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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LORAfied On-the-Go Grocery Store Hacks! Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Which Is Best for You?

Have you ever wondered what the real differences are between Costco and Sam’s Club? Me, too! After a lot of research here’s how to know which one fits your current lifestyle best ?

?❤️ COSTCO vs SAM’S CLUB ?? Which Is BEST FOR YOU ?

OPTICAL

Eye glasses and contacts are definitely cheaper at Sam’s Club. However, Costco has a better selection and a higher customer rating!

COUPONS

Both Costco’s and Sam’s Club’s coupon books are pretty much the same and both offer instant savings!

TOILET PAPER or BABY WIPES

When it comes to toilet paper, Costco is the winner! But for baby items, you’ll get a better deal at Sam’s Club.

FOOD PRICE COMPARISON

Both have rotisserie chickens under $5! When it comes to fruit and veggies, regular produce prices are a little better at Sam’s Club, but organic is better at Costco. Overall, food prices are cheaper at Sam’s Club, but over at Costco the Kirkland brand scores higher for selection and quality.

FOOD COURT

Costco wins for quality and selection, although Sam’s Club is cheaper.

? Few Extra Notes: * The annual fees for both are pretty similar with Sam’s Club coming in a little cheaper. * Costco prices online are more expensive than in store, where Sam’s Club are the same in store and online. * Overall, Costco members report higher satisfaction * More Costco locations than Sam’s Club * If you’re looking to save the most money Sam’s Club is the winner * Better overall quality and customer experience goes to Costco

Do you belong to either? Comment and LMK! To do the research for this Costco vs Sam’s Club reel, I had to join both and honestly, enjoy each for much different reasons. It will be interesting to see which membership I keep at the end of the year ?

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LORAfied On-the-Go Grocery Store Hacks: Costco vs Sam’s Club Pizza Throwdown

WHICH ONE WILL WIN? Have you tried the pizza at either store? Both a HUGE DEAL and delicious…but each in their own way! I’ve had so many requests for this challenge I thought I’d better get it up before the Super Bowl so you can start your party planning ?? Good news: both places let you call and order in advance ? Who has the best pizza? Time to find out. ?❤️?

In terms of price, both pizzas are under $10. Sam’s Club comes in at $8.98 while Costco is $9.95. Sam’s Club does not require a membership for purchase, but to get Costco’s pizza, you definitely have to be a member.

At Sam’s Club, you’ll find 4 different options but just 2 at Costco. Costco’s pizza wins for size, serving 12 slices. Sam’s club is a bit smaller, giving you 10 slices.

Now for the real test, the taste test. Up first is Sam’s club. I talked to costumers who agreed that this pizza was more firm. While they taste pretty similar, the textures are different. Costco has a thinner crust. Costco won for overall flavor!

But at the end of the day, Scoot and I agreed that both are great. He just needed a beer to go with them?

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The Best Le Creuset Dupes

DUPE ALERT: LE CREUSET COPYCATS ?‍♀️?

How gorgeous are the Le Creuset cast iron pots and pans? Every fall I’m drawn to dutch ovens as we head straight into soup and stew season. The famous 5.5 quart Le Creuset dutch oven had been on my wishlist for years, but not anymore because I found an INCREDIBLE LOOK-ALIKE that I love ❤️ I can’t wait for you to see ‘em ? Keep reading to see these amazing Le Creuset dupes I found at just a FRACTION of the original price.

Click THIS LINK to shop all of the amazing Le Creuset dupes I found!

Here at Walmart, I found an amazing dupe that’s made by lodge. The Le Creuset version is $420, YIKES! This dupe only costs $50.

Next, I found this adorable pink two-quart dutch oven dupe for only $4o, while the original Le Creuset version costs $220! I’m a pink gal and fell in love with this one, so I bought it!

Next stop, I went to Cost Plus World Market. They sell an identical stunning Le Creuset dupe and the price is a steal! The original Le Creuset costs $420, while their version is only $60.

This Le Creuset find from Williams Sonoma is PERFECT for fall, but it costs a whopping $370! Just wait until you see the dupe- I found an identical dupe from Walmart that costs only $40.

And this copycat from T.J. Maxx is just lovely! The original costs $420, but this dupe is only $40.

To make these dupes even better, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Le Creuset actually sells individual knobs for $22-28. Not a bad idea to use these knobs to make these dupes even more identical!

I hope you love these gorgeous dupes! Comment and LMK which one is your favorite. Follow along for more money saving dupes.

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Kitchen Hacks: Glass vs Metal Pans

KITCHEN HACKS: METAL vs. GLASS PANS ?‍?

Which do you use more in the oven, metal or glass? Is one better than the other? While they both work great they can produce drastically different results depending on what you’re making. Here’s when to reach for one over the other ?

Dry cake is the worst! The question is, did it come out of a metal or glass pan? To find out which pan works best, I made two identical batters. Same spot in the the oven for the same amount of time. Here’s why this matters.

When you are baking, metal is usually your best bet. It’s a better conductor of heat- it heats up fast and also cools down fast.

METAL is best for:
Biscuits
Brownies
Cakes
Cookies
Muffins
Rolls

When using glass pans, they usually take longer to heat up BUT it stays hot for a lot longer. Here’s what to cook in this little guy:

GLASS is better for:
Bread Puddings
Casseroles
Cobblers
Pasta Bakes
Pies

Now, back to the cake test! I let the cakes sit for 15 minutes. The difference was crazy! The glass pan didn’t heat up fast enough, making the cake dry and flat. The metal one rose perfectly and was SO moist! Metal is the winner for best cake.

EXTRA NOTES:
Metal: Can react to acidic things like berries, that’s why glass is better for cobblers and pies.
Glass: Takes a long time to cool down, don’t rush the cooling by moving it from a hot oven to the refrigerator or the glass might crack.

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The Best Car Hack: Gas Trick

?? CAR HACK: GAS TRICK⛽️?

How many times have you found yourself in that frustrating situation where you’ve pulled up to the gas pump only to realize you’re on the wrong side? It’s happened to all of us, and it can be surprisingly annoying, especially when you’re in a rush. This super EASY tip guarantees that will never happen again ?❤️

I’m with ya sister! I’ve pulled in to the wrong side of the gas pump SO many times, but after I learned this handy trick, never again. Run to your car and follow along for the perfect solution.

Next time you get into your car, take a look at the dashboard and find the gas pump icon. It’s usually located somewhere near the fuel gauge. Now, here’s the game-changer: there’s a tiny little arrow next to this gas pump icon. That arrow is not just decorative—it actually indicates which side of your car the gas tank is on!

Crazy, right? It’s such a small detail, but it can save you from those awkward moments of having to maneuver your car or switch to a different pump. So, before you pull up to the gas station next time, just check that little arrow, and you’ll know exactly where to park.

Did you know this trick? Comment and LMK! Follow along for more easy and game-changing hacks.

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Genius Red Solo Cup Hacks

??RED SOLO CUP HACKS ?

Do you have red solo cups in your cabinets? I can’t remember a time we haven’t had these, in some sort of color, hanging around. You’ve probably already heard the lines on those iconic cups can help you measure a drink, but did you know they’re actually real measurements you can use to cook and bake with in a pinch??‍? And of course, these guys are a must for any tailgate or game day party ?+?=?

Did you know that in a pinch you can use red solo cups as measuring cups? I love using these guys when I can’t find my measuring cups or just need a quick way to measure anything. It’s genius! See the photo above for the different measurements you can use.

And of course, red solo cups are a great way to measure drinks. I included a photo above for a little refresher on the different drink measurements you can use with red solo cups. It’s a great hack for any game day party or tailgate.

Did you know you can put these in your dishwasher instead of tossing them? They’re actually top rack dishwasher safe ? Have you ever done that? Comment and LMK! ♻️ Follow along for more genius hacks!

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PSL Taste Test Challenge

It’s finally that time of year for pumpkin spice lattes! There are so many to choose from, so I blindly tested 4 of America’s top selling PSLs to see which one is worth your money and which one is a waste of cash? I was SHOCKED at the results ? I’m a big fan of the coffeeshop that came in last place, but apparently not their pumpkin spice drink ? Keep reading to find out which pumpkin spice latte is worth the money!

I started by grabbing America’s top 4 selling pumpkin spice lattes and tasted them blindly. In no particular order, I began with Dunkin’.

Third Place: Dunkin’ Donuts

The Dunkin’ pumpkin spice latte costs $5.59, and this one surprised me. I could barely taste the coffee or any real pumpkin flavor. It honestly tasted more like spiced warm milk.

Last Place: Peet’s Coffee

Next up was Peet’s, where the PSL costs around $6. Much like the Dunkin’ PSL, this one had very little pumpkin flavor. Instead, it tasted strongly of artificial flavors. I was really shocked because I adore this coffee shop, but apparently, the PSL isn’t their strong suit!

Second Place: 7-Eleven

The most affordable PSL came from 7-Eleven, priced at just $2.69. Although it was quite sweet, the flavor was decent and reminded me of a caramel apple. It was just missing the pumpkin flavor!

First Place: Starbucks

Finally, I tried Starbucks! This $6.45 PSL is quite popular, and it turned out to be my favorite. It had a good balance of pumpkin, milk, and, most importantly, coffee. This was the only PSL where I could actually taste the pumpkin, making it the clear winner by a mile!

Are you a PSL fan? Comment and lmk! If not, tell me which coffee “season” is your favorite? ?

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Trader Joe’s Sephora Beauty Dupes

??DUPE ALERT: TRADER JOE’S COPYCATS ?‍♀️ SEPHORA ??

Have you seen the beauty section at TJ’s lately? All of a sudden it’s full of amazing bath and body treasures! This one took some research, as I just couldn’t believe their products could compete with items at Sephora, but they do and at a fraction of the price! ? Keep reading for some AMAZING Sephora dupes you can find right at your local Trader Joe’s.

The first dupe I found is the TJ’s face oil. The face oil at TJ’s is a fantastic dupe for Drunk Elephant’s face oil. While Drunk Elephant’s face oil costs $38, the Trader Joe’s dupe only costs $6.99.

Next up is Trader Joe’s daily facial sunscreen, which is an identical dupe to the super popular Supergoop unseen sunscreen. While the Supergoop version costs $38, you can snag the Trader Joe’s dupe for only $8.99. This is one of my favorite dupes I found!

The Trader Joe’s body butter is a dupe for the Brazilian bum bum cream by Sol De Janeiro. When I was filming this, I felt like I had to whisper the name… I’m turning into my mom! This dupe is a fraction of the price and a fantastic alternative. $5.99 instead of $48 is a huge win in my book!

There’s another Sol De Janeiro dupe you can find at Trader Joe’s- this time it is their body scrub. It’s an identical dupe for the Brazilian bum bum body scrub. The original Sol De Janeiro product is $42, but the Trader Joe’s version is $5.99.

The Trader Joe’s watermelon overnight face mask is a fantastic copycat for the Glow Recipe overnight sleep mask. The original product costs $21, but the TJ’s version is only $6.99.

Last but not least, I found a great dupe for the Laneige lip mask, which costs $24. Trader Joe’s gets you an identical copycat for only $5.99!

Have you tried any of the Trader Joe’s beauty items? Comment and LMK! ? Stick around for more dupes and copycats you can find all on my website!

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Genius Dirty Pan Cleaning Hack

?✨CLEANING HACK: DIRTY PAN TRICK ??

Do you have a pan that’s clean but it doesn’t look clean? You’ve tried everything, but it seems permanently stained? I used to, too! ?‍♀️

This summer Kid 3 decided to start making eggs EVERY DAY…some days the pan was left looking better than others, but slowly it went from a beautiful creamy white surface to a hot mess! So I made it my mission to come up with a way to restore its beauty. After months of testing this, I’m ready to share it! Scooter says THIS is his FAVORITE HACK and honestly, hasn’t stopped telling people about it ? Hope you love it this cleaning hack as much as Scoot does ?

Even after soap and water, my dirty pans are left with a bunch of little pieces that you can’t feel, but you can certainly see them. My secret to getting dirty pans looking brand new is dishwashing pods! For this hack, you need either one dishwashing tablet OR 1 heaping tablespoon of dishwashing detergent.

Take your tablet (or tablespoon) and drop it straight in the pan. Next, pour boiling water over the pod and filling the pan. Let your pan sit for 30 minutes. Make sure that before you soak your pan, it is completely cool from cooking.

30 minutes later, we are going to come in and dump it out. All that ground-in food has been lifted to the surface! After soaking, I highly recommend using a sisal brush to clean off the food bits, which is safe for your pan and very effective. For a super dirty pan (I had one of those, too ?) just repeat the soaking step until it pulls all of the bits to the surface.

This dirty pan hack is so easy and SO satisfying. Do you put your pans in the dishwasher or handwashing? Comment and LMK! I like to handwash mine ?

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Beauty Dupe Alert: Bath and Body Copycats from Dollar Tree

Have you noticed how crazy expensive everyday face wash has become? How about deodorant?? It’s shocking! Luckily, there are some incredible copycats out there at a HUGE DISCOUNT!

This one took A LOT of research, I was surprised at just how close these products ended up being to the name brands ?

While not true copycats, the shaving cream and body spray are pretty good stand-ins if you’re looking to save or just have a less expensive option to rotate in your routine ✨

??DUPE ALERT: BATH + BODY COPYCATS ?‍♀️ from DOLLAR TREE ??

Up first: Native Dupes. Their Aluminum Free Deodorant is $12.99 while the Dollar Tree dupe is just $3! It even says “Compare to Native” right on the packaging. HUGE DEAL! Another hard-to-believe one is their body wash. The Native is $9.99 and the excellent dupe for it is just $1.25!

Up next: Face Wash & Moisturizer Dupes. The Cetaphil cleanser is $10 and the incredible copycat is $1.25! Their moistuizer is $13.50 for 16oz while the Dollar Tree dupe is $2.50 for 2! Also, check out this Neutrogena Acne Wash dupe. Neutrogena is $9.50 and the dupe is just $1.25!

This Touchland hand sanitizer is $10 at the drugstore…that’s 800% more than it’s copycat ($1.25)!

The copycat for the eos shave cream is not an exact copy but it’s a pretty good substitute! Eos is $4.20 while the dupe is $1.25! Another find I’m going to give a nice shoutout to is this dupe for the Sol de Janeiro body spray (which is $25) while the dupe is $1.25! And last, but not least, I found a pretty good dupe for the Bath & Body Works hand soap (which is $7.95) – this one’s $1.25!

Which product would you be most willing to try? Comment and LMK! I’m a fan of all of them, but the deodorant find is my fav ?

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2 Money Saving Travel Hacks

2 TRAVEL HACKS: 2 WAYS to SAVE BIG ?

Have you ever booked a hotel just for a day with no intention of staying all night? It’s called a Day Rate, hotels don’t advertise it, but it’s a thing! They will deeply discount extra inventory just for the day! We recently did this coming back from our summer vacation and were able to save over 55% on our flights ? Keep reading for my money saving travel hacks!

#Travel Hack 1: We saved over 55% on our flight flying out at night instead of the morning

This time I’m calling you from the Hyatt in Vancouver, Canada! What are we doing here and why are we not at the airport?! When we first bought the tickets, oh my gosh, they were so expensive! However, booking the night flight saved us over 55%! Because the cheapest flight out was the flight at night, we had to figure out what to do with our luggage during the day. This leads me to travel hack #2.

#Travel Hack 2: Book a “day rate” at a hotel

Did you know you can book a hotel room just for the day? Scooter ended up calling local hotels and asked for day rate offers. Hotels don’t advertise it, but it’s a thing! These hotels will cut you a deal to utilize any extra inventory just for the day.

We also use the app: dayuse.com which will locate a hotel offering day rates for you. We have zero affiliation with these guys, in fact, they don’t even know we exist ?

Would you be willing to try a day rate hotel room? Comment and lmk ? Follow along for more money saving travel hacks!

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LORAfied On-the-Go Grocery Store Hacks! Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Which Is Best for You?

LORAfied On-the-Go Grocery Store Hacks: Costco vs Sam’s Club Pizza Throwdown

The Best Le Creuset Dupes

Kitchen Hacks: Glass vs Metal Pans

The Best Car Hack: Gas Trick

Genius Red Solo Cup Hacks

PSL Taste Test Challenge

Trader Joe’s Sephora Beauty Dupes

Genius Dirty Pan Cleaning Hack

Beauty Dupe Alert: Bath and Body Copycats from Dollar Tree

2 Money Saving Travel Hacks

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