Friday, June 5, 2009

Going Out For My Cheap Date!


Once a month our church hosts a Parent's Night Out. We are in a co-op, so we work one time and then get several months of free dates. It is a Godsend because when you have more than a couple kids, it starts getting super expensive for a sitter. (Thanks, Ms. Dannette!) So, on these nights, we usually get together with friends or I gather together all the great coupons I have and we go out and go shopping. Tonight's cheap date will be:

Going to see our friends Jon and Gail and meeting their new baby Vincent! This is our top priority, because at our last date night Vincent had not made the big move yet.

If we do anything else it will be:

Dinner:
BOGO dinner at T.G.I.Fridays

Shopping at:
Lane Bryant (I got a $15 off $15 coupon in the mail. I see free jewelry in my future!)
NYC Color Co. at Wal-Mart or Target (I have 2 $5 coupons and these are usually about $1.00 each)
Gymboree (20% off coupon, baby Vincent needs something cute!)

Desert:
Free Andy's Frozen Custard (We got free gift cards from our church for being small group leaders!)

So this is our night and it should be fun and cheap. My hubby likes a cheap date!

Free Doughnuts Reminder

Don't forget to get your free doughnuts today. We forgot ours this morning, but they will make a great afternoon snack!

Lessons Learned at Aunt Sheshe's



This week I took one of my girls to south Arkansas to visit my Grandmother and the rest of my family. My 4 yr old, got to meet Aunt Sheila, (Sheshe as she called her) for the first time. Aunt Sheshe is the best hostess ever! She bends over backwards to make sure her guests are comfortable.

Lesson #1 Keep frozen cookie dough in your freezer for that just in case guest. Frozen dough is usually really cheap with coupons and it just adds so much to your visit to pull hot cookies out of the oven for your guests. We visited Aunt Sheshe two times and both time she had cookies and coffee ready to go.



Aunt Sheshe, also has a beautiful home, think the pages of Southern Living Magazine. She loves silk flowers and greenery and she has such a great eye for decorating.


Lesson #2 use an air compressor to blow any dust off of your silk plants and then spray them with special spray made just for silk plants that will keep the dust off.



If Aunt Sheshe wants it, she gets it. What I mean by that is that Aunt Sheshe saves her money to improve each room of her house. She makes everything herself. She sews her curtains and slipcovers, she lays her own tile, she even built her own beautiful shop behind her house where a dilapidated one stood. In her front yard, she decided she wanted a fountain so she went and go the cement herself and made a beautiful fountain with landscaping and lights. I think she freaked Uncle David out when he came home and their was cement and supplies all over the front yard. Aunt Sheshe is just plain fearless.


Lesson#3 Don't be afraid to do it yourself. It saves a lot of money and you can do anything you put your mind to. I have to admit that when there are outside improvements to be made, I wait on my hubby to do it for me. Aunt Sheshe inspired me that I can do it all by myself if I need to. If you have a project you have been thinking of doing. Check out YouTube.com. I bet you will find step by step instructions there.



While at Aunt Sheshe's house I got to try out a great mosquito repelling trick I had read about somewhere. It worked! The further south you go, the bigger the mosquito's get. The ones at Aunt Sheshe's house were as big as cows. That's right, there are flying cows in Arkansas. When I did the trick, I did not get bitten. They did land on me and think about it but then they left. The next day, I forgot to do it and got bitten to pieces, so that is how I know it works.




Lesson#4 Rub a dryer sheet or half of one on your clothes before heading outside to keep the mosquito's from eating you. The thing I read, said to actually just put a sheet in your pocket. I did not trust that so, I rubbed it on my clothes and even my skin, just in case and it worked. One caution, if you have sensitive skin, you probably want to just use it on your clothes. It really works!



Lesson#5 When we travel we keep all of our toothbrushes together in a zip lock bag and they get oooty, which is not really a word, but it sums up their condition well. Did you know that you can run your toothbrushes through the dishwasher to kill germs? This also extends their life.


If you are reading this Aunt Sheshe, thanks so much for your hospitality. We are so lucky to have you in our lives!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Free summer movies for kids!

Wehrenberg Theatres are offering free summer movies for kids. They are located in MO, IA, IL and MN.

The Family Summer Series is a FREE movie program designed for families, daycares, preschools, YMCA’s, Scouts & Summer Camps. Your group has an opportunity to attend FREE movies this summer for 10 ‘family’ films over the course of 10 weeks in June, July & August.

Movies will play every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:00 am from Wednesday 6/3/09 through Thursday 8/6/09. (Doors open at 9:00 am.) Please contact your local theatre (phone #’s are below) to make your group arrangements. Guarantee your ticket(s) with advance combo purchase(s). Remaining seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

They will be showing Space Chimps, Open Season 2, Marley & Me, Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa, Kung Fu Panda, Hotel For Dogs, Coraline, Bee Movie, Stuart Little 3. Call your local theater for more info.

(Thanks for sharing, Kristin!)


Kohls 60-80% Off Plus Great Promo Codes!



Here is another good sale! Kohls.com is having a clearance sale with $4.99 shipping. Use promo code new4579 to save an extra 10% off your order and if you have a Kohls card use MVC5993 to get free shipping. On top of that, order through Ebates.com and get an extra 2% back! I got 2 pair of Princess pajamas, originally $30 each and 1 pair of Cupcake Pajamas, originally $20 for my girls and a really great pair of shoes, that was originally $39.99. My purchase paying original prices with tax and shipping would have been around $125.00 and I only spent $37.08, which would have been $5 cheaper if I had a Kohls card and I will get 2% back. Gotta love clearance sales and promo's!

$10/$10 purchase online code at JCPenney!

Go here and use this great $10.00 off a $10.00 purchase code GR8DAD to get something for cheap or free. I headed to the online outlet and snagged my daughter a Hannah Montana jewelry box that was originally $30.00 for $2.99 after the code. Shipping was $5.95 and I went through ebates.com and as a new user I received $5 from them, plus 4% back on my purchase! So, shipping was basically free and I snagged a super cheap Christmas gift!

(Thanks, Hip2save!)

Free Krispy Kreme Doughnuts June 5th!

Choose any doughnut you want! It is one per person. My kids LOVE free doughnut days, because it is the only time we eat them. Our two local Springfield, MO stores are participating. Call your local store to find out if they are participating.

(Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!)

A Great Gift for Dad!

Right now at Sephora, they are offering up some great samples for Dad with any purchase. In their sale area, they have items still in stock at $2 and up. They have tons of great items for $5. I bought a $2 item and then paid the $5.95 shipping. I then got to choose three more samples for me, because they offer that with every purchase. So for about 8 bucks, I got some stuff for me and all of these high end samples for hubby! Use the promo code HANDSOME.


Includes:

Giorgio Armani Emporio Armani Diamonds For Men
(0.05 oz)

Giorgio Armani Code
(0.05 oz)

Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Pour Homme
(0.05 oz)

Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme
(0.04 oz)

Sean John I Am King
(0.05 oz)

Hugo Boss Hugo
(0.06 oz)

John Varvatos Artisan

Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy Men
(0.05 oz)

Lab Series Multi-Action Face Wash and Daily Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 15
(2 x 0.06 oz)

Jack Black Beard Lube
(0.33 oz)

The Art of Shaving Shaving Cream
(0.27 oz)

Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Super Slick Shave Cream
(0.135 oz)

Zirh Protect
(0.1 oz)

Cartier Declaration
(0.05 oz)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Great Deals at Hooked on Phonics!



Check out the deals here! I just bought hundreds of dollars of Phonics products for super cheap! This is the best sale I have seen and these prices are cheaper than most eBay prices with the promo code. I have had the Kindergarten reading set sitting in my house for a year and never broke it out, even while teaching my homeschooling kindergartner to read. Last month, I though I would see if it would work for my prek 5 yr old and it did. So, then on a whim, I thought I would try it on my 3 yr old and see if she could read. She already knew her letter sounds, so I thought it was worth a try even though it was a long shot. Well, guess what folks? The kid is reading and loving it! So, I am absolutely sold on the power of Hooked on Phonics! Go here to order and use the promo code slick50.

~Local Spot~ Savings Club for Kids

We are big Dave Ramsey fans. We attended Financial Peace University at our church and his classes changed our thinking and actually helped to start me on this frugal path. So, when I saw a local bank in Springfield, MO offering this program, I was super excited. I can not wait to have my kids start accounts here. It is called the Birth and Beyond Club. It offers monthly incentives for making deposits and then they have quarterly events and other cool stuff. It is all centered around teaching your child how to save. Birth and Beyond Club, here we come...

Family Fun Magazine

If you have kids, grand kids or babysit you really need to check this magazine out. You can currently get it for $0.89 a copy. Being the frugal person that I am, I probably would not have subscribed to it, since I did not know much about it, if I had not gotten it for free. Now, I will certainly subscribe again for whatever amount I need to pay when my free one is up. This deal is the best one I saw out there right now. I look forward to it every month to get more ideas. An added bonus this month was finding great coupons and offers in it:

$1 off Lil' Drums (snack size drumstick ice cream)

15% off your two night or more stay
at Country Inn and Suites

15% off your purchase at Company Kids with promo code FAMILY69 check their clearance out

20% off Gymboree coupon

$0.25 off Sunny D Smoothies

Try me free Swiss Tea rebate offer

$1 off Swiss Tea coupon (money maker combined with rebate)

20% off at Great Wolf Lodge with promo code FUN

On top of the great offers, there are tons of ideas for family fun. Did you guess I am in love with this magazine?

~Local Spot~ Jump Mania

Jump Mania in Springfield, Missouri is celebrating it's first birthday! Go in and celebrate during the week of June 14th-20th. It is $5 for open jump (don't forget your socks) and there will be presents, cake and door prizes EVERY DAY!

Also, go in to get the details on how to win Dad 4 tickets to the Springfield Cardinals game on Fri. July 24th located in the front row behind the dugout. Wow, that would be a great gift!

Free Glamour Shots!

Want a little pampering and a great picture to show for it? Get a free session and a free 8x10 with a free digital image of that pose. Your session will include: airbrush makeover (hallelujah!), hairstyling, 3-4 wardrobe changes, and a slide show presentation. Resist the urge to spend extra money and you could have yourself one smokin' hot picture and deal!

BOGO at T.G.I. FRIDAY's


Go here to print your buy one get one free coupon! Woohoo! Just in time for our Parent's night out at our church on Friday. Now I know where we are going for a cheap and yummy date night! Coupon is great through 6/22/09.

Go get your free Root Beer Float NOW!

Tonight 8:00pm to close All Sonics are giving away a free 10oz Root Beer Float per person to show customer appreciation. My kiddos will have a very happy ride home from church! Get there now!

~Local Spot~ Pottery for Dad!

Want a great gift for Dad? Head to Firehouse Pottery and Art Studio and make him a personalized gift from the kiddos! Look in the June addition of Ozarks Moms Like Me Magazine for a $5/$ 25 coupon or go here for a 1/2 off coupon for a painting session for two or more. I am thinking this one is a keeper. It's a good thing my hubby doesn't pay to much attention to my blog!

~Local Spot~ Dollar General Grand Opening


The Dollar General in Strafford, MO located just east of Springfield on I44 off exit 88 (475 E Old Rt 66) is having their Grand Opening on June 6th. The first 50 customers will receive a $10 gift card. If you are local, check your mail for a $5/$20 coupon to use. Pair the store coupon, gift card and manufacturer's coupons to get your purchase for free or super cheap!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

On the road again!

Well, things have been a little slower around here than usual. First, we went out of town Thursday and now I am headed out again. I get to go see my Grandma, who I have not seen in years and my brother and I are headed their together to celebrate my Dad's birthday. This is a big deal, because he lives in Texas and is often away, between serving in Iraq and Border Patrol. It's an eight hour trip and we are taking my 4 year old Shekinah. He will be here any minute to get us, so I am off!