Provo's Hidden Gems: Part II

Part 2: Great little restaurants

I love the treat of eating out but we're on a tight budget. Here are some of my favorites around town.

El Salvador (332 W Center St)--great authentic Salvadorian food. Try the papusas, they're great and cheap!

Diego's Taco Shop (45 W 300 N) they moved a year ago to this new location but are still close enough to walk to. They make the best horchata I have ever tasted! It's pure heaven. I also love the chicken nachos.

Thai Ruby (744 E 820 N) I don't consider this a cheap eat, but we often stop in just for dessert--mango with sticky rice. If you like Thai food or mango, this is to die for! The perfect addition to make a basic home cooked meal seem like a classy night out.

7-11 (496 N University Ave) still the cheapest place for a quick summer fix: the Slurpee. If you're really cheap, buy a bigger, reusable cup and save it. The price is cheaper for refills. Best slurpee flavor: crystal light.

Provo Bakery (190 E 100 N--closed Mondays) is a great little shop hidden in south Provo. Stop in a try a homemade doughnut or muffin.

J Dawgs (880 N 700 E) worth it at least once--eating a J Dawg is like hiking the Y. Tradition.

Doc's Pizza Buffet (2250 N University Pkwy # 22--by Cafe Rio in the Movies 8 complex). If you haven't been here in awhile, it's worth another look. Under new management it's a little more expensive and there's no longer hilarious karaoke, but the pizza is better. Price includes pasta, salad, pizza (request your favorite!), breadsticks, dessert pizza, drinks, and an ice cream cone.

Want to get a great deal on eating out? Check out City Deals for half price gift cards. Order in the morning, pick up in the afternoon!

Missing your favorite? Let me know! I'm always up for something new :o)

Provo's Hidden Gems: Part I

Ok, it's April, but still gray and cold outside. I personally spend hours wandering around outside every week to keep my son entertained, and in so doing, have stumbled upon some less well-known places. For those of you who live in or around Provo, enjoy!

Part 1: Food and Clothing for Less

Smith's Food and Drug (350 N Freedom) has a student fresh values card that takes 5% off every shopping order. Essentially, all of your food is tax free! Smith's also has 2 Redbox rental stations. Their weekly ad comes out every Wednesday and they participate in the Shortcuts electronic coupon program.

Walmart (1355 Sandhill Rd, Orem). Never fails. Not the best shopping experience but the deals don't get any better. Bring store ads for all the local grocery and retail stores and Walmart will price match (if it's the exact brand and size). If you have the time and energy to spare, it's worth the haggle.

Honk's Dollar Store (650 N Freedom) offers good deals on basic cleansers, office supplies, stationary, gift bags, etc. Every Tuesday every dollar deal is reduced to 88 cents! My favorite buys: scented diaper disposal bags (a life saver for that between breastfeeding and pottytraining stage!) and knock-off teddy grahams.

Habitat for Humanity Re-Store (626 N Freedom--right next to Honk's). This place is amazing for several reasons.
1) You can drop off almost any extra building materials you don't want to store or dispose of.
2) You can buy supplies for a quick fix at insanely low prices--a gallon of oil based paint is only $1. Great for paintbrushes, wood stain, nails and screws, or odds and ends.
3) They offer monthly home maintenance classes for free.
4) They offer a tool-rental system just like a public library that lends tools for personal use free of cost.
5) This place keeps any kid entertained for at least 20 minutes because it is full of gadgets, gizmos, and interesting people!

Kid to Kid (2250 N University Pky, #26--next to Cafe Rio in the Movies 8 complex). Kids grow way too fast to pay full price for clothes, shoes, socks, toys, strollers, etc. The provo store has a great selection of kids clothes in all sizes, as well as two racks of shoes, a variety of toys, and a surprisingly good selection of maternity clothes. All products are gently used, look brand new, and most are name brand. My favorites:
1) 3 pairs of socks for $0.99--and I get to try them on his wriggling feet to know how long they will last!
2) Every Tuesday at the Provo location is grandparent's day. Simply show off a picture of your adorable grandchild and get 10% off your entire purchase. (I love to shop Tuesdays when my mom is in town visiting!)
3) A walled in kids zone full of toys to keep my monkey occupied while I browse.
4) If you really need to stock up, pick up a frequent shopper card to earn a free purchase. These cards are now accepted at any location.

Deseret Industries (1415 N State St) In addition to accepting donations and helping you recycle your used stuff, the DI has some great bargains. My favorites: cheap games (I've bought Racko for $1 and Scene It for $1.50) and kids shoes ($2-$3!)

Plato's Closet (592 E University Pkwy, Orem--just across from University Mall) Kid to Kid for moms :o) If you don't mind gently used clothing or want to spice up your wardrobe with something trendy, this is a great place to pick up fashion ideas or that perfect pair of jeans or shoes on the cheap. Also, if your wardrobe is "classy and trendy" enough, you can sell your gently used clothing and accessories for some easy cash.

Ross Dress for Less (222 W 1300 S, Orem). No shopping list of mine would be complete without Ross--I owe almost my entire wardrobe to this store, including my amazing red heels and all my favorite pairs of jeans. The Ross in Orem isn't the best ever, though their petite section is expanding and offers some great options for walking the fine line between forever teenaged and frumpy mom. If you ever need help finding something great, call me--I never fail.

Freebies: Pantene, Quaker, Jergens

Want more free products and samples?

Quaker snacks: try their new chocolate drizzle or cheddar cheese snacks

Pantene: Pro-V Nature Fusion sample

Jergens: "Glow" light tanning facial moisturizer sample


Want to find more freebies? Sign up for Sweet Free Stuff's daily email of freebies!

Free Haircuts in Provo

If you're in Provo, The Paul Mitchell Academy is sponsoring free haircuts on BYU's campus in Brigham Square (just outside the WSC) Tuesday and Wednesday from 1-4 pm. Think it's time for a change but want to save money? Give it a shot! There will probably be a line but it's worth it--plus, there are lots of grassy spots for kids to run around in while you wait.

Can't make it but are desperate for a cheap fix? Let me know, and if you trust me, I'd be happy to cut it for you. Or teach you some magic tricks with bobby pins!

Free Cottonelle Sample

Walmart is offering a free mini-roll of Cottonelle toilet paper. It's something we all have to buy anyway--why not get some for free?

Walmart is also offering free samples of Gain detergent, poise pads, Parent's Choice baby formula, and Crest whitestrips!

Freebies! Redbox and General Mills

Thanks, Linds, for passing this on!

First off, if you ever rent movies, you need to sign up for Redbox because as nice as it is to get a movie for $1, it's even better to get it free! You get a free rental code when you sign up that can be used anytime.

Also, check out Inside Red Box for a free rental code every Monday!

Looking for more free samples? Sign up for General Mill's new promotion: Pssst. Signing up involves a short survey about products you buy. The site will then pass along promotions, coupons, free samples, and product tests.

I also have an easy giveaway running on 5 Things Cooking right now, so submit your recipes!

More Cleaning Tips

Want to brighten and freshen up your carpet? Generously shake cornstarch over your carpet and let it sit for an hour. Just vacuum it up and you'll remove the oils and dirt that have seeped into your carpet!

Make ironing faster by placing a long piece of aluminum foil along the length of the ironing board underneath the pad. The foil will reflect the heat back up, essentially letting you iron both sides at once!

P.S. Like the new look? I actually made this background myself...

An easy St. Patrick's Day project

Thanks to my friend Staci, who was always creating random cute things for me when we were roomies back in the day.

Make leprechaun hats out of styrofoam cups and green markers! Simply draw whatever pattern you want on the outside of a styrofoam cup. If you want to get super fancy, make a simply design on the inside lip of the cup.

Then, bake the cup in the oven for a few minutes and it shrinks to leprechaun size. The edge up the cup curls up to make a brim.

A preview...

I'm crafting again. Thanks to Linds for passing this great idea on to me....and congrats to my friends with adorable little girls and to my husband's genetic programming for letting me make dresses for your cute girls as I have none of my own :o)

Here is the pattern/instruction link and her cute little girl showing off her new look.

If you are interested in learning how to sew this is a great starter project! You use the back part of the shirt for a pre-made bodice, the front part for pre-sewn buttons, and elastic in a simple casing for ruffled sleeves. All it requires you to sew are a few hems. You can get as fancy or as basic as you want by adding trim!

Here are the BEFORE shots of my handiwork:

Marian

Olivia

Callie


Ok, I wasn't going to post this yet (surprise!) but they're just too cute.
So, here are the two I've finished.

Am I amazing, or what? (trust me--they're just THAT easy.)

Household Cleaning Tips

I have a great book called "Mary Ellen's Helpful Hints" that covers everything from stain removal to food preparation and everything in between. Check out 5 Things Cooking for her tips on keeping food fresher for longer!

Here are some great cleaning tips for removing tough stains or making your own cheaper and more environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Save time and money by using the cheapest brand of dishwashing detergent available, but add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the dishwater. The vinegar will cut the grease and leave your dishes sparkling clean.

To quickly remove food that is stuck to a casserole dish, fill with boiling water and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda or salt.

When a drain is clogged with grease, pour a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda into the drain followed by a kettle of boiling water. The grease will usually dissolve immediately and open the drain.

A small nick in the rim of a glass can be smoothed out by using a soft nail file. Scratches on glassware will disappear if polished with toothpaste!

An inexpensive oven cleaner: set oven on warm for about 20 minutes, then turn off. Place a small dish of full strength ammonia on the top shelf. Put a large pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf and let it set overnight. In the morning, open oven and let it air a while before washing off with soap and water. Even the hard baked-on grease willw ash off easily.

To get rid of odors in plastic containers, place crumpled-up newspaper (black and white only) into the container. Cover tightly and leave overnight.

Water spots on stainless steel can easily be removed with rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or club soda.

Club soda is also a great stain remover for carpet!

Need a cheap laundry spot remover? Mix 2 parts water with 1 part rubbing alcohol.

Avoiding the "mom butt"

Anyone who knows me and clothes knows two things:
1) I love to bargain shop and can find anything at Ross
2) I am PICKY about jeans but unwilling to spend big money.

Most of all, I hate the dreaded "mom butt." So I was cracking up and totally enlightened when I stumbled upon this post explaining how it happens and how to avoid it! It's all about pocket placement. I can always pick jeans for myself but hadn't been able to put my finger on exactly why it worked or didn't. So, if you get a minute, check this out and get enlightened!

The same girl ran a test on her own mother, transforming an admitted "mom jean" wearer into totally hip and fabulous! Mom, next time you're here (i.e. TOMORROW!) we're headed to Ross. Trust me.

Update: Photo coupons and blog updates!

New Snapfish coupon for 20% off everything! Enter coupon code: SPRING09

Expires March 8, 2009.

Also, I found another great site for cute (and free!) backgrounds! Check out Aqua Poppy if you're looking for a new look.