Springtime Dandelion Greens! Food From Your Yard

Here's a springtime money and health hack for you! Eat dandelion greens! Dandelion greens in early spring are good and good for you. Here is an article on how to find and use dandelion greens:

http://www.moneycrashers.com/eating-dandelions-health-benefits-leaves-greens-roots-flowers/

 Dandelions have calcium, iron, Vitamin C and Vitamin A and Vitamin K.  Here are some dandelion green nutrition facts: http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dandelion-greens.html Dandelions are great for your eyes, containing both zeaxanthin and lutein.

A couple of rules:

• Make sure you know what you are picking! Use online resources so you can compare and know for sure. If you are not certain of what you are picking, take them to your local extension office for verification before consuming.
• Make sure they are not covered with pesticides or other pollutants. 
• Remember you are responsible for what you eat. Safety first! Never put anything into your mouth when foraging unless you are sure you know what you have. This goes for all foods you pick. 

You can cook dandelion greens in a few ways. You can saute them in a pan like in this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/222744/dandelion-greens-with-a-kick/

I like to take a few like this, and just throw them into a smoothie!

Food right from your yard! Now that is frugality!

Happy Savings!

Work From Home! Hilton Hotel Is Hiring!

Apparently Hilton Hotels is looking for people to work from home! I don't know anything about this personally but am just passing on what I read, so I can't vouch for any of the information given here. Some of you may be interested and it would be great if you could get a good work from home job because of it! So, if you apply~Good luck!

Here is the link: http://www.dontwasteyourmoney.com/hilton-jobs-hotel-hiring-work-home-reservation-reps/?partner=scripps&partner-sub=WFTS&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=scripps&utm_content=WFTS

Giving While You're Getting

This week, I found a great deal on a Sunbeam Humidifier. It was originally $129.00 and it was on clearance for $45.00. The old humidifier works but it wasn't a whole house humidifier like the new one and I just wanted one that worked better.

After I got home and set the new humidifier up, I rolled the old one out to the end of the driveway and put a free sign on it. It was gone in short order!

We regularly put free things at the end of our driveway. I hate to throw anything out and you would not believe the things people take when they are free! Last year, we took some old stairs off the back of our house so my husband could build a deck. I talked him into putting a free sign on them. He didn't think anyone would take them. They were gone within a couple hours! I love the idea that someone was hopefully able to re-purpose the wood. 

When you get things for next to nothing, (I bought the old humidifier at a garage sale for $5.00) it is easier to put a free sign on it and give it to someone else. You really feel like you got your money's worth out of it already and it's great to give while you're getting! Not to mention the fact that you don't have to spend the effort (and money) hauling it to the dump! Win/Win!!

Happy Savings! 

Free Cone Day Today at Dairy Queen March 20th 2017

Stealing The Legal Way! Make $205.85 in An Hour: How $238.61 Worth of Items Cost $32.76

As I mentioned in my last blog, many stores are having great clearance sales right now because they are getting rid of excess inventory before they count their inventory for taxes. "Tis the season! 

All the items seen here on my Amish bench I picked up today for a total of $32.76 and that includes tax! Some of this will be used right away, some will be stored for later use. 

Here is a rundown of what I purchased and next to it, the regular price:

Wal-Mart:

3 packs of a 2 pack of culinary dish towels for .75 each/ regularly $4.88

2 packs of kitchen set (oven mitt, pot holders, kitchen towels). $1.00 each/regularly $4.97

Pioneer Woman 2 pack dish drying mat. $1.00/regularly $9.96

3 piece BBQ tool set $1.00/regularly $4.96

2 2 pair packs men's work gloves $1.00 each/regularly $5.94

2 pair women's gloves $1.00 each/regularly $9.97

1 pack Fish Crisp Coating Mix $1.00/regularly $4.96

Hair Polisher Heat Protector $1.00/regularly $7.27

2 Pure Silk Shaving Cream .50/ regularly $1.98

6 CocoLopez Cream of Coconut Cans $1.00 each/regularly $2.49

3 60 inch black grill cover $1.00 each/regularly $14.96

Men's Hanes Camo Pants $1.00/regularly $9.97
4 Placemats $1.00 each/regularly $2.00

Goodwill (brand new, never used)

3 Real Tree Men's Shirts .49 each/regularly $9.99

Tru-Fit Fleece Jacket $1.99/regularly $24.99

Men's Tru-Fit Button Down Shirt .49/ regularly $6.99

Totals $32.76 vs $238.61

 These items will all be used one way or another. I try not to buy anything I don't think I will use. I just *know* someone will read this and say "Why did you buy three, count them, three BBQ covers??" So, I will answer before anyone gets the chance! Last summer, I bought a BBQ cover. I bought it for full price and it's a nice one. However, after only one year of being on the deck, it's faded and I can see that, in the wind etc., it will be no time and it will need to be replaced. I figure that these three will last me a number of years just like the outdoor flags I got for free. I got about 6 free flags one time and, year after year, I have a fresh nice new flag outside my house. Fortunately, I do have space to store them. 

Here are some more examples of the items I picked up today. 

 It took me about an hour (if that) to look over the clearance aisles and choose these items for purchase. One thing I like to do after buying clearance is to consider in hours how much time it would have taken me to work and make the same amount of money saved. This only counts if you will actually use the items and would have purchased them (or something similar) anyway. 

 The total saved is $205.85. At my rate of pay, it would have taken a number of hours to make this up! These kind of sales are more likely to happen this time of year. See what you can find! See what you can save.

Happy Savings! 

Clearance Sales: How I Saved $92.75 in 10 Minutes

Many stores are clearancing items before they count their inventory. This is a great time of year to find some great bargains! I have been finding (and not reporting here) things weekly. I thought I would share this because it was such a phenomenal deal!

First, we have decks that need waterproofing every couple of years. I have been using some free waterproofer I got previously on rebate but that is starting to run out. Thompson's is a great brand. This 5 gallon sealer was $85.00 marked down to $21.00! That is a savings of $64.00.

I also got this ice melt, which was $8.97, on sale for $1.00. I bought three bags for a savings of $23.91.

With tax, the total savings comes to $92.75!! All that for walking down the clearance aisle and buying when there is a deal! If I were getting paid by the hour, that would be $556.50 per hour! Great to get while the getting is good!

Happy Savings!

Thrift Store Deals! Patio Door Curtain Find!

 Thrift stores are great places to find some great deals. I was so excited to find these curtains! I had just been thinking about getting some curtains. The problem for me was that I have three patio doors that needed matching curtains and the chances of finding that was very slim at a thrift store. I had just started looking and almost forgot to look the second week, when I felt a little internal nudge to go look.

I was so excited to find three sets right away and in colors that look great in my living room and dining room! Each set was $5.99. I also needed three matching rods and I got the rods for $9.99 each at Wal-Mart. So, I was able to decorate with these three sets for under $50.00. I think someone upstairs was looking out for me this day.

There are lots of great deals at thrift stores and thrift sales. My house rarely has anything brand new. Buying the rods new was a bit of a step out for me but I knew I wasn't going to get the look I needed unless I bought the rods new. A single similar curtain at Wal-mart is about $11.00, so the 6 would have cost about $66.00 plus the rods for $30.00 for a total of $96.00 new for a difference of $46.00 in savings.

Happy Savings!