I’m not talking about the dejected curly parsley so regularly abandoned on the plates hauled away by bus boys. I’m talking about Italian Parsley, also known as Flat Leaf Parsley. Oh, it’s M’mmm, M’mmm good in everything – which is where I put it. Although, I’ve had to concede that, no, it doesn’t enhance the flavor of Kraft Mac n Cheese and…Yes, Lexi, like I already said, I won’t mix it into your Mac n Cheese EVER AGAIN! Jeesh!

Italian Parsley is cheap, as in they could sell it at The Dollar Store. And you know what that means? Congratulations Italian Parsley, you’ve qualified as a Cheap-O-Baby participant!

Italian Parsley - under a buck

If you have a cheapo-style-find, just shoot me an email with a link. I’ll check-it out and if it works I’ll feature it on Cheapo-O-Baby. Make sure to send along your info so that I can publish it along with your featured cheapo-style-find.

(Originally posted January 12, 2010)

I decided to publish this installment of Cheap-O-Baby here on the main post feed. It’s a charitable Cheap-O-Baby, and for the greater good of mankind, I thought it worthy of  the prominent placement instead of relegating it to the deep bowels of this site (the upper tabs) where it shares space next to Ben’s Basement. That, and I’m not even sure if anyone’s actually reading Cheap-O-Baby or if I’m just over there muttering to myself.

Also, if you’re a very literal person, this Cheap-O-Baby post may make you a little fidgety because, admittedly, I am taking the definition of cheap and stretching it over this mattress corner, under that mattress corner and then back over the headboard.

Anyway, I’d like to draw your attention, if I may, to my new VIVA GLAM Lip Gloss. Shiny huh? It tastes good too, which is important in a lip gloss since I tend to eat it off.

My total purchase for this VIVA GLAM Lip Gloss was fourteen-dollars and seventy-eight cents (seventy-eight cents – care of Wisconsin’s 5.6% sales tax). However, M·A·C donates every cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM Lipsticks and Lip Glosses to the M·A·C AIDS Fund to support men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS.

EVERY. SINGLE. CENT.

The way I see it, I donated fourteen-dollars to a very worthy cause, and got a free lip gloss! Now lean in closer to your monitors so I can give you a big slimey-glossed kiss!

M·A·C VIVA GLAM - $ Zero (with $14 dollar donation)

If you have a cheapo-style-find, just shoot me an email with a link. I’ll check-it out and if it works I’ll feature it on Cheapo-O-Baby. Make sure to send along your info so that I can publish it along with your featured cheapo-style-find.

Ben and I have been going back and forth trying to decide how best to handle this year’s Christmas gift giving. Currently our positions are:

Me: It’s Christmas so I call for indulging my little ones as if Santa really was bringing the fun and my checking account balance had NO SAY in this matter what-so-ever.

Ben: Wrap up the toys gathering dust in the garage and write IOUs.

So here’s my solution. I’m going to un-package toys containing multiple items, like this dollhouse, and then re-package them into separate boxes, thereby creating two or more gifts where there had only been one. This Happy Sounds Home dollhouse comes with Little People, toy furniture and a bonus DVD along with the house. That’s four separate gifts under the tree!

Not only is this dollhouse a smoking deal, but educational as well. My girls can learn to take care of a household all while raising young children and negotiating time alone with their spouse. If they don’t like playing this game I’ll give them the Fisher-Price office next year. Then they can play single-gal-with-corner-office, complete with male-intern doll they can call their bitch.

Holiday 2009: Score two for the Groenevelts!

Happy Sounds Home – $40 (after re-packaging that’s $10 per gift!)

If you have a cheapo-style-find, just shoot me an email with a link. I’ll check-it out and if it works I’ll feature it on Cheapo-O-Baby. Make sure to send along your info so that I can publish it along with your featured cheapo-style-find.

I purchased this at Target last week in the Dollar Bin area. It’s the area just past the carts near the registers. Those of you practicing Targetism may better know this area as your church’s vestibule.

This Advent calendar is just what I’ve been looking for, but for way cheaper, a reusable Advent calendar; one which will become a Christmas tradition in our home. This one hangs on the wall and is made of felt with little pockets. Attached is a red cord with a little wooden Christmas tree on its end. I think the idea is to place the wooden tree into the pocket of the corresponding calendar day. My kids will expect high-fructose corn syrup treats the first twenty-five days of December, so I’m planning on shoving M&M’s, or the likes, into the little pockets.

Here’s my best guess at its features:

• Corresponding pocket calendar days
• Felt material
• Some kind of stitching around the pockets
• Appliqués on the pockets
• Measures 11.5×14 inches.

Reusable Felt Advent Calendar – $2.50

If you have a cheapo-style-find, just shoot me an email with a link. I’ll check-it out and if it works I’ll feature it on Cheapo-O-Baby. Make sure to send along your info so that I can publish it along with your featured cheapo-style-find.