Saving with Style

Affordable Natural Wrinkle Treatments

2008-12-03T00:35:00.000-05:00

There are so many different types of wrinkle creams and anti-aging treatments in the marketplace. Everyone wants better skin, but most of the wrinkle creams are very expensive. The outrageous prices are usually because you are paying for the brand name. If you do not have the budget to buy the "latest" cream or treatment or if you prefer natural products, here are some inexpensive homemade wrinkle fighters.

How to Cure Wrinkles with Natural Treatments

Mix 1 teaspoon of raspberry juice with one teaspoon of orange juice. Add one teaspoon of olive oil, whipped egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of grind oatmeal. Wait for 20 minutes and smear on face. Wait until it gets dry and wash off with warm water.

Grind an onion and Rub on face to loose the wrinkles.

Mix 2 tablespoons of Vodka with 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds and half a teaspoon of honey. Boil and then refrigerate for 3 days. Apply on face with a cotton ball and wash off with warm water.

Whip the egg white and put on face wrinkles until it drys and then wash with cool water.

Cyber Monday

2008-12-01T08:04:00.000-05:00

Don't forget about Cyber Monday today! Make sure you go to your favorite store's website and check to see if they are participating. Ready, set, shop!!

Happy Black Friday!

2008-11-28T05:00:00.001-05:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you are out shopping now, I hope that you are able to get all of things you were looking for and that your bones are intact! For those of you that decided not to brave the Black Friday war zone of early bird holiday shoppers, don't forget about Cyber Monday! Also, check your favorite online stores today because many retailers offer Black Friday online as well. Happy Bargaining!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Pamper Yourself without Breaking the Bank

2008-11-26T00:12:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like going to the spa and getting yourself pampered. However, with a little preparation, it is possible to pamper yourself at home. Granted, it is not the spa, but it is MUCH cheaper and if done right, it will be relaxing. The key is to really set aside time for yourself. Take a bath. Listen to relaxing music. If you have kids, send them away to the grandparents or have your husband or partner take them out for a special day together.

Body Scrub

Ingredients:
2 cups fine sea salt
4 cups grapeseed, apricot, or almond oil

Directions:
(1). In a glass jar, combine the ingredients and stir to blend.
(2). Standing in the bathtub or shower, wet your body and then scoop some of the mixture into your hand. Massage into your skin using a circular motion, beginning at your feet and working your way up.
(3). Rinse thoroughly with warm water. An oily residue may remain on your skin, so if your skin is naturally dry, allow it to stay. If your skin is naturally oily, remove the residue with a gentle soap, then pat dry.

Invigorating Coffee Scrub

Ingredients:
3 T Coffee grounds (organic-caffeinated)
1 T Salt (optional)

To Make: Brew a fresh pot of coffee. Enjoy a cup, if you like. Put grounds (and salt) in a small bowl. Use grounds within 20 minutes of brewing before oxidation occurs.
To Use: Scrub mixture over entire body while in the shower. Rinse. Tone. Moisturize.

Yogurt Body Mask

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Yogurt
3 T Honey
3 T Puréed Pumpkin OR
3 T Puréed Carrots

To Make: Use canned (nothing added), or slightly cooked pumpkin or carrots. Drain, and purée in a blender. Pour into a bowl with the yogurt and honey.
To Use: Draw a warm bath. Lather your face and body with the yogurt mask. Sink into a warm bath and soak for 10-20 minutes. Rinse in the shower, tone, and apply a light moisturizer.

Lavender & Honey Milk Bath

Ingredients:
3 T dried Lavender flowers*
1 1/2 cups whole mild, cream, or combination
1/3 cup Honey

Directions:
Process lavender flowers in a blender until they become a powder, turning off the blender and scraping down the sides as necessary. Whisk together lavender powder, milk and honey in a glass bowl, then pour into a jar. Before each use, shake the jar and pour half of the mixture into the bath. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes enough for 2 baths.

Kids Eat Free

2008-11-25T00:50:00.000-05:00

This is a wonderful list I found online of restaurants that offer free kids meals and which day of the week it is offered. Check the list and see if any of these restaurants are local to you. If you know of a restaurant that offers free kids meals and it is not listed here, feel free to leave me a comment letting me now the restaurant name and what day of the week they have free kids meals.

Monday
Margaritas - all day
Hangtown Grill - all day
Gattiland - moms eat free
TGI Friday's - kids eat free and get free animal balloons
Texadelphia South
Zuzu - after 6:00 p.m.
La Salsa - after 4:00 p.m.
Double Daves Pizza - kids under 5
Serranos
Joe's Crab Shack - Kids meal $0.99 up to two meals per paying adult
IHOP - 12 + under
Fazoli’s: 5-8 p.m. They do not have a kids eat free night, but they do have a craft table set up for the kids.
Texas Roadhouse: 5-8 pm, 99-cent kid's meals
Loco's: Children 12 and under eat free w/the purchase of an adult meal
Wooden Nickel: Kids' menu 99 cents w/purchase of an adult meal, free games 4-8 pm
Las Banderas: Kids eat free w/an adult purchase, kids choice from kids' menu
Red Robin - after 4:00 p.m.
Spaghetti Works - 11 + under

Tuesday
Lone Star (Before 4 p.m.)
Denny's - Kids 10 & Under (4-10 p.m.)
Spaghetti Warehouse - at night
Fazoli's - kids eat for $0.99 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Kerbey Lane - all day
Denny's - 4-10:00 p.m.
Chick-fil-A - after 5:00 p.m.
Bennigan's - after 5:00 p.m.
Zuzu - after 6:00 p.m.
La Salsa - after 4:00 pm
McAllisters
Double Daves Pizza - kids under 5
Central Market - N. Lamar
Joe's Crab Shack - $0.99 kids meals up to two per paying adult
Pizza Hut - Free Buffet, 12 + under
Houlihan's
Applebee's - Kids pay $0.99
IHOP - 12+ under
Ryan's: They have characters, activities, and your child will receive a coupon, so the next visit, they eat free.
Pizza Hut: 5:30-8 p.m. Kids coloring activity. Free buffet for children with purchase of adult buffet.
Beef O' Brady's: 4-8 p.m. free kids meal with each adult meal.
Chick-Fil-A: 5-8 p.m. free kids meal with purchase of combo meal.
Fox's Pizza: Kids eat free and play games free (children 12 and under will enjoy a free bambino pizza and four game tokens w/purchase of any regularly priced Medium, Large or Big Daddy Pizza. Dine in only, drinks not included.)
Qdoba - limit 2 kids per paying adult

Wednesday
Applebees - Kids 12 & under eat for $0.99 after 4 p.m.
Luby's - after 4:30 p.m.
EZ's - all day
Moe's Southwest Grill - after 5:00 p.m.
Central Market - after 5:00 p.m.
Zen - after 5:00 p.m.
La Salsa
Double Daves Pizza - kids under 5
Joe's Crab Shack - $0.99 kids meals up to two per paying adult
Moe's: (after 4:00) Free kids meal with each adult meal.
Fox's Pizza: Kids eat free and play games free (children 12 and under will enjoy a free bambino pizza and four game tokens w/purchase of any regularly priced Medium, Large or Big Daddy Pizza. Dine in only, drinks not included.)

Thursday
La Salsa
Double Daves Pizza- kids under 5
Joe's Crab Shack - $0.99 kids meals to two per paying adult
Atlanta Bread Company: All children eat free!
Fox's Pizza: Kids eat free and play games free (children 12 and under will enjoy a free bambino pizza and four game tokens w/purchase of any regularly priced Medium, Large or Big Daddy Pizza. Dine in only, drinks not included.)

Friday-none listed

Saturday
Lone Star (Before 4 p.m.)
Denny's - Kids 10 & Under (4-10 p.m.) Not all Locations.
Luby's - all day
Texas Land & Cattle - from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sunday
Souper Salad - kids aged 3-5 eat for $0.50; kids aged 6-12 eat for $0.99
Zen - all day
Texadelphia - at certain locations
Dickey's
Applebee's - 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Barley & Hops
El Toreo: 99-cent kid's meals
Rodeo: 99-cent kid’s meals

Every Day
CiCi's Pizza - Kids 3 & under
Fresh Choice - kids aged 2 and under eat free; kids aged 3-5 eat for $0.99; kids aged 6-8 eat for $2.99
Denny's - kids eat free on their birthday
Pizza Hut's lunch buffet
Souper Salad- kids under 4
Buffalo's Southwest Cafe has kid's eat free days. The day varies by location It was Sunday at the Sprayberry location in Marietta (12 and under) no apparent limit to how many kids eat free were allowed in a party
Ponderosa - 12 + under
Perkins - 12+ under, 4:00 - 10:00 p.m.
O'Charley's

Black Friday UPDATE!

2008-11-24T00:12:00.000-05:00

Black Friday is almost here-only 4 more days! In order to plan, you have to be able to see the ads before Thanksgiving night. Many new ads have been posted on the internet.

My suggestion is to visit the sites listed below and make your game plan for the day. Write down what you want to buy, where it is located, and what time the store opens. Then, prioritize. What are the must-buy items on your list. Make sure to get to those places early. Most of the great buys are limited in quantity. So, get there early!

BlackFriday.com
BlackFriday.net

Cyber Monday

2008-11-23T03:43:00.004-05:00

What is Cyber Monday?

The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Whereas Black Friday is associated with traditional brick-and-mortar stores, "Cyber Monday" symbolizes a busy day for online retailers. The premise was that consumers would return to their offices after the Black Friday weekend, making purchases online that they were not able to make in stores. Although that idea has not survived the test of time, Cyber Monday has evolved into a significant marketing event, sponsored by the National Retail Federation's Shop.org division, in which online retailers offer low prices and promotions.

Knowing which stores participate is the difficult part. Your best bet is to be on your computer on December 1st at midnight and check out your favorite stores. As I find out which stores will be participating, I will post them here.

Sell Your Used Books for Cash!

2008-11-22T14:22:00.003-05:00

I have over 30 old textbooks from college just sitting around collecting dust. A couple of months ago, I found out about Cash 4 Books. They buy back your used text books and other types of books as well. They pay for the shipping so it won't cost you a dime to send them your books. What you do is enter your book's ISBN into their search box and see how much your book is worth. If you choose to sell it, add it to your cart and print the shipping label. When they receive your books, they will either deposit your money into your Paypal account or mail you a check. If you choose the Paypal options, Cash 4 Books will actually give you a 3% bonus for not having to mail out a paper check. It is really easy and a quick way to make a little extra cash. I sold three books two months ago and made $54.62. Not bad for a few dusty books and about 10 minutes of my time!

Sell Used Books - Have Your Books Shipped To Us For Free And Get Fast Cash Back!

Wedgie Free Wednesday

2008-11-19T21:19:00.002-05:00

I know you are asking yourself, What the heck is Wedgie Free Wednesday? Hanes is having a contest every Wednesday in which they will be giving away 500 of their new No Ride Up panties! Enter for a chance to win!

Free Elle Accessories Magazine

2008-11-19T02:40:00.002-05:00

Sign up to receive future issues of Elle Accessories Magazine for FREE!! I just signed up-woot!!

Give & Get

2008-11-11T01:57:00.009-05:00

Get 30% off¹ during Gap, Inc.'s best-ever friends and family event. They're calling it Give & Get, because for every purchase you make, they give 5% of the amount you spend to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

During Gap, Inc.'s August Give and Get event, they donated $1.3 million to their nonprofit partners. So here's a proven way to make your shopping count.

When: 4 days only, November 13-16
Where: In stores only at Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic

Print the coupon above and use as many times as you want!UPDATE: I'm having problems getting the whole coupon up so to keep from having problems at the store if you email me then I will forward the whole coupon to you.

More Tips To Save You Money

2008-11-07T02:30:00.005-05:00

It's always frustrating when I buy something and later it goes on sale. Priceprotectr.com is a great website that helps protect you from that. All you do is register your purchase and email on their site and they will alert you when the item you bought goes on sale. Since a lot of stores will refund the price difference, using this free service can really save you money. Of course, you could also sign up before you buy and item and wait to be alerted of the sale BEFORE you buy!

Another great website is gasbuddy.com, which tracks the cheapest gas stations in your area. All you do is plug in your destination to find the cheapest stations to fill up.

If you're a big Ebay shopper, you probably know that a lot of sellers try to sell their items at retail price...sometimes even more! When you add that to the outrageous shipping costs, you can easily spend more on an item than buying it new in a store. Honesty.com helps you avoid this by showing you what is currently for sale on Ebay and telling you what the item usually sells for. This way you won't overpay!

Great Site!

2008-11-03T13:46:00.001-05:00

I've been hearing about Coupon Mom a lot for the past few months because the woman that started it is from Georgia. Finally, after months of hearing about it, I decided to check it out. Well, let me say that this site is the BEST coupon site on the web. I always hear of people saving A LOT of money using coupons, but every time I try to figure out a way to do it-it becomes way too overwhelming. It's a lot of work trying to figure out which grocery store is having a sale and on which item, clipping coupons, organizing, etc. Coupon Mom does ALL of this for you. It is seriously amazing and really worth checking out. I already clip coupons, but I don't save that much. Of course, savings are savings, but compared to the hardcore coupon clipping people out there, it is pennies! Anyhow, the whole site is free. She has free Ebooks explaining how to do it. On top of that, she actually lists who is having a sale and on what items and tells you which coupons to use. Honestly, the site is so detailed that I can't even come close to explaining it or doing it justice. Head on over there and see for yourself!

Black Friday!

2008-11-02T14:38:00.005-05:00

It's almost time for Black Friday, which is the kick off mega sale for Christmas shopping! It also means traffic, long lines, cranky "holiday" shoppers, and fighting people for the "hot" new toy-LOL! Sounds like a lot of fun! Some years there are deals that I can't pass up so I enter the Black Friday warzone, but if I can avoid it then I do! Nowadays, though, stores are offering their sales ONLINE, which is amazing! You can stay home in your PJ's digesting the massive turkey meal from the night before and shop from your computer! Either way, whether you hit the stores in person or online, it is time to start preparing. There are many websites that get the Black Friday ads BEFORE the day and post them online. It's important to visit these sites often because many times the retailers find out and have the ads pulled from the websites. This way you can plan your "strategy" for the day. If not, you will have to wait for the paper to come out Thanksgiving evening to see the store ads and coupons.

Here are a couple websites that have already begun posting store ads:
www.black-friday.net/
www.blackfriday.info/

Save Money On Your Grocery Bill

2008-10-19T23:05:00.004-04:00

How To Save Money At The Grocery Store

1. Plan, plan, plan. Seriously, plan your meals ahead of time and make a grocery list by aisle. Promise yourself that you will stick to your list!
2. I know you have heard this one many times, but there is a reason why! Do not go to the grocery store hungry. This is a sure fire way to impulse buy because your growling stomach will be leading you.
3. Take advantage of coupons, frequent shopper programs, etc. There are websites now that allow you to "load" your store's frequent shopper card with coupons before you go to the store eliminating the need to clip coupons. One of these websites is Coupons.com However, I still suggest clipping coupons because you will find many more coupons in your Sunday paper. Finally, find out what your store's policy is on doubling coupons. Some stores will even triple your coupons.
4. Try store brands. Many stores are offering great store brand options even organic products that are really great.
5. If you are loyal to some specific brands, go to their company website and register. Most of these companies will email you coupons.
6. Don't buy something just because it is on sale. If you don't need it or it is not on your list, don't buy it. Find out your store's policy on Buy One Get One Free. Most stores charge 50% off each item so if you only need 1, you will be saving money.
7. Skip as many convenience or prepackaged foods as you can. For example, crumbled Feta cheese is more expensive than whole Feta. It only takes seconds to crumble it yourself. If you buy Lunchables for your kids, it is just as easy to buy crackers, a deli meat, and cheese and cube/cut yourself and store in containers.
8. Pay close attention at the cash register. Make sure that you are not charged more or that one item is accidently scanned twice.

Inexpensive Children's Wall Art

2008-10-16T00:30:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you, but it is hard to find great children's wall art that won't cost you an arm and a leg. I mean they grow so fast and go through so many likes, dislikes, and stages that it would be difficult and expensive to keep up with the new trend. For my son's nursery, I bought vintage magazine car ads from Ebay for $3. For $3 I got 12 car ads. I framed them in very cheap frames from Old Time Pottery. They were a few bucks a piece. You could use children's story books, magazines, calendars, etc and cut out the pages you like, frame, and hang on the wall. I also recently read in a magazine about a mom who cut out the front of cereal boxes, framed them, and hung them in her child's playroom. I thought that was a pretty cool idea.

I also took a small picture I had that I did not like. I painted and distressed the frame. The canvas I painted using chalkboard paint. If you don't have a picture you don't like, check out garage sales for some bad artwork. Trust me they are everywhere. You can find stuff for cents or a couple of bucks. Then, you can turn it into what you want. I have made corkboards like this too.

Decorating With Flowers

2008-10-14T16:36:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love flowers especially using them as décor at parties or events. They can be very expensive though. You have to buy the flowers and vases to put them in. To get the biggest bang for your buck, I always try to use the same color and type of flower. Sometimes, I will use other types or colors, but I use them sparingly within an arrangement. One way I save money is by using everyday household containers as vases. I use coffee cans, jars, cans from fruit or veggies, Frapuccino jars, and even Pringles cans. I have been collecting containers for over a year so I have a lot of them! My husband used to think I was a total weirdo when I first began collecting containers. Now, after seeing them in use, he thinks it’s pretty cool. Here is an example of a coffee container I turned into a vase.

Here is a Pringles can:

Here are a bunch of flowers in “vases” made from household containers. I use paper to line them and then attach a ribbon. You could use fabric, felt, wrapping paper, paper, etc.

These are artificial flowers, which, honestly I have no problem using. I love fresh flowers, but they can get expensive so I like to have a bunch of artificial flowers on hand that I can use to decorate. If I use artificial flowers, I use a different technique with the clear jars. Instead of lining the outside, I cut a piece of paper to the height of the jar and then, I roll the paper into a tube and drop it into the jar. This way, you can’t see the stems through the jar and they look more “real”.

To make your vases, you will need the following items:

Save Money, Save the Planet, and Save Your Health

2008-10-09T02:54:00.000-04:00

We all know how important it is to lead a greener life, but this can sometimes be expensive. One way to help the planet, build a stronger immune system, and save money is to make your household cleaners. The chemicals typically used in household cleaners are known poisons, carcinogens, respiratory irritants, neurotoxins, and hormone disruptors. About 10% of all poison control calls are due to ingestion of household cleaners-2/3's of these involve children. Household cleaners have also been associated to wheezing and asthma problems in children. The EPA has found that our indoor air is often 2 to 5 times more polluted than outside air. One of the main culprits are chemicals in our cleaners. We also send these chemicals down our drains and they pollute our lakes and rivers. Making your own cleaners is really one of the best, easiest, and cheapest ways of reducing the toxic load in your body and home and helping our planet. I know this sounds like a PITA, but I just did it yesterday and it was easy. Best of all, it was super cheap to do, they are actually effective, and they look pretty cute too! I spent about $30 for all of the supplies. This includes all of the ingredients, two essential oils, and spray bottles. I have enough to make cleaners for at least 6 months to a year! I paid $1 for the spray bottles at The Dollar Store and made the labels on my computer.

These are the cleaners I made:

Glass Cleaner
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 tsp dish soap
10-15 drops essential oil
Spray Bottle

All Purpose Cleaner
1/2 tsp washing soda
1/2 tsp liquid Castille soap
2 cups hot water
10-15 drops essential oil
Spray Bottle

Disinfectant
Hydrogen Peroxide
10-15 drops essential oil
Spray Bottle

Hardwood Floor Cleaner
4-5 Tbsp Murphy's Oil Soap
2 Cups Water
Spray Bottle

Furniture Polish
2 cups oil (vegetable or olive)
1 squeezed lemon
15 drops of lemon essential oil

Air Deodorizer
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp vinegar
2 cups water
10 drops essential oil
Spray Bottle

Blogs I Love

2008-10-03T19:51:00.001-04:00

This is a great list of blogs that everyone should check out when you get a chance:

A Little of This and That

All in a Blog

Angies Silly Stuff

Anything I Think About

Baby Luvin

Blog About it

Blog Fogg

Bloggie Mommie

Busy Bee Village

The Cajun Blogger

Candle At Both Ends

Cat-o-nine Tales

Claudette's Words

A Christian Marriage

Confetti by:Kateedyd

Coodas Corner

Cypress TX Mom

Da Boss And Bryguy

Deal with Chrominc Pain

Different World

Domesticated Diva

Drizzly Blog

Fat Girl Goes Fit

Feelings Just Are

Flipping Adentures

Florida Travel Spots

4 Cats Make Me Crazy!

The Fuzzbutt Files

The Geeks Girl

Godly Woman

Good News

Green 'n' Pink

Happy Healthy Families

Have Your Health

Healthy Home Blog

Here On Columbia Avenue

Hillbilly Heart

House of Bargains

House Wife Wom

Huckle Buckle and Other Mom Stuff

A Hunter's Wife

I Don't Commute

I Feel Like A Woman

I Love My 3 Boys

It's Just My Thoughts

Jolly Mom

Kateedyd What?!

Kimmi's Krazy World

Kim's Kountry Kitchen

KKB Mom of 3

Kookie Krumblez

Lipgloss N" Pinups

Luxury Lifestylez

Making My American Dream

Mia's Motivation

Mix World

Mad Mommy

Moma's Crazy World

Moma's Life

Mommie’s Marbles

Mommy Mia's World

Mom Tidings

Mom to Three Sisters

Moon Babyz

Ms Frugal McDougal

My Big Fat Battle

My First Steps With Jesus

My-Junk-Drawer

My So Called Blog

My Name is Not “Mom”

My Song of Joy

My Wahm Life

My Weekly Beef

Notes From a Wannabe WAHM

Not Just In Your Head

101 Ways to Save

Pamela-te-da

Paradise Fiber Studio

Photos for the Fun of it

Postcard from Somewhere

Pure Jade Home

Raising a Girl

Remotely Mommy

Saving with Style

Saving With Tracy

Savvy Business Moms

Secola‘s Space

Secret Thoughts and More

Shrinking Pamelalala

SlickMom

Something Witty to Say

Success Factors

Surgical Nurse Musings

Talk Time with Kim

That‘s What I am Talking About

The Geek's Girl

The Jolly Kitchen

Thrifty Momma Ramblings

Thrifty Thoughts

Time Keeps on Flying

Vibrant Healthy U

Wahm Adventures

WAH and Loving It

WICBlog

The Work From Home Blog

Work from Home Options

World of Homemaking

World of Mom

First Post

2008-09-28T17:30:00.000-04:00

This is my first post on Saving with Style. I am relatively new blogger, but I am not a newbie when it comes to style on a tight budget. I really enjoy coming up with modern, stylish designs at a fraction of the price. I mean, if we had boundless money, we could choose anything we want. Where is the challenge in that? It feels good to design a room or buy an outfit and know you saved money. This blog will be a place for us to be able to share tips, advice, and information on how to save money without sacrificing style.