Spice up your Holidays!

You know Thanksgiving and Christmas is all about the spices and smells! Well... here's some tips on making sure your senses are filled with the holiday spirit!

SPICES like cumin, vanilla, nutmeg, sage, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, onions, etc. are known holiday staples. So to save time and money, hunt them down in September! Buy 2-3 different ones on sale that you need to change out so by November, you'll be set with fresh spices!

SCENTS

a) should not be holiday specific; it becomes expensive quick that way. Rather, invest in inexpensive scented votives and combine the smells! For example: Hazelnut and Cinnamon or Vanilla and Apple Spice or Cranberry & Apple Pie smells that you can find at your local Dollar Tree or Walmart.

b) Invest in inexpensive votive holders; clear ones are often the best, you see the flame and all of a sudden, your home is filled with warmth and cozy memories...

c) use last year's gift of apple cider packet and cinnamon sticks as a potpourri. Boil in an open pot and soon your home will be holiday ready!

Here are more Holiday shopping tips:

EGGS & MILK should be bought fresh so try to stock up 3-4 days before the party so the inventory is not picked over and the due date is way beyond the holidays they will be used for. Stores will have them on sale every week, way in advance so no need to invest in another deep freezer just so you can be sure to have enough milk for that cake or soup you'll be making.

DRINKS should be stocked up on months or weeks in advance and keep them in a cool, dry place. Then on the night of the party, pull out the summer cooler box from the garage, fill it with ice and keep the drinks in there to cool them without crowding the fridge!

FLOUR, SUGAR, YEAST, CHOCOLATE & BUTTER- all can be bought weeks in advance and stored properly to maintain freshness.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Berries- fresh 2-3 days before, frozen 7-14 days before

Apples/Pears- 3-5 days before

Canned or frozen (fruits & veggies)- up to months before

Roots- carrots, parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic- buy 7-14 days before and store properly to keep fresh.

Squash- 7 days before

Leaves- 2-3 days before (if frozen, 7-14 days before)

If you plan your menu, have a and stick to the budget and prepare the necessities of the holidays like those mentioned above, you will save time, gas and money!

Ok, let see... we want to:

PURCHASE items in your shopping list during a great sale.

REPLACE old spices and scents.

ARRANGE storage for the extra items you will buy before you buy

YANK out dishes from your menu that didn't quite make the cut from previous holidays.

START planning the menu & theme well in advance and finalize until 2 weeks before.

Me, I plan my holiday menus and themes in September (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve), then I tweak it up to 2 weeks before the holiday so I can fine tune my shopping list and get my proper coupons.

Happy Shopping!

Saving on Holiday Menus

Hello all! I know it's been a while, but things have been hectic!

Anyway, now that Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is definitely on its way and that means the good china's gonna get washed and used (after 364 days of being ignored... You know you're guilty! I am!)

It also means... parties, food and extra money to spend! So how do you deal with all that and still have a great Thanksgiving? Simple!

PLAN your menu and theme- don't go overboard! Stick with what you know to make with maybe a quick new dish to add/replace or update last year's choice. Simplify your theme, for example, every year, I choose one holiday element to represent like autumn leaves. I put all kinds of leaves everywhere, just like when you step outside a crisp, windy, Autumn day...

RENDER a sitting chart/food location- if you don't know it yet, render is a considered plan often shown thru drawing. To make sure that you know how many people can fit in what table or where the table should be that way you can plan for any additional table and/or chairs to purchase.

ASSUME that everyone can come- when you make your list, revisit it twice and finalize then plan your shopping and menu as if all will come plus a few unplanned guests. For example, if you decide you can fit in 12 people and have chosen which 12, make enough food and space for 15. No surprises, better evening!

YOU are the host, you are in charge- do not let all the guests just come; allow them to help beef up either the dessert or appetizer table, but make sure that they don't bring too many extras or you'll end up with too much food, not much fridge space and wasted budget. A very full fridge is not an efficient fridge. Food will go bad faster!

STICK to your budget!!!- I can't emphasize this enough. Thanksgiving is about food, but with all the sales, you can easily be blinded into buying more than you need, much less will eat!

Ok, if you follow these steps, you are off to a great Thanksgiving. I know I am! Now go do yours! Go on!

Til next time!

Reinventing Christmas

Now that Thanksgiving is over and we've all managed to be filled with gratitude, it's time to focus on Christmas. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I TRADITIONAL or CONTEMPORARY?

2. Am I ready to change themes or just add?

3. Will I be hosting a party- sit down or buffet?

With most of us, hanging on to what's in our pockets, how do we make Christmas look fancy without spending the gift money? Easy!

If you're a Traditionalist,

PURCHASE clearance white string lights and ribbon reels of the traditional colors, but with a modern interpretation.

REPLACE old light strings with newer ones to create more sparkle to those heirloom ornaments.

ALIGN each year's decor to according to how your family lives. Don't go country if you normally contemporary.

YELLOW GOLD decor items are better for more colorful theme. Stick with a matte or sparkly beige silvery gold shade to bring in some real bling to your style.

STAY within your budget. Not all theme is a good theme, so get your ideas and create your own according to what's affordable for you.

For Contemporary or Whimsical tastes,

POUR OVER the different colorful choices from the year before to either add or refresh your theme.

REFRAIN from starting too many ideas. Focus on the tree, wreath & garland first and incorporate the theme to the rest.

ASSESS your inventory. Don't decide on a theme until you are confident about the space and items you have. It'll save too many trips to the craft store.

YOU have to love it. Many contemporary or whimsical themes can be gaudy. Fit it to your own personality and lifestyle.

SUBTLY research the newest trends and incorporate your clearance finds from last year. From a hosting standpoint, you'll be hip while your colors and items are not in every home window!

However you answer the questions and decide on a theme, the worst critic is you, so enlist the whole family's help and ensure everyone's "oohs and aaahhhs"...

When Money Is Just Not There

Good Housekeeping dot com
How do you deal with" very little" or "no money" situations?

I just read one of my friend Lara's post on how they managed a summer of no paychecks and it's amazing how when money's not a problem since it's not there, people get creative and become happier and more talented, if not wiser in the end. I, too, share that sentiment.

We've had our financial throw-downs over the past decade. But somehow, we have always managed. How?

We always PRAY for help. It gives us courage and open mind to rethink our situation and not let it overwhelm us. Back in 2004, when Mr. Man lost his well-paying job and had to be a cashier at a resort, our pleas brought us the decision to move to Mesa, AZ and he went back to school. Most of our school loan surplus went to paying the rent and electric bill during the hot spring and summer months! (you know I'm not exaggerating! AZ spring time is very warm and summers are brutal!) With coupons and careful math, our fridge, freezers, pantry, linen closet and room closet were full of what we needed. I was able to stock up diapers for my son and even help out a family for two full meals when their electricity went out due to a failure.

REINVENTING uses of what we do have help to stretch our dollars and creativity. Plus we get to spend more time together as a family. Our mentality of FREE is the best price for everything keeps us patient and courageous enough to ask for things that others discarded. We've also instituted the idea of "if we can spend money, we can find money". Ever heard of dumpster diving? Mr. Man, a total fan if there's a worthwhile coupon to hunt down.

ACCOMMODATING needs first have helped us focus on what's important and to live within our means. We have a needs list that we renew every year and is prioritized accordingly. We talk and research and then we wait. We even time our school shopping during tax-free days, money for shopping and deep clearance times to make sure our small budget hauls in big budget finds. Our children give up old clothes and shoes to be donated for new ones twice a year. It helps them hold on to their clothes longer and not have the "gimmes" in the store. "Gimme" whines are simply not allowed.

YOUR choices make a difference. During one extra lean year, I chose to hold a daycare for extra income and play the coupon game aggressively so that our cupboards never emptied, and it didn't! I ended up getting mostly free food and was able to use our then $20-a-week food budget towards other necessities that normally have coupons. We also no longer do gift-giving at Christmas time. Back in 2007, when Mr. Man's paycheck didn't even cover outside of our rent and car payment, we were blessed with amazing support from family, church members and friends. Miracles poured in left and right. We decided that we would focus the month of December in showing our gratitude to He who made our lives intact while living on practically nothing for 6 months. From that decision stemmed the January Shopping Spree where we save up $1 a day and use it in January for a "whole day shopping spree" of individual and family gifts, a movie and lunch.

We also make it a point to SAVE items with multipurpose potential for household "last minute" ideas and money from change, found coins and any extra from paychecks. We stick to a small budget and take advantage of unbelievable deals on items on our needs list. We literally celebrate when the bank is not screaming for us to pay any fees or when we have enough for an emergency dinner during a hectic night of "school functions".

I've learned that when we follow moderation and sensibility, our financial stress level does not go up (or even make a tiny hiccup) and we reap the benefits of being DIO (Do It Ourselves) people. We emphasize quality over quantity so that most projects are done once. I consult my pantry carefully for dinner time and always remind myself that we have enough food for the day.

So, how do you deal with your lean years?

Decorating on a Budget

Do you find yourself in this situation?

-You have more design or idea magazines than furniture that you actually like?

-You have more ideas than pieces that you can afford?

Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years.

PICK out pieces you like from all sources until you have a style in mind.

REDUCE your choices until it is manageable and you can visualize them in your space. Incorporate what you already have to further reduce cost.

ARRANGE your pieces according to what room you wish to start in.

YOUR eyes are your best tool; keep on the lookout for deals on the pieces, on a great deal, that are very similar to your choices. Do not get stuck in exactness; similar lines give off the same feel without damaging your wallet too much.

START pairing your choices and ideas with paint samples to best show them off once you've gathered enough to start a room redo.

We got our new house back in March. Our Family Room looked like this- white and blah
By starting to place items that might work, the idea solidified in our heads. So we got started...

Here's our (almost) finished Family Room:

We wanted a Tropical Jungle feel. Deep in the jungle where the sun doesn't reach much.

We first decided on paint colors that would give us that feel. To eliminate claustrophobia, we painted the far wall a deep red to give that tunnel like effect to give depth. I kept the greens to the plants to further emphasize the tropical feel.

Paint-Lowe's with 10% off coupon. Red and Camel
Sofa-JC Penney; 60% off plus extra 10% coupon

Lamp bases- Lowes; Clearance $17 each / shades-40% off

Live plants and pots-Home Depot; 50% off

Orchids-Michael's 2009; 50% off

Mirrors-Ross 2008; $10 each

Curtains-Walmart; $10 each

Turtle Prints- JC Penny Outlet-70% off + 10% off on Tuesdays

Vases-Ross; $5 each

Bookcases-Ikea; 40% off

Books- Half Price Books; on clearance for another 50% off
English table with tropical feel-JC Penney; 80% off + $10 off

Ferns-Walmart; $3.50 each

Asian pot-Friend; FREE /stand-Arizona 2002; $10

Candles-Ikea; $10/3

Even designers go through much research in finding just that right piece to bring out the theme of the room without being too loud or garrish.

With a sharp eye on deals for pieces you absolutely want, you can soon enjoy the room you've always envisioned. Happy designing!

Living On Less- Some Tips

From March 19, 2009

Often, we don't have any PARTICULAR reason why we handle our money the way we do. When in truth, we should RESPECT money and know the impact it has on our well-being. When we have an ANGLE, we can YAWN our way to restful living since having left overs bring SANITY.


I've been reading up on some of my AZ friends' blogs about Food Storage and living on less. As I somewhat experienced this more than twice (early marriage, job loss, pregnancy expenses, moving squeeze...), I'd like to share some of the things that worked for us.

Coupons are your friend. Don't use these when it's convenient, use it because you want to see your piggy bank get fat! If you calculate all those $1 off ones on those you normally use, that you threw away every week, you'd realize that you are at least $300 poorer!

Stock up on non food items during easier times. This is self explanatory; it is easier to buy necessities on sale when you have the money to stretch your budget than trying to stretch it with non-Gro items because you ran out. Most non-Gro items are rarely ever on sale when you need it.

Make room. Indulge only when you can afford it, and only after you stock up on your needs. Believe me when I tell you, when it comes to good clearance finds, even 1% of your meager good year, can go a long way. Also, stock up to share, the blessings are incalculable.

Gauge your stock between short and long term. If you're in a location for only 6 months, DO NOT buy 2 year's worth of stock. Buy enough with enough extra for just in case, but not waste. 'Nuff said.

Buy packed food items you NORMALLY eat. If you don't eat it, why have it hanging around in your pantry? If it's still there after a year or so, it just becomes a reminder that you wasted your money. If you got it FREE, give it away, blessings come to those who share...

90% need, 10% want. If you are stocking up, go for things that you know you will use spiced up with some things that you want. It is very easy to feel tired of the same things, but the "wants" make it more interesting. For example, we stock up on Cheerios a lot because it's nutritious and versatile, but we also get the Multi-grain and/or Honey Nut to stretch out our stock and add a little sweetness to the mix for the kids and not use up our sugar.

Get powdered. Powdered milk and juices are great in a pinch for instances of needing to choose between milk, juice or gas money.

Drink up! There had been an article or two about keeping dehydration at bay if you just eat foods with soup or broth on top of drinking your daily ration of beverage. So, to stretch your dollars during the lean times, use broth to perk up pasta, noodles and rice dishes. Even your breads will get a second life just by dunking it in broth, so stock up on water and different stocks! Have very little stock, add 1-2 cups of water and some veggies and create a whole new stock!

Half Off. I extended my meat recipes just by cutting them in half and chopping them into cubes. So during lean times, I don't make lasagnas or any recipes asking for more than 5 items or a lot of meat.

Salt is Gold. If you salt your meats first, the flavor spreads better in dishes. A quarter of a small onion can also do enough flavoring, if you saute it with meat and a little salt as salt draws out moisture, the flavor mix easier.

Can the Greens. Find as many different canned veggies as you can THAT YOU EAT so that when you are strapped for some Lincoln greens, you have the canned ones to still feast on.

Ask yourself twice. If you see something you want, ask yourself what you'll do with it then add two more reasons. If you can't come up with two, YOU DON'T WANT IT THAT BAD. Put it back!

One is plenty. You can make a whole dish with four ingredients of 1/4 cups of onion, veggies and 1/4 pound of meat plus 1 package of pasta and 1 cup of water or broth. I've fed my family of five with this exact measurements.

Brace for the downpour. If we pay our tithings, we increase our faith and contentment. Place the same faith in your budget by putting away 1/2 to 1% of your income in a savings a month. For any bonus, put away more. There was an article about the significant difference of putting away two quarters a day. That totals to $182.50 a year! How much more if you can put away just $1 or $5 a day! And do not ignore any coins, just like a drop of oil is insignificant on its own, a jar of coins can easily add up to get you from point A to point B and back! I sent my husband to work several times on a jar of collected coins!

Bills are non-negotiable. Though most places will accept a 50-75% payment arrangement, remember that your budget should include bills every month and not seasonal shoes or purses or that hobby you started once.

Hope these tips can help you; I have a family of five, one of which is a son with food allergies.