I’ve been sharing my personal debt free journey.  You can read both Part 1 and Part 2 to get caught up and then come back here and catch up on the last of the series.

I left off sharing that my husband and I began reading Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover.  We were both so enthralled with the idea of eliminating our debt that we read every book and watched all of the movies in a matter of days.  At that time, we had nearly $37,000 in debt which consisted of automobiles and a home equity loan.

As we began our journey I realized that we had made a huge mistake.  I had vowed to never allow myself to get into the same financial situation I had been in years before.  However, I “thought” that auto debt and a home equity loan was “OK” debt to have.  It isn’t.  The right type of debt is no debt at all.

Thus began the changes to our way of living.  I did all all of the same steps that all of you have done.  Yes – right down to cutting up those credit cards and using only cash for everything.  It was TOUGH!  I wasn’t sure how we were going to do it.  The numbers just didn’t appear to add up.  However, as we worked and tweaked our budget, we realized that we really could do it.  Sure, it would mean hard work – but of course nothing worth having is ever easy.

We reduced our grocery budget and then used extra money to pay down debt.  Part of our doing so was to find a way to save more money at the store.  Through my studies and hard work, I learned how to really save on our shopping excursions.  I shared this information with some on-line friends.  My best friend encouraged me to start a blog.  I never dreamed it would be what it is today. I am truly blessed.

As I shared my deals, we continued to pay down our debt.  We sold items.  We didn’t eat out.  Finally – in February 2010 – we made our final debt payment!  It was liberating.  I can’t describe the feeling.  This time around I did it the RIGHT way.  I didn’t just run from my debt.  I faced it head on – with my husband.  We paid it all down.  It took us 27 months, but we did it.

I am proud of so many accomplishments in my life (my husband, my kids and my site), but I am also very proud that I was able to actually pay off that much debt.   When I say that this was life changing – it truly was.  Not only did we pay off our debt (other than our mortgage), we changed our way of living.

To this day, we still use the same budget form.  We check and update it regularly.  We still use cash — and use our envelopes. If you ever catch me shopping at the store, you will see that is how I pay.   We still have no debt – and do not plan on heading down that path again.  We have fully funded our emergency fund.  We have been able to do things that we want to.  When you do not have debt,  your money is all yours.

I share my story with all of you so that you all know that it is possible to do this.   I want you to know that I understand where you are at – more than most of you probably ever realized.  If you want to change your life, you can do it.   But only you can make the decision to change your life – for the better.

The post My Personal Debt Free Story (Part 3) appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

The weather has been bitter cold this season, and it’s been hard to let the kids play outside. I don’t want their face in a screen constantly, so I try to come up with things we can do together to beat their boredom. This year we made this Paper Doily Snowman and he turned out so cute! He’s very affordable and you’re going to love making them with your kids!

You will need:

Paper Doilies in different sizes (we found a multi-pack at the dollar store)
Glue Sticks (optional)
Markers
Scissors

To make your Paper Doily Snowman you will need to decide how large you want him to be. Initially we were going to glue ours to a piece of construction paper, but my daughter decided she needed to recreate him again and again, so we didn’t glue anything and just made several pieces to interchange.

We cut our smallest piece out of one of the smaller doilies for his head. We just trimmed the lacy edges off and it was perfect! The pack we bought had a lot of sizes so you can choose from. You could make a very large snowman, or a smaller version like we did in the picture!

Use the markers to draw black dots on for his eyes. Then draw on a carrot nose with an orange marker! You could even give him a hat, scarf, rosy cheeks and more!

Let your kids get creative with what he has on, or the color of his buttons etc. We had a lot of fun doing this, and it didn’t make a mess or take a lot of prep, which was awesome. Those are my kind of crafts to do!

If you liked this Paper Doily Snowman post, you’ll probably like these posts too:

Snowman Donuts
Paper Snowman
Cardboard Tube Snowman Craft

The post Paper Doily Snowman appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Want a fun wreath you can make quickly and keep up all season? You should make this Winter Flannel Wreath! It’s perfect for all of winter, and is warm and inviting enough for any door!

You will need:

Foam Wreath Form
1/2 yard flannel fabric
Skein of fluffy white yarn
Tiny snowflake ornaments (designed for miniature trees, found in the Walmart Christmas section)
Small accent ornaments (also found in the Walmart Christmas section)
Hot glue gun
Scissors

To make your Winter Flannel Wreath start with your foam wreath form. I found mine in the Walmart floral section. Cut your flannel fabric into strips about 3″-4″ wide. Wrap the strips around the wreath form, overlapping each strip so there are no gaps in the coverage. You will need several strips. Glue each strip down to the wreath before starting to wrap the next one. Choose the flannel pattern you like the most. Almost all of them will work all winter long.

Next, cut about 20 feet of the fuzzy white yarn. Glue one end of it to the back of the wreath. Allow it to dry for 2-3 minutes, then start wrapping it around the wreath over and over. It’s okay if gaps show here, since this represents snow. When you’re done, glue the end down on the back of the wreath. They sell several different kinds of fuzzy yarn at Walmart, so choose the one you like the most.

For the snowflake ornaments, I had to cut the ornament hangers off, and the use scissors to trim the circle to hold the hook. Add the snowflakes at random using your hot glue. Then add in the special ornament where you think it looks best. Hang up your Winter Flannel Wreath and enjoy it all season!

If you liked this Winter Flannel Wreath, check out these posts:

DIY Chic Rosette Wreath

DIY Christmas Ornament Wreath

The post Winter Flannel Wreath appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I have many memories of holidays with my family.  When I think back, I remember the laughing.  I remember the fun.  I remember the excitement of waking up with my sister an sneaking out to see if Santa had paid us a visit.  What don’t I remember?  The gifts.   Well, for the most part.

When I was around 12 years old, my mom came up with a way for us to do something to show how much we cared for one another.  She came up with Love Gifts.  These were not any ordinary gift.  They came from the heart.

We had to come up with a way to do something, out of love, for another member of our family.  The only requirement was that it had to be free.  It couldn’t be to take someone out to dinner or buy someone something they wanted.  Nope.  We had to look within ourselves and decide what would be the best gift to give to someone in our family.

I remember a few of the ideas we would share included:

• Do the dishes on your turn, once a month, all year long.
• Wash the pickup 3 times this summer.
• Be your slave for a day and wait on you.
• Do all of your chores for one week.

Also See:

• Gift Ideas for Teen Girls
• Gift Ideas for Teen Boys

The ideas are endless!  We would also make sure to include a note to let the person know that we did appreciate and love them.  These gifts were always hand written (makes it much more personal) and then wrapped up in small boxes.  They were placed under the tree with a HEART on them.  The heart could be on the tag or even attached with ribbon.

We would open all of our gifts as a family.  The love gifts were the LAST gifts to open.  We were not allowed to touch them until all of the other presents had been opened.  The anticipation of those gifts was just as great as those in the boxes with the big ribbons.  If anything, we were more excited to see what someone was going to do for us – and the joy on the faces of one another to see how excited they were to have us do something for them.

This is the perfect gift that anyone can give to anyone they know and love.  Just think about what it is you could do for them during the next year to show them how much you appreciate and love them.  It could be some of the ideas we listed above. I am sure you could also think of things that would be perfect for the person on your list!

Write down the gift.   Wrap it as usual.  Make sure you place a HEART on the package. That way, you know it is your love gift.

The amazing thing about these gifts is that more than 30 years after they were given out, I still remember them.  I remember reading the letters we would write to one another to share that we really cared about them. I remember the fun of coming up with something different to do for each member of my family.

Most importantly, this gift – this simple gesture – stands out above all other things we would do on Christmas.  And, isn’t that what it is all about?

Read More:

• Christmas Tree Waffles for Christmas Morning
• Paint Chip Gift Tags
• No-Sew Santa Aprons

The post Homemade Gift Idea: Love Gifts (Best of All This Gift is FREE)! appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I love crafts that are easy to do with my kids. I don’t like to do crafts that take forever to set up, and are going to make my kids filthy and covered in paint and glitter by the time we’re finished. These super cute little DIY Fox Leaves have very few supplies, and turn out adorably!

What I love most about these DIY Fox Leaves, besides the fact that they’re simple and virtually mess-free, is that each little fox turns out differently depending on how it’s made. All of our little foxes seemed to have their own personality, and we just loved naming each one as we made them.

Supplies:

Cardstock
Elmer’s glue
Wax paper
Heavy book
Googly Eyes
Faux fall leaves (maple leaves work best)
Small pom-poms (for the fox noses)

Start by choosing which fall leaves you want to use for your foxes. Once you’ve selected them, use your elmer’s glue to liberally coat the back of them. Place the leaves down onto the cardstock in the position you want them to be. I like to turn their little heads different directions. This not only gives them more personality, but helps to fit more of them on a page too.

Place a sheet of wax paper over the top of the cardstock. Use a heavy book and carefully set it on top of the wax paper. This will ensure that while your glue dries, that the leaves lay down flat. The wax paper keeps the book from sticking to the glue.

Give it 30 minutes to an hour, and then the glue should be dry. Remove the book and wax paper carefully. Use two drops of glue to attach the googly eyes to the leaves. Mix it up and make some of them have large eyes, and some of them have small eyes. Put some of the eyes for your DIY Fox Leaves close together, and some far apart. Lastly, put a drop of glue on a small pom pom and attach it to the point of the leaf for the fox’s nose.

If you liked this DIY Fox Leaves project, check these out too:

Paper Plate Turkey

Apple Pumpkin Painting

The post DIY Fox Leaves appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

As a blogger, you want to get traffic to your site and make money.  Once of the simplest ways to do this is through your e-mail newsletter.  But, getting those people to want to sign up can pose a challenge.  The simplest way to get people to sign up for something is to give them something for free.

Think about the blogs that you follow.  Go back and look at their site and their e-mail newsletter sign-up boxes.  How many of them offer something free if you sign up?  Chances are, most of them do this.  They do it for one reason.  It works.

An opt-in may seem like a great idea, but how do you create one?

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMAIL LIST

If you are new to blogging, you may not even know what an e-mail list is.  Your e-mail list are the readers who sign up to get regular newsletters (via e-mail) from you.  They sign up because they are interested in your site and want to continue to learn more about what you have to say.

The #1 reason you need an e-mail list is that you are in control of getting your content out to the people who want to see it.  You know you can’t rely upon Facebook or Pinterest as the algorithms are always changing.  Sure, you post there, but not everyone will always see your site.

Several years back, Facebook showed every post made on every page in your newsfeed.  As a marketer, it was such a simple way to get traffic as everyone would see what you were doing.  Then, they made changes and it all disappeared – literally overnight.

Traffic tanked and it left bloggers struggling to find a way to make up that lost traffic.  The same can be said for Pinterest.  Many algorithm changes have had a negative effect on traffic to blogs and websites.

Social media is the one marketing tool over which you have no control.  However, when it comes to your e-mail list, you own it.  You control what is in it, when it shared and even who will see it.

Not only do you have more control, but the people on your list are interested in the content on your site.  They are often more engaged and willing to click to read your posts and more importantly, buy the products you recommend!  Your e-mail list is a simple tool to help increase income.

If you have not already done so, you will need to sign up with an e-mail provider.  There are a few platforms I have recommended, including ConvertKit, MailerLite, and ActiveCampaign.

If you are new to creating a list, I would advise starting with MailerLite. It is free up to 1,000 subscribers, so it can help with your budget.  I use ConvertKit on this site and ActiveCampaign on another.  Sign up with your provider.  I recommend reading any of the tutorials that they offer so you can figure out how to find the link to put onto your site, create sign up forms and link the account to sign-up forms on your blog.

HOW TO GET READERS TO SIGN UP

The simple way to get readers to sign up is to first, have content that they want to read.  Therefore, it is important that you be 100% authentic and original.  Be yourself.   However, that is not the only thing you need to do.

As the title of this post explains, you need an e-mail opt-in.

WHAT IS AN OPT-IN

An opt-in is a free item that you offer to entice people to sign up for your list. It can be a printable image, e-book, infographic, checklist, template, cheat sheet…..almost anything you want to offer.  It must be in a digital format so that it can be e-mailed directly to your subscribers (via your e-mail provider).

HOW TO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO USE FOR YOUR OPT-IN

The simplest idea is to find the content on your site and look at it.  Perhaps you have a post series that you could turn into an opt-in.  Or, maybe you have a post that you could write in more detail that may make a better printable checklist.

You might have 10 recipes that all relate that you could put into a book.  It could even be a new idea about something you want to market to your readers.

Whatever you decide, make sure that it relates to your site.  For example, I’d never put a printable about essential oils on this site as it is about blogging and social media.  Essential oils has nothing to do with that. It would cause confusion and alienate those who signed up thinking that I would have newsletters talking about oils.  Imagine the shock when they get an email about creating an opt-in! They’d all unsubscribe. I’d lose credibility.

Find something that you feel would be helpful to your readers.

HOW TO CREATE AN OPT-IN

Once you know what your opt-in will be, it is time to create it.  There are some simple ways that you can do this — all of which are FREE!

GOOGLE DRIVE:  You can create a document in Google.  Once it is in the format you like, download it as a pdf.  Then, you can upload to your autoresponder with your e-mail provider and it will be sent as soon as someone signs up.

WORD:  If you have MS Word, you can also create your opt-in form here.  It can also be saved in a pdf format as well, so you can add it to your e-mail auto responder.

CANVA:  If you want graphics on your opt-in, Canva is a great resource.  They even offer different templates that you can use (infographic templates are incredible).  While most of the elements they offer are free, there are some which cost $1 each to use (and you can edit the document for up to 24 hours after you first download it, before you will need to pay for the element again).  Make sure you export this as a pdf as well.

CREATING THE AUTORESPONDER

Once you have your e-mail provider and your opt-in, you are ready to create the autoresponder.  The autoresponder is the e-mail that is automatically sent once someone signs up for your newsletter.  This is the only way to do an opt-in, as you sure don’t want to manually email every single person!

Each e-mail service has its own autoresponder.  They may refer to it by a different name.  For example, on ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit, it is called Automations.  I’ll walk through how to do this on each platform, so you will know how to do this yourself.

CREATE CONVERTKIT AUTORESPONDER

Click on Forms from the blue banner.

Then, click on the +Create Form Button (beneath the graph). Next, decide if you want a large landing page where people will go to sign up, or if you want a form. I use the forms so that I can quickly embed that into each of my posts.  For the sake of this lesson, we will use forms.

Select the form style you want to have on your site.  I recommend the middle option so that you can include an image of your freebie (images can help in generating more sign ups).

Customize the form.  You can change the colors, images, wording, etc.  Make sure that you include details for your freebie so the reader knows what he or she will receive. Once customized, click on Settings.  This is where you will add in the opt-in.

Give your form a name (this is internal only, so use something you will recognize).

Next, click on Incentive Email.  Edit the content here as you see fit.  Try to personalize it a bit, so it is not so generic. It defaults to Confirm Your Subscription.  You could change it to – Confirm Now to Get Your ______________.  That way, people know to confirm (they won’t get the freebie if they do not).  Once done with that, click on Incentive Download and upload your opt-in form.

You can look through the other options to change the style and other features of your form as needed. When you are happy with how it looks, hit Save Form (at the bottom of the box).

You need to add the plugin to your WordPress blog.  That will link your sign-up boxes to your site.  Now, when you type a post, you can click the box from your dashboard and add it to your post (see image below).

There you go!  The simple way to create an opt-in using ConvertKit.

ActiveCampaign

It is also easy to create an opt-in on Active Campaign. Before you start, make sure you create a list for the opt-in (as you will use it in the next step — go to Lists, Add a new list and fill in the boxes).  Then, click on Automations from the blue menu bar.

Then, click on New Automation.

In the search box, type opt-in.  There will be one recipe that pops up.  Select it.

You will see some additional boxes come up to help guide you through the process. Follow the steps and fill out the sections as needed.  You will then see a flow chart, like this:

Click on “Here’s Your Free Gift” so you can edit it. You will want to create an email.  Click on this.  You will then be able to create your email.  Just make sure that somewhere in the email you include the link to your pdf (which you will want to have hosted on your site, in your media files).

Follow the rest of the steps to start your automated sequence.

ADD THE SIGN UP TO YOUR SITE

Once you have created the opt-in and the automation to send it, you have to advertise it on your site.  There are some simple ways to do this.

ConvertKit.  If you use ConvertKit, add the plugin to your site.  Then, you will be able to click a link from a drop down and select the opt in form you want added to your site (it will be in the dashboard when you create a new site). It will be placed at the bottom of your post.

Your e-mail provider.  Look at the options available through your e-mail provider.  Some may offer opt-in forms, but most do not.  The majority of them just provide a simple link that you place on your site, which is not a true opt-in form.  Make sure that what your readers sees tells them what the opt-in will provide to them.

ThriveLeads. This is an other plug-in as well.  This one allows you to add your opt-in form on a post, as a pop-up or even as a welcome bar (at the top of your site).  What is really great about this service is that you can test two forms against one another and it will automatically keep the one that has the highest conversion.

For instance, if you are not sure if a slide in at the bottom of your page works better than a hello bar at the very top, you can have those two compete against one another for a period of time.  At the end of the testing period, ThriveLeads will determine which one was more successful and keep that one live on your site – but disable the one that does not do as well.

In addition, you can create opt-in boxes and place code anywhere in your posts you would like for the form to appear. You are not limited to placement at the bottom of your post (such as with ConvertKit).

This is a paid theme, but the investment pays for itself very quickly.

It takes a little time to create your opt-in and the mailing sequence, but once it is done, you’ll start to see those email opt-ins start to increase!

The post How to Rapidly Grow Your E-mail List with an Opt-In appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

The Fourth of July isn’t far away, and I love the chance to decorate my home in tons of red, white, and blue items! The great thing about Fourth of July decor, is that it really can be left in your house year round without looking tacky. This Easy America Wooden Art looks stunning sitting on the mantle, or on a shelf.

If you don’t have a shelf, table, or mantle to put it on, you could always add a hanger to the back of the board and hang it on the wall. It would make awesome wall art as well! You won’t believe how simple this Easy America Wooden Art is to make!

Supplies:

Pine board, just big enough to fit your letters.
Pressed board, or wooden letters spelling out AMERICA (or whatever word you want to decorate with)
Red, White, and Blue acrylic paint
Foam brushes
E6000 epoxy

Start by laying your letters on your board, so you can measure the exact length you need it to be. Cut the board to the length you measured. Paint your board blue using the foam brush. While it dries, paint your letters alternating red and white. I started with red, but you can choose whatever order you want. Make sure to get in all the knooks and crannies of the letters. Don’t worry about painting the backs of your letters, since they won’t be seen.

After the blue board is dry, and all your letters have dried, you’re ready to attach them to the board. Use the E6000 to attach the letters to the board, one at a time, being careful to line them up evenly with each other. Allow your sign to sit overnight, to give the epoxy time to set completely. Now you’re free to display your Easy America Wooden Art for all to see!

If you like this, you would also like these posts:

Easy Firecracker Wreath

20 Patriotic Kid’s Crafts

The post Easy America Wooden Art appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

When we go on vacation at the beach, one of our favorite things to do is hunt and find seashells. The only problem is that we get home, and I have tons of seashells and don’t have any idea what to do with them! Recently I decided I wanted to turn some of my shells into some pretty art for my bathroom and bedroom, since they’re themed around nautical elements, but I didn’t quite know how I’d do it. I was walking the craft aisles at Walmart, and I saw these cute, mini wrapped canvases, and instantly knew what I wanted to make!

This Easy Seashell Canvas Art is so simple, it will take you no time to make! I left my canvases white, because it matched my decor better, but you could always paint them a color before attaching the shell if that’s the look you wanted to go for.

Supplies:

Four-Pack of Mini Square wrapped canvases
Four seashells
Hot glue gun

To start your Easy Seashell Canvas Art, you will need to first wash all the sand and dirt from your shells. Rinse them well, and rub them with your fingers to get any of the grit off them. Use a paper towel to dry them completely before moving onto the next step. Plug in your hot glue gun and let it start warming up.

Next, you will use your hot glue gun to run a thin line of glue along the backside of the shells, one at a time. Be sure to get glue on every edge. After applying the glue, quickly, but carefully, press the seashell down into the center of your canvas. Allow it to dry for two minutes before moving the canvas.

Repeat those steps until you have all your Easy Seashell Canvas Art finished. Hang on a nail in the wall, or sit them on a shelf. They look cute with any beach-themed decor. These would also make a cute gift to give for birthdays or Christmas!

If you like this post, you may also like these:

DIY Pool Noodle Boats

20 Mom Summertime Hacks

The post Easy Seashell Canvas Art appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I love having cold snacks for my kids when it’s hot outside. A great alternative to ice cream and popsicles are these Frozen Banana Pops! These are a simple treat that’s perfect for a hot day. They’re also an excellent way to sneak in some fruit into your kids’ diet!

The fun thing about frozen banana pops is that you can add sprinkles, making them even more fun to eat!!  This is like a healthier version of a banana split. You can even skip the chocolate and sprinkles, and just eat a frozen banana. They’re so good! They’re one of my favorite summer treats, and they’re easy to come by and prepare. Plus, everyone knows that food tastes better on a stick.

More fun dessert ideas:

• Skittles Ice Cream
• Rainbow Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Starbuck’s Copycat Lemon Pound Cake

Frozen Banana Pops

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

• Author: Sammie
• Prep Time: 4 hours 15 mins
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 mins
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

• Frozen Bananas
• Chocolate chips, or chocolate melting candies
• Sprinkles
• Popsicle sticks

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Place your bananas in the freezer, peel and all.
2. Leave them in overnight, or for at least 4-6 hours.
3. Remove the bananas from the freezer.
4. In a medium sized bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave until it’s smooth.
5. Cut the bananas in half.
6. Remove the peel from the bananas. TIP: Use a butter knife to slip under the edge of the peel, and sort of chip the peel away a few pieces at a time.
7. Gently slide the popsicle stick in the banana. Don’t push too far, or the banana will split.
8. Dip the banana in the melted chocolate, turning quickly to cover it.
9. Place the Frozen Banana Pops on a glass baking sheet, and cover them in sprinkles.
10. Place the baking sheet back in the freezer for 30 minutes.
11. Remove the treats from the freezer, and enjoy!

The post Frozen Banana Pops appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

If you need an adorable, and original idea for your front door this Spring, you need this Easy Umbrella Wreath! Even if you aren’t crafty, you can pull this off so easily! It’s really so simple, it takes no skill at all. If you like ideas that are outside of the box, this will be perfect for you. I get compliments on it by everyone who comes up to my door! It’s seasonal without being themed by a holiday, and I love that!

Supplies:

Umbrella with a hooked handle
Long stemmed floral of your choice

The only thing you need to do to turn your umbrella into a pretty door decoration, is to open it and place your flowers. You can arrange them so the colors are mixed how you want, and press them in firmly so they don’t fall out.  There is no need to glue or use wire.

I used eight bunches of flowers, and each bunch had three to four flowers each. This seemed to fill it up nicely. I chose a yellow umbrella because I wanted it to stick out on my white door, and it does nicely! If you don’t want something so bright, you can choose a more neutral color. Just use the hook to hang it on a wreath hanger on your door and it will be fine!

If the wind is predicted to be really gusty, you may want to take it down to make sure it doesn’t blow away, but you don’t have to. I had mine up during a really rough storm with hail tonight, and forgot to bring it in, and everything is still there and it’s fine! Normally I grab it before the storm, and put it back when it’s over, but if you forget it should be okay.

That’s all you need to do to make your fun and easy umbrella wreath! It’s one of my favorite door decorations, and I know you’ll love it too!

Want some more spring wreath ideas? Check out some of these:

• DIY Cross Wreath
• DIY Chic Rosette Wreath

The post Easy Umbrella Wreath appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Cadbury Creme Eggs have long since been an essential part of Easter for many families! I like to get my fill of them, as much as possible, around Easter, and that has caused me to be creative. This year I made a Cadbury Creme Egg cheesecake dip that is just to die for! It’s so easy, and just three ingredients. You can dip fruit, graham crackers, vanilla wafers and more in it, or you can just eat it with a spoon – it’s that good!

I used the mini size Cadbury eggs, but it’s not necessary. If you want to use the full sized ones, you can just cut them in fourths, instead of in half. If you use the full size ones it will be less work removing all the wrappers, but it will also not be as pretty in the bowl. So just weigh what’s important to you, and use that as your guide to choose what size you want to use! Cadbury Creme Eggs taste good no matter what form they’re in, so we don’t really have a preference.

Tip: Refrigerate your dip for at least an hour, in a sealed container, before serving for the best results. Since the cream cheese needs to be softened before mixing, everything is a little on the warm side.

Cadbury Creme Egg Cheesecake Dip

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Cadbury Creme Egg Cheesecake Dip

• Author: Sammie
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 10 mins
• Category: Dip

Ingredients

• 8 oz container of Marshmallow Fluff
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 12 mini Cadbury Creme Eggs

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the marshmallow fluff and the softened cream cheese. Mix with a fork, or use a powered hand mixer. Don’t leave lumps!
2. Cut the Cadbury Creme Eggs in half.
3. Mix them into the dip.
4. Keep chilled until you’re ready to serve.

Want some more Easter recipes? Check these out:

Marshmallow Peeps Pudding
20 Easter Dessert Recipes

The post Cadbury Creme Egg Cheesecake Dip appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Having fun activities for kids to do when it’s cold outside, has always been important to me. I don’t want them to just sit and play on their tablets all day, or lounge in front of a TV. I love to engage with them, and allow them to be creative. This DIY 3D snow paint was an absolute hit, and it was so easy to make, you won’t even believe it!

Supplies:

1 can of shaving cream (not gel), refrigerated
1 bottle of school glue, refrigerated
Clear glitter (optional)

You will need to place the glue and shaving cream into the refrigerator overnight. This helps everything mix much better, so please do not skip this step.

In a large bowl, combine equal amount of glue and shaving cream. No need to measure, just eyeball it until it looks about even. Your shaving cream will probably be slow to come out of the can, but that’s perfectly normal. Mix them together with a fork, until the glue and shaving cream are well combined. If you wanted to add glitter, now is the time to do it! Add as much or as little glitter as you want (we always add a lot) and mix well.

I don’t recommend using a paintbrush to apply this DIY 3D Snow Paint, as your fingers work better. Just throw some old clothes onto the kids, and let them paint to their heart’s content. We applied on construction paper, and it turned out awesome! The painting my daughter did, which you can see in the picture, of the snowman, dried like that! He stayed all puffy and snow-like! Isn’t that neat?

Get your kids off their backsides, and get them creating with this super easy DIY 3d Snow Paint! Who knows, you may want to jump in there with them and paint. It’s so much fun to do. You could even add some food coloring and make different colors if you want, but that’s bound to be a bit more messy! We just stuck with white, and made snowy creations, which was a perfect activity for a cold winter day or even a hot summer afternoon!!

The post Easy DIY 3D Snow Paint appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

If your neck of the woods hasn’t gotten much snow this year, these adorable DIY Stackable Snowmen are the perfect solution! Build a snowman anytime, and virtually anywhere with these super easy DIY Stackable Snowmen!

They’re made out of painted, smooth stones, so they’re easy to mix and match for long periods of fun!

Supplies:

Smooth round stones
White acrylic paint
Orange and black permanent or paint markers
Mod Podge

I chose stones that were very smooth and flat. I opted for a mix of round and oval shapes, to make mixing and matching more fun. Remember the rule of making snowmen is to find a large bottom, medium middle, and small top. I found these stones in the floral department at my local Walmart.

Paint a solid coat of white on all of the stones.  Allow it to dry and then add the eyes, nose, mouth and buttons. If you want to seal them, paint on a coat of mod podge or clear spray paint.

I store our little DIY Stackable Snowmen in a plastic container for easy storage. Then, anytime my little one wants to build a snowman, I don’t have to bundle up and go out in the snow, I can just pop out these cute little DIY Stackable Snowmen! My daughter loves them, and I’m glad they’re a fun indoor option for those days when it is too cold to go outside to play.

Want some more activities to do with your kids? Check out these ideas!

• DIY Moon Sand
• World’s Best Play Dough

The post DIY Stackable Snowmen appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I have partnered with Paribus to share this information with you.
All opinions are my own and were not influenced by any parties.

Like many of you, I love to shop online.

For me, it is more convenient than driving to find the deal in the store.  Not only that, but I can often find coupon codes to find the best deal possible.

But, what happens when you buy to see the price drop just a few days later?  I know the frustration all too well. You paid $50 just to see that the same item is now being sold for $40.  That is $10.  $10 that should be in your pocket.

When this happens, you might be able to get the online store to make an adjustment.  You must first locate their price matching policy if one exists.  Then, you have to reach out to customer service and provide all of the details about your order and the new pricing.  You wait for a response and cross your fingers to hope you see a refund.

There is a service available called Paribus – that will actually help you get your money back!  Of course, I had my questions about this app and how it worked, so I took some time to check it out myself.

HOW DOES PARIBUS WORK?

It is pretty simple really.  Stores often offer a guarantee that if the price drops after your purchase, you can get your money back.  The only catch is that you have to ask them for it. I don’t have time to keep checking to see if that happens – – and neither do you.  Enter Paribus.  They do this for you.

You just have to sign up with your email and then simply connect the accounts you might shop at. It also scans your inbox for any receipts that might come through.  You do nothing differently. Just shop as usual.   That is when Paribus goes to work.

It will start to scan the Internet for the price drop, missed a coupon or better deal for any of the items you have purchased.  If they find something, Paribus lets you know so you can possibly get a refund.

It is just like that moment you find the coupon for the laundry detergent — after you bought it.  You are pretty much stuck. However, ifParibus can find the online coupon or discount, it will take care of getting you your money back!

WHERE DOES THIS WORK?

There are merchants that Paribus currently works with:  Target, Staples, Gap, Old Navy, J. Crew, NewEgg, Zappos, Macys, Bloomingdales, Bonobos, Nordstroms, Athleta, Piperlime and Banana Republic.

You truly do nothing differently with your shopping habits.  Grab the items you need with the peace of mind of not having to worry if the price drops tomorrow or if a coupon code is around that you did not see.  It is truly no risk.

WILL IT WORK FOR ME?

If you do not shop much online, then Paribus is probably not the best app for you.  It is designed with the online shopper in mind.  Even if you only shop online from time to time, it is worth signing up because it is totally free and you never know when it will find you some free money!!

You will have to give it access to your account where your receipts are sent.  Some may not feel comfortable about this.  So, the workaround is to make a NEW or “dummy” email address that you use for shopping online.  That way, only your shopping receipts are in the account which Paribus accesses, keeping them out of your “good” account. (This is honestly a smart way to shop online anyhow).

Keep in mind that they are not “live” in your inbox.  Your account is still secure. Here is what Paribus says about security:

• First, Paribus does not live in your inbox. It places webhooks to detect and pull store messages based on sender and subject alone. So, inbox security stays under the supervision of companies that you already trust (e.g., Google and Microsoft).

• Second, security is embedded through their architecture, including dedicated firewalls, VPN services, intrusion prevention systems and stringent access controls.

• Third, Paribus complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Complete credit card information is never stored on Paribus servers.  In addition, they use Stripe, one of the world’s most secure payment processors, to handle all transactions.

• Fourth, data is transmitted securely via SSL (TLS 1.2) bank-grade encryption. Any sensitive information stored is encrypted using AES-256 encryption.

   

HOW DO YOU JOIN?

It is very simple (and free) to get started.  Follow these steps:

1. Sign up with Paribus.
2. Attach your accounts (they will prompt you for the details).
3. Shop as usual.

One really awesome thing that happens when you sign up is that they will go back 30 days on all of your shopping accounts to see if there is already money waiting for you!

So, what are you waiting for?  Why not give Paribus a try.  You are out nothing at all — except for getting MONEY BACK!

The post The Secret To Getting The Best On-Line Prices appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

In the past, I’ve shared how there are 4 ways to save at Rite Aid and more recently, about their Plenti Points.  Now, I want to tell you a bit more about their wellness+ points and how they work together as wellness+ Plenti to save you even more!

The one way most of us save is just by buying items on sale.  Of course, there are times when we need things that aren’t on sale.  In those moments we are stuck paying full price….or are we?

SAVE 20% AT RITE AID FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR

There is a way where you can earn 20% off of almost everything at Rite Aid for an entire year! Once you join Rite Aid’s wellness+ with Plenti Program, you can earn two kinds of points!

• Members will continue to earn wellness+ points toward various benefits at Rite Aid including discounts of up to 20% off storewide, exclusive sale prices and 24/7 access to a pharmacist.
• Members will be able to earn Plenti points whenever they make qualifying purchases at Rite Aid and other Plenti partners. Plenti points can be used for up to two years at Rite Aid and at certain other Plenti partners.

wellness+ points are earned toward Bronze, Silver and Gold status discounts exclusively at Rite Aid. You can earn one wellness+ point for one dollar spent on eligible front-end purchases and up to 25 wellness+ points for every eligible prescription.

Plenti points are an additional set of points that can be earned at Rite Aid and other Plenti partners including AT&T, Exxon, Mobil, Macy’s, Nationwide, Direct Energy and Hulu. Members can then use those points for savings at certain Plenti partners.

WELLNESS+ STATUS EARNS YOU MORE

You can use your wellness+ points for the entire year.  They reset at the end of every year, however, all earned Silver and Gold status discounts remain active through the end of the next calendar year.

Here are the benefits of each status tier:

• BRONZE (when you earn 100 points).  Receive a 10% off savings pass for every 100 points earned.
• SILVER (when you earn 500 points).  Earn 10% off of nearly the entire store through the end of the following year.
• GOLD (when you earn 1000 points).  Save 20% off of nearly everything store wide through the end of the following year.

The in-store savings you can earn as a wellness+ with Plenti member is just one of the perks you enjoy.  Members – at all tiers – also always enjoy the following benefits:

• 24/7 access to a Rite Aid Pharmacist.
• Exclusive money-saving offers and information by email.
• The option to load coupons direct to card.
• 1 wellness+ point for one dollar spent on eligible purchases they make at Rite Aid when you scan your new Plenti card at the register.
• 25 wellness+ points for every non-government funded prescription purchased with your Plenti card.
• 1 wellness+ point for every dollar spent on copays (not to exceed 25 points per prescription) for government-funded prescriptions.

HOW DO YOU EARN POINTS?

You can earn points simply by shopping.  The easiest way to earn them is by scanning your Plenti card at the register at Rite Aid.  This earns you 1 wellness+ point for one dollar spent on eligible purchases.

In addition, you earn 25 wellness+ points for every non-government funded prescription purchased when your Plenti card.  If you have any government-funded prescriptions, you will earn 1 wellness+point for every dollar spent on co-pays (not to exceed 25 points per prescription).

COMMON QUESTIONS

If you are new to Plenti, you may have some questions about the program.

Can I earn wellness+ points and Plenti points for purchases made online?

Yes, you can earn wellness+ points and Plenti points online at RiteAid.com.

Can I use my wellness+ with Plenti card to receive discounts on purchases made online?

Yes, you can use wellness+ with Plenti at Rite Aid Online Store to receive discounts for online purchases.

How can I sign up for wellness+ with Plenti?

Just ask a store associate next time you shop in a Rite Aid or sign up online.

Learn more about the wellness+ with Plenti program and get signed up today!!

The post Rite Aid wellness+ with Plenti: One Card Two Kinds of Points appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

One question I am frequently asked is if warehouse deals are better than other grocery store and big box retailers.  The truth is that it is….but if you shop at the right store.  The warehouse where you can truly save the most is BJs Wholesale.

It isn’t just every day pricing that saves you, but so much more!  I recently partnered with BJ’s so I could help spread the word about the top ways you can save even more money (any opinions shared are truly my own).

You can use coupons.

BJ’s has their own store coupons that you can use on the items you need.  But, they don’t stop there.  They even allow you to use manufacturer’s coupons as well! They are the only club who allows you to do that.

You can find all of their most recent coupons by visiting the coupon page on their website.  Make sure that you also take full advantage of their clipless coupons as well.

Discounts on fresh produce.

Many people may not realize this, but BJ’s has a great fresh produce department.  It is not just any produce, but more than 150 organic choices available and many sourced from local farms.

Savings on fresh deli.

Most club stores have the meat pre-packaged for you.  Not at BJ’s.  They have their own deli.  Their butchers will even cut your meat in whichever way you like — at no extra charge!

Fuel savings.

This is one where I know we can all use some help saving.  BJ’s Members can save even more when they shop the club first and fill up their gas tank at a BJ’s Gas® location on the same day. From Nov. 1, 2016 – Jan. 1, 2017, members will receive 5 cents off per gallon when filling their tank at a BJ’s Gas location after shopping at a BJ’s Wholesale Club location.=

Tech Advisors willing to help.

Sometimes, purchasing electronics can be a daunting task.  Members can research, shop and install electronics with the help of BJ’s Tech Advisors.

Perk programs save you even more.

Members can get rewarded with My BJ’s Perks Program. BJ’s Perk Plus and BJ’s Perks Elite MasterCard holders can earn up to 5% back on most purchases in and outside of BJ’s.

Members also receive ten cents off per gallon of BJ’s Gas every day as well as other rich benefits.

Do you have a BJ’s membership?  What is your favorite reason as to why you shop there?
Leave me a comment!

The post The Top Ways BJ’s Saves You More Money! appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I’ve partnered with Mirum Shopper to bring this content your way.  All opinions are my own.

I’m a mom to three kids – two of whom are girls. I know that they will face many obstacles while growing up.  There will be a fair share of mean girls, possible bullying and many broken hearts.  However, through it all, the one thing I really hope they always maintain is a high self-esteem.

For young girls, the way the feel about themselves is easily dashed from simple comments and videos. It takes one image for them to feel badly about themselves.  It saddens me.

But, what can we do about it?  Is it even possible to do anything to help?

There is something very simple that you can do.  Choose Dove to show support of building self-esteem in 20 million girls by 2020. 52% of girls feel that the negative posts, comments, snaps, videos or photos they see on social media damage their confidence*. By posting positive advice online, it will be the start of making social media a more positive place. (*Dove: #SpeakBeautiful Girls Research” March 2016).

MY STORY

Words hurt.  They hurt badly.  I can still vividly recall third grade in elementary school.  I attended a private Catholic school in a very small town.  That meant we had about 10 – 12 kids in our class.  There was one of them who did not like me.  Why? I still don’t know.

This mean girl (whose name I will not share) decided that she did not like me so much that she created the “I Hate Tracie” club.  They said mean things to me.  They excluded me.  They were just awful to me.

I spent recesses alone on the swings. I had no one to sit with at lunch.  They made me feel like I was not worth friendship.  These girls hurt me.

It is so easy for people to say that I should ignore it.  They tell me it was more than 30 years ago, so I should forget about.  I have tried.  Trust me.  I have tried a lot.

The problem is that it left scars.  To this day, I look at myself and do not see the best.  I see what people are going to hate about me or gossip to others about.

The logical part of me knows that this is ridiculous.  However, that 8 year old girl still remembers.  She still feels the pain and fears judgment and worries that she is not good enough.

WE NEED TO STOP

My story is one of millions.  We have to stop this.  The negativity, judgement and just horrible behavior has to stop.  Instead of the negative messages, we need to share the positive ones.

There is no such thing as a perfect woman.  Every one of us is different and amazing.  We are all beautiful.  It is time that we all work together, with Dove, and #SpeakBeautiful.

HOW CAN WE MAKE THE CHANGE

For starters, we can educate our children about the importance of embracing our beauty and who we are.  Of course, you don’t want to create a narcissist, but you can remind your girls that they are the perfect version of themselves.

Every day, I allow my girls to be who they want to be.  I don’t tell my oldest it is wrong that she wants to stick her nose in a book instead of worrying about fashion. I don’t force either of them to dress in any way other than how they are most comfortable in.  I remind her them both that they are amazing as they are and should never change for anyone.

You can join in the movement by making positive changes in your life and sharing kind words with the girls and women you know.

Another way you can join in the #SpeakBeautiful movement is by purchasing Dove at BJ’s Stores.  When you visit your store, you can help by purchasing these products (which, you need anyhow, so why not get them and show support):

• Dove Deodorant Cool Essentials 3pk:  This antiperspirant deodorant delivers up to 48-hour protection, underarm care and a refreshing cucumber and green tea scent.
• Dove 3 x 24 oz. Deep Moisture Body Wash:  Enjoy softer, smoother skin after just one shower with this moisturizing body wash that leaves skin feeling cared for.
• Dove Cool Moisture Bar 16 ct: Enjoy soft, more radiant looking skin vs. ordinary soap and revitalize your senses with the refreshing scent of cucumber and green tea.
• Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner: Get hair that looks up to 5X smoother with Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner system vs. non-conditioning shampoo.

You can learn more and find a BJ’s location near you by heading here.

Together, we can turn things around and help the young girls and women of today grow up with a much more positive self-esteem.  Every little thing you do matters.  Join me in the fight.

The post Let’s Boost Girls’ Self-Esteem appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Chalkboard letters are so easy to make. Learn how below.

Chalkboard letters and decor are extremely popular.  I was recently decorating my daughter’s room and new I wanted to incorporate some of these elements.

I created these adorable chalkboard letters and absolutely love how they came out.  Not only are they easy to make, they are fun (and the kids can help you too).

Use them to make a monogram or create an entire alphabet to use them in your homeschool space.

SUPPLIES:

7″ Letter
Chalkboard paint
Foam paint brush
White Chalk

Paint the letter with your chalkboard paint.  Allow to dry for 30 minutes and then add a second coat.  Allow to dry for one hour.

Next, use a piece of chalk and rub it all over the letter.  This is called, “prepping the chalkboard” and will allow drawing with the chalk and erasing to be much easier. Erase the chalk, and then write whatever you want!

Yes, it’s that easy! I love how easy they were to do, and how little time they took. Quick DIYs are my favorite! What will you write?

The post DIY Chalkboard Letters appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

We’ve shared some amazing ideas to help you make money from home.  I’ve just learned about another one!  Right now, you can apply to work for Amazon – right from your home!

Right now, they are hiring seasonal workers to help with the call center.  With the holidays approaching, they will need more people to help customers.

Before you even think about applying, you must reside in one of these states:  Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Virginia.

If you meet those requirements, head over and fill out an application!

The post Work For Amazon — From Your Home appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I’m always looking for creative storage options for my daughter’s room. She has so much stuff, and so many books, sometimes things can get lost in the shuffle!

My daughter is a girly-girl, but she still has a love for Super Heroes.  That can present a challenge when I want to find decorations for her room.  That usually means I end up making something for you.

This simple feature shelf is extremely simple to make and there are endless possibilities when it comes to design.  We chose a girly batman theme, because that was what worked for us, but you could theme it after any rom in the house! This could easily provide cute storage for your bathroom, your kitchen, your laundry room, a craft room, and the list goes on.

What will you make?

SUPPLIES:

Craft Glue
Pins
1/4 yard of fabric
Wooden Crate
Cardboard
Acrylic Paint
Foam Brush

First, dry fit your cardboard into the back of your wooden crate to make sure it will fit.  You may need to trim the corners in order to get it to fit in properly.

Next, paint the wooden crate whatever colors you want.  You can do accent colors by painting the outside one tone and the inside another.  There are no rules here!  We chose to paint only the inside of the crate and left the outside the natural color.

While the paint is drying, you will want to wrap your cardboard with the fabric.  Make sure you leave around 1″ or so of fabric overhang.

Beging gluing (one side at a time) by running a bead of glue along the edge of the cardboard.  Press the fabric down into the glue to hold it in place.  Make sure you continue to tug on the fabric as you glue it on, so you do not have wrinkles on the front.  Use pins to hold it in place while it dries (around 1 – 2 hours).

Once dried, place a generous amount of glue on the inside of the box’s wooden slats, paying careful attention to the corners and edges.  Press the cardboard into place (making sure the fabric is facing outward.  Allow it to dry completely overnight, and then you’re ready to use it!

We are using our storage box as a way to keep track of all our super hero books, and some of her Imaginext characters. It adds such a unique pop of color to her room, while also providing an awesome storage option to fit our needs. This was also a very affordable storage option as well.

The post Create Your Own Feature Shelf appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

If you watch the news, all you see are the bad things in the world.  Right now, my heart aches for the people of Louisiana who are experiencing such loss and suffering.  I have read and seen images from the recent bombings on the other side of the world.

And don’t even get me started on the hate going on with this year’s election (that could be an entire post all on its own).

It is easy to allow these bad images to take over our world.  They can bring us down.  They can rob us of feeling good about ourselves and our own lives.  The negativity and the sadness can easily infiltrate your own world — but only if you let it.

When I see these things happening, I do what I can to find that one glimmer of hope.  The one beacon of light shining through.

In the floods, I choose to see how it is showing people helping one another without regard to race or religion.  In the bombed areas, I watch the humanitarian efforts and focus on the people they were able to save.  And in the election…..oh……who am I kidding.  There is NO good in the election.

The point is that we can’t allow the bad in the world to over shadow the good.  We see far too many stories focusing only on the negative.  Those feel good news articles seem to be few and far between.  But, think for a moment how they make you feel when you do see them.  Do you get a smile on your face or feel warmth in your heart? I do.

And the reason why it makes me feel peace is simple. In all the bad in the world, these people choose to Be The Good.

That’s what I am doing.  In this world filled with anger, hatred and sadness.  I choose to be the good in a world filled with bad.

I don’t always do it (after all, I am human), but I do my best to be this way. In anything negative, I seek out the good.  I know that there has to be a shining light in there somewhere. It may be an image of two people hugging, but it is still good.

This is something I challenge all of you to do.  Make a change in your own life.  Try to be the good.  Do what you can to make a difference in your own world and you will be amazed at where that takes you.

I recently found a way to help remind myself to do this every day.  Cents of Style has these awesome Tribe necklaces.  They are all inspirational phrases and/or words.

When you put on this necklace, it is like you put on a badge to remind yourself of what you will be.  You can Be The Good.  Remember that no matter what challenges life is going to throw at you that You Got This.  Be Fantastic.  Be Amazing.  Just be YOU.

You can find all sorts of amazing necklaces to help you remember to be positive about who you are.  And, right now, you can get one of these for just $11.99 shipped.  You will need to enter the code TRIBE4 at checkout in order to get the discount.

So, what is your message?  What is the good you want to share with the world?  What is your reason for the person you have become today?  Find a way to find the good in yourself and own it.  Share it.  Don’t hide it.

The post Being The Good in a World Filled With Bad appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

If you are like me, you get greeting cards for all sorts of occasions.  You might have received them for your wedding, baby shower, birthday….the list goes on and on.  You may not want to just throw them away, but what do you do with them?  Toss them into a box and let them sit there?

I’ve got a better solution for you.

Create your own Greeting Card Memory Book instead!!  It requires two things — hole punch and string.  That’s it!

See how awesome that looks?! And it’s so easy!

To start, find the cards you want to use to create your book. I like to keep mine together by occasion, but you could do it for a year or whatever you would like.

Next, stack your cards by placing them in size order with the smallest on the top.  This will be your pilot card.

Next, punch three holes along the folded edge of the card.  Center the next larger card behind the one you just punched.  Then, punch holes again so that they go through to the second card.  Repeat until all cards have been punched.

Use string or yarn and tie a bow through the holes so that they stay together.  I would recommend you first tie the center together and then move to the top and the bottom.

That’s it! Now your cards can be saved easily, and have actually formed into a memory book of sorts! I feel good knowing I can keep all my cards without sacrificing organization!

Oh!  And here’s a tip – if you want to know what year they were from, just create a small cover sheet to put on the top of the cards!

The post Greeting Card Memory Book appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Washi tape pencils are a fun way to bring color to one of the most boring school supplies!!  They are easy to make, esentially mess free and the kids can go crazy being creative!  Best of all, it takes only TWO simple products to make these yourself.

What a simple way to turn drab #2 pencils into something fun and awesome!

SUPPLIES

#2 Pencils
Washi Tape (colors and styles you like)
DIRECTIONS

Measure the length of your pencil  Cut the Washi tape to the same length. Beginning at the base of the eraser, gently apply the washi tape onto the pencil.  Press firm to attach, making sure to rub out any bubbles.  You may need two strips of washi tape in order to fully wrap the pencil.

That’s it – that is all it takes to make these fun pencils!

The post DIY Washi Tape Pencils appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

I absolutely love wearing big, drapey wraps. I love the drama and flow they add to my outfit, and I really like to have them in multiple colors and designs. I decided I was tired of paying so much for them, and that I was going to try to make my own.

SUPPLIES:

1 yard of fabric (recommend jersey)
Fabric scissors
Tape measure

Measure the distance between your shoulders, or where you would like for the wrap to hang.  Divide this number in half.  For example, if the distance is 18″, then the number you need to know is 9″.

Next, fold the fabric in half sideways (along the shorter end).  Measure over the number you determined above (in this case, it would be 9″).  Then, measure down 6″.  Now, make a slit in the fabric which is 8 – 10″ long. See the photo below for details.

Make sure to cut through both layers of the material when you make your cut, to ensure they are exactly the same. Once you’ve cut all the way through, you’re ready to wear your new garment!

With one cut, and one yard of material, you can have an adorable, flowy wrap that works with just about any outfit! Dress it up or dress it down, and chose your own color or pattern! I’m addicted and may have too many of these soon, due to how easy these are to make!

The post No-Sew Drape Wrap appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Office work can be such a pain, and yet a necessary evil. I always like to find some way to give some zest to my office products whenever I can. This week, I decided to breathe some life into my plain, boring clipboard!

Oh – and don’t forget that you can actually make your very own tearpad notepad too — no reason to pay people for the things you can make yourself!

SUPPLIES:

Clipboard
Epoxy
Buttons, beads, old jewelry – whatever you would like

This is so simple that it doesn’t even really require much of an explanation.  Just epoxy the items you love to the clip portion of the clipboard.  It will take up to 10 minutes for the epoxy to initially set and up to 24 hours for it to completely cure.  So make sure you set your items and then put the clipboard aside and do not use it until it is fully cured.

This is my final product! I really am in love with how it turned out. I’m so glad I saved those broken jewelry pieces and buttons! I knew they would come in handy some day, and this clipboard was the perfect place for them to be used!

Doesn’t it look so much better now that it’s not so plain? This would even make a good gift for someone who spends a lot of time in an office, or who loves office products! Have fun creating, and let your imagination go to work!

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Everyone does a guest book at their wedding.  We decided to do something different.  We did wedding books!

These were notebooks we placed on the reception tables and asked people to fill with their well wishes, their good advice, their fun stories, or whatever they felt inclined to write to the newlyweds. This helped to keep guests entertained, and have us something we could read over and over again long after the wedding day. Those books are something I cherish to this day, and I’m so glad we decided to make them!

Of course, we were on a tight budget for our wedding, so we made them ourselves.  They were affordable and very easy to make.  I had a great time making them with my family as it allowed us to spend more time together as we grew closer to our wedding day.

SUPPLIES:

Composition Books
Decorative Labels
Scrapbooking Stickers and Letters, Washi Tape, Glitter Tape etc.

Purchase composition books that are in your wedding colors. Remove the stickers on the front of the books, so you have a clean slate to start with.

Place your decorative label in the top center of your book first. If you have pretty handwriting (which, I do NOT), then you can write whatever you wish on the label. If you don’t, use scrapbooking sticker letters to “write” whatever you need to.

Some ideas for labels include:

• Wedding Date
• Mr. & Mrs.
• Your Monogram
• Last Name
• Wedding Book
• Well Wishes

Then, start decorating!!  You can use washi or glitter tape to make pretty designs, or to like the edges of the book to make it look a little more fancy. Just be creative! If you aren’t creative, get some friends or family members together who are, to help you!

See how much better these books look with just a few minutes, and a few stickers? They’re a ton of fun! What’s great is you can really fit them to any style of wedding! It can be glitzy, elegant, fun and flirty, shabby chic etc! Have fun making them, and then enjoy the messages for years to come!

The post DIY Wedding Books (Alternative to a Guest Book) appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

When I go on vacation, or celebrate holidays and birthdays with my family, I take a lot of pictures. I mean – a lot!  While they are digital and I can save them online, I actually prefer to print them out so I can look at them.

I always have good intentions to make an amazing scrapbook or even put the photos into an album, but it never happens.  If I don’t print them, they are on my computer and I only see them when I am looking for another photo.  Or, if I print them off, they end up in a box in my closet.

I’ve decided that I need to enjoy the photos I take.  That meant finding a way to look at them without much work on my part.

That is where my photo storage box came from. It was easy to make and now, these boxes make it simple to share photos with our family and friends when they come to visit.

SUPPLIES:

Stacking Index Boxes
Stickers
Markers

First of all, make sure you find a great deal to print your photos. If you are new to Shutterfly, you can always get 50 free 4×6 prints just for signing up!

Use stickers and/or markers to decorate the box.  You can make boxes for each event or keep photos together by the year….whatever you decide!

Our family ended up taking a couple of vacations this past year.  One of them was to St. Louis, MO and another was to Orlando, FL. I made vacation photo boxes for each trip!  I was even able to add in some of our little souvenirs into the box so we could see them when sharing our photos with our friends and family.

Like I mentioned above, the ideas are just endless! You could make boxes for]special events, birthdays, Christmases, school years, or anything you document on a regular basis, that you’d like to keep organized! I love this especially because these boxes stack. Now, some of them are on my bookshelf so I can see them and others are stacked neatly on my closet shelf (so I can find them when I want).

The post Easy Photo Storage Boxes appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

School is just around the corner!  Each year, it seems that no matter how original I think we are, my daughter ends up having the same back pack as other kids in her class.

While I have her name inside of her backpack, I don’t like to have it on the outside (for safety reasons).  As much as I tell her to make sure she gets her own, there have been times where she and a classmate end up with one another’s backpacks.

One way to set them apart is with a small charm.  My daughter and I actually make these ourselves instead of buying them.  They are fun and easy to make and help her to make sure she grabs the right backpack each and every time!

SUPPLIES:

Key ring
Paracord or ribbon
Plastic or wooden beads (larger holes will work better)
Hollow plastic animal
Box cutter or knife
Lighter

Cut the paracord or ribbon to about 12″ (we use paracord because it is stronger than ribbon).  Tie the paracord using a slip knot.  It should look like the image above.

Next, string beads onto the paracord.  You can purchase plastic colored beads or even paint small wooden beads to get the colors you want.  Just make sure that you use beads with larger holes as those will slide onto the cord a little easier.

After you have the beads strung, you can add your animal.  Use a knife or box cutter and cut a small x into the top of the animal and also into the bottom stomach.  Run both strings or ribbon through the animal and slide it into place.  Tie a secure knot to ensure it stays in place.

Trim off the extra ribbon or cord.  Use a lighter to lightly seal the ends of the cord to prevent fraying.

Once you are all finished, your backpack charm is ready to attach to your backpack!

The best thing about this is that your child can personalize it to make it their own.  By changing the colors and animal, they can make what they want.

This is a really FUN craft idea to make at a birthday party. Just have the cuts already made in the animals so that kids are not handling a knife or box cutter.  Also make sure an adult does the snipping and sealing with the lighter.

The post DIY Backpack Animal Charm appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

If you ask most kids where they would love to go on vacation and you may hear the same answer – Disney World!  It truly is a magical place, but because of the size, it can be overwhelming trying to plan your trip.  You can get some help by getting your own planning DVD by clicking the banner above.

This summer, we finally were able to realize one of the dreams for our kids.  We took them on an amazing Disney World vacation.

They had the BEST time! I think that one of my favorite moments was when we were eating lunch one day and the cast member was talking to our son.  He was so embarrassed when she announced that he was looking for a girlfriend. I think he turned every shade of red I’ve ever seen!

From the rides, to the cast members and even the accommodations, it was truly an amazing time.  Of course, we couldn’t have made it happen without great planning!

Right now, you should request your own Disney Planning DVD – just click the link above!!.  It has the best tips and tricks to ensure that you book what you need for your family.

We loved using this while planning our trip as it helped us not only find some discounts, but it also allowed us to look at some of the attractions (which helped us plan our daily Fast Pass rides).

If you want to go to Disney, you can do it.  You just need to do some planning.

Check out these other posts to help you get the most out of your Disney vacation!!

Five Tricks for Planning your Disney Vacation on a Budget

Ways to Save on Park Admission Tickets

Saving Money on Food and Drinks at Disney

The post Best Trick For Planning Your Disney Vacation appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

Recently, my husband stumbled upon a box of Hostess Milky Way Brownies while we were grocery shopping. He had to have them. After his first brownie, though, he was kind of disappointed. They just weren’t as awesome as he wanted them to be, and not as decadent as the picture on the box depicted.

So I decided to make my own version — copycat Hostess Milky Way Brownies! They turned out amazing, and he’s in love!! They’re so easy to make, and much cheaper than buying a box of the Hostess brand too! I highly recommend using the Wilton Perfect Brownie Pan. It made my brownies awesome, and just the right size!

Copycat Hostess Milky Way Brownies

Print Recipe

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Copycat Hostess Milky Way Brownies

• Author: Sammie
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Yield: 12
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

• Box of brownie mix
• 1 Milky Way candy bar, chopped
• Hershey’s Caramel Ice Cream Syrup
• Wilton Perfect Brownie Pan

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Mix brownies according to package instructions and bake in the brownie pan (so worth it)
2. Once baked, remove the brownies from the pan and allow to col on a cooling rack for fifteen to thirty minutes.
3. Drizzle the Hershey’s Caramel Syrup over the top of the cooled brownies.
4. Sprinkle Milky Way pieces on top of the brownie.
5. Enjoy!

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