Milk, two sugars.....

 Many years ago, I found a book by David Bach called "The automatic millionaire" , now this was way before a Kindle was ever even a thought, and standing in the middle of the bookstore with a book that could possibly get me rich..I was sold. I bought the book and for years afterward, it is a book I continue to read over, and attempt to implement all of the sound financial ideas David compiled.
  Something he spent alot of time and energy on was what he calls "The latte factor" , and basically what it is, is this- in order to cut frivolous spending and see where you can tighten up your budget he suggests skipping your morning cup ( or throughout the day CUPS) of coffee(latte), for a homemade, pot, brewed-yourself, reusable travel mug cup, potentially saving hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars every year.

                             QUICK IN YOUR FACE MATH CALCULATION!!!

                         A large cup of coffee, bought at your local 7-11 costs a smidge more than $2, if you buy ONE a day for 5 days(on your way to work) that's $10 a week, $40 a month OR $480 a year, of course..if you choose a "specialty" cup of joe, well....you can do your own math for that!!!!


                                                      $480 a year ON COFFEE!!!!


Now, think about that HUGE can or bag of coffee you can get at a warehouse store????  I know my brand costs $9.59... and I make it EVERY DAY , sometimes several times a day..and it lasts a month or more ( one trick to that is not wasting any, I never make a full pot unless I have company and know it won't be wasted)

                           ANOTHER QUICK IN YOUR FACE MATH CALCULATION!!!!

               $10 a month x12 months=$120....O.K, O.K... we'll throw in the price for a fancy, schmancy reusable travel mug too.....$140..MAX!!! BIG DIFFERENCE, right????

                                 What could you use an extra $340 for, every year???

Yes, yes..what does this have to do with my blog, you say....why, it's the prefect segue for me to give you my recipes for DIY coffee creamers, cheap, affordable alternatives to add to your morning pick me up, big pay off and it couldn't be easier...read on....

                                                          Basic coffee creamer

                                                14oz. of the milk of your choice
                                            14oz.( 1 can) of sweetened condensed milk

That's all there is to it!!! Now, the fun part...... Mix in your favorite extracts and/or flavorings to spice things up!

                                              1 tbls. vanilla extract (french vanilla)
                              1tbls. coconut extract and 1/2tbl. almond extract ( Almond Joy)
                                               1tbls. almond extract( amaretto)
                      Cinnamon and/or cocoa powder to taste( cinnamon, chocolate flavor)
or, for the very daring try cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of chili powder for a Mexican flair


Whatever flavor you enjoy..try it out!!! Go for it and have fun, and sit back, relax, enjoy your cup of coffee.... and think about all the things you can do with your new found savings!!!

                                                                  Until next time, Lauri :)

....and the livin's easy...

I have to admit....my head is spinning with the stories and ideas I have planned for this blog, so much so, that I was really having a hard time deciding WHAT to post today!
   Some of my dilemma has to do with my mildly OCD personality, the part of me that wants to give you money saving ideas and ALL of the ways to help you do that, all at once ( alas, this makes for a pretty crappy blog, if it's all a BLOB), the other half is my throw caution to the wind side, and wants to show you some new beauty products etc, but again...I need separate posts for all of those things too.
    So, I sat down and wrote a list( yes, I'm old school..I use a pen and <gasp> paper) and found a happy medium,  money saving, and incorporates some principles that I use to score some of my frivolous makeup and beauty expenses too.


                                                 Simple Easy ways to cut household expenses

• D.I.Y whenever you can, for as much as you can-Once again, the internet is an amazing source and wealth of information, especially when it comes to DIY and saving money( seems everybody's doing it) I have recently had the pleasure of joining Pinterest, and thankfully there's a category of DIY/crafts..for me, it may just be the perfect place to dwell, so many fun things, ideas and sites all in one place, just be sure to "pin it" when you see it so you don't miss a thing. Some items I have been making myself ( and LOVING) are homemade laundry soap, fabric softener, laundry pre-treater, body wash, body scrub..and my latest...flavored coffee creamers and fresh baked bread. Not only are these easy and in my opinion fun to make, but the savings is truly remarkable...I'll be doing individual posts about each DIY item I've listed..so stay tuned :)

• Ditch the disposable for the reusable-This is a step , that like many other changes in one's life, may take a bit of time to transition to...some people choose to do this as a means of "going green" , my sole purpose for doing this was to " save on green"...disposable razors and paper towels are just two money sucking items that can be replaced for more cost efficient items.

• Thrift shop-Again, I don't expect all ideas to be for everyone, but this is one that can REALLY be a money saver. Now..I'll be honest.. I've been writing about how to save money, but there are things I will not give up, or skimp on..( I WILL keep my cell phone and cable T.V.) but as far as my wardrobe..well, I'm not a fashionista, so thrifting works for me..I just bought my entire summer capri wardrobe, and t-shirts for around $30, YUP ALL of it, however, here's my restriction to this rule....my son gets new, new toys, new clothes and new shoes( I get new shoes too, but not as frequently as a 6 year old), this is also a fantastic way to un-clutter and purge all of those items in your closet that you really don't know what to do with, thrift stores LOVE donations.

• Circular shop and store hop-Weekly circulars to local grocery stores are your weekly meal plan, use sale items as well as items in season to plan your family's weekly meals, or to supplement previously purchased items. Store hopping is also a way to shop sales and save money, but only if it proves beneficial to your gas tank and budget, I happen to be lucky to live near an area that has multiple stores within a 1-2 mile strip, so the idea of stopping at 3,4 or even 5 different stores is not such a far fetched notion for me, but for someone say, in Alaska that may have a 2 hour drive to the nearest store, not a viable option, understood. Hey, I can't make it all happen!!!

• Coupon, but not to the extreme-I LOVE a deal, bargain..and I LOVE me some coupons..I can't lie, BUT I will never understand the need for 86 bottles of yellow mustard or 103 bottles of hot sauce.I coupon and save money and every once in a while, I can get a REALLY GOOD deal( there will be more posts on couponing and some of my sweeter deals another time) I also "stack" coupons whenever I can..meaning, if I buy something at Target I use a regular manufacturer's coupon in conjunction with a target or target printable coupon, and save even more, not always possible, but worth it when you can make it happen

.

• Make a list, pay cash when possible- I know, I know, in a swipe and go world..WHY would you carry cash???? The answer is simple, when you VISUALLY see what leaves your hands, you rethink some impulse buys, which is why a list is important too..not just for food but for all shopping, when you have an agenda, it's easier to stick to, saving you not only money..but your own TIME too, which as we all know..you simply can't put a price on....

O.K., you budget bandits, you sultans of savings....I'm off to make my list, and check it twice...until next time!!   Lauri :)

Simple Abundance...

   What do you do at 3 a.m when insomnia has become your friend?? I suppose I could clean without the distraction of a 6 year old, or maybe tackle the mountain of clean laundry that's been waiting for my attention to fold it, but nah..I'd much rather blog!
    Years ago, thanks to Oprah's infinite wisdom, I was turned onto a book by Sarah Ban Breathnach called "Simple Abundance" ...many of you have heard of it , or even read it, if you haven't I suggest you buy it, and while I am a person who loves my Kindle, this is a book I suggest you get in "book" form, and I'll tell you why.
      Not only does this book have a daily reading notation( a daily devotional, if you will) It also gives you a monthly summary of sorts at the end of every month/chapter...of things and ways to create and find simple abundance in your life, hence the book form, making it easier to flip through and mark, refer to etc.This book is the inspiration for this particular blog, hope you enjoy!

                                            5 Things that are absolutely FREE

• Get back to nature- Take a walk, either with your earbuds and your favorite tunes, or without any of today's electronic distractions, and simply "enjoy the silence". Spend time in the dirt( and no I don't mean making mud pies) well, I guess you can if you want, who am I to stop you?? No need to spend money on planting anything..just pull some weeds, some therapists recommend gardening as a way to get back to nature and reconnect with yourself, and ease a troubled mind, and when all those pesky weeds are gone, the sense of accomplishment is wonderful!!
• Get freebies sent to your inbox-There are tons of free things being given away on the internet, just google "free stuff" and you'll see, but one fun idea comes from All You magazine, sign up on their website www.allyou.com ( you don't need a subscription) and you can sign up to get a daily free sample e-mail daily, just click the link...and your done!!! Who doesn't love getting some good old fashioned mail?? and if it's free?? even better!
• Rekindle your love affair with reading-The wording for this title was intentional, I Love my kindle, I love to read, so the more I can fit into a small tablet shaped object the better, however I have to admit I sometimes despise having to pay for something I want to read, so an easy way to fill that bad boy is by signing up for free downloads!!! There's a site called www.ereadernewstoday.com you can sign up and friend them on facebook, and everyday several times a day they list a bunch of free books, ranging from childrens books, to cookbooks..choose them all, or none, who cares!! It's FREE!! ( You can also go to amazon and type in free kindle books, classics and many others are your for the taking). If you don't own a kindle, but still want something free...read on .....

• Utilize your local library-I personally feel, the library has gotten a bit lost in our lives today, with everything available at our fingertips...the dewey decimal system is near extinction!!! However, I also think people don't realize what an amazing resource their local library can be, you can get books, cd's, dvd's, do research, learn a new hobby, and even have a little bit of a social life most library's have free movie nights, or discounted trips to theatres or to the city that anyone can take advantage of...it can also be another form of therapy, take the kids and let them explore the childrens section and all it has to offer, or go when the kids are in school and sit and peruse through all the many magazines that are free for you to look at , and for a nominal fee, photocopy anything that you truly cannot live without!!! If you have a library card..dust it off, if you don't..GO GET ONE!!! It's FREE.
• Go "Virtual" virtual shopping-I've been doing this for years...and while I do like to shop online, my wallet often times won't allow me..so how do I get my fix?? Well, years ago I realized I love the shopping "high" so here's what I do..go to any website i may be drooling over at the moment...and SHOP...I mean go nuts...if it's clothes, buy whole outfits, with shoes and accessories, if it's electronics..buy the best souped up, pimped out surround sound home theatre you can imagine....go to the checkout....this is important( can you feel the excitement??) LOOK at the total cost of everything you want....then..THEN....when it asks for your personal info!!!......."X" out of the site...and POOF!!! you've just shopped to your hearts content AND didn't spend a penny doing it, believe it or not, the sense of fulfillment you get from not draining your wallet, is almost as good as the shopping"high".

            WHEW!!!! This was a lot longer than I expected, but I still can't sleep...ughhh, well..I guess I'm off to buy those gorgeous Christian Loboutins I've had my eye on........till next time, Lauri :)

When life gives you lemons.....

Sometimes, life isn't fair....that's just life, that's part of the overall experience, so what do you do when you've felt the wrath??? You change your perspective, and make it better. Eckart Tolle once said, " Take on every situation as if you've chosen it" putting yourself in this mindset, IMMEDIATELY changes any given situation.  So, one way to make things all better, is to pamper yourself, take a step back, a deep breath and prepare for what's ahead....so here's an easy way to do just that..

                                                    Lemon Sugar body scrub

Ingredients you'll need:

1. Approx. 1/3 cup of Olive oil
2. Approx. 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
3. juice of one lemon

some lemon zest( optional)


 That's it!!! 3 ingredients to transform the mundane into the magical!!!! Mix all of these together, store in an airtight jar and Voila!!!! You can use this anywhere on your body that needs a little extra pick me up!!!
  As always, I say measurements are approximate, because the beauty of DIY things is customizing it to your liking, you can make it thicker or thinner, if you like, or switch the sugar for Kosher salt( just beware of any small cuts, OUCH!) Just remember, to take a minute for yourself, everyday..even if it's only your morning shower........Now you're ready to take on the world. Go get 'em!!!!
                                                                                             :) Lauri

A few of my favorite things...

So one of my favorite things to do and places to go, is my local dollar store, I originally wanted the domain name of "Dollar store Diva" but it was taken( I sure hope whoever has it is doing it justice).

Depending on where you live, there are several types of dollar stores to choose from. There's the "Dollar tree" and "Family Dollar" or "Dollar General", plus countless other mom and pop stores along the way, but BEWARE..not all dollar stores are created equal! Dollar tree, truly does charge a single buck for all their wares, while Family dollar, although gracious enough to take manufacturer coupons, also seems to have forgotten the word dollar ( singular ) in their name.I, for one refuse to pay more than than one Sacagawea for any one item.O.K, down from my soap box.....

So, I know, you're thinking.. what's the dollar store have that Wal-Mart doesn't???( yes, we go REAL classy here) ..let's see...

• You can plan an awesome party from the dollar store (especially Luaus!!!!)
• You can decorate your home from the dollar store ( lots of crafty things to be had for 100 pennies)
• You can EAT at the dollar store ( and it's not all teeth rotting grabage)
• You can become a beauty( or drag) queen at the dollar store
• You can gift wrap for cheap, and make it look like a million bucks!
• Oh, the possibiloities are endless..many I hope to share with you....

So...from the swinging dashboard Hula girl, and I... I leave you with a little ditty I thought up today, it's sung to the tune of..." A few of my favorite things"....
                                       Cups shaped like palm trees and cheap fake eyelashes,
                                        Spray for the bathroom and bags for the trashes,
                                         Pink plastic tullips all lined up for spring......
                               These are a few of my favorite things.........
                                                           See you next time!!!!   

....And.... They're off!!!

O.K, so this is it..my first "Blog" post...although I consider myself electronically challenged and a mental midget with all this tech stuff, I'm giving it a go. Why?? Because I want a place to put all my flight of ideas and quirky nonsense, you know, the stuff that really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but seems pretty darn important to me.So, what I plan on doing on this blog, well, that remains to be seen...some days I'm sure I'll have a fun idea or story( my whole life is a bunch of ridiculous stories) and some days it may ne nothing more than my new fave lipstick, cookie or T.V show. I'm sure some posts will sound crazy...but hey, I never claimed to be sane.