Being a couple of employed, full-time college students trying to plan a wedding and buy a house, we tend to eat a lot of frozen pizza. If you have bought frozen pizza recently, you know how expensive these convenience foods have gotten, and for that simple reason...convenience. Finding coupons for frozen pizzas is not hard, but the cost of a frozen pizza after coupons still tends to be anywhere from $4-$10 each. When you eat frozen pizza at least once a week, that tends to add up pretty quickly.
I came across this article that teaches you how to make your own homemade frozen pizzas! This is my kind of article! I will definitely be doing this from now on.
You'll Need:
1lb of pizza dough, either store bought or homemade
1/2- 1 cup of pizza sauce
Desired toppings
Shredded cheese
Rolling pin
Parchment paper
Baking sheet or pizza stone
Plastic wrap
Aluminum Foil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the pizza stone or baking sheet in the middle of the oven while it is preheating. Divide pizza dough and roll it into desired size on pieces of parchment paper. One pound of pizza dough typically makes four frozen pizzas for me. If the dough starts to shrink back when you roll it out, let it rest for a little bit and try again.
Par-bake the pizza rounds. Using the parchment paper, slide the dough rounds onto the baking sheet. Bake for 2-3 minutes, just until the dough is puffy and dry on the top, but still light in color. The point of this is to make the dough firm enough to top with all of your pizza toppings and to avoid soggy pizza when it comes time for baking.
Let the pizza rounds cool completely on a wire rack. Remove the parchment paper form underneath each round.
When the pizza dough is completely cooled, top the pizza with your desired toppings. Pizza rounds can also be frozen un-topped.
Wrap the pizzas in plastic wrap, and then aluminum foil. Place a label on the top of the pizzas so you know which ones are which. These pizzas can be frozen for up to three months.
When you're ready to bake the pizzas, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
This is a great way to use the homemade pizza sauce recipe I posted earlier on this blog.
Here are some topping ideas that we enjoy in our home if you're looking for ideas:
Taco:
* Ground beef or turkey (browned and seasoned with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper)
* Cheddar cheese
* Tomatoes
* Jalapeno peppers
Hawaiian:
* Canadian Bacon
* Pineapple
BBQ Chicken:
* BBQ sauce
* Red pepper
* Chicken
Fajita:
* Chicken or steak (cooked with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper)
* Corn kernals
* Black beans
* Green pepper
Chicken Alfredo:
* Chicken (cooked in Italian seasoning and minced garlic)
* Alfredo sauce
* Spinach
* Mushrooms
* Mozzarella Cheese
Philly Cheese Steak:
* Ground beef (browned with onion powder and garlic)
* Provel or Provelone cheese
* Red and green bell peppers
* Onion
Meat Lovers:
* Pepperoni
* Sausage
* Hamburger
* Bacon
Veggie:
* Mushroom
* Green pepper
* Red pepper
* Onion
* Tomato
Ham and Broccoli:
* Cheddar cheese
* Ham
* Broccoli
Buffalo Chicken Pizza:
* Chicken
* Buffalo sauce
* Ranch
* Cheese
To people that live around here, Fast Eddie's Bon Air is just a bar that everyone frequents for cheap food. Little did I know, people all around the world know about Fast Eddie's. I was once working at a fast food joint in high school in Edwardsville, IL, which is about 30 minutes away from Alton. A gentleman came in to ask me if I knew how to get to Fast Eddie's from there and explained that he came all the way up from Alabama to go there. WHAT?
Then I turned 21, and now I get it. I tend to forget about Fast Eddie's when it comes to date night.
If you're going to be in the Alton area any time soon, make time to stop at Fast Eddie's Bon Air. The drinks are reasonably priced, a "fat Eddie" burger is 99 cents, a basket of fries is 99 cents, chicken or steak kabobs are $1.25 each, peel and eat shrimp are 29 cents each...why wouldn't you stop here? They just added on to Fast Eddie's and now they have live music most nights of the week. Oh, and they always offer free popcorn to snack on with your drinks!
Note: I am not being paid to feature Fast Eddie's on my blog....I just really, really like going there and it makes for a fun and inexpensive date!
One way that Thomas and I have been able to continue going on dates all while saving money is taking advantage of restaurant happy hour specials. Here is a list of restaurants and the happy hour specials they offer.
* Taco Bell "happier hour": weekdays from 2-5pm $1 loaded grillers, freezes, medium sodas, and sparklers.
* Dairy Queen: weekdays from 2-4pm half-priced shakes, beverages, smoothies, lemonade chillers, and Moolattes.
* Steak n' Shake: weekdays from 2-4pm half-priced drinks and shakes.
* Sonic: weekdays from 2-4pm half-priced drinks, limeades, and slushes.
* Applebee's: weekdays 3-6pm half-priced appetizers.
* Houlihan's: daily from 4-7pm appetizers start at $6.95, 1/2 price house cocktails and draft beers plus $1 off glasses of wine on Sundays all day and Monday-Saturday 4-7pm and 9pm-close, and 1/2 off bottles of wine on Tuesdays.
Just because we are trying to save money does not mean we still do not go out occasionally. In fact, Thomas and I do not go out on a date from time to time, we begin to fight like cats and dogs. Here are some ideas on how you can still enjoy date night without blowing your budget.
1. Check out Deal websites:
Sites like Groupon, Living Social, Deal Chicken, etc. offer great date night deals on a pretty regular basis. In the past, we have used these sites to get deals like unlimited mini golf for 4 months for 2 people $20 (each round is usually $8 per person), half off a zip lining tour, 78% off of aquarium admission, over half off indoor rock climbing, 60% off bowling, half off ice skating, 70% off laser tag, numerous restaurant deals for over 50% off, as well as hundreds of dollars off weekend travel deals.
2. Use Coupons:
Couponing is not just for the grocery store. I purchase an Entertainment book every year that offers BOGO restaurant meals and deals on entertainment such as theater performances, bowling, movie tickets, museum admissions, theme park admissions, and more.
Also take advantage of the coupons that come in the mail during the first part of the week. These mostly include restaurant coupons. We use these a lot before heading out to a movie, bowling, etc. Many times we get BOGO meals using these coupons or free sides and drink with the purchase of a sandwich.
3. Go out for lunch instead of dinner:
Portions are smaller and so are the prices. In addition, many restaurants offer lunch specials.
4. Order water:
When we go out to eat, we rarely order anything to drink but water. It is healthier on your waistline and on your wallet.
5. Sign up for email clubs:
Sign up for email newsletters from your favorite restaurants and attractions. Often times these email comes with great money saving coupons.
6. Find free things to do:
We are lucky here in St. Louis because there are tons of free things to do! The St. Louis Zoo is one of the largest free zoos in the country. The St. Louis Science Center is offers free admission and, if you do not mind walking a little bit, you do not have to pay for parking either. During the summer months we head to then beach at the Meramec River where parking is free, swimming is free, and we always bring a picnic lunch. Bike rides down the River Road along the Mississippi are beautiful and the only cost is a picnic lunch and gas to get there. During the summer there are free concerts in Haskel Park in Alton, IL. There is so much to do. Do a little research online to find free activities in your area.
7. Sign up for RedBox email and text updates:
Receiving text messages does not cost me anything (we have Verizon) and I get at least 1 text each month offering me a code for a free 1-day movie rental. We will head to our local Walmart and run across the street for a Little Caesar's $5 Hot and Ready pizza on the way home. Sometimes we are even able to run into Walmart and use coupons to get free pizza, soda, chips, and/or candy to complete our at home movie date night.
8. Catch a Matinee:
If there is a movie you are dying to see in theaters, go to the matinee. In the theaters in our area if you go to the show before 4pm, tickets cheaper. If you go to the theater before 12pm, even on weekends, tickets are half-price. Make your savings go even farther by enrolling in the theater's loyalty program. Example: The AMC stubs card gives you $10 back for every $100 you spend in the theater including tickets and concessions. The card costs $10, but that charge goes toward your first $100. You will also get free popcorn and soda upgrades at the concession stand and free processing fees if you pre-order your tickets on Fandango.
9. Go to Happy Hour:
Even fast food restaurants are offering happy hour deals now! Check out a list of happy hour specials coming soon.
10. Buy discount gift cards:
Head over to www.plasticjungle.com and purchase discount gift cards that you can use for date night. This is a website where people can sell their unwanted gift cards making them money and, in turn, saving you money. Be sure to check the site often because gift cards will always be changing. We have found several date night gift cards including Starbucks, Fandango, Applebee's, AMF bowling allies, Regal Cine, Lonestar Steakhouse, Panera Bread Co, Olive Garden, and more.
11. Double Date and Share Babysitting:
Team up with your neighbors and go out on a double date. If you do not want to double, simply coordinate your date night with your neighbors' so you use the same babysitter and split the cost of child care.
12. Buy Discount Tickets:
Look on Craigslist or www.ticketsnow.com for discount tickets to concerts, sporting events, or theater shows you would like to see. Just be sure to call the authentication number on the back if you are buying tickets from an individual so you do not get ripped off.
Chili seasoning packets from the grocery store can be great for a convenient weeknight meal. Although they are not too pricy, making them yourself can still be cheaper than buying them in the store. In addition, the store bought varieties are contain huge amounts of salt! I have taken up the task of making my own seasoning mix. This mix is so cheap to keep on hand and easy to throw together.
You'll Need:
1 tbsp unbleached flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried minced garlic
2 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Mix all of the ingredients together and store them in an airtight container. I make multiple batches at a time so I can always make chili when a cold, rainy day pops up. With a fiance that works outside rain, snow or shine, we tend to have chili often.
Salad dressing is another one of those things that I hate to buy because it can be expensive. I also do not like to stock up on dressings using coupons because the dressings often expire before I am able to use them up and I end up throwing them out. At the same time, I love having ranch dressing on hand when I make buffalo chicken wings, buffalo chicken wraps, French fries, chicken strips, popcorn shrimp, or snack on with fresh veggies. I used to buy the dry ranch dressing mixes at the store, but they cost almost $3 each! When I came across this recipe for homemade dry ranch dressing mix, I knew I was going to make up a ton of this and keep it on hand. Because it is a dry mix, it will stay good on the shelf for an extremely long time and I will be able to have ranch dressing whenever I want! This mix also costs pennies to throw together! For the $3 I was spending at the store for each packet of dry ranch mix, I could have a huge jar of this mix that would be enough to last me for at least a year. Needless to say, this girl no longer buys ranch dressing at the store!
You'll need:
1/3 cup dry buttermilk
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 1/2 cup dried dill weed
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried chives
1 tsp salt
Whisk all ingredients together until blended. If you want a more finely ground mixture. Try pulsing all of the ingredients in the food processor. Store this is mixture in an airtight container for up to three months.
To prepare the ranch dressing:
Combine 1 tbsp of the ranch dressing mix with 1/3 cup of mayonnaise and 1/3 cup milk with a wire whisk. I replace the mayonnaise with non-fat plain Greek yogurt to lighten it up. It is just as delicious without all of the calories. The Greek yogurt also adds a boost of protein!
I got spoiled when I worked at a department store makeup counter with all of the high end products I was getting for free. When I moved and could no longer work for that store, I struggled with the fact that I could no longer purchase the products I loved so much because I could not afford $40 foundation, $25 eyeliner, $30 mascara, or $95 moisturizers. I am a slowly recovering addict. This recipe for homemade blush has helped. Sometimes, the feeling of saving money overpowers the feeling of wearing products from that certain high-end makeup line.
You'll Need:
Water
Baby powder
Red food coloring
In a bowl, mix your desired amount of food coloring (1-2 drops for light pink, 3-4 drops for medium pink, 5-6 drops for dark pink/red) with 3 tbsp water. Add baby powder 1 tbsp at a time until you reach the consistency of soft clay and becomes kind of chalky. Make sure you mix well. It will begin to sort of break up when it is ready. Use your finger tips to press the mixture into an old blush compact or small jar with a lid. Let the mixture air dry over night.
Use like you would store bought blush. Apply to the apples of the cheeks with either a sponge or a blush brush.
Wow! And the blush I had been getting for free from work retailed for $49! This blush costs less than $5!
One of me and Thomas' favorite things to do when the weather is warm is to play outside. We will walk or ride our bikes to this great little park that is just off of the bike trail near our home. We will spend an afternoon biking, walking, swinging, playing tether ball or tennis, playing on the merry-go-round, basically acting like big kids even though we are 22 and 23-years-old. One of the best things to do after playing outside all day is to grab a slushy. We used to make a trip up to Sonic for happy hour (1/2 priced drinks and slushes on weekdays from 2-4pm), but that meant using gas to get there and spending the money on the slushes. Since we are trying to save money, we started making our own slushes from home instead.
Here's what you'll need to make a homemade Cherry Limeade Slush:
3 cups cherries, pitted
2 limes, quartered (peel on)
6 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
Ice
Cherries and lime slices for garnish.
Combine cherries and limes in a blender or food processor with sugar and two cups of water. Blend until a puree forms. Strain the juice into a bowl, then pour the rest of the water through the strainer. You can either serve this cold over ice as-is, or add ice and juice to a blender and make a slushy. Either way, this is an amazing treat to serve after playing outside on a warm day, at a backyard barbeque, or pool side.
If you have never tried Lofthouse cookies before, what are you waiting for? If you have tried these, your mouth is watering just like mine right about now!
Our family absolutely loves these soft, chewy, melt in your mouth cookies with the thick and creamy frosting topped with loads of colorful sprinkles.
There are three times each year when my family enjoys having these cookies around: Valentine's Day, Easter, and 4th of July. With Easter being just a week away, I figured now would be a great time to post a recipe for homemade Lofthouse cookies. Although these taste cookies are totally worth the price you pay for them at the grocery store, I am in the game of saving money. I can use this recipes to make double or even triple the amount of these luscious cookies for the price of a dozen of them at the grocery store.
You'll Need:
5 1/2-6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream
FROSTING:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tbsp milk
Food coloring
Sprinkles
For the Cookies:
In a large bowl whisk 5 1/2 cups of the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the
butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the
vanilla and eggs. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber
spatula. Mix in the sour cream until well blended. With the mixer on
low, gradually add the flour mixture until a sticky dough forms. Add up
to an additional 1/2 cup of flour to achieve a soft, but still slightly
sticky dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide
the dough in half and shape into rectangles about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Wrap each rectangle in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425º F. Lightly flour a sheet of parchment or
silicone pastry mat. Working with one rectangle of dough at a time,
roll each out to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie
cutter (or a round glass works well too), cut out the cookies and transfer them to a parchment lined
baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and cut out. Bake for 7 minutes until pale golden. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream
together the butter, salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low,
gradually add the confectioners' sugar one cup at a time until smooth. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Add
food coloring of your choice. For spring we like to use greens, yellows, and pinks. For 4th of July, we keep the frosting while and add red and blue sprinkles. For Halloween we do orange frosting and black sprinkles, green frosting and green sprinkles for St. Patty's Day, pink frosting and red sprinkles or white frosting and red and pink sprinkles for Valentine's Day, and either white frosting with red and green sprinkles or green frosting with red and white sprinkles for Christmas.
When the cookies are cool, frost the tops with the frosting and decorate
with sprinkles. Allow the cookies to set out until the frosting has
set. Store in an airtight container between sheets of parchment for
several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
This recipe yields more than 5 dozen cookies! I'm thinking these just may be our wedding favors because they are delicious and inexpensive to make.
You will not have left overs I promise! These cookies will fly off the platter.
I have really long, thick hair. I'm talking...my hair reaches the small of my back when I let it down, and I often break even the thickest of hair rubber bands when I attempt to throw my hair up in a ponytail. Because of this, buying shampoo has always been an expensive chore, and I always seem to go through it much faster than most people. It did not take me long to get tired of spending $20 or $30 a month on shampoo, but I was not about to cut off all of my hair! That is when I found this recipe for homemade shampoo!
Here is what you'll need:
1 gallon of either brewed herbal tea or water
1/2 cup of baking soda
1/4 cup castile soap
3 tbsp xanthan gum (baking isle at Walmart)
Essential oils (about 30 drops- I use tea tree oil), optional
Place herbal tea bags and water into a microwave safe bowl. Heat water just until it is steaming and there are little tea bubbles on top. Let the tea steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the baking soda. Careful, it will fizz up. Let this mixture cool. Then mix in xanthan gum a little bit at a time. After the gum, stir in the castile soap. Let the mixture cool completely, then add any desired essential oils.
I saved a couple bottles from my old store bought shampoo and use them to store my homemade shampoo. You could also buy pour bottles from a craft store or store your shampoo in milk jugs.
You can play around with different scents by using different essential oils and different types of tea. One I have heard of is chamomile tea and lavender oil.
I love making homemade stir-fry, fried rice, grilling marinades, etc. When you make them yourself, you know what goes into them and you can also control things like sugar and salt, making your homemade recipes healthier. Here is a recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce that is great on everything. I even use this sauce when we grill chicken and salmon. It is so tasty!
You'll Need:
1/2 cup soy sauce (I use a low sodium variety)
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp sweet cooking rice wine
1/2 tsp arrowroot
In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sugar over medium heat. Whisk in rice wine and arrowroot. Bring to a boil. Whisk and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens. It should resemble a syrup or a glaze when it is ready. Keep warm while you're preparing the items to go with the sauce, or store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
I love, love, love sun-dried tomatoes, especially during the summer! Toss them into some whole wheat pasta with crumbled Feta cheese, olive oil, and chicken fresh off the grill...YUM!
What I used to hate about sun-dried tomatoes is the price! Buying them from the store for a single recipe used to cost me close to $7. I say "used to hate" because now I make my own! It is super easy and saves so much money! I can hardly believe I used to pay so much money for these suckers!
This is such a great way to use up any extra home-grown tomatoes at the end of the season too!
You'll Need:
2 pounds of tomatoes (I used Roma), washed and dried
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1- 1 1/2 tbsp Kosher salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut your tomatoes into wedges (like you would a lemon or orange). Toss your tomatoes into a colander and sprinkle then with kosher salt. Set the colander over the sink and allow the tomatoes to drain for about 10 minutes.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer tomatoes to the baking sheets. Lay the tomatoes in a single layer, skin side down. Season with olive oil, dried herbs, and sugar. Add more kosher salt to taste. Place baking sheets in the oven. Turn the heat up to 420 degrees. Once the oven has reached 420 degrees, leave the tomatoes in for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn your oven off. Do not remove the tomatoes from the oven or open the over door for 3-4 hours. After four hours, check your tomatoes for dryness. Remove those that are fully dried and leave the rest in. If some still need drying remove them and gather them onto one baking sheet. Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Once the oven is heated to 350, place the tomatoes that still need drying back into the oven. Increase the temperature to 395 degrees and leave the tomatoes in for 5 minutes. Then, same as before, shut off the oven and leave the tomatoes in without opening the oven door for 2-3 hours.
Store the dried tomatoes in jars with olive oil. They will last on the shelf for months stored like this!
Our intentions of eating healthier, our passion for being frugal, and our love of Mexican food has us buying a lot of Mexican staples, like refried beans, on a monthly basis. Not only can these tasty, protein packed beans cost a pretty penny at the grocery store, but the store varieties are normally loaded with fat and salt. I found a recipe for instant refried beans mix and knew this was one pantry staple our family had to have if we were going to continue to eat healthy and save money doing it.
You'll Need:
3 cups dried Pinto beans
3 tsp dried cumin
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp dried minced onion
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. The original recipe I found says to grind until you have a powder about the consistency of flour. My family likes their refried beans a little more chunky, so I usually just pulse the mixture until beans a slightly broken up and the spices are blended. Store the mixture in jars. These will stay good on the shelves for a very, very long time!
To make the beans:
3/4 cup bean mixture
2 1/2 cups water
Mix the bean mixture with the water using a wire whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer the beans for 4-5 minutes or until they reach your desired thickness. Note: the beans will thicken more when they have cooled.
We love the fact that this recipe allows us to enjoy one of our favorite and nutritious Mexican staples for pennies on the dollar. In addition, I can spend a Saturday making up dozens of batches of bean mix and they are not going to spoil on me. Even though the bean mixes are shelf-stable, they usually do not last long in our home! We eat these beans with tacos, burritos, tortilla chips, or just on the side of our favorite Mexican dishes.
Everyone loves a clean kitchen. I used to use bleach spray to make sure I got all the germs from dirty dishes, raw meat, etc. off of my counter tops, stove top, the bottom of the sink, and the shelves of our fridge. Using all of those chemicals around our dishes and food began to make me nervous. That is when I came across a tutorial for homemade lemon-scented all purpose cleaner. Now this is the only cleaner I use to clean our kitchen and even our bathroom! Not only does this cleaner disinfect and leave everything clean and shiny without all the harsh chemicals, but it is much cheaper than buying that bleach spray I had been using!
You'll Need:
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp baking soda
1 liter (about 4 cups) hot water
1/2 of a lemon
Spray bottle (buy these from the dollar store or clean and reuse bottles from other cleaners)
Combine vinegar, baking soda, and hot water. Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon into the mixture. Drop the rind into the mixture as well to infuse the cleaner with the natural oils from the rind. Stir the mixture well to allow the baking soda to dissolve. Allow the mixture to cool. Remove the lemon rind. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and get to cleaning. You could also replace the lemon in this recipe for orange if you prefer the orange-scented cleaners.
I like to make big 5 gallon buckets of this mixture so that I always have it on hand. The best part of this is, I can make a whole 5 gallon bucket of this cleaner for the price of one small bottle of the bleach spray I was using before!
We love to play sports in my house! With playing sports, comes the desire for sports drinks. Thanks to this recipe, I no longer buy sports drinks at the grocery store (unless I have a coupon making them free).
Here's what you'll need to make your own homemade Gatorade:
2 lemons
1 lime
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dolomite powder (you could also used a crushed calcium tablet), optional
3+ cups filtered water (depends on desired taste)
Juice the 3 citrus fruits. Combine juice, honey salt, and calcium powder in a quart size jar (32 ounces). Make sure your jar has a tight fitting lid. Add enough water to make one quart of sports drink. Shake well. You can enjoy this right away or store it in the fridge. I tend to triple or even quadrupole the recipe and store it in the fridge with empty milk or juice jugs.
You can also play around with flavors by adding different fruit juices or drink powders such as Kool Aid, Crystal Light, or MIO.
I love Chorizo! This zesty Mexican sausage makes a great addition to breakfast burritos, breakfast casseroles, enchiladas, taco salads, burritos, and so much more. It even tastes great in pasta and rice! We do not really buy Chorizo often because of the price, and the fact that you never really know what you're getting in sausage products you buy from the grocery store, and that is if you can even find it in the store. We live in the Midwest and people do not usually consume Chorizo so it can be hard to find. I came across this recipe for easy homemade Chorizo and had to try it out! This is so incredibly easy! Now the whole family can have Chorizo any time. This recipe is cheaper to make than buying Chorizo in the store and, best of all, you know exactly what is in it!
You'll Need:
1lb ground lean pork
6oz ground pork fat
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground corriander
14 tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp cider vinegar
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with hands. Place the Chorizo mixture in a colander and place the colander over a bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate like this for three days. Squeeze the liquid out of the Chorizo daily and discard the liquid. After three days, wrap the meat up and freeze it. You can split the meat up before freezing if desired. You can freeze the Chorizo for up to four months.
This recipe makes about 1 1/2 pounds of Chorizo.
With Easter just a week away, you're probably searching for ways to save money on goodies for the Easter bunny to bring the kiddies. Here is an awesome recipe for homemade watercolor paints that will make a fabulous, and frugal, addition to any Easter basket.
You'll Need:
4 tbsp baking soda
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
2 tbsp corn starch
food coloring
Container for your paints (you can use empty water color trays, empty makeup containers, muffin tins, ice cube trays, plastic egg cartons, etc)
Mix baking soda and vinegar together and wait for the fizzing to stop. Add the corn syrup and corn starch and mix well until dissolved. Pour the mixture into your containers. Use toothpicks or popsicle sticks to mix in the food coloring to get your desired colors. If your paint looks runny after getting the desired color, add a few sprinkles of extra corn starch to absorb the excess moisture. Set the paints in a cool, dry place and let them harden. This can take up to two days. After they have hardened, use them like you would other brands of water color paints!
These make great gifts or a great rainy day project for kids.
I love making homemade soups with garden fresh veggies and lean meats. We often pair them with sandwiches or salads for a quick dinner or a tasty lunch. The one thing I do hate, however, is buying vegetable broth. One thing I hate even more than buying vegetable broth is forgetting I have it in the pantry and finding that it has gone bad. This recipe for homemade vegetable broth powder not only saves you money on the initial idea of vegetable broth, but because it is in powder form it is also shelf-stable. This has our family written all over it.
You'll Need:
2 cups Nutritional yeast
1/2 cup sea salt
2 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tsp marjoram, optional
2 tsp dried powdered lemon peel, optional
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp basil
1 tsp powdered thyme
1 tbsp dried parsley
Place all, except parsley, in a food processor or blender. Blend until they have been powdered together. Add parsley and pulse to chop. Store in an airtight container.
To make broth:
Use 1 tbsp of powder for every quart of water used in your soup broth.
Sometimes I think Thomas and I eat at Taco Bell just for the mild sauce. Now, thanks to Pinterest, I have found a recipe for homemade Taco Bell mild sauce! This will definitely be on our table next time we serve tacos!
You'll Need:
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp dry minced onion
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a saucepan, stir well. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Store leftovers in a jar in the refrigerator.
Just because I have been unemployed for the past few months does not mean that the bills stopped coming! In order to make ends meet, I had to come up with some innovative ways to keep funds coming in. My fiance was able to help a little, but considering he has bills of his own so he was only able to help with a tank of gas here and there. It was my responsibility to come up with ways to take care of the rest. Here are some ways I kept my cash flow running so I could make my bills. Even now that I am working again, I will continue to earn extra income by sticking with these. This way Thomas and I will still be able to meet our goals of paying off all of our debt by the end of the year, all while saving up for our wedding and our first home. Whether you are trying to pay off debt or just want a little extra spending money, these are sure to help you earn extra income.
1. Swagbucks: This is the easiest and, by far, the most fun way I have been earning money for free from home. Signing up for at account is free! You will also receive a 30 "swagbuck" bonus for signing up. Earn my swagbucks by answering daily polls, liking the site on Facebook, referring friends, playing games, printing and redeeming coupons, searching the web, answering surveys, watching videos, meeting daily goals, and completing special offers. I redeem my swagbucks for PayPal cards, which I then cash in to pay bills. However, you can choose from other prizes such as board games, electronics, video games, household items, jewelry, baby items, personal care items, restaurant gift cards, airline gift cards, store gift cards (including Amazon, Walamart, Target, JC Penny, and more) or charity donations. I do not participate as much as I would like due to the fact that I am a full-time student, but I do earn over $50 in a typical month using Swagbucks. That is almost 2 tanks of gas or a credit card payment for me.
If you have a smartphone, Swagbucks also offers the Swagbucks TV app. This is a free app you can use to view Swagbucks TV content on your iPhone or Android. The app is free to download and you can earn up to 50 Swagbucks per day using the app. I usually plug in my phone and turn on the app while I'm sleeping. This way I wake up 50 Swagbucks richer every morning and it is like getting paid to sleep!
2. Inbox Dollars: This is a free online survey website I use to earn about $30 each month. Earn a $5 bonus just for signing up for your free account. Earn additional money by taking surveys, confirming paid emails, playing games, printing and redeeming coupons, watching video, performing easy online tasks, and searching the web. With this online survey site, you earn check written out to you.
3. Send Earnings: This is exactly like Inbox Dollars. Sign up for your free account and get a $5 bonus. Shop online, answer surveys, confirm paid emails, search the web, play games, and more, to earn more. I make about $30 each month using this site.
4. Slice The Pie: Sign up for your free account online at www.slicethepie.com. Here you will be paid to listen to aspiring artists' music, rate it, and write a short review. Amounts vary judging on how your review is written. After earning at least $10, you can request a payment. Payments come via PayPal so it is just like getting paid in cash! I just started using this account today, but it is super easy and I have already requested my first payment.
Other methods I am planning on trying or in the process of trying:
5. Fivrr: This is a website that allows you to offer gigs to people for a $5 charge. I only have a couple gigs posted and I have only had them up for a couple of days, so I really cannot say more than that. However, there are a ton of users on Fivrr so it must be worth trying.
6. Sell Unwanted Items: Clean out your closets, basements, attics, etc. and post the items on Craigslist or Ebay. Make sure you post pictures of these items so they will sell better. Also make sure you do not go alone to any of the transactions and meet in public places. I've never had any bad experiences with Craigslist, but we have all heard the horror stories. You could also have a yard sale if the weather is nice.
7. Ibotta: This is a free app for iPhone that pays you for purchasing certain items at the grocery store. Typically I would shy away from earning possibilities such as this, but this app pays me to buy products I normally buy at the grocery store anyway. All you have to do is download the app, scroll through the products and complete a few short tasks (these are really quick like watching a commercial for a product or liking it on Facebook), purchase the item at the grocery store, take a picture of our receipt, upload it to the app, and get paid! I just did this for the first time two days ago. My total earnings...$22.50! I earned this just for purchasing items at the store like Raisin Bran cereal, Fanta, Sprite, Cascade, Garnier Fructis, Chobani Greek yogurt, Classico pasta sauce, Eggo waffles, steam fresh veggies, and more.
8. Sell items on Etsy- If you have a knack for crafting, try making items to sell on Etsy. Accounts are free! You just upload your photos and product information to your site and the customers come to you. The only thing you have to do then is ship the items. Etsy does charge you a small percentage of what you sell on their site, but it is very minimal.
9. CrowdTap: This is a site I joined about a month ago. You answer easy questions, participate in online discussions, and complete online tasks to earn points. These points can be used to purchase gift cards. I will be using my points for Amazon gift cards to help with some of our wedding expenses such as our flower petals, isle runner, cloth napkins, and table runners that are being purchased from Amazon.
I will warn you, these avenues of making extra income are tedious. You are not going to get rich and you are definitely not going to get rich quickly. However, I do make enough money to cover a good chunk of my bills each month. This is about $90 in additional income each month. Keep in mind I am a full-time student. If you are a homemaker or a stay at home mom, it is really easy to earn money with Swagbucks TV or the Swagbucks TV app while you are cleaning the house, making dinner, packing school lunches, or helping with homework. The more time you put into these activities, the more money you will make.
