One Hundred Dollars a Month - Page 971 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.

My Master Bathroom Remodel – I Need Suggestions

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 2, 2015 · 97 Comments

Our planning meeting with Chino the handyman to update our master bathroom is still a few weeks away, and even though Chino has a keen sense for the latest trends and what sells in new construction, I want to be able to go into the meeting with a good idea of what it is I want.

I like a clean, simple look. Nothing flashy or too trendy. I love the look of a light tile floor and a white bathroom vanity and lots of bathroom storage {even though I don’t have a lot to store}. A long walk in shower would be nice and a romantic soaking tub is high on my priority list as well.

I used to take a bath almost every.single.night. at our last house. But I have yet to take a bath at our new place.

I am sooo ready for this bathroom remodel, I can’t wait to get started just so I can get it over with. But there are a few questions I would like to bounce off of you… your suggestions and input would be so helpful to me. Okay, are you ready? Here we go.

Is it important to have a separate room for the toilet?

Chino and I both agree the toilet needs to be moved to the left. He thinks we should build a separate {small room} for it. Do you really think throwing up a few walls and adding a door would make a big difference?

Should there be a window in the bathroom?

Right now there are two can lights in the bathroom and the lighting is AWFUL. Chino thinks we should punch out a space above where the toilet sits right now and add a window to help with the lighting situation {and add more can lights above}.

Windows cost money. I would never open the window, or open the blinds that I would have to put on said window because HELLO… I don’t want people staring into my bathroom. So I’m on the fence about this. Yes, I think it would look good, but do you think it is really necessary?

What do you think of this potential layout?

I think a master bathroom needs a tub, there’s no doubt about it. Maybe it’s a girl thing, or a me thing, but I’m not sure about moving the tub to the right side of the room. But if we extend the shower, there wouldn’t be enough room for the tub to stay on the left. What do you think?

I think I need a door to separate the bedroom from the bathroom.

Don’t you think it’s kind of weird not to have a door separating the bedroom from the bathroom? I think we need to get rid of the weirdo arch above the entryway and stick a door there. What do you think?

I need your suggestions!!! What do you see that needs to be changed that I don’t?

~Mavis

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Free Kindle Books, Free belVita Breakfast Biscuits, Altoids, New Balance Sneakers, DIY Laundry Detergent and More

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 2, 2015 · 1 Comment

Word of the Day: Megalomania Definition: Delusion of grandeur from mental disorder. In a sentence: He is not famous nor wealthy; he is afflicted with megalomania.

Have a great Friday everyone,

♥ Mavis

*This deal post will be updated throughout the day so be sure and check back for deals.

Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day – 51% Off Select H&R Block Tax Software

Amazon bonus Deal of the Day – Up to 30% Off Gaiam Balance Ball Chairs

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Available Kindle Books I think are cool…

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World War 2 Famous Battles Free
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How to Sprout Raw Food Free
The Ladies’ Room $3.99

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can. Don’t have a Kindle? Download the kindle app on your other devices. It’s easy! 🙂

I just made another batch of my DIY Laundry Detergent last night. You can get the recipe HERE or Pin it for Later.

Amazon has the Wall Mounted Spoga, Mop and Broom Organizer on sale for $9.99 and it ships FREE with Amazon Prime. We have one of these in our garage and I LOVE the little hooks!!

Amazon also has the King Size Linen White Down Alternative Comforter Duvet on sale for $35.99! We have this duvet on every bed in our house and its super cozy.

6pm has a great Men’s Woman’s and Children’s New Balance Shoe Sale going on right now with shoes as low as $14.99 shipped! Now is the perfect time to snag a pair of running shoes.

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REI Outlet Deal of the Day – Chaco Fathom Sandals $24.73 {was $60}

Amazon has the Inflatable Serving Bar for $6.99. These are perfect for parties and summer bbqs

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I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m actually in the mood for broccoli. I’m not a huge fan of broccoli, but this Broccoli Cranberry and Almond Salad with Feta Salad is pretty awesome if I do say so myself. You can get the recipe HERE or Pin it for Later.

Through Sunday, January 4th, Discount Mags is running a Happy New Year! Health & Fitness Magazine Sale with various titles up to 90% off! I love that Organic Gardening is in there. Gardening is exercise, right?

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.

Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge – January

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 1, 2015 · 40 Comments

This past year has been a whirlwind. When I pause to take a breath, I can’t even believe we survived it. Preparing for and selling a house, buying and remodeling two more houses, and sending The Girl off to college, all while wading through the usual junk life throws at you. I barely had time to eat and sleep, let alone read. And I really have missed reading. The thing I love about reading is that it forces you to relax and calm your mind, so it can be filled with all sorts of other things: humor, knowledge, advice. I forget how necessary and helpful it is for me to unwind, so I’m making reading a priority this year by setting a pretty lofty goal: 52 books in 52 weeks.

Yep. A book every single week of the year. Of course I’ll be blogging all about everything I read! This is going to be fun. I have a pretty long list I’ve been keeping, so I’m excited to start crossing titles off that list. I’m going to read any and every book genre, and I’m always open to suggestions. Plus, my goal is your gain, because once I’m done with my monthly reading, I’ll be giving the books I’ve read away to YOU!

Check out what I’m reading this month:

The Wild Truth by Carine Mc Candless is probably the book I’m most excited about reading. That’s why it’s the very first of 52 books I’m picking up this year. The Wild Truth is written by Chris McCandless’ sister, Carine. Chris McCandless was the subject of Jon Krakauer’s best seller, Into the Wild. Carine essentially fills in the blanks of the Chris’ life. And since I’ve read Into the Wild three times and seen the movie twice, I am fascinated by what Carine has to say.

I think Amy Poehler is, hands down, one of the funniest humans on the planet. I am not sure how, Yes Please, is Amy’s first book, because I’m sure she has books of hilarious content just rolling around in her brain. But I’m super excited to laugh like crazy when I read this. Laughing is good for your soul after all.

This book, Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin, probably wouldn’t have been on my radar at all if it wasn’t for the HH. He picked this up at the airport for his last flight and went on and on about how good it was. So I’m mostly reading it to keep him from badgering me anymore, but I secretly hope it’s as awesome as he says it is!

Still Alice by Lisa Genova was recommended to me by my friend JJ. It tells the story of a super accomplished Harvard professor who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. The storyline fascinates me, plus I’ve heard there is a movie coming out about it. I’ll have to add that to my other never ending list: movies to watch!

Remember what I said earlier about reading every and any type of books? Bugs in my Hair by David Shannon proves I wasn’t kidding. I figured I might need a little break and one week with a bit of light reading, so I threw a children’s book in the mix this month.

So there you have my lineup for my first month of my 52 books in 52 week challnge. Have you read any of the books above? Loved them? Hated them? Have any great reads lately that I should add to my list?

~Mavis

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Dig for Your Dinner – Starting Artichokes from Seed

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 1, 2015 · 10 Comments

The HH loves artichokes, so I always make sure to include them in my garden. They are actually really beautiful plants, in a strange, Tim Burton cartoon sort of way. I kind of saw them in a new light when we stumbled onto the Thomas Keller’s French Laundry garden a couple of years back. They aren’t a very common dinner table fare, but I don’t know why–you can class up pretty much any dish with them–afterall, they are, technically an edible flower. Lore goes that Zeus himself turned one of his scorned lovers into an artichoke–maybe because it captured some sort of tragic beauty? {Did I sound like a scholar there? That’s what I was going for :)}.

Artichokes are packed with goodness. They are a great source of vitamin C, folic acid, and magnesium. They only have about 25 calories for a whole medium flower. You really can’t make a case against them, so just embrace growing them.

How to Grow Artichokes:

One plant can yield up to 20 artichokes per season, so you really don’t need to plant a ton to get great yields. To start them from seed, start approximately 12 weeks before the last frost. Plant seeds 1/8″ deep. When you transplant them outside, keep rows 2-4′ apart–one plant can get quite big. Make sure to plant in a sunny location with good drainage.

When are Artichokes Ready to Harvest?

Harvest when flowers have reached full size, but are still CLOSED. The flavor and texture changes the more they open up. Cut the bud off with a 2-3″ stem.

Which Artichokes to grow?

Green & Purple Artichokes {I’ve grown these several times, they are foolproof…well, almost.}

My Favorite Recipe with Artichokes:

My favorite way to eat artichokes is probably the most basic. I steam them whole and then dip the edible part of the leave in melted butter. If you are only into the artichoke heart {which, is admittedly the best part}, give Martha Stewart’s Artichoke Bottoms au Gratin recipe a try. It’s cheesy aritchokey goodness. If you want to turn an artichoke into an entire meal, try this Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta Stuffed Artichoke recipe–I mean, what in that title doesn’t sound uh-mazing?!

If you live in the Pacific Northwest Region and are unsure what seeds you should be starting right now, or when your transplants should be set out in the garden, this regional planting guide should help you out.

Don’t live in the Pacific Northwest? Find your regional planting guide HERE.

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.