Jul 29, 2010, Spammers - They are such ..........
You can fill in the blank. I just received an email that said it was from Bank of America (a widely used bank) that said my account may have been fraudulently use/accessed. It requested that I help speed the process along to verify I was the one using the account by clicking on their link. And it then went on to say if I didn't click on the link my account would be suspended.
Even the link looked legit, it said customer service and even had the bank name in it.
Now the funny thing is I don't bank with that bank, never have. Spam clue #1!
Now how many folks that do bank with BOA do you supposed clicked on that link and gave up their account information so as not to have their account closed or suspended?
Being a widely use bank I can imagine there were some who did and now will have their bank account drained by some #*#%@* spammer. No I don't normally used language like that but it makes me mad for these idiots to take advantage of to trusting folks.
So folk, please remember, your bank will NEVER ask for you to verify personal information over the internet. If you get an email or even a phone call asking for your personal or banking information DON'T give it out.
You call your bank or better yet go in in person and speak to them to verify information. DON'T use a link or phone number given in an e-mail.
Ok I feel better now, I'm through with my rant. It's a shame we can't trust folk like we used to. So please be on your guard with all your personal information.
Have a great afternoon!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jul 28, 2010, 5 Tips on How To Save Money
How about changing several small things you do daily, weekly or monthly.
Here are 5 easy tips that may only save a little here and there, but you will find that it is the little things that can add up to a lot. And starting with these small things will give you thought to see how else you can save.
1- Stop shopping at convenience stores.
Convenience stores are notorious for being more expensive on items, compared to grocery stores. If it isn't worth the hassle to go to a grocery store, you probably don't need it anyway. Make a list weekly when you do your shopping so that you can avoid having to run to the convenience store. And remember shop only once a week.
2- Avoid late fees when paying bills.
Pay your bills on time so that you aren't charged a late fee, it's amazing how much you are charged. If the problem is a lack of organization or just plain forgetting, set your bills on online auto pay, or program into your phone a reminder of bill due dates, or use a reminder service like the Google's calendar feature that can send you a text or email to let you know when due dates are approaching. Just remember if you put your bills on auto pay to make sure you have the money in your account, this is where having a budget/financial plan is great.
3- Save your change.
Make it a habit to keep all that pocket change in a jar. Use cash to pay for most things and instead of trying to give the right change, only use the bills. When you get home, drop those coins in a jar and watch it fill up. You will be surprised at how quickly it adds up. We have filled jars several times a year and used the change for mini weekend getaways.
4- Carpool.
By Carpooling, not only do you save money on fuel, but you also save on the wear and tear on your vehicle. If you have to drive a distance to work, it's also nice to have the company and let someone else do the driving once in a while.
5- Buy on Sale/Use those coupons.
You will be surprised how much you can save by buying what you need on sale and using coupons, yes coupons can be a pain sometimes, so try sticking to coupons that save you a dollar or more. Another quick tip buy items on sale, that offer rebate. I've used coupons with the rebate actually wound up making money. Of course I have to wait for the rebate check, but I was going to buy the item anyways.
Using just one tip alone may not save you much money, but when you combine several tips together and save, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how much you're saving. Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jul 14, 2010, French Toast & the Crockpot????
Need a recipe for all that leftover French toast? Or how about making a little extra and saving it for this dessert latter that day or the next.
French Toast Bread Pudding
Several slices of leftover French toast
1 cup milk
½ cup chopped pecans (or your favorite nuts)
1 small chopped apple or your favorite fruit, I like this with fresh peaches
¼ cup melted butter
1 lightly beaten egg
Cut or tear your French toast into 2 inch or smaller pieces and put in your slow cooker/crockpot. Pour the mild over the bread let it set a few minutes so the bread can soak up the milk (if needed add a little more milk). Next stir in the fruit and nuts. Mix together the egg & melted butter (and if you want more of a cinnamon taste add ¼ teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg). Add this mixture to the bread & fruit mixture and mix all together. Cover and cook on low for about 3 ½ hours or until you can stick in a butter knife in the center and it comes out clean. For a variation of this try adding chopped up dried fruit. Enjoy.
Don't forget to sign up for the FREE Quick Meals E-Course (see June 29th blog below), during the e-course you'll get 2 great free recipe e-books.
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jun 29, 2010, Eating Out vs. Eating In
Eating Out vs Eating In...Save money by eating at home... Eating at home makes cents.....
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Jun 29, 2010, Free Quick Meals Ideas E-Course
Ok, now be patient, this is my first attempt at this. This has been a goal to be able to offer some free recipe e-books. So this is a 6 day free e-course with quick meal ideas, along with a couple free bonus recipe books I just know you'll love. Send me an email and let me know what you think or if you have any problems.
Have a Great Evening!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jun 24, 2010, Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad
Looking for a cool salad to fill you up this summer? Here’s a delicious recipe from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition for you.
Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 bag (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce (about 10 cups)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
1 small cucumber, sliced
1/4 of a medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped
½ cup Red Pepper
1/2 cup Light or Fat-free Italian Dressing
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
Toss avocados with lemon juice in large salad bowl. Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions; mix lightly. Add dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Hey, if you like that one they’ve got 196 more! Seriously, Prograde has a really cool 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook for just $4.95!
Check it out here: –> 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes
Yours in health,Terrie
PS – If you’ve been on the lookout for simple and nutritious meals then look no further than Prograde Recipe Book!
Have a Great Evening!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jun 21, 2010, What Kind of Chowder do You Like?
Most folks like clam chowder, including everyone in my family, except...me. But I do like chowders, just not clam. So today I'm sharing an easy Corn Chowder you can make in your crockpot and I do like corn chowders. Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Crockpot Corn Chowder
1 bag frozen corn kernels (about 16 oz)
2 cans chicken broth (14 oz cans)
2-3 smaller potatoes (peel and dice into small pieces)
1 onion (diced)
1/2 cup diced celery (or if you don't like celery add celery salt)
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/4 tsp coriander (ground)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Bacon - cooked crispy and crumbled (optional)
Put broth, potatoes, corn, onions celery and spices in crockpot, cover and cook on low for
about 8 hours. About 1/2 hour before serving mash soup slightly to thicken it, stir in the
cream and cook on high until hot, if needed add additional salt & pepper. If desired add bacon. Enjoy!
For more quick recipes check out the Cook at Home pages.
Have a GreatDay!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jun 17, 2010, What's in Your Pantry?
Keeping your pantry and freezer stocked makes for simple, quick and easy dinners. For example, do you have some beans in your pantry, how about cleaning and soaking some baby lima beans in a bowl of water with a dash of baking soda tonight. Pull out some boneless pork ribs (or any other meat of your choice) to thaw out over night. In the morning just rinse the beans well and put them in the crockpot and cover them with fresh water just to where the water covers them by about a 1 to 2 inches. Add a small diced yellow or white onion and the thawed out meat (if using ground beef, make sure and fry it up and drain off fat, before adding to the slow cooker) to the crockpot, add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, pepper & a tsp of minced garlic (optional). Add salt later this evening if needed. Put the lid on, put the crockpot on low and that's it. Take a couple of minutes to clean up the kitchen. Dinner will be ready about 8 to 10 hours. Turn the crockpot to warm until you are ready to eat. It's so nice to get home after a long day of work(whether outside the home or at home) and not have to worry about what's for dinner or ordering delivery because we're too tired to cook. For more quick recipes check out the Cook at Home pages. Remember eating at home saves money and Saving Money Makes Cents!!! Have a great evening!
Money Saving Tip:
On the news a while back there was a good money saving tip. The tip was to keep a notebook with the prices of every day items that you buy (of course you would include the name of the store). This is so you can compare prices when you are out & about at other stores, and see if you really are getting the lowest price. Have a great day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Have a website, click on my partner's banner above to join their affiliate program and make some money.
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Jun 13, 2010, Saving Money Makes Cents Resources
Saving Money Makes Cents Resources
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Jun 13, 2010, Thinking about Father's Day
Father's Day is not that far away, if you are like me, you like to find non-typical or unusual gifts. If so here are a few websites that have fun gifts for dads. So if you are planning on ordering a gift, now or within the next couple of weeks is the time so that you are not paying for express shipping and the gift gets here on time. Check some of these sites out.
Fathers day gifts ideas:
Shop the NBC Universal Store
Save 20% at the CBS Store with coupon code FINALE20
Get Father's Day Gifts Under $30 from Discovery Channel
Funny Gag Gifts
Or you could make your own Father's day gift. Does the father in your life like to barbeque? How about making a spice rub gift jar. Check out the gift jars page for some free recipes to make. How about making a trio of different spice jars and add a couple BBQ utencils. What a fun gift. Have a great day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jun 10, 2010, Boy Am I Glad!
That emergency savings account saved me this week. We went out of state for a business(my husband) / relaxation vacation (me) trip this week. And of course I took i took the laptop with me to work on the website. Well the laptop was working fine when we left town, but when I pulled the computer out once we got our rental to check the traffic, it wouldnt work correctly. I tried the rest of that day to figure out what was wrong to no avail. The next day I found a computer repair shop and took it in to see if they could repair it, but again they were also unable to guarantee they could repair it.
So that is where the emergecy savings comes in. Since my computer is my job it's real important to make sure it is working and available at all times. So the smartest thing I did was when the laptop I was using was paid off, I continued to put money in a special savings for a new computer (for in the future). Boy am I glad, it sure came in handy when we had to go buy a new laptop, yipee!! I am up and running again. So if you don't have that emergency/other savings account in place, it's time to start one. You never know when you'll need it.
Have a Great Evening!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
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Jun 5, 2010, Beans & Beef Recipe
Boneless beef roast
½ pound or more dry pinto beans (don’t forget to soak your beans the night before – see the beans recipes page for soaking tips)
Bacon (thick sliced) about 3 or 4 slices
½ cup chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon each of kosher salt, cumin and oregano
2 fresh cayenne peppers, chopped
5-6 cups water
Dice bacon and sauté lightly with onions , set aside bacon and onions and lightly brown the roast in bacon grease. Add beans, browned roast , bacon and onions to crockpot. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and add to the crockpot/slow cooker. Make sure liquid covers beans by at least 1 inch, mix in more water if needed. Cover and cook on low 10 or more hours. Another serving suggestion for this recipe would be to break up the meat and serve the beans and beef over some corn chips, adding your favorite toppings, like grated cheese, guacamole (my favorite), your favorite salsa, lettuce and tomatoes. What can you think of? Enjoy!!
Have a Great Evening!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Jun 2, 2010, What I Want to Save For
Saving money is not only about saving on items you buy by using coupons , rebates , cooking at home instead of eating out. It is also about being wise with your money, saving for emergencies, retirement, that big purchase (perhaps a home) and much more. So being financially wise with the money you make is very important. I am now thinking about retirement as I should be. But I wish I would have been more financially wise and started saving more when I was in my 20s, 30s & even early 40s. I didn't really give much thought to it, like most young folks, until later on in my 40's, and by that time I decided to make it a goal to try and retire early by my mid 50's. It was then I realized I would have to save a lot more to make that goal, as well as become debt free, since I was starting later. So this site Saving Money Makes Cents talks about some of these things and to hopefully help others think ahead for when they want to retire. I decided I didn't want to work until my 60's. If I would have started saving at least 10% of my income when I was in my 20's and/or early 30's I could probably retire now (I am in my early 50's -- did I admit to that? lol). So my goal here is to share some of my experiences and hopefully help others think ahead and start early so they can retire early and/or live comfortably doing what they want during their retirement years -- enjoying life -- doing stuff you weren't able to do while working full time. So check around the site, hopefully you'll be able to use some my tips and ideas, save some money as well as give some thought to start saving for an early retirement, plus a lot more.
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
May 29, 2010, Freezer Cooking
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com
This eBook is filled with all the information necessary to learn how to freeze foods and make those dollars stretch. With information such as how to get started, what items you need, what foods freeze well and foods that don’t quite cut it when it comes to freezing, this eBook tells it all. Worksheets, printable labels and even a few quick and easy recipes are included to get you started with healthier meals when living on a tighter budget.
As a mother, wife and all around caretakers of our homes, we need to find something that will take less time and save money in the kitchen.
Freezing foods makes sense in all aspects. It’s amazing how in just one afternoon you can have a freezer full of healthy foods to feed your family for a month. This eBook will show you how. It’s easy to understand, has all the facts you need to know and will give you the answers to any questions you may have.
Freezer Cooking Made Simple is set up so that even the newly married can find what she needs. It explains why freezing foods can save you money and time. It talks about what you need in the way of equipment, how to shop for foods and how to cook these foods.
There is a section that explains how to safely store your freezer meals including labels to help you remember exactly what you have and how to reheat it. Susanne has included a printable shopping list along with a worksheet to help plan your meals on a weekly and monthly basis. Best of all - there are even a few recipes added to get you started.
If you’re looking for a way to save money and time in the kitchen, I strongly urge you to take a look at Freezer Cooking Made Simple. Once you read through it, put it into motion immediately. You will see that this is a very simple and easy way to make those hours in the kitchen count. Shopping, cooking and freezing foods aren’t as hard as many of us believe. Give it a chance and you will find the answer you’ve been looking for all along.
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
May 25, 2010, Progress, not Perfection
I read a bumper sticker in a parking lot which read, "Progress, not Perfection."
Hundreds of examples of how to apply that motto to finances and child rearing rushed through my head as I made my way past that shiny sedan.
Although most of those ideas flew right out of my brain by the time I got to the keyboard, I'm happy to be able to share what I can recall;)
Have you ever heard that if Christopher Columbus had invested one cent into a fund that yielded compound interest in 1492, that account would now be worth over $95 billion?
The moral is that baby steps work.
Just because you can't change the world (or yourself, or your spouse, or your child) does not mean that you ought not make the incremental changes that can accomplish a tremendous amount.
Let's take a simple example of a positive family change:
"I will stop raising my voice in my communication with my children."
What a wonderful, commendable resolution that is.
Realistically, it may last for two days, two weeks, or perhaps two months if we are particularly soft-tempered!
The general pattern of events is that certain levels of frustration result in raised voices, which, in turn, will result in giving up on the above mentioned resolution.
A roughly translated quote from an ancient sage reads, "He who grabs all is left with none."
How aptly that describes our typical involvement in effecting positive changes.
As humans, we tend to reach for the stars. Thus, our failure to achieve those fantastic expectations results in discouragement.
Let's try a new strategy, a strategy of progress.
How differently would the atmosphere in my household radiate if I cut down on the number of times I raise my voice without altogether pledging to eliminate any and all shouting?
Like Columbus's proverbial penny, little changes add up to great transformations.
A small, positive shift in our behavior is likely to create a pleasant ripple of change through our family life.Find two or three minutes of solitude, and ask yourself this: What can I do to make my child's life a better one? What spending habits can I/we change to make our financial situation a little better?
Additional quality time, more patience during mealtime, taking up a joint hobby, reading a book together are just a few of the ideas that suddenly come to mind. Skip eating out at lunch and taking leftovers, do I really need that flavored coffee from the coffee shop? Remember progress not perfection will start the ball rolling.
Figure out the concept that will work best for you and your family, and commit yourself to create progress, not perfection!
Happy parenting, the job where perfection is always elusive!
P.S. Don't miss RaisingSmallSouls' Online Parenting Retreat: --> Click here to view more details
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
May 24, 2010, Crockpot Recipes Beans
Crockpot Recipes Beans. Put dinner on in the morning and come home from work with dinner already done and waiting for your. Save money by cooking at home.
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May 24, 2010, Save Money with Your Crockpot/Slow Cooker
Crockpots are great for cooking beans, did you know for about the price of 1 can of cooked beans you can buy a bag of beans and make at least four or more times as much, not to mention having fresh cooked beans. Check out the crockpot beans recipe page for how to cook those beans and some recipes. Another great thing is a little meat added to your beans goes a long way. For example I might bake or fry 4 chicken thighs for dinner, but when making my white bean chili, I use just 1 or 2 chicken thighs. Or beans are great for adding those leftover meats to make a great meal.
Another great thing about crockpots is that you can buy cheaper cuts of meat that may be a bit tough and by cooking them in the slow cooker they are very tender after cooking all day.
So remember to cook at home and save alot of money. :-)
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
May 19, 2010, Pork and Potato Casserole
This recipe was shared last year, and was shared with us by PS. Enjoy again.
You'll need a can of cream of chicken soup, pork chops (I like using boneless porkchops in the slow cooker, of course when I buy them on sale or we also buy a boneless pork loin on sale and make our own, by slicing the chops as thick as we like and vacumn packing them (see stocking the pantry), all for a fraction of the cost of pre cut chops), potatoes, onions and cabbage (optional). First in a bowl take your soup and add about 1/4 cup of water mix well. Put about 1/4 to 1/2 cup in the bottom of your crockpot. Brown your porkchops in a skillet and put them in the crockpot, then add a layer of sliced potatoes, a layer of sliced onion and a layer of cabbage (optional), if you want add a second layer of potatoes, onions and cabbage. Pour the rest of the soup mix over the top, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Enjoy!
Want some ideas on how to save with coupons - check out this e-book on 101 Coupon Tips to save More at the Store Click Here! and with purchase of the ebook you get 9 bonuses of several e-cookbooks with one of them being a crockpot cookbook. And the nice think about ebooks is you don't have to wait for your books to arrive in the mail, you just download them to your printer or print them out at your leisure.
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Beautiful Western Greeting Cards for That Special Cowboy
May 14, 2010, I Don't Know Why I Didnt Share This Before!
Ok, I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, especially since this is free. Some of you may have a website or may be thinking of creating one. There is a great Virtual Expo/Convention with 20 of some great internet guru speakers sharing their internet knowledge starting tomorrow and going on all weekend. Go sign up it is way too cool and free. ---> Traffic Rockstars
Now you can upgrade to a variety of VIP backstage passes (yes there is a cost for these, but well worth it, even if it's just the basic VIP Pass - that's the one we got - I couldn't believe all the downloads and bonuses - well worth the money). Once again click here for either the free pass to this great virtual expo, again too cool or upgrade to the VIP backstage pass. ---> Traffic Rockstars
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Here's another scam going on: Evidently folks are getting emails or texts on their cell phone saying that your debit card is being canceled, then they want you to give them your name (as it appears on the card), the card number and your pin number. THIS IS A SCAM. Remember your bank will never email or send you a text or even call you and ask these kinds of questions. So don't give out your information! If you are ever worried about your card being canceled due to something like this, you can call your local bank (and not to the number given you in one of these scam messages)or better yet go to your local branch and ask them. They will verify your card is ok.
Have a Great Evening!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Traffic Rockstars
May 12, 2010, Check out this Great Coupon Offer Before it Expires!
Get your Entertainment Book today! Discounts on dining, hotels, and fun!
May 4, 2010, Couponing makes Cents.....
Using those coupons is one of the easiest ways to save some money. How much you save depends on you. Combining coupons with sales, BOGOs and rebates , of course, saves you much more as well as sometimes getting an item for free. So next time those coupons come in your newspaper or mail take time to go through them and see how much you can save.
Want some more ideas on how to save with coupons - check out this e-book on 101 Coupon Tips to save More at the Store Click Here! and with purchase of the ebook you get 9 bonuses of several e-cookbooks with one of them being a crockpot cookbook. And the nice think about ebooks is you don't have to wait for your books to arrive in the mail, you just download them to your printer or print them out at your leisure.
Have a Great Day!
As always,
Saving Money Makes Cents
Apr 23, 2010, Gift Jars Recipes
Gift Jars Recipies.... Make wonderful gifts for the holidays, seasoning mixes, meat rubs, drink mixes and more.
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