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Save at P.F. Chang’s on Super Bowl Sunday

February 4, 2012
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Forget chicken wings. Put aside the nachos. If you’re looking to spice up your Super Bowl party menu with a different kind of takeout, check out this deal: you’ll get 20% off your order at P.F. Chang’s when you place an order online and use the code GIANTS or PATRIOTS. (Sorry, TEBOW won’t work.) The catch is this has to be for an online order you will pick up on Sunday, February 5th–or Super Bowl Sunday.

Might I recommend you add the P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps to your order? They are my favorite!

So how did I find out about this deal? From P.F. Chang’s own Twitter feed @PFChangs

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Freebie Find: Free Onion Rings at Burger King

February 2, 2012
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free onion rings burger kingMark your calendars! On February 4th and 5th, Burger King is offering free onion rings.

You can get all the details about this freebie offer on Burger King’s Facebook page–and you can “Like” Burger King for a change to win a $10 BK Crown Card. Here’s the fine print that you need to keep in mind:

  • This freebie is not available during breakfast hours. (Really? Someone might want onion rings at breakfast? Um, no thanks.)
  • You can get one value-sized onion rings order per person only.
  • This freebie is at participating locations only and while supplies last. You can find participating locations via that aforementioned Facebook page.
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Save Money on Movie Tickets

January 27, 2012
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discount movie ticketsI know that one of the ways I’ve continued to live frugally is to be smart about how I see movies. If I go to a Regal Cinemas, I always bring my Regal Card, which helps me to earn free movie tickets. If I go to any movie, I always go early in the day so I can get the matinee price. In addition, I’ve saved money on movie tickets by using the coupons in my Entertainment Book. Or, our family will wait until the movie is on DVD, and either rent it from Redbox for $1 or get it On Demand from Comcast for about $5 (the benefit of the Comcast deal is that I don’t have to rush to “return” the movie the next day).

Now AMC Theaters is offering this terrific deal where you can save 30% on AMC movie tickets, through Goldstar, one of my affiliate programs. You buy the tickets now–you can purchase up to 8 of these movie bundles–and Goldstar will ship them to you starting on February 1st.

For $24 you’ll get:

  • two drink vouchers
  • two popcorn vouchers
  • two Gold Experience movie tickets

On a normal night the movie tickets alone will cost you upwards of $20, so add in the food, and this is truly a great deal. You can use these tickets at AMC theatres, AMC Loews, AMC Showplace, Cineplex Odeon, Magic Johnson and Star theatres, but not Canadian theaters (sorry readers who are my neighbors to the north!). Also, the tickets do not expire. Even though these are discounted tickets, you can use Gold Experience movie tickets at all showings, even special engagements (so says the AMC site.)

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A Note About Expiration Dates

January 5, 2012
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Dear Suddenly Frugal Readers:

I do my best to share with you the best freebies, discounts, and deals that I find on the Internet or hear about through my affiliate relationships. However, as that old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Which means there is the chance that you will click through to an older post, only to discover that whatever freebie, discount, or deal I’d highlighted is no longer good. Like all deals, these things expire. I hope that in order to avoid disappointment that you focus on the most current posts when looking for freebies, deals, and discounts. Thank you.

Leah Ingram
January 2012

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Help Grieving Parents at the Holidays

November 16, 2011
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So I’m going a bit off topic today with this blog post, which has nothing to do with frugal living but everything to do with helping grieving parents at the holidays. I wanted to write about this, after receiving a press release from Compassionate Friends, a bereavement organization that is sponsoring an upcoming event called Worldwide Candle Lighting. It’s occurring on December 11th for parents to remember children that have died.

I like this idea of having a day to remember children that have passed on. When you think about it, there really is no term appropriate to describe (literally and emotionally) who you become when you lose a child. When you lose parents, you’re called an orphan. When you lose a spouse, you’re called a widow or widower. But what are you called when you lose a child? Read more »

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Free $2 CVS Extra Care Bucks Still Available

October 27, 2011
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extra care bucks cvsBack in September I posted about this great deal at CVS–that CVS will give customers $2 in free Extra Care Bucks when they pledge not to be a money trasher.

Though the deal was limited to the first 500,000 registrants only–I got mine the day I put up the post–the deal is still active on the CVS site, through November 1st.

So if you never got around to getting your free $2 in Extra Care Bucks, go do that today!

(Thanks to Hip2Save for a heads up that this deal was still out there.)

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Another Halloween Freebie

October 25, 2011
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bass pro shops halloween freebieDo you live near a Bass Pro Shops location? If so, you might enjoy checking out these Halloween freebies with an “It’s the Great Pumpkin” Peanuts theme.

Through October 31, 2011, you can stop by for the following weekday & weekend events:

  • Friday, October 28, from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Halloween Reflector Necklace Craft
  • Monday, October 31, from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Peanuts Trick-or-Treat Bag Craft
  • Saturday & Sunday, October 29 & 30, from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: Color a Wood Pumpkin Craft
  • Friday, October 28, & Monday, October 31, from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Trick-or-Treating
  • Weekdays from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. and Saturdays & Sundays from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Free photo with The Great Pumpkin
  • Friday, October 28, from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Costume Parade & Giveaways
  • Saturday & Sunday, October 29 & 30: Marshmallow Roast & Apple Dessert.

Note: This special event is happening in all locations except for Branson, Miami, & Islamorada. Also, the Marshmallow Roast & Apple Dessert event is not happening in the Las Vegas location.

(Thank you Jennifer Maciejewski, Atlanta on the Cheap & RVA (Richmond) on the Cheap for a heads up on this awesome Halloween freebie.)

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Wireless Cell Phone Survey

October 6, 2011
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I’m curious to find out how the frugal folks that read Suddenly Frugal handle their wireless cell phone accounts. Currently, we have four people on a family plan, with no Smartphones, and I think we’re paying too much. Do you use a family plan? Have you made the transition to Smartphones? If so, what are you paying?

Please take the survey below. It will open in a pop-up window on top of this blog post.

Unfortunately, the survey didn’t allow for me to ask which carrier you use, so I hope you’ll post a comment below to let me know this information. FYI, we use Verizon Wireless. Thanks. I look forward to reading the results and then sharing them with you, along with tips on how to save on your wireless bill!


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Crock-Pot Round Up

October 5, 2011
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Each October  Stephanie O’Dea over at A Year of Slow Cooking declares it to be “Crocktober.” I figured in the spirit of Crocktober that I would revisit some of my earlier posts on how I’ve used my Crock-Pot or slow cooker to cook for my family on a budget. My slow cooker was especially important when I was cooking without a kitchen during our home renovation. (Here is a link to a Home Goes Strong story I wrote on newfangled Crock-Pot products.)

Here are some of my favorite Crock-Pot recipes–many of which I still have in heavy rotation!

One of my favorite ways to use my slow cooker these days is with a super easy pork recipe that includes three ingredients only–I kid you not–only 3 ingredients. They are

  1. Pork (butt, loin, shoulder, whichever cut you choose)
  2. McCormick Grill Mates Cowboy Rub (which we got as a hostess gift from my daughter’s Southern-born boyfriend and his dad when they came over for dinner a few months ago)
  3. Sprite

Basically, I use the Cowboy Rub on the pork, plop it in the slow cooker, pour in the Sprite, and let it cook on low for 8 hours. It’s amazing how well a sugared soda works in a slow cooker to cook a cut of meat!

This is the recipe that my kids ask for again and again. We’ll serve it with rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, a salad, shredded in a bun as sandwiches, with steamed green beans, you name it. This dish goes great with nearly every side!

If you’re ever stuck for something to cook for dinner and you’re low on ingredients, give this one a try!

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Hurricane Preparedness and Your Smartphone

August 26, 2011
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Earlier this week I posted about home and safety preparations for those in Hurricane Irene’s path–or any hurricane for that matter. What I didn’t cover was how you should plan to use your mobile phones to help you get through the storm.

I got this idea after financial services provider USAA sent me a tip sheet on making sure mobile phones and smartphones are ready for the storm–and how they can be an aide during it.

Getting the Most from Your Mobile Device Before, During and After a Storm

Extreme weather can disrupt communication channels, making mobile devices essential tools to keep in touch with family as well as with response and recovery efforts.  USAA offers these 6 tips to make your mobile device storm-ready: Read more »

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Guest Post: 4 Math Tricks to Keep You Frugal

August 16, 2011
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My friend Laura Laing has an awesome new book called Math for Grownups: Re-Learn the Arithmetic You Forgot From School…. As the mother of daughters in honors level math classes, I’ll do whatever I can to help promote the message that math skills and women can co-exist. It’s one of the reasons that we’re fans of Danica McKellar’s books about math, such as Math Doesn’t Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail. Today, Laura is sharing with us a guest post about how you can use math tricks to remain true to your frugal mission. I know that on almost shopping trip I make to the supermarket, I’m doing algebra at some point during the trip. So math+grocery shopping=smart! Now onto Laura’s advice

Laura Laing is the author of "Math for Grownups"

If you’ve started down the frugality path, you have probably already been smacked in the face with one unavoidable fact: there’s math involved in living within or below your means.  For some, this is no biggie.  For others, this could very well be the difference between saving a little and saving a lot.

But even if your basic math skills are rusty, you can handle these calculations, no problem.  A few simple tricks will help you stay frugal and even take it up a notch!

1.  Learn the art of estimation.
As a frugal person, you may be compelled to count each and every penny.  And that’s a good thing.  But many times, estimation is good enough. The important thing to consider is this: What’s the question?  If you want to know if you can afford to buy something, careful estimation is probably the way to go.  If you want to know how much you’ll save, go for an exact answer.

2. Know your 1.5 addition facts.
Okay, so you know your addition and subtraction facts by heart, right? But knowing that 1.5 + 1.5 = 3 and 2 + 1.5 = 3.5 can help you estimate costs more accurately and quickly.  With these quick facts on hand, you can round prices to the nearest 50¢ before adding them.  Then you’re closer to the actual price or savings than if you rounded to the nearest dollar.

3.  Practice with percents.
Everyone has their own process for finding 10%, 20% or 50% of anything.  But in case you’re feeling out of practice, here are a few ways to do the math in your head:

  • To find 10%, move the decimal point two one place to the left.
  • To find 20%, move the decimal point two one place to the left and double the answer.
  • To find 50%, divide by 2.
  • To find 25%, divide by 4.
  • To find 15%, move the decimal point two one place to the left and add half of that answer to the answer.

4. Look at what’s missing.
One of the reasons that math is so challenging in the real world is because of the way it’s taught in school. On a test or worksheet, you were usually given all of the information that you would need to solve a problem.  Not so for everyday math. So, each time you’re faced with a real-world math problem, ask yourself, “Do I have all of the information?” Details like membership fees, gasoline and taxes may strip you of your savings, making another option the better deal.

Laura Laing is the author of Math for Grownups, a funny, easy-to-understand and practical guide to the math that we do in everyday life.  She blogs at www.mathforgrownups.com.

 

 


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Guest Post: 5 Tips for a Last-Minute Cheap Beach Vacation

August 11, 2011
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Today’s guest post comes from my good friend Jen A. Miller, a Guster fan like I am and an expert on the Jersey Shore–the place, not the show. (The beach was there long before MTV showed up.) Jen’s offering tips on last-minute beach vacations for frugal travelers, based on some of the Jersey Shore advice she provides in her newly updated book Explorer’s Guide The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May: A Great Destination (Second Edition)

Jersey Shore book

The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May by Jen A. Miller

It happens every year, like a prelude to the back-to-school shopping mad dash. The emails start pouring in to my blog Down the Shore with Jen or my Twitter feed (@jerseyshorejen), asking “Where can I book a cheap vacation down the shore right now?”

Yes, everyone wants to get in that last beach vacation on the East Coast before school starts again–and everyone wants to do it on the cheap. That’s why I’ve put together these 5 tips on how you can likely find a last-minute deal on a beach vacation this month.

  1.  Pick up the phone and start dialing. Your best chance on getting a good deal late is to find a place with a cancellation. Assuming said cancellation happened recently, the hotel, motel, or B&B already got at least part of the payment for the room. They’ll want to put someone in there vs. no one.
  2. Be flexible. Saying you must have oceanfront in Cape May might cramp your options (not that it isn’t lovely. It is). But if there’s a room available with a bay view? Well, hey, at least you’re at the shore!
  3. Consider camping. There are lots of campgrounds down the shore – most about a 10-15 minute drive to the beach. They are much more affordable, and offer some quite non-roughing it options. I spent my summers in Avalon Campground, which now has long cabins – with AC – that you can rent. (Link: http://www.avaloncampground.com/) They typically also have lots of extras if you have kids, like swimming pools and events. I’ve got to tell you–to leave a hot beach and then tuck yourself back into the woods is a lovely thing.
  4. Touch base with real estate agents. It’s the end of season, and some rental property owners might be looking to squeeze a few more bucks out of the season. A last minute deal might be part of that. Alternately, you can try Homeaway.com. Some people who own rental properties skip the realtor listing fees and use this site as a quasi-DIY. They might want to strike a bargain the same way realtor-listed properties could.
  5. Try Twitter. I have a few go-to people when I’m trying to help a reader find a spot last minute. A lot of chambers of commerce are on twitter, as are the motels and B&Bs themselves. These folks are most generous. If they don’t have an opening, they might know another lodging place that does.

Of course, if you’re heading down to the south Jersey Shore, you should pick up a copy of my book Explorer’s Guide The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May: A Great Destination (Second Edition) (Explorer’s Great Destinations). It’s a great companion for any shore vacation.

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Freebie Find: Free Body Wash at CVS

August 9, 2011
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"Like" CVS Minute Clinic on Facebook and get free body wash.

Sorry, Suddenly Frugal readers, but so many people responded to this offer the day it was released that it’s no longer available. So, so, sorry!

Do you live near a CVS location? Are you aware of CVS Minute Clinic? If you haven’t already done so, go “Like” Minute Clinic on Facebook–before August 17th–and CVS will reward you with a coupon for a free full-size bottle of CVS body wash.

I just went through the steps necessary to get my coupon, and it took about 30 seconds. I’m printing out the coupon as I post this message. It’s worth up to $2.27–not too shabby!

Hope you can benefit from this freebie, too. (Thanks to CostSolutions for the heads up on this deal!)

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VIDEO: L.L. Bean Backpacks

June 27, 2011
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Still wondering why I’m such a huge fan of L.L. Bean products? Check out this video from L.L. Bean on how they test their backpacks.

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4 Frugal Wedding-Planning Tips

June 9, 2011
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I’ll be on the “10! Show” on NBC 10 Philadelphia this morning, offering advice on frugal wedding planning. Here’s a rundown of what I’ll be discussing.

The average wedding in the Philadelphia area these days costs more than $36,000. That’s a pretty scary number to accept. Luckily, there are ways to whittle down some of these costs. Here are 4 frugal wedding-planning tips that any bride or groom could use.

Cut Wedding Dress Costs Without Sacrificing Style
The average wedding gown sets the bride back $1,000 but that’s for the dress only and, if you’ve ever watched TLC’s “Say ‘Yes’ To the Dress,” most dresses go for way more than that. You don’t have to sacrifice style for savings, as you can see with this David’s Bridal stretch taffeta mermaid gown, which costs only $199. You can also get affordable accessories and bridesmaid gowns at David’s Bridal along with the store’s own version of Kate Middleton’s wedding gown, which reportedly cost $300,000, but goes for about $500.

Take the DIY (Do It Yourself Approach)
With a little bit of time and ingenuity, you can make what you need for your wedding.
* You can create pretty centerpieces for your reception tables without spending a lot of cash. One option is using potted fresh flowers, which are simple and inexpensive. Or you can invest in this book and DVD set called Do It Yourself Wedding Flower Guide, which comes with DVD instruction as well. The entire set costs $180. (The average floral budget for a wedding is 10X that!)
* You can also make your own invitations, such as with kits from Party City that cost just $15 for 25 invitations. (Invitations normally cost about $350 per wedding.)
* You can skip the videographer and instead rent a Flip camera from Story Mix Weddings that will then take your footage and edit it for you. Prices start at $100 per camera, with editing. (Videographers cost, on average, about $1,500.) If you want to do the shooting and editing with your own equipment, forget about getting yourself a new Flip camera–Flip is going out of business. Instead, check out the Coby SNAPP handheld digital videocamera, which is pretty much the next generation of Flip but will likely be around for a lot longer.

Stock Your Own Bar
I remember when I was planning my wedding that when I talked about cost savings with my caterer, she advised me to stock my own bar. By doing that we spent just a few hundred dollars to quench the thirst of our many guests, and probably saved 50% of the bar costs in the process. Also, by doing this we avoided “uncorking fees,” which venues charge for each bottle of alcohol they open at your event. These fees are often as steep as $30 per bottle, which would easily get you two bottles of wine.

Offer a Unique Gift
This is more for the guest than for the bride and groom, but I just love the art from the Barcode Gallery. Basically, what the gallery does is create a unique QR or quick response code that you can scan with a Smartphone to reveal a unique message you wrote for the happy couple. You can get the print on canvas so that it looks just like an original piece of art that the happy couple can hang on the wall of their home.

As soon as NBC 10 posts a video of the segment, I’ll put it up on the blog.

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Frugal Ways to Prevent Poison Ivy

June 8, 2011
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Two years ago I got my first ever case of poison ivy. And it was a doozy. Here’s how it happened.

Having never reacted to poison ivy in the past, I didn’t think twice about going outside on a hot day to weed, in shorts and a tank top. The hill leading up to our front yard is covered in all kinds of ivy, including the poison kind. Even though I know that rhyme “leaves of three, let them be” to warn you of poison ivy, I still grabbed and pulled them out with the other ivy and regular weeds.

I distinctly remember one, shall we say, comedic moment when I was pulling hard on a bunch of weeds, and I lost my grip and fell face forward into the ivy. My hands stopped my face from hitting the ground but my arms and legs ended up, well, knee deep in what turned out to be poison ivy.

About a week later I started scratching.

The poison ivy got so bad on my arms and legs that I ended up having to be put on prednisone, a steroid. I’ve still got scars on my legs from those lesions, that hung around for what felt like weeks.

Lesson learned.

These days if the urge to garden hits me, here are three frugal ways I get the job done without catching poison ivy:

  1. Garden in long sleeves and long pants. While the best antidote to poison ivy is avoiding it all together, sometimes you’ve just got to get out there and weed. That’s why these days I will only weed in a long-sleeved shirt, long pants tucked into my socks, and closed toe shoes. I’m sure I look really fashionable!
  2. Wash with Dawn dishwashing liquid after weeding. The reason that people get poison ivy is that they get urushiol, the oil in poison ivy plants, on their skin. The Centers for Disease Control says that if you can get that oil off your skin within 10 minutes of your being exposed to it, you can lessen the chances that you’ll develop a rash. Dawn, it turns out, can destroy urushiol. Sure, it’s great for washing dishes but remember how it helped clean up animals after oil spills? I’ve even taken to bathing the dog in Dawn if I think he’s gotten into poison ivy.
  3. Find someone else to do the weeding in hot weather. Even though it may not be frugal to hire someone for landscaping, at this point I think everyone in our family is allergic to poison ivy. And I’d rather pay someone to take care of weeding poison ivy than pay for it in our misery and doctor’s appointment co-pays.

If you’ve got surefire ways to deal with poison ivy frugally, I’d love to have you post a comment on the blog.

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Top 10 Garden Pests

May 23, 2011
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Notice the red strawberries growing out of my strawberry pot: top left and middle right.

For Mother’s Day my husband and kids got me a strawberry planter so that I could have a container garden for growing strawberries at home. As you can see from the picture here, I’ve got two red strawberries growing.

I’d better get out to my front step (where I’ve placed the container, because it’s the sunniest spot in my yard–you know, when the sun is actually shining), and pick those delicious-looking berries before the squirrels get to them.

Turns out that squirrels in search of hydration will often snatch berries from the vine, not because they like strawberries but because they are thirsty. Perhaps I’ll luck out and they’ll leave those berries alone, especially since it’s been raining here for a week and the forecast says we’re in for 7 more days of possible showers.

Squirrels aren’t the only pests in your garden. Here are the top 10, as I covered on Home Goes Strong, my paid blogging gig for NBC Universal, recently:

  1. Aphids, which are really plant lice. Yuck. Spray aphid-infected plants with a soapy mixture.
  2. Deer. The best way to deter them? Choose deer-resistant plants and avoid hosta at all costs!
  3. Snails and slugs. Try my mother’s favorite remedy–beer! (You don’t drink it; you leave it out for the snail and slugs, and it kills them.)
  4. Moles and voles, which my dog loves to hunt without us even having to say, “Go get ‘em, boy!”
  5. Japanese beetle. Did you ever notice that these little buggers actually look like the Beetle, as in the car?
  6. Caterpillars. Last year the hornworm caterpillar decimated our tomato plants. Hopefully, we won’t have a repeat of that this year.
  7. Rabbits. Important safety tip: deer-resistant plants (see #2 above) are not always rabbit-resistant plants. Sometimes, it’s a losing battle at the deer-rabbit salad bar (i.e. your garden).
  8. Grub Worms. Yuck. Disgusting. Just squish them when you find them.
  9. Ants. Sing along with me, to the “Pink Panther” tune: “Dead ant, dead ant, dead ant….”
  10. You and me. The stupid mistakes we humans can make in the garden can do the most damage overall. So educate yourself before you go digging in the dirt.

How do you deal with pests in your garden?

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Top 50 Memorial Day Weekend Destinations

May 17, 2011
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Chicago is the number one destination on the Priceline Memorial Day list

Whenever I’m traveling on a budget–which is usually always–and I don’t have a client picking up the tab, I book my hotel lodging through Priceline. I realize that attempting to “name your own price” with Priceline can be a risky venture, but Priceline has never let me down. I’ve gotten great hotel rooms in many major U.S. cities. Perhaps you’ve had the same experience, too.

I’m bringing this up now because Priceline just released a survey of the top 50 Memorial Day weekend destinations. It seems that, despite our still sagging economy, people have had it up to here with staycations and they’re looking to get away this Memorial Day weekend. (I know the feeling.)

In case you’re wondering where would be a good place to go for Memorial Day, consider this top 50 list–which, interestingly, breaks down some destinations by neighborhood, not just by city. That’s good information to have when booking in a big city like New York. Also, this list is based on actual hotel room booking requests made on Priceline for that holiday weekend, not on on consumer preference polls or votes. In my book that makes it a pretty accurate predictors of holiday travel trends.

Also, I feel confident in booking via Priceline, you can usually find a pretty competitive price! The only challenge is if you’re traveling with more than 4 people (what a typical hotel room can accommodate), because then Priceline becomes harder to manage when you need two or more hotel rooms and can’t request that. (In my frugal New York shoots I’m doing soon, I’m going to cover renting furnished apartments versus booking hotel rooms–good information for large groups traveling together to have if they need to have a bigger space to stay.)

FYI, Priceline has been publishing this list for the past 9 years. In that time, Chicago has taken the top spot four times, tying the record set by Las Vegas in 2009.

  1. Chicago, North Michigan Avenue/River North Area
  2. Seattle, Downtown/Pike Place
  3. Las Vegas, Strip North
  4. New York City, Midtown West
  5. Chicago, Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area
  6. Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity South
  7. Providence (RI) Downtown
  8. London, Westminster
  9. San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island
  10. New Orleans, French Quarter
  11. Miami, Downtown
  12. Ottawa
  13. Savannah, Historic District and Waterfront
  14. New York City, Times Square/Theater District
  15. Austin, Downtown
  16. St. Catharines, ON, Niagara Falls
  17. New York City, Upper East Side
  18. Toronto, Downtown Toronto South Area
  19. Las Vegas, Fremont Street Vicinity
  20. Rome, Central City
  21. San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf
  22. Boston, Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall/Financial District
  23. Seattle, Seattle Center/Space Needle
  24. Indianapolis, Downtown
  25. Boston, Copley Square/Theater District
  26. Buffalo, Niagara Falls
  27. Monterey, CA
  28. Baltimore, Inner Harbor/Downtown
  29. Atlantic Cit, NJ
  30. New York City, Midtown East
  31. Boston, Waterfront/Convention Center
  32. Los Angeles, Santa Monica & Marina Del Rey
  33. New York City, Downtown/Soho/Financial District
  34. Key West, FL
  35. Barcelona, La Rambla/La Barceloneta
  36. Los Angeles, Airport Area
  37. Jacksonville, Downtown
  38. Asheville NC, Downtown/Biltmore Estates
  39. London, Mayfair/Soho
  40. San Juan PR
  41. Nashville, Downtown/Vanderbilt/Metro Center
  42. London, Hammersmith
  43. Napa, Sonoma
  44. Buffalo, Airport Area
  45. Seattle, Airport Area
  46. Vancouver, Downtown
  47. Miami, South Beach/Central
  48. Virginia Beach
  49. San Antonio, Riverwalk Area
  50. Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip West

What’s your ideal location to travel to on Memorial Day weekend? Growing up on Long Island, my ideal destination was pretty simple–the beach!

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Cinco de Mayo in the Crock-Pot

May 3, 2011
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Crock-Pot Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker

When I started living frugally back in 2007, I began my love affair with my Crock-Pot. Having a slow cooker (actually two of them) dove tailed beautifully with my decision to start extreme meal planning and cooking at home all the time. I quickly learned that there’s nothing more satisfying than throwing the ingredients of your dinner in the slow cooker at 7 a.m. and then coming home at dinner time to a hot meal waiting for you. In my mind a slow cooker=frugal living.

Along the way I became a regular reader of the blog A Year of Slowcooking by Stephanie O’Dea, which spawned two cookbooks–Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking and More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Friendly, Slow-Cooker Recipes–both of which I own. One of my favorite recipes of late from those cookbooks is the super easy cranberry roast, which requires a cut of meat, a can of cranberry sauce, some onion flakes and soy sauce. That’s it. In eight hours you get a Thanksgiving-worthy dish that you can serve year round. It’s the best.

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I decided to share with you a festive recipe that you could make in your slow cooker. But instead of coming from Stephanie O’Dea’s pantry, this one comes from the folks at Crock-Pot. It’s for Crock-Pot Carnitas. (I’m posting this on May 3rd so that if you do want to make it for May 5th, you have some time to gather ingredients.)

****

Crock-Pot® Carnitas

INGREDIENTS

2.5 pounds pork butt roast, trimmed of excess fat

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup cola

1 orange, peeled and cut into slices

INSTRUCTIONS

Season the pork roast with the dry spices. Place in a self-sealing plastic bag and marinate overnight.

Place the marinated pork roast in the Crock-Pot® slow cooker.

Pour the cola over the pork and cover the roast with the orange slices.

Cover; cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (or on High 4 to 6 hours).

Remove the roast and shred with two forks.

Place the shredded pork on an large baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 25 minutes, or until the pork becomes crispy.

Sprinkle some of the leftover juices in the stoneware over the pork and serve right away.

Serve the carnitas with Mexican rice, beans, and tortillas, or as a filling for tacos or burritos.

***

I plan on making these for dinner this week, though I might skip the extra step in the oven as well as the pre-marinating. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Stephanie O’Dea it’s that slow cooker cooking should be as simple as possible, and that cuts of meat have plenty of time to “marinate” in the slow cooker! I’ll let you know how it turns out!

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Wordcount Blogathon Blogroll

May 2, 2011
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So much for posting the Wordcount Blogathon Blogroll in my sidebar–there are more than 190 blogs participating! Instead, I’m devoting this entire post to the Blogroll. Take a scroll and see if there are any topics that interest you. I know I’ve got some reading ahead of me!

Ahil Amar - Ahil Amar - Thoughts from Ahil Amar

Alana Mautone - Ramblin’ With AM, Living in upstate New York

Alexandra Grabbe - Chezsven Blog, What it is like to be a green innkeeper and live on Cape Cod year round

Alison Law - Lawthenticity, Personal and professional stories and observations

Alison Preston - LadyMoxie, Relationships with an added pinch of food, music, and bacon in the dish

Amanda Steinhaus - Ms. Panda’s Blog, Writing because I love to write!

Ana Gonzalez Ribelro - Our New Casa, Purchasing and remodeling a home; Live, Love, Laugh, Travel, tales of a traveling family; Ace the Journey, Making decisions about life and money

Andrea Parker - Autism Fundraising Guide, Advice from the trenches

Angela - Baby Hellfire has a Blog, Peace and Tofu Chicken Grease!

Annie Daniels – Aniel Daniel, Random occurrences and my ever-changing interests as college student

Anjuli - Unbirthday Escapades, Blog of memories past and present

Anne Wainscott-Sargent – The Writing Well, Mastering the power of prose in business and in life

Annette Gendler - Memoir, Writing & Life, Writing, teaching and publishing memoir, and creative nonfiction

Anyes - Far Away in the Sunshine, A woman pursuing her creative dreams

Arial - Contrapunto, Happenings in Panama

Ashley Lyon - You know I love You More, Book reviews and fandom excitement!

B

Barb Freda - Babette Feasts, I write about cooking and I stew about writing

Barb G - Never Another Diet, Finding Enough, the Quest for a Diet-Free Life

Bebe Bahnsen - Bebe’s Blog, Politics, religion, life in the South and general musings

Becky Leung - Tummy Time, Fixing digestive issues with a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition and exercise

Betty Draper - BettsDraper, Applying Jack Canfield’s success principles one step at a time

Bill Lascher – Lascher @ Large, Travels of a freelance journalist raised by a pack of lawyers

Billie Noakes - Billie Noakes, General musings (usually light-hearted)

Bree Hays - PenSlave, My move to Guam

C

Cara Law – Cake Me Home, Because life tastes better with cake

Carrie - Random Girl Geek, Reviews of things that catch my eye

Catherine Canaceli - Periwinkle Confessions, Finding God in Everything

Christina Leach – Chris Scraps, A blog about my life and crafts

Christianne - Cyanne99, Inner Thoughts and Ramblings

Christine Calvin - Inspired Life, Current events, women’s issues, randomness, sometimes silliness

Christine Evans - 52 Crafts in 52 Weeks, Exploring a new craft every week for a year

Claudine M. Jalajas - Belle Designs, Jewelry-making resources

Connie - bhulbhulaiyan, Travel and memories

Conrad Zero - Conrad Zero, Tips, tricks and resources for authors of all genres

Craig Motlong - Pacific Writing Company, Writing for writers

Cynthia Rosi - Simply Hug Yourself – Enjoy your whole self in Columbus, Ohio

D

Daisy - Compost Happens, Family, garden, crunchy green eco-writer

Dawndela Webb - Insomniac Imaginings, Musings and rambles of a stay-at-home mother of three; Erotic Images, Erotic fiction

David Allen - Amazing iPad, All things iPad

Dayle Fraschilla - I Shall Be a Toad, Passions, both big and small

Deb Wolf - Counting My Blessings, Gratitude at God’s amazing grace

Denae Darcy - Denae D’Arcy – TV journalist, freelance writer, social media enthusiast living near the Great Smoky Mountains

Don Gonzalez - Gonzo’s Gab, Pontificating on Catholicism, technology, politics, cigars, writing, homerdogs and teaching

Dylan Fogle - DiscordianZen – Dark and it’s different

E F

Elizabeth Humphrey - The Write Elizabeth, Writing. creativity. play. life.

Elizabeth - Amnesia Lane, Journey through the shows, books and characters that inspired my love of writing

Estelle Sobel Erasmus - Musings On Motherhood, Midlife and Other Forms of Madness, A Running Commentary On My Transformative Journey Through Motherhood

Esther Rumfelt - Health and Wellness Coaching, Helping you live well, be healthy and enjoy life

Frances Barker - Felting Needle, City and Guilds felt-making student, textiles and Suffolk living

G

Georgia Fogle - Got P.M.A.? – Positive Mental Attitude. Get Some.

Gerri Curless - 50 Is the New 40 – Wife, mother, grandmother trying blogging, crafting and sharing what I’ve learned with others

Ginnie - Nua Feileacan, 30-something woman on a journey of discovery

Glenneth - Let’s Talk and Walk, Getting healthy through walking, eating better, and having fun

Gloria Marie - GloriaMarie.com, Personal blog, mostly about photography.

H

Haley Shapley - Girl About the World, Travel writer’s tales of wanderlust

Harry Marks - Curious Rat, Chewing on the tech industry’s wires

Heather - Discover Washington State, Life in the Evergreen State

Heather Brooks - Serve One Another in Love, An online ministry for Christians of all ages

Heather Williams - This Blog Will Give You Cancer, Talking about nothing

Holly Green - WithoutAdo, Bible and secular articles

Hope - The Life of a Daydreaming Mommy, Mommy blogger

J

Jackie Dishner - Bike with Jackie, Turn obstacles into opportunities and other self-development lessons

Jan Culpepper - Life and Times of a Preacher Mom, Juggling life, ministry, parenting, a relationship and whatever else life throws my way

Jan Udlock – Imperfect Mom, Professional writer, parenting expert, mom of five

Jane Boursaw - Reel Life with Jane, Home to Jane Boursaw’s syndicated family movie and TV reviews

Janis Price - Whispers & Roars, Life of a writer when your full-time job is not writing

Jenn - Kepkanation, Politics and pop culture

Jenni Derryberry Mann - Mamahhh, Navigating the labyrinth of motherhood one breath at a time

Jennie Phipps - Freelance Success Blog, Freelance Success outtakes

Jennifer Walker - My Morning Chocolate, Delicious inspiration for people who wake up thinking about food

Jennifer Willis - Jennifer Willis, Journalist, writer and editor.

Jennifer Woodard - Wordzopolis, DIY marketing and public relations

Jenny Beikes - Out of My Head, Musings on life events

Jessica Braun - Pink Rose, Blooming in Generation Y, I write about me, my life, my VISTA experience

Joan Lambert Bailey - Popcorn Homestead, Gardening and living in Tokyo

Joanna - My Daily Mooosings, Simplifying life and culture in the Netherlands

Joanne Mason - About English Idioms, What they mean, how we use them, where they came from

John P. Jones - Writing at Gunpoint, When writing is not a comfortable experience.

Jon Bell - On Mount Hood, All things Mount Hood

Judy Downing - Customer Approach, Connect with customers to grow your business

Julia B. - Aunty JuJu’s Perspective, Thoughts on subjects that come up in daily life

Julia Munroe Martin - WordsXO – Words, writing, and life!

Julie – The Write Place to Be, Being a freelance writer

Julie Sturgeon - KnowledgeWebb, Don’t Sweat the Tech, The quirky, fun, interesting and very useful in social media technology.

Julie Tolbert - Culturally Speaking, Through technology the world is getting smaller; Today’s Tea, About tea in 2011

K

Karen Bannan - Natural as Possible Mom, Because being natural isn’t always possible – or easy!

Kari Wolfe - Imperfect Clarity, Literature and the writing and editing life

Kate Megill - Teaching what is Good – Teaching younger women according to the Titus 2 model

Kate Reilly - Polka Dot Suitcase, Family fun through creative living

Kathy Murray - That China Girl, A reluctant teen expat’s life in Beijing

Katie Jett Walls - One/Week, Blogging, finding my voice, and identifying my passions

Katy Manck - Books YA Love, Recommending standout young adult books, especially from first-time authors and small publishers

Kelly Morga - My Little Silly Life, The silly things, situations and people that make my life special

Khadijah M. Britton - BetterBio, Journalism that explores the intimate connection between life and science

Kris Bordessa – Attainable Sustainable, Reviving the lost art of self-sufficiency, one small change at a time

Kristi Bernard - Kristi Bernard, Information for new writers

L

Lara - Apple Days, Army Nights, Dispatches from a go-gettin’ Manhattanite Army wife

Laura Ackerman - A Learning Adventure, Learning from all I do, especially my mistakes

Laura - In my little town, The place where I write

Laura Newman - Patient POV, Patient stories that could make health care more responsive

Leah Ingram - Suddenly Frugal, Living more on less money.

Lesh Karan – The Mindful Foodie, Being mindful of your body, the planet and animals through real food

Leslie Knight - A Body That Won’t Break, A 20-something living and loving in Oklahoma.

Leslieanne Barclay - Kooky Boutique, Making, doing, home and family

Li Vasquez-Noone - Simply Nooner, My life as a writer, runner and gluten-free zealot

Linda - Thought Medicine, Exploring the power of mind from science to spirituality

Linda Bliley - Small Business Bandits, Embezzlers in small businesses exposed

Lindsay Oberst - Word Zeal, For writers who love words and want to be happy

Lisa - Pennywise Chick, Saving money, one penny at a time!

Lisa Carter - IntraLingo, Literary translation, writing, reading and the creative freelance life

Lisa Elliott – The Haute Host, Effortless entertaining

Lisa Jaffe Hubbell - Eat, Read and Be Harried, My life, mostly in books, sometimes in food, and hopefully mostly funny

Lisa Tabachnick Hotta - Kids & Mental Health, Peeling back the layers of children’s mental health and development

Liz Sheffield - Motherlogue – Weaving words to explore motherhood and life

M

Marcy Orendorff - Marcy Orendorff, Clarity in Writing, Clarity in Life

Marge – Inside & Out, Engaging people on and off the web

Maria Gabriela Munoz - A Whisper Here and There, Books, movies, theatre, art and languages

Marissa Dacey - Child, You’re a Beauty, Music, art and pop culture

Mark Connolly - The Global Exclaimer, This newspaper is pseudo-serious except when it’s plain silly

Mark Stratton – Aggaspletch, An abiding sense of ‘Meh’

Marsha Maung - Yoga Mama, Live your dreams

Marvin Kirkland – Impermanent Insanity Writes, Writing to alleviate mental illness

Mary June - MJ Writing Who I am, Defining the different parts of me

Megan - Nothing More Than Apathy, Nonsensical ramblings of my mundane life

Megan Krause - Present Tense, All about Megan Krause

Melissa - The Peppermint Palate, Melissa’s life

Melissa Chavez - Marvelously Mundane, Media, tech and vegan influences and projects

Melissa Lindberg - Get Creative with the Good Idea Girl , Parenting, party planning and holiday celebrations

Mena Grazie - Preternatural Post, Vampires, shape-shifters, witches, and other paranormals

Michele Kelly - Kelly + LoDESTRO Blog, Communication and marketing ideas for innovative companies

Michelle Rafter - Word Count: Freelancing in the digital age, News, tips and advice for self-employed writers

Michelle Thompson - Create Minded, Creativity is a Lifestyle

Mikaela D’Eigh - La Belle Dame de Merci, Reflections on art in all its mediums

Miriam Rainwater –  The Twenty-Six Letter Imagination, Books for children ages 2-12

N

Natalie - Panic Station, The psychology of personal finance

Nicky LaMarco - Writing Pays, For beginning freelance writers interested in getting paid for their work

Nicole Ayers - The MadLab Post, Commentary on mainstream and independent films, interviews with actors and filmmakers

Nicole Taylor – Taylor and Clark, Talking about home improvement

Nikki - Today in Tees and Chucks, 20-something trying to be invisibly visible in a t-shirt, old pair of jeans and well-worn in Converse sneakers

Nisha – Le Monde, Everywhere I go I find a poet has been there before me

O-P

Ophelia Blom - Girl Stripped Bare, Laying my soul bare in all of its mud pies and fireflies

Pavithra Kodmad - Pavithra Kodmad’s Pages, I love to write and I love to write about what I read

Peggy Crippen - PCS Italy, Information for military personnel moving to Vicenza, Italy

Peter McCambridge - 9 Months with the Chicago Manual of Style, One man’s quest to read the Chicago Manual of Style from cover to cover in nine months

Peter Weissenstein - Join Me for a Cuppa, A virtual kitchen table where I post my views

Pierce Presley - The Pierce Presley, Me being me

PJ - Wild Optimism in Oviedo, Stay-at-home mom’s thoughts

R

Rachel Vidoni - East Coast Musings, The musings of a mediocre mom

Rafael - Neither Here nor There, A writer’s blog about her work

Rebecca Cola - Library Diva’s Guide to Volunteering, Managing library volunteers

Regina Sewell - Peering into Fog; Turn Roadblocks into Building Blocks; Possum Crossing: Culinary Adventures – I am rotating between my three blogs

Robyn - Good Blogs, My life as a wife and mother

Ron S. Doyle - BlogSaladBlog – Life with Ron

Ros Demaree - Small Town Writer, Commentary about everyday, small-town living

Rose Medlock - I Was Supposed to Be Samantha, Writing a first book

Ruth Cooke - Building an Awesome Life, Improving life for everyone

Ruth Terry – RE | group, Reinventing your professional self

S

Sabrina - Taking Off My Coat, Removing fat from your body, life and spirit

Sarah E. Ludwig - Parenting by Trial and Error, The learning curve in raising kids

Sarah Wyland - Wears Inappropriate Shoes, My post-college life, with a big girl job and fabulous heels.

Shana Sweeney - Benefits Babble, Demystifying corporate benefits

Sheila Callahan – Sheila Callahan, Who knows?

Sondra Hubbard - Cat Trees and Pet Supplies, The information your pet deserves

Sookie Stackhouse - News Bite, Where you can get your daily bite; Sookie Stackhouse’s Internal Ramblings, a creative outlet; Barmaid Sookie, Tales of a barmaid

Stacey Boyd - Today in Words, Life These Days, and Wish I Wasn’t Fat, Life with Stacey

Stephanie Suesan Smith - Information Central:  Gardening Questions Answered

Sue Dickman - A Life Divided, Food, reading and trips to India!

Summer Whitford - Delicious Prose, Write. Edu-tain. Excite.

Susan - Chain the Wolf, My first years as a freelance writer and learning how to run a small business

Susan Gay Jeffries - Quite Simply, Living everyday life with simplicity, beauty and grace

Susannah Fisher - Cricklewood Farm, Living the dream of living on a farm

T

Tabitha - Twenty-Something, 20-something new mom on food, friends, family and finances

Tai Goodwin – Practical, Profitable Social Media, Content marketing advice

Tammy Ellingson - Mama Can Dance, A mama who still grooves to her own beat

Tara Phillips - Two Hands and a Roadmap, Brevity is the soul of w

Tatyanna M Wilkinson - Blue Eyed Monkey Eeeks! , 60% opinion, 20% wisdom

Taylor Smith - Adament Anvil, Creative prose and poetry

Tere Scott - Teachable Scotts Tots Homeschool and Elephant Ears Learning,  Homeschooling in the Midwest

Tess C. Taylor - A Journey of Words, Smart writing business insights

The Fitness Moms – Where moms come to get fit

Tia Bach – Depression Cookies, Mother-daughter co-authors of Depression Cookies promote their novel

TJ - Moonlight and Shadows, Character building of one red headed red wolf

Tracy O’Connor - I Hate My Message Board, Humor, crankiness, a museum of snack foods

V

Valerie Anderson - Home Central, Benefiting from the experiences of others and laughing along the way

Valerie Owens - Quality Research and Writing Services, Science, technology and entrepreneurship

Vanessa Geneva Ahern - Girl Gumption Blog, Finding courage

Veronica Del Bianco - ECO-NOLA, Exploring New Orleans’ ecological and economic green scene

Vicki Powers - Houston on the Cheap, Cities on the Cheap affiliate

Vivian F. - Agent 00355, Stories written for my characters and comings and goings of my life

W X Y Z

Walter L. Johnson II - Communications Careers Corner, How to start or maintain a career in communications or media

Yael - Yael Writes, Making conscious and healthy living accessible

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