tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74840297107652848272024-03-05T09:43:31.508-08:00Frugal VegcafeA small journey towards a more frugal and clutter free existence-- while dragging my husband and children along with me.Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.comBlogger1059125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-52820009497286371872015-06-18T16:05:00.001-07:002015-06-18T16:05:13.937-07:00Frugal vs. Not FrugalFrugal- I've made dinner from our pantry every night this week. <br />
<br />Not Frugal- The kids are and I are all doing VBS everyday this week and the by the time we're done, we're all tired and hungry. We've had a lot of drive thru and today I splurged on Denny's for lunch.<br />
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Frugal- We've spent almost no money on outside activities this week.<br />
<br />
Not Frugal- We've planned and paid for another Orlando$ vacation for this fall. No, it's not Disney this time.<br />
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Frugal- I've been reading a lot of library books! I haven't bought any new books in a while. <br />
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Not Frugal- I forget to renew my borrowed items on time. I have a stack to return and just haven't had the energy or inclination to drive across town to drop them off. $2.10 in fines as of today. I've been really loving Cassandra Clare. I admit I love the YA section of my library. <br />
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<br />
In other news-<br />
It's been too rainy to hang any clothes or do any gardening. I'm coming down with a cold and I hope I don't share it with my group of Kindergartner's tomorrow at our closing ceremony. <br />
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<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-73838155525770464942015-05-27T14:21:00.001-07:002015-05-27T14:23:34.422-07:00Sparking Joy and When the Answer is YesMy wardrobe has been examined over the past week or two. If I didn't love something or it didn't fit, it went into a donation bag. I don't have a capsule or minimalist wardrobe. I am not striving for that either. I just want to have a nice collection of clothes that I love and wear. And I'm finally getting it. I need to be more judicious with my money and the things I allow to take up precious space in my home. <br />
<br />
<br />
I discovered a lack of capri jeans which is a staple of my summer wardrobe. I scoured the racks at Kohl's and tried on two pair and picked my favorite. This is weird for me since I don't like to try on clothes. But, knew I needed to really like the pair I bought so I wouldn't waste money and space.<br />
This should not be a revelation to me, but it is. And I didn't automatically pick the pair that were the least expensive. I need to get over the need to get the cheapest item in favor of having a few good pieces that I will really wear. My mantra when shopping has been, "Do I need it? Do I have room for it? Do I have something like it at home already? Can we afford it?" These jeans were a definite yes. And that sparked joy. <br />
<br />
Today my little guy and I whittled down his wardrobe. Now all his clothes fit nicely in his dresser drawers without a struggle. I went through the small stockpile of next size up clothes in his room too. I noticed that I don't have nearly the amount of saved clothing for him that I used to have. There was room leftover in the bottom drawer. And I'm not itching to fill it up either. I'd rather wait until we have a need and buy good stuff then.<br />
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Next up is my stuffed full pajama drawer. There's a monkey sleep shirt that I've had for 8 years that I dearly love. It's holey and threadbare and I got it free from a Freecycle box in the first place. It needs to go to the bin. And then there's a super comfortable pair of cut off sweats that have more holes than fabric that need to go. Somehow I don't think my husband will mourn the tossing of these less than sexy clothes.Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-55339734677898015712015-05-23T13:05:00.001-07:002015-05-23T13:06:19.867-07:00The Answer is NO!I'm going through and cleaning my massive collection of personal care in the basement today. This is just the basement. I'm not including the collections under the sink, in my dressers, on my dresser, and other miscellaneous places. It's overwhelming. My family should not need to buy any soap or shampoo for at least two years. At least.<br />
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There's also the books, kitchen ephemera, stockpile of pantry food, clothes, make up, paper supplies, school supplies, laundry supplies, storage containers, office supplies, pet toys, and other stuff I've probably forgotten. I've gotten better. I'm bringing less home from stores and frequently leave thrift stores empty handed now. It's not enough. From now on if we don't need it, I am not dragging it home. I am done. Done taking care of stuff I don't love. Done stockpiling things and couponing because it's free. Done signing up for free samples. Done shopping for fun.<br />
<br />
Back to my sorting and laundry in the basement. I've got to start somewhere.<br />
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<h1 id="post-title">
“Have Nothing In Your House That You Do Not Know To Be Useful, Or Believe To Be Beautiful.”<span style="font-size: small;"><i> William Morris</i></span> </h1>
<ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-5584297557165066" data-ad-slot="8460241608" data-adsbygoogle-status="done" style="display: inline-block; height: 60px; width: 468px;"><ins id="aswift_0_expand" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: inline-table; height: 60px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 468px;"><ins id="aswift_0_anchor" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: block; height: 60px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 468px;"></ins></ins></ins>Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-67752872427523246372015-05-09T10:31:00.000-07:002015-05-09T10:31:00.878-07:00Quick 5 Frugal ThingsThings I do to save from the top of my head-<br />
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Navy Shower. I turn the water off when I soap up, when I brush my teeth, and when I shave.<br />
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Air Dry. I open my dishwasher to air dry my dishes. Anything on the top rack gets a quick shake off.<br />
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Use Less- A smidge of toothpaste, half the amount of detergent, conditioner mostly on the ends of hair, etc.<br />
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Pick Up Pennies- And anything else usable you find on the ground. It all adds up. I've gotten some cute jewelry and hair clips for my daughter. Just wash and air dry.<br />
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Eat Your Pantry- It's already paid for. Save the cost of gas, your time, and make extras for the next meal.Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-68394418119845263532015-04-22T09:17:00.001-07:002015-04-22T09:18:40.608-07:00Use It Up- Frankenstein Your Make UpSo, awhile ago I watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQJqoQxtmIQ">this tutorial</a> on youtube on how to DIY your own blush color.<br />
<br />
And last week my <a href="https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=5w5v">Ipsy* </a>bag contained a blush compact that was completely crumbled to bits.<br />
Ipsy is great about sending replacements for anything damaged so I did contact them for a new<br />
blush. But, being the cheapo that I am, I did not want to throw out that broken blush.<br />
<br />
Today is my first day alone in over a month. Hubs started his new job today and the kids are away at school. I hunted down my rubbing alcohol and started digging through my make up stash.<br />
I combined a mostly used up powder compact, two tiny blush samples that I never use, and that powdery mess of blush. I ended up with two compacts full of new blush. It was a bit messy but I got the hang of it. While I was at it, I whipped up two light purple eye shadows from three mostly used up shades. I used double-sided tape to put them back into their cases.<br />
<br />
I'm already thinking about combining a too dark bronzer with some face powder that I don't use. And perhaps some lip gloss from a tube of almost gone lipstick and a lip balm.<br />
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<br />
<i><a href="https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=5w5v">Ipsy </a>is a beauty subscription service that will send you 5 samples (some full size) every month for $10. Each package comes in a cute little make up bag and each month has a theme. I personally find it worth the money because I like trying new things and the quality of what I get is sometimes better than store brand stuff. I've found some new favorites this way. </i>Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-11447313947222898482015-03-29T21:00:00.000-07:002015-03-29T21:00:23.060-07:00Frugal vs. Not FrugalFrugal- I ate leftovers for lunch.<br />
Not Frugal- Those leftovers came from an expensive night out at a nice Italian restaurant.<br />
<br />
Frugal- I've been driving the same car for 8 years.<br />
Not Frugal- I just had to spend thousands of dollars on it for repairs. Almost as much as the car is worth. (Not an easy decision)<br />
<br />
Frugal- My date night out dinner with my husband was marked down shakes from the convenience store on our way to see Bo Burnham.<br />
Not Frugal- Bo Burnham tickets in good seats.<br />
<br />
Not Frugal- Paying a babysitter $10 an hour for our date night.<br />
Frugal- It was less expensive and better care than the drop off daycare we used to use.<br />
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That's all I've got for now. What's your frugal vs. not frugal? <br />
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<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-47686342386696346282015-03-24T19:51:00.004-07:002015-03-24T19:51:30.904-07:00Five Frugal ThingsKaty of <a href="http://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/">The Non-Consumer Advocate</a> hopefully won't mind me borrowing her famous blog post title.<br />
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<br />
My husband is on a job hunt again as his last contract position was done away with. We are doing ok and not in the woods financially. Thank God for being debt free! But, I'm trying to get back into a more frugal day to day state of mind.<br />
<br />
*I'm continuing to try to use up what we have instead of buying new stuff. I've been going through travel and sample sized bottles of lotions and potions like crazy. I just used up the last of my pumpkin cinnamon body wash and I will not buy any more until I am completely out. By this fall I will be ready to put that on a birthday list.<br />
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*I've been a free food magnet lately. My local salvage store has been having a box of free dented cans. I'm helping myself to the max of ten each time. The last thrift store I went into was giving out free bags of huge granny smith apples. They weren't pretty and some of them were almost black with spots but once peeled they taste fine. I made a small batch of chunky applesauce with them tonight and it was awesome. I'll probably chop up some more tomorrow and make muffins.<br />
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*The same store where I bagged some free apples (bah!) had a quarter sale on VHS. I scored three tapes for cheap entertainment on the weekend. We've also been enjoying the library for free reading material. My husband borrows books on IT to brush up on his marketable skills and I get free novels and movies.<br />
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*Spring is finally here. That means yard work and getting a garden together. This year I'm going to try to have a small patch in my backyard so I can grow radish, beans, and other things. My daughter is asking me if she can help too! I scored a bunch of clearance seeds at the MFA for a nickle apiece.<br />
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Now it's time for another favorite frugal activity. The kids are put to bed. The dishes are done and it's time to cuddle with my husband and catch up on some Netflix. We finally finished the last season of Orange is the New Black last night. We high-fived afterwards because we never finish any show.Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-89728841398475145502015-02-19T13:21:00.001-08:002015-02-19T13:21:16.719-08:00Frugal BugleNot much going on today. I haven't left the house because I have a cold.<br />
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Here's a brief list of my frugal doings-<br />
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I made bran muffins using off brand cereal from the Dollar Tree and some apple sauce that was languishing in my pantry. Adding cinnamon makes it yummy and my kids will eat it up.<br />
<a href="http://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/the-original-all-bran-muffins.html">This recipe. </a><br />
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I didn't go anywhere. (because of said cold)<br />
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Yesterday my tiny baby princess turned 12. 12!!!!! I gave her some spending money to buy decor for her room and we splurged on a pair of Aztec print jeggings from Kohl's using a 30% off coupon. We got them for $10. <br />
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I'm planning a Spring Break trip for the kids and myself. To offset the cost of our hotel and activities, I'm putting a few no spend days in the calendar. I'm also looking for deals and coupons for the things we might want to do. I reserved a hotel that has a pool, serves breakfast, and has a refrigerator so we can have snacks if we don't feel like going out. <br />
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I'm making dinner at home for the three people who will be here tonight. It's probably just going to be mac and cheese with broccoli since I don't feel great. <br />
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Our fridge is almost empty so I'm going to sit down tonight and make a list and look for coupons for what we need. I have grocery circulars so I can price match at Walmart if I want to. <br />
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<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-26377452708487902542015-02-17T06:54:00.001-08:002015-02-17T06:54:14.037-08:00Sick Kitty <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjGzuohwCufXOnqpB8SHX1EPkMPnxNTHXhXOLn3BqaescO2gD9kA5Ri6hpi0fklaFNmZyGR82mO67TNTb96GEUuJyPBGF4yypt83ncj4NKJkHSb1dGCwJ2Xf2B5p4RwmC7SmlgSDV17jg/s1600/izzy&fusty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjGzuohwCufXOnqpB8SHX1EPkMPnxNTHXhXOLn3BqaescO2gD9kA5Ri6hpi0fklaFNmZyGR82mO67TNTb96GEUuJyPBGF4yypt83ncj4NKJkHSb1dGCwJ2Xf2B5p4RwmC7SmlgSDV17jg/s1600/izzy&fusty.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The orange boy on the right will be 19 this year. He's been with me since my first year out of college. He's cuddly and lazy and has always been very mellow. He's basically my favorite cat ever. He hadn't been getting up and running to the food bowl with his sister when I fed them lately and yesterday his face was swollen on one side. Anyway, he's at the vet today and will have surgery to remove any and all rotten teeth. Poor thing. I briefly debated spending the money on him because of his age. But, he's my love and I want him to have a quality life for as long as he can. I'll just have to tighten the belt in other areas. <br />
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My daughter has to have some baby teeth pulled also to make room for her adult teeth. I'm wondering who's dental work will cost more. Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-10677215327642542992015-02-12T10:43:00.001-08:002015-02-12T10:43:37.952-08:00Frugal OOTD- And some penny pinching beauty ideas.With the exception of my undergarments (which I bought on sale), all my clothes and even my earrings came from thrift stores or the clearance rack. I scored some Catherine's jeans on the $1 rack on Tuesday. They fit great! <br />
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<br />
Energie black and white sweater hoodie 2.99<br />
Merona ribbed black tank top 1.99<br />
Catherine's Jeans 1.00 (normally $60)<br />
Black beaded dangle earrings (new on card) 1.00<br />
Socks Free after coupon<br />
Converse One Star Gray tennis shoes 4.99 Target clearance<br />
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Now let's talk about the beauty regimen-<br />
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My Olay face wash was bought at a salvage store for 2.99. Olay really is the only thing that does not break me out. <br />
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My homemade soap was from the clearance/ugly bin at a soap maker's stall at a flea market for $1.99. Not 100% frugal but I love it and I supported a small business.<br />
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<i>Today was not a hair washing day. I wash my hair every other day. I also take navy showers to save water and heating. I would have used products that my MIL gave me when she cleared out her stockpile of free after purchase items. </i> <br />
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I used some expensive <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/shop/coola-face-spf-30-cucumber-moisturizer">Coola moisturizer </a>from Birchbox that I had previously loved. I earned points to buy socks for men in my family but I won't buy this again. The cucumber smell is overwhelming. <br />
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My deodorant came from Big Lots for $1.99. I'm trying get away from aluminum deodorants so I'm using this <a href="https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0LEVjCO79xUWfAAFGonnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTB0ZjNuMHJ1BHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1lIUzAwM18x?p=arm+and+hammer+aluminum+free+deodorant&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Darm%2Band%2Bhammer%2Baluminum%2Bfree%2Bdeodorant%26ei%3DUTF-8%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla&w=500&h=500&imgurl=media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2Fa2%2Fbb%2F91%2Fa2bb91a02f7682b264a75065551e10ee.jpg&size=28KB&name=a2bb91a02f7682b264a75065551e10ee.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpinterest.com%2Fpin%2F214132157253173174%2F&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpinterest.com%2Fpin%2F214132157253173174%2F&type=&no=1&tt=120&oid=ee2ac314e0e197350af37f67096a49cb&tit=Arm+%26+Hammer.+%241.86.+Natural+protection.+Aluminum+free%2C+paraben+free+...&sigr=11cln5uau&sigi=12ddjg3l1&sign=11474f257&sigt=103vg5ole&sigb=13i8d8k16&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001">Arm & Hammer Essentials. </a><br />
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My body lotion was scraped together from three mostly empty hotel samples. I've been adding a tiny bit of water to the almost empty bottle and shaking it to get at all the product. I'm using stuff up from my collection too. The recycling bin has been getting a work out.<br />
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My Cartier perfume was a free sample.<br />
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My makeup (and brushes) came from free samples with purchase from Lancome and Clinique, <a href="http://birthday.sephora.com/?om_mmc=ppc-MSN&mkwid=fdi64ZDi&pcrid=4355527450&pdv=c&site=us_search&country_switch=us&lang=en">Sephora Birthday </a>Gift, Dollar Tree, and my favorite Clinique powder was bought during a free bag with purchase sale. I only buy from Clinique and Lancome when they are having their free makeup bag with purchase. Since I am trying to use up my stockpile, I haven't bought any in a few months.<br />
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<br />
I love to have nice things. I love to wear make up and jewelry. I don't always love spending a ton of money to do so.<br />
<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-4281062283472701662015-01-30T16:02:00.000-08:002015-01-30T16:02:05.436-08:00Pinching the Pennies Today.This is my boring list today:<br />
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I didn't go anywhere. No money spent on gas or anything else.<br />
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I packed everyone a lunch for work and school. <br />
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I used homemade dishwasher powder in my machine. I didn't even spend any money on the ingredients as I went to a How To Make Homemade Cleaners class at the library and used their ingredients. So far I've really like the furniture polish, dish detergent, and fabric softener that we made.<br />
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I'm making a simple dinner at home. Generic box of noodle helper, couponed crescent rolls, a can of corn I got on clearance, and some scratch <a href="http://www.cooks.com/recipe/b156e1br/bisquick-brownies.html">Bisquick brownies</a> made with my daughter. I bought the Bisquick from the Dollar Tree. It's pretty heavy on the starches. I have been putting off going to the grocery store.<br />
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We're spending the night in. I have coupon codes for free Redbox rentals if we want anything special for entertainment. <br />
<ul>
<li><strong>NDNQM3QK</strong></li>
<li><strong>5DKH9WZQ</strong></li>
<li><strong>29T7MWGX</strong></li>
<li><strong>VXHTNG54</strong></li>
<li><strong>92494TK3 </strong><br />These are good until February 16th. So, maybe we'll save one for a romantic Valentine's night at home. </li>
</ul>
Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-21741362244452528712014-09-22T07:51:00.001-07:002014-09-22T07:51:24.855-07:00Balancing Things I Want to Do With Things I Need to DoMy house is a wreck. <br />
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I'm a notorious piler and stacker. I love to get rid of trash and any recycling that I come across. But, the things that I need or might need get shuffled into piles. My pile, kid's piles, to do piles, DH's pile, etc. I've got all the piles. <br />
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What I don't have is a filing system or any organizational skills. Don't get me started on things that I need to put away but don't have a home or things we have too many of but are still useful. My daughter's giant piles of shoes is coming to mind. <br />
<br />
It's overwhelming. So, I've neglected doing anything other than the bare minimum of dumping trash, a little laundry, and keeping up with the dishes (most of the time). We really need to have people over soon for meetings, playdates, a Halloween party the kid's are wanting. I need to get on the ball. <br />
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But, there's so much I want to do that isn't going to help straighten the house. I want to make muffins. I want to organize my girly stuff in the bedroom. I want to declutter my bottom dresser drawer where I keep my tank tops because it's hard to open. I want to read some magazines that I'm storing. I want to sit down and finish a library book before it's overdue. <br />
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Being a stay at home wife affords me a great amount of free time but it's one of those things that go hand in hand with being organizationally challenged. I never know how to make the best use of my hours. I end up going from one thing to another, always busy but never having much to show for it in the long run. <br />
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So, I'm getting out my flylady timer and giving my self 15 minute increments to do one thing I want and one thing that needs to be tackled. I have a rare treat tonight where I get to leave the kids with my sweetheart and go to the library for an adult program. I'm looking forward to it but I want to feel like I earned my time away. <br />
First up is 15 minutes in my kitchen doing dishes general clearing. After that I'm going to whip up a batch of <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/bisquick-blueberry-muffins-117370">Bisquick Blueberry muffins</a> because I have frozen blueberries to use and milk that is soon to expire. Then 15 minutes of clearing off the kitchen table and sweeping. Then 15 minutes of hanging laundry and starting another load which I actually enjoy. Etc. <br />
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I'm lighting a candle and put on some music because I might as well enjoy the process. I'm a big fan of the $5 <a href="http://www.dollargeneral.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11787032">True Living</a> tri-scented candles from Dollar General. I've had excellent luck ordering DG stuff to be mailed to my home. They even give you 4.5% back on ebates. Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-76941989473871607742014-09-18T08:49:00.000-07:002014-09-18T08:49:03.432-07:00Hey September! Hey Fall! Hey Rambling!Hello my woefully neglected little blog. I'm too scattered right now to type out a decent length and entirely coherent post. So, I'll just give a you a little peak into my current stream of ideas. <br />
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Well, that whole make up hiatus didn't last long. I tend to rebel against any harsh rulings and decrees even when self imposed. I'm back to the reigning it in portion of my rebellion. Yesterday I took my oldest to Dollar Tree to get poster board for a project and picked up some Physician's Formula <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Physicians-Formula-Organic-Natural-Origin/product-reviews/B001KYNW28/ref=dpx_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1">organic lip veil</a>. For one dollar in a pretty neutral color- how could I resist? Well, sometimes stuff ends up at the Dollar Tree when it should go to the dumpster. This stuff was gross and rough. <br />
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We have been so busy with the school year that I am constantly thwarted in my pantry clean out quest. We have martial arts twice a week, and soccer practice, and confirmations classes and scouts and whatever else happens upon us. I am really missing family dinners. It's either a quickly scrambled microwave meal or a drive thru dinner in the backseat. I really look forward to Friday nights so I can see my family together. Of course, not this Friday as DH has plans but I get the kids to myself! Last week I did manage to make homemade pizza and hamburger buns with my bread machine though. I need to figure out some scratch freezable make ahead meals for our busy nights. I am quite sick of Taco Bell, Little Caesars and BK veggie burgers. I just ran across Heather's post on <a href="http://wantingwhatyouhave.com/2011/02/frugal-food-friday-make-ahead-baking.html">Make Ahead Mixes</a> and I'm inspired to make some mixes of corn bread and cookies for the cold weather. I did not order premade cookie mix from the school fund raiser because I rationalized I could make the cookies for a tenth of the cost. I'd love to load up my freezer with bags of ready to go scratch mix for gingerbread, chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle cookies for Christmas. <br />
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I've been doing a bit more couponing. But, mostly I'm going to coupons.com before I shop so I can print out what's on my shopping list. It beats clipping every coupon I might use and sorting them and dragging the hole binder to the store. I might miss out on a few deals with way but I can't see the back of my pantry right now anyway. I haven't been in Target for a few months. I got burned out on the whole cartwheel app, plus Target printable coupons, plus text coupons, plus MFR coupons combo. I can save a ton of money but it takes a lot of time and effort. If you're interested, check out <a href="http://hip2save.com./">Hip2Save.com.</a> <br />
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Thredup.com is now on <a href="http://ebates.com/">ebates.com</a> for 7.5% back. If you haven't used Ebates and you shop online it's such an easy way to get money back! All you have to do is go through their website and look for the shop you want and use that link. I get a nice check from them every few months. If you haven't used Thredup.com before it's a nice way to shop for second hand clothes. Some of them even have the tags still attached. I sent my son to school today in a brand new pair of Kitestrings khakis that cost me $9. If you're interested in trying Thredup.com go through <a href="http://www.thredup.com/r/JEUIGZ">my link</a> and you'll get $10 to spend. Also, use the code 40SNP and get 40% off your purchase. Combine that with 7.5% back on ebates, and it's quite a deal. I've been stocking up on winter clothes for my son. You get free shipping if you spend more than $50. They also have women's clothing and accessories. I haven't had the best of luck in selling my items there but I did make $28 on a Nieman Marcus cashmere sweater (Goodwill) that I never wore. <br />
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I'm behind on laundry and my house needs a quick clean. See you in a few months? ; )Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-62496483108375598722014-06-26T09:21:00.000-07:002014-06-26T09:21:01.174-07:00Cheap Thrills of the Day<ul>
<li> I'm paying bills and finishing rebates so no late fees and a bit of change. My favorite rebate deal right now is $2.00 back on Flav-Or-Ice 100 ct. freezer pops. The rebate is on the bottom of the carton. Kmart has a $1 off coupon in their store coupon booklet. This will be awesome for the 4th of July parade float give aways next week. </li>
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<li>I'm hanging a load or two of laundry on my line</li>
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<li> Soaking black beans for the freezer because we're running low on canned beans and our pantry is full.</li>
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<li>Planning a pantry meal of tacos, soon to expire canned beans, dip I made earlier in the week and organic salad mix I keep forgetting about in the fridge. </li>
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<li>Making dessert from some stuff that needs to be cleared out of my pantry. </li>
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<li>Gathering library material to return before my late fees grow</li>
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<li> Turning down the a/c and turning on fans in the rooms we're in. </li>
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<li>Planning a cheap date night with my kids to the local $1 theater to see RIO 2 while my husband has a guy's night out. We'll make a homemade pizza together before we go.</li>
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<li>Not really frugal but I'm making the kids and I to do lists today to keep them from being screen zombies. I'll take them to the park after we go to the library. </li>
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<li> Getting ready to harvest some cherry tomatoes off the clearance plant I bought from Lowes. It needed water and tlc. </li>
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<li>Making lunch at home before we go out. We have cherries, oranges and strawberries that need to get eaten and bread going stale so we're having pb toast and fruit. </li>
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Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-11900855864888876152014-06-19T11:04:00.002-07:002014-06-19T11:04:26.576-07:00Because Blogging About Make Up Is Boring.That's why you haven't heard from me. <br />
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My new love is again hanging my clothes out on my outdoor line that my sweet husband installed for my Mother's Day present. <br />
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And I have set up a little tomato container garden on our back porch. We also have a nest full of Phoebe birds on our front porch. Life is blooming all around me and today it is hotter than hades.<br />
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The house is a mess and I have a date tonight with my husband. My life is rich and full but there hasn't been much to blog about. Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-38605603790109050162014-03-22T09:50:00.002-07:002014-03-22T09:50:39.534-07:00My Gazingus Pin, My Weakness, My Love- Lip StickI blogged about <a href="http://frugalveg.blogspot.com/search?q=gazingus">my gazingus pins</a> in 2010 when I acknowledged that acquiring lip products was a problem for me. <br />
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Lipstick is a quick pick me up. In less than five seconds I can slick on some lip goo and feel better. It always perks me up. So, when I started my makeup buying hiatus last month I knew it would be hard to quit buying more and it has been. <br />
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But, I'm also noticing a trigger. I have a close family member who is not behaving responsibly lately and is doing some very destructive behaviors. In fact, they have told me that they can't help themselves and have hinted at me helping them or taking care of them. Which would be all fine and good if it was give and take relationship but I know for a fact how draining this person can be on one's patience, resources and well, everything. I can't do anything but tell them how I feel and warn them that I am not their soft place to fall and they need to stand on their own two feet. I have my own family and I can't borrow their problems and I don't need another child. Especially a grown one who will suck the life out of me. I can't say more about it than that. I know worrying will do nothing to help them or me. And I feel incredibly helpless. <br />
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This week was a worrisome week. I ate more crap that I should. I bought two lipsticks. I can't fix them but I can have pretty lips. I can't make them be a grown up but boy will that chocolate make me feel good for five seconds. <br />
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I'm putting a rubber band around my credit card so I have a reminder when I go shopping. I don't want to numb myself with consumption and candy. I need to find a healthier way to deal with my own issues- especially since I can't solve other's.<br />
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That 24 cent clearance lipstick that I rationalized buying because it was so cheap is still in it's package. I'm going to pass it on to someone else. <br />
<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-11604660131586854782014-03-18T18:57:00.001-07:002014-03-18T18:57:08.046-07:00Conquering Clutter and Conquering Bad HabitsI love to recycle. I love to reuse anything that comes into my house that isn't garbage. Ribbons from packages, unused envelopes, address labels from junk mail- you name it. I think it's a combination of my hoarder tendencies plus the abhorrence of throwing out usable items.<br />
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I have made piles out of the same bits of ephemera in my living room over and over again. I take the garbage bag and the recycling bag and sit in the middle of mess and work my way down. Always there is a pile of leftovers that I cannot bring myself to toss. Today I took the trash can and asked myself what's the worst thing that can happen if this thing gets tossed. Half the pile went into the can. I am not organized and I don't have enough room for all the stuff that isn't good enough for Goodwill but is still good. <br />
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I feel like I'm on my own little 12 program to regain my life. My next question is going to be, "Is this a want or a need?" Tonight this question kept me from driving to the Dollar Tree. I came home and did homework with my son and made muffins instead. <br />
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It works if you work it. Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-72490406646753165032014-03-11T19:46:00.000-07:002014-03-11T20:32:31.822-07:00Makeup, I Just Can't Quit You. Believe Me, I'm Trying.I have no cheating to report. Well, okay. I did break down and spend a dollar on a vanilla candle at Dollar Tree. But, I wanted the jar.<br />
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Anyway, it seems as if I will continue to get Ipsy for a few months. Apparently, I signed up for a year's subscription. Sigh. Birchbox is over though so that's good. But, I will continue to get a monthly box of four or five products. On a good note, maybe that will help with the need to shop.<br />
I think I'll save the boxes until I have a low point.<br />
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Weight Watchers is going well. It has only been five days but the first few days were so hard. I am not used to getting a hungry feeling. And I am relearning to eat until I am sated and not until I can't stuff anymore in my gob hole. I've even been eating restaurant meals and keeping it reigned in. Tonight my daughter and I had Thai food and I substituted my normal coconut curry sauce for glass noodles and tofu cooked in a light broth.<br />
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I've been purging my closet ruthlessly of anything that doesn't fit well. I don't have any skinnier clothes. I hate the idea of buying new clothes when I've just gotten my wardrobe fixed. However, I would actually like my driver's license weight to not be a huge lie.<br />
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<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-54463358927477477632014-03-06T13:32:00.002-08:002014-03-06T16:46:41.802-08:00Update- Two Cheats and Weight WatchersThis cosmetic/book/candle/purse/shoe purchasing hiatus is going well. I am almost finished redoing my tiny walk in closet on the cheap. I hung a mirror above my dresser, added a velvety scarf for decoration and put some pretty containers on top. I'm in the process of changing over to the thin velvet covered hangers to free up some much needed space on my side of the closet. I put a vintage lamp my Mom gave me in there too. I just need to find a extension cord for it.<br />
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I took many bags of cast offs to the thrift store yesterday. Most of it was my daughter's clothing. She is becoming very picky and instead of fighting it I am helping her minimize and define her wardrobe so she only has what she loves in there. I bought her some velvet hangers too. She doesn't fight me nearly as much about putting away her clothes because she loves her stuff.<br />
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I am getting ready to the shoes nearly every day. I have a primping system in place now and and finding that I enjoy getting ready more. I lotion and do nighttime facial care now where I was very bad at it before. My nails are always done. I love using my stuff. The more I use my stuff the less I want to buy different stuff.<br />
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Now is where the cheating part comes in. I just bought a book at the Dollar Tree. It's so hard to justify not buying books for a dollar. I did just donate three books to the thrift shop. But, still. It counts.<br />
Also, I bought a nail polish I'd been wanting for a while when I saw it on sale at Dollar General. I'm looking forward to painting my nails with it tomorrow for my movie date night with my husband. We're going to see Pompeii. Pompeii has a special place in our hearts as we spent an entire day wandering around there holding hands and exploring. It was truly a <a href="http://frugalveg.blogspot.com/2008/03/rome-italy-redux.html">trip of a lifetime</a>.<br />
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Currently, I am hungry. I started Weight Watchers online this morning after I got off the scale. I use my clothing as a guideline and they still fit so I was upset when I saw that I was about five pounds past my normal high.<br />
Which is fat. But, I'm not name calling myself. I just need a healthy change.<br />
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I think that about covers it.<br />
I need to run my little monkey boy to the pediatrician because he's feeling a bit poor.<br />
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<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-68417561981036436332014-02-27T13:46:00.002-08:002014-02-27T13:46:44.649-08:00The Empties Are Piling UpMy beauty shopping hiatus has spurred the urge for me to use up any almost finished products. <br />
I cut open a lotion bottle today to get the dregs that I couldn't squeeze out. Tomorrow I'll be doing the same to my face wash.<br />
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I stopped by two Dollar Trees and a grocery store today and I bought nothing on my no shopping list.<br />
<br />I reorganized my products and put them in pretty containers. I gathered up a collection of cosmetics to use daily and I am pretty sure I'll be hitting pan soon.<br />
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Right now I am content. Right now life is good. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #ea9999;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do</span></b><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span></span></span>Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-44515870944577825202014-02-24T15:43:00.000-08:002014-02-24T15:43:18.642-08:00You Know What Helps?This whole decluttering/not buying thing I am doing is a lot easier when I don't shop. <br />
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I've been in stores about five times since my hiatus started and I've pretty much bought what I went in for. I've been leaving with one or two bags and that's it. <br />
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Since unsubscribing from those tempting beauty company emails it' gotten a lot easier to not think about it. I still love to watch a Dollar Tree haul on youtube. <br />
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I'm hoping my next credit card bill will show my results. We'll see.<br />
That's about all for now. Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-81883186046197084672014-02-21T07:08:00.001-08:002014-02-21T07:08:37.709-08:00Decluttering, Unsubscribing and Letting them eat cake.Decluttering is what's going on here. Yesterday I started remaking over my tiny walk in closet that I share with my husband. I moved in a dresser from my daughter's room to hold my purses, scarves, swim suits and extra beauty products. It looks pretty good and I have more room on the floor of my closet. I got rid of a few purses, clothes and shoes. <br />
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I've been whittling down my collection of samples and foil packets. I've been deleting and unsubscribing from any beauty company emails. It's refreshing to let go of all this stuff and I don't need the temptation from a good sale anymore. I need so little. And I'd rather have the money.<br />
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Today I am baking a birthday cake for my son's 8th birthday party. It will not be bakery gorgeous. I <a href="http://frugalveg.blogspot.com/2010/02/fresh-start-monday-to-do-list.html">don't do that</a>. But, it will be fun. I bought Lego shaped candy to decorate it and a big Lego person pen to put on top. <br />
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I'd better get to it. I'm actually excited about a clean closet. Isn't that weird? The happier I become with my house, the less I will want to shop for an escape.Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-85386432618504683662014-02-18T20:23:00.000-08:002014-02-18T20:23:02.355-08:00Temptation is Everywhere!Today I have held steady and not bought anything on my no buy list.<br />
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I definitely need to retrain my brain though. Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-7009834250235842842014-02-17T13:06:00.001-08:002014-02-17T13:06:50.295-08:00A Little Cheat on my No Buy ListWe stopped by Goodwill on our way home today. I found a ten dollar Protection System winter coat for my daughter. I always buy ahead when it comes to our winter gear. And I found ten dollars in the pocket when I got home!<br />
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I picked up a new Thirty-One soft wallet in Black Parisian for one dollar. Wallets are on my no buy list. However, I just donated my old one and the "new" replacement Guess one (bought for $1.90 at a second hand shop) has been chewed by the puppy. I don't think the Guess will last me a year so I rationalized this purchase. I like the soft edges which will cram much easier into my heavily burdened purse. <br />
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Also, I picked up a $3 ziplock full of headbands, rubber balls for the dog and a new Hex Bug for the kids. It just happened to have a brand new <a href="http://www.clinique.com/product/1606/6096/Makeup/Mascara/Naturally-Glossy-Mascara/index.tmpl">Clinique mascara</a> still in the pack. It's one of my favorite mascaras too. <br />
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So, a little cheat but nothing I feel too guilty about. I'm pretty jazzed about getting a new $16 mascara and a <a href="http://www.ebay.com/bhp/thirty-one-black-parisian-pop">Thirty-One Wallet</a> for $4.Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484029710765284827.post-39015204190366298132014-02-16T20:04:00.002-08:002014-02-16T20:04:58.214-08:00Shopping With Purpose And Not For FunThis is going to be a long year. I have a bit of a bargain store shopping addiction. <br />
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My daughter needed a present for a birthday party. In December we donated our cache of sale toys for Toys4Tots. I did manage to scrounge up a new card and gift wrap from my stockpile but I still needed to buy some gifts. We stopped at <a href="https://www.discovercard.com/cardmembersvcs/acqs/app/display?pageFileId=beyond&sc=KC23&cmpgnid=dp_dca_inet-it-x+1150&dfaid=1">5 Below</a>. All I bought for myself was a 50 cent bottle of water. <br />
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Soon that won't seem like a big deal. Right? <br />
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<br />Jenny's Vegcafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09822613057446516660noreply@blogger.com0