Money Saving Apps and Websites!

So if you love to clip coupons and/ or save money,  here are a  few websites I have gathered that are my personal by far favorite websites that I use weekly!






1. Receipt Hog- Everywhere you go, you get receipts and they usually end up in the trash/ burn pile. Well why not snap a picture and earn some gift cards? All you do is every time you get a receipt from the gas station, grocery store, restaurants, etc, just snap a picture of the receipt and that's it. Referral link: http://app.receipthog.com/share/puskmh87

2. Ibotta- Each week Ibotta will upload new items to receive rebates on. You can earn gift cards or do a paypal cash out. You also have a wide selection of stores to pick from.  Referral link: http://ibotta.com/r/vjfpfa

3. Shopmium- Earn paypal cash just from buying items that you would normally buy in the store. Each week they upload new items as well. Receive a coupon for a free lindt chocolate bar when you sign up and enter  my referral code.  Referral code: HEHAUARJ

4. Checkout 51 is another app that you can download and its super quick and easy to just snap a picture of the receipt and that's it! No referral link needed for this one.

5. Snap by Groupon- The best thing about this app is that you don't have to go to a certain store to buy some thing and get money back! As long as you have the receipt, you will get a rebate! 

Referral code: https://snap.groupon.com/app?ref=b892a472f619207f

Online purchases websites to earn money back!!! Make sure to check between the two websites to see if one or the other offers cash back for the websites you plan on making your purchases.

1. Swagbucks-  Earn swagbucks from the swagbucks blog, taking daily polls, shopping online and earning cash back, etc.  Enter through this referral link: swagbucks.com/refer/USAFwife09

2. Ebates- If swagbucks doesn't offer cash back for the website I plan to make a purchase through, I go to ebates. Usually one if not both will offer cash back. They also have a mobile app! Website Referral link: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=A%2F2ND7%2B%2Ba2AwYBaauNrvHg%3D%3D%26eeid=

S'mores d'oeuvre

My favorite part of having a bonfire is the S'mores. I'm sure it's everyone's favorite! Well here is a simple way to eat your favorite summer snack! My mother in law made these when we went home on vacation and they did not last very long at all! Did I mention their so easy to make?!

*Sorry for the blurry picture!*

Ingredients

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips (We just used 2 cups of whatever chocolate chips we had on hand.) 
• 1 tbs shortening
• marshmallows
• graham cracker crumbs (We used graham crackers and put them in a zip lock bag and just used a rolling pin to smash up the graham crackers.)

Instructions

1. First off you want to take both chocolate chips and shortening and melt the chocolate mix in a bowl. I did it in the microwave and every 25 seconds I took it out and stirred it. You can do on the stove totally up to you!
2. In another bowl put in your graham cracker crumbs.
3. Once chocolate is melted, you will take one marshmallow and dip it into the chocolate, then sprinkle some graham crackers on top of the chocolate mixture until it is coated. I used a spoon to pour the graham cracker mix over the marshmallow.
4. Repeat steps until you run out of marshmallows or chocolate!
5. Then lay the dipped marshmallow onto wax paper. Allow to fully dry and store in an air tight container.

 

Cake Mix Cookie Bars!

So here is another huge hit that everyone loved! These cookie bars you will have people fighting over the last one. Kind of reminds me of that crescent Pillsbury commercial where the two guys were fighting over what half they get. It will be exactly like that but they wont want to share! Definitely going to make these again!

Cake mix cookie bars

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Box yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 Small box instant vanilla pudding
1/4 Cup water
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
2 Eggs
1 Cup chocolate chips. I used 1/2 cup holiday mini M&M's and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cake mix, pudding, water, vegetable oil, eggs and chips or M&M's in large bowl.
Pour the batter (it's going to be thick) into a greased 10x13 baking dish. I sprayed my dish with nonstick cooking spray which worked well.
Bake your bars for 20-30 minutes (I took mine out at 25.)
It may look sort of raw in the middle but if the edges are just golden and starting to get crispy, it's probably perfect.

Triple Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars

 

So New Year's Eve I had to work a long shift from 5-2 a.m but didn't get out till almost 4 am!! Luckily, we had a Junk food day at work where we brought in dips, cookies, sweets, etc! And this is one of the recipes that was a hit. I ended up having to double the recipe due to not having a 8x8 pan. Looks like I know what I will add to my Christmas list next year! lol But here is the recipe.

 

Yield: one 8x8 pan, 9 to 12 generous squares

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 large egg
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
heaping 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (use Jif, Skippy, etc.; don't use homemade or natural - too runny)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Peanut Butter M&Ms (or Peanut, Plain, or favorite variety)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks, or a combination
1/2 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1/3 cup Heath Bar Toffee Bits (I used some other kind of candy instead of Heath bar bits.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
3. Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don't scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the peanut butter and whisk or stir until smooth and incorporated.
5. Add the flour and stir until just combined, don't overmix.
6. Add all remaining add-ins and fold to incorporate.
7. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. I like to strategically place a few M&Ms on the top of the batter for a nice visual effect.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until top is set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

 

 

Found this recipe via pinterest!

 

They were so delicious!!

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Cake Balls!

(Try saying the name of these delicious desserts 5x fast.) lol

 

This was another recipe I made that I took with me to the potluck at work for a goodbye party. These were another hit but the Oreo Truffles were still the #1. This is also another Pinterest recipe but I did edit it a little by using frosting instead of making my own.

 

Ingredients:

For the cake:

-1 box of spice cake mix

-3 eggs

-1–15 ounce can pumpkin puree (or about 2 cups)

 

Frosting:

I used a jar of the Cream Cheese frosting. Didn't use all of it. Just about half the jar. Enough to make it not to creamy but stick together.

 

Coating:

I used Almond Bark and it was really thick. I think next time I am going to use the White Chocolate chips and go that route.

 

Decoration:

Sprinkles, milk chocolate, or any decoration you choose.

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly-flour two cake pans, set aside. (I didn't flour the pans, instead I just sprayed with cooking spray and it came out the same.)

 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, eggs, and pumpkin puree on medium-low speed until just combined. Then turn the speed up to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.'

 

3. To make cake balls, break up the cake into a large bowl, add in the frosting, and using clean hands, smoosh it together until well-mixed. Using damp hands, form the mixture into 1″ balls and place them onto a baking sheet. Once you’ve finished with all the mixture, place the baking sheet in the freezer.

 

4. While the cake balls are chilling, melt the candy coating in a saucepan over low heat, until smooth. (I carefully melted the chocolate in the Microwave on 15 seconds, stir, and repeat until it was melted.)

 

5. Remove the cake balls from the freezer, and working one at a time, gently drop a cake ball into the candy coating, and spoon more over top to coat. Fish out the ball with a spoon, and place it on wax paper to harden. Repeat with remaining cake balls, you should have just enough candy coating to do all the balls.

 

6. For decoration: melt the semisweet chocolate in the microwave, using a spoon, drizzle it on the cake balls and then top with sprinkles. Or you can just use sprinkles like I did. :)

 

7. Refrigerate and Enjoy!

 

 

This was a Pinterest Recipe that I did tweak a little bit to my standards and they still turned out great! If you would like the pinterest recipe, please visit: http://backtoherroots.com/2013/09/26/pumpkin-spice-cake-balls/

No Bake Oreo Truffles!

So we were having a pot luck at work as a goodbye going away party and I needed something easy to whip up since I already had 3 other items on my list to make that day. And needless to say, these were awesome and such a big hit! And really easy to make!

 

Ingredients:

1 package Double Stuffed Oreos

4 oz Cream Cheese (you may add up to 8 oz, I just like the consistency best with 4 oz.)

Dipping Chocolate (I used white chocolate chips and just melted and it turned out wonderful. The almond bark was a little think but the white chocolate chips were amazing.)

 

Directions:

1. Chop Oreos up finely in a food processor. (I didn't have a food processer so I just used a blender and it did great chopping it up) Save some of the finely crushed Oreos for garnish later and set it aside. You don't need too much.

 

2. With hands (or a spoon, I just think hands are faster), mash softened cream cheese and crushed Oreos until well combined.

 

3. Roll into 1" balls and place on a wax covered cookie sheet. Put in freezer for 15 minutes.

 

4. While balls are in freezer, melt chocolate according to directions.

5. Pull the Oreo Truffles out of freezer, and dip into chocolate. Garnish with reserved Oreo crumbs before the chocolate sets up.

 

6. Let chocolate set, refrigerate and enjoy!

 

This was a Pinterest recipe via: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/11/no-bake-oreo-truffles/

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

So I was told about this program through a friend because my youngest just loves books. He would sit for hours and read (more like look at) books if he could. So I looked up the Dolly Parton's imagination Library and registered my two boys. It did take a while to receive the first book but after that, you get a book monthly....I believe. The first time you get your book (if you have more then one child) the book will be the same but after your first book, they will go based off of the age of your child. So yes, we did get two books the same but now I won't have to hear the boys fighting over the book! (See there is a bright side!)

The first books my boys received were "The Little Engine That Could" and their not the cheap paper books either. They got a hard outside cover. :) 

Here is the second book one of the boys received. I forgot to take a picture of one of them. 

If you would like to register your child(ren) follow this link: 

http://usa.mobile.imaginationlibrary.com/

Or if your not mobile:

http://imaginationlibrary.com/?full=1

Remember it takes a while to receive the first book but definitely worth the wait! 

Enjoy!