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Friday, February 27, 2015

Have your Ranch but not the Fat!



Okay so since Im also into Fitness and eating healthy Ive been compelled to start  "Frugal & Fierce" Food and Fitness Fridays.  Eating healthy and losing weight or staying fit can be a challenge.  I will post tidbits and tricks that has helped and continues to help me with the ongoing challenge of staying fit.

Lets talk about dressing, if you are anything like me, I love Ranch dressing which is typically high in calories and fat but I DO NOT like the taste of "light" or reduced calorie versions.  I recently discovered a yogurt based ranch dressing and I have to say that it was GOOD and I was shocked when I looked at the nutritional information.  The brand that I tried was Bolthouse Farms which I purchased from Walmart.  The added bonus is that it is better for you because it doesnt have any artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, added flavors and its gluten-free. There are several other brands also in which you can find just about anywhere you shop for grocery.  There are also other flavors such as Feta Dill, Honey Mustard and Blue Cheese. Check out the comparison below.  


Regular Ranch VS Yogurt Based Ranch Dressing- 2tbsp

Traditional Ranch
Yogurt Based
Calories
148
45
Total Fat
16g
3g
Carbohydrates
1g
3g
Weight Watchers Points
4
1


If you love ranch or creamy dressings and dont want to compromise taste, go with a yogurt based dressing.




Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Save Space and Organize your Closet using Hangers you ALREADY Have!



You look in your closet and it gives you a headache.  Belts on the floor, bags scattered(those little “swag bags” that you acquired from events, etc.)and you are trying to find your leopard print scarf and its nowhere in sight.  Closet organization can be tricky, time consuming and may require you to spend money that you dont want to spend.  These little headaches can be remedied using hangers that you ALREADY have in your closet to organize your Boots, Belts, Scarves, Necklaces, and Bags.  


Boots- For boots that have a soft cuff that can be clipped on hanger without any damage. Use a pant hanger with the push clips and clip each boot into.  
Belts- Using a triangle style hanger, hang belts over horizontal side. Make sure the hanger is strong enough to support the weight.  
Scarves- Using a triangle style hanger, hang scarves over horizontal side.
Necklaces- Using what I call a “retail hanger”(only has two sides with open notches on both sides) hang necklaces in the notches usually no more than 5 depending on the size. You can also use the middle hook on which you would hang to put necklaces on as well. I like to put the heavier necklaces here because it balances the overall weight of the two sides.  
Bags- Using pretty much any type of hanger, hang the bag handles over the middle hook.
*is ideal for lightweight bags

The aforementioned items on a hanger is an easy way to see them and be able to take off and put on what you need quickly and easily.  Not to mention, it adds to the aesthetic appeal of your closets and saves space.  Get your hangers and start your “Happy Closet”!  This is the first installation of my “Happy Closet” series, stay tuned for more.  




Monday, February 23, 2015

Shopping and Saving with 30 seconds

When shopping for shoes and clothing and you see something that catches your eye but you dont necessarily need, STOP and THINK of what you already have that you can wear with it.  If you cannot think of anything within 30 seconds DONT buy it.  Why?  

How many items do we have in our closets that still have the tag on them because we dont know what or dont have anything to wear with them?  The chances of you not wearing an item that you cant immediately think of what you can pair with it are very high.  Use the 30 second rule-Dont waste your time or money, it decreases your chances of a “Bad-Buy”.  Continue to visit the "Frugal & Fierce" blog to learn what a “Bad-Buy” is.  


Wednesday, February 18, 2015

No Weekend Cleaning

Going back to my young years, just about every Saturday consisted of me and my family getting up early in the morning and cleaning the entire house, which normally took three hours or more.  Fast forward to my young adult years, the idea of spending my Saturday morning cleaning wasnt very appealing. I wanted to spend my Saturday doing fun things such as shopping, going to the park or going to brunch with friends.  As a solution, I created a “no weekend” cleaning schedule.
You do a little bit everyday or every other day during the week leaving your weekends free.  Here is an example that I use….

Monday- Special projects, organizing (ex. organize my kitchen junk drawer)
Tuesday- Bathrooms
Wednesday- Dusting and Vacuuming
Thursday- Kitchen
Friday- Bedrooms

F&F tip: Create a similar schedule that will work for you and leave your weekends free, hang it in a place in which you see it everyday.  Do your "daily chore" early in the morning, after dinner or before you go to bed.



Monday, February 16, 2015

Be A Dollar Store Diva, Dont Pay More Than $1 For.....

Shop and Explore Dollar Stores. Dollar Stores are stores where EVERYTHING in the store is $1 or Less, not to be confused with Family Dollar, Dollar General or the likes.
Dollar Tree, Mighty Dollar, Deal Dollar, Dollar Bills, USA Dollar, Dollar Star for example.
There are so many Items that you can buy at Dollar Stores without compromising quality. Contrary to belief, Dollar Stores carry several name-brand products such as toiletries, makeup, kitchen items and yes As Seen on TV products.  Following are the top general items that all Dollar Stores carry and you SHOULDNT pay more than $1 for.  

1.  Nail Polish
2.  Nail Polish Remover
3.  Cotton Balls
4.  Q-tips
5.  Kleenex (Regular and Pocket)
6.  Dishwashing Liquid/Dishwasher Detergent
7.  Notepads, Notebooks
8.  Toothpaste
9.  Greeting Cards
10. Gift Bags/Tissue and Gift Wrap
11. Balloons



Wednesday, February 11, 2015

1 Minute Fix Your Flats

Ladies, if you are anything like me, you own several pairs of flat shoes. You may or may not be able to find the pair that you are looking for when you need them or they may be stacked in a disorderly pile in or out of your closet.  Whatever the case may be, here is a quick and frugal way to organize your flat shoes.  


  • Get a Boot Shoebox, if you dont already have go to the shoe department in your nearest department store or any shoe store and ask them if they have any boot boxes that they arent using or you can have.  Most of the time they have boxes just laying around waiting to be trashed.  
  • Stagger-stack(opposite ends together on top of each other) each pair of flats and place them in the box putting in as many pair that will fit 
  • Label the box using an index card and marker or write directly on the box 
  • Place the box under a bed/crib, in the closet or in a corner for an easy way to store and quickly access your flat shoes.  


Viola!! 


Monday, February 9, 2015

Dont Be Bourgeoisie!

So what is Bourgeoisie anyway?  Bourgeoisie is a French word used to describe someone in the upper class that gained traction during the late 18th century.  The upper class or Bourgeoisie was a wealthy, high privileged class typically composed of businessmen and others who derive their income from the labor of others, the upper class was known to take pride in affluence, spending heavily on luxuries.  


Think about it, when someone compliments you on how good you look in something that you are wearing, they dont really ask who the designer is or what the brand name is, they ask where did you get it and/or how much did you pay for it.  

Lets face it, we are living in the 21st century and there is 

no need to take pride in spending more money than necessary to get the things that you want and need and still look "Fierce".  Part of my mission with "Frugal and Fierce" is to show you how.



Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The "O" box

You scramble to find a pen and or paper to jot down that telephone number or email address. You scream out in frustration when you need you just one piece of tape and you forgot where you put it. You are on your way out of the door when you notice a string on your pants that needs to be cut- where are my scissors you ask yourself?
This madness has got to end.  If any of these situations sounds like something that has happened to you, its a sure sign of disorganization.  But dont fret, help is on the way.  Being organized will save you time and unneeded stress.  With the following items in your possession and in plain site you will save time trying to hunt for items that you need and will use regularly.


1.   Tape (Scotch & Packing)
2.   Index Cards
3.   Storage Bags (Small, Medium, Large and Jumbo)
4.   Blank Labels
5.   Permanent Markers
6.   Scissors
7.   Ink Pen/Pencil
8.   Paper Clips
9.   Rubberbands (Assorted Sizes)
10. Post-It Notes
11. Twist Ties


F&F tip: Try putting these items in an old shoebox or plastic storage bin and putting it in a place where you can access it quickly- The "O" Box