Airbnb vs. Hotels

Another year has gone by and we are at another Fin Con (Financial Convention). My husband is not up for another award but we are here to enjoy the time off and to learn more. Last year the convention was in Texas, this year we are in Florida (Orlando). Leaving Wisconsin at 50 degrees and going to Florida will be a nice warm up. The weather here in Florida is in the 80’s and 90’s. So today I want to talk about saving money on airlines and hotels

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Airlines

Using credit cards that earn you miles is a great way to start. Saving up your points allows you to get your tickets cheaper or even free if you have enough points racked up. We decided to try a different airline this time to save some money. We went through Allegiant, but they tend to charge you for every little extra’s they can think of. If you can grab a snack before going on the plane this will save you a lot of money because this airline charges you for snacks and drinks. Allegiant also only goes to certain locations on certain dates and times. You have to plan accordingly. The flight was nice and the flight attendants were very friendly. Again you have to do your research to find the best deals and times available.

Hotels vs. Airbnb

We decided not to stay at the convention center because they were charging over $150 dollars a night. This year is our first time trying an Airbnb. We are about 1 mile from the convention center. We decided we are going to walk it each day to the convention center. If we get too tired we can always use an Uber. The Airbnb we are staying at is really nice and the people who are taking care of it are very friendly and helpful.

First, we are saving a bundle on going out to eat three meals a day. We walked to the nearest grocery store and bought some food to make at the Airbnb. We have access to a kitchen and a refrigerator. We spent $35 dollars on some groceries that will last us at least 3 days. One day going out to eat here would have cost us over $100 dollars, so I say this is a great advantage and a great way to save on food costs.

We have our own room with our own key and a shared bathroom with any other guests that come in. So far we are the only guest here. We share the living quarters and kitchen area. For the one week that we will be here, we are paying under$500 dollars. We are saving over $500 dollars by staying at this Airbnb vs. staying at the convention center.

I would recommend checking out an Airbnb next time you need a place to stay. So far we are very happy with this place and the people who run it. It has been a really different experience. We feel right at home and comfortable using the kitchen and sitting at their table for meals. Do your research before trying this and make sure everything is secure and safe from Suzie Homemaker.

Apple and Pear Chips

Summer is coming to an end and my gardens are almost done. I am finishing up with the last of my canning of tomatoes. I have a few peppers left and some parsley still left to deal with, plus I have some watermelon still growing. Now I have one very big pear tree that is loaded this year with pears to deal with, and two apple trees loaded with apples. What do I do with them all? I can only can so many pears and freeze them. My apple I can only make so much jam and applesauce. So this year I decided to try something different to make with my apple s and pears.

This year I decided to dehydrate most of my apples and pears. I thought this would be a nice snack for the whole family to enjoy on the go and at work. I started dehydrating 4 days ago and I have dehydrated over 20 trays of apples and pears already. My family loves them. So today I will show you how I dehydrated my pears and apples. I call them apple and pear chips.

Dehydrating

1.       First, pick your pears and apples and wash them very well.

2.     

  Start peeling and coring your apples and pears.

3.      

Slice your pears and apples in thicker pieces. If you slice them to thin they tend to stick to your trays too much.

4.     

  Start arranging them on your trays. I place mine together quite closely so I can get more on a tray.

5.     

  Start stacking your trays of apples and pears. Check your directions to see how many trays are allowed when dehydrating. I have an American Harvest dehydrator and I can stack up to 12 trays at a time. Always place an empty tray between your heat source so your fruit does not touch the motor.

6.     

  Check your directions for temperature needed to dehydrate your apples and pears

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7.      

To dehydrate my apples and pears it took about 8 to 10 hours before mine were dry enough.

8.       Depending on how hard or soft you like them depends on how long you will need to dehydrate them.

9.       Your apples and pears will be slightly brown when done.

10.  

Place in a sealed zip lock bag or sealed container. The apples and pears should last for several months this way.

My whole family loves these dehydrated apples and pears, so I am going to keep dehydrating them until I feel I have enough to last for several months. This is a nice healthy snack everybody can enjoy. I would advise anybody to look into buying a dehydrator. There are so many different things you can dehydrate, from fruit to vegetables and herbs and spices and more. A dehydrator is something worth looking into. I hope you like my dehydrated apples and pears chips from Suzie Homemaker.  

Alternative to Tomato Soup and Cheese Sandwiches

Today I want to talk about tomato soup! Yes, you heard me right, tomato soup. There are so many varieties to pick from when you are in the store. What do you usually use tomato soup for, cheese sandwiches, drink or as an ingredient in a recipe?

When I was growing up my mother tried something different than the same old dunking your cheese sandwich in the tomato soup. So today I will give you my mother alternative to cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. This quick and easy recipe is nice for leftover tomato soup or a whole can of tomato soup that can be used for the whole family.

What you will Need

Bread of any variety (toasted)                       Tomato soup already diluted

Cheese of any variety                                     Onions chopped and sautéed

1 large bowl                                                    Plates

Toaster

1.       First, take a can of tomato soup and dilute it. Stir well. Add extra Basil if you like.

2.       Depending on how much soup you have ad cheese of any variety. If you are using a full can of soup I add 1 to 1 ½ cups of cheese.

3.       Place this all in a large bowl and microwave on high until all the cheese is almost melted. Stir very well to mix your cheese and tomato soup together. Add your sauteed onions and basil if desired.

4.       Next, toast any variety of bread and lay them onto a plate.

5.       Pour your tomato, cheese, onion, and basil mixture over your toast.

6.       Enjoy a different cheesy tomato soup over toast.

7.        

This recipe is great for the whole family or if you just have a little left over soup you want to use up for one. This was always a favorite of our whole family. This is something quick and easy to make and fairly cheap to make. Finding something the whole family likes can be challenging at times but this is a delicious alternative to just plain old tomato soup and cheese sandwiches. This is something warm to make on a cold winters day. I hope you enjoy my tomato cheesy soup on toast from Suzie Homemaker.