Renuzit Sensitive Scents - A Review and Giveaway

I recently had the opportunity to try out new Renuzit Sensitive Scents.  Each scent has been formulated and lab-tested to ensure effective, long-lasting, and pleasing scents without overpowering sensitive noses.  We used ours in our bathrooms.

Personally for me, I do not like the smell of certain air fresheners.  I prefer ones that cover the odor in a more neutral scent.  I suffer from migraines, so often scents are a trigger for me and my migraines.  These new Sensitive Scents were a perfect balance for me and my family.  Renuzit Sensitive Scents come in adjustable cones, universal scented oils, and a trigger spray.  Scents that are available are Pure Water Blossom and Cucumber, Pure Ocean Breeze and Pure White Pear and Lavender.

One luckily Spend Less 2 Save More reader will win 2 free product coupons, enter below!



The Renuzit brand provided me with samples of Renuzit Sensitive Scents in exchange for a product review.  However, all the opinions expressed are my own. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Broccoli Cheese Soup - Easy, Fast, Kid Approved

This recipe is so quick, easy and delicious!  It is perfect on a cold night with little time to get dinner together!

Ingredients:
2 + 4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 can chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
1/2 onion diced
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste.
2 cups shredded cheddar

Directions:
1.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan.  Add onions and saute until clear.  Set aside.
2.  In stock pot on medium heat, melt remaining butter.
3.  Add flour to melted butter and still to combine.
4.  Whisk in 2 cans of chicken broth.
5.  Once combined, whisk in milk.
6.  Add spices and stir to combine.
7.  Cook on medium high until it begins to bubble.
8.  Add cooked onions and broccoli.
9.  Simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
10.  Stir in shredded cheese.
11.  Serve!  You can also top with extra cheese!

The Top Ten Most Frugal Things I Do

I have to laugh at this post because I thought a more appropriate title may be “The Top Ten Ways I Annoy My Husband”.  I always say I am frugal in select ways so that we can spend more money on other things we love to do.  With that being said, some of my frugal ways annoy my husband so much and all I can do is laugh, and say I’m saving money so we can spend it on something better! 

1.        I get every last drop out of every condiment bottle possible.  My favorite is the ketchup bottle and I blame my Mom for this because she does it all of the time!  You will often see a ketchup bottle turned upside down on a new bottle to ensure I got it all out! 

2.       For shampoo and soap bottles, I like to also use every last drop!  I often rinse these out in the sink and use the water to wash my intimates (especially bras).  Is this wrong?  I haven’t a clue, I had read somewhere that using shampoo is the same as using a delicate detergent?  Don’t quote me on that!

3.       I’m a Facebook garage sale site junkie.  I will try and sell anything possible on those sites.  I do keep track of my monthly sales to see just how much I sell every month.

4.       I reuse shopping bags to hold trash in all of the bathroom garbage cans and our recycle cans.  I do not buy garbage bags for these receptacles.  I call this one, saving the environment.  However, I refuse to throw out any shopping bags and my storage area (top of the basement steps) is often exploding with bags waiting to be used (oh yeah, this annoys my husband)!

5.       I pack my work lunches at least 4 days a week.  When you think about how much you can spend on lunch a day ($5-$10), this is a savings of over $900 a year!  I normally grab leftovers out of the Friday or buy a bag of salad that lasts me 2-3 days. 

6.       We normally only eat out as a family one day per week.  I would cut it down to less, but my husband does not let me know.  It frustrates me that I know I can make dinner for about $10 at home and a normal sit down restaurant will cost this family of 5 between $40 - $50 with a tip (and a 10 year old who also eats an adult meal). 

7.       If I shop online at stores that are local to me (Kohl’s, Target, Old Navy, etc), I will add extra items to my cart just to get free shipping.  I then normally return items to the store that I do not want. 

8.       I trade in clothes to local kids resale shops and then use the store credit to buy new clothes for my daughter.  Normally if you choose store credit, the store will give you a percentage more than if you took the cash.  I just completed a transaction this weekend, they were offering me $18 cash or $26 store credit.  I took the store credit and got my daughter two outfits, two dresses, and a top (all pink of course)!

9.       I wash straws. Yes sometimes I do.  You know kids sometimes they take one sip out of a straw and then they are done.  I wash them and reuse them.

10.   I reuse dryer sheets on laundry day (or I cut them in half).  I only use the laundry sheets to reduce the static, I could care less about the scent.  I find they are good for 3-4 loads of laundry.  You do have to find them in the previous load, but hey it is worth the effort.  If my husband does the laundry and I fold it, I’ll pull out those sheets too for the next time I do laundry!

There you have it!  My next list will have to be the top ten things I splurge on, that should be fun!

Seventh Generation 4X Ultra Concentrated Natural Laundry Detergent Review

Recently, I was able to test out Seventh Generation 4X Ultra Concentrated Natural Laundry Detergent at our house.  I received samples of the free and clear detergent from Seventh Generation to try in our daily laundry routine.  We have five people in our house, so normally we do 1-2 loads of laundry a day and just when you think you are caught up.... Think again!

Seventh Generation's mission is "To inspire a consumer revolution that nurtures the health of the next seven generation."  For 27 years they have been creating powerful plant-based solutions for your home & family.   Not only do their products work, they are concerned about the future of our planet for our kids and their families.  Seventh Generation's laundry products contain no dyes or fragrances.  They also strive to use 100% post-consumer recycled bottles for their packaging.   

My daughter has sensitive skin so I normally choose a free and clear variety of laundry detergent.  When using the Seventh Generation 4X Ultra Concentrated Natural Laundry Detergent in her laundry, her clothes came out clean and smelling fresh.  The clothes also did not irritate her sensitive skin.  I definitely recommend this laundry detergent for everyday use in your household.  I have an HE washing machine and had no issues.

Check out Seventh Generation's full line of products online at their website.

I received free samples for an honest review of the product.  All opinions are my own.

It Takes A Village (or Really Nice Neighbors) To Raise A Child

 

There are always those times when you have children that you need an extra hand. Whether it be a "date night" babysitter, an item of clothing to borrow for the school play, or some spice to finish baking that dessert! When we moved to our current neighborhood over 8 years ago (yes, 8 years, this is a miracle for us), we not only found a home we love, but also neighbors and friends always willing to help us out in a pinch!

I needed to share this story in the hopes that others have found the same type of community we have found. The type of neighbors that are willing to help you out as are you willing to help you out. The kind of person you can text or call in a pinch and they come through for you! I am so glad we have that in our neighborhood and it is one of the top reasons why we always consider not moving again. It is the fear of the unknown. Will our kids find other kids that they are able to play with all day on a Sunday? Will we find neighbors that watch our house for us when we are on vacation? Will be find good people that will run over and let our dogs out when we are gone all day? We just don't know, but we know we love our house and our neighborhood.

This week we had a bus incident where my parents were suppose to be at our house to get our youngest off the bus. They have done an EXCELLENT job this year and are NEVER late! Well, its cold, its been snowing and I was at work 45 minutes away when I got the call from the "bus garage" as my phone said. The bus was at my house and my parents were not. I tried to call them and the phone went to voicemail. Of course, my 70+ year old parents don't always remember to keep their phones on!

 I was in panic mode and quickly texted a neighbor, who instantly responded however she was also at work. She then texted another neighbor in which I then got in contact with quickly. This amazing lady, whom I am not direct friends with but only met a couple of times, got in her car and drove down the street to my house. Luckily my parents and then bus were there! What an amazing lady and I am incredibly grateful for her kindness and unselfishness to help someone in need!

I hope you all find this type of community we have found and I hope you are able to have this type of support! It really is challenging to raise kids and sometimes when they don't want to leave their basketball games with friends to run an errand, its really nice to have a neighbor say, "just go, I'll watch them".

Goals For 2016

Happy New Year!  For 2016, I am making only a few simple goals.  2015 was a challenging year for myself and our family regarding some developmental issues for our daughter.  She's on the right track now which is such a blessing.  I want to enjoy 2016 more and I think my simple goals will make it happen!

1.  Declutter - constantly, get rid of stuff we do not need in our house and lives!

2.  Experiences Over Things - I'm tired of things ruling our life, our family needs to have more fun and rely on less new things!

3.  Give More - we are so incredibly blessed and while we donate a lot of items and money, I need to look at more opportunities to give back and perhaps find some ways to volunteer more of our time.

4.  Kick That Student Loan Out of Here - 2016 is the year, my husband's Master degree student loan is getting paid off, END OF STORY!

5.  Serious Job Decision - this is specifically for me.  I made a goal that I would make a change for my full-time job in 2016

That's it!  Plain and simple!

Hope You Have a Wonderful New Year!

10 Ways to Make 2016 Financially Better Than 2015

Are you dreading paying the January bills after overspending on Christmas?  Are you tired of always just making ends meet and never having enough money to spend it on something fun?  Do you want to take a vacation, but don't want to put it on a credit card?  Do you want to stop feeling the weight of being in debt and instead feel the freedom of being financially free?

I've come up with 10 things you can do in 2016 to begin to either start to pay off debt, get rid of that last lingering credit card bill, be better prepared for Christmas spending 2016, or finally pay cash for that vacation you want to take the kids on!

1.  Track your income and expenses.  I do this every month and it allows our family to see exactly where our money is going.  I simply use a spreadsheet where I record all income and then expenses.

2.  Set-up an account to have funds transferred on a monthly basis and do not touch until Christmas.  I always use a Smarty Pig account.  If you are able to transfer $100 a month, by December you will have saved $1200 for Christmas!

3.  Stop eating out so much!  When my family of 5 eats out, we average a bill of about $50 for a sit-down restaurant and $25 for fast food..  I know if I make a meal at home, It can be for about $10.  That is a savings of $15 - $40 a day!  Our family only eats out typically only one night a week.

4.  Earn some quick cash (and a cash flow) by decluttering and selling unwanted items.  I sell all the time on Ebay and Facebook garage sale sites.  On average I make about $50 a month.  I keep a log of what I make every month.  This is an easy way to have some cash on hand and not have to do an ATM withdraw.  Bonus, you de-clutter your house!

5.    If you shop online, earn extra cash by using a cashback site first!  I use EBATES all the time and have earned a lot of money that gets transferred directly into my Paypal account.  You can then use the funds to make online purchases or move the funds to your bank account.  Here is what I have earned:

6.   Consider using cash back apps when you shop for groceries.  The two apps I use all the time are Ibotta and Checkout 51.  Once you reach a $20 balance, you can transfer the money to your Paypal account.

7.  Review your grocery shopping habits and perhaps see if you can switch some of your shopping to a lower cost store.  Look into a monthly trip to Aldi's or another retailer to pick up canned goods and staples that are generally a lot less expensive than at a large grocery store chain.

8.  Couponing!  I know this is not for everyone, but every little bit helps.  I'm in a local group for my favorite store Giant Eagle, and I normally pick up a few free or really cheap items every week!.

9.  Look into a money saving challenge.  This allows you to put cash away every week and increases the amount.  Check out the one here on Simplistically Living.

10.  For daily inspiration and encouragement, follow Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman on Facebook.  They always have all kinds of ideas and insight!

I hope some of these tips were insightful and help out in 2016!  No one likes being tied down by debt and you feel so much freedom when you are able to pay your bills every month and have a little extra left!

Happy New Year!