Tax Free Weekend 2013 & Back to School Basics

Tips for a great Tax Free Weekend from the QUEEN’S!!

 

Most important knowledge is to know that only clothing items priced under $100 are tax-free this weekend, and accessories priced under $50.  Sporting equipment like cleats is exempt from the tax free weekend sales.  Check out the Arkansas Tax Free Exemption Laws before you venture out this weekend.

 

Remember in Conway you are saving about 6%…In Little Rock you are saving 6.5%. 

 

Its so easy to spend a lot on your Childs back to school clothes because after all we want our kids to look their best. . . .We don’t want you to spend top dollar on every outfit we want you all to shop smart!!  Here are some of the rules Sondra and I have followed  . . . .

 

Rule number 1: Never buy an item unless you absolutely need it this weekend. This is important because we want you to remember that there will be some great Sales around Labor Day, which means that gives you a couple of more weeks to save and buy more of the things your child needs.

 

Rule number 2:  Some great ways to save on clothes is to buy from consignment shops, On line Yard sales, getting items from a family members child who has grown out of them, and of course EBAY..      EBay is important because you can target exactly the item you need and compare the price to the consignment shops or at the department stores and more than likely you will score a great deal. 

 

Rule number 3:   lets move on to the department store deals.  We don’t want you to pay too much for an item that you need, so your best bet is to type in to Google each store’s sales ads you plan to shop at . . . Check out their ads so that if one store has it cheaper then you know to buy it at that store where the better deal is.  Yes; this will take you about 30 minutes to review but it is soooo worth your time!!!

 

Rule number 4:  Even better go to group on and write down all of the coupon codes for every store you are planning on attending, trust me this is so worthy of your time.  You will get a certain dollar amount or percentage off plus what the store is advertising.  Which makes for a great deal!!  This is a stackable savings!!!

 

Rule Number 5:     Know your stuff. . . Lol . . .  Take advantage of specialized shopping programs. . . Let me give you an example. . . . .Sears Kidadvantage Program…….

For every $100 you spend on clothing and shoes you will receive a 15% off coupon for your next purchase. . . .The best part is if your child wears out an item before they grow out of it they will replace the very same sized item for FREEEE!!

 

Now we have taught you the Rules that the Queen’s live by. . . .let me give you a few insights to some of our local  popular stores. . .

 

OLD NAVY

For every $20 you spend this weekend you will receive $10 super cash to use during August 25 throught the 29th.  This is a reallll steal!!!  Because by this time they will Have out the new looks and great sales. . . it’s a beautiful WIN WIN deal.  Also, they will be selling their jeans for $10. . . . .yes you heard it here first . . . .$10 jeans. . . Wow

 

JcPENNY

Every $25 you spend you save ten dollars right then!! That is a great savings!!!

 

SHOE CARNIVAL:

They of course will have the famous BOGO going on. . . .but they have a coupon you can print from the internet for an additional $5 off!!!  I so love the additional savings!

 

THE CHILDREN’S PLACE:

When you shop here you will receive 20% off of your total purchase. . .which is really a 26% savings. . . . They have a coupon online . . . .here is the code

 

Q7AKURMC8A

 

BELK:

$10 off of every $50 you spend

$20 off of a $100

And $30 off of $150

 

MAURICES:

You will receive 20% off of purchases and or  $20 off of every $100!!

 

2013 sales

 

 

 

• Sondra Rodocker
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Here's the link to the website to shows the stipulations regarding purchases.

http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/exciseTax/salesanduse/Documents/holidayItemized.pdf

 

 

Back to School Basics to get you started!

 

Boys Need

7 Pairs of Pants

7 T-shirts

2 Collared Shirts

10 Pairs of Socks

10 Pairs of Underwear

1 pair of GOOD tennis shoes

1 pair of dress shoes

 

Girls Need

4 Pairs of Pants

2 Skirts

1-2 dresses

1 jacket to alternate with dresses, skirts, and blouses

5 T-Shirts

2 Button up blouses or tops

3 Feminine Fitted Shirts

Undergarments

7 pairs of socks

1 Pair of Tennis Shoes

1 Pair of Boots

2-3 pairs of sandals

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Fajitas & Ranch Chicken

I've been very persistent with cooking every night for the past 2 going on 3 weeks now. I had to get us back on our budget after our move. We got so out of sorts from the move we just keep "picking up" food. Well that can get costly for a family of 4. Here are 2 of our recent recipes my family LOVES! I don't have to stress about dinner tonight either because I've been prepping and I have a Lasagna in the Freezer we shall fest on :) Happy Saturday everyone!

 

<3 Sondra

 

Chicken Fajitas

*You can prep this and freeze ahead of time in bulk*

3 Chicken Breasts, sliced into fajita strips , 1-2 Tbsp Fajita Seasoning, from a packet or a jar, 1 medium onion sliced, 1 medium pepper sliced, 1 Can Rotel tomatoes & green chiles. Label and freeze.

TO COOK- thaw and dump into the crockpot – cover and cook 4-5 hours on low

 

*Add whatever you like to your fajitas to make them super yummy! We do a dab of sour cream and a little shredded cheese :)

 

Ranch Chicken

 

*You can prep this and freeze ahead of time in bulk*

4 Whole Chicken Breasts, 1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix (The dry kind)

• Dust the chicken with the ranch dressing – try to get the whole packet to stick. It worked a bit better if I didn’t try to do it in the bag before I froze it, so I did it on a plate and put whatever didnt stick in the bag. Label and freeze.

TO COOK- Thaw and place in your slow cooker with about 1 C of Water or Chicken broth for 3-4 hours on High, or 4-5 Hours on Low. Serve whole or chop up for tacos or sandwiches.

 

*These recipes yield 4 servings. It really yielded 5 because we usually feed out babysitter too. So we didn't have leftovers which I'm ok with because it motivates me to cook more :)

 

Week 23 of our 52 week challenge to stress free organized home life

It is officially week 23 of our 52 week challenge to a stress free and organized home life!!!!

This week we are going  out into the yard ... Sort of!  Let's create a good space for our yard and garden tools.  That could be in your garage . . .your shed or some where on the outside of your house.  Whatever works for you and your home and your space.   We have like a lean-to so I am going to come up with something that will allow me to hang all of these items on the inside of the lean to.  Gosh it was a mess trying to gather all of those things up this year!! So I am going to do it in a way that is inexpensive and attractive.  Maybe paint a board and faux finish it so it looks nice then I will attach some hooks from Walmart, they are also inexpensive!!! Yes, that's what I will do!!  Good luck everyone get your homework done and I will see you guys next week!! Hope your week is amazingly wonderful!! xxoo Shelly
Let us know if you come up with some cool ideas!!!

Week 22

Good morning it is officially week 22 of our 52 week challenge, we took a week off last week in honor of our Oklahoma neighbors!! Still praying for them!! This week is organize your purses and bags. All luggage type and carry every day type. Make a place in your closet or behind your bedroom door or under your bed for these items!! Make them easy to get to but as usual . . . .it's time to get rid of stuff. If you havent used a purse in two years more than likely you are not going to" . . .sell it . . . . . .or donate it or hand it down to someone who love to carry it !! Let's get busy guys and get this home work done.....remember just jump in any time do not worry about playing catch up!!! Have a wonderful day!!!!

Hello everyone it's officially week 19 of our 52 week challenge to an organized home life!!! Hi guys so sorry I'm late I've had a small knee issue.. :)!!! So your homework this week is to organize your shoes. . . .yap get them together. Summer shoes together winter shoes together ..... And if you are not wearing them then Dell them or give them away!!! I know how hard this is because a i am a shoe hoarder .... Yes ... Admit it I need therapy... Or just AN UNDERSTANDING OF MY FETISH!!!! lol ... Seriously ... Pray for the weak shoe hoarder!! Lol ... Lets clean it up guys ..... Together .. :)

Week 18

Good morning everyone!!!! This is officially week 18 of our 52 week challenge to a stress free organized life and home!!  This week I want you to create an entry space of some sorts.  A mud room might not be doable .... But if we can add hangers ... A bench ... Anything that can give us a designated coat, shoes, backpack and purse and key location!! We can make our own homemade look or we can buy something from hobby lobby or Lowe's.  I am looking forward to see what I can come up with since I basically have no space for this kind of thing.  So I  am going to get creative  and try to make a neat little space ... I will come back and post this week the pictures of before and after! Lets do this guys ... Please send us pictures of what you guys come up with ... I can't wait!! xxoo Shelly

Give away

Hello to our precious fans!! I made a basket and tried and tried to contact the sweet lady ... No response .... So I am giving it away this week for the second time ... Please go to our page give us a shout out and share our link on your page so we can enter you into the drawing!!!! Ty so much!!!

Week 17

Goooood morning!!! It is now week 17 of our 52 week challenge to an organized home and stress free life!!! I got a little behind but that"a ok I am not going to stress I am just going to pick up Where I left off. This week for those of you who have a half bath or third bathroom ... Lets tackle those rooms. Plus a little extra homework for us that don't have 3 bathrooms ....I want us all to go through and take pictures if all of our electronic items. Refrigerators, computers, camaras, DVD and blue ray players, everything of value. You can even take pictures of each room jewelry out buildings ... Everything and put all of your pictures in a CD and put this disc in a fire proof safe or lock box at the bank!!! This way we all have proof of what we had in case it is stollen or lost in a fire now I don't want just the item I want you to take pictures of the serial numbers and model numbers. This is very important!! Keeping up with this could reallllly help someday!!! I have some tips and treasures for u this week come see us and I will share with you!!! Good luck have a great week and I am going to give my basket away also.... Xxoo shelly

Week 16

Good morning! it is our 52 week challenge to a stress free organized life and it is officially week 16!! This week we are following up and on to the next bathroom! Yes in deed we are scrubbing out all of the cabinets and drawer bottoms; apply contact paper or Ur fav shelf lining at this time. Toss out all of the old stuff you don't use or won't use and start fresh. I even decided to update a few things in mine, like the trash can the rugs and I even changed the knobs. I hope u all have a great week and your homework goes smoothly!!! Don't forget to give us a shout out and get registered for this basket give away!!! xxoo shelly

Week 15

It os offically week 15 of our 52 week challenge to an organized stress free life!!! So sorry I meant to have this up before I went to wrk.. :) sorry guys way too many things to do this morning ... This week we are going to tackle our smallest bathroom . From too to bottom we need to clean the base boards ... Take allll products out of your drawers and cabinets and lets scrub those surfaces. If this space needs shelf liners lets get that done ... Then we can go thru allll of our stuff keep what is important and toss the old yucky stuff!! :) this Room should be a snap this week ... Use over the door hangers if need to save space .. any idea you have door storage lets address that also!!!! Touch up paint and replace the rugs if they need it ... Update fixtures if u need a do over .... :) love this room when u are done ... I'm excited because I soooo need this... Good luck everyone please let us know how u r doing .... Happppppppy week 52 guys .... xxoo shelly

Week 14 Shelly

Good morning every one!! I hope you all had a beautiful EAster!! It is officially week 14 of our 52 week challenge to an organized and stress free life!! This week we are headed to the laundry room!! Yes mam lets take all of our stuff out wipe down the cabinets and walls. Clean out the dryer vent from the top an where it goes into your wall. Now organize everything make it so nice and neat ... Organize each area so that it's attractive to Ur eyes, touch up paint in this room and make your space feel fresh an new!!! This is a big chore ... If you don't want to do it all at once then break it down into several nights!! I am so excited because my laundry room needs this so bad!!!! Good luck everyone please let us know how it's going .....remember u r not behind ... Jump in any time and join the challenge!! Lots of love Shelly

Week 13

Hi guys it is officially week 13 of our 52 week Challenge to an organized stress free life!!! I do not know about y'all but this cold weather stole my joy this week!!! I am so ready for warmth. . . . .so to be honest the last thing I wanted to do was clean out my car lol!!! But I am going to get back on track with an indoor project this week. . . .organize your entertainment center. Yes the one in the living room . . . Clean and organize each item that is stored in this area. If it is not age appropriate anymore . . . .snap a photo and post on your local on line yard sale. Donate items to nieces and nephews or pick how you move those items out to make room for all of the items you will accumulate this year. I actually have some decorating items under my tv so I think I am either going to find a new home for them or unstuffy this area, it's packed

Week 12 of our 52 week challenge

This week is clean out your vehicle week!! Yes your home work is to get all of your vehicle in order!!! Wash and shine dust and vacuum .... Add a trash bag or can or pop up of some sort ... It will help a lot!! Organize your trunk space and use things you already have such as totes show boxes cut little tin containers ... What ever suits your needs to keep your trunk organized!!!  Yes it's part of a stress free life because these areas when a mess ... Make us feel more anxious!! So lets get this done this week and we can have more peace in our lives! :) it is so important to get a trash can designated for your vehicle ... Do this first and for most!  Jump in right where we are and let's get this homework done!! Good luck and have a great week!!!! 

Shelly's weekly cleaning schedule

Monday : vacuum entire house, every room. Ever so often get your curtains and window ledges. At least one load of laundry.
 
Tuesday: dust entire house, every room. When necessary polish up big pieces, at least one load of laundry.
 
Wednesday: clean one bathroom, the counters, toilet, mirror, tub/shower an floors. At least one load of laundry.
 
Thursday: clean the second and half bath the same way you did Wednesday. At least one load of laundry.
 
Friday: clean kitchen, disinfect counter tops, sweap and mop floors. At least one load of laundry.
Weekends: odd jobs or nothing at all ... A little laundry maybe.

Week 11 of 52 weeks to an organized home/life

This week I am a tad late on our home Work .... i apologize from the bottom of my heart ...This is week eleven of the 52 week challenge to a stress free and organized life !!! This week I want you to make yourself a house cleaning schedule!!! Yes ... That's right ... A schedule ... And I am wanting you to skip the all day cleaning you have been doing all of your life And start a new tradition!! Let's spend thirty minutes a night all through the week so that our weekends will be for you, your kids and your spouse!!!

I will later this evening upload my chore list in hopes that you all will have an opened mind and you will give this a try!!! It has literally saved me!!!!! I love doing it in rid bits ... It really adds up fast !!!! Let's be more efficient and make more time for living!!!!!!!!! I simply love making my life feel more together!!!!!!

Week 10 of 52 weeks to an organized home/life

It's week 10 of our 52 week challenge so so so sorry it's late .... What a weekend ... Anyways this week I want you all to make a true designated home Office / mail center / and tax folder. We all need a serious place to keep up with our bills so we can sit down and pay bills, organize bank statements, and a tax folder for all of your tax right offs. Having a designated area will keep us going... to same place to pay our bills, do our bills, and find all of those important papers we all need. I have never had a space for just bills....... But I am creating one. I am going to take a small spot in my home and make my area. I found a hanging wall bill organizer at Home Depot for $9 ... It looks just like the one from 31! I love it and I am going to hang mine behind my bedroom door.

Week 9 of 52 weeks to an organized home/life

hello sweet fans. . .it is offically week 9 , , ,and it is a simp,le homework project this weeek . . . .i want to keep you going by having not Hard weeks . . . lol so hopefully this week will be easy!!

This week i want you all to create a new address book . . .even if you just write it on note book paper and have it in your desk bill area just make sure that you make all of your contacts availa...ble. I have had the misunfortune of having lost all of my contacts in the last 2 months . . .not once but TWICE~!~~~ uuuggghhh make all of your phone contacts and christmas card list ready to look at . . .at any time!!! You do not have to have this in a fancy book . . .save your money and write it out simply on notebook paper. . .typing paper . . . .! however it is easy and cheap!! lol i want you to organize alllll of your contact information. . . .this is an easy homework assignment . . .lets get it done guys!!!! :))) love and hugs shelly

Week 8 of 52 weeks to an organized home/life

Good morning everyone! Hope your weekend was great! This is officially our week 8 of our 52 week challenge to and organized and stress free life!! It Has helped me so much!!! This week we are cleaning out from underneath our bed ... Master bed room. Only pull one thing out at a time though... If you love it find its permeant home, if its trash - toss it ... Or give it to someone you know that mi...ght need it! But take your time do not kill yourself on this project .... I also want you to plan ahead .... Create a home meal plan for this week... For the month ......and only by the things you need for that weeks menu! Healthy meal planning can really help your waist line to! So I am going to send a picture of the planner I use ..... It can realllly make your life easier and simplified because you will already know what you are having every night ..... So much easier! Can not wait to see what treasures I find under my bed .... I am almost scared! Lol
Let us know how you are doing!! xxoo shelly

Week 7 of our 52 week challenge to a organized stress free life!

Hello everyone. . . .It is officially week 7 of our 52 weeks to living an organized and stress free life. . . . .I am really loving the way my home is feeling since this started this year. . . hope you all feel great about it to!!

This week we are doing some preparing and some de-cluttering.
First thing I want you to do is to gather up all of your pool stuff. . . . towels, sunscreen, extra sunglasses, a water box, any thing you can think of that will make your lake time or pool time or any water time great!!  By making a ready to go swimming tote you will not have to dig around and scrounge around for things, everything will be ready for you.  I know it is a little early but the whole idea is to be on top of our game!  lol ;) I am going to get mine ready and hang it from a wood hanger in my closet or shove it under the bed. . . wait . . .no. . . not there I may never find it again!! true story . . .uuuugggg

Next, go through all of your towels, bathroom and kitchen and wash rags, we are going to go through them all and de-clutter the bad ones.  Let's do it. . . I hate to get rid of anything so of course lets recycle these.  They will make great cleaning rags and shop rags.  Now, in order to get rid of this kind of stuff . . . you will have to allow your self to purchase new ones.  Of course do not try to go out and buy all of them at one time, go slow. . .baby steps. . .maybe a towel or two every payday.  Before you know it you will have all nice new guest ready towels.  I personally have at least 8 that are horrible . . .I am going to remove them from the bathrooms. . . I CAN DO IT!!

I am excited about these chores. . .now to add to the saving money ideas. . . .how about a 52 week money challenge . . .Sondra found a good one. . .we are going to post it this week. . .honestly I am pumped!!!!!  Have a great week please let us know how you are doing!! xxoo shelly

Week 6 of 52 weeks to an organized home/life

Week 6

HI GUYS. . . it is week 6 already and I am super pumped about this weeks challenge and I hope you are ready!! 

This week we will be going to the master bedroom and cleaning out those dresser and night stand drawers.  I did my home work already and I am super proud of the results.  I went to Lowe's and purchased the drawer dividers which gave me the greatest results!!!

Everything has a home now. . . and I know exactly where it all is.  I will take pictures and post for them for you . . . you will see what a huge difference it makes!!! So, head in to those drawers and listen you do not have to use store bought dividers . . . you can cut card board and do the same thing!! No need to spend money on this project lets get frugal and make our own. 

There is a certain way things need to be folded to allow for this perfect packaged look in your drawers. . . I will post a video on how to do that for you guys!!! Now to add to this home work assignment let's create a home recycle center.  I will try this part of our home work to. . . .lets do this!!!  Can't wait to hear from you guys!! xxoo shelly