Thin Soup - Things are Changing

Ok - I'm really writing this post.

I have been thinking and praying about this decision for weeks.

I am at peace and know this is the decision I needed to make.

I will no longer be posting on Penny Pinching Penguin.

Well, mostly stop.

I may post occasionally.  I am not ready to say it's completely over.  I will link to past articles through Rediscovering Domesticity.

I will continue the Bloggy Basics and Money Minute on Rediscovering Domesticity.

Why?

I need to focus on my family more.  I've been feeling like thin soup.  Now that I have 2 little ones, I hardly have time to plan a good bargain shopping trip let alone stay up on all the hot deals.  My heart just isn't in shopping anymore (it is so hard doing multiple stores in one day with carseats and naptimes).  I am trying to pinch pennies in other ways and will explore those on Rediscovering Domesticity.

I had mentioned about writing an ebook about saving money in every room of the house.  Many of you have submitted ideas for the book.  It will still happen!  I will offer it free on Rediscovering Domesticity when it is finished.

Thank you all for coming along side me while I learned how to save money and while I learned how this whole blogging thing worked!  Come on over to Rediscovering Domesticity.  Check it out.

Happy Labor Day!

Scripture Sunday - A Few Drops of Proverbs

 photo credit mine

The Proverbs are FULL of wisdom including wisdom about money.  Take some time and chew on these scriptures.  Pray that the Lord open your heart as you read.


Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; who having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.
Proverbs 21:5
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty.
Proverbs 22:3
A prudent one foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.
Proverbs 24:3-4
Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

September FREE Photo Books

It's time to make your free photo books for September through HotPrints!  Just pay shipping.  Get up to FOUR free books per month.

How does this work?  Sponsors pay for the books through advertising.  There is one page in the center of the book with advertising.  This page can easily be pulled out without damaging the rest of the book.  All you pay is shipping.  Make one book and sent to multiple friends/relatives.  Make 4 different books to catalog the kids' growth.

I've gotten these books before.  This is a decent way to get pictures actually in albums.  These are softcover books that are 81/2 x 11" -ish.  You can choose themes and captions for your pictures.  In my opinion, these are worth the small shipping cost and can make great grandparent gifts or stocking stuffers.

Bloggy Basics - Design Your Own Button in 5 Simple Steps

QUICK UPDATE: I am no longer publishing to this blog, however, the Bloggy Basics series can be found at my other blog, Rediscovering Domesticity!

Have you seen the little square "buttons" for your favorite blogs?  Have you wondered how to get one yourself?  I'm here to help!

You can contact bloggers who do blog design to create a button for you.  It's not all that expensive - anywhere from $5 - $20 for a button.

You also can just create your own.

I made the buttons and headers for PennyPinchingPenguin and RediscoveringDomesticity.  I made the button for Bloggy Basics.  It's pretty easy!

Here's how.

1. Choose Your Image.  Your button is one part of "branding" for your blog.  If you hope to grow your blog into a business, branding is important.  You want something memorable.  Something recognizable.  I chose part of a free stock photograph/graphic from stockxchange.com for this blog.  I chose a photograph of my own for my other blog.  You probably will not be able to use the entire image.  Most buttons are scaled to 125 x 125 pixels.
2. Edit Your Image.  You can use a variety of programs to edit your picture.  I used Photobucket for all of my images.  I just started using Picasa and Picnik to edit photos.  Remember to resize your images to the desired size (I recommend 125 x 125).  Add effects.  Add text.  Be creative.  You will want to save images as new files since most likely you will need to make changes.  Unlike documents, once you add text and alter photos, it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to revert to the original image.  I had to re-do all of mine a few times to get them right.  Take your time.  Play around.  Be creative.  Have fun.
3. Add to Image Hosting.  I love hosting my images through Photobucket.  Once the photo is uploaded, double check the image.  Edit as needed.  Save.  In Photobucket, each image is given several options for sharing.  If you just want to use the image and not create a button with a link, you can simply use the html code.  You will need the direct link to create the linkable button.
4. Write Your Code. You will need to enter some information into the code skeleton below.  The sections in red will need to changed to your information.
5. Add to your blog.  Final step!  If you are using Blogger, go to your Design or Layout tab.  Click to Add a Gadget.  Choose the HTML gadget.  Type the title you would like, if you would like one.  Copy the completed code (see instructions below) into the gadget box.  Click to Save.  On the Design page, drag the gadget you just created to where you would like it on the page.  Save.  Check out your blog!

This is what the Photobucket sharing options look like:

 Code Skeleton:

<a href="Put Your Blog Address Between These Quotes" target="_blank"><img alt="Put Mouse-over Text Between These Quotes" src="Put Your Image Direct Link Between These Quotes" /></a>
The mouse-over feature will show text when someone has their mouse hover over your button.

Here is what my button code looks like:
<a href="http://pennypinchingpenguin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Penny Pinching Penguin" src="http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae200/penguinelk/1035403_27541235-3.jpg" /></a>

Would you like a "Grab My Button" gadget?  It's quite simple now that you have your image!  Just change the parts in red with your information and add as an html gadget in your blogger design.

Grab My Button Code Skeleton:
<div align="center"> <a href="Put Your Blog Address Between These Quotes" target="_blank"><img alt="Put Your Mouse-Over Text Between These Quotes" src="Put Your Image Direct Link Between These Quotes" /></a> </div> <div align="center"> <form><textarea rows="6" cols="20"><a href="Put Your Blog Address Between These Quotes" target="_blank"><img alt="Put Your Mouse-Over Text Between These Quotes" src="Put Your Image Direct Link Between These Quotes" /></a></textarea></form> </div>

Here is what my completed code looks like for comparison:

<div align="center"> <a href="http://pennypinchingpenguin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Penny Pinching Penguin" src="http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae200/penguinelk/1035403_27541235-3.jpg" /></a> </div> <div align="center"> <form><textarea rows="6" cols="20"><a href="http://pennypinchingpenguin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Penny Pinching Penguin" src="http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae200/penguinelk/1035403_27541235-3.jpg" /></a></textarea></form> </div>

Simple!  Let me know how it goes - I'll come check it out!

The Grocery Game: Pros and Cons

Have you ever heard of The Grocery Game?  I had heard mention of it, but didn't think it would be of benefit to me.  Those on my bargain forums mentioned how they would never spend money when they get the same information through the forums.  A few friends mentioned that they used the Grocery Game and loved it.

Well, call me curious.

I had to give it a try.  I saw they had a free trial, so I decided to hop on board.  I made sure to register under a friend so she'd get credit and potential free weeks.  I started playing The Game.

What is it?

• The Grocery Game is a paid service to help you save money on groceries at various stores.
• A list is issued weekly with the items which are at their rock bottom prices plus the coupon match-ups for those items.
• There are many stores with a list - check your area to see what stores are listed for you. I can get Kroger, Rite Aid, Target, CVS, and Giant Eagle.

 Why use it?

• The list helps you purchase items at their lowest price. 
• By stocking up at the lowest price, you save hundreds per year.
• The hard work is done for you already.

 How much does it cost?

The cost for a 1 store membership is $10 every 8 weeks. That works out to about $1.25 per week. A 2 store membership is $15 every 8 weeks, a 3 store membership is $20 every 8 weeks and so on.

 So, did I like it?  What are the pros and cons?

 Pros:

• The legwork is done for me
• Saves me precious time when hunting deals
• Does help to save money
• Is a remedy for "mommy brain"
• Has a nifty print feature so you can print just the items you intend to purchase
• Has a coupon printing links

Cons:

• Must sign in to access list - not emailed to me (I actually forgot I had signed up for several weeks)
• Is an auto-renew service so you must cancel before the next renew date (more on that later)
• Prices are not 100% accurate for every area - my area tends to run $.10 - $.50 higher on just about all items on any list service, not just the Grocery Game.
• Costs money
• Works best if you have several weeks worth of coupon inserts saved already

Any Problems? Will I keep using it?  Do I recommend it?

I made one very deliberate shopping trip using my list.  If I hadn't made a mistake (user error!) by not counting my mega sale items accurately, I would have saved close to 75% on that trip by buying just the things on the list (not other essentials).  The list works.

I did have a problem.  I was using the free trial.  I increased my stores to just about all.  If it were a paid subscription, it would be $25 per cycle.  I marked the end date on my calendar.  We lost power.  We lost cable. We lost internet.  I forgot.  I didn't see my reminder and didn't cancel in time.  I was charged the $25.  When I finally remembered, I emailed Terri to try to get a refund.  Refunds are not possible, however, she downgraded my service to just one store and extended my time through December to  make up for my mistake.  I appreciated her willingness to work with me.

I will keep using the Grocery Game - it's paid through December!  I have a few months to find out exactly how much I can save using the game to see if I will pay for another cycle. 

As a busy mom, I no longer have the time to scour blogs and forums for every great deal.  The Grocery Game puts everything right at my fingertips.

If you would like to try the free 30-day trial, just click here.  You will need to enter credit card information.  I would greatly appreciate if you enter my email as your referral: penguinelk at yahoo.com (just format it like a normal email address).

Have you used the Grocery Game?  What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.

I am not an affiliate for the Grocery Game.  The opinions in the review are entirely mine.  I was not paid in any way to write this post.

Scripture Sunday - Annointing at Bethany

 

Mark 14

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

 ¹Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. ²"But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."  ³While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
 ⁴Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? ⁵It could have been sold for more than a year's wages^[a] and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.
 ⁶"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
 ¹⁰Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.