Some poll data on how Economics are effecting our daily lives:
70% of people think the down turn will last well into 2010
Increase in 'in-sourcing' (doing it yourself)
More people are buying seeds to grow their own vegetables
More people are calling Proctor & Gamble to get advice on dyeing their own hair
Rise in car parts & oil changing supplies, indicating more people are doing it themselves instead of going to the shop.
Beginning sewing kits? Up 30% from previous years.
Sewing machine sales are up as well.
Shoe repair is up, indicating that people would rather fix what they have.
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If you have gotten used to taking a deduction from your mortgage interest -- forget it. The new budget will cut out a significant amount of the deduction.
Worry is that if people can't take the interest off their taxes then it will give one more reason why people shouldn't/won't buy a home.
Showing posts with label money savers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money savers. Show all posts
Friday, February 27, 2009
Friday, February 08, 2008
Knitting yourself into a vacation
KNIT OUT CROCHET TOO IDEA BROCHURE:
For those of you who have misplaced your yarn or are looking for some place in the mall to find some (since it isn't generally a stocked item)--try the "Dollar Tree" on the Third Floor``they usually have close out yarn that you can't find other places for only $1/skein!
But otherwise you could try the Alpaca shop but I do not recall seeing any yarn there--but I've never gone completely in.
For those on a food budget ($wise) there are many of your favorite fast food joints; and those on a food budget (calorie/health wise) there are several places in the food courts--yes that was plural--that offer healthier choices such as stir-fry, fish, etc. There is even a place called Arthur's (i think that's the name) that specializes in slow food--its a place to sit and relax, the food is pretty reasonably priced and the food is good but be prepared to spend a bit of time there.
Be sure to check out 'Underwater Adventures' on the lower level---they have an area where you actually go UNDER the fish. See the shark that was attacked, by another shark! Watch as divers swim with the fishes and feed them out of hand...even the sharks get a turn. Or take the dive yourself!
For more info visit the Mall Of America website for info of up coming events, available shops, restraunts, hotels/motels, directions, parking, etc.
Click on the 'Knit Out' banner to get details on the event/hotel offers/valuable coupons etc.
"Craft Yarn Council of America's (CYCA) second annual Knit & Crochet eventIf you can only make one knitting/crocheting/tatting trip a year this is it!
at the Mall of America, February 16 and 17th, 2008 (Presidents' Weekend),
promises to be the largest gathering of knitters and crocheters ever. More than
50,000 attended last year's Great American Knit-Out and even more are expected
this year. Craft Yarn Council of America's (CYCA) second annual Knit &
Crochet event at the Mall of America, February 16 and 17th, 2008 (Presidents'
Weekend), promises to be the largest gathering of knitters and crocheters ever.
More than 50,000 attended last year's Great American Knit-Out and even more are
expected this year."
For those of you who have misplaced your yarn or are looking for some place in the mall to find some (since it isn't generally a stocked item)--try the "Dollar Tree" on the Third Floor``they usually have close out yarn that you can't find other places for only $1/skein!
But otherwise you could try the Alpaca shop but I do not recall seeing any yarn there--but I've never gone completely in.
For those on a food budget ($wise) there are many of your favorite fast food joints; and those on a food budget (calorie/health wise) there are several places in the food courts--yes that was plural--that offer healthier choices such as stir-fry, fish, etc. There is even a place called Arthur's (i think that's the name) that specializes in slow food--its a place to sit and relax, the food is pretty reasonably priced and the food is good but be prepared to spend a bit of time there.
Be sure to check out 'Underwater Adventures' on the lower level---they have an area where you actually go UNDER the fish. See the shark that was attacked, by another shark! Watch as divers swim with the fishes and feed them out of hand...even the sharks get a turn. Or take the dive yourself!
For more info visit the Mall Of America website for info of up coming events, available shops, restraunts, hotels/motels, directions, parking, etc.
Click on the 'Knit Out' banner to get details on the event/hotel offers/valuable coupons etc.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Product Review--Coffee Mate:Pumpkin Spice
Okay I'm late on this....how late? well the container of Coffee Mate is gone.
How do you like your coffee? I like mine blonde, hot, and sweet--no wait that's men....no, that's my coffee---and when it comes to creamers I have found that the Member's Mark brand that I get from Sam's Club beats the Coffee Mate powder without a doubt...so when Sam's club offered the liquid Coffee Mate in a duo pack I was a tad skeptical.
The creamer comes in a duo pack-one of French Vanilla, one of Pumpkin Spice.
Well I had the French Vanilla powder before so I had some idea what too expect--too much vanilla and way too much hidden sweetener**note later** So I decided to start with the Pumpkin Spice.
I began with a standard coffee cup (not the 18oz cup I usually use) just in case I didn't like it. I used one sugar cube for sweetness and 1 Tbsp (using a measureing spoon) of creamer per cup.
It was surprisingly delicious. You would think the combination of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, cream & coffee would be horrid but it was quite pleassnt.
It reminded me of the International Instant Coffees my mother used to buy me in high school. Or like a Snickerdoodle cookie in a cup.
Being that I don't drink a lot of flavored coffees I decided to consult my local coffee-house expert....oh okay, I had my teenaged daughter try it too.....she loves going to Caribou and dislikes the brews at Starbuck's--in fact she calls them over priced, froo-froo drinks there.
She loved it! She liked the creamy texture and the way it exploded up from the bottom of the cup--she likes to add the creamer after the coffee is poured, I like to have it in there before hand--she even switched over to one of the clear glass cups to observe the explosion when it hit the bottom.
Hey, coffee & science in one great moment--I can live with that.
She did say that she could feel almost a powderiness to the cinnamon, but I couldn't feel it at all. I did note what seemed like a very slight coconut undertone to the creamer.
all in all I would give it an 8 out of 10 for taste, and a 3 out of 10 for price (I will need to find the reciept but it wasn't cheap)
Now that note** I have found the flavored Coffee Mates are over flavored so what I do is get the giant container of generic (in this case Member's Mark) non-dairy creamer powder and mix to it one of the regular containers of the flavored powdered Coffee-Mates. Put it back in the container (remember you now have more than you did before so you will need a container that is bigger than both the generic & namebrand combined)...now put it in your cupboard for a couple of hours, maybe even overnight and you will find that ALL the powder is now flavored the way you like it. Viola! You now have 3-5 times the amount of flavored mix at only the fraction of the cost.
Also--like those mocha drinks? buy cocoa powder w/o the marshmellows...now mix it with an equal amount of non-dairy powder and use your coffee instead of water to make it....ummmm, frothy!
How do you like your coffee? I like mine blonde, hot, and sweet--no wait that's men....no, that's my coffee---and when it comes to creamers I have found that the Member's Mark brand that I get from Sam's Club beats the Coffee Mate powder without a doubt...so when Sam's club offered the liquid Coffee Mate in a duo pack I was a tad skeptical.
The creamer comes in a duo pack-one of French Vanilla, one of Pumpkin Spice.
Well I had the French Vanilla powder before so I had some idea what too expect--too much vanilla and way too much hidden sweetener**note later** So I decided to start with the Pumpkin Spice.
I began with a standard coffee cup (not the 18oz cup I usually use) just in case I didn't like it. I used one sugar cube for sweetness and 1 Tbsp (using a measureing spoon) of creamer per cup.
It was surprisingly delicious. You would think the combination of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, cream & coffee would be horrid but it was quite pleassnt.
It reminded me of the International Instant Coffees my mother used to buy me in high school. Or like a Snickerdoodle cookie in a cup.
Being that I don't drink a lot of flavored coffees I decided to consult my local coffee-house expert....oh okay, I had my teenaged daughter try it too.....she loves going to Caribou and dislikes the brews at Starbuck's--in fact she calls them over priced, froo-froo drinks there.
She loved it! She liked the creamy texture and the way it exploded up from the bottom of the cup--she likes to add the creamer after the coffee is poured, I like to have it in there before hand--she even switched over to one of the clear glass cups to observe the explosion when it hit the bottom.
Hey, coffee & science in one great moment--I can live with that.
She did say that she could feel almost a powderiness to the cinnamon, but I couldn't feel it at all. I did note what seemed like a very slight coconut undertone to the creamer.
all in all I would give it an 8 out of 10 for taste, and a 3 out of 10 for price (I will need to find the reciept but it wasn't cheap)
Now that note** I have found the flavored Coffee Mates are over flavored so what I do is get the giant container of generic (in this case Member's Mark) non-dairy creamer powder and mix to it one of the regular containers of the flavored powdered Coffee-Mates. Put it back in the container (remember you now have more than you did before so you will need a container that is bigger than both the generic & namebrand combined)...now put it in your cupboard for a couple of hours, maybe even overnight and you will find that ALL the powder is now flavored the way you like it. Viola! You now have 3-5 times the amount of flavored mix at only the fraction of the cost.
Also--like those mocha drinks? buy cocoa powder w/o the marshmellows...now mix it with an equal amount of non-dairy powder and use your coffee instead of water to make it....ummmm, frothy!
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