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Shared Oct 12, 2018 comment

We Spent $56.49 on Groceries This Week (+ here’s what we ate)

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We Spent $56.49 on Groceries This Week (+ here’s what we ate)

Published: by on   |  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.

I got back from my girls’ beach trip on Sunday night and we left last night (Thursday night) for a family road trip to AL, MS, and LA. We are staying at hotels that offer free breakfast and then we brought much of our food and snacks, so we don’t plan to spend that much extra on food on this trip.

However, we’re under-budget again this week, so I’m using the extra $39 we had in grocery money last week to cover an extra dinner out for our road trip.

Note: When you see the groceries and 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 in these shopping trips that I used to make all of the meals we ate. And  it also means we didn’t use all of these groceries up this week — because some of them will be saved for later weeks!

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. ?

Kroger Shopping Trip #1

Kroger Shopping Trip #2

  • 5 dozen Simple Truth Eggs — marked down to $0.49 per dozen
  • 2 bags of cinnamon/raisin bagels — marked down to $1.49 each
  • 3 Simple Truth yogurts — marked down to $0.49 each
  • Oui Yogurts — marked down to $1.19 each, used $0.30/1 Kroger digital coupon
  • Artisan Lettuce — marked down to $1.49
  • 2 bags of grapefruit/oranges — marked down to $0.99 each
  • 1 bag of apples — marked down to $0.99
  • Stayfree pads — $1.79 when you buy 5 participating products, used $1/1 Kroger digital coupon, got $0.50 back from iBotta rebate = $0.39
  • 4 Suave Shampoo/Conditioner — $1.99 each when you buy 5 participating products, used $3/2 Kroger digital coupon + $1/1 coupon that Kroger had sent to me (I should have just bought 3 bottles — for some reason, I got mixed up and thought it was a $1/2 coupon… oh well!) = $0.99 each
  • 2 Speedstick deodorant — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating products
  • 2 Gillette Shave Gel — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating products
  • Colgate toothpaste — $1.99 when you buy 5 participating products
  • 2 Suave Kids’ Body Wash — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating items
  • 2 Huggies Baby Wipes — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating items, used $0.50/2 Kroger digital coupon = $0.74 each after coupon
  • 2 Honey Nut Cheerios — $1.79 each when you buy 5 participating items, used $1/2 Kroger digital coupon = $1.29 each after coupon
  • 4 packages of Goldfish — $0.99 each when you 5 participating items
  • 8 boxes of Quaker Granola bars — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating items
  • 2 packages of Oscar Mayer lunch meat — $2.79 each when you buy 5 participating items
  • Used $10/$40 coupon that Kroger mailed to me recently (make sure you always have your address correct on the Kroger site — they often mail out great coupons!
  • Total with tax: $39.84

The best deal of the week by far (at least to me!) was the Simple Truth Cage-Free Eggs for $0.49!!!!! I have never seen cage free eggs this inexpensive and was so excited for this deal!

Since we already had 4 dozen eggs from recent deals, I shared two dozen with a friend and we plan to have lots of scrambled eggs, fried eggs, and hard boiled eggs over the next 2-3 weeks.

I don’t usually freeze eggs, because we can easily eat through 3 dozen in a week, but I will be making French Toast or Egg Casserole if we really need to use them up and aren’t seeming to eat through them quickly enough. I never have had any issue keeping eggs in the fridge for 2-3 weeks past their sell by date, so I’m not too worried about us being able to use them before they go bad.

I was also excited because I earned 436 points on Fetch Rewards for my second shopping trip! If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards yet, I highly recommend signing up and scanning your receipts. It’s such an easy-peasy way to earn free gift cards!

(Want more details on Fetch Rewards and how it works? Read this post on How I Earned $5 in Free Gift Cards in 3 Weeks — just for scanning my grocery receipts.)

What I Spent This Week

Total spent: $56.49

Cashback Earned This Week: 461 points from Fetch Rewards for scanning my receipts + I earned $0.60 back from iBotta for scanning my receipt and purchasing Stayfree.

What We Ate This Week

Breakfasts:

  • Cereal, Oatmeal, Scrambled Eggs, Banana Bread with Peanut Butter (Everyone is on their own for breakfast!)

Lunches:

  • Hard Boiled Eggs, Avocados, Salad, Grapefruit, Cottage Cheese, Lunch out with a friend (she insisted that she pay for my lunch!), Apples, Pumpkin Waffles (Jesse & Me)
  • Turkey Sandwiches, Fruit, Veggies, Banana Bread, Granola Bars, Yogurt, Cookies, Capri Sun (For the kids — They are in charge of their own lunches.)

Snacks:

  • Banana Bread, Oreo Cheesecake (that Kaitlynn made), Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Fruit/Veggies, Cookies, Hard Boiled Eggs, Turmeric Milk

Dinners:

  • Saturday: Jesse and the kids went over to our friends’ house for dinner since I was gone
  • Sunday: Leftovers/Fend For Yourself
  • Monday: Sausage/Peppers/Onions in the Crockpot
  • Tuesday: Fend For Yourself (Silas had a baseball game) — The kids had cereal, I had a muffin, egg, and apple, Jesse can’t remember what he ate!
  • Wednesday: Pumpkin Pancakes (recipe coming this next week on the blog — these were a hit!)
  • Thursday: Lasagna Casserole (from the freezer) Salad
  • Friday: Dinner Out
Shared Oct 12, 2018 comment

Gretchen’s $63 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

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Gretchen’s $63 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

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

Aldi

I have put off going grocery shopping for almost a week now and was starting to have to get super creative in what we were eating. I finally made it to the store though and stocked up on lots of staples!

2 pkg Frozen Broccoli – $1.19 each

2 dozen Eggs – $0.58 each

1 pkg Frozen Chicken – $5.99

1 pkg Frozen Peas – $0.95

2 jars Spaghetti Sauce – $1.49 each

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89

1 can Pineapple Chunks – $0.95

1 pkg Granola Bars – $1.59 (I bought this before seeing the sale at Dillons…oh well!)

1 gallon Milk – $1.78

1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $0.99

2 Half & Half – $1.79 each

1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99

1 loaf Bread – $1.49

1 pkg English Muffins – $0.99

Total: $27.71

Dillons

1 Nabisco Ritz Crackers – $1.49

2 Cascadian Farms Cereal – $1.99 each, used $1/2 e-coupon and $1/2 SavingStar.com rebate – $0.99 each after coupon and rebate

1 Private Selection Ice Cream – $1.99

2 Sargento Shredded Cheese – $1.99 each

1 Trolli Candy – $0.50

4 Black Forest Gummy Bears – $0.50

1 Kroger Turkey Breast Tub – $2.49

1 pkg Danimal Smoothies – $1.49

3 Quaker Granola Bars – $0.99 each

1 bag Kroger Corn Chips – $1.25

1 pkg BumbleBee Tuna – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

2 cans Bush’s Chili Beans – $1 each, used $1/2 e-coupon – $0.50 each after coupon

1 can Simple Truth Beans – $1

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.29

1 lb Ground Beef – $3.99

1 pkg Cream Cheese – $1.19

1 pkg Kroger Cheese – $2.19

1 can Kroger Diced Tomatoes – $0.49

1 pkg Butter – $2.99

2 Kraft Salad Dressings – $0.99 each

2 Cucumbers – $0.89 each (Aldi was out of cucumbers so I had to get them at Dillons.)

Redeemed $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate AND earned 234 Fetch Reward Point (like $2.34)

Total after coupons and rebates: $35.45

Total for both stores: $63.16

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toasted English Muffins, Eggs, Banana Muffins (Using bananas from the freezer)

Lunches

Turkey Sandwiches, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Turkey/Cheese/Crackers, Fruits/Veggies, Leftovers, Hard Boiled Eggs

Dinners

Chili, Biscuits, Sliced Apples

French Toast (using old bread from the freezer), Eggs

Spaghetti, Homemade Bread, Steamed Peas

Chicken Noodle Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, Banana Muffins

Hawaiian Haystacks

Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Tossed Salad

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Corn Chips, Carrot Sticks

Shared Oct 11, 2018 comment

A Beginner’s Guide to Your First Tough Mudder (and how to do it for FREE!)

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A Beginner’s Guide to Your First Tough Mudder (and how to do it for FREE!)

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

Nervous about your first Tough Mudder Race? Here's everything you need to know -- SUPER helpful!!

Thinking of doing a Tough Mudder? Here are tips and tricks I’ve learned from doing three different Tough Mudders in the last few years…

1. Embrace the Mud

My very first Tough Mudder was scary. I wondered if I would make it to the finish line. Could I really do a 10-mile, 23-obstacle mud run?

I worried that it would be too hard. I was scared I should have trained for it (I signed up on a whim a few weeks before). And I was worried that I would hate the mud.

You see, I hate mud. I hate the un-showered feeling. In fact, I have to shower and shave my legs every day to feel human and sane.

So I wondered if I had lost my mind to be signing up for something where the whole entire event was about walking and crawling and “swimming” in mud.

But I completely surprised myself by not really being bothered by it at all. In fact, after the first obstacle on that 10-mile obstacle run — one where you ended up covered in mud (see below), I just went with — and it was a blast!

Yes, I definitely was happy to take a shower when I got home and yes, it took multiple showers before I was finally mud-free, but I didn’t mind the mud at all during the event. And during my next two Tough Mudders, I actually welcomed it. Bring on the mud!

Note: You will get very, very muddy. It’s inevitable. Be prepared for mud to be in every orifice of your body — and for it to take a few showers and multiple hair washings to get it all scrubbed off!

2. Ask for Help

The Tough Mudder was specifically designed to be a team event. I can’t imagine doing it on my own or by myself. In fact, some of the obstacles cannot be completed on your own; the only way to get through them (or climb up or over them!) is to have help!

Willingly accept help. Don’t try to go it alone or be a macho. Accept that outstretched hand or the person offering to give you a boost so you can climb the high wall. That’s part of the experience — and I think it’s one of the best parts.

Tip: If you’re planning to do a Tough Mudder, find at least another friend to do it with you. It makes for such an amazing memory to share together AND you’ll never have to worry about being left to try to tackle an obstacle on your own. We just recently finished doing a Tough Mudder with two other couples we are close friends with. It was such a fun adventure — and it deepened our relationship to do it together!

3. Wear the Right Clothes & Gear

One of the best ways to improve your experience at the Tough Mudder is to wear the right clothes and gear. It could mean the difference of you being miserable or actually loving it!

Here are some things I would suggest:

Wear fitted spandex clothing. Don’t wear anything that is bulky and could easily get caught in barbed wire (which there will be quite a lot of that you’ll need to crawl under. Ladies, I recommend wearing spandex capris to protect your legs better as you are crawling under and over things.

Wear fingerless gloves. You are going to be using your hands a lot to grip things and gloves will make that easier, plus they will prevent your hands from getting scratched and scraped. I always use fingerless weight-lifting type gloves.

Bring sunglasses. If it’s sunny, you will be glad that you did. You can set them on the side of any obstacle that involves potentially dropping into water.

Wear shoes that are fairly tight on you. Your shoes will get soaked and you will be walking through waist deep mud and water. If you wear shoes that are loose, you’ll have a hard time keeping them on.

Wear sunscreen. Even if you don’t think it’s going to be sunny, you’re going to be outside for at least 4 hours at this even and the last you want to do is come home muddy and sunburned!

Wear a hair band. If you have longer or thick hair, a hair band can be a lifesaver so that you don’t have muddy, wet hair in your face. At the end of the race, you get a finisher’s head band and these work well for your next Tough Mudder!

Use shoe wraps. You will likely get a lot of little pebbles and rocks in your shoes without shoe wraps/gaitors. We got ours on Amazon (see above photo) and love them!

Don’t bring anything else. You are going to be traipsing through all sorts of mud and water and crazy obstacles… leave your phone or valuables or anything else you don’t absolutely need behind (they offer a bag check, but it costs $10, if I’m remembering correctly). They offer various water and snack stops along the way so you don’t need to bring any food or drink with you.

Tip: Bring a big plastic trash sack, a change of clothes, a change of shoes, and towels for when it’s over with. They have showers where you can shower off, but you’ll want to throw all of your clothes into a trash sack and it’s really nice to have towels dry off at the end!

4. Have a Blast!

Seriously! The more you are ALL IN for the event, the more fun it will be! Do your best. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t complete an obstacle (you can skip any obstacle you don’t feel comfortable doing) and go out and have fun!

You will challenge yourself. You will likely stretch yourself. And you will probably realize that you are a lot stronger than you thought.

Also, you just might fall in love with Tough Mudders and surprise yourself — just like I did!

How to Do a Tough Mudder for FREE (or at a discount!)

While the price of a Tough Mudder is quite expensive (you’ll pay $99+ for a ticket + $20 for parking at the event), there are a few ways to cut down on the costs — and even get in for FREE!

  1. Volunteer — If you volunteer at the event for half a day, you’ll get 80% off the ticket price. If you volunteer for a full day, you’ll get in completely free. You may still need to pay for parking on the day you participate in the event.
  2. Find a Deal on Groupon — We found a deal this time around on Groupon and were able to save a significant amount off the ticket price by doing so! Check Groupon for your area to see if they are offering this — it showed up a few months before the Tough Mudder event.

Note: This post is in no way, shape, or form sponsored by Tough Mudder. Though if they wanted to sponsor me in some way, I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with that! 😉

Shared Oct 10, 2018 comment

Bloggers: Be sure to read this!

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Bloggers: Be sure to read this!

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

(Note: The links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

I have gotten a LOT of emails from you all recently telling me that you wish you could have more customized help as a blogger…

  • Some of you would like help getting your blog up and launched.
  • Some of you want to know how to get more people to ready your blog.
  • Some of you would like to feel more confident when it comes to the technical aspects of blogging.
  • A number of you want to learn how to take better photos for your blog.
  • Many of you would love to be more successful on social media.
  • And pretty much all of you would like to figure out how to make more money as a blogger!

I wish I could offer customized coaching for each and every one of you… and we’re actually working on some projects for the future to allow me to do more of that.

I Want to Help You TODAY!

But many of you aren’t wanting to wait around for that — you’d like help TODAY! And you don’t have to wait, because guess what?

For the next few day only, an amazing bundle of fantastic blogging resources is available that offers courses on just about every single aspect related to blogging.

It’s called The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit and it boasts 77 different products and is worth $5,867.88!!

No matter whether you need help with writing better blog posts, setting up your email list, becoming proficient at marketing, creating products that sell, managing your time better, or making more money as a blogger, this toolkit has you covered.

Wait, For REAL??

Yes, when you purchase The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit, you’ll get access to 41 eCourses, 15 eBooks, 9 printable packs & workbooks, 5 templates, 5 stock photo packs, and 2 membership sites.

Basically, it’s an entire blogging education from a number of blogging professionals to help you confidently tackle whatever blogging struggles you are facing.

All of the courses and ebooks can be downloaded and gone through at your own pace. You can start them today or, if it’s a topic you don’t need right now, you can download it and save it for later.

Or, if it’s not a topic you need at all, you can just skip it and move on to the courses that you really need to focus on. Why? Because you are paying a fraction of the price that each of these would cost if you bought them individually.

You Won’t Believe This Price!

That’s right! If you went to the different influencer’s and blogger’s sites and bought each of these courses separately, you’d pay $5867.88! But for the next few days, you can get all of these courses in one big bundle for just $97 total!

Many of these courses are very comprehensive and they individually sell for more than $97 for just one course! So this is a STEAL of a price!

There is a Catch, Though…

I know you’ve likely been waiting for me to tell you what the catch is and it’s actually two-fold:

1) This is only a great deal if you’ll actually USE these courses. Please don’t buy this bundle with great intentions and then not actually go through the courses. Otherwise, you wasted your money. I only want you to invest in this toolkit of resources if you promise me that you are going to go through at least 3-4 of them. They have the power to change the trajectory of your business — but only if you will take the first step to purchase and then go through and learn and implement what you learn!

2) This offer is very limited time only. Most of the people who sell these courses cannot afford to have their course discounted deeply like this on a longterm basis. So this toolkit is only available at this price through Monday, October 15, 2018. After that, the toolkit won’t be available and the only way to get these resources will be to buy them individually at the much higher prices.

This is your chance to get the help you need to grow as a blogger — and to get it at a crazy low price!

Click here to purchase The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit for just $97!

P.S. I downloaded my own copy of the toolkit and will be telling you about which courses I’m most excited about over the next few days. If you have any questions or aren’t sure if this is for you, leave a comment and ask. I’m happy to help you out!

Shared Oct 9, 2018 comment

How I Got Over My Fear of Hospitality

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How I Got Over My Fear of Hospitality

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

Okay, so it’s hard for me to pick favorite episodes of my podcast… because that kind of feels like picking a favorite child. BUT, I have to say that this week’s episode is probably going to be one of my very favorites. Because the message of this episode is one that has personally transformed my life in such a big way.

You see, I used to be so scared to invite people into my home. Hospitality felt like something I just wasn’t good at.

In fact, I told myself for a long time that I’m an introverted person who is a homebody and who doesn’t host things or initiate. And by telling myself this, I had convinced myself that hosting and initiating weren’t my gifts or my personality.

It was safer to wait to let other people do the inviting. It was safer to convince myself I wasn’t the type to step out, step up, initiate, or lead.

But all that changed when I read Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt. It’s a book written specifically for people like me who feel so awkward about the whole hospitality thing.

Jen sent me a pre-release copy of her book in December of 2017. I remember getting that copy and planning to just quickly read it while we were driving to Kansas to visit family for Christmas.

She had asked me to endorse it and I had said yes just because Jen is a longtime friend and I wanted to support her.

But as I read the book, I felt like I was being called to do much more than just write an endorsement for the book — I felt stirred to step way outside my comfort zone and commit to opening up our home every single week in 2018.

I had no idea how that was going to transform my life! Listen to today’s podcast to hear the whole story…

In This Episode:

[02:04] – Why we let our daughter get a phone when she was 12… and why we might not let our other two kids get one until they are older.

[04:53] – I share about my very favorite mascara — and tell you my crazy journey to how I stopped wearing eye makeup.

[08:18] – I talk about my book pick for this week, and share my experience with it and why it was so powerful for me (as well as a few critiques of it — because you know I can’t help but be honest!).

[09:42] – Hospitality used to feel like something that I just wasn’t good at. That changed when I read Just Open the Door by today’s guest, Jen Schmidt!

[12:11] – What motivated Jen to write a book on the topic of opening one’s door?

[16:14] – Jen gives some ideas and suggestions for people who feel like they can’t afford to host, their house isn’t big enough or clean enough, or they don’t cook well enough.

[21:01] – Jen shares her words of wisdom for a woman who wants to open her door but doesn’t even know where to start.

[24:47] – This time, I’m going to change things up a bit and close the show by telling you about the commitment I made for 2018 to open our door every single week and give you a challenge, if you’re brave enough to accept it (and I hope you are!)

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.

Sponsor Spotlight

Today’s episode is sponsored by Twigby — a company dedicated to providing fantastic phone service at great prices. As I mentioned in the podcast, if you are looking for a great deal on a phone for your teen (or yourself!), I’d highly recommend checking out what Twigby has to offer.

Unlike traditional cell phone companies, they give you the ability to create your own custom, prepaid plan — without a contract or an unnecessary activation fee.

You don’t have to mess with going to a store and picking out a phone plan. You just go to their site, pick your phone plan and either switch your current phone over or get a new phone, and they get it all set up for you.

My favorite part about their service (in addition to their great prices!) is that they offer plan flexibility with the ability to change plans or phones at any time for free. You’re not locked into an expensive contract that has activation and termination fees.

They also offer Free Overage Protection, so you can rest easy in knowing that you will never be charged for overages without your go-ahead! You have complete control.

Special offer! Want to save 25% off your first 6 months of Twigby? Click here.

Links and Resources Mentioned in the Podcast:

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!

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

Click here to sign up!
Shared Oct 8, 2018 comment

2 Books I Read This Past Week

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2 Books I Read This Past Week

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

Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year. 

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

Here are the 2 books I finished this past week:

1. White Picket Fences

I had really enjoyed listening to The Shape of Mercy (by the same author), so that was why I borrowed this title for free from Libby. Unfortunately, I thought White Picket Fences was just an okay novel.

For me, there wasn’t enough character development and the plot was kind of weird and unbelievable. And I didn’t think it had a really deep meaningful conclusion. So this is not a book I’d highly recommend.

2. Imperfect Courage

I picked up Imperfect Courage based upon the recommendation of a few people I trust… and I almost didn’t read past the first few chapters because I had trouble following them and felt like they skipped around too much in her story. But I kept reading — and I’m so glad I did!

The second half of the book is SO good! I loved her thoughts on friendship and community and how to live out love to others — even when things are messy and hard. If you struggle with finding and building community, I think these chapters are so worth reading.

When I Find Time to Read

People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.

I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.

What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies or shows you really think I need to read or watch?

Shared Oct 8, 2018 comment

A date with Kathrynne and a girls’ trip to the beach

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A date with Kathrynne and a girls’ trip to the beach

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

Welcome to my weekly post I share a peek into our lives, talk about things I’m loving, share links to interesting articles or helpful ideas I’ve collected throughout the past week, and just talk about whatever is on my heart! ?

This post contains affiliate links and we may be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Kathrynne wanted to take me on a date for my birthday. We decided to go to Barnes & Noble and she paid for the outing.

I got this yummy turkey and brie sandwich.

I already showed you the flowers my parents sent me for my birthday, but I have to show you another picture because they made me so happy!

And then on Thursday morning, I left on a much-anticipated girls’ trip to the beach.

I went with two of my closest friends — Jamie and Lauren. We had anticipated this trip for weeks and it was the best ever!

We’re so grateful to our husbands for their kindness to take care of things on the home front so that we mamas could have a girls’ weekend!

The last two months have been full and there have been a lot of weighty and emotionally taxing things I’ve walked through. So this time away was amazing and so soul-filling. I didn’t know when we planned this a number of months ago just how much I was going to need it!

We all need quiet spaces in our life to reflect, refuel, and recover. Maybe you can’t get away to the beach, but can I encourage you to do something in the next 24 hours to refuel and refresh yourself?

Maybe that’s taking 15 minutes to read a book or drink a cup of tea or or take a nap or call a friend or bake something or organize a drawer or sit with a child or watch a funny clip on YouTube or take a walk. Even if you don’t feel like you have time, you can find 15 minutes to slow down and intentionally rest and refuel yourself.

From My Heart…

For years, I believed the lie that I didn’t know how to be a good friend. Because of some past hurt and rejection, I told myself that I was a disappointment to those closest to me.

I let this lie become my truth and I built a thick barricade around myself to keep other women at arm’s length. I was self-protecting… and when anyone would get too close, I’d pull back.

I didn’t realize I was doing any of this, of course. I just thought that I struggled to make friends and felt lonely much of the time.

All this changed when Jamie and Lauren entered my life. Both of them pursued me… for months. They wouldn’t give up. They kept pressing in, even when I pulled back.

I’m so grateful for their friendship for how they have been used by God to help me recognize so many lies I was living under and have given me the courage to step into the freedom that comes from believing the truth, fully trusting people, breaking down the barriers, and letting people in.

Our time at the beach was an amazing time of laughing, reading on the beach, honest sharing, deepening our friendship, and just enjoying life together.

“We can’t win when we go it alone.” -Jessica Honegger

2018 Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.

**Progress: 63 books read so far this year

2. Read through the entire Bible.

**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am all caught up— yay!

3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.

**Progress: 39 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 375 miles run so far

Marriage Goal

5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.Jesse and I went to NYC together in January.

Family Goals

6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.

**Progress: We’ve finished three books so far.

7. Take the kids to South Africa. We took this trip in July. What a memorable experience!

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching some options for this and are planning to make this happen this week. Stay tuned!

Financial Goals

9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.

**Progress: The workout room is DONE and the office is almost done!

10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)

Business Goals

11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.

12. Launch 5 new courses.

**Progress: We launched 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January, Content Creation 101 in February, 4-Week Blog Coaching Program in March, Email List Setup 101 in March, Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April, the Facebook Live Masterclass in May, and we launched Build Your List 101 in June!

Shared Oct 6, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $92 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $92 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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

Aldi

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.36

1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55

2 boxes Macaroni and Cheese – $0.50

1 can Parmesan Cheese – $2.29

1 jar Garlic Powder – $0.99

1 24-oz jar Pasta Sauce – $0.85

2 cans Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup – $0.90

1 box Onion Soup Mix – $0.45

1 32-oz bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $4.99

1 16-oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.15

1 bag Cheese Sticks – $1.65

1 16-oz pkg Deli Sliced Ham – $2.99

2 pkgs Deli Sliced Cheese – $2.30

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.15

1 bag Gluten Free Pretzels – $1.75

1 bag Mini Marshmallows – $0.89

1 24-oz bag Chocolate Chips – $2.79

2 bagsBrown Sugar – $1.90

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.15

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89

1 pkg Sliced Pepperoni – $1.95

2 1-lb pkgs Ground Sausage – $3.78

1 jar Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – $1.99

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.49

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.59

1 head Cabbage – $1.29

1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.19

1 3-ct pkg Colored Peppers – $1.49

1 Acorn Squash (2.24lbs @ $0.39/lb) – $0.87

1 Spaghetti Squash  (4.14lbs @ $0.39/lb) – $1.61

1 2-lb bag Honey Crisp Apples – $1.99 (we also were given a large bag of Fuji apples this week, not pictured, by some friends who went to an apple orchard)

2 bags Riced Cauliflower (not pictured – I accidentally left them in the freezer during this pic) – $3.78

1 3-lb bag Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (not pictured – I accidentally left them in the freezer during this pic) – $5.39

1 loaf White Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 loaf Wheat Sandwich Bread – $0.85

Total: $66.40


Harris Teeter

(Super Doubles)

1 64-oz carton Silk Cashew Milk – $3.00, used a $1.00/1 catalina printout (doubled) – $1.00 after coupon

2 10-ct pkgs Mission Tortillas – $4.00, used 2 $1.00/1 peelies (doubled) – FREE after coupons

1 Fage Split yogurt – $1.50, used a $0.75/1 catalina printout (doubled) – FREE after coupon

2 16-oz pkgs Muellers Elbows – $1.68, used $0.55/1 Mueller Pasta – RMN 9-9-18 (exp. 10/20/18) (doubled) – $0.58/2 after coupon

10 Chobani Flip Yogurts – $7.00 ($1.00 each, plus get an instant $3.00 off wyb 10) – used 2 $1.00/5 Chobani Single Serve Yogurts – 9-30-18 SS (exp. 10/28/18) (doubled) – $3.00/10 after coupons

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $1.98

10 cans Green Beans – $3.30

2 pkgs Townhouse Crackers – $3.98, used $1.00/2 Keebler Town House Crackers – 8-26-18 RMN; Includes 9 oz or Larger Only; Limit of 4 Like Coupons In Same Shopping Trip (exp. 10/07/18) (doubled) – $1.98/2 boxes after coupon

5 cans Campbell’s Chunky Soup – $6.45, used $1.00/5 printable (doubled) – $4.45/5 cans after coupon (My husband likes to bring these for lunches at work)

6 cans Pillsbury Biscuits and Cinnamon Rolls – $6.00, used 2 $1.00/3 Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Goods Products – 9-16-18 SS (exp. 12/08/18) (doubled) – $2.00/6 cans after coupons

2 cups Cap’n Crunch Cereal – $2.00, used $1.00/2 Cap’n Crunch Cereal – 8-5-18 RMN (exp. 10/31/18) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

2 boxes General Mills Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios (doubled) – $2.98, used  $1.00/2 General Mills Cheerios Cereal, Any variety – 8-26-18 SS (exp. 10/06/18) (doubled) – $0.98/2 boxes after coupon

2 Larabars – $2.00, used $0.50/2 printable (doubled) – $1.00/2 after coupon

Total after Coupons: $20.27

Harris Teeter actually had Super Doubles TWICE this week (3 days each). This picture is from Super Doubles earlier in the week. These deals are no longer available. After coupons and rebates, I paid $6.32 for all of the above.

Grocery Total for the Week after Coupons and Rebates – $92.99 (Yes, this is more than I usually spend. Last week, I only spent $61 – so it all balances out. 🙂 Since we can’t eat all of this food in one week, some of this will go towards the following weeks.)

Weekly Menu Plan

(We still have over 4 dozen eggs leftover from chicken-sitting for some friends last week)

Breakfasts

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

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

Saturday: Bacon/Cinnamon Rolls/Hard Boiled Eggs

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Apples, Peppers x 2

Crackers with Peanut Butter, Apples, Cheese Sticks x 2

Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Carrots, Grapes x 2

Leftovers

Dinners

Breakfast for Dinner: Sausage, Baked Doughnuts, Scrambled Eggs

4 Ingredient Chicken Rice Casserole, Tossed Salad, Baked Acorn Squash

Easy Pizza Casserole (recipe from Trim Healthy Table cookbook), Tossed Salad, Green Beans

Fall Festival with our Church – Main Dishes are provided; I’m bringing S’Mores Bars (recipe from my mother-in-law)

Spaghetti Sauce over Noodles or Spaghetti Squash, Tossed Salad, Broccoli, Biscuits

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Shredded Cheese, Crackers, Apples

Leftovers

Shared Oct 5, 2018 comment

This Week’s $31 Grocery Shopping Trips + What We Ate This Past Week

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This Week’s $31 Grocery Shopping Trips + What We Ate This Past Week

Published: by on   |  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.

I left on Thursday morning for a much-anticipated beach trip with two of my closest friends. So I didn’t do as much grocery shopping this week, as a result. We were pretty stocked up on food from the extras I had bought the past month and stuck in the pantry and freezer, so I didn’t need to buy much.

And I’ll just roll over the money I didn’t spend this week to next week’s grocery budget.

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 in these shopping trips that I used to make all of the meals we ate. And  it also means we didn’t use all of these groceries up this week — because some of them will be saved for later weeks!

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. ?

Kroger Shopping Trip #1:

5 boxes of Quaker Oatmeal Packets — $0.99 each when you purchase 5 boxes

Total with tax: $5.31 

Kroger Shopping Trip #2:

What We Ate This Week

Breakfasts:

Lunches:

  • Hard Boiled Eggs, Avocados, Salad, Cottage Cheese, Lasagna Casserole, Turkey Burgers, Apples, Pancakes (Jesse & Me)
  • Turkey Sandwiches, Fruit, Veggies, Banana Bread, Granola Bars, Yogurt, Cookies, Capri Sun (For the kids — They are in charge of their own lunches.)

Snacks:

  • Banana Bread, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Fruit/Veggies, Cookies, Hard Boiled Eggs

Dinners:

  • Sunday: Leftovers/Fend For Yourself
  • Monday: Lasagna Casserole, Peas, Grapes
  • Tuesday: Turkey Burgers & Spaghetti (Fend For Yourself Night again since everyone had different things going on)
  • Wednesday: Lasagna Casserole, Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
  • Thursday: French Toast
  • Friday: Dinner Out

What I Spent This Week

Total spent: $30.77

Cashback Earned This Week: 75 points from Fetch Rewards for scanning my receipts

Shared Oct 4, 2018 comment

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

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Pumpkin Donut Muffins

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

Pumpkin and doughnuts mixed together?? Yes, please! If you love muffins and you’re looking for a new recipe to try, put this one at the top of your list!

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

These Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins combine the best of both worlds – Donuts and Muffins!

This recipe is the perfect marrying of two of my favorite things for fall! The muffins were a little drier than I expected and the batter was thick, but when rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar, they were pretty much perfect! And my family agreed!

Pumpkin Donut Muffins Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk (or make your own buttermilk)
  • 1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree
  • 10 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar (or raw sugar)
  • 2 eggs

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating:

  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

How to make Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 12-18 muffin cups (or line with paper) and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; set aside.

3. In a smaller bowl, stir together the buttermilk and pumpkin; set aside.

4. In a large bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well.

6. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on low speed. Then add half of the pumpkin mixture and mix on low speed.

7. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and pumpkin mixture.

8. Fill greased muffin tins roughly 3/4 full of batter and bake in preheated oven for about 20-23 minutes (until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean).

9. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

10. While the muffins cool, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl and mix together the cinnamon and sugar in another small bowl.

11. Roll or dip the muffins completely in butter and then roll or dip them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture until they are fully coated.

12. Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

Storing Pumpkin Cinnamon Muffins

Once the muffins are completely cooled, you can place them in a food storage container and store at room temperature or freeze for later.

Do not store muffins in the refrigerator as that can dry them out.

How long do Pumpkin Donut Muffins last?

Not long in our house!

Like any muffin, they are best fresh — but should last at least a couple of days at room temperature.

If you want to make them in advance, you can freeze them — although we’d recommend freezing them WITHOUT the sugar topping and adding that once the muffins defrost.

Pumpkin Muffins Recipe FAQs

What is the secret to moist muffins?

Using enough fat is key for moist muffins. This recipe has lots of butter — so don’t cut back if you want your muffins to stay moist!

Why are my pumpkin muffins gummy?

Overmixing the flour into the batter is one of the main reasons muffins and breads become gummy. When you overmix the flour, you develop extra gluten — which works to bind the muffins together, giving them that gummy texture. We recommend only mixing the flour until just combined.

Recipe

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins


Author Crystal Paine
Course Bread, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cool Time 10 minutes
Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients
  

For the Muffin Batter

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 15 oz. pumpkin puree
  • 10 tbsp butter softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar or raw sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
  • ¼ cup butter melted
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2½ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 12-18 muffin cups (or line with paper) and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; set aside.
  • In a smaller bowl, stir together the buttermilk and pumpkin; set aside.
  • In a large bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
  • Add half of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on low speed. Then add half of the pumpkin mixture and mix on low speed.
  • Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and pumpkin mixture.
  • Fill greased muffin tins roughly 3/4 full of batter and bake in preheated oven for about 20-23 minutes (until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean).
  • Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
  • While the muffins cool, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl and mix together the cinnamon and sugar in another small bowl.
  • Roll or dip the muffins completely in butter and then roll or dip them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture until they are fully coated.
  • Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

Try the same recipe with mini muffin tins for fun donut holes! Check muffins after 15 minutes since they will bake faster.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 3985IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg

Love this recipe?

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More Pumpkin Recipes:

What is YOUR favorite pumpkin recipe to make? I’d love to hear!

50 Easy breakfast ideas

FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!

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

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Can't afford dental care regularly? Try these tips to professionally clean your teeth at home!
Shared Oct 3, 2018 comment

How to Clean Your Teeth at Home

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How to Clean Your Teeth at Home

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

Can't afford dental care regularly? Try these tips to professionally clean your teeth at home!

Note from Crystal: I know that this topic might be a bit controversial and I personally would differ with some of the conclusions of the guest poster and do believe that regular dental visits are something that should be prioritized if you can at all make it happen in your budget. However, I decided to share this post here because I thought it might give some great ideas for those of you who are unable to afford regular dental care. It also is a great reminder for all of us to think outside the box and this might be a great option for in between dental visits and/or to reduce the costs of needing extra expensive dental work.

Please do your own research and do what is best for you and your family. If you have other suggestions for ways to save on dental care, I’d love for you to leave them in the comments. As always, sharply critical comments will be deleted but we welcome kind and gracious comments that contribute to the conversation.

Guest post from Liberty:

When was the last time you had your teeth cleaned? How about your kids’?

If you’re like many people, you find it challenging (particularly on the budget) to faithfully book teeth cleanings for each family member every six months.

The average cost of a regular teeth cleaning is $137. Multiply that times a couple of children, plus parents, and you have a regular six-month monstrosity of a dentist’s bill!

It can be difficult enough living on a tight budget without worrying about a huge extra bill, or the worse alternative. an outbreak of cavities (bigger cost alert!)

We all want to provide the care our kids need to enjoy clean, healthy teeth for a lifetime, but sometimes it’s harder than getting your six year old to eat shrimp at your friend’s dinner table!

The good news is you can professionally clean your entire family’s teeth at home for less than the cost of a new crockpot!

My grandmother, a dental assistant for 30 years and only recently retired, taught my family how to clean our teeth ourselves.

I grew up cleaning my teeth at home (and watching my mother clean my teeth when I was younger) and neither I nor any of my siblings have ever had a cavity.

Every once in a while, we’d visit our grandmother and she’d offer us free teeth cleanings at the dentist’s office. But she always ended up saying, “I don’t even know why I do this, your teeth are just so clean!”

The best part about cleaning your teeth at home is that it’s unbelievably easy and extremely cost-effective, in addition to causing other health benefits you may not expect. Teeth cleaning is so easy teenagers can do it — and that’s saying a good deal!

There are four simple steps to clean your teeth:

1. Floss thoroughly.

Run the floss between every tooth twice: once up and down on one side and once up and down on the other side.

2. Scale and scrape.

Gently scrape your teeth with a scaler along the gum line, between your teeth, and over the flat surface of each tooth. Be sure to gently scrape out any grooves you may have in your teeth, and to avoid widening cracks.

You’ll want to use a professional-quality, stainless steel scaler — they’re actually quite affordable. Don’t use one of those cheapie Walmart teeth-scaling kits.

3. Polish and brush.

Put a small amount of pumice polish on your toothbrush and give your teeth a good brushing. Pumice whitens your teeth and removes plaque and tartar at the same time.

Brush with side-to-side, up-and-down, and circular strokes. Make sure you brush along the gum line as well as the surface of the teeth themselves.

4. Replace your toothbrush regularly.

The pumice polish ruins your toothbrush’s regular cleaning capabilities, so buy yourself a new toothbrush each time you clean your teeth at home.

Yes, even replacing toothbrushes every six months doesn’t raise the cost to more than a fraction of the cost of a crockpot!

It can be intimidating to clean your teeth the first time — you may want to begin by cleaning your family’s teeth at home, and still going in for a cleaning occasionally to see how well you’re doing. Get x-rays. Ask the hygienist if there’s much of a buildup on your teeth. Make adjustments to your home-care routine accordingly until you have the process mastered.

You’ll still save money without worrying about sacrificing the health of your teeth in the process.

DIY teeth cleaning is a cost-effective, rewarding experience!

As you run your tongue along your teeth and feel the newly-smooth surface (the rough plaque having vanished along with the pumice), smile big and show your teeth as you think of all the things you can do with the money you saved.

Legal Disclaimer: As you’ve guessed, I am neither a dentist nor claim to be. This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for obtaining professional dental advice. Please use at your own risk.

Liberty is so fascinated with effective DIY teeth cleaning that she wrote an eBook about it: Goodbye Dentist! Professionally Clean Your Family’s Teeth (in Under $20). You can download your free copy (opens in Dropbox) of this step-by-step, pain-free, detailed guide to becoming your own dentist and saving hundreds of dollars.

Shared Oct 2, 2018 comment

The secret to being a happier mom

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The secret to being a happier mom

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

I can’t WAIT for you to hear today’s episode… but first, I have to say a huge thank you to all of you for your support and excitement about my podcast officially launching last week with the first two episodes.

Even though I’ve been blogging for over 13 years and running online businesses for longer than that, it’s still scary to put something brand-new out into the world. But you all are the most amazing cheerleaders.

Thank you for listening to the podcast, for subscribing, for telling your friends and sharing it on social media. Most of all, thank you for the kind emails and texts and DMs and comments you all sent to me last week. It truly blessed me more than I can adequately describe in words.

You all are in for a treat with today’s episode! In addition to talking about kids and cell phones, our favorite site for crockpot menu plans, a book on hormones, and how to keep your home from being over run by toy clutter, I bring on Jeannie Cunnion to share about The Secret to Being a Happier Mom.

Jeannie is a mom four boys and a two-time author of books that have deeply impacted me in my mothering journey. In our conversation, she shares powerful words of advice for moms who feel like they aren’t enough, she talks about how to stop carrying around mom guilt, and the key to freedom and joy as a mom.

If you need some encouragement as a mom or if you wonder if you are completely messing it up, you’ve got to listen to this episode!

In This Episode:

[00:28] – Do you like small talk? I share my pretty blunt personal opinion on this and ask you to weigh in.

[03:38] – Over and over in the last year, I’ve been asked whether my kids have cell phones. I know this is a very personal decision for each family, but I share what our family policy is on cell phones in today’s episode.

[05:31] – Do you struggle to plan menus and make grocery lists? I talk about a site that I LOVE for simple, yummy, and easy crockpot menu plans.

[07:10] – My book pick of the week is The Hormone Reset Diet by Sara Gottfried M.D. If you think you might have hormone imbalance, this book is a fascinating read.

[09:42] – Jeannie Cunnion and I dive right in to sharing encouragement for the mom who feels like she’s failing. 

[12:32] – I share how much relief and joy I’ve discovered as I’ve changed my approach to parenting.

[14:06] – Jeannie offers sage advice to moms who feel pressure to get it all right and to be perfect. “When we don’t model perfection for our kids, it frees them from the pressure of feeling like they have to get it all right.”

[22:02] – Jeannie talks about what she’s reading right now (I’m excited to read this book!) AND she shares a simple tip that’s saving her life right now.

[25:30] – Today’s Q&A segment is from Jena. She asks me how I keep clutter out of our home and how I encourage our kids to purge toys, clothes, stuffed animals. I answer this question specifically related to toy clutter, since so many moms have asked me for advice in that.

(Have a question you’d love for me to answer on the show? Email it to: [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.

Sponsor Spotlight

Today’s episode is sponsored by Twigby — a company dedicated to providing fantastic phone service at great prices. As I mentioned in the podcast, if you are looking for a great deal on a phone for your teen (or yourself!), I’d highly recommend checking out what Twigby has to offer.

Unlike traditional cell phone companies, they give you the ability to create your own custom, prepaid plan — without a contract or an unnecessary activation fee.

You don’t have to mess with going to a store and picking out a phone plan. You just go to their site, pick your phone plan and either switch your current phone over or get a new phone, and they get it all set up for you.

My favorite part about their service (in addition to their great prices!) is that they offer plan flexibility with the ability to change plans or phones at any time for free. You’re not locked into an expensive contract that has activation and termination fees.

They also offer Free Overage Protection, so you can rest easy in knowing that you will never be charged for overages without your go-ahead! You have complete control.

Special offer! Want to save 25% off your first 6 months of Twigby? Click here.

Links and Resources:

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 Oct 1, 2018 comment

3 Books I Read + 1 Movie I Watched

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3 Books I Read + 1 Movie I Watched

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

Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year. 

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

The last few weeks have been incredibly full and I have had very little time to read, as a result. And oh how I have missed it!

Things finally slowed down to a much more manageable pace last week and I was able to start fitting in my regular reading again and it felt so good! I’m hoping to still finish out the year hitting my 100 books goal. It feels a little far-fetched right now, but we’ll see! 🙂

Anyway, if you’ve missed my Monday book posts, the reason I haven’t posted them is because I just haven’t had much to report recently in the way of books read. But I’m hopeful that is changing… starting this week!

Here are the three books I finished this past week:

1. I’d Rather Be Reading

It’s only appropriate that I finished this book the very week I’m lamenting about not having as much time to read recently as I wish I would have had! If you are a reader or a lover of books, you’ll enjoy this book.

I especially loved the section where she talks about how we need to stop apologizing for not liking a certain book or not wanting to read a certain book. I’ve always felt like a fraud as a reader because I’ve not read certain classic books and haven’t really had the desire to. This book encouraged me that that is okay… I can embrace who I am as a reader and be okay if I don’t love books that others absolutely adore.

2. Slow Down, Mama

This book was sent as a gift from the author. It has a lot of practical advice and suggestions for living more intentionally. I found that most of it was refresher type of material since I’ve read a lot of similar books.

However, there was one part that stuck out to me and will stay with me a long time and it was on writing a reverse bucket list. I’ve always heard people encourage writing a bucket list… but a reverse bucket list was a new idea to me. The author asks the question, “What is it I hope I never become or do?”I thought it was a profound question to ask! And I’m still pondering what my answer would be.

3. The Newsmakers

I listened to this free audiobook on the Libby app and had high hopes for it. It started out well and intrigued me… but then I felt like it fell completely flat.

I wanted so much more from it and was sad that it ended just as I’d guessed it would. I kept listening because I was sure there was going to be some plot twist and really great surprise ending. Nope. I should have read the reviews on Amazon before listening to it.

Jesse and I went and watched this movie. It was the sequel to Unbroken and very worth seeing, if you loved the book. Have you seen it? I’d love to hear what you thought!

When I Find Time to Read

People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.

I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.

What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies or shows you really think I need to read or watch?

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*HOT* 16×20 Shutterfly Prints as low as $4.99 shipped, plus more!

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*HOT* 16×20 Shutterfly Prints as low as $4.99 shipped, plus more!

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

Wow! Through tomorrow, Shutterfly is offering 250 free prints and a free 16×20 print when you use the promo code GOODTIMES at checkout! Please note that you do not have to order both for the promo code to apply.

You can choose from a 16×20 Calendar Poster, 16×20 Collage Poster OR a 16×20 Print!

Here are a couple of deal ideas:

16×20 Calendar Poster – $22.99
Use promo code GOODTIMES
Shipping adds $4.99
$4.99 shipped after code

16×20 Collage Poster or 16×20 Print – $17.99-$19.99
Use promo code GOODTIMES
Shipping adds $6.99
$6.99 shipped after code

These would make such great personalized Christmas gifts!

Thanks, Hip2Save!

Shared Oct 1, 2018 comment

Money-Making Mom Hardcover Book for just $4.98 shipped!!

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Money-Making Mom Hardcover Book for just $4.98 shipped!!

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

Whoa!! ChristianBook.com currently has my Money-Making Mom Hardcover Book on sale for just $0.99! Shipping adds $3.99, so you’ll pay $4.98 shipped!

This is an amazing price for the hardcover version!

Here are more details on the book:

Money-Making Mom is packed full of brand-new stories and information — details that you’ve not read here on the blog before. I had so much fun digging deep, writing from my heart, and writing new material that has come from years of having my own business and making many mistakes.

I think you’ll enjoy getting a closer look at the behind-the-scenes of what has made MoneySavingMom.com successful, as well as hearing about many, many failures I’ve made along the way.

Best of all, this book doesn’t just share my story, but there are dozens and dozens of success stories from many different women who are in different seasons and who have a wide variety of different businesses and income-earning ventures.

Money-Making Mom is not a book about about making money as a blogger or even just about making money online. Instead, it’s a hands-on manual to help you discover your passions and talents and turn those into a profitable business — whether online or offline.

Woven through the pages is my heart to inspire women to uncover their gifts, use their talents, and make a difference in this world! Because you have a story. You have a message. You have gifts and talents. And the world needs your story, your message, your gifts, and your talents!

Go here to get your copy of Money-Making Mom for just $4.98 shipped.

Thanks, Christina!