Frugally Blonde wrote a great post on how to make the most of after-Christmas deals.
2hr Cleaning Checklist
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Gretchen’s $49 Grocery Shopping Trip & Menu Plan
Dillons
2.49 lbs Bananas – $1.22
2 Kraft Shredded Cheese – $1.84 each
1 Blistex – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
2 Keebler Crackers – $1.77 each, used $1/2 Checkout 51 rebate AND 2 $0.50/1 Ibotta rebates – $0.77 each after rebates
1 gallon Milk – $2.09
4.85 lbs Pork Loin Half – $4.80 (This will be enough for 2 dinners for us! I was SO excited about this special price they were running for one day only!)
1 lb Butter – $2.99
1 Romaine Lettuce – $1.29
1 Kroger Spaghetti Sauce – $0.99
Total after rebates and coupon: $18.06
Aldi
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99
1 pkg Spinach – $1.49
1 Cauliflower – $0.99
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 Oven Roasted Turkey Breast – $2.39
1 pkg Red Grapes – $1.63
2 dozen Eggs – $1.38 each
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.69
1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $1.79
1 Pineapple – $1.29
1 loaf Bread – $0.69
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49
1 Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.19
1 pkg Blackberries – $0.99
1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89
3 cans Green Beans – $0.44 each
1 pkg Butter – $2.29
1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.19
Total: $31.04
Total for both stores: $49.64
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Toast & Eggs x 3
Bagels from Panera (Special Sunday brunch!)
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Cucumbers x 2
Turkey Sandwiches, Grapes x 2
Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Leftovers
Dinners
Roasted Pork Loin, Biscuits, Steamed Broccoli
Hamburger Vegetable Soup (using venison), Cheese & Crackers
Spaghetti, Bread, Green Beans
Soft Tacos, Rice
Sour Cream Mushroom Chicken, Bread, Steamed Peas
Dinner at in-laws
Out to eat
A Peek Into Our Lives This Past Week (+ Christmas movies!)
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
This year was rough as a mom. Really rough.
I told a friend earlier this week over lunch, “I feel like I’ve been in a war this year — fighting for my kids. And I have the battle scars from it.”
My kids have hurt others. They have been very hurt by others. And I’ve been hurt as a mom by words that have been spoken about my kids and my parenting — to my face and behind my back.
There’s so much more that I will share someday, when it’s the right time and my kids are older. But for now, suffice it to say that I’ve walked through some situations with my kids and dealt with some things that I never expected I’d be walking through or dealing with.
But through all the ups and downs and hurts and heartaches, I’m grateful. Not that my kids have struggled, but because all of this shook me out of my parenting ruts and taught me to parent in a brand-new way.
I’ve leaned into my kids and loved and listened like never before. I’ve slowed down the pace of my life to have much more space to just BE with them — to get to know them in a whole new way.
We’re closer than ever before. We have more honesty in our relationships than ever before. And I love my kids more deeply and fiercely than I ever have.
I’m so proud of my kids for how they have grown this year and the strength and wisdom I see in them as a result of what we’ve walked through. And I’m excited to see what 2018 brings for them!
As I mentioned last week, not only did we decide to enroll Kaitlynn in a little school starting in January (which she’s excited about!), but Kathrynne also recently made the decision to switch schools — in the middle of the year. Which is a pretty big decision for an almost-13-year-old!
It was a decision that was made with much thought, many conversations, and understanding that it was a big risk and big jump into the unknown.
It would mean leaving behind everything that was safe and known. Leaving behind her best friends. And willingly choosing to start all over again as the new girl.
But she knew that she wasn’t thriving at the school she was at. She was constantly stressed and anxious with the intense and rigorous workload at the school she was at and it was stealing her joy, causing her to have panic attacks, and keeping her up into the wee hours of morning. And as the semester went on, I saw it crushing her.
While a really rigorous academic load is great for some kids, it was too much for her personality and capacity right now. So we started talking about other options, including switching to a school with a completely different style of teaching. We told her that it was ultimately her decision… because either way, there’d be really hard things. Stay and be pretty downright miserable. Or switch schools and start all over again — not knowing how it will go.
We’re so proud of her for how she has processed through this with us and how she’s prayerfully and thoughtfully made this decision.
The unknown is scary. You have no idea where it will lead. But it could also be the gateway to amazing things you could have never dreamed of!
(Quote paraphrased from Hope Prevails by Dr. Michelle Bengtson.)
You know what one of the best decisions I ever made was? To be okay if Christmas looks very different at our house each year.
Every year, we all talk about our expectations for Christmas as a family. Each person gets to give their input on 1-2 activities they really want to make happen in December. And we choose a few Advent activities to engage in as a family. And that’s that.
It means that our Decembers stay quiet and simple and they are filled with the few things that are most important to each of us.
This year, in addition to a few Christmas parties, we’re doing a family advent countdown and the kids each have their own fun advent calendar, we’re blasting the Christmas music almost all.day.long (my choice!), we’re making some homemade gifts, we’re each picking a Christmas movie to watch as a family almost every night leading up to Christmas, and we’re leaving today to take a special family trip just the 5 of us for the next few days to some place the kids have never been to before (our family gift this year).
We might also do Christmas cookie decorating and Gingerbread houses. Or we might not. Those weren’t super high on people’s lists. And we might do a few other things. Or we might not.
This December, we’re especially focusing on leaning in and spending time together, because January is bringing some pretty big changes for us (new schools, no more homeschooling, a new routine, and closing on a new house).
It might not look like the way others are celebrating and it might not be fancy, but it’s suiting us well this year. And I think that’s good enough!
What We’ve Been Watching
We are trying to watch one Christmas movie every night (as mentioned above), so we’ve watched some fun Christmas movies this week: Home Alone 1 and Home Alone 2, Christmas With the Kranks, and Jingle All the Way 2. We also watched Despicable Me 3 (because one child couldn’t come up with a Christmas movie they wanted to watch this week!).
Still on our list (we haven’t watched these before, so I can’t speak to whether they are worth watching or not): White Christmas (yes, can you believe, I’ve NEVER seen this one!), Holiday Inn, The Christmas Card, Christmas Grace, Christmas Oranges, and Christmas in Connecticut.
Do you have any great Christmas movies to recommend that we should add to our list to watch?
What I’ve Been Reading
This week, I finished reading Missional Motherhood — a book that my mom gave me for my birthday. I’ve slowly been reading through it over the last few months and found it very inspiring and thought-provoking. One of the quotes from it that really stuck with me was: “What we always talk about reveals what is important to us. What we say and write reveals what we place our hope in.”
I also read through Home Management. It was a good refresher as I think about tweaking some of our routines and household chores for 2018.
{See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 76 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What I’ve Been Working On
As we get closer to the end of December, I’ve been working on planning for 2018 — reviewing my goals from 2017, thinking through goals for 2018, mulling over my word of the year for 2018, planning for a fun new online live coaching and accountability group I’m launching in January (4 Weeks to a More Productive Life! More details coming soon!), and thinking through what worked and what didn’t work for blogging last year and some changes I’ll be making as a result.
For those who love these types of posts and have been asking about them, I’ve been working on them and plan to start sharing them — one per day — after Christmas. So stayed tuned for when I’ll be sharing my goals, a recap of last year’s goals, my word of the year for 2018 (I’m really excited about it!), the January accountability group/live coaching, my top 10 books from 2017, what I’m planning to read in 2018, and the blogging changes!
Links You Should Check Out:
- Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift idea that is minimalist? Check out my post on The Top 10 Subscription Boxes for Kids.
- Need some encouragement to develop better habits in 2018? Download this Free Printable Habit Tracker.
- I did a full review of the Sweet Life Planner last week. If you’re interested, you can watch the video here: My Full Review of the Sweet Life Planner
- I love how one of my followers is using a Bullet Journal for her 15 Days to a Healthier You journey. How inspiring is this?
5 Ways to Save on Extracurriculars!
Guest post from Amy:
My husband and I didn’t start our marriage making the best financial decisions. We were very young and made many mistakes. Unfortunately, those choices have resulted in us needing to live on a shoestring budget as we crawl our way out of the debt we accrued.
This means several things for our family. One big way it affects us now is that there really isn’t a budget for extras, like extracurricular activities for our children.
We have four kids, and as much as we’d love to put them in every sport, art class, and music lesson out there, when you live on one income and are trying to reach financial goals, it’s not always feasible.
Here are the top 5 ways we are still able to expose our kids to a variety of fun, educational, and enriching activities where they will experience new things, make good memories, and hopefully even learn a new skill or two.
1. The Local Library
This is by far my favorite resource for family fun!
Our local library offers things such as Pokemon Go club, family lego nights, knitting lessons, book clubs, story times, holiday events, concerts, and even showings of popular movies-all for free!
Check your library website, or better yet, go in and talk to the employees at the information desk! They are often a wealth of untapped knowledge!
2. The Local Community Center
Our local parks and rec department puts out a really nice calendar a few times a year with all of the upcoming events, classes, clubs, camps, and more. I look for it excitedly each season!
Our community center offers a HUGE variety of classes for all ages — from babies and toddlers to senior citizens. They also have information on free museum admission days, concerts and movies in the park, local holiday events, and so much more. The best part is, a lot of these events are free!
What isn’t free is typically far less expensive than paying for private lessons elsewhere.
3. Nature Centers
Most towns have some sort of nature center, wildlife preserve, or something similar. I’ve found these have a plethora of free fun and educational activities.
In my hometown, the nature center offered a free “mommy and me” class once a month with a themed story, short lesson, craft, and even a nature walk. They also offered a free gardening club and a frugal Saturday nature club for elementary aged kids.
The city where we live now has a wildlife preserve that offers a free class once a month for preschoolers where they do a craft, read a story, and get outside and explore.
I’d be willing to bet if you search out your local nature center, you’ll find some awesome resources as well. Gardening club may not be what you had in mind when you sought out extracurricular activities for your kids, but it teaches a wonderful skill, as well as getting your child (and maybe even yourself!) outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
4. Retail Stores
Another resource you may or may not be familiar with are programs offered in retail stores. Home Depot, Michael’s, Pottery Barn, Toys R Us, Lego stores, Barnes and Noble, and more offer free or VERY inexpensive activities and in-store events for kids.
Be sure to check local craft stores, home improvement stores, book stores, and toy stores to see what all is offered in your town. These events are often underrated and a great way to get out of the house, have a little fun, and maybe even learn a new skill!
5. Think Outside the Box
If you have a budding olympic athlete or a musical prodigy on your hands and some of the above suggestions won’t cut it, consider speaking with the owner or instructor at the place you’d like to enroll your child and ask about scholarships, discount programs, or maybe the possibility of picking up a part time job working the front desk or cleaning the gym in order to cover the cost of lessons.
If your child is old enough, you could also use this as a prime opportunity to learn about the value of money and working hard to earn something you want. You could help your child start a dog walking business or open a booth at a craft fair and have them put a portion of their earnings toward their lessons.
The solution isn’t always right in front of us, but if we get creative, put on our thinking cap, and decide we want to make it happen, very often we can achieve what we set out to do.
I realize this isn’t an exhaustive list, but I hope it’s enough to get the wheels turning and help you find some low cost extracurriculars in your area!
Utilizing some of the methods above has allowed us to expose our kids to a wide variety of activities and experiences without compromising our financial goals. It’s been a blessing to our family to do some of these free and inexpensive activities giving us the opportunity to have fun with our kids and save money at the same time.
My name is Amy and I’m a married homeschooling mama of 4 wonderful kiddos-ages 1, 3, 4, and 8! I just began working as the publisher for our local Macaroni Kid website, which is a great resource for parents in our community. It’s been a challenging and rewarding experience thus far. I love to read, write, and am a caffeine addict!
Shared Dec 16, 2017
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Brigette’s $72 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $72 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 box Corn Flakes – $1.39
1 box Honey Nut Oats – $1.15
1 64-oz carton Cashew Milk – $2.49
1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.56
2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.18
3 cans Artichokes – $5.07
1 pkg Pepperoni – $1.95
1 large jar Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89
1 32-oz pkg Spaghetti – $1.09
1 bag Nacho Tortilla Chips – $0.75
1 bag Big Dipper Chips – $1.19
1 can Parmesan Cheese – $2.29
1 pkg Cream Cheese – $0.65
2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.78
1 3-lb bag Mandarin Oranges – $1.99
1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.85
1 bag Fresh Brussel Sprouts – $1.49
1 bag Frozen Brussel Spouts – $0.55
1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $1.39
1 3-ct pkg Garlic Heads – $0.79
1 pkg String Cheese – $1.99
4 dozen Eggs – $2.72
2 bags Fresh Green Beans – $1.90
1 bag Frozen Spinach – $0.85
1 Pineapple – $0.89
2 pkgs Blackberries – $1.98
1 bunch Bananas (2.81lbs @ $0.35lb) – $0.98
Total: $46.80
Harris Teeter
10 8-oz bags Shredded Cheese – $13.56
1 40-oz canister Rolled Oats – $2.00
2 cans Evaporated Milk – $0.94
2 loaves Arnold Italian Bread – $4.00, used 2 $0.55/1 Arnold Bread Product, exp. 01/08/18 (SS 10/08/17 R) (doubled) – $1.80/2 after coupons
1 bag Apples, reduced – $1.00
1 20-oz can Sliced Pineapple – $1.00
1 4-lb bag Dixie Crystals Sugar – $1.57, used $0.55/1 Dixie Crystals Granulated ,Powdered or Brown Sugar – 11-19-17 SS; Includes Granulated, 4 lb; Powdered or Brown, 32 oz (doubled) – $0.47
1 bag Green Grapes (1.74lb @ $0.99/lb) – $1.72
1 jar Polaner Fruit-Only Jelly – $2.00
2 boxes Rice Krispies – $2.58, used $1/2 Rice Krispies Cereal, exp. 12/24/17 (RP 11/12/17) – $1.58/2 boxes after coupon
Total: $26.07
Grocery Total for the Week: $72.87
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible to make/clean up their own breakfast. Choices include:
Homemade Granola, Cereal, Fruit, Fried/Scrambled/Boiled Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Toast
Lunches
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Mandarin Oranges, Peppers x 2
Birthday Party for a family friend (I’m bringing Pineapple Upside Down Cake)
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Applesauce, Carrots 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Spaghetti and Meatballs (using meatballs I got on sale last week), Homemade French Bread, Roasted Green Beans
Ham and Potato Soup (I’ll leave out the celery), Pumpkin Dinner Rolls, Raw Veggies with Dip
Homemade Pepperoni Pizza, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Fruit Salad
Church Staff Party (I’m bringing Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip and Chips)
Reception after our Christmas Cantata (I’m bringing Angel Face Cookies and Caramel Corn)
Famous Butter Chicken, Make-Ahead Butterhorns, Fruit Salad, Roasted Broccoli/Cauliflower
Leftovers
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The Top 5 Amazon Deals This Week
Here are the top 5 most popular Amazon deals from this past week that are still available…
Get this popular Magformers Challenger Set (112-pieces) for just $76.59 shipped (reg. $144).
Get the Fire 7 Tablet with Alexa for just $29.99 shipped — which is Black Friday pricing and the LOWEST price on record!
Get the RTIC 30-Ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler for just $7.99 right now — the LOWEST price on record for this highly-rated YETI alternative.
Get this Electric Skin Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Brush for just $18.84 when you use coupon code VFGAUKAC at checkout.
Get the Prismacolor Colored Pencils 24-Count Set for just $8.77 right now. This would be a great stocking stuffer idea!
Gretchen’s $67 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Aldi
1 lb Butter – $2.55
1 gallon Milk – $1.88
1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 bag Shredded Mexican Cheese – $2.69
1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.99
2 bags Baby Carrots – $0.69 each
2 pkg Yeast – $0.89 each
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 loaf Bread – $0.89
1 bag Hershey Kisses – $2.95
1 box Saltine Crackers – $0.85
1 bottle Pure Maple Syrup – $6.79
1 bag Roma Tomatoes – $1.19
3 cans Green Beans – $0.44 each
1 Grape Jelly – $1.59
Total: $36.81
Dillons
I used Clicklist again and they were out of a few items I ordered. They kindly substituted other items for the same price. I cannot talk about how much I LOVE Clicklist and my local Dillons!
3 large jars Kroger Peanut Butter – $0.99 each (They were out of the small ones that I ordered so they gave me the huge sized jars for the same price!)
1 Temptations Cat Treats – $3.29, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon (Yet another item they sized up for the same price because they were out of the small bag.)
1 Viva Paper Towels – $9.99, used Free Clicklist e-coupon – Free after coupon
4 Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $1 each, used $1/4 e-coupon – $0.75 each after coupon
2.38 lbs Bananas – $1.17
1 Cottonelle Bath Tissue – $7.49, used Free Clicklist e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Dillons (18 count) Eggs – $0.99
4 bag Hershey’s Chocolate Chips – $0.99 each
2 bag Kroger Frozen Broccoli – $1 each, used $0.40/2 e-coupon – $0.80 each after coupon
1 Kroger Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.49
3 lbs Ground Beef – $8.97
1 Kroger Cinnamon Rolls – $1.69, used $1.50/1 e-coupon (no longer available) – $0.19 after coupon
1 Krusteaz Cornbread Mix – $1.99, used $0.50/1 Checkout 51 rebate – $1.49 after rebate
1 Mountain Dew – $1.79, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Red Bull – $2.99, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Psst Sugar – $1.59
5 Corn Chex Cereal – $1.99 each, used 5 $1/1 e-coupon AND $1/2 SavingStar.com rebate – $0.79 each after coupons
They also waived the $4.95 Clicklist fee because I had ordered Honey Nut Chex but they were out of it. So I didn’t have to pay that!
Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Total after coupons and rebates: $31.12
Total for both stores: $67.93
Menu Plan for This Week
I had stopped by Dillons in the middle of last week to check out their markdowns and they had tons of fruits and veggies marked down. So have lots of apples and oranges we need to use up this week!
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Toast and Eggs x 3
Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks x 2
Cheese Quesadillas, Sliced Cucumbers, Sliced Apples
Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Venison Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Homemade Bread
Mac & Cheese, Fruit Salad
Chicken Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Cornbread, Steamed Carrots
Poor Man’s Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Steamed Broccoli
Spaghetti, Biscuits, Steamed Broccoli
Out to eat
I’m also planning on doing a Christmas cookie baking day this week.
A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week
(Note: The links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
After a very long and full week, I came home from church last week and Jesse said, “Why don’t you just stay home and rest the rest of the day?”
“But I really should go and do those other things I’m supposed to do today!” I responded. He looked at me gently and said, “You need to give yourself some grace.”
You guys. I preach giving yourself grace and I believe in the concept, but when it comes to actually walking it out for myself, I struggle. My Type A/driving personality often tries to convince me I don’t have time to slow down or I feel guilt over letting go or saying no to people.
I’ve gotten better over the past few years, but I still have a long way to go.
“Be excessively gentle with yourself.” I heard @emilypfreeman say this quote on the The Next Right Thing podcast and it hit me square in the forehead. I am usually gracious and gentle with others, but I often heap all sorts of guilt on myself.
I’ve been mulling over this quote, thinking of how gracious and gentle my Heavenly Father is with me and how often I forget that He wants me to stop striving and pushing and trying so hard and just rest in Him.
What would it look like to be excessively gentle with yourself? That’s the question I’m pondering today.
Quill is getting SO big! Kaitlynn has done an amazing job of taking care of him! I told the kids they could get a pet as soon as they could take care of it (and I wasn’t allergic to it — which ruled out most pets, unfortunately). Well, they have taken that to heart because I have done literally nothing to care for Quill other than just to get to enjoy him!
This Past Week Was a Doozy
We’re almost to the Christmas lull that we get to enjoy every year mid-December through the end of December — when the internet is really quiet and I get to just step back and savor the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of Christmas. The fact that my job slows down to an almost-halt midway through December is one of the BEST parts of the holiday and something I look forward to every single year!
But before we can get to that lull, it’s usually a little on the crazy side — and this past week was a doozy! And most of it wasn’t business related, but it WAS stuff we needed to or wanted to get done before the end of the year!
Here’s the rundown:
- We signed a contract on a new house (!!).
- We went through the application process for both girls to start at new schools in January (long story — we have a real peace about it even though, if everything works out, it will mean all three kids will be in different schools!)
- It was Silas’ Presentation Week at school and Kathrynne had half of her mid-terms.
- I also underwent skin patch testing for my recent severe eczema outbreaks — and that involved multiple doctor’s visits, wearing patches of 80 chemicals on my back, and not being able take a shower for 5 days… oh and dealing with a nasty, itchy outbreak on my back. But I’m SO grateful I did it because we got some very definitive results from it that I think are going to make a difference — after over 30 years of suffering from eczema!
- We launched a new blogging course — Branding Basics 101.
- And to top it off, we all came down with colds and I got really sick with a fever and have been in bed most of the day. (I think my body was just d-o-n-e.) Some weeks, you just do the best you can do… and you hold on and make it through!
Guess what? I ended up having a rare completely free weekend and I got to spend it just chilling with my people and watching some movies and shows, as well as reading good books. It was bliss!
What I’m Reading, Watching, & Listening To
Jesse and I got fully caught up on This is Us this week — only to discover we should have spread things out more because the next episode doesn’t come out until January 2. 🙁 Needless to say, we’re really enjoying this show and how it portrays real-life, real struggles, raw and honest conversations about the hard stuff, and the beauty of family.
We’re almost finished with watching all of the Gilmore Girls episodes. I’d say that we’re committed now so we want to make it to the end, but we’re not really enjoying the final season as much.
And we also got caught up on episodes of Designated Survivor this week — a show that we really love!
I enjoyed listening to Cultivating the Lovely podcast episode #44 with Kat Lee this week and also The Simple Show episode #105 on What’s Saving My Life.
And I read Loving My Actual Christmas and Hope Prevails. Neither were knock-out books, but both had some good reminders/encouragement in them that I gleaned from.
Links You Should Check Out
- Michael Hyatt is offering a free goal-setting webinar right now where he’ll teach you 5 things that can shipwreck your goals and how to avoid them. You can go here to reserve your spot.
- Would you like to be more productive, have a more organized home, and have more joy and peace in your life in 2018? If so, you need to check out The Intentional Moms Toolkit — a monthly membership for moms designed to make your life so much easier! Read more about it here — and you can get it for just $2.43 per week through midnight tonight when you use coupon code MSM at checkout.
- Are you a blogger? If so, don’t miss my post from this week packed with all sorts of tips and tricks to get more done as a blogger.
- If you are interested in stretching your dollars this Christmas season, definitely check out this article on the top 4 cash back sites.
- I love Dollar Tree and I had fun putting together a post with 23 Stocking Stuffer Ideas from Dollar Tree.
How to Sell On Facebook Marketplace
Guest post from Keelie of Love Hope Adventure:
In March, we moved across the country — and although we have always given away our unused items, we felt it was the right decision to sell some of our things to cover the costs associated with our move.
Facebook Marketplace seemed to be gaining popularity. We tried it out and were very successful with selling on the platform.
Here’s how we used Facebook Marketplace for our moving sale:
1. How to Post Your Listings On Facebook Marketplace
You can either use your cell phone or computer to post your listings on the marketplace.
On your phone you will:
- Click the marketplace icon
- Select “My items”
- Post the sale item on the “Selling” tab
- Take a picture of the item
- Write a description
- Determine a price
- Update your status
On the computer you will:
- Find the Marketplace on the lefthand sidebar
- Select “+Sell Something”
- Write a description
- Select a category
- Add pictures
- Post the listing
Once you have posted the listing, people will contact you through Facebook messenger if they are interested. This is where you will do all negotiations with the buyer. In these exchanges, you will settle on a price and arrange picking up the item.
2. Tips to Keep You Safe
Some people are concerned about having strangers come to their house to purchase items. We met many buyers in the parking lot at a grocery store near our house. The furniture we sold was too large to deliver, so those individuals had to come to our house.
I suggest that if you are going to bring people to your home, that you set a time when you and your spouse will be there. Don’t be afraid to work out a time that is best for you, even if that means losing the sale.
3. What to Sell On The Marketplace
You can pretty much sell anything on this platform. The only things I wasn’t able to sell was formal wear. Pretty much everything else we listed was sold within a few days of posting.
Here’s a few of the types of items we were able to sell:
- Furniture
- Kid’s toys
- Home decor
- Bedding
- Piano
- CD’s
- DVD’s
- Homeschool curriculum
- Kids and adult books
- Grill
- Lawn equipment
- Bundles of clothing
I was more than surprised at how easy it was to sell all of these things. It was like having a yard sale where just about everything sold.
4. Ideas of Other Things To Sell
Since the marketplace has become more popular, I’ve seen a lot of people getting really creative with their listings. Not only are people selling their used things, but they are using the platform to gain awareness for their home based businesses. If you sell handmade crafts, bakery items, or things like that, this is a good place to find buyers.
You could easily make a business model out of selling on the marketplace by finding inexpensive items and reselling at a higher cost. Consider selling thrift store treasures or some of your coupon stockpile.
5. The Benefits of Selling on The Marketplace
I’ve sold items on several other platforms, but the Marketplace has been my favorite. Here’s a few reasons I like it better than other places I’ve sold:
No Selling Fees
Right now, listing things on Facebook is completely free. You don’t pay a listing fee or a percentage of the sale to Facebook. Whatever you and the buyer agree upon is 100% yours.
There’s No Need to Re-List
Once you list the item, it will stay active until you take it down. You may consider updating the listing to reduce the price of what you are selling if you aren’t getting any inquiries. Other than that, you don’t have to worry about it expiring.
You Get Close to What You Ask For
We were able to get pretty close to our asking price for most of the items we listed. Of course, some buyers talked us down a bit, but not by much. Some of them paid exactly what we asked.
Since you are selling to locals, you don’t have to package up the items to ship. It also means that you are able to put things up for sale that are too large to mail.
You Sell Quickly
There are so many users on Facebook that your items are going to get a lot of exposure. Most of our things sold within a day or two of the listing. In fact, we would get messages within hours of posting something.
Just as a note, we have lived in a big city and a small town when we sold on that platform. It has been successful in both.
It’s Easy to Communicate With Potential Buyers
Since messenger is how the buyer will communicate with you, it allows for easy communication. If you have messenger on your phone, it is the same as receiving a text message. This feature makes negotiations very simple.
Overall, I was really surprised at our experience with selling on this platform. We had to considerably downsize and do it quickly. We were able to sell almost everything that needed to find a new home within three weeks. At the end of it all, we made around $400 from all of our sales.
If you are looking for ways to get extra money quickly, this may be successful for you.
Keelie is married to her high school sweetheart and is the mom of three awesome boys. She is a creator and loves sharing with the world around her. One of her biggest passions is to help married couples fall deeper in love with one another. She offers free printables to help the marriage relationship. You can read her marriage tips at Love Hope Adventure.
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Shared Dec 9, 2017
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Brigette’s $49 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $49 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 box Crispy Rice – $1.15
1 bottle Organic Ranch Dressing – $1.99
1 bag Pretzels – $1.49
1 bag String Cheese – $1.99
1 carton Lowfat Kefir – $2.29
1 dozen Eggs – $0.99
1 Whole Milk – $1.56
1 Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55
2 cartons Orange Juice – $3.18
1 3-lb bag Jazz Apples – $4.69
1 bag Frozen Raspberries – $1.85
2 cartons Fresh Raspberries – $2.98
3 bags Baby Carrots – $1.47
2 Avocados – $0.98
1 pkg Mushrooms – $1.05
2 pkgs Broccoli Crowns – $1.98
2 heads Cauliflower – $2.78
1 Cabbage – $1.19
1 3-pk Multi-Colored Peppers – $1.59
1 bag Zucchini – $1.45
1 bag Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.59
1 Artisan Lettuce – $1.99
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.69
1 pkg Organic Grape Tomatoes – $1.59
1 bunch Bananas (2.67lbs @ $0.35/lb) – $0.93
1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.69
1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.59
2 loaves Sandwich Bread – $1.30
Total: $49.57
Grocery Total for the Week: $49.57
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfast. Choices include:
Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cereal, Fried/Scrambled/Boiled Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Toast, Smoothies, Fruit
Lunches
Baked Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Roasted Cauliflower
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Bananas, Colored Peppers and Ranch Dressing x 2
Pretzels dipped in Peanut Butter, Cheese Sticks, Fruit, Carrots Sticks
Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar x 2
Leftovers
Dinners
Baked Cornflake Chicken, Mashed Cauliflower, Easy Whole Wheat Bread
Turkey (leftover), Creamy Milk Rice, Tossed Salad, Make-Ahead Freezer Biscuits
Homemade Ham and Pineapple Pizza (I have some diced ham in the freezer that needs to be used up this week!), Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Turkey Bacon, Cutie Oranges
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Make-Ahead Freezer Biscuits, Baked Potatoes, Carrots
Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup (I’ll substitute diced ham for the hamburger), Tossed Salad, Crackers
Leftovers
Shared Dec 6, 2017
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Stretch your holiday shopping budget with online cash back sites!
Stretch your holiday shopping budget with online cash back sites!
Christmas is right around the corner! If you’re shopping for last minute gifts online, don’t forget how useful cash back sites can be in stretching your holiday budget just a little bit further!
Cash back sites work with online retailers to offer you a percentage–usually somewhere between 3-10% of your total purchase–back as a rebate. While 3-6% might not seem like much, it can really add up over time.
And if you’re already going to be making the online purchase, you might as well get a little kickback, too, right? After all, it’s essentially “free” money!
Here are the top 4 cash back sites I recommend…
#1: Rakuten (formerly Ebates)
One of the oldest cash back sites, Rakuten has an easy-to-navigate website and, in my personal view, is the best cashback program. You only have to earn $5.01 in rebates in order to get a check or Paypal payment.
They currently offer cash back at over 1800 stores including Walmart, Target, JCPenney, Staples, Lands’ End, Sephora, and many, many more. They also offer daily deals and coupon codes to help you save even more on your purchases.
You get a $10 welcome bonus when you sign up and make at least $25 worth of purchases within the first 90 days, so you’ll reach your first payout very quickly!
#2: TopCashBack
TopCashBack is another site I’ve used for quite a while. I really like them, because they offer cash back at over 4,000 stores, have guaranteed highest cash back rates, and are really customer-friendly.
If you find a higher cash back rate anywhere else, they will match it for you. They also allow you to receive a payout at any time (no minimum required!) and offer five different payout options.
Go here to get sign up and get started.
#3: BeFrugal
Earlier this year, I discovered BeFrugal.com — a new cash back site that offers cash back at over 5,000 online stores, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, Best Buy, and more!
One of the greatest features of BeFrugal.com is that they offer guarantees on their cash back rates and will match a rate by 125% if you find it higher anywhere else online.
You can request a payout once you’ve accumulated $25 in cash back, and you’ll then receive it within 10 days. They also offer a $10 welcome bonus when you sign up through this link and earn $10 in cash back within the first year.
#4: Swagbucks
If you’ve read my blog at all, you know I’m a HUGE fan of Swagbucks. And you probably signed up a long time ago and have been earning gift cards ever since.
But did you know that you can earn swag bucks on many of your online purchases in the form of cash back? Make sure you’re logged in to your Swagbucks account each day when you shop online, and then activate the Swagbucks cash back button when it pops up!
This one is a little bit different than your typical cash back site, since your earnings are in the form of swag bucks. But it adds up quickly over time, and you can trade those earned swag bucks into gift cards!
{For the handful of you who have yet to sign up for Swagbucks or for the many others who have signed up but feel like you’re not earning much from it, you can go here to learn more.}
Looking for other ways to stretch your holiday budget? Check these out:
- 15 Ways to Earn Money Online for the Holidays
- How to Fund Your Christmas Budget — In Just 15 Minutes per Day!
- 7 Tips to Avoid the Holiday Debt Trap
- 15 Holiday Expenses You’ll Forget to Budget For
- How to Give at Christmas When You Don’t Have Enough Money
- How We Bought Christmas Gifts on a $0 Budget
- 5 Ideas to Simplify Christmas & Save Your Budget
- 12 Ways to Save for Next Christmas
Am I missing any of your favorite cash back sites? I’d love to hear!
Gretchen’s $59 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Aldi
1 pkg Frozen Broccoli – $1.19
1 Sour Cream – $0.89
1 lb Ground Beef – $3.19
2 dozen Large Eggs – $1.45 each
1 frozen Orange Juice – $1.19
2 pkg Cheese – $1.79
1 loaf Bread – $0.83
1 Cottage Cheese – $2.29
1 Ketchup – $0.89
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
1 bag Shredded Cheese – $2.99
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.49
1 can Tuna – $0.68
1 pkg Corn Tortillas – $1.29
4 Avocados – $0.39 each (SO excited for this price!)
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99
1 pkg Roma Tomatos – $1.19
3 cans Green Beans – $0.44 each
1 pkg Mandarins – $2.49
1 pkg Apples – $1.98
1 Applesauce – $1.89
1 Pineapple – $1.29
1 Italian Dressing – $1.29
1 gallon Milk – $2.18
Total: $42.05
Dillons
1 Yasso Frozen Yogurt Bars – $4.49, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
6 Kellogg’s Cereals – $1.49 each, used $2/4 e-coupon AND 2 $1/1 printable – $0.82 each after coupons
1 Ragu Spaghetti Sauce – $1.67, used $1/1 e-coupon – $0.67 after coupon
2 Crisco Vegetable Oil – $2.99 each, used 2 $2/1 e-coupon (no longer available) – $0.99 each after coupons
2 Gold Metal Flour – $1.99 each, used 2 $1/1 e-coupon (no longer available) – $0.99 each after coupons
2 bags Apples – Marked down to $0.99 each
1 Romaine Lettuce – $1.29
4 Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $1 each, used $1/4 e-coupon – $0.75 each after coupon
2.59 lbs Bananas – $1.27
1 PowerBar – $1.25, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Jello Simply Good – $1.49, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
Total after coupons: $17.39
Total for both stores: $59.44
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Toast & Eggs x 4
Cereal x 2
Out to eat
Lunches
Cheese Quesadillas, Carrot Sticks
Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Mandarins, Sliced Apples x 2
Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Sliced Cucumbers, Apples
Leftovers
Dinners
Mexican Lasagna, Steamed Peas, Rice
Pancakes, Eggs, Orange Juice
Spaghetti, Lemon Bread (from the freezer – leftover from Thanksgiving!), Green Beans
Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Homemade Bread
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Tossed Salad
Bean Burritos, Green Rice Casserole, Spinach Salad
Leftovers
23 Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers Ideas
Looking for really inexpensive, fun stocking stuffer ideas? We LOVE going shopping for Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers each year! In fact, it’s a family tradition!! Check out this list for a few of our favorite ideas.
(And don’t miss this Ultimate List of Cheap Stocking Stuffers Under $10!)
Why We Love Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers
One of our favorite family traditions is going to Dollar Tree and buying stocking stuffers for each other. Everyone gets $6 to buy 5 stocking stuffers — one for each member of our family (that gives enough $$ for tax and for them to buy a stocking stuffer for themselves, too!).
We have fun sneaking around the store, trying to find great items without letting anyone else see us and seeing if we can come up with original and unique ideas that no one else will.
The evening results in all sorts of fun and laughs and memories. And it’s so much less expensive than if we were to go to a traditional store to buy stocking stuffers!
Dollar Tree Christmas Stockings Ideas
I was at Dollar Tree last week and decided to go through the aisles to take pictures of some of the best Dollar Tree stocking stuffers to share with you all. Here are 23 unique ideas…
Cheap Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids
1. Silly Putty
2. Glow Sticks
3. Fun Straws
4. Night Lights
5. Small Games/Travel Games
6. Bubbles
7. Pens & Pencils
8. Modeling Dough
Cheap Stocking Stuffers for Tween and Tweens
9. Nail Polish
10. Lip Balm
11. Bath Bombs
12. Hair Accessories
13. Socks
14. Gloves
Cheap Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Adults
15. Candles
16. Fun Toothbrush & Toothpaste
17. Car Ice Scraper
18. Lint Roller
19. Back Scratcher
20. LED Candles
21. Bath Salts
22. Oven Mitts
23. Tumblers
Other Stocking Stuffer Ideas:
- Budget- Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Toddlers
- Affordable Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Women
- Ultimate List of Cheap Stocking Stuffers Under $10
- 7 Ways to Save on Stocking Stuffers
- Homemade Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Are there any Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers you’d add to my list? I’d love to hear!
FREE DOWNLOAD:
Christmas Budget Boost Cheatsheet!
20 Simple Ways to Easily Add $100+ To Your Gift Budget Before Christmas! 🥳
A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
I went to ALDI this week and was sad to see this sign. If you’re unfamiliar with ALDI, they’ve always sold their product at a flat rate per package/item. I believe that this by weight change will mean that their prices are a lot higher. 🙁
In better news, I was super excited about this outfit I got from Stitch Fix this week. And even MORE excited that they extended the incredibly popular deal to waive the styling fee on your first box. Have you signed up yet?? If you haven’t signed up yet, you can sign up here.
Quill is getting SO big!
I am loving this Home Care Checklist! It’s part of the Intentional Moms Toolkit membership and you get a new checklist every month — along with a meal plan and grocery list, self-care plan, Bible reading plan, and much more!
I’ll be sharing more about this really cool program this week, but you can check it out here. (You can get 25% off when you use coupon code MSM at checkout!)
And I just had to share this photo of Kaitlynn with her cousin, Atlas, that I took when we were back in Kansas for Thanksgiving. Is it not just adorable??!
Maybe you’re having one of those days? Where it feels like you’re failing and woefully behind? Where it just seems like everywhere you turn, something (or someone) is falling apart?
Can I just gently whisper this to you? Some days, you just do the best you can do. And that’s enough. Nothing good is accomplished by calling yourself a failure, by heaping on guilt, or by beating yourself up.
So just take a deep breath, do the next right thing, and know that your best is the best you can do. ❤️ (And also, go watch this short video I recorded on a particularly hard morning from this past week.)
During this Christmas season, I especially encourage you to remember this. If sending cards or making cookies or seeing the lights or buying gifts are things you love and that bring you joy, by all means, please make those a priority. But don’t spend this holiday season miserable doing things you feel like you “should” do, or that a good mom “always” does, or that you’re “supposed” to do.
Give yourself space and grace to breathe, to live, to love, to savor this holiday season. To enjoy the moments. To linger. To slow down. To appreciate.
And remember: it’s okay to re-write or tweak our holiday to-do lists or to lower our expectations of ourselves… because people are more important than projects and present is better than perfect!
This December, I want to choose relationships and real-life over put-together and perfect. And I’m intentionally going to embrace the life right in front of me, focus on really listening to and investing in the people in my life, and stop wishing I had it “more together”.
I think it’s going to be a good month! Happy beginning of December to you, too!
Links You Should Check Out:
- Are you hoping to live with more intention in 2018? Take Michael Hyatt’s FREE LifeScore Assessment right now! With this tool, you’ll discover where you currently stand so that you can move toward the best version of yourself. This assessment tool measures all areas of your life: business, relationships, finances, health, and more. It’s pretty cool!
- I’m excited that we are offering a sale on our wildly popular Choose Hoodies. We also added two new ones! And they are just $22.95 shipped through December 10, 2017. This would make a GREAT Christmas gift idea! Get yours here.
- Did you see this HOT deal? You can try Stitch Fix for FREE — there’s no styling fee and no shipping! (They extended this deal!)