How to Save Money and Lose Weight by Going Green

photo by Michael Lorenzo

There are ways you can save money. There are ways you can lose weight. There are ways you can go green. But all three at once? Yes, you can kill three birds with one stone: go green and in the process also save money and lose weight!

1. When circumstances allow, walk or ride a bike to places that are within a couple miles, such as the library, post office, or elementary school. You will lose weight from walking or biking, save money on gas, and lessen bad chemicals in the air. You will also get to enjoy the outdoors: the sights and sounds of nature, the beautiful sun and clouds—even in the city!
2. Once a week, with family or friends, pick up trash along a busy road or highway. You will not only make the road cleaner and the soil healthier, but you will probably get a mini workout as well from all the walking, bending, and hauling. And you may be able to make some pocket change by taking cans and bottles to a recycling center.
3. Plant an organic garden. Eating fresh, clean produce will encourage you to eat healthier and thus lose more weight. Also, gardening is a great way to burn calories and include the whole family in hard labor. Plus you’ll save money by growing your own organic fruits and vegetables instead of buying highly priced ones at the store.
4. Use eco-friendly cleaning products when you clean your house. To save money, make your own eco-friendly cleaning products or use simple products like vinegar. Clean to some upbeat music for a fun and productive exercise.
5. Get your family involved in free or inexpensive outdoor activities—such as hiking, bird watching, or picnicking at a park—instead of going to the movies and consuming buttery popcorn and sugary soda. Being outdoors promotes exercise and play, saves money, and helps you appreciate nature more.

Easy Frozen Snacks for Summer

photo by Gyom Seguin

Although summer is fun, the summer heat can be overwhelming and horrible. You can endure the heat with these easy frozen snacks using ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

• Pour your favorite fruit juice or soda into an ice cube tray and freeze. Suck on the ice cubes for a refreshing treat or add them to your drinks.

• To make popsicles, cover the ice tray tightly with aluminum foil. Poke toothpicks into each mold for the stick of the mini popsicle.

• Buy popsicle molds at the store. You can find ones from $1 to $4 at Target. Fill them with your favorite fruit juice or soda and freeze. Or puree fresh fruit (such as nectarines, plums, strawberries, or other berries), frozen juice concentrate, and sugar to make a fresh-fruit popsicle.

• Freeze grapes for a cold, crunchy snack. Try freezing other fruits such as melon cubes and kiwi slices.

• Freeze bananas. Cut the bananas in half, push a popsicle stick halfway through, and freeze for a couple hours. Eat with peanut butter. To make chocolate-covered bananas, dip the frozen bananas in melted chocolate and nuts (if desired) and freeze for a few more hours.

• Make an ice cream sandwich: put a scoop of hard ice cream between homemade cookies.

• Make a cool strawberry yogurt pie. Fold two 6-ounce cartons of strawberry yogurt into 3 ½ cups of Cool Whip. Add ½ cup strawberries and mix. Spoon the mixture into a prepared graham cracker pie crust and freeze for 4 hours. Place the pie in the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving. [Recipe from Jo-Ann Stone.] You can do this with other fruits as well.

• Blend one 6-ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 cup milk, 1 cup water, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1 cup crushed ice until smooth to make an Orange Julius. [Recipe from Arica Monroe Young.]

• For a cool, easy no-bake cheesecake, beat on medium speed two 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 tbs. lemon juice (optional) until well blended. Gently stir in 2 cups Cool Whip and spoon the mixture into a 6-ounce prepared graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours. [Recipe from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese.]

How to Save Money at Thrift Stores

Going from buying new things to shopping at thrift stores already saves a bundle of money. But there are also tips for how to get good deals at thrift stores and save even more money!

1. If at an organization’s thrift store (such as Goodwill or Salvation Army), ask when the trucks come in with “new” items. Come the next day to get first pick at everything.  If at a small, independent thrift store, ask how often they put out new donations.
2. Find out which color tag is on sale and look for items with those tags. There will usually be a poster or an intercom announcement sharing which color is on sale a particular day (ex: blue-tagged items are 50 percent off). Some stores also have weekly dollar days.
3. If a weekend, holiday, or special sale day is coming up, go to the thrift store the night before, near closing time, to find things you want to buy. Hide them behind other items and be sure to write down or remember hints so you know where to find them. Be there the next day right when the store opens so you can get to your items before anyone else does.
4. Many things given to thrift stores are brand new, so check for items with original store tags still attached to get a great deal.
5. If at a small, independent thrift store, make friends with the owner. Owners will usually cut deals with people they know, or the “regulars.”
6. Some thrift stores offer discounts to seniors, so be sure to ask.

Note: Bartering is not acceptable. The only likely exception is at a small, independent thrift store with an owner you know, and usually only over large items, such as furniture, or bulk items, such as a dish set.

WINNERS!

The winners of the Lady Hawke Originals ribbon bookmark and two Scrabble-tile pendants are comment #19 "I follow your blog via GFC-Cynthia Richardson #1" and comment #49 "Hearted etsy shop as Armada Volya." Congratulations! I will contact you ladies shortly.

Remember, the 15%-off coupon code BLOGSPECIAL15 is good until the end of July.

How Being a Parent Changes Your Life

When a baby is born into a family, everything changes. However, as you have Baby 2, then Baby 3, the way in which you deal with the child also changes considerably.

Your Clothing

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed.
2nd baby: You wear your ordinary clothes for as long as you are able.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes are your ordinary clothes.

Baby's Clothing

1st baby: You wash the clothes before organizing them into color-coordinated folded piles neatly laid out in the baby's specially bought chest of drawers.
2nd baby: You make sure that the clothes are clean and throw only the ones with the dirtiest marks on them in the wash.
3rd baby: You are heard to say that boys can wear pink, no problem.

Babysitters

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter you call home 4 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

Quality Time

1st baby: You spend a great deal of time every day just gazing lovingly at your baby.
2nd baby: You spend some of everyday keeping an eye open to ensure that your eldest child isn't squeezing, poking, or hurting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend some of each day hiding from the children.

In a nutshell, the first baby is made of glass; the rest are made of rubber!

(From a joke site.)

Lady Hawke Originals Jewelry Giveaway [CLOSED]

I recently did a review of Lady Hawke Originals jewelry. In response to the "Frowns" section (since edited), Beth sent me four more Scrabble-tile pendants, a necklace chain, and a calendar. She was determined to win me over 100 percent! And she did.

Two of the new pendants, for my little sister-in-law and little sister

Smiles from the original review:
*The jewelry is beautiful and classy.
*There is endless variety! If you can think of it, Beth probably has it. And if she doesn't, she will make it for you. Either way, anything you buy is one-of-a-kind.
*She carefully packages her items before shipping them.
*Although I have worked with many amazing sellers on Etsy, Beth tops them all in customer care. She is extremely caring, genuine, friendly, dedicated, and generous. I feel that she is sincerely interested in my blog and in helping me out.

Frowns Turned to Smiles
*I had commented that the image quality was low. I think her printer had an off day or messed up settings because the image quality was vastly improved on the new pendants.
*I also noted that her pendants do not come with chains. However, she sells them for only $1, making the combined price still cheaper than other sellers' Scrabble-tile pendants and chains. As noted in the original review, Beth has a great deal right now: for every 3 pendants you buy, you get a free chain. Also, the pendant loop is large enough for any chain you already own.

New Smiles
*Beth informed me that she always includes a free gift with her orders, thus the pen and notepad the first time and the calendar the second time. You definitely get more than your money's worth ordering from her!
*Beth responds promptly to any questions or comments you have.

I will be giving away the mommy ribbon bookmark to one winner. A second winner will get to choose two Scrabble-tile pendants! You can also get 15 percent off anything in her store through July with the coupon code BLOGSPECIAL15.

Prize #1

Prize #2 options

More options for prize #2

Mandatory 1st Entry: Heart the shop Lady Hawke Originals on Etsy. Leave your user name.

3 entries: Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook.

1 entry: Post this giveaway on Facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 MST on Friday, July 1. The winner will be announced Saturday, July 2. Please leave your email in one of your comments so I can contact you if you win. Good luck!

Lady Hawke Originals Jewelry Review

I came across the Etsy jewelry shop Lady Hawke Originals when searching for a very specific item. After browsing, I was not surprised I had been led to this shop: there is every theme imaginable represented in the Scrabble-tile jewelry! And I mean everything. Lady Hawke Originals also includes bookmarks, lanyards, and non-Scrabble-tile jewelry. The seller, Beth, designs and makes all the jewelry and only uses glass, freshwater pearls, and semi-precious stone beads.

Beth sent me a generous amount of products to review: two Scrabble-tile necklace pendants and a bookmark. She also threw in a cute pen and notepad and a lovely card.

Isn't that sweet?

Smiles
*The jewelry is beautiful and classy.
*There is endless variety! If you can think of it, Beth probably has it. And if she doesn't, she will make it for you. Either way, anything you buy is one-of-a-kind.
*She carefully packages her items before shipping them.
*Although I have worked with many amazing sellers on Etsy, Beth tops them all in customer care. She is extremely caring, genuine, friendly, dedicated, and generous. I feel that she is sincerely interested in my blog and in helping me out.

Frowns
*Necklace chains for the Scrabble-tile pendants are not included. However, this makes her prices cheaper than competitors'. Also, you can purchase chains from her. Right now, she has a great deal: for every 3 pendants you buy, you get a free chain. Also, the pendant loop is large enough for any chain you already own.

Beth is offering a 15%-off coupon code for all my readers: BLOGSPECIAL15. It is good until the end of July.