Neighbor Gift: Cinnamon Popcorn and a Movie

This year I have neighbors! Ok, I've had neighbors in the past, but I've never felt super friendly with them. Now that we own our home, I figured we needed to get friendlier with the people around us. I decided to make cinnamon kettle corn and give this DVD

It's a short movie about the nativity of Christ. The perfect gift for Christmas, in my opinion. You can order your own here: Joy to the World DVD

Cinnamon Kettle Corn recipe adapted from Something Swanky

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, covered.

Put in two kernels. When they pop, the oil is ready

Once hot, stir in the sugar, cinnamon and popcorn.  I use a spoon to help really coat the kernels.

Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning.

Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps.

This year I tried making kettle corn in my Stir Crazy popper. AND IT WORKS and doesn't ruin my Stir Crazy! It's so fast and easy. Never going back to stove top. 

Cinnamon Kettle Corn recipe for Stir Crazy:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Put all ingredients in the Stir Crazy. Place the lid on top and turn it on. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, turn off Stir Crazy and flip over (so the bowl lid is right side up) and take the heat element off**. Allow the popcorn to cool and enjoy.

**Don't leave the heat element on top while it cools, like I did. It melted the side of the bowl/lid a little. 

Coupon to Christmas: How I'm Earning Money for Christmas Gifts This Year PT 1

Not a sponsored post BUT if you sign up for any of these programs I get a referral bonus, just like if you referred your friends yourself. I'm not doing this to earn money (although that'd be great) but to spread knowledge. 



So I've already started on my Christmas prep (remember when I posted about being Wrapped and Done by December One?). I have been using apps and sites to coupon and earn money which I will use to purchase gifts for Christmas. I have only been doing it for a few months, but I hope to cover a lot of gifts this year using my earnings. Here's what I'm doing:

1. Ibotta. Ibotta is a rebate app for grocery stores, alcohol stores, health and beauty stores, apparel stores, electronic stores, restaurants, special occasions, pet stores, home improvement stores, babies and kids stores and movie theaters. That covers a lot! I mostly use it for groceries. They have weekly rebates for milk, bread and eggs as well as major brand items. Easy to use and you get $5 for each person you successfully refer. I've made $15.75 so far. My referral link (disclosure: signing up through this link earns me $5!)

2. Shopkick. Shopkick is a rewards app for both going to a store (like Target) and then scanning items you find there (but don't have to buy). The kicks you earn you can use for all kinds of rewards like gift cards to Target, Starbucks, Macy's, Old Navy, Itunes, American Eagle, gas stations OR big items like Coach handbags, iPads, Tiffany jewelry, Kitchen Aid mixers or Beats by Dre. You get kicks for going into stores you probably already frequent: Target, Best Buy, JC Penney, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Kohl's and a lot more. Easy to use. So far, I've earned a $10 gift card to Target. My referral link (disclosure: you signing up through this link gets me up to 500 kicks, it matches what kicks YOU get in the first month)

3. Bing Rewards. Searching and earning rewards: so easy! You earn credits for searching on your phone (up to 10 credits per day) and PC (up to 15 credits per day). You can search for anything, and aren't you already searching for stuff anyways? So far I've earned $15 in Amazon gift cards. My referral link (disclosure: I get 500 credits for people I refer who reach "silver status" or earn 200 credits)

How are you earning money for Christmas? I'd love to get some more ideas!

Look out for Brooke's post telling us how she's earning money for Christmas!