Pyrex Free Sample Comes in the mail! :)

One of my favorite part about getting free samples that by the time they have come in the mail I have completely forgotten that they were coming. Many times I will go on a sample spree and sign up for anywhere from five to fifteen samples, then I might not for a month or two. I suppose I did this a few weeks ago because I recently got the cutest hot pan holder in the mail from Pyrex. We always seem to be short on hot pan holders at our house, so I was actually pretty excited about it. This coming in the mail made me excited again about getting free samples so I went out to Deal Seeking Mom and found more freebies. It's a fun thing to do that does not cost me anything but a little time and in return I get surprises in the mail- it's the ideal hobby!

Anticrastination with Rita Emmett

I used to have a serious procrastination problem. I would put off not just little things, even the very important things. I cannot tell you how many times I missed out on opportunities to save time and money, make money, and save myself very much stress.

I found this website and signed up for a newsletter which has really helped me to putt off procrastinating. It isn't a miracle cure that magically made me stop procrastinating, but it is very motivating. I do not read it every month but when I am feeling particularly unproductive, I go into the last month's newsletter and read her Anticrastination Tip Sheet. It has really helped me learn not to put things off so much. 

Sign up to get Rita Emmet's Anticrastination Tip Sheet here.

Getting Over the Flu

I was listening to the radio months ago and there was a very in depth discussion about how to get over the flu. The best thing the callers suggested was rest and Vicks VaporRub. The Vicks doesn't go on your chest as directed, however, instead you are supposed to put it on your feet and wear socks. Of course, I didn't get sick until recently. I thought that the Vicks on the feet was insane, but worth trying. Instead of using the name brand I tried something similar called Winter Breeze by one of my favorite companies, BeeYoutiful. They make awesome products that are all natural and their prices are actually reasonable unlike most brands with products made from natural ingredients.

I was shocked to find that after a few days of Vicks on my feet I actually felt a lot better. The cough did linger for a few days, but it was nothing compared to the days before the Winter Breeze. So the next time you have a cold or the flu, pick up some Winter Breeze here or use your Vicks VaporRub, throw on some socks, and get ready to be back on your feet in no time!
If you want to check our Winter Breeze, you can get yours from Homemaking911.com in the health section of their store. 

Gift To Grow Points

Rewards programs are so much fun. I love using my debit card because I know if I run it as credit, I earn points. I also like getting free things, so why not get rewards for doing things I was going to do anyway? I was thinking about this today as I was perusing Deal Seeking Mom today and came across a Pampers Gift to Grow points code. I usually take a moment when I find these and share them with the mothers I know who have a Gift to Grow account. This takes very little time, and so I wondered why I did not add all of these free codes to my own account. It's true that I do not have children yet therefore I'm not buying diapers, but if I keep up with the free codes then maybe I can get something free, even without purchasing anything.

When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Credit?

It wasn't my plan to buy a house any time soon because my husband was going to be career military. I also was planning to pay cash for any vehicles we purchased, so I didn't see the big deal with looking at my credit score. Now, however, with my husband considering other career options  and the knowledge that we will be buying a house in our hometown, I decided that I should check to see what our scores were.

I was surprised to find there were multiple things on my credit score that were incorrect. Not major things, but there were several addresses and phone numbers I did not recognize on the report. This wasn't a big deal, but it made me thankful I checked.  What if the wrong things had been big things? On Dave Ramsey's website, he talks about a woman who checked her credit score only to find that someone else's information had been mixed with hers due to a mix up of social security numbers. I would rather find out something like that sooner, not later. 

So when was the last time you checked your credit? Go get your free annual credit report from all three reporting agencies here today. 

Organizing Pays!

I have a confession to make: I have a problem, a serious addiction. I am addicted to organizing. Some people smoke, others drink, I go through my kitchen cabinets to figure out how to keep my pots and pans organized. I was going on an organizing binge when I came across some old gift cards that were misplaced in the shuffle of moving. I decided to keep them organized by putting a hole punch through one side and putting them on an extra key ring I had. Then after putting all the gift cards onto the ring, I decided not to stop there. I also pulled all of the membership cards I had cluttering my wallet and purse and put them on the ring also.

Next, I decided to check the balances on all the gift cards and write them on the back with a permanent marker so that when I went to use them I would know how much was available to spend. This revealed to me that I had a few Best Buy gift cards that I had a large balance on. I have been looking to get an in expensive camera to throw in my purse and bring to parties and events. Several years ago my family surprised me with a Canon EOS 30D which is a great camera, but I wanted something that was a little more portable and I would not have to worry about as much as my Canon. I found a Insignia NS-DSC10B that was free with my gift cards, I only had to pay for shipping.
So, yes, I do have a problem with organizing, however it just earned me a digital camera! Without organizing I would not have found these gift cards for a long time, so it is a problem that I'm happy to keep for a while at least.

Love Your Home

I am learning to simplify my life, beginning with the things I keep in my home. My mother has a great way of evaluating things. When we were going through things in my room when I was younger, she would ask me, "Do you love it?" and if the answer wasn't a yes, then it probably needed to go to another home. This applies to so many things. That fuzzy sweater Aunt Lucy made you for Christmas five years ago that you will never wear, the socks that stay at the bottom of your sock drawer because they are stretched out, books that you have intended to read for ages but have remained unread, these are all things that clutter up your home and make it harder to clean.

By removing the things that you don't absolutely love from your home, and your life, you make it possible to fill your life with the things that are truly important to you. Take the fuzzy sweater, for instance. It might hurt Aunt Lucy's feelings if you tell her about the sweater, but give yourself room to be honest. If you hate the sweater and you have not ever worn it then chances are you probably never will. It is taking up space in your closet and you might even feel dread every time you look at it. You do not have to announce that the sweater is going to Goodwill, either, so you do not have to feel guilty about how Aunt Lucy might feel if she knew. She won't know and it's your house, so put it in the donations box! Removing things from your home that you don't want or love will make your home a place where you can be comfortable. Imagine if all of the clothes in your closet were all your favorite things to wear. Wouldn't that be great? You can bring yourself one step closer to that dream by removing the clothes you don't love, or can't fit into.

Late Night Couponing Adventure

It was not my intention to go couponing tonight, but I found myself dreading going to bed alone and was missing my husband, so I thought it would be nice to have a little distraction. There is a Mega Sale this week at Kroger, so since I am less than 5 minutes away from a Kroger I thought tonight would be a perfect night to find some good deals.
My budget was $50, I hoped to find some low calorie snacks, yogurt, possibly some Mountain Dew for my husband when he gets home, and I wanted to check the prices on things I usually stock up on like hot sauce and maybe some hair products. I have been waiting for a long time to find cheap or free toothbrushes, so I hoped to find some of those too. Here is what I ended up taking home.