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Monday, May 30, 2011




I love searching for web sites on thrifty living and living on less,but often find that alot have "closed up shop".Some get started and seem all "gung ho" on writing about their thrifty life style but their sites are short lived. It's too bad as I have come across some that I thought were great sites and would have loved to read more.

If you know of some great thrifty, frugal sites, I welcome your links in the comments section.






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Saturday-May 28

Saturday, May 28, 2011

I'm not sure where the month has gone but poof-May is already done.

I see it is a long weekend in the USA this weekend- maybe some of you are going away on a weekend getaway? What are your plans for this long weekend?

While we were on our holidays in California, we set up a mini greenhouse in the living room and pre-planted carrots, sunflowers, lettuce,green onions, tomatoes, peas and more. As last year we just planted the seeds in the garden straight out of the packages and not everything came up well- if at all.




This year as well it will be nice to see how the blueberries will grow. Last year we uprooted blueberry plants from the bushes not too far from here and transplanted them in our yard.We will also have raspberries and plant potatoes too.

Gerry has been spending part of the weekend putting in our new flooring in the kitchen. We had gotten tiles for very cheap as they were clearing them out at .19 a tile. We bought tiles for 2 rooms at that price.Lots of work- but nice results.



The bunny is also back for the weekend. I was at the petting zoo on Friday and picked her up to come for a "visit". Will return her tommorow. She sure has grown!

Got our bill in for our mobile home insurance for another year-$1,000. It's such an outrageous price to pay. We pay it in payments.End up getting charged a bit for interest but we can't afford to pay that all in one shot.Mobile home insurance is also more than home insurance- and yes, we have shopped around- this is the cheapest we could get.This covers our home, content replacement and outside storage we have. Terrible is all I can say.

I think we'll be spending some more $$ and repainting the kitchen.I know, we just painted it, but I really don't like the color. It's a light green and I really have been having a hard time liking it. I think maybe we will change it to brown.

T.V time though...Gerry is sitting down so I think I will too.
Enjoy your weekend everyone.

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Today's Winner!

Friday, May 27, 2011

nineteen19@blackfoot.net

is today's winner of the following giveaway:
http://www.oneincomedollar.com/2011/05/review-and-giveaway-marys-gone-crackers.html


***Winner has been contacted and has 7 days to reply before a new winner is selected.
Thank you to all who entered!

New to The Body Shop: Body Butter Duo

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Body Shop originally launched it's first Body Butter in the early 90's and we were in love with it back then.It continues to this day to thrive as a best seller and sells at a rate of one every three seconds!

Now they create a duo body butter. One that provides two sections in the container.One side featuring a feel great moisturizer for the main body areas, and another side for areas that need more moisture, such as our elbows and knees- you know, those rougher spots.

Great scents include the floral acai body butter, vanilla, macadamia and sweet pea.
I have always been a big fan of body butter - how about you?

40% Off Your First Order- With Pro Bar






Do you have a sweet tooth but don't want the guilt? Perhaps you have food intolerances ,and are looking for a more healthier version of a sweet treat.Well, I found a really delicious snack alternative- and trust me on this- it's Halo:

Halo is
•Sinfully Healthy Snack
•Certified Organic
•Only 150 Calories
•Low in Sugar
•Vegan and Dairy Free
•All Natural
•Good Source of Omega 3 & 6

So forget the bad, and welcome the good- with Halo, from Pro Bar.
Full descriptions are available on their site at Pro Bar.com.


Our friends at Pro Bar are giving our readers a 40% off their first order when they visit Pro Bar and enter code BLOGGER at checkout.

Review ,Giveaway and Discount Code:Step Happy - Alegria Shoes ( Canada only)

Can a girl ever have enough shoes?

I like to match my shoes with my outfits and I'm sure most of us do.

I found a cute pair of sandals online at The Shoes Girls. These are a cute pair of Alegria Mariposa Slide Sandals.Dressy, yet casual, and very comfortable.

Money tight for your own pair of shoes? Host a Shoe Party featuring Alegria by PG Lite.
Sell over 6 pairs of shoes and receive a free pair!And if you don't live in the Toronto area, have a virtual party.Once you look at all the cute shoes and sandals, you'll want your own pair too!

Looking for another easy way to have an opportunity to get your own pair of shoes?
Step Happy-Alegria Shoes would love to give away one pair of sandals to one lucky Canadian reader.A random draw will be made on June 6,2011 from all entries recieved that have liked Alegria on Facebook. This is the only way to enter this giveaway.All other entries will be null and void.

To Enter:Like Alegria on Facebook-only entry

Good luck to all!

Bonus discount code to order online at The Shoe Girls for 10% off:
The discount code will be “oneincome” and the discount will expire on June 30th 2011.

Today's winner!

Today's winner:
loriagalbraith@gmail.com

who wins:
http://www.oneincomedollar.com/2011/05/review-and-giveaway-slap-watch.html



** Winner has been contacted and has 7 days to reply before a new winner is selected.
Thank you to all who entered!

Disneyland,California



Our last day in California we finished off with a day at the Disneyland Resort.

It was an all day thing, and we wanted to get as much in of Disney as we could for the day, but after 5 hours, our feet couldn't take it anymore, and we had to pack it in and head back to the hotel for a rest.



Disneyland is full of great things to see and do but don't try to do it all in one day. You may need about 3 days. You will get a park map when you get your tickets, so divide the sections of the park into 3 and do 3 sections a day. This way you aren't rushed and you will get to see everything you want to see.We had a 1 day pass, so we had to pick what we wanted to see, and do as much as we could.Erika's must do's were photos with Minnie and Mickey, so we got in those lines and had photos done. You can use your own camera, and as well, Disney has their own photographers who will take your photos, and give you a Disney Photo Pass, where you can view and order pictures online.Gerry and I wanted were more interested in the meek and mild, such as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage,or the Mark Twain Riverboat.




What we liked about Disney? The magical place that it is, and how it's really a make believe world . We loved seeing how excited most kids were to hug Minnie or Mickey and how much they loved the rides and attractions and that waiting in line wasn't a big deal for them.We think everyone should go Disneyland at least once in their lifetime. We were lucky that California wasn't having the greatest weather and that although it was warm, it wasn't hot.If you get tired and grouchy walking around in the heat, go on an overcast day or a time of year when temps are in the mid 60's to low 70's as we did.It makes it more bearable.




What we didn't like? The line ups for some of the attractions we did want to go on- some were 30-45 minutes long. We didn't want to wait that long and we missed out.With a one day pass, we didn't want to waste our day away by waiting in line.Also, we wished there would have been bathrooms once we got to the park entrance. Gerry wasn't feeling the greatest when he got to the park and he had to walk quite a distance, after getting off the shuttle bus, to find a washroom. It would have been nice to have them at the park entrance.We also found the food and drinks to be quite expensive, so make sure you eat at least one good meal before you head to the park for the day.




All in all, it was a great time at Disney.




Going to Disneyland soon? Check out their current Special Offers.




I approached the Disney company to participate in a review of their parks. The following post is a reflection of my own personal thoughts and ideas and do not represent those of Disney.




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We're Back!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Tired, but home safe, and back from our holiday.
Will blog more tommorow on our last 2 days of our holiday. Spent most of today driving home from where we had caught our plane- in Saskatoon,6 hours away,unpacking and getting laundry done, going through mail, etc..

I have one Marble Slab Creamery $5 gift card to give away to the first comment.If you live in an area near one, I am looking to see if I can send it to you to see if you able to use it where you live.If you email me, I will explain.
I also have a $25 McCormick & Schmicks gift certificate to give away to you as well if you are the first comment that says they are interested and have one in your area. It expires 05/23/11 - we didn't have time to use it.
*** Please note, this is not a "giveaway" for multiple entries- these will only go to the first one to comment that would like these or either one or the other.



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How I'll Save Money On Child Care This Summer



I’ve been self-employed as a freelance writer for about two years. It didn’t take long for me to realize that working with kids underfoot is not conducive to success. Luckily, I can afford summer day care for my kids. My oldest son usually goes to a local YMCA day camp, and my youngest stays at his day care’s summer program. We could do that again this year, but at a cost of $500 per week, I’d rather have the summer’s $6,000 in childcare expenses for other things. Here’s my plan to do my job well, save money on daycare and still give my kids a fulfilling summer experience.



Sharing the Load

If you have a friend that you can co-parent with, I can’t stress enough how helpful such an arrangement can be. My neighbor and I will be swapping days watching the kids. He will take them on his two days off; I will take his son for two days as well. That leaves me two days plus the weekend free from kid distractions. I will use those days to do the work that requires the greatest mental concentration.


Planning for Fun

That leaves me with three days per week when I must be both mom and worker. Now, I don’t expect my kids to hang around the house all day with no stimulation, nor do I expect to send them out in the yard to play all the time. I want this summer to be special for them and me. So, we’ve worked out a daily plan that gives me time to work and all of us time for recreation.


When left to their own preferences, the kids are late risers anyway. They enjoy putting around the house. I’ll let them have lazy mornings, make them lunch at noon and head out at 1pm for family activities in the area. Since summer day care costs about $100 per day, I have a roomy budget for us to pull from. Still, I don’t expect to spend much. I’ll be employing my frugal mind to pick out affordable family fun.


Fun in the Sun

We’ll go to the beach, visit local museums and do some learning activities. I can’t wait to take the kids on a Photography 101 day where we’ll drive around our local area and take pictures. We’ll focus on interesting things we see every day but never stop to appreciate.


Rainy Days

Of course, not every day will be sunny, so we have plans for rainy days too. I found a tie-dye T-shirt kit for $7 and plan to get the t-shirts cheap online. We will paint, make our own play-dough, cook, and watch the occasional movie. Every time I see an activity that might fit a rainy day, I make a note on an ongoing list to ensure I always have fun ideas for us on those days.


Making it Special

I recently found an old scrapbook album that I never got around to using. The kids and I plan to use it for journaling and scrapbooking our summer adventures. Not only will this be an affordable summer, it’ll be the one we remember forever.


Jessica Bosari is a personal finance blogger who contributes to LowIncomeApartmentFinder.com. The site matches renters with cheap apartments in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, New York and other major cities.

5 Tips For Flying With Young Children

Tuesday, May 24, 2011



Flying with children can be a stressful situation for the parents and the children, especially if it is a long flight. Some people feel like flying with their kids is impossible and they resort to hours on the road just so that people around them won’t have to suffer when their children have tantrums or other types of disturbing behavior. Fortunately there are many things that you can to make the trip easier on everyone involved. Try these tips and tricks to make your flight more enjoyable for you and everyone around you.

1: Entertainment
Usually the reason that children are loud and complain a lot on flights is because they are bored and don’t want to have to sit in one place for a long time. When you are packing their carry on bag, make sure that you include something that will help entertain them on your flight. Portable DVD players are a great investment if you plan on flying with your child. You can take several movies for them to watch, so no matter how long your flight is, they can have plenty to watch.
If you are taking cheap flights and have to work on a budget, then you can try decks of cards, pocket games, or other small items that can be played alone or together. Small hand-held video games are also great for kids on a plane.

2: Snacks
Young children always tend to get hungry and thirsty on long trips and even though longer plane rides sometimes include a meal or snacks, you want to make sure that you bring something extra for the kids. Believe it or not, even having something to munch on can keep your kids satisfied for a while, especially if it is their favorite kind of snacks. Trail mix, cookies, crackers, juice boxes, and toaster pastries are great to take on a plane. They are also small and don’t take up a lot of room.
While you are taking snacks, make sure that you take a small amount of medicine in case you have to deal with an upset stomach. Sometimes children don’t handle the altitude changes well and get a form of sea sickness in the air.

3: Flight Time
If you are taking a long flight, it is important to try and make sure that the time of your flight is just as convenient for your child as it is you. If possible, try to schedule your flight times just before their bedtime. Many times they will sleep through a large portion of the flight and you won’t have to deal with a lot of problems. If you are taking a last minute flight, then you may not be able to schedule your flight around that time, but it is something to keep in mind for vacation flights.

4: Rewards
Some parents have children that naturally just do not like traveling and become very belligerent when they are forced to travel. If you are adamant about taking your child on a plane for these vacations then you may need to offer your child some kind of reward for behaving well on the flight. Many times this can work well and make your flight a lot easier. Many people would think that this is spoiling your child, however for the peace of mind that it gives for the few hours you could be on the flight, it’s worth the peace and quiet.

5: Hype Up Your Trip
Children get excited about vacations and trips away from home. If you get them excited about where they are going, they are more likely to behave on the trip there. No kid wants to be in trouble or grounded when they are wanting to have fun. Make sure they know how much fun they are going to be having and that the more they behave on the trip, the more fun you will have when you get there.



Article by Richard Greenwood of Flight Centre Australia, provider of cheap flights worldwide including discounted London flights. Richard is a keen traveller and having moved to Australia from the UK is well used to coping with long haul flights to visit friends and family.

4 Ways to Use a Credit Card When Unemployed

Monday, May 23, 2011



Unemployment is often a major catastrophe to most households, and in addition to the basic living essentials, you have to worry about your credit card spending. Hopefully, the unemployment will be but a passing thing, but in the meantime you are going to have to make some changes until you find a new job. The key here is not to panic – there are steps you can take to keep things on an even keel for the short term. Of course, the first step is to realize you can't charge items to your credit card which aren't essential, this can work as long as you’re able to pay back once your credit card bill is due.. Here are four ways to use credit cards when unemployed:

1. Forewarned is forearmed. If you know it is coming, you can prepare in advance, if possible. Consolidate your credit card bills and take advantage of the 0%balance transfer credit cards available. Make sure to check for the date when the interest date increases and mark it on your calendar. Do the best you can to pay down the principal or to pay it off before the new rate expires. It is a good idea to close the old accounts and destroy the cards to remove temptation, although you may want to keep one open for credit rating purposes.

2. Communicate. Once you become unemployed, contact your credit card company and ask about ways to freeze or reduce your interest rates until you are re-employed. Explain to them the situation, and you may be pleasantly surprised. Credit card companies are more likely to grant a freeze or reduction rather than take a loss on the entire balance.

3. Step away from the cash advances. Emergencies happen, we all know that. But if you possibly can, stay away from cash advances on your credit card and pay with it instead. The reason being not only will you have to pay a higher interest rate for the cash, the lender will ding you again with a 2.5% transaction fee. That's some expensive cash you're accessing, so if there's another way, take it.

4. Don't max out. The closer you get to your maximum limit, the worse your credit score is going to be. You want to keep that score as healthy as possible for as long as possible. If your credit card score is good, consider taking out multiple cards, you may even qualify for low interest rate credit cards. This may help to pay off some of the balance on the big cards – this way you keep the balance on the higher ones under 50%. Only do this once, as your credit score will lower slightly from the inquiries.

It is easy to experience panic when you receive the news you no longer have a job. If you keep your head about you, there are ways to manage your credit cards to ride this hopefully temporary situation until things turn around.

Day 5 - Disney California Adventure Park

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Most of our day was spent today at Disney California Adventure Park. We spent a good 5 hours here.
We parked our car in their lot and then took a shuttle bus into the park.
There were so many people here and unfortunately we didn't see all we wanted to see.Line ups were 45-55 minutes long for some of the more popular attractions.
Erika had wanted to go on Twilight Zone Tower of Terror but we were too scared to try it- and with a 55 minute line up,she didn't go. We by passed anything with a longer than half hour wait.Later I read online that this is the busiest weekend in May with it being a holiday weekend, and long wait times are to be expected.
We did get to see a few of the 3D vision shows which we enjoyed and required little waiting time, such as the Muppet Vision 3D.

We also saw one of their parades,and had fun watching those braver than us take off on the California Screamin' roller coaster.
The park map was informative and easy to follow and onsite staff where readily available to assist.There was a good selection of places to eat, drink and pick up souveniers.

Disney California Adventure Park is a fun place for the whole family.


I approached the Disney company to participate in a review of their parks. The following post is a reflection of my own personal thoughts and ideas and do not represent those of Disney.


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Day 5- Our California Adventure

Yesterday we drove from Glendale,Ca. to Universal City, Ca., to Universal Studios, where we once again used our Go Los Angeles passes-the last day to use them- as we had a 3 day pass.
We went to Universal as soon as the gates opened at 10 am- and about an hour later it was extremely packed.


The high light of the park was the Universal Studios Studio Tour- a behind-the-scenes legendary Studio Tour to explore where Hollywood movies are made.It was nice that we didn't have to walk anywhere and were on a tram with an outgoing host. I was apprehensive about the new King Kong attraction, from what I had read online. I thought it was going to be alot scarier and more jarring of an experience, but it wasn't that bad.Any Shrek lovers will have a fun time at the Shrek 4D experience. There is so much to see there that the only complaint we had was the crowds.Plenty of food places to stop at as well so you won't go hungry.
We also enjoyed the Universal Studio Tour over the Warner Brothers Tour-much more things to see and entertaining.No walking involved either with Universal's Tour.

After Universal we headed on a hour plus drive south to the Queen Mary docked ship, in Long Beach,Ca..It was very exciting to see this huge boat- and Erika said it reminded her so much of The Titanic. We also used our Go Los Angeles passes for this tour.
We did a self guided tour of the ship and were amazed by its size and it was interesting to see all the history on the ship, as it put you back in another time era.

We took their Ghosts and Legends Tour as well but were not impressed with it. It was a half hour tour of some of the haunted spots on the ship, but we were guided through many dark, dark areas that we could barely see anything. Special effects were added to the tour and one family with young childen had to leave because they were too scared and their kids were crying.I have sent them an email telling them we thought the tour could have been done differently: more lightening,no special effects added, and to just tell a story of testimonials of the experiences of others, rather than the way it was done.
Driving here we had seen so many different walks of life and nationalities, that we seemed to drive in from one right into another.There are so many wlaks of life and cultures in the LA area.
We had another great day though and await tommorow for more adventure and sightseeing in California.

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Day 4- Today in California

Friday, May 20, 2011

I was up early today blogging to you all about what we did yesterday.
Today we headed to Hollywood- and I must say it was a bit too busy for a small town girl like myself.We had so many people stopping us, asking us if we wanted to get on their tours, that I just started telling them that we lived here. Seemed to work-lol.

Had wanted to see the Kodak Theatre on the inside, where alot of the award shows are held, but it was closed to tours due to them setting up for a Cirque show.Did get to a Wax museum and the Guiness Museum, as well as saw all the Hollywood Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.



It seems like we haven`t gotten as much done as I would have liked to but since the area is so big, it takes a while to drive from point A to point B.

Later we grabbed a quick bite to eat in our hotel room, before heading to the Warner Brothers Studio VIP Tour.These passes we were able to get through our Go Los Angeles cards.This was a 2 hour tour through the Warner Brothers Studios- the backlots, the studio sets,prop house,sound stages, etc..It was interesting.It was nice we were shuttled around for most of it, as it would have been a ton of walking as it did cover a huge area.



Supper was Pizza Hut take out once again.They have been one of our great sponsers, and we have enjoyed eating pizza, breadsticks and pizza rolls tonight for supper. Only thing is, I think we ate too much- again!


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Day 3- Yesterday in California

Yesterday was another busy day for us in L.A. I can honestly say I think we spend more time driving around just to get from point A to point B, and finding where we need to go.
Gerry has been super at driving though.It's not easy to have the nerve with all the traffic,especially on the I-5 in L.A.Our car from National has been great as well-especially not hard on gas as we've had to put on alot of miles.



We took over one hour to drive from Glendale to Compton yesterday, for our plane ride scheduled with Celebrity Helicopters.
Celebrity Helicopters also helps with providing aviation youth programs as the lure to creating social change in at-risk communities and especially for helping give youth rights.
We met with Debra,( the receptionist) and Isaac,(our pilot).We really can't tell you enough that this was the highlight of our day.We toured all of the L.A area,seeing such great sites as Hollywood homes, the Getty Center,the ocean/coast,the Hollywood sign,Hollywood Hills,and so much more,within about 45 minutes.Isaac gave us a grand tour and was a great pilot and host to us.Thank you Celebrity Helicopters-we won't forget your kindness! I must say with having motion sickness I wasn't too bad,but with it being a small plane, I did feel a bit funny in my stomache afterwards- but nothing Gravol didn't help with.


After our ride in Compton, we headed to the L.A Zoo.It was only open for another hour and a half by the time we got there but it was enough to see alot of great animals- my favorites being the primates.They are always so interesting to watch.From the gorillas to the chimps, they had us very interested in them.




As the day got later, we needed to find a spot to eat and stopped at Johnny Rockets in Hollywood.This was a first time for us to eat at one of their locations and we loved the food and the great service.We would definitely search out another location to eat here again.The menu consisted of favorites including juicy hamburgers, classic sandwiches, and hand-dipped shakes and malts. We also enjoyed an all-American look and feel, tabletop jukeboxes and authentic decor. Johnny Rockets, we'll be back!

Outside that evening there a big crowd that was gathered on the street. We made our way through crowds of people that were all screaming at actors that were arriving in the middle of the closed off street.We did our best to see, as Erika caught a glimpse of Bradley Cooper from the Hangover part 2.We stayed for a bit but with being on the wrong side of the street, we realized we really weren't going to see much more.It was pretty exciting though.We also were on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but my camera had died earlier in the day,so I wasn't able to get any shots, but will return there today for more sightseeing.

Keep following- we'll have more to tell..


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Let Me Tell You About- My Coupons.com

Wednesday, May 18, 2011



When was the last time you bought something for yourself? Think about it.
Most of our purchases are for the household or for our kids. Remember when you bought new clothes or shoes every month. I know, there is just not that budget anymore, right. I am here to tell you that there is. Sites like Kohls, Target, Macys, etc always have deals online plus these retailers always have online coupons.

I was searching online over the weekend and found a site called MyCoupons.com. They have coupons codes and discounted gift cards on their site. Check out this example. I can buy a $50 Macys gift card for $44.50, then by using a 15% off Macy's Coupons , I instantly save $13. The site makes it very easy to navigate through the tops deals and with a team of CouponPros that verify these deals, it makes the process seamless. Their team is also available to chat online through Twitter or Facebook or sign up for the weekly newsletter to get top deals and exclusive offers, like Dillards Coupons right in your Inbox. You can see the most used coupons of the week along with the savings on each deal. It is a great resource for online savings, coupon codes and gift cards.

Day 2 - Comes To An End



Just got in a few hours ago, from a long day in Burbank.
After breakfast today, we headed into Burbank, for our visit to the Ellen Show.( We will be airing tommorow everyone. I was on one of the end aisles and Ellen danced beside me.I am wearing a dark blue top and my daughter Erika is beside me with her hair up and in a black dress. Gerry is beside her, wearing a white shirt.)Please let me know if you watch it tommorow. We'll be busy running around site seeing, so may not be able to see it online till late in the day.
We went to the studio at 1 pm but didn't have to be there till 1:30. It wasn't until 3:30pm that we were taken across the street to the studio for the taping.The studio was very small-nothing like what you seem to see it as on tv.Ellen of course looked wonderful.A great show. The time went by before we knew it. It was alot of constant cheering, clapping, and hooting and hollering during the show and at break times. I was worried I was going to be all hoarse afterwards.By the time we finished waiting for Erika in the souvenier shop, we never made it out till about 5:30 pm. All 3 of recieved a $100 gift card from Rite-Aid from today's show-woo hoo!
I love the landscape here and the mountains that surround the city. There are so many unusual trees and everything all looks so healthy and grows so big and green.Burbank is a very nice city.
Supper tonight was courtesy of our sponser Pizza Hut. We visited a nice pick up location in Burbank where our cashier/hostess,Amy made it a very nice visit for us.People really do make all the difference!

A View From Our Balcony



A view of some mountains off in the distance, but funny, the front desk staff said they don't know what these are called.( Days Inn balcony Glendale, CA,)

We're Here!


Our trip to California started on May 16th, when we drove the 6 hours to Saskatoon, Sask., to catch the plane there.We stayed overnight, doing some errands the next day,till our plane left at 4:45 pm on the 17th.

It was a long day of travelling and we arrived in L.A last night at a very busy airport.We're used to smaller airports where the car rental counters are right inside the airport.We had to take a shuttle to National's car rental depot.We didn't have a long wait till our shuttle came ,and the efficient driver of the shuttle helped us load our bags on.Traffic at the airport was crazy! Small town girl not used to this big city traffic.



We recieved a nice greeting at National Car Rental,where were went through a quick check in and were taken to a few cars to choose one of our choice.Erika chose the 2011 Chevy Malibu.A very nice car that rides smooth and looks sharp.
Although gps are available for your rentals, we had brought our own.




We drove last night to Glendale, where we are staying at the Days Inn for about 4 nights.
I expected warmer, sunny weather and brought more summer clothes than anything.Today looks very dreary and looks like we had rain last night.

Today our day will be to see the Ellen Show in Burbank, which I hear is only about 10 minutes from where we are staying in Glendale.We have to be there at 1:30 for the show at 4pm, so have only alloted this day for Ellen's Show.I'll be sure to tell you all about it later.Now I should rush off to shower before the bathroom becomes Grand Central Station!

Sunday's Frugal Web Crawl

Sunday, May 15, 2011




I realize I missed a Sunday's Frugal Web Crawl last weekend I believe and apologize for anyone that was looking forward to it.It may have been Mother's Day so I believe we were concentrating on our sponsers web sites. I'm not sure with being on holidays if I will have a post for next Sunday's as well, as we will still be on our holiday. I will resume a normal schedule again after that.


This week's useful sites around the web:


-12 Green and Frugal Lessons from my Mom

-Reusable Items-Recyclable items

-Thrifty Ways to Save Money

-8 Natural and Thrifty Ways to Doctor a Cold

Today's Winner

michellehaskell@gmail.com

is today's winner of the following giveaway:
http://www.oneincomedollar.com/2011/05/review-and-giveaway-us-only-flat-iron.html



** Winner has been contacted and has 7 days to reply before a new winner is selected.
Thank you to all who entered!

Taking a Family Vacation?

Saturday, May 14, 2011



Perhaps the best season of them all, summer is almost here. Soon kids will be out of school for summer break and families will be taking family vacations. Where will you be headed this summer? Do you take weekend trips or one long vacation? I know some families head to the beach every summer while others explore different vacation spots each year. Or, will the poor economy and rising gas prices force you to have a staycation? Whatever you are planning to do for your vacation this season, our sponsors will be letting you know about all the summer must haves for your next trip.

Please visit our sponsers that would love to share their vacation "must haves"-

-Minimus.biz-As the e-retailer specializing in all things travel sized , thrifty travelers source Minimus.biz for all their must-have items in sizes that help save packing space & weight. Shop from 1000s of popular name brand items in stock, including many not available elsewhere for retail.

Today's Winners!

nineteen19@blackfoot.net
theluckyladybug@gmail.com

Both are today's lukcy winners of the following giveaway:
http://www.oneincomedollar.com/2011/05/wake-up-with-black-silk-giveaway-usa.html


** Winners have been contacted and have 7 days to reply before a new winner is selected.
Thank you to all who entered.

Review and Giveaway: Mary's Gone Crackers Love Cookies

Friday, May 13, 2011



With food intolerances in our home, I always jump at the chance to try snack products that are healthy as well as not full of additives and other ingrediants we can't digest too well.
I'd like to introduce you to Mary's Gone Crackers Love Cookies.Her four flavours of cookies are to die for: ginger snaps,chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, and N'oatmeal raisin cookies.They are so good that you will feel your not missing out on anything, yet all her products are wheat-free, gluten-free,and organic.
Mary's Gone Crackers, Inc. manufactures the best tasting wheat-free and gluten-free baked goods using the highest quality, organically grown ingredients. Mary developed these recipes for her delicious gluten-free products beginning in 1994 when both she and her son were discovered to have a gluten intolerance. As far as we're concerned, she wasn't going to sacrifice flavour either.
Be sure to check out her complete product line of healthy,easy to digest snack products.

Mary would love to give away a set of her 4 boxes of cookie flavours, to one lucky winner from Canada or the USA. A random draw will be made by Random.org on May 27, 2011 from all entries recieved.

To Enter:
Tell me which of the four flavours would be your favorite.

Extra Entries:
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Good luck to all!

We've Got Tickets To Ellen!



Now that our trip to California is finally here, we are really looking forward to seeing the Ellen Show in Burbank.We have tickets to the May 18th show.

She is a great talk show host, always making the audience laugh and always has great guests. Now in its eighth season on the air the show has really found its niche on daytime TV. The show is not without its Daytime Emmy Awards either, it has already won 31 of them. As the show continues to gain popularity so does the level of celebrity guests and who doesn’t like to see Ellen ask the latest star humorous yet inspiring questions. So, how could we not be excited to see the show?

Summer Vacation Savings

Thursday, May 12, 2011




Neil Hastings, director of sales and marketing for Mountain Lodge at Telluride in Telluride, Colo., offers the following tips on Summer Vacation Savings for your family:

1. Take a single-destination trip. Instead of a driving trip incorporating several stops, head for one destination. Cities where attractions are accessible by foot or public transportation can help cut costs. While large metropolitan areas may come to mind, that doesn’t rule out smaller, more out-of-the-way places. (Even in Telluride, visitors have no need for a car once they arrive, as there’s a free shuttle bus system and an energy-efficient free gondola).

2. Consider going all-inclusive. Staying at one resort that offers a multitude of services, amenities, and activities can mean significant savings on everything from gas to money. For those who like to try their hand at many activities – and then get tired or bored, and want to move on to the next – an all-inclusive destination can offer all kinds of choices in one location (no more traveling/driving to get to the next thing), at no additional cost. And all-inclusive isn’t restricted to large hotels in a Mexican resort city. Today, many choices exist – think about cruises, adult sports or recreation “camps” and dude ranches.

3. Think “off-season” or “shoulder season.” Think about places that are not in peak season this time of year. For instance, at many mountain locales, early summer and fall are gorgeous, less crowded, and offer much lower rates.

4. Bypass the rental car. If you won’t absolutely need a car when you arrive at your destination, use public transportation to get there when possible. Airport shuttles, buses, and trains offer good alternatives. If you’re in an area where you’d be using taxis frequently, however, compare costs to determine if a rental car would be more economical. Better yet? Try vacationing in places where you can walk to everything. Even in the wide reaches of the American West, walkable towns abound.

5. Get out of your car. Even if you are taking a vacation by car, think about constructing a trip that isn’t all driving. Go hiking, bicycling, or horseback riding. You’ll save money and likely lose a few inches, too.

6. Think about incorporating agritourism into your vacation. Visit farmers’ markets or stores with local produce, and make your own lunches or dinners. Buying straight from the source saves in the big picture, too: You eliminate food’s travel and transport, and lessen your carbon footprint.

7. Ask about discounts. No matter where or when you travel, be sure to ask about any discounts. More lodging properties, restaurants, and attractions than ever are offering discounts this year thanks to a still-sluggish economy, but you may need to ask to find out about them.

8. Go coupon crazy. If you have chosen attractions to visit, go online and search the Web for your activity and the word "coupon" before you go. Many places offer two-for-one, free lunch, kids-free or percentage-off coupons online. Print them out and bring them along to save.

9. Think outside the standard hotel room. Today, most people know that bed and breakfast inns, and rentals of condos, townhomes and houses can offer good lodging alternatives. Also check what hotels and resorts are offering. Many offer traditional rooms as well as cost-effective suites, condos and cabins or houses with full kitchens and other amenities. The savings – especially if you’re able to prepare some meals there – can be substantial while you still reap the comforts and service of a hotel.

re: California Here We Come

Next week we are heading off on our "adventure" to California. I sure wish I was feeling better though, so I'm asking for your prayers for a speedy recovery for me please. I have an awful cold and certainly do not want to be flying with a cold.I know a few years back Erika was flying and had a cold and her ears hurt her so bad.
I have to head to the bank today or tommorow and get some US money and some Canadian money while we're here in Canada yet.
I hope to blog about our travels while we are away. I know our days will be full but I still want to keep in touch.
On another note, Erika will be 19 this Saturday. With me being sick we'll have just the 4 of us for cake. She picked out a small "Turtle" cake yesterday at the grocery store .Her airfare and spending money is a gift from us for her birthday though, plus I had bought her a dvd rack at Ikea when we were in Calgary and moving her home.
When we had orginally planned the trip, she was suppose to pay for her own plane ticket, but she soon ran out of money on her loan and lost a pt job she had. I didn't want to give up on all the planning I had done for the trip. ( She originally wanted to go to mainly see the Ellen Show- it's her dream she said, and Ellen was only doing shows till May, so we plunged forward with the plans.) We were lucky that Gerry got a good tax refund back and a bonus from his workplace this summer. (Airfare for the three of us return from Canada was $1500.)
I'm still last minute planning though and my main goal at this point is to get rid of this cold!

Review and Giveaway: Slap Watch

Tuesday, May 10, 2011



I love watches, and like some women loves their shoes, I love my watches.
I had found a great watch site called Slap Watch.I was going to review one of the watches but found it too bulky when I recieved it, for my small wrist. Although it did fit, it was too big for my tastes.
SLAP Jr. is designed for narrower wrists. Originally it was intended for children but women with narrow wrists seem like it as well.
Gerry loved the watch I recieved for review though, and their watches are unisex, so he's keeping it.He said it's a good watch for working outdoors with.This is a very durable watch that could take alot.



The watch face actually is removable and can be put inside other colored slap bands.
SLAP™ WATCH is available in 9 eye popping colors - creating 81 different possibilities.

I remember the slap bands without the watch in them, when my kids were smaller. They loved them and were alot of fun.These watches are the same principle only a heavier rubber like material and not so thin.

Slap Watch would love to give away one of these watches in your choice of color, to one lucky reader from Canada or the USA.A random draw will be made on May 26, 2011 by Random.org from all entries recieved.

To Enter:Tell me what is your favorite color choice of their watches.

Extra Entries:
Add my button to your blog hop
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Good luck to all!

California Restaurants Here We Come

Monday, May 9, 2011

As we continue to prepare for our exciting trip to California, we are considering some of the places we will be eating along the way. With everything we want to do and see it seems like we have little time to stop and eat. One restaurant we will be dining at is Pizza Hut. Established in 1958, Pizza Hut was America’s first national pizza chain. In order to fully enjoy this American classic we will be enjoying their traditional pan pizza along with some breadsticks. It all sounds so delicious we can hardly wait to get to California and dine at some of America’s most loved restaurants. As we continue to map out our dining stops we are also considering some local restaurants as well.


A second eatery we know we will enjoy is Krispy Kreme. They have been serving out of this world doughnuts and coffee since 1937. While the business started in North Carolina with a secret recipe from New Orleans, the franchise has quickly spread across the country and has found its way to California. We cannot wait to try their classic glazed doughnut, and some of their other varieties.


Yet another great place we've hear about but have never visited is Johnny Rockets.
Since 1986, Johnny Rockets has offered the food, fun and friendliness that remind guests of timeless, feel-good Americana. Every Johnny Rockets restaurant serves simple, great-tasting food from a menu of all-American favorites, including juicy hamburgers, classic sandwiches and hand-dipped shakes and malts. It’s the place to go for fast, friendly service, flavorful food, uplifting music and relaxed, casual fun. Johnny Rockets has 296 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants in 30 states, including D.C. and Puerto Rico and 16 countries, including those found in Six Flags amusement parks and aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships.The very first Johnny Rockets is located on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles, Ca.
Be sure to enter their sweepstakes as well when visiting their site.

Hurry-Save Up To 50% With Go Select Passes-First 100 Readers Only




This week Go-Select is having a pre-launch, invitation-only sale of Go Select passes. Passes will be on sale for the lowest possible prices (at cost), offering travelers up to 50% off the price of attractions.

Go Select is the first and only completely customizable attraction pass for top U.S. destinations that provides travelers with guaranteed savings on the cost of admission to top attractions.

· With Go Select, travelers “build their own” attraction pass – selecting two or more attractions that they want to see.

· Travelers get guaranteed savings of up to 36 percent compared to purchasing individual tickets.

· Go Select is also the first pass to offer added convenience by enabling travelers to use print-at-home and mobile passes.

· Go Select will launch on May 17th in New York City, Boston, Chicago, San Diego and Oahu.


The promo code available is INCOMEDOLLAR.
This code is good for the first 100 readers.

Update- Kitchen Renovating

Sunday, May 8, 2011





You may have all remembered the updating we were doing to our counter tops courtesy of Giani Granite.

Well, Gerry decided to expand on that and update our china cabinet.We took down the top part of it and just made it into a counter with some cupboards.We still need to update the color of the cabinets though. These aren't solid wood and not going to be an easy project to update them.They are made out of pressed particle board and vinyl covering.
If anyone has any ideas, we'd like to hear them.Perhaps someone who may work in a building centre or hardware store may have some ideas.
The wall is also bare, now that we no longer have a mirror there and have to come up with something to make the wall seem less empty looking.

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day everyone- hope all you ladies have a wonderful day and enjoy any pampering you may recieve today!

Just wanted to share a photo of what we woke up to yesterday morning- yucky snow!
Today is suppose to reach 5 degrees so hoping it will start melting. We've had enough snow already!



Photobucket

Review and Giveaway( US Only): Flat Iron Experts-1'' Babyliss Pro Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron

My daughter loves to do her hair.Either curling it or straightening it- she spends more time fussing with her hair than I do- but of course she's 18.She recently reviewed Flat Iron's Babyliss Pro Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron (1")with her own hair.(She has hair extensions as well that she finds curl better than her own hair but here is a picture of her hair when she started curling it. You can see how she did a nice loose curl on one part while the other parts were still straight.Erika was quite happy with this curling iron.Although next time she is going to use it to curl her extensions she said.




The Babyliss Tourmaline Ceramic Curling iron emits negative ions and far-infrared heat that brings a number of additional benefits to your hair:

1. Eliminates static electricity
2. Preserve more moisture within the hair shaft
3. Neutralize odors
4. Causes less damage to the hair cuticle


Flat Iron Experts understand that when you make a purchase online the products that you receive may not always be what you expected,so they also offer "1 Month 100% Satisfaction Money-Back Guarantee" to ease your mind. If you do not like the product just simply mail it back.But we're sure you'll be very happy with your product!

Flat Iron Experts would love to give this same curling iron away to one lucky winner from the USA.A random draw will be made by Random.org on May 15, 2011 from all entries recieved.

To Enter:Tell me why you'd like to win this curling iron.

Extra Entries:

Add my button to your blog hop
Add my Writing Service button to your site
Follow me on Twitter:oneincome
Tweet this giveaway
Add this giveaway to your Linky
Grab my site button
Follow as a Google Friend
Follow as an email subscriber


Good luck to all!
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