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Shared Mar 24, 2017 comment

9 Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Recipes to Simplify Your Mornings

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 24, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Prepping breakfasts ahead of time is one of my tried and true ways of simplifying my weekday mornings. I love being able to wake up to healthful breakfast foods that I can pull from the freezer, heat up in a matter of seconds, and feed to my family.

These have been some of my go-to freezer-friendly breakfast recipes for years…

1. Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets — This one is extremely easy to prep ahead of time, and the kids love helping out with this one!

2. Baked Oatmeal — My husband and children rave about this recipe! It’s ridiculously easy to make and it freezes beautifully.

3. Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes — Our family loves pancakes, and this recipe is always a hit in our house!

4. Breakfast Burritos — I originally started making these after trying to come up with a homemade alternative to my husband’s favorite McDonald’s breakfast burritos. They are perfect for breakfast-on-the-go, and they are probably loads healthier than the McDonald’s burritos. One thing is for sure, they are significantly less expensive!

Psst! You can also try these Homemade Hot Pockets — a great variation on the breakfast burrito!

5. Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes — This recipe is a family favorite that we’ve used countless times over the years. And when I can find a really healthful recipe that still tastes amazing — it’s a HUGE win in my book!

6. Carrot Cake Waffles — In all honesty, I wasn’t sure that I would be impressed with this recipe. When I originally first tried it, I really only made it because we had some carrots that needed to be used up. But it turned out to be a winner recipe. Jesse especially loved them and kept raving about how good they were.

7. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Waffles — These are a little lighter and crispier than typical waffles, but they are delicious and definitely a winner gluten-free, dairy-free recipe!

8. Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls — I have made these over and over again throughout the years. I don’t think my husband would mind at all if I made these every single day. But seeing as I doubt we really need that many calories, we typically save these as a special Saturday breakfast.

9. Homemade Granola — This recipe comes from my sister, Brigette. It’s not the healthiest granola out there, but it’s definitely a winner in the taste category! It’s crunchy and chunky and sweet and everything you could possibly want in a bowl of granola.

What are some of your favorite make-ahead breakfast ideas? I’d love to hear!

Shared Mar 24, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $79 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 24, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.54

1 Value Pack Tilapia – $4.99

1 Cantaloupe – $1.19

1 Cauliflower – $2.29

1 Pineapple – $1.89

1 24-oz lowfat Cottage Cheese – $2.29

1 3-lb bag Mandarin Oranges – $3.99

2 pkgs Rice Cakes – $2.58

1 bunch Bananas (3.44lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $1.48

1 Feta Crumbles – $1.79

2 pkgs Romaine Hearts – $3.98

2 1-lb bags Fresh Green Beans – $1.98

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.25

1 pkg Baby Artisan Lettuce – $1.99

1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49

1 2-lb bag Red Onions – $1.69

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49

1 bag Pecan Halves – $5.99

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.49

2 dozen Eggs – $1.18

1 24-oz jar Pasta Sauce – $0.99

1 pkg Strawberries – $1.99

1 2-lb bag Green Grapes – $3.79

1 2-lb bag Red Grapes – $3.79

Total: $70.49

Harris Teeter

2 gallons Coconut Milk – $5.00, used $1.00/2 printable – $4.00/2 after coupon

2 dozen Eggs (unfortunately, I bought these at Harris Teeter – and thought they were a good price until I got to Aldi – where they were an unadvertised special and priced even lower) – $1.54

2 pkgs Go-Gurt – $3.34, used $0.75/2 printable (doubled) – $1.84/2 after coupons

1 pkg Mariani Dried Cranberries – $1.65, used $1.00/1 Mariani Premium Dried Fruit – 2-12-17 SS; Includes 3 oz or larger only (exp. 04/16/17) – $0.65

3 boxes Frosted Flakes – $5.67, used 3 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $1.17/3 after coupons

Total: $9.20

Grocery Total for the Week: $79.69

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal or Smoothies x 3

Oatmeal and Fruit x 2

Eggs and Toast x 2

Lunches

Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Grapes, Carrots x 2

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter, Yogurt, Pineapple, Carrots x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Grilled Chicken, Cranberry Pecan Salad, Butterhorns, Steamed Green Beans, Fruit Salad, Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes (Company for Dinner)

Taco Salad, Mexican Rice, Fresh Fruit

Pan Fried Tilapia, Roasted Cauliflower, Pecan Pie Muffins

Hamburgers, Tossed Salad, Oven Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

Fluffy Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Parmesan Zucchini, Fruit Salad

Three-Cheese Baked Spaghetti, Homemade French Bread, Peas

Leftovers

Shared Mar 20, 2017 comment

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

Published: by Gretchen on March 20, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Dillons

1 pkg Kroger Frozen Chicken Breasts – $6.99, used $1.50/1 e-coupon – $5.49 after coupon

2 pkg Kroger Flour – $1.79 each, used 2 $0.40/1 e-coupons – $1.39 each after coupons

5 Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurts – Marked down to $0.69 each, used $0.25 Ibotta rebate

1.96 lbs Bananas – $1.16

1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99

1 Nissin Cup Noodles – $0.39, used Free e-coupon (no longer available)- Free after coupon

1 Breyer’s Vanilla Ice Cream – $3.49

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

1 Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $1

2 Kraft Italian Dressing – $2.49 each, used Buy One Get One Free e-coupon – $1.25 each after coupon

1 Kraft BBQ Sauce – $1.79

1 V8 Energy Drink – $1.25, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Kroger Cinnamon Rolls – $1, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.50 after coupon

Used $0.25 Ibotta rebate (for scanning receipt)

Total after coupons and rebates: $24.13

Aldi

2 cans Cream of Chicken/Mushroom Soup – $0.49 each

1 pkg Green Peppers – $1.29

2 dozen Eggs – $0.67 each

1 jar Pasta Sauce – $0.99

1 pkg Spinach – $1.49

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89

1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29

2 lbs Ground Beef – $2.69 each

1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.49

2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each

1 pkg Fruit & Grain Cereal Bars – $1.39

1 pkg Cinnamon Raisin Bread – $1.49

1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99

1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $1.89

1 pkg Turkey Deli Meat – $2.39

1 Grape Jelly – $1.39, used $0.10 Mobisave rebate – $1.29 after rebate

1 loaf Bread – $0.99

Total after rebate: $27.55

Total for all groceries: $51.68

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Toast, Eggs & Spinach x 4

Cereal x 2

Cinnamon Rolls & Eggs

Lunches

Macaroni & Cheese, Sliced Green Peppers, Carrot Sticks

Turkey Sandwiches, Sliced Cucumbers, Bananas

Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Veggies

Sliced Apples & Peanut Butter, Crackers

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Chicken Noodle Casserole, Fruit

Italian Chicken, Biscuits, Green Beans

Barbecue Meatballs, Tossed Salad, Mashed Potatoes

Spaghetti, Steamed Peas, Toast

Venison Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Spinach Salad

Chicken Fajitas, Rice, Tossed Salad

Out to eat

Shared Mar 19, 2017 comment

A Peek Into My Life This Past Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 19, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Sunday 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.

What I’m Reading

I am almost finished with listening to the Lilac Girls audiobook and have really loved it. I think the fact that it is so well narrated has made it such a good listen. It’s a really compelling, tragic, and gripping story of the horrors of concentration camps.

(Note: I almost stopped listening to it because there was some edge-y stuff in the first part and I was afraid it was going to get worse as progressed. But it ended up getting quite a bit better as it progressed. Do note that it it is very much PG-13 and I would only recommend listening to it with headphones in if you have kids at your house!)

I also started reading Different by Sally & Nathan Clarkson — at the raving recommendation of many of you.

What I’m Celebrating

At the beginning of this year, I made the commitment to develop the habit of compartmentalizing work and family more and to be completely offline for at least 5 hours every day.

You guys, I can’t even begin to tell you what a difference this has made! I’m able to be so much more fully present with work during work hours and with my family during my offline hours.

The other night, I was sitting on the couch while Kaitlynn spent 45 minutes playing with my hair (something she loves to do) and Silas was sitting beside me at my feet and we were just together. With no agenda. With no to do list. And I didn’t have a laptop or a phone — or even a book! I was just there… fully present soaking up the everyday-ness of our ordinary, but beautiful life.

Me being completely offline for a big block of time every day means I say “Hurry up!” a lot less. It means I can fully engage with my family without constantly checking the time. It means that — more and more — this slower, relaxed just being together with no agenda thing that used to be so foreign to me is becoming the norm.

Here’s the interesting thing: I thought that working more hours = getting more done. In reality, I’m learning that working fewer hours means I’m a lot more productive, focused, and efficient during those hours. And I’m getting a lot better at prioritizing what is really important and what can just be skipped or saved to do later.

What I’m Trying

I told you last week how I was trying to assign specific chores to specific days of the week. I’m super excited about my new Home Management Binder that I’ve been working on for the past two weeks, inspired by the Home Management How To Course.

Each day of the week is assigned a specific chore/task area and then I put together lists for that chore area. I’m also putting a sticky note on each page for me to add other ideas/tasks for that area that I think of throughout the week.

I’ve been gently easing into this system for the past week — despite initially thinking it would never work for us! — and I’ve been shocked at the difference it is making and how well it is working!

You can watch my video here where I explain about the binder in greater detail and share how I’m using it to keep our home and life in better order

What I’m Watching

We watched the latest episode of Designated Survivor this week and we’re continuing to really enjoy this show!

We’re also watching a lot of basketball around here as we cheer on our favorite teams in the NCAA tournament. We all filled out brackets this year, and so we’re all a lot more invested in who wins! 🙂

Unfortunately, I picked Villanova to win the championship on my bracket… so, as Silas told me yesterday, my bracket is busted! 😉 {And if you want to read a funny story about me and how I have a lot to learn when it comes to being a sports moms, go here to read my Instagram post.}

But regardless of the fact that my bracket picks weren’t that great, I’m loving getting to share this with Silas and to be excited with him about something he’s really excited about!

What I’m Learning

For years, I was a huge proponent of the whole “Get up before your kids get up so you can start the day with some quiet.” I wrote blog posts about it. I talked about it in my book. I spoke about it at conferences. And I practiced it religiously.

I still think it can be a great practice — especially for homeschooling moms and moms with babies and toddlers. However, it’s a practice I’ve almost completely given up this year. Which might surprise and shock some of you. But it’s been such a good change for our current season.

You see, I’m making sleep more of a priority and sleeping in until 6:30 or 7 am most mornings. Plus, our kids need to be up by 7 am to be out the door to school by 7:50 am 4 mornings a week.

It wasn’t working for me to get enough sleep, get up and get some quiet, and get the kids out the door by 7:50 am.

So instead of trying for all three things, I changed my approach and made my new mantra: “Get up and devote the first hour of the day to my kids.”

You know how much I love this first hour of the day now? It’s when I get to really talk with my kids, help them with whatever they need help with, make sure they have their lunches packed, help the girls with their hair, sit and snuggle with a child who needs a little extra TLC, and just be fully present and available for the kids.

It allows the mornings to be calm, non-stressed, non-rushed, and often is when I have some of the best conversations with the kids. I love starting the day with making sure their love tanks are filled up — and I’m pretty sure it means that their day starts on a good foot, too!

And yes, I still get in some quiet time — it just doesn’t happen first thing in the morning anymore. And I’m okay with that!

What I’m Pondering

Recently, I’ve noticed many comments from women who are feeling weighed down with guilt that they just aren’t doing a good enough job at life.

That they should do more, get up earlier, be more disciplined, or just plain “get it together”. I can guarantee you this: if you think another woman has unlocked the secret to a perfectly happy life with no issues or struggles or failures, you are believing a lie.

Because we all have our areas we struggle in.

For instance, those of you who have said you wished you could be more like me. Well, here’s some reality for you…

I had a heated argument with my husband earlier this week that took 24 hours to resolve. And it was started by me about something utterly ridiculous. (#wifefail)

I forgot to feed my son before his baseball game on Thursday. Yes, as in, it didn’t hit me that he hadn’t eaten until we were in the car, on the way to the game — and we were running late. Jesse had to go pick up food during the game and have him eat while he had a chance in the dugout. (#momfail)

And one of my dear friends texted me really, really upset about a situation on Wednesday afternoon and I didn’t get a chance to text her back until Thursday night. (#friendfail)

And those are just a few situations from this week.

You guys. I don’t have my act all together here. And neither does anyone else.

So let’s stop comparing ourselves to impossible fantasies we’ve created in our heads about the perfect lives of other women

Comparison will steal your momentum, kill your contentment, and strangle your joy.

Embrace your strengths. Accept your weaknesses. Celebrate your successes. Give yourself grace when you fail. And, for Pete’s sake, stop beating yourself up for stuff. It’s really okay to go against the grain or be different or make choices that maybe other people don’t get.

Do what is best for you and your own family — and don’t ever feel like you need to apologize for it!

Hard-Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 17, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Hardboiled eggs are super quick and easy in the Instant Pot — only 5 minutes! Let me hold your hand and show you exactly how to do it, step-by-step!

How to boil eggs in an Instant Pot. Not sure where to start with your Instant Pot? This is a great first-try recipe that will make it less intimidating, and it works every time!

I bought a 7-in1 Instant Pot when it was marked down during a Black Friday sale but when I saw all of the buttons, I got scared.

People had told me that this was a MUST HAVE appliance and after enough people told me I really needed to buy it, I finally caved.

But then I regretted the decision. Because it felt overwhelming.

You see, I’d never used a Pressure Cooker before… ever. And I was completely unfamiliar with Pressure Cooking.

So I worried that I would blow something up trying to use it.

The Instant Pot sat in the box until a few weeks ago, when I got brave and decided if I didn’t ever get it out of the box, I would never actually find out whether it was worth using or not.

Many people had suggested starting with Hard Boiled Eggs because they are so easy to make and “almost impossible to mess up”, or so I was told.

I’ve made hard boiled eggs at least a thousand times in my lifetime, so I figured they were a good recipe to start with.

I found instructions online and read over them at least 5 times. I had pretty much memorized them and felt like, “I got this!”

However, because I knew that I needed all the hand-holding I could get, I decided to hop on Facebook Live while I was attempting the recipe.

Oh my! I am SO glad I did because, without all the help from my Facebook followers, I may have blown something up or burned myself… or at least have ruined the batch of eggs!

The first time of using it was quite the adventure. But once I had done it, I felt so empowered. And it was a LOT easier the next time around.

I am quickly falling in love with my Instant Pot. I love that I can cook so many different things in it so quickly. I love that I can put the ingredients in it and set the timer and then just leave it — instead of having to watch the stove, wait for the water to boil, and/or make sure the water doesn’t boil over.

I’ve just barely scratched the surface of the world of Instant Pots and I am starting to clearly understand why people are such raving fans of this appliance! There’s so much it can do — and it makes eating at home and getting dinner on the table so much easier!

There are many, many bloggers out there who are sharing incredible Instant Pot recipes. However, I knew there are some of you who haven’t yet gotten your Instant Pot out of the box and you are feeling scared, just like I was.

So I thought it would be fun to share some very beginning Instant Pot recipes on my blog over the next few months as I learn how to use my Instant Pot. My hope is that these will inspire you to not let your Instant Pot sit in the box any longer! Get it out and start using it — you’ll be so glad you did!

Ingredients for Eggs in the Instant Pot

eggs
1 cup tap water
ice

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

1. Get out your Instant Pot. (You can wash it and try the water test first. I didn’t… shh! Don’t tell anyone!)

2. Pour one cup water into the removable pot (that’s the metal pot shown in the photo above).

3. Put the wire rack (shown in the photo below) into the removable pot.

4. Put the number of eggs you want to boil on the wire rack.

5. Plug your Instant Pot in. Turn it on and press MANUAL.

6. Adjust the + button to 5 (for 5 minutes).

7. Line up the arrows on the lid and turn the lid until it locks (and sings music to you!)

8. Make sure the lid is closed and turn the vent lock to closed (turn it to sealing).

This vent lock is loose — or at least it is on mine. Just make sure it is turned to sealing not venting. (See a photo here with more details on this. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.)

It will take about 5 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up. It will start making hissing noises. Don’t be alarmed.

9. Once it is heated up, it will start counting down from 5 minutes down to zero.

10. Once it is at zero on the countdown, wait 5 minutes to let the pressure naturally release.

11. Then, use an oven mitt to turn the vent lock to venting (so that it’s open).

VERY IMPORTANT: This will shoot out steam. A lot of hot steam. This is releasing the pressure. Make sure you have on an oven mitt. Make sure there isn’t a cupboard or anything above your Instant Pot that all the steam is going to shoot up to. And KEEP YOUR FACE AND HANDS AWAY FROM THE VENT when you are turning it. It is HOT!

Let the steam fully release (the floating valve will drop down when it’s released).

12. Remove the eggs with tongs and put them in an ice bath for a few minutes. Or, you can put them in a strainer and run some cold water over them and let them cool.

13. Peel the eggs and enjoy! The peel will fall right off and the eggs will be beautifully cooked.

Okay, I know that sounds like a lot of steps. But trust me on this, after you’ve used your Instant Pot one time, it will be so much easier. I promise!

{Need some hand holding to make this recipe? Watch my video here.}

So get brave, get it out of the box, and make some amazing Hard Boiled Eggs!

Recipe

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Author Crystal Paine

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 5

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

eggs
1 cup tap water
ice

Instructions

Get out your Instant Pot.
Pour one cup water into the removable pot.
Put the wire rack into the removable pot.
Put the number of eggs you want to boil on the wire rack.
Plug your Instant Pot in. Turn it on and press MANUAL.
Adjust the + button to 5 (for 5 minutes).
Line up the arrows on the lid and turn the lid until it locks.
Make sure the lid is closed and turn the vent lock to closed (turn it to sealing).
Once it is heated up, it will start counting down from 5 minutes down to zero.
Once it is at zero on the countdown, wait 5 minutes to let the pressure naturally release.
Then, use an oven mitt to turn the vent lock to venting (so that it’s open).
Remove the eggs with tongs and put them in an ice bath for a few minutes.
Peel the eggs and enjoy!

Love this recipe?

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

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What are YOUR favorite things to make in the Instant Pot? I’d love to hear!

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Shared Mar 17, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $53 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 17, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

2 boxes Raisin Bran – $3.58

2 cartons Egg Whites – $3.78

3 dozen Eggs – $2.67

1 bag Frozen Blueberries – $2.29

2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.56

1 can Tomato Sauce – $0.25

1 bag Frozen Peas – $0.95

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89

1 bag Lemons – $2.48

2 2-lb bag bags Carrots – $1.38, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51

1 1-lb bag Baby Carrots – $0.99

2 cans Green Beans – $0.98

2 cans Diced Tomatoes – $0.98

1 bag Broccoli Crowns – $1.39

2 1-lb bags Fresh Asparagus – $3.98

1 bunch Bananas (2.11lbs @ 0.44/lb) – $0.93

1 8-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.89

1 3-ct package Green Peppers – $1.19

2 24-oz jars Pasta Sauce – $1.98

2 heads Cabbage – $1.38

1 bag Radishes – $0.99

1 bag Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips – $1.09

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.85

1 pkg Fresh Zucchini – $1.99

Total: $46.12

Harris Teeter

1 Gatorade Fuel Bar – $1.27, used free catalina coupon – FREE after coupon

3 boxes Barilla Collezione Pasta – $5.00, used 3 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.50/3 boxes after coupons

3 Naan Pita Bread – $4.50, used 3 $1.00/1 printable – $1.50/3 after coupons

3 loaves Arnold Premium Italian Bread – $4.48, used 3 $0.55/1 Arnold Bread Product – 1-1-17 SS; DND (exp. 04/01/17) (doubled) – $1.18/3 after coupons

2 boxes Zatarains Frozen Entrée – $3.98, used 2 $0.75/1 Zatarain’s frozen entree, RP 03/05 (doubled) -$1.98/2 after coupons (my husband will take these as lunches to work)

2 bags Frozen Okra – $2.00

Total after coupons: $7.16

Grocery Total for the Week: $53.28

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal x 2 (we still have a few bags of apples to use up from my bulk purchase a few weeks ago)

Cereal x 3

Eggs, Toast x 2

Lunches

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Carrots, Apples x 2

Leftovers x 5

Dinners

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (recipe from my husband’s family), Mashed Potatoes, Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Hamburgers on the Grill, Grilled Broccoli and Zucchini, Baked Homemade French Fries

Cheese Pizza (using the Naan bread as crust), Tossed Salad

Grilled Chicken, Asparagus, Tossed Salad, Biscuits

Hamburger Vegetable Soup with Shredded Cheese, Easy Whole Wheat Bread

Hobo Packets, Homemade Applesauce, Easy Whole Wheat Bread

Leftovers

Snacks

Apples with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Apple Dip, Homemade Oatmeal Cookies (I will be using the okra to try a new recipe or two – snacks for me – from the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook)

Feel like you'll never get out of debt? Read this inspiring post full of hope and practical tips!

Shared Mar 16, 2017 comment

When It Feels Like You’ll Never Get Out of Debt

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 16, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We are trying to get out of debt and after going over numbers again today it never seems like it’s gonna happen, and after spending time crying today, I just need to get up and make it happen one step at a time. -Amber

Amber left this comment on my Instagram back in December and it’s one of those comments I’ve thought about a lot since reading it. I think many of you can probably relate.

Maybe it feels like you’re working so hard to make progress on paying off debt and for all your hard work, you have little or nothing to show for it.

You’re tired.

You’re worn out.

You’re sick of having to say no to extras in the budget.

You’re exhausted from working extra hours or having a spouse who is working extra hours.

Maybe you just got one credit card paid off and then you had a medical emergency and now you have the same amount of debt — or more! — to pay off.

It feels like you are fighting a losing battle.

You just can’t ever seem to really get ahead.

You’re frustrated that your husband didn’t get that raise he thought he was going to.

You’re tired of living in a less-than-desirable apartment that is too small for your family.

You’re overwhelmed by all the bills coming in, the rising costs of living, and just trying to make ends meet.

You just want to give up and give in… and maybe go shopping without having a bud

get, for once.

Can I just encourage you today? You are not alone.

There are many, many others out there who get what you are feeling. I read their comments and emails every week. And my heart hurts for you and the financial struggles that so many of you are going through.

Here’s what I want to encourage you with: Don’t give up. Don’t throw up your hands and give up on your budget.

You might feel like you are stuck, like there’s not a lot that you can do to fix or change your situation. But there is always something you can do!

What You CAN Do

You can choose to make the most of today, exactly where you are. (“Bloom where you are planted!”)
You can choose to look for the blessings and be grateful for them. (The more you look for something, the more you’ll usually see it!)
You can choose to approach saving money as a game or a challenge. (“Let’s see how little we can live on today! Let’s see how far we can stretch this meat to last this week. Let’s see how creative we can be with what we have in our pantry!”)
You can choose to celebrate any win, no matter how small. Because a win is a win! (You stayed within your small grocery budget this week? Totally a win! You put $5 extra toward your debt? Absolutely a win! You found a way to make do with what you had? 100% a win!)
You can choose to focus on the next right thing you need to do — instead of being overwhelmed by everything you need to do, want to do, or feel like you should do. (When you start feeling completely overwhelmed, ask yourself: “What’s the next right thing for me to do?” And then just focus on doing that.)
You can choose to set small goals — for today, for this week, for this month. (Stop focusing on big picture of how much debt you still have to pay off. Just focus on paying off the debt you can this week and this month.)
You can choose to make the right decisions to help you make progress today. (How do you replace bad habits with good habits? By making one right decision at a time! You can do this!)

Take baby steps. Live fully present today. Do the next right thing. Don’t give up!

What encouragement do you have for Amber or others in her situation? Share in the comments!

photo credit

Make a difference with these 5 simple tips -- even on a tight budget!

Shared Mar 13, 2017 comment

5 Ways You Can Make a Difference — Even on a Tight Budget

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 13, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to make a difference, but feel like that might not be possible since you are on a tight budget? Here are some ideas for ways to make a difference — even if you don’t have a lot of extra money or time!

1. Give Something Away

Look around your house. Do you own items you aren’t really using anymore that could bless someone else?

Maybe you have a book on your shelf that would really encourage a friend. Perhaps you have some baby clothes you no longer need that could help a new mom on a tight budget. Do you have exercise equipment you aren’t using that a friend could borrow or even just have?

I look around our home often and ask myself, “Is there anything here that we could give to someone else to bless them?” There’s so much joy that comes from sharing with others and I’d much rather give a book to a friend who would love to read it than just have it sitting on my shelf doing no good to no one.

If you don’t need it, don’t love it, or aren’t using it, look around to see if there’s someone who could be blessed by it.

I also pay attention to when someone says, “Oh! I love your shirt!” or “I’ve been wanting to read that book!” or “My son is growing out of his clothes so quickly!” If there’s some way that I can help someone or bless someone based upon these remarks (give them that shirt because I don’t really like it, loan them the book, or pass on some of my son’s clothes), I jump at the opportunity to do so!

It’s fun to surprise people in this way, too, because it shows that you care and that you were listening to what they were saying.

In addition, you can also share great deals you find with others. For instance, if you are a coupon queen and have built a stockpile of toiletries, household products, or cleaning items, donate some of them to a family in need in your neighborhood or to a local shelter.

You can also shop sales and clearance racks for significantly marked down merchandise you can donate to local families or organizations. Or, take some of these items you’ve gotten practically free and make bags of food and hygiene products for the homeless.

One of the Best Things You Can Give Away: A Smile!

A smile is a free gift you can give away to everyone you meet. And it’s a gift that everyone can use. Look around you and look for people to smile at. It costs nothing, it doesn’t really take any extra time, and it will make you feel great, too!

2. Volunteer Your Time & Talents

What gifts, skills, and talents do you have? What are you good at or have experience or special training in?

For me, I love to volunteer my time in helping other people develop their business, find creative ways to increase their income, or get their blog up and running. I can’t do this for everyone, but I love being able to help people and organizations as often as I can with this.

I also love being able to volunteer my time serving in the Kids’ Ministry at church, helping out in our kids’ classes at school, and looking for ways to reach out and encourage/help other friends and people in our life.

There are so many, many opportunities to volunteer and there’s no way you can do them all. But look around you and see what needs are most pressing and if there’s a way you can help out. Maybe that’s in the local soup kitchen, at a hospital, at church, at school, or in an online or local charitable organization.

If you’re not sure what the possibilities are in your area, you can visit VolunteerMatch.org to find opportunities near you.

A few other ideas:

Pick up prescriptions for elderly neighbors or ask them if they need someone to drive them to doctor’s appointment or help with errands.
Mow the lawn/weed the yard of a neighbor working multiple jobs.
Donate your talents. For instance, if your hobby is photography, offer a free photo shoot for a family who is struggling financially
If you have a passion to sew or knit, make sweaters or scarves for a local shelter or hospital. (My sister volunteers with Bridget’s Cradles — an organization that provides hand-made knitted and crocheted cradles to hospitals to give to families who experience second trimester loss. If you are interested in more details on this opportunity, check out their website here.)
Clean the house or do laundry for someone who is sick or for a family who is in the middle of a difficult crisis.

3. Bake or Cook Something Delicious

Yummy food is such a great way to brighten another person’s day! And there are so many options that are really inexpensive.

If you don’t have the extra money to make an entire meal for someone, you can always just bake them a loaf of bread or some rolls. Who doesn’t love fresh-made bread??

Look at what’s on sale at the store or what you already have on hand and see if there are ingredients you can work with while staying within your grocery budget to be able to bless someone who just had a baby or a family who lost a loved one or for a neighbor who is sick.

When Jesse was in law school and our budget was incredibly tight, one thing I made a lot of when we had people over or I took a meal to someone was homemade pizza. I could usually find a great deal on cheese and pepperoni and I’d stock up and stick it in the freezer. Then, I’d just buy some peppers and spaghetti sauce at Aldi, make a homemade pizza crust, and we had a very filling and yummy meal to take to someone or to serve for dinner to guests.

If you have a really tight budget, serving breakfast for dinner is another great option for having guests over. Pancakes or waffles and scrambled eggs, along with some fruit on the side is always an inexpensive crowd-pleaser!

Or, you can also just invite friends over for coffee and dessert. It’s simpler and less expensive, but it will bless others just as much as a full dinner at your house would.

4. Send a Note or Text

One of the least expensive ways to reach out and bless someone is to send them a quick note — either by email, by text, or even a handwritten card in the mail.

I can tell you of specific instance after specific instance where my entire day or week was turned around by a simple note that someone took the time to send to me — either by mail, email, or text.

Just sending someone a simple text to say, “I was thinking of you and wanted you to know!” or “Thank you so much for being YOU!” can mean the world to someone.

If a friend is going through a hard time or just received difficult news, DO reach out to them. You don’t have to have amazing insight or incredibly comforting thoughts… they probably aren’t in a place to want to hear advice or suggestions or counsel. They just need to know that you care and that you are thinking of them.

Oftentimes, when I’m not sure what to say to someone, I’ll just text or write and say, “I’m thinking of you today and wanted you to know.” Or, “I’m so sorry that you’re going through such a hard time. Know that I’m thinking of you.” Or, “I just stopped and prayed for you. I just wanted you to know.”

It’s simple. It’s not questioning decisions, giving advice, or requiring them to respond. It’s just saying to them: I’m sorry and I care. Which is what most people need to know most.

5. Listen with Genuine Interest

People are desperate for community. They want people to really care about them at a deep level.

When you take the time to look into someone’s eyes and listen, it can mean so much to someone. Show people you care by giving them your full attention, asking good questions, and fully engaging in conversation.

I like to ask questions like:

“What are you most excited about right now?”
“What’s the best thing that happened this past week?”
“What are you celebrating right now?”

One thing I like to ask people when I meet them but know very little about them is to say, “Tell me about yourself.” It’s an open-ended question that usually provides enough springboard for me to ask follow-up questions and then really get to know someone.

When you ask questions, it opens up the door for people to share with you because it shows you’re interested. And the most important part is to listen after you ask the question. Wait for a response, and ask a follow-up question.

I’ve learned about tragedies, triumphs, health issues, a person’s dreams and hopes, been able to better pray for someone and encourage them, and have developed close relationships with people as a result of asking questions and being genuinely interested in what someone else has to say.

What are YOUR favorite ways to make a difference — even on a tight budget?

photo credit; photo credit

Shared Mar 13, 2017 comment

Sign up for Hot Deal Text Alerts from MoneySavingMom.com!

Published: by crystal on March 13, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to be the first to know about the hottest, time-sensitive deals?

Just text FOLLOW MSMDEALS to 40404 and you’ll be signed up to receive texts whenever a hot deal surfaces.

If you signed up for this in the past and didn’t like how it operated, we have completely revamped our system for these hot deals. You will now receive no more than 5-8 texts per day, and you will receive them as soon as they go live during the day!

Standard text messaging rates apply, so we would suggest only signing up for this service if you have unlimited texting.

To stop receiving Hot Deal text alerts, simply text OFF @msmdeals to 40404.

Shared Mar 13, 2017 comment

Gretchen’s $59 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on March 13, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Sprouts

1.08 lbs Asparagus – $1.60

1 Celery Stalks – $0.88

1.6 lbs Gala Apples – $1.57, used $0.15 Ibotta rebate – $1.42 after rebate

2 Green Peppers – $0.50 each

1.68 lbs Red Potatoes – $0.84

1 lb Salted Butter – $1.99

1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks – $2.80

Total after rebate: $10.53

Dillons

1 pkg Popchips – $1.99 (I bought these because I had a $3.50 Ibotta rebate I was going to redeem, but when I got home from the store, the rebate had disappeared. 🙁 I guess I must have waited to long to redeem it.)

1 Betty Crocker Green Decor Gel – $2.49 (My 5 year old looks forward to Saint Patrick’s Day all year long and gets super excited to wake up and find all the things the “leprechaun’s” have turned green around the house.)

2 half gallons Milk – $0.99 each

1 can Campbells Beef Consommé – $1.50

1 can Campbells Cream of Onion Soup – $1.50

1 carton Breyer’s Vanilla Ice Cream – $2.99 (I forgot to include this in the picture.)

1 Cantaloupe – $0.98

2 pkg Kraft Shredded Cheese – $2.29, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.79 after coupon

1 pkg Hoagie Buns – $1.99

1 Ken’s Ranch Dressing – $1.49, used $0.75/1 e-coupon AND $0.75/1 Mobisave rebate – Free after coupon and rebate

1 Lemon Pepper Seasoning – $1

Total after coupons and rebates: $20

Aldi

1 pkg Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – $5.99

2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each, used $0.25 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.36 each after rebate

2 Frozen Pizzas – $0.99 each

4 lb pkg Sugar – $1.54

2 dozen Large Eggs – $0.68 each

1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $1.89

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.59

3 pkg Strawberries – $0.99 each

1 pkg Old Fashioned Oats – $2.39

1 pkg Spinach – $1.49

1 jar Pasta Sauce – $1.19

1 pkg Snack Crackers – $1.59

1 Parley – $1.19

1 Mayonnaise – $1.89

1 loaf Bread – $0.99

Total after rebate: $28.78

Total for all groceries: $59.31

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Eggs, Toast, Spinach x 4

Cereal x 2

Cinnamon Rolls, Juice

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Strawberries x 2

Turkey Sandwiches, Popchips, Grapes (leftover from last week)

Crackers, Cheese, Fruit, Veggies x 2

Cheese Quesadillas, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers

Leftovers

Dinners

Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Green Beans, Strawberries

Spaghetti, Biscuits, Steamed Broccoli

Slow Cooker Chicken & Noodle Soup, Amish White Bread, Cantaloupe

Waffles, Eggs, Fruit Salad

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies, Oatmeal Spice Muffins

French Dip Crockpot Sandwiches (using venison roast), Spinach Salad

Out to eat

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

Click here to download!

Shared Mar 12, 2017 comment

A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 12, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Sunday 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.

It was such a great whirlwind trip to Kansas last weekend! Silas and I flew there Saturday evening and flew back home on Monday morning.

But in that short timeframe, I got to cuddle with my new nephew (look at those shoes!!), watch my youngest brother play trumpet in his final Youth Symphony concert, help my family serve lunch after church to about 200 people (they are in charge of a Fellowship Lunch at church once a month), enjoy a FREE Chipotle dinner with almost all of my extended family (my brother had made HOT status on the Chiptopia game and earned a Free Chipotle catered meal for 20!!), have some long conversations with dear people I’ve not seen in a long time, and spend a lot of quality time with Silas on the flights there and back.

What I’m Celebrating

The kids had their 3rd quarter Presentation Day at school this past week — which means that they all had to memorize a poem chosen by their teachers, create a visual representation of the poem, and then recite the poem using hand motions and voice inflections in front of the entire school — students, teachers, and parents.

They were all quite nervous and I was kind of nervous for them! 🙂 I sat on the front row with all of the words to their poems on my phone, just in case someone needed some prompting. Okay, I admit, it may have also been for my own nerves, too. 🙂

They all went up and did such a great job and we all breathed a big sigh of relief when it was over!

Saturday, Kathrynne competed in the Destination Imagination Middle TN Regional Championships. Her team had to design and build a structure that could hold as much weight as possible, as well as perform a skit about two nations working together to solve a problem. They had a number of different parameters they had to work within such as budget, materials they could use, and everything had to be done by the kids — no parental involvement or input was allowed.

Kathrynne’s responsibility was to go in front of the judges and add as much weight to the structure as possible without it breaking. She ended up being able to add on 278 pounds and was cool as cucumber while all eyes were on her, the panel of judges was watching, and you could have heard a pin drop.

Just a year ago, Kathrynne was scared to death of social situations with kids her age, being on a stage of any sort, and doing any public speaking. It’s amazing how far she’s come in just a few short months for her to do both Presentation Day and the DI competition back to back in a two-day period and to do an amazing job at both!

Their team qualified for the state championship which will be held in April and they are already talking about how they are going to improve their performance to hopefully get even higher scores!

What I’m Laughing About

So I decided to finally get my Instant Pot out of the box and try using it to make Hard Boiled Eggs. I decided to do a Facebook Live video of this attempt.

And that turned out to be quite the video… um, yeah. If you need a laugh, you can check out my Facebook Live video here.

What I’m Reading

I started listening to Lilac Girls on audio this week because I finally was next in line at the library for it. I almost stopped listening to it because there was some edge-y stuff in the first part and I was afraid it was going to get worse as progressed.

But I kept with it and I’m glad that I did because it’s a really compelling, tragic, and gripping story of the horrors of concentration camps. And I think that the audio book is very well done.

I’m only halfway through, but so far, I’d definitely recommend it — especially the audiobook version. (Do note that it it is very much PG-13 and I would only recommend listening to it with headphones in if you have kids at your house!)

I also finished It’s Not About Money, 30 Days to Calm Parenting, and Just Do Something. (See all 29 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.)

What I’m Watching

We started watching Season 2 of Designated Survivor this week. I love it when we find a show that both Jesse and I love. Season 1 of this show was SO good and we have high hopes for Season 2.

What I’m Trying

We’re going through Stacy’s Home Management How To Course over on the Facebook Group I created (it’s been SO good to have accountability there! If you haven’t joined us yet, you are welcome to still jump on the bandwagon and sign up for Stacy’s course and join us over on Facebook.)

One of the things Stacy really encourages is to have different days of the week for different assigned chores.

I have to be honest: I fought against having assigned chores to days of the week. When I saw Stacy suggest that, I immediately thought, “That will never work for us!”

Our schedule is really varied, every day is different with different activities, work stuff, practices, games, school projects, etc.

BUT… a friend challenged me to just jump out and try it. So, the past few days, I’ve been mulling over how this might look for us.

Here’s what I came up with:

Monday: Laundry Day
Tuesday: Office Day
Wednesday: Baking Day
Thursday: Errand Day
Friday: Prep Day
Saturday: Cleaning Day
Sunday: Rest Day

I don’t know if this will work or not, but I’m committed to trying it out for 3 weeks to see what happens!

As we go through the lessons, I’m making up short lists of what I want to accomplish for each day and figure out when I plan to fit it into our schedule.

I’m excited to see how this works — or doesn’t work! — and what I learn from this experiment. I’ve heard SO many great things about this set-up so I’m genuinely anxious to try it out!

What I’m Pondering

She accidentally forgot her lunch one day this week. Instead of feeling frustration over the inconvenience of needing to make a lunch and bring it to school for the forgetful girl, I thought of all the times I’d forgotten things and others had extended grace to me.

And I made her lunch with love — choosing things I knew she especially likes. As I was finishing, I grabbed a little sticky note and wrote a quick love note.

She told me later, “I cried when I saw your note. And then I kept it on my lap and just kept staring at it all during math class.”

It was such a simple gesture. It only took 30 seconds. But it spoke volumes to my girl.

Her mama loves her — even when she forgets her lunch.

And I had to think: What if I had chosen frustration instead? Look what I would have missed out on! Look what she would have missed out on!

These seemingly little things, little opportunities, little choices… they aren’t always so little.

In Case You Missed It

I shared on Andy Andrews’ site this week about a “little thing” I wish I had learned sooner.
I was also featured on the His and Her Money Podcast show on How to Become a Money-Making Mom.

My posts from this past week:

My YouTube video from this past week:

Making Freezer-Friendly Taco Meat

Want to win this stack of books?

I thought it would be fun for me to do a giveaway here every once in awhile on Sundays — giving away some of our our products, items I’ve been sent two of, books I’ve already read and want to pass on, or other items I have that we no longer need and would like to pass onto a great home!

Today’s stack includes an old copy of Thinner Leaner Stronger, two adult coloring books, a used copy of It’s My Pleasure (a business book I loved!), a Gratitude journals, an extra copy I received of Only Love Today (a book I hope to read really soon!), Lilac Girls, plus a book on marriage that I was sent.

To win this stack this week, leave a comment on this blog post telling me about what you are celebrating this week.

(If you are reading this via email or a feed reader, click over to MoneySavingMom.com and leave a comment on this blog post to enter to win!)

I’ll choose one winner from all of the comments and will email that winner personally + post the winner next week on my Peek Into My Life This Week Post.

Congratulations to Raquel who was the winner of the stack of books I gave away two weeks ago. Raquel, you should have received an email from me asking for your mailing address!

This ALDI Meal Plan is SO easy and really budget-friendly! Make 5 dinners for just $35 total!!

Shared Mar 11, 2017 comment

How to Eat Healthy for More Than a Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Sophie of Real Foodie Family:

Most people would agree that eating healthy is important, but it’s hard to make a priority. If you’re like me, you’ve found yourself following a roller coaster of a couple weeks of intensely clean eating followed by a dramatic fall off the bandwagon.

Another big challenge is that the definition of “healthy” is different for everyone based on personal lifestyles and what fuels your body best.

Whether it’s paleo, gluten-free, grain free, whole foods, or something else, eating healthy takes time, planning, and commitment. I have highlighted some of the main pitfalls that happen when you overhaul your diet and shared some practical solutions to these problems.

Eating healthy can be tough because:

It’s expensive.
It’s time-consuming.
There’s a learning curve.
Your kitchen is always a mess. (When you stop buying processed foods, you have a lot more preparation and clean up.)
When you make an unhealthy choice, it is easy to feel like you should just throw the towel in and revert back to eating the way you used to. (For me that’s lots of sweets!)

Tips for Sticking to Your Healthy Eating Goal:

Learn to embrace simple meals. Don’t go for an elaborate stuffed chicken breast with zucchini noodles. Grill a chicken breast with zucchini on the side.
Learn to cook one dish meals. Not only is there less clean up, but these dishes tend to be less involved to cook.
Shop at Aldi! I’ve included 5 dinners for $35.43 total.
Repeat family favorites frequently. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every week.
Make healthy freezer meals to pull out of the freezer when you are tempted to order a pizza.
Don’t make it all or nothing. If you have something delicious that isn’t part of your healthy eating plan, give yourself grace! Enjoy it and keep moving forward. Personally the 80/20 plan works for me. About 80% of the time I eat very healthy (sugar free, gluten-free, and limited grains). But… if I go out with friends, I’ll totally enjoy a gluten-free cupcake or ice cream!

After trying to figure out how to feel my best on diets like paleo, whole foods, and gluten-free, I have learned that it takes time. You have to listen to your body and figure out what gives you energy. There’s no one-size-fits-all plan, and you can’t overhaul everything at once (especially if you have a hectic schedule and little mouths to feed).

FREE PRINTABLES!!

I have included a meal plan that fed my family of two adults and two small kids as an example of how healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive or really involved. It covers five delicious meals that cost only $35.43 total at Aldi.

You’ll also find some printable recipe cards and an easy to use shopping list!

Here’s the link to download the first 4 recipes

Here’s the link for the 5th recipe

Here’s the shopping list

I hope you can use this meal plan as a springboard to create your own ideas and recipes and move your family’s health in the direction you want.

Sophie’s path of navigating an autoimmune disease and challenging food allergies have driven her to lead her family of four through incremental change toward greater health. Her blog, Real Foodie Family, shares practical recipes, meals plans, and resources for moms who value clean eating, real life, and no food-shaming!

photo source

Shared Mar 10, 2017 comment

Brigette’s $70 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 10, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 bag Frozen Peas – $0.85

1 5-lb bag Jasmine Rice – $4.39

1 bag Broccoli Crowns – $1.39

1 pkg Cream Cheese – $1.29

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 bunch Bananas (2.44lbs @ $0.39/lb) – $0.95

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.89

2 loaves Whole Grain White Bread – $0.50 (I was excited about finding this marked-down price on bread!)

2 loaves Whole Wheat Bread – $0.50

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.29

1 8-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.99

4 dozen Eggs – $3.96

1 2-lb bag Red Grapes – $2.58

2 cans Green Beans – $0.98

1 bag Radishes – $0.99

1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.79

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.79

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89

1 canister Quick Oats – $2.39

1 canister Raisins – $2.89

1 pkg Strawberries – $1.29

1 pkg Mushrooms – $1.29

3 cans Tuna – $1.95

1 5-lb pkg 73/27 Ground Beef – $8.95

Total: $51.77

Harris Teeter

4 boxes Honey Nut Cheerios – $7.88, used 2 $1/2 printable, plus $1/2 evic – $4.88/4 boxes after coupons

5 boxes Barilla Pasta – $3.98, used $0.75/3 Barilla Blue Box Pasta Products, exp. 4/9/17 (RP 02/12/17 R) (doubled) – $2.48/5 boxes after coupon

3 Totina’s Pizza – $3.00, used $1/3 printable, plus $1/3 evic – $1.00/3 after coupons

5 8-oz bag Shredded Cheese – $6.58

2 64-oz cartons Silk Almond Milk – $3.69, used 2 $0.55/1 Silk, exp. 4/12/17 (RP 02/12/17 #2) [Half gallon or larger] (doubled) – $1.49/2 after coupons

1 pkg Butterball Kielbasa – $2.97, used $0.55/1 Butterball Dinner Sausage, exp. 3/12/17 (SS 01/08/17R) (doubled) – $1.87 after coupon

1 Super Pretzel – $1.99, used $1/1 Superpretzel Product, exp. 3/22/17 (RP 01/22/17), plus receive $0.75 rebate from Ibotta – $0.24 after coupon and rebate

Total after Coupons and Rebate: $18.54

Grocery Total for the Week: $70.31

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 3

Toast with Peanut Butter, Apple Slices x 2 (We still have all kinds of apples left from my bulk purchase a couple of weeks ago)

Easy Baked Apple Oatmeal x 2

Lunches

Tuna Fish Sandwiches, Peppers, Grapes

Baked Sweet Potatoes, Strawberries, Peppers

Macaroni and Cheese, Bananas, Carrots

Fried Egg Sandwiches, Apples

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Hobo Packets, Tossed Salad, Homemade Applesauce

Scrambled Eggs, Cheese and Ham (using up the last of the ham in our freezer) in Homemade Tortillas, Fruit Salad, Peas

Chicken Gravy Over Rice, Broccoli, Apple Strudel Muffins

Hamburgers on the Grill, Tossed Salad, Baked Potato Wedges

Turkey (I need to cook up the last turkey from the freezer that I stockpiled during the November turkey sales!), Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans, Biscuits, Cottage Cheese Pie (family recipe from my husband’s side)

Leftovers x 2

Shared Mar 9, 2017 comment

This Month’s Blog/Business Income Report (January)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 9, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Thinking of Starting a Blog? Over the years, I’ve received many requests from folks for help on how to start a blog and how to make money blogging. That’s why I put together this comprehensive guide on How to Make Money Blogging with updated information and links.

It includes step-by-step help on how to set up your blog, get started, and make money from blogging. Go here to learn how to make money blogging and get started today!

In 2005, I discovered this thing called “blogging” and decided to try it out. I was a brand-new mom at the time, had recently quit working as a nanny, and was hopeful I could make enough on the side through online ventures to be able to replace my income and be able to stay home.

My husband was in law school and we were living on a beans and rice budget, trying to stay out of debt. We never, ever dreamed that my little blog idea would grow into what it has become.

In all honesty, when I started MoneySavingMom.com, I remember telling people that I hoped to make a side income from it. I never could have imagined that by the end of 2008, I’d be making full-time income from blogging!

And in all my wildest and craziest dreaming, I never would have envisioned that this blog would allow my husband to come home full-time, would provide the means for us to support ministries we love dearly (in the US, in the Dominican Republic, and in South Africa), and would enable us to provide incomes for our small (but amazing!) team.

How I Make a Full-Time Income from Blogging

Over the years, I’ve heard the question again and again and again: How do you actually MAKE money blogging??

People seem intrigued by the idea that our family actually makes a really good income from this blog and other related online ventures.

In these monthly posts, I want to give you a comprehensive and detailed look at our different income streams and expense streams to give you a better idea of what’s working, what’s not working, and how I actually make money blogging.

I always find these posts fascinating and inspiring when I read them from other bloggers. It helps me to learn the real nitty-gritty details of what is and isn’t working, how bloggers are diversifying their income, and what they are experimenting with.

Some bloggers share these types of posts and include specific numbers of exactly how much they make every month. I’ve opted not to do that because I feel like sometimes people can get hung up on numbers and miss the bigger picture.

Instead, I want share detailed percentages of our income and expenses — not only will this give you a very accurate picture of our earnings, but it will be something that is relatable, no matter the size of your blog or the income you make.

My hope is that these detailed reports not only help give you a better picture of how I make money blogging, but I hope they inspire you with new ideas on how you can increase your income or improve as a blogger or online entrepreneur.

Ready for the numbers? Here’s our income and expenses report for the month of January 2017:

January Income

Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. All of the products listed below are products and services we’ve used before. If you have any questions about any of the income or expenses, you can leave a comment and we’ll do our best to reply.

All Revenue Streams

Affiliate Payouts (See a detailed breakdown of all affiliates we earned income from below.) — 52%
Digital products (Sales of Make Over Your Mornings, Make Over Your Evenings, Make Over Your Year, and 15 Days to a Healthier You) — 25%
Sponsored Posts — 13%
Banner ads (We mostly work with AdThrive for this. Erin lists more ad companies here.) — 10%

Affiliate Revenue Streams Detailed Breakdown

Want to know more how affiliate programs work? Be sure to check out my post on How to Make Money Blogging.

Amazon Digital Services — 54%
Cents of Style, LLC — 9%
ShareASale — 8%
Other (MySavings, Inc., DiscountMags.com, 23 Publishing, SecureN1 Transactions, Escalate Network, CotterWeb Enterprises, The Selling Family, Topcashback, Ultimate Bundles, New Leaf Wellness, Mr. Rebates, Grove (formerly ePantry), and more) — 7%
Bluehost — 6%
SSI, LLC — 6%
LinkShare — 4%
Commission Junction — 3%
Dedicated Media, Inc. — 2%

January Expenses

Payroll expenses — 38%
Partner & Affiliate Payments (Sign up for our affiliate program for our products here.) — 13%
Web-based tools (InfusionSoft, Feedblitz, GoDaddy, Dropbox, Harvest, etc.) — 12%
Subcontracted services — 11%
Computer, hosting, Internet expenses — 8%
Other (Office space rent, PayPal fees, shipping/postage fees, merchant account fees, bank service charges, utilities, travel expenses, wifi, etc.) — 5%
Health insurance — 5%
Professional fees (for our CPA, payroll management, etc.) — 3%
Advertising and Promotion — 2%

Percentage of Income Versus Expenses

Recent Experiments

Different Email Formats — This year, one of our big goals is to really get a handle on how to effectively use email. It’s something I’ve been wanting to figure out for years and finally have the breathing room and team in place to really make it happen.

Right now, in addition to really cleaning up our email lists and being very focused and intentional in our email newsletters, we’re testing different email formats — HTML only, HTML + Plain Text, and Plain Text only. We’re tracking how it impacts open rates and deliverability. So far, Plain Text is winning out big time, but we want to continue to test for another month before we can make a conclusive decision.

Instastories — I finally jumped on the Instastories bandwagon and am having so much fun with it! It’s a way I can really connect with my followers in more of a real-time way and give them peeks behind-the-scenes into my every day life.

Instagram — I’m also putting a lot more effort into Instagram as I feel like that’s a platform where people are really connecting with me at a deep and more personal level (Follow me here, if you aren’t already!). We’re promoting Instagram heavily when you sign up for my coming-soon site, CrystalPaine.com. (Sign up for the Crystal Paine email newsletter here for personal emails from me and then you’ll see what I mean about how we’re promoting Instagram after you sign up.)

New Sites — Both of the new site designs are really close to being completely done and now we’re working on content and email strategy for them. We plan to launch both of them at the end of March/beginning of April. Want to see a sneak peek of the design? Check out YourBloggingMentor.com and CrystalPaine.com.

This Month’s Featured Question

This month’s featured question is from Kaitlin from The Simply Organized Home:

I’ve suddenly been seeing a ton of growth in my blog traffic and subscribers. My subscribers have jumped from a daily gain of ~20 a day to over 150 a day in the past week. It’s all relating back to a post I did which gave away a budgeting printable pack.

My blog expenses are growing rapidly with my increasing subscribers but I’m not sure my income is going to do the same over the next month.What would you do in this case?

I’m thrilled to see my subscribers and page views increasing, but I’m a little scared by the financial commitment I’m making to pay out a larger sum of money without the money guaranteed to back it up. – Kaitlin

This is a fantastic question! Seeing blog growth is a HUGE indicator that you’re doing something right. But what most people don’t think about in the early stages of growing a blog is that your expenses WILL grow as your audience does.

If you have a blog and you’re worried about your expenses exceeding your income, I totally get it. I’m constantly having to be strategic and plan ahead to make sure that our income is growing faster than our expenses! And there are definitely times when it can produce stress — especially during periods when your blog has a huge growth spurt!

Here’s what I’d recommend to Kaitlin:

Promote your own products to new sign-ups and regularly in your email newsletter (if you don’t have any of your own products, it’s time to create at least one or two!). As soon as people subscribe, send them a series of 2-3 emails that introduces yourself, introduces what you do, and offer a special coupon code for your products.
Make sure you are emailing out at least one or two affiliate links/promotional-type things every month. Of course, be sure you really love and feel you can get behind these things wholeheartedly. Email marketing is highly, highly effective when it comes to being able to actually encourage people to click through and buy something. Plus, when you’ve built a relationship with a reader and they trust your opinion and experience, they are much more likely to pay attention and take your recommendations very seriously. (Read more about affiliate marketing here and here.)
Set up a good followup sequence when people sign up for your email newsletter that sends them an email every few weeks that points to one of your top posts on your blog from the archives. Make sure that these top posts have great affiliate links in them.
Maximize your potential with sidebar advertising so that when people come to your site through links in your email newsletter, you are getting a payout for the traffic. (Read more about how to set up sidebar advertising here.)
Remember: Quality over quantity. A large email list is great, but if you aren’t nurturing your list and increasing your readers’ engagement by providing them good content and opportunities, your list numbers won’t reflect well in your payouts.
Network! Getting to know other bloggers and the strategies that work for them is a great way to increase your income-earning arsenal.
Never stop experimenting! If one idea doesn’t work well, tweak it and try again. Or, go back to the drawing board and try another idea. The more you’re willing to keep experimenting, the more chance there is that you’re going to find something that really, really works.

Highly Recommended Blogging Resources

How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul by Ruth Soukup
Building a Framework: The Ultimate Blogging Handbook by Abby Lawson
Brilliant Pin Promotion Course by Beth Anne Schwamberger
FB Brilliance: The Ads Course for Business Builders

Want to Start Your Own Blog?

I’m here to help! Check out my comprehensive guide on How to Make Money Blogging with updated information and links. It includes step-by-step help on how to set up your blog, best practices for blogging, and all the details on how to make money from blogging.

Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to sign up for my FREE 5-day course on How I Make a Full-Time Income From Home. This video course will give you an inside peek into my blogging and business journey, will share lots of inspiration and hard lessons I’ve learned in the process, and will encourage you with ideas on how you can make a part-time or full-time income from home, too.

Previous Income Reports

My 10 Goals for 2017: March 1st Update

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2017 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my monthly post where I share an update on how I’m doing on my goals for 2017. I hope that this post inspires you in your own goal-setting journey!

It’s the beginning of March, 2017 which means it’s time for my second goal update for 2017. I’ll be sharing a recap of each of my goals + an update on how I’m doing on each of them below. (If there’s no update listed, I have no update to report. Hopefully I’ll have an update next month!)

Personal Goals

1. Run 3 miles in 30 minutes — I took up running again this year — as part of my fitness plan that my nutritionist put together for me. I’ve never been skilled in the running department, but I’ve started to really enjoy it and am wanting to push myself here and be able to easily run 3 miles in 30 minutes.

March 1st update: I started in on an more intentional running regimen — varying between easy runs, long runs, progressive runs, and HIIT workouts + intentional warm-up and cool down. My nutritionist is a runner so he is putting together a run training schedule for me each week!

This month, I’m averaging about 2.4 miles in 30 minutes — up from 2.2 miles in 30 minutes last month! I could push myself and do more, but my nutritionist is encouraging me to not push myself too hard, too fast and instead to slowly build up my endurance. So I’m trying to take my time and not get impatient. Because I know that slow and steady wins the race!

2. Make it to Phase 4 of the nutrition plan — I’m currently working through a 4-phase custom nutritional plan with my nutritionist. I start in Phase 1 back at the end of August 2016. He thinks that at the rate I’m going and progressing, I’ll be able to start Phase 4 by mid-2017! And I guess that when I hit Phase 4, I’ll feel absolutely and utterly amazing!

March 1st update: I started Phase 3 in February! This means I get to introduce back in quite a bit more foods and have more wiggle room as far as what I can and can’t eat. Plus, it means that I’ll be eating even more — which is crazy because I feel like I eat so much right now. 🙂

I love how my tastes have changed so much in the last few months. I crave healthy foods almost all the time and rarely have a desire to eat something that isn’t something nourishing. I even like celery now — a food I couldn’t stomach before!

I think one of the biggest things that has changed is that I’ve really made taking care of my health a top priority in my life. And the benefits and results of that are pretty amazing!

3. Read 48 books I already own — I didn’t read as much in 2016 nor did I set any reading goals because I let myself have a lot more time to rest, feel, think, process, sleep, and just slowly go through one or two books at time. I wanted to see what that felt like… and I realized it was good for a year, but now I’m anxious to get back to more reading and having a few books going at once! I decided to challenge myself this year to focus on reading books I already own.

So I picked 48 books — a stack of 12 books that were old Christian reprints, a stack of 12 books that were story driven, a stack of 12 books that were about improving your life, and a stack of 12 books to encourage me in my Christian walk. My plan is to try to read one from each stack each month.

March 1st update: I’m so excited because I read 15 books and ebooks in January (see all 26 books and ebooks I’ve read on 2017 so far here)! Yay! It feels so good to be back to reading again! Here’s what I’ve read so far this year from books I already own:

January: Candles in the Dark, Grace Not Perfection, A Trip Around the Sun, and The Giver. Of those 4 books, The Giver definitely was the one that impacted me the most profoundly. I wrote more about it here.

February: Answers to Prayer, Hope in Front of Me, The Cozy Life, Be Real.

Marriage Goals

4. Go on a 4-day completely unplugged trip — Jesse and I went to Hawaii last year and it was downright incredible. I left my computer at home and didn’t get online or on social media the entire time. It was BLISS!! We walked for miles on the beach, I fell in love with the ocean, I read 10 books (!), we scouted out the cheapest food options (because the food is SO $$ there! But never fail, we found a Subway we could walk to a few miles away from our hotel!), and we just had so much fun together.

We’re planning to do the same sort of trip of this year, but we’re going somewhere different. We’re currently saving up and looking for deals so that we can do the trip for just a few hundred dollars like the Hawaii trip!

Family Goals

5. Go to South Africa as a family — Our kids have been begging to go back to South Africa and we’ve set a goal to make that happen this year. We’re hoping to find a great deal on tickets like we did last time during a timeframe that works for our friends in South Africa. The kids are already getting really anxious thinking about it (and of course, Jesse and I are, too!!)

March 1st update: We’re starting to work on possible dates for our trip this year. Stay tuned!

Financial Goals

6. Sell our 3 rental houses in Kansas — So, we loved having rental houses and it’s been a great investment for us (we paid cash for them and have turned a profit on them pretty much every single month we’ve had them!), but we have decided that we’d like to sell them (and hopefully turn an additional profit when we sell them) and put that money into our house savings. Then, once we’ve purchased a house here, we’ll start saving to invest in local real estate.

March 1st update: We have a contract on the one rental house we put on the market in February and are supposed to close on it this month. Yay! I’ll keep you posted.

7. Save up to pay cash for a house here in TN — As I mentioned above, this is something we’ve been mulling over a lot this past year and thinking through and have decided to start saving aggressively for in 2017. We currently have around 15% of the total amount we’d like to save set aside in our house savings fund. By selling our rental houses, we should have about 75% of the total amount saved… which will mean, we should be able to save the additional 25% needed this year if we careful and strategic.

And yes, homes in this area are much more expensive than Kansas!! We could move about 30 minutes away and homes would go down significantly in price, but we love this area and we love being so close to our church, to the kids’ school, and to other places we go to on a weekly basis. We’ve also decided we’d like to buy something that would be our “forever home” and would give us enough space to have offices + bedrooms for each of the kids.

**Not listed specifically, but very important to us: We decided to take a leap of faith and significantly increase our giving this year. We didn’t feel comfortable listing the details of that as a goal here publicly, but we wanted to acknowledge that this was happening. Because honestly, it’s our heartbeat and one of the number one reasons I blog and have a business — so that we can give generously to causes and people near and dear to our hearts.**

Business Goals

8. Release 2 courses — We have plans in the works for me to release two full-fledged courses on two different topics. More coming on that in the next 3-6 months!

9. Start 2 new blogs — I shared more here about the big changes that are coming to the blog in 2017 — including two brand-new blogs I’m launching late March or early April!

March 1st update: We are hard at work behind the scenes getting CrystalPaine.com and YourBloggingMentor.com set up. The designs are almost finished and we’re working on content now. I’m so excited about the designs and can’t wait to unveil them soon!

10. Learn YouTube/iMovie — I already told you about this goal! You can follow me on YouTube if you want to watch me learn! ?

March 1st update: I’ve had fun editing and publishing YouTube videos and feel like I’ve made a lot of headway in learning tricks and strategies and what works.

I have a long way to go, but I’m having so much fun! I also decided that publishing a video 5 days per week (what I was initially planning) is too much for my schedule. Instead, I’m shooting for 2 videos per week. That seems to be a good pace for me! You can watch my recent YouTube videos here.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

What are some of your favorite make-ahead breakfast ideas? I’d love to hear!

FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Dillons

Aldi

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

What I’m Reading

What I’m Celebrating

What I’m Trying

What I’m Watching

What I’m Learning

What I’m Pondering

In Case You Missed It

Ingredients for Eggs in the Instant Pot

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Love this recipe?

What are YOUR favorite things to make in the Instant Pot? I’d love to hear!

FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!

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

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Weekly Menu Plan

Lunches

Dinners

Snacks

What You CAN Do

What encouragement do you have for Amber or others in her situation? Share in the comments!

1. Give Something Away

One of the Best Things You Can Give Away: A Smile!

2. Volunteer Your Time & Talents

3. Bake or Cook Something Delicious

4. Send a Note or Text

5. Listen with Genuine Interest

What are YOUR favorite ways to make a difference — even on a tight budget?

Sprouts

Dillons

Aldi

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

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

What I’m Celebrating

What I’m Laughing About

What I’m Reading

What I’m Watching

What I’m Trying

What I’m Pondering

In Case You Missed It

Want to win this stack of books?

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

How I Make a Full-Time Income from Blogging

January Income

All Revenue Streams

Affiliate Revenue Streams Detailed Breakdown

January Expenses

Percentage of Income Versus Expenses

Recent Experiments

This Month’s Featured Question

Highly Recommended Blogging Resources