The chickens moved outside!

It's taken me forever to get this blogged about. Good grief, life's busy right now!

(Pearl perched on a kitchen chair)

One day about a month or so ago (about the time the picture above was taken), I went into the chickens' room (my poor office) to find them roaming freely. For fear that my office and house would be permanently ruined, I called Mark and told him "they're going outside tonight whether you're ready or not!" God bless him, he got them into their coop that night, and they've lived happily ever since. They always get excited when we dump fruit and vegetable scraps and fresh grass into their chicken run for them. That, and they get excited when they see Mark and make a distinct clucking sound (a hen call??).

(Mark working inside the chicken coop)

The coop is pretty awesome if I can say so myself. We bought a homemade dog house for $30 and made some cheap renovations including a perch, linoleum flooring and insulation (leftover from a previous project). The nesting box hasn't been purchased or installed yet. The fencing for their run was a little costly, but we have to protect those little chickies from getting eaten by dogs, possums, raccoons and it seems everything else that wanders outside. I'll be sure to get some pictures and post them asap!

Sarah

Chickens!

We got chicks a few weeks ago. They’re adorable and fluffy, and soon these hens will lay delicious eggs for us! We’re spending around $3.50 for 12 eggs right now, so the idea of (almost) free eggs is very appealing.

However, we didn’t take the decision to buy chickens lightly. Chickens live for years and there is a (small) cost to maintain them, so we did a lot of research beforehand to determine whether it was wise for us to purchase them. Once we decided to, I looked at the Breed Selection Tool at MyPetChicken.com and picked Rhode Island Reds. We discovered that this breed lays about 5 extra-large eggs per week and are hardy in winter (extremely important in Nebraska). I was pleased to see that this breed handles confinement well, isn’t normally broody, and is generally “easygoing”. From what I’ve seen so far, they are calm (although sometimes nervous), sweet little creatures. The one downside to this breed is that the adults grow to be fairly heavy, at 7-8 pounds.

We went to a local farm supply store and found Mini and Pearl. Mini was about 1 week old and Pearl was over 2 weeks old. We also bought a heat lamp, a bulb, a waterer, and a food dish.


“The girls,” as we like to call them, are growing quickly. One day, I walked into their room and found that Pearl had grown dramatically in just hours. Of the two, she is by far the largest and has remained that way since we got her.

Today, we took them outside for the first time. We made sure that we stayed with them to protect them from predators. It was a joy to watch them “fly” and take in their surroundings. They seemed to enjoy the feel of the grass and the sun on their little bodies (I’m sure they’re sick of that heat lamp by now).

Mark is working to get the coop done ASAP so that they can move outdoors (with a heat lamp for evenings, of course). I’ll post pics of the coop as soon as it’s done!

Until later,
Sarah

I made it!

I did manage to ride to work today.  I was a little tough since I didn’t leave on time.  I decided to drop my daughter off at daycare as well which added a little time to my ride.  Overall it took me about an hour for the whole trip.  Since I was running late I took a more direct route using city streets instead of the bike path.  I made it to work a lot faster but I think I will take the bike path whenever I have time.  I enjoy the trees and fresh air on the bike path a lot more than choking on the exhaust.  I also enjoy that a lot of the bike paths go under the major streets and therefore I don’t have to stop.  On one part of the major street I rode on there are a lot of businesses and a lot of cars making crazy right turns and trying to run me over.  I had to be very careful not to get run over.  I did find that taking the streets is quite the interval workout compared to the bike path which has gradual grades instead of the up and down on the streets.

To Stephanie, I was happy to see a lady pushing a child in her stroller and wearing her other child in her orange Mei Tai.  It reminded me of the Mei Tai you made for my wife. 

Riding to work

I decided to start riding my bike to work to get some exercise and improve my health.  I hope as a secondary effect that I will save some money on gas as well.  So far I have done 3 test runs to get a feel for how long it will take and how tired I will be when I get there.

On the first run I only had a short amount of time so I rode about half the distance to work in the mist and rain.

On the second practice run I made it all the way to work (6 miles one way) and back with the kids in the bike trailer.  I went really well and I felt great when I got back home.

On the third practice run I rode to a park close to work so that the kids could play for a while and eat the sack lunch my wife packed.  On this ride I almost died.  The trip there is slightly up hill and that day there was a 20 to 40 mph headwind.  Unfortunately, the wind stopped on the way back so the super humid air was a killer.  I hope that tomorrow I will be able to do my first real ride to work.   I would like to go today but have a meeting after work that I have to drive to.

Beech-Nut Baby Starter Kit

    Get great coupons on Beech-Nut products when you sign up for Beech-Nut's newsletter!

   Since registering, I have received coupons for: "Save $1 on purchase of 2 cereals" and "Save $1 on any 3 products" along with other valuable coupons. Today I received coupons for 1 free cereal and 2 free baby foods (in the mail)! It did take about 2 1/2 months for me to get my coupons in the mail, but it's still a great deal if you ask me!

~ Sarah ~

Half-Price Frappuccinos at Starbucks!!!!

**May 7 through 16 (between 3-5 pm), you can get a 1/2 price Frappuccino at Starbucks! Limit 1 per customer.**


(Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom, for the heads up!)

FREE Cotton Shirred Cami at Lane Bryant!!

Approximate $19.50 value. No purchase necessary! Limit 1 per customer.
Print it off quickly- companies almost always limit the number of coupons that can be printed. The coupon expires on May 10th.

http://www.lanebryant.com/content.jsp?pageName=AIcampaignTY


(Thanks to Mojo Savings!)

FREE bum-Genius All-in-One Cloth Diaper (free with $10 purchase!!)

A FREE bum-Genius AIO diaper?? Crazy talk! This is awesome-- Spend just $10 on bumGenius, Flip or Econobum products (including accessories) at the Green Diaper Store, and you'll get a free Bum-Genius AIO diaper!!!!!!!! Ask around, you'll hear lots of compliments on bumGenius products. Even better, that's an almost-$16 diaper for free! FREE!!!

So here's how: Go to http://www.greendiaperstore.com/index.php. Put at least $10 worth of qualified items in your cart, enter code bgspringaio. In the comment field, put the size you want and color choice (girl/neutral or boy/neutral) for your free diaper. You'll receive your diaper with your purchase! Just in case, here's the website's coupon link: http://www.greendiaperstore.com/info_bumGenius-Coupon-Sale.html

But move quick. The deal's over May 31st!

Ta-Ta for now!

Sarah

Crockpot Yogurt and Greek Yogurt Recipe-- HUGE Money Saver!

Why Make Homemade Yogurt??

Simple-- it was incredibly easy, and once I figured out the price difference, I realized that I have no other option but to make my own! Here's the price break down:

Price comparison per 32 oz. carton:
Dannon All-Natural Plain = $2.87
Homemade = $0.94

Cost comparison per year (104 cartons, 2 per week):
Dannon All-Natural Plain: $298.50
Homemade: $98.60 (includes 1 organic yogurt for initial starter)

I used local milk and organic yogurt for my starter, so you can make your yogurt for much less than I did (especially if you take advantage of sales)!

So, Without Further Ado...

You won't believe how easy this is. The mixture will sit in the crockpot for a while, so I've found that starting in the afternoon is a good time for me.

You'll need:

• A crockpot, a whisk (or a spoon), and a thick towel. You may also want some containers for the yogurt- I like the Ziploc 2 cup containers. This recipe fills 2.

Ingredients: 

• 8 cups (half gallon) Milk- Whole milk works best, or you can get adventurous and use other milks (such as goat's, rice, soy, almond and coconut) You can thicken milks by adding one packet of unflavored gelatin after stirring in the yogurt.
• 1 small carton of plain yogurt (Must have active cultures!!! I would recommend one with milk only as an ingredient--ie, Dannon All-Natural Plain).

 Here's How:

•  Turn crockpot on "low". Add milk. Cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
• Turn crockpot off. Leave for 3 hours. (Keep the cover on)

•  Scoop out 2 cups of the milk and put it into a bowl. Mix in 1 small container of yogurt using a whisk (OR use yogurt from your last batch!)

•  Return to the crockpot and stir.
• Keeping it unplugged, put the lid on and wrap the entire crockpot (even underneath) with a heavy towel for insulation.

•  Leave sitting for 8 hours. (I leave it overnight)
• If it needs thickening, you can whisk in 1/4 cup tapioca starch.
• You're done! Fill containers and place in the fridge! Your yogurt should last 7-10 days. Don't forget to save 1/2 cup as starter for the next batch.

To Make Greek Yogurt:

•  Follow the same steps as above, except before placing in the fridge, you'll want to line a mesh collander with a coffee liner and let the liquid drain out into a bowl.

To Flavor Your Yogurt:

• Just prior to eating, add your flavors. Some ideas are: honey, almonds, walnuts, fruit, vanilla extract, sugar, undiluted coffee and coffee syrups.

Enjoy! Please leave a comment if you have any questions.

Thanks to Crockpot365.blogspot.com for the basic directions!

Homemade Rice Milk Recipe - Money Saver!

Due to food intolerances, my son has been drinking rice milk for over six months. The price of store-bought rice milk can really add up over time. The exciting news is that you can make it yourself for incredibly cheap. It takes 3 hours simmering time, but actual hands-on time is about 15-30 minutes.

Ingredients:
   1 cup long-grain brown rice
   8 cups water
   More water for diluting
   1 tsp. salt
   2 tbsp. safflower oil or sunflower oil (optional)
Supplies:
   2 large pots
                                                        Mesh strainer
                                                        Blender

                                                     Ladle

                                                        3 Qt. container for storage

Thoroughly wash the rice. Pour 8 cups of water into a big pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Mix in the Safflower oil. Pour in the rice. Cover the pot and lower the heat to let the water simmer (leave small steam hole open). Cook for 3 hours.

You will end up with something that looks a bit like a soupy rice pudding. Add the salt.

Fill your blender halfway with water and halfway with rice. Blend until very smooth.

Strain once through a fine mesh strainer into a large pot. Strain, for a second time, into the original pot from the stove.

Pour the finished product into a large container and store in the fridge.

Homemade Sinus Wash-- Money Saver!

Irrigating your sinuses is an excellent way to relieve colds, allergies and rhinitis. Sinus irrigation was the only thing that got me through a horrible case of pregnancy rhinitis. I have allergies, so I still irrigate 1-2 (or more) times a day. There are two ways to irrigate: there's the Neti Pot, then there's the bottle. Which one you'll prefer is completely up to the individual.

Very cost-effective:

A box of pre-packaged sinus rinse packets is about $10 for 100 packets. You can make your own for just a fraction of the cost. I bought my extra fine sea salt in bulk at a local health food store at $0.86/per pound! I scooped up a big bag full, and walked out having spent just $1.09. A container of baking soda is about $0.50. This mixture makes more than 4 cups!

Here's what I found works:

Mixure: 3 parts extra fine sea salt to
             1 to 1 1/4 parts baking soda 

Open a big ziploc bag, dump in your salt (in this case, 3 cups) and baking soda (I started with 1 cup), close the bag and shake it like mad.

Fill your bottle or Neti pot with lukewarm water, testing the temperature against your inner wrist.

 

Next, measure 1 rounded teaspoonful of your mixture and dump into your bottle or Neti Pot.

Replace lid and shake for a second or two. After that, rinse just as you would with any other wash. If it burns when you use this ratio, simply add more baking soda to the mixture.

Couponing 101

 I thought for years that it was always cheaper to buy generic than to use coupons on name-brand items. That certainly isn't so! When you combine a coupon with an already dirt-cheap sale-priced product, I learned that you can usually get those items for 50% off or more. Sometimes you can even get them for free. Yes, FREE!!! Since I'm all about getting something for nothing, I decided to look into it further.

IT IS VERY POSSIBLE TO SAVE 50% (OR MORE) ON YOUR GROCERIES WEEKLY!
You will save the most if you're willing to go with any brand. However, you can still save loads of cash if you're brand-specific. This may sound complicated at first, but I spend very little time preparing. It is much less time-consuming than clipping all of your coupons every week and wandering aisle-by-aisle looking for things you might need. Plus, you'll save a ton. 

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO (IN A NUTSHELL): 

*****This doesn't take as long as you'd think.*****

1) Hoard coupons. Get coupons from newspaper inserts (ie, Red Plum, Smart Source and Proctor & Gamble), magazines (ie, All You) and from online sites such as www.coupons.com . Also, if you go to a store and see coupons, add them to your stash!
-For easy access, I pull the coupon inserts from the paper each Sunday, label them with that day's date, and put them into a binder with the dates labeled on it. Loose coupons (ie, internet and store coupons) are stored in the front divider
2) Keep your coupons until they expire. Even if you don't think you'll need it--keep it! Too many times, I've been unpleasantly surprised to see that I got rid of a coupon for something that could have been nearly free.
3) Begin to learn what prices are cheapest.
-If it helps, keep a record (over a 4-week timespan) of the prices of the top 20 items that you buy.
4) Shop the weekly ads.
5) When your product is at its cheapest, it's time to buy.
-Stores usually work on a 12-week rotation, so when your product is at its cheapest, stock up on enough to get you through the next 12 weeks. This step is what makes you save the most money.
6) See if there's a coupon for your product.
-Try the Coupon Matchup (http://supercouponing.coupontom.com/coupons/match) or the Coupon Search (http://supercouponing.coupontom.com/).
7) Write down your shopping list, prices and stick your coupons in an envelope. 
-Bring a pen with you so that you can write down a "Raincheck List" on your envelope. Just give the envelope to the employee when you check out and ask for a raincheck for each of the items.
8) Shop at coupon-doubling stores if you can. Imagine that 50 cent off coupon becoming $1 off! Coupon doubling is amazing!
9) STICK TO THE SHOPPING LIST! Impulse buys are costly. What you need is on your list. It's understandable to see one or two things that you may have forgotten, but more than that will just get you in trouble financially over time.

This whole process, along with shopping, should take 30-60 minutes. It may take you longer initially, but it will get much faster as you learn the process.

You won't believe how good it feels to get out of the store having saved a huge percentage of your bill. Why pay more when you don't have to?? Give it a month. If you don't like it, eh, at least you tried.

Finding Amazing Deals-- As Easy As Checking Your Email!

I subscribed to coupon mom's emails--each week I get emails about amazing deals available right now. These items are (usually) below $1 a piece, and often times FREE! These deals are listed by store and usually require a coupon (either from online, All You Magazine, or from a newspaper).

Just go to http://www.couponmom.com/ to sign up for your weekly emails!

Building a Composter 101

Because we're planning to garden organically, we've decided that composting will be necessary. Plus, we're always looking for new ways to keep our stuff out of the landfills. Until I actually studied composting, I thought composting was simply throwing your materials in a pile until it discentigrates. I wondered how it wouldn't get stinky. Now I know better...

When picking a composter, you need to decide whether you are going to buy one (lots of $$$) or you can make your own (less $$$)! If you know us, then you know that we always go the cheap route, so we're building one! Here are a couple of ideas I found that I thought I'd share.

I saw this cool video by "The Urban Homesteaders" about how to make an easy-to-use composting bin that spins on a pole to make the breaking-down process faster. Check it out!



There's also a page online about how to make a metal screen rotating composter that takes only 2-3 hours start to finish. You can find it at: http://www.instructables.com/id/Composter-Drum-Style/ Depending on the weather where you live, this one's in a container that may require a tarp to be wrapped around it. Be sure to read the comments found below the instructions!

If you compost, I'd like to hear what kind of a composter you use and what you think of it! Also, let me know what you think of these two options. Seeing as how I'm new to the world of composting, I'm not sure which I like better at this point.

Until next time,
Sarah

The Master Plan

I haven't always been thrifty. Just 7 years ago, I owned more shoes than anyone's business. I'd go out and buy new... a lot. Sure, I frequented thrift stores, thanks to my mom's excellent training as I was growing up, but buying new gave me this "rush". It's like the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic. The manequins weren't talking to me, no, but I did buy things for the excitement of having something new. When that excitement wore off, I'd go get more. Then I got married, and soon after I got extremely sick with mono, and my health went downhill from there. Before we knew it, I was too sick to work and we began falling behind on our bill $700 a month. How did we pay them? With credit cards. We're still digging ourselves out of that hole, and we will be for quite a while.

The Master Plan:
We've implemented a list of things to help us to catch up with our debts. We haven't gone all "Dave Ramsey", but we're taking a lot of advice from him. (Learn more about Dave at: http://www.daveramsey.com/) Our goal is to cut back on unnecessary expenses, including fast food (our major weakness), groceries, and other discressionary items. At the same time, I believe it's just as important to feed your family healthfully, feeding them organic and natural foods that have been processed safely, and to use natural body products that have as few chemicals as possible. We are using the money we save to pay extra on our bills, starting with the smallest. As the smaller bills are paid off, we put that extra money towards larger bills, and that continues until everything is paid off ("the snowball effect").

I am always looking for new ways to cut back on our expenses, and this blog is my way of sharing what I find with my friends and family! I do hope that it helps someone.

~Sarah