No Mess S’mores Hack

?? S’MORES HACK: NO MESS ?❤️

Are you a messy s’mores fan? I’m not either ? I love the ooey gooey warm marshmallow, but the struggling for a baby wipe over an open fire isn’t my favorite part of the experience. This is the EASIEST S’MORES HACK EVER! It all happens indoors and if needed, you’re close to a sink for your hands ? BTW: you can dip whatever you’d like in this or just eat it plain…I’m just going to put a good word in for the bacon, it’s life changing ?

This is seriously my favorite s’mores hack EVER: only 5 minutes and NO mess! Start by grabbing your air fryer and a liner.

Next go grab these four ingredients you already have in your kitchen: marshmallows, caramel, butterscotch chips and flaky sea salt. Layer these in that order in your air fryer liner, all measured with your heart. The most difficult part of this is opening the caramel! Because caramel is made with white sugar and butterscotch is made with brown sugar, we are adding both? If you add nothing else, add the flakey sea salt!

Set your Air fryer to 350F for 5 mins OR pop it in the oven at 400F for 3-5 minutes. I decided to dip apples and bacon, and let me tell you, it’s LIFE CHANGING!

If you had to choose one: caramel, butterscotch which one would you add? Comment and LMK! I’m going butterscotch ? Chocolate chips would also be fantastic in this!

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Pottery Barn Holiday Dupes from Walmart

??DUPE ALERT: WALMART COPYCATS ?‍♀️ POTTERY BARN?♥️

You can shop all of these Walmart dupes HERE

Are you ready to decorate for Christmas? I know, it’s REALLY early and I gave a lot of thought to doing this one so soon, but honestly, these copycats are going to go fast ? This is an early bird gets the best deal situation, so I couldn’t wait ? These are Walmart holiday dupes you need for this upcoming holiday season!

Take a look at this guy! This Wicker tree skirt from Walmart looks exactly like the Pottery Barn version but at a fraction of the price. At Pottery Barn, their tree skirt costs $130 but only $25 at Walmart.

This next one is such an incredible dupe. These felt ornaments from Walmart are only $2 a piece, but at Pottery Barn, you pay $40 for 4. What?!

Pottery Barn isn’t going to be happy about this one because Walmart has done their metal reindeer for half the price! At Pottery Barn, the cheapest price you can find is $20, but Walmart prices start at just $10.

Look at this next dupe I found! These Cranberry balls are 4 for $9 at Walmart. And get this, at Pottery Barn, they are $20 each!

This next dupe is not an exact copycat but it’s pretty darn close. This wreath at Pottery Barn costs a whopping $150, but you can grab the lookalike at Walmart for just $30. All this dupe is missing is the lights, but for $30, we can add our own!

This next dupe isn’t Pottery Barn but you are going to love it! My absolute favorite dupe I found is a lookalike for the acrylic nutcracker from CB2. While the original is $179, I found an exact copycat here at Walmart for just $25.

When will you start decorating for Christmas? Comment and LMK! My tree won’t go up until the weekend after Thanksgiving ??

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Starbucks Costco Dupes

??DUPE ALERT: COSTCO COPYCATS ?‍♀️ STARBUCKS ?️

When’s the last time you stopped at Starbucks for a quick snack? I’m a sucker for their egg bites, high in protein and easy to eat in the car, but I almost passed out when they rang them up recently – over 6 bucks with tax here in California ? WHAT?! Costco has an incredible dupe for those and several other Starbucks snacks, including Kid 2’s fav, the double-smoked bacon, cheddar & egg sandwich ?

This first Costco dupe is a winner! It’s the exact same double-smocked bacon cheddar and egg sandwich you can get at Starbucks. It even has the croissant bun! The Starbucks version costs $5.95, but this Costco dupe is only $2.

Next up is a fantastic dupe for the Starbucks egg bites. I wouldn’t be surprised if they came out of the same factory! The Starbucks version costs $5.75, but you can grab the identical Costco dupe for only $2.40.

If you’re a fan of the Madelines, pick ’em up here at Costco! At Starbucks, they cost 250% more than at Costco! At Starbucks, you pay $2.45 for 3 Madelines, but only $0.95 at Costco.

And forget about a copycat for the Starbucks pink drink because Costco sells the real deal! You pay 220% more if you buy it at Starbucks, so make sure to pick them up at Costco. For that price, we can get our own ice.

While this Costco dupe isn’t exact, it’s close enough! This sandwhich has turkey bacon instead of sausage but it pretty similar to the sausage, cheddar, and egg sandwich at Starbucks! This Costco version is only $1.33 instead of a whopping $4.95. For that price, I’ll take the healthier version!

What would you like to see a dupe of? Comment and LMK ?

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Genius Onion Hack: No More Tears

?? NO CRY ONION HACK ?

What onion cutting hacks have you tried? The goggles? Water running? Wet paper towel? Turns out you don’t need any of ‘em! This FREE & EASY HACK is a game changer! ZERO TEARS! I honestly can’t wait for you try this one and give me a call, I’m that jazzed about it ?

Did you know that the little hairy part on the onion is the key to no more tears? This is actually the root of the onion. Make sure NOT to cut the root off of your onion.

Here’s why this matters. The root section of the onion actually holds all of the juices and gases that give you the most grief when you are cutting your onion. You can cut through the hairy part, but just make sure you don’t cut it off and get rid of it!

BONUS TIPS:
✅ Keep your onion in the fridge OR place in a bag and freeze it 10-15 mins before cutting. The cold helps the juices and gases contract, making them less potent when you slice it.
✅ Use a sharp knife. It not only makes cutting easier, but a clean cut also helps reduce the likelihood of those pesky irritants escaping ?

What’s your favorite type of onion? Comment and LMK! I love the red ones and still scratch my head over the fact we don’t call them purple onions ? Is it me, or don’t they look way more purple than red?! ?

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Quick and Easy Halloween Mom Hack

?? MOM HACK: HALLOWEEN ?️+?️ = ?

Are you decorating for Halloween? Candidly, I’m running out of steam…after 32 years of non-stop raising kids and counting I need some QUICK + EASY decor inspiration ? If you feel the same, this FUN & Almost FREE halloween hack is for you ?

For this hack, you only need two things: candles and crayons! All you have to do is light your candle, dip your crayon in the flame and drip it off the side. This hack takes seconds and looks so cool!

If you want a longer drip, use Jumbo crayons. To make these candles even more fun, you can layer as many colors as you want. Lastly, putting some scotch tape on the top makes for an easy cleanup.

What color crayons would you use? I think purple, orange and green would be super cute and give more of Peanuts Great Pumpkin vibe ? Ps. this would also be super cool on black pillar candles ?

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Save or Splurge: Pumpkin Bread Wars

?? SAVE or SPLURGE: PUMPKIN BREAD WARS ??

Have you noticed how many pumpkin bread mixes are out there?! Every store has at least one and the price difference is SHOCKING! From $3 at Walmart all the way to nearly $16 at Williams Sonoma ? So what’s the difference? Is there any? Honestly, they’re all good options, but one is the BEST BUY by far! ?

To find out which mix was really worth it, I taste tested each. All batters were pretty similar: with water, eggs, and 3 mixes calling for oil and one for butter. A great hack I love to use is to spray your pan over the dishwasher to avoid any messes.

After baking, the 3 mixes calling for oil all looked identical. On the other hand, the $16 Williams Sonoma mix called for butter. This guy turned out pretty dark because it browned faster.

Now it’s time for the taste test! I started with the $16 Williams Sonoma mix. While this bread was more browned, it was delicious. She might just be worth the price.

Next, I tried the $4.10 Krusteaz mix. This guy was the least pumpkin tasting, and it gave me more of a Banana bread feel. I’d totally eat this one!

The $3.50 Trader Joe’s mix turned out to be really moist and pumpkin-y. This guy was a little crumbly, but your mouth won’t know that! Overall, this one was great.

The cheapest mix was the $3 Pillsbury mix. This one was more pumpkin-y that any of the other mixes! She turned out beautiful. This mix wins best in show?

Comment and let my know if you’ve tried any of these or another one, I’d love to hear your favorite ?

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Dupe Alert: New Costco Coffee Copycats

??DUPE ALERT: NEW COSTCO COPYCATS ?‍♀️☕️

Have you noticed a difference in your Costco Kirkland brand coffee? There’s something pretty big brewing and the savings are HUGE! So who’s behind their NEW ? SECRET BEANS? I did some deep digging to find out ?️

Breaking news from the coffee section at Costco. Did you know Starbucks is no longer sourcing the Kirkland brand coffee. For YEARS, Kirkland has been sourced by Starbucks. Throwback to 2023, when the logo used to say sourced by Starbucks! That’s gone sis, so who’s sourcing the Kirkland brand coffee?!

If you take a look at the bag, all of the Kirkland logos say made my Enveritas. So, instead of Starbucks, it’s the same people who source Peet’s coffee! They also source some other pretty big names too, like Philz, Blue Bottle, and Stumptown.

Pricewise, it’s a shocking 500% difference. Per ounce, Kirkland coffee costs $0.32, while the name brands cost just under $2! It’s time to run to Costco for big savings on your coffee.

What’s your favorite designer coffee? Comment and LMK! ? Follow for more money saving dupe hacks!

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Money-Saving Grocery Store Hacks: Costco Shopping Secrets Part 2

?❤️ COSTCO HACKS Ep 2: DEALS & DON’TS ?

Have you ever price checked Costco? I have and was shocked by some of the things I found! Here’s what you’ll want to snag and what you will want to skip on your next trip there!

Buy your movie tickets at Costco! If you grab them here, your popcorn and soda are basically free. You can also save 20% of gift cards, so check here first.

Their designer items are a must-buy! Their designer clothes and shoes are great deals. Don’t forget about the optical department: glasses and contacts are a deal.

Also getting a thumbs up for pricing is their alcohol. You can find wine and beer at incredibly low prices.

Now, onto their food. Their organic items are a yes, but skip out on conventional products. You can find non-organic food at much lower prices at your local grocery store. Apples and bananas are usually the exception and are well-priced.

Unless you use a crazy amount of spices, skip out on their spices and seasonings. They’ll go bad before you can finish ’em.

NOTE: Electronics here can be tricky so make sure to price check at other stores before you buy. While the books are tempting, you can find way better deals on Amazon.

What’s the best deal or surprise item you’ve found at Costco? Comment and LMK! Mine has to be the furry UGG slippers for Kid 2 ?

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Money-Saving Grocery Store Hacks: Costco Shopping Secrets: Part 1

Do you love Costco as much as I do? It seriously has everything you need! Today I am sharing some of my favorite Costco shopping secrets you need to know to save money while shopping.

First things first, walk past the front of the store. This is where the pricey stuff is! The best deals are actually hiding in the middle and back of Costco.

Make sure to skip those tempting samples, as you are 40% more likely to buy the product if you sample it.

Did you know some of their best-selling products are made by popular brands? Their shampoo is said to be made by Pureology, and their diapers are made by Huggies. My favorite nugget is that the Kirkland coffee is actually made by Starbucks. Who knew?!

Price Tag Tips:

A tag ending in .97 means the product is on sale

.00 – manage your mark down!

A price tag with * means the product is on clearance

These Costco shopping secrets are sure to save you some money on your next shopping trip!

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20 Gallon Latte Skelly Hack

??DIY: 20 GALLON STARBUCKS LATTE HACK for 12 FT SKELLY??

Do you or one of your neighbors have one of these 12 foot skeletons? I don’t know why, but I get the biggest kick out these guys ☠️? Since I blew my budget on Skelly (although I bought him on sale at the beginning of summer, he was still an investment) I had to come up with a budget friendly way to make him special ? Since coffee is better with friends, I’m sharing my step-by-step process so your Skelly can have a have one, too ?‍♀️

When I asked the Starbucks barista if I could order a 20 gallon pumpkin spice latte for my skelly, the closest thing they had was the Trenta size. So, I had to make my own!

My first stop was the hardware store, where I picked up a 20 gallon trash can to ask as the latte base. Next I took a piece of cardboard to seal off the top. I used gorilla tape to make sure it was extra sturdy. Next, I picked up a latte-colored spray paint and applied to coats.

I also found a green pool noodle that acted as the straw and had Scooter cut out the hole.

Here comes the fun part! Grab 3 cans of foam spray paint and start spraying to make that whipped cream.

To make the latte look as authentic as possible, I ordered Starbucks drink order templates from Etsy and had them printed out at staples. I stuck it on with spray glue and used clear quick dry Shellac for protection. along with the Starbucks logo printed on vinyl to make it extra durable. I also had the Starbucks logo printed on vinyl to make it extra durable.

The final step was a latte work (sorry, I had to!), but it was worth it. All I had to do was zip tie the latte at Skelly’s hip, and it was good to go! What drink would you make for Skelly? Comment and LMK! ?

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Secret Bargains: Budget Wedding Cakes from Costco, Sam’s club and More

?? BUDGET WEDDING CAKES ??COSTCO + WALMART + SAM’S CLUB + GROCERY STORE

When Scooter and I were married almost 19 years ago our cake cost $150. back then! Today, the average American wedding cake runs between $300. – $700. ? But it doesn’t have to! You can get a STUNNING CAKE for less than $70. bucks from some surprising places!

I ran to Sam’s Club, Walmart, my local grocery store, and Costco and placed the same order at each place: a white wedding cake with buttercream frosting. Here are my thoughts on each cake!

Let’s start with Sam’s Club. This cake is $58 and serves 58 guests. This cake was BEAUTIFUL and everything you expect from a wedding cake. The packing also made it super easy to transport the cake safely.

Up next is the grocery store. I went to my local grocery store Ralph’s that is owned by Kroger. This cake is $30 and serves 36 guests. This cake required a little at home assembly, but for only $30, doing the touchups is worth it. The frosting on this cake was amazing! Now you can officially say you made your own wedding cake!

Next up… Walmart! This cake is $68 and serves 68 guests. This cake was a stunner and looked most like my own wedding cake! I noted this cake was a little bit more dense in texture. Just like Sam’s Club, the packing made it super easy to transfer this cake safely.

Last but not least is Costco! This cake is $16 and serves 16 guests. Here, they actually only sell this one size and it was by far the smallest of the bunch. I had some difficulties with the cake before even getting out of the door, as the cake didn’t come with a crumb coat and the lid was too short for the cake! Despite it all, the winner for best taste goes to Costco.

My final verdicts:

AWARDS:
? Best in show: Sam’s Club
? Best Tasting: Costco
? Best Frosting: Ralph’s grocery store (owned by Kroger’s)
? Best Packaging for transport: Sam’s Club & Walmart Tie
? Most custom options: Ralph’s was very willing to try and duplicate the photo we brought in.

NOTE: If I were having a wedding today, here’s what I would do:
Buy the Sam’s Club or Walmart cake for the photos then order sheet cakes from Costco to be cut in the back and served to your guests. You will save a boatload!

After filming, we hopped in the car and headed to a local shelter to donate the leftover cakes!

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LORAfied On-the-Go Grocery Store Hacks: Costco vs Crumbl Cookie Throwdown

Have you tried Costco’s NEW Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie? It just replaced their long running food court churro (much to the dismay of Kid 2, but to the delight of Kid 3). When I first saw it, I immediately thought of Crumbl cookie, which is just around the corner from my Costco. Here’s the thing, the Crumbl cookies are 5 bucks each ?while Costco is charging half that? I grabbed a few at each place and conducted my own, non scientific study, which includes Scooter and someone on the street ? Is the Crumbl cookie worth the price? Or has Costco just turned the cookie world upside down?! Let’s find out.

First up is the price. A single Crumbl cookie goes at 5 bucks a piece. But at Costco, it’s half the price at $2.49. For that price, we can pick up our own pink box!

These cookie are both super similar in size. And they both have some good lookin bottoms ?

Lookswise, the Crumbl cookie is more uniform. It’s basically picture perfect! The Costco cookie on the other hand looks more homemade. Crumbl wins for softness, but Costco takes the cake on the chocolate pull. Costco also wins best-smelling cookie!

Let’s talk about the chocolate chips. Costco almost has twice the amount of chocolate chips! It also tastes more homemade. Bottom line? Crumbl is a darn good-lookin’ cookie, but for half the price and the smell, Costco is a winner!

Which one looks and sounds better to you? You know how I feel about chocolate AND saving money ??

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No Mess S’mores Hack

Pottery Barn Holiday Dupes from Walmart

Starbucks Costco Dupes

Genius Onion Hack: No More Tears

Quick and Easy Halloween Mom Hack

Save or Splurge: Pumpkin Bread Wars

Dupe Alert: New Costco Coffee Copycats

Money-Saving Grocery Store Hacks: Costco Shopping Secrets Part 2

Money-Saving Grocery Store Hacks: Costco Shopping Secrets: Part 1

20 Gallon Latte Skelly Hack

Secret Bargains: Budget Wedding Cakes from Costco, Sam’s club and More

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