Molly’s Money-Saving Digest Giveaway

November 11, 2009 | Filed Under Books | 92 Comments

Updated to add: This giveaway is now closed. The winner is #31 Jessica!

Earlier this year I told you about a terrific 40 page menu planning e-book that you can receive for FREE when you sign up for the e-newsletter at Econobusters.

Today I’d like to tell you a little bit more about the Econobusters site and their fabulous monthly digests. Econobusters is a fairly new blog that started this past January by a group of women whose purpose and passion is to empower and encourage keepers at home during this tough economic downturn. They provide tips on ways to save, frugal ideas, do-it-yourself projects, meals that save time AND money, and so much more. What makes this site unique though is that it is hosted by a fictional character named Molly Green. “Molly” is one smart gal too. My goodness you just have to check out the site to get plenty of ideas and tips on everything from organization to decor to shopping and crafts.

In addition to daily posts on the blog, each month Molly also writes and publishes an e-digest that she offers for sale at the low price of $4.95 each. These money-saving digests include more in depth discussions and articles on topics regarding frugal living. Molly (and her helpful team of course) were kind enough to send me the September 2009 issue so I could see for myself how great these digests are and you know I have to say I was not disappointed.

Each month has a theme and September’s theme was all about frugal decorating. Let me quote Molly herself:

“A lovingly decorated home is not about high price tags, debt, or keeping a set of design rules. It’s about pulling together pieces that work for your family, at a price you can afford, in a way that makes you smile . . .”
—Molly Green

I told you she was a smart girl

In this 33 page digest I enjoyed reading a variety of articles on many great money saving topics. Here is a sample of what’s included:

Begin with the Basics: Are you couponing yet? Maybe you’re not convinced that it’s worth the hassle. Listen up with a sensible, step-by-step introduction to why and how coupons really can help your family’s budget. This is the first part in a series by Amy Howard that takes a good, close look at how a real family uses coupons for real savings. If you are tempted to shy away, you need to read this!
On Sale This Month: Every little bit adds up! What items are usually discounted? What should you stock up on? Find out now.
Keeping it All Together: Creating a Home Décor Binder—Learn from Kris how to create and maintain your own three-ring binder that will save you time and money, and keep all of your pertinent decorating information in one place! Get organized to ensure that you have what you want when you need it and go on to acquire the fabulous results you envision.
Feather Your Nest Frugally: How did Virginia help her son find and refurbish a solid wood dining room set for only $135? See this photo transformation!
Pull up a Chair: There are plenty of interesting reasons to celebrate in September! What should you put on the menu? Get the recipes for Black Bean and Sausage Soup, Paul’s Cornbread, and easy-but-tasty 1-2-3 Cheesecake!
Parenting that Pays: Todd Wilson, the funnyman of Familyman Ministries, shares a cartoon, and Molly shares some brief, but sound, advice on keeping your family’s decibel level lower. You can have a more peaceful home—within minutes! This advice alone is worth the price of this E-Book!
Something Old-Something New: What do you have in your home right now that’s just screaming for a li’l update? One of Molly’s favorite bloggers, Tracey Buxton from A Cottage Industry, takes an old calendar frame and gives it a charmingly new 2009 look. Sometimes it’s all in the paint!
Monthly Feature: Frugal Decorating—With the word count down and the picture count high, you’ll hear from three special guests then go on a “blog walking tour” visiting a dozen additional favorite décor bloggers. These are real women with real families living in real houses and creating lovely home environments on a realistic budget.

My favorite feature was the Something Old-Something New column. I love love love to take something intended for one purpose and turn it into something new and fresh and totally functional. That’s exactly what writer Tracey Buxton did with an old calendar frame. I never would have thought to do this and kick myself now for not having picked one up at the thrift store the other day. What did she do? Well I guess you’ll just have to read the monthly digest to find out

One of you will get a chance to do just that if you win today’s giveaway though. Molly is giving away a copy of the fabulous September issue in e-book format to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving?

The question totally has nothing to do with anything but I thought I’d give you something fun to say rather than just “pick me”

Giveaway closes on November 14th at 9:00 pm PST.

PS: If you are interested, you can read about all the past and present digests here. You can also purchase digests through their Pick-a-Pack program which means you can select five digests for the price of four ~all five for $20.00!

Comments

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92 Responses to “Molly’s Money-Saving Digest Giveaway”

Patricia

What a great giveaway!
My favorite part of Thanksgiving this year is the food. There are a few things that I only make for Thanksgiving, so we look forward to them all year. Family is 8+ hours away, and we visit them over Christmas break. We cannot afford to go for Thanksgiving too, or I’d say, “big, extended family” hands down.

Joyce

What’s not my favorite part of Thanksgiving? I love the food, festivities, and family and friends. What I like most is the reminder of how blessed we are. Even through tough times, we have so much…a home, our health, our family…We have so much to be thankful for.

No Reimer Reason

The thing I am looking forward to most this Thanksgiving is spending time with my family. I am also very thankful for my husband’s support in my decision to quit working and becoming a stay-at-home mom. This is my first week and I am loving it so far. It also means that we have to start being more careful with our spending, so I am starting to search out and clip coupons. This book sounds right up my alley as I try to figure out our new budget.

just the reminder to be thankful… so often i DO think about what i want that i don’t have… but more and more i’m reminded to JUST be thankful… the want for more is usually diminished with thankfulness. it rubs off on my family too.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is remembering God’s good ness to us. I love when the whole family shares something they are thankful for. It brings both tears and laughter as we reflect on all our blessings!

Bonni

Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that my extended family, who are Jewish, can celebrate comfortably with my husband and I and our children,(since I became a ‘completed’ Jew). I love having my ‘whole’ family together!

Tara

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is spending time with my family. We moved across the country last year which made traveling home for the holidays more difficult (and expensive). So, my parents and my inlaws have decided to alternate years to come to us for Thanksgiving. Sure, it’s kinda loud and crowded, but I love it. This year, my parents and one sister are coming with 3 of my nieces (11, 10, and 6) and 2 of my cousins (16 and 10)! I am so excited to host these wonderful people!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is staying at the two cabins our family rents. There are no phones, cell phone signals, or WIFI – we just have to unplug. It a chance for the whole family (aunts, uncles, cousins included) to get to know each other again (after a year apart) and spend time together in God’s glorious creation!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is hearing what everyone is thankful for. It’s amazing to hear, and reminds me to be thankful for even the little things. This year I’m thankful for my brother and his family. He was deployed a few months ago. I’m thankful for the sacrifices he and his family (and all who are in the military) are willing to give up for our freedom.

I love the relaxing time with my family. We all help with the dinner and then enjoy each others company without the Christmas rush.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is my brothers and sisters all coming to our house that we bought from my parents, it’s just like old times.

I love being with my family for Thanksgiving. Over the years, we have spread out and it’s nice to all be in one spot for a few days.

Thank you for this great giveaway!
Thanksgiving always reminds me of what I am thankful for. This year I am especially Thankful for my family. My Dad has been diagnosed with Lymphoma, and unfortunately it’s things like this that make us open our eyes and realize what really is precious. On Holidays, as well as everyday, we have to make them special because we never know when they may be the last one we will spend with our family members.

My favourite part of Thanksgiving is getting together with my family. After that it is the leftovers. I am weird that way but I prefer turkey sandwhiches or turkey soup the next day over the big bird the same day.

Leah

We are a military family, so Thanksgiving is spent with friends instead of family, but MY favorite part is getting to watch my beloved Detroit Lions play football on national TV. I rarely get to see them play, and despite the fact that they stink up the field, it’s still my favorite part of the day.

Just looking at these the other day and could really use them. Favorite part of Thanksgiving, not working and being with my daughter.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is sharing time with family…and of course stuffing and pie! With our family we are able to truly relax and be thankful for God, our lives, and each other.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is that is such a “Family” holiday. There are no great expectations and you can enjoy just getting together and sharing a great meal.

The yummy dinner, then playing Bingo with the family!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is being with our family. We just moved back near them after being 3,000 miles away for three years. Can’t wait to spend our first holiday together in three years!

My favorite part of Thanksgivng, is coming together with the whole family, and eating a great meal! This is one of the few times that we all get together. We are getting together with extended family this year, it will be a lot of fun.

pumpkin pie (I’m shallow…wide from the pie, but very, very shallow.)

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is to spend time with my family and friends. It is a time to come together and eat, cook, and hang out. I wish this could be done year round. My mom loves to go all out for Thanksgiving, so we decorate the tables also. There are always “tables” squeezed in so that everyone can fit. It is so awesome!

My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is sharing the tradition of lemon pie with my in-laws, every year I make lemon meringue pie just like my grandpa did to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. I a very thankful that I have such wonderful grandparents- my grandma is one of my best friends and my grandpa is one of the best men in the world!

Antoinette

Oooo, this is a fabulous give away. Thank you for the opportunity!
Thanksgiving is slowly morphing into our own tradition. And I’m very grateful that my family doesn’t just abandon me in the kitchen while they watch the Macy’s Parade. They help me make the whole meal, and I cherish that time with them. We keep the parade on in the living room and will run out and take breaks when we hear something that we really want to see. But we make sure we’re all done by the time the dog show is on.

Turkey and stuffing and the aromas that linger in the house…

Tia

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is time to sit and hang out with my sons. We don’t have extended family over on Thanksgiving. We cook a small meal and enjoy each other, without homework, my work, sports practice, etc. Food, board games, good books, and naps …Yay!

Ah… I can say the day off, with pay. I can say spending that day with my big, huge, 40-member extended family, plus whatever friends we invite to share…

But really, my mother used to start early morning tearing up the bread that had to dry out for the stuffing… cutting and saute-ing the onions and celery in butter and sage… She is too far away for me to celebrate Thanksgiving with, so I make her stuffing myself and that smell… ahhh… that’s Mom.

Jessica @ Acting Adult

I love that moment when everyone has finished eating, my husband grabs a final helping of turkey or whatever, and the family just talks before dessert is served. It doesn’t matter what the conversation is, but it’s amazing to be in the same room and know that I’m surrounded by loved ones.

Lisa

My favorite part is spending the day with my Mom, my kids and the cats!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the food! I love to prepare it and then eat it. =)

The food of course! I love having my family together, too.

My favorite part is spending it with my family.

Eos Mom

My favorite is the family time–hubby has a few days off work and we remember what we’re thankful for.

Viriatha

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is being able to relax. We’re not very holiday-oriented people but Thursday and the following Friday are always days off at work and that Saturday is our anniversary

We always celebrate it the Sat following Thanksgiving because we’ve had time to chill out and dump life-related stress.

Lis @ A Trucker Wife

My favorite thing is being with family, doing a turkey trot, and cooking… Yup, I love to cook!

Kara @ KSS

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is probably just the emotional high of the festivities. I love the raised spirits that come from all the food, decorating, family together, etc.

Kim Ritter

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is spending time with my family…with my mom dying last year, time with family means the most to me outside of my relationship with Jesus!

Getting together as a family; well 2 actually…we go from my parents for lunch to my in-laws for dinner…good food and times:)

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting together with family. Especially with those we don’t see often.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is being able to see my family and friends. Being an army wife, we don’t live close to my best friend and our families so we like to travel down and stay a week. It is my favorite time of year.

echoes

Why, the turkey, no the stuffing, no the sweet potatoes. Okay, it’s really the pumpkin pie! Love the food but being with family is what’s important!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving has got to be the end of the day when the kids start to make out their Christmas lists. It’s so relaxing to finally sit down and help them!

Kelly

My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is getting together with family that you don’t see very often. And then I also love the end of the day when you start to think about Christmas.

Ginny

My favorite part is Roast Potatoes

Lighthousegal

It is the one time of the year that I get to see many of my extended family – I love catching up with them, seeing how kids have grown, and reconnecting with them. It gives me a sense of continuity that I love passing down to my kids.

Laura

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. With my mom, older cousins and aunts there are a lot of “cooks in the kitchen.” Being the youngest in the family I never have a big job to do so I like to find a seat out of the way and just be in the heart of the house, the kitchen. I get to visit with everyone because at some point or another everyone makes it through the kitchen. I pick up the latest family news, family history, stories and recipes this way too.

There are so many things about Thanksgiving that I love: family, praising God, the smells, etc. My favorite thing about Thanksgiving, though, are the hot turkey sandwiches made with leftover turnkey and smothered in gravy. Yum!

I love getting together with family (mine or his) and eating traditional foods until we’re stuffed.

Heather

I love that it’s one day where the whole family gets together, simply to be together… it’s not about presents, just family, friends, food, and fellowship. (All the great f-words! )

Leighann Marquiss

after the meal when everyone is just chilling out together. the stress is over, there are no presents to take the focus off each other… in one word, family.

I’m not sure I have a favorite part – Thanksgiving has usually been pretty low-key around here……although, my favorite part of this year was having dinner with friends and laughing our butts off!!

Why… FAMILY of coarse!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is just being with my family. It can’t get much better than that.

The best part of Thanksgiving is seeing family that I might not see the rest of the year.

The best part is food and family.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is being able to relax with my family. Even cooking a huge dinner is relaxing because we are not on a time schedule, no one has to be somewhere at a certain time, and we all do it together.

franticmommy

I love Thanksgiving because once all the cooking is done, it’s relax with family and eat, laugh, tell stories, and eat some more time!

Normally, it’s being with family and having the food. This year though with homeschooling I’m looking forward to learning the true history behind Thanksgiving. I’m hoping to have a more thankful heart to the Lord for His abundant blessings! Also, I like remembering what our country first stood for.

Awesome! What I love about Thanksgiving is the smell of everything, food, family, & fall. And the sight of my children playing with their cousins. Can’t wait!

The Macy’s Parade is my favorite part of Thanksgiving. My husband took me when I was pregnant with our oldest child and I will never forget watching all of the balloons get blown up on balloon night. I love curling up with my children, watching my daughter dance with the dancers, and remembering watching it together in person.

Although, I will say that this year I am having quite a bit of fun hearing my daughter sing “Alburqurque was a turkey” over and over and over……

Through very difficult times in my life, God has always been there with me, even when no one else was. I am now blessed with a wonderful husband and three loving children. Thanksgiving, for me, is just that: giving thanks to the One who gave us everything!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year. I love the food, the decor of fall, and the weather that time of year (I live in NC, so it is not too cold yet). My favorite part about Thanksgiving has to be reconnecting with family that I have not seen in a while. Between 2 small children and living several hours away from extended family I am not able to see them often.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is just being with family and disconnecting from the overconnected, electronic world! Conversation and togetherness rule the day

Awesome give-a-way! My favorite part of Thanksgiving is family coming together as a whole and giving thanks to God.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving would have to be getting together with family and friends for a great meal and of course giving thanks for each other!

Thanksgiving just is my favorite!!! I have always cooked on this day at home . Till last year my husbands family wanted us to try something different so we agreed to go to my sister-in-laws for a buffet style because she doesent have room for all of us at one table. Although it was nice to see everyone and much easies for me It was different and not the same. I thought MY family enjoyed it. When I asked this yearwhat they wanted to do they all asked if we could just stay home. As we sat and talked about it we all relized we all felt the same but didnt want to tell each other because they felt it took pressure away from me to go somwhere else but they all agreed the new tradition would be the same as befor except mom would get more help. I love my family. My Kids ages are 18,11&10.

Giving thanks and my brother cooking! Yeah!

I love being with my family at Thanksgiving and of course it’s the time to start decorating for Christmas….

Randa

My favorite part would have to be the part in between dinner and dessert when everyone is full and happy

Barbie

I love to cook turkey. This year we are going to cook it in the deep pit at our church. I can’t wait! Thanks for all the fun giveaways.

My favorite part is watching my kids climb all over their grandparents and watching the IL’s soak it all in. I never imagined when I moved across the country that my kids would have any chance of the closeknit family life I grew up with and I cherish every chance they have to make memories with their extended family. Plus, there’s the pie!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving… family and friends.. being able to take a day and be with them and be thankful for everything we have and all.
thanks for all the awesome giveaways!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is family.

Heather @ BlessedandBusy.blogspot.com

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the time I get with my family. My husband and children are home for four whole days from work and school. This is the only time we get that much time together!

Making my grandmother’s cranberry salad and then serving it in a dish I inheirted from her.

My favorite part is spending time with my family. Staying up late catching up on everyone. Eating left-overs. Tastes better the second time around.

Jerri

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is when we take turns around the table telling of 3 things we are thankful for this year.

Tiffany

My favorite part(s) of Thanksgiving is the food & being with family! =]

Thanks for the great giveaway!

Thanksgiving is the only time of year when we make pies, and I love when my sisters and I gobble up half the pie crust cookies before letting our kids have at them!

RosaB

I love spending time with family on Thanksgiving & thinking about all the blessings the past year held.

My favorite part about Thanksgiving is the basket I fill with donations of food items that I give to a needy family in town. The items are for their Thanksgiving dinner. This year we have also included breakfast for Thanksgiving morning and a dessert basket for their children. knowing I have made a thanksgiving a little easier and brighter for a less fortunate family fills me with joy and warms my heart. It is also heartwarming to know I live surrounded by other families who are generous and caring. Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving to all the Readers. Ronni

I love spending time with all of my family, and it is the beginning of the Christmas shopping/decorating season, for me.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting the whole family together,all my brothers and sisters whom I don’t see very often otherwise. And of course the turkey!

The best part of Thanksgiving to me is a reminder to be grateful for all the blessings taken for granted through out the year. One of my goals to show my gratitude is to volunteer at the local Salvation Army soup kitchen on Thanksgiving as a way to pass on the help I have received in the past, from them and others.

Loved the pumpkin pie comment! Of course, my favorite thing about Thanksgiving is when it’s over!
Too much cooking, cleaning, driving, getting all the Christmas presents there….
The cynic in me is out!

Angie

My favorite part about Thanksgiving is the family getting together and turkey of course!

My birthday is right around Thanksgiving and I get peacan pie instead of birthday cake!!

My favorite part of thanksgiving is planning the meal to try and included each persons favorite dish.

stacy

My favorite part….family getting together.

Katherine

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the food! Mmmm sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows, here I come!

I favorite thing about Thanksgiving is just spending time with my family. Sometimes in the hussle of our busy lives we end up going a good amount of time without seeing each other. I have 2 small boys and I want them to grow up close to their family the way I did, so holidays give us all a chance to reconnect and spend time enjoying each others company!

Molly’s Money-Saving Digest Giveaway

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