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Shared Oct 28, 2019 comment

Get my brand-new eBook (Slash Your Grocery Bill) for just $7!!

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 28, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Surprise!! After years of people asking me to put together a resource on how to save money on groceries, I finally DID IT!

Allow me to introduce you to my brand-new eBook, Slash Your Grocery Bill: 25 Tried and True Practices.

To celebrate the launch, through Tuesday at midnight, you can grab a copy for the low price of just $7! After Tuesday, the price goes up to $17. This will likely be the lowest price it will ever be!

What You Will Learn:

Slash Your Grocery Bill is a comprehensive guide with simple, realistic short-cuts and time-saving tips to lower your grocery bill. It’s for anyone who has ever wished they could figure out the secrets for how to eat well on a small budget.

In it, you’ll learn…

How to strategically plan a menu in just minutes each week
Multiple menu-planning methods that have worked well for me
How to set up a realistic grocery budget
How to determine a grocery budget that actually will work for your family
Why you should consider rotating the stores you shop at
How practicing the Buy Ahead principle can save you hundreds of dollars each year
How to stock your pantry on a limited budget
DIY and homemade mix ideas, short-cuts, and time-saving tips
Inexpensive and yummy snack ideas
Our favorite budget-friendly pantry meal ideas
And so much more!

“I don’t have time to clip coupons or shop at multiple stores!”

Right about now, you are probably wondering if this eBook is going to tell you how to save thousands of dollars per year by running all over town, clipping hundreds of coupons, and spending hours of time each week.

Take a deep breath… that is not at all what it’s about. I won’t suggest that you shop at 7 different stores each week, buy 31 bottles of something you probably won’t even use, or waste hours of time you don’t have tracking down deals and setting up a sophisticated coupon system.

“But, I don’t really think this will work for our situation…”

I get it. All of us have special circumstances and situations. There is no one-size fit all method for cutting your grocery bill!

You might have five teenage boys or live way out in the country or only eat organic or have four different food allergies or be in a high cost of living area… or you fill in the blank. Every single person’s situation is different.

I promise the strategies in this eBook will work for you!

I wrote this eBook in the hopes that no matter where you live, who lives at your house, or what kind of food you eat, you will be able to cut your grocery bill. I’ve taught hundreds of thousands of people in a myriad of different seasons and life situations how to save. So I promise that there will be many strategies in this book that will work for you.

(And if you buy it and are already doing every thing it suggests, guess what? I will happily offer you your money back! I do not want you to spend money on something that isn’t truly going to save you money and benefit your life!)

Yes! Please Help Me Cut My Grocery Bill!

P.S. This $7 price is only good through Tuesday! Don’t miss out. After Tuesday, the price goes up to $17! Get your copy here.

Shared Oct 27, 2019 comment

Life Update: Pregnancy Update (Week 13) & the Spartan Race

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 27, 2019 | 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.

13 weeks!!! And I had to have my picture taken in the kitchen because I COOKED DINNER three times this week!!!

HIGHLIGHTS

I feel like I came back to life this week and it is AMAZING to be functioning again at at least 50% of my normal pace compared to barely functioning the past 6 weeks. I forgot how good I used to feel! Also, I was able to start eating my daily salads again, which made me so happy!!

CRAVINGS

Um, should confess that my big craving this week was Taco Bell tacos again?!?

NOTABLE

Jesse’s dad (who owns a medical equipment servicing business) sent us a really fancy doppler that’s he’s letting us borrow for the pregnancy. It’s so amazing to get to hear the baby’s heartbeat at home!

Also of note: I’ve outgrown the majority of my wardrobe. The maternity clothes I have are still huge on me, but I’m going to have to get creative with outfits over the next few weeks until I can fit into my maternity clothes! The kids continue to be so shocked by my growing size and I keep telling them they haven’t seen nothing yet!

WEIGHT GAIN: 5.5 lbs.

P.S. Do you consider the second trimester to start in week 13 or week 14?! The internet seems very conflicted on this.

Jesse and Kathrynne ran the Spartan Race last week and had a blast doing it.

Kathrynne ended up finishing a few minutes before Jesse! 🙂

Silas and Kaitlynn ran the Spartan Kids’ race while Jesse and Kathrynne ran their race and had a great time doing so!

And the fun after the race… getting all cleaned up. 🙂

What I’m…

Reading right now: I Will Always Write Back (I finished this and really enjoyed it, especially since I’m so passionate about South Africa. Do note that it has a little bit of language and somewhat more mature themes in it in places so I’d read through it before handing it off to a child to read.)

Watching right now: Silas, Kaitlynn, and I have continued to enjoy watching The Masked Singer. We’ve also been watching Dancing with the Stars.

Listening to right now: I’ve been listening to recent episodes of The Sorta Awesome show this week.

Loving right now: Mint Majesty tea with cream and honey (someone sent this to me as a gift and it is SO good!)

In Case You Missed It:

Shared Oct 27, 2019 comment

I’m back to cooking & shopping! See what I bought & cooked this past week!

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 27, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I went to the grocery store twice this week — AND I actually made dinner three nights (which is a HUGE victory since I’ve been too sick to my stomach to cook for 6 weeks!) Hallelujah!

Since I’m feeling so much better this week, I feel like I’ll be able to be back to our normal $70 grocery budget and menu plan starting this coming week. I know so many of you have missed this, so I’m thrilled to be feeling well enough to bring it back for you!

In the mean time, here’s what I bought at the store this week:

I was so excited about this deal on these crackers at Kroger. By the way, the cheese crackers are SO good!

Kroger Shopping Trip #1:

2 bags of Simple Truth Tortilla Chips — marked down to $0.99 each
Kettle Chips — marked down to $0.49 each
4 cups of Mac & Cheese — marked down to $0.99
Kroger Brown Eggs — marked down to $1.29
5 cups of Simple Truth yogurts — marked down to $0.49
Back to Nature Crackers — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
3 Barbecue salmon fillets — $0.99 each
Multigrain bread — marked down to $1.49
Bush’s Beans — marked down to $0.49
Corn Starch — marked down to $0.79
Kroger Olives — marked down to $0.20
5 cans Progresso Lasagna Soup — marked down to $0.39 each
Betty Crocker Brownies — marked down to $0.49
Bush’s Chili Beans — marked down to $0.45
Sweet Tea — marked down $0.99
2 packages pasta — marked down to $0.79
Kroger brownies — marked down to $0.49
4 cans Amy’s Lentil soup — marked down to $2.50
Oranges — marked down to $0.99
Onions — $2.49
Potatoes — $2.49
Kroger granola bars — marked down to $0.45
King Arthur All Purpose Flour — marked down to $0.79
Total with tax: $34.33

Kroger Shopping Trip #2:

2 bunches Bananas — marked down — $1.56
3 Green Giant Steamers — marked down to $0.79 each
5 Simple Truth yogurts — marked down to $0.49 each
Kroger Half & Half — $1.49
2 DiGiorno Pizzas — $2.99 with Friday-Saturday deals
1 tub of greens — marked down to $1.69
2 chopped salads — marked down to $1.29 each
5 packages of Smithfield bacon — $2.99 with Friday-Saturday deals
Milk — $2.99
Total with tax: $38.31

Dinners This Week

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup, Grapes, Banana Muffins

Lasagna Soup (this was from cans of Progresso that I got marked down to $0.39 each!)

$0.45 Potato Soup with cheese and bacon (this was a winner recipe!)

Taco Bell Box of Tacos (hello, pregnancy cravings!)

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Oranges, World’s Best Honey Cornbread

Chicken Fajitas (provided by the church because I was hosting a group of women for a Discipleship Retreat)

Shared Oct 26, 2019 comment

Target: Free Shipping On All Online Holiday Orders!

Published: by Gretchen on October 26, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Woohoo! Target is once again offering FREE shipping this holiday season!

Starting November 1st, you’ll be able to get FREE shipping on any Target online orders — no minimum purchase required! (Go HERE for the press release!)

No promo code is needed for this deal. Just buy anything online and you’ll get automatic FREE shipping — including Black Friday and holiday season purchases.

This is a great deal, because you usually have to make a $25 minimum purchase in order to get free shipping.

And not only that, many of the shipments will get to you as soon as the next day after your order is placed! Looks like lots of competition for Amazon again this holiday season.

Valid through December 21, 2019.

Shared Oct 26, 2019 comment

Brigette’s $89 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on October 26, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 gallon Whole Milk – $0.97

1 gallon 1% Milk – $0.97

1/2 gallon Orange Juice – $1.49

1 16-oz carton Whipping Cream – $1.55

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.65

3 dozen Eggs – $2.37

1 can Parmesan Cheese – $1.49

2 boxes Crispy Oats Cereal – $2.18

1 pkg Fresh Boneless Chicken Thighs – $4.70

1 can Salmon – $2.49

1 bag Sunflower Seeds – $2.49

1 48-oz bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.18

3 pkgs Sandwich Crackers, reduced – $1.50

1 jar Vegetable Oil – $1.49

2 pkgs Frozen Mixed Vegetables – $1.98

2 pkgs Frozen Broccoli Florets – $2.18

1 Cauliflower – $1.49

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.79

1 bag Fresh Zucchini – $1.79

1 bag Fresh Broccoli Crowns – $1.09

1 bag Fresh Spinach – $0.99

1 bunch Bananas ($0.38/lb) – $1.11

1 bag Fresh Asparagus – $1.20

1 3-lb bag Mandarin Oranges – $2.99

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.29

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.49

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 Cabbage – $1.19

1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.19

1 3-ct bag Avocados – $0.99

1 bag Green Grapes ($0.79/lb) – $2.09

1 large carton Blackberries – $1.99

1 bag Sweet Mini Peppers – $1.99

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49

4 individual-size Greek Yogurts – $2.40

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

1 245-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59

1 16-oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.15

1 16-oz bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $2.15

3 cans Diced Tomates – $1.05

1 pkg Tortillas – $0.65

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 bag Plain Rice Cakes – $1.49

1 pkg Gluten-Free Bagels – $3.99

1 bag Quick Cook Brown Rice – $1.49

1 bag Nacho Chips – $0.79

Grocery Total for the Week: $89.52

Not pictured: My son shot a deer (his first ever!) this week, so we packaged up about 30lbs of ground venison for our freezer. Yes, the deer are small in South Carolina. 🙂 We eat a LOT of venison at our house as my husband is an avid hunter.

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

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

Lunches

Baked Sweet Potatoes, Grapes, Cottage Cheese

Sandwich Crackers, Apples, Carrots x 2

Build-Your-Own Salad Bar (Romaine/Spring Mix, Salmon, Hard Boiled Eggs, Sunflower Seeds, Shredded Cheese, Dressing, Avocados, Chopped Veggies and Fruits)

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Venison Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli, Grapes

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Asparagus, Biscuits

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs, Tossed Salad, Mixed Vegetables, Best Baked Potatoes with Shredded Cheese

Build-Your-Own Burrito or Taco Salad Bar (Seasoned Ground Venison, Shredded Cheese, Plain Greek Yogurt, Crushed Nacho Cheese Chips, Shredded Romaine, Salsa, Avocados, Tortillas), Brown Rice, Oranges

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Bread Machine Buttery Rolls

Date Night Out (Grilled Cheese Sandwiches at home for the kids)

Leftovers

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Oct 25, 2019 comment

4 Reasons Why You Can’t Save Money on Groceries

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 25, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

On Monday, I am launching a brand-new eBook called Slash Your Grocery Bill: 25 Tried and True Strategies. In it, I’m going to share my best tricks and secrets for sticking with a low grocery bill. (Psst! You won’t want to miss out on the really special launch price! Be sure to check my blog on Monday for all the details!)

In the mean time, I wanted to make sure that my eBook really covered your greatest budgeting struggles and stresses, so I polled all of my Facebook followers and Instagram followers to share their number one struggle when it comes to saving money on groceries.

I picked the top 4 struggles that were shared over and over again and I want to address each of these and give you some creative ideas and encouragement. You probably won’t be able to relate to all of these, but hopefully some of the tips I share will help you in your unique situation.

Struggle #1: I find it hard to menu plan consistently. This leads to extra trips to the store and overspending.

A few of my tips & suggestions:

I’d start by asking yourself what your biggest hang up is to menu-planning. Is it that you can’t find the time, don’t enjoy it, don’t like sticking with a plan? Or is it something else? Often when we ask why and try to get to the root of the issue, it allows us to come up with creative alternatives.
One simple solution might be coming up with four or six weeks’ worth of menu plans with grocery lists. Yes, this would take some time to put together, but then all you’d need to do would be to rotate through these lists again and again! One time effort could lead to months or years of benefit! (Need some inspiration? Read this post on creating an Annual Menu Plan.)
Have you tried a menu-planning service? Check out my FREE one-week menu plan! (If you like it, you can upgrade to the full 10 weeks of money-saving menus afterwards!)

Struggle #2: I feel like I never have enough time to shop strategically or cook much food from scratch.

A few of my tips & suggestions:

I’m going to stick my neck out here a little bit (and risk stepping on a few toes!), but the truth is: if you tell yourself you can’t do something, you probably won’t be able to do it. Start by deciding to change your language around this. We almost always have somewhat of a choice in how we spend our time. Instead of saying, “I don’t have time,” try saying, “I’m choosing to spend my time differently.” This simple switch reminds you that calendar is not the boss of you!
Instead of trying to shop at a bunch of different stores or use coupons or cook everything from scratch, I recommend starting out by just sticking with a budget and menu plan. Those two simple practices might be all you need to cut your grocery bill down to a realistic and doable figure.
If you are consistently sticking with a grocery budget and a menu plan and it’s not feeling overwhelming, then try challenging yourself to change one small thing to shave 1-3% off your grocery budget that month. That’s all. If that one small thing works, stick with it. When it becomes a habit and feels easy, then add on another small thing. And so on. This is a slow but surefire way to steadily begin to overhaul your grocery budget.

Struggle #3: We don’t have many grocery store options where we live. It’s frustrating to see all the good deals other people get.

A few of my tips & suggestions:

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, I bet you can guess what I’m going to say: stop comparing. Seriously, just stop! It does no good and it only serves to steal your joy and make you feel frustrated and/or inadequate.
Instead, focus on what you CAN do. Can you have a budget? Yes, you can. Can you create a menu plan? Yes, you can! Can you stick with simple and inexpensive meals? Yes, you can!
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. And be content with that! In addition, look for creative ways to save. Maybe that’s through a company like Azure Standard, or ordering online, or a local farm, or starting a garden, or cooking more things from scratch. When there is a will, there is usually a way!

Struggle #4: We have food allergies so I have to buy certain brands. There are not a lot of sales and coupons on the brands I have to buy.

A few of my tips & suggestions:

First off, read my suggestions above in response to the other struggles. I think some of those will encourage you.
Secondly, look for outside-the-box ways to save. Sometimes, Amazon will have great prices on allergen-friendly foods (you can set up price alerts on CamelCamelCamel.com!) What about asking your local stores if they will give you a discount if you buy in bulk? Does Azure Standard deliver to your area? If so, check on the prices they offer.
In addition, if there are brands you regularly use, try contacting them and letting them know how much you love their brand. They will often send you coupons! And be sure to sign up for their emails and social media to be alerted of special deals and coupons, too!
Lastly, you might not be able to lower your grocery bill as much as some can. That is entirely okay! I bet you can find other ways to save in your budget in order to free up the extra money you need to spend more on groceries!

What are YOUR greatest struggles when it comes to saving money on groceries? Tell me in the comments!

Want to cut your grocery budget? Go here and sign up (it’s free!) I’ll send you my 10 Easy Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill By $50.

Shared Oct 23, 2019 comment

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup

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

Looking for a yummy and easy slow cooker soup recipe? This Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup Recipe is one you should definitely try!

I cooked dinner for the first time in six weeks on Monday! And it felt SO good to be back in the kitchen after weeks of not being able to stand doing any food prep because of morning, noon, and night sickness.

Since the weather has cooled down here, I thought an easy soup recipe would be perfect.

And boy oh boy did this one hit the spot!

You will love this Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

This recipe is so simple to make and it’s a fun twist on traditional chicken noodle soup.

Plus, it can be made ahead in the crock pot!

My only regret is not making a double batch as we ate it all in about 15 minutes!

Chicken Tortellini Soup Crock Pot ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used three frozen breasts)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
18 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini

Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe substitutions

There are many ways you can make this recipe your own — based on your family’s taste preferences, in-season veggies, or simply what foods you already have in the house.

Here are a few easy substitutions:

Use turkey in place of chicken
Add in a diced onion and some garlic for a little extra flavor
Swap out the seasonings based on your taste preferences (try a few bay leaves!)
Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
Add in peas, corn, diced tomatoes, or any of your other favorite veggies
Try ground sausage and beef broth instead of chicken and chicken broth
Use different noodles (egg noodles or mini cheese ravioli work well)
Stir in a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to play around with it!

How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup

1. Place chicken, carrots, and celery in a slow cooker.

chicken and veggies for this easy soup recipe

2. Pour chicken broth over meat and veggies and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

4. Take chicken out and shred/chop.

5. Add chicken back in to slow cooker along with tortellini.

6. Cook until the tortellini is tender (about 30 minutes longer) adding a bit more water or broth if the soup gets too thick.

How to serve Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

We keep it simple at our house — serving it up in a bowl with some bread or crackers.

You could also pair it with a salad and go a little fancier with these delicious breadsticks.

How to store Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup

If you have any left (and that’s a big “if”) simply store it in an air-tight food storage container in the refrigerator… or freeze it for later.

You could also portion it out into individual servings to take to work later in the week (it reheats really well!)

How long does chicken tortellini soup last in the fridge?

This soup should last for 5-7 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it for longer storage.

Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe FAQs

How do you keep tortellini from getting mushy in soup?

The key is to not overcook the tortellini. We recommend adding the tortellini for just 30 minutes at the end of your cooking time and then serving immediately. However, tortellini actually tastes really great even when it’s a bit over-cooked so you don’t need to stress too much about the exact timing!

How long to cook tortellini?

We recommend around 30 minutes in a slow cooker or roughly 7 minutes in boiling water. However, the best test is to taste one tortellini noodle to make sure it’s done before serving the soup.

What is tortellini filled with?

This depends on the type of tortellini you buy. We prefer cheese-filled tortellini, but you can also buy mushroom-filled, or sausage-filled.

How is tortellini different from ravioli?

Tortellini noodles are smaller than ravioli and easier to eat in one bite. They also fit on a spoon much better than ravioli, which is why they are perfect for soup recipes!

More Yummy Soup Recipes You’ll Love

Recipe

Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup

Author Crystal Paine

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6 30

Looking for a yummy and easy slow cooker soup recipe? This Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup Recipe is one you should definitely try!

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts I used 3 frozen breasts
2 carrots peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
18 oz. cheese tortellini

Instructions

Place chicken, carrots, and celery in a slow cooker.
Pour chicken broth over meat and veggies and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Take chicken out and shred/chop.
Add chicken back in to slow cooker along with tortellini.
Cook until the tortellini is tender (about 30 minutes longer) adding a bit more water or broth if the soup gets too thick.

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!

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What is your favorite soup recipe? I’d love to hear!

Shared Oct 22, 2019 comment

Why Jesse and Kathrynne Went to South Africa

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

As a mom, there’s not much that warms your heart more than seeing your child find such fulfillment in loving on others.

We usually go to South Africa every year to spend time with our friends there and to see the progress and work being done by Take Action Ministry — the ministry that is near and dear to our hearts and the one we are very involved with there. (If you’re interested in reading about previous trips, you can read more and see lots of pictures here.)

I couldn’t go this year because of my pregnancy, but I got to send Jesse and Kathrynne instead and they had the absolute BEST time!
I just couldn’t stop smiling as Jesse sent me pictures when they were there. To see my 14-year-old so happy and at home in the country that has stolen my heart made me beyond thrilled and proud as a parent.

There’s a lot of things we’ve gotten wrong and are getting wrong as parents, but we will never regret the priority we’ve placed on travel and experiencing other countries and cultures. It has so profoundly impacted all of us for so much good.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sat down with Jesse and Kathrynne and asked them to share about their trip. I loved getting to hear their perspective, what they experienced, and what they have learned from our time spent in South Africa.

In This Episode:

[01:19] Jesse and Kathrynne share why they went to go to South Africa.

[02:33] We all talk about what the flights to South Africa are like and the anxiety that sometimes has surrounded these long international flights.

[08:03] Jesse chats about some of the highlights of this year’s trip and how the area has changed so much.

[08:51] What does Take Action Ministry do at the centers and what is the purpose of these centers?

[13:06] Kathrynne shares her experience with the food prepared and served at the centers.

[15:09] Hear about Kathrynne’s trip highlights.

[18:14] What was different about this trip from the ones taken in the past?

[20:32] We could just give them money, but going and being there is so much more impactful.

[22:50] How have these trips impacted Kathrynne’s and Jesse’s lives?

[27:45] Kathrynne ends the conversation with how appreciative she is for all of the opportunities she has in her life.

Links and Resources:

Take Action Ministry
Take Action Donations
Joint Aid Management
Crystal’s Favorite Things on Amazon
CrystalPaine.com
MoneySavingMom.com
Crystal’s Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]

How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show

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

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

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 21, 2019 comment

5 Questions to Ask Before You Tweak Your Budget

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

I would love to see a post on adjusting your budget. How do you know when you need to increase your budget or when you need to decrease your spending? I LOVE your posts that give us questions to consider when making decisions. I would love to see questions to help me know if I should increase the budget amount for groceries or auto repairs whatever it is, or when we should cut back our spending. Thank you so much. -Melissa

This is such a great question, Melissa! I don’t think there are any 100% cut and dry answers or one-size-fits-all systems when it comes to when to raise or lower your budget. But I do think there are some general questions to ask before you overhaul your budget.

Here are five questions I recommend asking before you tweak your budget:

Questions to Ask Before You Tweak Your Budget

1) Are we struggling to make ends meet every month?

This is one of the most important questions to ask. If you are barely making ends meet every month (or they are not meeting every month) then it’s time to do a serious look at your budget.

Where is every dollar going every month? (If you don’t know the answer to this question, I highly recommend you check out Total Money Makeover from the library and follow the steps outlined to set up a budget. We’ve found that using software to track all of our expenses and income is so helpful to know exactly where we stand at any given moment of the month.)

If you do know where every dollar is going and you are struggling to make ends meet, it’s time to look carefully at whether there is anything you can cut, cut back on, or shave off. Don’t see anything you can change? What about looking into ways you can increase your income?

If you do know where every dollar is going and you aren’t struggling to make ends meet, then move on to the following questions.

2) Is it a causing stress and contention to stick to our budget in this category?

If you are finding that you are feeling stressed by a budget category every month, it’s time to take a hard look at that category, what you are spending, and why you’re feeling stressed about it.

For those of you who are married or who have other people who are involved in your budgeting, is this contributing to the stress? If so, why? Can you have an honest conversation about it without being frustrated or accusatory?

3) Why did we choose this budget amount in the first place?

Truth be told, I think this is possibly the most important question to ask.

Did you just pick a number out of the sky? Is this number the number you spent 5 years ago when you only had one child and now you have three but you feel like you shouldn’t change your budget because it’s what you’ve always had it set at? Did you choose this number because a friend (or someone online!) spends this on groceries or eating out and you wanted to prove that you could?

Take a hard look at the why behind your budget categories. Is the why in line with your priorities?

4) What does my spouse think?

If you are married, please do not be making budget changes without having a heart-to-heart conversation with your spouse. Budgeting is a team effort! It requires communication and compromise.

The less you can point fingers and instead lock arms and get on the same page, the stronger your budgeting success will be!

5) Could we find an easy way to spend less?

Do you need to be spending as much as you are spending in this category? Is there something simple you could change or tweak that would allow you to spend less? If you are thinking of raising your budget in one area, is there another area where you could lower it? (Check out this post for 30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money.)

As always, I think it’s important to remember that the goal of a budget is to serve you, not the other way around. A budget is a tool to benefit your life, not a slave master to make you miserable! (Psst! For more encouragement, read my post on We Need to Have an Honest Conversation About Budgeting.)

What questions do you ask before you change your budget? I’d love to hear!

Shared Oct 19, 2019 comment

Life Update: Pregnancy update (week 12), my book stack, & football

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 19, 2019 | 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.

12 weeks! And our big news is that we found out the gender this week!!!* Knowing has made it so much more real to me, even though this whole pregnancy still feels crazy surreal and like a dream.

HIGHLIGHTS

I think we actually all may have agreed on a name!! It’s very different having older kids who have very strong opinions about these things! Also, the NIPT test came back perfect. And I had a little more energy and a little less nausea this week.

NOTABLE

I’m pretty sure I’m starting to feel those first few flutters. I didn’t for sure feel movement until 15 weeks with Silas, but I’m almost 99% sure that’s what I’m feeling.

Also, my appetite has increased big time — which has been weird and I’m still trying to adjust. I’m usually the type of person who eats when I’m hungry and then eats until I’m satisfied. But right now, I feel hungry almost 90% of the time — even right after eating!!

I’m so grateful to have the desire to eat, though, because it definitely has been super hit or miss for the last 6 weeks and most of the time I was just making myself eat so I wouldn’t feel worse because my stomach was empty. It’s so nice to actually *want* to eat much of the time now!

CRAVINGS

Oh goodness, have the cravings been intense this week. I feel like all I do is talk about and think about food. (This is SO unlike me! My kids keep saying, “Mom, you are so WEIRD when you are pregnant!”)

Speaking of weird, yesterday and today I wanted a taco from Taco Bell. Y’all, I can’t remember the last time I’ve even eaten at Taco Bell!! But, thanks to Jesse, I had a taco for dinner AND breakfast (he was smart and just went and got a whole BAG of six tacos last night!!)

WEGHT GAIN

4.5 pounds (I usually always gain around 30 lbs. and at the rate I’m going, I don’t think I’m going to have any issue doing that again.)

*At this point, we don’t plan to share the gender before the birth. That could always change, but we kept it a family secret last time and it made it so special so we are thinking we’ll likely do that again.

In other news, I bought this sweatshirt this week and can’t wait for it to come in the mail!

And I was thrilled to once again feel well enough to go to the grocery store for a quick shopping trip!

Silas played both baseball and flag football this season. His first playoff game was Friday night and their team won, just barely! So they move on to the next playoff bracket next week.

What I’m…

Reading right now: I Will Always Write Back and Come Matter Here (My book stack in my room is getting way too high — and then I have three shelves in the library full of books waiting to be read ASAP. I guess it’s a good problem!)

Watching right now: Silas, Kaitlynn, and I have been watching The Masked Singer.

Listening to right now: I finally came up first in line for Atomic Habits on the Libby app again, so I’ve been listening to the last hour and half of it (that I didn’t get to finish the last time I had it “checked out” on the Libby app).

Loving right now: The fact that it was cool enough weather this past week to wear my favorite booties (shown above). (These are from Amazon, but they are a Payless brand so they are almost sold out.)

$47 Kroger Shopping Trip

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

I had a little more energy and a little less nausea this week (YAY for almost being in the second trimester!!), so I did a bit more of a “real” shopping trip.

Full disclosure: We’re still a few weeks away from getting back to our $70 grocery budget and the family is still eating a lot of cereal, snack foods, super quick meals (like scrambled eggs and frozen waffles), and take out. I’m okay with that because we always loosen up our grocery bill and eating out budget during the first trimester of pregnancy. It’s a season and one of the reasons we are so careful and intentional with our finances is so that we can change up the budget categories, if need be.

I hope to be back to our $70 grocery budget and menu planning in the next few weeks, just as soon as more energy returns and I feel well enough to be able to do more cooking/planning/grocery shopping.

For now, I’m just celebrating the fact that I made it to the store with a small plan and was able to get some good deals on groceries and managed to survive without getting sick! Here’s what we bought:

$47 Kroger Shopping Trip

5 boxes of Red Baron pizza — $1.99 each as part of the 3-day deals
4 bags of Kettle Chips — $0.99 each as part of the 3-day deals
Simple Truth Greek Yogurt — marked down to $0.49
Grapes — $0.99/lb. — $1.90
30 eggs — marked down to $1.49
1 bag of avocados — marked down to $0.99
5 boxes of Mott’s Fruit Snacks (40-count) — $1.99 each as part of the 3-day deals
Yoplait Gogurts — marked down to $0.99
Tropicana OJ — $3
Flour — $1.59
Sugar — $1.59
Milk — $2.99
4 cans of pumpkin — $0.89 each
Chocolate chips — $1.99 (I was craving Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins… unfortunately, my stomach quickly decided it did not like them at all. But hey, my family was happy to eat the rest!)
Total with tax: $47.19

Cash Back I Earned: 1,025 points from Fetch Rewards + $0.10 from iBotta.

Did you find any great deals at the grocery store this week?

Shared Oct 19, 2019 comment

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

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

Aldi

1 box Rice Squares – $1.49

2 boxes Crispy Oats – $2.38

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.05

1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.64

1 gallon Whole Milk – $0.97

1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.79

1 64-oz carton Skim Milk – $0.58

2 bags Riced Cauliflower – $3.78

1 3-lb bag Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts – $5.85

1 3-lb roll Ground Beef – $6.49

1-lb Sausage – $1.89

1 16-oz bag Deli Meat – $2.85

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89

1 48-oz jar Canola Oil – $1.85

1 can Baking Powder – $0.99

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59

2-lb bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $4.99

2-lb bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $4.99

1 pkg Sliced Cheese – $1.79

1 can Whipped Topping – $2.85

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.95

1 bag Pretzels – $1.09

1 bag Plain Rice Cakes – $1.45

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 jar Organic Jam – $1.69

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $1.99

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $2.09

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.89

1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $2.09

1 3-lb bag Mandarin Oranges – $2.69

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.09

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.39

1 huge bag of Turnip Greens – from a friend’s garden

2 bags Broccoli Crowns – $2.30

1 2-lb bag Peaches – $1.99

1 pkg Zucchini – $1.39

1 container Grape Tomatoes – $1.39

1 large bag Red Grapes ($0.79/lb) – $2.12

1 Cabbage – $1.69

1 bunch Bananas ($0.41/lb) – $1.09

5 single-serving Greek Yogurts – $2.95

Grocery Total for the Week: $88.60

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

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

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Oranges, Cucumbers x 2

Pretzels/Peanut Butter, Cheese Sticks, Bananas, Mini Sweet Peppers x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Roasted Broccoli, Grapes

Chicken and Rice Casserole, Tossed Salad

Hamburger Vegetable Soup with Shredded Cheese, Homemade Dill Bread

Date Night Out (Macaroni and Cheese for the kids)

Cauliflower Rice and Ground Beef Skillet, Tossed Salad, Failproof French Bread

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Roasted Broccoli, Failproof French Bread

Leftovers

Shared Oct 17, 2019 comment

30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 17, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want some easy ways to save money? Here are 30 easy ways to save money submitted by my Facebook followers. How many of these do you currently do?

30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money

1. Set up auto deposit to a bank that is hard to access.

Susan suggested: “Auto deposit to a bank you don’t have easy access to. I use our local credit union that is only open 9-3. While I’m working.”

Rachel says: “This is how I saved enough money to buy my first home outright. Lived on one check and sent the next 2 to a bank I didn’t have easy access too. (I had an account at a credit union 3 hours away so it was definitely a job to get the money out.)”

Kim says: “I automatically have money transferred into a savings account before I even see it from my check.”

2. Ask some questions before making a purchase.

Kelley says: “I ask myself more than once before making a purchase, ‘Do I really need this and will this make me happier a year from now?’ Pretty much stops me in my tracks most of the time!”

3. Take advantage of free family fun!

Lacy suggested: “We like to do outdoors activities and nature adventures as a famil

y instead of dining out and shopping as ‘something to do’ as our family time.”

4. Cook and eat at home.

Hope says: “Cooking all our meals at home and making my own coffee drinks is enabling me to stay home.”

Moni also said: “Cooking homemade food and eating at home saves us a lot of money. My hubby also saves a ton of money each week bringing lunches and eating breakfast before he goes to work in the morning. Also coffee! Brewing our own saves as much as not getting food out!”

5. Shop at thrift stores.

Rachel says: “Shop at salvage stores and thrift stores.”

6. Record every purchase.

Shannon says: “Recording every purchase (yes, even things like a vending purchase!) in our budget spreadsheets helps us track categorized expenses and make sure we are staying within budget.”

7. Cancel your catalogs and unsubscribe from emails.

Jennifer says: “Limiting my exposure to beautiful things by canceling all the pretty catalogs and email blasts from the same stores is an easy way to save money.”

8. Cut your cable.

Rachel says: “Cut off your cable! Wish I had done it months ago!”

Laura also said: “We just did this, too! It’s saving us $65/month.”

9. Set a goal.

Tammy says: “When I have a goal set (usually travel), I can save money very easily. I have no problem not spending unnecessarily. No goal = I buy things I DO NOT need.”

10. Do it yourself!

Rachael says: “Easy ways we save money: Making my own DIY face/skin/cleaning products, canning, freezing, gardening, making our own wine, cutting my daughter’s hair, and doing handmade/homemade Christmas/birthday gifts!”

11. Only buy groceries on sale with coupons.

Valeria says: “Only buy groceries when on sale, using coupons and app rebates. Plus, purchase enough to get you to the next sale of that item.”

12. Order groceries online.

Edith says: “I save money by ordering groceries online. It keeps me out of the store and eliminates impulse shopping. I make my list at home, do the order, and pick it up outside the store.”

13. Stock up when an item is on sale.

Keiva says: “I use coupons with sales to buy more than we need at the time so it’s available to us when it’s not on sale. Also, stock up on sale items. This week, our grocery has Mott’s Apple juice 64oz. for $1. I’ll buy 40. With 6 kids, it goes quickly! They also have Peter Pan PB for $1, so I’ll buy about 20. I’ll be set for the next 6 months!”

14. Get rid of expensive habits.

Tiffany says: “Get rid of habits that cost money. I gave up coffee and tea a long time ago. Started saving me $15 to $25 a week. I stopped buying books unless they are $1 or less and just reserve books at a library.”

15. Cut your hair at home.

Barbie says: “Doing my husband’s and sons’ haircuts myself. My husband and older son only take about 10 minutes a piece. My younger son takes twice as long because he fidgets. I still figure I save on time by not going to a barber shop, and I save $60-ish every round of haircuts. My boys think going to a barber shop is quite the treat!”

16. Don’t buy it if you don’t need it!

Tosha says: “Remembering that just because it’s posted on MSM or another blog doesn’t mean I need to buy it! If I don’t need it and I buy it because it’s on sale, I’ve spent money I didn’t need to spend.”

17. Stay out of Target.

Sandra says: “Staying out of Target and buying necessities on Amazon is an easy way to save money.”

18. Don’t shop without a list.

Oghma: “I don’t go inside a store until I have a list. Also, don’t shop just one item and then feel like you need to buy other things so the trip is ‘worth it’.”

19. Use a wood burning fireplace.

Holly says: “We bought a wood burning fireplace insert to save money. We’ve gotten firewood free but when we’ve bought it, the wood was still 1/3 the price of natural gas. Also, when we had a natural gas outage, we had no power but we still had heat.”

20. Use Rakuten to earn cash back.

Michele says: “We save money by using eBates when online shopping (now known as Rakuten). In the years I’ve been using it, I’ve gotten almost $1,000 back. They send you a check every three months. I never order anything without checking to see if the website is on eBates first.”

21. Get a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year.

Melisa says: “We have a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage. Yes, monthly payment is higher, but not double. Plus, it’s going to save us $112,000 in interest on a $290,000 home.”

22. Use your local library.

Patricia says: “We utilize every aspect of our local library. DVDs, audiobooks, reading programs with prizes, free events for kids, game night, kid computer games, online library for ebooks, etc.”

23. Pack food before you leave.

Bethany says: “We save money by packing lunch/dinner if we go out, bringing coffee along for the ride, and eating before we leave!”

24. Don’t buy beverages!

Robin says: “We don’t drink pop and we don’t buy beverages when we are out and about. Bottled water is also a no-no. I can fill a bottle at home real cheap.”

25. Watch the prices as they are scanned.

Beverly says: “I watch the prices as items are scanned in at the register. I save often by catching an accidental higher price being scanned in. Also, 2 main stores I shop at offer a price scan policy. If it scans in wrong, you get one free if it’s under $10. Or, you get $10 off if it’s over $10.”

26. Don’t buy things the same day.

Betsy says: “I take pictures of things I like at stores like Target and don’t buy them the same day. Sometimes I do this and then find something similar at the thrift stores.”

27. Plan your menu based upon what you already have.

Elizabeth says: “When I’m meal planning, I shop my pantry and freezer first and try to utilize what I have and not let things go to waste.”

28. Don’t shop just to kill time.

Andrea says: “Don’t go shopping just to fill time. If I go wandering because I’m bored, I will find things to buy. I’m trying to simplify and save money for adventures instead of ‘stuff’ for my little one and me.”

29. Ditch your clothes dryer.

Tricia says: “I save money by hanging all my clothes to dry instead of using a dryer.”

30. Don’t buy it just because you want it.

Jennifer says: “I’m learning to be an adult and understand that I don’t HAVE TO buy everything I want.”

What are some of your favorite super easy ways to save money?

photo #2 credit

Shared Oct 17, 2019 comment

The 20 Best Products in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 17, 2019 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to know the best products in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle? In this post, I share my top 20 resources from the bundle to help you determine whether you should invest in this special bundle.

If you missed yesterday’s Completely Honest Review post read it here.

In case you missed it yesterday, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is available for the second time this year as a special two-day flash sale! And today is the last chance to get it for $29.97. It ends tonight, October 27, 2019.

The Best Products in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle

This year’s Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is jam-packed with a huge variety of resources on everything from homeschooling to cleaning to decluttering to marriage to self care to working from home… and so much more!

As I talked about in my honest review yesterday, there are 104 resources in this bundle and you get them all for just $29.97 through tonight only! However, even at that low price, it can feel like a LOT to wade through.

In fact, I know some of you are wondering whether you should purchase at all because there are so many products!

I Went Through Every One of the 104 Resources for You!

To help you decide whether purchasing is right for you and/or to help you know where to start after you purchase, I bought the bundle and then downloaded and went through every single resource in it.

I shared some of my overall thoughts from the bundle in this honest review post (if you missed it, read it here). Today, I wanted to share with you my favorite products from the bundle.

Remember, I Am Biased.

While I tried to pick resources that I liked best and felt brought the most value, please keep in mind that I am biased and have personal preferences. 🙂 So I can’t guarantee that you’ll agree with my list nor can I promise that you’ll agree with me on my picks.

However, I hope this helps you decide whether purchasing the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle would be a good investment for you. And I also hope it provides a great starting point for those of you who purchase the bundle.

Okay, Ready for My Top 20 List?

I have listed the products in alphabetical order below, just as they are listed in the portal to download after you purchase.

#1. 101 Screen Free Ideas

This is a simple ebook but it had a lot of great ideas and would be perfect for inspiration as we head into summer. It’s set up so you could print the ideas cards and put them on your fridge or on a little ring any time you need screen-free ideas.

Yes, you could probably search online and scrounge up your own list of ideas from different posts and articles. However, it’s nice to have the work all done for you in this ebook. Note: I thought the design quality could have been improved.

#2. A Heart for Hospitality eCourse

This course is very much from a Christian perspective and the first few sessions won’t apply to you if you’re not Christian. But I thought it was packed with so many practical ideas for how to open up your home and life and show hospitality!

Many of you have asked for more practical hospitality ideas after my post on Just Open the Door. If that’s you, you’ll definitely want to check out this course!

It covers hospitality on a budget, how to be hospitable when you have a tiny house or apartment, simple meal plans for when you invite people over, creative hospitality ideas, recipes, cleaning checklists to keep your home company ready, and more.

#3. Begin Your Biz in 15 Minutes a Day

Y’all. This ebook is a gem!

If you are thinking of starting a business or if you already have a business, you need to check it out. It gives you 15 minute daily projects to tackle to successfully set up your business.

I found that it was so thorough and doable. In fact, I wanted to go through it for my businesses because I feel like I have some holes in my systems and processes and this would be a great refresher!

#4. Brush Lettering 101 Course

I loved this course and want to go through it in-depth and practice the strokes and letters. The course creator does such a great job of breaking down the steps to successful brush lettering.

She gives fantastic examples of how to hold your pen and your arm, what kind of pressure to use, and what drills you should do to really improve your skills. She makes you feel like you can actually do this and she provides great Drill worksheets to really practice and become proficient.

(There’s also a Hand Lettering ebook in the bundle that teaches you how to write different greetings for cards, etc. which would go hand-in-hand with this course!)

#5. Bust Out of the Makeup Rut

This helpful course is put together Alison from Get Your Pretty On. I loved how hands on and personable she was in it.

It didn’t feel like one of the fancy videos put together by gorgeous models. Instead, it was a real mom giving real makeup tips for the everyday woman.

Also, I picked up some new tips I’d never heard of before. (Concealer after foundation?? Say what?? Brilliant!)

#6. and #7. Command Center for Kids and Chore Board Printable Pack

If you are wanting to have a better chore system for the summer (or to start right now!), these two are fantastic options.

The Command Center for Kids would be great for younger kids (say maybe 4-8 years old) and the Chore Board Printable Pack would be great for ages 8+.

#8. Giant Date Night Bucket Lists: Printable Posters for Couples

Want to add some sparks back into your relationship or just need some inspiration to make intentional date nights a priority?

These Date Night Checkists are so fun — and so well done!

#9. Declutter Your House in a Weekend

I loved how beautifully done this ebook was and how doable and step-by-step it felt. Plus, there are printables to go with each step.

If you need a plan and a kick in the pants to get your house decluttered, check out this short but incredibly well done ebook.

#10. Encourage My Child’s Tween Heart

As someone who is very much in this season, I loved the very practical ideas in here of how to connect with your kids, ask better questions, affirm your kids, offer them opportunities to build character, and encourage them to serve others.

#11. Etsy Quickstart Guide

If you are thinking of starting an Etsy shop anytime soon or are just curious what all is involved in the process, you’ll want to read this ebook. I felt like it was a very valuable resource to get a basic overview of how to set up a successful Etsy shop.

There were a lot of screenshots and step-by-step instructions that would be perfect for anyone who feels intimidated by what it takes to get started on Etsy!

#12. Guilt Free Guide to Summer

The creator of these videos has so much energy and enthusiasm and is really relatable. Plus, the videos are high-quality.

That said, the creator’s energy might feel a little over the top, but she has some very practical ideas for a way to set up your summer for success in this course. She covers routines, chores, intentional time as a family, goals for summer, meal times, having fun, and more.

#13. How to Choose Paint Colors

Since we’re getting ready to start in on our bathroom remodel and also plan to paint the walls on our main floor this year, I was excited about this ebook!

The ebook was short but also very in-depth and I found some really helpful tips for how to decide which paint color is best.

#14. How to Host a Crazy Profitable Garage Sale

As someone who has held many garage sales and made thousands of dollars from them, I was interested to see what the advice in this ebook would be.

I was pleasantly surprised that almost all of the suggestions and tips were spot-on and I can vouch for the fact that they work! In fact, I bet that following just a few of the suggestions in this ebook would pay for the price of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle and then quite a bit more!

I did disagree with the pricing that the author suggested in the ebook (I thought it was too high, but maybe it would work for certain parts of the country?), but otherwise, I thought it was a very valuable read!

#15. Lean Fit 1.0 Home Workout Guide

Looking for a workout program you can do at home? In this ebook, you’ll get a workout program complete with printable checklists and daily workouts. It’s a well-designed ebook and has great photos in it, too.

#16. Mom to Mompreneur

Want to start a blog? This well-done ebook walks you through the steps to take to get your blog successfully running in 30 days.

I especially loved the strong emphasis on branding and colors and graphics. They are such an important part of successfully building a blog in this visually driven online world.

#17. Online Safety Handbook

The design of this ebook isn’t great and some of the content is outdated, the information is really important. Since I spend a lot of time online, I’m a huge advocate of understanding the dangers that are there.

This book does a great job of making parents and caregivers aware of ways that kids are preyed on. It also exposes ways that the internet and social media can have a very detrimental impact on kids. Plus, there are lots of tips and suggestions for ways to set up safeguards for our families and kids.

#18. The Stay At Home Moms’ Year-Round Outfit Guide

I loved this ebook! If you need some outfit inspiration, don’t miss it.

This ebook helps you put together capsule wardrobes. Then, it gives you outfit formulas for creating adorable outfits from these — for every season! And the outfits were almost all really cute and totally my style!

#19. The Swap: The Lazy Genius Guide to Decluttering for Life

This well-designed ebook helps you think through areas where you tend to struggle with clutter. come up with creative solutions. I love Kendra’s no-nonsense approach to life and it really shines through in her wisdom and suggestions in this ebook.

#20. Time Blocking 101

This fantastic workbook helps you to account of how you’re spending your time. Then, it helps you find ways to be much more effective and intentional.

I loved the beautiful design of the ebook. It just made me want to jump in and follow through with the outlined plan in the book. Plus, the printables were super helpful!

Ready to order the Bundle?

You can get all 20 of these products + 84 more for just $29.97 through midnight tonight! Plus, there are some AMAZING bonuses that you’ll get! (You can see all the bonuses towards the bottom of the sales page HERE.)

Click below to purchase the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle for just $29.97!

P.S. This bundle is backed by a 30-day happiness guarantee. Not sure whether this is a good fit for you? You can go ahead and purchase. If for any reason, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can request a full refund — no questions asked.

Shared Oct 16, 2019 comment

30 Quick & Easy Protein Snack Ideas

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

Need some quick and easy protein snack ideas? Here are 30 tried and true ideas that require very little time and effort!

One of the things that has helped me be more functional this pregnancy is making myself eat some type of quick protein snack every few hours — even when I was very nauseous and it was the last thing I felt like doing! I’ve found that protein snacks give me more energy and actually (usually!) makes me feel less nauseous to make sure that I don’t have an empty stomach.

I mentioned this idea of eating quick protein snacks on my Instagram account, and someone said they struggled to come up with quick protein ideas. So yesterday, I asked my followers to share their favorite quick and easy protein snack ideas. I compiled the following list based upon their suggestions and some of my favorite ideas.

30 Quick and Easy Protein Snack Ideas

Hard Boiled Eggs — Make a bunch of hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot and keep them in the fridge. You can also mashed them with some mayo, mustard, and salt/pepper and spread on toast.
Scrambled Eggs — I like to put a little cottage cheese in them while they are cooking + top them with a little cheese.
Edamame
Cheese Cubes and Almonds
Beef Jerky
Rotisserie Chicken — Buy it and keep it in the fridge. You can eat it cold or warm it up!
Epic Bars
Tuna — The grab and go packets are especially easy!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Wasa Crackers or Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter
Lara Protein Bars
Lunch Meat with a Dill Pickle
Hummus and Veggies
Mixed Nuts
Trail Mix
Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Nuggets
Cheese Sticks
Energy Bites
Cashew Butter with Apples or Bananas
Greek Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
Nut Thin Crackers with Cheese or Peanut Butter
Bean and Cheese Burritos
Beef or Turkey Sticks
Turkey Pepperoni
Collagen — You can mix it into your coffee or tea and it’s tasteless
Kodiak Cakes Frozen Waffles with Peanut Butter
Chocolate Milk
Greek Yogurt Parfait
Justin’s Nut Butter Packets
Applegate Chicken & Maple Sausages

What other quick and easy protein ideas would you add to this list?

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

What You Will Learn:

“I don’t have time to clip coupons or shop at multiple stores!”

“But, I don’t really think this will work for our situation…”

I promise the strategies in this eBook will work for you!

HIGHLIGHTS

CRAVINGS

NOTABLE

What I’m…

In Case You Missed It:

Kroger Shopping Trip #1:

Kroger Shopping Trip #2:

Dinners This Week

Aldi

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

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What are YOUR greatest struggles when it comes to saving money on groceries? Tell me in the comments!

You will love this Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken Tortellini Soup Crock Pot ingredients

Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe substitutions

How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup

How to serve Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

How to store Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup

How long does chicken tortellini soup last in the fridge?

Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe FAQs

More Yummy Soup Recipes You’ll Love

Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup

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In This Episode:

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Questions to Ask Before You Tweak Your Budget

1) Are we struggling to make ends meet every month?

2) Is it a causing stress and contention to stick to our budget in this category?

3) Why did we choose this budget amount in the first place?

4) What does my spouse think?

5) Could we find an easy way to spend less?

What questions do you ask before you change your budget? I’d love to hear!

HIGHLIGHTS

NOTABLE

CRAVINGS

WEGHT GAIN

What I’m…

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$47 Kroger Shopping Trip

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Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money

1. Set up auto deposit to a bank that is hard to access.

2. Ask some questions before making a purchase.

3. Take advantage of free family fun!

4. Cook and eat at home.

5. Shop at thrift stores.

6. Record every purchase.

7. Cancel your catalogs and unsubscribe from emails.

8. Cut your cable.

9. Set a goal.

10. Do it yourself!

11. Only buy groceries on sale with coupons.

12. Order groceries online.

13. Stock up when an item is on sale.

14. Get rid of expensive habits.

15. Cut your hair at home.

16. Don’t buy it if you don’t need it!

Ingredients