Atlanta's Frugal Mom

I have three AWESOME apps I need to remind you about: iBotta , Endorse , Plink,  and Shopkick .  All reward you for doing the shopping you already do!  And they're pretty darn easy to use, and therefore to make money!  And the best part is ALL of these are free apps, available in the app store! Endorse   is a simple, free way to get cash back for buying your favorite products in stores. Earn anything from 10% up to 100% cash back on your everyday purchases from stores like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Kroger, Safeway, CVS, Whole Foods, Costco and Trader Joe's. Further, Endorse helps fund local school projects via DonorsChoose.org. Here's a sample of what my Endorse account looks like. iBotta works much like an electronic coupon app, but with a fun twist!  Take quick surveys, read recipes, and view videos related to particular items-- all to earn higher value coupons for select products.  Then after you've purchased these items, scan your rece...

Today while doing last minute stocking stuffer shopping, I grabbed a bag of Kraft peppermint marshmallows.  My kids love marshmallows, and I thought the peppermint ones would be really tasty in their Christmas morning cocoa.  Once I got home, Angel saw there was a recipe on the back and asked if she could make it for everyone.  I love letting the kids cook and create in the kitchen, so of course I said sure!   Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Ingredients: 1/2 tsp salt 12 cups air-popped popcorn (6-8 Tbs kernels) 1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels 1 stick unsalted butter 40 mini peppermint marshmallows Directions: 1.  Heat oven to 275. 2.  Add chocolate and butter into a microwaveable bowl and heat for 30 seconds at a time until melted completely. 3.  Stir in marshmallows and heat for 15 seconds at a time until melted. 4.  Stir in salt. 5.  Pour over popcorn and toss until coated. 6.  Spread out on a greased baking sheet. 7.  Bake for 10 minutes, stir and bake for another 10 minutes until crisp...

Wowzers!  I wrote this post last year to share what I purchased for my children for Christmas, and to show that it is completely possible to shop for six kids on a $250 budget.  The information I shared is very specific to what I actually did and how I saved.  As of late, this post has become very popular and I want to be sure to share information that is helpful for you as a visitor to my site.  Please check out the 2 posts below some awesome tips that will help your holidays rock even with the smallest budget! 10 tips for planning Christmas on a budget 10 Stocking Stuffers for Whole Family for Under $2 Our family typically doesn’t spend a ton on Christmas gifts, but this year our budget is really tight.  I decided in October that I was going to try to get gifts for all six children for under $300, and I did it!  See what I bought and how I did it below: © Devy | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos How I saved 1.   Earned referral fees from retail sites.   Some of the...

Every year we make all sorts of holiday crafts and decorations with our children, and I’ve ended up with a whole box of crumpled, torn paper crafts as a result.  I want to save them all, but I’m running out of ways to display (and repair) them!  This year, we decided to start a grow-with-me holiday centerpiece that we can add to every year and proudly display on the table or mantle.  Check out this fun, easy craft below!   Supplies needed: Cardstock (see link to the right for free template download) Markers/crayons Scissors Glue Paperclip (optional)   Instructions: 1. Print out the template on cardstock and have your child decorate it as desired. 2. Cut out the colored tree. (You may need to help younger ones with this step) 3. Fold the tree in half down the center. 4. Glue the tree halves together, back-to-back. 5. Glue the last two backs together. 6. Fan out the papers so the tree can stand on its own. 7. Enjoy your new holiday decoration! A few notes here: -If you wa...

We successfully tackled potty training about a year and a half ago, so when my daughter started preschool last year, her teacher taught the class a song to help with proper hand washing .  To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Wash, wash, wash your hands, Wash them very clean. Wash the fronts and wash the backs, and even in-between.  Yeah!* *My daughter and I added the enthusiastic “yeah!” We would repeat a few times while she washed, and it served as a good way for her to remember to do a complete, proper hand wash.  So, here I find myself teaching my child to brush her teeth through song – along the same -ahem- note, we adapted the song to  brushing teeth : Brush, brush, brush your teeth, Brush them very clean. Brush the tops and brush the bottoms, and even brush your tongue! Do you have any clever songs you use with your kids? What ways do you help your kids learn and maintain good hygiene habits ?

We successfully tackled potty training about a year and a half ago, so when my daughter started preschool last year, her teacher taught the class a song to help with proper hand washing .  To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Wash, wash, wash your hands, Wash them very clean. Wash the fronts and wash the backs, and even in-between.  Yeah!* *My daughter and I added the enthusiastic "yeah!" We would repeat a few times while she washed, and it served as a good way for her to remember to do a complete, proper hand wash.   So, along the same note, we adapted the song to  brushing teeth :  Brush, brush, brush your teeth, Brush them very clean. Brush the tops and brush the bottoms, and even brush your tongue! Do you have any clever songs you use with your kids? What ways do you help your kids learn and maintain good hygiene habits?   Keep on saving!  :o) --Barbara