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Shared Jun 18, 2018 comment

What I Read & Watched This Past Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 18, 2018 | 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.)

This week, we went and saw two movies in the theater — and I’m happy to report that our MoviePasses worked again!! (They hadn’t worked two weeks ago when we tried to use them — our cards were declined — and we were thinking to cancel our accounts.)

We saw Oceans 8 and Adrift. Oceans 8 was like I expected having seen the other Oceans movies. However, since it had Sandra Bullock in it, I expected it to be funny… and it just wasn’t funny. It wasn’t terrible, I’d say it was just so-so. Not terrible, not amazing.

Adrift is a movie that I’m still mulling over. The whole story line is pretty incredible and inspiring… and it’s based on a true story, too. I read that it is fairly accurate other than one big plot line (which actually ends up not being at all what you think and which is then actually accurate. I won’t say more so I don’t spoil anything).

That said, I was surprised and bothered by how much skin was showing for a PG-13 movie. There wasn’t anything sexual or explicit, but there was a whole lot more skin than I expected and I think it ruined what could have been a pretty inspiring movie for me.

In addition, the movie developed quite slowly — almost as if they were trying to stretch out the story to make it fill a full two hours. Despite these two things, I still think the story line is really inspiring and I’ve thought about it a lot and talked about it with others since watching it.

But I don’t think I can recommend the movie and would highly suggest reading reviews before seeing it.

I’m currently reading At Home in the World and am enjoying it — especially as I gear up for two international trips in the next two months! It makes me want to do a LOT more traveling as a family!

And I’m also listening to the audiobook of This Life I Live. It wasn’t what I expected and I almost didn’t keep listening, but I’m glad I did because there have been so many parts of it that have really made me stop and think about how choices make such an impact on your future and how your choices as a parent really affect your kids.

Did you see my list of 15 Books You Should Read This Summer? I also have a free printable Summer Reading Challenge Pack that you can download here.

When I Find Time to Read

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

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

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

Shared Jun 17, 2018 comment

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

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 17, 2018 | 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! ?

One night this week, we had a Clean Out the Fridge sort of dinner. The kids asked if we could eat in our formal dinner room and when I said yes, they set the table, turned down the lights, and added candles.

It felt all fancy, despite the fact that we were mostly eating leftovers! We’re definitely going to be doing this more often — especially since it maybe requires one extra minute to pull off!

(Step 1. Set the table in the formal dining room instead of the breakfast nook. Step 2. Turn down the lights. Step 3. Add candles. And you have yourself a “fancy dinner” in one extra minute! ?)

We played so many rounds of Dutch Blitz this week. And we invited some friends over for Breakfast for Dinner and taught them how to play, too.

I know I keep posting pictures of us playing this game — but I guess it’s become our summer thing. It’s rare that a day goes by that we aren’t spending at least some time playing it!

This boy got his very own library card this week! He was so excited! And I love that he is slowly starting to fall in love with reading.

If you’ve been around here for awhile, you probably know that it’s been a long and frustrating and discouraging road and he’s worked so hard to get here and it makes me so happy to find him reading multiple times per week — without me even encouraging it!

Kaitlynn’s school held a Yard Sale on Saturday morning and we enjoyed getting to help price stuff on Friday evening and help with the sale on Saturday morning.

I’m not sure what Kathrynne is doing here! 😉

One of the moms made Yard Sale signs based upon an idea she found on Pinterest. I thought these were the BEST!

Kaitlynn has been working on perfecting the art of making macarons and was so excited when she had a batch turn out almost perfectly this week! We had friends over on Saturday evening who had just returned from France and we spent a few hours getting to see all of the pictures of their trip. Her macarons were the perfect accompaniment to our evening!

“You should smile more in your pictures and videos…” “You always look sad and insecure…”

I got many comments like this for many years as a blogger. They were often sandwiched in the middle of a lot of other negative words and it would be easy to write it off as just being a negative critic I shouldn’t pay attention to.

But remember how I said that my approach is always to check critical comments to see if there’s any truth in them? Well, there was definitely some truth here and I knew it.

I had to do some deep heart work. I had to face a lot of fears. I had to take risks and unearth insecurities and cry a bucket of tears and work through old wounds and stop stuffing down all sorts of things and learn how to find my worth in Christ instead of in my work.

I had to believe that I was enough and stop living under the lie that I was broken and unworthy and not chosen.

Y’all… it’s been a journey. A long journey. But it was worth the fight. It was worth the pain. It was worth the tears. It was worth digging up stuff that I’d rather keep buried. It was worth feeling terrified as I faced fears.

It was all worth it. Because see that girl there? See the smile on her face? That’s genuine and real. She fought hard for the deep joy and wholeness.

And she’s grateful for truth from those critics and negative commentors that inspired her on this journey to joy. ❤️

Links You Should Check Out:

Doing a $70 Grocery Budget Challenge — I was honored to be featured on Jami Balmet’s podcast all about our current grocery budget challenge!
Fetch Rewards: Earn Money Scanning Your Grocery Receipts — Watch my video with all the details here.
6 Simple Secrets to Inspire Entrepreneurship in Kids — So many of you loved and resonated with this guest post.

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: 25 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: 28 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 225 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 & are planning our trip in July!

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching some options for this. Stay tuned!

Financial Goals

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

**Progress: The workout room is almost done!

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

Business Goals

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

~~12. Launch 5 new courses.~~

**Progress: We launched 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January, Content Creation 101 in February, 4-Week Blog Coaching Program in March, Email List Setup 101 in March, and Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April.

Shared Jun 16, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 25

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 16, 2018 | 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. 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.)

We’ve instituted a technology chart this summer where the kids can earn computer/movie time by doing certain things. It’s been the best and has eliminated so much whining and frustration for everyone! And you better believe that the first thing the kids do when they wake up is start working on earning their minutes for later in the day! 🙂

These kids! 🙂

This is my current treadmill setup — in the gym that is so close to being finished off! Every day I just dust it off and run! 🙂

Kathrynne spent the day with a friend so we took Kaitlynn and Silas to Soar — a ropes course. It’s usually insanely expensive to go to but I found that Groupon was offering a 4-person deal so we scooped it up and surprised the kids.

Isn’t this a great picture of real life… Kids all like, “Mom, why are taking yet another picture??” (They are never convinced by my statements of how I want to document these moments so I don’t forget! I’m sure they’ll understand someday!)

I promise I actually did go across a ton of parts of the course — Jesse just happened to only get pics of me standing and watching the kids! 🙂

It was so fun — a little scary and hot and tiring. But so fun! And the kids always love it when I get out there and jump right in with them!

After we went to the ropes course, Kaitlynn and I had chiropractic appointments.

Then we came home and I made Haystacks for dinner while Kathrynne made Homemade Guac.

And then we played a few rounds of Dutch Blitz before I needed to head out. We are addicted to this game right now and love that it’s something we can all do together and love. We have been playing at least a few rounds every night… and some evenings, it’s more like a few hours of this game! 🙂

The kids and Jesse kept playing while I left to meet up with my Discipleship Small Group at Frothy Monkey. We had such a great time together — and everyone was able to make it but one. I love these ladies so much and am grateful that even though our group will be going in different directions this fall, the relationships and deep friendships we’ve made will hopefully will last for years to come!

Shared Jun 16, 2018 comment

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

Published: by Brigette on June 16, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.29

1 box Rice Squares – $1.79

2 gallons Whole Milk – $2.72

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

2 16-oz cartons Heavy Whipping Cream – $3.10

2 32-oz cartons Half and Half – $3.18

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.65

2 pkgs Deli Sliced Cheese – $2.30

1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $3.09

1 pkg Pepperoni – $1.95

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.15

3 dozen Eggs – $3.72

1 can Whipped Dairy Topping – $1.99

1 large tub Pretzel Sticks – $3.29

1 jar Natural Creamy Peanut Butter – $1.15

1 loaf Honey Wheat Bread – $0.85

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.15

2 pkgs Blackberries – $1.98

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.19

2 4-ct pkgs Sweet Corn – $2.38

1 pkg Baby Lettuce – $1.99

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.59

1 bag Red Onions – $1.09

1 bag Zucchini – $1.09

2 3-lb bags Pink Lady Apples – $6.98

1 Seedless Watermelon – $2.89

2 cans Chicken Breast – $3.10

5 single-serving size 100-calorie Greek Yogurt – $3.25

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

1 Pork Butt Roast – $8.67

Total: $77.24

Harris Teeter

3 pkgs Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns – $1.41

2 pkgs Sargento Shredded Cheese – $3.79, used $0.60/2 Sargento Shredded Cheese- 4-29-18 SS (exp. 06/24/18) (doubled) – $2.59/2 after coupon

1 can Coconut Milk – $1.49

1 16-oz pkg Shredded Coconut – $1.49

1 bag Peaches (1.93lb @ $0.99/lb) – $1.91

2 12-ct boxes Community Coffee K-Cups – $7.99, used 2 $2.00/1 Catalina coupon, plus receive $3.00/2 from Checkout 51 – $0.99/2 boxes after coupons and rebate

1 5-lb bag Bread Flour – $3.39

1 box Luzianne Tea Bags – $1.24, used $0.60/1 Luzianne Product – 6-10-18 SS (exp. 08/15/18) (doubled), plus receive $0.75/1 back from Ibotta – $0.71 MM after coupon and rebate

Total after Coupons and Rebates – $12.56

Grocery Total for the Week: $89.96

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

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

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Blackberries, Raw Veggies with Dip (we still have a bunch leftover from last week) x 2

Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes, Apples, Carrots x 2

Pretzels, Cheese Sticks, Apples, Peppers x 2

Leftovers

Dinners

Pulled Pork Sandwiches,(I’ll use this recipe and shred it and serve on buns with BBQ sauce), Watermelon, Corn on the Cob, Coconut Cream Pie

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Peaches, Tossed Salad

Pepperoni Pizza, Tossed Salad

Trip to the Beach – We will eat out somewhere local

Hot Dogs, Watermelon, Roasted Zucchini Fries

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Tossed Salad, Green Beans, Southern Biscuits

Leftovers

Shared Jun 15, 2018 comment

Why I Sometimes Buy Junk Food & a GREAT Deal on Almond Milk

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 15, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Two weeks ago, I bought Cheerios and a few people on my Facebook Live were very upset by the fact that I would buy cereal that was so full of chemicals. It kind of made me laugh because I always thought that Cheerios were one of the healthier cereals.

But anyway, let’s hope that those same people don’t see this post because {gasp!} I bought food that is much less healthy than Cheerios. I bought cake mix and chocolate chips and croutons and bottled juice and sweetened condensed milk and junky peanut butter and white hamburger buns.

Basically, I have fallen into a complete chemical coma with this shopping trip. 😉

All joking aside, while we try to eat a fairly healthful diet and we make a lot of things from scratch and we use whole wheat flour in a lot of our baking, I’m all about balance. So when Kathrynne asked if she could make Cake Mix bars today, I was happy to buy the ingredients for them!

Friday Aldi Shopping Trip — $5.25

Crunchy Peanut Butter — $1.15
Yellow Cake Mix — $0.85
Eggs — $1.18
Chocolate Chips — $1.69
Total with tax: $5.25

Friday Kroger Shopping Trip — $5.54

Buns — Marked down to $1.29 (I’m freezing these to use for grilling burgers.)
Sweetened Condensed Milk — $1.19
Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice — FREE (used Free Friday Download)
4 bags of Mrs. Cubbinson’s Croutons — $0.89 each when you buy 6 participating items, used 2 $1/2 coupons = $0.39 each after coupons (+ submitted for $0.25 Ibotta rebate per bag)
2 cartons Almond Milk — $1 per carton when you buy 6 participating items, used $1/2 coupon = $0.50 each after coupons
Total with tax: $5.54

Remember all of the avocados I bought?

We are loving making homemade guac with them — SO good!

And it’s amazing on my salads!

Total Spending This Week

Total spent so far this week: $68.56

Rebates: $0.50 for submitting two receipts to Ibotta, $1 for buying 4 packages of croutons, $1.38 back from Fetch Rewards for purchasing Goldfish & Suave + scanning four other receipts (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)

See this week’s menu plan here.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Jun 13, 2018 comment

6 Simple Secrets to Inspire Entrepreneurship in Kids

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 13, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Miranda of The Reluctant Cowgirl:

Shaping an entrepreneurial spirit can be natural when kids are young — eager to learn and explore new ideas.

When parents model a creative way of thinking and offer plenty of opportunities to explore their interest, kids connect to an entrepreneurial attitude, develop their talents, and learn positive ways to make income.

If you would like to inspire entrepreneurship in your children, here are 6 tips to help you do just that!

1. Teach Kids to Work Hard

In order to thrive out in the world, kids need to be able to work hard. Find a balance between allowing your kids to just be children and treating them like adults.

Too often parents have no expectations for their kids other than to be outwardly successful. But we want our children to be able to mentally and physically endure. That kind of inner strength only comes when pressure is applied. So as tough as it can be, we have to allow our kids to struggle through learning a new skill or balancing homework, chores and activities.

Do you have a side or family business? Have them help out. Do you have lots of neighbors? Find a neighbor that needs help and allow them to “hire” your tween. Volunteer in the community or your local church.

When a child has to push through their natural desire to quit they will discover they can do more than they thought possible.

2. Teach Kids to Set Goals

Everyone has dreams and ideas. People talk about them all the time.

But we don’t want our kids to just be talkers. We want them to see and realize their dreams.

Teaching our kids to set and accomplish goals is a simple way to inspire entrepreneurship for a lifetime. Goal setting helps your child to see how to break a big job into several small tasks. It allows kids to see that they can accomplish huge dreams if they are willing to work at it a little bit each day.

Kids typically think more short term so allow them to think of a goal they would like to accomplish in the next few weeks. Give them the opportunity to pick a few ideas. Then walk through the steps of turning their dream into a goal by creating small action steps that they can do a little each day or each week.

Stay away from vague goals such as,”I would like become a reader.” Instead write, “I would like to become a better reader by going to the library once a week, picking out books I enjoy, and reading 15 minutes every day.”

3. Teach Kids that Failure is OK

If we want to teach our children to take risks and try new things, then we need to teach them that failure is OK. Otherwise, we are heaping a lot of stressful expectations on their back.

One way we can teach that failure is OK is by stepping out of the way when they want to “go for it”.

Don’t let your fear of them failing get in the way.

Once before a talent show my son (8 yrs old at the time) kept insisting that he needed to borrow a bigger drum set to play for the performance. I kept insisting that he just use his small set not wanting to see him flounder around on a big set. He finally persuaded me. No one else was more surprised than me when he rocked the house that night on the big set!!

When they do fail, focus your encouragement on how hard they tried or the fact that they were willing to take a risk. Talk to them about past failures you have had, and what you learned from them.

4. Give Kids Learning Opportunities

As time allows, give your children chances to try different sports and activities when they are young. But also think outside the box.

Is there a job they would enjoy doing at church, helping a relative, or an organization in the community?

Our children have done everything from helping out at a family deer processing business to creating greeter gift bags at church to running sound for a local non-profit organization.

As kids interact and learn they will see the variety of jobs out there, learn to handle themselves around adults, and begin to think outside structured activities and jobs.

5. Help Kids Start a Small Business

Some kids have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and will come up with lots of ideas. Encourage them to put one of their ideas into motion.

There is a wonderful book called Starting a Teen Micro Business by Carol Topp, that will guide you and your teen through the creative and practical steps necessary to develop their own business!

6. Allow Kids to See Parents Grow

When I teach groups, we include an exercise asking parents to make one small improvement to their life that week. I am always surprised when parents say, “We are fine like we are,” or “I can’t think of anything we need to improve.” What?

As parents, we should continue to challenge ourselves to grow and try new things.

What excited you recently? Did you learn something new at work? Or while reading a book?

Share your learning experiences with your children. Children want to be where life is happening!

Some examples of things our children have seen us try: a recipe contest, farming, building a pond, making maple syrup, running for public office, selling herbs, starting a blog, running an excavating business, building a house, remodeling a house and starting a freezer beef business.

Life should be happening in your home!

Encourage your kids today with these 6 Simple Secrets to Inspire Entrepreneurship!

I’m Miranda, The Reluctant Cowgirl. Vibrant Life Mentor. A city girl married to a country boy! The Reluctant Cowgirl encourages and equips moms of tweens & teens to care for their emotional health and the well-being of their family. Find practical advice to develop a EMOTIONALLY VIBRANT family life!

Shared Jun 13, 2018 comment

MySurvey: Earn cash or rewards for taking surveys

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 13, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Looking for legitimate survey companies to sign up with?

MySurvey is a company that I have used in the past and earned money from. You can redeem your points earned for cash or prizes, and every 1000 points equals $10.

Go here to sign up.

Looking for more opportunities to make money from home? See my list of recommended survey companies here.

Check out this shopping haul from ALDI, Kroger, and Big Lots -- all on a $70 weekly grocery budget!

Shared Jun 12, 2018 comment

I found the clearance cart at Big Lots + Aldi & Kroger shopping trips & our menu plan!

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 12, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

I’ve got LOTS of great deals to report to you today! Buckle your seat belt, this might be a l-o-n-g post!

Saturday Kroger Shopping Trip — $15.66

Kroger had a Saturday Only Sale where you could get Smithfield Bacon for just $2.99 per package with the digital coupon. There was a limit of 5 packages and you better believe we took advantage of the deal and got 5 packages… because, BACON! 🙂

Tuesday Big Lots Shopping Trip — $3.47

After scoring the great deal on bread at Big Lots, a few of you told me that I needed to check for the Clearance Cart at Big Lots… and you said that you’ve found some amazing deals in it! Well, I checked when I went today and I found it — and these crackers were in it for just $0.25 per package!

I also grabbed some Krusteaz pancake mix for $2.25 since we kind of last-minute invited friends to go to the pool with us tonight and then come back to our house for Breakfast for Dinner and Games.

I’m not sure if that’s a good price on pancake mix (I usually make mine, but it was less expensive and easier for me today to just buy it), but I thought it was a pretty decent deal and I’ve heard that that pancake mix is really good.

Big Lots tip: Be sure to sign up for a BuzzRewards card. You are supposed to get a $5 off $15 coupon for every three shopping trips. I’m excited to see if this actually works — because that could be a great way to stretch our budget a little bit more!

Tuesday Aldi Shopping Trip — $17.80

5 packages of strawberries — $1.29 each (we’re using 4 cartons of these for our Breakfast for Dinner with friends tonight)
Cantaloupe — $1.49
Pancake Mix — $1.49 (I grabbed a second box of pancake mix just to be sure we have plenty for Breakfast for Dinner tonight!)
Pure Maple Syrup — $5.99
5 ears of Sweet Corn — $0.25 each

Total with tax: $17.80

Today is the last day of the Kroger Buy 5, Get $5 Off Sale, so I wanted to stop by and get a few more items before the sale ended. Here’s what I got:

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $20.84

2 bags of apples — $0.99 each
2 bags of avocados — $0.99 each
Goldfish crackers — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
1 gallon Whole Milk — $2.69
Suave Kids Bodywash — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items, used $0.75/1 Kroger Digital coupon = $0.24 after coupon
Suave Bodywash — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
Cascadian Farms Cereal — $2.49 each when you buy 5 participating items, used 2 $1/1 Cascadian Farms cereal coupons = $1.49 each after coupons
5 boxes of Nature Valley Bars — $1.79 each when you buy 5 participating items, used $0.50/1 Kroger Digital coupon, used 2 $0.50/2 Nature Valley coupons + got a $3 catalina for buy 5 boxes = that’s like paying $0.89 per box after the coupons, sale, and Catalina (which I’ll use on my shopping trip on Thursday or Friday to help lower that grocery bill!)

Total with tax: $20.74 + I got a $3 catalina to use on my next shopping trip!

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a Catalina Deal, but when I saw this Nature Valley deal, I knew I had to do it. These will make for great snacks to take with us to the pool! Remember, the Buy 5, Get $5 Off sale ends tonight. So if you want to get in on this deal, hurry out to your store before midnight!

(Also, the best deal is to buy the crunchy bars — there are 12 per box. But we decided to try a few different kinds, just for fun!)

This Week’s Simple Menu Plan

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

Breakfasts

Fried/Scrambled Eggs, Baked Oatmeal, Cereal, Fruit, Toast

Lunches

Mac & Cheese, Cereal, Chips/Salsa, Fruit, Veggies, Leftovers, Eggs, Yogurt, Salad

Snacks

Marked Down Yogurt, Fruit, Ice Cream Bars, Crackers, Granola Bars

Monday: Bacon & Eggs & Fruit & Southwest Roll-Ups (from the freezer) — these things don’t go together at all, really, but the girls and I went with friends to a movie and I just put this together at the last minute

Tuesday: Breakfast for Dinner with Friends — Pancakes, Eggs (that I got marked down recently), Bacon, Strawberries

Wednesday: Haystacks, Chips & Homemade Guac, Fruit

Thursday: Sausage & Onions in the CrockPot, Noodles, Fruit

Friday: Dinner Out (I’m volunteering at the setup for Kaitlynn’s school’s yard sale.)

Saturday: Cookout — Sausage on the Grill, Corn on the Cob, Fruit

Sunday: Snack-y Dinner

Total Spending So Far This Week

Total spent so far this week: $57.77

Total left to spend: $12.23

Rebates: $0.25 for submitting a receipt to Ibotta, $0.98 back from Fetch Rewards for purchasing Goldfish & Suave + scanning two other receipts (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)

Shared Jun 12, 2018 comment

Gretchen’s $51 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on June 12, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m back!! After giving birth to my third baby the end of April, I took several weeks off from grocery shopping and mainly let my husband do the shopping. It felt SO great to finally get back into the swing of things this week and I even scored some great coupon deals!

Aldi

1 gallon Milk – $1.88

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99

1 dozen Eggs – $1.18

1 lb Butter – $2.56

1 can Pineapple Chunks – $0.95

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49

1 loaf Bread – $1.49

1 pkg English Muffins – $0.99

1 bag Roma Tomatoes – $1.29

1 pkg Chewy Granola Bars – $1.49

1 pkg Breakfast Bars – $1.79

1 Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.19

1 Half & Half – $1.99

1 Cantaloupe – $1.19

1 pkg Spinach – $1.19

2 pkg Strawberries – $1.19 each

1 pkg Green Peppers – $1.39

2 bags Frozen Vegetables – $0.79 each

2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each

Total: $31.99

Dillons

1 Core Water – $1.25, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Knorr Side Meal – $2.99, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 dozen Eggs – $1.19 (I realized I needed 2 dozen eggs this week and and only picked up one dozen at Aldi.)

2 Reeses Puff’s Cereal – $1.49 each, used 2 $0.50/1 printable AND $1/2 SavingStar.com rebate – $0.49 each after coupons and rebate

1 Honey Nut Cheerios – $1.49, used $0.50/1 printable – $0.99 after coupon

2 Ken’s Salad Dressing – $1.49 each, used 2 $0.75/1 printable – $0.74 each after coupons

2 Cascadian Farms Cereal – $1.99 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $0.99 each after coupons

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $0.99

1 Kroger Deli Cheese – $0.88

1 pkg Goldfish Crackers – $0.99

2.81 lbs Bananas – $1.26

2.31 lbs Bananas – Marked down to $0.81

2.23 lbs Grapes – $6.67 (Ouch!! These were marked as $0.99/lb but did NOT ring up as that and I didn’t notice until I got home. This was a reminder to me to keep a close eye on the computer as my items are scanned.)

1 Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $1

1 Kroger Spaghetti Sauce – $0.99, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.74 after rebate

Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt

Total after coupons and rebate: $19.71

Total for both stores: $51.70

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toasted English Muffins, Eggs, Oatmeal, Fruit

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrots, Grapes x 2

Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2

Mac & Cheese, Green Peppers, Yogurt (We have a bunch in our refrigerator that my husband bought last week.)

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Spaghetti, Steamed Peas, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Salad Bar, Banana Muffins (I’ll make a huge batch!)

BBQ Meatballs (using venison), Banana Muffins, Steamed Broccoli

Hawaiian Haystacks

Pancakes, Eggs, Cantaloupe

Sour Cream/Cream of Mushroom Chicken, Homemade Bread, Spinach Salad

Burritos (from the freezer), Rice, Leftover Tortilla Chips

Shared Jun 11, 2018 comment

What I Read & Watched This Past Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 11, 2018 | 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.)

Well, I finally watched Avengers: Infinity War and I’m not sure that I know what I think of it. It ended a lot differently than I expected and I’m just hoping that there will be some sort of clarity/redemption in the next movie. Because right now, I’m just confused as to what’s going on and whether I’m supposed to like it or not.

Note: There’s a lot of action, some violence, and some language in this film. The details here on IMDB do a great job of giving specifics so you can decide whether you want to watch it and whether you think it’s appropriate for your kids (if you were thinking of watching it with them).

I feel like the Avenger movies have so many moving parts and characters now, that it’s harder to keep up with and follow and enjoy. You might totally disagree, but that’s how I felt. And I also feel like some of the characters haven’t had the chance to develop to the depth that other characters have so I don’t know whether I like them or not! 🙂

Have you seen the movie? If so, I’d love to hear what you think!

I also finished This is Me by Chrissy Metz. I actually listened to the book because I was able to rent the audiobook for free through the Overdrive app (check to see if your library is affiliated with this app. It’s the best!)

While Chrissy and I come from very differing viewpoints in many areas (she does acknowledge God and a Higher Power, but theologically, our beliefs would be very, very different) and has a lot of crass language in it (beware listening to it when little ears are around!), as someone who loves This is Us and has been so curious about Kate’s character in that show, I found the book to be very interesting and insightful.

I appreciated how honest and open she was about her struggles and shortcomings and thought that there were many good nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned from the book. Plus, it was just a fascinating look behind-the-scenes into her life and journey. I found it so interesting how much her story parallels Kate’s story and am guessing she can play that character so much more authentically because in many respects, she is Kate.

Her book gave new depth to her character on the show and it made me look forward even more to when Season 3 of This is Us comes out!

Did you see my list of 15 Books You Should Read This Summer? I also have a free printable Summer Reading Challenge Pack that you can download here.

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!

Click here to download!

Shared Jun 10, 2018 comment

A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week (+ an update on our goals for 2018!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 10, 2018 | 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! ?

He was supposed to be taking a picture of something for me… instead, he took a number of photos like this! 😉

I told you that I had dubbed this the Summer of the Updo and I’m having fun trying different styles! 🙂

(Excuse the toilet photo bomb! ;))

I’ve especially been working on perfecting Dutch Braiding… and slowly but surely, I’m getting it!

We spent lots of time at the pool this past week!

And ooh and ahhed over this photo that my sister sent of Talon!

Friends had us over on Thursday night for Game Night and we learned how to play Settlers of Catan.

(We also enjoyed hanging out with some other friends on Friday night to eat Indian Food and play Dutch Blitz! We were having so much fun and I never got any pictures!)

On Friday, I texted a friend that we hadn’t gotten to see for too long and said, “We have brats/hot dogs, strawberries, corn on the cob, and ice cream, can we bring that over to your house for dinner on Saturday and hang out?” She had a few other things on hand and we pulled together a wonderful meal — requiring very little work from both of us!

After dinner, we all went and hung out at their neighborhood pool. It was such a great evening!

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: 24 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: 215 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 some options for this. 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’re working on finishing out the workout room.

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 Jun 9, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 23

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 9, 2018 | 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. 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 did my hair in a Dutch braid and blob today. I was happy with how it turned how — not sure that I could recreate it, though! 🙂

Here’s what it looked like from the front.

And I wore my favorite yellow sandals!

Since I had more time today, I decided to do a little leisurely shopping. I went to Dollar Tree to pick up lemon juice for my gallon of lemon water that I drink every day.

I was also excited to find Brown Rice and Pinto Beans for just a dollar per bag!

And then I picked up a few markdowns at Kroger.

I also headed to Big Lots to check out the deals there.

Other than the bread deal I found, I wasn’t super impressed with their other prices.

But they do have great prices on oil, I discovered!

And of course I went to Aldi to pick up some cheap strawberries and corn on the cob.

Since our neighborhood doesn’t have a pool, we bought a membership to a rec pool in a nearby town and we are looking forward to getting to spend lots of time there this summer!

We convinced some friends of ours to also buy a membership, so we met them there to close down the pool on Wednesday night (it closes at 7 p.m.)

It was the perfect evening for swimming. Hot but not too hot!

And this pool is perfect for kids of many different ages!

We came home and made breakfast for dinner — sausage and waffles.

While the waffles were cooking, we played some Dutch Blitz.

We love this game!

This is our favorite waffle recipe.

We made a double batch and we froze half of it.

(She had just washed her hair!)

The kids love to help make waffles!

And then we stayed up a little too late playing round after round of Dutch Blitz!

Did you can buy bread at Big Lots?! And it'll save you TONS of money!

Shared Jun 8, 2018 comment

I spent $67.46 on groceries this week + you were right about Big Lots!!

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 8, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Since Wednesday is my Slow Day, I had some extra time to devote to shopping. So I stopped by Dollar Tree, Aldi, Kroger, and Big Lots. And I got some great deals!

Wednesday Dollar Tree Shopping Trip — $6.44

Brown Rice — $1
Pinto Beans — $1
3 bottles Lemon Juice — $1 each
Swabs — $1 each (After I bought these I discovered that these are a tad cheaper to buy at Aldi. Just FYI.)
Total with tax: $6.44

Wednesday Aldi Shopping Trip — $14.14

Colby Jack Cheese — $1.69
Sharp Cheddar — $1.69
Package of 7 kiwi — $1.49
Cantaloupe — $1.49
Strawberries — $1.29
Chocolate Chips — $1.69
Red Grapes — $2.67
Natural Peanut Butter — $1.15 (I just realized that this PB was only $1.15!! I should have bought more! It wasn’t tagged at this price, though! That’s a great deal!)
Total with tax: $14.14

Wednesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $2.93

2 yogurts — marked down to $0.39 each
2 bags of assorted fruit — marked down to $0.99 each
Total with tax: $2.93

Did you know that Big Lots sells bread?!? I had no idea.

I haven’t been in a Big Lots store in years and had sort of forgotten about them. But some of you kept suggesting I go in there and check it out.

When I walked in the door and saw the reduced bread cart, I was all, “No!!!! This has been here for the 4 years we’ve lived here and I never knew?!?!”

They had a lot of different bread and bagels on the cart — all priced at $1.40 per loaf. If you have a Bread Outlet, you might be able to find bread less expensive than this, but this is a great deal for these name brand breads in our area.

Yes, the bread is close to the sell by date so you’ll need to freeze it when you get home. But we always freeze our bread anyway and then just use it from the freezer as needed.

I’ve never tried the Eureka bread before but some of you said it usually retails for $6 a loaf and that it’s fantastic!

Moral of the story: You never know where you’re going to find great deals! There might be some hidden gems right where you live that you don’t know about because you’ve just never checked.

Second moral of the story: If you like fantastic bread at a great price, go run and check out your local Big Lots store. (They also have good deals on olive oil and other oils. I didn’t see much else to write home about, but their stock changes every time, so I’ll keep looking!)

Third moral of the story: You guys were right. 😉

Wednesday Big Lots Shopping Trip — $4.48

3 loaves of bread — marked down to $1.40 each
Total with tax: $4.48

To see me talk more about my Big Lots trip, watch my video above. (And you can subscribe to my YouTube channel here if you’re interested in watching other shopping haul videos, recipe videos, and more money-saving videos!)

I took this hot guy with me shopping this morning. 🙂 I was getting ready to hop in the car to run to Aldi and I spontaneously asked him if he wanted to come with me. It was a quick shopping trip, but we had some great discussions in the car and just love opportunities like this to get to be together!

15 years and we still love spending time together! Also, it’s so fun that our kids are old enough that we can now leave them at home by themselves!

Friday Aldi Shopping Trip — $18.73

Cantaloupe — $1.49
8 Sweet Corn Ears — $0.25 each
6 packages of Strawberries — $1.29 each
Milk — $2.69
Lettuce — $1.99
1 package of 7 Kiwi — $1.49
Total with tax: $18.73

I was kind of sad that I was $2+ under budget. I would have purchased another item or two at Aldi, but I was afraid that I was going to be over, so I didn’t just in case! 🙂 Oh well!

Spending Totals

Total spent on groceries this week: $67.46

Rebates: $0.50 for submitting two receipts to Ibotta, $1.36 back from Fetch Rewards for purchasing Goldfish & Suave and scanning 5 qualifying receipts. You can scan any grocery store receipts — including Aldi! The only receipt from this week that I didn’t get any points from was Big Lots. (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)

See this week’s menu here.

Shared Jun 8, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $98 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on June 8, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.59

1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.36

1 64-oz carton Almond Milk – $1.89

2 16-oz bags Mini Cucumbers – $3.38

1 bag Red Grapes (2.17lbs @ $0.89/lb) – $1.93

1 Cantaloupe – $1.29

2 bags Spring Mix – $3.78

1 Seedless Watermelon – $2.89

1 pkg Grape Tomatoes – $0.99

2 pkgs Strawberries – $2.58

2 Cauliflower – $3.70

1 bag Zucchini – $1.69

2 3-ct pkgs Multi-Colored Peppers – $3.98

2 pkgs Artisan Lettuce – $3.78

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.59

1 3-lb bag Jazz Apples – $2.99

1 pkg Radishes – $0.49

1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.45

1 3-lb pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.39

1 16-oz pkg Deli Sliced Turkey Meat – $2.55

1 large canister Quick Oats – $2.29

1 32-oz box Elbow Macaroni – $1.39

1 5-lb bag All-Purpose Flour – $1.15

1 pkg Burrito-Size Tortillas – $1.29

1 20-ct pkg Fajita-Size Tortillas – $1.99

1 jar Barbeque Sauce – $0.85

1 32-oz carton Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $3.29

5 single-serving sized 100-calorie Greek Yogurts – $3.25

1 jar Kosher-Spear Pickles – $1.35

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.35

1 loaf Honey Wheat Bread – $0.85

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.59

Total: $72.86

Harris Teeter

5 cartons Turkey Hill Ice Cream (B2G3) – $9.98

6 cans Green Beans – $2.22

2 bags Chex Mix – $2.00, used $0.50/2 printable (doubled), plus $0.50/2 Harris Teeter evic – $0.50/2 after coupons

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

1 4-ct pkg Activia Yogurt – $1.39, used $1.00/1 printable – $0.39 after coupon

1 Yoplait Mix-ins – $0.88, used $0.40/1 printable (doubled) – $0.08 after coupon

plus receive $0.25 when you submit any receipt to Ibotta

Total after Coupons and Rebate: $13.92

I also went to Harris Teeter earlier in the week for their Super Double Coupons. These deals are no longer available, so I won’t post links, but my total for everything in this picture was $11.47. It includes 4 boxes of Special K, 2 pkgs Strawberries, 2 pkgs Coleman Hot Dogs, 3 pkgs Yakisoba, 2 Galbani Ricotta Cheese, and 6 assorted boxes frozen bars/ice cream novelties.

Total: $11.47

Grocery Total for the Week: $98.25

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

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

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

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Carrots, Strawberries x 2

Turkey Sandwiches, Apples, Cucumbers x 2

Chick-Fil-A (A friend kindly offered to take our kids out; since we won’t have kids, my husband and I will join the “Young At Heart” group at church for their regular lunch at Golden Corral since it is during the same time. We aren’t seniors yet 😉, but enjoy getting to spend time learning from people who have a lot to share with us!)

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Grilled Chicken, Relish Plate with Dip, Make-Ahead Butterhorns, Macaroni and Cheese, Fruit Salad, Green Beans, Ice Cream (Company for Dinner)

Dinner at a Friend’s House – I’m bringing Watermelon, Tossed Salad, and Ice Cream

Hot Dogs on the Grill, Baked Homemade Fries, Roasted Broccoli

Build-Your-Own-Burritos (Seasoned Ground Venison, Shredded Cheese, Salsa, Plain Greek Yogurt, Shredded Lettuce), Roasted Cauliflower

Barbequed Meatballs (I’ll use a combination of ground turkey and ground venison), Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes, Green Beans, Cantaloupe

Baked Potatoes with Meat and Cheese, Tossed Salad

Leftovers

Shared Jun 7, 2018 comment

CHEAP Cereal & Ice Cream + This Week’s Crazy Simple Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 7, 2018 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

I took Silas to the store with me on Tuesday to see what deals we could find at Kroger. I did all my shopping during the school year when they were at school, so it’s been awhile since he and I have gone to the store together.

Silas was SO impressed with the deals I was able to find and it reminded me that I should take my kids with me at least occasionally — because I want them to learn how to be strategic shoppers at the grocery store, too!

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $20.74

Brown Cage-Free Eggs – marked down to $1.29
5 cucumbers — marked down to $0.99
Colgate toothpaste — $1.79 when you buy 5 participating items, used $2/1 digital coupon = free + overage after the coupon
1 bottle of Core — Free with the FREE Friday download e-coupon
2 bottles of Santa Cruz organic lemonade — $0.99 when you 5 participating items, used $1/2 hangtag coupon = $0.49 each after coupon
Goldfish crackers — $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
2 Suave Kids body wash — $0.99 each when you buy 5 participating items
Kroger Honey Nut Toasted Oats — $1.49
6 boxes of Cheerios — $1.49 per box when you buy 5 participating items, used 2 $1/2 coupons + 2 $0.50/1 coupons (no longer available) = $0.99 per box after coupons
3 tubs Edy’s ice cream — $2.49 per tub when you buy 5 participating items, used $2/3 coupon (no longer available) = $1.83 per tub
Total with tax: $20.74

To see more details on my shopping trip, watch my video above. (And you can subscribe to my YouTube channel here if you’re interested in watching other shopping haul videos, recipe videos, and more money-saving videos!)

We have a weird week this week when it comes to meals. Kaitlynn and Jesse were out of town the beginning of the week, we have multiple things going on in the evenings, and we were invited over to two different family’s houses for dinner!

The only thing we’re hosting this week is my Discipleship Small Group — and I’m just serving snacks for that (I think we’re doing cheese & crackers, fruit, Banana Bread, and sparkling water).

So our menu is super, crazy simple!

This Week’s Super Simple Menu Plan

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

Breakfasts

Fried/Scrambled Eggs, Baked Oatmeal, Cereal, Fruit, Toast

Lunches

Ham Sandwiches, Mac & Cheese, Cereal, Chips/Salsa, Fruit, Veggies, Leftovers, Eggs, Yogurt, Salad

Snacks

Marked Down Yogurt, Fruit, Ice Cream Bars, Homemade Energy Bites, Banana Bread

Dinners

Monday — Southwest Roll-Ups from the freezer, salad
Tuesday — Leftovers (Jesse and Kaitlynn gone so I’m keeping it simple and we’re doing a Clean Out the Fridge night!)
Wednesday —Breakfast for dinner: Waffles, Eggs
Thursday — Cookout & Game Night at our friends’ house — I’m bringing some hot dogs and buns from the freezer.
Friday — Dinner at another friend’s house
Saturday — Snack-y Dinner (fend for yourself — cereal, leftovers, etc.)
Sunday — Brats (from the freezer), Sliced Cucumbers, Fruit, Crackers/Cheese

Freezer Cooking to Do: Waffles, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bombs

Total Spending So Far This Week

Total spent so far this week: $20.74

Total left to spend: $49.26

Rebates: $0.25 for submitting a receipt to Ibotta, $0.56 back from Fetch Rewards for purchasing Goldfish & Suave (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

When I 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?

Links You Should Check Out:

2018 Goals Update

Personal Goals

Marriage Goal

Family Goals

Financial Goals

Business Goals

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Friday Aldi Shopping Trip — $5.25

Friday Kroger Shopping Trip — $5.54

Total Spending This Week

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Saturday Kroger Shopping Trip — $15.66

Tuesday Big Lots Shopping Trip — $3.47

Tuesday Aldi Shopping Trip — $17.80

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $20.84

This Week’s Simple Menu Plan

Total Spending So Far This Week

Aldi

Dillons

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

When I 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!

2018 Goals Update

Personal Goals

Marriage Goal

Family Goals

Financial Goals

Business Goals

Wednesday Dollar Tree Shopping Trip — $6.44

Wednesday Aldi Shopping Trip — $14.14

Wednesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $2.93

Wednesday Big Lots Shopping Trip — $4.48

Friday Aldi Shopping Trip — $18.73

Spending Totals

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip — $20.74

This Week’s Super Simple Menu Plan

Total Spending So Far This Week

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