My Yard Sale Advice

I recently had my first yard sale. I had been trying to decide off and on for a few weeks if I really wanted to do it, when I wanted to do it, and how hard core I wanted to do it. Since I had been thinking about it, I had been gradually gathering things to sell.

Then, one Friday night I was looking at Craigslist for other sales and found out my neighbor was having one! Perfect. It's gotta be good to have a neighbor doing one since you can get each others business. I quickly got to work on making it happen the next day (even knowing my in-laws were coming in town that day)...

I recently asked in a post what are some of your best tips for yard sales? I got some helpful tips from there, and some good ones from the Today Show a while back as well. Here's what worked for me:

Leading up to the sale:

I had already spent time (very small amounts here and there) in the weeks (and months, really) leading up to this day gathering things that I would want to sell. I would put them with like things and was collecting them all in one spot of the house (the basement) for this such occasion.

The night before the sale:

I listed my sale on Craigslist with address, date, time and somw of the main items or categories of items I knew I would put put.
I went to the bank to get some small bills and change.
Then I went to Wal Mart and picked up some bright neon poster board (when I am out looking for sales, I LOVE it when the signs are bright, big enough to see before I am at the turn and with writing big enough to actually read. The signs can really make me want to visit a sale or not, so I knew what I wanted here!).
I also bought the price stickers because I hate having to ask about every item...it didn't take too long and was worth my while in the end.
After the kids were in bed, I pulled all of these items right up to the front door, ready to go out the next morning.
Then I sorted through the items, pricing each item (or group of items) at what I would want to pay for the item at a sale.
I made sure again that all like-items were together so that the process of putting stuff out in the morning would be quick (and thoughtless, since it was going to be early!).
I made my posters to go on some street corners. Where we live there are so many different ways to get to our house, but I chose just a few of the main intersections to mark (and it helped that our neighbors put signs out too, so this doubled our chances). I would have hung them that night as well, but there was a good chance for rain and storms, so I had my posters and staple gun ready by the door for the morning.
Made sure to have everything together by the front door, ready to go for the morning.

The morning of the sale:

I asked my neighbors (who were already out getting their stuff on the lawn as well) where they put their signs and then left to quickly hang my signs around the neighborhood streets and busy intersections.
While I was away, my husband starting taking out tables (helpful to not have to make everyone bend to the ground for all items) and then all of the items that were to be sold. This was easy for him since I had already grouped things.
One thing to note: I put cheap "tablecloths" on my tables so people would not assume they were for sale.

During the sale:

I had bags (from when I forget my reusable bags at grocery stores) available for people to take things home.
I had a calculator for quick addition of items to be bought. No need to think too hard early in the morning.
I wore an apron with front pockets in it so that I would not have to have a cash box and different items sitting out (looking sloppy and not being readily available). I kept my small bills and some change, ready for transactions, and also kept my calculator in here so it was close by at all times.
I made sure to greet/talk to everyone that came by. It helps to make conversation and find the balance between making them feel welcomed and making them feel like they can't look at/think about what you have available. I didn't want to feel overbearing since I am more of a "just let me look" shopper.
I would go lower on a price (but previously decided on how low I would go on some bigger items so I would get caught in the moment and go lower than I was willing), but I was also willing to make a counter offer if I felt the offering price was too low.
I would give a discount if someone was buying more things, especially like items, or if someone was looking for a while and I thought a slightly lower price would help them make a decision. For most things, I would rather have it gone and get some money for it, than to just take it back inside at the end of the day.
I visited the sale next door (nothing to do with hosting a sale except convenience, and theirs was to raise money for a trip so I felt helpful by buying jeans for $.50 from them!).

After the sale:

Decided what I just wanted to get rid of quickly (books, lots and lots of books) and put these in the van to go to a local store that buys books.
Took everything else back down to the basement for a future sale at some point. I feel less cluttered with this stuff out of the way, so I didn't want to try to incorporate these things back into daily usage.
General cleanup of the front of the house.

We made close to $200. Not amazing, but not bad either. And it was close to $200 more than we had before. It was worth it! The weather was beautiful! My toddler slept through most of it, and played with some toys we had out for sale for some of it. And my baby just laid around lazily, taking it all in I suppose. Glad I did it. Wouldn't want to do it every week, but would definitely do it again when the time is right.

Get Outside! And Get Wet!

This may be obvious to some, or even to most, but get outside this summer! It's easy and cheap and fun!

We do not have a big yard, or fancy toys, but we get outside and we have fun.

Of course, there are lots of things to do, from walking/running to playing in the playground, from a sandbox to a swimming pool. It's been hot around here lately and water just sounds good. Of course, this could be difficult if you are in a drought or you live in a townhouse/apartment, but otherwise, get out and get wet.

There is always a simple hose. This is a favorite around our house. For watering the lawn, washing cars, filling buckets, and chasing after mommy!

Or you can upgrade to a sprinkler! Easy fun without having to carry around the hose.

If you're lucky (or if your kids are lucky) you might get a baby pool with a hose!

And if you're really lucky, you might belong to a local pool (or better yet, have your own) and just go swimming everyday.

But for now, and for us playing in the water is fun and cheap, and it is pretty limitless if you let little imaginations run wild!

Here's to a great summer! This is what works for us.

Homemade Snacks

In my quest for saving money I have realized that snacks are greatly enjoyed in our house, but can also be the culprit of more money spent than should be reasonable for the benefit of them...
I have always loved making my own applesauce, and have recently enjoyed finding the best granola recipe. I have also been working on the perfect granola bar (another day, another post) but have also tried to make some other snacks recently.

My first was roasting chick peas. It sounded fun and interesting, I like crunchy, I figured it should be healthy, and a good change from nuts...I read many different ways to add spice and flavor (I chose sweet) and different ways of roasting, like adding flavor before vs. after roasting (I chose before). I would like to try again, adding the flavor after the roasting and see what this does. They took a lot longer than what I read, but were definitely best fresh. I made too many to eat them all fresh. Hubs was not that excited. Luckily my toddler was!

I also had my first attempt ever at making bread (besides making quick breads like this amazing apple bread that I love!). I don't have a fancy mixer or a bread machine or the time/patience for lots of kneading and rising, so I think I qualified for this recipe I found.

 (letting it rise while I found other things to do...)

I made it 100% whole wheat and was very excited for the result, especially when it was right out of the oven (and with a thin layer of nutella). I think I did it on a cooler day recently and had a hard time with the rising, but it eventually got there and it was good. And easy. And I am going to make it again. Soon.

Making snacks from scratch works for me! Got any homemade snacks you love and want to share?

5 Ways to Find Simple Motivation

I've realized that I am not the most self-motivated person ever. But I've also realized that there are things I can do to work with the little bits of motivation that I do have once in a while.
Here are some simple ways find some motivation (I'm referring mostly to house work/projects, but could be for anything):
1. Set a Deadline. Maybe it's today, or tomorrow, or next week, but it's a deadline and it will help to know when it has to be finished.
2. Set Goals. Make them SMART Goals, but make them none the less. This will help to make sure it really can happen.
3. Use high energy times. I have been finding that if I make myself get up earlier than everyone else, I can use this time to get a lot done. It's quiet and I have energy and excitement for the new day, so it's a great time for me to get things done.
4. Have people over. Whether it's for a meal or a night, this helps me to be more motivated to keep the house cleaned and finish projects we are working on around the house (like the kitchen right now).
5. Make a plan. Just like making a meal plan helps me to stay motivated to make healthy meals for my family, so does making any other plan. It helps to know what I want to do and how I want to do it (could be a to do list or a chore chart, for example).
Bonus. Don't get discouraged. This only leads to feeling less motivated to keep going, even (and especially) when you feel as though you haven't been doing well. There are always rough days, or days when it feels like nothing gets done, but there is always usually tomorrow (if you start the day right!).
This might be more of a reminder for me today than for you, but either way, I am going to go follow some of my own advice...
This is what Works For Me.

Boogie Wipes work for me!

I have a toddler who pretty much didn't get sick for the first 14 months of his life. For some reason, though, the last couple of months have been a different story. And boogie wipes have been our friend. 
I don't think I would have ever bought them on my own. I am the 'I'm sure it's nothing special' type of person, especially when the cost is a bit higher. But a pack was given to us and I (and I'm sure my son even more so) have greatly appreciated them! And I think they are soft and moist enough that my son does not try to run away from us (most of the time)! And I don't have to look at a crusty and/or runny nose all day!
This is what works for me (though hopefully this season will quickly pass us by!). Visit We Are THAT Family for more great tips today.

To Yard Sale or Not To Yard Sale?

Is it worth it?
What makes it worth it?
What makes it NOT worth it?
Is a yard sale a valuable way to declutter and downsize?
What do you do with your little kids during the sale, if you have them?
What is your best tip from your experience of doing (or not doing) yard sales?

I haven't ever personally held a yard sale, but I want to this week (unless I get scared off after I get your answers) and obviously need to really get the best tips you have for me.

Thanks! This might be my favorite 'works for me wednesday' because I get to show how not perfect I am and how I need help (with what may be very simple for someone else). To post your question, or help answer someone else's, head on over to We Are THAT Family.

Some Gnarly Muffins!

I have a 16 month old son who is getting better about trying new and different foods. But it hasn't always been this way. He went through a definite picky stage. A stage where he would just look at something and refuse to eat it if it didn't look familiar. Because of this stage I worked hard at getting creative to get fruits and veggies (mostly veggies since he is really okay with most fruits) into foods that looked familiar. A great recipe I found recently has some great grains and added fruits and veggies, and until I can get more of the veggies into his diet without hiding them (who knows...that may be years!) this is what works for me!

I started with this recipe for Gnarly Muffins from Joy the Baker. I made a few alterations of my own, but the abundance of carrots and apples in mine made them nice and moist! Here is how I made them:

1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c flax seed meal
3/4 c wheat bran
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c shredded carrots
1 c shredded apple
1/2 raisins
3/4 c milk
1/2 c egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, mix all dry ingredients.
Add carrots, apple, and raisins.
In a small bowl, mix milk, egg and vanilla. Add to dry/fruit mix and stir just until moistened.
I filled my 12 silicone muffin cups totally full and baked them a bit longer because they were bigger. Took mine close to 30 minutes.
Eat, and enjoy. And share with your family members who don't get all their fruits and veggies!

Other foods that look familiar and I can add healthy stuff to: pancakes, dips, sauces, and yogurt, to name a few.

This is what works for me. Head on over to We Are THAT Family for more great posts.

WFMW - Peeling Apples

I know apple time is generally in the fall, but there have been some good prices around here lately so I have been making recipes with apples and making applesauce. I love, love, love homemade applesauce! My biggest frustration with making applesauce is peeling them! Reasons why I don't like hand peeling? (1) I tend to cut myself with knives so I am always a little tentative about it.
(2) I feel like I lose some of the apple if I can't peel thin enough with my knife.
(3) It doesn't take forever, but it does take a while.

Back to the apples I have been buying...I recently found this apple peeler on Amazon, read some great reviews, and bought it with some birthday money. And I love it! 

It is sharp, it is fast, I don't have a fear of cutting myself, it is fast, it peels very close to the skin...and it is fast! So basically I am enjoying it thus far. And enjoying making things with apples so much more, and really looking forward to the fall and even more apple mania!

This is what is working for me. To learn more and join in the fun, head on over to We Are THAT Family today.

WFMW - Tips for Toddlers

How to get a toddler excited about house/yard work and other tasks?
I'm no expert, but at this age they want to do what we do and feel "BIG" so why not include them in on the things we have to do around the house too, to help them become a full member of the family!

Make it fun. 

Let him do it "his way." 

Do it together. 

Don't offer rewards (or they will always be expected and it will become about the reward and not about helping).
Offer praise and encouragement.

washing the car

being okay with the car not being perfect, with the toddler getting soaked, and with it taking 3 times as long as by yourself....but creating memories and bonding in the process

vacuuming the house

being okay with missing a crumb here and there, being willing to make the vacuum kid-size, being willing to let it take longer than normal....but helping your toddler learn how to be a contributing part of the family

Other ideas:

putting trash in the trash can (make it a race)

helping clean up after a meal (make it a part of each meal)
helping with younger siblings (tell them how much of a help they are)

Do you have other great ideas of things to get your kids to help with? I'd love to hear more as we are more at the beginning of this helping process. Got tips for me?

For lots of great tips and ideas, head over to We Are THAT Family today.

WFMW - Healthier Alternatives

I have been pregnant and/or nursing for two years now! It has yielded two wonderful, adorable boys, but has also yielded indulgences as well! I studied health and nutrition in college and am, in general, a pretty healthy person, and a pretty healthy eater. But I am not afraid to give in to indulgences either, especially when I have had the excuse of being pregnant or nursing...
At times, I have fully indulged, and bought that big, warm cinnamon roll from Starbucks on my way to work. But at other times I have really worked to find somewhat healthier alternatives for my sweet tooth, my biggest weakness. Out of all of my healthy alternatives, I have two that I have really enjoyed. Two that have not seemed healthy as I have sat and enjoyed them, plus they were both very simple to make and I already had all the ingredients in my house!
My fave in place of a giant cinnamon roll is this cinnamon roll toast recipe.
Another fave when I want a nice sweet cookie is this peanut butter cookie recipe.
This is what works for me in allowing for indulgences in a healthy way. What works for you?
Head on over to We Are THAT Family for more great ideas.

Blending In

I have greatly enjoyed making my own baby food for my little one. Crazy that we are coming up on a year since I started doing this. The best methods for me have been using a blender or food processor after I have cooked a food to make it soft. Well, best and cheapest as I already had these appliances. I began thinking before the holidays, though, that a small hand blender would be great. I could cook something in a pot (some apples or a soup or other food) and then just stick my hand blender right in and blend up the food. Less mess, less cleanup, more convenient...all the things I like! So I asked for one for Christmas from a relative and it has been great! I think it might actually work better than my blender ever did. And it doesn't take up much cabinet space. And it does the job quickly. And there is not much to clean up when it is done. I think I could go on and on about how great it has been, but hopefully you get the point. I tried to get an "action" shot while it is doing it's job.

This is what works for me. For more great tips and ideas on what working for others, head on over to We Are THAT Family.

WFMW - Recipe Collection

I have struggled for a long time on the best way to keep track of recipes. I have magazine clippings, cooking books, internet sites, recipes on my computer, etc, etc... I LOVE making new recipes, so I am always saving recipes that I just might to use one day. But then when meal planning time comes along, I am just trying to be efficient and quick in finding recipes and making a list. But quick and efficient does not go along with finding all sorts of recipes in different locations all over my house and computer.
In steps Evernote. My husband (and quite a few other people I know) has used this for some time now to take notes, but it has taken me a while to actually learn about it and decide whether I wanted to take time to try it out. I finally decided YES. But not so much for taking notes. At least not yet. But for now, recipes is my thing.
1. It's free.
2. It's simple.
3. It's practical.
4. It's efficient.
I haven't tried out everything it has to offer yet, but I have been able to quickly go through recipe files on my computer, clip them (including any pictures I had in the document), transfer to Evernote, add tags, add a URL source, and watch it work. I can also clip info straight off a website and do the same thing. I can quickly add all my recipes to Evernote, and then I will be able to search quicker then ever before...I can look up a specific ingredient, look up what my tags are, quickly look at pictures...whatever works for the mood I am in. And quickly. My next step is taking all my clippings and scanning them, or finding them on line and adding them into my new collection.
It works for me, and even if it is not for recipes, I hope it can work for you too. Check out this site for more great ideas!

Feeding a Picky Eater

I have mentioned a few times recently about my 1 year old becoming a bit picky as an eater. I have some struggles with this, as I have often thought to myself that a kid will eat what you give him/her and if you don't try new things or always give them the animal crackers they ask for or give in too easily, then it becomes more of a parenting issue than a kid issue. At this stage, my son has to get his food from me (since he can't get it for himself yet) so it is up to me to get him a variety of healthy foods in his diet. And he was doing amazing at eating lots of variety and at trying new things, until about a month or so ago.
He started this thing where he would clinch his mouth as a new food was coming toward him, allow it to touch his lips, and then make a nasty face as if it was the worst thing in the world (even though it never made it into his mouth!). I think Thanksgiving was the first we tried some new foods, got this new response, but were determined to not let him make the decisions about what he was eating. We tried the same foods about three times throughout the day, never offering another option. He never took them. He had some milk, and went to bed fine that night. When he woke up the next day (hungry for sure) he ate all the same foods he had refused the day before.
This is when I decided I would try any new foods (and also foods he was not as excited about) first thing in the morning. This has worked great!
I have also decided that I am not giving up on getting new and different foods into his diet, but I have decided that I will make healthier versions of some of his favorite foods (like oatmeal) and will add ingredients he wouldn't normally eat into foods that look more familiar (like muffins and pancakes). In this way I still feel like I am the one in charge of what he is eating, I still do not offer alternatives if he refuses to try something, and I feel that he is getting a wider variety of foods without making every meal a fight.
So, the lessons I have learned and tips I would share (and I am happy to accept other tips and lessons learned):
1. Try the less exciting foods in the morning.
2. Hide the foods I want to save for later in the day or special occasions (he loves bananas SO much, but once he sees them he won't eat anything else!)
3. Add new and different fruits to yogurt since they become slightly hidden, but also get eaten in the mix with a favorite food.
4. Add more fruits, proteins and vegetables to foods that seem more familiar but include different ingredients: oatmeal from scratch, muffins with fruits/vegetables, pancakes with fruits/proteins, breads with fruits/grains, etc.
5. Don't give in and offer alternatives when he won't try something new or makes a face. I keep trying the same food at another time, but know that if I back down and offer a favorite after he rejects something, we will quickly learn this easy pattern in how to get what he wants and then he will be in charge.
This is what Works For Me. For more great ideas and posts, check out We Are That Family.
What have you learned in feeding a toddler? What other things can I try as my toddler continues to grow and as I am planning for my next son who will join us in a few short weeks?

Doing the Dishes

I am not a fan.
It is not my least favorite thing to do. But I am still not a fan!
It's been a while since my husband and I made any kind of "rule" on this. What we've normally done is "try" to put things in the dishwasher right away (I try, and I try to make my husband) and then when it gets full run it. Then husband puts away clean dishes and I load it with anything that has had to wait in the sink while it is running.
This has failed us. Between work, coaching volleyball, having an infant, and me being pregnant, this has just not worked. We have ended up going days with clean dishes that have not been put away and a sink full of dirty dishes. We don't always give in until the sink is so full we can't do anything else with it. And this is with having other people at our house for various meetings and babysitting.
Unacceptable!
So, my husband came up with a new "rule" and thus far I am very excited about it!
We will not go to bed with ANY unfinished dishes! If the dishwasher is running then we need to wash any other dishes that could not fit in it. The sink is clean when we go to bed. And when we wake up. And this is a very nice, very freeing feeling! It's working!
This is what's working for us right now. Head on over here to find out more great tips on what's working for others.

Organizational Bliss or Doom?

I am often told I am a very organized person.
And I would often describe myself this way.
But I don't really think I am.

Clue #1
I work mostly from home, but do go into the office once a week. This means that most things that I use on a regular basis or still need to do follow-up with are kept in my computer bag that is always around the house and also goes in with me. I have a folder in that bag labeled "follow up needed." As I currently look through it, there are things from spring still in there...What if I need it tomorrow? What if someone asks me a question about it I was not expecting? What if's keep the things in my bag growing...

Clue #2
If you ask me a question about something I have on my computer, I may "know" exactly where it is, but it may take me a while to find it. I remember doing it, or taking notes on it, but then not sure where I put it from there. If there is something I need to get to on a regular basis, I keep it on my desktop for ease...but as I keep adding things, the "ease" of finding things starts to wane.

Clue #3
I know there is something I am supposed to do this month to change my voice-mail on my phone since my cell phone company got bought by another...just can't find that piece of paper that told me what I needed to do...

Clue #4
There are random papers, receipts, folders, magazines, etc, etc, all around the house. Piles here and there of papers that I have kept for some reason, and although I am not sure of the reason anymore, I know there was an original reason, so I am not sure about trashing them just yet...

Clue #5
It was so easy to come up with the first 4 clues...I'm afraid if I allow myself more time on the subject I may start to think I am really not organized at all...

I know I need to start small. I know I need to start with the non-essentials and just start getting rid of things. I know that I need to de-clutter more often. I know I want my house, car, and work environment to be more minimalistic and organized. I just need to do these things now. If you have any great tips on how to get motivated, I think that is what I am lacking in most right now. That, and maybe a little better understanding of what it really means to be organized!

To read about people who really do have great ideas about organizing (I may spend the rest of my day reading) head on over here.

Gradual Shift to Drinking Water

My husband made the comment this morning "So, I guess we've totally stopped drinking crystal light, huh?" "Yeah, pretty much. Water seems to be working fine for me, how about you?" "Yep. Wow, how much are we saving now?"

This has been a gradual process for us. I wrote another WFMW post about simplifying. One thing I mentioned was having less drink mixes in the house. I was just trying to reduce clutter and use space better then. But as I started this process, I also started paying a little more attention to just how much we were spending on drink mixes. Not the name brand kind even, we just liked flavored water, and drank A LOT of it! We would make pitchers of it, and could easily go through 2-3 pitchers a day, if not more! And we would have the smaller packets to mix into water bottles when we were out. And these are even more expensive, comparitively.

So, I stopped buying the stuff. Cold turkey. But we had enough of a stock that it took us a while to make it through. We began to get more conservative on how often we would drink the flavored water. We started mixing in drinking more water on some days, and more flavored on other days...

And then, all of a sudden, we were ok with just drinking water. I don't know how long it has been. At least a couple of weeks. And the conversation just came up. It's healthy, easy, takes up less space in our cabinets and our fridge, and costs MUCH less!

It worked for us to make it a gradual, non-shocking process, and it's working for us to drink more plain water. What works for you? Head on over here to find more great success stories!

WFMW - Homemade Dish Detergent

So, I have only used this twice, but I am really excited about it. And impressed.
I don't remember now where I found this recipe. I looked for a while at different recipes and feedback before deciding on this one. I think it originally called for Super Washing Soda, but I haven't found this anywhere yet, so I used plain old baking soda*.

The ingredients:
Baking Soda*
20 Mule Team Borax
Distilled White Vinegar

The first time I simply added 1 Tbsp of each powder to the dispenser (wasn't sure if I wanted to make a batch before I had tried it out for myself) and about a Tbsp of vinegar for the rinse cycle. I was expecting things to be dirty and cloudy, and was thinking I may have to make a fast run to the store to get the old faithful liquid detergent. But alas, I was pleasantly surprised!

Then I made a batch to have ready in a container so I wouldn't have to go around and find each ingredient to add. The second time I just added 2 Tbsp of my mix and the vinegar to the rinse cycle. This time I had left a few things in with a little more built-on mess to test the power. It is good, it is not super. There was a little residue on the things that had more set-on dirt when they went in.
Lesson: Rinse a little better before adding to the dishwasher.
Why I am OK with this: I find that rinsing a little more than usual doesn't take much longer, and often means that I have cleaned the dish well enough to set out to dry, thus making my time between running cycles even longer. Even less detergent I have to use.

This helps me to be more frugal. And environmental. And "Martha." I feel like a better wife and mother and homemaker!
This is what works for me. For more great ideas on what works for others, head on over HERE.

Using a Whole Chicken

A while ago I posted about cooking a whole chicken in the crock pot. And I was SO excited! It smelled good, and tasted good, and it was so simple!!

Well, this time I decided to go even further with the chicken! After cooking it for about 8 hours in the slow cooker (making the house smell scrumptious!) I let it cool for just a bit. Then starting pulling off all the meat.

I put some of the meat into a soup that was on the stove-top waiting. I also had some more meat left over that will go great on a salad with the fresh lettuce from our garden!
Then I took everything else, everything that was left after I got the meat I wanted. Kinda gross, but my husband did this part, so that made it a little easier for me. All of that went into a pot, along with a bunch of celery leaves and a few stalks, a couple of whole (including the skins) onions, a couple of bay leaves, and water. I would have put in some carrots (unpeeled) but didn't have any left after my carrot mac and cheese and making baby food.

I brought all this to a boil, then turned it down and let it simmer for an hour or two (don't totally remember, didn't set a timer, just checked on it occasionally and then eventually decided it had been long enough).
Then poured it through a strainer so all the pieces and veggies and such would stay separate, of course! And poured and poured until I got all the broth out I could get.
I have these containers in the fridge for now. I will go back and scrape off the top (fatty part), then used some to make some homemade pea soup for my little one, some will go in the freezer for a later date, and some will stay in the fridge to have on hand.

SO, I got (A) meat for a soup (B) meat for salad (C) broth for pea soup (D) broth for the freezer (E) broth for now and (F) a wonderful feeling knowing that I did it all myself (with husband's help, of course) and made the best use of a whole chicken that I could! And the cost of all of this? The whole chicken was $3, the celery leave and inside stalks I probably would have thrown away otherwise, a few cents for the onions...by far under $5 for all of this!!

I'll post more about the pea soup later. For now, this is what works for me, head over to We Are THAT Family for more great ideas!

WFMW - Using Fewer paper towels

It is so easy to have a small spill in the kitchen, grab a paper towel, wipe it up and throw the towel away. As I have been on a journey to find simple, yet meaningful, ways to save money, I have found I can be very wasteful with paper towels...
So i bought a package of 18 plain, inexpensive white washcloths for about $4 at Wal Mart. And I bought 2 small painter's buckets for about $2 each.

In one of the buckets I add a little bit of Oxi Clean powder (you can use any cleaner you might want) and some water. I add a handful of washcloths and let them soak. Then, when I need to wipe up a spill or wipe down my counters, I just grab one that has been soaking. If the mess is not bad, I rinse off the cloth and put it back in to soak for next time.
If the job was a bit bigger and I do not want to add it back to my bucket o' clean water and Oxi Clean, I use my other bucket to hold the dirty ones until I wash them all in the laundry.
I store them both right under the sink, so they are accessible and ready to go. I still buy paper towels, but use them for things like getting the grease off the bacon before I eat it and drying out my fresh lettuce leaves that I have just washed to eat...

This is something I have found that works great for me and my family! We buy and use less paper towels (good for environment and our budget) and the cleaner is stretched a lot further when in the bucket o' water! For more great ideas, head on over o We Are THAT Family.

WFMW - Favorite Summer Recipe

There is a special edition of Works For Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family today. It's the 'favorite summer recipe' edition, so hop on over here to get more great ideas!

I have a new favorite recipe, at least for right now, and it's great for summer. Once our garden really starts producing, I will be even more excited because most of the recipe will come from our back yard!

Tomato Cucumber Salad

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 cups chopped fresh cucumbers (peeled)
1/4 cup chopped onions (can be green onions OR regular)
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice
Pinch of pepper
Dash of garlic salt
Instructions:

1. In mixing bowl, toss together tomatoes, cucumber, and onions.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the seasonings and lemon juice (or vinegar). Pour over cucumber and tomato mixture, and stir to coat. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

I've made it twice and loved it!! I can't wait to use my own tomatoes and cucumbers, and I am already using my own basil. I have used basil that has been dried from our garden, but I am going to try fresh next time. I have only tried it with the vinegar, but loved it. I have never actually measured the ingredients and it has turned out great anyways. I hate to dirty all the extra dishes and cause myself even more cleanup.

Hope you try it out soon, and let me know what you think, or what variation you might try!!