A Bucket List to Stave Off Post-Election Blues

Click on image to download the PDF.

To take my mind off this numbing election, I’m diving headfirst into my writing. Yup, another book is in progress. While others turn outward and do advocacy work, protesting or just remaining angry in general, being the introvert that I am, I prefer to turn inward and tune into my creativity to help me feel better.

I relate to Garrison Keillor’s quote: “We are so exhausted from thinking about this election, millions of people will take up leaf-raking and garage cleaning with intense pleasure.” I’m also looking forward to experimenting with a “no-poo” shampoo concoction to help my hair get some bounce back, finding a recipe for the best damn mashed potatoes ever, and finally mindlessly cleaning the house for the holidays.

And, another goal: getting serious about letting the word out that my new book, Ditch the Coupons, is out. Whatever happens to our economy, there’s no lack of books and other info out there to help us save money in our own corner of the world, and I hope Ditch the Coupons can help. I know it can help. I’m also happy to say that the book reached Top 100 (paid) in Amazon’s Home + Craft Cleaning category (because it discusses decluttering your life of coupons and living simply). I was able to catch that great surprise a few times even though Amazon’s ranking and numbers fluctuate by the hour (or minute so it seems).

If you’re interested to find more out about the book, read here and here.

If you’re interested in reading a free copy of the book for an honest review, email me at msyarto@gmail.com.

Hang in there, folks, and here’s to ditching those coupons during the next four years!

~Marilyn, TFF

If You Hate Coupons, This Post Is For You!

Where the coupons are nowadays in my house. Photo: Marilyn, TFF

As I mention in my new book, Ditch the Coupons, I’m a former coupon-a-holic. I gave workshops on how to coupon, I couponed, I preached couponing, people wrote about how I coupon and I was on tv and radio discussing how I coupon. I did love couponing for a long time. It was a great game to play. Until I became fed up with the whole thing and at the same time lost my source of free coupons (I mean lots and lots of free coupons). Then, I was just a pedestrian couponer, relying on measly coupon offerings online and from the Sunday paper.

Make It Monday: Worth-It Fast and Fabulous Recipes for Clean Eating

Achieve wealth with health! Start here with a holiday gift to yourself and/or loved one.

How is clean-eating worth it? As an investment in your health, your long-term healthcare savings account and health of our planet! As an advocate of clean-eating and frugal, sustainable living, I got chosen to be one of Lisa Leake’s new cookbook ambassadors 🙂. In the New 100 Days of Real Food: Fast & Fabulous cookbook, released last Tuesday, learn how clean-eating with real food can be budget-friendly and doable with easy-to-find ingredients. Scroll down to get another sample recipe, in addition to last week’s here.

Frustrated Shoppers: Don’t Act Out at the Customer Service Desk

Maybe the universe is giving me fodder for posts. Twice this week, I’ve returned items to the store that were spoiled or poor quality. (Do you wonder what the folks at the Customer Service desk think when they see you coming? “Oh no, not her again!”)

We consider ourselves to be smart shoppers, right? So how do these things happen? Well, luck of the draw, but most likely we are in a rush when we are shopping. We have to slow down and inspect things and that’ll save us time and money.

What I Did With Inedible Oranges

(Canning…I can cross it off my bucket list.)

**Important Note: The following post may inspire you to try canning. If so, please read the comments below the post for safety tips. There are many safety issues regarding canning, which are essential to know before seriously taking on this hobby. Please use the post below as an inspiration, not a tutorial. Thank you! Marilyn, TFF

Homemade jelly!

Yesterday’s post on inedible fruit made me realize I had to act quick before it all spoiled. I have made orange cookies before, so that was not a challenge. So…I canned the oranges into orange jelly! (I still have those bruised apples to contend with…) My box of $3.99 tangerines turned into an additional $15 worth of items for canning.

I’m fairly certain there are very few canners in our town – even the local Bed, Bath & Beyond told me they don’t sell canning jars (shock!). Five stores later at a Stop & Shop, I found a decent deal of four jars for $5, not too terrible for starting out. (Luckily, I had the time yesterday to do this.)

Here’s my Canning 101 in a Day Course (I literally learned how to can the oranges in a day and I hope I did it right!). I quickly read up on canning on other sites that had Canning 101 articles. I figured it “looked” easy so why not try it out.

What Do I Do With a Bin Full of Ugly & Unedible Fruit?

Seeds to the left, bruises to the right. I’m stuck with fruit my family won’t eat, so I have to get creative in the kitchen and quickly before the fruit really . Photo: TFF

Though it’s been said that households around the country throw out 40% of purchased food a year (National Resources Defense Council), I like to say that I try to throw out a lot less of that in our house. I’m stuck with some bad fruit purchases and I refuse to throw the whole thing out.