My Milwaukee Mommy's Favorite Ways to Save Money

Many people ask how I save!  My favorite ways to save are by printing/clipping coupons and easy apps.  I try to make it easy for all of my readers and followers...who wants to put a ton of work into something when it's already been done?!??!  Here are a few tried and tested favorites I like...

I print coupons!

Coupons.com
RedPlum

I use a number of apps to get FREE gift cards, discounts and in some cases even cash!

Ibotta: You choose the items you want to earn from and how much you want to earn by watching a video, answering a poll, and/or reading a fact about it.  You will need a PayPal account if you want to cash out.  Every time you hit $20 you are able to get your payment.  I have earned over $200 using this app!

Fetch Rewards:  Use my referral code to get a 2,000 point bonus - Q3MAM - That's like getting $2.00 FREE!

No more entering codes, completing tasks, or jumping through any hoops! Just scan your grocery receipt and get rewarded.  Check out Fetch Rewards, and turn any grocery receipt into savings! Save on thousands of products EVERY time they're on your receipt.

Checkout51: Sign up with Checkout 51 to save on your favorite brands and earn cash when you upload photo of receipt through mobile app or website.

Notes: Every Thursday morning, Checkout 51 updates with a new list of offers. All you have to do is pick the ones you like, purchase them at any store, and upload a photo of your receipt through our mobile app or website. When your account reaches $20, they send you a check.

Shopkick:  Earn free gift cards while shopping at your favorite stores. Find deals at Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Walgreens, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, eBay, Groupon, and more with Shopkick.

Shopkick is the shopping app that rewards you with FREE gift cards for the shopping you already do, while you still save on your budget money! Join the millions of Shopkickers who have earned over $63.8 million in points that they use to redeem free gift cards to shop at Starbucks, Walmart, Sephora, and more.

SavingStar:  

Link your store cards.*
Select rebates.
Use your store card at checkout.
Savings are added to your SavingStar account!

Once you save $20, withdraw to your bank or PayPal account, or donate to charity.

*For participating stores without store cards, just scan your receipts using the SavingStar app or SavingStar.com.

JanSport and Lands' End Offer a Lifetime Guarantee on Back Packs

I was recently on Fox 6 Studio A and brought up that Jansport and Lands' End offer Lifetime Warranties on their Backpacks! Did you know that??!?! I have gotten a few messages with questions about it, so I thought I would share in a post with you!

Every year we seem to get a new backpack for each child - this adds up...quickly!  I am sick of buying these cheap backpacks that break mid-year and leave us scrambling for a backup!  Well...after doing some research, I found out a good reason to shell out almost double what we pay for each kid on a backpack - and it's so worth it!

Here's some information about JanSport:

EQUIPMENT (PACKS, BAGS, and LUGGAGE)

JanSport engineers quality, durability, and reliable products. So, if your pack ever breaks down, simply return it to our warranty center. We'll fix it or if we can't, we'll replace it or refund it. We stand by our packs for a lifetime and since we've been making packs since 1967, that's a guarantee you can stand by.


Yes, I have heard of people taking advantage of this offer - and it DOES work! As long as the defect is not done by your error; example, leaving a knife in your backpack and it tears a hole in it. Why you would do that? I don't know...but, if you do...there IS that.

You will have to fill out a Warranty Repair Form.  But, if they can't repair it, they will get you a new back pack!  We LOVE our JanSport bags!  I still have mine from college!

Here's some information about Lands' End:

Hang onto that receipt! Lands' End will guarantee your satisfaction with that backpack and if something goes wrong (the zipper breaks, the strap tears,...) you can return it and get a new one!

I have a friend who has taken advantage of the guarantee with NO problems!

GUARANTEED. PERIOD.®

We want nothing less than your absolute satisfaction

The Lands' End guarantee has always been an unconditional one. It reads: "If you're not satisfied with any item, simply return it to us at any time for an exchange or refund of its purchase price." We mean every word of it. Whatever. Whenever. Always. But to make sure this is perfectly clear, we've decided to simplify it further: Guaranteed. Period.®
It's more than a return policy. It's a promise we've kept for over 50 years now, to stand behind every product we make and every service we deliver.


Don't miss the HOT deals you can score today on Backpacks at Lands' End - as low as $14.50 Shipped!

It's almost here! Check out these money saving tips for Halloween...

Are you looking for some ways to save on your Halloween?  Being thrifty is possible for every holiday and any time of the year.  From costumes to electricity you can save, those pennies will turn into dollars and with even more holidays coming up saving early helps. 

Candy/Treats: This Halloween consider purchasing items that are not perishable to give out as treats, Halloween does not just have to be candy it can be tattoos, bouncy balls, homemade recycled crayons, pencils or whatever else you can get a great deal on.  Kids get a lot of candy, they will be surprised and probably excited to get something different that they can use instead of a piece of candy they might not like and probably don't really need.  Also with these items if you don't have a lot of  Trick or Treaters you can save it for next year!  You will then be pushing your savings into another year.  If you really want to do candy make sure you are looking for coupons and they are coming out you will just need to clip or print them.  If you are going the candy route you may want to purchase treats that you will eat at home, you might not want candy around but it is better to have items you will use instead of items you don't like going to waste.  Also consider teaming up with a neighbor and just having one of your houses open for the Trick or Treaters, you can pool your treat resources and have fun getting together for the holiday.

Are you giving out treats at school or work?  Consider giving out homemade coupons...at school "good for a two hour play date at my house", at work "good for my parking spot for one day", "good for an extra day of me driving the carpool".

Costumes: Look for fun items you already have and create a costume around those.  Maybe a black cat (black pants, black shirt, black shoes) you might need to purchase a black head band with ears or make your own with felt or foam from a craft store.  Look at your local stores for little pieces that might be a great accent to a costume that you are making from home.  Not only will you save by making something yourself and picking up an item or two but if you are shopping locally you are helping to support local businesses.  Check out what your local Goodwill has in stock.    Trade with neighbors or cousins!

Electricity:   This is a silly one but it is Halloween, it is dark, it is creepy...turn off the lights or get low wattage bulbs!  Are you going out?  Use a flashlight with rechargeable batteries or a crank flashlight, these can be a lot of fun for children.  Use glow necklaces, bracelets or sticks, these can usually be found at party or discount stores. 

Decorations: Make them yourself and use them from year to year.  Make a "scarecrow" by stuffing an old pair of jeans with newspaper and use an old shirt and do the same.  Make the head out of a pumpkin or a ball.  Prop it on a lawn chair and you are set.  If you have an old pair of boots or shoes make sure to use those as well.  If you are making paper crafts you might want to laminate them for future use.  Decorate with pictures of previous Halloweens.  If you find a great deal on decorations make sure they are reusable.  If you are planning a party you might want to impress your guests by using your regular dishes, this will cut down on the paper products and will also help the environment.  Only carve one side of the pumpkin and turn it around to save for an outside Thanksgiving decoration or use items to decorate your pumpkin like foam pieces and stickers.

Going out and celebrating:If you want to head to a pumpkin farm you might want to try and find one that has set prices versus paying er pound.  Also look for a place that will let you pay per activity and let your family choose one or two instead of doing everything, then you will have something to look forward to next year.  If you have a membership to the museum or zoo see what they have planned versus going somewhere that you will have to pay, this would already be part of your membership benefits.

Getting together: Do a potluck or a chili dump.  Potluck, all guests bring a spooky dish to share.  Chili dump: you start the base and everyone brings the ingredients.  Maybe snacks would be a better option, have your party later so everyone will have had dinner and just provide some light snacks to munch on, again ask guests to bring something.

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Save on Gas at Speedway!

I was filling up last night and saw this sign!  I am a bit on the shorter side so I was not able to catch the very bottom of the sign, I am not sure how long this is running.  Yay Speedway!

If you buy 3 or more 20 ounce Soft Drinks you will get a coupon for .10 off each gallon of gas on your next fill up.  I am assuming that there is a 10 gallon limit but I am not positive.  This is a pretty good deal.  You might want to pick up a treat for a co-worker or two! :)

Please support this site by using the links provided.

Don't miss the freebies, coupons, and discounts! Subscribe Now! Check us out on Facebook to find more deals and extra giveaways!

Ways to save this Halloween...

Are you looking for some ways to save on your Halloween?  Being thrifty is possible for every holiday and any time of the year.  From costumes to electricity you can save, those pennies will turn into dollars and with even more holidays coming up saving early helps. 

Candy/Treats: This Halloween consider purchasing items that are not perishable to give out as treats, Halloween does not just have to be candy it can be tattoos, bouncy balls, homemade recycled crayons, pencils or whatever else you can get a great deal on.  Kids get a lot of candy, they will be surprised and probably excited to get something different that they can use instead of a piece of candy they might not like and probably don't really need.  Also with these items if you don't have a lot of  Trick or Treaters you can save it for next year!  You will then be pushing your savings into another year.  If you really want to do candy make sure you are looking for coupons and they are coming out you will just need to clip or print them.  If you are going the candy route you may want to purchase treats that you will eat at home, you might not want candy around but it is better to have items you will use instead of items you don't like going to waste.  Also consider teaming up with a neighbor and just having one of your houses open for the Trick or Treaters, you can pool your treat resources and have fun getting together for the holiday.

Are you giving out treats at school or work?  Consider giving out homemade coupons...at school "good for a two hour play date at my house", at work "good for my parking spot for one day", "good for an extra day of me driving the carpool".

Costumes: Look for fun items you already have and create a costume around those.  Maybe a black cat (black pants, black shirt, black shoes) you might need to purchase a black head band with ears or make your own with felt or foam from a craft store.  Look at your local stores for little pieces that might be a great accent to a costume that you are making from home.  Not only will you save by making something yourself and picking up an item or two but if you are shopping locally you are helping to support local businesses.  Check out what your local Goodwill has in stock.    Trade with neighbors or cousins!

Electricity:   This is a silly one but it is Halloween, it is dark, it is creepy...turn off the lights or get low wattage bulbs!  Are you going out?  Use a flashlight with rechargeable batteries or a crank flashlight, these can be a lot of fun for children.  Use glow necklaces, bracelets or sticks, these can usually be found at party or discount stores. 

Decorations: Make them yourself and use them from year to year.  Make a "scarecrow" by stuffing an old pair of jeans with newspaper and use an old shirt and do the same.  Make the head out of a pumpkin or a ball.  Prop it on a lawn chair and you are set.  If you have an old pair of boots or shoes make sure to use those as well.  If you are making paper crafts you might want to laminate them for future use.  Decorate with pictures of previous Halloweens.  If you find a great deal on decorations make sure they are reusable.  If you are planning a party you might want to impress your guests by using your regular dishes, this will cut down on the paper products and will also help the environment.  Only carve one side of the pumpkin and turn it around to save for an outside Thanksgiving decoration or use items to decorate your pumpkin like foam pieces and stickers.

Going out and celebrating:If you want to head to a pumpkin farm you might want to try and find one that has set prices versus paying er pound.  Also look for a place that will let you pay per activity and let your family choose one or two instead of doing everything, then you will have something to look forward to next year.  If you have a membership to the museum or zoo see what they have planned versus going somewhere that you will have to pay, this would already be part of your membership benefits.

Getting together: Do a potluck or a chili dump.  Potluck, all guests bring a spooky dish to share.  Chili dump: you start the base and everyone brings the ingredients.  Maybe snacks would be a better option, have your party later so everyone will have had dinner and just provide some light snacks to munch on, again ask guests to bring something.

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Check out my solution to keep juice "fresh" and not waste it!

So Niecey is quickly approaching her 2nd Birthday. :(  She is certainly becoming her own person and with that she displays her mood and her likes and dislikes.  I sometimes have a hard time keeping her hydrated when she is with me because she does not always want water but her parents also don't want her drinking juice all the time so they add water to the juice, I know you might already do this but here is my twist...

I noticed that the Gerber juice has a short shelf life once it is open which is fine but I can't always find the small bottle 4 packs of bottles so I am stuck getting the bigger bottle.  So what I do now is I freeze the juice in a ice cube tray and then add a cube or two to Niecey's cup depending on the size.  She will usually have water for a while during the day but then at some point she will not drink it anymore and keep saying "ju, ju" when I try to get her to drink.  This is certainly saving money because I am not wasting part of a bottle  and it is making her happy. :)  I think she also likes that it is cools and cools her down.

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GasBuddy.com can save you time and money, it is a free app!

GasBuddy.com can help you save money at the gas pump.
Create your free account and start searching!  All you need to do is open the app and it will use your phones GPS to find the area you are in and it will tall you the current gas prices around you.  You will even be able to get detailed directions on how to get there.  Don't drive around looking for the best price just use your phone!


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Kick Start Your New Years: Quick, Cheap and Easy Recipe Day One: CHICKEN POT PIE

So, I am not the most experienced or talented cook.  I am always looking for ways to cook on the cheap.  I try to use what I have on hand...and I LOVE the crock pot.  I thought, being a busy mom of four, I would share some of my favorite recipes that are quick, easy, and cheap!  Each day of January I will provide a favorite recipe.  Please let me know what you think.  If there are any suggestions, please let us know!  If this turns out to be a success, we will continue to do this past January.  If not, you will have to wait until next January for some more fun!  So, please leave us some feedback so we know what you think!  If you want to email us to leave comments or suggest your favorite easy, cheap recipe...email us at mymkemommy@gmail.com!  Enjoy!

So, day one I wanted to use one of my family's all time favorite.  I have made it for my sisters and they raved about it.  It is in my weekly rotation at least every other week.  Why?  It's cheap, easy and delicious!  And, it's easy to tweak to your tastes!

Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:

2 (9 inch) deep dish frozen pie crusts, thawed

1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained

          *My sister and husband thought it might be better to use frozen vegetables, but I prefer these

1 lb cooked, diced chicken breasts

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

salt, pepper, Season All, garlic salt, and onion powder to taste

            *Season to your liking..I usually do a dash of each w/ a little more onion powder & garlic salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Put one pie crust in the oven to crisp (otherwise the bottom tends to be a bit mushy)
3. In a bowl combine the mixed vegetables, chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and seasonings. Pour mixture into pie crust from the oven. Turn the other crust over and pop out of the tin onto the top of the filled pie. Seal the edges and poke holes in top crust.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
5. Cut and let cool for about ten minutes.
6. ENJOY!

With my little ones, I usually cut the pieces for them as it's cooling and put on plates so their pieces are ready to eat ASAP as the smell gets to them and they want to start nibbling sooner.

Money saving tip:  I usually buy as much chicken as my freezer will hold when it's on sale.  Chicken is in at least three recipes that we make here a week!  It's yummy and a healthier alternative to other cuts of meats.  I personally prefer chicken breasts, but your tastes might be different. 



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*WINNERS* "Be Centsable: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half" Book Giveaway

...

Congratulations to the winners of the "Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half" Book Giveaway!
(selected randomly at http://www.random.org/)

#101 - Alicia W.
#130 - Pat N.

* The winners will receive an email from me & the book will be sent by the authors, Chrissy Pate & Kristin McKee. Thanks to all who entered! If you are still interested in the book, see below for information about where you can get it.

The Be CentsAble concept is a money saving method created by two women, Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee.

As seen on Good Morning America and successfully used by families across the nation, the Be CentsAble method helps reduce everyday expenses without cutting out name brand items.

From the Authors Kristin & Chrissy :
"We started our company, Be CentsAble, with a single focus of helping families like our own save money on the most basic (and very costly) everyday necessity: groceries. As we explored and learned more and better ways to save, we realized there were so many opportunities we hadn't been taking advantage of simply because we didn't know they existed! We began searching for the best ways to cut other areas of our household budgets and challenged ourselves to cut costs in areas we didn't think were possible."

Can we afford to buy organic foods and not starve?
Can we cut our electric bill without melting in the summer?
Can "Dinner and a Movie" be affordable again?
Can we go to the beach or Disney world this year or will we have to settle for a local camping trip again?

The book, Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget In Half is a complete guide to saving money on everyday expenses while keeping life simple and sane! You won't feel pressured to change your lifestyle or conform to strict do's and dont's. Chrissy and Kristin offer a step-by-step approach that's flexible to meet your family's available time and needs.

Here is a sample of the great tips and advice the book offers:

*Don't like coupons? No sweat!: Use "sales cycle" and other strategic shopping methods to save on food items without ever clipping a coupon!

*Cook once, eat twice (or more)! Save time and money with little effort.

*Get a FREE warehouse club membership! Earn back the cost of the membership with one simple purchase you are already making each week!

*Learn how to save hundreds on your electric bill each year in one easy afternoon!

*Save 50% or more on brand name clothing for the entire family!

Purchase Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half for only $10.08 (28% off!) on Amazon.com. Eligible for FREE shipping with purchases $25 and up.

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*REMINDER* "Be Centsable: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half" Book Giveaway Ends Tomorrow, 4/15

Don't miss out on your chance to win the book from Be Centsable, How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half! Entries will be accepted until tomorrow, April 15th at 11:59 pm CDT & 2 winners will be selected! Click here to for more information about the book & to enter the giveaway.

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