Do you Swagbucks?

Alright, let me preface this post with yes, this is going to have an affiliate link, but please hear me out on this one.

When my husband found out he was going to lose his job this Spring, we agreed we needed to look into a way to make money so we could float if it took him longer to find a job. One of the places I turned to was Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a survey website, which rewards you with what they call Swagbucks (or SB) and you can redeem these for giftcards.

Not only do you gain SB for taking surveys, but you can also earn them when you purchase items online. This is where I really pick up the SBs because if I'm going to buy something online, I might as well make some money back too. You can earn back from retailers like: Amazon, Walmart, Old Navy, Ebay, and Target, just to name a few!

They've recently released a feature that allows you to print out coupons and when you use those at a store you get SB back! Awesome!

I can usually earn $25 Amazon giftcards each month by taking surveys! If you're interested in joining, follow this link. Sign up and give it a try.

Clear your drain, the natural way

You never really think about things until they are broken.
That's definitely how I am.
Lately I've been suffering a slow drain. We have a septic system, so I can't really throw a bunch of death poisons down the drain without some major backlash in the backyard.

While researching what to do, I've discovered an awesomely inexpensive way to have clear drains.

Tada! What are these things you ask? Well they're drain snakes! (Technically called: Vastar 3 Pack 23.6 Inch Drain Snake Hair Drain Clog Remover Cleaning Tool) See those little thorns on the edges? They capture all the gross hair and gunk that gets stuck in the drain.


Ready to follow me with cleaning a bathtub drain? Here we go!

Step 1: Work your snake down the drain. You may have to wiggle jiggle it down. Then pull it out and try not to smack yourself with the gross when you pull it out. (Yeah, I totally did that the first time I tried it out and nearly gagged.)

Step 2: Pour regular table salt down the drain. I'm not sure if this is really helpful, but I've heard it helps to rough up anything in the pipe.

Step 3: Pour boiling water down the drain.

In my experience, your drain should be happy and draining properly. Hooray! No poisons! Just a little elbow grease.

Tips When Visiting an Apple Orchard

Did I say I love Autumn, because I do!!!

This Sunday, our family made a drive over the mountain to a local apple orchard. Having observed others and experience from my last trip, I thought I'd write up a quick tip list for when you visit an apple orchard.

Tip 1: Dress for a farm.
I know you want to look your best and maybe take that autumn family photo in the orchard, but you're on a working farm. You will likely have a long walk. There is dirt. There are bees. Please don't wear heels and a short dress.

Tip 2: Bring reusable shopping bags.
The orchard will often give you something to put your fruit in, but I find those reusable shopping bags, which are handed out for free at supermarkets, are perfect for picking apples. They are strong and best of all you can put them over your shoulder to easily carry your produce back to the weighing station. They also hardly weigh a thing, so you're paying for more apples and less bag.

Tip 3: Know your purpose.
Why are you picking apples? Is it the experience? Are you making pies? If you know what you're planning to do with your apples, you will be sure not to over pick. (This is the hardest for me, because I always want to pick all the fruit. It's so fun, but then I always end up with a huge bill in the end.)

Tip 4: Only pick what you want.
Look at the fruit carefully before picking it. Sometimes a bug will have nibbled an apple, so be sure to turn it and look it over before you remove it from the tree. It's never nice to throw bad fruit on the ground. It attracts bees and that can be a dangerous combo for the wrong person.

Tip 5: Show up early.
Maybe this is just for me, but I like to get their early and beat the crowd. We went in the afternoon once and were swarmed with elementary school students. 

Tip 6: Check in.
Make sure you ask where to pick before you head out to the orchard. Not all fruit is ripe at the same time. You can even call ahead to ask what fruit is available so you can be sure to get the fruit you want. I'm a sucker for Fuji apples. I've never had a bad one.

I hope this comes in handy for your own apple picking adventures. Really if you aren't sure, check it out and find those local pick your own farms. It's fun! It's a memory! Enjoy those fleeting days, even if you're tired and flailing with the housework.