Kosherfrugal.com - Frugal Living in Israel

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Great Aliexpress finds!

This post contains affliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This will not cost you any extra.

My favorite Aliexpress finds of the day - there are big sales going on!

1. Lego Star Wars set for about 44 ILS (53% off regular price)

2. Lego Star Wars set for 58 ILS (almost 60% off regular price)

3. Lego Minecraft set for about 50 ILS (almost 60% off regular price)

4. Lego Disney Brickheadz set for about 72 ILS (almost 60% off regular price)

More deals coming later - let me know what you're looking for! I love to hear from you!

Find me on Facebook

If you want to find shopping deals, please join my deals groups on Facebook (Kosher Frugal is a public group with limited moderation, Live in Israel, Shop Online is a moderated group, and Israel Deals Made Easy (in English) is also moderated) and WhatsApp (the WhatsApp group is an opt-in group where you'll get links to deals I find. Only admins can post).

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Very simple chocolate yeast cake (vegan)

It's baking shortcut time!

Who loves chocolate yeast cakes (think: Chocolate Babka and the like)?!

Well, we're big fans of them around here, but sometimes I have no time or patience for kneading and rising.

That's where this super simple, cheater version of a chocolate yeast cake comes in!

It's so easy and I even avoid making dirty bowls - I just mix it AND bake it in a baking pan!

Recipe:

1 3/4 cups flour (I used white spelt)

1 Tablespoon dry yeast

4 Tablespoons sugar

pinch of salt

2.5 Tablespoons oil (I used sunflower oil)

3/4 cup warm water

Your favorite chocolate spread (small jar - I use anywhere from 1/2 - a full jar, depending what I have in my pantry)

1/3 -1/2 bag chocolate chips/chocolate chunks

oil for the pan

What you do:

Oil a 9 inch round baking pan or something that holds a similar amount (there are medium size - long but narrowish, not as narrow as "English cake" disposable foil pans - that work) - I used sunflower oil spray.

Place flour, yeast, sugar, and salt into the pan and mix. Make a well in the middle and add water and oil. Mix everything together with a spoon until well combined - it will be a very sticky dough. Spread it out in the pan. Scoop chocolate spread on top of the dough and then use a spatula or spoon to swirl it into the dough. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips.

Put the cake into a cold oven and then turn the oven to 175 C. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting it!

Enjoy with coffee and please let me know if you try it out. I love to hear from you!

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Monday, November 11, 2024

GREAT iHerb sale today (Nov 11) - Don't miss out!

This post contains affiliate or referral links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

עברית למטה

iHerb is one of my favorite ways to find products that I can't get in Israel. Or products that may be available in Israel, but at inflated prices.

Right now, there's this sale:

Get 24% Off Sitewide Through Nov 12, 2024 at 10:00 AM PT:

Use Reward Code QEJ101 and promo code 24DOUBLE!! - Just copy and paste them into your cart, one at a time, OR Click here to load the discount into your cart automatically!

Need some ideas for your iHerb order?

Here are just a few things I recommend - several of these are eligible for the extra discount! I'd love to hear what your favorites are:

Teas

Witch Hazel Toner

Vitamin E Moisturizing Cream

Plant-based (coconut milk based) Caramel

Hand Sanitizer (great size for your bag!)

Lip balm

Concentrated Laundry Detergent

Unscented Compostable Dryer Sheets

Witch Hazel Cleansing Pads

Stridex acne control pads

Cocoa Butter Lotion

Dental Floss

Pain Relief Cream (herbal) (the athletes in my house like this one a lot)

Aspercreme pain relief products (conventional)

Made Good Granola Bars (allergy friendly!)

Cheddar Cheese Powder

Your order of $60 and up will usually qualify for FREE Global Air Locker shipping!

Don't forget these important, basic principles of shopping online from Israel: 

Keep your order under $75 to avoid paying VAT!!
Spread out your orders. If you want to buy more than $75 worth of items from one website, and you have the option of splitting your order - DO IT. BUT don't order more than $75 worth on any given day to the same shipping name/address/ID. If you do, customs may combine your orders and charge you. Give it about 3 days between orders. Best to ship to a different name using a different ID for customs, so you can order it all on the same day.
Always look for the free shipping option - usually, it's to a pickup spot.

I was so excited when my order came to $74.64 after the discount was applied, and with free delivery! Talk about maximizing savings while avoiding import taxes! I hope you're just as successful!

Enjoy and happy savings!

קבלו 24% הנחה על כל האתר של אייהרב עכשיו! 

 אם הקודים לא עולים אוטומטי לסל הזינו את הקודים

QEJ101

ואז

24DOUBLE11

ותקבלו ההנחה המרבית!

רק וודאו שהסל הסופי יוצא ללא מיסים - צריך להיזהר מאוד שאחרי הקודים הסל יורד למתחת ל$75 - סף המע"מ

(ולרוב גם תקבלו משלוח חינם עם גלובל אייר לוקר עם מוסיפים מוצרים כדי שסכום הרכישה 

יגיע ל$60)!

תהינו!

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Tips from an Amazon shopper.

this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of my links, I may receive a small commission, but it won't cost you extra!

Shopping on Amazon from Israel?

Here are some of my favorite tips:

Order only when you can get free shipping, or, if you have to pay for shipping, if the product you're ordering is not available in Israel and you REALLY need it, (but ask around - sometimes shipping can double your cost and then if it IS available in Israel, it may pay to buy it here).

Check for price drops! I save lots of items into my cart and check back later, sometimes the price goes down!

Always check for deals and coupon codes! Click here for your coupon section

Paying with your Israeli credit card? You may be able to get 10% off on the 10th of the month with code MASTERCARDAY.

Always check the International Free Shipping section - click here to go to International Free Shipping

Don't be shy if your order doesn't arrive by the date promised, reach out to Amazon customer service. They'll help make it right! I got a $5 credit last time my order was delayed.

Keep your orders under the taxable threshold. Amazon will calculate your taxes, starting at $75 USD. If you're buying something that's taxable, shop around a little locally first!

Happy savings!

Looking for ways to shop on Amazon and support Israeli businesses? CLICK HERE

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

UPDATED: Buy Blue & White from Overseas (with the convenience of Amazon)

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at NO additional cost to you! Thanks for your support!

This is an UPDATED post for my friends and followers and everyone outside of Israel, who love Israel and want to support the people here, i.e. "Buy Blue & White".

If you're here in Israel looking at an item on Amazon that DOESN'T ship to Israel - I've got great news for you! You can order items to a Shipito address and have them ship it to you! And just in time for your upcoming Prime Day purchases, you can get 10% off your international shipping when you shop on Amazon and send your purchases using Shipito. Just enter the code PRIMEDAY24 at checkout. This limited-time offer runs until July 31, 2024.

It's become SUPER easy to support some Israeli businesses from outside of Israel! So I'd like to help everyone stand in solidarity with Israel with this "Buy Blue & White" guide.

So many companies make it easy to buy their products from the USA - especially those with Amazon storefronts (and many ship to other countries too)!

I'm happy to share some options with you - all of the items listed below are a great way to support an Israeli-owned business and still have the convenience of shopping online! I'm sure there are lots more options, but in the meantime - here are the ones that I know of:

(I hope to keep adding to this list)

Buy Israeli wines (free shipping on 12 or more bottles and $15 off your $200 order with code KW15)

Many Israeli products - art, jewelry, etc - are available at judaica.com (use the link to begin your purchase AND use code SHOP10 for an extra discount)

You can make your own seltzer (carbonated water) using the iconic Sodastream machine.

Or buy beautiful Judaica items, like an Emanuel mezuzah case or chanukiyah, or even a great Havdallah travel set! Also from Emmanuel: Chanukah Kippot, Jerusalem Kippot, painted wooden kiddush cup and coaster, "Yeled Tov/Yaldah Tovah" hammered stainless steel kiddush cups, hammered nickel kiddush cups, and colorful candlesticks.

Buy beautiful jewelry from Paz Creations. Also NanoStyle and Happy Lolli.

Refael Jewelry Designer sells handmade jewelry from Israel.

Also check out embroidered jewelry boxes.

Nurture your plants with a LeGrow planter set.

Display your love of Israel with these Jerusalem-themed ArtTrivets.

Display beautiful Israel on your wall with an Israel Photo Art Calendar!

Decorate your home with beautiful wooden Wall Art from Tohar Design Store, or a fun Chanukah table runner, or a painted washing cup.

If you love music, check out Day of Rest for something different.

Buy Israeli spices from Izrael Zaatar Ltd and bring the flavor of the shuk into your kitchen (BBQ Grill mix, Galilee Stir Fry Seasoning mix).

Try out Israeli herbal/fruit teas: Golan blend or Louisina make great choices.

Get your kids moving and exploring with Israeli-owned Nona Kid pretend play, outdoor play, and fitness equipment for kids.

Check out the whole line of Qurious educational toys and games.

You can even support an Israeli business when you buy non-Israeli products from an Israeli reseller. They buy items wholesale and list them for competitive prices on Amazon. For example, handbags from BSD Merchant.

And, on another note, you can always support Israeli businesses directly: For an interactive Israel-themed online escape room experience, be sure to check out the games at bagelsandlocks.com!

If you love to read, check out books by these Israeli authors:

Az Nashir- We Will Sing Again: Women's Prayers for Our Time of Need,

Hebrew Edition, by The Layers Press (Author), Rachel Sharansky Danziger (Author), Anne Gordon (Author), Shira Lankin Sheps (Editor)

101 Treasures from the National Library of Israel, by Raquel Ukeles (Author), Hezi Amiur (Author), Yoel Finkelman (Author)

The Camel in the Forest: A Memoir from the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,

by A. E. Hayoun (available as a Kindle book)

By Light of Hidden Candles, by Daniella Levy (Author)

Disengagement: Leaving home, finding home, and encounters along the way, by Daniella Levy (Author)

Letters to Josep: An Introduction to Judaism, by Daniella Levy (Author)

The 36: A Modern Quest in the Ancient Holy Land, by Josh Even-Chen (Author) (a long-time friend of mine!)

The Scrolls of Deborah (Desert Songs Trilogy), by Esther Goldenberg (Author)

The House of Lost Spirits, by Einat Shimshoni

Harei At M'guyeset Li, by Segulah Levi (Hebrew novel)

Tully and the Pellmells (Tully Grows Up), by Leona Samson (Author), Idan Ben Simon (Illustrator)

Tales of Brooklyn, by Stan Fischler (Author)

Behind the Net: 106 Incredible Hockey Stories, by Stan Fischler (Author)

Community of Ones:The Search for Self after Devastating Loss, by Leona Samson

A Life Inherited: Unraveling the Trauma of a Second-Generation Holocaust Survivor, by Rena Lipiner Katz (Author)

Weekly Habits for Extraordinary Leaders (How to Master Your Mindset, Inspire Your Team and Elevate Your Business), by Daphna Horowitz

Searching for Heather Dean: My Extraordinary Career as a Celebrity Interviewer and Why I Left It, by Heather Dean

Angels & Tahina: 18 Lessons From Hiking the Israel Trail, by Tzippi Moss

Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination – and Secret Diplomacy – to Stop a Nuclear Iran and Create a New Middle East, by Yonah Jeremy Bob (Author), Ilan Evyatar (Author)

Organized Jewish Life: The Essential Guide for Planning Jewish Holidays, Events and Every Day, by Rebekah Chaifetz Saltzman

Organized Jewish Life Shabbat and Holiday Planner: The Ultimate Organizational Shabbat and Jewish Holiday Checklist and Planning Workbook, by Rebekah Chaifetz Saltzman

A Warrior's Guide to Fibromyalgia, by Sara Halevi

Everything Tracker - The Ultimate Comprehensive CBT Tool Kit, by Sara Halevi MA (Author), Liora Sophie (Illustrator)

The Breast Cancer Checklist, by Fern Reiss

The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days, by Fern Reiss

30 Jewish Superheroes: An Amazing Collection of Jewish Superheroes (Coloring book), by Hillel Penrod (Author), Ayelet Hashachar Penrod (Editor)

15 B'nei Noah Superheroes Coloring & Activity Book: Heroes from Around the World! | Color, Read, and Learn to Draw Your Own Hero, Torah Comics Paperback by Hillel Penrod (Author), Ayelet HaShachar Penrod (Editor)

Inner World (Kindle book) by Hillel Penrod (Author, Illustrator), Ayelet HaShachar Penrod (Editor)

Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to the Magic, Mystery, and Chaos of Life in the Holy Land, by Joel Chasnoff & Benji Lovitt

Nehama Leibowitz: Teacher and Bible Scholar (Modern Jewish Lives), by Yael Unterman

The Hidden of Things: Twelve Stories of Love & Longing, by Yael Unterman

The Street Cats of Nahariya by Jennifer Pyatt (Author), Aya Navot (Illustrator)

White Zion, by Gila Green (see all of her books here, and pre-order the newest one!)

Iconic Jewish Women: Fifty-Nine Inspiring, Courageous, Revolutionary Role Models for Young Girls, by Aliza Lavie (Author)

Getting Ready for Shabbat! Let's Make Soup! (Getting Ready for Jewish Holy Days), by Chaya Bluma Gadenyan

Girls' Names from the Hebrew Bible: A Children's Bilingual (Hebrew-English) Coloring Book, by Chaya Bluma Gadenyan

The Adventures of Incredi-Wheels & Triple S: The Mysterious Missing Book, by Rebecca Rubin Seligson

Storky's Journey Home, by Nachshon Meir Spiegelman

The Lazy Investor: How to Set a Profitable & Hassle-free Investment Portfolio, by David Mann (Author)

Tribal Lands: The Twelve Tribes of Israel in Their Ancestral Territories, by Tamar Weissman (Author)

The Koren Tanakh: Esther (English and Hebrew Edition) (Graphic Novel Format) by Jordan Gorfinkel (Creator), Yael Nathan (Illustrator), Jessica Sacks (Translator)

Not in the Sky: A Collection of Modern Midrash or Biblical Spoken Word, by Rose Isabel Tempest (Author)

THE CAVE OF THE HEART (Kuntres Maarat Ha-Lev): A Treatise on Jewish Contemplative Prayer, by Nachman Davies (Author)

If you want to be added to this list, please email me at ester@kosherfrugal.com!

Thanks for supporting Israeli businesses! Let me know if you found this list helpful, and feel free to share it with all of your friends!

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Discount Code: Eva's Used Books

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Everyone seems to be looking for a way to get through this crazy time, and for many of us, that means we need to keep a distraction on hand. Yes, there's always TV and movies, but there are also BOOKS - they make a great distraction.

And since we all want to support Israeli businesses, be sure to check out this local online English bookstore - Eva's Used Books! Eva's got a great selection of previously owned books in good condition, albeit in limited quantities, and it's definitely worth checking out her shop!

And since you know I'm all about saving money, I've got an exclusive discount to share: Get 10% off your order with code KOSHERFRUGAL!

As far as shipping goes - orders over 75 NIS ship FREE within Israel! This could just change our lives - because I still CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT BOOKS (yes I have the mug!).

Happy reading!

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Updated Aliexpress Dance Finds

This post contains affiliate links, so if you click on a link and make a purchase,
I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you.

Dancers in the family? We've got those! And believe me, it gets expensive. But while I can't help you cut corners on the class tuition, I figured I would share some links that have allowed us to pick up dancewear and supplies for a little less money.

Sometimes you just can't cut corners - I don't buy off-brand pointe shoes, for example. But other times, there might be great ways to save. Here are some of our favorite money savers - hope this helps you, too!

One of my daughters really likes these split-sole ballet shoes from DayDance! Click here to check them out! NOTE: they run pretty much true to size - but remember that dancers' feet usually swell a bit when they're warmed up, so be sure to measure when they're warmed up.

Our favorite place to buy softer, romantic look tutus and lyrical dresses is Thank Frank's Aliexpress store. For the price, the quality is AMAZING.

We bought this one from them when we first discovered Thank Frank, and no one believed that it cost less than $50 USD!

(It is priced slightly higher now, but what hasn't gone up lately?)

This pretty blue peasant dress has seen several competitions already, and it's holding up really well!

For the classic tutu look (pancake style/platter style), we really had a hard time finding a discount seller. But in the end we discovered All For Dance. This seller sells so many dance costumes - and we chose a pre-professional tutu that truly exceeded our expectations! It was actually prettier in real life than in the picture below.

We've got our eyes on a few other dance costumes from All For Dance, like this white romantic tutu.

And if you need a lyrical dress, there are some nice options here too. Like this purple one with sequins, or this white one (one of my girls wore this one to a performance).

We also try to get convertible tights for a lot less than the standard price in dancewear stores. So if you just really can't fathom spending 40 NIS on a pair of tights, be aware that you CAN get THREE pairs for the same amount! Here are the tights that we bought:

We've tried others, but in the end we keep coming back to this seller, because these tights were much better than other discount tights we've found! Click here to go to this listing!

If you need a new dance shoe bag, try one of these. And if your dancer loves dance-themed items also outside the studio, there are lots to choose from:

Pointe shoe keychain (under 15 NIS) (here's another one currently priced a drop lower: pointe shoe keychain)

BALLET t-shirt with many color options (under 20 NIS)

Ballerinas dancing sketch t-shirt (under 15 NIS)

Born to Dance t-shirts (about 20 NIS)

Hope you found this helpful!

If you've found a different seller that has impressed you, please let me know which, so we can check it out too!

Thanks

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Early Access to a great iHerb Sale!

This post contains affiliate or referral links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you.