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One Hundred Dollars a Month

I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.


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How to Find the Perfect Babysitter

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How to Find the Perfect Babysitter

I talk about a lot of things I love on this site: my chickens, gardening, yummy recipes, bartering, Lucy the Puggle Dog. But at the end of the day, nothing even comes close to the love I have for my kids. Being a mother is hands down my thing on the planet. Sure when they were little they made me want to rip out my hair from time to time, but they are really my greatest joys. I suspect you feel the same way, so leaving them in the care of others takes a bit of a leap of faith. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect sitter for your family (cause let’s be honest, sometimes that time away from them keeps you sane!):

1. Get referrals: Ask people you trust to refer people they trust. It’s a great place to start. Gather a list of names and numbers of qualified referrals your friends, neighbors and  family members have used in the past.

2. Check references: If you are unable to get referrals from people you know, make sure you gather and touch base with references from your potential babysitter. Don’t be afraid to ask pointed questions because this will be your only opportunity to get a glimpse of their previous babysitting habits.

3. Interview them: Conduct a phone interview with them to get to know them a little better. Do they have previous experience? Have they ever cared for infants? What is their hourly rate? Before you leave them alone with your kids, have them over for a short interview so you can meet them in person. It’s not only important to gain information from them (ie. are they CPR and 1st Aid certified? Have they taken any babysitting courses?), but to see how they interact with your children.

4. Trust your gut: If something feels off, pass. Even if everything about the potential sitter looks good on paper, if your “parent sense” is off, listen to it.

5. Agree on pay: Before you ever hire them, make sure you’re on the same when it comes to money. Ask what they charge. If they suggest that whatever you pay is fine, try to get them to tell you what they’ve been paid in the past, so you know what their potential expectations are. If you are clueless as to what to pay, pose the question to your friends on Facebook or to your neighbors and get feedback that way.

6. Check in on them: Once you’ve hired them, make sure you call to check in. Ask to speak to your children (if they are old enough) and see how things are going from their perspective. You can also ask a neighbor to peek in if you’re still nervous and they’re able. If you have one available, a nanny cam might come in handy as well.

7. Follow up: Make sure you ask the sitter how they felt the experience went. Did your children behave for them? Did they enjoy it? Then ask your kids how they liked the sitter. Only then will you know if it’s truly a good fit.

Any other tips or advice when looking for a new babysitter? What do you think a fair rate is for a sitter in your area is? Have you ever had a terrible experience with a new sitter?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Do I Really Need to Buy Seed Potatoes?

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My friend Heather recently sent me a link to this cute little girl and her experiment with getting grocery store potatoes to sprout.  I knew that is was best to use seed potatoes because grocery store potatoes were treated, but I didn’t know exactly what they treated them with {Bud Nip}.  Bud Nip is a commercial brand of Chlorpropham.  It is essentially a herbicide that stops potatoes {and as the little girl mentioned, other produce as well} from sprouting.

deals on seed potatoes

I have actually grown potatoes from grocery stores in the past–mostly when I was in a pinch and had waited too long to get seed potatoes.  I had pretty good success some of the time, but have also had some epic failures too so I usually stick to seed potatoes just to make the outcome more predictable.  The only problem is that there are so many “specialty” potatoes that I can never find as seed potatoes, so what’s a girl to do?

seed-potatoes-all-blue-red-pontiacOrganic produce is not treated with chlorpropham, so you may have a better time getting them to sprout but getting a wide variety of organic options is sometimes tough.  It’s a pretty awesome option for sweet potatoes which are almost impossible to find as seed potatoes here in the Northwest.

seed-potato-chittingEveryone has gone to pull out a grocery store potato, only to find it has sprouted, so what do you think?  Do you feel safe using that potato, knowing it had been treated?

I honestly can’t decide.  On one hand, if  your grocery store potato has sprouted, it’s pretty likely it will work as a seed potato.  The Bud Nip is supposed to, well, nip that problem in the bud, so if it sprouts, it obviously hasn’t done its job.  On the other hand, the herbicide might still be present.

I thought about the possibility of “making” my own seed potatoes, by sprouting grocery store potatoes {the best I can} and then using the resulting untreated potatoes as my seed potatoes to save a bit of money this year.

spring-potatoesAfter one season, I could use the seed potatoes year after year, provided I stored them correctly.  The only risk is that I have heard that you are pretty much begging for blight {and other potato diseases} when you don’t get disease free seed potatoes from year to year.  I want to introduce blight to my dirt like I want a hole in my head, so I am a little hesitant.

So, instead, I think I’ll just ask you all how does your garden grow?  Do you use regular grocery store potatoes?  Seed potatoes?  Do you care about chlorpropham?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Free Kindle Books, Free Starbucks, Man Cave Sign, Garden Boots, Dryer Balls, Garden Planter and More

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paper wreath

Well hello Wednesday!

I woke up at 4am to the sound of the wind howling like crazy and a tree crashing in our back woods. Yikes! I’ll have to wait until daylight to see if there is any damage in the backyard {I hope not}. Last time the winds were this strong the power went out and a tree crashed into our fence. Booooo! Give me snow or rain, but not wind.

Have a great day everyone,

♥ Mavis

Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day – 75% Off Men’s Jackets and Coats and 70% or More Off Women’s Jackets & Coats

free kindle booksAvailable Kindle Books I think are cool…

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can.

all laundry detergent couponsPrint a coupon for $2.00 off any 2 all laundry detergent

cute dryer balls

Here are a few deals for your laundry room:

o'keefee's cream

Has winter has left your hands and feet dry and cracked these O’Keeffe’s Creams should help:

starbucks

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Starbucks.

Visit a participating Starbucks store between 2 and 5 p.m. on February 14 and purchase a Vanilla Spice Latte, Caffè Mocha or Hot Chocolate, and Starbucks will give you a complimentary second one {of equal or lesser value}.

recipe how to make hot cocoa miz from scratchNot a Starbucks fan? Check out my Recipe for Hot Cocoa Mix. It’s super easy to make and delicious too! Get the recipe HERE or Pin it for Later.

kathyalderfer ETSY

I was on Etsy this morning checking out my friend Kathy’s shop and her Sure Sign of Spring Necklace and her Guarded Heart Necklace caught my eye. I don’t know about you but I LOVE handmade stuff!

Chooka and Western Chief BootsLooking for a pair of cool garden boots? Zulily has Chooka and Western Chief Boots on sale today. I think I might have to get these Spritely Sparrow Boots for The Girl.

vertical garden planter

Back in Stock!

Want a garden but without all the hassle? Check out the Adams Manufacturing 36-Inch Garden Planter. Perfect for entryways and decks! Amazon has it on sale right now for just $25!

man cave signA few deals for the man cave:

woman's day magazine coupons

Discount Mags is offering a 1 year subscription to Woman’s Day Magazine for only $4.99 a year when you use code MAVIS at checkout. This deal will expire tonight 2/12/14 at midnight EST.

How-To-Make-A-Boxed-Cake-Mix-Taste-HomemadeThinking about making something sweet for Valentine’s Day? Check out these easy directions for How to Make a Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade.  It’s great in a pinch. Get the directions HERE or Pin it for Later.

long layering teesJane has Long Layering Tees on sale for just $5.99 each and there are 10 color options.

webkinzThese Webkinz would make great Valentine’s Day or Easter Basket Stuffers

pop chips couponsPrint a coupon for $1.00 off any two (2) bags of popchips

Find More Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Vegan Friendly Recipes – Asian Farro Salad

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Vegan Friendly Recipes – Asian Farro Salad

My very vegan neighbor Francisco made this recipe & I tried some and fell in love. So I had to have his recipe and try making it myself. I was afraid the Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird would eat the entire bowl. But I’m glad she didn’t because I would have had to fight her for it. If you’re looking for a meat-free salad, this one should go on your “must-make” list.

Ingredients
2 cups farro, cooked
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup & 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of and juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper {more if you like it spicy}
3/4 cup mung bean sprouts {How to grow your own sprouts}
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt

mung bean sprouts

Directions

Cook the farro in a rice cooker. Add 2 cups farro and 4 cups of water to the rice cooker and cook for roughly 45 minutes for whole grain farro {less for pearl}. If your rice cooker has settings for various types of grains or rice, use the “brown rice” setting. If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can cook the farro over the stove. Just add the farro and water to a large pot, allow the water to reach a rolling boil and reduce the heat, stirring the farro to prevent it from sticking to the bottom/sides of the saucepan. Cover and cook until chewy, tender, or mushy. Exact cooking time can vary from 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the type of farro you use and the texture you prefer.

Combine rice vinegar, garlic, lime zest and juice, ginger and red pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Add farro, kidney beans, mung bean sprouts, cilantro, green onions, salt and toss to coat.

Looking for some more tasty vegan recipes? You’ll love this cookbook:

vegan cookbook

 Quick-Fix Vegan: Healthy, Homestyle Meals in 30 Minutes or Less 

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Mavis Butterfield Etsy