Penny Pinching Tips: Buying in Bulk

A great way to save money on certain grocery items is to buy in bulk.  You can find almost anything you use, in dry ingredients, sold in bulk.  Bulk buying not only saves you money, but is also a great stock item for future needs.

Stocking up on dry beans, granola, and oatmeal is a great start into your bulk collection.  Don't forget to rotate and restock as you go through your dry goods.

Storing your bulk finds is pretty simple really.  You could just keep them in the original bags they came in, which I hope are cloth or at least recyclable, or your could store them like I have here.  Some in small Ball® Jars, or find sealable storage containers with airtight lids.  The ones pictured here are from a small mom and pop store local to where I live, but here is something similar.

Most stores carry some sort of bulk items, but the best place to find bulk goods would be in stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or even a bulk warehouse.  If your store doesn't sell bulk dry goods, ask the manager to start carrying certain items you would like to purchase.  Most stores will take your request and consider carrying what you are willing to buy.

For more ideas and planning on how to stock a pantry with dry goods, visit this site HERE!  There are many tips and tricks on saving up for emergencies and other events. 

Eco-Tip:    If you're anything like me, you love to read.  Not just read, but love the concept of a great book in your hands.  But once you finish that book what do you do with it?  If it's a good book you want to keep it around and read it again and again, or share it with a friend, but ones that you are finished with and never want to touch again, pass them along to places that can use them for someone new.  Recycling your old books is a great way to go green.  There are even websites out there that allow you pass your books from one reader to another and keep the cycle going.  A great one to look into is Paperback Swap.  They allow you to trade a book and receive a credit to put toward a new book.  If the idea of swapping your old book to stranger intrigues you, why not leave a book laying on  park, or bus stop bench today and pass along the gift of reading!  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

    

Join Stella & Dot in the fight against breast cancer

 

Did you know that October is Breast Cancer awareness month? Join Stella & Dot in the fight against breast cancer. 

Shop any piece from their Breast Cancer Boutique and all net proceeds will be donated to the Noreen Fraser Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to women's cancer research and awareness. Don't miss this chance to shop for a cause!

Here are a few of my favorite pieces this fall from Stella & Dot.

Be sure and check out all the great products from the Stella & Dot jewelry line and while you're there, grab up a Bryant Park Scarf in hot pink from the Breast Cancer Boutique.

 Remember, shop the entire Breast Cancer Boutique during the month of October, and all net proceeds will be donated to the Noreen Fraser Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to raising women's cancer research funds and promoting early detection awareness. 

Add a pop of color to any outfit with a printed scarf. Here's a quick video from Stella & Dot Stylist on 10 different ways to wear a scarf to add a bit of color, style, or even a bit of flare to your outfits this fall!

Eco-Tip:  Stop wasting up to 2 gallons a water a minute, turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth or wash your dishes.  Water is a valuable resource on our planet, and turning it off will save you money, as well.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.




    

Spark of Love this Week: Tea, Cup, Box, Ad, Guitar, and Yardsale

This tea pitcher and mug set.

And these tea bags........

Because an avid tea drinker is always on the look out for fun ways to enjoy some tea.

(Photo 1 credit:  LennyMud Gallery on Etsy)

(Photo 2 credit:  Yanko Designs)  

 This cup.

Because football season is a big deal in our house.

This box.

Because P90X really is time consuming and costly.  Hey, at least I gave it a go.   

But, I'll be sending it back promptly.  Ha!  I think I will just stick to my treadmill and phone app.

This ad.

Because it made me laugh and it's not every day you see an ad where a little girl is flipping off a dog.  Ha!

This guitar.

Because I am in love with any child's toy that can offer a learning experience beyond the norm of the learning scope.  This is the Loog Guitar and it cost about $150.

(Photo credit:  Loog Guitars)

Random Photo This Week:

"Major Yardsale!"  That's one way to get people's attention.

Eco-Tip:  Unplug electronics even when you're not using them, electronics such as your TV set, microwave, and DVD/Blue Ray Player.  Even when you aren't using them, they still consume some amount of electricity. For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

    

Potatoes and Onions on the Grill.....Oh My!

This weekend here in Oregon we fired up the ole' grill and have a night of it outside on Saturday.  Sometimes when we are sitting out under the late evening stars, the ones that just peek through the sky long enough to be admired, we can watch the wind pushing the clouds away and toward the Pacific Ocean.

When we fire up the grill it doesn't take long to throw something together and enjoy our "outside dining room."  This weekend we had a good grill night while the heat took a quick break from us.  We decided to use up a few left-over items laying around the kitchen and fridge and create some Shish Kabobs for dinner.

Since potatoes are in-season this time of year it wasn't hard to find a lot of them to pair nicely with our meats.  We used stew meats that were on sale at the time but, any meat can be used.  Even chicken!  We shoved them onto some bamboo skewers along with onions, and red potatoes.  We even used little pieces of pineapple in between the chunks just for added flavor but, you could use just about anything. Try garlic!

Be sure and soak your bamboo skewers in warm water before layering them with your food.  Soaking the skewers prevents them from splitting and cracking while they heat on the grill or oven.

They seemed to have been better than we expected and grilled up nicely.

We sat inside while the grill was heating up and when it came time to grill we all headed out to enjoy the evening along with a nice cold beer.  It was a good night!  On Sunday we celebrated Skylar's ninth birthday too!

Lots of birthday cards!

Hope your weekend was just as great!

Eco-Tip:  When it comes to upgrading your computer systems, be is for home, or for office, consider recycling the older models instead of throwing them out to landfills.  If the computer is in good working order, consider donating them to a local school or library.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.