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Shared Dec 4, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s Walgreens Shopping Trip: $15.08 worth of products for $1.71 out of pocket

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 4, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Walgreens Shopping Trip

Transaction #1

1 Crest 3D White Mouthwash – $3.99
Used $1/1 printable

Redeemed 3,000 points (like $3)

Total with tax ($0.29): $0.28, Received $3 Register Rewards

Transaction #2

2 Wheat Thins – $2 each (Buy 2, Get 1,000 points)
Used 2 $1/1 printable

1 Scunci Clippies – $2 (Buy 1, Get $2 Register Rewards)

Used $3 Register Rewards from Transaction #1

Total with tax ($0.43): $1.43, Received $2 Register Rewards AND 1,000 points (like $1)

Total for both transactions before sales and coupons: $15.08

Total for both transactions after sales and coupons: $1.71

Shared Dec 4, 2013 comment

Reader Tip: Using Listia to Shop for Free

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 4, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Jane emailed in the following tip:

I recently came across Listia, an online auction site that uses points instead of money.

Listia works very much like Ebay, but you bid on auctions with points instead of money. You can earn points by posting things that you want to give away, and spend those points on things other people are giving away. Some auctions include free shipping or free local pick-up, while others charge for shipping.

As a buyer, Listia is very cool. I earned 600 points in the first half-hour just by signing up, watching a tutorial video, and listing an item for sale. There are many other offers you can do to get more points — like signing up for (and then immediately canceling) the free trial for Lumosity, or signing up for Spotify, which I’ve been meaning to do anyway.

If you are a parent or teacher, there are lots of items with free shipping that you can win for around 100 points, such as stickers and other small rewards.

(Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

Shared Dec 3, 2013 comment

21 Days to a Simple Christmas: Day 2 {Update}

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 3, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s project was to read Chapter 1 of Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.) and to determine your Christmas budget.

Our Christmas Budget

We typically start planning for Christmas spending halfway through the year. Since we use a cash envelope system, we just start socking away most of our gift cash for Christmas. In addition, we also save up our Swagbucks Amazon gift cards to use for Christmas presents. And I keep my eyes open for other ways to earn free gift cards or products that would be good for gifting.

By the time December rolls around, I usually have a nice stash of gift cash plus gift cards to use for gifts and this becomes our Christmas budget. By doing it this way, we don’t have to dip into any of our regular savings or other money to pay for Christmas–we just have to plan ahead and then look for deals to stretch that money as far as possible.

This year, I’ve saved up around $250 in our gift envelope plus Amazon credit that I’ll be using for gifts. We’re scaling back on Christmas presents this year and just drawing names for our extended family members, so this should make it pretty easy to stick with our budget.

Jesse has a separate cash stash that he uses to buy gifts for me and our kids for Christmas (most of it is from his blow money!), so I only buy a few things for the kids. I found a couple of deals on Black Friday that I snatched up, so other than stockings, I’m done with their shopping!

Did you figure out your Christmas budget? Share it with us in the comments. And if you’re blogging about this challenge, I’d love it if you left a link to your blog post, too. Let’s encourage each other to simplify and savor this season more.

Shared Dec 3, 2013 comment

7 Ways to Save on Stocking Stuffers

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 3, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Tanya of My Fruitful Home

I know from experience that Christmas gift giving can cost a lot of money and I am always looking for ways to save. One area I’ve found many ways to save is in buying stocking stuffers.

I actually enjoy picking out the stocking stuffers for my kids more than the presents! In fact, I start collecting them for the following year right after Christmas.

There’s a dresser in my guest room where I collect them all year. That way, when I see a deal I just grab it and save it. Shh! Just don’t tell my kids!

Here are seven ways I save money on stocking stuffers:

1. Look in dollar bins at Michael’s

Michael’s has great dollar bins as you are waiting in line to make your purchase. They make great stocking stuffers.

2. Shop at the Dollar Store

The dollar stores is a great place to find bargains on hair accessories, candy, socks, books, stuffed animals, and craft supplies.

3. Check the Target dollar bins

I have purchased eye masks, lotion, flash cards, and notepads from the Target Dollar Bins.

4. Re-gift

Although I am always appreciative of every gift I receive, I think we can all admit that we can’t always use everything we are given. Some of the things I have re-gifted are scented body lotions, small books, and pens.

5. Sign up for freebies

I have signed up for sites such as Freebies Frenzy and I Crave Freebies and received things like razors, shampoo, makeup and lotion samples.

6. Give something useful

I like giving my kids things they can actually use as I know that it won’t be money wasted. Socks, toothbrushes, razors, and books make great stocking stuffers!

7. Shop after Christmas

Shopping after Christmas is a great way to save on things like Christmas ornaments, Christmas themed books, and coloring books. You might also be able to find things like scarves, hats, and mittens.

I hope these things have given you a few ideas of how you can be frugal during the Christmas season.

How do you save on stocking stuffers?

Tanya blogs at My Fruitful Home about trying to create a beautiful and loving home while living on a budget.

photo source

Shared Dec 3, 2013 comment

21 Days to a Simple Christmas: Day 2

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 3, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

It’s Day 2 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge and we’re broaching the “B” word. Yes, we’re talking about budgets.

I know, I know. It’s not glamorous. It’s not fun. And it sounds restrictive.

But here’s the thing: A budget can best one of the best ways to save your sanity and simplify your Christmas. Knowing exactly how much (or little!) you have to spend, will help you to plan your gifts and your shopping accordingly. And will guarantee that you don’t begin the new year with the burden of credit card debt from your holiday spending.

A budget gives you freedom. It lets you be in control of your money — not the other way around. You get to choose how much you’re going to spend and then be intentional about spending it.

When you have a plan, you are empowered. No longer do you have to worry whether you’re going to have enough money to cover your expenditures or whether you’re going to max out your credit cards. You know what you have to spend and that’s what you spend.

Approach your Christmas budget with a can-do, creative attitude. Don’t be frustrated or stressed over how little you have to spend and how many gifts you need to buy. Instead, see it as a challenge: how far can you make your budget go? Your attitude will go a long way in whether or not you are successful at sticking with your budget!

You can do this. I’m cheering for you!

Day 2 Project

1. Read chapter 1 from Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas. (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.)

2. Decide on a workable, realistic Christmas budget. Don’t stress over this — just pick a number that you know is doable with the resources you currently have. If it feels too low but it’s all you have, don’t feel badly. We’re going to be talking about creative ways to maximize the mileage of your Christmas budget in the next week.

3. Come back at around 9 p.m. EST tonight and I’ll have a follow-up post sharing about our Christmas budget, plus encourage you to leave a comment telling us about yours.

Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas

Psst! Be sure to download your FREE Christmas ebook. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!

To get a copy, just fill out your name and email address here. Then, click on the link in your inbox to confirm your email address. You’ll be emailed a download link as soon as you do so. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Click here to sign up!

Shared Dec 3, 2013 comment

21 Days to a Hunger-Free Holiday Challenge

Published: by MSM Team on December 3, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Peak 313 Fitness is hosting the 21 Days to a Hunger-Free (&Healthy) Holiday Challenge during the holiday season:

“There’s no doubt that we are moving into a season which presents major challenges for many of us physically and emotionally!

The problem:

We are surrounded by food for the next month. It is yummy, unique, and hard to resist!

Food plays a much bigger part in our health than our exercise regime! So all the hard work we’ve been doing can be cancelled out pretty quickly in a one month holiday binge.

There are 870 million* people in the world who are hungry, while 1 in 6* Americans (over 50 million) face hunger. We are gorging. They are starving. Something’s wrong here.

Starting Monday, December 2nd, I am going to ask you to make a sacrifice so you can SHARE with someone else less fortunate this season! Every time you choose to say NO to an unhealthy habit or YES to a healthy one, I want you to pay yourself! Put this money in a jar and at the end of the 21 days, you’ll donate that to a charity of your choice!”

Go here to read the full post and learn how you can get involved.

Shared Dec 2, 2013 comment

21 Days to a Simple Christmas: Day 1 {Update}

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s project was to read the introduction to Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.) and to write down a mission statement for yourself for this Christmas season.

Here’s my mission statement:

This December, I want to slow down, savor life, and focus on being present not perfect. I want to take time to notice the little things instead of rushing from one to-do to the next. I want stop, listen, and look instead of being so busy and focused that I miss the moments.

What’s your mission statement for December? Share it with us in the comments. And if you’re blogging about this challenge, I’d love it if you left a link to your blog post, too. Let’s encourage each other to simplify and savor this season more.

Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas

Psst! Be sure to download your FREE Christmas ebook. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!

To get a copy, just fill out your name and email address here. Then, click on the link in your inbox to confirm your email address. You’ll be emailed a download link as soon as you do so. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!

Shared Dec 2, 2013 comment

10 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read 6 chapters of Loony Coon aloud to the girls. ~~Read a few picture books with Silas.~~

~~2. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

3. Play a game with the children.

~~4. Have a movie night with Jesse.~~

Personal Goals

5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-24.

~~6. Run 9 miles.~~

7. Read Leaving Yesterday, ~~A Million Little Ways~~, Safe People, and ~~A Christmas Gift for Rose~~.

~~8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.~~

Business Goals

~~9. Write more handwritten notes to go out with book launch packages.~~

~~10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.~~

This week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read 4 chapters of Loony Coon aloud to the girls. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Cookie decorating with the kids.

4. Blog about the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge.

My book stack for this week

Personal Goals

5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-24.

6. Run 9 miles.

7. Read Leaving Yesterday, Safe People, The Greatest Gift, Into the Whirlwind, Remote, and The Gifts of Imperfection.

8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.

Business Goals

9. Write more handwritten notes to go out with book launch packages.

10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!

You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Shared Dec 2, 2013 comment

This Week’s Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Dessert — one of the best parts of the Thanksgiving meal!

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Mac & cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch {veggies, cheese, yogurt, fruit, crackers, etc.}
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 3

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs

Make Thanksgiving pies at Grandma’s house

Dinners

Slow Cooker Lasagna, Bread Machine Bread Sticks, fruit
Dinner out
Blender Pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
Chicken Barley Soup, Bread Machine Buttery Rolls, fruit/veggies
Quesadillas, fruit, veggies
Dinner with friends — I’m bringing fruit salad.
Dinner out
Dinner with extended family

What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.

Shared Dec 2, 2013 comment

Barley Chicken Soup

Published: by MSM Team on December 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This hearty soup is an easy, versatile, budget-friendly meal that will satisfy your entire family!

Guest post from Brigette Shevy.

Why You’ll Love Chicken and Barley Soup

If you’re looking for a hearty and healthy way to use up some of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey, this recipe is for you!

My mom often made this filling soup during the fall and winter months, and I loved how it smelled while simmering on the stove.

It’s especially great if you’re feeling a little under the weather. Or when you need to counteract some of those high-fat caloric Thanksgiving foods. Ahem!

Chicken Barley Soup Ingredients

1 chicken (2-3 pounds), cut into pieces (I use 3 cups cooked diced chicken or turkey instead)
8 cups water (I use broth)
1 ½ cups diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
½ cup diced onion
½ cup barley
1 chicken bouillon cube
½ to 1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

How to Make Chicken and Barley Soup

1. Combine chicken and water in a large stock pot and boil until the chicken is tender.

2. Remove chicken from pan and put it on a large cutting board or rimmed baking sheet.

3. Debone the chicken, cutting it into bite-size pieces.

4. Cool broth and skim off fat (optional).

5. To the pot of broth, add 3 cups of chopped chicken and all remaining ingredients.

6. Simmer, covered, for at least one hour, or until vegetables and barley are tender.

7. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Chicken and Barley Soup Recipe Variations

The original recipe, published in the Taste of Home magazine, calls for a whole chicken. As far as I can remember, my mom always made it that way.

However, if I have leftover cooked chicken or turkey, I use that instead to save me some time in the kitchen.

You could also replace the barley with rice if you don’t have barley in the house.

And of course, feel free to mix up the veggies and seasonings depending on what you have in your fridge and pantry!

How long does chicken barley soup last in the fridge?

This soup will last for 4-5 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup

Let the soup cool to room temperature, then scoop it into a freezer-safe storage container (or even a freezer zip-top bag).

Label and freeze!

How to Reheat Chicken Barley Soup

You can easily reheat a single serving of this soup in the microwave (right in the bowl). However, if you’re reheating a full container, it’s probably faster and easier to warm it up in a pan on the stove.

Keep the heat on medium-low, and stir regularly so the rice and chicken don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Barley Chicken Soup FAQS

Do I need to soak barley for soup?

No, just add it to the broth when you add the rest of the ingredients. It will become very tender after simmering for an hour.

Is pearl barley the same as barley?

Pearl barley (or pearled barley) is usually what we consider to be “barley” because it’s often what we find in the grocery store. Pearled barley is different than hulled barley (or barley groats) as pearled barley has the outer husk and the bran removed (so it’s slightly less nutritious than hulled barley).

Can you overcook barley in soup?

No. It’s very hard to overcook barley — so don’t worry about simmering your soup for a bit longer.

What if I put too much barley in my soup?

If your soup really thickens up and becomes more like a barley porage than a soup, you can simply add a bit more water or broth to thin it out again.

Recipe

Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup

Author Brigette

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Boiling the chicken 2

Ingredients

3 cups chicken cook a 2-3 pound chicken and get the meat
8 cups water or broth
1 ½ cups carrots diced
1 cup celery diced
½ cup onion diced
½ cup barley
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!

Pin Recipe

Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy. She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!

Shared Dec 2, 2013 comment

21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge: Day 1

Published: by Crystal Paine on December 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

It’s December! And I am determined to have a peaceful, simple, memorable month. Not one filled with stress, busyness, and exhaustion.

With this in mind, I’m going to be holding a 21-Day Challenge here on MoneySavingMom.com. For the next 21 days, I’ll be blogging about how to have a simple, memorable Christmas.

I’m not blogging about this because I have all the answers (believe me, I don’t!), but because I want to pursue peace instead of chaos this year. 🙂 It should be an interesting journey — and I’ll be sharing my mistakes, lessons learned, and successes along the way.

Would you like to join me? Here’s how it will work: Each morning, there will be a post with a few simple projects for you to complete, if you’d like to join me. And each evening, I’ll post my progress in completing those projects and how I’m doing at fulfilling my goal of having a calm Christmas season.

Day 1 Project

1. Download a copy of Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas (see below). It’s FREE!

2. Read the introduction of Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas. Write down a mission statement for yourself for this Christmas season. This should be more along the lines of what you hope to experience this Christmas season, not specific things you want to accomplish.

Come back here at 9 p.m. EST tonight and read my goals for this Christmas and share yours in the comments or blog link-up.

Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas

Psst! Be sure to download your FREE Christmas ebook. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!

To get a copy, just fill out your name and email address here. Then, click on the link in your inbox to confirm your email address. You’ll be emailed a download link as soon as you do so. It’s my gift to you this year — and you’ll need it if you want to participate in this challenge!

Shared Nov 29, 2013 comment

Usborne Books Black Friday Sale

Published: by Crystal Paine on November 29, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Usborne Books is having their annual Black Friday Sale (or “Book Friday Sale” as they call it!).

If you’re not familiar with Usborne Books, they have a lot of high-quality books that we love.

See the full list of Black Friday deals at Usborne Books here.

(Note: The link in this post is my referral link. Read my disclosure policy here.)

Shared Nov 28, 2013 comment

Choosing To Be Thankful, Even When Life is Hard

Published: by Crystal Paine on November 28, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today is a day when we celebrate our blessings and reflect on all the wonderful things we have to be thankful for. It’s a good thing to stop and express our gratitude — we all have much to be thankful for.

However, some of you are probably really struggling this Thanksgiving. Maybe your husband recently left you, or your child has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, or you are battling an addiction, or your finances feel like they are in shambles and you are just digging yourself into a deeper hole because of unemployment and ever-mounting bills.

Life is hard and messy sometimes — and just because it’s Thanksgiving doesn’t mean that the pain and burdens are lifted. If this Thanksgiving finds you in a difficult place in life, may I encourage you to read my post on Hope for Women Magazine on Choosing to Be Thankful Even When Life is Hard?

Here’s a snippet:

My husband was rummaging through old financial statements not too long ago, and we were aghast to read some of the numbers. During the first year he was in law school, there were six months when we made less than $900 — and some months it was as low as $650.

I recall that season of our lives fairly vividly, but seeing those numbers on paper again after a number of years was a shock to our systems. I’m still not sure how we made it on so little!

During those years, we lived in a little basement apartment that only had four windows on one side. I could plug the vacuum cleaner into one outlet and vacuum the entire apartment without ever switching outlets…Click on over to read the full post.

Our struggles during the lean law school years pale in comparison to many of the struggles you are facing. But I hope that the words I shared might encourage some of you.

Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose hope.

Choose gratitude today — even when it feels impossible. It might not change any of your circumstances, but I promise that it will transform your attitude and lift your spirits.

A Heartfelt Word of Thanks to Each of You

By the way, can I just say thank you to each of you for everything you mean to me and how you bless me on a daily basis?

Thank you for your kind words and constructive criticism. Thank you for reading here, commenting, and emailing.

As those who know me well can attest to, my years of blogging have been a journey of growth, learning, and stretching for me. It’s not always been easy and I’ve made oh-so-many mistakes along the way, but God has taught me much through it and changed me from the inside out as a result of blogging.

When I began blogging back in 2005, I thought I pretty much had life figured out. Now, 8 years later, I feel like there are very few things in life that I have figured out, but I know one thing: blogging has been the catalyst for life-transformation for me. {If you missed my post on this from last month, read it here.}

It’s brought me from a place of insecurity, legalism, and being a people-pleaser to a place where I feel whole, free, and truly happy in who God has made me to be and what He has called me to. And you’ve been a part of that journey with me.

Whether you’ve read here for years or just weeks, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for reading here and being apart of the Money Saving Mom® Community. Words cannot express how much you mean to me and how much I’ve learned and grown as a direct result of each of you. I love each of you and am eternally grateful for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

photo credit

Shared Nov 27, 2013 comment

Present Not Perfect

Published: by Crystal Paine on November 27, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I loved reading Bread & Wine. In fact, I’m pretty sure the book is making it on my Top 20 Books Read in 2013 list.

It moved me. It inspired me. It challenged me. And it made me want to spend more time in the kitchen and around the table.

However, the phrase that stuck out to me most was: Present Not Perfect. Shauna shares how we can get so wrapped up in trying to make life perfect — to get all our ducks in a row and keep them that way — that we miss the present.

We rush through life with our plans, our goals, and our lists. We check things off. We pat ourselves on the back for being a powerhouse of productivity.

And we forget to breathe. To slow down. To soak up the moments. To savor the here and now.

Instead of pursuing a life of perfection, I want to pursue a life of being present…

…listening to the child who is excited to tell me about their latest LEGO creation.

…taking a few minutes to call that friend who is struggling.

…stopping to look into the eyes of the person at the checkout lane at the grocery store and smile and ask how they are doing.

…inviting the friend who stops by to stay for coffee — even if there are piles of laundry in my living room.

Present not perfect. That’s how I want to live.

photo credit: DaySpring

Shared Nov 27, 2013 comment

We Paid Cash: A New Camera!

Published: by Crystal Paine on November 27, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A testimony from Tanja

My husband and I live in the US, but I am originally from Germany. In January of 2013, we made plans to spend Christmas and New Year’s 2013/2014 in Germany with my family. As you can imagine, it’s quite an expensive trip — especially during the holiday season.

I knew I wanted to take a lot of awesome family photos while spending time with family. But there was one problem, my ancient camera. It just would not live up the my crazy picture taking. I needed a new camera.

In November 2012, I signed up for UserTesting.com and MySurvey.com, but I didn’t complete any surveys and only 4 website tests (worth a total of $40). However, after booking our tickets in January of this past year, I realized UserTesting and MySurvey could be the path to my new camera.

I did my research on cameras and memory cards and decided I wanted to go all out and get a Canon Powershot G15 (average price $440) and a PNY 32GB HC class 10 memory card (average price $30).

Now I had a goal!

I hoped to do about one website test per week. But I could only get 2 to 3 tests per month due to my schedule and what I qualified for (PC and Android phone tests). I then decided to also do some surveys on MySurvey.

Fast forward from January 2013 to October 2013, I had completed 28 website tests on UserTesting (10 mobile website test at $15 each, and 18 PC website test at $10 each). This totaled up to $330. I also earned $60 from MySurvey — plus the $40 from before.

The grand total was $430!

I placed all the money in my PayPal account since it would allow me to order my camera and memory card from almost any website.

At this point, I enlisted my husband’s online deal searching skills and he found a great deal for me.

At the end of October 2013, I purchased a Canon Powershot G15 from EBay for $399 and a PNY 32GB HC class 10 memory card for $25 — which left me with $6 leftover! The camera and memory card were both brand new and included shipping and tax! Now I have about one month left to play with my new camera before our trip to Germany.

When people ask about my new camera, I tell them it was literally free… and they can’t believe it.

Thanks MoneySavingMom.com for showing me a frugal way to a new high-end camera!

Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

Walgreens Shopping Trip

Our Christmas Budget

1. Look in dollar bins at Michael’s

2. Shop at the Dollar Store

3. Check the Target dollar bins

4. Re-gift

5. Sign up for freebies

6. Give something useful

7. Shop after Christmas

How do you save on stocking stuffers?

Day 2 Project

Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Here’s my mission statement:

Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas

Breakfasts

Lunches

Snacks

Dinners

Why You’ll Love Chicken and Barley Soup

Chicken Barley Soup Ingredients

How to Make Chicken and Barley Soup

Chicken and Barley Soup Recipe Variations

How long does chicken barley soup last in the fridge?

How to Freeze Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup

How to Reheat Chicken Barley Soup

Barley Chicken Soup FAQS

Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

FREE DOWNLOAD: 60 Meals To Help You Avoid Takeout!

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Day 1 Project

Get Your FREE Copy of Celebrating & Savoring A Simple Christmas

A Heartfelt Word of Thanks to Each of You

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Ingredients