Meal planning week of Feb 27th

Sun We going to a Christianing late afternoon so no dinner needed

Mon Chicken Enchildas

Tues Tuna Tomato Skillet
Wed Leftover chicken enchildas

Thurs Ham and cheese Calzone

Friday Cornbread chicken and beans

Sat Homemade pizza


Salad and veggies to be determined!! I got to pick up some ground beef/turkey on sale. Usually I wait until I can find buy one great one free on the ground turkey sales or see one with a meat mark down sticker.

I picked up some boneless chicken on sale yesterday for $1.77 a lb which is a great price. We are pretty much set on chicken. I did pick up some drumsticks for 99 cents a lb too. Just enough for 1 meal and maybe some leftovers. I prefer boneless chicken breast.
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Free 2 yr Subscription to Sport News! Hurry

Free 2-Year Subscription to Sporting News
http://www.magscentral.com/sn/sn97hd1.htm

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

$39 eye glasses

I got this from Amy of www.momadvice.com

My sister found this great website and ordered the cutest pair of
glasses from this company. All of the glasses are $39 (thus the
website name) and that includes your prescription lenses! It is an
unbelievable price and the frames are actually cute.

I would highly recommend this site to anyone who is in need of glasses
and especially parents of children who lose, damage, or neglect the
care of their glasses.

The site is http://www.39dollarglasses.com

Enjoy your savings!
Theresa

Meal planning Week of Feb 20th

After my creative funk last week...


Sun Steak and cheese subs, french fries, salad

Mon kielbasa and baked beans

Tues Hamburger and dirty rice mixture, probably in stuff peppers

Wed Bisquick Chicken Salsa

Thurs Over Mom for Dinner

Friday Leftovers....

Saturday Homemade pizza


I have veggies on the side for most of these. Some frozen brocooli, canned corn, green beans will probably be on the side for atleast each night. Usually salad for me as well. Sometimes soup-great deal on tomato soup last week at Save a lot.


We have been doing really well with no eating out. So planning meals for me is key.

Enjoy your savings!
Theresa

Free Mags TV Guide and Field & Stream

These go super fast!!! So if you want them go now. If you get a blank page, that means the offer has ended.
Good luck!!


Free 2 year subscription to Field and Stream here!:
http://tinyurl.com/3whhu

Free one year subscription to TV Guide, new subscribers only -- grab it now 'cause these go fast!:
http://tinyurl.com/5guxg

Enjoy your savings
Theresa

How Aggressively Should You Pay Down Your Mortgage?

At Morningstar, we spend most of our time trying to help investors identify the best stocks and mutual funds for their goals.

But it's the decisions you make before you invest in stocks or funds that have the biggest impact on whether you meet your goals or not. For instance, you know that saving even a little bit more each month can have a huge effect on the size of your eventual nest egg. But deciding what to do with those savings is a thornier issue. For instance, should you pay down your outstanding debts? Or invest in the market?

Continue Reading

Top Tax Questions

To conclude our Tax Tips series, The Saturday Early Show headed out to the streets of New York City to find out what viewers really want to know.

Financial advisor Ray Martin answers their questions:

Continue reading

529 plans college savings

I finally got my butt in gear and got the 529 plans set up my 3 year old twins. I had been investing $100 a month in a Janus mutual fund years before I even had children. I will stop the contribution to that and divide that $100 into the two 529 plans from Fidelity investments. We have been contributing into a 529 into my 6 yr son's plan for years now.

What is a 529 Plan?

529 Plan accounts are flexible accounts specifically designed for college savings. Qualified distributions from a 529 Plan account are federal income tax-free1. The plans were named after Section 529 of the IRS code that created them.


What steps are you taking to plan for your children's college costs? Do you think parents should pay for college? Or should little Johnnie pay for his college tutition?

Make your meal stretch the whole week

With a little advance planning you can crank your stove into autopilot and get a week's worth of meals on the table faster than you can complain about having to do so. Chef Kathleen Daelemans, author of Getting Thin and Loving Food : 200 Easy Recipes to Take You Where You Want to Be was on the Today Show to share her meal stretching ideas. I often try to do this myself.

McDonald's(R) Offers Customers Free Chicken Selects(R)

On February 17-20 (between 11 a.m.-2 p.m.), McDonald's will host its first-ever nationwide in-restaurant sampling event with Chicken Selects at participating restaurants. Customers have two enticing opportunities: Visit participating McDonald's during this time and receive a free Chicken Selects sample in-restaurant; or come through the drive-thru during this time and receive a coupon for a free medium fry and medium drink with the purchase of Chicken Selects.

During the four-day event, McDonald's is also introducing a new fat-free chipotle BBQ dipping sauce -- a sweet BBQ sauce with a spicy kick. The new chipotle BBQ sauce is one of four sauces available, along with the three original: creamy ranch, spicy buffalo and low fat tangy honey mustard.

Read full story

Will you head out to MickeyD for some free chicken?

How to Reduce Bank Fees

Hello and Welcome!

In this week's issue Living on a Budget in a Non Budget World
Newsletter

Money Saving Tips
Featured Article How to Reduce Bank Fees
Top Conversations on the Money Saving Forums
Freebie and Contest Alerts
The Frugal Five
Frugal Recipes Two meals in one
Money in the news Financial Aid

Read this issue at:
Money Saving Newsletter

A small increase

I hate getting mail from my mortgage company this time of the year. Usually it talking about my monthly payment going up and this year was not different. Both taxes and our home insurance went up so does my mortgage payment. This year by $68. I was paying an extra $50 a motnh so my budget won't take that much of a hit but still gets my goat. :(

Just a vent.

Meal Menu planning week of Feb 13th

Menu was really hard this week to plan out! Hubby is tired of pasta and sauce which we have been having a lot lately. I need a major shopping trip to the grocery store. I also need hit the recipe sites as well since I have not added a new recipe to my planning in a few weeks.

Trying to get some creative juices going.

Sun Leftovers clean out the fridge night

Mon Ham, Roasted Potatos, Squash and Green beans

Tues Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Wed From the freezer Hamburger goo (Hamburger and noodles)

Thurs Homemade chicken nugguts, mashed potatos,

Friday Leftovers

Sat Homemade pizza

A few free coupons

Lean Cuisine coupon for a free meal

Coupon for free dairy free ice cream

Print Real Coupons for your groceries!

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Romance on a Budget Love is Patient Kind and Cheap!

How to have a frugal Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is around the corner and men from Alaska to Florida are breaking into a cold sweat. They've bought into the fallacy that romance equals money. Men everywhere have been frightened off by television and movies and believe that romance is something outside of their budget. They are wrong.

When I think of the most romantic and breathtaking stories that my friends and I discuss over coffee, we don't talk about flying off to Europe or drinking the most expensive champagne. The little things like holding hands, reading stories together, and lots of laughter are what we hold dear.

I've put together a list of ways to show love -- without running up your credit card
bill. And, ladies, this list is for you, too. Initiate the following ideas with your
Sweetie, and show him how much you care. The ideas below are for men or women and fit
every budget.

Love Notes - Leave Love Notes for your Sweetheart to find.

Pampering - Brush her hair. Scratch his back.

Wildlife - Feed the ducks, squirrels, birds, turtles or fish near you.

Games - Turn off the TV. Sit and play cards or board games together.

Cooking - Find recipes to make with your sweetheart.

Candles - Candles should be used every day -- for meals, bath time, snuggling.

Read together - Choose a book and take turns reading it to each other.

Photos - When is the last time you had a photo taken together? What are you waiting for?

Work Date - Surprise your love with a lunch date.

Stroll - Leave the TV, phone and computer behind and go on a walk together.

Spell it Out - With Sidewalk Chalk, write your names in a heart on the sidewalk where
your sweetheart is sure to see it.

Entertainment - Go see a High School or College play or concert. It is affordable and
fun!

Slow Dance - Turn on the radio and dance to the songs you fell in love listening to.

Star Gaze - Drive out to the country and look at the stars.

Volunteer - Choose a charity or cause that means something to both of you and work
together to make the world a better place.

Love Story - Write how you met, fell in love, how you felt, what your thoughts were. You
will treasure looking through these books over the years.

Love Grows - Plant a garden together. Herbs, vegetables, flowers, fruit -- anything you
both like.

Cheer - Go to a High School Sporting Event.

Warm Hearts - Snuggle by a campfire or build a fire in the fireplace.

Watch the Clouds - Lay together and watch the clouds go by. Talk about the different
shapes you see.

Connect - Hug, Hold Hands, Put your Arm around your Sweetheart.

Big Money - Write your Sweetheart a Check for One Million Kisses. Or make a coupon book
of treats for him or her.

Window Shop - Go downtown and window shop.

Early Days - Look at photo albums of yourselves when you were kids through your dating
years.

Puzzles - Do a jigsaw or crossword puzzle together.

Wish List - Both make a wish list of things that make you happy and put them in order.
Hugs, dates, gifts, time together, intimacy, etc. Then look at the lists. They may
surprise you.

People Watch - Sit on a bench and watch people go by. Try to guess their stories.

Play - Go to the park and swing.

Kiss - Before you part for the day, kiss for 10 seconds. It is much better than a quick
peck on the cheek.

Picnic - Get take out food or make a picnic lunch. Take your time and enjoy your meal
together outdoors.

Throw Rocks - Go to a pond, creek, or lake and throw rocks. Try to skip them or aim for
different targets.

So, although an occasional expensive dinner is appreciated, it is truly the day-to-day
affection that builds romance and love. Yes, Love is Patient, Kind -- and Cheap!

About the Author: Nicole Dean is the owner of www.showMomtheMoney.com -- a fun and exciting site for Moms and Work from Home Moms. http://www.showmomthemoney.com She lives in Florida with her much loved Husband of almost 10 years, and their two silly children.

Two questions for today

1) What do you keep your temperature at in your home during the winter months?

I keep mine at 66 degrees. I tend to get very very cold, like cold in my bones.


2) How much is a gallon of gas? Since Gas Prices rising

I haven't filled my tank in about 3 weeks. I rarely drive anyways and a tank keeps me filled up in for about 1 month sometimes. Hubby filled his tank and said it was about $1.90. We are in Massachusetts.

Allowance

We just starting giving our oldest 6 yr an allowance. It is based on chores/behavior. He gets 10 cents for making his bed, picking up his toys, helping out emptying the dishwasher, being good at school(he gets a daily behavior chart), good on the bus, being kind to his brothers etc.

It is working out quite well... both with chores and behavior.

Do you give your children an allowance?

Woman sells 'Eagles logo' omen cereal

More nutty crazy Superbowl fans money stories.

Have you ever bid on something crazy at ebay?

READING, Pa. -- A woman will collect $760 for a bowl of cereal with an image resembling the Philadelphia Eagles' logo that she put on online auction site eBay.
Caryl L. Ludwig said that the image formed out of green Apple Jacks pieces in her daughter's green breakfast bowl. Ludwig said the bowl once belonged to her grandfather, who was a lifelong Eagles fan, and suggested that it could bring good luck to the Eagles in Sunday's Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.


Continue reading

Meal Planning week of Feb 6th

Huge batch of Pancakes made. Threw over 3/4 of them in the freezer so that will last us 2-3 weeks. I try to alternate those with oatmeal. We use the quick oats but by accident we bought the Ready in 5 minutes by accident. Those are good for oatmeal cookies etc. My oldest only eats the instant oatmeal in packets now-usually wants 2 of them now. I will only buy instant oatmeal packets if I can get them on sale for $1.50 for 10 of them.

I will also make a trip to Save a lot to stock up on some mac and cheese, diced tomatos, beans. They have the best prices on that stuff. Canned veggies I am all set on. I don't want to spend too much. I will probably buy some milk while I am there. I don't like to buy fruit there or even meat. Canned goods are okay.

So here is the meal planning...

Sunday Leftover pizza and snackies for the football game!

Monday Crockpot Chicken Salsa (this was on menu last week but I never made it)

Tuesday American Chop Suey

Wednesday Left over Crockpot Chicken Salsa

Thursday Leftover American Chop Suey

Friday Ham, Potatos, Veggie

Saturday Homemade pizza

Nothing too exciting this week! No new recipes to try.

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Mortgage your house for the superbowl???

This is nuts.
Would you do this if your fave team was going to the Superbowl, World Series?

Would you go to the see the championship if it was your team? If so, what you be willing to spend on it?


Eagles fans homing in on Super Bowl

February 2, 2005
PHILADELPHIA -- Kevin P. O'Donoghue is going to the Super Bowl. When he gets back, he'll worry about the house he mortgaged to watch his beloved Philadelphia Eagles.

He's not alone. Some championship-deprived Philadelphians are so desperate to get down to Jacksonville, Fla., for the big game Sunday against the New England Patriots that they're borrowing against their homes to pay for the tickets.

O'Donoghue, who was 11 the last time the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl, promised himself he would be there if they ever made it again -- no matter what it took. After the Eagles advanced to their first Super Bowl in 24 years, O'Donoghue told his wife, ''I don't care if we have to mortgage our house, I'm going.''

So O'Donoghue paid $4,000 for a Super Bowl package that includes round-trip airfare, a four-night hotel stay and one ticket to the game. To pay for it, he applied for a home-equity line of credit, a way of borrowing money that required him to put up his house as collateral.

''Sometimes the [credit] cards are maxed out, and you gotta do what you gotta do,'' said O'Donoghue, an account executive from Glen Mills, Pa.

Mortgage bankers in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey say that Eagles fans have been inquiring about refinancing mortgages or taking out home-equity loans or lines of credit to pay for what O'Donoghue called ''the chance of a lifetime.''

Denny Shestack, the owner of the company that approved O'Donoghue's line of credit, said he doesn't fault Eagles fans for splurging.

''I'd argue it's a better investment than a flat-screen TV,'' said Shestack, an Eagles fan who has been to six of the last eight Super Bowls and is going to this one.

O'Donoghue said it's worth it.

''I can't wait,'' he said. ''It feels like Christmas Eve.''

AP

New great coupon site

On this mornings news I saw an story about a web site that gathers
together a lot of the internet coupon offers into one place. Here is
the link:

http://www.wow-coupons.com

They have grocery coupons, internet store coupons, restaurant coupons
and retail store coupons.

Enjoy your savings!
Theresa

Traveling on a budget, Meals in Minutes

Hello and Welcome!

In this week's issue Living on a Budget in a Non Budget World
Newsletter

Money Saving Tips
Featured Article Traveling on a Budget
Top Conversations on the Money Saving Forums
Freebie and Contest Alerts
The Frugal Five
Frugal Recipes Meals in Minutes
Tax Time Do your own taxes


Read this issue at:
Money Saving Newsletter

Enjoy your savings!

Murphy visited us this weekend!

"If anything can go wrong, it will"

We have had a glass top stove since we bought our house 8 years ago. I have ALWAYS hated it. This weekend we got to get rid of it. During the night one of our plates that was over the stove smashed into the top and smashed the top in several pieces. Can't use it that way... so off for a new stove.

We actually pulled out the credit card for the first time in atleast 2-3 years since I really didn't have the extra in emergency fund right now. However I hope to pay it off within 2-3 months. Argh.



Enjoy your savings!

Murphy's Law Trivia
Murphy's law is a popular adage in Western culture, which broadly states that things will go wrong in any given situation. It is most commonly formulated as "if anything can go wrong, it will." The law was named after Edward A. Murphy, Jr., a development engineer working for a brief time on rocket sled experiments done by the United States Air Force in 1949.