Friday's freebie...

So its mid-January and you got the blues?  Nothing cheers me up like planning my garden for next summer and with the price of everything going up at the grocery store I know my vegetable garden will be bigger and better this year!   First its important to plan your space so you don't over buy, and I found a great tool for just this purpose.  It's a simple planner that is pre-set for specific types of gardens at Gardeners Supply, just pick which one closest fits what you want to do, click it and then use their interactive tools to plan out your 12x12 garden plot, there is even a plant encyclopedia designed to help you find things that will work best in your area.

Now that you have your garden mapped out its time to get some catalogs to help you save some money.  By ordering seeds now and starting them indoors you will save quite a bit over buying pre-started plants at the nursery, plus its the only way to get some of the heirloom varieties.  Typically, seed packets contain a lot of seeds so a great way to save even more is to order with a friend or two and split the cost and the seeds, it cuts out waste and everyone wins.  Here is a list of companies with free catalogs for you to peruse while the snow/rain/sleet falls in your area:

Gardeners Supply (currently having their after holiday sale, which ends 1/30/11)
Burpee (currently offering 2 free seed packets with a $30 order and free shipping with coupon code FSHP)
Cooks Garden (not sure what to do with all your bounty?  Check out their great recipe section!)
Park Seed (be sure to check out their web specials when you are there, they change all the time)
Stokes (check the sale section to find great deals on things you need to construct your garden)
Gurney's (AWESOME deal alert!!!  save $25 off your order of $50 or more with coupon code 0514685, but only until January 16, 2011)
Nature Hills (coupon code FBOOK10 will take 10% off your order when used at check out)
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (if you are interested in Heirloom seeds be sure to check out their magazine The Heirloom Gardener which you can subscribe to for only $12 for the year)

Have you grown a garden in the past?  I would love to hear about it and any tips you might have to share.

I hope everyone is have a great Friday!

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

This is the time of year when my desk calendar starts looking thinner and thinner and in its own way reminds me to check for a new one.  The same is true of  my wall calendar, but it is much easier to replace.  There are so many different free calendars you can order that you should be able to find one that seems to be made "just for you".

If you know someone who loves road trips and flowers there is the 2011 Roadsides in Bloom Calendar.  This is put out by folks in West Virginia but is available through out the whole country.

Looking for great recipes and meal ideas through the year?  Check out the Betty Crocker 2011 Calendar, all you need to do is enter your e-mail address to sign up for the Betty Crocker®, Dinner Made Easy, or Bisquick® email newsletter.

Need something more along the lines of some year long financial planning?  Then you can download or order a hard copy of the 2011 Financial Fitness Calendar that is put out by the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.  The calendar is designed to provide you with year-round tips and tools on topics that will improve your financial health.

If you or someone you know is expecting or has small children take a look at the Free Baby Calendar from Hyland's.  This web site also has some great advise as well as coupons geared towards babies so be sure to explore a little.

Finally, if you are a small business owner or self employed then its important to keep up with all the new rules and guidelines for the IRS.  They are currently taking orders for the free Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and Self-Employed.  You can order from the IRS web site or simply call 1-800-829-3676.

Have a great Friday everyone!

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

Christmas is only 83 days away, I know its hard to believe; but you can check it out for yourself at Santa's countdown calendar! With that in mind I found a great set of free downloads over at the Life...Your Way ezine that can help reduce some of the stress. I am looking forward to using some of these myself for the family Christmas this year. The free down-loadable book has great ideas on saving both time an money this year and the helpful free worksheets include:

:: Address Book
:: Baking Planner
:: Budget Worksheet
:: 2010 Calendar
:: Cards Worksheet
:: Decor Inventory
:: Family Traditions
:: Gift Ideas
:: Gift List
:: Handmade Gifts
:: Master To-Do List
:: Order Tracking
:: Shopping List

I hope you all have a great Friday!!

C.Q.