lordog / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Don’t get me wrong, I love apple and pumpkin pie — served warm with a scoop (or two) of vanilla bean ice cream. These pies complete a Thanksgiving meal. But if you’re in charge of dessert this year, change it up a bit and try your hand at making one of these six non-traditional turkey day sweets. (If you’re in charge of the bird, here’s how to cook a perfect turkey.)
Flan
If you’ve never tried flan, you’re missing out! This is a custard topped with caramel that’s similar to creme brulee. I’ve taught several friends how to make this decadent dessert using my family’s recipe. I like that it’s so easy to make and it keeps well in the fridge so you can make it ahead. The Food Network’s Ellie Krieger has a pumpkin flan recipe similar to mine. You can either use ramekins for individual portions or make one to share. If you’re traveling, don’t flip it till you arrive or you’ll end up covered in caramel.
naomi ibuki/Flickr
A large man carrying three stuffed red sacks passed me in Toys R Us recently. The manager and I exchanged looks. Huh?
“Having fun playing Santa?” she called after the man.
He pushed on, disappearing between two doors at the back of the store.
“Is that…?” I quizzed.
“Those are our layaway purchases,” she said.
“Ohhh. How is that program going this year?”
Veteran's Day 2011 Freebies! Credit: US Army Africa/Flickr
I’ve compiled every known Veteran’s Day 2011 freebie, coupon, and deal right here! Proof of service is required to get these deals. There are a lot of repeats from last year, but hey, free is free! Also check with your local museums, orchestras, and community groups for free Veterans Day entertainment and activities!
Applebee’s - Vets get a free meal at Applebee’s on Nov. 11, 2011 with proof of service.
B&B deal – Vets stay free at dozens of B&B’s nationwide on Nov. 10, 2011. Some 515 B&B’s are paticipating. Book your free night soon because these sell out quick.
Car wash - Vets get a totally free car cash on Nov. 11, 2011 at more than 822 participating locations nationwide.
9 Free DVD rental codes below!
Veteran’s Day Freebies and deals are here! There are 25 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!
HOT! Free Cosmo - Get 12 free magazine issues of Cosmopolitan in digital format through ValueMags.com. No purchase necessary.
Free party planner - Get a freebie party planner from Oriental Trading for your holiday party or potluck, then get free shipping on your next order of $49 or more. Use the free party planner by Nov. 13 to get the shipping code.
Freebie Emergen-C - Get a free sample of Emergen-C vitamins when you fill out a simple request form. If you have already gotten this freebie, I believe you have to wait 3-6 months before you can get it again. No hurt trying!
Get online coupons for these stores below. Reduce your grocery bill with Grocery University, a set of audio lessons crafted to save a lot more than you think you can on groceries.
CVS – Bargain Briana has all the CVS coupon deals for this week, including free GE Energy Smart, Halls Cough Drops for $1, Revlon and Maybelline Cosmetics are buy one get one 50% off.
Walgreens – Get all the Walgreens coupon deals for this week. Highlights include free Healthifeet Foot Cream, free Blistex Revive & Restore Lip Care, Crest Dental Care for $0.99, Lysol No Touch Hand Soap System for $3.99, and Carefree Pantiliners for $0.49. (more…)
Weekend sales are heating up with pre-Black Friday offers!
Veteran’s Day Freebies and deals are coming next week! There are 34 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebookpage. “Like” us today!
Free perfume - Get a freebie sample of Oscar de la Renta perfume when you fill out a simple request form on its site. No Facebook needed!
Free 25 prints - Get 25 free photo prints at Walgreens with coupon code FREE4X6. Expires Nov. 5, 2011. Get in store pick up to avoid shipping fees.
This weekend! Free museums - On the first full weekend of every month, Bank of America card holders get into dozens of museums across the country for free. The next one is Nov. 5-6, 2011.
Winner and runner ups announced below!
Visiting family and traveling were the two retirement activities most desired by the 42 readers who entered our contest to win “Can I Retire?” by Mike Piper, a self-published blogger who I met at a conference recently. Olivia made me laugh out loud when she said her priorities were “God first, then family, and finally fishing.” But I decided to declare as the winner…
Concert tickets are pricey!
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Cheap travel – Six ways to score free travel with credit cards. (Wisebread)
Discounted tickets – Save money on concert and event tickets. (The Digerati Life)
Job expenses – Five ways your job costs you money and advice on cutting the cost. (MSN Money)
Holiday shopping – Ten holiday shopping trends you’ll see this year. (Main Street)
Debit card fees – Several banks axe debit card fees, but what will they try next? (CNN Money)
Bonus: Amazon launches a free lending library for digital books, but you have to be an Amazon Prime member to access it and can only borrow one book per month.
New grocery and drugstore coupons!
Here is our weekly roundup of links to specific grocery and drugstore coupons. Make sure to check out out roundups of the best grocery coupon matches and drugstore coupon deals. Plus, you’ll find tons of printable and online coupons in our Coupon Database.
The below coupons are from CouponNetwork, Redplum, SavingStar, Alice, and Cellfire.
Redplum coupons
SAVE $1.00 on ANY Healthy Look Crème Gloss Color
Save $7.00 on NicoDerm CQ 14ct or larger, Nicorette Gum, Nicorette Lozenge or Nicorette mini Lozenge 72ct or larger.
CouponNetwork coupons
Just updated the Black Friday 2011 deals and sales post with hot new ads from Amazon, CVS, Kmart, Macy’s, and Sears. Plus, there are updates from Target, Toys R Us, and Walmart.
Many retailers are having early Black Friday sales, including some really hot deals THIS weekend at Amazon and Target.
Check out all the NEW! Black Friday 2011 deals and sales now!
Background: Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. So-called because it’s the day merchants sell so much stuff they go “into the black.”
This week’s clip of Extreme Couponing follows Bree, a 28-year-old mother who makes her own laundry detergent for $20 a year. How cool is that? Watch a brief clip, then scroll down to get her detergent recipe.
Check out our Coupon Database for the latest grocery, drugstore, and magazine coupons. Each week we share the top grocery coupon matches and the top drugstore coupon matches, including many freebie items! How does watching the show make you feel? I feel guilty that I don’t use more coupons.
Homemade laundry detergent recipe from Bree on Extreme Couponing
Comment below to win this book!
Today is your last chance to comment for a chance to win Mike Piper’s “Can I Retire?” Only 20 readers have entered, so your chances of winning are super high! Piper answers three burning questions in his quick, 99-page book.
- How much money do I need to retire?
- How do I manage my retirement savings?
- How do I plan for taxes in retirement?
On the first page, Mike admits that there are plenty of good retirement books out there. So why did he write another one?
Can I Retire?
is not meant to be better. It’s meant to be shorter. It’s written for the person who…
cobalt123 / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Preparing a turkey for the traditional Thanksgiving meal can be a daunting task. After all, it’s the main dish. Below I share 15 tips to roast the perfect Thanksgiving turkey that is tender, juicy and delicious.
- Size matters – Allow one pound of turkey for each adult guest at your dinner. For example, if you are serving 10 people, buy a 10-pound turkey. This provides a generous serving of turkey and guarantees extra turkey for leftovers.
- Thaw your bird - The best place to do this is in the fridge. It may take up to (more…)
$5 off and FREE shipping on Entertainment Book
Veteran’s Day Freebies and deals are coming next week! There are 29 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!
HOT! Picaboo Groupon - Get $75 of holiday cards for just $25 with this hot Picaboo Groupon deal. Offer goes away Nov. 5, 2011 though you have many more weeks to use the Groupon, which can be applied toward shipping and taxes!
Free Esquire mag - Get three free issues of Esquire in digital format through ValueMags.com.
Free Peet’s coupon - Print this Peet’s coupon for a free drink. Excludes kid’s drinks, bottled drinks, and juice. Not valid at supermarket, airport, and BART locations. Expires Nov. 9, 2011.
Behold, the gyrobowl! Credit: BuyGyrobowl.com
I have lost the right to call myself the Bargain Babe.
To my horror, an item on my baby registry is being sold in a catalog I recently ridiculed for it’s high prices and absurd products – SkyMall!
How did this happen? At Babies R Us, my husband caught sight of the Gyrobowl, a small dish kept in balance by a gyroscope. In theory, the tot eating from it never spills her
