Have I ever told you about my love affair with school supplies? Have I explained just how much joy I feel when I smell new notebooks, gaze on stacks of lined paper, and sharpen the points of number two pencils? Oh, it's an obsession, I admit, but one I can feed without breaking the bank so long as I follow my own rules. You'll find they come in pretty darn handy this time of year. Peace, B. How to buy school supplies like a boss 1. Only purchase school supplies during back to school sales. This is like Black Friday for school. Seriously. 2. Don't just buy for the beginning of the school year. Buy for the entire school year. That pack of college ruled paper may be 25 cents now, but it'll be back up to $1.89 by November. Those pencils you picked up for 50 cents will be closer to two bucks as well. Plan ahead. 3. Recycle from last year. Last May, when the school year ended, we went through bookbags and striped every binder and notebook we could clean. We put old pencils, pens, crayons, scissors,etc in our supply stockpile. Just because the items are used, doesn't mean they aren't reusable. 4. Research who has what for the lowest cost. You can do this easily by perusing frugal blogs like Southern Savers. 5. Don't listen to your children when they say they have to have that ten dollar notebook or that thirty dollar lunchbox. Children are insane and, generally, have no concept of your money. Be the boss and say no to the $5 mechanical pencil she or he will lose on the second day of school. 6. Shop from the list you received at your children's Open House. Stick to that list, but think about what the school year will bring. You'll have projects and reports that will most likely require index cards and poster board. You'll need markers in ten different colors and graph paper at some point, too. 7. Take into account use and loss when buying extra supplies for the year. My Littles lose folders and notebooks. They go through pencils like their using them for firewood. The Teenager goes through index cards like she's got an addiction to them. (And she does because I taught her how to make note cards for studying.) 8. Keep a stash of supplies in one location. You'll know what you have and what you need at any given time. 9. Don't rush to the store with your list. Shop a week after school starts. The sales are still going, the prices have dropped even more, and the crowds are less insane. No teacher in his or her right mind expects you to have all of your supplies on the first day of school. 10. Label everything like it's made from solid gold. I write our last name on every single thing that goes to school with my Littles. You'll avoid mix ups and replacing items. Want more Back to School Basics? Go here!
Q: You talked about having an emergency preparedness kit at one of your classes. What's in your kit and did you make your own?- Crystal, Jonosboro
A: Now, I'm no prepper, but I make sure I have 72 hour kit in place for whatever Mother Nature throws our way. My husband and I grew up with hurricanes and I think our parents' kits included M&Ms and beer. Ours isn't as sad and cool as all that, but we make sure we have what we need to go for three days if the grid goes down where we live. If we have to hit the road, our kit is portable and come with us to a shelter or other safe place.
 Planning your kit can be easy peasy if you use this helpful FREE download from Pinch a Little, Save a Lot. Everything you need to know is in included in this download. My personal kit contains the following items: a three day supply of food that requires no cooking (for everyone including pets); diddo for water; change of clothing for everyone; medication for everyone; a weather radio; flashlights; extra batteries; candles; matches; bedding; copies of family information; and tools for emergencies (wrench to turn off water, shovel, etc).
FEMA recommends a family pack the following in their emergency kit:
Emergency Supplies:
Water, food, and clean air are important things to have if an emergency happens. Each family or individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents.
Recommended Supplies to Include in a Basic Kit:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First Aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Clothing and Bedding:
If you live in a cold weather climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that the power will be out and you will not have heat. Rethink your clothing and bedding supplies to account for growing children and other family changes. One complete change of warm clothing and shoes per person, including:
- A jacket or coat
- Long pants
- A long sleeve shirt
- Sturdy shoes
- A hat and gloves
- A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
Below are some other items for your family to consider adding to its supply kit. Some of these items, especially those marked with a * can be dangerous, so please have an adult collect these supplies.
- Emergency reference materials such as a first aid book or a print out of the information on www.ready.gov
- Rain gear
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
- Cash or traveler's checks, change
- Paper towels
- Fire Extinguisher
- Tent
- Compass
- Matches in a waterproof container*
- Signal flare*
- Paper, pencil
- Personal hygiene items including feminine supplies
- Disinfectant*
- Household chlorine bleach* - You can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to treat water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
- Medicine dropper
- Important Family Documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
Visit FEMA for more information about building your own emergency preparedness kit. Be sure to update your kit every six months. Rotate food and water out and change out clothes for everyone as well. Check batteries as well. Update your information and review your plan for checking in with out-of-state friends and family. Peace, B. Do you have a question that needs answering? Just email OFM at mamabee@OneFabulousMama.com! For more Magical Monday Q&A fabulousness, go here!
We're getting a tax free weekend this year, friends. It's August 10 and 11. That's the good news. The bad news is most of us start back this week and next. If you can hold off on buying school supplies or that needed computer, I suggest you do that.
Approved items for the tax free weekend:
Clothing and footwear with a sales price of $100.00 or less per item.
A single personal computer or personal computer-related accessory purchase with a sales price of $1,000.00 or less.
General school supplies for classroom or related activities with a sales price of $20.00 or less per item.
Items not approved for the tax free weekend:
clothing accessories
jewelry
handbags
umbrellas
eyewear
watches
watchbands
cellular devices
furniture
computer-related accessories designed for recreational use
items used in a trade or business or for resale, or rentals or sales in theme parks, entertainment complexes, public lodging establishments, restaurants, or airports
Remember, just because it's tax free and "back to school," doesn't mean your Littles need a new wardrobe or computer. You aren't saving money when you spend what you don't have on things you don't really need. Peace, B.
Make your own cream cheese for less...
oh, and it's super yummy, too!  I like cream cheese bunches. I cook with it, bake with it, and eat it plain on bagels and toast. Okay, yes more often than not, I add a dab or two of Nutella, but that's true of most of the foods I eat. Cream cheese stars in many party dishes and cream sauces, too. I can't always get it on sale though and I loathe to pay retail for anything. Plus, I think Philadelphia cream cheese may have hatched some diabolical plot to get us all hooked on the stuff and then, drove up the cost, leaving us jonesing, helpless and addicted.
One thing's for sure, come cheese cake making time, I make my own cream cheese. I wouldn't be able to make so many delicious desserts if I was paying Philadelphia prices. Does making your own cream cheese sound too Little House on the Prairie, crazy homesteader to you? Seriously, friends, it's not hard to do. Once you try it, you'll see. I mean, have you met me? I don't do difficult. Peace, B.
You ready to do this thing? You'll need the following to make your own cream cheese: a large container of plain yogurt
a colander
a dish towel or cheese cloth
a bowl
Put your colander on top of your glass bowl. The glass bowl is going to collect the liquid (whey) that drains off the yogurt.
Line the colander with the cheese cloth or dish towel. (I used to use a burp cloth for this purpose. Once that was so ratty from years of use, I just switched over to a cheese cloth.)
Spoon the yogurt into the colander. Make sure you are able to bring the sides of the cheese cloth up and around the yogurt to cover it.
As the whey drips into the bowl, the yogurt will firm up and thicken. It's like magic and you'll feel like a professional cheese maker.
Your super mega awesome cream cheese will be ready in about 5 or 6 hours, but I usually leave the whole shebang there on the counter over night. The longer it drains, the thicker the cheese will be.
I store my homemade cream cheese in a large crock and make smaller batches of flavored cream cheese in half pint size mason jars. I like to add in fruits* or dried herbs, garlic, and/or dehydrated onions.
Your cream cheese will keep in the fridge for a week.
*Sometimes, I receive bulk packs of flavored yogurt through a "co-op" or through stockpiling via sales ad and coupon match-ups. I have successfully made cream cheese with Yoplait blueberry, strawberry, and peach. I don't know if results will vary by brand or flavor. You want some good ideas for using that whey you just collected when you made your own homemade cream cheese? Go here. For more Thrifty Thursday fabulous-ness, go here.
Featuring wonderful ways from around the web to waste not every Wednesday... repurposing, upcycling, recycling, repairing... being frugal means learning how to make life fabulous by consuming less and reusing more.
This week's post features an upcycled crib mattress! This very clever and crafty chick built a triple box base for storage and then plopped down a crib mattress on top to make an extraordinary daybed. Inspired by something she saw at Pottery Barn, Kira made this crafty bed using three simple wooden boxes she built and put together. You can read all about how she this here. I love the possibilities for a reading nook and the baskets underneath are such nifty storage, too. Peace, B. Want more Waste Not Wednesdays? Go here!
 I heart tacos. It's a fact. Just like with everything else, I've found I can make a more flavorful, less expensive taco seasoning at home than I can buy in those little envelopes at the store. I've fiddled with the mixture of spices over the years and this is what my family likes. It's a blend that's not too spicy with just the right amount of kick. Not to go telling tales out of school, but this mix is kinda a big deal around here. Folks ask me to make them up a batch after they have one of our suppers featuring nachos or chicken tacos. I don't mind. It makes a pretty gift with some homemade tortillas and salsa, too! Peace, B.
You'll need the following ingredients:
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes*
1 teaspoon dried oregano
*If you are not a fan of hot, just omit this. My Littles eat this with the red pepper flakes, but we like spicy foods.
Mix all of the spices together. Store in an airtight container.
To use: Add two heaping tablespoons of seasoning to one pound cooked ground beef, shredded pork, or shredded chicken. (Be sure to drain off any fat first!) Stir in 2/3 cup water and let the liquid cook down over medium heat.
This recipe makes enough to season four to five pounds of meat.
Q: I have been making your laundry detergent for about a year. I like the quality and the savings. Do you make your own fabric softener recipe you will share? Kimberly H.
A: I'm glad you like the laundry detergent! It's been a real money saver for my family as well. I don't make my own fabric softener, but I do have a trick for stretching the use of liquid fabric softener. Be sure to buy liquid fabric softener when it's at its lowest price point using coupons and sales ad match ups. I like to keep a stockpile of it natch because I also use it for other things like homemade Febreeze. Now, some folks will tell you straight vinegar is the way to go for fabric softener and that's good for them and I have no doubt they're right about loving it. Vinegar is aces in my book, but I like my way better. Some folks will tell you to use a combination of hair conditioner, baking soda, and vinegar for a homemade fabric softener and I have no doubt that this works well for them. This is what I do. It lasts a long, long, long time and the results are fabulous. My clothes are wrinkle free and I like the way the smell, too. Fabric softener the OFM way: Take a bottle of liquid fabric softener (between 70 to 100 ounce size- the big bottles) and pour it into a five gallon paint bucket. You can use whatever kind of liquid fabric softener you like. I'm partial to whatever is on sale.
Add water to almost the top of the bucket. Stir to mix well. I use an old drum stick or wooden dowel.
To use: Dip a washcloth into the diluted fabric softener and squeeze excess liquid off. Toss the wash cloth into the dryer with your wet laundry and dry as usual.
You can use the same washcloth with every load of clothes, dipping it into the diluted fabric softener before each new load is dried. It's like a recycled fabric softener sheet!
In the past, I've tried making smaller batches of diluted fabric softener in recycled milk jugs and found that I just really like the convenience of the paint bucket better. If you don't have room for a paint bucket of diluted fabric softener, you could always use a smaller container and pour a small amount of the diluted fabric softener onto the washcloth.
Easy peasy.
Do you have a question that needs answering? Just email OFM at mamabee@OneFabulousMama.com! For more Magical Monday Q&A fabulousness, go here!
Featuring fabulous finds from readers and more every Friday!
Cheryl found three of these Rachel Ray dish towel/pot holder combos for $1 each at a yard sale. All were new in package. Mexican bone chess set, thrift shop find, location unknown, $8 Frugal friend, Jessica, was given all of the food pictured below when she was working for her church earlier this week! Do you have a Fabulous Find to share? Email a picture along with a description to mamabee@OneFabulousMama.com!
Update, Thursday, July 19: The winner of the breast pump is Lisa (gapeachchlm)! My good friend, Jamie, gave me this brand new, never been used, still in the box breast pump to pass along to my frugal and fabulous friends via my website. I'm delighted to do so because there's nothing like helping out other mamas, right? Here's the thing though... how many of my readers can possibly be nursing mothers who need this Simply Go Evenflo single electric breast pump? Y'all are gonna have to share, share, share this giveaway in order for it to reach those folks who need it most. Can you do that? I knew I could count on you! All you have to do to enter is... Leave a comment on this blog post. One entry per person. Be sure to leave your email address (it's not published), so I can contact you. Leaving a comment on the Facebook wall doesn't count as an entry. Only those comments left on this blog post! Comments will appear once they've been approved by the moderator. You MUST be a fan of the One Fabulous Mama Facebook page to be eligible to win this giveaway. Giveaway begins Wednesday, July 11, 2012 and ends Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at midnight. Winner will be announced Thursday, July 19. From the Manufacturer
A simple way to support breast feeding for your baby, the SimplyGo Single Electric Breast Pump is small, handheld, portable, convenient and diaper-bag ready. A state-of-the-art valve provides consistent suction for more comfortable and efficient milk expression.
Product Description
Lightweight and portable - convenient anywhere. Adjustable vacuum for customized comfort. Removable insert accommodates different sizes. BPA free. Contains 1 electric breast pump. 30 years committed to breastfeeding. Fingertip control offers easy on/off, while adjustable vacuum control enhances comfort. Compact, hand-held design ensures discretion and ease of use. AC adapter included. Can be powered with 3 AA alkaline batteries (not included). Adapter: Input AC 100-240V, 50-60Hz; Output DC 4.5V, 750mA, 4W. Made in China.
Retail Value
$39.99 The fine print OFM will ship this prize using the most economic means available within the continental United States in a timely manner. OFM is not responsible for folks who really, really, really want to win, but don't and then, complain about it. Get over yourselves. It's a dang giveaway. OFM is not responsible for your happiness with this prize. Don't be a douche. Only enter this giveaway if you or someone you know needs a breast pump. Winning entry will be randomly chosen.
Featuring wonderful ways from around the web to waste not every Wednesday... repurposing, upcycling, recycling, repairing... being frugal means learning how to make life fabulous by consuming less and reusing more.
 I am in love with the idea of printing and painting on book pages. It's a beautiful, unique way to create a piece of artwork. I started toying around with the idea of using book pages in scrape booking and and with decoupage. I think printing and painting is just a evolutionary step for me. Turns out lots of folks already do it and they will charge you an arm and a leg for their work. Good for them, but I'mma make my own stuffs, thank you very much. This post by Wilma teaches you how to print on book pages while getting the placement just right. Once you have that mastered, you can create all kinds of fabulously unique pieces. Peace, B.
Want more Waste Not Wednesdays? Go here!
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