Keep your savings from going up in smoke...

Let me preface this with the fact that I used to smoke, and I know its not easy to quit.  I lowered the amount I smoked every day to about 5 cigarettes, but just couldn't seem to quit. I needed a prescription to help me finish what I started.  But in the long run it has worked great for me, I haven't had a cigarette since December 25th 2007, it was my subconscious Christmas gift to myself.  I didn't pick a quit date like they tell you to because that would have just set me up to fail; if I smoked on my quit date I would have just said "oh bummer I blew it" and I would still be smoking today.  Instead, I just got busy and involved in the day and before I knew it it was time for bed and I hadn't smoked all day, and finding out it didn't cause me to have a seizure, pass out, or even break a sweat?   Well that revolution has kept me from going back, OK, that and the money, which is why I am writing this blog. 

I started smoking when I was 17 and when I was smoking at the start of 2007 I was up to two packs a day, and at $5.00 per pack (the price back then) it was costing me $3,650.00 per year to smoke, then throw in the Doctor bills from when I would get Bronchitis and I was well over $4,000.  Now Cigarettes are up to $6.50 per pack and probably going up again after the New Year, making smoking a very expensive pass time.  If you are thinking 2011 is your year to quit the habit here are some options.

Nicotine replacement is a popular over the counter option and will help curb your cravings.  These aids include patches, gums and lozenges.  Most folks have heard of Nicoderm CQ, the program that helps you quit in stages over time, if you would like to give this method a try they have a very helpful web site that will help you customise a plan that fits your needs.  They are also offering a $7.00 coupon as well as a sample patch (which doesn't contain any nicotine) to see how your skin reacts to the adhesive.  If you decide you want to give the gum or lozenges a try the Nicorette web site has quit plan and it can be customised just for you, they are also offering a $7.00 coupon for their products.  As per the American Heart Association; "Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has been shown to be safe and effective in helping people stop using cigarettes when used as part of a comprehensive smoking cessation program"  Be sure to check out programs that are in your area, you can check with your health care provider or contact the American Heart Association for more information.

If you have tried the nicotine replacement in the past with limited or no success then you can ask your Doctor about a prescription.  Its important to talk to your Doctor to see which type of medicine will work for you, the drugs in the Bupropion class are a form of an anti depressant and include both Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL as well as Zyban.  Wellbutrin now comes in generic form so you can find it at a lower cost if this is the product that will work best for you.  Wellbutrin and Zyban are both made by GlaxoSmithKline who offer prescription programs that make their medications free or almost free to people that qualify, there are a few different plans on their website.  The other popular medication is Chantex which actually blocks the receptors in the brain which in turn makes the cravings stop.  (This is the medication I used)  It is put out by Pfiser who has a great Chantix web page that will help you understand how it works and create a quite plan for you.  They also have a coupon available for $30.00 off. 

In Minnesota we have a thing called Quite Plan that is run by the state, its a place where you can talk to a coach over the phone or use the online tools to help you get started and help keep you on your path towards your goal.  If your state doesn't offer anything then check out the US web site SmokeFree.gov for information and tools.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

C.Q.

Friday's Freebie...

If you are looking for something really nutritious for your cat then why not try the three free samples of Natural Nutrition Cat Food?  Just go to the Pure Cat web page and fill in your shipping information then sit back and and in about four to six weeks your three different flavored cans will be in your mail box.

I hope you all have had a great week!

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

This little Chickadee was in our front yard waiting patiently for its turn at the feeder.  All the birds were busy that day to get as much seed as they could since it had just snowed along with some rain and there was more on the way that evening.

The deal...

Have some last minute gift to get?  Why not get the gift of snacks, better yet they can be delivered right to their door, saving you time as well as some cash.  Right now the Popcorn Factory is offering 10% off your order of $50.00 or more using coupon code CE10 or 20% off your order of $100.00 or more using coupon code CE20 through December 19th.  If the person on your list isn't a popcorn fan then check out the good stuff over at Fannie May.  They are celebrating their 90th year of Christmas with a sale you can tailor to what you want, get 50% off with coupon code 15650, or get 30% off and free shipping using coupon code 15630, the choice is yours through December 18th.  With these great saving you could send yourself a gift or two.

I hope you are all having a great week and staying warm wherever you are.

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

crapulous  \KRAP-yuh-lus\ ~  adjective

DEFINITION:

1: marked by intemperance especially in eating or drinking

2: sick from excessive indulgence in liquor

EXAMPLES: Most of the guests were still crapulous from the previous night's bacchic revelry.

"They were crapulous and carrying blue cans of beer, one of them with a can in each hand." -- From Paul Theroux's 2008 book Ghost Train to the Eastern Star

DID YOU KNOW? "Crapulous" may sound like a word that you shouldn't use in polite company, but it actually has a long and perfectly respectable history (although it's not a particularly kind way to describe someone). It is derived from the Late Latin adjective "crapulosus," which in turn traces back to the Latin word "crapula," meaning "intoxication." "CrapulaCrapulous" first appeared in print in 1536. Approximately 200 years later, its close cousin "crapulence" arrived on the scene as a word for sickness caused by drinking. "Crapulence" later acquired the meaning "great intemperance especially in drinking," but it is not an especially common word.


~THE REBATE~

You can get a $4 mail in rebate, when you purchase EAT PRAY LOVE on Blu-ray or DVD and any two Classico Pasta Sauce products.  You will need to mail in the original dated cash register receipt showing products purchased together with the completed rebate form.  The Classico Sauces and the DVD must be purchased between November 15th, 2010 and February 28, 2011 and all submissions must be received by March 15, 2011.  Allow up to 12 weeks for delivery.

I hope you are all having a fantastic week!

C.Q.

It's A Matter of Taste

In Minnesota folks don't use a lot of spices. Think of a lot of white bland food. Its the Scandinavian heritage that most folks have. Salt, pepper and ketchup are the big three of spices. Its very rare anyone will use chili powder or Tabasco sauce. Some cooks shake it up and use ginger and nutmeg in baking.

When I moved to Montana, I was in for a rude awaking. These people have spices and are not afraid to use them. They have cabinets full of spices. Everything from All Spice to Turmeric. I'm still not clear on when to use Turmeric. These people have whole cupboards of spices and are not afraid to use them.

My now, husband, used to cook for me when we were dating. He had a whole shelf system of spices in little jars, all labeled and all scary looking. As he would cook dinner for us he would use a minimum of three spices. As he cooked he would tell me, "I don't know about you but my ___ don't come pre-seasoned." It used to make me laugh, until he said it about everything he cooked. Then it got old.

I got to thinking about spices last night at dinner. I had made a new to us recipe. Before the Mr. dug in he asked, "What kind of spices did you use?" Well heck, I didn't even think about it. I told him, "None." He started to pout and said, "Not even salt or pepper?" Nope, the recipe didn't call for it. It had spaghetti sauce in it, so I figured that was enough spice.

We ate it and it and didn't die from lack of spice. However, in my head I thought it needed something. Living in Montana must have rubbed off on me.

Photo from LifeHacker website

Meet Me On Monday

I recently found a great Monday idea over at a blog called Nerver Growing Old and I loved the idea so I decided to join her blog hop, let me know if you like the idea and I would love to see your answers to the questions. 

1. How do you order your steak?



I like steak rare, if it dosen't moo when I put a fork in its over cooked, unless its a flank steak then it should be medium or its too tough.


2. Are you superstitious about anything?




Not as a general rule, but I do make wishes on falling stars.

3. Who is your best friend (not including your spouse)?



I would have to say that I am blessed to have many, Bernie and Jen who's sole goal in life is to make me wet my pants laughing, Tammi who I never see enough of, Jane who has one of the kindest hearts I know,

4. When is the last time your wore a dress (for the guys...a suit)?



I wore a long midievel dress for my friend Bernie's wedding, if that dosen't count then it would have been over the summer before I started getting problems with my legs.  I am planning on wearing one over Christmas though.

5. Do you have any trips scheduled?




Hubby and I are planning on going to Colonial Williamsburg for next Christmas.
 
Hope you enjoy the blog hop, have a fantastic day!
 
C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

The quintessential Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol, but which version is your favorite?  Personally the the 1951 Alistar Sim version.  Here is a bit of trivia that will go a long way to explaining one of the films most famous of words: "The word "humbug" is misunderstood by many people, which is a pity since the word provides a key insight into Scrooge's hatred of Christmas. The word "humbug" describes deceitful efforts to fool people by pretending to a fake loftiness or false sincerity. So when Scrooge calls Christmas a humbug, he is claiming that people only pretend to charity and kindness in an scoundrel effort to delude him, each other, and themselves. In Scrooge's eyes, he is the one man honest enough to admit that no one really cares about anyone else, so for him, every wish for a Merry Christmas is one more deceitful effort to fool him and take advantage of him. This is a man who has turned to profit because he honestly believes everyone else will someday betray him or abandon him the moment he trusts them."  ~ Amazon

It may surprise some folks to know that there was a silent version of A Christmas Carol released in 1910.  The part of Scrooge was played by William Betchel, although he was uncredited. Worldview Entertainment and the Killiam Collection has released a set of nine early movies about Christmas collectively called "A Christmas Past," with an original score by Al Kryszak. This movie is the eighth one, and has a running time of only 11 minutes and has no Tiny Tim.   You can find a copy of this version from Red Tag Market for $15.97 with free shipping, however it was out of stock as of the writing of this article.  I was able to find it in stock at DVD Empire for $17.99 with free shipping.

There was a really nice version of A Christmas Carol produced in 1938 staring Reginald Owen as Scrooge and narrated by Vincent Price.  When the movie came out MGM released a record-breaking 375 prints of the film so that as many people as possible could see it during the Christmas season.  Now you can find this version on sale at Walmart for $5.96 if you go to the store or they will ship it to you for an additional charge of $1.97 plus your states sales tax.

The 1951 version of A Christmas Carol stars Alistar Sim as Scrooge and is the only one leaves out Scrooge's famous line: "If I had my way, every fool who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart". You can find this one for $10.49 at Amazon and it has both the original black and white version as well as the updated color version of the film.

In 1971 an animated version of A Christmas Carol was made staring Alistar Sim as the voice of Scrooge.  Surprisingly this was the only film version of "A Christmas Carol" to win an Oscar and after the film won, the Academy changed its rules so that a made-for-TV cartoon could never again win this honor, even if it was shown theatrically.  This is a rare version and you can find this version on VHS at Esty for $25.00, I found a few others, some has high as $200.00.

George C. Scott tried his hand at playing Scrooge in the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol.  As with many films shot on location there are things left behind as reminders, this was no exception, Scrooge's grave can still be visited at St. Chad's Church graveyard, Shrewsbury, where the churchyard sequence was shot - the production team left the gravestone in place once filming was completed.  You can find this version for $7.49 at Amazon, it is eligible for free shipping if you are an Amazon Prime member or you order $25.00 or more.

1997 saw the release of an animated musical version of A Christmas Carol staring Tim Curry as the voice of Scrooge as well as Whoopie Goldberg as the voice for the Spirit of Christmas Past, Michael York as the voice of Bob Cratchit, and Ed Asner as the voice of Jacob Marley.  You can find a copy of this version at Beach Audio for $11.22 plus $4.00 shipping.

The 1999 version of A Christmas Carol stars Patrick Stewart as Scrooge.  Until the most recent 2009 version this was the only film version which follows the book when Scrooge and The Ghost Of Christmas Past visit Scrooge's childhood. In this film, as in the book, the walls and floor of the room simply vanish and they are instantly in the past. In all other versions Scrooge and the Ghost fly out the window and across the city.  You can find a copy of this version at Deep Discount for $10.94 with free shipping.

In 2004 a musical version of A Christmas Carol was released from Hallmark Entertainment staring Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge.  Aside from being a musical this version is also unique in that Scrooge meets all three Christmas Ghosts in human form before meeting them as spirits.  You can find this version for $10.11 at Smartz Place with free shipping.

Disney's A Christmas Carol was released in 3D in 2009 at the movie theatres at stars Jim Carry as Scrooge.  This was Jim Carry's first time working with Disney and Disney's first animated movie to release in IMAX 3D.  This version is almost completely true to Dickens' classic novel, but there are some differences: In the book, a lot more time is spent in the present, especially at the houses of his employee and nephew. Also, the novel shows us strife around the globe - in caves and on ships - that is relieved by Christmas joy.  The whole "future" scene with the horse chase and Scrooge becoming smaller is not in the novel. In the book, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is nearly immobile except for the pointing finger. You can find a copy of the newest version at Walmart for $13.00 plus $1.97 shipping plus any sales tax for your state.

I hope this gets you in the holiday spirit!

C.Q.