Facebook Offer- Free Yoplait Yogurt Cup!

Go "like" Yoplait on Facebook and you can sign up to receive a coupon for a FREE cup of Yoplait Yogurt. They are giving away 1,000,000 cups, but that may not last long, so hurry here and go get yours!

Great Gluten Free Candy and Snack List!

I found this while doing some Gluten Free research!
I found it very helpful!

Snack and Candy Gluten Free List!

Meal Plan Monday-Gluten Free Meals!

Time to start meal planning again! I still have a few frozen meals left from my pregnancy but my sensitivity to gluten has started again (weird how it went away with pregnancy) so I am trying to cut that out of my diet to hopefully let my stomach heal! So, lots of protein, fruits and veggies back in the meal plan-a good thing!!!

Dinners

Grilled cheese for the family and turkey lettuce wraps for me!

Pot Roast and Veggies- *TIP-add sweet potatoes to your roast! I can't tell you how yummy it is!!!

Sweet Italian Sausage with Potatoes O'Brien

Beans and Frank Frozen Meal, Fruit

Spaghetti, Bread, Veggies

Pork Chops with Rice/Tomato topping

Dinner at Parents

Snacks

Hummus/Corn Tortilla Chips

Gluten Free Banana Cake

Cheese Sticks

Jello Pudding

Ice Cream

Share and Win $500 Amazon Gift Card!!

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Share your favorite gift ideas for Valentine's day - from your past experience or something new.
Submit as many gift ideas as you like.

itsThoughtful.com community will vote and comment on your gift idea until Feb 14th 2011.

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The "Fan Favorite" will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. That's It!
Yes, its that easy.

Get started. You can submit as many ideas as you like.

Zulily.com- Up To 80% Off Valentine's Decor!

Even though it just seems like we took our Christmas lights down, it is time to start thinking about Valentine's Day! I love Valentine's Day! I always make a special "heart" themed dinner for the kids and we just spend the day cuddling and telling each other how much we love each other!

I was excited to see that Zulily.com already has an amazing promotion on Valentine's Decor! There are items priced as low as $4.99 and the quality is very good! Everything is cute, cute, cute! So go take a look here and see it for yourself! Sale ends 1/14!

"Fancy and Four"- Cute and Frugal Girls Party Idea!

My friend Amy just threw her adorable daughter a "Fancy and Four" party this last weekend. I had never heard of this theme before, but after getting the photos I knew I had to share it with everyone. Amy was telling me it was the cheapest party she has ever thrown because so many of the items they used were from around the house!


The Invitations-Homemade



The Birthday Girl and a guest dressed "Fancy"!



The Food Table-Pitchers with Kool-Aid, various platters of fruit and snacks, and homemade glitter sprinkled cupcakes!

The Decorations- White Christmas Lights, Christmas Tinsel and Ribbon on the tables-think Christmas Clearance!!!! Also, the guests dressed "All Fancy!" I love it!!!

If you could have seen all the pictures you would have seen the twinkle and excitement in this little girl's eyes! What a fun theme that will bring memories for years to come!!!

Do you have a creative and frugal party theme idea? Please email me or share below! We would love to hear the ideas!!!

Crocs For The Family-Up To 70% Off-Starting at $12.99!

Even though it's snowing right now and my feet are cold just thinking about Crocs, at Zulily.com, they are currently running a great promotion on Croc shoes for the family! Kids basic crocs start at just $12.99!
Go take a look at the selection of Crocs as well as the other promotions here!

Meal Plan Monday-January 10th-13th!

Well no baby yet, so I guess that means I am stuck cooking for another week!

Breakfast

Cereal

Breakfast Pockets made with Crescent Creations-not as good as my homemade ones, but easier!

Muffins

Waffles

Dinner

Chili Macaroni and Cheese- new recipe! If it's good, I will post!

Spaghetti

Easy Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff Over Egg Noodles
Taco Soup

Meals/Snacks In Freezer Awaiting Baby

Chili

Beans and Frank Casserole

Chicken Pockets

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Burritos

Muffins

*Ate all the cookies-Bad Pregnant Lady, BAD!! Ate it mostly in dough form too! EXTRA BAD!

Frugal Friday Tip- Embroidery Hoops!

I love finding new and different decorating ideas. I also love when I can do them myself and do them frugally!I have been looking for cute decorating ideas for the nursery and found this idea and loved that it went with our polka dot nursery. I bought the Fabric the day after Thanksgiving when it was 50% off and then I bought the Embroidery hoops with a Michaels coupon!

I love how they add another texture into the room besides just painting polka dots!

Here are some other cheap places to look for hoops:

*Goodwill

*Garage Sales

*Your Grandma's Sewing Room!

After finding the above idea, I looked up Embroidery Hoop ideas and found some really cute and frugal ideas, so I thought I would share them with you. Hopefully they inspire you!

*Use a Embroidery Hoop to hold open a laundry bag for easier access!

*Make this cute Embroidery Hoop Bulletin Board! Tutorial here!

*Christmas Ornament Outside Decorations- How about pumpkins for Halloween or Easter Eggs for Halloween?
*Embroidery Hoop Clock Idea!

Does anybody else have a cool, frugal decorating tip? Please share or send me pictures!

Bath and Body Works- $5.00 Wallflowers + Coupons!

Bath and Body Works is having a great sale online or at your local store right now!

The best deal I saw was the $5.00 Wallflower Start or Refill Kits!

Want to make your deal sweeter...use these coupons below! Click to print!

Free Travel Size Item (up to $5) with $10.00 purchase!

$10.00 Off Any $40.00 Purchase!

Zulily-Dr. Seuss Blowout Sale!

Have you heard of Zulily.com? It is like other deal sites that post amazing kids deals for just a day or two and then they are gone! It is for children ages 0-8, and things for mom and maternity items!

I saw a very good deal while searching there today! They are having a Dr. Seuss Blowout Sale!

So, go register here and start shopping!

*Healthier* Pumpkin Spice Muffins!

I have been wanting to try these muffins for months after my friend posted the recipe on Facebook, but hadn't gotten the chance. Now that I am preparing meals and snacks to have around when baby comes, I thought it was the perfect time!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

1 box Spice Cake- I just recently got mine on sale at Dillons for $1.00!
2 Egg Whites
1 Can Pure Pumpkin
1/2 Cup Water

*I added some Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon too!

Optional: Raisins, Craisins, Chocolate Chips, Nuts

Set oven at 350 Degrees.

Dump Everything In Bowl- I added Raisins and Pecans to mine!

Mix-Let Baby have a lick!

Fill about 1/2 way in either greased pan or liners. Bake for 18-21 minutes. Mine were perfect at 18. Let cool, then sack up and put in refrigerator or freezer. If frozen, warm in microwave for about 20-30 seconds!

These are very good! Thanks Kylie for sharing the recipe with me!!!

Coupons.com On Swagbucks!!!

If there aren't enough reasons to love Swagbucks, here's another...

Coupons.com and Swagbucks have joined together to reward us when we use their printable coupons from Coupons.com!

Simply go to the Swagbucks page. If you don't know what Swagbucks are, start here first! Then you will see Coupons on the left menu. For every coupon you redeem at the store you will be rewarded with 10 Swagbucks!!!!! Awesome!!!

I heart you Swagbucks!!!!!

Thanks Marjie!

$0.75 Off Snikiddy Snack!

Here is a coupon you don't see often!

Save $0.75 off any one Snikiddy Snack 4 oz. or larger! (90210)

Let us know if you find any good deals on these! I know they are available at Babies R Us!

New Month-New Coupons!

It's the beginning of the month, which means new coupons to print out!

Coupons.com

Couponbug.com

Meal Plan Monday - January 3rd-9th

Meal Plan Monday is BACK! Thank Goodness! I HATE not having a plan for my meals and just putting something together last minute!!!!! What a waste of time and money. Meal planning is one of the simplest tricks to spending less and I am definitely ready to start spending less after the holiday season.

I am going to break down my meals a little differently than before as you will notice below. I will post links to recipes as well and I don't post lunch since it is just basically me around here that eats anything besides a hot dog for lunch!

Happy Meal Planning Everyone!

**Oh, just FYI- I am still baking and cooking extra meals and snacks for when baby comes!

Breakfasts
Cereal

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins-new recipe-will post pics and recipe if they turn out as yummy as they sound!

Blueberry Muffins

Banana Nut Muffins

Cheddar Sausage Muffins

Dinner

Meatloaf x2
Grilled Cheese/Soup

Chicken Spaghetti x2-I use Cream of Chicken soup instead.

Beef Enchiladas x2

Frozen Pizza

Out to Eat

Leftovers

Snacks

Cookies

Muffins

Fruit

Cereal Bars

Blogging Goals 2011

With the New Year comes those famous resolutions. A time for us review, dream about size 8 jeans again and make goals about the changes we are going to make.

I must admit that my blog has not been a huge priority in my life this year. With this pregnancy came many challenges, including downright exhaustion! With exhaustion came laziness and well with laziness comes lack of motivation.

I do this blog because I like to help people save money and reach for financial freedom. I get VERY LITTLE money doing this and I do specify VERY LITTLE! So sometimes, it's the first thing I cross off when I am extremely busy with my life.

But it is a new year and I am excited to try to regain passion and enthusiasm for my work. I am going to attempt at making this my best blogging year yet. I want to create more opportunities for myself and for you. I want to teach you more and help you gain an even better understanding of living large without spending more. I am going to have you hold myself accountable but I also want you to realize that you are all part of this too. Please share comments, leave a great deal you found on my Facebook page, interact with each other and have this be a website you WANT to come to everyday!

Your comments renew my energy. They give what I am doing a purpose. They make me realize that you are watching, listening and most importantly reading what I write! Nobody likes to talk to the air, so please take a minute on comment on a post or send me an email. I would greatly appreciate the encouragement!

So, here are my 2011 Blogging Goals:

1. Meal Plan Monday EVERY week w/ links to cheap and great recipes I have tried!

2. Frugal Friday-a frugal tip to help you get inspired or take away a cost in your life!

3. Store 101 Posts- I am hoping to teach you more about the stores you are shopping at and how to use coupons at those stores.

4. Dedicate 1 hour per day to posting deals!

We are going to start there and see how it goes. I am hoping to maybe add more as the baby gets older and on a schedule. I think it will be easier than getting back into the size 8 jeans I keep dreaming about!

Happy 2011 Everyone! Wishing you all a year of great things!