Like all of my other deal posts, this post most likely contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.
The Ninja Creami seems to be the hot kitchen product this year! For good reason too! It sound like it’s incredible for making tasty ice cream, smoothie bowls, milkshakes and more. Perfect for those with dietary restrictions because you have total control over the ingredients.
Like most small kitchen appliances, the Ninja Creami can have a big price tag. Be sure to check this post for all the best sales on the Ninja Creami in Canada:
I think this Homemade Sore Muscle Soak would make a perfect gift for someone on your list! Or perhaps it would make a great addition to a spa basket you can make up?
I often find myself with sore muscles in the fall. I think it’s because we’re out hiking more and working outside more. 🙂 Because of this, I find it really nice to have a warm bath with some of my homemade sore muscle soak! This one smells delicious because it uses fresh mint and lavender (or essential oils). Here’s how you can easily make up your own batch of homemade sore muscle soak:
¼ cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped OR 7-10 drops of peppermint oil
¼ cup of fresh lavender, chopped OR 7-10 drops of lavender oil
DIRECTIONS:
Begin by mixing your Epsom salt and baking soda in a bowl. Mix well.
Chop your herbs fine and add them to the mixture. Or, add your oils at this time. For the mixture you see here, I used fresh mint and used lavender oil in place of the fresh lavender.
Continue mixing well. The moisture from the herbs and oils may cause some clumping. This is not a big deal. Just use your spoon to break through the clumps.
Store the mixture in a glass jar with lid or air tight container. I like to let it sit for a few hours before using.
To use your homemade sore muscle soak, just pour it into a running bath. The lavender will help you relax and ease muscle tension, the mint will help revitalize, and the Epsom salt and baking soda will help with inflammation and pain.
When done, drain your tub as usual. You may wish to remove any larger herb clippings by hand to avoid drain issues.
Are you up to your ears in leaves? If your yard is home to numerous trees, you might find yourself overwhelmed with leaves this fall season. So what exactly can you do with all of those leaves, other than rake them? Well the good news is they do have a few fun uses! Take a peek at these 5 creative ways to use fallen leaves, in ways that are both fun and frugal!
1. Craft a scarecrow.
Fallen leaves are perfect for stuffing and filling scarecrows. Save leaves so when you are ready to craft your scarecrow, you have plenty to create the body, legs, arms, and of course, head. Leaves make perfect stuffing material and fill up the scarecrow nicely.
2. Make giant yard pumpkins.
Buy orange yard waste bags found at your local home improvement store or Amazon. Some are plain orange while others might have the pumpkin faces already on them. No worries if you can’t find any with faces, you can always add your own with a black marker. Simply fill the bags up with leaves, then tie the top for yard pumpkins that make the perfect outdoor fall décor.
3. Craft spooky ghosts.
Take white trash bags and fill the bottom with a handful of leaves. Twist the bag and tie it to create a round head shape. You can use a black marker to draw the face of a ghost directly onto the bag, and then add string for hanging. Place the ghost in a tree or porch for a spooky effect.
4. Make spooky yard spiders.
Take a black trash bag and fill it with fallen leaves. You can then use white paper to craft eyes and attach them with craft glue. Painted PVC piping can make legs as well as long cardboard tubes or even pool noodles. How spooky would these be to see in your yard around Halloween!
5. Create a leaf fort.
Find a large cardboard box that can be used as the fort’s main foundation. Cut a square to enter. Spray the box with spray adhesive and apply the leaves to the outside of the box. One or two layers is sufficient. When you are done you should not be able to see the box and it will look like the entire piece is made from leaves.
Did you ever think that leaves could provide so much fun? Start raking up those fall leaves and then give these fun ideas a try and see all the ways you can put those fallen leaves to use. You are sure to enjoy lots of family fun with very little cost to you.
Calling all teachers and educators! Enjoy 20% off must-haves for your classroom, in store only until Sept. 24. Simply present your teacher ID and save!
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Here are some of the Canadian stores I know you’ll be interested in:
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Crocs Canada – 4% cash back
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Hudson’s Bay – 2.5% cash back
and so many more!
If you decide you’d love to sign up with Rakuten, you’ll receive a free $5.00 bonus when you make your first $25 purchase!
Living the life of a frugal person means living below your means from dawn to dusk. There are many things frugal people do throughout the day that help them save money and help them store funds away for the future. But what are those things exactly? Come on a journey and take a look at a day in the life of a frugal person. These are some of the daily tasks that save them BIG. By knowing more about this day to day living, you too can try implementing these tasks and seeing what a difference they can make for you.
Morning:
1. Make homemade coffee.
Our frugal person doesn’t spring for a $5 specialty coffee. Instead she makes her own at home and saves big. She uses her favorite reusable mug that can be used time and time again.
2. Looks at the Meal Plan.
This frugal person creates a menu plan every week with $5 Meal Plan. So every morning she double checks the plan to see what she might have to pull out of the freezer or pick up at the grocery store in order to stay on track. Her menu plan saves her hundreds of dollars each month and keeps her sane at the dinner time hour.
3. Check the Gas Buddy app.
Before filling up and running and errands, our frugal person checks the free Gas Buddy app to see what gas prices are and where to fill up for less. When she finds a great deal, she fills up at that price.
4. Turn on the slow cooker.
There won’t be any take out traps for this frugal person tonight thanks to her menu plan. Instead, she tosses some chicken, fresh vegetables, and broth into the slow cooker for dinner. She uses canned broth from the stockpile, veggies from the garden, and chicken she bought on sale.
5. Scour the sales.
Our frugal person checks the weekly grocery store flyers to see what’s on sale that week. She then matches the sale prices with the coupons she has on hand. This helps her to make her shopping list for the week while keeping her budget in check. She loves the Budget Planner for keeping track of her budget categories and her savings goals.
Afternoon:
6. Enjoys a homemade lunch.
Whether at work or on the go, our frugal person enjoys a homemade lunch. Today it’s a taco salad using ground beef leftover from last night’s burgers. She uses a refillable water bottle to save money on unnecessary sugary beverages, which also keeps her waistline trim!
7. Swing into the local thrift store.
Frugal people love thrift stores to look for gently used items at a fraction of the price of new. Today, our frugal person finds some frames that can be spray painted to match her décor as well as a table lamp she can use on her night stand. For about $7 total she walks out of the door happy!
8. Give the house a quick clean.
Our frugal person uses vinegar to keep windows sparkling and baking soda to get sinks and drains clean. She doesn’t spend money on household cleaners and instead uses natural products to get the job done for less. A fresh lemon is just what the faucet needs to shine, and a little lemon peel down the drain can get rid of disposal odors.
9. Snag some free reads.
Our frugal person loves looking on Amazon for free eBook downloads. She also loves swinging into the library to grab free movies, CD’s, magazines, books, and so much more.
Evening:
10. Dinner is served.
Our frugal person serves her thrifty dinner. She uses cloth napkins instead of buying disposable paper. She serves lemon water and powdered drink mixes which cost less than pop. When done, she will load the dishes into the dishwasher but wait until it is full before running it.
11. Inexpensive entertainment.
The newspaper lists free events in the area and our frugal person loves looking for them. She finds a free outdoor concert that evening as well as an outdoor movie being shown downtown. There are also budget days at the local movie theatre she enjoys, plus local parks which are fun to visit too.
12. Cheap dessert.
Our frugal person gets on the email lists of all her favorite brands. This way, she gets all sorts of coupons sent to her. Tonight she has a B1G1 FREE coupon to her favorite ice cream place. So tonight, she gets to enjoy dessert for less.
13. Lights out!
Now that it is time for bed, our frugal person turns down the thermostat so it won’t work as hard at night while she is sleeping. She takes a warm shower before bed, using a shower timer and a low flow shower head so she doesn’t waste as much water.
Our frugal person is now asleep, and can dream about all of the money she saved that day! Is the frugal life for you? Give a day in the life of a frugal person a try and see how well the day goes for you!
I’d love to know what your life as a frugal person looks like. Let me know in the comments below!
What to do when you’re overwhelmed by your messy house
At this moment, my house is not in tip top shape. In fact it feels quite chaotic to me. In some sense, I’ve come to terms with the state of my home because of the season I’m in with young kids at home. However, there are days when I find my home quite overwhelming and something needs to be done before my sanity is jeopardized. 🙂 A clean and tidy space makes for a happier mom.
So today I give you four QUICK things that you can do when you’re overwhelmed by your messy house:
Make the beds
Fluff the pillows, throw the covers back on. Doesn’t have to be perfect, but having the beds made makes me breathe easier. Even when there are piles of laundry on the floor! The bed is the biggest visual surface in a bedroom, so having the bed made creates calm for your eyes.
Clear off the outside of the fridge
Art work, shopping lists and magnets galore. I love displaying my daughters’ art work from school and the fridge is just so convenient for having my grocery list. But once in a while, a good wipe down is necessary and I don’t bother to put anything back up for a while afterwards.
Sweep the floors
One word. Crumbs. Everywhere! Nothing irritates me quite as much as stepping on some crumbs and having them stick to my bare feet. Ewww! Because of this, I try to sweep the floor every day and vacuum at least once a week. I’m amazed at how much better I feel after the floors have been swept.
Clear the kitchen counters
This is a constant battle of mine. Our kitchen doesn’t have a lot of counter space so anything extra on it makes it more difficult to do every day tasks. Needless to say, our kitchen counters are a drop zone for school papers, mail and dirty dishes. While it’s a never ending battle, I try to clear off as much “extras” as I can on a daily basis. Getting the dishes done (with my favourite dish soap) is also key!
Another thing that really helps me when I’m overwhelmed or paralyzed by my messy house? I create a plan to stay focused! Check out this fun HOME CLEANING PLANNER – with room by room checklists, daily + weekly task lists, and seasonal cleaning checklists to make sure it all gets DONE in a systematic way!
What sort of things do you like to do when you’re overwhelmed by your messy house?
You’re living on a tight budget. You may have already cut back on your frivolous purchases, but you’d like to save even more money and don’t know where to start. It may take a bit of creativity, but it is possible to find extra savings!
Here are some ideas to help you save money on a tight budget:
Keep your receipts
Most people who feel they are broke and have no way out, actually change their perspective when they find out how much they actually already have and waste. Keeping track of what you spend each monthcan help you make changes to your spending habits which could account for a large chunk of change in the bank.
Evaluate
Evaluate what really is a necessity in your life. Is cable TV really needed at this time or can you use some creativity to occupy your time otherwise? Maybe you have both a land line and a cell phone and perhaps cancelling one is a possibility. Taking a good look at all your recurring expenditures and really evaluating what is an actual necessity (and getting rid of those things that aren’t) will really help you save money on a tight budget.
Prioritize
In North America, people are continuously living outside of their means. It’s impossible to save money if you’re living a $100,000/year lifestyle on a $35,000/year salary. Prioritize what is important to you at this time and get rid of the rest. You may want to put the kids in piano lessons and guitar lessons, but you can’t afford to do both. Pick one, then move on.
Cut out a convenience item
Start by cutting out one convenience item at a time. Do you typically buy packaged cookies? Start baking your own. Rather than purchasing high priced, chemical laden cleaning products, make your own! (Check out my own homemade cleaning kit.) By cutting out one convenience item at a time, you’ll be making little strides towards your savings goal!
Earn more
Of course, earning more money is a great way to add to your savings. Take on a part time job, ask for a raise, turn a hobby into a side business. Just make sure you save your extra, don’t spend it!
Sell what you don’t need
You’ve all heard of Kijiji, Craigslist Facebook Buy & Sell Groups and eBay, I’m sure. I’m also pretty sure you have stuff around your home you don’t need anymore. Sell what you don’t need on one of those previously mentioned sites or have a garage sale, then head to the bank and make a deposit!
Collect change
Make a jar for your spare change then throw it in there. Empty your pockets and change purses every night into the jar. Keep going until the jar is full, then pay a visit to the bank to make a deposit. It’s possible to save hundreds of dollars each year this way!
Shop wisely
Pay attention to how and why you shop. You may discover that purchasing Christmas presents during the Christmas frenzy is expensive and tough on your budget. Why not start buying presents during after Christmas sales or seasonal clearance sales? You undoubtedly have a list of the same people you have to buy for every year so when you’re out shopping, keep an eye open for any gifts they may enjoy.
Another thing that can really help when you’re overwhelmed or paralyzed by the thought of budgeting? Create a plan to stay focused! Check out this thoughtfully made BUDGET PLANNER – pages to help you achieve financial goals, track your bills and spending, discover what you did well, what you need to improve on and so much more!
Money may be a little tight, but choosing to do some of these suggestions could help you save thousands. Decide what you can give up to help you save big and reach those financial goals a bit quicker.
What are you willing to do to make a change in your financial situation? Have you got any other suggestions?
Menu planning is something I highly recommend. Not only does it save money, lessens the unnecessary stops to the grocery store, but it also makes our life much easier!
Today, I’d love to share with you how to menu plan for the week.
I’m going to give you a system that will ensure you are saving money AND eating well.
While there are various ways to menu plan, what I’m showing you today, has been my tried and true system for the last 15 years.
Regardless of how you may tweak my system to work for your family, the bottom line is, you have to have a plan. Whether rigid or loose, a plan will save you hours of time and hundreds of dollars each year!
Here are the steps on how to menu plan for the week:
Step 1: Take Inventory
Scour the cupboards, the fridge, and the freezer for food items you already have. Use the items that you find as a starting point for your menu. Make a list of meal possibilities from what you find.
Maybe you have some pork chops that you picked up on sale, and you have some vegetables from last weeks shopping trip, and perhaps you always have rice on hand. Right there you could have a meal of BBQ pork chops, rice and vegetables!
By using what you already have, you will instantly start seeing savings on your weekly grocery bill!
As you are going through your pantry, fridge and freezer, mark down any staple items you need to buy more of. If you find you are low on milk, eggs or flour, for example, add these to your grocery list.
I like to jot down all my ideas on a small piece of paper titled ‘menu’ and on the other side I title it ‘grocery list’ to put down everything I need to buy. (I like to have my menu with me when I shop because sometimes I’ll forget why I’m buying something or it helps me remember to buy an item that I may have forgotten to write on my grocery list.)
Step 2: Look through the sale flyers
Quickly look through your flyers to see what deals your local stores have. Jot down on your shopping list, the things that are a great deal and you know your family will eat or use.
If you coupon, now is the time to pull out your coupons to see which coupons will make the sales a great deal. For example, maybe this week No Frills has toilet paper on sale and you also have a coupon. This makes it a no brainer purchase!
I do most of my shopping at Real Canadian Superstore as I find they usually have the best overall prices. Occasionally, I’ll pop over to a different grocery store if I see they have great deals on some things we will use. I don’t like to shop at a lot of stores each week because I find that I will end up spending more than I intended. 😉
When I find a great deal on something we use regularly, I’ll stock up as much as I can. This saves tons of money.
I try to build up a small stockpile of ingredients to work with when planning our meals so that some weeks I only have to buy the basics like milk and fresh vegetables!
Step 3: Finish planning your menu
Once you have taken inventory at home and determined which sales you want to take advantage of, write out your menu with your findings.
At this time in my life I do not plan our breakfasts and lunches.
I only plan for five dinners including side dishes, leaving one night open for leftovers and another for dinner out or a quick bowl of soup.
I also don’t give each meal a specific night to be made since I like to cook for what I’m in the mood for that particular day. I try to have at least one chicken dish, a beef dish, and a pasta dish.
For breakfast, I like to have fruit, cereals, eggs, bread and the ingredients for basic pancakes or French toast on hand. I’ll occasionally buy bacon but that’s usually only if it’s in a dinner recipe I’m using.
Lunches are almost always dinner leftovers from the night before. We rarely let food go to waste!
When you’re first starting out with menu planning, you may want to plan all three daily meals, as you don’t want to forget anything at the store. The less trips to the grocery store, the more money and time you’ll save!
Step 4: Make a final grocery list.
Now is the time when I go over my list to see if I’ve forgotten any pantry staples, milk or items needed for a recipe. I’ll also put all the items into categories according to the store layout. Produce, meats, dairy, canned goods, personal supplies…etc.
Make a list and check it twice!
Step 5: Go shopping!
I recommend going at a time of day when the store is not very crowded and you can take a time to compare prices or mark-downs. I try my best to get to the grocery store before 10:00am on Monday mornings. This is what works for me and I also find the shelves are well stocked on a Monday.
I’ve found that when the store is busy I’m more likely to hurry, therefore, I spend more money or forget something I’ve written down on my list.
You may also want to have a grocery budget and bring cash only. Using cash only forces you to stay within your chosen budget. We tend to get a lot of the same stuff each week so I know that I usually spend $125 each week, give or take.
Other useful menu planning tips:
I like to create simple meals that do not call for a lot of ingredients as this saves on time as well as cash since I’ll most likely always have those ingredients on hand. (soy sauce, spices, etc…)
As you are preparing a meal, you may want to double it to put one in the freezer. It’s always nice to have meals in the freezer you can pull out when you don’t feel like cooking! I do this all the time with Spaghetti sauce and taco meat.
There you have it! That is how to menu plan for the week.
Do you menu plan? If so, what kind of menu planning system works for you (monthly meal plans, weekly plans, loose plans, etc.)?
One aspect of frugal living, is the desire to become less wasteful. To live a more sustainable life. We can do this by making intentional purchases with thoughts to the future.
It’s no secret that the kitchen can create huge amounts of waste. However, it’s possible to reduce the amount of waste we see by adding some thoughtful zero-waste kitchen products to our inventory.
While this post outlines zero-waste kitchen products from Amazon, I recommend you shop local first, if possible. Even so, Amazon is a great choice if you don’t have local options or if you just don’t want to spend too much money right away. There are reasons why Amazon is popular – It’s easy and offers affordable price points.
If you are ready for a more sustainable kitchen, here are some excellent zero-waste kitchen products that I recommend:
Reusable Grocery Bags
One of the easiest ways to start with this more sustainable lifestyle is to stop buying plastic grocery bags from the grocery store. Instead use reusable grocery bags! There are so many to choose from, but I like these fun ones that can be folded up nicely to fit in my purse.
Speaking of cooler bags, I have a couple of insulated grocery bags that I use all the time in the warmer months. I use them for bringing home frozen items from the grocery store and I use them for our beach picnics.
Reusable Produce Bags
Instead of using plastic bags to put your produce in, use a reusable produce bag like these ones from Amazon.
Or, if you want to go one step further, cotton reusable produce bags don’t contain any plastic, so they are biodegradable.
Glass Jars
Having an assortment of glass jars on hand is ideal for food storage. They are great for shopping for bulk food if you have access to bulk stores where you can bring your own containers. (Bulk Barn in Canada offers this.)
Because they are clear, it’s also easy to see the contents of the jar so you know when something needs to be restocked.
I prefer to use the empty jars that I get from various food items from the grocery store. (Think pickle jars, pasta sauce jars, etc.) But on some occasions you may need to purchase glass jars. Take a look at garage sales, in thrift stores or ask relatives for extras. I find them expensive on Amazon.
Stainless Steel Straws
Stainless steel straws are must-haves in my kitchen. They get used all the time!
These stainless steel straws on Amazon come with 12 straws in 4 different shapes and sizes. It also includes 2 cleaning brushes which are a must for cleaning your reusable straws.
These reusable straws also come with a travel bag so you can take a straw or two with you wherever you go! Perfect for eating out at restaurants.
If you have kids, you may want to purchase silicone straws instead. While we insist our kids sit to eat and drink, it’s inevitable that our youngest will eventually feel the need to get up and do a dance or something. (LOL). I feel much safer with them using soft silicone straws.
They are ideal because you can easily see the contents so you know what needs to be eaten. Another reason is that you can reheat your food right in the same container.
Beeswax Food Wraps
Beeswax food wraps are a natural and sustainable alternative to plastic wrap. They are eco-friendly and biodegradable because they are made with cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin.
You can wrap any type of food with beeswax wrap or use it to place over bowls. Use it the same way as you would use plastic wrap or tin foil.
Silicone Food Bags
Silicone food bags are a great way to eliminate even more single use plastics from your kitchen.
The Stasher brand is the number one seller, however there are other brands on Amazon with good ratings as well!
You can use these silicone bags in the freezer, dishwasher and the microwave, making them so versatile.
Glass Spray Bottles
Investing in glass spray bottles for your kitchen is a smart idea if you like to make your own cleaning supplies. They even work well for watering your kitchen plants!
This four pack of glass bottles is perfect for scattering around the house in places where they are most commonly used.
Reusable cloth Towels
Are you still using paper towels? Make the simple switch to reusable cloth towels with a set of E-Cloths! They are fantastic zero-waste kitchen products!
Clean virtually anything with only water! They are very absorbent, making mess clean up simple. They also easily trap dust, dirt and grime.
Silicone Baking Mat
Instead of using parchment paper that you throw away after one use, give silicone baking mats a try! I’m still loving and using mine that I got years ago!
Silicone mats also reduce the need for cooking sprays and grease.
Silicone is very durable and therefore a great long-lasting alternative to baking or roasting with parchment paper.
There you have it! 10 zero-waste kitchen products that you’re sure to love. How many of these items do you already use?
