Works for me Wednesday - Remembering to pay bills!

I have gmail and thus use a lot of Google's other services. I love the reader to keep track of all the blogs I read, etc. A few months ago, I decided to give the calendar a whirl. I now use that to keep track of my bills. When I get one in the mail, I go to my calendar and create an event for the day it's due. I've got it set to email me a reminder a few days before it's due so that I can get online and pay it. I did set my calendar to be private and protected, but even if it wasn't, I don't include things like account number. I just abbreviate who it is and the amount.

Now if I just would remember to ALWAYS log my bills I'd be in good shape. ;)

Works-for-me Wednesday - Making Cookies

I learned this tip from a friend, and I love it! Last time I had to make cookies for a cookout, I made a double batch of chocolate chip/M&M cookies. I chilled the dough and then rolled it into balls. I stuck the balls on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer. Once they were frozen, I put them in a baggie and stored them in the freezer. Now whenever my sister and I want a couple of cookies, I can take out a couple and bake them in my toaster oven. (I have already baked some from a frozen state and they did just fine.) That's a lot cheaper than buying the pre-formed cookie dough at the store and we can control portion size at the same time. (Not to mention the fact that I'm not heating up the whole house to cook them!) That's what works for me!

Works for Me Wednesday - Toaster Oven

A couple of years ago, I bought a Sunbeam toaster oven from Wal-Mart for $20. My initial goal in getting it was to make toasted sandwiches/subs similar to Subway. Since then though, I have found so many uses for it! Since I live alone with my sister, we don't need to cook for a whole family. I will often cook dinner for both of us in the toaster oven. We also use it to reheat leftovers (esp. good for restaurant leftovers!) since it's just as fast as the microwave and tastes much better. It's also great for cooking small quantities of cookies, breads, etc. Since my sister is slightly disabled, I love the fact that she can use it while I'm gone without me worrying about it like I might with the big oven. In the summertime, I love that we're not heating up the whole house to cook for two in the oven. Did you know there are even whole cookbooks devoted to toaster oven cooking?? Check out your local library.

The toaster oven gets used almost daily in my house and has been a great $20 investment. It works for us!