Wednesday's learn and earn,...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

callithump • \KAL-uh-thump\ • noun
: a noisy boisterous band or parade

Example Sentence: Energized with cookies, cake, ice cream, fruit punch, and other sugary treats, the children erupted into a callithump, blowing noisemakers and banging pails.

Did you know? "Callithump" and the related adjective "callithumpian" are Americanisms, but their roots stretch back to England. In the 19th century, the noun "callithumpian" was used in the U.S. of boisterous roisterers who had their own makeshift New Year's parade. Their band instruments consisted of crude noisemakers such as pots, tin horns, and cowbells. The antecedent of "callithumpians" is an 18th-century British dialect term for another noisy group, the "Gallithumpians," who made a rumpus on election days in southern England. Today, the words "callithump" and "callithumpian" see occasional use, especially in the names of specific bands and parades. The callithumpian bands and parades of today are more organized than those of the past, but they retain an association with noise and boisterous fun.

~THE REBATE~

If it's time to reseal the deck then this is the offer for you! Thompson's Water Seal is holding their deck days rebate offer. If you purchase their ADVANCED Wood Protector you can get $4.00 back for per one gallon or $12.00 back of the 5 gallon size, if you choose to go with the waterproofer PLUS wood protector you can get $3.00 back for per gallon size and $9.00 back for the 5 gallon size. The maximum amount you can get back is $12.00. You will need to mail in the completed rebate certificate, the original cash register receipt dated between 4/3/2010 and 10/4/2010 and the UPC code cut from the container(s). You will receive rebate check(s) redeemable at the store where you purchased the Thompson's products. The added bonus to this offer is that Thompson's Water Seal is also donating $1.00 per product to the National Park Foundation up to $50,000, that way you can enjoy your deck at home or the beauty of nature when you visit our National Parks, its a win-win.

Hope you are all having a great week so far.

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

As the temperature gets warmer cooking should get easier, today's meal is a simple marinated chicken on the grill with salad, bread and a dessert we all know and love.

First, marinate your chicken overnight in a ceramic covered dish in the refrigerator, that way they are ready for the BBQ when you are. While the chicken is cooking toss your salad or dish up the side salad of your choice, put some chips in a bowl and your all set for an outdoor evening. Just service with iced tea or iced coffee and for Dessert how about good old fashioned Rice Krispy Bars.

Original Rice Krispie Treats

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Package (10 oz or about 40) regular marshmallows OR 4 Cups of miniature marshmallows

6 Cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

---Main course---

$1.00 off any Golden Plump package of All Natural™ Chicken

$0.50 off any one LAWRY’S® Marinade

$1.00 off when you buy any 1 Kikkoman sauce or glaze

Buy Any Kikkoman Sauce (10oz or larger) Get a FREE 10 Oz Ponzu (Max value $3.00)

---Sides---

$0.55 off the of one package of Tanimura & Antle Artisan® Lettuce

$1.00 off any Two Litehouse® Salad Dressing Products

$.50 off when you buy TWO any flavor Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® Mix

$1.00 off when you buy TWO 4 oz or Larger Bags of T.G.I. Friday's® Chips or Snacks

---Beverage---

$1.00 off the purchase of any 1 bag of Dunkin’ Donuts® coffee 11 oz or larger

$0.50 off the purchase of 1 package of Tetley Tea when you join their email list

---Dessert---

$1.25 off any 3 packages of Kellogg’s® Cereals (10 oz. or Larger, Any Flavor, Mix or Match)

OR

$1.00 off any 2 packages of Kellogg’s® Cereals (10 oz. or Larger, Any Flavor, Mix or Match)

Have a great week everyone!

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

For me one of life's little indulgences is laying in bed at night looking at my magazines. Don't get me wrong, I adore a good book, but magazines offer me the chance to invest a small amount of time and still get something wonderful in return. If you have been reading this blog for awhile you know that I have eclectic taste, and its no different in the magazines I read. I love my Victoria and Tea Time subscription just as much as my Taste of Home and Food and Wine, but when it comes to reading before I go to sleep, nothing inspires better dreams than my travel magazines.

The three I get each week are Vacations, Budget Travel and Travel and Leisure. Of course being as budget minded as I am I have never paid full price for a magazine in my life. There are many companies offering discount subscriptions, you just need to find the best price among them. Here are the sites I look at when I am looking for a deal; MagsDirect.com, Magazines.com, MagsCheap.com, Magazine Deals Now and Subscription-offers.com.

As an example, Vacations is my least expensive publication and it varies in price at each outlet; at MagsDirect.com it is $14.00, at Magazines.com it is also $14.00, at MagsCheap.com it is $9.95, at Magazine Deals Now it is $10.95 and at Subscription-offers.com it is back up to $14.00.

I checked on Retail Me Not and there is currently a 10% discount for Magazine Deals Now if you enter the code MPS10, that would bring the price down to $9.86.

Also, when I place an order for a publication I keep a record of it in my computer; whether you do this on index cards, your smart phone/iPod or in your computer is up to you, but its very helpful when ordering from different outlets. All publications will try to get you to renew, many of them way before your subscription is set to expire, this can get very confusing and is exactly how I ended up with my Better Homes and Garden superscription running through 2012. For each publication I note the name of the magazine, where I purchased it, the price of the subscription and the date it is set to expire, then if I choose to cancel the subscription I know where to go or if I want to renew I know exactly when to do that without having lost an issue or having it run through the next millennium.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

C.Q.

Modern medicine and your money...

Modern medicine is wonderful, why just this week I have seen 2 Doctors, one ER resident and an ultrasound technician just to find out what was wrong with my leg. Turns out there is some clotting in my superficial vein and a regular aspirin a day and a heating pad should clear it up. That being said, I know that if I didn't have insurance I would have never been able to afford all the trips in to find the problem, and that got me to thinking about finding ways to save on decent health care. So, off I went to find information while I was on bed rest to keep my leg up.

First, knowing WHEN to go to the Doctor is important, if you are unsure if you need to go into see your Doctor call the office and ask for the nurse on call or request that the Doctor call you back, then ask your question over the phone. If it is something simple you may not even need to go in for a visit. If you do need to go in for an office call remember that to a Doctor time is money, a longer office call will cost more that a long one, have your questions and concerns written down so you know exactly what your health goals are going into the visit.

Second, if you are going in for a visit, find out if your Doctors office give a discount if you pay right away without waiting for a bill. You would be surprised at how many offices offer this discount, my own clinic offers 10% off for folks paying in cash that don't have insurance coverage.

If you find out you need a prescription be sure to have your Doctor call it in to where you get some sort of reward. Personally I use Target because for every 10 prescriptions I get filled I get a 10% discount card that I can use throughout Target, including the pharmacy. By doing this I not only get a discount on things to brighten my day but I get 10% off my prescriptions AND even if I get them with the discount they still apply towards my required 10 purchases for the next card. Also, be sure to check your preferred pharmacies web site, many times they offer a $5.00 to $10.00 gift card for switching or adding a new prescription. Target is always doing this, just check the web site or call the pharmacy directly.

Also, almost every drug company has coupons or rebates on their web page. Just type in the name of the drug on Google and see what they are offering. For example both my husband and I have some issues with cholesterol, mine with triglycerides his with his over all numbers, I am on Trilipix which is offering a $15.00 rebate, my husband is on Lipitor which has two programs going, one for a 30 day free trial and one that can save up to $15.00 on the prescription every time you get the prescription filled, depending on your co-pay if you have insurance, if you don't you will automatically qualify for the $15.00 off.

I also have my prescriptions filled monthly instead of every 3 months for two reasons, first, each purchase counts towards my 10% reward card and second, many of the drug companies coupons can be printed and used month after month, this actually save me a lot of money over the year, so be sure to weigh the saving vs. the convenience, of you go out every month to a store near where you pick up your prescriptions it is probably worth while to pick them up monthly.

Most importantly I think, is never try to diagnose yourself. A while back I talked to a Doctor who said that Web MD was the worst thing to ever happen to medicine, he had seen a huge spike in people who all thought they had some terrible incurable diseases because the Internet said that dry eyes may be a sign of eye cancer, or coughing may be a sign of lung cancer, meanwhile folks that really needed to get in looked up their symptoms and saw that everything they had could be a sign of simple stress. After that I never looked on the Internet for anything like that again, after all, that's what they went to school all those years to learn.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I hope you all are having great weather.

C.Q.

Friday's freebie

If you love cooking I have two great downloadable cookbooks from two great cooks for you. First is the Martha Stewart Living Radio's Summer Grilling Cookbook. The book is 4 chapters and you can download them individually if you don't want them all. Chapter 1 is Salads and sides, chapter 2 is Appetizers and extras, Chapter 3 is Main dishes and chapter 4 is Drinks and desserts. If you want to get this book I would do it soon because the offer is limited but it doesn't say when it will expire.

The second offer is Emeril's 20 Year Anniversary Cookbook. The cookbooks celebrates the 20th anniversary of Emeril's Restaurant in New Orleans and features some of his best recipes. The 32 page book is in PDF format and ready for you to download and enjoy.

Hope you are all having a great Friday!

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal

The picture...

Every year I look forward to the small patch of peonies opening. They were originally a gift from my grandmother to my mom when she got married and move to her own home, when I got older and moved to a home of my own she gave me a small clump of them. Over the years they have spread and when we move I take most of them with me but leave a few behind for the new owners to enjoy. I love the smell and they are my most anticipated flower every year.

The deal...

While supplies last the Home Market Place is having a clearance sale with up to 80% off their items!! If you have never visited Home Market Place its quite an amazing store, they have everything you need from kitchen and bath items to basement and attic storage and everything in between. Take a little time today and enjoy an online treasure hunt. Be sure to check Retail Me Not for all the available coupon codes, there are way too many to list here.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn,...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

ambuscade • \AM-buh-skayd\ • noun
: a trap in which concealed persons lie in wait to attack by surprise; also : the persons so concealed or their position.

Example Sentence:

"They were apprized of the ambuscade by one of the flanking party, before the Indians fired upon them…." (George Washington, letter, August 4, 1756)

Did you know?

"Ambuscade" derives from Middle French "embuscade," a modification of an Old Italian word formed by combining the prefix "in-" and the Latin noun "bosco," meaning "forest." This is appropriate, since many such surprise attacks have involved the attacking force hiding out in and emerging from a wooded area. "Ambuscade" has not changed in meaning since General Washington’s day, though nowadays we are more likely to use its synonym "ambush." That word actually took a slightly different path to English -- via Middle English "embushen," from Anglo-French "en-" ("in-") and "busche" ("log" or "firewood") -- though the two words ultimately share a relationship.

~THE REBATE~

Growing up I loved Kellogg's Pop-tarts, and truth be told, I still do. Kellogg's has a rebate going on now through September 29, 2011. They are offering 5 different rebate items, 2 free boxes of Pop-tarts, 25 free photo prints, 5 music downloads, movie tickets or a subscription to the Pop-tart magazine. You will need to join the Kellogg's web site to get into the rebate rewards page, registration is easy and if you check the box at the bottom they will send you information on future promotional events. There is nothing to mail in for this rebate, just enter the codes on the insides of the box into your Pop-tarts rewards account. There is a limit of one code per flavor. Limit five rewards per person. Must be U.S. resident 13 and older in the 50 U.S. States (& D.C.).Last day to enter codes 9/29/11. Last day to redeem codes 9/30/11. Since there are over 25 different flavors of Pop-tarts you actually could get all five of the rebate rewards. Happy hunting!!

Hope you all are having a great week so far!

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

I apologize for not getting Monday's blog up, I had a medical problem that I was dealing with. It is getting better by leaps and bounds so I expect to be back on track for the rest of the week, thanks for your understanding and patients.

Have a great week everyone!

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

I have quite a few friends who's special indulgence is watching the Bachelor and the Bachelorette so imagine my surprise when I saw an ad during MY special indulgence of Top Chef for the new wii game of The Bachelor! I know it was something I just had to pass on for them, so here is the low down from the folks in the know at All Game Guide:

The Bachelor: The Video game is an interactive home version of the reality TV dating game show. Following the television format, the game is hosted by a virtual Chris Harrison, and features contestants from the real-life ABC network series. In the role of a single young woman seeking a husband, players interact with the game's featured bachelor, both on "group dates" and in one-on-one situations. Players take personality tests to generate a dating profile and gauge their compatibility with the bachelor. They can choose to sabotage the efforts of other contestants in order to get ahead in the competition. The goal is to receive a rose at the end of each chapter, so to be allowed to continue to the final episodes' hometown and family visits, and ultimately to be the one contestant the bachelor chooses for a long-term relationship at the end of the season. The game also features a gender-reversed version that follows the format of The Bachelorette spin-off series, with multiple male contestants vying to be the final choice of a desirable, single young woman. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The game has everything a Bachelor fan could want:

• Chris Harrison is your host in the game and will take you through the single player mode that is structured like the TV show
  
• Compete against your "frenemies" in multi player mode
  
• Sabotage your opponent's dates to prevent them from receiving a rose?or they may sabotage yours!
  
• Features real-life The Bachelor and The Bachelorette contestants
  
• Take personality tests and view your dating profile and compatibility results

The lowest price I was able to find for the wii game was $29.99 at Amazon, they have free shipping on orders over $25.00 so this qualifies with no additional purchase. There is also a version of the game available for Nintendo DS that also sells at Amazon for $29.99.

Now if they would just make a Top Chef game for me, oh well I am patient.

I hope you all are having a nice relaxing weekend!

C.Q.

Penny wise picnic in the park...

Our sun is finally starting to come back after over two weeks of rainy days so I am thinking about having some fun with a picnic lunch. Its something we love to do on nice bright days. Whether its a local city park, a state park or a national park, there is always something fun to do. While city parks are free, State parks and National parks charge a fee if you don't have an annual pass, check the links for information in your area. When visiting any park remember the "Leave No Trace" rule to Protect our Parks and their Wildlife: Help keep our Parks safe and clean. Protect wildlife by remembering not to feed them and always clean up after your visit. The future of the parks and their wildlife is in our hands.

When packing a lunch, the cooler or picnic basket is an important part, make sure it is well insulated so you don't have any health issues later in the day, nothing spoils your day worse than spoiled food. If you like the more traditional baskets check out PicnicBaskets.com or Picnic Trip (they are currently having a sale), both offer insulated baskets with all the plates, glasses, napkins and serving wear built right in the container for easy storage. That being said, the prices at both stores reflect the price of convenience. If you shop around at local garage sales, Freecycle or on eBay you can find a nice soft sided cooler like the Coleman 30 can soft sided cooler which is the perfect size for two. If you plan on picnicking more than a couple times during the season it is worth looking at garage sales and second hand stores for some silver wear that won't leave you heartbroken if you loss or accidentally toss it in the garbage. Another good investment is some Corelle plates that won't break. You can check on eBay or WalMart has a nice 16 piece set for four for only $25.00, if you choose to have it shipped then they will charge an additional $2.39. Finally, don't forget the blanket, my best advice is to find a King size heavy blanket at a local thrift store and have it cleaned, there is no need to buy a "specialty" picnic blanket. Now that your all set, check out some great inspired sandwich ideas to pack up and take with you for the day at Recipie Zaar. Don't forget your drinks of choice and extra water for Fido or Fifi and your ready for a great day outdoors.

Once your all set to head out its time to think of things to do, if you have younger kids try measuring out a 1' x 1' area for each of them and giving them a pad of paper and a couple of wild plant and bug identification books and let them be explorers in miniature. Set each child up in a different area and let them compare with eachother what they have that's different in their section from the other kids. If you have really young kids bring along some soapy water and a bubble wand. You can even make rainbow bubbles! Check out the Creative Kids site for neat ideas and tips. For older kids bring along a Frisbee or a football to toss around. If you plan on doing any hiking or fishing its a good idea to bring an extra pair of socks in case your feet get wet. And no matter if it just you or you and the whole family, be sure to bring along a camera for the unexpected nature shots and special family moments.

Let me know about some of your fun picnic memories with friends and family!

Have a wonderful weekend.

C.Q.

Friday's freebie

Today I actually have 3 great freebies for you, more specifically for your four legged friend.

First up is the free SoBe-Dog tag, they will send your dog tag to your mailing address. After receiving the tag, return to their site to register your tag. Your free Sobe-Dog.com tag works anywhere in the world and assures your pet's safe return. Sobe-Dog.com will notify you automatically if your dog is found.


The second free offer is for a sample of Rachael Ray's Nutrish Dog Food made with natural ingredients that any furry family member would love. See just how good these foods are and learn a little more about her pet charity, Rachael’s Rescue.

Finally, what pup can resist a great treat? You can get your pet a free-range, grass-fed, hormone-free, all-natural Bully stick for free. Note that they are a small company and send out samples to the first 150 people that request them each month so try early in the month for this treat.

Hope you all have a great day and a wonderful weekend planed.

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal

The picture...

On my recent vacation to Montana friends and I took an overnight to Yellowstone, on our way we passed a group of genuine cowboys at work, being from Minnesota this was a strange to me as ice houses are to someone from Florida.

The deal...

Right now Eddy Bauer is having their semi annual sale, you can save up to 50%! They are featuring men's and women's tee shirts for only $9.99 but they also have some other great deals. I found a Downlight® Sweater Jacket in 3 styles and 4 colors in regular, petite and tall sizes, originally $169 - $189, now marked down to $84.50 - $94.50. This is a great deal if you live in a cold climate. For the men there are also a lot of great deals, I found a pair of Premium Bootcut jeans in 2 colors, in both regular and long rise, regularly $49.50, now marked down to $24.99.

I hope you are all having a nice week!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

vexillology • \vek-suh-LAH-luh-jee\ • noun
: the study of flags

Example Sentence:
Chris first got interested in vexillology as a child after visiting a museum with a large collection of rare flags.

Did you know?
"The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history." Woodrow Wilson was speaking of the U.S. flag when he made that statement in an address in June of 1915, but those who engage in vexillology -- that is, vexillologists -- would likely find the comment applicable to any national banner. Vexillologists undertake scholarly investigations of flags, producing papers with titles such as "A Review of the Changing Proportions of Rectangular Flags since Medieval Times, and Some Suggestions for the Future." In the late 1950s, they coined "vexillology" as a name for their field of research from "vexillum," the Latin term for a square flag or banner of the ancient Roman cavalry. The adjectives "vexillologic" and "vexillological" and the noun "vexillologist" followed soon thereafter.

~THE REBATE~

Buy any 3 SC Johnson products and get $5 back via mail-in-rebate. Products include Ziploc, Glade, Windex, Pledge, Shout, Scrubbing Bubbles, Fantastik, Drano, Raid, Off, Saran, and Nature's Choice. You have until 6/30/10 to make your purchase. Twin and multi packs are considered as one item. You will need to write in the UPC bar codes on the form and mail it in with the original store dated receipts to SC Johnson Rebate, Offer #MB-2000N. P.O. Box 752955, El Paso, TX 88575-2955. They also have a phone number for any questions: 1-800-410-5235

Hope you are all having a great week!

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

Sunny Broccoli Pasta Salad

1 box Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® ranch & bacon pasta salad mix
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 cups small fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower nuts

Directions

1. Empty Pasta mix into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.

3. In large bowl, stir together seasoning mix, mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Stir in pasta, broccoli, onion, raisins and sunflower nuts. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.


Today I found a fun recipe at the Betty Crocker site for a yummy desert too:

Key Lime Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix
1 box (4-serving size) lime-flavored gelatin
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup Key lime juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 or 3 drops green food color, if desired

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons Key lime juice

Frosting:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Grated lime peel, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix and gelatin with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Add remaining cupcake ingredients. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

2. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. With toothpick or wooden skewer, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places.

3. In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle and spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar until mixed; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Frost cupcakes, mounding and swirling frosting in center. Garnish with lime peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

---Main Dish---

$0.50 off any TWO (2) flavors of Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® Mix
$1.00 OFF any TWO(2) DAVID® Seeds Original (14.5 oz.) or JUMBO (16 oz.) bags

---Bread---

$1.00 off any Rhodes Warm-N-Serv™ Rolls

---Beverage---

Buy ONE (1) get ONE (1) FREE (up to $1.99) ANY 16oz, 16.9oz or 17.5oz Snapple® Tea

---Desert---

$0.50 off when you buy BOTH Betty Crocker® Cake Mix & Betty Crocker® Ready to Spread Frosting in any flavor
Sign up at Domino sugar for free coupons delivered to your email

I hope everyone is having a good start to their week!

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

Today I am writing about the next book I plan to start, most likely later today. It was written by one of my dearest friend's brother-in-law as told to him by his grandfather. I can't imagine the horrors of war, the uncertainty of being a POW and the isolation a person must feel when they are finally allowed to come home. The book is called "1219 Days in Hell" and documents the story of Merle E. Tucker's time in the in the army, from enlistment at Fort Snelling in Minnesota to the time spent at a POW camp.

I can honestly say this is a book that I am looking forward to reading with trepidation, its hard to read about war, even harder still when its a real story and the long term effects can be seen in black and white. Its convenient to peek in on the news clips and think "that's just awful" then go back to making dinner. The past is not so far removed from our present situation in the Gulf that this will give you a second thought on what you see every night on the TV.

I am thankful to Helen Tucker, Merle's wife and Randy Cane, Merle's grandson for writing this book, hearing stories of things that happened so someone so close can be difficult at best. I still have nightmares about some of the stories my father told me about his time in the Pacific during WW11.

You can see further information on the book, some excerpts and a scrapbook at the Merle Tucker site. If you have a kindle you can download the book through Amazon for $3.99. If you don't have a Kindle you can still download it via Amazon's free reading apps that will work with iPhone, Windows, Mac, Blackberry and iPad.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

C.Q.

Wedding ideas for a budget...

Wedding season is fast approaching so I thought I would give some ideas on how to save some cash and still have a great wedding. Did you know that the average wedding in the US costs between $20,000 and $35,000? That's a LOT of cash!!

Saving money on the ceremony is pretty easy, first consider having your service at a public park or a friend or parents house, also, don't rule out other non-traditional sites, I have a friend having a Halloween wedding in October and she is having the service at a haunted house, so think outside the box. This will save you the fee for the church and if you have a friend or relative that is a justice of the peace or a minister you can save the fee for their services as well, if not check with the local court house and churches or seminary schools and compare all the rates.

One of the biggest expenses is the dress, the easiest way to save a ton is just to NOT got to the bridal store for a gown. Check your local 2nd hand stores, eBay, and be sure to scope out the stores that sell prom dresses. If you, a friend or family member are crafty you can find a great dress and add beads and/or sequins to make it uniquely your own. Don't be afraid of adding color to your dress either, black is very elegant for an evening wedding and red or gold looks stunning around the holidays.

Instead of a traditional sit down grooms dinner why not opt for a backyard BBQ where everyone can let their hair down and have some fun? Consider some lawn games like badminton or volley ball. If you make it more pot luck the expense will be even less and everyone will have a blast.

When looking for a photographer you will want to make sure you look over every one's work BEFORE you hire them. There are some fantastic photographers at the local colleges just hoping for a way to get a portfolio together, talk to a few of them and compare their styles. The feel will be well below a seasoned professional but you will get a "fresh" eye on your wedding.

Flowers can be a very expensive part of your budget, consider having just a few flowers in your bouquets and more green, and don't be afraid to use some little cute things in your bouquet like pine cones. For your groomsmen you can send a friend to a local florist and see if they have any broken stemmed flowers that they are going to throw away, bootiners need only about a 2" stem for pinning, just wrap them with some florists tape. Stick with flowers that will be in season, Tulips at Christmas are going to be a fortune. If you use some sort of Ivy in your bouquet you can take a clipping and root it so you will have a living reminder of your special day.

Finally, consider a destination wedding, it may not strike you as a budget wedding idea, but think about it. All expenses are covered for you and your guests (with the exception of airfare and your wedding attire). Not only that, but honeymoon expenses aren't necessary as the destination is the honeymoon as well.

Of course, the very best ways to stay on budget is to simply have one, Real Simple has a very nice printable wedding budget worksheet.

I am interested in hearing your ideas, please let me know!

Have a great weekend!!

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

Well school is out and the kids are thrilled! But with every summer a little rain must fall, which makes it harder for the kids to find something fun to do. All summer long select bowling centers across the country and in Canada are participating in the "Kids Bowl Free" program which gives kids two free games of bowling every day for the whole summer. Check the map to find a bowling center near you and be sure to check the rules for the program as well as each bowling facility. There is also an opportunity to purchase a family pass for $24.95 that would allow for the family adults to bowl for the whole summer as well. The only expense with this program would be for renting shoes if you don't have any of your own.

Hope you all have had a great week!

C.Q.

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

The picture...

This Comma butterfly was fluttering around our birch logs last year and finally settled down to sun itself so I could get a picture. I just love the beautiful markings they have.

The deal...

Bath and Body Works is having their semi-annual sale going on in stores and online now! Additionally, if you purchase one of the Yellow totes for $2.50 you will get a coupon for 10% off your orders through July 5th, 2010. Check all the savings including a printable coupon that expires today for a free full size body item with a $10 purchase and a printable coupon that expires June 16, 2010 for a free travel size item with any size purchase.

Hope you are all having a great week!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~


Gretna Green • \gret-nuh-GREEN\ • noun
: a place where many eloping couples are married

Example Sentence:
"During the 1920s through the '40s, Greenwich had a world-reputation as the 'Gretna Green' of the nation, the magnet for couples in a hurry to get married." (Bernie Yudain, Connecticut Post Online, May 26, 2009)

Did you know?
In the England of the 1700s, a person could not marry without parental consent until age 21. The Scottish were more lenient, allowing young people to marry without parental permission at 16. England also had rules that made it difficult to marry quickly, but Scottish law required only that couples declare their desire to be married in front of witnesses before tying the knot. So it isn't surprising that many English couples ran to Gretna Green, a small village on the English-Scottish border, when they decided to elope. In Gretna Green, the wedding ceremony was typically performed by the blacksmith at a roadside tollhouse, but it was all perfectly legal.

~THE REBATE~

Have and HP printer? Time for new ink? Now until 6/30 if you purchase $75.00 of eligible ink at the same time (there are a ton listed on the form) you can receive a $15.00 Shell gas gift card. This offer is capped at 10 gift cards and requests must be received within 45 days of purchase. You need to mail in the original or copy of your receipt or packing slip between 4/1/10 and 6/30/10 with the purchase price circled, the rebate form, and the original UPCs from the qualifying boxes to:

HP Ink - $15 Gas CardOffer #L077

P.O. Box 753327

El Paso, TX: 88575-3327

I hope everyone is having a good week so far!

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit

Sunday's media madness

I am back from vacation and all unpacked and hopefully back on schedule. When I got back I was excited that season 3 of one of my favorite TV shows was out on DVD. Burn Notice caught my attention last year and I purchased both seasons 1 and 2 and watched them back to back. Now USA Network has released seasons 1 and 2 together. The lowest price I found was at Walmart for $42.86, however it is currently out of stock, if you have other shopping to do in the store call ahead and see if they have it on the shelf, then you can pick them up when you go, if you need to have them ship it when its back in stock the shipping charge is only $0.97, making the total for the DVD purchase $43.83. The next lowest price was with Tiger Direct for $45.99, if you live in FL, IL or NC they will add tax to your purchase and shipping is right around $5.00 depending on where you live. The very lowest priced option is to buy season 1 and 2 separately, Best Buy has them both on sale right now for $19.99 each, making the total price $39.98. Be sure to check out the current listings on eBay as well, you may be able to find a lower price on a used DVD set.

I just purchased season 3 at Best Buy for $31.99 but it is a touch less at Walmart for $31.86. If you are willing to wait and have it shipped the lowest price around for season 3 is at Deepdiscount for $22.48 with the 25% off coupon code 25MORE, and they have free shipping.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

C.Q.