About Heather Brickell

4 Savings Tips to Help You Move

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

(photo credit: Infinite Moving)

For many of us, moving is such an exciting time because you are able to experience new moments and memories for either yourself or with your loved ones. Of course, before you can enjoy those moments you have to move everything from point A to point B. This can cause you to become extremely stressed out as well as spend more money than you thought originally. There are many things you can do to make moving less expensive and when you feel that it might be too much, there are also ways you can limit these expenses as well. There are always costs involved when it comes to moving but below are a few easy saving tips to help you when the big day arrives. 

1. Take What You Need- We can all be a creature of habit and want to take everything that we own. The bigger your space is the more things you will want to collect and bring with you. One of the biggest things to help you save costs only takes the items that you think are worth moving, especially as you approach the big day. We accumulate a lot of stuff throughout the years and there is a good thing that you might not need absolutely everything that you have in your home. Consider then either discarding these items, having a garage sale, or donating them to a local charity or church nearby. If you have children, this is a great way to get your kids involved and have them fill a big trash bag of toys they haven’t played with in months, clothes they don’t wear or shoes they have outgrown. Have a system to categorize everything on what you want to sell or give away by either using post-it notes or writing them down on pieces of paper to help remind you what is going to go where. 

2. Look For Moving Supplies – When we decide to move, one of the biggest obstacles in trying to figure out how to move all of our supplies, belongings, and possessions and what you need to. Look to any family or friends who might have extra boxes that they are looking to get rid of. YOu can even have a few yourself that you forgot about from past birthdays or holiday parties. Every free box will help you save a bit of money. Packing breakable items with your clothing that you get from Amazon or any online shopping as well as newspapers can also help save you money. Think of what items you need to pack in these boxes. For instance, you’ll want to find a specific box to pack your stemware and fancy china in rather than an old cardboard box. 

3. Decide What You Need Help With – Moving involves a lot of decisions to make including how much time you have, the energy you’ll need to put in to move everything, and how many things you can move on your own or need assistance with Moving can be a lot different when it is just you in a studio apartment compared to a well-established family that is moving to a larger home with 4 kids. There can be a lot or a little to move so be sure to balance out the cost of what you can do yourself and what is needed to get it done. Packing your own things of course can lessen the cost of hiring movers but you don’t want to get hurt in the process of moving a bed frame or a bulky couch out of the door.

4. When In Doubt- Call A Professional – Once you weighed all the options, take your time but if you are really stressed, don’t have any time, or need help, it’s time to call the professionals to help take the anxiety and potential risk of you hurting yourself out of the equation. Begin by looking at various moving companies in your area that are eager to help you. This means that they can also have good deals when a company is looking to attract clients like yourself. Although the cost might be the primary concern, don’t forget to compare factors such as quality of service, looking at reviews, and speaking with former customers to help you make a decision. A quality and trusted moving company is called Infinite Moving and they are sure to assist you with your moving needs and questions. This Polk County labor movers also can store items and furniture for home construction projects, provide a truck during the move, provide boxes and tape, label and organize your boxes and deliver them safely to your new destination. Whether you need a truck or just need to use theirs, you can count on them to make the move as smooth and seamless as possible. 

When it comes to moving you can never be too careful with what you need, asking for help, and just doing your very best. Moving can be overwhelming for all involved so when in doubt, always call in help from trusted friends, family, neighbors or professionals to help you. The end result is a hopeful flawless move to get you experiencing and enjoying new memories in your new home and city.

Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

If you still have some last-minute holiday baking to do, these Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are always a winner in our house! I love these cookies because the base dough is only three ingredients and is gluten-free. Feel free to add in whatever else that your family likes. I made two batches this week and added in holiday M&M’s to one, and then used Hershey’s Kisses for a Hershey’s Kiss Blossom Cookie.

Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

One Egg

One Cup of Sugar (I prefer the Domino Golden Sugar as it is less processed and gives the cookies a nice golden color)

One Cup of Peanut Butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend all ingredients with a hand mixer until a soft dough forms.

With a cookie scoop, place on a non-stick baking pan.

Cook until browned but the cookies still have a soft texture. Do not overbake or they will be hard. You will want to check the time on these but it should be around 8-10 minutes.

Tip: If you are making the Hershey’s Kisses Blossom cookies,  you will need to wait just a few minutes before you place the Hershey’s Kiss in the cookie or it will melt.

Serve and enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Snowmen

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Need a fun yet festive breakfast idea for the holidays? These Cinnamon Roll Snowmen are the perfect treat and couldn’t be easier to prepare!

Ingredients

● 1 can Pillsbury Grands Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls, 17.5 oz

● 1 can Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, 12.4 oz

● Candy Eyeballs

● Milk Chocolate Chips

● Small Pretzel Sticks

● Candy Corn

● Blueberries

 

Directions

1. Open the can of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls, and remove one roll. Begin unrolling the roll until it is slightly smaller than the other rolls in the can. Using a knife, cut the extra portion off, and roll it up and place it in the pan beside the newly sized roll. (There are 5 rolls in the can, so you could repeat this process with another roll, so that you have 3 large rolls, 2 medium sized rolls, and 2 tiny rolls formed from the portion you removed. Or you can cut and resize all 5 rolls, reserving the small portion that was removed to be used as the “head” of the snowman) Open the can of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, and place in a separate pan. Bake both pans of cinnamon rolls per package instructions.

2. Once the cinnamon rolls are cooked, remove one large roll, and place at the bottom center of a plate. Place one of the slightly smaller rolls you resized right about the large roll. Place one of the rolls from the other pan (the 12.4 oz can) above the middle roll. Ice each roll with the icing provided.

3. Stick pretzel sticks into the middle roll at an angle to form arms. Place the candy eyeballs on the top small roll, and stick a candy corn right below the eyes to be the nose. Make a mouth out of milk chocolate chips, and place 3 blueberry “buttons” down the middle of the middle roll.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Christmas Cinnamon Roll Waffles

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

If you need a quick yet delicious breakfast idea for Christmas morning, these Christmas Cinnamon Roll Waffles are sure to be your new favorite tradition! And, you can actually make these year round not just on Christmas morning! 

Ingredients 

  • 1 Can Cinnamon Rolls
  • Icing (included)
  • Christmas Sprinkles
  • Waffle Iron
  • Cooking Spray

Instructions

  1. Heat waffle iron. If yours let’s you choose the temperature, I suggest medium heat.
  2. Spritz with cooking spray. 
  3. Place once cinnamon roll in each section of the waffle iron. 
  4. Close waffle iron and cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from waffle iron and ice.
  6. Be festive and add as many (or little) sprinkles as you wish.
  7. Serve & enjoy! 

Rudolph Brownies

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

If you need a quick yet fun dessert idea for the holidays, these Rudolph Brownies couldn’t be easier to put together. Just grab a tray of brownies from your favorite store, and add a few other quick ingredients! These are so cute and would be great for a child’s Christmas school party!

Ingredients 

  • 1 Sheet Brownies (Walmart Bakery pictured)
  • Large Candy Eyes
  • Pretzels
  • Red M&M

Instructions

  1. Cut the brownie into squares.
  2. Place two pretzels at each top corner for reindeer antlers.
  3. Take two eyes and place them on the brownies.
  4. Add a red M&M for a nose.
  5. Serve & enjoy! 

Save Up to 60% During Macy’s One Day Sale! #MacysOneDaySale

This post is sponsored by Sivan Social. All comments and opinions are my own. (All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I have a confession. I just started my Christmas shopping this week. Can you believe it? This year has been crazy on so many different levels, and the holidays have snuck up on me. So, if you are like me and still need to start or finish your Christmas shopping, Macy’s is having a huge One Day Sale December 10-12! With this huge sale, you can save up to 60% off!

I did some browsing on the Macy’s site and found some fantastic deals! If your kiddos need new coats, these Puffer Coats are only $19.99! (reg. up to $85) You can shop all the coats on sale HERE. This is such a great deal! Kids grow out of their coats/jackets so quickly so be sure to jump on this deal!

I also spotted these gorgeous Martha Stewart Collection Carved Sherpa Throws for just $16.99! (reg. $60) I find that throws make a great gift idea especially for those hard-to-buy-for people on your gift list. There are several beautiful colors to choose from. GO HERE to check them out.

You can shop the entire One Day Sale at Macy’s HERE.

Rudolph Rice Cakes

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Are you looking for a fun an easy snack idea for the kiddos this holiday? These Rudolph Rice Cakes are sure to be a new favorite! They are so yummy and super easy to prepare! Your kids will have so much fun helping you make them! 

Ingredients: 

  • Rice Cake
  • Peanut Butter
  • 2 Pretzels
  • 1 Red DOT Candy
  • 2 Candy Eyes 

Instructions:

  1. Spread peanut butter on the rice cake. 
  2. Place two pretzels on the rice cake as antlers.
  3. Place a dot on the rice cake as a nose.
  4. Then place the two candy eyes on the rice cake. 
  5. Enjoy!

The 2020 My Sweet Savings Holiday Gift Guide is Here!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I am so thrilled to let you know that the 2020 My Sweet Savings Holiday Gift Guide is here! We have products for everyone on your gift list including Men, Women, Kids + more! A huge thank you to all of the brands who have have sent us product for inclusion.

You can see the 2020 My Sweet Savings Holiday Gift Guide HERE.

Oreo Thanksgiving Turkeys

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Are you looking for a fun and easy dessert idea to prepare for the kiddos this Thanksgiving? These Oreo Thanksgiving Turkeys are so cute and easy to prepare! You can even use the Gluten Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies to make them Gluten Free!

Ingredients 

  • Oreo Cookies
  • Candy Corn
  • Candy Eyes
  • Frosting

Instructions

  1. Take an Oreo and carefully stick 5 candy corns in between the cookies. 
  2. Using frosting as glue, stick a candy corn on the Oreo as a nose.
  3. Place two candy eyes on the Oreo using frosting as glue.
  4. Serve & enjoy!

 

Fall Dessert Cobbler Recipes

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I don’t know about you, but I absolutey love cobblers! Cobbler is related to crumbling and crisp desserts. It is a deep-dish fruit dessert with a thick biscuit topping, or in some cases, a loose crumb topping. Cobbler is typically made using fruits such as apples, peaches, blueberries, and raspberries. The following are some fruit cobbler recipes that use less common fruits. I hope that you will enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup biscuit mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Spray the slow-cooker with a non-stick spray.
Mix the blackberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in the slow-cookerócook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until boiling.
Combine the biscuit mix with 2 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl.
Stir in the milk and butter until the dry ingredients are moist.
Drop 6 to 8 dollops of batter onto the hot fruit mixture in the slow-cooker. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the top.
Cover and cook on high for approximately 25 minutes. Serve warm, topped with ice cream or whipped topping.

Pear Cobbler

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh pears, peeled and sliced
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

Directions:

Mix the pear slices with 1 cup of sugar and set aside.
Put the butter into a casserole dish and melt in the oven at 325 degrees.
Combine the dry ingredients, including the remaining sugar, until well-combined.
Beat the egg and mix it with the milk. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients.
Pour the mixture over the butter, and do not stir it.
Place the pears on top of the batter without stirring and bake for about 1 hour at 325 degrees.
Cool before serving and top with a sprinkle of brown sugar and pecan pieces, along with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Nectarine Cobbler

Ingredients:

5 to 6 nectarines, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the butter chunks into a casserole dish and put them into the oven until the butter is melted.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, cream, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the nutmeg, pouring into the casserole dish.
Mix the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon with the 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Place the nectarines on top of the batter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Bake for approximately 55 minutes and cool before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. Or, if preferred, use low-fat frozen yogurt in place of ice cream.