One Hundred Dollars a Month

A Quick Trip to Duris Cucumber Farm in Puyallup

July 29, 2014 2 Comments

I don’t know why roadside fruit stands hold such a special place in my heart, but they do. Something as basic as buying food from the people who produce it should be part of everyday life. But for most of us sadly it isn’t, and that kind of bums me out.

Ginger gold apples. Have you tried them? I bought a few pounds and I plan on making a batch of homemade raspberry applesauce with them. I’ve never tried this variety before but according to the lady behind the cash register at Duris Farm in Puyallup they are suppose to be out of this world for applesauce.

Peaches! How does a case go for in your neck of the woods?

Fresh dill.

One of the things I love about visiting Durris Farm every summer is the “man section.” You can tell women are in charge of the place because they’re are all sorts of antiques and extra seating to keep the men folk from wandering off to the hardware store or something because the little woman is doing her grocery shopping. I LOVE that!

Seriously, if you are nearby, go give this place a visit. They offer pickling classes, bulk discounts and sell everything you could possibly want or need for pickling cucumbers.

Not only do they have pickles, but they have loads of other produce as well as local honey.

Durris Farms in Puyallup, go check it out!

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: Duris Cucumber Farm

Seasoned Oven Roasted Cabbage Wedges

July 29, 2014 4 Comments

I have roasted a lot of veggies, ie. broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc. But I have never roasted cabbage until today. Why-oh-why did I not do this sooner? I know some people are anti-cabbage, but I bet if you are a cabbage hater and you tried it this way, you’d convert.

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, cut into 1-inch thick round slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil or use silpats. Place cabbage in single layer. Drizzle with oil and then sprikle with seasonings. You can adjust the seasonings as desired, or even add a few of your favorites to spice things up a bit.

Roast about 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Serve warm.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Easy Side Dish Recipes, Recipes, Salads & Sides Tagged With: cabbage recipes, Easy Side Dish Recipes, Seasoned Oven Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Clever Way to Store Cold Drinks – Canning Jars

July 29, 2014 3 Comments

Attention canners! We had a get together recently and decided to store drinks in mason jars. Not only did it look cool, it worked great. I used pint-sized jars and filled them with lemonade, homemade vitamin water, iced tea, and water with lemon. It was a hit.

People had a selection, and there wasn’t a ton of bottles that were headed to the landfill when we were all done, not to mention, it literally cost us pennies to make all of the drinks. Best of all, who doesn’t love to drink out of a mason jar–it just screams summer time. After I filled all of the pint jars, I screwed on the lids and put them into a big bucket filled with ice to keep them nice and cold.

Now go put those jars to use before it’s time to fill them up with canned fruits and veggies.

~Mavis

Find Canning Recipes Here

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Canning 101, Helpful Tips Tagged With: Clever Way to Store Cold Drinks - Canning Jars, keep drinks cold, mason jar cups

Does Having a Purpose in Life Make You Happier?

July 29, 2014 2 Comments

Do you think having a purpose in your daily life makes you happier? I found an article recently that suggests that not only does having a purpose or direction make you happier, but it contributes to your overall lifespan.

The article covered a study that asked people a series of questions that indicated whether or not they felt they had direction and purpose in life. Years later, those who had rated themselves as having direction and purpose, had “15 percent lower risk of death, compared with those who said they were more or less aimless.”

No matter what people’s individual purpose was {i.e. massive social contributions or doing well at their job}, just having one seemed to insulate them, a little more at least, from the daily effects of stress. Researchers did another experiment where they placed students on a bus and measured their stress as people from different ethnic backgrounds came aboard {apparently, people were more comfortable when their own ethnicity climbed onto the bus, versus different ones}.

Then, they split the group into two parts. The first group was told to write about their life’s purpose as they rode the bus, and then to stop at each bus stop and rate how they felt. The second was to do the same, only they were to write about the last movie they saw. The experiment resulted in the group that wrote about their purpose having lowered stress responses than the other group. Maybe they had focus on something, rather than external stressors?

I totally agree with the idea of the article. I feel my best when I am busy–I have goals and direction when I’m busy. When I am idle, I swear, somehow there is more time to dwell on life’s daily stressors.

What do you think? Does having a purpose or direction make YOU happier/healthier? Do you feel more stress when you are stuck in an aimless rut?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Random Articles Tagged With: direction in life, NPR, purpose in life

Cookware, Planners, Jones of New York, Amazon Deals, Recipes, Coupons and More

July 29, 2014 2 Comments

Hello Tuesday!

What are your plans for today? Anyone doing anything exciting? According the the weatherman it’s suppose to be 90 degrees today here in Western Washington. Eeek! I guess it’s time to finally harvest the rest of my cabbage and make sauerkraut.

Ahh summer.

Have a great day everyone!

♥ Mavis

Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day - Up to 50% Off Select Logitech PC Gaming Products

If you need some new pots and pans this Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 10-Piece Cookware Set is a great deal!!! Clip the $20 off coupon and have it shipped to your door for only $94.99. The reviews are great!

Did you know you can buy August 2014 – December 2015 planners? The whole school year and beyond? It’s perfect for those of us who forgot to by new ones in January!

Orange Circle Studio 17-Month 2015 Do It All Planner with Stickers, Secret Garden $14.99
Perfect Timing – Avalanche Mom’s 2015 Deluxe Planner, August 2014 – December 2015 $16.99
PINK Fish INSPIRATIONAL Christian Planner August 14 to July 15 Calendar $12.95
2015 Folk Art Birds Mom’s Weekly Planner (18-Month Calendar, Family Calendar, Diary) $15.13
Perfect Timing – Avalanche Embrace The Day 2015 Deluxe Planner $16.95

I’ve got some great tips to help you score an amazing babysitter! Find out how HERE! Find more cool tips and money savings ideas on my Pinterest Boards.

Back in stock!! Get the 4-Pack of Door Stop Finger Pinch Guards for only $1.69 shipped. These would make a great addition to a baby gift basket.

6pm has some great deals on office wear right now… Here are just a few of my favorites:

Jones New York Jones Sport S/S Stripe Crew Neck Tee $9.99 shipped
Jones New York A-Line Skirt $22.99 shipped
Jones New York Seamed Maxi Skirt $24.99 shipped
Jones New York 3/4 Sleeve V-Neck Cardigan $34.99 shipped
Jones New York Dolman Sleeve Belted Wrap Dress $42.99 shipped
Calvin Klein A-Line Skirt w/ Pleat $44.99 shipped

REI Outlet Deal of the Day - Born Esmeralda Sandals $46.73 {was $95}.

Get two COMPLETE outfits for kids for only $29.95 shipped right to your door from FabKids. Not too shabby, right? If you end up loving them, you can stay in the FabKids club to get playfully styled outfits, year-round. If you end up not loving them, you can cancel at anytime for any reason with absolutely no strings attached. No penalties. No problem. Get your FabKids offer HERE.

Keep the kids busy with floor puzzles…

Melissa & Doug Solar System {48 pieces} $11.99
Melissa & Doug USA Map {51 pieces} $12.48
Ravensburger Ocean Turtles {200 pieces} $12.66
Ravensburger Friendly Frogs {300 pieces} $11.99
Melissa & Doug Deluxe 100pc Noah’s Ark Floor Puzzle {100 pieces} $12.99
Melissa & Doug Search and Find Sunny Hill Farm{48 Pieces}
Melissa & Doug Butterfly Bliss Floor Puzzle {48 pieces} $12.99

Get the 240 Count Pack of Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, Lemon and Lime Blossom for just $7.97 shipped when you clip the 15% off coupon and use the subscribe and save option at checkout.

Discount Mags is offering a 1 year subscription to Car and Driver Magazine for only $4.99 a year when you use code MAVIS at checkout. This deal will expire tonight 7/29/14 at midnight EST so be sure and grab your subscription before then.

A few deals on car care products:

Meguiar’s Microfiber Wash Mitt $4.99 *add on item
Mothers Wheel Brush $7.99
Utopia Cotton Auto Shop Towels – 25 Pack $9.20{This is a great deal!}
Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo and Conditioner, 64oz. $8.99
Meguiar’s Classic Wash & Wax Kit $27.14

Bacon with your pancakes? No! Bacon IN your pancakes! Get the recipe for Bacon Pancakes HERE or Pin it for later!

Get the Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care Toilet Paper, Double Roll Economy Plus Pack, 32 Count for just $15.66 shipped when you clip the $2.00 off coupon and use the subscribe and save option at checkout.

Check out these New Printable Coupons:

Find More Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Amazon.com, Mornings with Mavis, Online Deals Tagged With: amazon, amazon deals, mornings with Mavis, one hundred dollars a month, Online Deals

My Favorite Mongolian Beef Stir Fry Recipe

July 28, 2014 Leave a Comment

We eat stir fry about twice a week around here, so I thought I’d spice it up a little. I grabbed some of the summer veggies from my garden and went to town. It turned out great.

The red pepper flakes and hoisin sauce give it a bit of a kick, so tone that down if you’re a spicy lightweight!

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 pound beef flank steak, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 pound green beans
2 sweet peppers, seeded and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts.

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients and set aside. In a large skillet, cook beef in peanut oil until no longer pink; remove from pan and set aside. In same pan, swirl a little more peanut oil and saute veggies to desired crispness. Add meat and sauce, and cook until sauce is heated and flavors have melded, 3-5 minutes. Serve hot over rice. Enjoy!

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes Tagged With: easy beef recipes, My Favorite Mongolian Beef Stir Fry Recipe, stir fry recipes

Help! What’s Wrong With my Onions?

July 28, 2014 3 Comments

I posted a picture of my onion harvest on my instagram page the other day and someone made this comment:

This is the 1st year I’ve put out a garden, my onions have fallen over and the base has gone mushy. I harvested them, only three were bad, but I was wondering why it happened?? Any ideas?

Honestly, there are a lot of possibilities that would make them mushy. First up, a bacterial disease.

Onions become susceptible to bacterial infections once the bulbs start to form, or if they get wounds in the leaves. There are a couple of bacterial diseasaes that are possible, and they are pretty hard to tell apart. Unfortunately, the bacteria can reside in the soil, in the irrigation water, etc., so preventing it can be tricky. Your best bet is to use flood irrigation once the bulbs form. It keeps bacteria from the dirt from splashing up onto the leaves, as it might when using sprinklers. Onions can also be susceptible after harvest, so curing them correctly is super important.

Next, you may have had onion maggots. They like to get inside the stems and destroy your onions from the inside out. I don’t think this sounds like the case with you, or you would have seen evidence when you dug them up, but still, they would cause a mushy-ness.

Finally, it’s possible for your onions to get fungal infections and become mushy. Usually, you will see evidence of a fungus, like white, gray or black powdery looking stuff on the onion. Fungal problems typically come from cool weather or over-watering. Again, keeping the water off of the leaves by using flood irrigation really helps.

If I were a betting lady, I’d say you had a bacteria {just because you didn’t really mention evidence of anything else}. I’d plant your onions in a new spot next year {crop rotation}, and try the flood irrigation.

Hope that helps!

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: Gardening, gardening questions, onion problems, onions

Dorm Room Checklist – What to Bring to College

July 28, 2014 27 Comments

Now that The Girl is headed off to college, we have been faced with the reality of packing everything she will need into ½ of a 15×15 room. I’m not one for clutter, and never really have been, and since that has rubbed off on The Girl big time, we want to have what she needs—neat and organized, without having her swallowed up by stuff like a bad Hoarders episode.

First off, I have to admit, we are kind of erring on the side of minimalism. We signed her up for Amazon Student, so I figure she can always pop on and get whatever she needs, delivered to her door in two days. It will also give her a chance to watch movies or shows during her downtime, right on her laptop. I don’t want to say I am the best mom ever, but if a certified letter came, I certainly wouldn’t turn it away. Ha! {As a total sidenote, it occurred to me that Amazon Student would make an AWESOME birthday gift for pretty much anyone—if you need some gift ideas.} It is FREE for the 1^st 6 months {and has most of the perks of Amazon Prime} and then it’s 50% off the Prime membership after that. Pretty sweet deal, I think.

Okay, now on to the checklist:

Toiletries

Most dorms have a shared bathroom on each floor, so a shower caddy of some sort is essential for carting soap, shampoo, etc. back and forth from bathroom to dorm room. Fill the caddy with soap/body wash, shampoo, conditioner, razors, washcloths, etc. I think 2 towels are plenty.

In an ideal world, that means there is time to wash one while the other is in use. That assumes that your student will hang up the towel to dry daily—could be a crap shoot depending on your student’s personality. Since the showers in dorms are also communal, they suggested that my daughter bring a pair of cheap flip-flops to shower in. That way, she can keep her feet from getting dirty while she gets clean–go figure. They will also need any other grooming supplies: brush, flat iron, deodorant, make-up, etc.

Kitchen Supplies

Most colleges have community kitchens {or your student will be on a meal plan}, so things like pots and pans are not necessary, but we are sending my daughter to school with her own can opener just so she has her own when she wants it. We are also investing in a mini-fridge.

It will allow her to keep yogurts and other items that she may want to chance in the communal fridge at her immediate disposal. We got a little basket for her to keep her own personal snacks in and she is bringing a refillable water bottle. Depending on your student’s situation, you may want to consider a microwave.

For the Bed

Obviously, your student will need bedding. Again, along the same lines as the towels, I think two sets of sheets are plenty. You may also want to send them with their own laundry detergent and a roll of quarters to encourage that they actually DO the laundry. They will need a pillow and comforter as well. We will also be bringing a mattress cover–I mean, it is a shared mattress after all.

In the Room

How much your student wants to personalize their room is probably pretty individual. The basics include a desk lamp, laptop, school supplies {pens, pencils, stapler, etc.}, alarm clock, surge protector, laundry bag or basket, garbage can {and bags if you want to line it}, an all-purpose cleaner and a couple of rags, kleenex, a roll or two of paper towels. More individual items include posters, iPod docking station, t.v., dvd player, camera, bulletin board, white board, etc.

Just in Case Items

A tool kit {with batteries, duct tape, masking tape, hammer, screwdriver, etc.}, sewing kit, and first aid kit {band-aids, nail clippers, hydrogen peroxide, neosporin, Advil, Pepto, tweezers, cotton balls, cold medicine, etc.} will cover most just in case scenarios.

For Around Campus

A couple of other items to consider while your student makes their way around campus is an umbrella, backpack, bike and bike lock. Also, any clothing that is climate specific, if your student is headed to a warmer/colder climate than where you currently live.

How about any of YOU, have you sent kids off to college already and noticed something essential that we’ve missed?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: College, Helpful Tips Tagged With: Dorm Room Check List, dorm room must haves, What to Bring to College

How I Feed My Family for $100 a Month – Week 29 of 52

July 28, 2014 7 Comments

Albertsons $9.74 for the groceries

I stocked up on a few items from Albertsons last week: Tillamook yogurt $0.60 each, cornbread muffin mix {for Monkey Boy to use when I am traveling} day old garlic bread $0.99 and a few bags of goldfish crackers for $1.00 each. Not incredible deals, but not bad either.

Barter with Mrs. Hillbilly

Mrs. Hillbilly came by last week to see if I had any extra tomato cages and fencing so her son could expand his garden. In exchange she gave me 2 pounds of pecans and a jar of plum jelly from her mother’s farm in Mississippi. Not to shabby if you ask me.

Local Fruit Stand $7.29

$1.00 pineapples, $1.99 for a head of cauliflower and a few other odds and ends were the deals I found at our local fruit stand this week.

Church Dinner Leftovers- Free

The Guy from Guam dropped off a whole pile of leftovers from his church picnic on Saturday. He’s in charge of the cooking there and always makes the most delicious homemade food. I didn’t even know what the heck was in the rice or the sack of mystery rolls but Holy smokes it was good.

The HH has been friends with him for over 20 years now and he just shows up at our house once or twice a year and brings us leftovers. I typically give him some of our homemade jam as a thank you… this time around it was raspberry jam. Pretty awesome if you ask me.

Smith Brothers Milk - Sponsored

And last but not least, our milk order from Smith Brother’s Farm for this week. Milk, it does a body good.

How did you do this week?

Any mystery men show up at your door with food?

~Mavis

Total Spent This Week $17.03
Total Spent This Year $1028.25
Total Spent This Year on Garden Seeds/Supplies $38.98

Go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories.

One Hundred Dollars a Month is proudly sponsored by Smith Brother’s Farms, my family’s favorite milk. Check out their website HERE and learn about the over 100 top quality products Smith Brothers Farms can deliver to your porch box.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Filed Under: Weekly Shopping Trips Tagged With: Mavis, mavis butterfield, mondays with mavis, one hundred dollars a month, Smith Brothers Farms

Amazon Deals, D.C. Shoes, Recipes, Coupons and More

July 28, 2014 4 Comments

Happy Monday everyone!

Wowie zowie it was a beautiful weekend around here. In fact it was so nice yesterday that I spent my entire day outside. Holy smokes I can’t remember the last time I did that. It felt great!

Here’s hoping the rest of the week is beautiful as well.

Have a great day.

♥ Mavis

Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day – “The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy” on Blu-ray or Garmin nüvi 2557LMT 5-Inch Portable Vehicle GPS with Lifetime Maps and Traffic

Get a 24 Pack of Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths for just $10.88 shipped when you use the subscribe and save option at checkout.

GoGo SqueeZ are great for the lunch box or to keep in the car for a snack!

GoGo SqueeZ AppleBanana, Applesauce on the Go (Pack of 48) $20.20 shipped when you use the subscribe and save option at checkout.
GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce, Apple/Mango (Pack of 48) $20.20 shipped when you use the subscribe and save option at checkout.
GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce, Applecinnamon shipped when you use the subscribe and save option at checkout.

Getting a price adjustment from Amazon is easier than you think. Find out how HERE. Find more cool tips and money savings ideas on my Pinterest Boards.

6pm is having a great sale on D.C. Shoes for Boys and Girls and there are tons of styles to choose from.

Amazon currently has the Cuisinart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender on sale for $29.99. I use mine to help make my families favorite Heirloom tomato sauce.

Get the recipe for my Heirloom Tomato Sauce HERE or Pin it for Later.

Here are a few canning deals:

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving $12.96
Granite Ware Water-Bath Canner with Rack, 21.5-Quart, Black $15.29
Victorio Food Strainer and Sauce Maker $50.04 shipped
Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker $78.13 shipped

REI Outlet Deal of the Day - ASICS GEL-Noosa Tri 8 Road-Running Shoes

Need a new mat for the front door? Amazon has the Apache Mills 18X30 Iron Lattice Entrance Mat on sale for $8.88 and it ships FREE with Amazon Prime. Don’t have Prime? Find out more HERE.

Tell me you’ve heard of Fiverr? It is the coolest site ever. If you ever need anything graphic design related at all, they’ve got you covered for $5 a project. If you have a personal blog and you want a cute new header with fun pics of your family: $5. A flyer logo for a PTA carnival: $5. A new logo for your small business: $5. It is seriously the most amazing site for frugally minded folks like us!

Check out Fiverr HERE and see what you can get for only FIVE DOLLARS!!

Discount Mags is offering a 1 year subscription to Good Housekeeping Magazine for only $.99 a year when you use code MAVIS at checkout. This deal will expire tonight 7/28/14 at midnight EST so be sure and grab your subscription before then.

It’s simple, it’s healthy and it’s a crowd-pleaser! Get the recipe for this Freezer Meal Chicken Cacciatore HERE or Pin it for later.

Groupon has the iRobot Mint 4200 Hard Floor Robotic Cleaner on sale for $139.99 shipped. My friend Jen has one of these and loves it to bits. They really do work!

Check out these New Printable Coupons:

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This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.