Here, in our neck of the woods, the roads are rough, with cracks in the pavement and grass and weeds (sandspurs) growing in places. They definitely need to be repaved and our city is promising that will happen either this year, or next year, or the following year.
In the meantime, it is tough walking on our streets (we don't have sidewalks or gutters to walk in.) We do even more biking on our streets.
As a result, our tires suffer...we often develop blowouts or slow leaks that we find out about the next day.
We could take our tires to the bike shop and pay a lot of money each time our tires are flat. Or we could save LOTS OF MONEY by buying replacement tubes and repair kits and doing it ourselves. That's what we do!
This weekend we went for a nice little ride (about 7 miles or so) and had no problems on the ride. The next day when we went to take the bikes out, my front tire was flat. Real gone, man. So, I rode my "old" bike, not very comfortable for long distances, but it will get me where I want to go.
I'm looking for Neal to fix my tire in the next day or so, and then we'll be off and away again, enjoying the Florida scenery and hoping to spot a wild animal or two on our rides!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
A Good Way to Save Money on Produce
Do you love fruits and vegetables, but don't eat as much of them as you should because of the cost?
I've found a great way to save money on fruits and veggies. Buy local from growers near you!
Having grown up on a farm, I learned how important it is to get FRESH fruits and vegetables. That is where the vitamins are, that is where the great taste is, and nothing looks better than colorful fruits and vegetables in your dishes and on your table! My dad, the farmer, grew many acres of sweet corn and was known as the corn king in our area of Upstate New York. He said that as soon as you picked sweet corn was the best time to cook it and eat it.
The prices are significantly lower at the farm market. At the one down the street from us, they are careful to sell top grade produce at prices that are about 50-60% of what we would pay in the grocery stores or Walmarts. Not only that, but bananas that are ripe are almost always available there for 29 cents a pound. I buy three or four bunches, take the skins off and freeze them for smoothies. They are delicious. You could also make banana bread out of them.
Give it a try. You'll be helping your local economy and benefiting from getting the freshest of the fresh in local fruits and vegetables.
I've found a great way to save money on fruits and veggies. Buy local from growers near you!
Having grown up on a farm, I learned how important it is to get FRESH fruits and vegetables. That is where the vitamins are, that is where the great taste is, and nothing looks better than colorful fruits and vegetables in your dishes and on your table! My dad, the farmer, grew many acres of sweet corn and was known as the corn king in our area of Upstate New York. He said that as soon as you picked sweet corn was the best time to cook it and eat it.
The prices are significantly lower at the farm market. At the one down the street from us, they are careful to sell top grade produce at prices that are about 50-60% of what we would pay in the grocery stores or Walmarts. Not only that, but bananas that are ripe are almost always available there for 29 cents a pound. I buy three or four bunches, take the skins off and freeze them for smoothies. They are delicious. You could also make banana bread out of them.
Give it a try. You'll be helping your local economy and benefiting from getting the freshest of the fresh in local fruits and vegetables.
Monday, April 15, 2013
How I Saved Big Money Today
So, here's the story...About a year or so ago, we bought a new printer. It also scans and copies and faxes. We print and copy with it.
All was well until yesterday, when it started making screeching noises. Oh, oh...but it still was printing just fine.
Today, it screeched and also wasn't printing. This was bad! We had just bought another two boxes of inkjet ink for this printer...it was too soon to die.
I had Neal look at it, when I couldn't get the paper jam message to go away myself. He couldn't either. Of course, we don't have an instruction booklet, since they don't pack those with the product anymore.
After about an hour of this and when Neal gave up on it, I thought about trying to find out if there was anything that I could do from Brother, the maker. I searched through Yahoo for their official website and easily found it. I found the instruction manual online, but didn't find any specific instructions for fixing the problem that I hadn't already tried.
But I did find phone numbers for customer service, and a very nice and patient representative listened to my dilemna and led me step by step through the inside and outside of the printer, looking for anything that didn't look quite right.
After about 10 minutes on the phone with her, suddenly, the printer started working again, perfectly! No more screeching either!
Oh boy, we were almost ready to chuck it. This little manover saved us $150-200, since we didn't have to run out and buy a replacement. PTL!
All was well until yesterday, when it started making screeching noises. Oh, oh...but it still was printing just fine.
Today, it screeched and also wasn't printing. This was bad! We had just bought another two boxes of inkjet ink for this printer...it was too soon to die.
I had Neal look at it, when I couldn't get the paper jam message to go away myself. He couldn't either. Of course, we don't have an instruction booklet, since they don't pack those with the product anymore.
After about an hour of this and when Neal gave up on it, I thought about trying to find out if there was anything that I could do from Brother, the maker. I searched through Yahoo for their official website and easily found it. I found the instruction manual online, but didn't find any specific instructions for fixing the problem that I hadn't already tried.
But I did find phone numbers for customer service, and a very nice and patient representative listened to my dilemna and led me step by step through the inside and outside of the printer, looking for anything that didn't look quite right.
After about 10 minutes on the phone with her, suddenly, the printer started working again, perfectly! No more screeching either!
Oh boy, we were almost ready to chuck it. This little manover saved us $150-200, since we didn't have to run out and buy a replacement. PTL!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
FREE PHOTOS
It's one of those special days again. You can get 25 FREE photos printed at Walgreens.
Here's how I do it.
1. Sign up for emails from Walgreens. That way you will know whenever they have these opportunities. Or, if you are reading this today (April 4, 2013) you can go to www.walgreens.com and click on the photo section to see this feature.
2. Be ready with photos that you have taken and loaded on your computer.
3. Upload your pictures to an album on the Walgreens website.
a. First be on the webpage for Walgreens that shows info about their photo department.
b. Click on Upload Pictures.
c. Go to your pictures on your computer and select those that you want to consider.
d. Click OPEN (This will bring them to a central location on Walgreens website that they call an album. I use today's date to save them for each album.)
e. When you have all that you want, click on those that you want printed as photos at Walgreens.
4. In the checkout process, they will ask you if you have any promotion codes:
Today's CODE is Pictures25.
5. They will have you choose a Walgreen's store close to you and ask you if you want to pay now or in the store. (In my case, there is no charge because 25 photos are free TODAY only.) I always choose pay in the store because I also want to use my Rewards card.
6. They will print them today, but you can wait a day or two to pick them up with no trouble.
**Once you start to take advantage of these photo opportunities at Walgreen's, you will become hooked. I have also gotten several collages printed for free at different times and this is a great way to remember an event, like a holiday, wedding of a friend or a graduation.
**We have tried several Walgreen's photo departments and have found one that we really like best, so when it's time to print, we always choose that one.
Here's how I do it.
1. Sign up for emails from Walgreens. That way you will know whenever they have these opportunities. Or, if you are reading this today (April 4, 2013) you can go to www.walgreens.com and click on the photo section to see this feature.
2. Be ready with photos that you have taken and loaded on your computer.
3. Upload your pictures to an album on the Walgreens website.
a. First be on the webpage for Walgreens that shows info about their photo department.
b. Click on Upload Pictures.
c. Go to your pictures on your computer and select those that you want to consider.
d. Click OPEN (This will bring them to a central location on Walgreens website that they call an album. I use today's date to save them for each album.)
e. When you have all that you want, click on those that you want printed as photos at Walgreens.
4. In the checkout process, they will ask you if you have any promotion codes:
Today's CODE is Pictures25.
5. They will have you choose a Walgreen's store close to you and ask you if you want to pay now or in the store. (In my case, there is no charge because 25 photos are free TODAY only.) I always choose pay in the store because I also want to use my Rewards card.
6. They will print them today, but you can wait a day or two to pick them up with no trouble.
**Once you start to take advantage of these photo opportunities at Walgreen's, you will become hooked. I have also gotten several collages printed for free at different times and this is a great way to remember an event, like a holiday, wedding of a friend or a graduation.
**We have tried several Walgreen's photo departments and have found one that we really like best, so when it's time to print, we always choose that one.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
My Smart Couponing Book is Free on Friday March 22
As part of Kindle Direct Publishing Select, I can give away this book for free on a day or two per month.
Tomorrow (Friday March 22) my new book
Saving Money 101--Smart Couponing
by Diane Schmitt
will be free for you to download.
Just go to www.amazon.com/author/dianeschmitt and select that book.
You might wonder WHY I would want to give away this book:
1. To get more people familiar with my books
2. To have satisfied customers write a stellar review for me (that helps authors sell more books on Amazon.) As of right now, none of the over 100 book buyers for this book has written a review. :(
**If you want this book for free, please do it early in the day. After I reach 100 giveaways, I will stop the offer.
Tomorrow (Friday March 22) my new book
Saving Money 101--Smart Couponing
by Diane Schmitt
will be free for you to download.
Just go to www.amazon.com/author/dianeschmitt and select that book.
You might wonder WHY I would want to give away this book:
1. To get more people familiar with my books
2. To have satisfied customers write a stellar review for me (that helps authors sell more books on Amazon.) As of right now, none of the over 100 book buyers for this book has written a review. :(
**If you want this book for free, please do it early in the day. After I reach 100 giveaways, I will stop the offer.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Do you or your children need tutoring?
I'm speaking from my other life now as a tutor.
A tutor is a professional educator, not someone who is currently taking the course and doing well in it.
The best tutor has taught the subject and grade level you need help with for years and is current with state testing requirements.
A tutor has resources at their fingertips to help the student.
The best tutors know how to write curriculum (just in case the state you live in decides to change the standards and the publishers haven't caught up yet.)
Wonderful tutors can explain things in simple terms so that anyone can understand.
Great tutors in Math can make up any type of problem you need on the spot.
You (or your student) will start to understand better from the first session.
A fantastic tutor will teach you their own tricks for solving problems and answering questions.
A great tutor will have much patience with you and give you their undivided attention during tutoring sessions.
This tutor spends from 1-2 hours preparing for each one hour session of tutoring with a student.
Professional tutors are worth far more than they charge.
A tutor is a professional educator, not someone who is currently taking the course and doing well in it.
The best tutor has taught the subject and grade level you need help with for years and is current with state testing requirements.
A tutor has resources at their fingertips to help the student.
The best tutors know how to write curriculum (just in case the state you live in decides to change the standards and the publishers haven't caught up yet.)
Wonderful tutors can explain things in simple terms so that anyone can understand.
Great tutors in Math can make up any type of problem you need on the spot.
You (or your student) will start to understand better from the first session.
A fantastic tutor will teach you their own tricks for solving problems and answering questions.
A great tutor will have much patience with you and give you their undivided attention during tutoring sessions.
This tutor spends from 1-2 hours preparing for each one hour session of tutoring with a student.
Professional tutors are worth far more than they charge.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
New Book Cover
Here is my new book cover and what to look for on Amazon Kindle books:
Also, see my previous blog post for more information on this book.
Also, see my previous blog post for more information on this book.
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