It’s not often that you get to try the newest home decorating items out for free.  At home depot on September 30th from 7pm-8:30pm, they’ll be offering a free do-it-herself (their women’s version of DIY) Martha Stewart decorating workshop. 

Click the picture at left to hold your spot for free.

There are 3 best parts about this free decorating day at Home Depot:

1. It’s completely free.
2. It is using the new Martha Stewart home decor products.
3. The first 30 in attendance at your Home Depot get a free project organizer!

What are you waiting for?  Space is limited so you do have to reserve your space by clicking the picture above to RSVP.  This is a great frugal outing for a girls’ night out because you can bring your friends for fun FREE decorating!

Disclaimer:  HomeEverAfter.com contains affiliate links and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when affiliate links are used.

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If you love juicing and turning your favorite fruits and vegetables into healthy juices, you probably already know how difficult it is to keep a juicer clean.  Today we’ll show you how to deep clean and remove stains from a juicer with this handy video.

Colorful natural and artificial dyes in vegetables and fruits can stain and discolor the white plastic of a juicer.  If you’ve juiced a lot of carrots, you can probably see the orange stains on your juicer parts, no matter how quickly you wash them off after juicing.

The short video below shows how to deep clean a juicer and remove the stains to keep it looking great!

(Subscribers will need to click through to this article to watch the video.)

Want more? We’ve got lots of How To videos and instructions!

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You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a great party. By investing your time and being creative, you can cut costs and plan a fun frugal party that doesn’t leave you broke.  Just follow our tips below for party planning on a budget!

Budget Party Planning: Location

The first step in successful budget party planning is choosing a location for your event. When selecting a location, avoid costly catering facilities and restaurants. If possible, host the event in your own home or backyard.

If you live in an apartment, see if they have a community clubhouse or gazebo that they rent out for the day. Some even keep a supply of tables and chair on hand for such occasions that they include in the rental fee or offer at a reasonable rate.

Budget Party Planning: Food

When it comes to food, make as much as you can yourself. Catering costs can really add up, especially since many places charge on a per person rate. Buy as much as you can in bulk quantities.

Enlist the help of friends to prepare food or depending on the formality of the party, ask each family member to bring a prepared dish.

For children’s parties, avoid individual juice boxes and opt for larger juice containers and paper cups.

Budget Party Planning: Decorating

If you plan on decorating with a lot of balloons, you can save money by renting a helium tank and purchasing packages of balloons rather than ordering balloon bundles at a party store. Just be sure to blow up the balloons within 4 hours of the event because they will fall within 12 hours.

If you need to rent tables and chairs, check out your local church, school or community center. These places often rent out their equipment in exchange for a small donation fee, significantly less than regular party supply rental stores.

Budget Party Planning: Timing

By hosting your party during lunch hours rather than dinnertime, you can save a decent amount of money. Lunch menus are lighter fare, and guests will not expect an elaborate meal during afternoon hours.

If you are having an evening event, serve food in buffet style rather than planning out sit down dinner entrees. This will save you both time and money.

Party planning does not have to be stressful and expensive. By starting early and developing a clear cut plan that you stick to, you can prepare ahead of time, reduce expenses and avoid frustration.

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography.  Get more Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

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I was able to capture some creative people, places and things made out of 100% vegetation at the Tanana Valley State Fair this year.  All the “sculptures” pictured below are made out of all fruits, vegetables, plants, and natural items like rocks.  It’s amazing what you can turn your veggies into when you use your imagination!  This kind of project could take your gardening to a whole new level.

It’s time to play with your food: here are 7 crazy creatures to turn your vegetables into!

Play With Your Food: 7 Crazy Veggie Creations

1.  Potato Tribe with dandelion hair and mushroom hats. This 2nd place winner was created by Rachel Mitchell.

2. “Snowzilla” Turnip Snowman, complete with mushroom hat and green onion leaf scarf!  This 1st place and grand champion winner was created by Patricia Heiser.

3.  Potato Men in a Zucchini Boat.  The potatoes have mushroom and flower hats, and some very frightening looking faces.  This 1st place winner was awarded to Samuel Mitchell.

4.  Zucchini Seal.  The perfect curved shape made this zucchini a seal-lookalike which just needed a face. 

5.  Potato Creature with zucchini legs, jalapeno hat, and carrot curl hair.  Another well-deserved 1st place ribbon for creativity went to Sawyer Peterson!

6.  Zucchini Boat

7.  Yellow Squash Ferry Boat sailing on a sea of giant lettuce leaf!  This veggie creation would make a terrific yellow submarine…

Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

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Quick Review: Kleenex Hand Towels

Recently I tested out the new Kleenex hand towels.  In my ongoing quest to keep my little ones’ hands as germ-free as possible, the Kleenex hand towels seemed like a great idea. 

The box comes with 60 folded paper hand towels.  I purchased the teal box which is pictured at left for around $3.50.  Would I recommend buying Kleenex disposable hand towels?  Should you take it or leave it? 

Kleenex Hand Towels: The Good

Kid approved:  My kids took right to the disposable hand towels and frankly, I was thankful not to have their germy hands all over a regular bathroom towel!

One at a time:  The hand towels don’t stick together, and I never saw 2 towels come out of the box at the same time. 

Space saving:  The box is very skinny from front to back, which makes it easy to place on a bathroom counter because it doesn’t take up a lot of space.

Won’t break the bank:  The price is decent; the box of Kleenex hand towels I purchased barely cost more than a box of Kleenex tissues.  Of course, using a washable towel is even more frugal, but then you have the germs to contend with.

Kleenex Hand Towels: The Bad

They don’t last long:  With 60 Kleenex hand towels in the box, I was unsure of just how long one box would make it in my medium-use home bathroom.  I expected at least a week’s worth of hand towels for 4 hand washers (and I was out of town for a few of the days).  It was surprising that the box only lasted for 5 days, especially because for many of my hand washings I was still using a regular towel. 

Hard to identify: Without the plastic label on the front (which I tore off because it was loose and I thought it was supposed to be removed), you can’t really tell what this box is.  You might not know that it isn’t just a tall box of facial tissues, because the box looks just like a Kleenex box (imagine that!).  In fact, my family only knew it was for drying hands because I told them. 

If I’d had guests come over, I doubt they would have known instinctively that the teal box held their replacement to a big fluffy hand towel.  There is a tiny strip of clear plastic around the opening that says “Kleenex hand towels”, but I wonder how many people will really read it.

Too light to stay on the counter:  The box is lightweight cardboard and lifts up from the counter when you try to pull a hand towel out of the box.  This is a problem because you have to then hold the box with one wet hand while you pull out a towel with another wet hand.  Did I mention the box was made of cardboard?  The water from your wet hands makes for rippling on the box after it soaks in.  If Kleenex was to make a decorative box holder for these packages, it would be a big improvement.

Kleenex Hand Towels: Take It or Leave It?

For an adult only bathroom, I say skip the Kleenex hand towels.  It’s cheaper to use a hand towel and launder it, and at least you do know where your hands have been (unlike with your children)! 

You could almost get the same effect by putting a paper towel rack in your bathroom and installing a fresh roll of paper towels.  The paper towels would be a much more frugal option if you’re dead set on having disposable hand towels in your bathroom.  

However, in a kid bathroom, I definitely recommend buying the disposable Kleenex hand towels.  With the Kleenex hand towels, you’ll be able to track how much their hands are being washed, because you can tell how many days it took a box of 60 hand towels to disappear.  Also, you’ll have a lot less cross-contamination of germs by having them use disposables instead of sharing a regular towel with other kids (who may be wiping their faces, noses, toothpaste, etc. on the towel too).

Where to Buy Kleenex Hand Towels

I picked up my Kleenex hand towels at Walmart for around $3.50.  However, you can also buy them on Amazon, where you can get a 6 pack of Kleenex hand towels for $21.21 with free super saver shipping.  You can click here to buy Kleenex hand towels on Amazon or look for them in your grocery store on the paper towels aisle.

–

Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has no material connections. IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees for the writing or publication.  This article is a product review conducted by Danelle Ice and is her honest opinion.  The Kleenex hand towels were purchased by IS World Media to facilitate the review process.  We cannot make claims as to the typical results users should expect from this product, as we are trying it out and have no way of knowing other users’ experiences.  ISWM / Home Ever After does not endorse the company mentioned above. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when affiliate links are used.

Only in Texas… a chair made out of a real cow skin!  Yes, we’re talking hair and all.  This chair in my Austin, Texas hotel room was so bristly that I had to put a towel over it to sit on it!  This Texas-flavored seat was authentic leather bottomed and cow hide backed.

This cow hide chair is the kind of thing my family had to see to believe!

Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

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New & Noteworthy

You may know I spent part of last week in Austin, Texas, working with AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), the company that powers many bloggers’ computers today.  I can’t wait to share pictures and stories from my trip later this week!

Hottest Freebies

Have you requested all these free items from our other site, And Freebies For All?

•  Get 10 Free Dr. Seuss Lorax Activity Books
• Free Gain Dish Soap at Rite Aid 8/29-9/4
• Free Music Download Gypsy by Suzanne Vega
• Free Samples of Kotex U Tampons
• Free Samples of Playtex Sport Tampons
• Free Samples of Emergen-C Vitamin D and Calcium Drink
• Free Samples of Cheetos Mighty Zingers Chips
• Free Sample of Grandma Bowser’s Dog Treats

Blast From the Past at Home Ever After

Remember these articles from August last year?

• Kitchen Tip: Wet Erase Markers for Your Refrigerator Contents
• Unexpected Guests? How to Stretch a Meal at the Last Minute
• 13 Cleaning Tasks That Take Less Than 1 Minute
• How to Clean a Coffee Maker
• Taco Casserole Recipe
• Newborns: How to Treat Cradle Cap
• Family Friday: Fun Chores For Toddlers (Part 1)

Want more great blasts from the past? Click here to see our August 2009 articles.

Hot & Happening This Week

Fairbanks, Alaska residents can now check out the city’s first one-room schoolhouse.  If you have fond memories of the school in Little House on the Prairie, this may just be the schooling choice for your children. 

Northern Lights Academy is now enrolling students of all ages for their second year in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.  Their semester officially starts today, so if you’re interested in finding out more, give teacher Janice Trumbull a call at 474-0310 or visit NorthernLightsAcademy.org.

Do you have something new or noteworthy that you’d like mentioned in The Watercooler? Let us know at tips(at)HomeEverAfter.com.

Danelle

Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has no material connections.  This post is not paid content and no fee was received for the mention of any of the above links or events.  This article is an informative public relations post written by Danelle Ice about helpful events going on in which our readers may be interested.  IS World Media does not endorse and is not affiliated with any companies mentioned above.

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There are so many ways to get free things today, and rewards programs are a big one.  Pampers Gifts to Grow codes are a way of collecting points on the Pampers website, which you turn in later for prizes.  The Pampers Gifts to Grow codes listed below have been testing and are working today, August 31, 2010. 

If you have codes that we don’t have listed, please leave them in the comments section below and we’ll add them.

Below, we’ve listed all the free Pampers Gifts to Grow points codes out there.  Make sure you enter ALL the codes below on the Pampers site (when you have time) so you don’t miss any that will work for you.

Frugal moms will love trading their Pampers Gifts to Grow points in for free prizes from Pampers, including lots of baby products, free diapers, and date night items for mom and dad (like free movie tickets).  Free Pampers Gifts to Grow codes are being released online all the time.  Another way to collect Pampers Gifts to Grow points is to buy Pampers diapers or wipes.  Each package has a long code inside made up of numbers and letters. 

To  enter your Pampers Gifts to Grow codes, click here to go to the Pampers Gifts to Grow website.  You’ll need to register on the site the first time you use it so they can keep track of your Pampers Gifts to Grow points.  Rumor has it that you’ll get an extra 50 points for registering right now.  Leave a comment below and let us know if it worked!

Pampers Gifts to Grow Codes

• NEW!  HANGON2SUMMER20 – 20 points (Valid as of 8/31/10)
• NEW!  CAREFORNEWBORNS – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• NEW!  GTGCOUPONPOINTS – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• NEW!  GTG5FREEPTS0810 – 5 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• NEW!  WELCOME2PAMPERS – 50 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• NEW!  AUG2010FACEBOOK – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• GTGPLAY3USA2010  – 30 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• GETSTARTEDNOW10 – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• GTGSPRINGFREE10 – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• GTGLEARNMORE089 – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• JUNFACEBOOK2010 – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• GTGSUMMERFUN5PT – 5 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• 15GTGSUMMERFUN  – 15 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• 25GTGSUMMER2010 – 25 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• WELCOME2GTG2010  – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• WELCOME2VILLAGE – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• OHAMANDAAWGTG08 – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)
• THRIFTYMOMMYGTG – 10 points (Valid as of 8/30/10)

Possibly Expired Pampers Gifts to Grow Codes

• There are no possibly expired Pampers Gifts to Grow promo codes to report today!

Expired Pampers Gifts to Grow Codes

• Expired – WELCOME2GTG0809  (Removed 8/30/10)
• WELCOMEBONUS089 (Removed 8/30/10)
• HAPPYHOLIDAY089 (Removed 8/30/10)
• GROWWITHVILLAGE (Removed 8/30/10)
• GRATUIT89102009 (Removed 8/30/10)
• STARTEARNINGNOW (Removed 8/30/10)
• JUSTFOROURFANS1  (Removed 8/30/10)
• JUSTBECAUSE2009  (Removed 8/30/10)
• FACEBOOKJUL2010 (Removed 8/30/10)
• FREECODEEXP0823 
• FREECODE0712EXP
• JOINTHEFUNGTG09
• DONTFORGETGTG08 
• WEAPPRECIATEU08 

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Update: This giveaway is now closed!  Winners are Bobbi Janay, Jayme, and Carol Naes!

Lightning Giveaways are fast – you need to be quick to comment below!  3 lucky winners will get these limited edition IHOP t-shirts, but you can only comment once per hour.  Comments 10, 11 and 12 will win t-shirts.

Today’s giveaway is for 3 fabulous limited edition IHOP t-shirts to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of IHOP’s famous Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity breakfast.  The year was 1985 and IHOP was –well, hoppin’!  It was also the year of The Breakfast Club- remember that?

We love everything 80s, and breakfast, and we love putting everything 80s on t-shirts.  So what could be better than this snazzy pink IHOP t-shirt?  It’s printed with the cool Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity picture of a delicious stack of strawberry pancakes.  Check out how cute it is in the picture below.

IHOP loves us frugal moms, too.  They’ve even made a super frugal breakfast special just for us to celebrate the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity anniversary!  From August 30 to October 3, IHOP restaurants will be offering a $4.99 breakfast (2 pancakes topped with berries, eggs and hash browns).  You can check out their fun games for the promotion and get more info about the vintage-reprint t-shirts at the IHOP website or on their facebook page.

Leave a Comment Now to Enter!

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post. Only one comment per hour per person.  The 10th, 11th, and 12th commenters win retro IHOP t-shirts!  Winners to be announced on August 27, 2010. (Be sure to leave a valid email address.)

This contest is open to USA shipping addresses only. By entering this contest, you agree to our Giveaway Terms and Conditions.

Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has material connections.  IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees for hosting this giveaway.  ISWM received 1 free t-shirt as a thank you gift for hosting this giveaway.  IHOP provided 3 t-shirts for winners free of charge.  ISWM does not endorse the company mentioned above.  Images and logos used with permission by IHOP.

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If you love getting things for free, especially free movie rentals, we’ve got some free Redbox DVD rental promo codes just for you! This is a perfect way to have a quality family movie night and still keep things easy on the budget. We’ve also got a list of the new releases at Redbox today.

When planning to use these free DVD rental Redbox promo codes, keep in mind that not all Redbox codes work all the time or at all Redbox machines. As far as we know, these codes are working as of August 26, 2010. If an expiration date isn’t listed with the code, we don’t know for sure how long it will work. If you have codes that we don’t have listed, please leave them in the comments section below and we’ll add them.

Redbox News: Pepsi and Redbox have come up with a new way for you to get free Redbox rentals: the “Make it a Movie Night” promotion, which is good during all of 2010. The catch is this- you have to shop at Kroger stores. When you buy at least 3 Pepsi or Frito Lay items at Kroger, you’ll get a free Redbox rental.

Redbox New Releases for August 26, 2010

Here are some of the movies you’ll find in a Redbox machine right now:

• Clash of the Titans (PG-13), Abandoned (PG-13), The Back-Up Plan (PG-13)
• Batman Under the Red Hood (PG-13 animated), Cop Out (R)
• $5 A Day (PG-13), 2:22 (R), City Island (PG-13), Repo Men (R)
• The Square (R), Survival of the Dead (R), Burning Bright (PG-13)
• Cash (R), Cemetery Junction (R), Dead Man Running (R), Furry Vengeance (PG)

Redbox Promo Codes for Any Location

• NEW! P3642J (Valid as of 8/26/10)
• DRIVEIN (Valid as of 8/26/10)
• DVDONME (Valid as of 8/26/10)
• BREAKROOM (Valid as of 8/26/10)

Redbox Promo Codes for Specific Locations

• DVDKROG (works at Kroger, Fred Meyer, Fry’s only – valid as of 8/26/10) 
• DVDATWAG (works at Walgreens only – valid as of 8/26/10)

Possibly Expired Redbox Promo Codes

• SMLVCTS (works at Giant / Stop & Shop only – removed 8/26/10)
• REDBOX (Removed 8/26/10)
• QWD6K54 (Removed 8/26/10)
• POPCORN (Removed 8/26/10)
• BEARSHARE (Removed 8/26/10)
• DVDFORFREE (Removed 8/26/10)
• There are no more possibly expired Redbox promo codes to report today!

Expired Redbox Promo Codes

• Expired – KNMKT6 (Kuhns only – expired 6/8/10)
• Expired – 8SNS25 (Expired 8/25/10)
• Expired – SNSV26 (Removed 6/4/10)
• Expired – V6NTN34 (Meijers only – Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – DLLNS26 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 7CMEJR9 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 2ZXV7MM DISCOVER CARD (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – RBX2NITE (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – ACME25 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – JEWL25 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – WALMART (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – BREAKDOWN (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – GANTS9 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – N3WY3AR (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 84MARS3 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – SNSV25 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 2FRZ25N3 (Giant Eagle only – Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – RBXLUV10 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 3HY2VE27 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 8HY2VE24 (Removed 6/1/10)
• Expired – 426HYVE3 (Expired 5/2/10)
• Expired – 42HY4V8E (Expired 4/18/10)
• Expired – RBXLUV4U (Expired 3/1/10)
• Expired – 5HY9V24 (Removed 1/18/10)
• Expired – 4J7LF6 (Removed 12/23/09)
• Expired – MMM325 (Removed 11/24/09)
• Expired – QNGJ7KD (Removed 11/20/09)
• Expired – WALGREENS (Walgreens only – Removed 11/21/09)
• Expired – TEGJ6FD (Removed 11/10/09)
• Expired – FM63H7 (Removed 11/1/09)
• Expired – 27HZ4KT (Removed 8/3/09)
• Expired – 9HB6MP22
• Expired – J45VHM3
• Expired - GPHCKKQ
• Expired - PM25XDH
• Expired - SHPNSVE2
• Expired – OPRAH30
• Expired – 7ELEVEN (works at 7 Eleven stores only)
• Expired – 36CHEXMX (works at Martins Food only)
• Expired - SOUP6, CHEXMX36 (works at Giant Food only)
• Expired - OPNSEASN2 (works at Giant Eagle only)
• Expired - 6SOUP (works at Stop & Shop only)
• Expired - MCDWNTR (works at McDonalds Redbox only)
• Expired - MCDWIC29 (works at McDonalds in Kansas only)

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After a lot of back and forth about when and where we’re going to move (baby #4 is coming in February), we’ve had some interesting decisions to make.  We’re buying a house!  We’re still planning to move out of Alaska in 2 years, and we’ll either be selling the house or renting it out.

It’s crazy how the house deal came about.  We went to look at a 4 bedroom rental for $1800 per month (heat included) and almost decided to take it.  Of course, my husband and I sat back on accepting  for a few days to pray about it and get some God direction.  It came.  A few days later a 4 bedroom house came on the market for a great price- the mortgage/insurance/tax would only be around $1400 a month! 

It made much more sense to pay less per month and own the house than pay more and rent, so we took it!

I can’t wait to show the pictures of our new house as soon as we move in (September 24th).  There will be plenty of before and after photos, as well as decorating articles to go with decorating the new home.  Now packing and moving is much better at 5 months pregnant than 6 or 7 months, so let’s cross our fingers for a quick closing…    

If you’re a mommy blogger, a social media enthusiast, a consultant, or do anything remotely related to computers, you have to read this and click this link NOW.  You will be featured in the November issue of Fast Company magazine- no joke! 

Can you imagine how good it will look on your resume, about page, or advertising page to say you were featured in Fast Company magazine?  Hurry: the deadline is August 15, 2010.  That means there are only 3 days left!

Click here to be featured in Fast Company magazine now.

I’m talking about the Fast Company Influence Project.  They are trying to find the most influential people online and everyone who registers WILL be in the magazine.  The more influential you are, the bigger your picture will be!

Even if you don’t want to be in the magazine, you can help me by clicking the link to help me get a better placement in the project. 

I’m going to be featured in Fast Company magazine in November and I want you to be there with me!  You can check out my picture from the Fast Company website below.  I’m currently in the 95th percentile and #1,415 out or 29,801.  Hurry up and get your place! 

How to Be in Fast Company Magazine for the Influence Project

1.  Click this link to be taken to the Fast Company Influence Project page.

2.  Once you click on the link, you’ll arrive at the Fast Company site.  It will take a minute for the page to load. 

3.  Once it does, click on the “Get Started” link in the top right corner and fill in your information as you want it to appear in the magazine.

4.  Upload the photo you want to appear in the November Fast Company magazine.

5.  Send out your link to friends and family.

Good luck to everyone participating in the Fast Company Influence Project!  If you want to leave a  comment below after you sign up, we’ll all know to look for your picture in the magazine. 

You deserve to spend the 1 minute it will take to get yourself in the magazine.  Your career will thank you and you’ll be glad you did.  And please- send this article to all your blogger friends, twitter friends, Facebook friends, etc, so they can all get into the magazine too.  We can all help each other to benefit from this once in a lifetime opportunity.  From one blogger to another, I hope to see you all there with me!

Capture the lazy days of summer in pictures that will bring you the memories of outdoor barbecues and the smell of just-mowed grass in the air!  Our summer eye candy photos have been specially selected to bring  the essence of summertime right to your desktop.  This week’s photo was taken by Krikit ♥.

Summer Eye Candy: A Drink From the Hose, Anyone?

If you love looking at gorgeous photos, check out our other eye candy here or specifically Summer eye candy here. Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

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17 School Supplies Not to Buy

It’s back to school season, and stories abound of parents going into debt to get all the school shopping done.  Going back to school means kids need a lot of things, from school clothes to paper and pencils to new contacts and glasses.  Contrary to popular belief, school shopping doesn’t have to kill your budget.

Many school items can be used for several years in a row.  Make sure you evaluate your purchases carefully and buy quality items that will last more than one school year.  It may not seem frugal to buy a more expensive backpack, but paying a higher price for a more durable, higher quality item can mean big savings in the long run.

If cleaning your child’s room turns up 500 crayons, 4 rulers, and 3  pairs of scissors, you might start to wonder why these items are on your list to purchase yet AGAIN before school starts!  Recover and inventory all the supplies that came back home when school let out for summer vacation.  Check your inventory against our list of school supplies not to buy before you go shopping.  From the most obvious to the most overlooked, here they are:

17 Back to School Supplies From Last Year That Can Be Used Again

1.  Rulers.  There is a reason there are 4 of these in your child’s room.  Rulers are readily given out at state fairs, parades and stores, but are pretty hard to wear out.  Put one from last year into this year’s school supplies bag, and consider donating the extras to kids in need. Savings: $1

2.  3 Ring Binders.  This is an item it’s okay to spend more on for durability.  If binders are still in good shape with no tears, they can be used for several school years.  Just change out the contents and re-label the spine, and you just saved $5.  Savings: $5 each

3.  Pencils and Pens.  Chances are, most of the pencils that went to school last year came back home from school too.  Round them up, sharpen to fresh points, and pack into a cute pencil box.  Savings: $2

4.  Erasers.  For elementary school kids, erasers are a must-have.  Big pink erasers require a lot of use to get to the point of replacement.  Two large erasers will usually last quite a while.  If they look dirty, rub them on the carpet to get them looking pink again.  Savings: $2

5.  Crayons.  Most elementary supply lists call for students to bring in boxes of 24 crayons.  Resist the temptation to buy huge new boxes of crayons every year. 

Gather up the crayons in your child’s room and put them into a supply box.  Discard the broken crayons only (or put those into a craft box for home use).  Chances are, you’ll have hundreds of crayons to choose from without spending a dime.  Savings: $2-$7

6.  Markers:  There may be broken sets of markers in your child’s room, and for good reason.  Markers are great accessories and come with toys, fuzzy posters, color books, and more, so you’re bound to have a lot of different shapes, sizes and brands. 

However, as long as there is at least one of each color, it won’t matter if you reuse them.  Put into a zippered pencil bag or supply box and you have a full (if mismatched) set of markers.  Savings: $3-$10

7.  Backpacks:  Pay a little extra to get one that will last.  Cheap plastic backpacks might be tempting, but they’ll likely crack in the cold weather (for those who live in snowy climates) or fall apart with normal use throughout the school year. 

Stick with solid colors and avoid cartoon and movie characters!  There’s nothing quite as bad as having to buy a new backpack just because the picture on it isn’t cool anymore.  A good quality backpack can last 3-4 school years.  Savings:  $10-$40

8.  Scissors: It usually takes a hammer or an aluminum baseball bat to break metal scissors!  Seriously, unless there is a strange accident to break them or cutting a lot of heavy material to dull their blades, scissors will last for several school years.  Savings: $3

9.  Colored Pencils:  If they weren’t sharpened down to little nubs last year (and they probably weren’t), collect last year’s colored pencils and put them into a zippered pencil bag if the original box is missing.  Savings: $3

10.  Supply Box or Pencil Boxes:  Plastic boxes can crack, but usually don’t get much wear and tear inside a desk or cubby.  Use a pencil box 2-3 school years in a row.  Savings: $1-$3

11.  Bottles of School Glue:  If last year’s bottle is not empty or dried out, it’s good enough to go back to school.  Savings: $1 each

12.  Glue Sticks:  If the lids have tight fits and the glue hasn’t hardened, use the rest of last year’s glue sticks up first.  Savings: $1-$3

13.  Notebook or Filler Paper:  Gather the partial stacks of empty sheets and fill them into three ring binders or clip together with binder clips.  Savings: $.50-$2

14.  Pencil Sharpeners:  Little plastic pencil sharpeners rarely break.  Get 3-4 school years of use out of sharpeners.  Savings: $1

15.  Notebook Dividers:  Use sticky labels to re-label the tabs, and you can get multiple uses out of a pack of dividers.  Savings: $1-$3

16.  Pocket Folders:  Buy plastic folders instead of paper/cardboard for longer life.  Plastic folders rarely show wear and tear and can be used for years.  Savings: $1-$3 each

17.  Spiral bound notebooks:  Most likely, last year’s notebooks weren’t completely used up.  Tear out all the used pages, then use the remaining paper in the half-full notebooks up before buying brand new ones. Savings: $1-$4 each

Back to school shopping time doesn’t have to throw your frugal habits aside.  By making sure to buy more durable products and use up supplies already purchased in previous years, you can slash your back to school shopping budget dramatically!

Originally published July 31, 2008.  Photo courtesy of stock.xchng. 

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