Green Smoothie - Yum!

I've heard about smoothies made with spinach, and truthfully, they sounded kind of gross. However, our regular smoothie recipe was getting a little old, so I decided I was ready to give this green smoothie thing a try. It was actually VERY good! I've made it two days in a row and both days my boys slurped them right down and asked for seconds.

Smoothies have become a mainstay in our household. They provide a surefire way to get some good nutrition into our picky children. Not to mention, I feel great after I drink one!

It's hard to go wrong with a smoothie. There are a million variations you can use. Here's the recipe I used for the green smoothie we made today (shown above):

• a few handfuls of fresh organic spinach
• frozen strawberries (I get Publix brand for the best price)
  
• fresh pineapple (often on sale at Publix for $3.99)
  
• 2 bananas
• about a cup of organic non-fat plain yogurt
• about a cup of Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice
  
• a splash of orange juice
• a splash of flax seed oil
  

Free CFL Lightbulbs

******THIS SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED********

Click here to take a survey and get two free CFL lightbulbs. CFL lightbulbs are very green and they help you save money on your electric bill! Thanks Deal Finding Chik!

Free Outdoor Festivals

It's the perfect weather for outdoor festivals. The best part is that they are usually free! Here are two free outdoor events coming up in central Florida.

Florida Orchestra - Pops in the Park - October 16 & 17 - I've attended this several times over the years, and have always had a wonderful time. October is beautiful in Florida. I especially love the fireworks at the end.

Tampa Theatre's Sunset Cinema - October 10 & 24 - this is a free movie in the park. Thanks for this idea Ronda!

What's going on in your area?

20% Big Lots Coupon

Click here to register for the Big Lots rewards program and receive a 20% coupon (expires October 10). Here's how the reward program works, according to the Big Lots website:

Just have the cashier scan your Buzz Club™ Rewards card every time you shop. Make 10 Qualifying Purchases of $20 or more within a 12-month period and earn a 20% discount on a future purchase. Discounts are good for 60 days from the date you earn them.

$7 Off Neutrogena Foundation at Walgreens

Walgreens has a $4-off coupon for Neutrogena foundation (expires October 10). Combine this with the $3-off coupon from All You magazine. I got one from the All You website, but it appears to be gone now. If you are able to get both coupons, that's a total of $7 off.

This weekend, I used these coupons to get a price of $4.99. I used some Register Rewards I had earned on a previous transaction and paid nothing! I'd rather use Aveda, but I'm willing to try Neutrogena for a while for this price.

Good Price for Kashi Pizza at Target

Kashi Thin Crust Margherita Pizza is marked at $2.48 (regular price) at my Target. Both times I bought this, it rang up at $4.49, but I just asked them to correct it and they did.

Click here for a $1-off Kashi Pizza at Target coupon (look for Target Coupon Generator). There are also a lot of Kashi manufacturer coupons floating around right now. You could combine the store coupon and a manufacturer coupon for a really low price!

Good Price for WASA at Target

WASA crackers are on sale at Target for $1.61. Click here for a 75-cents-off coupon, making the final price 86 cents. The first ingredient is 100% whole grain flour - very healthy!

Good Price for Skippy at Target

Click here for a $1-off Target coupon (go to Target Coupon Generator). Add that to the 40-cents-off manufacturer coupon that came in the newspaper on Sunday, October 4. Some Targets have Skippy on sale for $1.79 (with coupons, that's 39 cents). However, at my Target, Skippy is at the regular price of $2.04 (with coupons, that's 64 cents). I like the Skippy Natural since it has no hydrogenated oil and it's no-stir.

Homemade Soap: The Best Kind of Gift

I received the loveliest gift yesterday - this homemade soap from a quaint little place in Ohio called Deer Mountain Retreat. My mother's colleague recently visited the retreat and was impressed to find this in his room, rather than the typical hotel soap. He thought I would enjoy it, so he very generously saved it and brought it back to Florida to give to me.

It just goes to show that the best kinds of gifts are free! I also learned about a beautiful, natural, and reasonably-priced vacation spot in Ohio. Thanks, Wayne! Your gift really made my day!

60% Off Code for Restaurant.com

Enter discount code ENJOY at Restaurant.com to get 60% off restaurant gift certificates. That means you pay $4 and you get a $25 gift certificate! Visit Restaurant.com to see which restaurants are participating in your area. The restrictions vary on each restaurant, so be sure you are okay with them before ordering your gift certificate. I'm still waiting to use my first gift certificate at Restaurant BT. Hopefully next weekend!