Fashion Friday - Watermelon Red

Friday was a fun day as I had a Watermelon Social at a facility that I work with and so I pulled out all the red I could find to match my theme (and make any watermelon splatters less visible!)  The great thing about this outfit is nothing I am wearing is new!  I have had the top, shoes and accessories for several seasons but I think I have worn the top only 1 time the shoes only 1 time. I love the shoes but never seem to have anything to wear them with so Watermelon Social Friday they were called up for duty!  The Necklace I am wearing my sweet daughter,Piper Ellice, gave me many years ago and it has special significance in the number of stones.  The gorgeous ring I am sporting I found at an estate sale about 3 years ago and it was a steal! Of course, my bracelet stack is, of course, on duty too! 

Being dressed in so much red brought lots of  compliments all day on Friday and I think I might have to incorporate more of it into my wardrobe!  Hope y'all are having a great weekend!!!! 

Frugal Friday!!!

How was your frugal week?  Mine was pretty good.  We only ate out 1 time and that was actually delivery of pizza for the National Championship Game (CLEMSON WON, in case you had not heard...just saying!)
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So my big savings was food this week.  I only picked up the basics that we needed as we needed them (last night on the way home from work I made a quick stop for fresh lettuce, tomato, dog food and milk.)  Otherwise, I shopped and planned through what was in my fridge, freezer and cupboard.  A couple of weeks ago, I went to the downtown farmer's market in my town and bought a meat pack from Orvis Hill Farms which guided me through my meal prep and gave the basis for a menu.  It was nice to have the freezer with meat in it but not so much that I felt no direction, so I think this "meat plan" may be a good way for me to plan and keep me from spending to much "on the way home from work."  A new meat traditional meat market just opened up in my town so I need to check it out because they often have "fill your freezer" deals that include a variety of meats and poultry. 

The downside of my budget was some unexpected medical expenses as both my sons had accidents (unrelated) that resulted in 3 sprained ankles between the 2 of them.  So, I had some drugstore expenses I didn't expect and angle braces are not cheap!  But, thankfully, no one was broken although they were in a lot of pain.  By the way, if you have  a Sonic close to you their ice makes the best ice packs and you can by it in 10 pound bags for under $2.00. 

Let me know your Frugal Tips!

Bringing back Frugal Friday!

I used to do posts on Southern Somedays for Frugal Fridays, but obviously since I have had trouble even posting regularly and my life has changed quite a bit since those days, I haven't kept up with that.  No better time that the New Year to bring back "Frugal Friday!"  Hopefully, that will encourage me to at least post regularly, not to mention help me keep my focus on living more simply and living more with less.

As 2017 is upon us, part of my New Year's commitment is to continue to grow in my financial knowledge.  I freely admit that I have been a complete and total flop with finances...but, I am learning, growing and improving! I have already been taking classes in personal finance and budgeting.  In 2017 I want to continue that trend and pay down debt and increase savings in any way possible.  Some of those steps are baby steps which may seem silly, but every step helps. 

 

Any one else planning a Frugalista Lifestyle for the New Year

and what is the 1st thing you are going to tackle?

 



Banana Bread, Frugalista Style

I am committed to becoming a better steward of what I have been given and one big area that I think I can save is in the kitchen/pantry.  Years ago I was a good couponer and did most of our cooking/baking at home but over the last few years that just went away.  The last couple of years, in particular, saw me almost completely stop cooking/baking.  I used to really enjoy it, though, and I think if I could get back in the swing of things I would enjoy it again and it would be better financially and health wise.  Not to mention, with 2 boys and their friends, it is important to always have some snacky stuff on hand.

So today I decided rather than throwing out the 3 bananas that had seen better days I would make banana bread!  I found this recipe which called for just a few ingredients (all of which I had on hand!)

Banana Bread

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 self rising flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a fork mix the butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Add the flour last and mix well. Spray a 4x8 inch loaf pan with no stick spray. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour.  Cool on rack before removing from pan Iif you can wait that long!) Slice and enjoy!

My Weekend Haul...

DD and I happened upon a great Estate Sale on Friday and picked up some goodies!  I collect China Snack sets (they are going to come in handy one day when it is Bridal Luncheon time!!!) I am so excited to score some new pieces for my collection. 

 I got these 4 Lefton snack sets for $7.00.(available at Replacements, Ltd. for $14.99 each)  They are some of my favorites because the inside of each cup is a beautiful pastel that reminds me of dyed Easter eggs. 

I also got 2 more beautiful snack sets with 2 additional snack plates for a whopping $2.00 for all 6 pieces (available at Replacements, Ltd. for $23.99 each ) 

The Reed & Barton 104 bowl was my big splurge, at $10. When I went to this Estate Sale on the first afternoon it was marked $20.00 but when I went by on the second afternoon it was down to $10.00 so I took it home!  (available at Replacements, Ltd. for $31.99)

So for a mere $19.00, I feel like I got quite a bargain for some gorgeous and unique pieces! 

Doing the frugalista happy dance!

The most wonderful time of the year...Starbucks Holiday Drinks Buy One Get One!

Oh yes, my Starbucks loving friends...it is that special time of the year when not only does Starbucks have their Buy One Get One deal going on for the next few days (November 18-21, each day from 2 until 5 pm) but they also have some yummy holiday drinks to get you in the mood to celebrate.  So what will it be?  Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread or Caramel Brulee' Latte???? 

Also, don't forget to sign up for their 12 Days of Sharing deals  for more liquid holiday spirit!  They start December 1st so don't miss out.

***no endorsement paid, I just know lots of my blog friends are big Starbuck lovers!

Thifty Thursday!

I love table linens and wish I had a better collection.  Over the last couple of years, though, I have tried to keep my eyes open for good deals on napkins and tablecloths that I imagine will work for me (at some point!).  End of season sales are especially good for this purpose.  This week I found a really good deal on some beautiful spring/summer Ralph Lauren Home linens that will fit perfectly on the breakfast table or our outdoor dining table. 

At my local Belk, I scored 6 generous sized, striped napkins that coordinate with a beautiful floral tablecloth for a mere $20.44 (originally priced at $84.00)! 

So, I am doing the I saved $63.56 happy dance and thinking about how perfectly these will work for  a table scape next spring!

***no endorsement paid, just another personal opinion....I have enough for everyone!

Lets go to the Drive-In!

Have you ever been to the Drive-In? I mean, an honest to goodness, Drive-In movie? I have vague memories of going with my parents at some point as a child, but that is about it. So, last weekend, we decided that we needed to introduce our boys to this experience. Actually my DH hadn't ever been either! My DD had been with her friends so she got to play guide for this event.

We actually didn't stay in the car but brought our folding chairs so we could sit under the stars! It was truly like tailgating at the movies.  There was an RV full of folks and also one couple had some lovely Adirondack Chairs in the back of their pick-up truck to enjoy the movie in style!

Not only was the Drive-In fun, but it was quite the frugal adventure as well!  The tickets were $7 per adult and $4 per child and that was for a double feature (Shrek and Ironman)!  The large popcorn was only $3!!! 

Love THAT!

This was so much fun, my DH and I wondered why we hadn't been doing this on a regular basis!

Drive-Ins are a dying breed but fortunately there are some driven souls that have breathed new life into some of the old locations around the country.  Do you have one close by?  If so, why not take the family out to enjoy some nostalgia...it might just become a habit!

Tiger Drive-In

Retail Therapy Thursday (on the cheap)!

Look at these cuties! I popped into a shoe shop yesterday that I hadn't been in before and I was DELIGHTED to find a couple of super-cute-shoe finds. Not only are they cute and perfect for perking up some currently unknown Spring/Summer outfit (s) but they were a steal. I snagged both pairs for only $25.00...yes, you read that correctly. Of course, they aren't designer ~ but I thought they were adorable and the wanna be frugalista in me is thrilled.

Doing the Super-Cute-Shoe Happy Dance!

Opi and Nicole

I haven't done a product review in a really long time.  Maybe that is because my Retail Therapy appointments have been few and far between the last few months...hmmm? 

No matter, I love finding a deal and always like to pass them along.  Last week, I was in Walmart and had a coupon for Opi's Nicole nail polish.  Yes, OPI at Walmart!  I love Opi polishes and think they hold up just about better than anything, but with my recent frugalista lifestyle, I have avoided buying any so I was excited to try their Nicole line.  I had a $1 off coupon and was pleased to see that the price was only $6.50 anyway (yes, Opi for $5.50 was pretty exciting!).  I got a really fun hot pink color called "Playin' Hooky" which is just what this Spring starved girl needed.  So, I have been wearing it for a week and love how well it has held up (Opi quality!!!). 

Oh, yeah...I received no compensation for this product review...only a great new nail polish discovery!

Fun Friends Friday!

This is a little cabinet given to me by my dear friend Cathy (over at http://cathysoutjunkinagain.blogspot.com/), on her last "I am cleaning out MY stuff!" day ~ along with a gorgeous wardrobe for my DD's room. Cathy is one of those amazingly talented souls that finds treasure everywhere, in stuff and in people. I have tagged along with her during one of her frequent yard sale hunts and let me tell you, she has an eye that can't be beat...she finds gold. I am not only blessed by her friendship but also love getting to take advantage of her cast-offs!

Anyway, she gave me this little cabinet and suggested that I paint it and use it to store nail polish or little toiletries. Well, I finally got it done and I love it! It now hangs in our Master bath and it works perfectly for all those little bottles of color.

Gosh, it is wonderful to have creative and inspiring friends!!!!

Good Deals to Be Had at Old Navy

Yesterday, the kids and I went to the mall to mess around. When I say mess around, y'all know what I mean,right? We didn't have anything in particular to buy and it was hot outside so we decided to be mall rats for the afternoon. Occasionally roaming the mall brings me back to my roots; I was a child of the 80s doncha know!

I did find some cuteness at a great price at Old Navy http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/home.do?ssiteID=ON. For some folks that doesn't seem like a big deal, but since I have always kind of been on the fence about Old Navy, it was a pleasant surprise. No, their prices haven't ever been bad, but their quality and style hasn't always really been my thing. My DD loves Old Navy and she has a talent for pulling things together that look great for a song, so maybe I will just follow her ques and keep my eye on Old Navy more in the future. In addition to my oldest DS getting 2 pairs of flip-flops for $5, I got:

this adorable little top off the Clearance Rack for a cool $5!

This top was the Old Navy Deal of the Week and I snapped it up for only $8. I picked it up in white and think I will pair it with a brown tank and jeans for a fun fall look.

Not bad for less than $15, total!

Frugal Check In - Back to School!

Ok, I have to admit the summer hasn't been great for my frugal-wannabe status. I found myself, last week, with a stack of coupons (of course, the best having expired) that I hadn't bothered to clip since school got out at the end of May, and realized that I didn't think I had done a proper grocery run since then either. So, I forced myself to sit down and weed through the stack an organize them and make a grocery and CVS list - to coordinate with sales and needs for the next week+. It felt good to start getting control again. I am a person that needs lists, and rules, and boundaries!!! Whew, that feels better - especially when I have tangible evidence of my organization paying off with my savings.

The one down side is that when I really took a look at last weeks paper it brought the hard and fast reality that our summer is almost over when I saw all the Back-to-School sales! Unfortunately, we live in a area of the country where school administrators have decided that sending kids back into the classrooms in early August when it is 678 degrees outside is a good idea. Our 1st day of school is August 12th and we are one of the last to return in the area (insert eye rolling, pshaw noise here). When we lived in NY we didn't return to school until after Labor Day and I loved it. It felt natural and it wasn't 678 degrees, but I digress and don't miss the NY taxes.

Sooooo...back to my original point, frugality! I like to buy school supplies for the entire year and keep a supply shelf stocked so that I am not having to frantically locate a report cover at 10:00 p.m. on a Thursday night (yes...yes, this does happen!). I also don't want to spend a house payment gathering all these supplies. For those of you who have children, you know that those lists of supplies have continued to grow each year as costs have risen. I definitely don't begrudge the purchases because I am aware that teachers receive next to nothing (if anything) for supplies and most spend a great deal of their own money providing supplies - even with the long list of requirements from parents, but I also have 3 children and need to manage this expenditure carefully. I imagine parents are really eyeing how to cut costs this year, more than ever. When looking over the Sunday paper last week I saw several CVS Back to School sales that, after Extra Care Bucks, were FREE and Office Max had some amazing "loss leaders" so that got me rolling. Yesterday, I again scoured the Sunday Paper and headed out this morning to pick up the great deals to be had at Walgreen's and new loss leaders at Office Max. I love sharing good deals so here is what I have managed to get:

• 50 mechanical pencils
• 2 pairs of scissors
• 2 bottles of glue
• 2 rulers
• 3 protractors
• 44 ink pens
• 10 highlighters
• 3 packs of cap erasers
• 3 rolls of Scotch tape
• 44 #2 pencils
• 3 compasses
• 3 pencil sharpeners
• 10 2 pocket poly folders w/ prongs
• 6 binders
• 10 report portfolios
• 24 2 pocket folders
• 8 composition books
• 3 sets markers (washable)
• 3 sets colored pencils
• 16 sheets poster board (white)
• 6 packs 100 count index cards

Are you ready for my grand total?

$25.03 (including tax)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do have a few things left on my list but feel pretty certain I will manage to get school supplies for all three for less than $50! I am doing the happy dance today to be sure.

OK, how are your frugal efforts this summer?

Early Morning Adventure!

This morning found me dragging my 2 boys + friend out of bed at about 5:30 AM. That is early for a summer morning around here! It was worth the sleepy eyes because we went to the 1st morning of the Annual Helen Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race. Unfortunately, due to weather, the actual race start had to be delayed but we still got to see several balloons inflated and a couple taking off.

http://www.helenballoon.com/

DS1, Friend & DS2 watch as a balloon begins to inflate.

I don't think I ever fully appreciated how big these balloons actually are!

We were extra proud that Clemson was well represented!Go Tigers!!!

Up, up and away...

Oh, and the best part? This was early morning FREE fun!

DS2 loved getting to climb inside and check out a real balloon basket.

Celebrate Spring!

I am a magazine addict, yes, I am. But in the name of frugality, I have tried to wean myself away from most of them. Today though, I saw one that I just couldn't resist: Celebrate Spring! It is published by the same wonderful company that now publishes Victoria and Southern Lady. (oh, and you know Southern Lady is my Favorite!!!) www.southernladymagazine.com

Celebrate Spring is just fantastic! It is filled with wonderful party themes, decorating ideas and tons of yummy recipes. You will find ideas for everything from Easter to Mother's Day, not to mention some fun party themes for April Fools Day and even a plant swap luncheon. I really loved the Monogram Shower idea at which any bride to be would be thrilled to be the honoree. I can't wait until the Celebrate Summer hits store shelves! My hat is off to Phyllis Hoffman and her team...another wonderful mini-vacation lies between the covers of this magazine!

I picked up my copy at Sams Club (Sams has discounted magazines and this one is a bit pricey -though worth it- at a retail cost of $7.99. I got my copy for a very reasonable $5.58 at Sams). You can get one online at:

http://www3.mailordercentral.com/hoffmanmedia/prodinfo.asp?number=CEL%2DSP09

Easy food for Thursday...

Photo: http://www.kraftfoods.com/

I am working very hard these days to do more cooking at home. That has always been a budget killer for us and one area that we have struggled with; probably more than any other. It is just so easy, (but not cheap for a family of 5), when you have been busy to pick up something out. 2009, being the year of paring down and simplifying, is finding me working hard to keep this area in control. That brings me to another dilemma, what to cook that is easy, quick, everyone will like it, and the big deal breaker: Do I have all the ingredients on hand? I am scouring cookbooks, websites and magazines for recipes that fit this bill. A couple of nights ago I found one and wanted to pass it along because it was YUMMY, required few ingredients (all of which I had in the cupboard) and everyone from the 7 year old to the husband really like it. I found it at: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/bruschetta-chicken-bake-65546.aspx

Brushetta Chicken Bake

makes 6 servings, 1 cup each

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg. (6 oz) stuffing mix for chicken

1/2 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese (I probably used a bit more)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 13x9" or 3-qt. baking dish with non-stick spray (like Pam)

Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened. This is where I probably used a bit more Mozzarella than the recipe called for because I sprinkled in some of the shredded cheese into this mixture - use your own family preference.

Layer chicken in baking dish

Sprinkle dried basil leaves over chicken

Top with tomato/stuffing mixture and remaining Mozzarella

Bake 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

This makes a great save-for-later casserole and reheats wonderfully in the microwave.

Enjoy!

Frugal Friday Product Reveiw...sort of!

I had my Frugal Friday Product Review post all written in my head. It was one of those I am kind of excited about this one posts. I wanted to regale you with words of praise over my new frugal cosmetic find, to gush over its outstanding performance, and the miracle results I got, but I got the wind shot out of my sails when I logged onto the product website to find this amazing product has been discontinued! What???? How can this be??? For me to find this product felt like a major deal since I have been a department store cosmetic counter devotee for more years than I can count! The very act of venturing into the cosmetics aisle in the drugstore felt like sacrilege, but in an attempt to continue to streamline and reduce costs (and I had some hum-dinger coupons!) I thought I would give it a try. And try I did, to a thrilling success!

I found a foundation that was wonderful. I was so pleased with it that I wanted to share it here in blogland because even though we may all be trying to be budget junkies we also still want to be beautiful! The product I am referring to is Cover Girl’s Advance Radiance Age Defying Compact Make Up. It is fabulous, not too heavy but gives a super coverage and stays on; not to mention at about ½ the cost of my department store brand. Of course, the powers-that-be-in- make-up-land apparently like to mess with me and they are replacing it with Simply Ageless Foundation…hmmmph!Both of these foundations are a joint product of Cover Girl and Olay so there is hope that the new version will be even better.

Although, I have had a short stint with this product, I am so sad to see it leave. It does appear though, that the powder, which I also really like, is still going to be available. After having such a good experience, I will give the new Simpley Ageless version a spin. So, if you are like me and have always felt you needed to shop the cosmetic counters at the mall or Sephora I would encourage you to stretch yourself and give good old Cover Girl a try!

By the way, I would love to hear about any new (or old) products you have found in your search to beautify on a budget!

Frugal Friday Finds...

Look at my fantastic Frugal finds! I got these 2 great wooden chairs and 6 glasses for only $36.00 (the glasses were $1 for all 6). Yard Sales, hooray!