One Hundred Dollars a Month - Page 953 of 2143 - 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.

Giveaway: Hydrofarm Germination Station w/ Heat Mat, Tray, Cell Pack & Dome

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 20, 2015 ·

I’ve teamed up with the cool peeps at Hydrofarm.com again for another awesome giveaway. If you have a case of the winter blues, listen up. Hydrofarm to the rescue. Even if you can’t garden outdoors right now, this awesome Germination Station w/ Heat Mat, Tray, 72 Cell Pack and 2″ dome will make sure you get a kick start on your growing season.

With the Hydrofarm Germination Station, you can grow indoors or out, and your plants are protected from all the elements, scavengers, and temperatures that could do them harm. The plastic top means better humidity control for optimum growth, and having everything in one, heatable space leads to healthier growth starts and increased germination!

This thing is AMAZING! And you have a chance to win your very own Germination Station w/ Heat Mat, Tray, 72 Cell Pack and 2″ dome. In case you’ve never heard of the Hydrofarm Germination Station, here’s a rundown of the coolest features:

UL-listed waterproof heat mat, 17 watts, 120 volt
2″ humidity dome
11″ x 22″ watertight base tray
72-cell seedling insert
Instructions with growing tips

The Hydrofarm Germination Station is my latest obsession, and I’m so excited I get to give one away to a lucky reader!

WHAT YOU WIN:

Germination Station w/ Heat Mat, Tray, 72 Cell Pack and 2″ dome

HOW YOU WIN IT:

Life’s pretty complicated sometimes, so I like to keep things simple around here. You have FIVE ways to enter: 1 required and 4 bonus entries. That means you can leave a total of FIVE comments below for FIVE awesome chances to win.

1. *REQUIRED ENTRY* If you won the Hydrofarm Germination Station, what would be the first thing you would start to germinate? Leave a comment below letting us know your answer.

2. *BONUS ENTRY* Do you like/friend/follow me yet? Pick one or all and like me/follow me/subscribe to me via one of these forms of social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and/or Google+! Leave a comment below with the name of the site you followed, ie. “liked you on Facebook and Instagram.” Only 1 comment/entry regardless of if you follow me on all 6 sites. Which you totally should anyway.

3. *BONUS ENTRY* Start spreading the news. Share this giveaway with your peeps via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and/or Google+! If you don’t do the social media thing, just send out an old fashioned email about this awesome giveaway. Leave a comment below letting me know how you shared it.

4. *BONUS ENTRY* Head on over to my Facebook page and leave a comment on one of the posts or pictures there. Come back here and leave a comment below letting me know which post or picture you commented on.

5. *BONUS ENTRY* Subscribe to my daily emailed newsletter. It’s an easy peasy way to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Plus, I’m way too busy gardening to spam you, so your email address is safe with me. Leave a comment below letting me know you subscribed.

THE FINE PRINT:

5 entries per person/ip address. If you cheat, you will totally be disqualified. The winner must be willing to take and send a photo with their prize after they have received it.

*** This prize can only ship within the continental U.S.

This giveaway ends Sunday, January 25th, 2015 at 6pm PST and the winners will be announced in the Monday January 26th, 2015 edition of Mornings with Mavis. You will be notified via email and have 48 hours to claim your prize. Prize will be forfeited within 48 hours.

Good Luck! I hope you win.

Peace Out Girl Scouts!

♥ 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.

How Do I Keep My Vegetable Starts Watered While I’m Out of Town?

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 20, 2015 · 12 Comments

One Hundred Dollar a Month reader, Kristin, recently sent in a question about keeping veggie starts watered if you need to leave town and can’t convince someone that seedlings are enough reason to pop over to your house each day. It’s actually something I’ve learned to deal with myself, as the HH cannot always be trusted to water in my absence.

Kristin writes,

“Hi Mavis – I enjoy seeing all of your progress and have learned so much from your blog. But, now I have a question! I live in NE Indiana, so I start my garden seed inside mid-Feb, and plant in late April. This year, however, I am required to go out of town for a week in March. Dosen’t the world know I have a garden to start? Anyway, I have grow lights on timers, but how can I keep my new little starts watered?! I have no access to a “plant-sitter”. Do you, or your readers, have any suggestions? Please help! Kristin”

{lettuce seedlings I started last week}

First, you want to start with the right supplies, plain and simple. You want to have a grow tray AND a plant tray underneath your seedlings, then you can fill the tray underneath with water and the seedlings will suck up the water as needed–just like they would in nature {I like these ones, because they don’t have holes in the bottom}. I like to cut out one square out of my growing trays, so that I can easily pour water into the tray without having to lift the grow tray up every time. Afterall, I don’t want to disturb my ~~precious babies~~ seedlings, and it doesn’t really hurt that it makes it waaaaay easier to water. It’s also nice to be able to see exactly how much water is in the plant tray, so that it doesn’t come sloshing out over the sides.

This method should buy you a week–unless the humidity is you house is impossibly dry.

I hope that helps! If any of you have any other suggestions, make sure to leave them in the comments below.

~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.

Gap Essential Long Sleeve Shirts $4.20, Gorgeous Flowers, Cheese Coupons, Valentine’s and More

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 20, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Word of the Day: Oscillation Definition: a swinging back and forth. Used in a sentence: The oscillation of the pendulum pleased the child.

Happy Tuesday! Anyone have any cool plans today? The HH has been home sick the last few days with the most horrible cough I’ve ever heard. 🙁 Poor thing. I’m trying to convince him to go to the Doctor’s office but he’s doing the whole tough guy bit. What is it with men? Sheesh!

Well, have a great Tuesday everyone, and stay well.

♥ Mavis

Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day – Sling Media Slingbox 350 $69.99 shipped. Today only, enjoy special savings on Slingbox, which lets you watch your TV anywhere. Watch your cable or satellite subscription at your vacation home or on that TV in your bedroom or basement–all without extra monthly fees.

Amazon Bonus Deal of the Day – Withings Pulse O2 Activity, Sleep, and Heart Rate + SPO2 Tracker for iOS and Android $79.99 shipped

My favorite shirt, the GAP Essential long-sleeve crew tee is on sale for as low as $4.20 today!!!!! {These are going quick and sizes are starting to sell out}

Black or Navy Essential long-sleeve crew $5.59 with code HAPPY at checkout.
White Essential long-sleeve crew only $4.20 with code HAPPY at checkout.

Zulily is having a huge Spring Hill Nursery Sale with savings up to 50% off. Wowie! I think I’m going to have to snag a couple of those double raspberry hydranga bushes!!! Aren’t they gorgeous? If you are new to Zulily? Go HERE to Sign Up. And then HERE to get these deals.

If you are looking for a new gardening book to add to your collection, here are a few of my favorites:

Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting
The Complete Compost Gardening Guide
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre
Sugar Snaps and Strawberries $15.80
The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food {My favorite gardening book!}
The Kitchen Gardener’s Handbook

Print a coupon good for $1.00 off any two KRAFT Natural Cheese

Looking to get new chickens? Check out info on How to Introduce New Chickens to an Existing Flock. Find out everything you ever wanted to know about chickens and more on my Chickens Pinterest Board.

Waffle hearts on Valentine’s day? Yes Please! 🙂 Amazon currently has the Euro Cuisine Heart Shaped Waffle Maker on sale for $26.99. We had one of these when the kids were younger and they LOVED it!!

Super Cute Valentine Cards:

Crazy Critters Temporary Tattoo Valentine Cards $6.99
Dinosaur Temporary Tattoo Valentine Cards $7.99
Kitty Temporary Tattoo Valentine Cards $6.99
Chillin’ Strawberry Scratch & Sniff Super Valentine Card Pack $12.99
Pop-Out Race Car Super Valentine Card Pack $12.99
Valentine Cootie Catcher Super Valentine Card Pack $12.99 {My favorite!}

6pm has the Ukala Sydney Sydney Low Boot on sale for $40 shipped. {retail $80} and there are 7 different colors to choose from.

Discount Mags is offering a 1 year subscription to Bon Appetit Magazine for only $4.99 a year when you use code MAVIS at checkout. This deal will expire tonight 1/20/14 at midnight EST so be sure and grab your subscription before then.

Blueberry and Banana Oat Bread – The combination of blueberries and bananas and sweet bread is like a heavenly explosion in your mouth. As a bonus, this recipes makes for the perfect on the go breakfast. Get the recipe HERE or Pin for Later. Find more recipes on my Muffins and Breads Pinterest Board.

REI Outlet Deal of the Day – SmartWool PhD SmartLoft Divide Jacket

Pop on over to the REI Buy More Save More Sale and save big! Plus REI Members earn an additional $20 bonus card when you spend $100 or more between Jan 16th-29th, 2015.

25% off one pre-tax purchase totaling $100 or more of REI Outlet products or
30% off one pre-tax purchase totaling $150 or more of REI Outlet products or
35% off one pre-tax purchase totaling $200 or more of REI Outlet products.

Amazon currently has the Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Washer on sale for $143.99 shipped {reg $219}. Easy to use, easy to clean two-tank system, separate clean water/solution tank and spill-free dirty water tank which includes quick pour spout for easy emptying with no mess.

Save yourself a little money and make your own Carpet Cleaner.

Check out these New Printable Coupons:

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.

Cooking From Your Pantry | Menu Plan Ideas, Freezer Meals and Simple Recipes Week 3 of 52

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 19, 2015 · 7 Comments

Another week, another list of menu ideas. 🙂 I don’t know about you, but all this cold and rainy weather we’ve been having has me craving soup lately. And warm cookies. Let’s not forget about those…

Here are my menu plan picks for this week:

3 Breakfast Ideas

Broccoli, Bacon and Cheddar Quiche – I love quiche because you can make them ahead of time, and then reheat them. We eat them a lot for dinner, but it’s also pretty awesome to wake up to a slice in the morning. {Pin it for Later}

The Best Banana Walnut Quick Bread – Quick breads are the perfect cooking from your pantry breakfast, especially banana. I mean, who doesn’t have bananas browning on their counter pretty much constantly? {Pin it for Later}

Raisin Bran Muffins – This time of year puts me in a baking mood. I get all warm and cozy in my kitchen by whipping up breakfast for the week one batch of muffins at a time. {Pin it for Later}

4 Lunch Ideas and Dinner Ideas

Cranberry Chicken Salad – This is my favorite way to use up leftover chicken. If you are in a rush for a weeknight meal, you can always pick up a rotisserie chicken and use that, though.{Pin it for Later}

Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Winter screams soup to me. Plus, I like this meatless option because it’s easy on the budget. {Pin it for Later}

The Best Tuna Casserole – This is one of those recipes that can come almost entirely from your pantry/freezer. It’s delicious comfort food at its best. {Pin it for Later}

Slow Cooker Savory Chicken with Tomatoes – No week is complete without a crock pot recipe. This chicken is perfect for days where you don’t have time to gather special ingredients. Between your freezer and your pantry, you’re probably all set. {Pin it for Later}

3 Sweet Treats

German Chocolate Brownie Bars – I am a sucker for anything coconut, and these brownie bars are to die for. {Pin it for Later}

Homemade Creme Brule – My favorite thing about these scrumptious desserts is that you get to use single serve ramekins. There is something about knowing that you get to eat the “entire dish” yourself. {Pin it for Later}

Homemade Magic Shell – If you have ice cream in the freezer, you should totally consider making some chocolate shell to top it with. It’s ridiculously simple to make and delightful to eat. What more could you possibly ask for in life? {Pin it for Later}

Featured Freezer Meal Recipe

Taco Casserole – This is one of those meals the whole family can get behind. {Pin it for Later}

Featured Canning Recipe

Fast and Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam – The first round of California strawberries are starting to hit the stores, if you are low on jam, you can make a quick batch now to get you through to strawberry season. {Pin it for Later}

What are YOU planning on making this week?

~Mavis

Find more recipes on One Hundred Dollars a Month as well as on my Pinterest Recipe Boards.

Also, be sure to check out:

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.