Earn Free Fuel for a Year, Plus a Special Tax Credit

A few months ago, I wrote about our family considering switching to an alternative heat source for our Minnesota home. We are convinced that a flex fuel, corn stove is what we want, and our decision to move forward is prompted by three key factors: our current fuel bill,  the projected rise in fuel costs next year, and the money saving opportunties available to families like yours and mine.

Our Current Fuel Bill

I’m sad to say that we currently pay over $800 to fill our gas tank (we live in a rural home), which lasts us two months during the winter season, if we’re lucky. I estimate we spend about $3,000 /year filling our fuel tank.

Breaking News

I welcome all ways to save on heating costs; a relief with the recent news about gas prices. Oil is projected to go up to $100 a barrel, and the tax bill that passed its first hurdle this week, the Cap & Trade Bill-HR 2454, is threatening to raise everyone’s home heating bills by up to 60% this next year! This worries me. A lot.

Earn Free Fuel for a Year

According to American Energy Systems offering this opportunity, your entire fuel bill could be free in 2010 just by referring your friends and family to their website. If they purchase one of their products, you will get a reward check in the mail. Refer 50 friends (and if they buy) that is $2500.00 in YOUR pocket. To get started, fill out the referral section here.

 

Bonus Tax Credit

Some alternative energy appliances, like flex-fuel stoves qualify for a major tax refund (up to $1,500) making this option very affordable for us. We will be selecting a stove or fireplace that qualifies for this tax credit.

Extra Bonus Heat Savings

Flex-fuel stoves, like the ones that burn corn, often save owners up to 60% on their heating bill. I’ve taken the time to talk to several corn stove owners, who all love their stoves and verify the savings. Any way that I do the math on this one, I calculate that the savings from these three facts (referral reward, tax credit, lower fuel cost) will help us pay for the cost of our stove in a year. The cost of the Magnum Baby Countryside stove we are considering is about $1,800. I would like to have the Magnum Fireplace Insert, but I’m not sure if it will work in our existing gas fireplace spot yet or if it will be enough to heat our entire home like the Baby Countryside. I’m excited for next week, when the owner of American Energy Systems is coming to our house for a visit. I’m even more excited to embark on our journey to use corn to heat our home!

You can follow along on our jouney, as I plan to blog our way into a greener way of heating our home and saving money. Like you, I have more questions than anything about how this will all work. I do know this, we can NOT use popcorn in a corn stove.

Kids Eat For Free

This is a great resource for checking where and when kids eat for free at your favorite restaurants. If you are open to any restaurant, as long as it has free kids meals, simply search by zip code for what’s closest to you. The name of the site is Kids Eat For, and I’m planning to use it soon. I’ve actually already done a little searching and planning. Enjoy!

Low Cost Halloween Party for Kids

My 10 year old daughter decided she wanted to host a HalloTween party this year. We decided the garage would be the best place, since it’s big and we wouldn’t have to worry about spills, make-up smears, etc. To make it more fun, we decided to decorate the garage to make it creepy (not gross). We dug through the Halloween tote and took out all the saved decorations, lights, and masks that we could use. Then we got creative.

First, we took some black garbage bags and cut them into strips width-wise to create long black streamers which we taped up. We also put blankets up on a clothes wire to separate the “excess garage stuff” in the third stall.

We also used fake spider webbing all over the garage walls. It sticks great to rough plywood, and there’s plenty of nails and other stuff to wrap it around. I also replaced the ceiling light bulbs with red colored bulbs for a creepier look ($4 spent thus far).

We also used white sidewalk chalk to draw spiral patterns all over the garage floor for a really funky-fun look on the dance floor. We borrowed a disco ball from friends so that there will be colored lights twirling by the dance floor. We strung streamers and decorations across the ceiling, right above the dance floor for a festive look.

Next, we brought in all the patio furniture and created a seating area. I found an old white plastic patio table that the kids can all sign and write on during the night.

I moved our electric fireplace out for heat, as it is expected to be very chilly this week. Plus, the flames add extra “creepiness” and the top of the fireplace is a great place to set up the music and speakers. Our friends have another fireplace, which we are going to borrow for a second source of heat and place on the other side of the garage.

I brought in our wood sculpted bear, gave him a cape and a mask, and we have an instant monster by the fire place.

You can’t escape having a large garbage can for plates and candy wrappers, but who wants a plain one? I found an old pair of green tights, stuffed them with plastic bags, and then tied them to the garbage can so it looks like a pair of legs are sticking out. I know the kids are going to get a kick out of this one.

I contemplated putting ruby red slippers on and crushing the legs under our giant bird house with a “wicked witch of the west” sign. I opted for practical, since we needed the garbage can in there and I was running out of room.

Then we raided the adult winter snowsuits, stuffed them with stuffed animals, duct taped some gloves on and we had some more creepy monsters for the garage. Oh, need something to fill out the masks? Use your soccer and volleyballs. They work great!

 

Next I built a mummy. My daughter and I visited one of those fun, but very expensive Halloween stores for ideas. We loved the mummy, so I decided to make one. I used two giant stuffed dolls my girls had and wrapped them in a white table cloth. I used a rubber band to define the neck/head. Then I wrapped it in toilet paper and used some medical gauze to wrap the head. I used some white spider webbing and added a black spider to the body. I bought a  styrofoam headstone at the dollar store ($1 dollar spent). Then we laid it by the entrance to the garage, which we decorated in a wall of glittery streamers.

Next, we moved the patio table inside, gave it a new table cloth that my friend picked up at a second hand store and donated to the cause! We replaced batteries in the “monster hand” bowl and strobe light which will add extra fun to the dark space. The batteries are definately an expense!

I moved my card table and chairs out, along with a light for a game table area. We put a black lightbulb in the lamp so the cards will glow. (another $4 spent)

We are going to serve decorated cupcakes we made and froze ahead of time, pizza, nachos/dip, and of course, candy. I am going to make a green sherbet and ginger ale punch in my large punch bowl, which we will call chilled slime.

I know these pictures don’t do the space justice. It is much scarier without the light that I needed to take these pictures. So without further adu, here’s the rest of the pictures.

  

 

FREE McDonald’s Latte August 3rd

My friend at Grocery Price Blog sent me an email this past Monday reminding me to stop by McDonald’s for my free latte. I thought to myself, yeah, but in rural Hutchinson, MN will they know what I’m even talking about? I decided to put my social networking to the test and drive through McDonald’s on my way to an appointment. According to the email from Grocery Price Blog, there was no purchase necessary. When I pulled up, I asked if I could get a “free Monday latte” and the lady answered “sure, just pull up to the last window and we’ll have it ready”. I happily sipped on my 7 oz free latte as I drove away. Since the offer is done on August 3rd, I thought I’d send this out with a link to the details on my friend’s Grocery Price Blog.

Free Book to Parents of Children with Special Needs

SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com has a great giveaway right now. Parents of children with special needs can receive a free copy of the 200 page E-Book, “Overwhelmed No More”.This is the start of their initiative to offer more free and low-cost products and services for parents of children with special needs.

To enter this contest, simply submit your favorite quotes. Hurry! Offer ends July 15th!

Follow this link:  Quote Contest Here

Kids Eat for Free: Find All the Places

Here’s a great website that is actually a search engine of sorts where you can search for your favorite restaurants or places where your kids can eat for free. Special kids meal deals are included as well. Check out KidsMealDeals.com

The Chronicles of Mac and Cheese: Recipe 1

We’ve started to use our year’s supply of Kraft Mac and Cheese that I won last month. So far, we’ve simply made a couple boxes. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to make a complete meal that I’m calling MexiMac. I found several recipes for ideas, but will tweak the recipe to make it my own and tailor it to my family’s needs. I also want to use what we have in the house, specifically my mom’s homemade salsa.

Recipe: MexiMac

1 Box Kraft Mac and Cheese

1 pound hamburger

1 onion, diced

1 can of corn

1 sweet red pepper, diced

1 jar salsa

1 jar southwest or chili flavored beans

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Fresh cilantro

1 packet of taco seasoning

Top with: crushed corn chips, sour cream, jalapenos, and lettuce.

Crumble and cook hamburger and brown with the onions. Cook noodles partially and drain. Mix with meat/onions and remaining ingredients. Bake until hot, noodles soft, and well-flavored. About 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

The Chronicles of Mac and Cheese: The Arrival

I heard a knock on my front door this afternoon, and the FedEx guy was petting our dog and feeding him a treat. He happily left me two boxes. I exclaimed, “Oh, I know what this is”. He fained interest and left. I brought the boxes inside and opened them up. Inside were 52 boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese in dinosaur shapes none-the-less. When my kids saw the package, they immediately began begging for mac and cheese for supper. Sorry, but I already made meatloaf and potatoes for supper. My ten year old cleared a shelf in our pantry, and the boxes now have prime real estate next to the crackers and peanut butter. Tune in next time to find out if we made plain old mac and cheese or tried a new recipe. If you have interesting recipes to share, we’d love to hear from you!

The Chronicles of Mac and Cheese

I recently entered a contest to win a year’s supply of Kraft Mac and Cheese, and guess what?! I won. You’d think I won the lottery by the reaction of my family. I seriously hope it’s not a reflection on my cooking. Anyway, as we await the arrival of our winnings, I’ve been investigating recipes to use our mac and cheese. As it turns out, there are dozens of recipes involving Kraft Mac and Cheese. From Mexican dishes to lasagna there are quite a few hotdish recipes I want to try. However, there are plenty of cold salads and soups using the mac and cheese as well. Therefore, I thought I would chronicle our adventures of a year’s supply of Kraft Mac and Cheese. Kraft was kind enough to donate a bunch of boxes to the hungry as well through Feeding America. A special thanks to Kraft for their generosity, and to The Savvy Housewife for offering the contest.

Free Fun Family Game Downloads

Play the Family Feud and more for free, by clicking this link to free games at Jenkat Games

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