've earned 4 points You got it going on!
8. Earrings can be simple and small or Big and crazy, if you have worn them at least 4 times in the last week give yourself 2 points!
9. Necklaces and bracelets all color and sizes - they are awesome finishes to an outfit. Give yourself 4 points if you have accessorized at least twice in the last week.
10. Nails filed and clean is a job in itself. Give yourself 3 points if you are up to task.
11. Polish and pretty nails gets you 5 points - Girl you are salonified!
12. Moms usually buy for others not for themselves- give yourself 5 points if you have bought something for yourself in the last 2 weeks - not from Walmart & toothpaste does not count!
13. Okay ladies it's night-night time give yourself 5 points if you sleep in something not your husbands, not 10 years old, doesn't have holes in it, and doesn't completely cover. Come on girl you get it!
14. Last but not least give yourself 4 points if your wearing a thong or matching Bra and pantie set.

SCORE TALLY:

0-17 points Your a Popsicle Sister~ you are too busy, you need to love yourself. You need to take time and pamper yourself
17-32 points Your a Warm Apple Pie- Girlfriend you are doing pretty good with your busy life, your fixing up, but don't forget to treat yourself!
32-56 points U R A HOT TAMALE!! Go girl! You got it going on- your fixing, filling, shaving, making up, slicking the bod up, wearing the slinky nightie, YOU ARE HOT!!


This was such a fun game to play! We had prizes for our Hottest Hot Tamale, and our coldest Popsicle. (We gave a jewelry set to each girl)

Me and my girlfriend Christy made this up. I hope you can adapt it to one of your own girls night. (Just in case you were wondering I was a Warm Apple Pie, but I strive to be a Hot Tamale!)

Sister!

Have you read the study that was reported on in the Times stating that those raised with sisters tend to have good or better mental health than those who were not. I laughed so hard and had to email and facebook my brothers (Yes, I had all brothers until I was 32 when my parents adopted my sister) and give them a hard time that they probably had better mental health than I did being raised with all brothers, which I signed my note : luv ya, Ameila "G" Plotnick.
No, my name is not Ameila "G" Plotnick but this is the name my brothers called me to torture me for years!! AAAAHHHHH!!!! and then they would say "and you know what the "G" stands for?? GROSS!" which I would run off crying to my parents. I look back at that funny memory and I am sure that this funny story and more made me mentally tougher, more capable to handle adversity.

Now raising 3 princesses I can see where they hopefully, prayerfully our daughters will grow up and support, and love one another and have a different bond than I have with my brothers. However I think brothers get a bad rap! I love my brothers and know that my brothers would be there for me in a pinch! True they do not want to discuss the latest episode of Gray's Anatomy, or go shoe shopping with me, but I am convinced my life is fuller, and richer because of them. I am sure being raised with siblings in general can produce this same feeling depending on the atmosphere of the family, and the families value of respect towards each other. I wish another study would be done, taking that into consideration.

What do you think about the sibling effect on mental health???

I am so sorry but I have to end this blog singing "Sister, Sister, Lord help the mister that comes between me and my sister, and Lord, help the mister that comes between me and my man." from White Christmas. Thank you, thank-you, I will be in town all week!

10 warning signs that you need a mom's night out!

I am part of a mom's group in my town. Our moms group is set up where one month we are in someone house visiting, crafting, or just eating together and the next month we go out and do something as a group be it pottery painting, chic flick, etc... it is so much fun!

However you know as ladies sometimes things just happen...... you get a flat tire, the kiddos have been repetitively sick, the oven stops working, you gain weight (I know what a shocker!), you have PMS, etc... .some months are not created equal! It is on those months that we especially need to get out and connect with our girlfriends! So being human and real I was so glad to see my girlfriends the other night it was like a spa for my inner girlie self!
So here is my warning list:

The Top 10 warning signs that you need a mom's night out:

10. The only place you've been "out" to is the ball field.
9. Your not sure when you last soaked in the tub or took a long hot shower.
8. You've' been forgetting to shave above the knees.
7. Your toes still have last seasons "color" on them.
6. Your nightstand has a kiddie medicine cup and thermometer on it. (Your afraid to put them up)
5. You can't remember the last time you wore heels. or where they might be.
4. You can't remember your password to facebook or your itunes account.
3. When you find yourself humming -it is the theme song from your child's favorite TV show.
2. The only shopping that you have done in the last 4 weeks has been your groceries at Walmart
1. You start thinking "How do other mothers do it?"

We all need our girlfriends to remind us to laugh, that nobody is perfect, (even Mary lost Jesus for a few days), not to take life to seriously, ( and they will notice what color is on our toes so we have to paint them! ), and they will talk about fashion, music, and the latest episode of Grays anatomy. (As my husband reminds me occasionally "I am not your girlfriend. I have no idea what shoe would look good with those pants) oh hubbies, are precious but we still need our girlfriends! (and they understand what a chocolate craving is) need I say anymore!

Princess #3

Princess #3 is nearing her 6 birthday so we took her to Rachel this wonderful photographer in our area. I had to post one of her fab (remember I am talking about my baby so please indulge me) picture that she took. Rachel is very creative, and I love the unique ideas she comes up with!


I love this picture, I think the background looks great with her Red hair!
Thanks for letting me run on...

THE LIPSTICK EFFECT

The "lipstick effect" I know you all are thinking what is that? Could it be where my lip print remains on my coffee cup after I take a sip, the added mint flavoring to my lip gloss to help freshen my breath? The come hear look I can send my husband once I have gussied up for the evening. (Well it is closer to the last one) I heard on the NBC nightly news broadcast with Brian Williams that there was a study done showing that the sale of lipstick was high even during these hard times.
Why did the sale of Lipstick of all things go up during a recession you ask? Well so did I, so I googled this new terminology "lipstick effect" and found a wonderful web site Phys.org that had an article written about a study that Professor Nancy Upton had done that stated: “During the Depression, we saw something referred to as the ‘Lipstick Effect,’ which showed an increase in the consumer purchase of cosmetics, especially lipstick,” she says. “What we saw was a consumer trying to make themselves feel better through small, indulgent, hedonic consumption.”
So that made me start thinking what was my "Lipstick effect"? What do I purchase to give myself a little lift or what do I still treat myself to even though I am watching our budget and cutting back???

I believe my "indulgence" is probably nice hand lotion, a cup of coffee from Starbucks (I have cut way back now only about 1 a month) and yes, I confess I have bought lipstick! (A real pretty pink color just right for Spring!) Because after all don't we all love lipstick - do you remember getting into your moms purse to put some on, or having caught your little princess playing with yours??
So if "lipstick" is not your "lipstick effect" during these tighter days what is yours??? What puts a little bit a pep in your step, or makes you want to give that man in your life that come here look. I would love to hear what your little indulgence is!

Save Money

Oh, don't you love the thrill of opening your mail box and seeing the arrival of a new magazine! I love getting mail that is not a bill or junk mail. I love getting to look at a magazine before anyone else has opened the perfume samples to smell them, or worked any quizzes or crossword puzzles in them. Nothing is like kicking your shoes off, pouring yourself a large glass of Coke Zero or Iced tea and plopping down on the couch to look at a magazine, or climbing into a bubble bath, with music playing softly in the background to unwind and look at a new magazine. Well I confess my love of magazines right here and now.

Now I confess that when I looked at what I had been paying over the years for those subscriptions- it took my breath away. So I put my creative mind to thinking how could I still enjoy my magazine subscriptions each month (monthly pleasure remind you) and shave money off of our yearly budget. After all one of my favorite budge quotes is from Jonni McCoy from the book "Miserly Mom" which she says "don't confuse frugality with depriving yourself".

So what to do - I tried checking out magazines from the local library - that was an OK, solution. Our local library will not let you check out the current months issue, and some magazines I have checked out someone else has got to the perfume sample section first, like I said OK, but not great.
Then I stumbled upon the best thing (at least for me) I am not affiliated with this company nor am I receiving any special benefits other than what I am describing. I found out about the "Coca-Cola" company reward benefit program. Basically for each bottle cap that has a "code" on it that you enter you receive "3" points. I cut back on alot of items however with tweens in the house coke products are a must on the weekend and I admit I love the bubbly of Coke Zero or Diet Coke. Thus those cokes are going to be drunk whether or not I was saving the points for them or not. So I started collecting those pop lids and family members who did not want to mess with them saved them for me as well. (Yippee!!!) I now went to the trouble of setting up an account on the cokemyrewards website. Then every 2 weeks or so I take a few minutes and enter my coke points.

Coke has a great reward program offering magazine subscription for Cosmo, Glamour, Martha Stewart Wedding, Bon Appetit, Everyday Food, Better Home and Gardens, Lucky, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Cookie, Parents, Smart $, GQ. These subscription differ in point value from 114 points to 250 approx points. However the Coke at my house is going to be drunk by our visitors, and me regardless and thru some extra work on my part I have been able to receive many magazine subscription for myself, hubby, kids, as well as being able to give them for gifts for "Free". I encourage you to check out this program if you drink Soda or Pop and have not found this program. It is one of my little budget saver and mental health savers suggestion.