The 10 Second Rule

Photo courtesy of Foto Search

 

Did you ever go to church on Sunday and hear a sermon that you felt was directed to you? That is how I felt this Sunday. I left church feeling so inspired and encouraged to do good in this world despite all the horrible news stories lately. Right now we have a priest that I absolutely adore! He is an incredible speaker and he tailors his sermons to all age levels. I actually get giddy when they say he is the priest at the mass I am sitting in, makes it all the more enjoyable (even though I had to tell my four year old to be quiet like a billion times)!

Rewind to this past Wednesday. I was on my way to work and stopped at the post office to mail some EBay sales. By the way, I love going to our post office at 7 am and using the automated postal machine! I then got in the car and decided to do a “quick” stop at CVS to get some sale items. As I was checking out, the cashier fainted on me! Before I could react she got back up. I asked her if she was okay and she assured me she was and continued with my order only to faint again! This time she did not get back up, so I quickly ran to the back of the store to get the pharmacist. By then she was already getting up. She was okay and the manager finished the transaction for me. I told her to go sit down and get something to eat. As I left CVS, I felt good!

Now back to Sunday in church, the 10 Second Rule. The priest asked us for Lent to practice the 10 Second Rule for the next 40 days. If you have a thought in your head that you should do something to help another person, act on it! Within 10 seconds of having that thought, do it rather than dismiss it! 

I think we encounter situations like this every day. Perhaps you are in the grocery store and someone cannot reach an item, get it for them. Or if you see a neighbor struggling to shovel their driveway, grab your shovel and go help! Imagine how cool this world would be if everyone acted on their good thoughts instead of dismissing them and going to the next aisle or going back in your warm house.

Are you inspired to follow the 10 Second Rule for the next 40 days? I am and I hope you join me!

And She Is Off...

 

 

My baby girl is 7 months old today and she is crawling!  She has been in position for well over a month rocking back and forth.  I thought she was going to take off earlier, but she took her time (which is fine with me), but there is no holding her back now!

 

She is 100% sweet, baby cuteness and knows how to melts this Mama's heart to pieces!

Slow Cooker BBQ Short Ribs

So last winter we split a half of a cow with my sister and her family. Within a year we have managed to eat our ¼ portion of our cow. The only thing left in my deep freezer is 5 lbs of ground beef and a package of short ribs. I have never cooked short ribs before so that is probably the reason I left them in there a year till the end! Well last night I took the plunge and finally cooked them up and to my surprise they were delicious and my husband and family enjoyed them! Here is my recipe:

2-3 lbs of beef short ribs

1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (Ours is Sweet Baby Ray’s)

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard

¼ cup flour

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup diced onions

Directions:

Put short ribs in slow cooker place onions on top of ribs. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and then pour over short ribs. Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. We served ours with some white rice! Enjoy!

Keep Up on Health Insurance Trends

If you are like me and carry the health insurance for your family, you more than likely took a "pay decrease" this January due to rising health care costs!  I am thankful for the wonderful coverage I am able to obtain through my company, but I do not like the fact that the cost increases every year.  Add onto that now I have an additional dependant, YIKES!  Here are a few trends that you need to look out for that just might save your some money!

1.  Employer Rewards For Healthy Habits

 

A recent study indicates that 22% of companies will offer incentives to encourage employees to take care of their health.  By 2016, 64% of companies plan on rolling out such a program.  My employer offers cash incentives for joining work sponsored weight loss programs and discounts at local fitness clubs, it may be little, but add up a lot if it keeps you healthier and away from doctor visits and co-pays.

 

2.  More Mistakes on Claims

 

Insurance companies are denying fewer claims, however human errors are on the rise.  Do not assume that because you have been reimbursed for a claim, that it is the correct amount.  Double check it and notify your insurance company for any errors.  I am constantly calling our doctor's office and insurance company to question charges and payments.  Recently our dentist charged my husband for x-rays he never received!  I would have paid for it had I not read the line items on the statement!

 

 

3.  High-Deductible Policies

 

To cope with rising insurance costs more people are opting for policies that have lower monthly payments but higher deductibles.  If you are healthy then this may be a good idea.  I am however very careful and still carry an expensive HMO plan.  With a husband and three young kids on my policy, one bad trip to the emergency room with a hospital stay could definitely add up.  Be cautious in choosing your policy and make sure it is best for you and your family in the long run!

 

 



Purex Crystals for Baby - A Review & Giveaway {Expired}!

The winners are:  reklaw422@, Daviesha Perkins an The Giggling Gull.  Please e-mail me your mailing address to spendless2savemore@gmail.com

 

 

There is my happy little angel!  I cannot believe she is almost 7 months old already.  Time sure flies fast when you have three kids!  Girls have such adorable outfits!  The one she is wearing above is a pink polka-dot fleece dress and it is oh so soft!  If you have read any of my previous posts, you know I am a sucker for most smells related to baby and clean laundry.  I already LOVE Purex Baby detergent.  It makes my little one's clothes come out clean, fresh, and smelling amazing!  Now it gets better!  Purex has launched a new Purex Crystals for Baby!  It was developed with babies' gentle skin in mind.  So now you and I can add long-lasting freshness to our baby's laundry!

 

 

Here is my new laundry combination for my baby's laundry.  The first load I did smelled oh so good!  Even days later when I changed the sheet in my daughter's crib, the scent was still there on the freshly laundered sheet!  Best thing is that Purex Crystals for Baby is hypoallergenic, dye free, and a 87% natural formula.  My daughter has extremely sensitive skin.  I constantly find eczema on her back and both Purex Baby detergent and Purex Crystals for Baby do not irritate her skin, so I trust it on her clothes.

 

 

I also had to show off my new HE washing machine.  When I got my new HE washing machine I did not have to switch any detergents because all Purex products are formulated for both regular and HE washing machines! 

 

 

Want to win new Purex Crystals for Baby for yourself?  Three Spend Less 2 Save More readers will win a coupon for a free bottle of Purex Crystals for Baby.  To enter:

 

1.  Leave a comment on this post on who you would use new Purex Crystals for Baby for.

2.  (Bonus Entry)  Become a Facebook Fan of Spend Less 2 Save More and leave a separate comment on this post!

 

Contest open to US residents, 18 and over. Contest will end at midnight on 2/14/13. Winner will be posted on this post and will have 24 hours to claim their prize by e-mailing spendless2savemore@gmail.com with their mailing address.

Purex provided a free sample of their product so I could review them. However, as always, all of the opinions expressed here are my own!

 



20 Mule Team Borax - Review and Giveaway

UPDATE - Winners are Shanna, jjak2003@, and cc_girly@!  Send me your address at spendless2savemore@gmail.com to claim your prize!

 

 

What is Borax?  20 Mule Team Borax is 100% natural mineral from the earth.  Once removed from the ground it is washed, dried, and boxed for consumers.  Borax is a common name for sodium tetraborate:  a naturally occurring substance produced by the perpetual evaporation of seasonal lakes. Absolutely nothing is added.  No phosphates, chlorine, or other additive chemicals. 

Ok - enough of the chemistry lesson (unless you enjoyed it if you are a Chemist or Chemical Engineer like me)!

Over 85% of homes have "hard water".  Hard water is defined as water that contains calcium and magnesium.  When you add detergent to hard water, some of the compounds attach to the calcium and magnesium and settle to the bottom of your washing machine, eventually going down the drain without actually cleaning your clothes!  You are essentially wasting detergent.

20 Mule Team Borax naturally softens hard water, which protects your detergent and maximize cleaning power (and your money spent on detergent)!  To boost your detergent, simply add 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax to every load along with your regular (Purex) detergent!  You will actually be improving the cleaning power of your detergent.  It also helps keep stains from being re-deposited back on clothes.

I tried it on several loads with Purex Free & Clear and Purex Baby detergent, and I definitely think my clothes came out cleaner than before!  I will continue to use the 20 Mule Team Borax to see if I see a difference.  The best part is, that it is safe in HE washing machines.  I just got a new HE machine and I want to make sure it lasts!

Now, the secret about Borax is that this is one of the ingredients used to make homemade laundry detergent!  I have posted a link here on how to make it.  So you could actually use 20 Mule Team Borax to make your own detergent and save even more money!

Even better, Borax is having a Fresh Year, Fresher Laundry Giveaway where the grand prize is $1500!  Go here to enter now!

Three lucky Spend Less 2 Save More readers will win a coupon for a FREE box of 20 Mule Team Borax.  To enter:
1.  Leave a comment on this post on how you would use 20 Mule Team Borax
2. (Bonus) Become a Facebook fan of Spend Less 2 Save More and leave a separate comment.

Contest open to US residents, 18 and over.  Contest will end at midnight on 1/31/13.  Winner will be posted on this post and will have 24 hours to claim their prize by e-mailing spendless2savemore@gmail.com with their mailing address.

Borax provided a free sample of their product so I could review them.  However, as always, all of the opinions expressed here are my own!
http://www.purex.com/

2012 - In Pictures

2012 was an AMAZING year for our family.  The best part was welcoming our baby girl in July, what a blessing she is to our family.  I know God sent her to us for a reason and I am just overflowing with joy everytime I see her.  My husband says I'm infatuated with her, I do not see anything wrong with that! 

I hope your 2012 was AMAZING, and I cannot wait to make new memories in 2013!  It should be another AMAZING year with our children!  Here is my 2012 in pictures:

 

January - My First Born Turns 6

 

February - A Winter Break at Great Wolf Lodge

 

March - Visiting With the Easter Bunny (with unseasonably warm weather!)

 

 

April - Spring Break at a Florida Beach

 

May - Day Out with Thomas 



 

June - Cheering on Our Favorite Team

 

July - Welcoming Our Baby Girl

 

August - First Day of 1st Grade

 

September - First Day of Preschool

 

October - Halloween

 

 

 to be continued...