Another Option to Magazine Recycling

Our house is often overwhelmed with magazines. As a magazine editor, I often brought home multiple and would buy others. My husband also gets them through his job. Once we look through them, we add them to a box in our garage for taking to the recycling center (only a couple of places in our city take magazines).

I've recently discovered another option. Several of our local charities/thrift shops take old magazines. Many people buy them for ideas or school collages--things that don't matter how old the issue is.

If you do recycle them, remember you're supposed to remove any blown-in or bound-in cards (like subscription cards, perfume samples, etc.). Just take them out as you read through the magazine so you don't have to do it later.

Giveaway to Come!!

Keep checking in! Within the next few days I will post information about a giveaway. Plus, more posts to come (more frequently!).

Consignments Sales for Baby - link

I'm always on the lookout for consignments sales with baby items. They tend to have great variety and prices, and of course, reusing items is always a plus. The clothes and gear are generally in great shape, although you should always inspect your potential purchases carefully. Once you buy it, you're stuck with it!

Here is a link to a site with a great list of sales (you can search by state, city, etc.):
http://thebargainwatcher.com/sales_search_results.asp

Happy bargain hunting!

Cheap(er) Flights

If you're looking to book a flight, consider checking out competeforyourseat.com to maximize your savings.

How it works: You register by filling out the trip request form, and then travel pros will bid on your flight. You then choose your best option and contact the bidder to set everything up. If you need to book a flight faster, a live flight search is also available. Both methods are free.

If you've used this site, let me know your experience.

Dirt Scoopers

I'm already looking forward to spring, and when planting season comes around, I have some new (well, new for gardening) tools to add to my gardening arsenal. We have a few faded, heavy-duty plastic cups (of varying sizes) that I'll use to scoop dirt from bags when transferring to pots. Those top soil bags are always heavy to carry around (and I don't need so much to just dump it), and the mini shovels are too small to do a quick job. Plus, I end up spilling more dirt than moving. I've used plastic cups before and they work well. They allow you to get a decent amount of dirt in one pass, which you can then easily pour into a pot.

Chili and Its Reincarnations

I had some ground pork defrosting in the fridge yesterday, so I mixed it with some ground beef and whipped up some chili (both packages of meat were bought on sale for around $1.99/lb.). It was going to get down into the teens overnight (yes, it even happens in Georgia!), so I was in the mood for something warm and comforting.

I browned up the meat and added onions and green bell peppers until softened. Once I drained the grease, I added two tablespoons of garlic, a can of red kidney beans, a can of diced tomatoes, a large can of tomato sauce and the following spices to taste (I rarely measure!): cinnamon (just a dash), cumin, basil, oregano, chili powder, S&P. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes while bread baked. I had wanted corn bread, but we were out of eggs and a trip to the store just wasn't worth it.

I made sure to make enough so that my husband and I would have plenty for dinner but also leftovers for other uses. Today for lunch, I baked a potato and topped it with chili, sour cream and cheese. Besides as a baked potato topping, chili is great these ways:
- On top of mashed potatoes and hash browns.
- As chili mac by placing it on pasta.
- You can always add a bit of water or stock to the leftover version to make it even more of a sauce consistency. Then it becomes even more like spaghetti sauce.
- Stuff it into bell peppers. You can add rice, too, if you like.
- There's always the chili dog option!

Green Up - treehugger.com

Starting today, each week I will let you know about a site (or more) that will help us all get a little greener. I just discovered a site, treehugger.com, that includes articles about making your home greener, green buying guides, and great forums. Check it out!