Check out my friend Sherry's new blog: Joy for the Journey.

Honest Couponing?

This is an interesting article about a subject dear to my heart--COUPONING!

Keeping the Kingdom First: Balancing Faith, Family & Frugality: Honest Couponing?

Starbucks - $2 Afternoon Grande Drinks

Check this out! Wahoo!

Affluent Pauper: Starbucks - $2 Afternoon Grande Drinks

Holiday Ideas for Gifts In A Jar from Organized Christmas

Gifts in a jar! These frugal consumable gifts feature bath salts, cookie ingredients, holiday beverage mixes, baking mixes or bean soup fixings layered in a glass canning jar.

Gifts in a jar are easy homemade Christmas gifts. Topped with a colorful fabric circle and a free printable gift tag, they're a welcome holiday treat.

We've got all you need to know to make gifts in a jar. Get started with our instructions, tips and recipes. Don't forget to visit the Gifts in a Jar forms library to print gift tags for a finishing touch!

Jar Gift Recipes: Holiday Ideas for Gifts In A Jar | Organized Christmas

Repurposing Furniture: New Uses for Old Sideboards

Bored with the same old products and ideas that look identical to what is in my neighbor's house?  Imitation might be the greatest form of flattery, but it can also be kind of boring.

Blissfully Domestic

A Basic Guide to Menu Planning--From Simple Mom

how to menu plan: a guide simple mom

Menu planning saves hours of time, energy, money, and headaches, but it’s easy to overcomplicate the process. And when that happens, it becomes a burden instead of a blessing. So why do it at all?

Triple Coupons is coming to your neighborhood Harris Teeter. . .Ceeck out this list.

It matches coupons with the sale. . .

Let's Get Ready For Triples!! July 24-26th - A Full Cup - your coupon and refunding home!

CVS 6 x 8 Photo Book July 13 - 19

The New Frugal Mom: CVS 6 x 8 Photo Book MONEYMAKER, July 13 - 19

Before I break down how you can get (2) of the 6x8 Kodak Photo Books at CVS for $0.98 this week, AND earn back $15.98 in ECBs, let me show you a picture of the CVS coupon for $3/1 6 x 8 Photo Book:

 

5 Reasons to Eat More Chocolate

It may be hard to believe that something as delicious as chocolate could actually be good for you. But according to a growing body of research, America’s favorite sweet treat comes with a host of surprising health benefits—from lowering cholesterol levels to boosting your brainpower. Read on for five guilt-free reasons to indulge in this decadent dessert (as if you needed any more convincing).

1. Healthier Cholesterol Levels. A recent study conducted at Penn State University found that people who ate a diet rich in cocoa powder and dark chocolate had lower oxidation levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol and higher levels of HDL “good” cholesterol.
2. Better Blood Pressure. According to a German study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a bite of dark chocolate a day may help regulate high blood pressure. The study’s authors suspect that the cocoa increases levels of nitric oxide, a compound that helps to relax and open the blood vessels.
3. Muscle Magic. It might seem like a strange choice for a sports drink, but chocolate milk may help boost athletic performance. In a recent Indiana University study, cyclists who drank chocolate milk between workouts scored better on fatigue and endurance tests than those who consumed standard sports beverages.
4. Brain Gains. According to the National Alzheimer’s Association, consuming dark chocolate can help reduce your chances of developing dementia later in life. In fact, a local chapter of the organization recently included dark chocolate in all the gift baskets it gave to attendees at the Maintain Your Brain program.
5. Disease-Fighting Power. Cornell University researchers recently found that cocoa contains nearly twice the disease-fighting antioxidants of red wine and up to three times more than green tea.

Check out this site.

Have you seen the new site?

Busy Moms CAN Cook is set to launchy very soon.

Click here to see what all the fuss is about!

Andrea

FBI Issues Valentine's Day Email Warning

Feb 12, 2008

Internet Alert: St. Valentine's Day E-Card Carries Storm Worm Virus

If you unexpectedly receive a Valentine's Day e-card, be careful. It may not be from a secret admirer, but instead might contain the Storm Worm virus.

With the holiday approaching, be on the lookout for spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software (malware). The e-mail directs the recipient to click on a link to retrieve the electronic greeting card (e-card).

Once the user clicks on the link, malware is downloaded to the Internet-connected device and causes it to become infected and part of the Storm Worm botnet. A botnet is a network of compromised machines under the control of a single user. Botnets are typically set up to facilitate criminal activity such as spam e-mail, identity theft, denial of service attacks, and spreading malware to other machines on the Internet.

The Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays in the last year by sending millions of e-mails advertising an e-card link within the text of the spam e-mail. Valentine's Day has been identified as the next target.

Be wary of any e-mail received from an unknown sender. Do not open any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any links provided.

 

 

 

You may be from West Virginia if. . .

**If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you May live in West Virginia .**

**If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in West Virginia **

**If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in West Virginia ..**

**If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in West Virginia .**

**If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of Charleston for the Weekend, you may live in West Virginia **

**If you measure distance in hours, you may live in West Virginia **

**If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in West Virginia **

**If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you may live in west Virginia ..**

**If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in West Virginia .**

**If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in West Virginia .**

**If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in West Virginia .**

**If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in West Virginia **

**If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in West Virginia **

**If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in West Virginia . ****

**If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, almost spring and road construction, you may live in West Virginia ..**** 

**If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in West Virginia .***

**If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in West Virginia **

I'm so glad I have a Palm . . .

Wide BlackBerry Outage Reported

By IAN AUSTEN

OTTAWA — For the second time in less than a year, a technical failure idled the thumbs of many BlackBerry users on Monday by severing their wireless link to e-mail and the Web.

Representatives of several North American carriers said they were told by Research in Motion, the BlackBerry maker, that a significant failure had occurred somewhere in the servers it operates to connect the popular hand-held devices with the Internet. The carriers were told that all operators in North America were affected but not all customers.

“R.I.M.’s having a big shutdown,” said Jim Johansson, a spokesman for Telus, a major Canadian telecommunications company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. “It’s potentially up to half their customers. It seems to be hit and miss.”

Stephanie Vinge-Walsh, a spokeswoman at Sprint Nextel, said that the company’s technical staff was told by R.I.M. that the trouble began at about 3:20 p.m. Eastern time.

But what happened after that point was unclear Monday evening.

Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, said R.I.M. advised his company that the problem had been fixed early in the evening.

But Mr. Siegel added, “It’s going to take some time with the backlog of messages that developed. As you might imagine, quite a number have built up.” R.I.M. did not give AT&T an estimate for how long it would take to clear the messages, but Mr. Siegel estimated that disruptions would continue for several hours.

But R.I.M., which is based in Waterloo, Ontario, sent a brief statement by e-mail at about the same time Mr. Siegel spoke indicating that the problem was still not fixed.

“Research in Motion is currently working towards a resolution and will provide an update as soon as possible,” the statement said. The company did not respond to requests for further comment.

There are about 12 million BlackBerry users, most of them in North America. While a temporary escape from e-mail may have been a welcome relief for some, the devices are used by many people to perform time-sensitive transactions, particularly in the financial community, and are popular communications tools for emergency personnel.

“This is not an issue with the AT&T network,” Mr. Siegel said. “This is an issue with the R.I.M. network.”

The second major outage of BlackBerry service is an embarrassment for a company which has long made reliability and high levels of security selling points for its premium-priced variety of wireless e-mail. It also comes when the R.I.M. is trying to expand beyond its traditional base of corporate and government users to the broader consumer market with less costly, multimedia models. That move has pitted the successful Canadian company against much larger consumer electronics companies, including Apple.

By coincidence, early on Monday R.I.M. announced a deal with the Vodafone Group, the world’s largest wireless carrier by revenues, to further expand BlackBerry sales to consumers.

Last April, e-mail stopped making its way to about five million BlackBerry users over a period of about 48 hours. As was the case on Monday, R.I.M. left its customers and carriers largely in the dark about the situation.

Once service was fully resumed, the company said the problem was centered in a network operations center near its head office in Ontario that processes every e-mail message produced by a BlackBerry or destined for one of the units.

In that case, the trouble began with the installation of a new piece of software that was supposed to accelerate the handling of e-mail by R.I.M.’s servers. But the company acknowledged that the software had not been adequately tested, and it set up a series of problems with a database that manages the e-mail traffic. An attempt by R.I.M. to switch to a backup system also failed and compounded the problem.

Since then, the company has repeatedly assured investors and customers that it had fully resolved the problem. Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

Crockpot Blessings

by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

One of my pet peeves is hearing people say, "I don’t have time to make dinner." I took a survey once and to my astonishment found out that a lot of people fend for themselves for dinner on days they’re not going through the drive-thru. There is no set time to sit down and eat and there is no plan.

I think this is sad. To have "no time to make dinner" is the same as not having the time to invest in your family’s health and well-being. Taking the time to make dinner is an opportunity to just stop for a moment and connect. I’m not trying to guilt trip anyone here. Nor am I so out of touch that I think we need to go back to the girdle wearing days of June Cleaver and have pot roast every night and fresh baked pie.

This is about being able to turn your stressors ("Mom, what’s for dinner?") into blessers (dinner’s in the crockpot!). I think about this in my own life when there is "no time" to connect and I’m rushing the kids from one activity to another. Those days when I’m overbooked, the kids are snapping at each other, I’m cranky and that’s when those horrid words leave my mouth, "I don’t have time for (fill in the blank)."

The truth is what we truly don’t have time for is allowing our relationships within our families to go by the wayside. I am dead serious when I say dinner is ministry. Those faces across the dinner table from you are God ordained to be there—why not invest your time wisely in them, give them something good and nutritious to eat for their bodies, time to connect with each other which is food for the soul. Try spending a half hour at the table silently blessing them and thanking God for them as you remind them to close their mouths when they chew.

The way we get to the dinner table is not tough. We get there by using the tools we have available. One of the most wonderful tools is the crock-pot.

I use mine once a week at least. It’s a tool I wouldn’t be without.

Think of it this way: 5 to 15 minutes of prep time in the morning, and a gorgeous aroma to entice you when you walk in the door in the evening because dinner is READY. Toss together a salad (buy the ready to go stuff at the market if you "don’t have time"; just make sure it’s not Iceberg—no nutrition there), heat some whole grain rolls and you have a marvelous dinner to go. Soups, casseroles, braised meats and stews…you can’t beat a crock-pot!

We all have the same amount of time available to us. No one is given an extra hour—it’s the same 24 hours each day we all share. So the question isn’t if you have the time, the question is will you INVEST the time in the most important people of your life? You can do it when you use your TOOLS. A crock-pot is my very favorite dinner saving tool that no home should be without! Here is my daughter’s favorite crockpot soup:

Caroline’s Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Serves 4

2 cups chicken broth

2 (8-ounce) packages frozen cauliflower

1 medium stalk celery -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium carrot -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small onion -- cut into eighths

1/2 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper -- to taste

1 cup low-fat milk

1 1/2 cups low-fat cheddar cheese -- shredded

Throw all ingredients except milk and cheese into a crockpot and cook on low until vegetables are very tender, about 4-6 hours.

Carefully pour mixture into work bowl of food processor fitting with steel blade or into blender container. Cover and process until smooth. OR, if you like it a little lumpy and bumpy like I do, use a potato masher and have at it in the crockpot itself--mash to your heart's delight.

Place your cauliflower mixture into a saucepan; stir in milk and cheese.

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and mixture is hot.

Per serving: 235 Calories; 14g Total Fat; 15g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 701mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A big green salad and some whole grain rolls make for a nice supper.

 

Tips for Perimeter Perusing at Target

Want a deal on a Dyson, a jogging stroller, or a jewelry armoire? What if I told you that it could be on sale at your local Target for 75% off, and there is little chance anyone else knows about it? In addition to the fantastic finds on the end caps of most aisles of your local Target store, there are fabulous hidden deals to be had for those of us who really want them.

Save Big Money - Target has a crazy system of marking down their merchandise. Those that are familiar can get some really great deals before anyone else even knows that they are on sale. Clearance items at Target are usually marked with a red sticker in the upper right-hand corner of the packaging. Sometimes, however, the stickers don’t display the full discount, or there may be no sticker at all.

Secret Deals - Regular Target deal hunters know that it can really be a hit or miss type of deal. Some parts of the country have fantastic deals on high-end items, with no hint of the discount from their sticker price. Other areas never mark these same items down. The only way to really know if an item is on “secret clearance” is to scan it, made handy by the self-scanning stations placed throughout most stores. In order to get an idea of what might be on secret clearance, it is often necessary to browse message boards and web forums of those shoppers that do this regularly. (For a great resource for getting awesome Target deals, do a search for “Target Perimeter Perusing” and see what you may find!)

Daily Markdowns – In addition to the odd lot items that may be lurking among the regular merchandise and could be haphazardly stashed at the end caps, Target has a system for marking down their merchandise weekly:

Monday - Electronics, Kids Clothing and Stationary (Cards, GiftWrap, etc.)
Tuesday - Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets and Market (food items)
Wednesday - Men's Clothing, Toys, Lawn & Garden, Health and Beauty items
Thursday - House Wares, Lingerie, Sporting Goods, Shoes, Music / Movies, Books, Decor and Luggage
Friday - Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, and Jewelry

By closely following the markdown schedule, and hitting the stores early in the morning, it is possible to get what you want before anyone else knows about it. (We often hit the food items on Tuesday morning and come home with armloads of canned goods, boxed dinner kits, and gourmet juices for pennies!)

Holiday Deals – Target participates in a generous markdown after major holidays, as well. Clothing is at a fabulous price during their after-holiday clearance, with many Valentines or Independence Day t-shirts for under a buck. (By picking some generic prints and designs, they can be worn year-round.) Their holiday markdown schedule is usually as follows (with the exception of Christmas, which can vary):

50% off the day after holiday for three days
75% off the fourth day after holiday for three days
90% off the seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days.

Some additional points to note about Target shopping:

• If you find an item at 75% off, and you want it, don’t let it get away! They rarely mark down non-holiday items below this discount.
• If it the price ends in the number 4, you may be looking at your last chance to buy.
• Check to be sure that an item marked “As Is” is worth purchasing. I have been duped on a few occasions by unscrupulous customers who opened a package and swapped out the contents with a knock-off or broken merchandise. Target will not honor returns on “As Is” merchandise. That being said, I have also gotten some great deals on a Graco Pack N’ Play and a car seat simply because they were ordered online and returned to the store. There may not be anything wrong with the item at all!
• Don’t buy just to buy. Unless you are planning on reselling merchandise, or need the item anyway, don’t get tempted into buying for the thrill of it. Every penny you spend is that much more work you will have to do to earn it back. Play the game, but don’t lose at it.

The Target shopping game can be very competitive, and there will be others out there trying to get the same deals as you. Get there early, get what you want, and get out. You’ll save a bundle, and maybe even have some fun!

Communication-The Key to Leaders' Success

 

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

For my whole life, I have opened my car door by inserting a metal key into a physical lock. Now, I can unlock the doors and start the car at the push of a button. It seems like magic to me, but it’s actually a simple application of science.

Keyless entry and keyless ignition are made possible when a transmitter within your key fob communicates with a radio receiver inside the car. Two conditions are necessary for this communication to take place: 1) the transmitter must be set to the same frequency as the receiver, and 2) the transmitter must send a uniquely coded message which the receiver has been programmed in advance to recognize.

Communication acts as a leader’s “keyless entry” into relationships. It can open the mind of an employer, the wallet of investors, and the hearts of loved ones. Talented communicators seem magical when they weave their words together. However, much like the concept of keyless entry, great communication depends on two simple skills—context and delivery. Context attunes a leader to the same frequency as his or her audience. Delivery allows a leader to phrase messages in a language the audience can understand.

As we explore context and delivery, we’ll draw upon Steven K. Scott’s book, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. In the book, Scott offers commentary on the words of King Solomon, the wealthiest man in history. Renowned for his wisdom, Solomon writings are filled with advice about effective communication.

CONTEXT

Listen before Speaking
“He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.” ~ Proverbs 18:13

Earn the right to be heard by listening to others. Seek to understand a situation before making judgments about it. As the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, observed, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

Understand Human Nature
“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” ~ Proverbs 12:18

Words are powerful, and they can build up or tear down those who hear them. Regardless of your audience or avenue of communication, the following principles enable you to communicate constructively.

People are insecure. Leaders can bestow confidence by demonstrating their trust and belief in a person’s abilities. People want to feel special. Leaders win a loyal following when they are generous with compliments and acts of appreciation. People are looking for a better future. Leaders inspire through an optimistic outlook and words of hope. People are selfish. Leaders learn to motivate when they begin speaking to the needs of their people.

Be Emotionally Aware
“Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day…is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.” ~ Proverbs 25:20

Communicating within context involves taking the emotional temperature of others. Pay attention to facial expressions, voice inflection, and posture. They give clues to a person’s mood and attitude.

DELIVERY

Adopt an Appropriate Tone
“A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger.” ~ Proverbs 15:1

When you’re emotionally aware, you’re halfway to effective communication, but you still have to deliver your words appropriately. Many times it’s not what you say, but how you say it. Adopt a fitting tone to address the emotional state of those around you, and your words will have their desired effect.

Speak Persuasively
“The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.” ~ Proverbs 16:23

The National Storytelling Festival, held in Jonesborough, Tennessee features some of America’s most captivating communicators. Listen for awhile, and you’ll discover traits that allow them to persuade listeners to take interest in the stories they tell.

Enthusiasm. The storytellers obviously enjoy what they are doing, expressing themselves with joy and vitality. Animation. The presentations are marked by lively facial expressions and gestures. Audience Participation. Almost every storyteller involves the audience in some way, asking listeners to sing, clap, repeat phrases, or do sign language. Spontaneity. None of the storytellers have notes. The festival is truly an oral event. Storytellers didn’t read their stories; they tell them, which allowed for eye contact.

Be Honest
“He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.” ~ Proverbs 10:18

In an effort to persuade, leaders may be tempted to cross the line into manipulation. When doing so, facts may be fabricated or spun deceptively. Lies add complexity to life since the liar has to operate under the guise of falsehood. Eventually, lies are brought to light and undermine credibility. Leaders protect their character by using discretion in their language. They speak truthfully—even when honesty is costly.

SUMMARY

Poor communication is the number one culprit of failed relationships—in business and at home. Since relationships are the foundation of success, leaders would be wise to invest in the communication skills of context and delivery. Master them, and you’ll more easily gain favor, more readily make friends, and more effectively motivate others.

 

This article is used by permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell's free monthly e-newsletter 'Leadership Wired' available at www.injoy.com.

Leadership Wired is written by Dr. John C. Maxwell and is available via e-mail on a free subscription basis. You can subscribe by clicking here.

 

Work as Worship

By Jeff Henderson

I managed the beverage and sports marketing efforts of Chick-fil-a, Inc., a quick-service restaurant company with 1,250 locations and $1.9 billion in annual sales. I've also held marketing positions with the Atlanta Braves, Callaway Gardens, and Lake Lanier Islands Resort.

Chick-fil-A instilled in me a passion for continuous improvement, both personally and professionally. I learned the two ways a person improves: through the books they read and the people with whom they interact. I now have a reading book least each year of at least 40 books and a team of people I meet with for learning, accountability, and personal improvement.

Modeled Leadership
I had the opportunity to observe and learn from Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A's founder, and his sons (and company executives) Dan and Bubba Cathy. They modeled servant leadership in such a way that it became contagious. I also learned that if you succeed in your career but fail at home, you can't consider that a success. As Truett taught me, "You can be a success at both business and at home. In fact, you must be!"

I work a Sunday through Thursday schedule, so I have Fridays and Saturdays off. I'm also home by 6 p.m. during the week. This allows me to have quantity time with Wendy and the kids. What I have discovered is the beauty of quantity time. It's different from quality time. Quality time is great. However, quantity time is full of surprises because it is in those "routine" moments that some wonderful memories can happen.

To create this quantity time requires me to have a laser-like focus on what I want to accomplish each week. As a result, I spend 15-20 minutes every Sunday afternoon planning out the week ahead. I use a tool developed by the 1% Club called The Weekly Focus. It allows me to determine what is the most important and who is most important so that I can have the maximum impact in the week ahead. In addition, I have a planning day once a quarter with a team of people to determine our goals, progress, opportunities for improvement, and plan of action for the upcoming quarter.

Leadership Modeled
At Buckhead Church, one of my ultimate aims is to create an irresistible work environment. I want my staff to know that I care more about them as an individual that I do as an employee. Some employers believe "People are there to get the work done." That's flawed thinking. Instead, they should think, "Work is there to get the people done." In other words, the management of a company should ulitimately be concerned with the people first, and the work second. And one of the primary reasons is because it's a fantastic business strategy. Show me a company, church, or organization that has a passionate, loyal, talented, committed staff and I will show you a thriving organization.

Our work is part of our worship of God. How we approach our work, deal with staff members, follow through on action items, and strive for excellence is all a reflection of where we are spiritually. As believers in Christ, not only should our character and integrity be above reproach, but we should also set the pace for our industry and culture. Faith isn't an excuse not to work hard, diligently and with excellence. Instead, our faith should motivate us to even higher levels that those who don't believe.

Jeff Henderson is the Campus Pastor of Buckhead Church, a campus of North Point Ministries. After a 15-year career in marketing and advertising, Jeff moved into his fulltime ministry role in 2003. He and his wife Wendy have a daughter Jesse (7) and a son Cole (4).

7 Tips for Streamlining Your Shopping List

by Thursday Bram (www.thursdaybram.com)

I have a long-standing dislike of grocery shopping.

Pushing a cart around a store is not one of the ways I amuse myself. I've found that because of my attempts to get in and out of the grocery store, I wind up forgetting things. The only way I can manage is to have a perfect grocery list — the type that includes even the little things that we need on every trip. There are some tricks to figuring out a grocery list, though, and I'm sharing them here and now.

Use a spreadsheet. I know that not everyone likes to use technology for stuff like their shopping lists, but being able to organize my list, especially by store, has saved my life. It also makes it easier to add information like whether I have a coupon or which store is holding a sale.

 

Add items immediately when you run out. The biggest danger to my grocery list is three little words: “Oh, I’ll remember.” Whenever I run out of something, I write it down immediately. If I see that someone else has used up the last crumbs, I write that down, too.

 

Buy in bulk, when you can. I live in an apartment, but I still managed to find a hiding place for a 25 pound bag of flour. Small spaces should just be an opportunity for creativity. Buying in bulk from Sam’s Club and its ilk can often get me just as good of a deal as clipping coupons and buying weekly from a grocery store.

 

Shop around, but not too much. I read the weekly sales paper, and pick one or two stores that seem to have the best overall prices for the week. For some families, it may come down to the price of just one item: I usually wind up going with the store with the cheapest price on our soda pop of choice.

 

Plan meals. The easiest way to get an idea of what needs to be on your shopping list is to plan out what you’ll be preparing for the next week or so. You can put together a list from your ingredients, and, if someone’s coming to dinner, you know which ingredients you’ll need more of.

 

Determine your staples. Every family has different staples: my boyfriend would mutiny if I didn’t keep cheddar cheese on hand at all times, while my mother’s household practically runs on tortillas. Whether or not your staples fit into your meal plan, they’re usually worth picking up. Running out may not be a pretty option.

 

Go green. The less you’re buying from the store means the less that has to go on your grocery list. Even as simple a step as purchasing cloth napkins to reuse, rather than buying paper towels or paper napkins, can reduce costs, as well as worry when you forget to buy something to wipe up messes.

© Wise Bread

 

 

My Favorite Weight Loss Tricks from LeAnne Ely--The Dinner Diva

Since January seems to be the month to get things going in the weight loss department of life, I thought I would share some of my favorite weight loss tactics and products (tried and true; I’ve lost 65 pounds doing or using these). Believe me, I like things EASY, so true to form, this stuff is a cinch:

Egg Beaters. Love these things. I add veggies, low fat cheese, salsa, the works. Bottom line? I have a protein rich breakfast that is less than half of what it would be calorie-wise if I had used whole eggs. Egg substitutes used to taste icky; I found Egg Beaters to be nearly as good as the real thing—it’s mostly egg whites. No gross-out additives, either!

1. Fage Yogurt. This is the creamiest, most wonderful stuff on the planet. You can get the full fat, low fat or zero fat options. I get the zero fat option, add a little bit of vanilla extract and some honey (or Z Sweet, see #2) and enjoy an entire cup full for just 130 calories. Gotta love that!
   
   
2. Z Sweet. Just found this stuff and I am in love. This is a sugar substitute that is a natural sugar alcohol, erythritol. The cool thing is it has NO weirdo aftertaste, looks like real granulated sugar and comes in little packets like fake sugars do. This substitute has a zero glycemic carb load, making it perfect for diabetics and those watching their weight alike. Finally, a safe sugar substitute that doesn’t scare me!
   
   
3. Orville Redenbacher 100 Calorie Popcorn bags. I absolutely adore popcorn, but I always make too much and then I eat too much. Can’t do that with these pre-measured, ready to go, microwavable popcorn bags. Love, love, love it!
   
   
4. Walking my neighborhood. I make a deal with myself to just get to the other side of my neighborhood, then walk back. It’s great because it takes me 20 minutes to get to one side, then I have to get back, so that’s a 40 minute jaunt.
   
   
5. Run the downhills. While walking my neighborhood, to beef things up a bit, I’ll run the downhill sections and power walk the uphill ones. Pumps it up a notch.
   
   
6. Do Interval training. When I go to the gym on the days I do weight training, I warm up on the treadmill and do some additional cardio to get things going. I put the treadmill on a 3% incline and walk at a 4 mile an hour pace. I will add in a jog or run every 2 minutes for 30 seconds, bring it back down, walk some more, then start over with the run. I can do this for 20 minutes, but get 30 minutes worth of benefit…that’s how effective interval training is.
   
   
7. Tight Jeans. If I am home working, I will wear my jeans as opposed to sweat pants. Sweat pants tell you to pig out and do what you want food-wise. Tight jeans say otherwise! Helps me stay on the straight and narrow.
   
   
8. Watch those triggers. Chocolate is a problem food for me and will often lead me down the wrong path. My mantra is just say no to chocolate. It’s all a matter of knowing thyself. Some people can eat a “no no” food in moderation. Others of us can’t. No one has died abstaining from chocolate.
   
   
9. Add extra veggies. I have been putting frozen organic spinach into my morning smoothie and can’t even tell it’s there! Here’s my recipe:

Leanne’s New Smoothie
Makes 2 big smoothies

1 banana, frozen
A handful of frozen (organic if you can) berries, your choice (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup frozen organic spinach 
2 scoops protein powder (I use a vanilla whey protein powder)
1/2 cup Fage yogurt (or your favorite nonfat plain Yogurt)
1/2 cup orange juice
*water, as needed
*if you like it sweeter, add one packet Z Sweet

Put everything in a blender (I have a 450 watt blender that works great!) and LET HER RIP!

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Even at Christmas, too much is too much

Great Article.

 

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