Happy Thanksgiving

Today I want to wish each and everyone of my readers a Happy and safe Thanksgiving. I am going to share one of my favorite recipes with you for leftover turkey.

Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Casserole
This tasty turkey casserole recipe is made with leftover turkey, leftover stuffing and gravy, and a little cranberry sauce for topping.
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
4 cups prepared turkey stuffing
2 cups cooked cut up or sliced turkey
1 3/4 to 2 cups prepared turkey gravy
1/3 cup jellied or whole cranberry sauce, cubed
Preparation:
Butter bottom and sides of 2-quart baking dish. Arrange half of the stuffing in bottom of dish. Add half of the turkey then half of the gravy. Repeat layers. Top with cubes of cranberry sauce. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Serves 4.

Tips To Stay Safe On Black Friday

Last week we discussed having a plan for Black Friday. If you have never gone shopping on this day you are in for a shock. There will be hundreds if not thousands of people after the same items as you are. People can become angry and things can get out of hand very quickly. Here are some tips to keep you safe while shopping on Black Friday.

People can get angry and rude very quick. If they see you picking up the last of an item they may become angry and rude towards you. Don't get into a confrontation with them. You don't know these people or know what they could be capable of doing. People have been hurt shopping on Black Friday. People have gotten involved in physical confrontations over toys. It's best to just get away from the situation. Find a store employee if someone won't leave you alone.

Don't bring much cash on Black Friday. Crooks will be out looking for people to steal from. Don't leave your purse in a shopping cart while you turn to get something. Chances are it will be gone when you turn back around. Keep a hand on your purse at all times. Better yet get a fanny pack to wear. Also, cash can get lost. You can drop it while digging in your purse or pocket for your keys. Use your bank card whenever possible.

Use common sense when shopping this Friday. There is no item however great the deal worth you getting hurt or worse. Don't go stampeding into the store when the door is opened. People can get trampled on. You want to get the deals, but do so safely, and remember you could always stay home and shop online.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Online

With Black Friday just a week away I wanted to remind those who were not going out to the stores that they can still take advantage of the great deals online. Several stores will be having the same items on their websites that they do in the stores on Black Friday.

The stores offering the sales online often begin at midnight. The others will wait until the same time the sale begins in the store. If there is something you want it is a good idea to be on the site and already registered before the sale begins. On Black Friday the web servers will be very busy and the sites will be super slow. Have patience and you will get your items.

Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday. This is when the rest of the online stores will have sales. Even some of the stores that offered their Black Friday deals online will participate on Cyber Monday.

Before you place your order check and see if you can find any coupon codes to help save on shipping costs, or even offer a discount on the items you are purchasing. If you do a search for Cyber Monday you will find sites listing the deals you can find. Also, the sites that list Black Friday deals usually post whether the store will be offering the deals online as well.

Black Friday Plan of Attack Part 2

Earlier in the week we talked about leaving your manners at the entrance if you are planning on shopping this Black Friday. Today I am going to share some tips to help you make the most of your shopping experience.

First tip I am going to share is to take helpers. Several stores have customers line up next to the item they want. You can't be more than one place at a time so you need some reliable helpers. These helpers need to understand they may have to be assertive to get the items. It is handy if you each have a cell phone to keep in touch.

Second tip is to leave the buggy behind. You may have your hands full, but at least you will get your items. Maneuvering a shopping cart is next to impossible with the crowds. You will be stuck waiting and miss out on the items you wanted. You could leave someone behind with a cart so you can empty your hands occasionally.

Third and this is very important, leave small children at home. Black Friday is no place for little ones. Things can turn ugly on Black Friday with people pushing and shoving, You do not want something to happen to your child. It is also easier if you are not worried about keeping an eye on a child that day. You will be busy looking for the items you want. Besides little kids might be afraid of all the commotion.

The last tips I am going to offer is to know what you are after. Several sites have the Black Friday ads already posted. Look through them and make a list of the items you want. This will help you plan how many helpers you are going to need. Some stores offer a map to let you know where the big ticket items like electronics are going to be located.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you don't worry, several of the major stores will be having sales online on Black Friday. Be sure to check for coupon codes.

Plan of Attack for Black Friday Shopping Part 1

If you have never been shopping on Black Friday you are going to be shocked at how many people will be out that day. People take shopping on Black Friday very serious. They plan for weeks ahead of time an attack plan to get all the items on their shopping list. This week I will be sharing my secrets and help you plan your Black Friday shopping attack plan.

First if you are going to shop on Black Friday you have to leave most of your manners at the front door. People are rude on Black Friday. They will be pushing and shoving. There are so many of each item and everyone wants to make sure they get what they came for. People will take things right out of your shopping cart if you don't keep an eye on it at all times.

Black Friday shopping is not for the weak of heart. If you let it the crowds, lines, and rude people could really damper your holiday spirit. You have to put all those feelings aside and concentrate on the main goal, getting the items on your list.

You have to be assertive. Don't let people push you out of the way. If you can't do this you better take along some friends who can. There are lots of great deals to be had on Black Friday. It's just a matter of who planned ahead. They will be the ones scoring the deals.

Our next post will focus on tips for your Black Friday attack plan. If you plan on being out that day, you better start your plan now, or-plan on staying home and shopping online.

Photo created by Robert Linder

Where to Find This Year's Hottest Holiday Toys

The holiday shopping season is upon us. If you have kids you have been hearing I want this, I want that for the last few weeks. Now all you have to do is find those hot toys your kids are wanting. Finding the hottest toys of the holiday season can be a challenge to say the least. Many of us remember when Tickle Me Elmo was all the rage.

Some parents give up on finding the year's hottest toys before they even start their shopping. They automatically assume they won't be able to find them. This is not always true. Most of the time with a little extra work you can find the toy your child wants for Christmas.

Begin by calling your local stores. Ask them when the toy is due in the store. Find out when the toy will be placed on the shelves. Some stores will be more than willing to share this information. Sometimes a store might be kind enough to hold an item for you. With the more popular toys they are usually first come first serve. Be there when the store opens and you might have a better chance of getting the toy you are searching for.

Next look online. The internet gives you access to thousands of stores. Sure you will have to pay shipping, but you won't have to tread all over town looking either. Sometimes the toy will be more expensive online. Especially if the item is really popular. You have to decide if you want to pay the higher price or wait until after the holiday season is over. For example, this year the Zhu-Zhu is one of the year's hottest toys. You cannot find one anywhere. If you look online they are way overpriced.

In the store they go for $8.00. I have seen them going for well over $60.00 online. Now I have to decide if I want to pay that and make my child happy, or hope they will be happy with their other gifts that they don't notice the missing Zhu-Zhu pet.

If you are looking online, check for coupon codes to help save with the costs. Don't give up on finding the year's hottest toys. Just keep looking both online and in brick and mortar stores.

Happy Veterans Day

I wanted to take a moment and thank all of the men and women who have or are currently serving in any branch of the service. You are all truly heroes for giving your all to protect us.
Thank you!

Save Time and Money by Shopping Online This Holiday Season

If you don't enjoy standing in long lines or being pushed by rude customers maybe you should consider doing your holiday shopping online. Shopping online can save you time, frustration, and money.

Shopping online allows you to take your time looking for the perfect gift. There will be nobody pushing you through the aisle. You can shop at any hour. If you have some time free during your lunch you can shop then. You don't have to worry about traffic or crowds.

Online stores want you to do your business with them. They are offering great holiday deals. You can also find practically anything you are looking for online. There are even sites that offer grocery shopping.

When shopping online you can find coupon codes to save on the cost and shipping. Sometimes these codes will offer deals like buy 1 get 1 free. Always check for a coupon before making your purchase.

On Black Friday several of the stores will be offering the same deals you would find in the actual store online. This means no crowds, no rude people, and no standing in the cold for hours. You will need to be online when the sale begins. You do have the chance of the stores server going down due to lots of people being on the site at the same time. However, stores are getting better prepared to handle the extra web traffic.

So if you dread holiday shopping because of long lines and crowds now you have another option.

Stores are Starting Black Friday Early

If you love getting the great deals on Black Friday, get ready because several stores are already starting the sales. Several stores are offering Black Friday deals to get customers in the stores earlier. This can be a great way of getting Christmas gifts without fighting the crowds.

Stores that are offering Black Friday deals now or this weekend include Wal-mart, Sears, Big lots, and Toy's R US. Some of the items on sale now are electronics like big screen TV's and computers.

If you avoid the Black Friday mad rush due to the crowds or the cold you might want to take advantage of the sales happening now. There shouldn't be as big of a crowd unless you are going after a big ticket item. Stores will have limited quantities. If you want a big screen or laptop your best bet is to arrive early. You could always call your store and see if some nice employee will tell you how many they have in stock.

Start shopping now and you can spread out the cost of Christmas shopping over November and December. Waiting until the last minute does not necessarily guarantee a better deal. Don't forget to check online for deals. Some of the stores are offering online deals that won't be available in the actual brick and mortar store. Check for coupon codes to help save on shipping and price.

Easy Ways To Save Money

Saving money does not have to be difficult. Everyday we have a chance to save money. You might not recognize these opportunities.

Think about your trip to the coffee shop each day. How much do you spend on your fancy drink? It's easy to spend $10.00 at the coffee shop. If you were to skip the coffee shop trip one or two days a week you would have an extra twenty dollars. Now what if you gave up trips to the coffee shop altogether, you could save quite a bit of money over the month.

Next think about when you stop to get gas. If you go in to pay there are plenty of items to tempt you to buy. Even if you just grab a soda each time that is at least a dollar. While you may say a dollar is not much, it adds up. Pay for your gas using your debit card and you will avoid buying anything you didn't really need anyway.

Save money by keeping all of your change. Find a container to keep the change. When the container is full, cash in your change. Several store offer a machine that will count your money and issue you cash or gift cards for the value of the change. Some of these machines charge a small fee. You can also roll the change into coin wrappers and trade it in at the bank. You would be surprised how fast spare change can add up.

Use coupons whenever possible. Get a Sunday paper and go through the coupons. See which coupons you can use. Don't buy something you won't use just because you have a coupon. Some stores do double and even triple coupons days. This cans ave you a lot of money. Also always check for coupon codes when you are shopping online. You can find codes for free shipping, and often a discount.

Think about all the places you spend money each day. Ask yourself if you really need to spend the money. Soon you will discover several ways you can save money.

Lower Your Heating Costs

With the cold weather settling in it is time to crank up the heaters. This could mean an extra monthly bill for some, or the added expense of filling your tank with oil or kerosene. If you are like me you are constantly looking for ways to lower your bills. Here are some tips for lowering your heating bills.

The first tip I am going to offer is to see if your state offers a program to help assist you with your heating bills. This program is usually called Li-heap. It is based off of your income. They raised the income limits last year so it is worth a shot checking into. They send funds directly to your heating company. They also have a program to help repair your furnace if something should break.

Next we are going to talk about turning the thermostat down a few degrees. If your household is like mine there is always someone cold. They are constantly turning up the thermostat. This results in higher heating costs. Put on an extra sweater or sweatshirt. Invest in some long underwear to wear underneath your clothing. Get a blanket that has sleeves. There are lots of manufacturers making these. They are usually made from soft fleece.

Another tips for lowering your heating costs is to close the vents in rooms that you don't use. There is no sense in heating a room that no one is going to be in. You can also get a space heater to use in the room you are in. They will cost less to operate than your furnace.

On bright sunny days open your curtains to let the sun warm your room. There is nothing better than free heat. Plus it will brighten your spirits on a cold winter day.

Photo created by David Lat