No matter how much my children grow, they never seem to tire of bubbles. Even your average, everyday bubbles thrill them for hours. We like to get creative with our bubbles though just to see what happens. Sometimes we end up with some awesome bubbles, while others times it’s a complete bust (literally!).

Homemade Bubble Solution Recipe

I know bubble solution is cheap, but it will never perform as well as homemade. Just trust me on this.

You may need to adjust the recipe slightly, depending on if you have hard or soft water and what type of dish soap you use, but experimenting is half the fun. If you realize your solution isn’t perfect, no need to start over.  Just pour it a little more of whatever you think you need!

[Source: Daily Savings from All You]
Love this deal? You may also enjoy:

• Affordable Recipes
• Browse the Freebie & Sample Database
• Search the Grocery Coupon Database

** Grocery Store GPS from All You was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Thought I would share some of the Memorial Day recipes, decorations etc

This week’s top 10 Memorial Day things on Pinterest:

Download the book Love of Cooking: Salads (Love of Cooking: Volume I) by Maggie Brooks FREE for your Kindle. Offers like this change quickly, so this price could change on this FREE Kindle book any time.

To save money and enjoy a night off cooking, I highly recommend having a salad night!

Right now, you can buy a Kindle on Amazon for as low as $79, plus FREE shipping. Or, read Kindle Books FREE with a FREE Kindle app available for the following devices:

• Apple iPad
• Apple iPhone
• Android
• Blackberry
• PC
• Mac
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Love to read? Make sure to check out the top 100 FREE downloads for Kindle on Amazon. They change daily, so keep watch.

Love this deal? You may also enjoy:

• Browse the Freebie & Sample Database
• Latest Freebies & Samples
• Digital Media Deals
• Deals for Your Kindle
• Online Shopping Coupon Database
• Latest Online Shopping Deals

** Free Kindle Book | Love of Cooking: Salads Cookbook was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Today, we’re taking the time to say thank you to Starbucks.

As a savvy shoppers, it’s nice to give back to the companies we love.  Each week, we take the time to say thanks to one company for the savings they provide, providing us with great products, or just general things we love about them.

Some companies may send us a gift just for being a loyal fan and taking the time to show our appreciate.  Since it’s nice to be appreciated back and it’s important to realize that being kind can help you save even more, we’re tracking who we’ve thanked and how (or if) they’ve showed appreciation in return.

How it Works

1. Write an honest message expressing your thanks to the company or brand.  It doesn’t have to be long.  Short and sweet works too.
2. If you don’t like a particular company, don’t force it.  Just skip this week and participate again next week.  Only thank those you truly appreciate and want to thank.
3. Make sure to include your address in case they decide to send you something to show their own appreciation to you.

Say Thanks To…

Starbucks Coffee Company

Why We Love Them

Need some ideas to get you started?  That’s okay.  Here’s a few reasons I love [COMPANY] to inspire your own thank you message.

• Something for everyone (Kids and grown ups)
• Great place to meet friends or have a special time with kids or grandkids.
• Calm Tea!!!  (or Calm Tea Lattes with a splash of vanilla)
• The gift everybody loves
• Great products in stores also

Don’t forget to check out status updates to see who has shown their appreciation back.  Remember, not every company will send something in return, but this is more about saying thank you, so have fun with it!

Love this article? Read more like this…

• Who We’ve Thanked So Far
• Thank You Status Updates
• Grocery Store Deals & Coupon Matchups
• Latest Coupons & Rebates
• Browse the Grocery Coupon Database

** Say Thank You to Starbucks Coffee Company was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

School is almost out so it is time for the kids to say Thank You to the Teachers for a year of learning. There are so many cute ideas on Pinterest. Thing the teacher will actually use.

This  top 10 teacher gift ideas on Pinterest:

Thanks to Sherri Ohler at The Painted Life for the following guest post:

The temptation here is to see ‘Handmade’ and click on to the next read, but don’t,  keep reading, your friends will thank you!   Stick around, be informed, and hopefully a bit entertained, as I seek to enlighten your senses with a new outlook on the subject of buying artisan.  Straight from the source.  (That would be me, for I am a self proclaimed Handmade Entrepreneur & Junkie!)

Vintage Style Dangle Earrings in Lemon Chiffon by Trinkets N Whatnots~$12

With no further ado, the top 5 reasons you should buy handmade are…

#5-Because you can.  Contrary to popular myth, buying Artisan can absolutely be affordable.  The days of having to visit a gallery while donning your luxury mink in order to buy something one of a kind are gone.  If

Vegan Peach Mango Salsa Shea Soap by Cassia Aromatics~$6

your frugality alarms are going off as you ponder this kind of luxury for yourself-even if it is totally affordable, then gifting is the way to go.  If we all gifted handmade to each other, then we would all have a little much deserved luxury in our lives!

Felt Owl Baby Shower Favor Plush Toys by Andralynn~$4

#4- Because your loved ones deserve something as unique and beautiful as they are, and no offense, but Wal-mart doesn’t quite send the ‘I think you’re amazing’ message.  You may find something that aesthetically sends that message at HomeGoods or Marshall’s, but so did your sister, her Mother-n-law, her neighbor and the mail lady.  You can do better.  You can be a gifting ROCKSTAR and no one will ever forget it-you.
#3- Because Artists are people too.  A lot of us are work at home moms like you, or work-outside-the-home-and-then-come-home-and-work-some-more moms like you.  Buying handmade let’s you be a part of someone else’s dream and that my friend, is paying it forward in a big, warm, fuzzy way. Thank YOU.

Tie cardigan w/ Floral Rose Print by Jrotem~$34

#2- Because our American economy needs you.   I may not understand all of the ins and outs of the financial state of the US, but I do know that when somebody buys one of my paintings, it helps me cover the cost of my family’s well-being in one way or another.  You could give that same money to Target, who will give a lot of it to China, and that isn’t all bad I guess, but if we all bought from each other-maybe American small business’s could thrive again and American families could rest without fear of losing their homes.  And that sounds like a darn good thing to me.

#1-Because Etsy, the handmade market mega mall, is like a treasure hunt and makes you feel like a kid again!  And some of us pirates-er- Artists are having a sale-JUST FOR YOU.  A bunch of my Artisan Group Etsy friends & I are getting together to offer deals just for In Good Cents readers!  Here’s how to find them…go to Etsy.com, click ALL ITEMS in the drop down search menu.  Type GOODCENTS in the search bar-that’s it!  All of the items/shops that you see are offering specials-each special is different, but the coupon code is the same for all shops!  Use code GOODCENTS when ordering to see what your treasure holds!  Some shops will have the special listed under their shop banner so look for that as well.  Have fun and thank you again for buying and supporting Handmade-we SO appreciate you!

xo,
Sherri@sdg

No.16 Caboose Home Decor Print by The Jdawg~$30 Tell us about the treasures that you scored and/or put on your ‘wish list’ while perusing Etsy or your local art fair!  Go ahead, get your brag on and give yourself a little written pat on the back in the form of a comment, we’d LOVE to hear about it!

Azure Peacock Print w/Emily Dickenson Quote on Ribbon or Rings by S.D.G. Artistry~$18

About the Author: Sherri Ohler knew she wanted to grow up to be an artist from her earliest memory. Still working on that dream as a career muralist she transitioned to studio work under the brand name S.D.G. Artistry in 2008. The Latin initials standing for ‘Soli Deo Gloria’, or the ‘glory to God alone’, are living testimony to her Christian faith. The first series of paintings for S.D.G., The Alphabet Line, has grown to include over 100 mix & match collectable pieces and is still growing! Sherri lives not far outside of Chicago with her husband Randy. Her perfect match and an artist himself, he designs & builds furniture under the name Urban Hillbilly Furniture. Two beautiful daughters, October 21 & Ivy 15, call her mom and one spunky 10 year old named Cheney, is happily teaching her to be a better Step-mom. Sherri writes about her quest to ‘create small joys’ in life & S.D.G. at www.thepaintedlife.com.

** Top 5 Reasons to buy Homemade | Guest Post by Sherri Ohler was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Here are my finds for the week.  Check back in a few days for Teacher gift finds.

This week’s top 10 things on Pinterest:

I used to live in this little town (seriously, only three stoplights) in Ohio. And there was a wonderful little privately owned pizza place in town that made the BEST Taco Pizza EVER!!!! It was our family tradition to order pizza once a month and when it was my turn to pick what we ordered it was always Taco Pizza from Hungry Howies. The crust was crispy, the taco meat with beans was delish, and the towering toppings of lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, and sour cream was so heavenly that my mouth waters just writing about it.

But sadly, I moved away from that little town when I was 14 and haven’t tasted a bite of Taco Pizza since then (until I recreated it myself). Actually, everyone I have ever asked, had never even heard of Taco Pizza! So while this isn’t exactly the wackiest on my list of Wacky Wednesday ideas, since it seems no one outside of my sleepy little childhood town has even heard of Taco Pizza, I  just have to share my recreation of this delicious marriage of two of my favorite foods, Pizza and Tacos! Now, I know what you are probably thinking, and it is probably pretty close to my husbands reaction, “taco?…..pizza?…..That sounds really gross but if you must……” But I assure you, give it a shot and your family will have a taste-bud explosion and it will soon become a family favorite like it has in our house.

And it is so versatile, cut small squares and it can be an appetizer at a casual party or larger slices and it’s dinner, you choose!

What you need:

1 Pizza Crust (store bought or homemade, it doesn’t matter but crispy is the key!)
1 lb. Hamburger
1 Taco Seasoning Packet
1/2 can of re-fried beans
8 oz. Taco Blend shredded cheese
1/2 head of lettuce
2 small tomatoes
Black Olives
Taco sauce
(any other taco toppings that your family prefers)

How to make this simple taste-bud masterpiece:

Roll out your pizza crust to get it as thin as possible without tearing onto a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until just browned, drain well and add taco seasoning mix and 1/3 c. of water until well mixed as if you are making traditional tacos.

Spread a thin layer of re-fried beans over your pizza crust (not to much, we don’t want to overpower the meat). Even if you don’t care for re-fried beans, this is a necessity, it isn’t true taco pizza without it! Top this with the prepared taco meat, and drizzle with desired amount of taco sauce. I used about 1 cup for my pizza. All that is left to do for this part is to top with cheese! Cover the pizza with the entire bag of cheese and pop it into the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or the cooking time recommended for the crust that you use. Since everything is already cooked except for the crust, the goal is to just get the crust cooked through and melt the cheese.

While your pizza is in the oven, shred your lettuce to bite size strips, dice the tomato, and open the olives so you are all ready to add your toppings and eat!

After your pizza comes out of the oven, immediately top with shredded lettuce (don’t be afraid to really pile it on!) The crunchy chill of the lettuce contrasts so nicely with the warm gooey-ness of the taco meat, cheese and beans. Now top with diced tomatoes and black olives and any remaining ingredients you would like to add! Cut into squares, not triangle slices, this pizza works better with squares. It could be because that was how Hungry Howies always cut their pizza but it could also be because the toppings are loose and will fall all over the place if it isn’t in small easy to manage pieces. The last step is to add a dollop of sour cream to each piece and enjoy!

As you can see this is just like any other pizza so you can add or subtract ingredients to suit your families tastes. My recommendation is to NOT take away are the refried beans, taco meat, and lettuce! Those make it the best EVER!

Let me know what you think, just scroll down a little and leave a comment in the box below and give it to me straight, is it just me or is this the best pizza ever!?!?!?

Love this article? Read more like this:

• Frugal Cooking & Recipes
• Browse the Recipe Index
• Frugal Events & Family Fun
• Frugal Living & Do-It-Yourself
• Sundays at Home
• Wacky Wednesday

If you would like to print this article, hit the print button, down below next to the Pin It button, and delete the unwanted photos, comments, etc.. to save paper and you have your own hard copy to recreate this amazing dinner!

** Wacky Wednesday | Taco Pizza was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Today, we’re taking the time to say thank you to Nestle for Digiorno Pizza

As a savvy shoppers, it’s nice to give back to the companies we love.  Each week, we take the time to say thanks to one company for the savings they provide, providing us with great products, or just general things we love about them.

Some companies may send us a gift just for being a loyal fan and taking the time to show our appreciate.  Since it’s nice to be appreciated back and it’s important to realize that being kind can help you save even more, we’re tracking who we’ve thanked and how (or if) they’ve showed appreciation in return.

How it Works

1. Write an honest message expressing your thanks to the company or brand.  It doesn’t have to be long.  Short and sweet works too.
2. If you don’t like a particular company, don’t force it.  Just skip this week and participate again next week.  Only thank those you truly appreciate and want to thank.
3. Make sure to include your address in case they decide to send you something to show their own appreciation to you.

Say Thanks To…

Nestle for Digiorno Pizza

Why We Love Them

Need some ideas to get you started?  That’s okay.  Here’s a few reasons I love [COMPANY] to inspire your own thank you message.

• Thick and tasty pizza.
• Lower cost then ordering out and just as good.
• Sides included!!!!

Don’t forget to check out status updates to see who has shown their appreciation back.  Remember, not every company will send something in return, but this is more about saying thank you, so have fun with it!

Love this article? Read more like this…

• Who We’ve Thanked So Far
• Thank You Status Updates
• Grocery Store Deals & Coupon Matchups
• Latest Coupons & Rebates
• Browse the Grocery Coupon Database

** Say Thank You to Nestle for DiGiorno Pizza was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Since Mothers day is next Sunday, I thought I would share with you some of the great Mothers Day gift and craft ideas I have found on Pinterest.

It has been a slow Pinterest week for me but I still managed to find a few awesome ideas.

This week’s top 10 things on Pinterest:

One of my favorite things to do during the Spring/Summer months is to play, sing and dance in the rain. It’s FREE, it’s fun and the kids LOVE it. But we haven’t had any sun showers recently and I have been itching to go play in the rain. There are some common sense rules for when we can go out and play: the temperature has to be warm and there can’t be any lightening.

Doesn’t sound a bit like these storms we have been getting lately! And since the kids love it so much, every time it rains they ask if we can go out in it, and each time I am forced to tell them no because of the lightening. But after one of the storms yesterday the backyard looked like a swamp and the sun started shining! After a quick look at the radar, I realized we had maybe an hour or two before the next storm was set to roll in so we took advantage of our swamp land in the backyard.

Download a FREE Mother’s Day Jewelry book with instructions on making 8 different unique pieces of jewelry for Mom.  Some of them are super cute and most involve stuff you may have already on hand.

This book is a PDF, so save it to your computer to read it over and over again.

Protect yourself! I highly recommend using a FREE Google talk voice-only phone number and alternate FREE e-mail address, like GMail or Yahoo, when signing up for FREE stuff online to avoid spam and unwanted calls.

Who said that nothing in life is FREE? Search the database of on-going Free Stuff and Samples, plus checkout the most recent FREE stuff & FREE samples to get more stuff for FREE!

** FREE Mother’s Day Jewelry How-To eBook Download was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Today, we’re taking the time to say thank you to Kashi.

As a savvy shoppers, it’s nice to give back to the companies we love.  Each week, we take the time to say thanks to one company for the savings they provide, providing us with great products, or just general things we love about them.

Some companies may send us a gift just for being a loyal fan and taking the time to show our appreciate.  Since it’s nice to be appreciated back and it’s important to realize that being kind can help you save even more, we’re tracking who we’ve thanked and how (or if) they’ve showed appreciation in return.

How it Works

1. Write an honest message expressing your thanks to the company or brand.  It doesn’t have to be long.  Short and sweet works too.
2. If you don’t like a particular company, don’t force it.  Just skip this week and participate again next week.  Only thank those you truly appreciate and want to thank.
3. Make sure to include your address in case they decide to send you something to show their own appreciation to you.

Say Thanks To…

Kashi

Why We Love Them

Need some ideas to get you started?  That’s okay.  Here’s a few reasons I love [COMPANY] to inspire your own thank you message.

• Seven Whole Grains on a Mission
• Kashi provides us with many healthy and great tasting products
• Makes my mission to become healthier much easier.

Don’t forget to check out status updates to see who has shown their appreciation back.  Remember, not every company will send something in return, but this is more about saying thank you, so have fun with it!

Love this article? Read more like this…

• Who We’ve Thanked So Far
• Thank You Status Updates
• Grocery Store Deals & Coupon Matchups
• Latest Coupons & Rebates
• Browse the Grocery Coupon Database

** Say Thank You to Kashi was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

This sponsored post was written by me on behalf of Lunchbox. Regardless of compensation, all opinions are 100% my own.

The Disney Fairies are one of my daughter’s favorite Disney characters (right there with the Disney Princesses, of course), because they are crafty, silly, and so beautiful.  They love the short videos that play on Disney Channel during commercial time, giving them a peak into Pixie Hallow.  They are quick, but always hysterical.

Walmart is diving into the world of Pixie Hallow with three FREE exclusive Pixie Hallow previews that are as entertaining as the others, featuring Rosetta, the Southern belle garden fairy who stole my heart in The Pixie Hallow Games by proving she had a bit of edge.  Just in time for warmer weather, Rosetta is teaching a “Flowers, Not Just for Garden Fairies” for some of our favorite Disney Fairies, including Tinkerbell.

While you’re there, Walmart is also offering FREE Disney Fairy Crafts for fairy fans of all ages including:

• Fairy Photo Frame: Upload your favorite picture and create a fun fairy frame for a fanciful keepsake.

• Letter from a Fairy Friend: Design a letter to your fairy fan friends from Tinkerbell.

• Fairygolds Pixie Playtime Craft Kit
• Fairy Name Tag
• Wonder Wand
• Pixie Bouquet Flowers & Vase

Pre-order Disney’s Secret of the  Wings, the newest Disney Fairies movie available October 23rd, 2012, and enjoy FREE shipping when you purchase through Walmart.

• 3D Blu-Ray + Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy: $29.96 (40% off)
• DVD + Blu-Ray: $24.96 (38% off)
• DVD + Blu-Ray (Spanish Language Packaging): $24.96 (38% off)
• DVD: $19.96 (33% off)
• DVD (Spanish Language Packaging): $19.96 (33% off)

Which Disney fairy is your favorite?

Sponsored by Lunchbox and conducted by In Good Cents. For more information, please read our terms & conditions and disclosure policy.

** FREE Disney Fairies Craft Kits & Exclusive Pixie Hallow Previews was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

I find myself using Pinterest more and more to search for anything I need.  Here are my favorites from Pinterest this week.

This week’s top 10 things on Pinterest:

Photo Credit: Alan Cleaver

This week is flying by me and I just realized it was Wednesday and I didn’t have a topic idea for Wacky Wednesday, so I started to think about entertaining ways I’d read about people saving money.

For a laugh (and maybe a money-saving idea), I thought I’d share those fun (and crazy) ways to save money from around the internet today:

• Briana, at Bargain Briana, cut her toothpaste tubes in half when they got too empty to squeeze and used a spoon to scoop out the last bits of toothpaste before throwing away the tube. (Did you know Briana will be teaching Savings Nation classes in Indiana?)

• Zack, Coupon Dad, pitched the idea of letting him take over the grocery shopping and started  extreme couponing at 14 years old to cut the family’s budget, so he could get a higher allowance during summer vacation. (For a bigger laugh, click the link to tell me if you think he photoshopped his picture.)

• Jason, Frugal Dad, watered down their skim milk when he kids started chugging down milk. My kids won’t even drink skim milk, so I think if I watered it down, I’d get some serious complaints!

• Jennifer, at Beauty and Bedlam, sniffs out (literally!) good furniture at local thrift shops. She does a very thorough smell text before buying for water damage and to see how old the furniture is (yes, she can tell that by smelling it!)  (While the idea of Jennifer thoroughly smelling old furniture in the store cracks me up, I am totally green with envy at her thrift store buys, so I can only laugh so much.)

• Ruth, at But First, We Have Coffee, lived on beans and rice for a week! I’m not sure I could handle that much rice. But, Crystal, at Money Saving Mom, did it too after being inspired by Ruth!

• Amanda, Frugal Confessions, cut down the sad looking Evergreen tree in her backyard and used it as her own families Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

Tell me a fun, crazy, wacky, or entertaining way you’ve saved money!

Love this article? Read more like this:

• Frugal Cooking & Recipes
• Browse the Recipe Index
• Frugal Events & Family Fun
• Frugal Living & Do-It-Yourself
• Sundays at Home
• Wacky Wednesday

** Wacky Wednesday | Entertaining Ways Others Saved Money was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Today, we’re taking the time to say thank you to Chobani.

As a savvy shoppers, it’s nice to give back to the companies we love.  Each week, we take the time to say thanks to one company for the savings they provide, providing us with great products, or just general things we love about them.

Some companies may send us a gift just for being a loyal fan and taking the time to show our appreciate.  Since it’s nice to be appreciated back and it’s important to realize that being kind can help you save even more, we’re tracking who we’ve thanked and how (or if) they’ve showed appreciation in return.

How it Works

1. Write an honest message expressing your thanks to the company or brand.  It doesn’t have to be long.  Short and sweet works too.
2. If you don’t like a particular company, don’t force it.  Just skip this week and participate again next week.  Only thank those you truly appreciate and want to thank.
3. Make sure to include your address in case they decide to send you something to show their own appreciation to you.

Say Thanks To…

Chobani

Why We Love Them

Need some ideas to get you started?  That’s okay.  Here’s a few reasons I love Chobani to inspire your own thank you message.

• Creamy Greek yogurt
• The only Greek yogurt I really like.
• A Variety of tasty flavors

Don’t forget to check out status updates to see who has shown their appreciation back.  Remember, not every company will send something in return, but this is more about saying thank you, so have fun with it!

Love this article? Read more like this…

• Who We’ve Thanked So Far
• Thank You Status Updates
• Grocery Store Deals & Coupon Matchups
• Latest Coupons & Rebates
• Browse the Grocery Coupon Database

** Say Thank You to Chobani was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

If you’ve been on Pinterest recently, you’ve probably run across the beautiful photos of ice pops that have been making the rounds recently.  With fresh fruit popping out of the sides, they look healthy and delicious, so I started clicking to get some recipes.  Every one mentioned getting your our Zoku.  Since I’m always up on the latest cool gadgets, I Googled “What is a Zoku?” and found out it’s an “instant” ice pop maker.

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m susceptible to advertising and beautiful pictures, so I immediately wanted one…. the I did the research.

Pictured - Left: Fruit Punch with bananas, grapes, and pear slices. Right: Strawberry Creamsicle with pear slices.

The single Zoku makes one ice pop in 8-10 minutes and cost about $26.  Now yes, that’s instantly frozen, so that’s quick, but I had visions of my 2 other kids screaming for the 8-10 minutes while I made theirs or me attempting to make a dozen to keep in the freezer.  It didn’t sound fun.  There’s also a Zoku duo ($36.99) and a Zoku ($49.95) that makes 3 ice pops at a time.  And then there is the tool kit ($19.99), extra sticks ($11.99), storage case ($19.99), and character kit ($14.99).  When all said and done, I figured the first three ice pops I made would be some pretty expensive ice pops and we all know I’m cheap frugal.  Now there is a less expensive version from Hamilton Beach for only $32, but it has horrible reviews across the internet.

I also found out that you can’t use the Zoku to make sugar-free ice pops.  And, even though it makes one ice pop in 8-10 minutes, you have to freeze the entire Zoku in your freezer for 24 hours before using it, plus refrozen between batches if you take too much time making them pretty.

I got it into my head that I could make those beautiful fruit ice pops without a Zoku.  The tricky part was getting the fruit to stick to the side of the ice pop mold and getting it to stay there while I poured in the juice, but I’m happy to say I succeeded!

My hodge podge of ingredients. I didn't use them all, but I wanted to see what I had to have some fun with, before I started.

What you’ll need:

• Popsicle Molds
• Cutting Board
• Lemon Juice
• Small Knifes and/or Cookie Cutters
• Ingredients (juices, liquids, yogurt, pudding, honey, fresh fruit, etc…)

How to get started:

If you plan to use fruit, which is completely optional, the first thing you’ll need to do is pour a little water into each slot of the ice pop molds and then pour it out.  Next, set them on their side in the freezer while you cut the fruit.  Put the side you plan to put the fruit on down.

The goal here isn’t to get them soaked, but to create a very thin layer of ice along one wall that will act as an adhesive to the fruit.  Even if you can’t see the water, there are droplets that will work perfectly.

Make sure your final pieces will fit into your molds!

While your thin layer of ice freezes, start getting creative with your fruit.  Cut the fruit into thin (very thin) layers.  Use a cookie cutter or small knife to cut them into shapes for the ice pops.  Make sure to place them on the cutting board, since you’ll have to press hard on cookie cutters to cut through thicker fruits like pears.  Of course, help small children.  My 5 year old *thinks* she’s old enough to use a knife herself, but gets a bit too wild creative if not guided.

While you get creative, place the cut pieces of fruit in a small bowl of lemon juice to soak, so the don’t turn brown.  Plus, the lemon juice ads a light layer of liquid to the fruit to help it stick to the thin layer of ice currently freezing in the molds.

It’s time to get creative once again.  Pull the mold out of the freezer and place it on it’s side the same way you had it in the freezer.  Slide your fruit in the molds.  Lay them flat against the side that’s down.  You can create designs, like my daughter did, or simply lay them in there, like I did.  Put them back in the freezer, fruit-side down, while you whip up your ice pop bases.

Mixing up Cookies & Cream Ice Pops (They were AMAZING!)

Since this entire thing is really about creativity, it’s time to get creative again.  The best part about whipping up ice pop bases is that you get to taste them.  In fact, I encourage it, because the way they taste now is exactly the way they’ll taste when they are frozen, just a bit colder.  So, you can decide now if they need more vanilla or orange juice.  Remember, less is more.  You can always add more ingredients, but it’s a bit harder to fix if you add too much of one.

Here’s a few recipes we loved from our batch:

I found some great tips and ideas on Pinterest this week.  Here are my top finds.

This week’s top 10 things on Pinterest:

Okay, I am going to be honest, this is by far the most disgusting and yet fun thing I have done in a long time. We have done plenty of Jell-O Molds, Knox Blox and the like in our time, but Jell-O Worms? I wasn’t too sure, but I had two little boys in my house who were absolutely sure that this was THE thing to do for Wacky Wednesday.

So I embarked on a journey to create worms! Now you can too!

What you’ll need:

• 2 boxes (1.4 oz) Jell-O or Flavored Gelatin (raspberry or grape if you want brown worms)
• 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 5 cups boiling water
• 1 1/2 cup Cool Whip
• green food coloring, (if you want brown worms)
• 100+ plastic straws with bendable necks

How to get started:

Find a tall thin container for making your worms. If you have a 1/2 gallon or carton of milk or orange juice, trim off the top and that will work perfectly. I used a thermos that we had laying around (fail!). Thermos’ are insulated to keep the cold stuff cold and the hot stuff hot. SO with now thinking ahead planning on my part, running the water over a thermos to loosen the Jell-O from the sides, doesn’t work very well. So learn from my mistake and just chop off the top of your orange juice container, rinse it out and consider yourself warned.

What ever you do decide to use, make sure it can hold about 6 cups of liquid and that it is straight up and down to hold your straws erect. Now fill it with straws, this was my son’s favorite part, because not only did he get to ‘grow’ the straws (extending out the bendy section), but he got to put them in and practice his counting skills. Place all your extended straws into your container with the bendy part facing down and make sure that the end of the straws are sitting flush to the bottom of your container. Pack the straws in tightly to get a nice snug fit, a rubber band around the top of the straws will help pull them together when you pour in the Jell-O mixture.

Now it is time to make the Jell-O mixture. In a medium bowl, stir together the plain and the unflavored gelatin, then add the boiling water over the gelatin powder. Stir until the powder is dissolved. If you would like to make multi-colored worms, you can! Just use 1 box of flavored gelatin and 2 packets of unflavored gelatin instead and dissolve it with 2 1/2 cups boiling water. At this point let your bowl (or bowls) of gelatin cool down for about 20 minutes, not set but slightly warm, then add in the Cool Whip. If you are making one color worms, put in the entire 1 1/2 cup, use 3/4 cup if you are planning on using two separate colors. My plan was to make orange and red, but I didn’t wait for the orange to set enough before adding my red so they came out one color. We didn’t opt for the brown worms, because my stomach couldn’t handle that, but this is the point where you would add the green food coloring to turn your worms a natural brown color.

Put your container of straws on a cookie sheet or inside a larger bowl, like I did because there will be spills!! Now that your mixture is ready to go, slowly pour the Jell-O over the straws. Some of the Jell-O mixture will seep up the sides, but no worries, your straws should be filling up. If you are using two different colors, pour in the first color and allow it set for about 30 minutes or more in the refrigerator. Then pour the other color on top. You can see that mine turned all red, because I didn’t allow my first color to set long enough, but it was still very disgustingly delish! I also used a clean lid for the extra Jell-O mix since I ran out of room in my thermos of straws.

Chill your Jell-O filled straws in the fridge overnight. After the Jell-O has set, it’s time for the messes of all messes! Run your container under warm water until you can pull the entire Jell-O/straw blob out easily. (This is also the part where you thank me for stopping you from using a thermos for your straws! This part was next to impossible and I wound up hacking away at the sides with a butter knife while my friend and the two excited boys tried to pull this mess out.) After about 15 minutes of hacking and pulling we finally managed to get the straws out. (this would have been much easier had I thought ahead and NOT used a thermos, even if it was pink!)

Now onto removing your worms, on all the websites I read, they said to “tightly squeeze and slide your thumb and finger down the length of the straw and the worm will be pushed out of the bottom”. I must not have very strong fingers because after about 5 very broken and quickly devoured worms were “squeezed” out I was just about done! The two little boys I spoke of earlier were about this close to missing out on Jell-O worms because I just couldn’t squeeze any more Jell-O from these straws.

So I ran some hot water back into the now empty thermos, gave each straw a quick dip in the hot water bath and they slid right out with ease. Make sure you don’t leave them in the hot water for too long, or you will experience the slimy mess falling out in the water, in the sink, on the counter and just about anywhere else, EXCEPT where you want them to go. Once they are all out of the straws, place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put them back in the fridge until ready to serve, if they make it that long!

Even though ours turned out red, and not at all appearing like real earthworms, when you pop one in your mouth, it does FEEL like you would imagine a real worm does, so if you have a weak stomach leave these for the kiddos!

Love this article? Read more like this:

• Frugal Cooking & Recipes
• Browse the Recipe Index
• Frugal Events & Family Fun
• Frugal Living & Do-It-Yourself
• Sundays at Home
• Wacky Wednesday

** Wacky Wednesday | Make Your Own Jell-O Gummy Worms was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Some of the top women bloggers on the web have gotten together to offer up to 60% off their best selling ebooks to help you simplify your life from cooking to blogging and everything in between.  Of, even better, get the entire package ($375 worth of books) for only $29!  That’s 90% off and, honestly, a can’t pass up deal.

I usually list deals, which of course are only deals I would recommend, but don’t tell you if I actually purchase them or not. (While I’d like to, I can’t snap up every deal out there!).  But, this one, I’ll tell you, I buying.

Get your Simply Your Family Life Package now!

There are over 30 books available, but here are a few of my favorites or on my “to-read” list:

• How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($12.00)
• Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy ($4.99)
• Get Lean Recipe for Success by Nisha @ Healthy Mom’s Kitchen ($37.00)
• Plan It, Don’t Panic by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home ($4.99)
• 2012 Confident Mom Weekly Household Planner by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($9.00)
• Not a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99)
• One Bite at a Time by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00)
• That Works for Me by Kristen @ We Are THAT Family ($8.00)
• Buck Naked Marriage by Corey @ Simple Marriage ($2.99)
• Simple Ways to Be More with Less by Courtney @ Be More with Less ($9.97)
• Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda @ Impress Your Kids ($6.99)

What are you waiting for? Get all 38 books ($375 value) for $29 now!

This deal ends April 20, 2012.

Love to shop?   You can get so much more when you shop smart, so be sure to check out all the HOT online deals!

** $29 for $375 Worth of Books by Top Bloggers! was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Today, we’re taking the time to say thank you to Stretch Island Fruit Company.

As a savvy shoppers, it’s nice to give back to the companies we love.  Each week, we take the time to say thanks to one company for the savings they provide, providing us with great products, or just general things we love about them.

Some companies may send us a gift just for being a loyal fan and taking the time to show our appreciate.  Since it’s nice to be appreciated back and it’s important to realize that being kind can help you save even more, we’re tracking who we’ve thanked and how (or if) they’ve showed appreciation in return.

How it Works

1. Write an honest message expressing your thanks to the company or brand.  It doesn’t have to be long.  Short and sweet works too.
2. If you don’t like a particular company, don’t force it.  Just skip this week and participate again next week.  Only thank those you truly appreciate and want to thank.
3. Make sure to include your address in case they decide to send you something to show their own appreciation to you.

Say Thanks To…

Stretch Island Fruit Company

Why We Love Them

Need some ideas to get you started?  That’s okay.  Here’s a few reasons I love Stretch Island Fruit Company to inspire your own thank you message.

• Good for you snack (1/2 serving of fruit and no sugar added)
• Variety of tasty flavors
• Easy to take with you or throw in a lunch bag

Don’t forget to check out status updates to see who has shown their appreciation back.  Remember, not every company will send something in return, but this is more about saying thank you, so have fun with it!

Love this article? Read more like this…

• Who We’ve Thanked So Far
• Thank You Status Updates
• Grocery Store Deals & Coupon Matchups
• Latest Coupons & Rebates
• Browse the Grocery Coupon Database

** Say Thank You to Stretch Island Fruit Company was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.

Ready for the easiest and best recipe you’ll ever have?  I have a young boy toddler who loves yogurt, but can’t eat it without getting it into his hair, clothes, the table, the chairs, and pretty much everything within a 1/2 mile radius of where he eats it.  I know yogurt is healthy for breakfast and since he loves it and it’s so affordable, I’d love to let him eat it for every breakfast.  However, when we’re on the go, I have to either plan for a long clean up afterwards or skip it.

This is the perfect solution!  Not only that, but it also got my daughters eating more yogurt.  Even the Greek yogurt they couldn’t stand taste delicious as Yogurt Bites!

What you’ll need:

1. (1) single-serving container of yogurt (any brand, flavor!)
2. (1) sandwich baggie
3. (1) cookie tray with Reynold’s wrap or wax paper covering it
4. (1) freezer
5. (1) container for storage

First, stir the yogurt up to blend it together and make it smooth.  Any yogurt will work, except whipped, so mix it up.  Try yogurt with fruit in it or the yogurt with the candy in it for a sweet treat.

Spoon the yogurt into the sandwich baggie and push the air out, then seal.  Cut one of the bottom corners off.  The closer to the tip you cut the sandwich baggie, the smaller the yogurt bites will be.  You can make them any size.  Just make sure they are bite-size or they’ll be messy to eat.

Squeeze all the yogurt to the end of the baggie towards the cut tip to make it look like you are piping icing.

Squeeze the bite-size drops onto the tray. Make sure they aren’t touching.  One container of yogurt makes about one tray of yogurt bites.  Next, place the entire tray uncovered into the freezer to freeze.

Since they are so small, they freeze quickly.   It may take up to 20 minutes or less.  Pull them out and you can easily lift the Reynold’s wrap or wax paper, then use your finger to pop off each one into a container for storage.

Enjoy them immediately, or place them into the freezer to enjoy later.  They store in the freezer for about 1-2 weeks.  Make sure your container is air tight to avoid freezer burn.  Give your young kids a few at a time, because unlike M&M’s these do melt in your mouth and your hands!  They are absolutely delicious!

Change it up!

Try dipping fruit in yogurt and freezing for a new and delicious taste!

Love this article? Read more like this:

• Frugal Cooking & Recipes
• Browse the Recipe Index
• Frugal Events & Family Fun
• Frugal Living & Do-It-Yourself
• Sundays at Home
• Wacky Wednesday

Recipe Credit: Yogurt Bites found on Pinterest and Fruit Covered Yogurt on We Love It.

** Sundays at Home | Homemade Yogurt Bites Recipe was first published by In Good Cents. ©2012 In Good Cents, LLC. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you help support this site. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.