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Sep 27

Dishing It Up: Crock Pot Style (September)

Dishing It Up is brought to you by Dearly Domestic, Deals From MS Do, Eating With Mimi, Happy Lil Homemaker, Mama Does It All, Pary Moppins, Saving Myself Silly, and Thrifty Texas Penny. Over the last year, our hop has grown and we've implemented some changes to make it better for you. Each month, we bring you recipes with a different theme and this month we're focusing on Crock Pot Recipes. Earlier this year, we added a website and a Facebook page. There will be new recipes will be added each week, so be sure to keep up with us throughout the month and to linkup your own recipes as well!

Chicken and Noodle Crock Dish

You'll need 8 ounces of corkscrew noodles

3 cups cooked and chopped chicken

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

i small can of mushrooms

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup grated parm cheese

2 tbsp melted butter

1 cup grated sharo cheddar

1/2 tsp basil

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

Cook noodles per package instructions until almost done but not quite. Mix with all of the rest of the ingredients. Make sure it is mixed thoroughly so the noodles do not stick together. Spray your crock. Put mix into crock and spread around so it is even. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. You want it to bake and make a crusty brown outer edge. Serve and enjoy.

(Taken originally from Crock a Doodle Do)

Sep 25

Works 4 Me Wednesday: Saving on your Cell

Recipe Hop

This week brought with it an interesting proposition for me. For the past 3 months I have gone over on my cell phone bill and not just by a few bucks. I have gone over by like $20 each month (hanging head in shame). So, I could pretend that I wasn't going to let it happen again and that I would be back to my $45/month plan, but chances are I was going to go over again. My needs have changed. I took on the role of Thirty One consultant (shameless plug:www.mythirtyone.com/MelanieQuickel) and with that came a lot more texting and phone calls. With a bit of a bumped up income from this side business I decided I needed to re-invest a few dollars into my cell phone plan. For $5 extra dollars a month I was able to double my call minutes and my text allotment. I think my bases are covered now! (I could have gone with a "smart phone" and a data plan.. but did i really need that???) Here are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when considering your own cell phone bill:

*Do I really NEED the plan I am paying for? Is it worth $100/month to be able to check Facebook on the go?

*Check your cell phone bills for the past 3 months. Are you consistently over or under your plan's minutes or texts? If so, time for a change.

*Are you paying for insurance, road side assistance, or visual voicemail? Do you really NEED these items?

*Switch Carriers. By switching carriers to "Boost" this past month i was able to double my calling minutes and my texting plan for just $5 more. A smaller carrier or the "competition" may be able to give you a better deal.

*Consider a pre-paid phone. These have come a long way and offer a lower bill than a monthly contract.

*If you do have a smartphone there is no need for you to pay extra for texting. Use one of the following apps to text for free: Nimbuzz, WhatsApp, or GroupMe

Overall, you have to decide what is best for you when it comes to a cell phone plan. Every family's needs are different. But there's no reason why those needs have to cost a fortune.

Sep 25