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Great Giveaway: Coupon binder bag!

November 2, 2009 by

My friend Misty recently started a blog that you should check out! She is also very crafty and her most recent addition is a super cute coupon binder bag that she will custom make for you! Check out this awesome giveaway here!

Here are the details of her giveaway: (remember you need to click HERE to enter) – I am not giving this away, Misty is!

On Saturday Nov. 7 around 9:00am EST I’ll be giving one away- I’ll even let you custom the fabric! (Please give me 5 days to sew and ship)- I’ll even include a start-up of 10 baseball card holders and a few bonus coupons!

Here’s how to win! Remember to leave a seperate comment for each entry-

1. Leave me a comment telling me what fabric combination you like- polka dots only, polkadot/plaid combination, or plaid only- and either brown or black (not pictured) base and handles- or if this isn’t your style what colors and print would you like!

2. Become a follower and leave a comment telling me you are.

3. Post on facebook or your own blog about the giveaway and leave a comment with a link.

Filed Under: freebies, giveaways

Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 11/2

November 2, 2009 by

If you’re new to my weekly post, our breakfasts are “on the go” – things like cereal, Pop Tarts, and waffles mainly with scrambled eggs thrown in there every now and then. I do try to cook “real” breakfasts on the weekends, but I am not always good about planning ahead for that. Our lunches are also “on the go” – sandwiches for my daughter and salads, leftovers, or frozen meals for me (my son eats at daycare and my husband fends for himself!)

If you have blogged a menu plan for the week (or even just a favorite recipe), please feel free to comment and share your link. I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration and will be happy to share a link to your blog if we try your recipe!

If you need inspiration, check out the weekly meal plans from hundreds of other bloggers here at Organizing Junkie.
SUNDAY: Shells & cheese – We had a big family luncheon earlier today at my parent’s house and I wasn’t even hungry come dinner time. This is what my kids wanted and it was a quick, easy fix, so I was happy to oblige.

MONDAY: Honey lime enchiladas – This was originally on my menu last week, but it didn’t happen, so we’re adding it back to the menu this week. I originally got this from Marci’s blog. When I make this, I cook the chicken in the crockpot the night before and then just put it all together that morning so I just have to throw it in the oven when I get home!

Ingredients:
6 T honey
5 T lime juice (1 large lime)
1 T chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used leftovers from my slow cooker chicken)
8-10 flour tortillas (I used 12 corn)
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Directions:
-Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
-Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.
-Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.
-Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (I didn’t have any extra marinade).
-Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
-Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

TUESDAY: Creamy potato soup (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
5 lb of potatoes, peeled, raw, and diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 pound cooked bacon (I used real bacon pieces)
1 package cream cheese
1 onion (I omit this)

Grease slow cooker. Place diced potatoes on bottom. Cube the cream cheese and place the pieces on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the bacon on top. Add the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Cook for 7-8 hours in crock pot on low.

WEDNESDAY: Crispy ranch chicken – This is another carry over from last week – I found this recipe on Marci’s blog, too. I’ve got a bunch of Rice Krispies from the Randalls cereal deal a few weeks ago, and I figured this would be a great way to use them and something my kids would like.

Ingredients:
-2 c crispy rice cereal
-1/2 c grated Parmesan Cheese
-1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix (1 oz)
-2 egg whites
-8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I plan to use chicken breasts)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cereal, cheese and salad dressing mix in a large bowl.
-Place beaten egg whites in a medium bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the eggs and then in the cereal mixture to coat evenly.
-Arrange the coated chicken on the baking sheet. Bake until golden and juices run clear, 20-25 minutes.

THURSDAY: Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf – I have never tried this recipe before, but it sounded good. I found it on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients
* 12 ounces chopped raw bacon
* 1 small white onion, chopped
* 5 button mushrooms, chopped
* 1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup evaporated milk
* 6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese, divided
* 1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the pieces are browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Stir in onions and mushrooms, and cook until soft. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, stir together beef, egg, and milk. Stir in the onion and mushrooms. Mix in about 4 ounces of Swiss cheese, and all but 1 tablespoon of bacon. Stir in cornflake crumbs, and mix until well blended. Shape into a loaf, and place in a meatloaf pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Drain fat, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Return to oven, and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

FRIDAY: Pizza rigatoni (slow cooker) – This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds bulk Italian sausage
3 cups uncooked rigatoni or large tube pasta
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (one 15 ounces, one 8 ounces) pizza sauce
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained and halved

Directions:
In a skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer half of the sausage, pasta, cheese, soup, onion, pizza sauce, pepperoni and olives. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Yield: 6-8 servings.

SATURDAY: Pork sammies – I got a great deal on pork loin and pork roasts a few weeks ago at the grocery store, and these are quick and easy to make!

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. boneless pork roast
2 onions, chopped (I omit this)
12 oz. BBQ sauce of your choice
1/4 c. honey
rolls

Directions:

Place meat in slow cooker. Add onions, bbq sauce and honey. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. At that time the pork should break apart easily and shred with a couple of forks. After you shred it, serve it on rolls.

*Serving suggestion! Place provolone cheese slices on bolillo rolls along with mayonnaise. Toast the rolls open faced with cheese and mayo in a 350 degree oven for about 5-6 minutes before adding the pork and serving.

Filed Under: Menu Planning Monday

Disclosure policy

November 1, 2009 by

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Filed Under: disclosure

Walgreens deals for the week of 11/1: ideas for newbies and rolling your RR

November 1, 2009 by


RR DEALS:

This is not a “hot” week at Walgreens, but there are still some options for “newbies” to earn RR without spending much out of pocket and for those who have RR to “roll” them (you will lose some when you roll them, though).

*Buy Alka-Seltzer Plus – 2/$10, get a $3 RR
$1/1 Alka Seltzer printable here
$1/1 Alka Seltzer Plus – Walgreens Healthy Savings coupon book

SCENARIO:
Buy 2 Alka Seltzer (must get Day/Night variety to use the printable coupons) – 2/$10

use 2 $1/1 printables
use Walgreens Healthy Savings book coupon (will deduct $2)

Spend $6, get a $3 RR

*Buy Aussie, Herbal Essences, or Pantene – 2/$7, get a $2 RR
$1/1 Aussie product – 10-11 PG insert
Buy Herbal Essence shampoo or conditioner, get a free styler – 10-11 PG insert
$1/2 Pantene products – 10-11 PG insert

SCENARIO:
Buy 1 Herbal Essence Shampoo
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler

Use Free styler WYB shampoo/conditioner coupon

Spend $3.50 OOP, get a $2 RR

*Buy Blistex – $2.49, get a $1.50 RR

*Buy Claritin Allergy relief (40 ct Liqui-gels or 45 ct tablets) – $24.99, get a $5 RR
$2/1 printable on claritin.com

*Buy Dial foaming hand or yogurt soap or 3 pack bar soap – $1.99, get a $1 RR
.35/1 Dial Multibar Pack, Foaming Hand Wash or Liquid Hand Soap

*Buy Gillette or Old Spice Body Wash (12 or 18 oz), Tag or Old Spice Body Spray (3.5-4 oz), Old Spice/Secret/Gillette Antiperspirant/deodorant – 2/$8, get a $2 RR
$2/2 Gillette deodorant – 9-27 PG insert
Free Gillette body wash when you buy Gillette deodorant – 11-1 PG insert
$1/1 Gillette deodorant – 11-1 PG insert
$1/2 Old Spice antiperspirant/deodorant – 9-27 PG insert
$2/2 Secret Flawless, Fresh Effects, Scent Exprssions, or Smooth Effects – 9-27 PG insert

SCENARIO:
Buy 1 Gillette deodorant
Buy 1 Gillette body wash

Use free body wash WYB deodorant coupon
Use $1/1 Gillette deodorant coupon

Spend $4 OOP, get a $2 RR

*Buy Gillette Fusion or Venus razor system – $8.99, get a $3 RR
$2/1 Gillette Fusion razor – PG Year of Savings booklet

*Buy Glade products – $3.99, get a $1 RR (includes 2 pk PlugIns scented oil refill and 4.5 oz soy candle)
$1/1 Glade Fragrance Collection 2 oz soy based candle or 4.9 oz soy candle – 10-4 SS
$1/2 Glade Plug-Ins scented oil refills printable here
$2/1 Glade Reed diffuser, 3 wick soy-based candle, 4.9 oz soy candle, 2 2 oz soy based candles printable here

SCENARIO:
Buy 1 Glade scented oil candle – $3.99

use $2/1 printable

Spend $1.99 OOP, get a $1 RR

*Buy Head & Shoulders Shampoo or conditioner – 2/$8, get a $1 RR

*M&Ms – 2/$5, get a $1 RR

*Mars or Dove Minis/Holiday candy – 2/$6, get a $1 RR

*Buy Mucinex (14 or 20 ct) – 2/$20, get a $5 RR
$1/1 Mucinex – 10-11 SS insert

*Buy Nivea skin care – $6.99, get a $1 RR

*Buy Omron automatic blood pressure monitor – $44.99 or $74.99, get a $5 RR

*Buy Olay (23.6 oz) body wash or Natural Instincts hair color – 2/$12, get a $2 RR
$1/2 Olay Bodywashes, Bar Packs or In-Shower Body Lotions – 10-11 PG insert
$2/1 Natural Instincts – 10-11 PG insert

*Buy Oral B Advantage Plus toothbrushes (4 pk) – $5.49, get a $1.50 RR
$1/1 Oral-B Pulsar, CrossAction, Advantage or any 2 Indicator Toothbrushes – 10-11 PG insert

*Buy Pampers Cruisers – 2/$20, get a $2 RR
$2/1 Pampers jumbo packs – PG Year of Savings Booklet

*Spend $10 on P&G participating products, get a $2.50 RR: Bounce/Downy/Tide Stain Release – $3.99/each, Febreze Flameless Luminary Starter Kit – $12.99, Febreze Air Effects – 2/$5
$1/1 Bounce dryer bar – 10-11 PG insert
.25/1 Bounce dryer sheets – 10-11 PG insert
$1/1 Bounce – PG Year of Savings booklet
$1/1 Downy – PG Year of Savings booklet
.50/1 Downy – 10-11 PG insert

*Buy Schick Quattro cartridges (8 pk) – $16.99, get a $3 RR
$2/1 Schick Quattro Titanium razor or refill – 10-4 SS

*Buy Sambucol or Sinus Buster – $9.99, get a $5 RR

*Buy Vicks products – 2/$9, get a $3 RR: 12 or 12 ct DayQuil or NyQuil or liquid, VapoRub
$1/1 Vicks NyQuil or DayQuil – 10-11 PG insert

*Buy 3 or more of the following, get $8; buy 2, get $2: TENA Serenity protection – $10.99, Johnson & Johnson First Aid – $3.99, Neosporin – $6.99
$2/1 TENA Overnight, Ultimate, or Aloe Vera pads – 10-4 SS
$1.50/1 October Family Circle
$1/1 J&J Red Cross product – 8-2 SS2
$1/1 Neosporin printable here
$1/1 J&J Red Cross printable here

BOGO FREE DEALS:
*Arizona team (includes bottles and cans)
*Arm & Hammer laundry detergent
$1/2 printable on armandhammer.com
*Blue Diamond almonds
*I-Caps Eye vitamins
*Move Free Advanced
*Nature Made vitamins and supplements
*Walgreens alkaline batteries
*Wal-Flu cold relief
*Wal-Tussin
*Wal-Zyr 24 hour allergy relief

CHEAP FILLERS:
*Campbell’s chicken noodle or tomato soup – .50/each
*Geisha mushrooms or mandarin oranges – 2/$1 w/ in ad coupon (you do not have to buy 2)
*Hunt’s tomato sauce – 3/$1 w/ in ad coupon
$1/3 Hunts printable here (you have to play the game to get it)
*Mars candy – .49/each with in ad coupon

OTHER DEALS:
*Charmin Ultra Soft bath tissue – $3.49 – $2.49 after coupon!
$1/1 Charmin – PG Year of Savings Booklet

*Glade Lasting Impressions, Sense & Spray, Reed Diffuser or 3 wick candle (10 oz) – $4.99
$3/1 Glade Fragrance Collection multi-wick candle or scented reed diffuser – 10-4 SS
$4/1 Glade Sense & Spray starter kit – 10-18 SS, 10-17 Family Circle, July Parents Magazine

*Walgreens spring water – 24 pack, 16.9 oz – $2.99 w/ in ad coupon

*$10 off 2010 entertainment book!

The following scenarios are for those who are new to shopping at Walgreens and have little (or no) RRs to start out with:

Transaction #1: $14.76 in merchandise for for $3.91 OOP
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo
Buy 1 Herbal essence styler

Use free styler WYB Herbal Essence coupon

Spend $3.50 OOP, get a $2 RR

Transaction #2:
Buy 1 Dial foaming hand soap – $1.99
Buy 1 Hunt’s tomato sauce

Use .35/1 coupon
Use $2 RR from HE
Use Walgreens in ad coupon for Hunts

Spend $.03, get a $1 RR

Transaction #3:
Buy Glade Sense & Spray starter kit – $4.99
Buy 1 Hunt’s tomato sauce

Use $4 Glade sense & Spray coupon
Use Walgreens in ad coupon for Hunts
Use $1 RR

Spend $.38

If you have an $8 Theraflu RR to roll:
Buy 3 J&J First Aid Products – $3.99

use 3 $1/1 J&J coupons
Use $8 RR

Spend $.97 OOP, get an $8 RR

If you want to roll your $7 Vaseline RR:
Buy 1 Herbal Essence shampoo or conditioner – $3.50
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler – $3.50
Buy 1 Gillette deodorant – $4
Buy 1 Gillette body wash – $4
Buy 3 Hunts tomato sauce – .39/each with in ad coupon

Use free styler WYB shampoo – deducts $3.50
Use free body wash WYB deodorant – deducts $4
Use $1/1 deodorant coupon
Use $7 Vaseline RR

Total after coupons = .67, earn 2 $2 RR

If you want to roll your $6 Fusion RR:
Buy 2 Alka Seltzer Day/Night variety – 2/$10
Buy 1 Hunt’s tomato sauce – $.39

Use 2 $1/1 printables
Use Walgreens Health Savings booklet coupon (will deduct $2)
Use Walgreens coupon – tomato sauce
Use $6 Fusion RR

Spend $.39 OOP, earn a $3 RR

If you want to roll your $3 Chapstick RR:
Buy 1 Herbal Essence Shampoo
Buy 1 Herbal Essence styler

Use Free styler WYB shampoo/conditioner coupon

Spend $3.50 OOP, get a $2 RR

My scenarios: The only deodorant my husband will use is the Gillette deodorant and it hardly ever goes on sale, so that is mainly what I will be getting this week.

I have a $9 Zantac RR, so I will be buying:
1 Gillette Body Wash – $4
1 Gillette deodorant – $4
1 Herbal Essence shampoo – $3.50
1 Herbal Essence styler – $3.50
1 Dial handsoap – $1.99

Use free body wash WYB deodorant coupon
Use free styler WYB shampoo coupon
Use .35 Dial coupon
Use $9 RR

Spend $.14 OOP, get 2 $2 RR and one $1 RR

I have an $8 Theraflu RR, so I will be buying:
1 Gillette body wash – $4
1 Gillette deodorant – $4
1 Herbal Essence shampoo – $3.50
1 Herbal Essence styler – $3.50
1 Glade 4.5 oz candle – $3.99
1 Hunt’s tomato sauce – $.39

Use free body wash WYB deodorant coupon
Use free styler WYB shampoo coupon
Use $3.50 Glade candle coupon (no longer available)
Walgreens tomato sauce in ad coupon
Use $8 RR

Spend $.38, get 2 $2 RR and a $1 RR

I have 2 $6 Fusion RR: (I will do this twice)
Buy 2 Alka Seltzer Day/Night variety – 2/$10
Buy 1 Hunt’s tomato sauce – $.39

Use 2 $1/1 printables
Use Walgreens Health Savings booklet coupon (will deduct $2)
Use Walgreens coupon – tomato sauce
Use $6 Fusion RR

Spend $.39 OOP, earn a $3 RR

Then, I will use the two $3 RR to do this twice:
Buy 1 Gillette deodorant
Buy 1 Gillette body wash
Buy 1 Hunt’s tomato sauce

Use free body wash WYB deodorant coupon
Use $1/1 deodorant coupon
Use $3 RR

Spend .39 OOP, get a $2 RR

I have 4 more of the $3 Chapstick RR and 4 of the $1 Glade/Trident/Halls RR, so I will do this deal 4 times:
Buy 1 Gillette deodorant
Buy 1 Gillette body wash
Buy 1 Hunts tomato sauce – $.39

Use free body wash WYB deodorant coupon
Use $3 RR
Use $1 RR
use Walgreens in ad coupon for tomato sauce

Spend $.39 OOP, get a $2 RR

So, for $4.47 OOP, I end up with $94.76 in merchandise and I will have $22 in RR left to spend.

I will probably also buy some of the Charmin toilet paper and pay with my RR.

Some helpful tips:
*At Walgreens, you cannot do a promotion more than once in a transaction and earn Register Rewards. So, if you buy more than 1 Blistex this week, you can still only earn 1 $1 RR.

*You also cannot use the Register Rewards earned from a promotion on the same promotion and earn Register Rewards again. For example, if you buy Blistex, get a $1 RR and use it to buy another Blistex, another RR will not print.

*Typically, you cannot use the Register Rewards earned from a promotion with the same manufacturer and earn Register Rewards again. For example, you cannot buy Herbal Essence stuff this week and then use it to buy other PG products because most likely, your RR will not print.

Here is information on the manufacturers for this week’s RR:
Alka Seltzer – Bayer
Blistex – Blistex
Claritin – Schering-Plough Healthcare
Glade – SC Johnson
These are all PG – Aussie/Herbal Essence/Pantene, Gillette razor/deodorant/body wash, Olay, Oral B, Bounce/Downy/Tide/Febreze/Vicks

*Register Rewards are considered to be “manufacturer’s coupons” and you can only use one manufacturer’s coupon per item. You will have to add “filler” items. The in ad coupons often have good, inexpensive filler items. (this week, my favorite filler is the Hunt’s tomato sauce)

*If you are buying items that would result in a “free” item or “overage” when combining a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon, give the manufacturer’s coupon FIRST, and the store coupons LAST to avoid beeping/issues at the register! Make sure that you are purchasing enough items in your total transaction to “cover” the overage. You will not get cash back and you will have to add items to cover the overage or they will not take the coupon.

*If your Register Reward doesn’t print for some reason and you have fulfilled all of the obligations for the “deal” (including not using RR from the same parent company to pay) DO NOT let them tell you it is because you used coupons! Chances are they didn’t print because the catalina machine is not working. You have two choices: you can return your items and try again or you can contact the catalina company by doing the following:
*The store will give you a form to fill out and mail in to catalina
*Call 1-888-8coupon, option 3
*Use the online form to contact them: Contact Catalina Marketing (when I have tried contacting them this way, my results have not been very good….your best bet is to call)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:

The 30 Day Giving Challenge

November 1, 2009 by

Last night when I was reading through the e-mails of the various blogs that I subscribe to, a post from Dana over at Frugal in Virginia inspired me. Just yesterday I had posted about a “$5 Charity challenge” on my Kroger post here. Couponing has been such a blessing in my life and has helped our family to save so much money, and I have been trying to think of ways that I could “give back.” This challenge came at a perfect time! I also love that it coincides with Thanksgiving!

The challenge didn’t originate with Dana. It originated with Alyssa over at Keeping the Kingdom First. You can read more about her inspiration for this challenge here.

The premise is that you will give in some fashion every day in November. Quoting Alyssa, “It can be large, small, simple, or extravagant.” It does not have to be something tangible or monetary. It could be giving your time or talents, too!

I am excited to involve my family in this challenge and I’m hoping you will be excited to join the challenge, too! Let me know if you are up for the challenge and share some of your ideas by commenting on this post.

Here are a few ideas that I have come up with that might work for your family, too (some were inspired by posts on other blogs):

*Adopt a soldier – Show your appreciation for the military by adopting a soldier and sending a care package. There are suggestions along with a comprehensive list of participating organizations in this post here. If you’ve been couponing for long, you probably have plenty of items in your stockpile right now that you could use for this!

*Babysit – Volunteer to help a friend or neighbor by watching their kids so they have some time to themselves or some time for a night out with their spouse!

*Be a coupon fairy – I can’t tell you how many times I have been out shopping and been looking for a specific item and there was a coupon sitting there on top for the item that I needed! Several other times, I have been out shopping, run into a fellow couponer, and they have SHARED their coupons with me! These were complete strangers. I didn’t know their names, and in some cases I have never seen them again, but it was a huge boost to my day. So, be a coupon fairy and make someone’s day by sharing your coupons with someone else!

*Become a friend of the library – Many libraries have a “friends of the library” program where you can donate books, movies, CDs, etc. to help support the library.

*Check out Freecycle – On Freecycle, people sometimes post items that they are in need of. See if you can fulfill someone’s wishlist with items that are just collecting dust around your house anyway. Or, post a list yourself of items that you have to donate! Click here to find a Freecycle group near you.

*Donate blood glucose monitors – If you have been couponing for long, you probably have accumulated a few blood glucose monitors along the way. Clean out your “stash” and donate them to someone in need! You can find a comprehensive list of places that could benefit from your donation here.

*Donate expired coupons to Coupons for Troops – Did you know that military families stationed overseas can use expired coupons up to six months past the expiration date? They can use both manufacturer and internet printed coupons. Store specific coupons cannot be used. You can read more about this here and here.

*Donate old cell phones for soldiers – I just read about this in Family Circle magazine yesterday and thought it was fantastic. Brittany Bergquist is a teenager who founded this program! You send in your old cell phones, they are sent to a company that pays Cell Phones for Soldiers and the money is used to purchase phone cards for US troops stationed overseas. You can read more about this program here (some of these “military related” ideas would be great to use for Veteran’s Day!)

*Donate to Toys for Tots – Take your kids “Christmas shopping” and let them pick out a toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Find out more about this program and find a drop off location in your area here.

*Donate, donate, donate – Go through your closets and your children’s closets. Donate clothing that you are no longer using to a local charity or to a larger program such as Goodwill. Donate health and beauty items to a local shelter. Donate non-perishable food items to a local food bank.

*Fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child – I read about this on Frugal in Virginia and thought it sounded like a great idea and something my kids could get involved in! National Collection week is November 16-23 and there are drop off locations all over the country! Click here to learn more about this program and here to see if there is a drop-off location near you.

*Make a blanket to donate to Project Linus – If you’re crafty, you can make a blanket to donate to Project Linus. Project Linus donates blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need of gifts through new blankets created by others. You can find out more about this project and get patterns for the blankets here.

*Make someone’s day – Write a note to a friend or family member expressing your appreciation for them. Take a meal to a new mom, a neighbor who is ill, or someone who could just use a break. Make a loaf of bread or a batch of cookies or pick up a flower bouquet and drop them off for someone “just because.”

*Read – If you have a school-aged child, they often are looking for parent volunteers to come in and read to students. Give your time and read to students!

*Volunteer at your child’s school – Check with the PTA at your child’s school. They often have a variety of projects (from counting/sorting Box Tops to copying/laminating/collating things for teachers) for parents to help out with!

*Wish upon a hero – Wish Upon a Hero is an online community of people helping people. People post their wishes, and you can grant their wish! Find out more about this here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,