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A photo of my groceries from Kroger for our $70 budget

Shared Mar 24, 2019 comment

I was $3.17 under budget on groceries this week — yay!

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 24, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Last Week’s Groceries

Last Sunday, I didn’t get a chance to share what I bought last week at Kroger because I was in New York City. However, I wanted to show you pictures since I’ll be using these groceries in some of our meals in the next month.

First up, I was super excited to get peanut butter for just $0.99! I stocked up on 5 jars!

I was also pretty excited about getting those BAGS of avocados for $0.99 per bag. I’ve been eating a lot of avocados the past week!

Then Jesse went to Kroger when I was on my trip to stock up on the really good weekend deals — including 32-oz blocks of cheese for $3.99.

All totaled, we spent right at $70 on groceries for everything shown above.

For those who asked about how I got the coupon-filled Kroger magazine, I wrote a post on it here.

I didn’t make it to Kroger this week until Thursday and I guess it was a good day to go… because I found bagged salads marked down to $0.25 each.

Say what???? It was pretty exciting because I have never seen bagged salads even remotely close to that price!

I wrote more about how I MADE money on multiple items at Kroger that shopping trip.

I was excited about the weekend deals for this week, including Sabra Hummus for $1.49! We love hummus, so I bought the limit of 5

Thursday Kroger Shopping Trip

5 bags of Stacy’s Pita Chips — $1.49 each as part of the Kroger Weekend Deals
5 packages Johnsonville Sausage — $1.99 each as part of the Kroger Weekend Deals
5 packages Johnsonville Smoked Sausage — $1.99 each as part of Kroger Weekend Deals + I got a $5 off coupon for buying 5
1 lb. Simple Truth Ground Pork — marked down to $2.50
3 bags of Bagged Salad Kits — marked down to $0.25 each
Nourish Bowl — marked down to $1
French Bread — marked down to $0.79
Dole Salad Kit — marked down to $0.50
Spinach — marked down to $1
Pickles — $1.49
Half & Half — $1.79
3 Simple Truth cartons of eggs — marked down to $0.79 each
1 dozen medium Simple Truth eggs — marked down to $1.29
Kroger Water — $0.79
Whole Milk — $2.59
2 bottles of Kraft Barbecue Sauce — $0.49 each when you buy 5 participating items
Gilette Shave Gel — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items + used $0.75 Kroger Digital Coupon = $0.24
Orville Redenbacher popcorn — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
1 bag of cuties — marked down to $0.99
4 bags of Mrs. Cubbison’s Croutons — $0.29 each when you buy 5 participating items, used $1/2 Mrs. Cubbison’s printable coupon + submitted my receipt to get $1 back from iBotta
2 bottles of Ken’s dressing — $1.49 each when you buy 5 participating items, $1/1 Ken’s dressing peelie coupons +
submitted my receipt to get $1.50 back from iBotta
Total with tax: $54.19

On Saturday, I was over on the side of town where Sprouts is, so I ran by in take advantage of the weekend deal to get Blackberries for $0.88.

I also looked at the Manager’s Specials for meat and found Lamb Chops marked down to $2.50. Yes, it was more expensive than what I’d usually pay per pound for meat, but I’ve been promising Silas I would buy lamb if I found a deal on it and I finally did! (He fell in love with lamb when we visited South Africa!)

Saturday Sprouts Shopping Trip

5 cartons of blackberries — $0.88 (Weekend Special)
1 package of Lamb Chop — $2.50
Total with tax: $7.37

Psst! If you have a Sprouts nearby, be sure to check out these freebies you can get.

I also stopped by a different Kroger that was right by Sprouts. There wasn’t anything super exciting, but here’s what I picked up:

Saturday Kroger Shopping Trip

Cantaloupe — marked down to $0.99
1 loaf of bread — marked down to $0.99
1 can of refried black beans — marked down to $0.69
1 bag of flour — marked down to $1.49
Butterfinger — Free Friday offer
Total with tax: $5.27

Total spent on groceries: $66.83

Cashback earned this week: 125 points for submitting my receipts to Fetch rewards, $2.50 back from iBotta

Shared Mar 23, 2019 comment

Brigette’s $82 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 23, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.69

1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Organic Almond Milk – $2.25

1/2 gallon Whole Milk – $0.78

1 gallon 1% Milk – $1.31

1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55

1 large pkg Fresh Chicken Thighs ($0.79/lb) – $4.31

1 3-lb bag Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – $5.39

2 cans Chicken – $3.10

1 pkg Turkey Pepperoni – $1.95

1-lb Sausage – $1.89

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.55

1 pkg Cream Cheese Wedges – $1.29

1 16-oz bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $2.19

1 24-pz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59

1 32-oz carton Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt – $3.29

4 individual cups Greek Yogurt – $2.36

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49

2 bags Frozen Riced Cauliflower – $3.78

1 pkg Zucchini – $1.49

1 Cantaloupe – $0.99

1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.69

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.89

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $2.99

1 pkg Flat Leaf Spinach – $0.99

1 Cauliflower – $1.99

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.99

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.69

2 pkgs Blackberries – $1.78

1 3-head pkg Fresh Garlic – $0.79

1 bag Fresh Green Beans – $1.69

1 bunch Bananas (2.54lbs @ $0.38/lb) – $0.97

3 large Seedless Cucumbers – $2.17

2 boxes Honey Nut Oats – $2.30

1 box Crisp Rice – $1.15

1 pkg Plain Rice Cakes $1.15

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.65

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.59

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

3 large boxes Buttery Round Crackers – $2.37

1 jar Creamy Natural Peanut Butter – $1.05

1 24-oz jar Honey – $3.99

1 jar Soy Sauce – $1.19

Total: $83.47

Grocery Total for the Week: $82.96

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:

Oatmeal, Cereal, Yogurt, Fruit, Toast, Fried/Boiled/Scrambled Eggs, Veggie Omelets

Brunch at a Friend’s House – I’m bringing Gluten-Free Oatmeal Spice Muffins and Veggie Egg Muffins

Lunches

Crackers and Peanut Butter, Cheese Sticks, Apples, Carrots x 2

Cheese Quesadillas, Cucumbers, Bananas/Cantaloupe x 2

Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar (Romaine, Spring Mix, Canned Chicken, Chopped Veggies, Shredded Cheese, Nuts, Craisins, Blackberries, Hard Boiled Eggs), Crackers

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs, Fried Cauliflower Rice, Biscuits

Meat Potato Quiche, Make-Ahead Butterhorns, Tossed Salad, Roasted Broccoli

Dinner at a Friend’s House

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza, Green Beans

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup (I’ll use sausage in this instead of hamburger), Tossed Salad, Buttered Toasted Hot Dog Buns

Easy Chicken Parmesan, Homemade French Bread, Roasted Cauliflower

Leftovers

Shared Mar 22, 2019 comment

Gretchen’s $62 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on March 22, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Dillons #1

I actually had some time this week to check out more than one Dillons for markdowns and ended up finding things at both places. Here is what I found at the first Dillons!

1 bag Yellow Peppers – Marked down to $0.99

1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99

2 dozen Eggs – Marked down to $0.29 each (Woohoo!)

1 pkg Go-Gurt – Marked down to $1.29

1 pint Chocolate Milk – Marked down to $0.49

5.11 lbs Bananas – $2.50

Total: $6.84

Dillons #2

1.82 lbs Bananas – $0.89 (I ended up buying more because I wanted more ripe bananas and my toddler was screaming for a banana to eat right at that moment… Haha!)

2 pkg Sargento Shredded Cheese – $1.79 each, used $1.50/2 e-coupon – $1.04 each after coupon

1 jar Yeast – $5.99

2 Frozen Freschetta Pizzas – $2.99 each with e-coupon

1 Planter’s Peanuts – Marked down to $1.79

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.69

1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99

1 bag Oranges – Marked down to $0.99

1 Mother’s Coconut Cookies – Marked down to $1.49 (These are AMAZING!!! I’m addicted now!)

Total after coupons: $21.89

Aldi

2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each

2 Cantaloupe – $0.99 each

1 Pineapple – $1.29

1 bag Frozen Blueberries – $2.29

1 bag Frozen Strawberries – $1.95

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99

1 box Animal Crackers – $1.59

1 box Granola Bars – $1.59

1 box Fruit Snacks – $3.99

1 loaf Bread – $1.39

1 pkg English Muffins – $0.99

1 box Snack Crackers – $1.49

1 box Thin Wheat Crackers – $0.99

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.99

1 pkg Frozen Tilapia Fillets – $3.39

1 bag Potato Chips – $0.99

Total: $33.49

Total for all stores: $62.22

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toast, Eggs, Oatmeal, Fruit

Lunches

Fruit Smoothies, Tossed Salad Bar, Baked Potatoes, Cheese Quesadillas, Picnic at the park (Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Animal Crackers, Oranges, Apples), Fruit/Veggies/Crackers/Yogurt, Leftovers

Dinners

Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks

Mac & Cheese, Fruit Smoothies

Company for dinner – Grilled Chicken/Tilapia, Steamed Veggies, Tossed Salad (They are bringing a fruit tray.)

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Salad

Grilled Hamburgers with Homemade Buns, Chips, Sliced Peppers

Baked Ziti, Homemade Rolls, Steamed Carrots

Poor Man’s Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Peas

Shared Mar 21, 2019 comment

How I got PAID to buy groceries today (I promise this is legal!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 21, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I love finding deals at Kroger! If you have a Kroger store or Kroger affiliate, you don’t want to miss this post!

I got PAID to buy groceries today. Well, I mean, the store clerk didn’t hand me money (though that has happened before when I had so many coupons that I had a negative balance!), but I did get all of these items for FREE — and I made money back for buying them.

I usually wait to share my grocery posts with you on Sundays. But I just can’t wait to share my deals with you today, because my Kroger shopping trip was kind of insane… and well, you might find the same deals at your Kroger, so I figured I shouldn’t keep this to myself until Sunday.

How I Got Paid To Buy Groceries

Kroger is running a Buy 5, Get $5 Off deal through April 2, 2019. I was planning to buy Mrs, Cubbison’s croutons because my kids love them (they literally eat them like potato chips; I know, weird but true!).

I thought they were priced at $0.49 each when you buy 5 participating items. When I got to the store, I discovered that our store had them for $0.29 — no coupons needed. Best of all, there was a $1/2 coupon + an iBotta rebate. So they were MORE than free.

However, that’s not all, there were peelie coupons on them for $1 off any Ken’s salad dressing when buy 2. Ken’s dressing is also part of the Buy 5, Get $5 Off deal AND there is an Ibotta rebate for Ken’s dressing, too.

Here Are the Details on What I Bought

Here’s how I ended up working this deal:

I bought 4 bags of Mrs. Cubbison’s Croutons — $0.29 each when you buy 5 participating items
And I bought 2 bottles of Ken’s dressing — $1.49 each when you buy 5 participating items
Then, I used $1/2 Mrs. Cubbison’s printable coupon
And I used 2 $1/1 Ken’s dressing peelie coupons
Plus, I submitted my receipt to get $1 back from iBotta for buying 4 bags of Mrs. Cubbison’s Croutons
AND, I submitted my receipt to get $1.50 back from iBotta for buying 2 bottles of Ken’s dressing
After the deals, the coupons, and the rebates = everything was FREE + overage*

Oh and by the way, guess what else I found marked down at the store today? Salads marked down to $0.25 each!!!! (Seeing as I usually eat two salads every day, I should be stocked up on salad ingredients for a little while!)

*In case you are wondering, I also bought 4 other Buy 5, Get $5 Off participating items. I’ll share all of my groceries on Sunday. I spent $54 and saved $60!

Shared Mar 19, 2019 comment

The Year My Body Broke Down

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 19, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

After last time Jesse was on my podcast, I got a request from a listener asking if he could do more of the talking on the episodes he’s on. He’s actually quite a talker when he feels comfortable in situations (and can give me a run for my money when it comes to talking!), so I loved this request because I think it encouraged him to know that you all enjoy what he has to share and he doesn’t have to feel like he needs to hold back.

So I’m excited that you’ll be hearing more from him in this episode — and in future episodes! (Stay tuned for a fun announcement next week about a change that’s coming to the podcast!)

I asked him if he wanted to share his own “what’s saving my life” suggestion and he brought a great resource this week and it’s something that has helped him spend less time on his phone. We talk about that and about an app I’ve been using that has been so helpful for me, too.

We also talk about the books we’ve been reading and then we dive into another episode about our story. This time around, we pick up where we had just moved back to Wichita and he started his law firm.

We share some of the pretty cool things that happened to help his law firm get off the ground, we talk about how my sister basically saved us when we had to move and I was middle of morning sickness, we share about our awful flea-infested house, the joys and stresses of that season,

Tune in to hear more about Jesse’s law practice, the move we made during this time (while I was pregnant!), the terrible flea infestation that we had to deal with, and how I pushed way too hard and ended up wrecking my health.

In This Episode:

[02:12] – Ready to hear what’s saving our lives this week? In keeping with the request from a listener, Jesse and I both share today!

[05:35] – Jesse talks in-depth about using the Full Focus Planner and I share why I decided it wouldn’t work for me.

[07:15] – I share about an app I have been using that has been working surprisingly well for me — and saving us money!

[11:07] – What do you know?? Jesse finished a book and has started another one! We talk about what both of us have been reading.

[14:47] – Jesse and I chat more about moving back to Wichita and why Jesse made the decision to start his own law firm.

[17:13] – An attorney who had recently become a judge had to quit his practice and completely floored us by handing over his phone number and ads to Jesse, which opened some big doors for us and became the bread and butter for beginning his business.

[18:38] – Moving back to Wichita was quite the adventure! We laugh about how we always seem to move when I was in the middle of morning sickness. It was only thanks to my sister’s help that we managed to pull off moving this time around.

[22:13] – And then we discovered that the duplex we were going to move into was infested with fleas!! Despite the fleas, we were excited to move back and be close to family.

[25:16] – However, I was afraid of going back to barely surviving again that I pushed way too hard when it came to my work hours. In fact, when Silas was born, I didn’t take really any time off to recover. All this “pushing through” hurt my health for years to come and I look back and wish I would have made different choices.

[28:22] – God used this breaking down of my body to really strip me of the last vestiges of my self-sufficient legalism and I look back and am grateful that I couldn’t do it all myself… because I had to really learn to rely on the Lord and to ask for help.

Links and Resources:

Full Focus Planner
Crystal’s post on How She Plans Her Days Without Using a Planner
More details on how Crystal uses Google Calendar to plan her days
MileIQ Mileage Tracking App
Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly
Etched in Sand by Regina Calcaterra
My Favorite Things on Amazon
CrystalPaine.com
MoneySavingMom.com
YourBloggingMentor.com
My Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]

How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show

The podcast is available on iTunes, Android, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can listen online through the direct player we’ll include in the show notes of each episode. OR, a much easier way to listen is by subscribing to the podcast through a free podcast app on your phone. (Find instructions for how to subscribe to a podcast here.)

Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Click here to sign up!

Shared Mar 18, 2019 comment

How to Get Cheap Broadway Tickets

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 18, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for cheap Broadway tickets? In this post, I share some best tips and strategies for getting a discount on Broadway show tickets.

Interested in more ways to save in NYC? Read my post about our family’s trip to New York City. For more cheap vacation ideas, check out 4 Creative Ways to Fund Family Vacations, 9 Money-Saving Vacation Tips, and How to Save Money on Food While On Vacation.

How to Find Cheap Broadway Show Tickets

If you have ever wondered if it’s possible to find cheap Broadway tickets, you don’t want to miss this post! I went with two of my sisters to New York City this past weekend and we were determined to have an amazing weekend on a really tight budget.

Since neither of my sisters had ever been to NYC, both of them really wanted to go to a Broadway show. But we didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it.

So I put on my researcher hat and began scouting the internet, asking around online, and digging up everything I could about how to find cheap Broadway tickets.

Y’all! I was shocked with my findings! And I’m going to let you in on all the secrets I discovered in this post — including how to get tickets for as low as $10!!

Don’t Order Tickets Ahead of Time!

If there is one thing I discovered in all my research, it is this: You will spend a LOT more money if you order your tickets ahead of time! If you are willing to risk it and wait until the day before or the day of the show, that’s when you’ll find the best deals on Broadway tickets.

Be Flexible With What Shows You Want to See

Yes, I get it. You probably have a show or two that you have your heart set on seeing. But I would encourage you to pick a list of shows you want to see and work from that when looking for tickets. You’ll have a lot better chance of finding a deal on one of them then if you are dead set on only seeing one particular show.

Enter the Ticket Lotteries

The very best deals I found were on the ticket lotteries. Many shows offer them and you can find crazy deals. For instance, one person told me they saw Hamilton for $10. Another person told me they saw The Lion King for $30!

While not all of the shows offer tickets for as low as $10 through the ticket lotteries, there are many that offer $20 tickets and $30 tickets.

Most of the lotteries work something like this (be sure to read the details really carefully):

You go to a special website starting at 7 p.m. the night before the performance until 8:30 a.m. the day of the performance. After the lottery closes, you will be notified within minutes if you won or not. (To find out which shows offer ticket lotteries, head over to BroadwayforBrokePeople.com.)
If you won, you’ll have 60 minutes to claim your seats and pay for your tickets online. You cannot choose your seats; they are assigned to you and may not be seats with a great view. There is usually a limit of two tickets at that price.
Once you’ve paid, you’ll need to use your ID to pick up the tickets between 30 to 90 minutes before show time.

Yes, it’s a little complicated and you don’t know for sure if you are going to get the deal, but for the price, you just about can’t beat that deal!

I think this option would work especially well if you have some flexibility in your schedule and are in NYC for more than one night (you could enter the ticket lottery the first night and, if you don’t win, enter again for the next night!)

Check Out Rush Options

Many theaters offer a Rush option. These are extra tickets that haven’t sold, typically for seats that aren’t the best.

Theaters typically offer these on a first-come, first-served basis and they are available as soon as the box office opens for the show that day. There is usually a limit of two tickets per person.

Some shows also offer Student Rush tickets which are available 30 minutes before the curtain time. These tickets are often half price and are only available to current students and you can only get one ticket per student ID.

This is an option that is kind of risky, but if you have wiggle room in your itinerary and you enjoy adventure, it might be an option for you.

To see which shows are offering Student Rush and General Rush tickets, check out BroadwayforBrokePeople.com.

Check a TKTS Booth

Many people recommended checking out the TKTS booths that are located around New York City. These booths offer discounted tickets for shows that are the same day.

We checked these out and this would be a good option if you were looking for more than two tickets (the Lotteries and Rush options have a limit of two tickets). The prices were around $60 to $80 for most tickets and they had quite a few to choose from. One downside is that you may have to wait in a long line and it’s very first-come, first-served.

Order From TodayTix.com

If you don’t want to stand in a line and you are willing to pay a little more, TodayTix.com offers last-minute ticket options that are cheaper. You can order up to six tickets together and you can choose the area where you will sit.

To find the best deals, check the Bang for Your Buck section where they offer tickets for around $49 each. They offer a wide variety of shows and you can order up to a few weeks in advance.

Do note that you will pay an additional $12.50 processing fee in addition to the advertised price. You’ll pick up your tickets from a representative outside the theater 30 minutes before the show.

What are YOUR best tips for getting cheap Broadway tickets? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Mar 16, 2019 comment

Brigette’s $72 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 16, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

My older sister, Brigette, shares her shopping trips and menu plans every week! You can go HERE to see all of her weekly menu plans and you can go HERE to read all about her family!

Aldi

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.31

1/2 gallon 1% Milk – $0.78

1/2 gallon Orange Juice – $1.69

1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55

1 can Breadcrumbs – $0.89

1 can Condensed Tomato Soup – $0.89

3 5-lb bags All-Purpose Flour – $2.17

2 bozes Honey Nut Oats – $2.30

3boxes Frosted Shredded Wheat – $2.37

4 single-serving sized containers Yogurt – $2.36

1 16-oz bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $2.49

1 16-oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.15

1 16-oz pkg Butter Quarters – $2.29

3 dozen Eggs – $2.37

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59

1 bag String Cheese – $1.95

1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $2.89

1 bag Fresh Green Beans – $1.49

1 Cabbage – $0.79

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $1.79

1 3-lb bag Jazz Apples – $3.79

1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.99

1 3-lb bag Pears – $2.99

1 bag Zucchini – $1.49

3 bags frozen Broccoli Florets – $3.27

1 pkg Strawberries – $1.59

1 bag Red Grapes ($0.79/lb) – $1.77

1 bunch Bananas ($0.35/lb) – $0.88

2 bags Riced Cauliflower – $3.78

2 bags Plain Rice Cakes – $2.30

1 bag Gluten Free Pretzels – $1.85

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 bag Flour Tortillas – $0.65

Total: $62.22

Harris Teeter

5 cans Green Beans – $1.85

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $2.50, used $0.75/1 Butterball Turkey Bacon – 1-6-19 SS; Includes 12 oz Only (doubled), plus receive $0.75 rebate from Ibotta – $0.25 after coupon and rebate

5 boxes Barilla Pasta – $3.58, used 2 $0.55/2 Barilla Pasta – 02-10-19 RMN (exp. 04/07/19) (doubled) – $1.38/5 after coupons

1 pkg Chips Ahoy Thins – $1.97, used $0.75/1 Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Thins Cookies – 3-3-19 SS; Includes 7 oz or Larger Only (exp. 04/13/19) (doubled) – $0.47 after coupon

1 Think Thin Oatmeal Cup – $2.00, used $0.75/1 ThinkThin Oatmeal Cup or Box – 3-10-19 SS (exp. 04/30/19) (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon

5 boxes Quaker Granola Bars – $5.98, used 2 $1.00/2 Quaker Chewy Bars – 3-3-19 SS (exp. 04/21/19) – $3.98/5

1 bag Eight O’ Clock Coffee – $2.89, used $1.00/1 printable – $1.89 after coupon

Total after Coupons and Rebates : $10.22

Grocery Total for the Week: $72.44

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:

Scrambled/Boiled/Fried Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast, Yogurt, Fruit

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Mini Peppers, Apples x 2

Pretzels, Cheese Sticks, Strawberries, Carrots

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter, Pears, Cucumbers x 2

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Egg Roll in a Bowl (I’ll shred my own cabbage instead of using coleslaw mix), Rice, Stir-Fry Broccoli

Crustless Quiche, Biscuits, Tossed Salad, Grapes

German Oven Pancake, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Green Beans

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Tossed Salad

Dinner at a Friend’s House

Easy Chicken Parmesan, Green Beans, Homemade French Bread

Leftovers

Shared Mar 15, 2019 comment

How I Plan My Days Without Using a Planner

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 15, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to know what kind of planner I use? Well, I actually don’t use a planner! In this post, I share what I do instead of using a planner and how it works for me.

I’ve recently gotten a number of questions about how I organize and plan my days, stay on task, and keep track of my yearly goals.

I know this will probably come as a shocker to many of you…but I actually don’t use a traditional planner.

Here’s the method I’ve been using for years that works really, really well for me…

1. I “brain dump” everything into Google Calendar.

Whenever anything comes up in my mind that I need to remember, I immediately add it to Google Calendar so I don’t forget about it.

It might be a doctor’s appointment, a blog post to write, a friend’s birthday I don’t want to forget, a note I need to write to someone, cupcakes I need to take to school for a child’s birthday, etc.

The key is that as soon as something like that pops in my head, I immediately add it to Google Calendar as an all-day task on the day I need to remember it by. (It might be the day-of if it’s an appointment, a week ahead of time if it’s a birthday card I need to buy, or a couple days ahead of time if it’s a post I need to draft.)

This gets the information overload out of my head and into an organized space where I know I can find it when I need it.

2. At the end of the day, I write out a time-blocked To Do list for the next day.

I used to do this each night before bed, but this year I’m actually trying to do it as the last work task before I turn off my computer each day.

{That’s because I’ve set a goal this year to put my phone and computer in the basement at night and not look at it until the next day.}

When I make my to-do list, I simply look at my all-day tasks on Google calendar for the following day and then make out a detailed time-blocked schedule.

A few hints about making a daily time-blocked schedule:

Make it as detailed as possible. This helps me prioritize well and stay on task, especially when it comes to my online work. I don’t want to waste time online and I have to make sure I stay on track, so having a really detailed plan helps me stay on task all day long.
Always put the most important things first. Focus on your top priority tasks first to ensure they get done. Life happens and schedules often get thrown off, so you want to make sure you’re prioritizing your most important tasks first.
Start and end the day with filling up your soul. I start my day with devotional and Bible reading. And I end my day with reading after spending time with my family.
Keep things compartmentalized. I always try to make sure I fully close out my work day so that business isn’t creeping into personal family time. I want to make sure I’m keeping work and personal separate and that I’m doing each thing well when I’m doing it. Wherever I am and whatever I’m focusing on, I want to be all there.

I recently read the book Deep Work, and it really inspired me to find focus in a hurried world and prioritize the compartmentalization of my work and family life. If you’re really good at creating a daily schedule but struggle to focus or get things done, or if you wish you could be more structured in your day, I’d definitely recommend it!

3. I use a weekly habit checklist for my personal and business daily habits.

This is a third tool I’ve added this year for 2019, and I’ve absolutely loved it so far!

You can see my daily checklist above, and my goal is that there are five checkmarks in every line every week. So I don’t aim for perfection, but I try to do the best I can do while giving myself grace. I also have a separate checklist for work-related habits each day.

I try to look at this checklist on a daily basis and track how I am doing. This helps me to have an overall view of how I’m doing in the areas that are a priority to me and helps me to know if I’m getting off track.

Having a daily habit checklist has been incredibly helpful and motivating to me. It might be weird or juvenile, but I just love getting to check off those boxes! 🙂

Want more in-depth details on my planning process?

While this post gives you a basic overview, I put together a resource a few years ago that goes more in-depth into how I use Google calendar and how I plan my days using Google calendar and a time-blocked to do list.

In this free download, I walk you through the nitty gritty details of how I plan out my days, plus I give you on advice on how to implement this system for yourself if you feel like it would be helpful to you!

Sign up for my Make Over Your Calendar download for FREE.

Shared Mar 14, 2019 comment

How to Get Kroger MyMagazine

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 14, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to get the Kroger MyMagazine in the mail? This magazine has some fantastic coupons in it that are customized for the products you buy.

Looking for more ways to save at Kroger? I also blog about my Kroger shopping trips, how to get markdowns at Kroger, and my $70 grocery shopping trips.

NOTE: Kroger no longer offers the printed MyMagazine. You can see a digital copy here and log into your account for ongoing digital coupon savings.

After I posted last week about getting a free copy of Kroger MyMagazine in the mail, multiple people reached out to me and asked how to get this magazine. While I can’t tell you exactly how to get the magazine, I wanted to share more about this magazine and some possible ways you might be able to get it, too.

What is Kroger MyMagazine?

Kroger MyMagazine is a magazine with tips and recipes using Kroger products. The best part of the magazine is that in the center, there are some fantastic coupons — and they seem to be customized based upon what you have purchased and regularly purchase. You can often pair these coupons with great sales at Kroger to make even better deals!

Sign Up for Kroger MyMagazine Sharing Network

Kroger MyMagazine Sharing Network is free to sign up for and they sometimes offer you opportunities to try free products. They also let you know when Kroger is rolling out new initiatives.

If you love Kroger, you’ll definitely want to sign up. Plus, I don’t know if it’s related, but I started getting the Kroger MyMagazine after I signed up.

Make Sure Your Address is Correct In Your Account

Are you regularly getting mailers with Kroger coupons in them? If not, it might be because your address is not correct in your account.

I stopped getting the mailers of Kroger coupons in the mail after we moved from Kansas to Tennessee. I didn’t catch it at first, but when I noticed I was no longer getting them, I went to Kroger and asked at customer service if they could fix my address in my account.

Because I had Dillon’s card instead of a Kroger card (we had a Kroger affiliate called Dillon’s in Kansas), they had me re-sign up for a new card. Within a few months, I was regularly getting coupons mailed to me again.

Swipe Your Card Every Time You Shop

Reader, Andrea, reached out to Kroger about how to get Kroger MyMagazine in the mail and here’s what their customer service said:

There really is no way to subscribe to Korger MyMagazine. They aren’t mailed out on a weekly or monthly basis like most magazines. No customer receives every issue. In fact, one issue may be mailed to a completely different set of homes than the previous issue.

Each issue is based on a theme – for instance, “Super Bowl Parties” – or a special interest such as pet ownership. Therefore, it would depend on a person’s shopping history. We would encourage you to swipe your card every time you shop, so a shopping history can be built.

Also, we mail a Kroger MyMagazine issue to the customers who best match up with that particular theme or interest, and who typically buy a lot of the products featured in the magazine. Because the products and the themes are always changing, so is the mailing list for each issue.

So you can’t subscribe, but if you continue shopping at our stores, you may receive Kroger MyMagazine when it matches up with your interests and the products you buy.

I hope this information proves helpful. If you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at 800.576.4377. Thank you for your patronage and have a great day.

Thank you for shopping with us and have a great day.

Sincerely,

Cynthia from Kroger Customer Connect

Looking for more ways to save at Kroger?

Have you gotten the Kroger MyMagazine before?

Shared Mar 14, 2019 comment

Gretchen’s $79 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on March 14, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Dillons

2 pkg Turkey/Ham Kroger Sandwich Meat – $2.50 each, used 2 $0.50/1 e-coupon – $2 each after coupon

1 bag Kroger Tortilla Chips – $1.49

2 bags Kroger Shredded Cheese (16 oz each) – $3.49 each, used 2 $1/1 e-coupon – $2.99 each after coupon

5 pkg Kroger Applesauce Cups – $1.29 each used 5 $0.40/1 e-coupon – $0.89 each after coupons

3 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.49 each, used 3 $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.99 each after coupon

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.69

1 loaf Honey Wheat Bread – $2.49, used $1/1 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon

1 Ground Black Pepper – $1.25

1 can Chopped Olives – $1.39

1.18 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $1.17

1 pkg String Cheese – $3.49, used $1/1 e-coupon – $2.49 after coupon

1 pkg Cookies – Marked down to $1.79

5.31 lbs Bananas – $2.60

1 pkg Mission Tortillas – $2.59

1 Kroger Sour Cream – $1.99, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon

1 Reese Pieces Bar – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Kroger Half & Half – $1.79

Total after coupons: $38.63

Aldi

2 pkg Frozen Peas – $0.79 each

1 pkg Cheese Crackers – $1.49

1 pkg Frozen Chicken Nuggets – $3.79

1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49

1 Half & Half – $1.59

2 Cucumbers – $0.59 each

1 6-pack Raisins – $1.19

1 dozen Eggs – $0.58

1 bag Mandarin Oranges – $2.39

1 canister Peanuts – $2.19

1 pkg Green Grapes – $2.64

1 MooTubes Yogurt – $1.55

1 pkg Frozen Strawberries – $1.95

1 pkg Fruit & Grain Bars – $1.39

2 pkg Strawberries – $1.49 each

1 pkg Chewy Granola Bars – $1.59

1 pkg Snack Crackers – $1.49

1 gallon Milk – $1.49

1 lb Butter – $2.88

Total: $40.42

Total for both stores: $79.05

Menu Plan for This Week

I’m planning to be out of town several days this week so I bought lots of snacks and easy to prepare foods so my husband doesn’t have to make food for the family/eat out for every meal. 😉

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toast, Eggs, Fruit, Smoothies

Lunches

Mac & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, Crackers/Cheese/Applesauce, Yogurt & Banana Muffins, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Turkey Sandwiches, Leftovers

Dinners

Soft Tacos, Chips & Salsa, Cookies (We are having friends for dinner and they are bringing rice.)

Spaghetti, Butterhorn Rolls, Steamed Peas

Grilled Steak (from the freezer), Steamed Corn, Strawberries

Homemade Cheese Pizza, Fruit Salad

Grilled Hamburgers (meat and buns from our freezer), Steamed Peas

Chicken & Gravy over Noodles, Biscuits, Tossed Salad

Waffles, Eggs, Fruit

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!

Shared Mar 13, 2019 comment

16 Ways to Save More At Restaurants

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 13, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to learn how to save at restaurants? Here are 16 ideas for saving money on eating out:

Guest post from Sarah who blogs at Sidetracked Sarah:

Does your family eat out a lot?

We don’t do it very much, because we have a large family and the cost can be outrageous if we’re not careful.

Throughout the years though, we’ve learned ways that we can still eat out as a family and not spend way too much.

Here are 16 different ways we save more at restaurants!

Save any restaurant coupons you get in the mail or newspapers. I like to put them in the glove box of my car or in my purse so that I’ll have them when I want or need them.
Order water to drink. Imagine my family all ordering drinks at $2 per person. We have 9 in the family, we’d be spending nearly $20 of our tab on drinks. Not only is drinking water better for you, but it saves you dollars!
Share meals. Some restaurants are notorious for providing extra large servings. If you find one that you always end up stuffed with and come home with leftovers, try sharing meals among your family. Instead of buying a kid’s meal for each kid, buy an adult meal for 2-3 kids and enjoy the savings.
Sign up for text messages, birthday clubs, and any email clubs that your favorite restaurants offer. Any restaurants I frequent, I sign up to get their emails and texts because they love to let us know about the deals that they have each week. And I love to use those deals when it’s a good time for our family. They typically send us something free on our birthdays and anniversaries, too. (Check out these Birthday Freebies.)
Look for Kids Eat Free Deals. We especially love to find the Kids Eat Free restaurants on vacation, but any time you can find a good restaurant that lets the kids eat for free, you’ll save quite a bit of money. Some only let one kid eat free, while others let two eat free per each paying adult.
Utilize the dollar menu. When traveling, we will often buy everyone in the vehicle a one dollar item (like a sandwich or burger) and buy fresh fruit and/or chips to go with it for us to all share. It’s a great way to stretch out our dollars and keep our tummies happy at the same time.
Adults, order kid’s meals. Not all restaurants will allow adults to order kids meals, but several do. A friend of ours always does this at Cracker Barrel. We do it sometimes at our favorite local Mexican restaurant, but they add a dollar to the price, which is typically still a great deal.
Try ordering off of the lunch menu even at dinner. Some restaurants will let you order off of the lunch menu, with a small up-charge ($1 at our favorite restaurant). Not all will do this, but it’s worth asking about.
Don’t order desserts or appetizers. Nothing increases the price of your meal at a restaurant more than ordering appetizers and desserts. Try going to restaurants that have free bread or chips and salsa if you’re really desiring an appetizer.
Only eat out at lunch time. If you can help it, just go out to eat at lunch, when lunch menus are offered. You’ll save several dollars per meal by doing this.
Eat at buffets. Buffets tend to give children very discounted prices, but some buffets tend to hike the prices up for everyone. Be sure to watch for the economical buffets and see where you can save money.
Watch for specials. Sometimes restaurants are slower on Mondays and Tuesdays and they may have a special for just those nights. Other times, there may be a happy hour during certain hours of the day. Often, restaurants will rotate their specials out. Watch for exterior signs and be sure to ask your server about any special you may not want to miss.
Plan ahead. Just doing a little bit of research before you head out to eat, is a great way to save some money. Sometimes, I will check out the menu online to see if I can afford the food at a specific restaurant or I’ll search for any deals in the area.
Order ala Carte. At one of my favorite restaurants, my favorite food is a lot cheaper when I order it as a single item, ala carte. When I think of ala carte, I often think of it as being a really small portion, but in most cases, it’s plenty for a meal.
Sign up for Educational Rewards Programs. Many restaurants will offer kids rewards for reading books. We like to sign our kids up for Book It with Pizza Hut and Braum’s Book Buddies every year. Sometimes, libraries will also have reading incentive programs where kids can earn gift certificates for reading more and more books.
Evaluate Why You’re Eating out. Lots of times, you’re eating out because you forgot to plan your food, or you just got too busy. Try spending some time planning and assembling some Crockpot Freezer Meals more often.

As you can see, there are many ways you and your family can save money when going to restaurants.

It takes a little bit of planning ahead, but if you’re trying to pay off bills, go debt free, or just save money, cutting corners is something we’re usually willing to do. It’s nice to know we don’t have to give up everything and can enjoy a meal out from time to time.

Sarah is a busy, work from home, homeschooling mom of 7 who blogs over at Sidetracked Sarah. She loves helping families spend less time in the kitchen and more time with their families. She loves using her Slow Cooker and Instant Pot on a daily basis to help her do just that.

A photo of Sacred Ground, Sticky Floors by Jami Amerine

Shared Mar 12, 2019 comment

How to Parent a Difficult Child

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 12, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

When Jesse and I got married, I tried so hard to fix him. I saw all of his shortcomings, and I wanted to help him be better. Surprise surprise, this caused a lot of tension.

It took a while for me to realize that my job was to focus on myself (and there’s plenty of work to do there) rather than try to change or “fix” other people. This idea goes for our kids, too!

In today’s episode of The Crystal Paine Show, I’m talking with Jami Amerine about how easy it is to try to fix our kids and how ineffective and stressful this is as a parent.

Just recently, one of my kids was really frustrated over their grades. While I was trying to ask them questions to figure out the source of their frustration, they blurted out, “But I NEED to get all A’s!”

I stopped and quietly looked them in the eye and said, “Who put that on you?”

As in, where did the feeling that you need to get all A’s originate from? Is that something someone else is making you feel like you have to achieve?

When I talked more with this child, they admitted that it wasn’t us or their siblings or a friend or a teacher; it was their own self. They felt like they weren’t measuring up to a standard they had set for themselves if they didn’t get all A’s.

Mamas, I think most of us have done the same. We’ve created a standard of perfection we feel we must achieve to be a great parent or have a great kid. And if we’re not hitting that self-made standard, we are failing.

But, who put that on you?? While we might sometimes feel like there is pressure from outside sources, in most cases, it’s something we’ve put on ourselves.

And here’s what I want to gently say to you: “You don’t need to carry that any more.”

Lay it down. Let it go.

The sooner you stop trying to live up to an impossible standard, the sooner you’ll start experiencing deep joy and fulfillment in being okay with right where you are.

As I told my child, “So long as you are doing your best, that’s all that matters.”

If you are struggling with parenting or need some encouragement as a mom, you do want to miss today’s episode on the secret to being a more peaceful parent (it will likely surprise you!), the importance of raising your kids to be who they are instead of who we think they should be, and how to love a difficult child.

In This Episode:

[03:26] – What’s saving my life this week is my very favorite Apple battery case. I’m constantly asked about this when I’m with people and I am always singing the praises of it!

[05:21] – My book pick of the week is an oldie but a goodie: Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay.

[09:50] – Today’s guest was actually recommended by a podcast listener and I’m so grateful this listener took the time to write in and recommend Jami Amerine’s book.

[11:56] – I ask Jami about her early years of parenting and how she struggled with perfectionism. She shares honestly about the lessons she learned from this.

[15:17] – How was Jami able to let go of trying to do everything perfectly? She expresses so much wisdom for all of us — but especially for those who still have younger kids.

[19:04] – I was intrigued by the subtitle of Jami’s book and she tells the story behind it and how it wasn’t what she picked… but how we both think it fits so well.

[23:20] – What is Jami reading right now? I love her outside-the-box answer!

[24:44] – And then she shares how she’s giving up sugar (and also gives us a little teaser about her next book that she’s writing… that I want to read ASAP!)

[27:58] – Today’s listener question is about emotionally adjusting to the reality of giving up being a stay-at-home mom for a new lifestyle.

Links and Resources:

You Need a Budget (this episode’s amazing sponsor!)
Apple Smart Battery Case
Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
Jami Amerine
Jami Amerine on Facebook
Jami Amerine on Twitter
Jami Amerine on Instagram
Sacred Ground, Sticky Floors by Jami Amerine
Stolen Jesus by Jami Amerine
My Favorite Things on Amazon
CrystalPaine.com
MoneySavingMom.com
YourBloggingMentor.com
My Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]

How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show

Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.

Sponsor Spotlight

This episode is sponsored by YouNeedaBudget.com — the budgeting software we have personally used for the past two years and absolutely love.

We were introduced to this budgeting software by my brother-in-law, Justin, a few years ago. He and my husband, Jesse, are both what I would lovingly refer to as “nerds”.

You know the kind of people… those people who think spreadsheets are fun. And who geek out over features in Excel. Yup, those kinds of people.

You might as well poke my eyeballs out with a hot iron rod than get to me be giddy over creating spreadsheets. But nevertheless, I love Spreadsheet Nerds because they help keep people like me in line and on track!

Anyway, it was around Christmas time and Justin started telling Jesse about YouNeedaBudget — what we call YNAB for short. Jesse and I had both heard of this software before, but we had been using Quicken for so long that we’d not considered changing to anything else.

Well, when Jesse saw the features of YNAB, he was intrigued enough to sign up for the free trial. And it was pretty much love at first sight.

Truthfully, I can’t even begin to tell you how often I’ve heard him exclaiming to me, to friends, or just to himself something about, “How cool and helpful YNAB is!”

I’m such a pen and paper and cash girl, but after all his raving reviews, I finally gave in and downloaded it on my phone and had him show me how it works. It’s really, really impressive. I love how we can see exactly how we’re doing in every budget in just one glance.

And since we have multiple budgets for our businesses and personal, it allows us to track them all in one app. Which is so handy!

They usually only offer a 30-day trial, but they are giving you all a FREE 60-day trial so you can really get a feel for it and see how well it works.

Go here to sign up for your FREE 60-Day YNAB trial.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission — at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!

Shared Mar 12, 2019 comment

Get our goal-setting course for just $8.50!

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 12, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve got great news for you today! Our popular goal-setting course, Make Over Your Year, is on sale for 50% off — making it just $8.50!

If you’re not familiar with it, here’s more information so you can see if this is a good fit for you!

Do you have hopes and dreams for the future but you struggle to figure out how to turn those dreams into realistic goals?
Have you tried to set goals in the past and been frustrated because you just can’t figure out how to follow through with them successfully?
Do you feel like life is overwhelming and exhausting but, as hard as you try, you just can’t ever seem to make much progress in the right direction?

Help Is Here!

If you have experienced any of these frustrations and struggles, I’m so excited to let you know that help is here! Jesse and I created a step-by-step goal-setting course called Make Over Your Year to help you start living your life with more purpose and a plan.

Make Over Your Year is a simple, effective 4-week, hands-on course to help you take your big dreams and ideas and turn them into realistic goals and a doable action plan.

We want to be your guides and cheerleaders on your goal-setting journey. We want to walk you through a simple, doable 4-week process to decide your priorities, determine your focus areas, define your specific goals, and draw up a doable action plan.

Why We Wrote Make Over Your Year

As you may know, if you read MoneySavingMom.com or follow us online, we are a little fanatic about setting goals. We’ve experienced firsthand the fruit and fulfillment that comes from setting a goal, developing a plan of action to follow through with that goal, and then making it to the finish line. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to help you experience this same fulfillment!

Over the years, as I’ve shared openly about our goals, so many people have approached us with more questions on what our goal-setting process looks like and how we decide what goals to set—personally, professionally, as a couple, and as a family.

After years of practice, many mistakes, and a lot of learning, we created Make Over Your Year — a hands-on course where we pull back the curtain and share in detail everything we’ve learned about goal-setting over the past sixteen years of our marriage.

We’ll give you an inside peek into why we set goals, what kinds of goals we set, how we choose our goals for each year, how we break those goals down into bite-sized pieces, and what we do when we encounter setbacks and struggles.

What You’ll Get When You Purchase This Course

When you purchase this course, you’ll get the following:

Four pre-recorded group video coaching sessions with Jesse and Crystal. These sessions are an hour long each and were recorded live as a Google hangout with course participants who went through the live course at the beginning of the year.
A 47-page printable PDF workbook with a chapter of encouragement and inspiration for each week.
Weekly projects to break down the goal-setting process & set yourself up for success.
Printable worksheets to take you step-by-step through each of the projects in the course.
Additional resources and links to guide you in your goal-setting journey.

How This Course Will Work

Sign Up — After you sign up for the course, you’ll get immediate access to the pre-recorded videos, course handbook, worksheets, and weekly projects. You can work through the course at your own pace.
Read — Read the weekly chapter from the handbook.
Complete — Work through the weekly step-by-step projects and worksheets.
Watch — View the pre-recorded online group coaching sessions.

We believe that this course has the power to complete transform not only your goal-setting success — but your entire life!

Sign Up While You Can!

As I’ve talked about before, we are very committed to making all of our products and resources affordable and accessible for every one — not just those who have a lot of wiggle room in their budgets to invest in online courses.

The course — including the 4 hour-long group coaching sessions, the workbook, the worksheets, the emails, and the projects — is priced at just $8.50 right now. It’s like paying for coaches and personal cheerleaders—at a fraction of the cost!

So what are you waiting? Go get in on this great deal while you can!

P.S. We are offering a 15-day money back guarantee. If for any reason the course does not live up to your expectations, we will refund your money — no questions asked!

Shared Mar 11, 2019 comment

$70 Grocery Budget: Aldi, Dollar Tree, Sprouts, Big Lots, Walgreens, and Kroger hauls + what we ate this week

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Well, after a few weeks of mostly shopping at Kroger, I’m excited to have a LOT of stores to highlight in today’s post. I know that many of you are often begging for me to show more than just Kroger, so enjoy this post with LOTS of stories featured in it!

Walgreens had Xtra laundry detergent on sale for just $0.99 this past week — no coupons needed! While we still have some laundry detergent in our stockpile, I went ahead and bought three more to add to our stockpile since I couldn’t pass up this price!

Walgreens Shopping Trip

Xtra laundry detergent — $0.99 each
Used $2 Walgreens Rewards
Total plus tax: $1.26

I was excited to discover that Kroger had cantaloupe on sale for $0.99.

Kroger Shopping Trip

Kroger half & half — $1.79
Vitamin D milk — $2.49
Cage-Free Organic Brown Eggs — marked down to $1.79 per dozen
Queso Fresco — free with Free Friday download coupon
2 loaves of bread — marked down to $1.79 each
3 bags of oranges — marked down to $0.99 each
1 bag of pears/apple — marked down to $0.99
Bananas — marked down to $0.39 per pound
2 Cantaloupes — $0.99 each
Suave Men’s Shampoo — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
Palmolive dish soap — $1.99 when you buy 5 participating items, Used $1/1 Kroger Digital Coupon = $0.99
Suave Kids’ Shampoo — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items, Used $1/1 Kroger Digital Coupon = free after coupon
Suave Shampoo — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
Irish Spring deodorant — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
3 cartons of Almond Breeze Milk — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating items
Epic Bar — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items, used $1/1 Kroger Digital Coupon = free after coupon
6-pack Ginger Beer — marked down to $0.89
8 packages of frozen veggies — $1 each
Kind Granola Bars — $1.99 when you buy 5 participating items, used $1.50/1 Kroger Digital Coupon = $0.49 after coupon
Total with tax: $40.03

We ran into Aldi today because we were right by there to see if there were any good deals. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and picked up the squash thinking the sign said it was $0.79… and discovered when I got home that it was actually $0.79 per POUND. Oops!

Psst! See my 25 Favorite Things to Buy at Aldi.

Aldi Shopping Trip

2 Mac & Cheese — $0.49 each
Mango Juice — $1.29
Organic apples — $2.99
Strawberries — $1.49
Chocolate Chips — $1.89
Squash — $2.39 (NOT $0.79 — oh well!)
Total with tax: $11.38

And then we went to Dollar Tree — Kaitlynn’s favorite store! (See my 25 Favorite Things to Buy at Dollar Tree.)

Dollar Tree Shopping Trip

4 bottles of lemon juice — $1 each (I use these for my gallon of lemon water that I drink every day.)
Apple Cider Vinegar — $1
Lentils — $1
Total with tax: $6.41

And we ran by Big Lots because I was hoping to find some markdowns or some clearance bread, but I only found these dried cranberries for $0.15 — which will be perfect for my salads.

Total at Big Lots with tax: $0.64

Did you see the freebies we posted that you could get at Sprouts right now? I added them to my app and was able to pick two of them up today (they were out of the Lemon Snaps) and also pick up the $0.75 blackberries (they sent out a coupon via email that was good this weekend).

Sprouts Shopping Trip

4 packages of blackberries — $0.75 each with the Weekend Only coupon
Coconut Water — free with the app coupon
Sprouts Frozen Entree — free with the app coupon
Total with tax: $3.20

By the way, here are the freebies I got in the mail this week:

Essie Nail Polish — I was SO excited about this freebie (and so was Kaitlynn!)
Persil Laundry Detergent sample
Health magazine
Kroger magazine — this has some great coupons in the center of it!
Orgain Protein sample
The Louder Song and Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe — free books from My Reader Rewards

By the way, if you want to start getting great freebies in your mailbox, just start signing up for the free things I post every day that interest you. Within 4-6 weeks, your mailbox will start filling up with great freebies!

I have been loving the free Queso Fresco I got (I had never tried it before that I know of!). And I have found that it is so yummy on my salads and so delicious in omelettes.

What We Ate This Past Week

Note: When you see the meals below, please remember this: I buy ahead often. Which means that when I find a great deal on something I know we’ll use, I buy as much as I can afford in our budget to have on hand.

This means that you aren’t going to see all of the groceries my shopping trip that I used to make all of the meals we ate.

Please also remember that I’m putting this out there and it’s not a perfectly balanced menu. This is just really what we ate — and I hope that it encourages you to see the real-ness and lack of perfection here.

Breakfasts:

Cereal, Oatmeal, Scrambled Eggs, Omelettes, Peanut Butter/Banana Toast, Bananas

Lunches:

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Grapefruit, Avocados, Hard Boiled Eggs, Salads, Leftovers, Oranges, Apples, Cookies

Snacks:

Oranges, Cookies, Bananas, Hard Boiled Eggs

Dinners:

Sunday — Cracker Barrel
Monday — Noodles, Italian Chicken, Peas
Tuesday — Roasted Potatoes, Pork Tenderloin, Oranges
Wednesday — Barbecued Chicken, Roasted Broccoli, Baked Potatoes, Naan, Cantaloupe
Thursday — Pancakes, Fried Potatoes, Bacon, Cantaloupe
Friday — Leftovers/Fend for yourself
Saturday — Papa John’s (We had a gift card!)

Total spent on groceries: $62.92

Cashback earned this week: 160 points for submitting my receipts to Fetch rewards.

Shared Mar 9, 2019 comment

Brigette’s $68 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 9, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

My older sister, Brigette, shares her shopping trips and menu plans every week! You can go HERE to see all of her weekly menu plans and you can go HERE to read all about her family!

Aldi

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.18

1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.69

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.31

1 64-oz carton 1% Milk – $0.78

1 16-oz carton Whipping Cream – $1.55

3 boxes Honey Nut Oats – $3.45

1 Olive Oil Cooking Spray – $1.35

3 dozen Eggs – $3.12

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.15

1 can Baking Cocoa – $1.75

1 24-oz jar Pasta Sauce – $0.85

2 cans Chicken Breast – $3.10

1-lb Premium Sausage – $1.89

1 5-lb roll 73/27 Ground Beef – $8.95

1 16-oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.15

1 large canister Quick Oats – $2.45

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.65

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.59

1 loaf Sandwich bread – $0.65

1 1-lb box Butter Quarters – $2.39

1 32-oz tub Nonfat Plain Green Yogurt – $3.29

4 individual cups Yogurt – $2.36

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59

2 pkgs frozen Riced Cauliflower – $3.88

2 cans Green Beans – $0.76

1 Cantaloupe – $0.99

2 pkgs Fresh Asparagus – $3.38

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.69

1 5-lb bag Grapefruit – $2.49

1 bunch Bananas (2.18lb @ $0.36/lb) – $0.78

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.39

2 16-oz bags Mini Cucumbers – $3.58

Total: $68.21

Grocery Total for the Week: $68.21

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfast. Choices include:

Oatmeal, Cereal, Yogurt/Cottage Cheese, Fruit, Smoothies, Scrambled/Boiled/Fried Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Toast

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Grapefruit, Cucumbers x 2

Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Bananas, Cucumbers/Cherry Tomatoes x 2

Baked Potato Bar, Cantaloupe

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Freezer Friendly Barbequed Meatballs, Twice Baked Potatoes, Asparagus, Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Asparagus, Bread Machine Buttery Rolls

Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Cantaloupe, Sausage Patties

Spaghetti, Homemade French Bread, Tossed Salad (We still have leftover romaine/spring mix from last week)

Italian Chicken, Green Beans, Quick Garlic Breadsticks

Taco Salad (I use seasoned ground venison for this), Steamed Carrots, Cauliflower Spanish Rice

Leftovers

2hr Cleaning Checklist

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Last Week’s Groceries

Thursday Kroger Shopping Trip

Saturday Sprouts Shopping Trip

Saturday Kroger Shopping Trip

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Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Dillons #1

Dillons #2

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Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

How I Got Paid To Buy Groceries

Here Are the Details on What I Bought

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Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

1. I “brain dump” everything into Google Calendar.

2. At the end of the day, I write out a time-blocked To Do list for the next day.

3. I use a weekly habit checklist for my personal and business daily habits.

Want more in-depth details on my planning process?

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Walgreens Shopping Trip

Kroger Shopping Trip

Aldi Shopping Trip

Dollar Tree Shopping Trip

Sprouts Shopping Trip

What We Ate This Past Week

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Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

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