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Money Saving Mom

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Saving Families Money Since 2007

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Shared May 21, 2018 comment

What I Read & Watched This Past Week

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What I Read & Watched 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.)

We may be some of the last people on the planet to do so, but we finally started watching The Crown. And everyone was right, it IS so good!

Jesse and I are watching it first to decide whether it’s something that our girls can watch (we’ve heard there is one episode that is especially not family-friendly in Season 2) and we are loving researching everything while watching to see how historically accurate it is.

I feel like I’m getting this huge history lesson — in the form of a really engaging show! That’s totally my kind of learning! 🙂

Have you watched The Crown? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

And of course, we watched the Royal Wedding. We didn’t get up super early to watch it so we only saw the tail end of it live, but then we watched them share all of the highlights and give commentary on it. It was pretty interesting!

We also watched the final episode of Season 2 of Timeless. And now I really hope they are going to make a Season 3!

I finished One Beautiful Dream by Jennifer Fulwiler this past week and truly loved it. If you are a mom who also works or you are a mom who wants to figure out a way to pursue your passions while also being a mom, I think you’ll enjoy this book.

I loved how Jennifer talks about embracing the chaos instead of trying to make everything perfect or ideal. I love how she shares so openly about the real struggles involved with trying to have a business and be a mom. And I loved how she showed that the seeing setbacks and delays that came with motherhood actually made her stronger as a writer and business owner.

The last chapter of this book was so good and just really encouraged my heart. There are some days when this path I’m on of being a full-time work-at-home mom who both loves my kids and loves my work can feel lonely. Jennifer’s book made me feel less alone and less crazy and it really reinforced a lot of the places that God has brought me to and the peace I have with what our family dynamics look like — even though they are so different than so many other families we know.

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.

Shared May 20, 2018 comment

A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week (+ an update on our goals for this week)

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A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week (+ an update on our goals for this week)

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! ?

(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.)

Silas’ flag football team made it into the championship game!

And their team ended up winning. He was THRILLED, as I’m sure you can imagine!

I made some yummy food this week, including Baked Oatmeal.

Which Silas and Jesse were especially excited about since they LOVE this breakfast!

And I also made Crinkle Fries.

I also went to ALDI for the first time in a long time!

I got a GREAT deal on butter.

I made a big batch of Southwest Rollups.

And I filled up the freezer some more!

Silas helped me organize underneath the bathroom cupboard — something I’ve been meaning to do ever since we moved!

We bought some organizational shelves on Amazon…

…Took everything out from under the sink…

And then re-organized it. It makes me so happy to see it all organized now!

A few years ago, the thought of having teenagers scared and overwhelmed me. But you guys, I’m *loving* this year as the mom of a teen.

Kathrynne asked if she could take me out to dinner for her Mother’s Day gift to me (her treat). We decided to go to Blue Coast Burrito — a restaurant we had never been to and had been wanting to try.

We had so much fun together. Laughing, trying out the different salsas, splitting a HUGE burrito, and just talking about life.

I love spending time with this girl and I love that she wants to spend time with me! She wants to talk to me about what she’s struggling with. She wants me to get to know her friends. And she cares about what’s going on in my life, too.

Instead of dreading what’s to come, I feel like the best is yet to come! ❤️

It’s so easy to get frustrated when things aren’t growing or moving or progressing as quickly as we’d like.

We’re not saving money as fast as we’d hoped. We’re not able to pay off debt as aggressively as we’d hoped. Our business isn’t taking off at the pace we had dreamed it would.

Life is full of setbacks, interruptions, and unexpected roadblocks. But just because we aren’t moving along as rapidly as we’d wanted to doesn’t mean we aren’t making progress.

Sometimes, the greatest growth happens in the seasons of waiting. Oftentimes, my most valuable lessons have come as a result of those unexpected roadblocks.

Focus on the progress you are making — even if it feels microscopic. Moving forward — even at a snail’s pace — is still moving forward!

Thank you to @thelatestkate for this image!

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: 22 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: 25 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 178 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: I’ve finished one book so far.

7. Take the kids to South Africa.

**Progress: We bought our tickets!

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching and planning for some road trips we want to take this summer. 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: We started finishing out the workout room this past week.

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, and Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April.

Links You Should Check Out

Shared May 19, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 20

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Slow Day: Week 20

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

Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.

Each week, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day — and I’ll let the pictures almost 100% speak for themselves, instead of giving many explanations. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!

(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 perfect way to start a Slow Day! I finished this book and really loved it!

I picked up my FREE photo at Walgreens.

I started this book and am anxious to see what I think of it!

We went to the UPS store to pick up our mail and I got my FREE Revolution Math Kit. Have you gotten yours yet? See what was inside of mine here and find out how to get yours.

After we picked the girls up from school (Silas is already out of school for the summer), we went shopping for furniture for our library.

The girls had a blast dreaming of ideas for Kathrynne’s room (she still hasn’t picked out furniture — she just has a mattress and a dresser. I told her she had to make this a priority as soon as she gets done with school for the summer at the end of this week.)

We didn’t find what we were looking for at the first store, so we headed to another store.

The kids LOVED the kid’s section of Rooms to Go.

We decided to go with this chair and a half for the library — we wanted something that wouldn’t take up a ton of space but that would be super comfortable and could seat two kids curled up. We also wanted something that was simple and would match the rest of our house decor. I have a feeling that all of us will spend many hours curled up in this chair with a good book!

We ended up taking way more time furniture shopping than we expected, so we decide to bump our dinner plans for the night and use our one Dinner Out night. I was having a friend over and wanted to get a few cleaning projects done before she came, so Jesse dropped me off at our house and then he took the kids out to Sonic.

Shared May 19, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $74 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $74 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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

Aldi

3lbs 80/20 Fresh Ground Beef – $6.85

1 pkg Deli Sliced Cheese – $1.19

1 pkg Cheese Sticks – $1.65

1 2-lb pkg Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $4.89

2 12-oz pkgs Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese – $4.30

2 1-lb boxes Butter – $3.98

1 pkg Gluten-Free Taco Mix – $0.79

1 16-oz pkg Sliced Deli Meat – $2.55

1 pkg Nacho Chips – $0.75

1 14-oz pkg Whole Almonds – $4.55

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.36

2 64-oz pkgs Orange Juice – $3.38

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.59

1 64-oz carton Almond Milk – $1.89

1 1-lb pkg Strawberries – $1.45

1 Pineapple – $0.89

2 pkgs Artisan Baby Lettuce – $3.78

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.39

1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $0.95

1 16-oz bag Organic Mini Cucumbers – $1.69

1 Cauliflower – $1.85

1 bag Radishes – $0.49

1 bag Spinach – $1.49

1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.49

1 Mango – $0.49

1 bag Organic Mini Peppers – $2.89

1 bag Zucchini – $0.99

1 pkg On-the-Vine-Tomatoes – $0.99

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 pkg English Muffins, reduced – $0.75

1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.65

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.59

Total: $65.19

Harris Teeter

1 5-lb bag Pillsbury Bread Flour – $3.39

1 bag Red Seedless Grapes (2.23lbs @ $0.99/lb) – $2.21

1 jar Polaner Fruit-Only Jam – $2.00

2 jars Vlasic Pickles – 2.74, used $1.00/2 Vlasic Pickles, Peppers or Relish – 5-13-18 SS (exp. 07/14/18), plus receive $0.50 back from Checkout 51 – $1.24/2 after coupon

Total after Coupon and Rebate: $8.84

Grocery Total for the Week: $74.03

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

Toast, Scrambled/Fried/Boiled Eggs, Cereal, Oatmeal, Fruit, Veggie Omelets, Glazed Cinnamon Scones, Fruit

Lunches

Sub Sandwiches, Cucumbers/Peppers, Apples x 2

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, Grapes, Cauliflower with Dip x 2

Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar (Chopped Lettuce, Spinach, Nuts, Craisins, Shredded Cheese, Hard Boiled Eggs, Assorted Chopped Fresh Veggies and Fruit)

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Taco Salad, Mexican Rice, Pineapple

Barbequed Meatballs, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, Tossed Salad, Green Beans, Make Ahead Butterhorns, Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (making this meal x 2 and taking to a friend who just had a baby)

Individual Pizzas (English Muffins, Sauce, Cheese, Assorted Toppings), Easy Italian Breadsticks, Tossed Salad

Burgers on the Grill (I use a combination of ground venison and ground turkey and seasonings), Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, Sweet Potato Fries

Pancakes, Bacon, Fruit Smoothies

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Biscuits

Leftovers

Shared May 18, 2018 comment

Freezer Cooking: Baked Oatmeal & Turkey Meatballs

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Freezer Cooking: Baked Oatmeal & Turkey Meatballs

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.

I had planned to do a Freezer Cooking Day earlier this week, but life happened and I ended up only getting two different recipes made. Sometimes, you just do the best you can do, right?

The good news? At least our freezer filled up a little more with yummy food!

I made 4 pans of Baked Oatmeal. This is a family favorite and my kids (and Jesse!) were so excited that I made it since it’s been quite awhile since I’ve made it.

I made the Baked Oatmeal on live video — only I forgot I was supposed to double it! So I ended up making a single batch on video and then another batch when I got off live video.

I also used the ground turkey I got marked down to make a double batch of Turkey Meatballs. I joked on Instagram Stories that I should call these Clean Out the Fridge Meatballs because I literally used odds and ends of thing we had on hand and needed to use up — including some rice.

We ate one pan for dinner this week and then froze the second pan. (I lined the pan with plastic wrap and then popped it out and stuck it in a freezer bag so that I could have this pan back. 🙂

See last week’s freezer cooking post here: Freezer Cooking Day: Crockpot Sausage & Peppers, Slab Apple Pie, Apple Pie Filling, Muffins, Ziti, and Taco Meat

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

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Shared May 17, 2018 comment

My $32 ALDI Shopping Trip + Homemade Crinkle Fries & an easy way to earn $0.50!

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My $32 ALDI Shopping Trip + Homemade Crinkle Fries & an easy way to earn $0.50!

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.

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 had planned to do a full Freezer Cooking Day on Tuesday, but I only ended up making a double batch of Turkey Meatballs and 4 pans of Baked Oatmeal.

I’m planning to make a double batch of Southwest Rollups tomorrow and then I’ll share more about my freezer cooking this week in tomorrow’s post (and show you an update on how our freezer is filling up!)

Remember those potatoes I got marked down? I turned half a bag of them into Oven-Baked Crinkle Fries — which we all LOVED! I made them similar to my Sweet Potato Fries recipe, only I used Olive Oil and then sprinkled them with salt and garlic pepper.

(My friend, Melissa, gave me this Crinkle Cutter and it is the best EVER. It makes chopping and eating veggies and fruits so much more fun and interesting!)

Thursday’s ALDI Shopping Trip — $32.42

  • 1 gallon water –$0.79
  • 3 lb. boneless chicken breasts — $5.99
  • 2 cans refried beans — $0.75 each
  • 1 bag onions — $0.99
  • Iceberg lettuce — $0.85
  • 1 bag of mini cucumbers — $1.99
  • Milk — $2.69
  • 2 bags of frozen peas — $0.95
  • Baby lettuce — $1.89
  • Baby carrots — $0.99
  • Radishes — $0.49
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil — $2.99
  • 2 bags frozen broccoli — $1.19 each
  • Pasta Sauce — $0.99
  • 1 can black beans — $0.55
  • 1 can diced tomatoes — $0.45
  • 3 boxes of Mac & Cheese — $0.33 each
  • Pure Cane Sugar — $1.95
  • Total with tax — $32.42

Total spent so far this week: $68.60

Want to hear more of why I shop at Kroger more often than ALDI + all sorts of other interesting tidbits, including what I do when a troll shows up on FB live? Watch the video above.

Make $0.50 in a Minute!

READER TIP: “Just wanted to give you a heads up. You might already know this but every Thursday there is a video you can watch to receive money for on Checkout 51. Today there were two. The videos are usually at the very bottom along with rebates for Sam’s club. I watched mine and remembered that one time I didn’t and I missed the rebate. You’ll get $0.25 for each video today. – a reader” Sign up for Checkout 51 here. (I just did this and it totally worked!)

Curious what we’re eating this week? Check out this week’s $70 Menu Plan here.

New mom on a budget? Save money with these 5 simple tips!
Shared May 16, 2018 comment

5 Easy Ways to Save Money as a New Mom

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5 Easy Ways to Save Money as a New Mom

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

New mom on a budget? Save money with these 5 simple tips!

Guest post from Heather of Happy Humble Home:

Becoming a mom is exciting for so many reasons. You created a person! Life doesn’t get much more amazing than that.

But being a new mom can also be challenging for your finances.

There’s a new person in your family. And that person is going to need some stuff! Between diapers, nursery supplies, and all the adorable baby outfits, the cost of your new bundle of joy can really add up.

These 5 easy ways to save money as a new mom will help you to stop stressing about costs and focus on the important things – like snuggling with your little one!

1. Graciously accept hand-me-downs.

Hand-me-downs are a win-win for everyone involved.

Moms love to pass their gently used baby stuff on to new moms. They have paid for baby items that may have only been used a few times and they love for those things to get used again for another child in their lives. And the mom receiving the hand-me-downs gets free baby stuff!

Except for a few special outfits, all of my 5 month old’s clothes are hand-me-down. Some close friends of ours were moving away and gave us all of their baby boy clothes from newborn to 2T. The clothes were beautiful and barely used! I was so excited that I was raving to a friend about it and that reminded her that she had a bunch of baby clothes she was hanging on to and she offered me hers too.

Another close friend of mine passed down her Ergo 360! That saved me $180 that I was able to spend on something else I needed for my little guy.

This doesn’t mean that you have to go around asking your friends and family for their leftover baby goods. Just casually mention that you’re so grateful for the hand-me-downs you’ve received and I’ll bet you end up with a closet full of previously-loved baby loot.

2. Buy used.

If you aren’t able to collect enough hand-me-down baby clothes, buying used is the next best thing. There are many consignment and thrift stores dedicated to recycling baby items. Even if you don’t generally buy used in other areas of your life, used baby clothes are the way to go!

Just think about how quickly babies outgrown their clothing. Many outfits only get worn once or twice. So, many of the clothes in these second-hand stores are really almost new.

You will probably find a ton of other hardly-used treasures in your local thrift stores as well. From baby carriers to strollers, or even baby swings, the possibilities are endless!

3. Buy in bulk

Think about all those baby things that you feel like you’re using a million of. Those are the things you should be buying in bulk.

Diapers, wipes, and formula are a good place to start. But don’t stop there! Think about household supplies that you use every day and go through quickly, like laundry detergent, too.

There is a larger upfront cost to buy the bulk sized item but over time you’ll have significant savings.

Buying in bulk will also mean less shopping trips, which is always a big perk for a new mama who is adjusting to shopping with baby in tow.

4. Take advantage of rewards programs

There are so many rewards programs out there! From diapers to formula, and even baby clothes, there is a rewards program for just about everything you buy for baby.

Huggies and Pampers both have rewards programs that let you earn you free diapers just for entering a little code that comes inside your diaper box.

Similac and Enfamil both send you free boxes of formula in the mail when you sign up for their rewards, plus you get great money saving coupons in the mail.

There are several baby clothing stores that offer valuable rewards programs too. Carter’s, Gymboree, and The Children’s Place all over rewards once you spend a certain amount.

If you’re buying all those baby supplies without participating in the rewards program, you are missing out on free baby stuff that could save you tons!

5. Think long-term.

When you’re deciding on those big-ticket baby items, think about how you will repurpose to reuse them in the future.

If you’re planning to have more children, you want to be able to keep using those big items again for all your future little ones.

So, aim to purchase quality products in gender neutral designs.

Of course, there’s no rule that says you can’t use a pink crib for a boy. But you are much more likely to actually reuse things that are gender neutral.

Stick with grey, white, aqua, red, or yellow. These colors usually work regardless of the child’s gender.

You also want to consider ways that you can reuse a baby product for the same child.

Many baby products are convertible and can grow with your child, like cribs, strollers, and car seats. The initial investment in these items is a little higher, but they’ll save you in the long run when you don’t have to replace something that your child has quickly grown out of.

Now start saving!

These money-saving strategies can definitely bring you huge savings – but only if you actually use them! Soon, you’ll be enjoy being a new mom without having to stress over how much it costs.

Heather is the founder of Happy Humble Home, where she helps women take control of their finances and have fun being frugal. Heather struggled financially for years before she finally learned how to save money without suffering. Now, she is passionate about sharing her frugal tips with women who need them.

photo source

This $70 grocery budget challenge is SO inspiring! And they even menu plan and eat healthy while sticking to their budget each week!
Shared May 15, 2018 comment

This Week’s $70 Menu Plan & Monday’s “HUGE” Grocery Shopping Trip

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This Week’s $70 Menu Plan & Monday’s “HUGE” Grocery Shopping Trip

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

This $70 grocery budget challenge is SO inspiring! And they even menu plan and eat healthy while sticking to their budget each week!

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.

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.

It’s Week 4 of my $70 Grocery Budget Challenge and I’m excited to see how this week goes! I’m loving hearing from so many of you who are sharing how this challenge is motivating you to look for ways you can cut your grocery bill, too! That makes me so happy!

By the way, in case you’re interested, I spent $68.36 on groceries last week. And here was our menu last week.

I got these fantastic coupons in the mail from Kroger — including coupons for FREE bacon, FREE cereal, and $10 off any $40 purchase! (If you have a Kroger store, make sure that your address is correct in your account and hopefully you’ll get great coupons like this!)

Here’s what I bought at Kroger yesterday:

Monday Kroger Shopping Trip — $36.18

I wanted to be able to use the $10 off $40 purchase coupon + I hadn’t gone shopping on Saturday or Sunday, so I knew that I could spend extra and have a larger shopping trip (I allot $10 per day — though I don’t always go to the store every day, since it doesn’t always work out in my schedule or we don’t need anything or I’m not going to be driving by a store that day and have time to stop!)

But I have to admit that when my total rang up (before I swiped my card and my discounts and coupons had come off), I was a little scared to see such a high number showing on the screen. It said that my total was $76!!!

I know that’s not a huge amount, but since most of my shopping trips have been more like $10 or $15 each, this felt like some crazy ridiculous amount! 🙂

However, I was super happy that after the discounts and coupons, my total came down to $36.18. Much, much better!

Here’s what I bought:

  • 2 16-oz. blocks of cheese — $2.49 when you buy 4 participating items
  • 2 Skintimate Shave Creams — $1.99 each when you buy 4 participating items, used 2 $1/1 Skintimate Shave Gel or Cream printable, $0.99 each after coupons
  • 2 dozen Simple Truth eggs — $2.50 each
  • 3 packages of Salad Pockets — marked down to $1.29 each
  • 2 bags of produce — marked down to $0.99 each
  • 1 bag of Kroger rice — $1.69
  • 1 carton of Simple Truth egg yolks — marked down to $1.29
  • 2 pounds of Simple Truth Ground Turkey — marked down to $2.79 each
  • 1 package of Bacon — used FREE coupon that Kroger sent to me (see above)
  • 2 Simple Truth yogurts — marked down to $0.39 each
  • 2 tubs of Hillshire Farms Honey Ham — marked down to $2.39 each
  • 3 Suave Professionals Shampoo/Conditioner — $1.99 each when you buy 4 participating items, used 2 $1/1 Suave Professionals Wash and Care Product printable and used $1/1 Kroger Digital coupon — $0.99 each after coupons
  • 1 Stayfree Pads — $1.79 when you buy 4 participating items, used $1/1 Kroger Digital coupon — $0.79 after coupon
  • 4 packages of Goldfish crackers — $0.99 each when you buy 4 participating items
  • Kroger Raisin Bran — used FREE coupon that Kroger sent me (see above)
  • 2 boxes of Capri Sun (for lunches) — $2.49 each, used $1.40/2 coupon that Kroger sent to me (see above) — $1.79 each after coupon
  • Used $10/$40 that Kroger sent to me (see above)
  • Total with tax: $36.18

I was so excited about the salad pockets. I love to use them for quick sandwiches for myself. But in my excitement, I forgot to thoroughly check them before putting them in my cart.

And while two of them were great, one looked like this…

YUCK! Word to the wise: Always carefully check items that are marked down before buying them!

I used the liquid whole eggs to make some French Toast “batter” for that night’s dinner.

I love this cookbook, if you couldn’t tell! 🙂

It might seem weird for me to take the time in the morning to mix up the “batter” for French Toast, but I try to do as much prep as possible for dinner as early in the day as possible, because I’m often not super energetic or inspired at dinner time. So having dinner as done as much as I can, makes it so much easier!

Last night, Silas had a double-header Flag Football Game (his team won!), so being able to whip up French Toast in just a few minutes was such a help for getting out the door!

This Week’s Super Simple Menu Plan

This menu is subject to change a little if I find some great deals or markdowns! ?

Breakfasts

Cereal, Baked Oatmeal, Eggs, Fruit, Toast

Lunches

Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Chips, Fruit, Veggies, Capri Sun, Banana Bread, Cream Cheese Blueberry Muffins, (for the kids) Leftovers, Chorizo Breakfast Burritos (for Jesse) Leftovers, Eggs, Pita Pocket Sandwiches, Salad (for me)

Dinners

Monday — French Toast, Bacon, Oranges
Tuesday — Southwest Rollups, Fruit, Rice
Wednesday — Meatballs, Corn on the Cob, Homemade French Fries
Thursday — Haystacks
Friday — Steak (We had some in the freezer that I need to use up!), Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Saturday — Dinner Out
Sunday — Snack-y Dinner (fend for yourself — cereal, leftovers, etc.)

Total spent so far this week: $36.18

Total left to spend: $33.82

Shared May 14, 2018 comment

A Peek Into Our Life Last Week (+ an update on my goals for 2018)

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A Peek Into Our Life Last Week (+ an update on my goals for 2018)

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! ?

(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.)

This week was full of freezer cooking…

Helping Silas finish up his 4th quarter project and speech for Presentation Day…

(There’s the happy boy who is done with his speech and with school for the year!)

Getting our library finished… (and realizing that I can totally not be such a minimalist about books now that we have space for them!!!)

Reading this book while sipping on a Decaf Chai Latte…

Ordering photos for our living room frames… (they’ve only been sitting there empty for 2.5 months… I’m pretty proud of myself for getting this crossed off my list because these types of projects usually take me forever to actually follow through with — even though it’s something that literally took me maybe 3 minutes to actually do! Why do I procrastinate on this stuff??)

Admiring these amazing flowers that Jesse got me for Mother’s Day… (Did you know that if you put a penny at the bottom of a vase of tulips it will make them stand up and not droop?? I just learned this from a reader this past week!)

Listening to this song on repeat…

Laughing at this that a friend sent to me…

How was YOUR week last week?

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: 21 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: 23 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 168 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: I’ve finished one book so far.

7. Take the kids to South Africa.

**Progress: We bought our tickets!

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching and planning for some road trips we want to take this summer. 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: We started finishing out the workout room this past week.

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, and Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April.

Shared May 14, 2018 comment

What I Read & Watched This Past Week

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What I Read & Watched 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.)

 

We really enjoyed Timeless: Season 1, so this past week we’ve been watching Season 2 of Timeless. We all love history and mystery and this show does a great job of weaving enough history into things to not make it super sci-fi, but to also keep you intrigued and guessing.

Note: I’d say that this show is in between PG and PG-13. Silas is a little young for it, but the girls really enjoy it — but we also have let them watch quite a few PG-13 movies with us based upon their maturity level and because they aren’t highly sensitive. As always, do what is best for you, your family, and your kids.

This past week, I finished In the Middle of the Mess and found it had a lot of inspirational sections. It’s the story of Sheila Walsh — a well-known Christian author and speaker. Her honesty and vulnerability in this book is so encouraging.

If you’ve ever struggled with depression, suicidal thoughts, or just felt like you were so broken and were probably the only person who felt these things, I think you’ll be really encouraged with this book.

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?

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

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Shared May 14, 2018 comment

Get over $5800 of blogging resources + $487 of bonuses for just $97 total!

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Get over $5800 of blogging resources + $487 of bonuses for just $97 total!

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

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Shared May 13, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 19

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Slow Day: Week 19

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

Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.

Each week, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day — and I’ll let the pictures almost 100% speak for themselves, instead of giving many explanations. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!

(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.)

I started the morning by cleaning the kitchen.

A clean kitchen makes me so happy!

This book is really making me think.

Taking a leisurely bath with soaking salts is one of my favorite things!

I thawed the frozen buttermilk to use for the waffles for dinner.

Lunch — made entirely with markdowns I got at Kroger!

 

And then I headed to my hair appointment.

One of my favorite things about getting my hair done? Having uninterrupted time to read! I enjoyed this book.

When I came home, I got to do a little more reading (in bed!) before it was time to focus on afternoon projects and making dinner

Silas and I had made waffles for dinner.

I cut up some marked down oranges that needed to be used up.

And then we made bacon to go with the waffles and oranges for dinner.

I headed out after dinner to meet my Discipleship Small Group. We’re meeting almost every Wednesday evening over the summer just because we love hanging out!

Jesse helped Silas with his 4th quarter project and they finished the Paris cityscape while I was gone.

And Kaitlynn learned how to make these beautiful paper flowers!

Freezer Cooking on a $70 weekly grocery budget. This is SO impressive and inspiring!! Check out everything she made in just a couple hours!
Shared May 12, 2018 comment

Freezer Cooking Day: Crockpot Sausage & Peppers, Slab Apple Pie, Apple Pie Filling, Muffins, Ziti, and Taco Meat

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Freezer Cooking Day: Crockpot Sausage & Peppers, Slab Apple Pie, Apple Pie Filling, Muffins, Ziti, and Taco Meat

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

Freezer Cooking on a $70 weekly grocery budget. This is SO impressive and inspiring!! Check out everything she made in just a couple hours!

Our garage freezer was almost empty 2 weeks ago. I decided to challenge myself to see if I could slowly fill it up — on our $70/week grocery budget.

This is one way you can save SO much money. Buy ahead when things are on a low, low price and you’ll rarely ever pay full price for anything. Then, use what you already have on hand in the freezer/fridge/pantry as the basis for your meals and freezer cooking.

I did an impromptu freezer cooking day on Tuesday and here’s what I made (well, “freezer cooking day” might be a bit of an overstatement since I actually only spent a little over two hours on this cooking and the clean up! But hey, “freezer cooking day” sounds better so we’ll go with it!)

We had a bunch of peppers and some onions that I had gotten marked down, so I combined them with some sausage I had gotten for $1.99 per package plus a little celery I had left in the fridge to make sausage and peppers in the Crock-pot. I cooked this on low most of the day. We ate half for dinner (served over rice) and I froze the rest for another day.

I had a bunch of apples that I’d gotten marked down at Kroger over the past few weeks and turned them into one of our favorite recipes — Slab Apple Pie! I baked it and we froze it to have on hand for quick desserts in the next two months when hosting guests!

I had enough apples left over to make a bag of Apple Pie Filling (sliced apples with lemon juice and cinnamon/sugar).

I used some marked down bananas I had gotten recently and stuck in the freezer to make some amazing Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.

I used our favorite Banana Bread recipe and just added some chocolate chips to the batter. My kids love these in their lunches and they also make great snacks. We store them in the freezer and then just pull them out as we need them!

We had some cream cheese that needed to be used up and some blueberries in the freezer, so I searched online for recipe ideas and found this one.

I taste-tested one and it was delicious! I stuck these in a freezer bag and put them in freezer fit quick snacks!

The Final Results of My Freezer Cooking Day:

And I did a little bit more freezer cooking on Thursday and Friday, too…

We had frozen cottage cheese and browned sausage I had gotten marked down + pasta sauce in the fridge that needed to be used up and pasta I’d gotten for $0.49/box, so I found a deal on mozzarella cheese and made 3 pans of Ziti. One for dinner that night and two for the freezer.

I found ground turkey marked down to $1.99 per pound, so I bought 2 pounds and browned them with homemade taco seasoning and stuck two bags of taco meat in the freezer.

It makes me so happy to see that our garage freezer is starting to fill up a little bit! I’m going to keep challenging myself to add more deals and freezer meals to our garage freezer every week without spending more than our $70 grocery budget.

We’ll see how long it takes to fill it up! (And of course, we’ll be eating some what’s in this freezer every week, upping the challenge even more!)

I love looking at saving money as a fun challenge! This makes my competitive side come out in a good way AND (in our super lean years) it kept me from feeling trapped!

Instead of saying, “Ugh! This is all the $$ we have to spend!” Change your perspective and say, “How well can we do on this small amount?!”

Have you done any freezer cooking recently? What are your favorite recipes to stick in the freezer? Any suggestions on recipes I should try soon?

P.S. See my previous Freezer Cooking Sessions here.

Shared May 12, 2018 comment

Does Healthy Food Really Cost More?

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Does Healthy Food Really Cost More?

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

If you feel frustrated that you can’t eat a nutritious, wholesome diet on a budget, you’ll definitely want to check out this super interesting post that Laura from Heavenly Homemakers put together!

In it, she sets out to prove that healthy food actually does NOT cost more than processed food! And she uses goldfish crackers to prove it!

Shared May 12, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $58 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $58 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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

Aldi

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.36

1 16-oz carton Whipping Cream – $1.55

1 5-lb bag All-Purpose Flour – $1.15

1 5-lb bag Self-Rising Flour – $1.25 (I wrote “bread flour” on the list, and this is what my husband came home with.🙂 Oh well, we will use it!)

1 box Pure and Simple Bars – $3.99

2 boxes Macaroni and Cheese – $0.50

1 canister Parmesan Cheese – $2.29

1 pkg Taco Mix Seasoning – $0.35

1 jar Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – $1.99 (35.06)

1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.69

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.39

1 pkg Baby Lettuce – $1.79

1 3-ct pk Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.49

2 pkgs Baby Carrots – $1.58

2 1-lb pkg Asparagus – $2.98

1 head Cauliflower – $1.95

1 pkg Radishes – $0.49

1 pkg Zucchini – $1.45

1 16-oz pkg Medjool Dates – $3.99

1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.45

1 jar Green Olives – $0.95

1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.79

1 bag Lemons – $2.75

1 32-oz pkg Spaghetti – $1.09

1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.65

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.59

Total: $50.88

Harris Teeter

All of the things in the picture were bought earlier in the week when Harris Teeter was running a 3-day Double Dollar Coupon event, so these deals are no longer available. I wasn’t able to make it to the store until the final day of the sale, so they were out of many of the freebies, but I still was happy with what I got (especially the free Sola ice cream and ice cream bars ;))!

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $7.25

Grocery Total for the Week: $58.13

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

Cereal, Oatmeal, Fruit, Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins (recipe from a church cookbook), Scrambled/Fried/Boiled Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Toast (Easy Whole Wheat Bread)

Lunches

Refried Bean with Cheese, Cucumbers, Apples x 2

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter, Peppers, Applesauce x 2

Pasta with Cheese, Carrots, Applesauce

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Three Cheese Spaghetti Bake, Make Ahead Butterhorns, Tossed Salad, Roasted Broccoli, Chocolate Sheet Cake, Ice cream (Mother’s Day)

Italian Chicken, Tossed Salad, Simple Strawberry Muffins

Grilled Hamburgers (I’ll use a combo of ground venison and ground turkey since we still have plenty of both in our freezer stash), Baked French Fries, Steamed Cauliflower, Pineapple (leftover from last week)

Pan-Fried Fish (My guys are going fishing this weekend!), Macaroni and Cheese, Asparagus

Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes with Ham (I will follow the recipe but add diced ham), Asparagus, French Breakfast Puffs

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Green Beans, Baked Potatoes, Buttered Steamed Carrots

Leftovers, Roasted Parmesan Zucchini