Saving Money Challenge: Fix a Crisis With Your Sewing Machine

Meet Rhino.  Rhino is a Dino and that is really funny to a 4 year-old.  We nabbed Rhino out of one of those machines with the claw.  He sat in the attic for about 2 years and while putting away Christmas Decorations, said 4 year-old found him and thought he was wonderful.  As you can see though, in just a short matter of time, said 4 year-old managed to put a hole in Rhino's neck.  

I whipped out my sewing machine and voila:  Rhino is almost as good as new.  Of course now, said 4 year-old has sort of lost interest in Rhino.  

This post is partially inspired by the group challenge Precious started at Frugal Makes Cents.

Shaw's Game Pieces: Last Day is Today!

If you've been playing the Shaw's game - today is the last day they are distributing game pieces.  I didn't win anything and I won't be going today.  Oh well.  Good luck to all who are playing!

Occupy My Wallet: Day 39

Still trucking.  No material possessions and no significant amount of money spent.  Dropped $6.34 at Dunkin Donuts to give some hot chocolate to some random people up the street.  Really.  I did.  There's actually a new business going into a shop on 3A in North Weymouth.  It's going to be a pet shop.  So there's these two guys who are painting this insane mural on the exterior of the  building and inside.  They were out painting around 9pm, so I figured I'd get them a drink and tell them I think they're art work is awesome.  I do weird things like this because I'm weird.  $6 to spread some love is okay.  I'm really not a nice person though, so don't think I'm getting all sappy in my old age.

That is all.

Saving Money Challenge: Smoke Outside the Box

I was watching Fox 25 this morning and there was a story how there are new machine's in Smoke Shops around the state where people can roll their own cigarettes.  They report that a carton of cigarettes sells for an average of $65.  If you roll your own cigarettes at the smoke shops, you're paying about $30 for the same amount of cigarettes.  The main culprit in the cost savings is that on average, smokers are paying $2.50 in taxes per pack.  There are no taxes on the roll your own cigs.  I guess it's a controversy so who knows how long it lasts. Everything is taxed in this Commonwealth.

So go while you can to the smoke shops and get your cigarettes made for you!  Woohoo!  That sounds very organic and stuff.  What!?!!  Smokers need cost saving tips too you know!  Bargain Becky doesn't discriminate.

This post is partially inspired by the group challenge Precious started at Frugal Makes Cents.

Occupy My Wallet: Day 38

Spent some money yesterday.  $28.40 at Staples on ink.  I did turn in 5 used cartridges which will score me $10 in Staples rewards.

I also sprung for pizza last night.  And by sprung, I mean I got 2 large pizzas and a 2 liter soda for $2.  I got that Papa John's Super Bowl promo and I had enough points in my account to score another pizza - nowadays, we need to order 2 pizzas because the 4 of us are pigs.  It was $2 as a deliver fee and I tipped the guy $3.  So $5 for dinner wasn't that bad.

Todays' mission:  Hit the Submit button on my taxes.

MA People: .55/1 TruMoo Coupon

TruMoo has a coupon promo out right now.  It varies from region - but if you put in your Boston area information, it will give you a .55/1 half gallon or gallon TruMoo.  This coupon will double to $1.10 at the major grocery stores.

CLICK HERE to print off yours.

BOGO Free Ocean Spray Cherry Juice Drink Coupon

If you "Like" Ocean Spray on Facebook, you can print a "BOGO FREE" Coupon for their Cherry Juice Drinks.  These are actually BOGO Free at Shaw's this week - so it would be like getting 2 bottles of juice for free if you redeem it by Thursday at Shaw's!  Holla!

Saving Money Challenge: Prep Some "Go To" Recipes!

My sons love chocolate chip muffins.  I can't say I blame them - but when they come down screaming they want chocolate chip muffins at 7:30 am, I'm not all programed to start baking that early.  Over the weekend, I was though.  And I made muffins from scratch:

This picture makes it look burnt, but they weren't!  I am not a photographer.  

Anyways, I used THIS RECIPE FROM ALLRECIPES.  It was really good and the kids loved them.  I liked how it was a recipe for 12 muffins - that's a doable amount.  If we have more, I'm up to my ears in muffins.  

After I made the batter, I looked at my table:

What a mess!  I don't want to deal with getting everything out again the next time I'm suckered into making muffins.  I had just enough chocolate chips left in the bag for two more batches.  So I took 2 gallon sized plastic bags and wrote the following on them with permanent marker:

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

1 egg

Bake @ 400 for 20 minutes

Then I mixed all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder & chocolate chips) together and put the dry ingredients in said bag.  I did this again.  

So now I have 2 pre-portioned bags of chocolate chip muffin mix.  It's like I made my own fancy Bisquick.  Now when the kids need chocolate chip muffins, I can just get my bag and add it to the wet ingredients.  I should be able to measure milk & oil and crack and egg in the morning without much fuss.  Plus, I'm pretty sure making these mixes are cheaper than buying boxed mixes.  

Oh - on the recipe it says to sprinkle a mix of sugars on top of the muffins.  I skipped this mostly because I'm lazy.  The muffins were still good.  

This post is partially inspired by the group challenge Precious started at Frugal Makes Cents.

Free Lego Store Event: Tonight! Hockey Player!

Reminder:  Today, Tuesday, February 7th at 5pm, Lego Stores across the US will let your wee little one build this hockey player.  This is a free event and it's first come, first serve.  Quantities are limited.  For more information on this event CLICK HERE to go to the Lego site.

There is a Lego store in Braintree - at the beautiful South Shore Plaza.

Salvation Army of Hanover - 50% off this Saturday!

Do you thrift shop?  Salvation Army of Hanover is having a 50% off sale this Saturday (2/11/12)!

Don't believe me?  Check out THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR CONFIRMATION.

They're also giving you a $5 credit for every old cell phone you bring in.  Holla!