Are you are looking for a delicious, light and easy salad recipe?  Then look no further!  I love broccoli and like to find new ways of using this healthy vegetable in my recipes.  This easy broccoli salad is perfect for lunch or as a side. 

Ingredients

Dressing
1 1/2 C FF mayonnaise
1/4 C sugar
2 tbs. cider vinegar
1 tbs. lemon juice

Salad
5 C broccoli florets
1/2 C white raisins
1/4 C sunflower kernels
1/2 C red onion (thinly sliced)
6 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Directions

Dressing
Whisk to blend

Salad
Mix salad ingredients. Stir in dressing. Chill at least one hour or overnight before serving.

If you have a broccoli recipe share it with us.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy life!!!

Did you try out the work at home opportunity of taking surveys and trying out companies promotions?  If you didn’t get a chance to explore this opportunity, you can read about it in Part One of this four part series. 

This week we will discuss pay per posting.  The one we will talk about is the most popular and that is PayPerPost.  What is pay per posting?  It is a way for bloggers to make money blogging about products, companies, reviews and more.  Advertisers get buzz generated about their products, etc. and if your post is approved you get paid. 

You have to have a blog up and running for at least 30 days.  This keeps the fly-by-night bloggers away.  You must have a blog, no websites, forums, etc.  You must let your readers know that the particular post is a sponsored post (paid by an advertiser).  Check out their TOS to get a better understanding of what you can or cannot do.  You will be looking at the blogger specific terms.   

It is free to sign up for PPP and you can make money by writing a review about a particular advertiser’s product or service.  You choose what you want to blog about and if approved, after 30 days you are paid.  Usually it is $5 - $15 per post.  If you love to write, why not get paid for it.  Just remember it is up to you to make sure you do not turn your blog into a press release. 

My advice is to write about what you want to blog about and scatter your paid post out among them.  As a rule of thumb, sponsored posts should be less than 5-10% of your blog posts. If you write 10 posts per month (about 2.5 per week), then a maximum of one sponsored post per month probably won't kill your readership.  On the other hand, if you write several posts a day you can get away with three or more paid posts a week.  In my research, I discovered bloggers that make hundreds of dollars a month, but I think it is more realistic to say that the average blogger could make $10 - $30 a month.  You cannot have more than three paid posts in a 24-hour period and there must be at least one interim post between the paid posts.  So it is possible to make approximately $45 a day.  If you love to write and have the time to make several posts a day, you could make a good living from getting paid to posts on your blog.

Give your readers good honest content.  Only do paid posts for advertisers that you honestly believe in.  This way it is a win-win situation.  To get loyal readers to your blog put them first.  Many sponsored post opportunities are for reviewing a product or service.  I recommend that you make sure you actually use the product or service before reviewing it for cash.  Don’t recommend a product or service that you know nothing about. 

Similarly give your sponsors (the paying advertisers) what they are paying for.  Write good, honest and interesting posts and you will continue to get advertisers wanting you to write for them.  This is more money for you.

In closing, I think it is up to you how much money you can make working from home.  How much time you can put into it and what you are willing to do.  As of now, we have discussed CashCrate and PPP and next week we will continue with part three of the series Work From Home Job Opportunities.

If you have any comments about Pay Per Post, we would love to hear them!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy Life!!!

So I was thinking of things to do for the continuing Stacation Survival Guide - Part One series, that would be fun, economical (cheap or free) and the whole family could do together, and was quite surprised myself in just how many things there are to do.  So whether you call it a stacation - drop the v in vacation and add a st, or staycation - since you won’t be going too far from home, as in “stay” at home vacation, you can create memories that your children will never forget.  You know that kids (especially younger ones) really don’t care where you go or what you do, as long as you are giving them attention so make a staycation that will last a lifetime!

Here are some ideas that will bring the family together, be tons of fun, save on your pocketbook or wallet, and just possibly make this summer the best vacation or stacation ever!

1. Set up a tent in the back yard and ‘rough it at home’ - this is a great idea for dad and son(s) and mom can take out eats and drinks, or join right in.
2. Go to a local park or your own backyard - and play Frisbee, baseball, volleyball or more - you will be doing things as a family and getting exercise in the process.
3. Go out at dusk and catch fireflies - young children will love taking jars out and capturing lightning bugs.
4. Visit the local police station, fire department, post office or dairy farm  - (make sure to call ahead to set up an appointment).
5. Go to the library - check out books for some summer reading.  Many libraries have summer programs going on and a great time to take advantage of them.
6. Have a weenie or marshmallow roast - adult supervised, of course.  You can take a cheap charcoal grill placed in the backyard and pretend you’re sitting around the campfire roasting weenies and marshmallows and tell ghost stories.
7. Scavenger hunt - one great way to do this is to make a list of things to find on Friday and then Saturday morning go for your scavenger hunt to yard and garage sales and flea markets.  You might also find some great treasures. 
8. If you live near a museum - spend the day touring the museum, which can be fun and educational.
9. Go for a hike or walk - I happen to live near the Smokey Mountains but if you don’t live near good hiking trails, just walk through your neighborhood, together as a family.
10. Have a rummage sale - let the kids go through their things and get rid of things they have outgrown and have a yard sale.  You are de-cluttering your home and making a little extra cash.  You can tell the kids that they get to keep the money their items make and spend it on something new.
11. Tie Dye - teach the kids how to tie dye and each member does a shirt.  Then you can all wear them to show off, maybe even have a contest to see who has the best tie-died T-shirt.
12. Build sand castles - if you live near a beach, you can go and have a sand castle competition.  You can do it in the backyard if you have a sandbox.
13. Go rollerblading, roller-skating, bike riding, and bowling - just something that can be done as a family and keeps everyone active in the process.
14. Have a family talent show - encourage every family member to participate and show off their talent, however big or small.
15. Keep a summer scrapbook or journal - this will help you to capture all the great memories of your stacation for years to come.

I know there are many more great things you and your family can do on your staycation this year.  Just use your imagination and I’m sure you can come up with more.  If you have any suggestions for stacation ideas please share them with us.  Have fun as a family and make some great memories together.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!

If you are like me, it is important that you and your family are eating healthy.  At the same time, we want to save money on our grocery bills.  I have some tips that will combine the best of both worlds!  You can eat healthy while saving money.  We have become a nation of waste!  I have taken notice as to how much food we waste in our home and quite honestly, I am embarrassed. 

If you are a college student living on a tight budget, a single mother trying to make ends meet or a family that is tired of wasting and throwing away money, I have come up with some tips that work.  Last time I posted about Grocery Shopping The Frugal Way, so you can check that out to refresh your memory. 

Eat More Veggies:

Meat can be one of the most expensive items on our grocery list, especially if you serve meat every day (more so if you fix it with every meal).  I suggest that you cut out some of the meat.  You really don't need to have meat with every meal.  Not only will this save you money, it is much healthier for you.  We need to eat less meat and more fruits, vegetables and nuts, etc.  Just remember that frugal or simple living is all about living a healthier lifestyle. 

If you have a garden, you are way ahead of the game!  You can grow many vegetables that your family eats on a regular basis.  This can save you so much money.  Even if you think you don't have the space for a garden, you can have a tomato plant or two in pots on your patio.  Tomatoes are so expensive and with the current scare over tainted tomatoes, you will know yours are safe.  Or perhaps you have a spot for a little raised garden bed. 

Even if you don't have a garden, you can shop for your veggies and fruits smarter.  Always buy them when they are in season.  This way you will be buying locally from local growers and produce in season is cheaper.

Keep It Fresh:

Frugal food is all about wasting less.  Keep in mind that when we throw away food we are throwing away money.  We've become accustomed to throwing away food that is slightly stale or doesn't look its freshest.  My parents and especially my grandparents didn't waste food.  And I'm getting myself into this mindset of 'waste not, want not' mentality. 

• Bread - when I find bread on sale, I'll buy an extra loaf or two to freeze. 
• Fruit - you can slice up some fruits, like apples, and place them in a little water and lemon juice, put them in the fridge and they will last longer. Speaking of apples, you can store them in a loose bag in the fridge, take a few out and place in your fruit bowl an hour before eating them.  Unless you like the taste of a cold apple, eat straight out of the fridge.
• Cheese - wrap cheese tightly and keep in the fridge. If mold does appear it will normally only be the edges, which can be easily sliced off. You can store a  block of cheese in the freezer and use it grated in your recipes (it does not need to be thawed).  It is cheaper to buy blocks or chunks of cheese and grate it yourself.  Another good tip is to buy stronger cheeses (instead of mild cheddar buy sharp cheddar).  This way you won't need to add as much cheese, thereby, the cheese will last longer and as an added bonus, you won't be eating as much calories.
• Containers - invest in a few screw top bottles to store your homemade condiments, dressings, etc. in.  It is much cheaper to make your own and you know its all fresh ingredients without all the preservatives added.
• Pasta and rice - first off pasta and rice isn't expensive so you can fix a multitude of recipes using them to make great frugal, simple and easy meals.  To keep your pasta and rice fresher longer and insect free, store them in glass containers with a lid and add a bay leaf. 
• Lettuce - never use a metal knife to cut lettuce...it will turn the lettuce brown.  It is best to tear it with your hands.
• Leftovers - get in the habit of not throwing away leftovers.  Most leftovers can be used to make another completely different meal or frozen to use later.

Some leftover tips:

• Vegetables - use today's leftover veggies in tomorrow's stews and soups.  You can also go through your fridge and take the veggies that are starting to get soft or wimpy (like bendy carrots) and make a soup or stew.  And if the cost of veggies is just too high right now buy frozen.  Studies have shown that they are just as healthy for you.  Buy in bulk and just use what you need for your meals.
• Stale bread - bread pudding or use bread that is a little stale by toasting it and using as croutons for soups and salads.
• Meat and fish - leftover meats and fish can be added to stews, soups, fried rice and used for sandwiches for lunch the next day.

Finally, you can find frugal foods at your grocery if you buy store brands instead of the name brands and look in your stores reduced prices sections.  Usually the only reason they are reduced is the packaging has been dented or the sale by date is for that day.  Remember you can prepare meals ahead of time, so if you find a great deal on say beef cubes, for example, you can go ahead and make beef stew or soup and it that day and freeze the leftovers.

I hope you find these tips useful and helping you to become a more frugal consumer, less wasteful and healthier eaters.  If you have some tips please share them with us!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!!!

Do you want a soft, smooth face?  Are you looking for a facial scrub that is all natural?  If you answered yes, you are not alone!  I am  tired of spending lots of money on department store exfoliates and facial scrubs with ingredients I can’t pronounce.  So I’m on a mission to find easy, cheap and effective homemade facial scrub ingredients.

I want to use fresh and natural ingredients…and you cannot get much fresher than ingredients straight from your fridge and pantry.  Exfoliating your face is one-step in your skin care routine that can easily be replaced with all natural ingredients. A homemade facial scrub will work as well, and most likely better, than a store bought product.

Facial scrubs are used to remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation. This allows your skin to better absorb the goodness in your mask and moisturizer.  To refresh your memory you can check out the earlier posts in this series, The 5 Step facial.

A facial scrub contains some type of grain, seed or granule so you can use whatever you have in any of these recipes, just be gentle on your skin.  If you rub harshly, you could cause skin irritation or broken capillaries.  So make sure that whatever you use is finely ground.

How often you use a homemade facial scrub will depend upon your skin type. From once a month for very sensitive skin to 2 – 3 times weekly for very oily skin.  Try these homemade facial scrubs out and see which one will be your favorite:

• Strawberry Facial Scrub - mix 1 tsp. of brown sugar with 2 to 3 mashed strawberries.  The brown sugar will exfoliate and remove dead skin cells and the strawberries will make your skin soft.
• Honey Cleansing Scrub - mix 1 Tbs. of honey and 1 tsp. lemon juice with 2 tsp. of ground almonds together.  Apply gently and rinse with warm water.
• Sea Salt and Olive Oil Scrub - mix 1 tsp. of olive oil (cold-pressed) with ½ tsp. of sea salt.  Apply gently to a wet face.  This scrub will remove dead skin cells and leave your skin soft and smooth.
• Cornmeal Facial Scrub - two tablespoons of cornmeal mixed with enough water to make a thick paste makes a great inexpensive facial mask. Gently apply to face and wash off.
• Baking soda scrub - to loosen blackheads, combine equal parts baking soda and water in your hand and rub gently on your skin for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Give these homemade exfoliates a try and see which your favorite is.  They are simple, easy and safe homemade scrub recipes.  You can feel good knowing you are not applying harsh chemicals to your face with these all-natural homemade facial scrubs.  As well as saving money!

If you have a homemade exfoliate recipe, we would love to hear it!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!!!

If you are looking for a yummy, light appetizer, lunch or snack recipe, give this basic hummus recipe a try.  Hummus has Middle Eastern origins and this recipe has a nice Mediterranean flavor.  Simply humus is pureed chick pea dip.  The reason this is referred to as a basic recipe is that you can adjust the ingredients for your own taste. 

This recipe as is, makes a tasty healthy dip or spread, but you may like your hummus a bit spicier, so add a dash or two of Tabasco or red pepper.  Some people like 1 clove of garlic, some ten cloves or less or more tahini.  I personally add more garlic and lemon juice and a little less tahini then this recipe calls for.  However, if I'm fixing this for others to eat I stick with this version.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups canned chick peas / garbanzo beans, drain and reserve the juice.
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch cumin
• 1pinch paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the chick peas (garbanzo beans), tahini, lemon juice, salt, pinch of cumin and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. You may need to add some of the reserved juice to thin it out a bit.  Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Serve with warm pita bread or as a vegetable dip.

Do you have a hummus recipe or suggestions on this basic humous recipe?  If so we would love to hear it!  Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy life!!!

In this four part series, I will share with you 4 ways in which you can become a work at home mom.  For that matter, a work at home dad or any work from home person.  If you are retired and want to make a little extra cash, or a college student that needs extra money these four strategies will work for you as well.  You can choose to do one, two or all four of these ideas and make a lucrative work at home income. 

Today we will discuss CashCrate.  Cash Crate is a work from home program that provides folks with a chance to make money through various company's promos and surveys.   You are rewarded a small fee for performing these activities.

This program also has a referral program that allows you to make money by promoting CashCrate to others. Once people have joined under your referral link, you will also make a small percentage from the surveys and promos they complete, usually between 10-25%. 

One thing that I like about them is that they specify which offers require credit card info. This lets you avoid those offers if you are not comfortable disclosing that information. 

The reason I’m mentioning CashCrate is that you do not have to have a website or blog to make money with them.  All you need is Internet connection.  It is free to join and you find offers to complete.  You Get Paid to Do offers, trials, daily surveys and shopping.  If you have a blog or website, you can place a link on it to get referrals but completing the surveys, trials, etc. only requires that you have access to a computer.

One tip, be sure you read the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and any other relevant information on an advertiser’s site before you do an offer. While Cash Crate tries to give you a general idea of what an offer is and how much it costs, they can’t guarantee that the information is accurate or up-to-date.  Be sure to check for yourself first.

Now to be honest, I’m not sure if you could make a great living from CashCrate alone.  It is very possible to make $30 to $40 a month.  And, yes, I know many people make more than that but I think it takes a lot of time and effort to do so.  In fact, I know a couple of moms that make over $30.00 a day, and there is a woman named Amy Bass who got a check for $1,800.00 from CashCrate and averages $400.00 a month.  However, I think making an extra 30 bucks or so a month is quite possible and it is free to join.

I am a member so if you join I will get a referral.  And if you have a blog or website and you place a referral link on your site, when someone clicks and joins from your site you will get a referral.  I am a strong believer in the Law of Attraction, so if you do something to help someone else it will come back to you tenfold.  For example, I discovered CashCrate through a blog so when I joined they got credit, I could have gone through the site without clicking on her referral link but since I was interested in ways of making extra money any ways, why not let someone else benefit as well.  I see it as a win win situation.

My main reason for telling you about these work at home opportunities is that I strongly believe that women should help each other.  We need to support and lift each other up.  I love being able to work from home so that I can be with my son.  I want to share with other mothers ways in which you can stay at home with your kids and make money too.

Next Monday we will discuss the second work from home opportunity.  Until then, if you have any comments or questions concerning CashCrate let us know.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!

If you aren't a morning person and find it hard to eat breakfast every morning, this is the perfect breakfast for you!  A healthy smoothie is a great way to start your day.  It is full of vitamins, calcium, fiber, and antioxidants.  If you are always running late so you skip breakfast, you can make your smoothie and put it in a travel cup and drink it on the way to work.  It's quick and easy to make and it's low calorie, so great if you are trying to lose weight.  The best part is you can change whatever fruit you use so this recipe never gets boring.  Try it out:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/2 frozen banana, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons powdered protein supplement
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed or 1 tablespoon flax seed oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries or fruit of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, blend the milk, yogurt, banana, protein supplement, flax seed, honey, and strawberries until smooth.

This smoothie will keep you satisfied and is great if you tend to skip breakfast.  You can take whatever fruit you have on hand, cut it up, put it in a freezer bag and freeze the night before.  You can also substitute orange juice for the milk.

Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so get yours started on the right foot with this healthy lite fruit smoothie recipe.  I hope you enjoy it!  If you have a smoothie recipe share it with us.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!

Are you *qualified* to start an Internet business? If you're like most people, you probably measure your qualifications by your technical skills...

• Your ability to design a web site...
• Your ability to write sales copy...
• Your ability to drive traffic...

But the reality is, NONE of that matters.

Building a business is a FORMULA. If you can understand instructions and follow the formula, you WILL make money online. So if it's that simple, why do SO MANY people fail at it?

Personality!

See, there are certain personality traits -- inherent in some, but LEARNED by others -- that allow people to easily succeed, and other traits that cause people to constantly FAIL. If you could identify those traits, wouldn't you have a better chance at being successful?

Well, here's your opportunity to find out...

... because I've been authorized by none other than Derek Gehl *himself* to offer you a FREE copy of his brand-new report, which lays out the exact traits necessary to succeed online.

The report will be available within the next 48 hours, and is based on Derek's personal observations following a DECADE of working with thousands of successful Internet entrepreneurs from around the world.

And like I said: he's allowing me to offer a copy to all of you for free... no strings attached.

When you get it, you can do one of two things:

• Nothing... which is definitely an "unsuccessful trait".
• Study it and figure out if you have the inherent prerequisites for success, or if you need to LEARN them.

So if you would like a copy of this report, for FREE, go to:

http://www.marketingtips.com/qualify/t/1260157

I have a secret; you can look slimmer, longer and leaner, without losing an ounce!  How you ask?  By following these 10 simple tips for dressing skinny:

1. Wear proper undergarments - bras and panties that are too small make lumps under your clothes.  Underwear that fits properly gives a smoother, thinner silhouette.
2. Go monochromatic - when you wear one color or variation of one shade from head to toe, it creates a long lean line (translation: thinner).  Wearing one color creates an unbroken line and a thinner, sleeker you.  Two colors, by the way, will cut you in half and give you a much wider profile.
3. Wear v-neck tops - to create an illusion of a longer neckline that will give you an overall slimmer look.
4. Avoid pleated pants - regardless of how slender you are, pleated pants do not look flattering on any figure.  They add bulk to your middle and make you look bigger.  Wear smooth flat front trousers instead.
5. Wear A-line skirts - they skim over your hips, making you appear more streamlined.  An A-line skirt looks flattering on any type of figure.
6. Wear straight-leg or boot-cut pants - they make legs look thinner than tapered or wide leg pants.
7. Wear pants on the long side with heels -  will give you a longer, leaner appearance.  If you are petite or short, don’t wear cropped or Capri pants with flats because they will make you look squat.
8. Look for jackets that fall below the hips - they elongate and slim the body.
9. Avoid baggy clothes - many women think that wearing baggy clothes will hide their lumps and bumps.  However, baggy clothes will actually make you look bigger.  Wear clothes that fit properly.  Not too big or too small.
10. Play up your best feature - if you have heavy hips and waist, keep the focus on the top.  Wear great makeup and get a flattering haircut so people will look at your face.  If you are top heavy but have great legs, play them up.  Wear a skirt with high heels.

So if you have a little extra weight and you want to look thinner now, follow these tips and you can look 10 lbs lighter instantly.  If you have tips on dressing thinner, we would love to hear them.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!