My SHINY Nickels

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Travel on the Cheap: FREE $25 Travel Credit on AirBnB.com!

10.09.14 By: Laura aka Mrs. Nickels

By now you know I’m all about being frugally cool, and living a rocking life on a budget.  But I’ve got to tell you, I’ve never really been the coupon-ing type.  It’s still kind of a mystery to me, and seeing a glimpse of Extreme Couponing on TLC a few months ago revealed what looked to be living rooms full of deodorant and dental floss.  (Maybe some of you expert coupon-ers can enlighten me otherwise.)

Or maybe I’m jaded from a lifetime of receiving coupons like this…

A precious gift from my daughter Faith a few years ago. And no, I have not redeemed it. Yet.

But when my friends over at AirBnB.com said I could offer my readers a FREE $25 Travel Credit, I was ecstatic.

What is AirBnB, you ask?

It’s a website that allows travelers to book accomodations online, with people just like you and me, in over 190 countries all over the world.  You can book just about anything…a shared room,  a small cabin, even an entire ski chalet.  Both private owners and property managers upload listings, and the rates are very competitive.

Back in May, my husband and I traveled up to the Seattle area to visit our daughter and her husband.  They lived in Issaquah, a suburb of Seattle, and the hotel options in that area were between $100 (barely decent) – $200 per night.  Plus taxes, and fees, blah blah blah.   I headed over to AirBnB.com, typed in Issaquah, and I found exactly what I was looking for.

A private cabin, that backed up to a lush green forest.  A creek that ran through the trees ended in a waterfall,  completing the postcard picture that was this cabin.  It was $80 per night.  We booked it for 3 nights.  Fast forward to the day of arrival.  The owner texted me with the location of the key, and when we pulled up, we discovered a charming cabin, with a kitchenette and a goodie basket overflowing with fruit and granola bars.   At night, we fell asleep to the sound of the waterfall outside.  It was idyllic.

Randy attempted a photo-bomb on the left. Sorry honey, better luck next time.

I feel peaceful just looking at this picture of the backside of the cabin. Ahhhhh….

 

We’ve been AirBnB folks for a while now,  (I already mentioned them in an earlier travel post), but if you weren’t convinced before, now it’s time! If you’ve never explored what AirBnB.com has to offer, check it out.  Want to book a cabin in the mountains for the weekend?  $25 off! Looking for a place to stay near the beach?  $25 off!  The wine country? I could go on and on and on.  But I won’t.

As for us, we just booked a romantic weekend getaway in Lake Tahoe at the end of the month. It’s a private home, 1/2 mile from the south shore with a hot tub on the back deck for $130 per night. Perfect, private and cheaper than most other options in that area!

Now you’re probably wondering how to redeem this $25 Travel Credit, huh?  Just use the special link below, and it will prompt you to create a new AirBnB profile.  The $25 credit will automatically appear during checkout when you book your first reservation.

www.airbnb.com/c/ldobbins1

So head over there, and take a look around.  Then book a cheap getaway.

You’re welcome.  😉

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER:  AirBnB.com has agreed to compensate this blog for distributing this offer.  But rest assured, I would never recommend something I’m not using (and loving) myself! 

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FUN on the CHEAP: Indoor S’mores!

10.01.14 By: Laura aka Mrs. Nickels

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news,  but summer weather is coming to a close.  And while I’m looking forward to sweaters and boots and Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I’m going to miss summer campfires and weenie roasts and my little seasonal friend, the s’more.

But if you love these too, have no fear…when the fall and winter weather hits, just make them indoors!  Those little chocolate-marshmallow-graham confections are a favorite in our family, and the kids LOVE to help me make them.

And to the s’more “purists” who will take nothing less than the real thing, I apologize in advance for the reckless behavior.

 

Sorry Piggy, no campfire today. But we won’t let a little rain ruin the fun, will we?

What You’ll Need:

(1) Box of Graham Crackers

(1) Bag of Marshmallows (we prefer the giant-sized ones)

Chocolate Bars

Foil

A Large Cookie Sheet

 

Turn on your oven, and set it to “Broil”, at 450 degrees.

Get out a cookie tray and line it with foil.

Break the graham crackers in half, and place as many as you need/want/crave on the cookie sheet.

Then place a piece of chocolate on each graham, followed by a marshmallow (or two, if they’re small).  Don’t cover them with another graham cracker just yet.

Stick them in the oven for 2-3 minutes,  but watch them closely.  These little guys are done in no time, and if you wait even 30 seconds too long, you’ll end up with a piece of charcoal.

Once you can see the marshmallows are nice and browned, and the chocolate is melted, pull them out and press another graham half on the top to complete them.

Or, you can get really crazy and eat them topless.  (The s’more, that is.)  😉

 

I may get hate mail for this, but I’m going to say it anyway…

I like these better than campfire s’mores.

I think my daughter Faith agrees.

No smoke, no wood, the marshmallow is perfectly browned and crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and most of all…the CHOCOLATE IS MELTED.   That was always a disappointment about old-fashioned s’mores.  The marshmallow would be soft, but then you’d reach this hard, unyielding piece of chocolate.  No bueno.

And who wouldn’t rather have this:

smoresgood

GOOD S’MORE

than this:

badsmore

BAD S’MORE

Now the kids beg me to make these year-round.  They’re simple, cheap, delicious, and it makes for a fun treat when the weather isn’t cooperating!

Every once in a while I figure something out that makes me say “Why didn’t I do this earlier?”

Enjoy!

 

P.S.  I almost posted this under recipes as well, but I don’t think it counts if it only has 3 ingredients?  🙂

UPDATE:  After a reader, Penguin, voted that I include it under Recipes, I agreed and now it can be found there too! 

 

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