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Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom®

Saving Families Money Since 2007

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Shared Jan 20, 2020 comment

My Goals For This Week

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My Goals For This Week

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This year, I’m doing weekly goals in 2020 instead of yearly goals. And I’m thrilled to report that it’s going so well!

While at first glance, it might seem like I didn’t accomplish that much on my goals list this past week (and I certainly didn’t accomplish as much as I have the last two weeks), I had a really productive and great week.

There was breathing room and laughter and memories made. There was a lot of forward momentum on projects. And there was a lot of time spent with Jesse, the kids, and friends.

To me, that’s what’s way more important than checking everything off my list!

One of my goals was to go through these tubs of mementos we have in the basement.

They have kind of gotten pretty disorganized over the years (and multiple moves) as we’ve just stuffed things in them.

I only made it through one tub, but it felt good to at least make some headway!

Here’s my update on last week’s goals:

2020: Week 3 Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Get in 53,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading 100 Ways to Love Your Husband, 100 Ways to Love Your Wife, 100 Words of Affirmation Your Wife Needs to Hear, 100 Words of Affirmation Your Husband Needs to Hear, Live Love Now, and No Better Mom for the Job. Finish listening to Killing the Rising Sun.

3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. every week day.

4. Go to bed by 10 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. (I did this every night but one night when Jesse was out of town!)

5. Drink a gallon of water every day. (I did this 5 of the days, so I’m excited about that!)

Home/Family Goals

6. Decluttering: Boxes of mementos, under bathroom sinks, and kitchen cupboards.  (I did some decluttering, but I didn’t end up finishing all of this.)

7. Finish reading Great Escapes of World War II aloud as a family.

8. Buy hats and coming home outfit for baby. (I’m chipping away at my To Do Before Baby Comes list a little bit per week.)

Work/Blog Goals

9. Write chapter 2 of my manuscript. (Chapter 2 is really close to being done, but I want to sit with it for a few more days and rearrange and rework some things before I officially say that the first draft is done.)

Word of the Year Goals

10. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

11. Go to a movie with Jesse.

12. Go out to dinner with friends.

2020: Week 4 — Goals

Personal Goals

1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading 100 Ways to Love Your Husband, 100 Ways to Love Your Wife,The Whole-Brain Child, and Live Love Now. Finish listening to Before and After.

3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

4. Go to bed by 10 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

5. Drink a gallon of water every day.

Home/Family Goals

6. Get new shower curtain, rug, and towels for upstairs bathroom.

7. Read 40 pages of Carry a Big Stick aloud as a family.

8. Get a crib and bedding. (I’m chipping away at my To Do Before Baby Comes list a little bit per week.)

Work/Blog Goals

9. Finish chapter 2 and write chapter 3 of my manuscript.

Word of the Year Goals

10. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

11. Take Kathrynne out on a date for her birthday.

12. Light candle and write notes to our Compassion children.

What are YOUR goals for this week? How did you do on last week’s goals? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Jan 20, 2020 comment

Gretchen’s $89 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

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Gretchen’s $89 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 bag Tortilla Chips – $0.89

1 Grape Jelly – $1.29

2 Blueberries – $1.49 each

1 Crisp Rice Cereal – $1.45

2 gallons Milk – $2.38 each

1 lb Butter – $2.61

2 Half & Half – $1.55 each

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.95

1 Sour Cream – $0.89

1 bag Shredded Mexican Cheese – $2.49

1 Taco Seasoning – $0.39

1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.79

2 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each

1 MooTubes – $1.55

1 box Granola Bars – $1.15

2 bags Steamed Peas/Corn – $0.79 each

3 Cucumbers – $0.49 each

1 pkg Yeast – $0.89 (not pictured)

1 Cream Cheese – $0.79

3 dozen Eggs – $0.99 each

1 loaf Bread – $0.95

1 pkg Tortillas – $1.19

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.85

0.95 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.47

1 pkg Hot Dogs – $0.79

1 Peanut Butter – $1.15

1 lb Turkey Breast – $3.99

1 box Cheese Crackers – $1.49

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49

Total: $48.34

Kroger

2 boxes Mom’s Best Cereal – $2.49 each, used 2 $1/1 e-coupon AND 2 $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate AND 2 $0.25/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.99 each after coupons and cash back

1 box Kroger Graham Crackers – $1.79, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $1.29 after coupon

1 Kroger Apple Juice – $1.49, used $0.45/1 Ibotta rebate AND $0.45/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.59 after cash back

2 Mott’s Fruit Snacks – $1.99, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon

2 Kettle Chips – $2 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $1 each after coupons

1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.79

1 Zia Pasta Sauce – $1

1 Mexican Salsa – $1.50, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $1.25 after rebate

2 The GFB Bar – $1.50 each, used 20% off e-coupon (no longer available) AND $2.19 Ibotta rebate – $0.10 each after coupon and rebate

4 Kroger Frozen Chicken Breasts (3 lbs each) – $4.99 each

2 pkg Frozen Broccoli – $1 each

3 lbs Ground Beef – Marked down to $4.99 each

1 Kroger Hot Cocoa – $1.25, used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate AND $0.50/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.25 after cash back

3.72 lbs Bananas – $2.19

1 Lettuce – $1.69

1 Kroger Ketchup – $1

2 RX Peanut Butter – $6.79 each, used 2 $2.50/1 printable AND 2 $2/1 Ibotta rebate AND $2/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.29 each after coupons and cash back (I LOVE this peanut butter so I was thrilled to get it for almost free!)

5 Simple Truth Little Cubs Crackers – Marked down to $1.24 each, used 5 $1/1 e-coupon – $0.24 each after coupon

1 Simple Truth Hot Sauce – $1.89, used $0.30/1 e-coupon – $1.59 after coupon

Used $0.10/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt

Total after coupons, rebates and cash back: $39.46

Food City

I ventured into Food City this week! I only grabbed cereal as we didn’t have anything left in our grocery budget for more, but I found marked down fruits and veggies and lots of decent markdowns on meat as well. I’ll definitely be popping in there to check out markdowns each week!

2 Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes – $1.99 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $0.99 each after coupons

Total: $1.98

Total for all stores: $89.78

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toast, Eggs, Oatmeal, Yogurt

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Turkey Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, Hard Boiled Eggs, Tossed Salad, Cheese/Crackers/Fruit, Chips, Leftovers

Dinners

Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Brownies

Cream of Mushroom Gravy and Beef over Noodles, Steamed Peas

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Corn

Nachos, Sliced Apples (leftover from last week)

French Toast, Eggs

Chicken Taquitos, Rice, Steamed Broccoli

Pasta Goulash in the Slow Cooker, Oatmeal Spice Muffins, Tossed Salad

Shared Jan 19, 2020 comment

Life Update: Pregnancy (week 25), decluttering, and a basketball tournament

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Life Update: Pregnancy (week 25), decluttering, and a basketball tournament

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly life update where I share about my pregnancy & give you a peek into our life this past week. If you want to follow a lot more behind-the-scenes and real-time updates every week, be sure to follow my stories and posts on Instagram.


25 weeks!! And I’ve officially switched over to maternity clothes pretty much full-time.

Side note: I know some people are big fans of just sizing up in clothes instead of wearing maternity clothes. I tried that and things just fit me super weird. So maternity clothes it is. It’s not the hip and trendy influencer thing to do, but since I’m an “advanced maternal age” mama at 38, I just don’t really care. Comfort over trendy all the way!

Highlights

This week I had almost zero heartburn!!! As someone whose acid reflux got progressively worse with each pregnancy in the past and who often threw up from acid reflux and spent many nights sitting up in misery because of the fire going on inside of me, I just don’t even know what to say other than, “Thank You, Jesus!”

I’ve been super careful about what I’m eating to avoid all triggers, have been trying to drink a gallon of water every day, am exercising every day, and am trying to really pace myself and not overdo it. I have no idea if these things are contributing, but they certainly can’t be hurting anything, right?!

Notable

I’m starting to feel much more pregnant. I’m noticing a lot more pelvic pressure and the normal aches and pains related to getting closer to the third trimester. Plus, my bladder seems to be shrinking, the Braxton-Hicks are picking up, and I’m just having to move at a slower pace overall.

Time continues to be moving along quickly and I’m all *bring it on*! I know that it will likely slow down the closer I get to the finish line, but I’m loving that the weeks currently feel like they are mostly flying by! We’ve got a lot going on the next 9 weeks and I’m grateful!

Cravings

Lots and lots of dairy cravings this week! I seem to vacillate from feeling like there’s not a lot of room in my stomach to eat and having no appetite to being ravenously hungry. But overall, I’m noticing that my appetite is picking up as I near the third trimester. I guess baby is getting ready to gain weight!

Speaking of weight gain, I’ve gained 17 pounds so far — right on track with my usual 30-lb. pregnancy weight gain.

How are the rest of you pregnant mamas doing?

This week, I worked on decluttering the memento tubs we have in our basement storage room. Oh the memories these tubs contain!

Kathrynne had a basketball tournament in Springfield, TN on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. So we spent a lot of time driving and at games! Their team ended up coming in third place!

From My Heart…

I shared this on Instagram earlier this week:

There was a knock on our bedroom door late one night last week. A child couldn’t sleep and was struggling with feeling anxious so they wanted to come in and talk with us.

Honestly, I was tired, it had been a long day, and it was late. But before I could respond, Jesse was inviting this child into our room and wrapping his arms around them.

“What’s going on? Tell me about it.” I heard him soothingly comfort. And then this child poured out struggles and sadness they were feeling.

As I watched all of this unfold, it was a beautiful picture of the Heavenly Father’s love. No matter what time of day or night it is, we can go to Him and pour out our big feelings, hurts, heartaches, struggles, and sadness to Him.

He is there, waiting to wrap His arms around us, comfort us, listen to us, and be WITH us. We are never a burden or a bother to Him.

He loves us deeply and wholeheartedly. And He will never leave or forsake us — even on the darkest of days.

Note: Over Christmas break, we stayed at the Gaylord Opryland as a family. We were walking around the huge hotel complex together and I looked ahead and saw Jesse and Silas talking and walking and holding hands.

While a lot of people disagreed with my list, this week, I shared 10 Foods You Should Never Freeze.

I also shared before and after pictures of decluttering Kathrynne’s closet.

Did you see my post on the 3 books I read last week and the classic movie we watched?

Shared Jan 18, 2020 comment

Decluttering Kathrynne’s Closet (before and after pictures)

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Decluttering Kathrynne’s Closet (before and after pictures)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Need some motivation to declutter your home? We’ve been working on decluttering our home in January and here’s a peek at Kathrynne’s closet (shared with her permission):

Decluttering Kathrynne’s Closet

Kathrynne spent a number of hours over Christmas break going through her entire room and decluttering and re-organizing it.

We realized, after she had decluttered everything, that she really needed some storage tubs and baskets to be able to better organize and store the items she was keeping in her closet.

So she and I headed to At Home last Saturday to pick some items out. (They have SO many storage options and clearance items to choose from!)

Her only dilemma was trying to pick from all the many options! She finally settled on some items and we headed back home where she spent a few hours tackling her closet.

Doesn’t it look so much better?? She’s so happy with the end results. Also, it’s much easier for her to find what she is looking for, too!

Note: You’ll notice there’s a lot of empty space in her closet. We have intentionally kept it that way because her room has the extra bunk beds in it for hosting kids from foster care (we are licensed for two kids so we are required to have two empty beds . open in our house). We are also required to have empty closet space for them as part of the rules of our home licensing. Where kids sleep depends upon the ages and genders and particulars of the case, but when our home is open — as it is right now — we have to have these things in place.

Shared Jan 18, 2020 comment

Brigette’s $73 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $73 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 pkgs Frozen Broccoli Florets – $1.98

1 Cauliflower – $2.25

2 cartons Blueberries – $2.98

1 bunch Bananas – $0.77

1 carton Snacking Tomatoes – $1.99

1 3-ct pkg Garlic Heads – $0.79

1 large head Cabbage – $1.59

1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.89

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $2.39

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.49

1 pkg Zucchini – $1.77

2 3-lb bags Jazz Apples – $5.58

1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $2.19

1 pkg Fresh Cilantro – $0.75

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.28

1 gallon Whole Milk – $0.97

5 single-serving cups Greek Yogurt – $2.94

1 can Whipped Cream – $2.65

1 2-lb bag Brown Sugar – $1.29

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.15

1 16-oz bag Navy Beans – $0.69

1 12-oz pkg Chocolate Chips – $1.29

1 3-lb bag Long Grain Rice – $1.15

1 pkg Sliced Pepperoni – $2.19

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89

1 1-lb pkg Country Sausage – $2.99

1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $2.85

1 8-oz pkg Deli Sliced Cheese – $1.79

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.99

1 pkg Crackers Sticks with Cheese Dip – $1.09

1 pkg Butternut Squash Crackers – $2.99

1 box Rice Squares – $1.49

1 Family-Size box Honey Nut Crispy Oats – $2.45

1 pkg Taco Mix Seasoning – $0.29

1 log Goat Cheese – $1.55

1 16-oz carton Egg Whites – $1.69

3 dozen Eggs – $2.94

Grocery Total for the Week: $73.01

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

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

Lunches

Deli Meat/Sliced Cheese Sandwiches on Homemade Rolls, Apples, Mini Cucumbers x 2

Butternut Squash Crackers, Cheese Sticks, Bananas and Peanut Butter

Leftovers x 4

Dinners

Egg Roll in a Bowl, Rice, Apples

White Chicken Chili, Cornbread, Tossed Salad

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli

Belgian Waffles, Turkey Bacon, Roasted Cauliflower, Scrambled Eggs

Pepperoni Rolls, Tossed Salad

Taco Salad, Spanish Rice, Broccoli

Date Night Out (kids eat leftovers at home)

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Shared Jan 17, 2020 comment

10 Foods You Should Never Freeze

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10 Foods You Should Never Freeze

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

What foods should you never freeze? Welcome to my weekly post where I answer one of your questions you’ve submitted. This week’s question is what foods you can’t or shouldn’t freeze.

Foods you should never freeze

Are there foods you can’t or shouldn’t freeze? – a reader

As you likely know, I love using my freezer for all kinds and sorts of things. And I freeze a lot of items like flour, cottage cheese, butter, milk that most people don’t think of being things you can freeze. (Check out my post on 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Can Freeze.)

But there are some things I don’t recommend you try freezing. Here’s a list of the top 10 things I think you should never freeze:

1. Lettuce

While I’ve frozen spinach to use in smoothies (and it works!), most lettuce will get limp and soggy if frozen, due to the high water content.

2. Blocks of Cheese

You can freeze shredded cheese without a problem, but if you freeze block cheese, it will be very crumbly when thawed (you can use it if you are planning to melt it, but it won’t work for slicing and snacking on).

3. Raw Eggs

I have heard from some people that they successfully freeze raw eggs, but I’ve never had success with doing so. However, I’ve frozen cooked eggs (such as in a Breakfast Casserole) without any issues.

4. Cream Cheese

If you plan to use the cream cheese in baked goods, you should be okay. However, if you plan to spread it on bagels or something, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it as it will end up very crumbly after it’s frozen.

5. Potatoes — raw or mashed.

You can freeze mashed potatoes, but they are usually water-y if you don’t add cream cheese and/or sour cream to them. And raw potatoes will usually turn a dark color when frozen.

6. Cucumbers

Cucumbers have high water content, so they will be mushy and soggy if frozen.

7. Milk you plan to drink.

You can freeze milk (and I do it often!), but I only recommend using it in baking. It separates and has sort of a lumpy consistency  when thawed — which isn’t very appetizing!

8. Raw meat that has been frozen and then thawed.

If you freeze meat raw and then thaw it, it needs to be cooked if you are going to re-freeze it. If meat is already cooked, I recommend not thawing it and re-freezing it as it will usually affect the quality of the meat.

9. Jell-O

Okay, this might seem like a crazy one to put on the list, but we tried freezing Jell-O as an experiment a few weeks ago and it did not work at all. It was all soupy and water-y when thawed!

10. Celery

When thawed, frozen celery will be very limp. However, if it’s diced up in small pieces before frozen, you can use it in a casserole and it will probably be okay. But don’t freeze whole celery stalks with the intent to thaw and snack on them! 🙂

What else would you add to my list? Anything on my list that you’ve had success freezing?

P.S. Have a question you’d love for me to answer in a future Q&A post? Send me an email through the contact form here.

Shared Jan 16, 2020 comment

3 Books I Read Last Week (+ the classic movie we watched)

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3 Books I Read Last Week (+ the classic movie we watched)

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Welcome to my weekly book update post where I share what books I read this past week + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.

In the spirit of keeping my goals smaller and in bite-sized chunks in 2020, I decided to just pick the next few books I’m planning to read instead of trying to sort of plan out the whole year!

And then I’m planning to do a book update post every week or every other week here with reviews and thoughts on the books I finished. It’s very possible that some weeks I won’t finish any books, so I’m giving myself permission to skip a week here and there if I don’t have anything to report! 🙂

If you want to see what I’m currently reading or what I’ve read so far this year, you can check out my GoodReads account.

A Word on My Star Ratings

The star ratings I give the books I read are based on a 5-star rating system. I rarely will ever give a book a 1-star rating (maybe never?), because my philosophy is that if a book is only worthy of one star, I’m more than likely going to quit reading it. 🙂 In the same vein, you’ll also notice that I’ll rarely give a 5-star rating as I reserve those for only my very, very favorite books.

1. Awful, Beautiful Life

I love Katherine Reay’s fiction works and picked this book up solely based upon that. I wasn’t familiar with the story otherwise but I thought it sounded intriguing.

Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. It felt like the story drug out longer than it needed and that there was a lot of filler information included just to reach a word count.

Honestly, while I think there were some encouraging things throughout the story, it seemed to get bogged down by all of the legal and financial information that kind of went on and on. Or at least that’s how it felt when I read it.

While I think it would make for an interesting article or 3-part series, I didn’t feel like there was enough meat to make it a book length work.

Verdict: 2 stars

2. Killing Patton

I was excited to listen to this via the Libby App as I had loved the other books in this series. However, I found this book harder to follow. Maybe it was because I was not at all as familiar with Patton’s story so it didn’t draw me like the stories of Reagan and Lincoln.

In addition, the book starts out by kind of giving away some of the basic facts of how Patton was killed. I felt that this ruined some of the build up and engagement that I found with the other books.

Currently, I’m listening to Killing the Rising Sun and it’s so much better and engaging than this audiobook. If I were to be asked, I’d say to skip this one and listen to Killing the Rising Sun instead (review coming next week!)

Verdict: 2 stars

3. Romancing Your Child’s Heart

Okay, lest you think I just had a really negative attitude all week when it came to life and thus the negative reviews, I saved the best for last! 🙂

Romancing Your Child’s Heart is a book I think every Christian parent should read. In fact, it’s one of the best parenting books I’ve read.

While some of the illustrations might seem a little outdated or not something that are relatable for your family (the author is very much an outdoorsman type of person and he and his wife raised their kids in the same vein), the premise of the book is something I think we all need to hear.

It’s so easy for us as parents to focus on rules-based parenting and spending our days correcting our kids instead of cheerleading them and learning to communicate well with them. And while boundaries and parameters are important, we can miss relationship in the process, if we’re not careful.

I love how the author really challenges parents to take the time and make the effort to build relationships with our kids, to listen to them, to embrace them for who God created them to be, and not to try to make them into something they aren’t or that we think they are supposed to be.

Verdict: 4 stars

Classic Movie We Watched This Week

The kids decided — all on their own — that they want to start watching one old classic movie per week together as a family in 2020. They are helping me choose the list of movies and I’ll be reporting here what we watch each week and their thoughts on it.

I plan to do a big classic movie round-up post at the end of the year with their verdict on the best and favorites of the ones we watched. (If you have suggestions of must-watch classic movies, leave them in the comments!)

This week, we watched 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. The girls thought they may have seen it before, but if so, it had been a really long time.

While it was somewhat cheesy to a few of us, everyone said they were glad that they watched it. We also loved seeing how they were creative with backgrounds back before modern movie technology!

(Kaitlynn did take issue with the references to the Sobbin’ Women bit from Plutarch’s story of the Sabine Women. “Mom, do you know what they did to those women?? It was no laughing matter!” I haven’t read Plutarch, but she has, so she helped us all understand more of the story where this originated. Which led to a great discussion on this… I love it when movies and books lead to great family discussions on important topics.)

If you like lighthearted, old musicals and can overlook some things, you’ll likely enjoy this movie. That said, I will warn you that the songs will get stuck in your head for DAYS!

What did you read this past week? Any books you think I really need to add to my long to-read list??

Shared Jan 16, 2020 comment

7 More Resources I Loved in the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit {Last Chance!}

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7 More Resources I Loved in the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit {Last Chance!}

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

TGBTK 2019
Did you see my post yesterday on 16 resources I loved in the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit? I’ve got 7 more resources for you today that I loved, in case you are thinking of purchasing the Toolkit (or you’ve already purchased it!)

What is the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit?

The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit is a special opportunity to get a huge bundle of some of the BEST blogging resources around at a CRAZY discount. It’s only offered for 8 days total in a 12-month period because the deal is so good.

It offers resources on pretty much every topic you can think of related to blogging. And it’s packed with some of the most top-notch blogging courses, ebooks, and programs.

What’s the Catch?

Yes, you can get thousands of dollars worth of resources for one tiny but terrific price. But, the catch is that it’s only available through tonight at midnight (Thursday, January 16, 2020). After that, it goes away and if you want to buy the resources, you’ll have to buy them individually — and likely at full price!

But I Don’t Think I’ll Use All of the Resources

Trust me, NO ONE should be trying to go through and use all of the resources in this Toolkit. That would be pretty near impossible to do — if you actually wanted to have time to run your business, too! 🙂

Instead, I encourage you to look at the list of resources that are in this Toolkit and see if there are some that look like they would be really valuable to you.

If so, is the price of them worth more than the price of the bundle? Also, do you have the time to go through them? If the answer is yes to both of these two questions, I definitely recommend investing in the Toolkit.

I’m Going Through All the Resources for You!

Okay, so I know I said that no one should go through all of the resources and try to use them. BUT, I did personally go through all of them for you.

No, I didn’t read every word or watch every video, but I spent hours yesterday and today skimming through all 94 different resources in order to tell you about which ones are my favorites and those I think are most worth going through.

If you missed yesterday’s post, here are 16 of my favorite resources in the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit.

7 More Resources I Loved in the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit

I finished going through the rest of the ebooks and courses and programs and I picked 7 more that I really highly recommend:

  • The Blogger’s Simple Guide to Taxes — I highly recommend this ebook for everyone if you are starting a blog and planning to earn any money at all from it (or even if you’re not planning to earn money from it!) It gives you can overview of all of the basics you need to know when it comes to deductions, filing your taxes, and what you need to report.
  • The Authentic Blog Project — “Don’t show up for your audience in hopes of being accepted by them. Instead, show up because you are happy with yourself and you are perfectly happy to be seen as you are.” I loved this quote in this ebook! While very different from many of the resources in the bundle, I thought it was so invaluable and well worth reading.
  • Smart Email List Building — If you’ve been wanting to start an email list, this course will walk you through all of the basics you need to know. I thought the videos were a little bland, but the content was solid and worthwhile.
  • ROI Action Plan: Where to Focus Your Time to Make the Most Money When You Have Limited Time — I loved Caroline’s honesty and enthusiasm in this course + her very practical advice on what you should be focusing on as a blogger.
  • Sales Page Starter Kit — If you are planning to launch any type of product in the near future, this is a helpful and short course on how to put together a winning sales page. It gives you lots of practical suggestions for how to write copy and headlines for your sales page that will convert to buyers.
  • WordPress 5.0 Masterclass — This is a very comprehensive overview of WordPress 5.0 and Gutenberg. If you’ve been scared of switching over to Gutenberg, this thorough course will help you feel much more comfortable with using it. Plus, you’ll learn lots of tricks and tips for making the most of WordPress.
  • YouTube Takeoff — Thinking of starting a YouTube channel? This well done course walks you through everything you need to know to set up and launch your YouTube channel successfully.

Remember, The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit is only available until midnight tonight (January 16, 2020). After that, it goes away and this bundle of resources at this price will never be offered again!

Don’t miss out! Click here to purchase it while you can!

Shared Jan 15, 2020 comment

16 Resources I Loved in The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit {Flash Sale!}

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16 Resources I Loved in The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit {Flash Sale!}

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

TGBTK 2019

For the next 36 hours only, there’s a flash sale going on for one of the BEST blogging resources that will be offered this year. If you missed it when the sale was offered in October 2019, you can get the same special bundle at the same price — but only until tomorrow evening (Thursday, January 16, 2020).

What is this resource? It’s The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit and it’s an all-new collection of some of the top-notch blogging courses, ebooks, and programs — all packaged together for a few days for one tiny but terrific price.

I Went Through All the Resources for You!

I spent hours going through the resources in the Toolkit in order to tell you about which ones are my favorites and those I think are most worth going through.

Let me just say, there is SO MUCH good stuff in this Toolkit! Wow!

16 Of My Favorite Resources

101 Prompts for an Engaged Facebook Group — This ebook is short but packs a punch. Lots of great ideas for fostering conversation, especially if you struggle to come up with good ideas to post on FB.

Affiliate Marketing, Simplified! — This one goes along so well with my course, Monetize Your Blog. If you bought that course and want to learn more about affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and go through Affiliate Marketing Simplified. I especially found the case studies and the What Not to Do sections insightful, as well as her tips for how she’s earning steady income from her blogger Facebook Group. I didn’t particularly care for the font used in the course lessons or the large spaces, but the material was valuable enough to overlook that.

Bloggers’ Secrets — Very comprehensive course that covers almost ALL aspects of blogging. This course is well done, very in-depth, and would be great for a beginning to intermediate blogger to go through.

Boost Your Blog Traffic: 50 Strategic Steps to Increase Traffic To Your Website and Make It A Success — While this course isn’t as high-quality as some of the other courses in this Toolkit, it does have a lot of good ideas in it. If you are a newer blogger and you are looking to grow your traffic, I would definitely suggest that you check out the ideas in this course and make sure you implement as many of them as you can!

Designing With Typography — I thought this course was well done, unique, and worthwhile. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been turned off by a book or course just because the font or graphics/font seemed poorly done or were hard on the eyes or seemed contradictory to the book or course message.

Design Like a Pro with Canva — While this course was fairly basic, it is a fantastic starting place for learning how to navigate Canva and create professional-looking graphics for your blog and social media, without having to hire a designer. This course also gives you access to some Canva templates that are pre-made and ready for you to tweak (which makes it SO much easier to design nice-looking graphics!)

FB Ads for Affiliates and How to Grow Your Blogging Income Through Facebook Ads — Both of these courses are very thorough in walking you through how to set up Facebook Ads that will actually convert and consistently bring you steady, passive income. I’m excited to go through these in-depth myself in the next few weeks and then implement what I learn. I think that these two courses alone will be 100% worth the price of this toolkit alone. (However, they probably aren’t the place to start if you are new to blogging!)

How to Earn Income as a Christian Blogger — This ebook is a great starting point for any faith-based blogger who feels like they probably can’t earn an income since they are a religious blogger (totally not true, but I understand how it can be easy to believe this until you’ve been shown differently!)

Live Streaming 101 — I love Vicky’s personality and her professionalism but also the simplicity in what she teaches. If you are wanting to do live streaming, especially a regular live streaming show, this course will teach you everything you need to know from the technical setup, camera to use, and what kinds of topics might work for your audience.

Manual Pinning Simplified: The Super Simple Smartphone Pinning System for Busy Bloggers and Photoshop Pin Templates — If you’ve been wanting to prioritize Pinterest, these two resources will help you grow your traffic from Pinterest AND create beautiful, professional-looking pins. (Note: If you don’t Photoshop, I recommend using Design Like a Pro with Canva instead as it will be less expensive and easier to use and there are some great Pinterest templates included with that course, as well.

If you are new to Pinterest, start with Pinsider Secrets and Pin Practical Influence for some step-by-step getting started with Pinterest.

Podcast Launch Toolkit — This is a fantastic getting started course for podcasting. It’s fairly basic, but it gives you everything you need to know to walk through brainstorming, planning for, and launching a podcast successfully. (I’d also recommend reviewing Podcasting for Bloggers. It’s a quick but pretty comprehensive read.)

Click here to purchase the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit.

Shared Jan 14, 2020 comment

Breaking Up With Our Phones

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Breaking Up With Our Phones

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

About a week and a half ago, Jesse dropped his phone in the lake while duck hunting. To our surprise, instead of this being something that was a sort of frustrating expense and inconvenience, it turned into an unexpected blessing.

On this week’s episode of the podcast, Jesse and I talk candidly about how addicting the phone can become, changes we’ve implemented to spend less time on our phones, and what has been working for us (as well as some things we are trying!)

We also share some of how we are approaching phones with our kids, the dangers parents need to be aware of, and what we’re learning as we’re navigating having a teen and pre-teens in the age of so much connectivity and technology.

What has helped you to be wise and intentional with your phone usage? I’d love to hear your suggestions and insights!

Powered by RedCircle

In This Episode: 

[01:34] Why elderberry syrup is saving my life these days.

[04:37] Jesse’s phone took a swim, listen to hear how it was a blessing in disguise. 

[13:53] How we turned the loss of the phone into a finances discussion with our kids.

[16:20] Why phones have become an unhealthy addiction and how to break up with them.

[19:12] How parents need to be aware of the dangers that are out there when it comes to our phones.

[24:42] What kind of example are we setting for our kids with our phone usage? 

Links and Resources:

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 here. 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.

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

Click here to download!
Shared Jan 13, 2020 comment

My Goals for This Week

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My Goals for This Week

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This year, I’m doing weekly goals in 2020 instead of yearly goals. And I’m thrilled to report that it’s going so well! In fact, even though we had activities almost every evening last week and a very full week, I got so much done — and had breathing room and rest time, too!

Here’s an update on how I did on my goals last week…

Last Week’s Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Get in 52,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading Romancing Your Child’s Heart and Awful Beautiful Life and listening to the Killing Patton audiobook. 

3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. every week day.

Home/Family Goals

4. Decluttering: Garage freezer, bathroom closet, attic area, laundry room, car.

5. Start a new read aloud book together as a family.

6. Inventory what baby clothes we need to buy and purchase these.

Work/Blog Goals

7. Finish the introduction and write chapter 1 of my manuscript.

8. Write an in-depth honest review of Butcher Box. (You can read my Completely Honest Review of Butcher Box here.)

9. Run our $4 course sale.

Word of the Year Goals

10. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family. (We watched 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. I’ll share our thoughts on it on my book update post on Wednesday.)

11. Go out to dinner with Jesse for our anniversary.

12. Make tea, light a candle, and write a card to Jesse. 

I cleaned out the sock basket when I worked on the laundry room. Can you believe that in this overflowing basket of mismatched socks that had come through the laundry in the last 6-8 months there was not one single match??

This Week’s Goals

This week, I’m setting more personal goals because, as I wrote in my pregnancy update, I’m wanting to really prioritize earlier bedtimes and more hydration.

If you’re wondering why I have such a long list of books to read, that’s because 4 of the books are ones I’m reading in preparation for a podcast interview and another one is a book I’m reading in order to do an endorsement for a friend.

So it looks like a lot, but 4 of them are super short and I’m over halfway through two of the books on my list. It’s not as impressive as it might look! 🙂

2020: Week 3 — Goals

Personal Goals

1. Get in 53,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading 100 Ways to Love Your Husband, 100 Ways to Love Your Wife, 100 Words of Affirmation Your Wife Needs to Hear, 100 Words of Affirmation Your Husband Needs to Hear, Live Love Now, and No Better Mom for the Job. Finish listening to Killing the Rising Sun.

3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. every week day.

4. Go to bed by 10 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

5. Drink a gallon of water every day.

Home/Family Goals

6. Decluttering: Boxes of mementos, under bathroom sinks, and kitchen cupboards.

7. Finish reading Great Escapes of World War II aloud as a family.

8. Buy hats and coming home outfit for baby. (I’m chipping away at my To Do Before Baby Comes list a little bit per week.)

Work/Blog Goals

9. Write chapter 2 of my manuscript.

Word of the Year Goals

10. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

11. Go to a movie with Jesse.

12. Go out to dinner with friends.

What are YOUR goals for this week? How did you do on last week’s goals? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Jan 13, 2020 comment

Gretchen’s $86 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

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Gretchen’s $86 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m happy to be back posting my menu plans after taking a couple of weeks off due to moving across the country to TN! We used up of most of our stockpile of groceries and all the meat in our freezer before we moved so I’m going to slowly be trying to build that back up. There was basically nothing in our cabinets before I went shopping this week so I ending up spending quite a bit. I’m expecting it to be like that for the next few weeks as I slowly stock our refrigerator and freezer.

We still have Kroger and Aldi in our new town, but we also have Ingles, Food City and Earthfare. I know nothing about these stores though and feel overwhelmed trying to figure out the sales there. So I just stuck with the two I knew – Kroger and Aldi. However, if any of you shop at an Ingles, Food City or Earthfare, I would love all the tips and tricks you can give me! I’m curious if these stores have better deals than Kroger or if they’re worth shopping at.

Kroger

1 pkg Chobani Yogurt – $1.49 after e-coupon (no longer available)

2 pkg Gold Metal Flour – Marked down to $0.99 each

1 Zia Marinara Sauce – $1

1 bag Mandarin Oranges – Marked down to $0.99

1 Wesson Oil – Marked down to $1.49

3.43 lbs Bananas – $2.02

1 Cascadian Farms Cereal – $1.99

1 Post Honey Bunches of Oats – $1.49, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $1.24 after rebate

1 bag Grapefruit – Marked down to $0.99

1 LGF Bar – $1.67, used Free Ibotta rebate – Free after rebate

2 The GFB Bars – $1.50 each, Used $2.19/2 Ibotta Rebate AND $2.19/2 Kroger Cash Back – Free plus $1.38 overage after rebates

1 Fage Yogurt – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.69

1 Cracker Barrel Cheese Cubes – $1, used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate and $0.50/1 Kroger Cash Back – Free after rebates

5 bags Chocolate Chips – Marked down to $1 each (Sticking these in my freezer!)

1 Kroger Salad Dressing – $1.49

2 pkg Spaghetti Noodles – $0.49 each

Used $0.10 Ibotta rebate for any receipt

Total after coupons and rebates: $20.44

Aldi

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.85

1 pkg MooTubes – $1.55

2 dozen Eggs – $1.29 each

1 can Black Beans – $0.49

2 can Northern Beans – $0.55 each

2 Half & Half – $1.55 each

1 pkg Sausage – $1.89

1 lb Butter – $2.99

2 pkg Frozen Corn/Peas – $0.79 each

1 bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $2.79

1 bag Honeycrisp Apples – $2.49

1 pkg Hot Dogs – $0.79

5 lb bag Potatoes – $2.59

1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.49

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.85

1 lb Ground Beef – $3.29

2.03 lbs Grapes – $2.62

1 bag Spinach – $1.39

1 bag Tilapia Fillets – $3.79

1 Seedless Cucumber – $1.29

1 small Cucumber – $0.45

1 pkg English Muffins – $1.15

1 pkg Tortillas – $0.99

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.89

1 box Graham Crackers – $0.89

1 Fruit & Grain Bars – $1.35

1 Pineapple – $1.19

1 bag Sugar – $1.57

1 loaf Bread – $0.95

1 Baking Powder – $0.99

1 box Cheese Crackers – $1.49

1 can Diced Tomatoes – $0.45

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49

0.93 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.88

1 Chunk Cheese – $1.69

2 Gallons Milk – $2.15 each

Total: $65.59

Total for both stores: $86.03

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Eggs, English Muffins, Fruit, Oatmeal, Yogurt

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches x 2, Tossed Salad Bar, Cheese/Crackers/Fruit/Veggies x 2, Hot Dogs, Leftovers

Dinners

Pizza from Papa Johns using a gift card

Spaghetti, Grapefruit, Biscuits

Grilled Chicken & Tilapia, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Peas, Leftover Biscuits

Sour Cream Enchiladas, Steamed Carrots

Black Bean Quesadillas, Tortilla Chips (leftover from traveling), Steamed Corn

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup, Mandarin Oranges, Sliced Cucumers

Meat Potato Quiche, Homemade Bread, Tossed Salad

Shared Jan 12, 2020 comment

Life Update: Pregnancy (week 24), our anniversary, baby clothes, and re-organizing

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Life Update: Pregnancy (week 24), our anniversary, baby clothes, and re-organizing

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly life update where I share about my pregnancy & give you a peek into our life this past week. If you want to follow a lot more behind-the-scenes and real-time updates every week, be sure to follow my stories and posts on Instagram.

I’m 24 weeks this week! Instead of the usual belly pic, I’m bringing you a baby pic for my weekly pregnancy update. Because I can’t help but share this!

This was taken 4 1/2 weeks ago at my 20-week anatomy scan, but we just got the pictures and videos back this week and this one took my breath away.

Also, when we saw this, we immediately were all, “That is Silas’ nose and mouth!!” It was crazy to see Paine characteristics in utero at only 20 weeks!! We are so in love with this child!

Pregnancy Update

And now for a pregnancy update: I’m thrilled to report that this week was SO MUCH BETTER than last week!! Honestly, I had about 250% more energy, very little nausea, and almost no heartburn. I also slept like a rock every night but 2 nights. Say what?!?

The only thing I did differently was really take it easy over the weekend and make drinking water more of a priority. I honestly think that I’m figuring out that staying rested and having breathing room in my schedule plays a huge difference in how I feel overall — possibly even when it comes to things like heartburn and nausea. Or maybe it was just a fluke thing, but I’ll take it!!

My big goals for this next week are to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night (or at least to be in bed resting for 7 1/2 to 8 hours every night in hopes I’ll be sleeping for 7 of those hours!), to have a really restful Sunday (this seems to make a world of difference for my week!), and to get back to drinking a gallon of water per day (I’ve slowly been increasing my water intake now that it finally doesn’t make me sick!)

In other GREAT news, I passed my glucose test and my hemoglobin is at 10.0!!!! That is huge news for me and it seems like all the iron-rich foods, SlowFe, and Blood Builder I’m taking are working! I’m so grateful!

Thank you for your prayers, your constant encouragement, and the way you cheerlead me! I’m so grateful for each of you and how much you care about me, this precious baby, and our family. It’s truly humbling.

This Week at Our House

17 years ago last week, I walked down an aisle and committed to love and be faithful to my very best friend.

We had a budget wedding: I did my own hair and makeup and wore my mom’s dress, we hired the cheapest photographers we could find (as evidenced by the photo quality of these pictures!), and we had to set up folding chairs at the back of the church because there weren’t enough seats!

But the wedding details weren’t really what mattered (although there are a lot of funny stories and mishaps — like the fact that we hadn’t kissed before and totally botched the kiss at the ceremony or that my dad didn’t get my veil pulled back correctly so it stuck out all funky the entire ceremony!).

What mattered is that after years of dreaming of this day (Jesse and I met when we were 9 and 10 and liked each other from the time we were mid-teens), it had finally come and we were MARRIED!!

17 Years and One Thing Hasn’t Changed

I remember thinking on that day, “There’s no way I could love Jesse anymore than I do now!”

Well, 4 kids, 7 moves, lots of struggles and triumphs, and countless jobs and businesses later, our love is far deeper and stronger than I could have ever imagined back on our wedding day 17 years ago.

We might be a little grayer and more wrinkled, one of us might have a few more stretch marks, we might be a little more tired, and we might be a little less idealistic and more realistic, but one thing hasn’t changed: we are still fiercely in love and committed to fight for our marriage.

Jesse, thank you for falling in love with that big-glasses, big bangs, and bushy-eyebrowed girl all those years ago. You are one of God’s greatest gifts ever given to me! ❤️

Want to see a few more pictures from our wedding? I posted them on Instagram here. (Just hit the arrow button to see them.)

Kathrynne has been working hard to declutter and re-organize her closet. We want to At Home yesterday and took advantage of some of their sales to get some organizational items.

Her closet looks so clean and clutter-free now — and she can easily find whatever she’s looking for! (I posted some sneak peeks on Instagram stories yesterday and will do a full post on Friday with before and after pictures of her efforts!)

Kaitlynn and I went shopping for baby clothes yesterday! I had a $50 Target gift card and we found some really fantastic clearance deals, so we only spent $45 and we are all stocked up on the basics for newborn and 3 month clothes. It was so fun to get to shop for baby clothes… it was the first baby stuff we’ve purchased and made it feel SO real!

If you’ve been curious as to whether Butcher Box is worth the price, be sure to check out my really honest review that I posted this past week here.

If you need a laugh, go watch this short live video where I try to unbox my jewelry box and then cannot get these new earrings in my ear. Oh goodness… you just never know what will happen on live video!

Shared Jan 12, 2020 comment

Last week’s Kroger and ALDI Shopping Trips (+ re-organizing the freezer)

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Last week’s Kroger and ALDI Shopping Trips (+ re-organizing the freezer)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to see what we bought for this week’s $70 grocery budget? I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 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.

I felt like this was a really meh week when it came to grocery deals. I went to Kroger twice, and both times didn’t find that many good deals.

Because the deals weren’t that great and I still had money left in the budget, I decided to run by ALDI to see what deals I could find. Well, I felt like the deals were pretty non-existent at ALDI, too.

Oh well, not every week is a great deal week, right? And it makes me grateful for all the many deals that usually find!

Kroger Shopping Trip #1:

  • 4 packages of frozen veggies — $1 each
  • 5 packages of Eckrich sausage — $1.49 each when you buy 5 participating items
  • 4 bags of produce — marked down to $0.99 each
  • No Cow Protein Bar — free with Freebie Friday e-coupon
  • 2 boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats — marked down to $1.59 each
  • 1 dozen eggs — marked down to $1.79
  • Gallon of milk — $2.79
  • 3 organic Coconut yogurts — marked down to $0.24 each
  • 2 cottage cheese — marked down to $0.69 each
  • Total with tax: $26.85

Since I’m doing a lot of decluttering right now, I decided it was high time that I declutter the garage freezer, too. I only had about 20 minutes, so I did what I could with the time I had.

Not perfect, but so much better!

Kroger Shopping Trip #2:

  • HomeChef Mashed Potatoes — marked down to $1.29
  • Deli Chicken — marked down to $2.39
  • Milk — $2.79
  • Hummus — marked down to $0.99
  • Lettuce — $1.79
  • Frozen Green Beans — $1
  • Sugar — $1.59
  • Total with tax: $12.71

ALDI Shopping Trip

  • Frozen Broccoli x 2 = $0.99 each
  • Frozen Sweet Peas x 2 = $0.99 each
  • Macaroni & Cheese x 5 = $0.33 each
  • Garlic = $0.99
  • Frozen Berries = $1.95
  • Bananas = $0.59
  • 12-pack of Ramen noodles = $1.94
  • Dill Pickle Spears = $1.39
  • Avocados x 4 = $0.39 each
  • Refried Beans x 2 = $0.75 each
  • Green Beans x 2 = $0.49 each
  • Mozzarella cheese = $1.69
  • Cheddar cheese = $1.69
  • Lemon juice = $2.39
  • Chocolate milk = $1.59
  • Total with tax = $25.48

Overall Total: $65.04

Shared Jan 11, 2020 comment

Brigette’s $88 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $88 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Aldi

1 bag Frozen Blueberries – $1.85

2 bags Frozen Mixed Vegetables – $1.14

1 2-lb bag Pazazz Apples – $2.49

1 2-lb bag Honey Crisp Apples – $2.49

1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $2.09

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.89

1 large bag Organic Kale – $2.89

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $2.39

1 Cauliflower – $2.29

1 Pineapple – $1.19

2 Avocados – $0.98

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.39

1 bag Dried Cranberries – $1.19

1 tub Grape Tomatoes – $1.39

2 bags Red Grapes ($1.29/lb) – $4.97

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.49

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89

1 8-oz pkg Deli Sliced Cheese – $1.79

1 Goat Cheese Log – $1.55

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.99

1 16-oz carton Egg Whites – $1.69

5 dozen Eggs – $4.95

1 16-oz pkg Deli Sliced Meat – $2.85

1 jar Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil – $3.59

1 24-oz jar Pasta Sauce – $0.85

2 cans Tomato Sauce – $0.38

1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.29

1 box Cinnamon Crunch Squares – $1.32

1 box Crispy Oats – $1.15

2 boxes Macaroni and Cheese – $0.66

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.99

1 gallon 1% Milk – $1.99

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.28

1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.65

1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $0.99

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.55

1 pkg Butter Quarters – $2.49

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59

1 can Parmesan Cheese – $2.29

2 large cans Organic Diced Tomatoes – $3.18

1 large canister Old Fashioned Oats – $2.29

1 pkg Sliced Pepperoni – $2.19

1 bag Gluten Free Pretzels – $1.85

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.67

Grocery Total for the Week: $88.07

Weekly Menu Plan

We have SO MUCH food in our pantry and freezer right now – 7 deer from my husband’s hunting season efforts, plus all kinds of foodie christmas gifts and leftovers. We will be working on eating it up over the next few weeks especially (although the venison will take the whole year ;)). Also, I got an Instant Pot for Christmas! So feel free to hit me up with your favorite recipes.

Breakfasts

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

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

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Cucumbers x 2

Pretzels and Peanut Butter, Cheese Sticks, Grapes

Baked Potatoes with Shredded Cheese/Cottage Cheese, Grapes Mini Peppers

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Pancakes, Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Roasted Parmesan Broccoli (breakfast for dinner)

Instant Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots (I’ll use a Venison Roast and my variation of this), Tossed Salad

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza, Steamed Mixed Vegetables, Kale Craisin Salad

Taco Salad (using ground venison), Spanish Rice, Oranges

Chili with Shredded Cheese, Homemade Cornbread, Raw Carrots/Ranch Dip

Date Night Out (Kids eat Mac and Cheese at home)

Leftovers