Saving Families Money Since 2007
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.
Looking for more opportunities to make money from home? See my list of recommended survey companies here.
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!
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
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!
Cereal x 3
Toast and Eggs x 3
Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks x 2
Cheese Quesadillas, Sliced Cucumbers, Sliced Apples
Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Leftovers x 2
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.
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!
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:
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!
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.
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:
You can either use your cell phone or computer to post your listings on the marketplace.
On your phone you will:
On the computer you will:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Aldi1 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
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…
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!
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.
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.
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.}
Am I missing any of your favorite cash back sites? I’d love to hear!
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
Toast & Eggs x 4
Cereal x 2
Out to eat
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
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
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!)
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!
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…
20 Simple Ways to Easily Add $100+ To Your Gift Budget Before Christmas! 🥳
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!
Hannah emailed the following tip:
I used get so frustrated with my children’s toy mess… until I got very intentional about what toys we kept in our home. Then everything changed!
The reality is, when my kids have less toys, they play with what they have more, they make less messes, there’s less to clean up, they get more creative, they spend more time outside, they play with each other more, they’re more content, and they have more space to play with those toys you keep.
It’s seems counterintuitive but just try it and see for yourself.
My top 10 boy and girl toy recommendations are as follows.
1. A couple dolls with clothes for changing
2. A nice sturdy wooden dollhouse
3. Stuffed animals
4. Wooden blocks
5. Train tracks
6. Legos
7. Cars
8. Books
9. Art Supplies
10. Dressup clothesI picked these toys based on quality, open-ended options for play, and the fact that both girls and boys can play with all of them.
Keep it simple, give them time to get outside and don’t clutter up their play space or room with too many toys.
Adopt a minimalist philosophy with toys (and really everything in your home) and your kids will flourish. Plus, it will be SO much easier to manage and tidy up — for you and your kids!
Aldi2 bags Mandarin Oranges – $4.98
Bananas – $1.12
Pineapple – $0.89
1 3-lb bag McIntosh Apples – $1.69
1 tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.59
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.69
1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.49
2 Avocados – $0.98
1 3-pk Multi-Colored Peppers – $1.79
1 Cauliflower – $1.79
1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $2.99
1 5-lb tub 73/27 Ground Beef, reduced – $6.11
1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89
1 1-lb pkg Butter – $2.24
2 cans Tuna – $1.26
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.19
1 12-oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.15
1 12-oz bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $2.49
1 pkg Deli Sliced Swiss Cheese – $1.19
1 pkg Sliced Turkey – $2.55
1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65
1 bag Chopped Pecans – $4.99
1 Organic Ketchup – $1.49
1 canister Quick Oats – $2.29
1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.56
1 carton Orange Juice – $1.59
1 can Whipped Topping – $2.65
1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.59
1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55
1 can Garbanzo Beans – $0.55
1 Feta Cheese Crumbles – $1.89
3 dozen Eggs – $2.97
1 bag Nacho Chips – $0.75
1 tub Vegetable Shortening – $2.89
1 Ground Black Pepper – $2.29
1 Nutmeg – $1.56
1 Onion Powder – $0.99
1 Garlic Powder – $0.99
2 cans Chicken Breast – $3.10
Total: $78.72
3 pkgs Celanto Cheese Ravioli – $5.97, used 3 $1.00/1 Celantano Pasta – 10-1-17 SS; DND (exp. 12/31/17) (doubled) – FREE after coupons
2 bags Rosina Meatballs – $4.98, used 2 $1.00/1 Rosina Product – 10-1-17 SS; DND (exp. 12/31/17) (doubled) – $0.98/2 bags after coupons
4 large cans Tuttorosso Tomatoes – $3.96, used $1.00/4 Tuttorosso Tomatoes – 11-12-17 SS; Includes 14.5 oz or Larger (exp. 12/31/17) (doubled) – $1.96/4 cans after coupon
5 cans Harris Teeter Green Beans – $1.38
1 5-lb bag Pillsbury Bread Flour – $2.50
2 pkgs Mueller Pasta – $1.76, used $1.00/2 Mueller Pasta – 11-12-17 SS (exp. 12/23/17) (doubled) – FREE after coupon
Total: $6.82
Grocery Total for the Week: $85.54
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Bacon and Eggs x 2
Cereal and Fruit x 3
Oatmeal and Fruit x 2
Lunches
Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches, Raw Veggies with Dip, Fruit x 2
Build-Your-Own-Salad x 3 (Romaine, Spring Mix, Raw Veggies, Garbanzo Beans, Avocado, Shredded Cheese, Hard Boiled Eggs, Feta Cheese, Chicken/Tuna, Nuts)
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
BBQ Meatballs, Twice-Baked Potatoes, Make Ahead Butterhorns, Green Beans, Tossed Salad
Thanksgiving #2 with Family and Friends – Leftover Turkey, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Make-Ahead Butterhorns, Cranberry Sauce, Tossed Salad, Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Beans, Upside-Down Praline Apple Pie, Pecan Pie (This is the entire menu – but I won’t be making it all myself :))
Cheese Ravioli, Roasted Broccoli, Fruit Salad
Turkey Gravy Over Rice, Steamed Cauliflower, Biscuits
Taco Salad, Spanish Rice, Fruit Salad
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Raw Carrots with Dip
Leftovers
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 finished Finish by Jon Acuff and Talking As Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham. Finish was an excellent read and one I would highly recommend it. It inspired this post.
And since I’ve been watching Gilmore Girls for the first time this year (I’m almost finished with all the seasons!), I wanted to read Lauren Graham’s book. I’d say that it’s not worth reading unless you really love the show. It was a super quick read and did have some interesting behind-the-scenes details it it.
{See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 72 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
A few highlights from our Thanksgiving in Kansas…
1) Cooking at my family’s house with my mom and brother.
2) Overseeing the blog and crazy Black Friday sales while cooking (I usually try not to multi-task, but since this is our biggest week for affiliate sales for the whole year, sometimes you just do what you have to do!)
3) Silas making cookies with my youngest brother, Zachary.
4) Getting to meet my new nephew, Lincoln, for the first time.
5) Beautiful Kansas skies.
.
6) Watching Jesse love on his nieces and nephews.
7) Seeing our kids have so much fun with their cousins.
8) Cousin pics!
9) Watching Jesse have so much fun hanging out with his siblings… and dying laughing seeing them attempt to get “normal” pictures done together (his parents hired a photographer to come out and take family photos).
10) Making an ice cream run to Braum’s!
Speaking of Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a moment to tell you all how thankful I am for each and every one of you. Thank you for your constant encouragement, your kind comments and emails, for how you love and support and cheer on our family, and for reading here. I am so blessed by you all!
Guest post from Steph of Cheapskate Cook:
We didn’t plan on being broke. It just kind of happened. At the height of the recession, we could barely make ends meet, and Christmas was coming.
The holidays had always been full of planning and traveling, gift exchanges and shopping… until we had no money.
The internet is loaded with ideas about finding contentment in the season, or how to nurture joy in a more simple holiday. But what do you do when you have no money during the biggest gift exchange in the world?
Here is what we did:
For several years, my husband and I didn’t exchange presents. Our gift to each other was traveling to see family. We also cut out nearly everyone we weren’t going to see on Christmas Day – this included cousins, distant aunts, and basically anyone we had to pay shipping for. Instead, we sent a few cards, printed some photos for grandparents, and baked cookies for co-workers.
If you’re like us, you love to give gifts. Honoring special people in your life at this time of year is fun and meaningful. You want to share the joy of the season with your nephews, nieces, church friends, and the librarian.
But this year, who is the most important? Who can you save for another year? Right now, in order to take care of your family, what needs to be released?
Eventually, you can add them back to the list. But you will never regret providing for your family first.
When I first suggested a name drawing, I had several siblings still living with my parents. They were reluctant to agree, because they had the excess cash that comes with not paying bills. However, once they moved out, they thought drawing names was a great idea!
Rather than feeling obligated to give gifts to everyone in your family, suggest a family name drawing or Secret Santa. That way you only have to purchase one gift, but everyone can enjoy a gift exchange together.
Homemade seasonings are my favorite. They cost pennies, they’re something most people don’t have time to make themselves, and a cute ribbon and label adds a finishing touch.
Even if you aren’t crafty, you can make a few easy homemade gifts that communicate love and attention to people you can about.
If you like to bake, try a loaf of 1-Bowl Sweet Potato Spice Bread or Banana Bread. Even if you don’t like to bake, these foolproof recipes only take 10 minutes to get into the oven, and they turn out great.
Gift giving is fun. It can be really meaningful. It can also feel stressful and distract you from the true meaning of the season.
Rather than kicking yourself for having a rough year, congratulate yourself for being intentional with your priorities, for choosing NOT to go into debt, and for working hard to take care of your family.
This season is about joy, peace, family, and unconditional love. None of those ever came wrapped in a box, and you can share those gifts with everyone, no matter what your budget looks like.
Get Steph’s Dirt Cheap Holiday Gift Guide at Cheapskate Cook, where she teaches you how to save money and eat healthy. Her Free 4-Week Menu Plan shows you how to spend less than HALF the average grocery budget on real, whole foods.
