Valentine's Day Door

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and I know many mamas like me are running out of fresh celebration ideas after this crazy year! Here's another fun and frugal idea to make the day (or month) special for your little one or significant other. Last year I decorated my boys doors with a ton of hearts and 14 reasons why I love them. While I did all the decorating for that day you could do a heart a day leading up to Valentine's Day. My boys actually still have their hearts on their doors (minus the treats). I incorporated some candy treats on some of their hearts where I could come up with a phrase and candy that matched. Here are just a few examples:

• You're a Smartie (with a box of Smarties)
• You can be a bit of a NERD (box of Nerds)
• You're such a Sweet Heart (Sweet Tarts) 

This is a fun take on the idea of candy birthday boards and can be adapted to any holiday with a bit of creativity and a couple of sweet treats. Sure to bring smiles to your Valentine's faces! Be sure to visit my previous post about my Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt!

Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt for the Kiddos

Every holiday seems to be a little bit different these days and I'm sure Valentine's Day is going to be no exception. I thought this would be a great time to share a post from a couple of years ago that I did on my Kawartha Beads blog  about a scavenger hunt that I created for my kiddos. This would still be a completely doable option even if you are currently in a lockdown. It helps to break up the day, is extremely economical and gives the kids a treat at the end! 

 I got the idea from this post then adjusted it for my own hunt. I found these foam hearts at the dollar store then just used a sharpie to write my clues right on the hearts. Inexpensive and festive! I've listed the clues below (answers in brackets). For your own hunt you can mix them up however you like. I made sure to hide one downstairs then the next clue would lead them upstairs so they can hopefully burn off a bit of energy! I gave them the first clue in the van when they got home from school. Of course there was a delicious prize at the end too💗💗💗

• To find your Valentine's gift you'll have to follow the clues. Your first one can be found
  
  
   where we keep the shoes! (in one of the boots on the boot mat)
• It's loaded with paper and filled with ink. It isn't a book so you'll have to think! (on the printer tray)
• For this next clue, you'll have to rush. Search in the place you keep your toothbrush! (the basket where the toothbrushes are kept)
• In here is where we keep the food cold. Open it up before you get old! (the fridge)
• Don't be slow, be quick as a wink. Go look under the kitchen sink! (under the sink)
• Don't give up, you're almost there! Go look under a kitchen chair! (taped under one of the kitchen chairs)
• This one's easy, just take a look....you'll find your next clue with all the books! (on my oldest's bookshelf)
• You haven't finished, don't get uptight. Look where mommy sleeps at night. (under my pillow)
• The hunt is almost over but before you can relax...check the place where you can find delicious snacks (the pantry cupboard)
• We come in different styles. You'll find us in a drawer. You use us as a tool...Just another BITE more! (the silverware drawer)
• You found the prize and solved the clues-but the treasure I LOVE MOST is you! Happy Valentine's Day! 
  
  
  

Back in 2021 with plenty to share

 Hello readers! Needless to say that I have been absent from this page for some time while I worked on my Kawartha Beads business, the kids grew like weeds before my eyes, and the entire world changed! Although I may not have been writing it was certainly a year for introspection, finding creative ways to stay entertained at home and SAVE MONEY! Like many people out there I went to work for my lunch shift on a Monday in March 2020 and by the time I came back for my dinner shift was told that I would be "temporarily" laid off. While I wish that writing and crafting paid the bills they are not my actual day (evening) job. Crafter by day, waitress at night, the food service industry was one that was hard hit and as I write this post servers are once again "temporarily" laid off. I will go into more details in subsequent posts about getting through these times.   As you know I am a saver, live frugally and have often expressed the importance of saving for a rainy day but I definitely did not feel prepared for the potential for no paycheque for an undetermined amount of time with mouths at home to feed. I recently decided that now was the time to revisit this blog, I could feel the itch to write, and maybe its my therapy for this troubling time in history. So welcome back and I hope you will find a tip or two for your own family along the way!

TODAY ONLY: Lysol No Touch Hand Soap Dispenser ONLY $1.00

Check out this fabulous Monday Daily Deal from Well.ca: Lysol no touch hand soap dispenser for only $1.00. With shipping the total is only $3.99 and it comes shipped right to your door! It seems that they are limiting this offer to one per account.

Does it Really Work? Newspaper to Clean Your Mirrors

Welcome to Kawartha Bargains newest weekly feature that I have entitled "Does it Really Work?" With two little kids in the house who are obsessed with admiring themselves in the mirror (and why wouldn't they be they are so darn cute) my mirrors tend to look like this:

I had heard somewhere that you could use newpapers instead of paper towels to clean your mirrors and since newspapers arrive for FREE twice a week and paper towels...well even on sale we seem to go through a ton...so I thought I'd give it a try. Now I was sure that they would scratch so I picked a mirror that we will eventually be getting rid of and got out my newspaper and windex (although you could use vinegar as well) and got to it.

And here is out it turned out:

Yep, that's the same mirror not me taking a picture of my entry way! Cleaning your mirrors with newspaper really DOES WORK! Plus you are recycling AND saving money. BONUS!

Recipe Ideas for Evaporated Milk

One of the hot buys over the past couple of weeks has been evaporated milk. On sale for $1.28-$1 coupon from the Smuckers booklets makes each can just 28cents! I think there was also a Checkout 51 rebate making this a rock bottom deal! But if you are like me you might say....what the heck am I going to use evaporated milk for?! Here are a couple of recipe ideas to give you some inspiration:

• Chocolate Chunk Vanilla Cake (I have all the ingredients for this one in my pantry so it is for sure on my try list)
• Carnation Classic Five Minute Fudge (and this too!)
• Mac&Cheese
• Carnation Shepards Pie
• Ice Pops

What are some of your favourite recipes for using this hot item ingredient? Share in a comment below or stop by our Facebook Page to continue the discussion!

DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipe from Little Bitty Bath Boutique

With two young kids it seems like the dishwasher is always running! Little Bitty Bath Boutique shares her recipe for DIY Dishwasher Detergent which is not only super easy to make but super easy on the pocket book! Plus nowadays with so many extra chemicals in everything it is always nice to know exactly what ingredients are being used around the home.
You can also follow Little Bitty Bath Boutique on Facebook.

5 Links Worth Reading

If you get some time this week here are a couple of links worth reading! Enjoy!

• Save $1000 This Year: Swagbucks  (If you have yet to sign up with Swagbucks enter code JANTASTIC at signup to receive a 70 point bonus!)
• Don't Give in to The Deal
• 85 Snack Ideas for Kids (and Adults!)
• No-Bake Winter Forest Treats (have to try this one...so cute!)
• Cosmopolitan Jello Shots Recipe (because mamas need a little fun too!)

5 Links Worth Reading

Wow with all this rain curling up with a hot cup of tea or coffee and enjoying a couple of good reads is certainly on the agenda. Enjoy!

• 8 Simple Steps to Start Your Own Blog
• Repurposed Organizers: Cans 
• Saving Money: big and little wins
• Apple Pie Breakfast (I would love to wake up to the smell of this!)
• 10 Awesome Reasons to Buy Handmade Gifts This Year

Make Some Holiday $$$

Only 70 days until Christmas!! Are you looking for ways to boost your holiday budget this year? Be sure to check out my Extra Pocket Change Tab to find plenty of great ways to start earning gift cards, paypal cash and merchandise. I will also be posting a weekly feature with other ways to earn extra money to put towards your holiday shopping and/or tips to help stretch those dollars. Be sure to visit the first post in the series: Make Some Holiday Cash: Lindsay Mom2Mom Sale.
What ideas do you have for making or stretching those hard earned dollars at this time of the year?

Make Some Holiday $$$: Lindsay Mom2Mom Sale Christmas Edition

I have just started working on a series of weekly posts on how to earn some extra cash for the holidays. One fabulous way is to destash some of your gently used items (especially kids clothing and toys). There are many ways to do this including a Mom2Mom sale. The bonus to a sale such as this is that it is high traffic and so you can unload ALOT of items in a short amount of time without having to juggle babies on your hip while you try to take pictures of your items and post them on an online buy and sell site (which does have its advantages too but that's a later post). Also proceeds from the sale (admission and table fees) go towards helping a great cause.

I'm happy to announce that there will be a Christmas Edition of the Lindsay Mom2Mom Sale to be held on November 10th from 930-1230 at the Lindsay Boys and Girls Club. Mom Tables for selling gently used clothing and toys are $10 each and if you are a local artisan there are also vendor spots available for just $35. Your table fee also includes lunch (pizza and pop) for one person. Spaces are limited so be sure to contact the show organizer ASAP if you are interested in a space. You can email her at smthshan@hotmail.com.

Recipe: Easy Peasy Pizza Pockets

I had originally intended on using my Tenderflake for these (if you are following along with my weekly meal plan and grocery list you would find it on there) but since the chocolate crescents weren't part of the sale I decided to give the weiner wraps a try. My kids like the McCain Pizza Pockets which are more doughy as opposed to flaky anyways so I thought this might be a closer match. I'm sure you could use your own homemade dough as well but for those who are still looking for a frugal and fast fix (not to mention they are a bit better for you then the frozen kind) these were FABULOUS! My little guy helped me to assemble them and thought it was tons of fun!

Ingredients:
*Tomato sauce
*Shredded cheese
*Veggies of choice
*Meat of choice (I used leftover roasted chicken today)
*One tube of Pillsbury Weiner Wraps

Instructions:
*Unroll and seperate dough on a cookie sheet
*Spread each dough section with tomato sauce
*Top with shredded cheese veggies and meat
*Fold over to make a pocket (I pinched the edges on some and not on others and both methods worked out fine)
*Bake in preheated 375degree oven for 13-16 minutes.

Free Ebook: 51 Ways to Save Money on Christmas

I'll be starting some posts on saving money during the holidays next month but in the meantime here are some great tips! Be sure to grab your free copy of 51 Ways to Save Money on Christmas.
Be sure to check that it is still free before you order.

Don't have a Kindle? You can download the latest Kindle for PC here (I love mine!)

Free Ebook: Frugal Tips and Recipes for the Wise Homemaker

Yet another fabulous resource for those who are looking to save a dollar! Be sure to grab your free copy of  Frugal Tips & Recipes for the Wise Homemaker.
Be sure to check that it is still free before you order.

Don't have a Kindle? You can download the latest Kindle for PC here (I love mine!)

My Grocery List for the Week (Sept. 21-27)

Here's my shopping list for this week to go with our meal plan. I'll let you know for sure once I'm done all my shopping what my final total with taxes was:)  Tentative total: $ 42.35+taxes

Canadian Tire:

• Armstrong Cheese $1.89
• USE CANADIAN TIRE MONEY

Food Basics:

• Onions $1
• Potatos $2
• Tuna $1
• Pasta Sauce $1
• Broccoli $1
• Sausages $5ish
• Juice Boxes (Oasis) $2.50-$1 coupon from Allens AJ tins
• Baby peeled carrots $1
• Total: $13.50

Shoppers Drugmart

• Milk x2- $8.40
• Coffee Cream $1.99
• Bread $1.99
• Total: $12.38
  

Loblaws:

• Deli Meat $4
• Nutrigrain Bars- Superfruit- Sale $1.99-50cent coupon from tearpad
• Activia Yogurt- $2.99
• Buns- $2
• Cereal (Kashi or Mini Wheats) $2.99-$2 coupon (Kashi) or $1 coupon (Mini Wheats)
• Total: $8.47

Nesbitt's Meat Shop:
1 lb lean ground beef $4(ish)
Total: $4

Grocery Budget Challenge: This Week's Total

If you have started following my newest feature The $65 Grocery Budget Challenge, I promised to share with you my total each week. The menu plan for this week saw a couple of changes (such as we just felt like having grilled cheese sandwiches and salad last night for dinner) and we even have some items that we didn't get made (like the white cupcakes). Overall I don't really feel that I spent any more time than usual in the kitchen and I feel like we ate extremely well despite the budget. That being said I did go SLIGHTLY over budget. I was pretty much on track until I got to Loblaws. They had such great deals on meat this week that I decided to grab some extras and will try to take that difference out of the upcoming week's budget (since I shouldn't need much meat and I don't need coffee or any household items it should still work out). Here's how the budget finished up for this week:

 THIS WEEK'S TOTAL: $88.61 over by +23.21 (that includes taxes)
Next weeks budget- $41.79

Recipes: Slow Cooker BBQ Roast Beef Sandwiches

I have become SO in ♥ with my slow cooker! I used to use it occasionally and it often went for months sitting in my cupboard one of those forgotten about gadgets. Now that I've given my head a good shake I've been experimenting with my slow cooker on a much more frequent basis. Not only does it save me time and yield great results its certainly a MONEY SAVER as well.

This week roasts are on for a great price at Loblaws and I managed to find 2 under the $5 mark each (when does that ever happen). My hubby specifically asked for shredded roast beef sandwiches which I paired with a green salad for a quick, easy, nutritious and cheap meal (with leftovers)!

• 1 roast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• OR sprinkle roast with your favourite mixed seasoning (I used the Clubhouse Pepper Mix)
•  your fav. bbq sauce

1. Place roast into slow cooker. Sprinkle with garlic powder and onion powder, and season with salt and pepper. Pour barbeque sauce over meat until its covered (about 1/2cup). Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Remove meat from slow cooker, shred, and return to slow cooker. Add a bit more bbq sauce. Cook for 1 more hour. Serve hot.

Filling the Freezer: Muffins

I've had some frozen Europes Best Fruit in the freezer since the last time it was on sale (and extra cheap with coupon), that I couldn't decide what to do with. The kids weren't diggin smoothies and didn't like them on ice cream so they have just been waiting for me to be inspired.

There was a recipe for blueberry muffins on the back of the Bisquick box so I figured today was the perfect day to try! Loved them so much I also made another batch but put chocolate chips in instead of the fruit and while I was at it finished off the box with some biscuits to go with the chili I was making for dinner. YUM! Now I have a great assortment of muffin in the freezer (in conjunction with the 2 ingredient pumpkin muffins from earlier this week) and can tackle some freezer entrees next week.

Muffins Recipe:
2cups Bisquick Mix
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil (which I didn't have so I melted 2 tbsp of margerine and it worked fine)
1 egg
3/4 cup blueberries (or this is where I substituted for mixed fruit and then chocolate chips) Do not thaw frozen fruit

Heat oven to 400degrees. Stir all ingredients except fruit just until moistened. Gently stir in fruit. Divide among cups. Bake 13-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins.

Biscuit Recipe:
2 cups Bisquick Mix
1/2cup milk
Heat oven to 450degrees. Stir ingredients until soft dough forms. Place dough on surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix, roll to coat. Shape into ball. Knead 10 times. Roll into 1/2inch thickness and cut with knife dipped in Bisquick mix. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 6-8 minutes. Make approx. 8 biscuits.

Free Ebook: Twenty-Five Cent Dinners for Families of Six

I haven't actually had a chance to read this yet but it certainly peeked my interest. Be sure to grab your free copy of  Twenty-Five Cent Dinners for Families of Six. 
Be sure to check that it is still free before you order.

Don't have a Kindle? You can download the latest Kindle for PC here (I love mine!)

Grocery List for This Week

Here's my shopping list for this week to go with our meal plan. I'll let you know for sure once I'm done all my shopping what my final total with taxes was:) Tentative total: $ 60.25+taxes

Food Basics:

• Panebello Pizza- Sale $2.88-$1 coupon from here (if my $2 off coupon from here arrives then I will get two Panebellos total)
• 1lb green peppers 88cents
• 1lb red peppers 88cents
• cauliflower 99cents
• strawberries $1.97
• 1lb grapes 88cents
• Cashmere Toilet Paper- Sale $4.88-$1 coupon from here
• Pasta noodles- $1
• Burger Buns -$2
• Total: $14.36

Shoppers Drugmart (MUST SHOP ON SUNDAY)

• Milk x2- $8.40
• Ritz Crackers x4- $1.79 (hoping for the 8000 bonus points wub4 Kraft products, read this is the last day for that promo, either way a good deal for something we use a ton of)
• Coffee Cream 99cents
• Rice Side 99cents
• Aluminum Foil $1
• Total: $18.54

Giant Tiger

• Lactancia Margerine- 98cents
• Mini Wheats Cereal- Sale $2.49- $1 coupon  
• Total: $2.47

Loblaws:

• Resolve Spray and Wash- Sale $1.99- $2 coupon from Smart Source Insert 08/25/12= FREE
• Deli Meat- $2
• Club Pack Chicken OR Roast (looking for a package around $9)
• Total: $11

Rexall:
Maxwell House Coffee: Sale $5.88

Nesbitt's Meat Shop:
1 lb lean ground beef $4(ish)
l lb medium ground beef $4 (ish)
Total: $8