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Kool-Aid Lip Gloss DIY

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This kool-aid lip gloss diy is so fun and easy - a great craft for a slumber party!

Making your own cosmetics sounds pretty exciting – especially when you can mix in fun flavors.   Little girls will LOVE mixing up this Kool-Aid Lip Gloss DIY recipe.  They can even make it at slumber parties, or as a party favor for their friends!

Best part is – it’s a super inexpensive DIY that will take literally only minutes to make 🙂 (Also see more Things to Do With Kool-Aid Packs)

Kool-Aid Lip Gloss DIY

Ingredients-
2 Tablespoons petroleum jelly or coconut oil
1 Packet of tropical punch kool-aid

You will also need-
Small lip gloss containers (Get them super cheap here!)
Craft stick for mixing
Microwave safe bowl
Measuring spoon

Directions-
1. Scoop your petroleum jelly or coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 2 to 3 minutes until liquefied (careful this will be very hot)

melt coconut oil or petroleum jelly for the kool-aid lip gloss diy base
2. Mix in your packet of Kool-Aid and stir with your craft stick

This kool-aid lip gloss diy project is perfect for a gift the kids can help you make.
3. Carefully pour your melted mixture into your small lip gloss containers and set in the fridge for 10 minutes

This Kool-aid Lip Gloss DIY is a super frugal craft to try with the kids!
4. To use: place a small amount on your pinky and rub onto your lips

 

 

TIP:  If you have a little Kool-Aid sediment that rests on the bottom of the jar after stirring – try to avoid pouring that bit into your gloss pots.  NOBODY likes to rub a grainy gloss on their lips – gross!

 

If you liked this Kool-Aid Lip Gloss DIY – you might also enjoy these fun posts!

Dr. Who Bow Headband

DIY Coffee Bean Exfoliating Soap

Quick Jelly Roll Quilt Tutorial Part 1 & Part 2

DIY T-Shirt Scrap Headband

 

Kids Summer Bucket List Printable

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Kids Summer Bucket List Printable

Are you looking for a fun list of things to do with the kids this summer? A kids’ summer bucket list printable is just the thing! Print the list and either start over for the remainder of the summer or mark off what you’ve already completed and then get going on the rest.

Some of these are so simple – but what summer memories are made of – like:

  • Skip Rocks
  • Run though a sprinkler
  • Play Flashlight Tag
  • Roast Marshmallows

While some involve a little more planning and are perfect for those long lazy weeks – like:

  • Visit a farm or a zoo
  • Take a mini roadtrip
  • Make root beer floats
  • Dinner at the beach or lake

Make sure you are signed up with sites like Groupon, Living Social, and Amazon Local to find discounts of 50% or more on events, dining, and activities to help you save even more when completing the list.

Kids Summer Bucket List Printable

Just go here or click the image below to get the full printable list. How many have you already completed?

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Make Your Own Scented Wax Cubes {DIY Tutorial}

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make your own scented wax cubes, free scentsy

:: You can see my segment HERE ::

About a year and a half ago I had the chance to do a DIY tutorial for Disney’s LiveWell station, with host Kat Cosley on how to make your own scented wax cubes. We filmed at my house for a few hours and I taught them how I reuse and make my own scented wax for my Scentsy wax warmers.

They were awesome and Kat is SUPER cool and really nice.

I have a TON and really I have a TON of Scentsy warmers, I am not telling you how many because my husband would flip! 🙂 A Scentsy warmer is a name brand wax warmer that basically melts a piece of scented wax using a light bulb, that makes your whole house smell awesome. You can buy cheaper versions of these from Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart from $5 – $15. They are really cute, and make nice gifts. I like them because I don’t like having an open flame with a lot of kids running around, and I like the way candles make my house smell good.

After the scented wax has melted and the smell is gone after about 12 hours, you are left with disks of hard wax. You can toss them or you can remelt them and add some more fragrance. This is one way to reuse the wax, I have 2 different methods I taught them.

Scentsy sells the scented wax of course, and you can buy off brands at Walmart, Target and even the Dollar Stores. Personally, I think Scentsy smells the best, but it is pretty expensive.

Scentsy also says that by using any other wax in their warmers you void your warranty on your warmer somewhere in the fine print. Just FYI.

When new, the scented wax comes in little plastic trays and you break them apart and pop them out like you would a ice cube tray. When my trays are done I save them to use as mold to pour more melted wax into.

The first tip is to save your wax when it has lost it’s smell and add more scent to it. I melt the wax either in the microwave or on a warming tray (below) in a bowl and pour it into the saved wax trays. You can get a warming tray by the candles at Walmart for $5. Many places sell scented oil and you only need a few drops. After adding the melted wax to the trays place it in the freezer for a while to harden, then use like you would new wax!

  • Melt the wax
  • Add scent
  • Pour in trays
  • Harden in freezer
  • Use again

reuse scentsy wax for tart burners

The second way I make these is with leftover candles I have OR with new candles I am given that I don’t want to have burning in my house. I get a lot of the Yankee candles and don’t want to light them so I make them into scented wax so I can safely use them.

Again I melt down the wax, either in the microwave (be careful of the metal tab on the bottom of the wick) or on a warming tray until the wax is completely melted. Then I pour them into the trays or into ice cube trays.

Put the trays into the freezer and when they are solid you can pull them out and you have scented wax from your candles that you can use in your warmers! This is the method that I use the most. I have found the Yankee candles when melted down and made into scented wax cubes smell better and the smell lasts longer then the Scentsy scents. But overall it is just safer in my home to not have an open flame.

As much as I love the Scentsy scents and buy them often, I love other candle brands as well that don’t make the scented wax. This is a great way to stretch your budget on the extra things in life by making your own. I would rather spend my money on the darling designs of name brand warmers, then on the scented wax.

Homemade Laundry Detergent: Cost – $2 per 180 loads {up to 600 HE loads}

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Homemade Laundry Detergent? Call me skeptical at first!

For the past few years I have been able to get some pretty great deals on laundry detergent. Previous to couponing, having to buy Tide almost made me cry! I didn’t know/want to try other brands and I wasn’t using coupons, and it was SO expensive, it seemed like we were always out!

Using coupons I was able to branch out and try different kinds saving a lot of money, I also was able to stock up at really low prices so I never saw the need to cut that savings even further. Until…. I was challenged by a well meaning friend to “save the environment” and cut back on waste from the bottles and use better products for my kids. SO I TRIED HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT….

Surprisingly, it worked! It was SUPER cheap to make, and it really worked. I will admit I was surprised. But, we have been using it for about 6 months now, I alternate between what I have on hand and the homemade. I have experimented with adding scented oils ( it doesn’t stain your clothes) for scent, because quite honestly that was what I liked about Tide, and I am pleased with the result.

It was very QUICK to make and not a hassle.

  • Tide has risen in price over 60% in 2 years.
  • People are stealing it and reselling it because of the price increase.
  • People think it takes a long time to make or won’t clean as well. ( I have tested it and it does work good!)
  • The supplies I am bringing will wash 180 loads for a top-load machine, or 600+ for a front loader.
  • Better for the environment, less waste, safer for children

Cost for Tide – $22 for 96 loads
Cost Homemade – $2 for 180 loads
I figure over a year I am spending $114 on Tide
If I make my own I spend $6

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

  • 1 bar of Fels Naptha soap, shaved
  • 4 cups of hot water to melt the soap
  • 3 gallons of hot water
  • 1 cup of borax
  • 2 cups of washing soda
  • 1 cup of baking soda
  • 1 large Rubbermaid container about 4-5 gallons size

Directions:

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

What coupons can you use where? Store vs. MFQ and Store Logo.

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It can be confusing when you are printing and cutting out coupons to know where you can use them when you first start couponing. But quickly you will be able to see some differences and understand what they mean.

When you look at the above coupons before you print them, you can see a few differences. Mostly that 2 of them have a store logo. The top one has none. The middle coupon with the HEB logo is actually a manufacturer coupon that can be used at any store, although it has the HEB logo. The bottom coupon has a Target logo and also says “Redeem only at Target” and when you print it, it is a Target store coupon. Which can only be used at Target, and can still be combined with manufacturer coupon.

This is what they look like when printed. Well, except I already printed and used the 3M coupon, so I printed the Softsoap coupon (you can see below) has a Walmart logo before printed.

You are looking at the top of the coupon to see if it is a manufacturer coupon or a store coupon. A manufacturer coupon can be used at ANY store as long as there as no exclusions listed on the coupon. A store logo isn’t an exclusion. UNLESS IN THE STORES COUPON POLICY THEY SPECIFICALLY SAY THEY DONT TAKE THEM. Even with another stores logo the store can still redeem it and get reimbursed for it.

The Target coupons above both say on them “Redeem Only at Target” even if these coupons are manufacturer coupons, they could only be used at Target. Because the coupons have an exclusion saying they can only be used at Target.

Now, these coupons above all have the Walmart logo on them. The logo says “Available at Walmart” basically letting you know that Walmart carries the product. Plus, they are hoping you think to yourself when seeing the logo, “I am going to use this at Walmart.”

What you need to do is read the coupon:

Coupon 1: USA Kids – Manufacturer coupon, Walmart logo, but says “Redeem ONLY at Walmart” This coupon can only be used at Walmart.

Coupon 2: Softsoap – (you can see this coupon printed above) Manufacturer coupon, No Walmart logo when printed, no exclusions can use anywhere.

Coupon 3: Purex Crystals – Manufacturer coupon, Walmart logo, says “Redeemable at Walmart.” This coupon can still be used at any store that will accept it. They are telling you Walmart carries the product and suggesting you use it there.

Finally, this is pretty much the ONLY coupon type that you can’t use at Walmart or any other store but the store it says on it. That would be a specific STORE coupon.

Clear as mud right?! It really isn’t that hard. The best thing to do is just print the coupon and read it all the way through. I also try to tell you ahead of time if we know that it is  Target coupon so you don’t print it if you wanted to use it somewhere else.

Any questions feel free to email or leave a comment and we will help you understand any questions you have!

How to make homemade window cleaner!

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Homemade window cleaner is something that I have used for a long time. I ran out of Windex one day and my Mom just shook her head and said, “why don’t you use vinegar?”

When we were kids, my Mom would have us fill a bucket with warm water and a little Dove dish soap and was the outside windows of the house. It always left them clear and without streaks.

The price of Windex has really gone up quite a bit, to almost $3.50 a bottle at Walmart. Even with a coupon it is really still overpriced in my opinion. Plus, if my kids clean a window with it, they use almost 1/2 a bottle! I am also trying to cut down on the amount of waste that we generate in general, and I love the idea of a very natural and safe cleaner that my kids will be around.

The total cost is around $.10 a bottle of cleaner for the homemade. That is a HUGE savings over a year, it is much more “green” and safer for the kids!

Homemade Glass Cleaner

  • 1/4 c. rubbing alcohol
  • 1/4 c. white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 c. warm water

The only other variation, is if you used a little tiny bit of dish soap. This is the one that my Mom uses, I change it up a bit and use mine above, about every other time!

Homemade Glass Cleaner 2

  • 1/8 Cup (1 oz) white ammonia
  • 1/4 Cup (4 oz) rubbing alcohol
  • 1 drop dish detergent
  • Warm water, enough to fill the spray bottle


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How to Make Money Spring Cleaning

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Close5.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How to Make Money Spring Cleaning

One of my favorite things about the coming of Spring is Spring Cleaning! I get to purge those things we do not need or use and can even make a little cash getting rid of it. There is really such a freeing feeling when you can get rid of things/junk you just don’t need anymore!

close5

One of my favorite ways to discard that unneeded junk is using this super awesome app called Close5. This app is available on both the App Store and Google Play. It’s so easy simply download it onto your smart phone and search for items in your area. With Close5 you can easily take photo’s with your phone of those items cluttering your home and post them for sell to others in your local area.

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For those smaller items you don’t want to post on Close5 for sell, I like to do a small garage sale. One way we like to make it more fun and motivating is to include the kids. Let the kids basically run the garage sale to make some extra money to do or buy something special for the family.  One of my kids favorite ways to spend the money is with a family movie at the theater packed with tasty treats or a family day out at a water park!

You see Spring Cleaning doesn’t have to be boring and tedious. Turn your cleaning into a money making scenario and some family fun. You will love getting rid of the extra junk and unneeded items in your house. Even more so your entire family will enjoy the extra spending money to do something fun.

Rockets Wednesday with Papa John’s! You can score 50% off pizza.

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Rockets Wednesday PapaJohns

Don’t forget Rockets Wednesday with Papa John’s for the Houston area! You can score 50% off pizza. Use the promotion code ROCKETS when ordering online, this is online only.

Offer expires 12/9/2015 Go HERE to place an order.

How To Save Money On Food At Christmas

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How To Save Money On Food At Christmas

Knowing how to save money on food at Christmas can make or break your budget if you are planning a big holiday dinner.  I have some basic tips that are going to make a huge difference in how much you spend this year for your holiday dinners.  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or holiday parties don’t have to break the bank when you think ahead and use some simple tips.

How To Save Money On Food At Christmas

Serve inexpensive sides.  One of those tips that you hear from restaurant owners is to give your guest a little of the main entree, but a lot of low-cost sides to fill them up.  Dry beans are a great choice since you can cook 8-10 cups for under $5 in your Crockpot.  Season pinto beans or great northern beans well and serve as a side everyone will enjoy for just a few dollars.  Potatoes (regular and sweet) are almost always on sale during he holidays.  A $4-$5 bag of russet potatoes is the base for a cheesy potato casserole or the classic mashed potato side dish everyone loves.  Serve more inexpensive sides and less ham or turkey to save money on food at Christmas.

Host a potluck meal.  If your friends and family are up to making a dish and bringing to your home, this can save you a ton of money.  Assign side dishes and desserts, and then all you have to do is focus on the main dish of turkey or ham.  This is fun, easy, and still helps everyone feel at home.

Serve only appetizers.  Host a party or holiday movie watching event that doesn’t include a full meal.  Serve up inexpensive appetizers like dips and chip, mini meatballs, slider sandwiches or even mini quiche.  An appetizer event means most won’t be eating a ton of food, so you don’t have to prepare as much as you would for a regular holiday meal.

Skip traditional menus.  Instead of the large turkey and all of the sides, why no make your holiday meal something less expensive?  Many families do things like pizza, spaghetti or even a taco bar on Christmas instead.  Sandwiches or inexpensive dishes that go a long way are a great way to feed a crowd without breaking the bank and still giving everyone a delicious meal.

Keep it small.  While you may want to invite all of your extended family over, maybe this is the year to only have immediate famil for your Christmas meals.  Instead of feeding all of your friends and family for Christmas, invite them over for a holiday dessert instead.

Use coupons as much as possible.  There are tons of great deals during the holidays using coupons on your Christmas menu needs.  From coupons toward a turkey purchase to the holiday specific coupons for baking supplies it is a great time to stock up and save.  Make sure to always double check prices, and take advantage of any coupon and sale events that make items free or pennies on the dollar.

Knowing how to save money on food at Christmas is tough for many families.  If you are already living paycheck to paycheck, a holiday meal may seem even harder to accomplish. These tips can help you to stay in budget and have a wonderful Christmas meal this year.

Check out some other great Christmas savings tips and ideas!

Christmas Menu Ideas That Save Time

Christmas Shopping Tips For Busy Moms

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Ideas For Christmas

Christmas Shopping Tips For Busy Moms

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christmas shopping tips

When you have kids underfoot, work to do and holidays headed your way these Christmas shopping tips for busy moms can be a lifesaver. We grab deals left and right for you to save money, but sometimes it just can feel impossible to get everything done in time for the holiday gift giving parties, events or just Christmas day with your family. These tips will help you to save time and money this holiday season.

Christmas Shopping Tips For Busy Moms

Take advantage of Amazon Prime. If you haven’t upgraded to Amazon Prime yet, this is the best time of year to do so. Amazon Prime offers you Free 2nd Day Shipping on tons of items. Nearly everything on your Christmas shopping list will be available with this offer. That means you can grab items when you see a great price, even if it is just a week or two before Christmas, and you’ll know they will arrive fast and safe. Amazon Prime has tons of other great benefits including free movie streaming as well as free music and book downloads. The $99 fee will easily save you that much if not twice as much in shipping alone during the holidays.

Use gift wrapping services. One thing that takes up a ton of time is gift wrapping all of the presents you buy. When possible online or in-store, take advantage of free gift wrapping options offered. Many stores now offer this completely free as a special way to entice you to buy from them. Some mainstream stores offer this at no-charge, but the gift wrappers may appreciate a small tip. If time is a big issue, as well as nosy kids wanting to snoop through your purchases, it is well worth dropping your gift items at the wrap counter and using the gift wrapping services in store.

Use our sites to find the best prices. We can’t deny we work long hours during the holiday season to bring you the best in store and online deals. Look no further than our daily list of deals for the best ways to save money on gifts, clothing and even food. Looking for a particular item on your gift list? Don’t hesitate to ask if we have seen a deal for it.

Don’t be afraid of gift cards. So many people find gift cards to be one of those things that just isn’t very personal, however this is definitely not true. More and more people appreciate the convenience of gift cards. From the busy mom on your block who never buys that manicure for herself, to the kids teacher that really needs an extra cup of morning coffee on her way to the classroom gift cards give the receiver the ability to enjoy something at their convenience they might not otherwise purchase. This Christmas shopping tip for busy moms isn’t a cop out – it is a great solution that almost everyone will love receiving.

This year the holiday season doesn’t have to bring stress. You can easily use these Christmas shopping tips for busy moms (or dads) to get everything you need in place, wrapped and ready for Christmas morning with ease.

Check out the HOTTEST Amazon Lightning and Gold Box daily deals HERE!

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