'Tis the season for Strawberries and Blueberries! So why not take advantage of all these delicious berries now, and make some jams that you can use for Christmas gifts? The Barefoot Contessa has a wonderful recipe that is easy and delicious!

Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam (from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients:

3 Pints Fresh Strawberries
3 cups superfine sugar (I think two cups works great, especially if strawberries are sweet!)
2 Tbs. Grand Marnier or other Orange Liqueur
1/2 Granny Smith apple-peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Rinse 3 pts. of fresh strawberries under cold running water.
Drain and Hull.
Cut large strawberries in half or quarters, and leave small strawberries whole.
Place strawberries in heavy pot. Add 3 cups superfine sugar, from 2 (1b. bags)
Add 2 Tbs. Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur.
Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring often.
Add apple and blueberries, while keeping the mixture at a rolling boil.
Continue to stir jam occasionally until mixture reaches 220 degrees farenheit (using candy thermometer) This should take about 25-25 minutes.
Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top.
Allow jam to cool to room temperature,

Pack and seal in canning jars according to manufacturer's instructions.

Makes about three cups.

Got a Homemade Christmas Gift Idea to share? Please let me know if you would like to write a post on 101 ways to save sharing your idea...Thanks!

Starting today, if you save a .....

                          in 30 days                      Dec.25th

penny                    .30                                $1.62     
nickel                    $1.50                            $8.10  
dime                      $3.00                            $16.20

.25                         $7.50                           $40.50  
.50--                      $15.00                         $81.00  
.75--                      $22.50                         $121.50
1.00--                    $30.00                         $162.00 
2.00--                    $60.00                         $324.00
3.00--                    $90.00                         $486.00 
4.00--                   $120.00                        $648.00 
5.00--                  $150.00                        $810.00
10.00-                  $300.00                       $1620.00

How much money can you save today?

There was an an interesting list posted by Wisebread today on items that make more sense financially to buy used than new if you can.

So if you are in the market for any of the following, you may save more money and get more value for your dollar if you buy used rather than buying it brand new:

DVDs and CDs

Books

Video Games

Special Occasion and Holiday Clothing

Jewelry

Ikea Furniture

Games and Toys
  
Maternity and Baby Clothes

Musical Instruments

Pets! (Adopt from an animal shelter!!)
 
Home Accents

Craft Supplies

Houses

Office Furniture

Cars


Hand Tools

Sports Equipment

Consumer Electronics

Gardening Supplies

Timeshares

Recreational Items

Save Money this Christmas with homemade gifts! Yes, it is only July, but I am going to start sharing ideas for inexpensive but very nice Christmas presents you can make this holiday season. Enjoy!

Homemade Bath Salts:

This is a very simple and inexpensive gift that is also very easy to make!

Recipe:

• Epsom Salts
• Essential Oils (found in craft stores such as Michaels, or easily ordered online)
• Glass Jars (No need to buy any jars! Simply wash, dry and use spaghetti sauce jars, baby food jars, or any jars you already have at home.

To make the bath salts, fill a jar with the Epsom Salts.
Next, pour all the salts into a measuring cup.
Mix in 10-12 drops of fragrance for each cup of salt.
Mix thoroughly (about two minutes), and fill jar.

Decorate the jar using ribbon and other materials you have around the house. You may want to spray paint the lids or cover them with fabric. Add a pretty label with the name of your bath salts( something that reflects the scent you used, such as Relaxing Lavendar Bath Salts) and the directions for use (Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of bath salts to bath.)

You can also enhance the bath salts with baking soda, kosher salt or dead sea salts, and food coloring. But these items will add to the cost -- and are not necessary at all.


Picture from Martha Stewart Living, May 2004.

 7-Eleven stores will be celebrating the Slurpee this Sunday, July 11th with free Slurpees for everyone!!

Grab the kiddos and head to your nearest 7-Eleven between 8am and 11pm to enjoy a 7.11 oz. Slurpee of any flavor you like!

To find the nearest 7-Eleven near you, visit Slurpee.com

Happy slurping everyone!

Save some money while pampering your dry skin to a rejuvenating exfoliating scrub. This homemade facial scrub is easy to make and helps exfoliate, hydrate and soften the skin.

Home-Made Facial  Scrub

2 Tbs. polenta (fine-ground cornmeal)
2 Tbs. yogurt
2 tsp. Honey

Mix the ingredients together carefully. Gently rub the mixture into your skin using both hands. Start at your chin, and use a circular motion and work the facial scrub up the cheeks to the forehead.

Rinse off with tepid water and pat dry,

1. Savings is More Successful when it's Done Automatically.

Research shows that the less effort it takes, the more likely people are to contribute to savings. A classic study from a professor at the University of Chicago showed that having employees automatically enrolled in a 401(k) retirement savings plan almost doubled participation rates. Not saving (by opting out) was what required an effort here — and apparently it was too much work!
Try having automatic transfers from your checking account into a savings account. Have  a set amount of cash — even as little as $25 — withdrawn monthly out of your checking account into a credit union's savings account will add up quickly and without any effort on your part.

2. We Spend Less When Using Cash Instead of Credit Cards.

A study by MIT researchers found that people were willing to pay up to twice as much for baseball tickets, for example, when paying with plastic compared with cash. Some researchers have dubbed this phenomenon the "Monopoly money" effect, meaning that because you're not playing with "real" money, spending doesn't feel as consequential.

3 Feeling Blue? Avoid Stores!

 Researchers from Harvard and Carnegie Mellon confirmed that people are willing to spend more when they're sad. In the study, people viewed two movies— one a sad movie about a dying father, the other a documentary-style movie about the Great Barrier Reef. The findings: Those who watched the sad film were willing to spend an average of $2.11 for a water bottle, versus the others who paid an average of 56 cents. So avoid shopping and settle for a healthy walk when you are feeling blue!