The Dish Network Budget-Saver Secret!

As of this morning, I am now "making" $10.01 on my Dish Network account every month! Here's why:

God is taking us into a season of cleaning, clearing out, re-organizing, and re-focusing our hearts, minds, house, and family. It's funny how, as a community, we are so desensetized to things that go on the world. There are cartoons on Nickelodeon now that NEVER would have been allowed to air when I was growing up. They just weren't right. We live in a society that plasters sex, adultery, lust, and greed all over the place. Sixty years ago, it would have been considered a "sin" to even THINK about watching/participating in any of it, yet today it's "normal" for a 12 year old to watch (and enjoy?!) a Victoria's Secret commercial or fashion show. Something is backwards here...

It does take some sacrifice on your part as far as how many tv channels you get (if you want a credit on your bill each month), but for us, it's worth every penny we (don't) spend! There's a few steps to it and more info along the way, so bear with me and read till the end!

1) If you already have Dish Network, you're halfway there! If not, I suggest you get it--ASAP! And, do yourself a favor by using a coupon code from here: RetailMeNot

Let me start with the referral program and then I'll go into how it all fits together. I'm going to preface this by saying, I'm not referring you and get NO credit if you sign up! My credits are already used so I'm good! It's NOT MLM and it's directly thru the Dish Network website (click on terms and conditions to read the fine print...). Most people don't even know this whole thing exists! It's glorious! Here's the secret for those of you who don't care about the fine print:

Dish Network gives a $50 credit for UP TO 5 people you refer every year. That means $250 in your pocket each year for 10 minutes of your time! If you were to figure that hourly... well, it would be more than the president makes (maybe). WORTH IT!

There's a little coupon site called RetailMeNot. It's fantastic and FULL of codes for retailers--both online and printable to use in stores. They don't have grocery coupons, but if you're about to spend half your life savings on a cute shirt from Nordstroms, chances are, they'll have a coupon code to help with that. :) This is the site you're going to use to get your coupons out there! They have the option of sharing your coupons so others can use them. **From this point forward, RetailMeNot will be known as RMN so I don't have to type it out... ;)

2) Here's the steps to MONEY!: (it looks a little overwhelming, but it really isn't!)

So, once you have Dish Network, sign into your online account and find the link that says "Refer My Friend" (about 3/4 the way down on the left menu you can see below).

Click on that link, which takes you to this page:

I couldn't screenshot the rest of the page because it show's my address, but you have 2 options of getting your referral codes: You can enter emails of friends who want to sign up or you can have them sent by mail. Unless you're going to call your great aunt to see if she's ready to accept the "times" and get cable, skip the first option. Select to get them by mail. You can get TWO per day and you'll need FIVE total so you need to request for 3 days to get enough. You do NOT have to wait for them to come in the mail to enter them on RMN though!

Once you're done requesting them, you can post them on RMN ASAP! Click on the "My Referrals" link on the left menu. This screen will come up:

You'll get a list of allllll the coupon codes you've requested and/or they've sent (they'll occasionally just send them to you, as you can tell... I usually just throw them away as long as I have my 5 people. ;)). The first number (which stars with a "D") is your coupon code. Take that number and head over to RMN!

**If you don't have an RMN account yet, you might want to... You don't HAVE to, but it makes it easier to see what coupons you've posted, what ones need to be deleted, etc... I've had an account for over a year and haven't received even ONE iota of spam from them. Acutally, I don't even think I've ever received an email from them--period!

Once you're at RMN, you'll see a yellow box on the top right corner of your screen that says "Share the Love". Click it.

It'll take you to this screen:

This is where the magic happens my friends! This is MONEY! 

I'll walk you thru each line:

STORE:

TYPE:

 

CODE: (Enter YOUR code that starts with a "D" in your "My Referrals" tab)

DISCOUNT:

 

There's a little info you need to add to the DISCOUNT part... I'll type it out for you. Feel free to copy and paste this and/or make it your own! BUT, you need to make it seem like your link is the best one to pick! (NOTE: Lots of asterisks and CAPS don't help--at least not when I'm look for a coupon anyways...) Dish Network offers a SLEW of benefits when you use one of these coupon codes, so why not tell them what they get by using YOUR code?! Here's what I use:

"SPECIAL: Save up to $250 with these codes! $50 credit on 1st bill, $15/mo service credit, FREE Cinemax, Starz, and HBO for life! FREE HD DVR Upgrade, FREE Blockbuster Rentals, FREE Installation, FREE HD for life, and FREE Dish Platinum! MUST submit offer code: 01DIRCD and Coupon Code: {enter the coupon code that you're working on and typed in to the "CODE" line a few steps ago...}." 

***Do NOT forget to change the coupon code at the end of the little paragraph! You'll confuse someone who then won't do it right at checkout, which means you don't get the credit for it and you can't re-enter these codes once you've entered them once. They're all one-time-use codes and RMN knows that... I may or may not have learned that from experience. ;)

Dish Network have a variety of packages (with a billion add-on's...) that range from $14.99/mo--$100+/mo. We have been on the America's Top 120 plan since we got Dish. It worked great for the first year because there's a credit for the first 12 months (that's how they rope you in!). While we weren't getting it for "free", we were paying between $7-$12/mo for it. Not bad AT ALL. We were at a different point in our lives so having 120+ channel's was normal, and we felt, necessary. Now? Our 1st year credit ran out and we're not loving tv period so it's time for a change. So, we downgraded. I researched online about the different package channel line ups (we LOVE Food Network, History Channel, and Boomerang!) and found that the Welcome Package had all 3 of those (plus 37 more channels...) and included local channels as well (because life wouldn't be worth living if I couldn't watch Biggest Loser, Glee, or The Office...). It is $14.99/mo! Done and done. Remember, I have my credits maxed out so I automatically have $25 credit each month applied to my bill!

So, I called and spoke to Ethan in customer service and said I wanted to downgrade. He said "okay, so, we're taking away America's Top 120 and adding on the Welcome Package. Your new monthly cost will be... Oh, uh, it looks like because of your credits you'll actually have a $10.01 credit every month on your account. I've never seen that happen before! And, that includes a DVR and HD for life! {among other extras like the free movie channels they keep giving us...}WHOA!" You know it's good when you can surprise the guy that WORKS for Dish! :)

Hope this helps some of you become more budget-concious! If you have any questions/problems, post a comment below! :)

Brussel Sprouts ala Ashley

Let me start of by saying I have NEVER tasted a brussel sprout I liked. Ever. They're bitter, crunchy, and look like a miniature cabbage. Blech! That was, until I tasted the ones my sister made. Yeah, I went to the store and bought more this morning after eating them last night. The kids even liked them and, if MY kids liked them, they must be good!

Here's the how to:

A handfull of brussel sprouts (I used about 15 for our family of 5)

2-3T Olive oil

2-3T Butter

1/4-1/2t Salt

Garlic Powder (optional)

Parmesan Cheese (NOT optional!)

Start by cutting the end off the brussel sprouts, just to take off the brown part but not any further or they fall apart. Experience folks, experience.

Heat a large saucepan to medium. Add olive oil, butter, and salt until hot. Place the sprouts cut side down and saute for about 7-10 minutes or until they're browned. Flip them to the round side and cook for a few minutes more to brown that side as well.

Once that's done, give them a quick stir so they're not all uniform. This really isn't a "necessary" step, but I'm not "uniform" so I don't always make my food that way either! ;) Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Stir them around again and let them cook for about 3 minutes more, or until the cheese gets crunchy.

And.... voila! The most amazing brussel sprouts you'll ever taste! Period.

Seriously, just try them once! They're cheap so you won't break the bank and, if you don't love them, you're crazy!

What's We're Eating This Week!

So, I have this Pinterest board... It's called "What We're Eating This Week". Every week I post all the recipes we're going to be using for the week. I had something similar started on another blog but stopped doing it because it was so. much. work. to post the recipes, directions, pictures, etc... Pinterest does it for me now! :) Here's a sampling of our meals... Follow me and see what our creative menu looks like every week!

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Peach Whiskey BBQ Chicken

Cheddar Beer Chicken in the Crockpot

Ammonia and all things clean

Growing up, my mom always used diluted ammonia to clean the bathrooms with. Oddly enough, the smell of it brings back fond childhood memories. Weird, I know. Anyways....

We have a gas stove in our little apartment. It was brand spankin new when we moved in. That's both good and bad. It's nice to know what we've been the only ones to use it but it also means that our deposit will be covering the initiation of said stove. All the stovetop pieces were nasty! I've scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed with nothing seeming to work. I even threw all the parts into the dishwasher on the "pots and pans" cycle with HOT water in hopes that maybe it would partially clean it. Nope. Didn't touch it. The only thing that worked...

AMMONIA!

Here's what I did:

4 gallon sized baggies
Ammonia
Green scouring pad

Place the parts of each burner into a gallon baggie. Pour in some ammonia (1 cup or so... I poured until I felt it was enough), seal the baggie, and throw it out on the back porch overnight. The next morning (or afternoon...) grab a bag, cut it open, and use a green scouring pad with a little soap finish up. The burnt on, sticky gunk will come right off! A word to the wise though... You might want to open a window or door because straight vinegar that's been simmering in it's own juices overnight is stiiiiinky!

I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it's not mine. I found it on Pinterest and had to try it! What did I have to loose?! I'm a believer now.

Sadly, I forgot to take a "before" picture. Imagine how incredibly yucky a stove is for someone who loves to cook (me!). It was worse than that. But, I do have an "after":

Now it's your turn! Go clean!

Project New Face, Commence!

For about the last year or so, I've been completely unhappy with the look of my face. As I get older (uh, I'm still in my 20's, for another year at least...), I'm noticing that not everything works the way it used to. My metabolism doesn't mirror that of my 16 year old self, the war-wounds on my belly boast of the 2 crazy boys running around my house, and my skin has become dull, dry, and splotchy--especially on my face. I've bounced from product to product, exfoliator to exfoliator, lotion to lotion, with no success in obtaining vibrant, clean, moist (not oily!) skin. I've used professional brands (read: expensive!), over-the-counter brands, and everything in between. NOTHING has been working! Enter: Oil Cleansing Method.

In my previous cosmetic schooling (I was a white lab coat wearing Clinique girl in my early working years), I have a general idea of HOW to properly clean your face, albeit the Clinique way: Wash, Tone, Moisturize. There is much more to it when you're working at an actual makeup counter, but for all intensive purposes, I'll spare you details and stick with the basics. :) In my search for a good facial cleansing system, I came across the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). There are a bazillion ways to do it. Literally. There's a whole science behind this method that boils down to: oil cleanses oil. It may seem weird to wash an oily, dirty, acne-prone face with oil, but most times acne is caused by hormonal, bacterial, and, well, a dirty face--not oil. Considering nothing else was working, I really had nothing to loose!

This is a direct quote from acne.com:

“Oil dissolves oil. One of the most basic principals of chemistry is that “like dissolves like.” The best way to desolve a non-polar solvent like sebum/oil, is by using another non-polar solvent similar in composition: other oils. By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin. When done properly and consistently, the OCM can clear the skin from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne–while leaving your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.”


Here's what my (new) routine is:

AM: splash of water (usually in the shower) to wake my skin up. I have SERIOUSLY dry skin so I use a dab of pure olive oil on a cotton ball and rub it on.

PM: OCM and I use the Lemon Water Toner (recipe below) every other night. That's IT!

 (NOTE: There are a few ingredients that you won't use in the next few recipes... Those extra ingredients are for a hand lotion that will be in a future blog post!)

The OCM recipe can be tailored to your specific skin needs:

Ingredients-
Olive Oil (the darker the glass bottle and the more expensive it is, the better!)
Castor Oil (can be found in the pharmacy. Walmart has it for like $2).

For normal skin: 1 part olive oil to 1 part castor oil.

For dry skin (ME!): 3 parts olive oil to 1 part castor oil. *EDIT: I actually started using 4/1 because I'm so dry.

For oily/acne-prone skin: 1 part olive oil to 3 parts castor oil.

I suggest doing 1-2 tablespoons of your mixture at a time so you can fine tune what works best on your skin. I used a glass oil/vinegar bottle from Walmart. It was around $2.

Gently massage the mixture into your face for about 60 seconds, finishing with your eyes. DO NOT wet your face first. Rinse a washcloth in warm water (not scalding, but as hot as you can stand), and, after wringing it out, lay it on your face until it feels room-temp, about 60 seconds. The steam helps remove the impurities in your skin and clears out your pores. Rinse the washcloth again and, in a circular motion, gently wipe off the OCM from your face and eyes. Pat dry. This is a fabulous makeup remover for your whole face--eyes included! No raccoon eyes, which is better than any makeup remover I've ever used. :)

The Lemon Toner:

Ingredients-
1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh is better!)
1 cup water (I use distilled)
2/3 cup witch hazel (also at Walmart for $1 or so...)

Mix all ingredients into a glass bottle (preferably--you can use plastic too, but there's additional chemicals that leak into the toner...). Once you're done with your OCM, moisten a cotton ball and rub onto your face, using an "up and out" swipe. You'll notice that you won't even need a moisturizer after this step. Your skin will feel moist, clean, and refreshed.

This is a picture of my FIRST time using the lemon toner. Yes, that's dry skin (and probably some dirt...). Gross, huh? This week I'll be taking another picture to show how much BETTER they look now!

*One thing to note: do NOT do OCM both morning and night! There's no need to! You will only "gain" breakouts from the massive amounts of oil your skin would have to absorb. Not worth it!


 For the first few days (and up to a week), you'll notice that your skin is "oily". This is a GOOD sign! Your skin needs to re-adjust to how much oil to make so when you do this, you're essentially re-programming your skin. Let it do it's thing! If, after a week or so, you are still having a hard time and/or experiencing breakouts, you're using too much olive oil. And, if you're still experiencing dryness (ME!), up your olive oil in our OCM.

I've been doing this for 6 weeks and will NEVER go back! It's waaaay more economical than an OTC or cosmetic counter system and I'm experiencing changes in my face that I'm sure a $200 cream couldn't match! WORTH. IT.