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Shared Sep 24, 2012 comment

How I Earn Free Coke Rewards and Get Some Exercise, Too!

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 24, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Sheila from The Frugal Exerciser

Last year, I decided to start getting freebies from Coke by collecting the bottle-tops. I had 240 Coke Rewards from playing the Monopoly game from McDonald’s and I needed 360 points to get the Omaha Steaks E-card. Since I can’t consume that many drinks all by myself, I decided to go Coke hunting.

In Chicago, there are many locations with discarded Coca-Cola product bottles. I made those locations my hunting spots. At first, it was quite embarrassing to be outside picking up empty bottles; so I made sure to go out very early on Sunday mornings. After a couple of months, I started thinking, “Who cares? If you see me collecting Coke bottles, oh well!”

The first problem I encountered was remembering all of the products Coca-Cola made. I had to have a cheat sheet: “Do I pick up Squirt or Country Time?” It took a while to figure that out, but I eventually got to know the products very well.

I can remember the largest stash I brought home. I was in an area near a highway and the road was very long. I parked my car and with plastic bag and rubber gloves in hand, I would pick up, walk and pick up. This lasted for 15 minutes and I would get back in the car, drive a little bit further and repeat the process. By the time I was done, I had walked for 60 minutes and had 40 bottles plus two Coke cartons. My total for that day was a whopping 160 free Coke points!

I eventually cashed in my points and got my E-card. Since then, I’ve cashed in for several things like FTD Flowers gift card, free Coke products, Restaurant.com $50 gift certificate, and so forth.

One man’s trash is truly another man’s treasure!

The Frugal Exerciser blogger is Sheila Simmons. She has a masters degree from Ball State University in exercise physiology and cardiac rehab. The owner of The Body Workout fitness program in Chicago is dedicated to changing lives through fitness and healthy living.

Shared Sep 22, 2012 comment

Easy Homemade Hummus

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 22, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

With only a few ingredients, homemade hummus is super easy to make, and will save you almost 90% over buying store bought!

Guest post from of Chris.

Get ready. Today, you’re in for a good ol’ fashioned food fight! Don’t pretend like you don’t love those.

Two similar items are going to face off to determine who the winner is. We all know that price comparisons are vital to a frugal food budget, so the winner will be determined by value.

This time we’re going to get downright Middle Eastern with Hummus.

Though hummus originates in the Middle East, it has recently made the long journey to American kitchens, and we’re all better for it.

The hippies of the 60’s and 70’s were some of the first Americans to give it a go, but over the last 10 years, hummus has gone mainstream.

It’s not just for vegans and vegetarians any more. Sales are growing exponentially with no signs of slowing down.

So, what is hummus?

It’s remarkably simple. Hummus is pureed chickpeas with a few different spices and flavorings.

The most basic varieties include garlic, lemon juice, and maybe some tahini.

That’s about it.

Chickpeas (or Garbanzo Beans) are actually the most widely consumed legume in the world. Hummus can take credit for much of this, but chickpeas are also pretty great by themselves once soaked and cooked properly.

My wife and I love them in salads. They’re a great source of protein and are very low in calories.

However, there’s one big problem. As much as I love hummus, it’s awfully expensive. Have you looked at the prices at your local deli recently? It’s enough to make you drop to your knees and cry.

So, what we need is a no-nonsense price comparison — we need a food fight.

Here we go.

How much hummus can you get for $0.25?

Talk about a big difference!

The first photo demonstrates Cedar’s Hummus, which was the least expensive hummus I could find at my local market ($2.50). The other brands were usually priced between $3 and $4.

The second is a super easy homemade version prepared by yours truly. You get more than 5 servings (1/4 cup per serving) for only a quarter! What other healthy snack boasts that kind of frugality?

Homemade Hummus vs. Store Bought

The bottom line is this: We all know that homemade usually wins the price comparison over store-bought, no matter what the product. However, some foods barely win out and other foods simply blow away the competition. Hummus is one of the latter.

I simply can’t think of a plausible explanation why it costs so much in stores. It’s 95% pureed chickpeas. Do you know how cheap dried chickpeas are?!

The only reason I could come up with is that it’s still considered a specialty item. Even with it’s recent acceptance, hummus is still considered slightly exotic, and therefore, companies can get away with charging more for the mystery. I’m here to take the mystery out of it. It couldn’t be simpler or cheaper to make.

Ingredients for Homemade Hummus

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 3/4 cup dry) — see notes below
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water (or 1/4 c. olive oil + 1/4 water)

Ingredient Notes

To cook dried chickpeas, first soak them over night in cold water. Then, bring the soaked chickpeas to a boil in plenty of water and reduce the heat to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours until tender. Leave the lid of the pot tilted slightly to allow some of the steam to escape.

You may also use canned chickpeas (already cooked), just realize that you’ll pay more per serving.

Hummus Ingredient Substitutions

The main thing missing from my recipe is Tahini. It’s an oily paste made from sesame seeds that most commercial hummus use. I don’t think Tahini is necessary, but if you miss it, go ahead and add it in next time.

You could also add olive oil if you’d like. Try 3 Tablespoon of oil and 1/4 cup water instead of 1/2 cup of water if you’d like a richer flavor.

Another delicious option… swap the onion powder for 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder for a more Southwestern flavor.

How to Make Homemade Hummus

1. Combine all of the ingredients other than the water/oil into a quality food processor or blender.

2. Blend, on high, until you have a rough paste.

3. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue blending, scraping down the sides occasionally if needed. You can add more or less water than suggested, depending on your desired consistency.

4. Serve with veggies, crackers, pita bread, or any other favorites and enjoy!

Be creative when making hummus. There are hundreds of possibilities!

Recipe

Easy Homemade Hummus

Author Crystal Paine

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 15

Soak and Cook the Chick Peas 10

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas about 3/4 cup dry
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water or 1/4 c. olive oil + 1/4 water

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients other than the water/oil into a quality food processor or blender.
Blend, on high, until you have a rough paste.
Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue blending, scraping down the sides occasionally if needed. You can add more or less water than suggested, depending on your desired consistency.
Serve with veggies, crackers, pita bread, or any other favorites and enjoy!

Notes

You may also use canned chickpeas (already cooked), just realize that you’ll pay more per serving.

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

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

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Shared Sep 22, 2012 comment

Turn your newspaper into cute gift sacks

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 22, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Here’s a creative idea for repurposing newspaper into gift sacks.

Or here’s another tutorial (in English!) for another gift bag that can be made out of newspaper.

Shared Sep 21, 2012 comment

5 Ways to Involve Your Spouse in Financial Decisions

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 21, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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Guest post by SB of One Cent at Time

If you’ve been married for a while, there’s a pretty good chance that either you or your spouse is the one “in charge” of the family finances. And if you’re like me, your spouse might not be nearly as involved as you would like — or they might even refuse to get involved.

This dilemma, which is be a huge issue for many marriages, can be addressed in an agreeable manner if you have the proper tools and attitude. Here are five tips that could help your spouse to get more involved in your family’s finances:

1. Focus on solving the problem, but don’t fight.

A two-way conversation is the only tool that will result favorably. It’s easier to gently persuade someone into changing their mind and it helps if you both focus on your goals which are mutual.

Try opening with the feel/felt/found method. For example, “When you bull up and refuse to discuss the finances with me, I FEEL like my concerns don’t matter. What I’ve found is that when I FEEL that way, I am not as careful about how I spend our money because I’m hurt and angry.”

2. Use the “switch-a-roo” method.

If you spouse usually is not the bill-payer, let them give it a try for a month (and of course offer to help if necessary) This will give him or her a better understanding and appreciation for how important it is to be involved in the decision making process of your family’s finances.

3. Dream together.

We all have dreams of what we would do if money were not issue… but the reality is that without team work between couples, all of these wants and desires remain unrealized pipe dreams and may never come to fruition. Communicate your ideas and listen to your spouse’s ideas. Realize that you need to develop a plan TOGETHER to make your dreams come true.

4. Do the math.

If your spouse still can’t see the importance of his or her participation in the financial decision making, sit down together and look at your budget (or create a budget). When the numbers are right there in front of your eyes, it’s easier to be involved in the family finances.

5. Have regular discussions.

Open communication is so important if you want to get your spouse more involved with the financial future of your family. Any purchases that are going to come out of the monthly budget should be discussed. Not argued over, but discussed like adults!

Treat each other like business partners.

Listen to the concerns of the other, but don’t let anything get blown out of proportion. If you can’t communicate with your spouse without losing your temper, you will never be able to realize your common goals and dreams. Only gentle persuasion and mature discussion will get your spouse to participate in the family financial decisions.

What about you…

Do you do the finances in your family? Or do and your spouse tackle it together?

Do you have any other tips for encouraging your spouse to get involved more in your family’s finances?

SB is a personal finance blogger who writes about saving money, becoming rich and earning extra money over at One Cent at Time.

Shared Sep 21, 2012 comment

Easy Pepperoni Rolls

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 21, 2012 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

It doesn’t get much better than delicious homemade bread dough stuffed with savory pepperoni and gooey cheese! These pepperoni rolls are perfect for everything from an after school snack to a quick evening meal.

Guest post by Brigette Shevy:

My family can’t get enough of these Homemade Pepperoni Rolls

I love that they can be made up ahead of time and frozen (by the way, this recipe easily doubles) – making them so easy to include in a sack lunch.

I stick these frozen in my husband’s lunch box, and they are completely thawed and ready to eat by lunchtime — which means they are the perfect solution for when I forget to pack his lunch… not that I’ve ever done that, of course!

If you’re feeling creative, you can always experiment with different combinations of cheese, or add some extra filling ingredients.

I hope your family will enjoy this recipe as much as mine does!

Pizza Rolls Pepperoni Ingredients

For the Dough:

1 cup warm milk
3 T. butter, melted
1 egg
2 T. sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
3 ¼ cups flour (I use 2 cups all-purpose and 1 ¼ cups white whole wheat)
1 T. instant active yeast

For the Filling:

4-5 oz. sliced pepperoni (this amount is flexible, based on your family’s preferences)
8 oz. block of mozzarella cheese, cut into 24 squares approximately the same size

For the Topping:

1 T. melted butter
2-3 T. shredded Parmesan cheese

How to Make the Best Pepperoni Rolls Recipe

1. Combine all dough ingredients in your bread machine in the order listed, or in the order recommended by your particular brand of bread machine.

2. Run the short dough cycle.

3. Divide dough into 12 pieces.

4. Flatten each into a circle about 4-5” in diameter.

5. Put several pepperoni slices and 2 chunks of cheese in the center of each dough piece.

6. Bring up the sides of the dough around the filling and pinch the ends together.

7. Roll each into a ball, making sure the dough is evenly distributed around the filling with no “thin” spots.

8. Preheat oven to 350º.

9. Place dough balls on greased cookie sheets (place any visible seams down) and let rise for 15-20 minutes in a warm place while the oven preheats.

10. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

How to serve Easy Pepperoni Rolls

They are great fresh from the oven, at room temperature, and yep, even cold. 🙂

If I’m serving these for dinner, I’ll often include marinara sauce on the side. Dipping sauce is definitely not necessary though — for quick on-the-go meals, we love them just the way they are!

Pizza Rolls Pepperoni Storage

If you have any leftovers, let them cool and then refrigerate in a food storage container for up to a week.

You can also freeze them if you want to store them longer.

Best Pepperoni Rolls Recipe Variations

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s SO easy to mix up based on what you have in the house, what ingredients are on sale, or what your family prefers.

Here are some ideas:

Ham and Swiss (perfect for after Christmas or Easter)
Turkey and Cheddar (great for after Thanksgiving)
Leftover breakfast sausage and mozzarella — with or without pizza sauce
A mixture of meats (bacon crumbles, salami, pepperoni, sausage, with cheese and sauce (you might want to chop all the meat up together so it fits inside the rolls.
Just mozzarella cheese — sort of like a cheesy breadstick, and perfect for pickier eaters!
Marshmallows! If you want a sweet version, put a marshmallow inside and then coat the outside with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

Use your imagination and try whatever sounds good to you — it will likely taste great too!

Recipe