Walmart Coupon Policy

:: Wal-Mart Coupon Policy ::

Wal-Mart accepts the following types of coupons (see guidelines below):

• Manufacturer coupons (Cents Off)
• Free merchandise (or Buy-One-Get-One-Free) coupons
• Store coupons
• Pharmacy (Advertising and Promotional) coupons
• Internet coupons
• Soft drink container caps

The following are guidelines and limits:

* Wal-Mart only accepts coupons for merchandise we sell and only when presented at the time of purchase.

* Coupons should have an expiration date and be presented within the valid dates. Wal-Mart will not accept expired coupons.

* Internet coupons should be legible and say "Manufacturer Coupon." There should be a valid remit address for the manufacturer and a scanable bar code.

* Only one coupon per item is permitted.

* Use of 40 or more coupons per transaction will require approval by Customer Service Manager. (I love it when the have to call a CSM to my checkstand!  It means I've saved a ton of money!!!!)

Walmart Coupon Policy Link

Target Deals

:: Target Best Deal List ::

• Where can I find Target Printable Coupons?

• What is the Target Coupon Policy?

**Target Clearance Shopping Tips**

Markdown Schedule:

• Monday -- Infants department, Kids clothing and Electronics (maybe food also)

• Tuesday -- Women's clothing, Domestics

• Wednesday -- Men's clothing, Garden, Toys, Health and Beauty

• Thursday -- Lingerie, Shoes, Housewares, Sporting Goods, Luggage 

• Friday -- Cosmetics, Hardware, Auto, Home Improvement and Jewelry

Holidays:

All holidays except Christmas follow the 3-3-2 rule:

The first 3 days after the holiday are 50% off.

The next 3 days are 75% off.

The next 2 days are 90%.

After that it goes to salvage.

4th of July
July 5 = 50% off
July 8 = 75% off
July 10 = 90% off

Halloween
Nov 1st = 50% off
Nov 4th = 75% off
Nov 7th = 90% off

          Christmas
           Changes every year and can change by location

Always Check Endcaps for clearance!!!

Savvy How To: Drug Store Savings

Savvy How to: 

Drug Store Savings

         You may have never thought of a drug store as a great avenue to save money on groceries and household items, but the savings can be staggering!  Weekly ads for stores like, Rite Aid and Walgreens are teeming with rock bottom pricing on more than just prescriptions and personal hygiene items.  If you underutilize these savings venues, it would be fiscally wise to look again! So how do you maximize your savings and still stay in budget?  Learning the savings basics is simple.

         While it’s true that many national drug store chains pricing is higher than local grocers, most also offer loyalty/rewards programs with huge savings incentives!  As an example, Rite Aid offers a Single Check Rebate program which reimburses consumers for product purchases. These online rebates are one of the simplest forms of rebate programs as they do not require cutting and mailing UCPs.  You simply buy the advertised product, and even use a coupon when possible to lower your initial purchase price, visit www.RiteAid.com to enter basic receipt information all month long and request your refund at the end of each month.  You’ll get up to the full sale price, regardless of coupon savings, refunded at the end of the month in the form of a rewards check.  I call this a Money Maker!

In addition, Rite Aid offers seasonal Gift Of Savings rewards programs, which give consumers gift card cash for everyday purchases on top of all other promotional offers!  Did I say Money Maker yet? Plus, Rite Aid now offers Up Rewards coupons, good for cash off your next Rite Aid buys, with select product purchases, as well as printable Video Value Coupons which can be stacked with manufacturer coupons for double the savings!. 

         Walgreens also offers a rewards program they call Register Rewards.  These can be a little more complicated but also very rewarding! Instead of filling out an online form for reimbursement, Walgreens issues instant checkout register coupons with your purchase, which are good for cash off your next shopping order.  There are a few key rules to remember though:

#1. You can only get one Register Reward per promotion in a single purchase. You can get multiple Register Rewards in one purchase when you buy products from different promotions.

#2. You cannot use the exact Register Reward to pay for a product participating in the same promotion in a following transaction.  Ie... If you buy Olay and get a Register Reward you cannot use that Reward to buy another Olay product.

#3. You can’t use more coupons than products purchased and a Register Reward is considered a coupon.

It might sound difficult, but once you get your feet wet and try it you’ll find out how easy it is to save with this rewards program.

         Beyond rewards programs there are also a plethora of grocery and household products competitively sale priced each week.  Coupons are a must and can even be combined with in-ad store coupons.  If a store offers a non-manufacture coupon in their weekly ad or coupon booklet, most drug stores will allow you to stack a Sunday newspaper issued manufacture coupon on top of the store coupon and you’ll see double the savings! Stacking coupons this way definitely helps stretch your budget!

         My suggestion for implementing your drug store savings is to start with the basics - one store at a time.  Master the savings for each drug store before adding another store to your shopping list!  Make sure you pick up an in-store Rite Aid Single Check Rebate Guide or Walgreens Coupon Book each month and familiarize yourself with their contents.  Then, visit www.SavvyShopperDeals.com and check out the amazing Shopping Wizard, an interactive, detailed shopping list of the best savings at these and many other retailers to maximize your bottom line!  Saving at the drug store has never been easier!

My Two Cents: Valuable Life Skills

My Two Cents:

Savvy Skills

In my opinion the “Never put all your eggs in one basket” statement applies to life skills as well!  There is more than one learnable trade/skill which can be utilized to save money!  I’m always on the lookout to gain knowledge or learn new skills in an effort to do just that!  The best part?  The majority of money saving skills are easily learned!  Here are my top 5 simple skills you should learn to save money:

Men’s Hair Cuts:  I learned many years ago from my cosmetologist sister-in-law and mother-in-law how to give a men’s haircut!  With my husband as the guinea pig, and the receiver of several not so great cuts, (“Put some gel on it an no one will notice sweetheart! It will grow back soon.”), I have learned to successfully cut men and boys hair with ease!  Find a friend or a neighbor who cuts hair and ask them for some basic tips and invest in a Wahl haircutting kit.  These kits include guide clips and instructional videos that make cutting hair even easier! Practice makes perfect on this one and hair really does grow back quickly! At a low average of $10 a cut, plus tips, I have saved well over $400 a year cutting my own family’s hair!

Sewing:  I’m not talking about making dresses and quilting works of art.  I’m talking about the basics of sewing; Mending, sewing on a button, hemming.   I’ll be the first one to admit I’m certainly not a pro seamstress. But, knowing how to sew a straight line sure has saved me from throwing out articles of clothing that could easily be saved.  My mother is a great sewing resource!  I took Home Ec in high school and sewed a token skirt, but the best tips and tricks come from my mom.  If your mom isn’t a seamstress, family and friends are the next best thing.  And, check out your community schools!  Quite often, low cost basic sewing courses are offered through city programs!

Cake Decorating:  This one is fun as well as fundamental!  I learned how to decorate cakes about 15 years ago by attending 3 levels of Wilton Cake decorating classes at a local craft store!  I can now make wedding cakes, character cakes and decorate just about any dessert imaginable.  There’s nothing better than a smile on your child’s face at the sight of a much desired Dora the Explorer or Scooby Doo birthday cake. You can also use 50% off craft store coupons to reduce your out of pocket cost for decorating supplies! Spicing up a boxed cake mix is as easy as using the right frosting tips and pans and costs significantly less than a store bought cake.  I would also recommend using Wilton’s Bake Even Strips for perfectly baked cakes! Check your surrounding craft stores like Michael’s to find our decorating class scheduled and have a couple nights out learning this valuable skill.

Floral Design:  If you read last weeks column you know this one already!  I love to design floral arrangements and learning this skill has saved me money.  Arranging bouquets and centerpieces and even my own corsages for school dances saves me almost 75% of what a florist might charge.  A last minute celebration or sympathy arrangement is simple and cost effective as well – I can even use flowers grown in my garden!  You can even buy low cost vases at discount stores like D.I., Good Will or even yard sales. Again, check with your community school programs for low cost courses and learn to improve nature’s beauty!

Coupons:  Alright – so this one is a no brainer for me, I know.  But learning how to use coupons and shop smarter has been a life lesson I have now utilized to save literally thousands and thousands of dollars over the last 18 years.  Effective shoppers can easily cut their grocery bills in half and even save valuable time in the process!

Each of these life skills is truly easily learned but can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year when mastered.  Start learning something new today and see how much you can save! 

Savvy How To: Floral Design Savings

 Savvy How To:

A Bouquet of Savings

Happy Valentines Day! I truly love this amorous holiday; not because of expensive gifts and baubles, but for the flowers! (Now, lest you think my dear hubby only brings them on holidays or to mend fences - I must say he is as thoughtful as a woman could ask for and brings them often - and he's taken!) I love flowers, and have from my youth. I even helped support myself through college working as a florist. I have done weddings, funerals, dances and bouquets off and on for years. There is nothing like transforming what is already amazingly beautiful in nature to something even more spectacular.

However, one thing's for sure - they can be expensive and you want them to last as long as possible.
One way to cut costs is to buy pre-packaged "cellophane" bouquets from stores like Costco or other retailers and design your own arrangement. But whether they come already in a vase from the florist or as more of a do-it-yourself arrangement project, here are some of my favorite tips for preserving fresh flowers and even arranging them yourself!

Re-cut Flowers: If you have been given flowers that need to be vased, re-cut all stem ends under water before arranging. Cut approximately 1 inch from each stem. Cutting flower stems on a counter etc. can allow air to be sucked in and cause stem blockages (embolism), preventing vital water and food absorption. Immediately transfer flowers to a vase filled with water after cutting. (This should have already been done at the florist for pre-made arrangements.)

Cut Flower Stems: When cutting flower stems for arrangements make sure to cut the ends on an angle. Leaving stems with a "flat" cut can prevent full water absorption and the flowers can die prematurely from dehydration.

Use the Right Tools: A sharp knife - NOT SCISSORS, is the key to a successful cut! Scissors can crush stems and cause significant damage to stem structures, again inhibiting water absorption.
Remove Excess Foliage: Removing any leaves that will be below the water level is a key. If these leaves remain under water they will start the process of decomposition quickly. This promotes the growth of bacteria, which is the cause of those bad odors you may have experienced previously. But, even worse, the bacteria clogs stem ends and impedes water intake - thus leading to premature wilting. When removing excess leaves make sure to not scrape and damage the stem. Use your fingers when possible, instead of a knife.

Check Water Quality: Whether from a florist or arranged at home, water quality and temperature is vital! It is best to use clean, lukewarm water in floral arrangements. Warm water contains less oxygen and thus reduces the risk of air embolisms. Never use hot water! If you notice cloudy water and wilting flowers in your arrangement after three or four days, rinse and refill your vase again and even consider re-cutting the stems. You'll notice a quick improvement in flower quality!

Feed your Flowers: There are many home remedies for promoting flower life. Adding anything from mouthwash to lemon-lime soda can be used to extend the life of cut flowers. However, commercial preservative packets are readily found in almost all pre-wrapped flowers and also from florists and should be used when possible, as they are the most reliable in delivering an effective combination of ingredients.

Keep Away from Fruits & Veggies: Ethylene is a gas naturally produced by ripening fruits, vegetables and even flowers! However, too much ethylene is bad for flowers. To reduce ethylene absorption, keep fruits (especially apples) and ripe vegetables away from your floral arrangement.

Arrange Your Own: Arranging your own flowers isn't that hard! In fact it's as easy as making a triangle. The most basic shape of floral design is geometric and symmetrical. This will generally be a one-sided design and is the simplest to create. Just envision an imaginary triangular outline and fill in the space. First, fill your vase with any greenery you desire. Next, stage your main (and most expensive) flowers in three's when possible, one in each side of the triangle at staggered heights. It is not necessary to repeat all the remaining flowers in this "mirror" image. This would make your arrangement appear too unnatural. Last, add any "filler" flowers like Baby's Breath or Wax Flower. Try to re-create how flowers would grow in nature, grouped together with the smallest buds at the top and the fullest flowers near the base. 

Floral design can be very rewarding and ultimately save you money! Try these simple tips to extend floral life and create more beauty in your home!

Pantry Potpourri: Vinegar

Pantry Potpourri: 

The Sweet Savings of Vinegar

Vinegar, once the nectar of the gods, is a truly versatile product shoppers should add to their good buy list!  As an all-natural food, vinegar can act as a preservative, balance ph or add a little extra zing to your dish.   I always keep a supply of vinegar handy in my pantry for:

Surface Hard Water/Soap Scum Buildup: If your drains or other surfaces are blotted with water marks and soap scum, wet a paper towel or soak a sponge in white vinegar and apply to desired areas.  Let sit for 30 min - 2 hours.  Wipe and rinse those stains goodbye.  (Do not use on marble as it is too porous).

Showers/Faucet Buildup:  If your shower head or faucet is clogged with minerals try this simple fix: Remove head from the fixture, add to shallow container of vinegar (enough to cover the holes) and let soak for a couple hours or overnight if needed.  Wipe off any excess minerals and let the water run!

Dishwasher Fog: Easily remove soap buildup from your dishwasher by filling a glass cup of white distilled vinegar inside your empty machine and letting it run through a full cycle. Fill your dishwasher with cloudy glasses and plates, add another cup of vinegar and run through the cycle again to take off any unsightly dishware film. (Avoid using with bright colored plasticware - trust me on this one!  It can strip colors.)

Cloudy Vases:  Some narrow neck vases are difficult to run through dishwashers.  To remove any cloudy haze from these containers, fill with equal parts vinegar and water and let sit for a few hours.  Rinse and check out the sparkle!

Fruit Flies:  This past summer I had an "infestation" of fruit flies at my house after a day of peach jam making.  I thought I would lose my mind until I made this simple trap with vinegar!

Homemade Fruit Fly Trap:

1 bowl/bottle

Plastic Wrap

Bait (White or Apple Cider Vinegar or fruit juice)

Place a small amount of bait in the bottom of your container.  Seal tightly with plastic wrap.  Poke a VERY small hole in the center of the plastic - only big enough for a fruit fly to go in - (They can't figure out how to get out after they go in).  You can also roll a small piece of paper into a tight cone shape.  Secure with tape leaving a pinhead size hole in the bottom.  Again, the fruit flies cannot find their way out of the container. Sit back and watch them DIE!!! (I was a little angry about the whole thing as you can tell.)

Oven Grease: "To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge." - www.vinegartips.com

Buttermilk: In a pinch, add one tablespoon of white distilled vinegar to one cup of milk to make your own buttermilk! Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to thicken.

AWESOME BBQ Beans/Dip: (Thanks "Mom E")

1 lb. Hamburger - Browned                             4 T. Liquid Smoke

2 T. White Vinegar                                           1/2 C - 1 C. Brown Sugar

4  15 oz Cans Pork & Beans                             8 Slices Crumbled Bacon    

1/2 c. Ketchup                                                  1/2 C. Sauteed Onions (optional)

(4) 15 oz Cans Drained Beans (Kidney, black or white)

Combine ingredients in slow cooker.  Cook on high for 2 hours or to desired temperature.  Serve as a side dish or with tortilla chips.

Vinegar truly is a pantry staple a household should never do with out!

Savvy How To: Social Media Savings

Savvy How To: 

Social Media Savings

 

As I sit here in my office typing, a coupon for a FREE package of Golden Double Stuffed Oreos (not chocolate! – thus my New Year’s Resolution of no chocolate for a year is safe!) is literally being mailed to my home!  FREE I say – FREE!!! How did I do it?  I simply became a fan of Oreos on Facebook!  A few clicks of the keyboard were all it took for my at-home cookie delivery. Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter etc… are an easy and unobtrusive way to share opinions and experiences all from the comfort of your own home. If you haven’t joined in, Social Media Networks are definitely a must in the next wave of retail savings and relatively simple to navigate. Granted, I am somewhat new to several social media networks and all the slang that accompanies them, but the savings I’ve seen can be tremendous!  Here’s a few of the ways I save money with Social Media:

 

Facebook:  It’s easy to be a fan of this friendly blog-style network.  You can add friends, post pictures and videos, chat with long lost classmates and save BIG on Facebook!  Once you set up your personal profile, making sure to update security settings as to who can view your information, you’re on your way to thousands of manufacture websites full of free products and coupons.  If there’s a product you love, chances are it’s got a Facebook page.  Use the search function to seek out the brand and click to become a fan.  All manufacturer Facebook printable coupon offers and product samples require you first become a fan before the appropriate links can be activated.  Check the top button bar for coupon or promotions tabs and enable live news feeds if desired.  You’ll be kept up to date on the latest and greatest for your favorite brands.  You can even share your coupon and free sample finds on your personal Facebook page with friends and family.  You can become a fan of savvyshopperdeals.com at http://www.facebook.com/savvyshopperdeals.

 

Twitter:  While at first I admit I found this network frivolous and silly – posting 140 character or less updates called “tweets” – I’ve since found it a useful tool in my savings repertoire! One of the things I love about Twitter is the ability to research hot topics by following other good deal bloggers. You can even set up a favorite tweets lists and follow your favorite deal finders all in one tab. Sharing your ideas with others in this streamlined medium allows you to instantly connect with other bloggers and websites that share your love of savings. Searching for keywords like “coupon” or “saving money” will lead you to a myriad of tweets overflowing with money saving tips and ideas.  Twitter couponing sites like @redplumeditor or @allyou regularly update their profiles with printable grocery savings and even money management articles bound to stretch your spending budget. One caution, “tweets” spread quickly, or as some say, viral – so once a great deal has been posted, your best bet is to jump on the bandwagon immediately to capture all the possible savings.  Connect with savvyshopperdeals.com at http://twitter.com/TheSavvyShopper.

 

Survey Websites:  Survey/research websites are popping up by the minute.  These sites allow you to communicate with other users in blog style posts to share your opinions on specific brand name products and campaigns.  The best part?  You get to try the products for FREE through coupons, samples and other exclusive offers.  A few of my favorites survey sites are www.VocalPoint.com and www.KraftFirstTaste.com.  New trial offers are posted regularly with free product coupons sent to your home, plus extra high value coupons meant to be shared with friends and family or even samples in the mail! The catch, and it’s only a small one, they ask you fill out a brief survey after trying the product and share your experience through trys and tells.  By helping spread the word about new products and brands you’ll be the first to taste test new products and all at no expense to you!  Signing up for these community trial programs is a savings worth trying!

 

SavvyShopperDeals.com:  With hundreds of savings offers, freebie finds and grocery savings forums, www.SavvyShopperDeals.com is the place to maximize your savings! We work hard scouring the sale ads and internet compiling savings data for thousands of brands and products all to save you time and money. Whether interacting with local shoppers to post hot savings deals or signing up for email savings alerts and Friday Freebies emails, you’ll find social media at it’s best at SavvyShopperDeals!  Search our forums for Grocery deals, product samples, amazing recipes, preparedness tips, entertainment savings and free meal offers and more.  For all the best deals and savings value, visit www.SavvyShopperDeals.com, your source for savings!

 

 

My Two Cents: Recyling Makes Cents

My Two Cents:

Recyling Makes Cents

I know, I for one, throw away a large amount of packaging, whether from groceries or other goods on a weekly basis (and even more over the Christmas holiday)! After having my kids jump on the top of the bags of garbage in my trash can, so as to fit even more trash in over Christmas weekend, I pondered how the recycling process works and how it could benefit my family and my community.

Beyond recycling all my extra newspaper at my children's schools and having my home insulated with recycled newspaper, I wanted to find out where all that packaging goes and how my family and community could benefit from recycling. So, I recently toured the Waste Management recycling facilities in West Jordan, Ut. where they ask consumers to “reverse the way you think about waste”.

“What is waste in reverse?” asks Waste Management. “It is waste given a renewed purpose as a resource. It is a recycled aluminum can that can power a laptop. It is a pear that turns into energy as it biodegrades. Putting the four R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover the resource into action is what Waste Management is all about.” - www.thinkgreen.com

Looking Savvy in my hard hat and reflector vest.

As I walked around the facilities I was amazed to see literally tons of trash being sorted for recycling. Bull Dozers scooped material and packaging into specialized state-of-the-art sorting machines carefully watched by the skillful eyes of Waste Management employees. I was surprised to learn that Waste Management recycles up to 100 tons of raw material and packaging daily. Each ton of fiber recycled helps to conserve 17 mature trees, 463 gallons of oil, 24 gallons of gasoline, 7,000 gallons of water and 3.5 cubic yards of landfill space by avoiding their manufacture and disposal! Add that up over a years span and you conserve enough fresh water to meet the daily needs of 2.6 million
Americans and enough fuel to provide heat and cool more than 65,500 homes for one year!

One thing I noticed as I watch the material sorting on the conveyor belts was the plethora of non-recycle products being pulled aside. There were lawn chairs, keyboards, Christmas lights and even full size recliners that had to be discarded as they would bind up the machines and could not be recycled. On a side note - I was a little upset about all the coupon inserts I saw discarded - you're throwing away money people!!! If you're wondering what you can recycle to help reverse the way you think about waste here is a list of do's and don'ts for recycling curbside:

It's just my two cents, but it pays to recycle and it's starts with us. Americans throw away 474,949,019,204 pounds of water a year before recycling. Where there is waste there is opportunity! To find out if recycling programs are available in your community visit www.thinkgreen.com and reverse the way you think today!

Cooking With Coupons: Cake Mix

Cooking With Coupons: 

The Sweet Savings of Cake Mix

Sunday night, with only an hour before our scheduled dinner at grandma’s house, I received a phone call some might dread, “Can you please whip up a dessert with something from your pantry – not chocolate – to bring tonight?”  In accordance with my New Year’s ban on eating chocolate, the quick options like walnut brownies or chocolate decadent crockpot cake, were severely limited.  Fortunately, I always have a staple in my pantry that an on-the-go chef should never be without … Cake Mix!  Boxed cake mix varieties are almost limitless and can often be purchased in bulk at huge price breaks.   Add a coupon into the mix and we’re talking pocket change for ooey-gooey-goodness at your fingertips!  With an ample supply of cake mix on hand, the world is your dessert bar!  Here are a few of my favorite cake mix recipes:

 

Peanut Butter Chip Bars – Adapted from: 101 Things to do with a Cake Mix, Stephanie Ashcraft (My Sunday night rescue recipe! This book, as well as volume 2, is a cookbook must have!)

 

1                yellow cake mix

1/3             cup vegetable oil

2                eggs

1/2             cup smooth peanut butter

1 ½             cup peanut butter morsels

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together cake mix, eggs and oil.  Mix in peanut butter.  Stir in peanut butter morsels.  Pat the mixture into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.  Let cool 30 minutes before serving. Store covered.

Honey Bun Cake – www.bettycrocker.com (I won 1^st place in the family dessert bake-off with this recipe! Thanks Lisa!)

 

1            Betty Crocker yellow 
              cake mix

2/3         cup vegetable oil

4            eggs

1            container (8 oz) 
              sour cream (1 cup) 

1            cup packed brown sugar

1/3         cup chopped pecans
2            teaspoons ground  cinnamon

1            cup powdered sugar

1            tablespoon milk

1            teaspoon vanilla

                       

1.            Heat oven to 350 . Lightly flour and grease 13x9-inch pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.

2.            Beat cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spread HALF of the batter in pan.

3.            In small bowl, stir together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter in pan. Carefully spread remaining batter evenly over pecan mixture. (Doesn’t have to look pretty!)

4.            Bake 44 to 48 minutes or until deep golden brown. In another bowl, stir powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until thin enough to spread. Prick surface of warm cake several times with fork. Spread powdered sugar mixture over cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Store covered at room temperature.

Best Cookies in the World! (My sister Lisa’s recipe!)

 

1            french vanilla cake mix

1/2         cup butter softened to room temp. - not melted

2            eggs

1/4         cup brown sugar

1            teaspoon vanilla

1           12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

 

Mix cake mix, butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Stir in chocolate chips.  If batter is too sticky (because your butter was too soft) add 1/4 c. flour if needed for consistency.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.

“If any leftovers make it past the initial baking, save in an airtight container as they do tend to dry out quicker than other cookies”, says Lisa.

Boxed cake mixes cost pennies but certainly add up to great savings.  Pull a mix off your shelf and try some sweet savings tonight!

Pantry Potpourri: Salt

Pantry Potpourri:

Saving With Salt

Whether used as a seasoning, in lieu of money or immortalized in superstitious lore, salt has been productively utilized around the world even before it was first referenced in the Book of Job thousands of years ago. It's likely you presently have more than a pinch of salt in your pantry, so open a container and check out what else salt can do:

Clean Vases: "Mix 1/3 cup salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar to form a paste. Apply to inside of vase. Let stand 20 minutes, scrub, and discard paste. Rinse vase and dry. For a large vase, double or triple the quantity of paste." www.mortonsalt.com

Boil Eggs: Adding salt to a pot of boiling eggs helps the proteins in egg whites coagulate faster to stop a cracked egg from leaking. (Hint: Gently tap each boiled egg with the end of a butter knife approximately 3-5 minutes before fully boiled to create a slight crack in the shell. This makes the eggs super easy to peel. - Thanks Grandma Floss!)

Disposal Odors: To help remove odors from garbage disposals, pour 1/2 cup of salt into the disposal. Run the disposal following the manufacturer's directions, and eliminate unwanted smells! www.mortonsalt.com

Air Freshener: Need an air freshener in a pinch? Mortonsalt.com suggests cutting an orange in half, removing the pulp and filling the peel with salt. "It will provide a pleasant, aromatic scent anywhere in your home." (My home office does smell refreshingly good!)

Sore Throat Relief: First, let me say that I have been made to use this home remedy more times than I'd like to remember, and every time I wanted to gag! But, even the American Academy of Otolaryngology (ENTs) recommend its' use, so I won't disagree! Mix 1/4 tsp. salt with 1/2 cup warm water and gargle several times a day to relieve mild sore throat discomfort.

Christmas Ornaments: Oh, the 70's! C'mon, your family had some of those cute salt dough ornaments hanging on your Christmas tree too, right? Well, maybe I'm dating myself, but I vividly remember begging my mother to personally hang the turtle salt dough ornament every year! If you've never made salt dough creations, or want to "feel tha funk" all over again, try this great recipe from Morton Salt:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
To make the dough, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add a little water at a time, mixing as you pour, to form a ball. Knead 7-10 minutes until the dough has a smooth, firm consistency. To prevent drying, place the dough in a plastic bag. Sculpt your design and let air dry for 48 hours or bake at 325-350 for 30 minutes or until the surface turns a light golden brown.

 Download a FREE PDF of the Morton Salt Dough it Yourself Handbook at: www.mortonsalt.com/attachments/Dough_It_Yourself_Handbook.pdf

Play Dough: If you're looking for a reusable craft project to spice up a rainy day, try this Morton Salt Klaymates recipe for softer play dough:

Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 cup water, and a few drops of food coloring (optional). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and lumpy. Cool slightly and then knead in 1 or 2 drops of vegetable oil. Store in a sealed container when not in use.

Salt is definitely worth its' weight as a multipurpose household tool and you just can't live without it! Stock up on this pantry staple the next time you find a great sale!

Savvy How To: Cleaning Organization

Savvy How To:

Be Resolved to Not Be Perfect!

Well, I made a horribly difficult New Year's resolution for 2010 in addition to the American standard of losing 10 pounds: NO CHOCOLATE for an entire year! I mean it! No dark, rich and mouth wateringly exquisite chocolate nor any artificially flavored imposter shall pass my lips for 365 days! Absolutely CRAZY, I know. But, it's the point of it all: to prove my resolve and let my will control my wants. Plus it helps with the first goal and is the only way I could keep myself from eating it everyday!

You may have set an outrageous goal for yourself as well and now, after only a few days in, are wondering how you'll ever make it.

It's just my two cents, but I believe one of the biggest problems with goal setting is being overly critical of our perceived failures no matter how grandiose the objective. Setting difficult goals should inspire us to try harder, do better and reach higher. There should be bumps along the way! It's moving past those stumbling blocks that make us stronger and more determined in our resolve.

BUT, no one is perfect! While I can be a bit obsessive in my quest for perfection, the weight of trying to be perfect wastes time, saps strength and is simply depressing. There has to be room for error and credit for partial successes!

As a mother of young children I've found that setting smaller goals, and using them as stepping stones is essential for long-term success. Being organized in our homes is likely a goal most of us share.
I, too, wanted a perfectly clean house, but it seemed perfectly impossible. So I developed a schedule of short-term daily goals about eight years ago to help organize my time and achieve my objective while still allowing time with my children. I laminated this list and hung it on the fridge as a constant visible reminder. Note: I NEVER get everything perfectly done every day, but as long as I get something done - even one shelf in the refrigerator wiped down on Monday or 20 undistracted minutes with the kids, I've succeeded in my goal! Any success, no matter how small, is ALWAYS a win in my book! Try writing down your daily goals and you might find some of them getting done more often! One step in the right direction is still a step and as an old Chinese proverb says, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

Daily Goals:

Monday:
    - Clean Kitchen
    - Song Day (Sing or listen to music with the kids.)

Tuesday
    - Bathrooms
    - Book Day (Read books or be read to.)

Wednesday
    - Paperwork
    - Game Day (Play a game - indoor or outdoor.)

Thursday
    - Bedrooms
    - Kids Craft/Cook Day (Try something new or an old favorite.)

Friday
    - Laundry
    - Computer Day (Explore outer space or just space out!)

Saturday
    - Vacuum & Dust

Sunday
    - Cut Coupons, Rest

Being perfect would be awesome; oh I relish that thought! And, though I do scrub my tile floors with a toothbrush on occasion, I can't be Super-Mom all the time! Organization in life comes in spurts, a little at a time. Take it when you can get it and relish those moments too!

My Two Cents: Charitable Giving

My Two Cents:

Giving Back

We give back, because it's about sharing our strengths to help others!

If you've ever attended a Savvy Shopper Seminar, you'll know how important helping others through donations means to me. It's a part of why I coupon and shop smart - because I have more than enough for my family, but I know many others do not. We give back, because it's about sharing our strengths to help others.

Last week, I took part in the first Savvy Shopper food drive on behalf of the Community Action Food Bank in Provo. Sponsored by the Daily Herald, the food drive collected food and monetary donations at Ream's in Springville and Crisp's Grocery in Salem. What amazing local grocers we have  surrounding us who went the extra mile to help further our efforts.  As I spoke with many shoppers through out the day, I was deeply gladdened by their willingness to give back to the community.

I was honored to use the donations raised to “shop 'til I dropped” and purchase as much food as possible for the Food Bank. As I made my purchases I couldn't help but smile at the savings. OK, I always smile at my savings, but this was a different kind of smile. This was even better! Every quarter I saved meant one extra can, box or package I could give away - it was electrifying!

Jim Thomas, with Community Action Food Bank, and Rick Taylor, met me at the door with an even different kind of smile - one of gratitude.

“We have 60-70 new families each month coming who've lost their jobs. In this economy we don't know how long this will last,” Thomas said. The food bank distributes 150,000-200,000 pounds of food a month to families from every walk of life and in every stage of need. It's staggering and truly a bit emotional to see what the food bank has done and continues to do for members of our community on a daily basis. As I walked past an aisle of orange crates filled with canned goods and perishables, I thought about how many people we could help if we all gave even a little, and not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year! How many lives could be touched? How many parents would be able to know they could provide food for their children?

I've heard it said, that if you feel you have enough food for your family, you have enough to give some away. Our family has started a donation box, which we fill with “extras” we find around our house and pantry. It is a great way to teach children to think of others.

It was an amazing experience to witness so much generosity this holiday season! Thank you for your gifts in donating by whatever means were available and for allowing me to take part in this gift of savings!

If you would more information on what you can do to help your community, please visit www.CommunityactionUC.org or your local community food bank.