Wasteless Wednesday

Don't throw away those Christmas cards put in a bag along with your wrapping paper. Cut the front off and use as gift tags for next year. What to do with photo cards? We put them all in a photo album each year it is fun to then see how the familes change over the years. I love photo cards!


This is a photo of our Christmas Card display along the stairs. We have cards on both sides of the railing. The kids love to stop and look at them.


Here is a freebie for the first day of 2009 http://www.chick-fil-a.com/breakfast/ Free Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit coupon on your next visit when you purchase something on January 1st. Enjoy!

Tuesdays Tip

I don't know about you but every year I start out with the same resolution, loose weight or not gain weight. Take a look at my family blog I completely fell off the bandwagon yesterday :(

What I find is lower cal and fresher ingredients are more expensive at the grocery store but not more expensive at your locals farmers market.

If you have a local farmers market take a look around and visit and make part of your weekly shopping routine for your fresh veggies (if cheaper).

I need your help fellow frugal readers, I am looking for great low fat recipes and tips that help you stay fit. Any great products you think work great?

Menu Monday

I am back to blogging! We had a wonderful Christmas full of family, food and fun! Hope ya'll had a great Christmas too.

Our menu this week has a lot of Italian food. Next week I think some Tex-Mex is in order. I checked out a new cookbook from the library I will be sharing these great recipes.

Monday: Light Ck Alfredo with garlic bread I use all light ingredients the best I've had!

Tuesday: (Light Lean Ground Beef)Marvelous Mini Meat loafs from Trina at Fabulously Frugalicious (2nd time to use this recipe we loved it, mashed potatoes and green beans

Wednesday: Out for New Years. Posh Josh (my husbands new bloggy nickname) and I have a date night and a movie

Thursday: Frozen Stouffers Lasagna, Salad and hot dog bun rolls (got on sale for $4) easy cooking!

Friday: Regular Friday Make Your Own Pizza and movie night. I love cheese and jalapeno pizza!

Merry Christmas To All

I am taking the week off from blogging. We have lots of wonderful holiday events planned. I am doing a lot of baking to do. This year I am making bags of homemade banana bread, chocolate covered pretzel sticks and sugar cookies for our family. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas! Here is our Christmas card, thanks apmdesign for designing this card for us!

Freebie Friday

Free 8x10 @ Walgreens!
Order Online @ Walgreens.com and use code: FREEGIFT !

Thank you my bloggy friend Lindsey at Frugal and Fabulous. (Great frugal minds must think alike when it comes to naming their blogs :)

Thrifty Thursday

Another Frugal Fabulous blogger introduced me to www.cellfire.com . What is this? Another way to load coupons to your Kroger or Tom Thumb card without cutting coupons.

I found some great coupons for 2 weekly staples goldfish and garlic bread! Check it out!

Wasteless Wednesday

Texas winters are usually pretty mild. We get spurts of cold weather. Well we are in one right now. It is 27 degrees outside as I type this. It got me thinking, more energy saving tips to keep you warm and your pocket book full.

• Close your drapes or blinds, sounds easy and it really works!
• Closing your interior doors doesn't help your heating it actually makes it work harder (found this from a heating and air conditioning co.)
• If all else fails cuddle up in a blanket on the couch and read a book :)

Tuesdays Tip

Tis the season for endless holiday parties..... this year more than ever. So with that said I need lots of holiday party attire.

Here are some tips:

• Borrow and swap an outfit with a friend
• Check out Ross and TJ Maxx for some great tops, wear with the always in style classic black pants
• Accessories can spice up a blah outfit, find a great necklace

Yesterday blog surfing I found this great post. http://www.classychaos.com/2008/12/tis-season-to-be-classy.html This is a great post from Classy Chaos about dressing classy for the holidays. Great tips!

Menu Monday

The Rudd Family Menu, as you can see we have two holiday dinners this week!

Monday - Spaghetti and Meatballs (I use prego marinaria)
Tuesday- Out (holiday party)
Wednesday - Brisket (Sadlers Brand) from Wal-mart it is great!, French Fries (mom baked potato)
Thursday- Out (another holiday dinner)
Friday- Make your own pizza Friday and movie night

Freebie Friday

My list is a little short this week I usually do lots of online hunting with the holidays I am busy Jen.

Vista Print is offering lots of freebies!
http://ebm.e.vistaprint.com/c/tag/hBJPkjGAZdBOAB7XvtTA-qKRwhB/doc.html?email=jenrudd@sbcglobal.net

Arlington, TX Readers: You can bring your own camera for photos with Santa at the Parks at Arlington Mall. Great FREEBIE normally you can't get a photo for less than $15!

Free floor cleaner sample
http://www.registermyfloor.com/home/freespotremover.html

Free Children's Christmas DVD
http://www.kidscorner.net/offer.php

Kotex Lightdays Thin Pad Sample
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid56478.aspx

Frugal Recipes

I've had some request from my menu this week. I will post my recipes each week with my menus.

We tried the chicken Alfredo this week for the first time. It was the best Alfredo ever, plus it is lower fat. Here is the recipe http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/fettuccine-alfredo-chicken-111228.aspx . I get a lot of recipes from www.kraftfoods.com sign up for their free food & family magazine with tons of recipes.


This is one of my easy favorites my my mom.
Nana’s Taco Soup –Jennifer Rudd

What you need:
1 pound of ground beef cooked and drained
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 can of pinto beans (drained)
1 can of red kidney beans (drained)
1 can of mexicorn (drained)
1 powder packet of ranch dressing mix
1 packet of taco seasoning mix
1 can of rotel
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cups of water

I blend the tomatoes and rotel in the blender I don’t like chunky tomatoes.
Put all this in a crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours and 1 hour high. Top with shredded cheese. We eat with nacho chips.

Thrifty Thursday

I found a great site for cheap meal ideas. She posts dinners that are $5 or less. Check it out! http://www.5dollardinners.com/

Do you have any other sites that list cheap recipes? Leave a comment and let me know.

Wasteless Wednesday

I can't believe it is Wednesday already, this week is flying by.

My kids and husband love drinking bottled water when we are on the go. Any time we head for the mommy van they have to grab water out of the fridge. Stop wasting money on bottled water every week. After they finish wash in the dishwasher fill back up with new (tap) water or (filtered) water and put in the fridge. These bottles will last a couple months or so before you need new ones. It saves a little money and they can still grab them on the go. When the bottles are ready for the trash remember to recycle!

Tuesdays Tips

Host a sweets exchange with friends this Christmas! This is a great way to add to your sweets collection, what is Christmas without a ton of cookies and other yummy treats? Here is how it works:

• Each friend bakes 1/2 dozen sweets per person attending. If you have 10 people attending you need 5 dozen.
• Wrap them up is 1/2 dozen to share, I love decorating cute little bags.
• At the exchange bring a box or large bag and bring home your goodies!
• We set some out in the cake stand and freeze the rest to pull out slowly over the next couple weeks.

Here are the cake balls I made. Not exactly perfectly round like the one's that bakerella makes.

My six to bring to the party. I got these cute little baskets for 50 cents. I put the cake balls in a plastic bag and tied curlies around the top.

Here are the some of the ladies in our neighborhood for our neighborhood Christmas sweets exchange. Carri and Kelly did a great job hosting this year. We had crafts and each of the sweets were laid out in different areas of her house. Great time!

Menu Monday

Sorry for the late post, I am been busy with a painting project!

This week we seem to have lots of Italian food. I am in that kind of mood the weather is changing to cold so we need some yummy comfort food!

Monday- Crock pot chicken and Alfredo
Tuesday- Taco Soup
Wednesday- Left over taco soup
Thursday- Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday- Make your own Pizza

Contest Home Depot $500

5 minutes for mom blog is giving away a $500 gift card to Home Depot. Enter here!

Comment and tell me what would you do with $500 to Home Depot. I would buy a new smooth top cooking range. I wouldn't have to worry about messy spills going into the coils and making a huge mess to clean up!

Salsa Saturday

Suprise a Saturday post! I found this yesterday and had to share. I entered and won a free HUGE container of salsa 4 lbs of this yummy stuff to be exact.


I printed the coupon and headed to the store, my favorite food is chips and salsa! I'm from Texas ya'll!

Here is how you enter. Go to http://www.pacefoods.com/UnderTheLid.aspx , First time player register then click on get the code under the login. Then twist and see if you win. You can do this everyday. I tried today and my code not a winner but I will keep on trying. Salsa is like liquid gold at our house!!

Freebie Friday

Sign up for Arby's Extra and get a free mint chocolate milkshake, (I got this freebie for my daughter Kate. It was so yummy!!!)
https://arbysextras.fishbowl.com/forms/arbys/join.asp

Free Cookie Cutter
http://www.cookiecutterspirit.com/index.html

Glad Force Flex Trash Bags, LOVE THESE!http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid56034.aspx

Huggies Good Nights http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid60094.aspx

Geo Trax DVD FREEhttps://store.mattel.com/transition.aspx?TransitionID=139

Free Potty Training Kit http://www.pampers.com/en_US/easy-ups-potty-training

This is for the Dallas/ Ft. Worth Readers
FREE EXHIBIT ADMISSION 3-7 p.m., December 26Hereʼs a real holiday treat: enjoy free exhibit admission to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame during Free Family Friday, 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, December 26. Bring the entire family to the National Cowgirl Museum and enjoy the Cowgirl experience plus the Museum of Science and History's Hands On Studio, and the new Top Secret: Mission Toy, all for free. (Free Family Friday does not include free admission to the OmniTheater.)

Thank you! Blog Award!

I was so happy to see in my inbox a blog award from my friend Noelle over at glamRbaby! Thank you very very much. I have enjoyed starting and keeping up with my new blog Frugal Fabulous. I am so very excited to have people reading and using these frugal tips. It just makes my day to help other people save a little money.

For this award I have to list 6 interresting things about myself:

1. I love to eat chips and salsa, all the time!


2. I have a business where I do custom painting.


3. I am adopted.


4. I still love the New Kids on the Block after all these years. (See my family blog for concert photos)


5. Secretly I always wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.


6. I ALWAYS have a candle burning in my house it relaxes me. I love the vanilla and cake smells.

Now I award these 6 blogs the Kreativ Blogger Award.

1. My best friend Adrien apmDesign , she brought me back to my painting!


2. Alicia at Carolina Sunshine Designs - purses and painting


3. Hollie at Drama Mama - Blog Makeovers


4. Jenny at Bella Bows - beautiful bows


5. Ashlee at Milla's World - check out her cake pops!


6. Trina at Fabulously Frugalistic - frugal girl like me and she makes some creative things

Thrifty Thursday- Shoe Swap Party

Are you having a party with your girls, try something different this year. A shoe swap party! Each person brings their unwanted shoes, but not the tacky nasty ones. Bring the shoes that you simply don't wear but are in good condition. I have a ton of dress shoes from my past of being in corporate America. (this goes for kid shoes too)

Set out the shoes and have fun! You could always ask your friends in advance their size and make sure to have some others with the same size attending.

PS.. Make sure you invite that friend who has FABULOUS shoes that match every outfit!

Wasteless Wednesday - Holiday Gift Ideas

Don't Waste Reuse!

Pringles Cans- clean them out and cover with wrapping paper, fill with homemade cookies. What a great gift!

Glass jars- I am saving our glass jars for homemade salsa. You can also use them for homemade hot chocolate for Christmas gifts. I will be posting my mom's secret recipe soon.

Old Christmas Cards- Don't throw away your Christmas cards after the holiday is over. Cut strips of the design and reuse next year as holiday gift tags.

Old Evening Gowns and costume jewelry- put in a box for your kids, friends kids or grandchildren. Kids love to play dress up. If the dresses are really long cut them shorter for kid length and use the extra fabric as a wrap.

Brown Paper Grocery Bags- opt for paper and save the paper bags, get the paints out and let your kids decorate the paper with red and green paint then wrap presents.

White Elephant Gift Exchange- at least one holiday party partakes in this annual tradition. Find something you don't use that others might enjoy.

Tuesdays Tip

Don't order out, make your own pizza. About once week usually Friday nights we have MYOP that is was we call it. We all sit in the living room with our pizza and watch a movie. The kids LOVE it! It is very fun to make. You can have thin crust or deep dish, we each put our favorites on our pizzas. I love cheese and jalapeno, my husband loves pepperoni and pineapple. The kids like pepperoni and cheese. For around $10 we can make 5 pizza's custom made to order. (As you can see I am still waiting for the new countertops)

The Ingredients for our 5 custom pizza's.

Will making his own pizza, he loves it!

Cyber Monday Deals

Snapfish- Today 50% off all collage products use code HOLIDAY1 at checkout

Toys R Us- Lots of Items 60% off, plus free shipping over $25. Here is the link for the items on sale http://www.toysrus.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3408677

Target: Today Sales: Leapster Learing System $28 now 40% off. Here is a link for todays best deals http://www.target.com/Deals-Day/b/ref=sc_fe_l_2/178-3936396-6020322?ie=UTF8&node=725415011

JCPenney's - Free shipping after spending $25 Use code TURKEYEX only today!

Kohls.com - Spend $100, get 15% off entire order plus free shipping, code CYBER15

New York & Company- Get 30% off your online purchase Code 1477

VistaPrint- Holiday cards 50% off

Barnes & Noble- 15% off one item http://www.barnesandnoble.com/cdsii/cdsPageTransfer.asp?r=1&uid=379000463&key=affiliate%2Dcoupon&afsrc=1

Home Depot- Some great deals, light fixtures 50% off! http://www6.homedepot.com/holiday/savingsevent/index.html?&PID=1763476&cm_mmc=CJ%2d%5f%2d1609503%2d%5f%2d1763476%2d%5f%2dCoupon%5fCM5off50+&SID=200004738d174c4869001a0022&AID=10608204&cj=true