My Walk Through Life 2/26/2016

I have had a fun filled week and my weekend calendar is full also. Tuesday, I met up with friends for a full moon pot luck and bonfire at the river. I made a crowd pleasing pan of ham and cheese sliders. Recipe below.
  Last night I met friends for the best Chinese food I have had in a long time. Then karaoke. I haven't braved standing up there by myself yet, but we killed songs in a group. The college students seem to tolerate the group of old people that keep invading this dive bar every Thursday. They have started to sing and dance with us also. 
  Upcoming this weekend is some live music, more karaoke, and the play "The Mystery of Edwin Drood". I am going to try to throw in some geocaching because the weather is nice, the sun is shining, and I get restless.

I have a high school reunion to prepare for. I have started looking at tickets, hotels, and my bank account. Yesterday, I took the $5 bills and change that I have been saving for the past year. Nearly $300! Now to come up with about $400 more. It is doable. I have $100 in my Fiverr.com account. I am getting ready to put $25 into my paypal account from Swagbucks. My Ibotta account is growing (if I shopped more, it would grow quicker). I have smaller money making accounts also, but they might not help me as much as the ones listed above. I am looking forward to seeing my faraway friends in September.







FREEBIES

Free Donkey Ollie DVDs for children. (I have no children but this looks cute. I believe it is Christian based)
Free

Free Zing Zero by Stevia. (I only do sugar, so didn't order this one)
Free

If you are a fan of Victoria's Secret, here is a chance to get free rewards cards. Send a SASE to
Victoria's Secret Secret Reward Promotion
PO Box 139024
Dallas, TX 75313
  You can send one entry a day. Hand write envelope and any note and copy the address exactly as above. Use only a no. 10 envelope.
With each entry, you will receive a rewards card worth $10-$500.

Sweepstakes

Win $1000 in Renuzit Sensitive home products
Win

Win a Vitamix Blender
Win

Win a trip to London. This is a magazine subscription, so make sure you push the right link if you don't want to subscribe
Win

Win $125 Target gift card
Win


My Crowd Pleasing Recipe (Thanks to various posts on Pinterest)
Ham and Cheese Sliders
  Preheat Oven to 325F
24 Hawaiian Sweet Bread Rolls, cut in half
8 slices of swiss cheese
package of deli ham
Dill pickle chips
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
a stick of butter, melted
   
  Line the bottom parts of the rolls in a large greased baking dish or baking sheet. I cut the ham into halves and folded each have onto a roll. Cut the cheese into small pieces to fit onto the roll. Add a pickle. Put the tops back onto each roll. Whisk the Dijon and melted butter together and spread onto the tops of the rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 10 minutes more. 





Helpful Hints:
Cleaning the Bathroom

To remove lime deposits from your shower head, fill a plastic bag with enough white vinegar to cover the shower head. Slip and tie the bag over the shower head. Soak overnight. To remove the lime around faucets, soak a rag with vinegar and wrap it around the faucet, clipping the a hair clip or secure it with a rubber band. Let it soak overnight. Wipe dry in the morning

Clean shower floors with powdered dishwasher detergent Wear gloves. Sprinkle soap on wet floor then scrub with a brush. Rinse.

Clean bathtub with this mixture: Add one teaspoon of liquid soap and several drops of an antibacterial essential oil such as tea tree, rosemary, or peppermint to one cup of baking soda. Add just enough water to form a paste and use it with a sponge or gentle brush to clean the tub surface. 

To remove mold from tiles and shower curtains, make a mixture of equal parts baking powder and lemon juice. Spread the past on the offending spots and let it sit for a couple of hours. Rinse.

Use hair conditioner to clean bathroom tiles. I always seem to have more conditioner than shampoo, so this is a good way to get rid of it. 

Clean colored porcelain sinks with white vinegar and a plastic scouring pad

Mix salt with turpentine to whiten bathtubs and toilet bowls

Mix salt and lemon juice to remove mildew.

Clean mirrors with air freshener. It is streak-free and smells good

Place an open box of baking soda behind the toilet to absorb odors.

If you have pets, you have pet hair. Use a laundry softener sheet to wipe down the porcelain that tends to collect the hair. I always use on around my toilet base and the bathroom sink. 

Keep diaper wipes handy for quick clean ups. 

My Walk Through Life 2/23/2016

Spring is coming. Thank goodness. We had a couple of warmish days so I was out in the yard trying to clean up and get ready for the grass to grow, the roses to bloom, and company to come over. The "S" word has been bandied about on the news for the last couple of days, but I hope it stays in the mountains and leaves me alone!
  When the temperature hits above 50 degrees and the sun smiles brightly, I get happy feet and want to head out and DO SOMETHING! Geocaching season is coming up, and with the Leap Year, there are a couple of events, so I am excited! If you do not know what geocaching is, it is a great way to unplug and get outdoors. Grab the family, friends, neighbors and go on a worldwide treasure hunt. Using a GPS and information at Geocaching.com, you can find hidden containers. Some of these containers are big enough to hold several "treasures" that you can trade out for (put something in, take something out), and a note pad to sign up that you had been there. These caches can be anywhere, and some are tiny enough just to hold a very tiny notepad (bring your own writing tool). If you look at the online map, you will see that some are underwater, some are in caves, some are in trees, you just don't know. They are in Walmart parking lots, at many tourist sites. Some are easy to get to, some are not. All are exciting to find.
You log on to your geocaching account and smiley faces will show up on your personal map to show where you have been. This is a great way to get the kids outside. Good for all ages.

I was at City Market the other day, so put on my Shopkick to get my walk in points. They have some good daily deals, so I need to remember to check more often. I wish I would have picked up the Aleve that day. Darn. Missed that deal.

I want to learn how to use the fancy camera that I inherited. There is so many buttons and a full menu of stuff that I don't understand. Maybe if I learn how to use the camera, I can learn to take better photos. I found a great deal on an online course through LivingSocial. I can take it real time or on a delay, but it online, so I will take the course from the comfort of my sofa.

Save 50% on All Easter Candy Orders at OldTimeCandy.com! No Code Required! Click Here!



Do you love British TV shows as much as I do? If you do, here is a map to show show you where in the UK the shows are located. 
Map

Sweepstakes

Win a trip for two on Delta
Win

Win a Trip to IHeart awards in LA
Win

Win a trip of choice from Gortons
Win

Have you ever fondued? What great fun my friends and I had. It takes forever to eat and get full, so make sure you have the time. What a great way to enjoy friends, conversation, and some laughs.

Win a fondue set
Win


FREEBIES

Free coffee or tea. A little odd. Made with mushrooms
Free
Free pain relieving patch
Free

My Walk Through Life 2/18/2016

I am not a fan of Kanye West. I don't like him and I don't enjoy his music. I was rather disgusted when I found out that a fan had started a GoFundMe page to help raise money to pay off West's debt. I found the page, and it is rather amusing. People are paying $5 to tell him he is a "Twit" (to say it nicely). Unfortunately, they have raised over $3000. I think GoFundMe is a great forum, but after looking at some of the sites set up, there should be some monitoring. There are hundreds of sites set up against Kayne. "Send me money, not Kayne". 

Everybody needs a Selfie Toaster. It would make breakfast that much more interesting 
Ebay

Dinner tonight. Adobe Chicken. This was one of my favorite meals at the chow hall when I was in the Navy. We had great Filipino cooks.
Recipe


FREEBIES


Free wine mug. Like the page to get the form to order your free mug.  If you get a survey site pop up, don't follow the link.
Free

SWEEPSTAKES 

Win a Seal A Meal Vacuum Sealer
Win

Win $5000 for kitchen appliances
Win

Win a house in Florida
Win

Other Uses for Tea Bags (I have found these tips from Joey Green, and other resources. Not all have been tested by me, personally)

If you are building a compost heap for the spring planting, brew a
   strong batch of tea and pour it into your compost. It will speed 
   the process of composting and the acid attracts good bacteria to
   make a rich compost.
Put used or unused tea bags around your garden flowers. Cover 
   them with mulch. Whenever they are watered, the nutrients from
   the tea will enrich the soil.
Brew a strong pot of tea. After the tea cools, put it in a spray bottle.
   Spray onto your hair and sit in the sun. The tea will give you red
   or brown highlights.
For Acne: wet a tea bag with warm water and use as a compress 
Blisters: if you get blisters from shoes, apply a wet tea bag to the 
   blister-prone area, twice a day. The tannic acid will toughen the
   spot 
Sprinkle used green tea on a dirty carpet. Let it set for 10 minutes,
   then vacuum. 
After cleaning your wood floors, rub strong tea into the wood and 
   let it air dry. Don't use too much liquid on the wood
Use dried green tea leaves in litter boxes to help eliminate the odor
Use lavender tea bags as deodorizer for cars. Store under the car
   seats or in unused ashtray.
Wet tea bags will soothe pinkeye or tired eyes. They take the sting 
   out of bug bites, sunburn, and sooth blisters or shot injections 
   sites. I guess if it hurts, try tea.
If you have stinky feet problem, soak your feet in strong brewed
   tea twice a day
Burning tea leaves is supposed to be a natural way to deter 
   mosquitoes. 

My Walk Through Life 2/15/2016

31 years ago, I married a man I met in Scotland. We were both in the Navy and worked the same shift. He made my stay in Scotland even more special. He gave me three amazing children. We lost him 9 years ago to cancer, but he will forever live in our hearts.
  

Valentines is hard to get through when you are single. I miss going out to dinner with my husband. It was always a special time just for us. This year, I went out with friends. We went to a Dinner/Wine/Jazz event at a local winery. I had a nice time out with my friends,  jazz music in the background, and an amazing dinner. Add the wine and it was perfect!

Freebies

Free sample of Kona Coffee. Like their page and fill out the form
Free

Free Kotex Tampon Sample Kit
Free


Free Breatheright Strip Sample
Free


Free Giftcards for reading email, taking surveys, or shopping. I get Christmas Gift Cards every year. Helps with the budget





Sweepstakes

Win various kitchen items
Win It

Win Various knitting items and yarn
Win It


Are you looking for hard to find wedding or party supplies? Follow the link and you might get lucky
Wedding & Party Supplies


Unplug the Kids and Make Homemade Butter
Needed:
   Small carton of heavy cream, at room temperature
   Large clean glass jar with a lid
   Strainer
    Small bowl
   Spoon
Pour the cream into the jar. Cover tightly with the lid. Hold the jar and shake it for 15 minutes or until you see bits of the butter in the cream. Share the shaking with a friend or family member. Put the jar in the refrigerator for one hour. Empty the jar through a strainer. The liquid is buttermilk. Pour some very cold water over the butter bits. Carefully spoon the butter into a small bowl. Spread it on bread or crackers and enjoy your homemade butter!

My Walk Through Life 2/13/2016

Ways To Build A Savings Account

I am a widow on a pension, and I have to stretch my monthly paycheck as far as I can get it to stretch. I have some reunions and other trips I would like to go on, so I have to think of creative ways to build a savings account. I have various accounts building on Ibotta, Checkout51, etc (all listed on my Make Money at Home Page) but I have other things going on also. 
   Every bit of change I put my hands on goes into my "piggy bank", which transfers into my savings account. I started putting my one dollar bills in also, but it wasn't building very quickly. Now I put my five dollar bills inside instead. If I have a stray buck around, I buy scratch off lotto tickets. My winnings go into the bank. (I don't buy many and I DO win a few dollars back. When I quit winning, I will quit this) 
   With bargains and careful shopping, I usually manage to still have money in my checking account at the end of the month. When my new check goes in, I transfer what is left from my old check into my savings account. Then I start my month of saving all over again.
   With the big move I made across country, and with being unemployed for six months after getting here, my credit cards got maxed out. I went from using none, to being buried by them. So, I am  on a budget and working hard to get the cards paid off. When I pay off one of my cards/loans, I roll that money into another one. If I was paying $75 a month on one bill and paid it off, I add that money into the bill I pay $35 so pay $110. I see a light at the end of the tunnel!

Please send me any other ideas to save money!! 

Collector, Inc. Think Spring and start buying outdoor and Easter decorations.

President’s Day Sale: Up to 80% OFF with FREE SHIPPING on $40+!


Are you a Walmart shopper? They are proud that they compare prices to save you money, but I despise going through the flyers and trying to figure out what is on sell elsewhere, spending time showing the cashier, etc. I am not the only one, so Walmart has Savings Catcher. You can scan the ICR code on your receipt with the Savings Catcher app, or go online to Walmart.com and putting in the numbers required. You will get money back on an Walmart ecard. 

If you are looking for costumes or accessories for Easter, St Patricks Day, or upcoming birthday parties, check this out.  www.costumes4less.com

My Walk Through Life 2/12/2016

Last night I did something I haven't done in a long, long time. I sang karaoke. Okay, I didn't do a solo, but I have stage fright awfully bad, so baby steps. Sad thing is, I have always wanted to be in a band. I love to sing. But, I am a backup singer. I prefer it that way. Hide in the dark corner. Until I moved to Colorado, I sang in a choral society. I got to blend in, and it was my stress release. I don't have much stress these days, but I sure do miss my choir.
  

This is Valentine's Weekend. I don't have a Valentine, but I will be going out with friends, so it won't be too bad. Life is good as long as I have friends. It will even get me through the worse holiday for singles.
  St. Valentine was a priest in Rome during the reign of Claudius II. The emperor wouldn't allow young people to marry because he felt that unmarried soldiers fought harder than married ones. Valentine secretly married young people. He was finally found out and thrown in prison. He was beaten, stoned, and finally decapitated. He was martyred and declared the patron saint of lovers. 

FREEBIES

Free Soapberri body wash. I am not sure if this is a waiting list or not.
Free

Free sample of Nivea InShower Body Lotion
Free

Free 2016 Read With Me Calendar
Free

Free 2016 Destination Dream Calendar
Free

Free 2016 Roadside In Bloom Calendar
Free

SWEEPSTAKES

Join Daily Break and get a chance to win a FitBit. Then to go my Make Money At Home Page and read how to make money with the FitBit. 

Not my thing, but if you like to raise chickens, you can enter to win a chicken coop
Win

Enter to win a trip to St. Petersburg, Fl and pet products
Win


Enter to win a room makeover and $300 from Family Dollar
Win

Enter to win Milani Makeup
win



Breakfast Hints to try on your Valentine:
    Flavor your waffle or pancake batter by adding one of the following: a dash of maple flavoring, a dash of vanilla, or substitute orange juice for the liquid
   Use a flavored non-dairy creamer for your egg and mild mixture when making French toast
   Freeze apple sauce in an ice tray and add a cube into hot oatmeal. It will flavor and cool it down
   Mash strawberries and sugar with softened butter, and use as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or toast.
   Before frying breakfast sausage, roll it in flour to prevent messy splattering. It will also give the sausage a crunchy coating.

My Walk Through Life 2/10/2016

According to the psychic on Ghostbusters, the end of the world will be 14 Feb 2016. 

I started doing my Christmas shopping already. Never too early, right? Ebay and Facebook for sale sites are my friends. I can pick up cool collectibles. I think my goal this year is to buy a present each month. It will make my December budget so much easier to manage. Of course I am still collecting points with MyPoints, so I will get my free gift cards also. 





Sweepstakes

Win $250,000 from Lays Chips
Win

Win a trip to Las Vegas. Girls Weekend! Unless you want a free issue of the magazine, read and choose the link that allows you to enter without getting the issue.
Win


 Enter to win a Fujifilm Instax 8 Camera
Win

Win a Disney land and sea prize or a Twining tea chest
Win

Don't discount the surveys on your shopping receipts. Many people throw their receipts away, so your chance of winning is probably pretty good.



EFile your taxes30% Off With Coupon Code "SAVE30"

FREEBIES

Free shampoo and conditioner samples from Garnier Fructis. These little samples are good for trips. They don't take up too much room.
Free

Free StikWithIt sample kit. Includes your choice of note pads, mouse pad, a journal, and more
Free


Turn Off the TV and ......

Make Homemade Stickers (adult supervision recommended)
   Needed:
8 Tablespoons vinegar
4 packages of unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon peppermint extract (or other flavors that you like)
Paper, such as wrapping paper, photos from magazines, or your
   own drawings
Bring the vinegar to a boil and add gelatin packages. Reduce heat to low and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Add the extract. Brush on to the back of small pictures to make stickers. Let dry. Lick and stick. Store remaining sticker glue in an airtight jar and it will keep for several months. It will become solid, but simply place the jar in a pan of hot water to melt and use again

Time to think about Easter Baskets