Salt Free Seasoning Recipe

Ounce for ounce, herbs and spices have more antioxidants than any other food group. 
MICHAEL GREGER

Here is a tasty Salt Free seasoning that is fantastic on baked potatoes or vegetables. The best part, everyone of these spices have extra health benefits!

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

Place all ingredients in an empty spice container and shake to blend everything together. This seasoning is not spicy, but very flavorful. We try to use this seasoning often to sneak in more of the health benefits listed below.

I hope you enjoy this one!

*Parsley- Antioxidant (contains Apigenin an antioxidant that can increase the benefits of other antioxidants), Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Lutein. Anti-inflammatory. May have cancer fighting abilities.   

*Celery Seed- Anti-inflammatory. May help with gout, lowering cholesterol, and blood pressure.

*Cayenne powder- Anti-imflammatory. May help with arthritis, increase your metabolism, improve heart health, lower cholesterol and anti-cancer.

*Cumin Powder- Antioxidant, rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. May help lower blood sugar and cholesterol and protect bones from osteoporosis. 

How to Save Money on Your Electric Bill

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven't.

THOMAS EDISON

Yes, you can always shave a little more off your electric bill. We reduced our electric bill $250.00 last year with these tips. The best part is you don't have to spend money on a gadget or gizmo! Here are some easy, low cost, and free ways to lower your electric bill. 

1.   SLOWLY raise the temperature on your air conditioner. We went from setting the thermostat at 68 degrees in the summer to 77 degrees! How did we do this? One degree at a time. We raised the temperature one degree higher and waited a couple weeks and then raised it another degree higher. We kept raising the temperature every few weeks until we felt uncomfortable. For us, it was 77 degrees. Re-acclimating your body slowly can make temperature adjustments less painful and you won't know the difference. Every degree counts! To stay cool at bedtime, be sure to use minimal bedding- light sheets, a thin blanket or no blanket! Bust out your box fan or turn on your ceiling fan. Wear lightweight pajamas. No pants, socks, long sleeves, etc. 

2.     Embrace the seasons. We waste a lot of money overwarming a house in winter, so we can wear shorts inside. Or, overcooling a house in the summer to make up for wearing long pajamas and baking all day heating the kitchen. If we follow the seasons, these times will feel extra special, and we can save money, too!

Winter: Wear winter clothes inside when it's cold outside. Bring out the sweaters, warm thick socks, flannel pajamas, hoodies, soft scarves, and gloves. Put throw blankets on chairs and sofas and USE THEM! Drink hot beverages. Just wrapping your hands around a hot mug of coco or tea can warm you up. Now is the time to eat soups, stews, and baked goods. Using your oven keeps your kitchen warm. Make your bed toasty by using flannel sheets and add many layers of blankets. Snuggle with your loved ones and hold hands.

Summer: In the summertime, wear shorts and lightweight clothes. Keep your feet cool by not wearing socks inside. Wear your hair up and get the ceiling fans blowing in your house. It is time to eat salads, sandwiches, chilled watermelon, fruit, jello, popsicles, smoothies, and ice cream. Drink iced mint tea and iced coffee. Try to limit using the oven in the hottest months. Instead use your toaster oven, crock pot, or stove top to keep the kitchen cooler. 

3.  Dress your windows for the seasons. Use black out curtains in the summer. This immediately lowered our summer electric bills. It helps block the sun from beating into your rooms which in turn keeps you from having to cool the rooms down. It's worth the investment! Another option is to use a car dash sun reflector and place that in the window to reflect the light. If it works for your car, it will work for your home.

In the winter, place bubble wrap on your window panes. Spray glass panes lightly with water and press the bubble wrap (bubble side toward the glass) to the window. The moisture from the water helps the bubble wrap stick, adding more insulation to your windows. Start collecting bubble wrap from your packages throughout the year. This is a free alternative to buying insulating window films.  

4.  Fill any cracks!  On a bright sunny day look for any cracks, or gaps in your door frame.  I cut long strips ( 1.5 inches wide) from cardboard boxes.  I connected two strips together with duct tape to make a strip long enough for my door height. Now try to stuff the cardboard piece into the crack between your door and the frame. Can you still see light shining through? You can make the strip thicker by adding another strip exactly the same size. Tape the two strips together to double up the width and then try stuffing it in the crack. It may not be beautiful but it will cut down on cold drafts. Check the top of your door frame and make strips to fill in any gaps. Place a rolled up towel at the bottom of your door to block any drafts coming in from the bottom. These are free ways to weather strip your door.

5. Check what's plugged in. Look around your house and find anything that is rarely used and unplug it. Unplug the alarm clock in the guest room or the DVD player you use twice a year.  Now, look for any items that have buttons or clocks that glow even when you aren't using them and put them on a power strip. Examples: space heaters, coffee makers, microwaves, phone chargers, DVD, TV, computer monitor, stereo equipment, speakers. In my kitchen, I have my toaster oven, microwave, phone charger, and box fan plugged into one power strip. I can easily flip the power button on to heat up leftovers and then turn the strip off when I'm done. Flipping that switch means I don't have to pay for the glowing clock display 24/7 on my microwave. The time is always wrong anyway! Another power strip idea is grouping your TV/DVD/entertainment stand. You can easily flip the power strip off when it's not in use and stop paying for those glowing buttons and clocks that remain on. We don't let our faucets leak. We should do the same with our electric outlets.

We all know the basics. Turn off lights and change lightbulbs to LED. These tips are a little off the beaten path. They aren't hard to implement and can help cut your electric bill even lower this year.

I pray these tips help you to lower your electric bill. So how do you lower your electric bill? Share your tips below. And thank you for reading!

How to Make a Solar Nightlight

I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness

ISAIAH 42:6

When I lost my job, immediately every dollar mattered. We were living on one income, and I was frantically reading tons of tips online on ways to lower your bills. We cut our cable and lowered our phone and car insurance payments. I unplugged everything we didn't use and re-plugged everything we did use into power saving strips. I hung thermal curtains and changed light bulbs to LEDS. And all of those tips worked! But there was one thing we couldn't eliminate. Something so small and silly! Our nightlight. We would leave the light above the kitchen stove on throughout the night to help us navigate to the bathroom or to get a glass of water. I eliminated every wasteful electric habit but was having a hard time with a night light alternative.

I am telling you all this because that's where my head was when I came up with this idea. I don't know how much the solar nightlight saves us. That one little bulb near the range hood was on 10 hours a day and 365 days a year. Maybe 25 bucks in a year? But at that time, every dollar mattered!  Even today, every dollar matters. I have learned how quickly lots of little insignificant amounts add up to big amounts over time. A buck here and a quarter there can add up to thousands of dollars saved or thousands of dollars wasted. 

It's easy to make your own solar nightlight. You will need a empty bottle and a solar garden stake light. You can pick up a small solar light at the Dollar Tree or Dollar General for a buck. Drop the solar light stake down into the bottle, and it's ready! Place your solar nightlight in a sunny window during the day to charge. When the sun goes down it automatically turns on, so keep the nightlights under a lamp until bedtime. When you're ready for bed, place the nightlight on the floor to light up a hallway path or on your nightstand. Once you turn off the lights, it'll start glowing! The only downside is if the solar panels don't collect enough sun. They won't work. You can try leaving them under a table lamp to charge on cloudy or rainy days.

2 Reused Bottles. 2 Solar Lights. 2 Bucks.

I think these would be great for outdoor patio tables too! I hope you try and make your own solar nightlight. Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

10 Tips to Save Money on Groceries

A Penny saved is a Penny earned.

-Benjamin Franklin

Wouldn't it be great to earn more? Are you still waiting for a raise? Are you watching your monthly bills outgrow your paycheck? If you are frustrated, there is something in your control you can change today. You may not be able to earn more money. But you can save more money.  Most household bills are fixed, but your grocery bill can be lowered. It won't be easy at first, but you can do it. These small steps can help you save more money on groceries. Here are ten tips to get you started.

1. Avoid temptation.

You won't find things if you aren't tempted. Stop going into the clothing department, the make-up isle, the craft section, etc. You can't desire what you don't see. When you can't see it, you don't need will power to resist temptation.

2. Keep inventory.

Know what you already have at home and use it up.   If you don't like a product you bought, try using it in a different way. If you don't like a shampoo, add a little water and use it as a hand soap. If you don't like a face cream, use it as a body/ hand cream. If you don't like a conditioner, use it as a shave lotion. If you don't like a bath soap bar/ shower gel, use it as a hand soap. USE, USE, USE.

3. Don't waste what you got!

Use up the foods you have already. Look around your kitchen and see whats about to expire and use it. Eat it, freeze it, dehydrate it, or throw it in a soup or a smoothie! You can quickly throw browning bananas into the freezer (with the peel on) and use for smoothies or quick breads later. You can throw bread into the freezer, or save little odds and ends of fruits and vegetables. Freeze the last drops of juice or almond milk in ice cube trays to use in smoothies. Keep two plastic ziplock bags in your freezer. Label one for soup scraps and one for smoothies scraps.  Get creative and use up what you already have. Stop throwing away money!

4. Keep track of what you use.

Start a list of your main staple items. These are things you eat or use ALL the time. Now, track when you open it and when you finished it. For example, on your regular kitchen calendar write "bread" on the date you open the bread. Then, when you eat the last slice mark again on the calendar "bread done." Examples of staples in our house:  Bread, flour, sugar, tooth paste, deodorant, paper towels, coffee, milk, oatmeal, honey, and peanut butter.  Knowing roughly how much you go through in a month can help you know how much to stock up on when a sale comes. This can also help you see what things you are overbuying.

5. Learn how to store.

Find a few shelves of space. Start small. You don't have to go full on SHTF prepping. Find a hall closet or go through your kitchen pantry and clear out things that are expired or things you obviously don't use. This will make room for items that are hot ticket. This will be everyday staples that you can buy out at the the best price. Here are the criteria we must use to find the best items to store:

-Things you use often, weekly (use tracking calendar) 

-Things with longer shelf lives.  Try to find items with far off expiration dates- years out- to give you plenty of time to use it up! 

-OR! Things without a shelf life such as trash bags, toilet paper, soap, tampons, salt, laundry soap, etc. 

-Things must be on sale at an amazing price. 40 or 50 percent off. Buy one get one free. 

 -Buy up within reason. Some things go on sale more often then others. Our deodorant goes on sale once a year. Six sticks of deodorant a year doesn't take up much space. A years worth of toilet paper would. 

6. Use these two websites.

My two favorite websites for grocery shopping are flip Flipp and Southern Savers.

Flipp is a website that allows you to see all the grocery store sales flyers in your zip code. Flipp also lets you search ALL the flyers by item name (ex: sugar, apples) or by brand name (ex: Dawn, Earth Balance). Let's say you need apples. In seconds, you can search your entire area for the store that has apples on sale!

Southern Savers is an amazing website!  You can search the sale history of items which allows you to see the last time an item was on sale at a store. Knowing the dates of sales in the past can help you get an idea of the sales pattern for an item. If an item goes on sale roughly every 6 weeks, then buy 6 weeks worth at the discounted price. You can do the same if it is every six months or even a year. This is when the staple tracking calendar comes into play!  It helps you know how many items you need to buy in order to stock up until the next sale. The site also has previews for the upcoming  coupons that will be in your local Sunday newspaper (click on the Sunday Ads button on the right side bar). Check the site to see if it's worth buying a newspaper for the coupons. I buy my Sunday newspaper on Monday at the Dollar Tree for $1 . It is normally $3 on Sunday.

7. Plan what you eat.

After going through sales flyers, plan your meals for the week according to what's on sale at a good price. If potatoes are on sale, have potatoes for dinner!  Add meals that use up foods that will be expiring soon and foods that you already have at home. Write your meal plan staying within your weekly budget. Our budget is $80 a week for everything (food, toiletries, paper goods, and future stocking up).

8. Make a list and stick to it.

It is easy to blow your budget by throwing items into your cart based on cravings or impulse. Shopping without a list is an expensive habit! If you are trying to save money, it is best to write down what you need. Make your list simple. Write down all that you need and the quantities. If you have coupons that will be used with an item, make a quick note to the side of the item. Writing down a vague "bag of frozen vegetables" works just fine on a list. The goal is not to be fussy and rigid. It is to keep you on budget. Using cash is another way to help you stick to a budget. Paying with cash helps you to curb impulse buys. You may be tempted by items that make you think "how fun" or "how cute." Remind yourself that these are novelties and not needs. Save these treats for birthdays and holidays. Stick to your list. Stay on budget.

9. Browse!

Browse your grocery aisles. I don't browse the clothing, craft, or lotion isles (see step one.) That's just looking for trouble! But I DO browse my grocery store aisles! I look for closeout ticketed items. Every store has different colored clearance tickets. Learn what the ticket looks like and keep your eyes peeled as you do your regular shopping from your list. Go down every aisle and glance for closeout ticketed items. You'll get some exercise and may find some awesome deals! It's worth the extra 5 minutes. I have found really great priced spices, canned foods, herbal teas, organic treats by browsing my grocery stores. Some stores, like Walmart, have clearance aisles, so always take a quick look. When you do find an item, stock up since the store won't be carrying it anymore. Just be sure to still follow the rules (see tip #7.) Even the very best or cheapest stuff IS NOT A DEAL if you never eat it or if it goes bad.

10. Seize the sale!

Even if you spend beyond your weekly budget, be ready to take advantage of an amazing sale item when you see it. Carry cash for your weekly shopping but have a debt card just in case. As long as the item meets our criteria (see tip #7,) it will all come out in the wash budget wise.

I pray these tips will help you and your family. Remember every dollar you save is a victory and will add up every month. Saving is earning! Give yourself a raise by learning how to save money on groceries. Thank you for reading. Be sure to recommend us on social media and share your comments down below.