I am sure many of you have noticed that there have been several new Gluten FREE recipes and tips and deals being posted on the blog lately.  In late September early October I was very sick and couldn’t get better.  After going to my general doctor 3 times in 2 weeks I was referred to a specialist.  I endured many tests and the end result came up with nothing is wrong.  Knowing that something was WRONG I turned to alternative medicine.

I started seeing a new chiropractor and turned to the support of good friends and the internet to figure out what was wrong with me.  In the end my Chiropractor suggested I may have a gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease.  I went back to my doctor who tested me confirmed what my chiropractor thought and then began my new journey  to eliminating gluten from my life.

At first I did 6 days off and 1 day “on” gluten to see if it truly was the gluten that was causing my problems.  I paid dearly for the “1 day on” gluten and finally made the decision to go completely gluten free on Black Friday 2011.  So the Gluten Free journey began.  I made a lot of mistakes at first (not realizing that a product had an ingredient that contains gluten) and it is still a learning process for me to say the least. At first we thought I had a gluten intolerance but I have since learned that I am Celiac.

What I can tell you is that I have never felt better.  Being “off gluten” for me has caused me to have more energy, sleep better and feel better.  Of course the downside to living a gluten free lifestyle is that it is harder to stockpile and find coupons for gluten free food.  However it is not impossible!  I plan to share my journey with you.  Of course the main focus of our blog remains the same and our mission is to help you save money to stretch your family budget and live a savvy lifestyle.  Adding Gluten Free to the blog I hope is just a nice addition for those of you who share the journey with me.

Check out our Gluten Free Resources on the blog from Recipes to Coupons and More!

I would love to know if you are Gluten Free or if you have a family member that is? Does saving money on Gluten Free interest you? I can’t wait to hear about your journey too!

This is a round of Valentine’s Day Ideas that can save you some cash this year!

How to make a “candy bar cake”

How to make a frugal candy vase

How to make recycled crayons

Batman Valentine Exchange Box

Handstamped Valentine Cards

Heart Photo Craft Using Cupcake Wrappers

Candy Cane Hearts

Frugal Handmade Valentine’s

I have been trying to figure out how remove hair build-up and residue naturally.  My hair has really had a major build up of chemical products and was really heavy and I was unable to style it even after washing it.  I asked my stylist and she gave me two great tips.  I love that they are both frugal and best of all they REALLY work!

She told me to mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda into my shampoo and wash my hair as normal with the paste.  She said I could also wet my hair and rub the baking soda in and then shampoo.  I chose the first option and it worked great!

She also mentioned doing a vinegar rinse.  I mixed up 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of cold water and after I did the baking soda mixture shampoo I used the apply cider as a rinse.  I did not rinse my hair with water after I just left the apple cider on my hair and then towel dried and then blew dry my hair.

I was a little concerned my hair would smell like apple cider but after drying it there was no smell!  In addition not only was the hair build-up and residue gone my hair was left so shiny!  I am so happy with it!

I purchased a plastic condiment bottle after season and used that for my apple cider rinse.  It actually holds 2 rinses so I just leave it in the shower.  I do the baking soda/apple cider once a week and it is working great!

Have you ever tried either of these methods to remove hair build-up or residue?

Do you have a family budget? If not as you enter 2012 we urge you to create one. It can be a very eye opening experience! We realized that we were wasting our money on dining out and entertainment when we created it ours. It holds us accountable for our spending but doesn’t limit or restrict us. It is a tool to keep your family on track when used correctly.

You can read my hubby’s articles on How to create a family budget Part 1 and Part II. By creating a budget you will be able to get a “handle on” your expenses.

We also have a chapter in our book (Chapter 7) on how to create a budget.

Check out our 7 Days of Stockpiling Series in this cool playlist!

Last week I wrote about Inexpensive Teacher Gift Ideas and our reader Sabine sent us this picture and that she took my advice about using things from your stockpile for a teacher gift. She wanted wanted to share what her daughter’s 4th grade teacher will be getting this year. It was nothing out of pocket because she had everything here in the house, including the basket!  What a great gift idea and very useful!  I know the teacher will love it too!

I love it Sabine and glad we could help! This is what I was hoping for

Did you gift give from your stockpile this year? If you have a creative idea please send it to us!

How do you entertain your kids during Christmas vacation? Well I guess it could be as simple as a cardboard box and markers Peyton asked me if he could have this box after I emptied it and next thing I know he created a ship and spent the day enjoying his creative play. So, it just goes to show that you don’t have to “entertain them” – just give them something as simple as a cardboard box and markers

Other ideas though once the box no longer entertains them:

Educational Websites

6 Frugal Fun Ideas for Kids

Head to your local library

Utilize passes and memberships

Bake cookies, muffins, a cake!

Please comment with any tips or suggestions for ways your entertain your kids during Christmas Vacation!

Friday at our house is Make Your Own Pizza Night! We love it! It is a great way for each of us to get to create our favorite pizza. Often we do individual pizza’s or we make a large one.  It is nice because it is a family fun activity and it also allows us to introduce vegetables as toppings.

We simply place all of the available toppings on the counter and then we create our own pizza.  In addition to Friday being Make Your Own Pizza Night – it is also family fun night.  We choose a game to play as a family, pop a bag of popcorn and enjoy!

What are some of your favorite pizza creations?

I love attending cookie exchanges. They are fun way to knock out your Christmas baking too! I have attended several and helped organize too and I wanted to share some tips with you.  After you exchange cookies you could consider boxing them with a pretty ribbon and giving them as gifts.

First of all start by asking your friends if they would be interested in participating. Depending on how many cookies you want to go home with will determine how many cookies each guest should bring.  For example if there are 10 guests attending and you want to go home with 10 dozen cookies then each guest would bring 10 dozen cookies. Normally we don’t want to go home with that many so a number that we are happy with is 3 – 6 dozen.  Always take into consideration that you will be sampling the cookies as you exchange

TIPS:

1. Ask your guests to sign up for their cookies in advance so that you don’t have repeat cookies at the exchange.
2. Suggest to your guests to bring their cookies on a platter as it makes an easy time for exchanging.
3. Ask your guests to bring an airtight container to take their cookies home in. I would suggest wax paper for layering the cookies or that could be something the hostess would provide.
4. Ask you guests to bring photocopies of the recipes so that we know what ingredients are included, in case of allergies and so that we have the recipes to add to our collections.
5. Provide beverages for your guests but keep the exchange simple
6. Play Christmas music, have fun and enjoy!

Here is a Christmas Cookie Roundup that may help with your baking plans this season!

Easy Stained Glass Holiday Cookies

Elf Cookies

Butterfinger Cookies

7 layer bars

Cookie Lollipops

Gooey Chocolate Cookie Bars

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

As you may know I taught high school for 11 years before I left my career to stay home. I can honestly say that during my teaching career the gifts that I got at Christmas and at the end of the year were very meaningful. More that what was given but the thought is what meant so much to me. I taught high school so the gifts really meant a lot because most of the time they came from my students pocket.

If you do not give gifts to your children’s teachers at Christmas I urge you too. Even if you can’t afford a gift, consider writing a card or letter. Some of the most meaningful gifts I ever got did not cost a fortune. The cards and letters handwritten to me from my students or their parents meant the world. In fact I kept them all in a box and there are still days that when I need a lift that I read them.

There are a few gifts that I still have. Special Christmas tree ornaments, a crystal ring holder and a scrapbook that my students made me. These are the gifts that I treasure. Every year when I hang the ornaments I remember the special student by name. Gifts that I remember and appreciated were gift cards, nice smelling hand sanitizer (Bath and Body works) and special items that I collect.  I also really loved getting hand crafts as well.

I also wanted to share with you a list of items that I didn’t “like” to get as a teacher, not saying that all teachers feel this way BUT, in general please don’t give apple themed items, school bus themed items, smelly lotions, candles or hand made treats. My rule of thumb was that I didn’t eat gifts that came to school via a student (reminder I taught high school)…I had enough apple themed items to keep the Dr. away for an eternity and because of allergies I don’t use smelly lotions or candles…This of course is just my 2 cents but I wanted to share There are however so many options when it comes to gift giving that don’t cost a fortune.

What teachers really want is appreciation! That could be in the form of a letter or a card, a simple $5 – $10 gift card, school supplies to help in the classroom (items from your stockpile would be great) or even a special item if you get the opportunity to really “know” your child’s teacher. I urge you to find something special for your children’s teachers because they are with your children day in and day out and just letting them know you appreciate them goes a long way

Take advantage of Holiday Gift Card Deals – view our extensive list. Gift Giving from your Stockpile is another great way to go!  There are so many ideas of things you can put together that will cost you so little out of pocket, check out this Stockpile Gift Idea  For Teachers Gifts that I put together for Peyton’s teacher on the first day of school.

Other Ideas:

DIY Pedicure Kit

Candy Bar Cake

How to make a fleece scarf

Make a beaded bracelet

I hope this post helps you come up with an inexpensive teacher gift idea.  Of course it is the thought that really counts.  Just giving something simple or a note or card of appreciate goes a lot way.  However gift giving from your stockpile is an inexpensive way to go too!

Please share with us any inexpensive teacher gift ideas that you have! Please don’t be offended if you chose to give handmade treats. This post is my opinion like all posts that I write

You know I love to find new ways to save.  Who doesn’t, right?  So, when I heard that Valpak, the company that sends coupons in the mail in the blue envelope, also had a website with more than 20,000 coupons and 20,000 coupon codes…I had to share.

Sure, you can find grocery coupons on Valpak.com but Valpak also means values on goods and services we all need in our everyday lives.  From dry cleaners to haircuts to oil changes to handyman services and more.  And hey – sometimes we just want to go out to eat – and they have deals on restaurants too!

So next time you’re planning a party at home, purchase or a trip out of town for the Holidays, check out Valpak.com for ways to save big. How?

•  Visit www.Valpak.com and print free local coupons on offers such as restaurants and car repair shops or hair salons — and even groceries, and sign up for e-mail alerts from Valpak exclusives. There are more than 22,000 local coupons one the site!

•  Traveling out of town to visit with family and friends this holiday season? Get savings on the go by downloading a free Valpak app for mobile devices so you can find the best deals anywhere at any time.

•  Is Aunt Mary hard to shop for?   Why not buy her a Valpak Deal on Valpak.com?  With choices such as restaurants, hair salons and spas, they make great gifts! (And save on gas by not driving all over town.)

•  Doing some online shopping for family and friends? Before you “confirm your order,” hop over to Valpak.com to search for a coupon code to help you save on that purchase. You can choose from 20,000 coupon codes from national and retail brands.

So many ways to save – all in one place. Just in time for the holidays! Who doesn’t love knowing they got a great deal on the products and services that make life better? Wherever you are, you can save big with Valpak.

You can also find Valpak on Facebook and follow Valpak on Twitter.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Valpak however all opinions are 100% my own.

From typing in coupon codes to save a few dollars online to spending hours cutting them out of newspapers and getting hundreds of dollars in groceries for free, everyone wants to get in on the coupon craze. While it’s nice to save a few dollars on smaller items, it’s possible to use coupons to save hundreds of dollars on major purchases, such as trips, computers or electronics. When looking to make a big expensive purchase, buying used or waiting around for a sale are two ways people traditionally save money. However used products can come with a shorter lifespan, and sometimes that elusive sale never actually happens.

Group deal sites specialize in saving money on these big-ticket items. These deals normally last for a short period of time, and a certain number of coupons need to be purchased in order for the deal to work.

For example, say your old desktop is on its last legs, but you don’t want to spend too much money replacing it. When you visit a site like Groupon, LivingSocial or KGB Deals, you can find Dell coupons that will take a good deal of money off the final product. An example of a coupon you might find would be a $600 computer for $450. Once you find this deal, you simply purchase it from the group deal site for $450. You’ll then be able to print the coupon and use it in store or online, depending on the nature of the coupon.

The best part is you really can’t lose with these major coupons. Ideally you spend the money on the coupon, use it and get an awesome deal on a great item. The worst case is that the coupon doesn’t sell the minimum number required to activate the deal, but don’t fret, if that happens they won’t charge you for the coupon.

When you’re planning on throwing down a lot of money on a major item, save some cash by getting a coupon. They’re easy, anyone can get them, and you can save hundreds of dollars on expensive items.

This post was written by: Alexis Andrews – A recent college graduate with a degree in English and minor in Marketing, Alexis has a passion for shopping and finding the best deals. She now resides in San Fransisco where she one day hopes to open her own Public Relations firm.

Are you short on cash this Christmas? I love to gift give from my stockpile. These are two examples of how you can gift give from your stockpile in style. The first gift is a spa gift bag filled with bath lotions, bubbles, a towel wrap, slippers high end face creams and so much more! The grand total out of pocket expense for the gift was $7.00! The value of the gift is well over $150!!! It is easy to collect items throughout the year at Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreen’s. In addition to other sources such as BzzAgent and more!

The second gift is a Thirty One Thermal Tote filled with snacks. This bag I called “Snack Attack” and it had chex mix, vitamin water, gummies and more! The out of pocket expense for this bag was less than $1.00! I got the Thirty One Thermal tote FREE from hosting a party and I pulled everything out of my stockpile for the gift. The only expense was the gift wrap!

By utilizing your stockpile you are able to think outside of the box when it comes to gift giving. I am able to give really useful gifts that my friends and family really enjoy getting and it is easy on my budget because I am shopping from my stockpile instead of at the store!

Read my Stockpiling For the Holiday’s post for more information. What types of ideas do you have for gift giving from your stockpile?

Other ideas include:

Homemade cookies, candy or chex mix

How to make a fleece scarf

How to make a beaded bracelet

If you are new to couponing or just getting started on building your stockpile you may want to check out our Stockpiling 101 Series and Videos. We have lots of helpful information available in this series.

If you are new to building a stockpile, it takes about 3 months to build. Once you start you may see an increase in your budget as you are purchasing what you need weekly plus stockpile items, this is normal. After the 2nd month you will start to see your savings. This is normal. After the third month you will see a significant decrease in your spending a MAJOR savings!

Visit more Frugal Friday Tips

Visit more Stockpiling Saturday Tips.

Can you freeze cracker crumbs? Absolutely! It is simple to do. Just crush them with a food processor, blender or rolling pin and place them in a freezer safe container and date them. They are good for 3 months in an airtight freezer safe container.  You can also do the same with bread crumbs and graham cracker crumbs too!

You may be interested in our other posts on how to freeze:

Cottage Cheese

Sour Cream

Cheese

Milk and Eggs

Hummus

Cream Cheese

Banana

If you want to know more tips, we suggest ordering our book – Savvy Saving :: Couponing Secrets from the Stockpiling Moms!