Yep. That's right. Money in your pocket!! If you are fan, or maybe you just need a night out of the house, check it out and see if there's a concert near you. Buy your tickets and make sure you use the MOM code at checkout to save $5. ~Enjoy!

I love to bake! I wish baked good were their own food group and probably no surprise that I tend to make the breakfast items off Once a Month Mom more than the others. Yeah, I noticed.

Yesterday I mentioned that I have all these apples and I've been baking A LOT. It got me to thinking about how I cut costs to keep my spending under control.

So, here are a few frugal baking tips:

1. Use dry ingredients.
Well, no duh.
I mean use dry buttermilk. I keep Saco Cultured Buttermilk powder in my fridge and I never have to worry about running out to get buttermilk for a recipe or wasting buttermilk in a carton that I'm not going to finish. A 16 oz. container costs around $4 and that's a lot of buttermilk. I've yet to finish a container but I'm getting closer now that I've made so many batches of Apple Streusel Muffins lately.

I also use powdered milk when I can. There's no reason to use cow's milk in baking and cooking if you don't have to. You can't taste the difference once it's been cooked/ baked so use the less expensive option. Either keep some powdered milk made up in your fridge or make some up the night before if you know you'll be cooking/ baking a lot the next day. A few minutes of time will save you money.

2. Use your Club.
I buy as much of my baking supplies at Costco as I can. Flour is $0.29/lb. at Costco vs. $.39/lbs. at Kroger and that's when it's on sale. Sure, I have to buy 25 lbs. but I bake a LOT. Also, I have 5 gallon tubs from the bakery up the street that I bought for $2.50. They are airtight and the flour stores beautifully.

What else do I buy at Costco?
Vanilla. So much cheaper there.
Brown sugar, too, unless there's a massive holiday mark down - which sometimes happens. Cooking oil is usually cheaper. Not always.
Sugar, almost always, and it's only in a 10lb. bag which means that after I fill my canister the rest fits in my cabinet.
Butter.
Eggs are always $.99/dozen which is cheaper than my Kroger.
Chocolate chips . I go through a ton of chips and yes, I get them at Costco but I also buy them at Kroger because the coupon deals are good and I need the mini-chips for Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cake. Kroger knows this about me and just sent me a coupon for a free bag of chips. I love that!

ZipLock Bags. I always get these at Costco! Our Costco membership gives us coupons to use at Costco and currently there are coupons for Ziplock bags so I stocked up on freezer bags. Even with reusing te ones that I can I go through a good number of bags and they are much cheaper at Costco.

So there are some of my tips for frugal baking. Do you have any?

I had the great fortune to buy 40 pounds of organic Granny Smith apples for $25 last week and jumped at the chance. We all know that price doesn't come around every day. Of course the next problem was - what to do with them.

1. We pulled out the nicest and smallest for Comfort and Joy to eat. I say 'smalles' because these are lovely BIG apples. Most of them are bigger than both of my fists put together. The girl love apples and good, fresh fruit is expensive this time of the year so this is a nice treat.

2. I peeled, sliced and flash froze about 10 lbs. This fit in two gallon zip freezer bags and I'll use these for pies and for baking.

3. I made the Once a Month Mom Apple Streusel Muffin recipe, in it's full form, TWICE. The first batch is entirely mini-muffins for the girls because my toddler trial shows that they are more likely to eat the entire muffin if the good streusel topping is closer to the muffin. The second batch is two-thirds full-sized muffins which I'll used for book group and 1/3 mini-muffins for Comfort and Joy.

4. Applesauce! I've already have four quart put in the freezer from two batches of apples done in the crockpot. This recipe was easy - I filled the crockpot with apples - about 12 - and set it on low for 2 hours until they fell apart. Stir and allow to cool. I'd do more but Comfort isn't eating it and Joy doesn't need more fruit in her diet - if you get what I mean.

5. And I still have more apples!! Seriously. There's still about 8-10 lbs probably. So, I'm thinking apple butter.

I know that certain apples are better for making certain things but at this point I want to make sure I use these before they get mushy. Granted my kitchen is chilly [~65 degrees] but these apples won't stay crisp forever.

So, if you have any ideas for easy, inexpensive and easy to save things that I can do with these apples I'd love to hear it.

If so, you're in luck. Qdoba Mexican Grill will be celebrating their 7th anniversary in Richmond. From 5PM and 7PM, they will be giving away free Chicken and Vegetarian Burritos at all 5 Richmond locations. Limitations may apply. See store for more details. Only valid at Richmond locations.

There you go. That's what's for dinner.

Here you Go! Kroger shoppers can start downloading these to their loyalty cards today - Tuesday, February 23rd - until March 8th. Coupons expire March 22nd. Hop over to the right-hand side bar and get yours now.

Betty Crocker Cookie Mix Save $.40
Save $0.40 when you buy any flavor 17.5 OZ. OR LARGER Betty Crocker(r)
Cookie Mix.

Betty Crocker Frosting Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy ONE TUB any flavor/variety Betty Crocker(r)
Frosting.

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy TWO BOXES Betty Crocker(r) Fruit by the Foot(r),
Fruit Gushers(r), Fruit Roll-Ups(r) OR Fruit Roll-Ups(r) Fruit
Stickerz(r) Fruit Flavored Snacks.

Betty Crocker Muffin Mix Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy any flavor/variety Betty Crocker(r) Box Muffin
Mix or Fiber One Box Muffin Mix.

Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Save $.75
Save $0.75 when you buy TWO any flavor Betty Crocker(r) Box Supreme
Brownie Mixes.

Betty Crocker Warm Delights Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy ONE any flavor Betty Crocker(r) Warm Delights(r)
Bowls OR Betty Crocker(r) Warm Delights(r) Minis Bowls.

Chex Mix(r) or Snacks Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy any flavor 4.5 OZ. OR LARGER Chex Mix(r) OR
Chex(r) 100 Calorie Snack.

Fiber One Muffin Mix Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy any flavor/variety Fiber One Box Muffin Mix.

Fiber One(r) Chewy Bar Save $.40
Save $0.40 when you buy ONE BOX any flavor Fiber One(r) Chewy Bars or
Fiber One(r) 90 Calorie Chewy Bars.

Green Giant(r) vegie's Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy TWO any variety Green Giant(r) Frozen Boxed
Vegetables.

Hamburger Helper(r) Save $.75
Save $0.75 when you buy THREE any flavor Hamburger Helper(r), Tuna
Helper(r) OR Chicken Helper(r) Home Cooked Skillet Meals.

Honey Nut Cheerios Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you buy ONE BOX Honey Nut Cheerios(r) cereal.

Nature Valley Granola Bars Save $.40
Save $0.40 when you buy ONE BOX any flavor/variety Nature Valley(r)
Granola Bars.

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clustrs Save $1
Save $1.00 when you buy ONE BAG any flavor Nature Valley(r) Granola Nut
Clusters.

Pillsbury Italian Meal Bred Save $.40
Save $0.40 when you buy any TWO Pillsbury(r) Italian Meal Breads
(Includes any Loaves, Breadsticks, Dinner Rolls, and Pizza Crust).

Pillsbury Sweet Rolls Save $.40
Save $0.40 when you buy any TWO Pillsbury(r) Sweet Rolls OR Grands!(r)
Sweet Rolls.

Pillsbury Toaster Strudel(r) Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you buy any TWO Pillsbury(r) Toaster Strudel(r)
Pastries.

Pillsbury(r) Savorings(r) Save $1
Save $1.00 when you buy TWO any flavor/variety Pillsbury(r) Savorings(r)
products.

Reeses(r) Puffs(r) Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you buy ONE BOX Reeses(r) Puffs(r) cereal.

Yoplait Kids Zone Save $.80
Save $0.80 when you buy TWO any flavor Yoplait(r) products listed: -
Yoplait(r) Go-GURT(r) Yogurt - Yoplait(r) Trix(r) Multipack Yogurt.

Yoplait(r) Cups Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy SIX any variety Yoplait(r) Yogurt cups OR any
flavor Yoplait(r) Original OR Light Smoothies.

Yoplait(r) Delights(tm) Save $1
Save $1.00 when you buy any flavor Yoplait(r) Delights Yogurt Multipack.

Yoplait(r) Fiber One(r) Save $1
Save $1.00 when you buy any flavor Yoplait(r) Fiber One(r) Yogurt
Multipacks.

Any Biore Save $1
Save $1.00 when purchasing Biore products.

Fur Fighter Refills Save $1
Save $1 off Scotch Fur Fighter Refills for Upholstery.

Scotch Fur Fighter Save $4
Save $4 on a Scotch(tm) Fur Fighter(tm) Hair Remover Starter Kit.

We live in this truly great neighborhood in Richmond. It's a wonderful pedestrian shopping distict just a block from our house and on weekend afternoons or even after dinner we often stroll up and down Cary Street enjoying the sights and sounds.

Yesterday we had unseasonably warm temperatures and sunshine so we got out for a walk. The girls trooped around without the boots for the first time in weeks and we waved to shop keepers we know, dodged people enjoying the weather and doing their own shopping and walked through a couple of stores.

In one store the woman that works there said, "Don't you guys usually have those monkey back-packs?" We smiled and said we usually do but today we'd gotten out without them. See, it's nice to know that people recognize us and know that our kids go with us.

Walking further up the street a guy came out of the sushi restaurant to make balloon animals for the girl. No kidding. Right there on the sidewalk. It was clear we were just out for a walk but it was also clear that the girls were very appreciative. Comfort bounced up and down the entire time he worked on her butterfly and the ladybug he made for Joy was perfect, especially since he included a strap to go around her wrist. Genius.

On our walk home we stopped in the Goodwill/ Thrift Store and the woman at the counter says, "Well, if it isn't my two favorite girls." I find this kind considering what I heard about their behavior in the store the last time they were there but mostly I love that there are people in our neighborhood who enjoy our kids and who know them and who, in a pinch, would keep an eye out for them.

So, if you're in the area I highly suggest you come and visit Carytown. You will just love it. And if you have a similar area in your city I highly suggest you plan a visit. Local retailers need our help now more than ever. We want to do everything we can do keep these eclectic shopping areas robust. It's definitely a Cool Idea!

This is something I've been mulling over for some time and I've decided to open up a conversation.

I believe in Free Speech for every man, woman, and child. This is one of the best things that our country is built on. Heck, at this point, it's practically what the internet is built on.

That said - I do not believe that corporations or other entities have the same rights that people do. Corporations have access to power and resources that you and I don't. They don't walk softly. They are larger than life. Corporations are not people. They don't get to vote. They don't get rights under the Constitution or the Amendments.

Surprisingly, 80% of Americans actually agree with one another about this and are in vehement opposition to the recent Supreme Court decision. Can you believe it? Eighty-percent of Republicans, Democrats, Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, men, and women - we all said it together.

The rights our Founders documented are reserved for people. For us. And if we let Corporations take over the rights we enjoy and let them run with them - well, it's our own darn fault when they start running the world in way in which we don't agree.

There is over a hundred years of precedence already. There's no reason to build anymore. It's time to pay attention to the ways in which this issue will be rectified. Personally, I don't want the next election cycle brought to me by Viagra, HFCS, or ADM. It's not NASCAR or a television sitcom. It's the American political process. Let's take is seriously.

I'm enjoying the Olympics. How about you? One thing that I'm seeing more of - literally - is the agony of defeat.

Why?

I think because there is literally more television time to fill so we have the 'opportunity' to see more than just the best performances. Sometimes this is unfortunate. Like after the pairs figure skating.

Just in case you need a dose of beautiful, seamless ice skating where partners move together with their music and don't fall on their butts hop on over and watch this performance by Torvill and Dean from the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!

I just got an email from my local IKEA saying that if you dine at IKEA from February 18-21 they'll take the cost of your meal off of the price of any home furnishings over $100. So if you were in the market to get a new bed or sofa or bookcase or wall unit then hop on out to IKEA and have yourself some swedish meatballs - 'cause they're tasty and they'll be free:) Gotta love a Cool Idea like that!

I started doing surveys a year and a half ago when my oldest daughter was 3 and my youngest was 1 1/2. I found myself with lots of random bits of time that probably all added up to a full-time job - too much time to do nothing with. I enjoyed being home with my girls but I also needed to add income to our family as my husband's job was downsized.

I ran across a post on Deal Seeking Mom about surveys and signed up for a few and over the next few months I signed up for several more. As my children have grown and as I've found a rhythm in doing the surveys I created a system for myself.

I do the surveys when the girls are having their free play time and after they go to bed/ or nap. If they are watching a video then that's when I log in and get some surveys done because goodness knows I don't need to be totally focused on the 2,000th viewing of The Little Mermaid. If we are having constructive play, I put the computer aside and play with them but there are times we all need a break and that's when I check and see what surveys are available.

This system is working well for me. I cashout $30-50/ month or so. It took some time to get enough surveys going to get this kind of payout and I know I could do more, but at this point I don't have the time. It's a choice and a balance - to make money out of our 'down' time is a phenomenally Cool Idea!