Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on September 2, 2010

When the weather begins to cool, the first thing I think of is yummy flavored coffee’s. Pumpkin spiced latte to be exact. To go out and buy a flavored coffee or latte can cost you an arm and a leg. So, why not make your own version?

Here’s what I do to make my very own “spiced” coffee without breaking my budget. I just add a “spiced” tea bag to my coffee maker. I leave the tea in it’s bag and it will “steep” while your coffee grounds are brewing. Your house will smell wonderful and your coffee will taste outstanding. Any spiced flavor of tea will do and you can even do this with decaf if you’d like.

My favorite tea’s to use in my coffee maker are:
• Apple Spice
• Chai Spice
• Orange Spice
• Bengal Spice
• Pumpkin Spice
• Gingerbread

TIP: You could do any flavor of tea you’d like. It doesn’t have to be a spiced flavored one. You could do fruity flavored tea’s or minty flavored one’s too. There are so many different flavors of tea out there. You options are endless. Enjoy your cool weather with an extra flavor in your coffee.

This can also work with your hot cocoa’s! Try adding a peppermint tea bag to your hot cocoa and Scha-zam! Instant minty hot cocoa!

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tags: Frugal Recipes, Recipes

Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on August 26, 2010

I had a wedding to go to this month and I had picked out the perfect present. With wedding present in arms and joyfully walking into my house, I suddenly remember that I had forgotten to grab some wrapping paper. Crap! I only have Christmas and birthday wrapping paper. Well, I’m not going to use any those to wrap an elegant wedding gift and I’m too lazy to head back to the store. Hmmm…..what to do? What to do?

I have a humongous roll of butcher paper in my craft room. Ah ha! That’s what I’ll use! It looks a little dull and blah! So, I spiced it up a bit with things that I already had in my craft room. Some raffia and a block of brown ink that I use for stamps. All I did was blot my brown ink block onto the edges of the gift and then tie some raffia stings around it and *Taa-Daa* instant wedding wrapping paper and it didn’t really cost me a dime because I already had all the stuff for it. I love being able to re-purpose stuff that just lays around my house with nothing better to do then to stare at me!

This idea would work really well with newspaper too! Do the same thing to the edges with an ink block. Or you could even use your Christmas and birthday wrapping paper. Just turn it inside out, so only the white is showing and ink away! It makes it look vintage, antiqued and ragged. This look is so IN right now! You could also do this with gift bags. Just use the ink on all the edges and let them dry. I’ve done this with my tissue papers too! Your options are endless! Happy gift wrapping!

Category: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Tags: Birthdays, Christmas, Crafts, Frugal Gift Ideas, Holidays, Reusing/Recycling

Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on August 25, 2010

ABOUT: There are 4 different Ola Loa vitamin-oriented drinks. Each formulated vitamin drink is created for all ages and all types of activities. Each vitamin drink group has several flavors to choose from as well. These packets of vitamin drinks are great for on the go and they’re packed full of all your daily vitamins and then some. Whether you need an extra bounce in your step, need to replenish your body after working out, needing extra Vitamin C during cold and flu season, or maybe your kids refuse to take their daily vitamin, then Ola Loa would be great to have in your home. Ola Loa is super gentle and you can take anytime of the day. Even on an emptry stomach. Ola Loa Vitamin Drinks were formulated and created by Richard Kunin, M.D. who’s been a physician for over 30 years.

• Sport Vitamin Drinks: Hydrating for Active Lifestyle’s
• Energy Vitamin Drink: Multi-vitamins & Amino Acids
• Repair Vitamin Drink: Nutrient Support for Healthy Bones & Joints
• Kid’s Vitamin Drink: 100% all-natural with no preservatives, artificial colors, flavors or fake sugar

MY OPINION: I was given the opportunity to try several Ola Loa vitamin drinks. I couldn’t wait to taste test them and I couldn’t wait to see what my husband and kids think about them. My family is always looking for something new and healthy to try and I figured this would be a perfect fit for us.

When I poured my packet into an 8 oz. glass of water, it began to fizz and bubble. It dissolved really quickly and I only had to stir it a little. I tried the Mango-Tangerine in the Sport drink. The taste was a little bland for me, but it didn’t taste bad either. It was easy to drink and knowing that it was healthy for me, made me feel great about drinking it. My husband drank 3 others over the course of a week and he agreed with me about the bland taste, but he thought they tasted pretty good.

I even gave a packet to my 2 boys and they didn’t complain one bit! They gulped it down and knowing they were getting their daily vitamins in a drink felt really good. These would be perfect for any child who would rather drink their vitamins than chew or swallow a tablet.

BUY: There are 3 different ways to buy Ola Loa Vitamin Packets. You can either buy them online, by phone, or by store. You can buy them in a box of 30 for $34.99 or a traveling pack of 5 for $6.99.

Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tags: Healthy Living, Product Reviews

Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on August 23, 2010

If you asked me what’s the one thing that I’m afraid of, my answer would be spiders. I hate ‘em! Can’t stand ‘em! It doesn’t matter if they’re a friendly spider or if they are the size of a pin head. I hate ‘em all! There’s just something so gross and creepy about the 8 legs and the fact that some of them jump, bite and hang from the ceiling. Just thinking about them right now gives me the heeby jeebies!

Every Spring, Summer and Fall, I call up Lawn-Tech and tell them to get their butts over to my house and spray for spiders. We have a huge problem with Hobo’s and they are the main reason why I spray. I know what you’re thinking! I’m killing the good spiders too! I know, I know! But, I can’t live with Hobo’s! So, if they have to go then so do the rest of them.

Even though I’m an angry spider killer and spend $60 three times a year to spray for spiders outside, I started to wonder how frugal is this “need” of mine. Do I really need to spend the $180 a year to get rid of spiders or should I save the money and just learn to live with them? To me, sometimes throwing frugal-ness out the window is definitely needed, but I’m starting to doubt my needs. I would love to know some home remedies or a much cheaper way to rid my yard of spiders. I already know how to keep certain pests out of my garden, but not how to kill spiders all around the perimeter of my house. Do you have any tips or tricks to keep spiders away or do you think it’s worth it to spend the money have someone professionally wipe them out for you?

Category: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Tags: Budgeting, Gardening, Pest Control

Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on August 23, 2010

I thought my tomatoes were doing well. Then I started to realize that my tomatoes weren’t growing! Their red….but their tiny! Like baby tomatoes and I know I didn’t buy a baby tomato plant. What gives!? It didn’t help that we had a few cold evenings in Idaho that made my poor little tomato plant look even more sad than it already was, but still….I’m a little disappointed in my Topsy Turvy.

It was fine a month ago. I watered it {a lot!}. I feed it yummy dirt and miracle gro. Maybe it wasn’t getting enough sun? Maybe our Idaho weather “sucked” this summer and my tomatoes didn’t get the proper growing time. I don’t know! I’m sure I did something wrong, but I’m still a little bummed out about my Topsy Turvy.

I’ll definitely try it out one more time next year. But, if I get the same damn results that I did this year, I’m officially calling the Topsy Turvy a bust!

Category: Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Tags: Gardening, Harvesting

Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on August 19, 2010

Drum roll please! The winner is Rebecca S-rasmith0506@ I’ve already contacted her and waiting for her to claim her brand new cloth diaper of her choice. Congrats Rebecca!

Enter to Win a Free Cloth Diaper from Bitty Bumz Boutique

Cloth Diapers are making a huge come back and are steadily becoming a new fashion statement for babies all over the world. Of course, cloth diapers use to be such a hassle and icky……but not anymore! They’re a breeze, they’re uber cute, and they’re great on a budget. Can you imagine how much money you’d save in a year if you were using cloth diapers compared to using disposable diapers!?

Amanda, from Bitty Bumz Boutique makes the cutest cloth diapers around! Her cloth diapers are made of fleece from PUL. All of her diapers are adjustable, so that as your adorable baby grows, so will the diaper!

Bitty Bumz Boutique: “The shell of this diaper is crafted with 2 layers of non-pill fleece, which is water resistant and breathable at the same time. I’ve also sewn a patterned woven fabric on the back to give it a dose of cute.

Inside is a 4 layer soaker made of super absorbent organic cotton bamboo fleece. In fact, I use this for night time diapers. Soaker snaps in to prevent it from shifting too much. And seriously, it holds so much pee it’s ridiculous!”

She also has some PUL pocket diapers in her Etsy store that are on sale for only $10 each. What an awesome deal! With the snappi-able ai2 diapers, you will receive snappies to use on the diapers.

Now onto the good stuff! Amanda is giving 1 lucky winner the chance to win one cloth diaper from Bitty Bumz Boutique. The winner will be able to choose whatever diaper she would like from Bitty Bumz Etsy Store. There are 9 different ways to enter the giveaway. You can do one or you could do all. It’s entirely up to you! Please leave me your email address with your entry, so that I may contact you once you’ve won!

This giveaway will end Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 11:59pm. Any entries received after that will be void. One lucky winner will be chosen my Random.org and announce soon after giveaway is ended. Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I did not receive any money doing this giveaway. Bitty Bumz Boutique will be a sponsor for 2 months, but instead of a money transaction it is based on how much is coming out of her own pocket for her giveaway.

Category: Giveaway Sponsors | 111 Comments »
Tags: Giveaways, Sponsors

Posted By Stephanie @ My Frugal Lifestyle on August 17, 2010

You know me! I love to be organized! I decided that I wanted to start organizing my meal plans for the week and start a “menu”. I also wanted it to be simple, colorful, and somewhere where I will always see it. Aha! How about hanging my new menu organizer on my fridge! Remember when I told you about my cute little recipe box that I had made from a shoe box? In my recipe box are recipe cards for healthy meals that I have printed off from the internet.

All I do I have to do is grab a few meal idea’s for dinner and such that will last me through the week. I write down everything I need from the grocery store that is on my recipe cards and then place them in my new weekly menu organizer. It’s easy and cheap!

How to Make your own menu planning organizer:
{it will measure 12×12}
5 {fun colored} 12×12 scrapbook papers
Glue or Staples
Scissors
Ruler

• Your first 12×12 paper will be your top color on the menu organizer. Leave it how it is. You’re not going to cut on this paper. Take your 2nd color of paper and cut off about 2 1/2 inches off the top of it. Glue or stapleyour 2nd paper onto your first paper. Make sure to glue all three sides, but leave the top open. This is your first pocket.

• Take your 3rd piece of paper and cut off 4 1/2 inches off the top of it. Glue/staple it onto your 2nd piece of paper. Make sure to leave the top open. Now you have 2 pockets.

• Do the same thing with your 4th piece of paper, but you’ll want to take off 6 1/2 inches off the top of it. Glue/staple it onto your 3rd paper.

• Your 5th piece of paper is entirely up to you. Cut off how ever much you want. This will make your last and final pocket on the bottom. My 5th piece of paper is only about 3 1/2 inches tall and I glued it on top of my 4th piece of paper.

Taa Daa! You have your very own menu planner organizer. If you don’t plan your meals every week, this pocket organizer would also work great to place pictures in or wedding and birth announcements.

Category: Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
Tags: Crafts, Meal Planning, Organizing, Recipes