A fellow Coupon Queen shares her secrets.

- Mama

Want a free BlackBerry? The video below will tell you how to get your free BlackBerry phone.

The free antibiotics are:

– Amoxil (generic)
– Ampicillin
– Ciprofloxacin (Generic for Cipro)
– Doxycycline
– Erythromycin
– Penicillin
– Trimeth/sulfa (Generic for Septra or Bactrim)
– Tetracycline

Stater Bros also offers 300 medications that are just $4 for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply.

Good job Stater Bros! You’ve earned a gold star.

- Mama

There are several ways to save money. It has been many blue moons since I shopped at a dollar store, but after watching a CNN clip of a Dollar Store shopping trip that included Wolfgang Puck organic soup, I might make a trip to my local Dollar Store…

- Mama

While sitting outside a Cafe with a dear friend, we decided to play the smile game. The object of the game is to see how many strangers will smile at us if we smile at them first. I tidied my hair, freshened my face, and put on my best smile. Most people I smiled at seemed a bit surprised. The surprised strangers quickly looked away and then looked back at me (but did not smile). Some people smiled. Others turned their head and pretended that they didn’t see me. One passerby smiled and nodded his head like a southern gentleman. Another guy just stared at me as he walked by. It was quite amusing really.

After playing the smile game for 20 minutes, I decided to change my game plan. Instead of smiling, I made eye contact and raised my eyebrows. To my surprise, the raised eyebrows technique received more smiles than the original smile technique.

Why were people more likely to smile at me when I raised my eyebrows?

- Mama

What? The Recession? Oh yes, I understand, we might not be able to vacation like it’s 1999, but we sure can “staycation” like it’s 2009. Aunt B is doing it. You can too.

I honestly think the “staycation” was invented by a single-mom, we call it go-somewhere-local-and-make-it-seem-like-we’ve-been-somewhere, urban hipsters call it a “staycation.” Go figure.

It takes some planning, keeping in mind that you want to do something that you wouldn’t ordinarily do. That means you don’t use this time to clean the garage or put up shelves.

The Tween-let and I have done a few of these and she still talks about the experience. Remember it’s about quality time, and you also get to think about how good you’re being to the environment.

• Behind the scenes tours – We’ve visited a police station, a fire station, The LA Times and the local 9-1-1 dispatch center. All for free.
• Local museums – Museums often have one day they let the public in for free.
• The Zoo
• Fruit Picking
• Train Ride
• Aquariums
• Beach/Swimming
• Backyard Camping
• Game Night/Potluck

July is National Parks and Recreation Month, now is a good time to explore you local parks, there’s something very soothing about being in nature. There are lots of parks that offer nature hikes too. Also, I think picnics turn ordinary meals into something special, so grab a blanket and some friends and head out to the park.

Let me know how your “staycation” works out. I’d love to hear from you!

- Aunt B

I come from a tradition where nothing went to waste. Stale bread was toasted and turned into bread pudding with a handful of raisins thrown in for flavor, or it was soaked in eggs mixed with cinnamon, a tablespoon of orange juice and vanilla and served as French toast at breakfast time.

Thanks to Cookin’ with Google, I still try to not let anything go to waste, especially those items in the pantry, that seem to just float from one end of the shelf to the other. Cookin’ with Google is simple. Type in the ingredients that you have on hand and Google will return recipes with the ingredients you listed.

A challenge issued on National Public Radio asked listeners to submit recipes that could feed 4 people for under $10. The recipes range from Greek Bean Soup to Mac ‘n Cheese that came in at $9 and some change, which I think I can make for under $5. For a single mom of one that means two meals for me and Tween-let. Yes, a bargain!

The real challenge is however, is to eat simple food that’s minimally processed, author Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food) says it best, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Here are some places where I try to make that happen:

1. Neighborhood Farmer’s Markets—fresh produce and usually within walking distance!
2. The 99 Cents Store — (believe it or not they sometimes stock organic food products too).
3. Growing my own food—even in an apartment you can grow your own herbs or at least a tomato bush.
4. Use my leftovers! – as ingredients for the next meal or into the freezer, or as lunch.
5. Check the cupboards before shopping – I have not always made this a habit, until recently I found myself with four canisters of oatmeal and three bottles of laundry detergent. Yep.

- Aunt B