Private Selection frozen food line

I received my free coupons from the Private selection line at Kroger which I received from Bzzagent.com to try and review. I purchased the BBQ Chicken Pizza, the Quiche, and the Vanilla Creme Puffs. I'm glad I received free coupons because at my local Kroger, they were quite high for the amount of each item with the exception of the creme puffs. I cooked the pizza first. I use a baking stone when i cook pizza and even with the backing stone the thin crust pizza was crisp on the edges but tender in the middle. (This is a good thing!) The smell was heavenly let me add. It had great flavor. A fresh taste and the onions were crisp; just like fresh cut onions. Overall, the pizza was good and for someone not needing to feed a large group in's a nice pizza for one or two.

Next, we tried the quiche. It's one of our favorite dishes. They looked great. The filling had a nice taste but you tell it was a frozen food item. Not quite the level of frozen potatoes but you could still tell it was from frozen. Our biggest objection was the crust. It was a little too "bready" for our taste. We prefer a crisp type crust for quiche. But the filling was acceptable and if you like a more bready than crisp shell you may be happy with these.

The creme puffs were good. The only objection to these is that they really aren't a quick, convenient food. You have to let them sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving so I wouldn't suggest these for having on hand in case someone  drops by (unless you have a very talkative guest who's in no hurry). They are however, good in taste and texture.

Overall, we had a good experience with the Private Selection Line but I don't know that we will necessarily revisit these goodies in the future (will with the except of the pizza since my guys really loved it). We will however, be on the lookout for really good coupons or great sales.

*Disclaimer: I did receive coupons for free merchandise as a Bzzagent but this in no way influenced my opinion on this product and/or service. If you are interested in getting to receive and review products, check out Bzzagent.com for more information.

Kroger The Truly Awesome homestyle chocolate chip cookies review

I belong to a site called BZZAGENT. I receive products to review. This weekend I received a package with two boxes of Kroger The Truly Awesome Home-style Chocolate Chip Cookie. I'm not really a chocolate chip fan unless they come straight out of the oven. Prepackaged cookies are just so-so to me. I was pleasantly surprised to try these. 

The first box we ate straight out of the box. They are crispy but soft. I am happy to say they are good for a cookie that comes out of a box but they are also good for just a cookie even compared to homemade. 

The second box we followed one of the directions on the back of the box. It suggests that you microwave for a few seconds. Let me tell you. 20 seconds in our microwave turned these already good cookies into a heavenly treat. It was just like a cookie straight out of the oven. Even the chocolate chips were melty. A tall glass of milk; these microwaved warmed cookies, and a comfy couch will make your day. 

My cookies came from Kroger, but they also come under the package names of Fred Meyer and Ralph's Stores (all of which are Kroger family stores). The box is a little plan- Blue and white with a picture of the cookie. I probably would have bypassed these if I was in the store and hadn't tried them myself.

If you get a chance, look for this box of deliciousness at your local Kroger, Fred Meyer, or Ralph's stores and give them a try. I really think you'll enjoy them as much as we did. 

Finding style with Style Find

With the Christmas shopping season getting started I wanted to share a site I found through Bzzagent.com 

StyleFind is a site that lets you look for the things you love (shoes!) Ok more than shoes. Any kind of fashion  you are looking for. Can't afford that high dollar purse you've had your eye on? Well Style Find will help you find it or something close to it and help you find the best price for it. It's like having your very own personal shopper. 

With a variety of categories, you can shop by brand, item, trend, or even the Editor's pick. And yes, there are shoes...every woman's necessity.  

And my favorite feature:

Deals!!!

The site finds deals for members (which it's free to register on the site). They put together some great finds matched up with deals. But the icing on the cake is the tab called COUPONS!!! That's right. They put their coupons right on the site so you can have StyleFind actually find the piece you're looking for AND with a click or two you have your coupons for additional savings just one click away! 

I did notice that the higher priced items seem to appear first and foremost but you can easily sort by price and adjust to your price range. It's easy and once you find what you're looking for, you simply click  and it sends you straight to the retailer's site. 

Overall, I think it's a helpful site that takes some of the legwork out of finding those fashion items you're looking for. As for being frugal? It depends on the combination of store deal, coupons, and best price found by the site. It has the possibilities of saving time, gas, money, and frustration of finding that perfect little black dress and accessories to go along with it. 

Check it out and let me know what you think: StyleFind.com

My Light

I haven't given this place much attention this past year. Shame on me. I hate to admit I've been so busy I haven't put much effort into saving money. It's time to get back to it though. 
I don't have anything really to share except this offer through MyLight.com, they're giving away a free light (while supplies last) for liking them on facebook. If you're a big reader or just looking for stocking stuffers (it's never to early to start) this is a great little gadget that's hands free. 
Here are the instructions from their site:
Step 1: "Like Us" on Facebook
Step 2: Send us an email so we can verify that you "Like Us"
...Send your email to info@showertek.com. Put "Facebook miniHUGlight" in the subject line. And put your first and last name (or whatever you go by on facebook) along with your shipping address.
 Step 3: We'll verify that you "Like Us" and send your miniHUGlight totally FREE OF CHARGE! That's right, shipping and handling is on us!

Good luck. I hope we all get one. 

Book give away contest

I've been a little MIA from the frugal world thanks to so many irons in the fire. I did, however, want to share a possible freebie...well, it's a give away contest really. I ended up with an extra copy of the latest Jeaniene Frost book. If you've never read anything from her, click on over and enter. This book is part of the Night Huntress World series but is a great stand alone book. Click on over and tell a friend.

Book contest

Good luck!

PS I hope everyone is doing well and living frugally!

Blackstock Book Give-Away

Terri Blackstock is offering the first two books of her Cape Refuge series FREE! Yes, I said free. Starting today through the next 2 weeks you can download Cape Refuge and Southern Storm from Amazon's Kindle Store. If you haven't read any of her work, this is a great opportunity to sample it. She's an excellent mystery writer (one of my favorites).

This is great if you got a Kindle for Christmas. There's nothing like a free book. Don't have a Kinde? No problem. Amazon recently released Kindle for PC, a free download for your computer as well as the Blackberry and iPhone. Here's links to all those:

Kindle for PC

Kindle for MAC

Kindle for iPhone

Kindle for Blackberry

Omelet in a bag

We raise chickens. As a result, we have eggs (usually except when the weather changes drastically). I was recently taught a really unique way to make omlets. I love this idea. It's fun and I actually get to sit down with the boys and eat when they do instead of standing cooking one right after another. Here you go:

Omlet in a bag.

You need:

All the things you want in an omlet (ie cheese, peppers, ham, bacon, etc)
eggs 2 to 3 per person depending on the people
Ziploc baggies (Freezer bags are best)
A large pot of boiling water
Perm. Marker

 

• First step is to get your pot of water boiling.
• Next, you have each person but their name on the baggie. This will help out later when all is done.
• Then,  crack and whip your eggs. (I did ours in a big picture to pour them in the bags easier)
• Then, let each person add what they want in their omlet (I love this part because everyone gets what they want and there's no whining about tomatoes touching someones eggs that doesn't like them)
• Shake up the contents. Squeeze out excess air and zip up the baggie.
• Now the fun part. Place the bags in the boiling water for roughly 13 to 15 minutes.
• Open the bags and slip the omelet out of the bag and dig in.

There's no butter, no grease, and no real mess to clean up. My favorite part is everyone can eat at the same time. The kids have really fell in love with this method and at least one of them has ask for an omelet in a bag every night since we first did this. Try it. You'll be hooked. I'm sure of it!

(I'll post pictures next time we do this)

MERRY CHRISTMAS READERS!

Jesus Reason for the Season Animations provided by MySpaceAnimations.com

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a blessed Holiday. Below is story written by Laura Jeanne Allen that has stuck with me for many years. It touched me and I still use the saying to this day. I hope you enjoy it and it touches your life. Please appreciate your loved ones not only today but through out the year.

May God bless you and yours!

Best wishes!

SHMILY


Written by Laura Jeanne Allen

My Grandfather and Grandmother were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more.

They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where they always had warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring.


"Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my Grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet.


There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly
were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows.  "Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of their house as the furniture.

It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents' game. Skepticism had kept some of them from believing in true love-one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky to experience.

Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble.

My Grandmother whispered to one of her friends about how cute my Grandfather was, how handsome and old he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick 'em."


Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.


But there was a dark cloud in the couples' life: my Grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, my Grandfather was with her every step of the way.


He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.


Now the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my Grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every morning. But my Grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. For a while, my Grandfather would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over my Grandmother.

Then one day, what everyone dreaded finally happened. My Grandmother was gone.

"Shmily." It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my Grandmother's funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time.  My Grandfather stepped up to my Grandmother's casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.


Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. I knew that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.


S-h-m-i-l-y:


See How Much I Love You.

Free books & e readers for PC

I've been out of touch for a while and way out of budget. But aren't we all this year. However, I have found a great site that offers free ebook downloads and I thought I'd share this with you. Suvudu Free Book Library  Offers links to free downloads in a variety formats. If you are on the "I want a Kindle but can't afford one list", Amazon has recently launched the Kindle for PC. You can download it free at this link: KINDLE FOR PC

There are a few other formats that you can download for free as well. These include:

Microsoft Reader

Adobe Digital Editions

Mobipocket ebook Reader

eReader

Barnes & Noble

Adobe PDF reader  (you may already have this)

Each of these sites have links to free downloads for many titles. You can also google free ebooks and get a ton of resourse. Most of the classics can be found online absolutely free. It'll save a trip to the library so enjoy!

Grocery Budget Challenge

I’ve been dabbling in budgeting. I say “dabbling” because every time I make out a budget I blow it. Go figure. Well, I decided that with the holidays coming up (ie. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) I should make a practice run with my grocery budget. I have (for no other reason than that’s what I came up with) $180 for a family of 4 (that includes myself and 3 teenage boys). Possible? I guess we’ll see. I’m challenging myself to stick to this and I’ll record my progress here on Learning 2 Live 4 Less. It starts today and I’ll run this for a month – December 10th will be my verdict day.

Day 1

Stopped at Wal-Mart on the way into work to pick up the following:

20 oz Coke $1.38
24 pk Wally world Water $3.98
Great Value Creamer (big container) $3.86
Banquet Chicken Steak Microwave dinner $1.00
Banquet Sweet & Sour Chicken Microwave Dinner $1.00
Croissants Baker reduced $1.50
Great Value Applesauce cups $1.56
Great Value Nonfat Dried Milk $16.42

Total $30.70
Balance $149.30


This trip was spontaneous so I didn’t plan it too well. I needed lunch for the day and for tomorrow. The water is a staple at our house. As for the Nonfat Dried Milk? Oh let me tell you it’s my favorite ingredient to have. Before you say ooo and gross. Let me let you in on my secret. Ok It’s not MY secret but I learned it and live by it. I even have a cheat sheet on the side of the refrigerator to refer to. We go through a ton of milk in our house. The boys still drink it like they did when they used Sippy cups. I save the so called “good” stuff for their drinking and cereal use and then fall back on my powered milk substitutes for cooking, baking, and a few little recipes that the boys love. These included Magic Milkshakes, vanilla milk, and even Hot Cocoa Mix. My favorite site for quick, inexpensive recipes www.hillbillyhousewife.com is a great resource for some do it yourself home concoctions. The point I started with was why I buy powered milk. While it’s not our first choice for drinking, it does come in handy when we run short or a freak ice storm lands like it did last year. Plus, a gallon of milk runs about $ 3.50 maybe $2.89 on sale these days (prices may vary by region ) The box I bought today makes 80 quarts or 20 gallons of milk. Roughly broke down means for less than a dollar ($0.821) a gallon I would save more than enough to justify the hassle of using the powdered version. Again, we still buy good old fashion milk but this is a great addition to stretch our dollar.



Back to my original posting topic: I need to do some grocery shopping tonight and I’ll let you know how I do. I don’t have the first coupon to use (shame on me) but I am going to our discount grocery store because well, I always shop there.  I’m off to make a list and get what we need. First I’m going to do some recipe surfing then list making. Wish me luck!

FRUGALLY FUN FRIDAY!

YAY! The weekend is here! It has been a very hectic week at work and with the first full week of school coming to a close, I think my family could use some good ol’ fashion fun. This gave me the idea to share a few frugal fun ideas.

Let’s all go to the movies! Let’s all go to the movies!
Movies are always entertaining but even the matinee can cost a small fortune. We’ve found a few alternatives.

Public Library – One of the best kept secrets on the planet. Most public libraries have a great selection of VHS & DVDs that you can check out for several days. You can usually check these out for little to no money. To find a library close to you check out the public library link here.

RedBox - This is the best rental option in the world...at least I think so. You've probably seen them around town. Its a movie vending machine basically. For $ 1 a day you can stop by and check out a movie with no late fees. Simply pay $1 a day for each day you keep it. I think it stops at $25 (max charge) after you've kept it 25 days they stop charging you and you now own a new movie. One of the great things about this program is that you can sign up to receive text message promotional codes and receive a free movie (usually on Mondays) but some holidays they run specials for additional savings. Sign up here to get your SMS text message promo code

You can also create a movie co-op with your friends and family and swap movies to catch all the latest and greatest movies without killing the piggy bank.

There's nothing like having the family around a table with a good old fashion board game. One of my boys favorite moments was this past winter when the electricity went out and we sat in the floor and played Sorry by candle light.

Here's some great games (with links to where to get them):

Another great game that does require some electronic stimulation is Scene it! You play it along with your DVD player and test your knowledge of all those mindless hours of TV or movie watching. There's different versions so there something for everyone. Such as:

Movies, Disney, Seinfeld, Friends, Harry Potter, TV Edition, Nickelodeon, Pirates of the Caribbean, Marvel, Star Trek, Turner Classic Movies, The Simpson's, Music, The 80's, Scene It Jr., and a ton more. Its a lot of fun and lets the kids think they're still "Plugged in"

And my favorite is having a cookie decorating contest with the kids. Bake up a bunch of cookies and gather some decorating things such as frosting, sprinkles, etc. and let the kids decorate up a storm. We've done the best looking, ugliest, funniest, and most unique cookie. The winner, well, the winner gets to eat his cookie!

Whatever you get into the best part of having a frugal Friday night is getting to spend some down time with your family and friends. You really don't have to be that creative. Some of best times involved things like a lamp and a wall to create shadow puppets and even just a box that amazingly teenagers can turn into hours of interesting fun. Just remember not to compare it to the big expensive amusement parks and you'll relax and have fun.

Freebies

I'm a freebie junkie! I admit it. I'm so bad that my wonderful parents who I share a driveway with had to trim trees coming up the driveway because the UPS man said his truck was getting beat up by them with all my deliveries of the freebies. I even seem to be able to get a good dent in my Christmas Stocking stuffers with all my freebies. So I've decided to attempt to share weekly my little finds. They aren't always gold but sometimes you can really hit pay dirt.
Here's some for the day

Quaker Delights Bar
Nature Valley Bar
Free planning calendar with $20 of Nestle savings
Free Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Caddy
Free Sample Kit - Scope Outlast
Bodycology sample
FREE Downey Fabric Softener
Honey Nut Cheerios®FREE* sample and a $1 coupon
Total® Blueberry Pomegranate sample
Taster’s Choice Stick Pack Samples
Free Sample Somersault Snacks

These are a few of them for today. I noticed most of them seem food related...I gravitate toward edibles. I'm going to attempt to post a few freebies every week. Hope you enjoy and find something you can use.

Changing up a bit

I've been reading a lot this summer. Mostly really silly fiction but also some things on the Internet and have really gotten interested in Homesteading. Basically, I've been in the slow lane to homesteading without even realizing it. I started another blog a few days ago but decided that really I didn't need 2 blogs about roughly the same thing...learning to live for less or learning to live with less. So this morning...Eureka! It hit me. I'll combine them both. This blog was really just to keep me on track and let me share my victories and losses - so why not share both here. So I've moved my posts from over there to over here. Hope you all enjoy them and I don't bore you or give you the impression I've lost my mind...that I did when I had kids! ha! ha! So enjoy & let me know what you think!

Me

Everything's coming up...Sunflowers

My oldest son decided to plant a "few" sunflowers this year on the edge of the veggie garden. Well his few turned into about 10 and they grew better than the veggies.

I've noticed them growing but all of a sudden they seem HUGE! They are close to being taller than our house. I have mixed feelings about them because I love looking at them when I come home but I can't wait to pop some of those delicious sunflower seeds in my mouth!

For about 89 cents, he's got a ton of sunflowers already and they haven't all bloomed yet. With less than a $1 investment he'll be able to eat sunflower seeds for a year or more!

POPPING up a storm

Well not a real storm but a snack storm. Our family is addicted to popcorn and with 3 teenage boys those little bags can cost us a small fortune. Tonight we broke out the ol' air popper. Its a healthy and inexpensive alternative to those microwaveable bags. We picked up a Presto air popper a while back for about $20. A big bag of popcorn kernals runs about 75 to 99 cents for a pound bag. Our popper only uses 1/2 a cup and makes a huge bowl.
We like to add different toppers like butter, ranch, and cheese powders for added flavor. You don't use oil so you cut the ungood stuff out as well as extra expense. The kids get a kick out of watching it pop too.

Here's an interesting article comparing microwave verses loose kernal popcorn. HERE

A few frugal moments

Its a slow frugal news day. However, I did stop by our local Save A lot and picked up some "damaged" cans of off brand pop for 17 cents a piece. The damage consisted of...well, simply being loose from their cardboard boxes. So I got all of these for $2.38 which should last this crew for an afternoon.

My mom taught me from an early age to check out the mark down basket. Sometimes you can even find items on clearance that you can use coupons with. Most of the time things are in the baskets because the package is marked up/broken or because they just bought way too many in anticipation of a big sale that didn't go over very well. Whatever the reason don't forget to check that little section out. You can really catch a good deal.

And so it begins!

I've got a bug up my butt! The bug is that I want the best of both worlds. I love me some technology; after all, I'm a tech major. I love my modern comforts such as a/c and heat, water heaters, lights, my gas guzzling 4 wheel drive. At the same time, I've also adjusted myself to living on a farm. While its not a fully working farm its land and trees and fields and lots of space. I've enjoyed raising a few Buffs (thems chickens), I've raised a garden and canned/froze food for the winter and even dabbled in making freezer jelly. I'm finding myself wanting MORE of this. More of the homesteader ways but I don't want to lose touch with reality so to speak. I have to work. I'm the sole provider for our family, plus I'm addicted to the Internet besides I'm working on my degree and need Internet access for classes.

So my new mission in life is to figure out how to do both without going crazy, broke, or without my spoiled comforts. I've started without even realizing it by having my few chickens, raising a garden and preserving the food for winter, and of course setting up home wireless network. Yes, the last sounds like spoil but I can now take my laptop anywhere around the house to look up recipes and direction on living a simple life. Now that's funny. Homesteading as I'm learning is not easy at all. Well not at first anyway. The baby steps I've taken I did without really realizing it so they didn't seem so hard at all. Now that I'm attempting to do this with planning ahead of time, it seems quite overwhelming. But baby steps will be how it goes.

My next big project is going to be attempting to build a wind turbine to help with the electricity. I found an awesome site that actually has a "how to build your own" step by step guide. I'm going to give it a go and see how I do. Hopefully I won't 1. burn down the house and 2. be without electricity. Intitally I plan to use it to supplement our electric and not completely disconnect from the grid. But I would love to be able to eventually sell excess power to the local electric company for a supplimental income. Yes these are big dreams but I would like to at least attempt a small wind turbine to help us out on our ever increasing electric bill.

So why this blog? Well, while I've been researching different methods for different things, I've found a ton of radical homesteading sites. Some of these are a big too extreme for me at the moment so I decided to make my own and keep track of my progress. (This also keeps me accountable for my homesteading movement.) So here it goes!

Long term goal: research and build a small home wind turbine (without burning the house down)
Short term goal: get the corn picked, shucked and put up for winter. Find some black berries and learn to make jam.

Thats all I'm starting with for now. Baby steps right? Wish me luck!

Xtra Savings

I have been out of the coupon clipping, sales paper searching mode for a few months. I know shame on me. But I happened upon a great deal this past Friday at Rite-Aid. They had 68.75 Fl Oz bottles of Xtra laundry detergent as well as Nice N Fluffy on sale for $1.88 a bottle . I was able to get 4 bottles of detergent and 2 bottles of fabric softner for a little under $12!

Tight Rope walking again

We’ve hit the bottom of the financial barrel. Of course, we normally do this time of year. I always seem to go overboard trying to make summer fun and this year I really over did myself. Actually, between the have tos and the Oh my the fuel pump went out things we did pretty good considering. So with school starting in a few days my budget is gone. There is no money in the barrel. I’m using this time to get creative and challenge myself to do more with less. I was able to find whole tenderloin on sale for $1.69 a pound and some ground beef yesterday. Yippy skippy! I’ve got garden food coming in and a pantry full of the unusual. You know the stuff? The things that tend to get left behind in the pantry. You never really remember when you bought them but they’re always there. Usually they end up being Food pantry donations. I’m also going to dig up some from scratch recipes and make some snacks for after school. I know we can do this. I just get lazy and forget this is actually fun not just a survival tool. I always feel proud of myself for digging in and making due. So tonight the menu consists of fresh corn on the cob, tenderloin cubed up to be stir fried with potatoes out of the garden and possibly corn bread. Mmm! I’ll just see how it goes. I’ll post pictures later hopefully.

In the meantime, here’s a few sites I find helpful when looking for cheap ways to make the paycheck stretch time more tolerable.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/
http://www.cheapcooking.com/
http://jane4girls800dollarannualbudget.blogspot.com/

Swagbucks.com

In my never-ending search to make very little stretch very far, (and my love for free stuff). I just started using Swagbucks.com. Basically, its a search engine portal that allows you to earn Swagbucks for purchases and the chance to win prizes.

"www.swagbucks.com is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks," which can be redeemed for exclusive swagbucks.com merchandise." -Swagbucks.com FAQs

you can check it out here:

I've only been on it a few minutes and have already earned about 10 swagbucks. The site also gives points for turning in old cell phones and video games. That's a pretty good deal to get something out of those old useless objects laying around the house. The search engine so far seems comparable to Google so why not earn some extras while searching for things you do everyday anyway?

Take a look and tell him Gertie Sent ya!