Mary Lynn's Treasures

All Money Saver's Need This!

2008-12-05T14:25:00.000-06:00

Do you clip coupons? If so, check out this organizer. If you don't clip coupons you are missing out big on the savings at the register. The Couponizer is so much more than just an organizer. It is a money saving system that has a wire bound booklet, guide to Smart Savings, a presorting coupon mat, Shopping list, a record to keep up with money savings, Scissors, and a carrying bag. With the way the economy has been lately and the rise in food cost, coupons can help you save while you shop at the grocery store.

Until 12/31/08 you can order 2 Couponizers and get a 3rd half price and get a free calculator with your order. CLick on the banner to place your order today.

Happy Holidays!!!

2008-11-29T14:38:00.003-06:00

I can't beleive that it is already Christmas season. Seems like it was not long ago that Christmas was here before. We have just 25 Shopping days left before the big day. My daughter has been writing her letter to Santa, which is now 3 pages long, lol.

I would like to share a site that I have come across. PackageFromSanta.com is a site that offers Personalized Letters From Santa. Your child will be overjoyed to get a letter and more from Santa. Click the banner to see what packages are available.

Check out my Auctiva store!

2008-11-15T18:08:00.002-06:00

I finally took time today to set up an account with Auctiva. I have become a frequent eBayer and decided that it would be a great addition. I will have coupons, home decor, girl's clothing, women's clothing, handmade jewelry and more. With the economy being the way it has been I suspect alot of people will be checking out eBay for gifts this year. Click on the image to go to my site.

Delayed Update

2008-11-15T17:57:00.002-06:00

I AM CANCER FREE!!!!!!!!!!! I found out at the beginning of the week and obviously very happy. God has taken care of me well. It is just a cyst that can be reduced with meds. Thanks for all that sent me encouraging emails.

Great Freebie Opportunity

2008-11-04T18:00:00.002-06:00

I know you have heard me mention the Ebay Selling Coach blog before, so I thought I would share with you a GIVEAWAY that she is offering. Suzanne is giving away $57 worth of BOGO coupons from YANKEE CANDLE to a very lucky reader. CLICK HERE. While you are there take a look at all the helpful tips that she has about Ebay and then go join her group on Facebook.

Update

2008-10-29T14:20:00.001-05:00

A few of you have emailed me about the test for my breast cancer scare and I have not heard anything from them yet. Thanks for all of the support that I have received by email.

HAVE YOU NOTICED......

2008-10-29T12:39:00.004-05:00

...that more people are talking about being frugal. Since the economy has made people second guess their money, everyone is trying to find ways to spend less but still live good. It has brought more attention to homemade cleaners, homemade gifts, freebies, bartering, saving money, and more. My friend came over today and the topic that we got stuck on was Xmas Gifts. She has 3 children that range in the age of 4 years old through 10 years old. Naturally they have seen all the ads of the new toys for the season and have already included them on their growing Santa Wish List. Her concern was the prices have risen on toys as well as everything else in the retail world. I asked if she had ever shopped online and she had said that she has only ever purchased one thing ever online. Man, where has she been, lol. I then went to my computer and then asked her what one of the toys was that her children wanted. Her daughter wanted a Hannah Montona Guitar. I then went to Ebay (one of my favorite shopping sites) and did a search for the item. We found one that was almost half of what our local stores wants for it. That got her attention big time and then I explained what great experience I have had with purchasing things on Ebay. After I saw she was hooked on the idea, I introduced her to another site called BIG CRUMBS. The site offers cash back on Ebay (See site for more info) and many more big name stores. She sees the point in how you can save money by shopping online and doing research on the product you want.

SOME FREEBIES

2008-10-29T09:59:00.002-05:00

Turtle Chex Mix Bar

Betty Crocker Potatos

Haydee Chocolate Truffles

Are you a Candle Lover? Need a Gift Idea?

2008-10-23T07:51:00.005-05:00

I love Creative Scentsations. She offers Homemade candles and the cutest burners, holders, and accessories that I have seen on the net. Candles are something that make great gifts for the holidays. There is a wide range of scents available and she currently has a large selection of holders and burners listed. Please take the time to check the site out at Creative Scentsations. If you have any questions please email me at marylynnstreasures@gmail.com.

Hi All!

2008-10-23T07:25:00.004-05:00

It has been awhile since I last posted. There has been alot going on lately and I have had less time to be on the internet. I have been busy with my data entry job, ebay, and I am currently waiting on test results that will determine if I have Breast Cancer. I have not been able to focus lately because the first test results came back as a big concern. I went to the doctor to get a mamagram and a large mass was found in my left breast. Cancer does run in my family, my dad's mom is battling breast cancer herself at this very moment. The thought of this life changing event in my life is not only scary because of my health problems it will cause but the fact that I am a single mom scares me more. Her father is in and out of her life and he currently is not a good role model for a child to look up to. My family is close and will help me with her, if indeed I do have breast cancer, but of course my thoughts go to the fact that I could die from the cancer and miss seeing her grow up. I have about 1 week more to go for my test results to come back to my doctor. Well enough of the sad stuff...

Ebay has become a huge thing for me lately. I opened my own store, Click here to see. I have lots of things currently listed. I have to tell you that I am learning alot from a blog that I found on the net called Ebay Selling Coach. She has been selling on Ebay since 2003 and offers latest selling trends and hot items to pick up and sell. You have to go and check it out. I am now about to start selling worldwide. Ebay can be an income booster if you really get into it and do your research on what is hot and selling now.

Well I will be posting more through out the day and hope that you try out the blog I recommended above. Please feel free to comment on my post and any others that you want.

Halloween Costume

2008-10-08T08:45:00.003-05:00

My daughter is 7 and in recent years she has been piglet, tinkerbell, a pumpkin, snow white and now she is wanting to be Cinderella. I looked at Wal-mart and saw that the prices for a costume was going to be $24.99 for the dress. I decided not to pay that price and went to Ebay for a better solution. After looking on Ebay for one I noticed that the costumes on there are cheaper (if you check out the lowest priced + shipping under best matches) I have placed a bid on one and it ends in a couple of days. So before you go spend money on a costume check out Ebay.

Grocery Shopping Tips

2008-10-04T22:26:00.000-05:00

Grocery shopping is something that every person has to do. It is, with most families, a time consuming task of life. With the rise in the gas and grocery prices, it is becoming more and more important to be well prepared for your shopping trip so that you won’t forget items needed or spend more than you intend. A friend that has went with me from time to time shopping asked me for my grocery shopping tips. I thought I would share them with all of you also.

1. NEVER shop hungry. The temptation to spend extra will begin at the door. Have you ever noticed how they have some kind of junk food positioned near the entrance? My local Wal-Mart and Kroger both have their bakery’s at the front door.

2. Make a LIST. Start by making a list of meals you are planning to have. Once you have that list, start making another list with the ingredients for the meals that you don’t have in your house. Then you can add any cooking basics that you need to add to your list such as milk, eggs, oil, and spices.

3. Bring your CALCULATOR. I found a calculator at my local Dollar Tree store that has a cord designed so that I can wear it around my neck. That was the best $1 I have ever spent. The calculator will keep you very aware of what you are going to be giving away at the register. It may also help you hold off urges when you see the total skyrocket up as you shop. You may want to set a budget and stick to it.

4. Use COUPONS. I know most people hate these pesky paper things but they are such a money saver. There are some stores where you can double the amount on the coupon. An example is I had a coupon for Fiber One Granola Bars that offered 0.50 off of one box, which at my Kroger they double it to make it $1 off. At the same time there was a sale at Kroger and they had them on sale for $2 a box. With the coupon and sale combined I only paid $1 plus tax.
5. PRICE COMPARE. Do you get ads on Tuesday from all of your local supermarkets like I do? Check with the stores that you do shop at and see if they price compare. My local Wal-Mart will price compare if the ad shows specific brands and descriptions of the items. The only thing that Wal-Mart won’t price compare is if the ad says an item is “Buy One Get One Free”. You can save big by doing this.

6. REBATES. I have found rebates in magazines, coupon section in the newspaper, and I have even printed some of them from the brands websites. You can earn some cash back by keeping your receipts and barcodes for the items.

7. Store DISCOUNT CARDS. My local Kroger has the “Kroger Plus Card” that saves you when you swipe it at the register. That is how you get the prices you find in the store with sales or special discounts. You can go to the customer service desk to sign up at participating stores.

8. Buy STORE BRANDS. That’s right, don’t be afraid of them just because they don’t have the big nationally known brand logo on the package. Take the time to look at the ingredients on a brand name item and compare it to a store brand version and you will see that the ingredients are almost the same.

9. DO NOT buy any item that is merchandised around the register. It is a shopper’s trap that they stores well place. Items that are usually put near the register are rarely on sale and the food items that are put there are most of the time junk food that you don’t need.

10. Last tip is to TAKE A LOOK at your cart before you check out and see if there is anything in the cart that can be taken out (such as any temptations that did make it in the cart). Get your coupons in your hand that you are going to give to the cashier and any ads that you are going to need to show the cashier for a price comparison deal. A tip on price comparison is to have the cashier check those items out at the end so it can cut down on any confusion.

I hope that these 10 tips can help you find some savings in your grocery bills. Try keeping at least four grocery receipts and compare them from trip to trip and see how you are progressing in your mission to save. You might have to alter your efforts around the holidays if you cook for a large gathering. The main thing is to set a budget and stick to it.

Do You Take Your Lunch to Work?

2008-10-03T13:27:00.004-05:00

Start taking your lunch and save money. A friend that works in a store in the mall was a person that bought her lunch everyday in the food court. She said that would average around $30 to $40 a week. She then decided to take her lunch for a whole week and see how much she would save. For the week she took soup in a tupperware container that she had homemade, sub sandwiches she made, apple juice that she put in a portable container, and she carried a brownie a day that she homemade. She took her receipts that had her totals for the things she purchased to make her lunches and it came up to $15. She realized that she had been wasting $15 to $20 a week. She has been carrying her lunches for 2 months now and still watches how much she saves. Try fixing yourself a homemade lunch and watch how much you will save.

JOIN QUAKER MOMS CARE CLUB

2008-09-27T13:59:00.004-05:00

This neat club gives you newsletters that give you all of the facts about being a youth volunteer and also from time to time will send you discounts and Quaker products.

Join here

FRIDAY FREEBIES

2008-09-26T07:52:00.004-05:00

Free 2009 Wildlife Calendar

http://wildlifegifts.com/calendar.lasso

Bertolli's Premium Sauce

http://www.condenet.com/promo/bertolli/sweeps/saucegiveaway/entry/long/

Mom's Vote "08" Bumper Sticker

http://www.sweetfreestuff.com/free-moms-vote-08-bumper-clinger/

Wal-Mart Freebies

Cascade Complete All-in-1 Action Pacs

Pledge Multi-Surface Wipes

Benefiber

Crest toothpaste

Jergen's Natural

Nicorette starter pack

http://www.wal-mart.com/

SAVE MONEY AND SHOP ON EBAY

2008-09-25T15:12:00.003-05:00

Have you heard that there is a store that gives cash back on EBay transactions? Big Crumbs is a great site to shop from. It has every store that is online that you can think of, including Ebay.

That's right, you can save money on some fashions on EBay. You can also buy "Lots" that contain several pieces of clothing that is the same size. Take time and go to EBay and click on clothing. I have found some great stuff there and this is a definate money saver. There are clothes for all sizes, including children and infants. Right now there are alot of long sleeve clothes on EBay.

FRUGAL BISCUIT RECIPE

2008-09-23T09:48:00.006-05:00

Prices at the grocery store is going up due to the increase in price in gas. I myself have made adjustments in my grocery shopping due to it. I call these changes adjustments because they are not sacrafices, but things that I can do differently with the same results. Have you noticed the price of biscuits these days? Here at my local Wal-Mart they have seen a 30 cent increase in price. Biscuits are a huge food item in my house because my daughter loves them for breakfast every morning. I don't buy the biscuits in the stores anymore. Here is an easy recipe that is great with sausage or jelly. It is easy to do and your family will love them and you will save money as you make them.

Things needed:

Baking Sheet

1 biscuit cutter

Mixing Bowl

Rolling Pin

Basting Brush

2 cups of Bisquick (save money and get the store brand)

3/4 cup of 2% Milk

2 tablespoons of melted butter

Oven details:

Preheat the oven at 475 degrees

Steps to make:

1. Mix Bisquick and Milk together until a soft dough forms.

2. Flour a surface and turn the dough out on to surface.

3. Knead the dough by folding it over about 4 to 5 times.

4. Roll the dough out til it is about 1 inch thick.

5. Use your cutter to cut out your biscuits.

6. Place them on a greased baking sheet.

7. Baste your biscuits with the melted butter.

8. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Tip:

*If you like cheese biscuits add 1 cup of cheddar to your recipe.

*Freeze cut out biscuits (uncooked) and cook what you need, when you need them

FREEBIE SITES TO SUBSCRIBE TOO

2008-09-20T10:58:00.001-05:00

When a new product comes out, most manufacturers come out with a sample of the item for potential customers to try in hopes that the customer will start purchasing the item. That in turn starts the word of mouth marketing of the product. If you know of a new product that you would like to try, go to the manufacturer's website and check under promotions or samples to see if a sample is available. Another way to know of new samples is to join a samples site that gives you a list of what samples are available on the net. Here are a few sites that do that.

http://www.shop4freebies.com
http://afreebieempire.com
http://www.freebiesgalaxy.com

DO YOU DRINK COKE?

2008-09-19T07:20:00.003-05:00

Although drinking sodas is not frugal, some can't resist it and buy them. Coke has a program called My Coke Rewards. In the tops of the 20 oz. bottles and printed on the inside of the 24 pack cokes there is a code that you can go to their website and enter. You can enter 10 codes a day. Once you rack some points up check out the rewards section and cash in for a prize. I cashed in back at the beginning of this year for a free 12 pack coke. There is some neat stuff in the reward section to get. Click here to go to My Coke Rewards.

SUNSILK STRAIGHT TO PERFECTION SHAMPOO

2008-09-17T22:04:00.003-05:00

I have used Panetene Shampoo for a long time and I grew unhappy with the results of how my hair felt and ease of style was after each shampooing. I had saw a commercial for Sunsilk Straight to Perfection Shampoo and decided to give it a try. Boy am I glad I tried it. My hair is so silky smooth and so easy to style now. My daughter is 7 and has hair that tangles easy. I received a free bottle of the Sunsil conditioner with the purchase of the shampoo and tried it on her hair and her hair now styles with ease. If you have straight hair and want it to shine and feel like silk definately give this a try.

FREEBIES

2008-09-17T18:45:00.005-05:00

Here are some freebies:

Free Mr Clean Magic Eraser- Share how you use Magic Eraser and get a free sample
http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/sharethelove.do

Free 4 color mivodesign Pen
http://www.mivodesign.com/freepen/index.htm

Free Gimbal's Gourmet Jelly Bean Sample
http://beta.candydirect.com:8222/Sample/SampleForm.aspx?id=3

Free tote from Natures Bounty for signing up for Nature's Bounty Rewards Program for Free
http://www.naturesbounty.com/totebag/index.aspx#loyaltylabLogo

Free Sears Christmas Wish Book
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/ordercatalog_10153_12605_Wish%20Book?adCell=A3&sid=I0084400010000100600&aff=Y

SOME FRUGAL TIPS FOR YOU

2008-09-17T16:21:00.005-05:00

Here are some frugal tips for you to consider:

*Cut out all those expensive sodas and drink water. It is healthier for you.

*Use Public Transportation as much as possible. I know that when I briefly lived in Atlanta I used what they call the "Marta" and saved big time. Think of the gas money you will be keeping in your wallet.

*Shop for clothes on the clearance racks or if you have a great thrift store in your town go there for shopping.

*Check out your movies from the library instead of renting them.

*When you need big ticket items check your local For Sale classifieds. For example, A year ago I needed a new fridge and I started looking at fridges at the appliance stores and noticed that the cheapest deal was for $500. I then looked in the classifieds and found one that looked brand new and absolutely perfect for $200 (it was even bigger than the one at the stores). I happy to report that my fridge is still working great and I was happy to save $300 on my purchase.

*Don't buy books, check them out at the library.

*Collect all extra change in a piggy bank and cash it in after it gets full. I have done this several times and one time I had $200.

* Cut down on the loads of laundry by declaring one or two days "laundry days" and make your family stick to it. You can save money by using less detergent and water by combining loads of clothes. I have a friend that has 8 in the house counting her and her husband and they started doing this laundry system and was surprised at how much they saved on detergent by combining loads.

*For cleaning products you can buy store brands or make your own.

*Cut, sort, and use coupons that come in the newspaper every Sunday.

*Plan meals before you go to the grocery store and make a specific list for the items needed. Watch your sale ads for any great deals.

*A lot of oil change places have what is known as "Ladies Day", for which they offer discounted services.

FRUGAL RECIPE SITE

2008-09-17T15:14:00.004-05:00

I found a site that has some great tasting recipes that won't break the bank and is full of tips and guidelines to help you plan a frugal menu. You even have the opportunity to share any original recipes that you have created. I love this site myself for all of the recipes.

Frugal Recipes

GREAT FRUGAL FORUMS TO CHECKOUT!

2008-09-17T12:18:00.005-05:00

Frugal living is not a chore it is a way of life that you can adapt. It is just the matter of changing your everyday mindset. Here are some forums that I found that will help you start to get ideas of where to start.

MONEY SAVING TIPS

2008-09-02T21:29:00.004-05:00

I found a site that has 51 great money saving tips that will get you started thinking on the right track. Click here to read the article.

HEY ALL!

2008-08-26T16:49:00.004-05:00

I have been busy in the last few days prepping for my upcoming BIG yard sale that I am having on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I hope the weather will be decent for it. I thought I would share another site that I have come across that is a fun but thrifty site to be a part of. Check out Thrifty Fun. It is a site that I just saw a post about in a yahoo group I belong to. It is a community for others who have great ideas on ways to be thrifty on almost anything. You can't miss checking it out.

CHRISTMAS MONEY SAVERS

2008-08-22T11:48:00.005-05:00

As we all know Christmas is the most expensive holiday that most people actively celebrate. With the trend of the economy taking turns for the worst, it leaves people that traditionally go big on Christmas wondering how they are going to buy the gifts that they want to get. I myself are going to try to give gifts that are frugal but will match the person that I am getting the gift for. I found a neat site that gives you frugal ideas for gifts. Click Here to check it out. You can get a few of these and put in a gift bag or you can do a basket (like a bath & body style basket that you get from a dollar store). Another idea is to draw names on Thanksgiving and just get the person that you chose a gift. Sometimes my family does dirty Santa, which can be a lot of fun. There are ways to get creative and still be able to enjoy Christmas.

GET A COUPON FOR A FREE CALISTOGA WATER

2008-08-21T17:56:00.003-05:00

Fill out the one question survey and then fill in the address prompts to get a coupon for a free 4 or 6 pack of Sparkle or Still Calistoga Water. I thought this was a good one to share with you.freebies.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE CHEAPEST GAS IS IN YOUR AREA?

2008-08-21T13:35:00.006-05:00

If you are like others you are trying to save money where ever you can. Try going to this website that I found Gas Buddy and enter your zip code. That will make a list of gas stations come up that is in your area and will give you the prices they are selling gas for.

MY FAVORITE COUPON SITE

2008-08-21T09:47:00.003-05:00

Since I became a WAHM I have been on a quest to learn how to save money. One way that I do so is to clip coupons. I clip all of the coupons every Sunday and organize them. I never leave home without coupons when I know I am going to a store. The Coupon mom is a site that has lots of features to help the consumer save money at their local grocery store and it is FREE. I like that you can look up your local stores on their site by zip code and see all of the current deals that is offered. There is also the Sunday Paper coupon database that you can even get alerts on when your favorite items come out with a coupon. How neat is that. There is a section to print coupons from. If you are going out to eat, take time to check out the restaurant coupon database to see if you can get a deal and if you shop online check out the section for Online Coupon Codes to see if you can save by using one. Last but definately not least, check out the free ebooks that teach you methods on how to become a coupon guru. I can't say enough about this site.

If you are interested in becoming a coupon guru check out this site for a tool to help you take the first steps to coupon savings.

Hi everyone! Welcome to my blog.

2008-08-21T07:51:00.001-05:00

I guess I will start by telling a little about myself. I have been a work at home mom for 2 years now. I got a great opportunity from a friend that was running an office in healthcare and took it. I do data entry from home for the office and turn in my work 2 times a week by going to the office and linking to the network. I usually spend 5-6 hours daily on it. I can say that I don't miss going into work like I used to but at times miss the interaction with other people. My daughter, Courtney, is 7 years old and has started the 2nd grade. We like all of the quality time we get because of my new job. Before I was a work at home mom I was a retail manager that worked around 60-80 hours a week and seemed to never get to have a lot of mommy and daughter time. I love what I do now. Because of my change in lifestyle do the move to work-at-home, I started to look into great finds on the internet to save money. I am amazed at how my spending and general need for things has changed. I started this blog so that I can share with others what I find on the internet and if I come across a great product I will definately let you know. Now that gas prices have been extremely high, I am sure glad that I don't have to use much as I would if I worked outside of the home.