Free Sample anyone?

Okay so about a month ago I got into Free Samples/Cuponing.

I haven’t done much couponing yet but I have jumped in feet first to the Samples. I’ll post a list below of my favorite links. 

I have found that Facebook is a great site for free samples. Most have you like the product or the company and then fill out a simple form. Others you take a survey or watch a video and answer questions. 

 

You do have to pay attention some samples are full size and others are sample or 1 time trial size. That and they have a tendency to go fast!

I figure if I spend an hour a day requesting samples it may pay off.

So here’s what I have received so far. (not what I have requested.. these have actually hit my house :)

Full Size Products:

Full Size of Tide Stain booster and a 1 load trial of Tide Acti lift and $2.00 Coupon (This was on Facebook and if you fill out the survey after using it you are entered in a sweepstakes for more free product and a washer and dryer)

Pro Glide Razor (Hubby Loves this surprise!)

Always Pads and Tampons

Carefree liners

Swiffer duster

Truck drivers magazine

Lotion

1 Coupon for a free package of Jiff Single Serve

2 Coupon for 1 fre 12.6 oz bottle of Panteen

I know there was something else from Procter and Gamble but can’t remember what it was

Sample Size:

Shampoo and Conditioner X10

Perfume x5

Lotion X 8

Misc other X 40

I plan on updating this as I go so we can see weather this really pays off or not… If anyone has any other great freebie sites let me know.

On Facebook check these pages out! They give updates through out the day of free samples available and of those only available for a limited time.

The Frugal Family   (Also on Facebook)

FreeFlys (On Facebook)

Coupon Pro

I’ll add more as I find them.

 

To add to this… it is fun to receive free stuff in the mail almost every day!  My Hubby keeps asking what’s next LOL

No More Microwave

So this week after deep cleaning a lot of my kitchen I started thinking about our microwave. Do we really need it? How much power does it use? Is it good for us? So I started looking into it more.

After reading a few of the other blogs I follow who have actually tested their power consumption with their Microwave the consensus is that they do zap a lot of power. Then if you add in that ours cooks funny and always takes at least 5 minutes to warm up 1 plate and their are 5 of us. Why not use the stove and get them all warmed up at once?

Microwave products are not my favorite. Most have a ton of additives. Not to mention they are more expensive then making it yourself.

So do we really need this big piece of electricity hogging equipment?

My thought is no. My hubby is a little on the edge with this idea. So instead of getting rid of the microwave completely we have put it on a shelf in our laundry room that we don’t use. After 6 months we’ll see how many times we’ve pulled it off the shelf. I have a feeling it will be never but we’ll wait and see.  So far we’ve gone a week with out using it. If after a month it’s never been used we’ll either donate it or trash it.

(I forgot to post this.. oops! We have been microwave free for 2 months! We only took it out 1 time and honestly it wasn’t worth the work of hauling it into the kitchen :)    Honestly I think our food tastes better and doesn’t get over cooked as fast!  (ecept when someone forget to set a timer :)

Super Crunchy Home Canned Pickles?? No Way!!

I have had an aversion to home canned pickles.. I honestly could NOT stand them. Most of the time they tasted like sour mush.  Last Year I did a ton of research and have found an almost always (so far every batch has been perfect, but I know at least one will flop this year it’s a given LOL) way to get that crunchy Pickle.

1st always cut off the blossom end even if your doing spears. Most sights say this has some enzyme in it that can make your pickles soft.

#2 and a big step. Take your cut up Cucumber, Onions, Peppers, Garlic and even dill if you want place these in a bowl. Mix in canning salt and Ice. I use my hands and mix Ice and salt all the way through and then cover with ice again. Let this sit for 2 hours on the counter covered with a clean cooking cloth (I have dedicated ones for food use only).

#3 after 2 hours rinse off with cold water and remove any left over ice.

#4 pack these in jars and cover with your brine. Water bath or pressure cook for recipes recommended time and you should get a good Crunchy Pickle

Never Heard of this before? What would it hurt to try it with one batch? I know I’ll never do it a different way again!

Back to the blog!

Okay so I've been away for a while.. I miss blogging but everything around here has been going non stop. The girls are back in school so I am hoping to get caught up and dedicate at least a half hour a day to make this what I want it to be... I have so many cool and  exciting posts and recipes to get up and going along with pictures!  So please bare with me on this as I start to flood the news feed :)   I have updates and pic's of Panty hose in the Garden to our new pathways, Home made reusable makeup wipes/ sponge alternatives, to alternative toilet paper... and Many recipes for our family favorite recipe section...     Hugs to all!!

Me :)