Looking for an amazing and healthful pancake recipe? This is one of our family’s favorite recipes and it’s freezer-friendly, too!
I’m a total pancake aficionado! And when I can find a really healthful recipe that still tastes amazing — it’s a HUGE win in my book!
We LOVE These Healthy Chocolate Chip Pancakes!
This Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancake recipe is a family favorite that we’ve used countless times over the years.
If you add chocolate chips to this batter, you don’t even need to use syrup… but it’s totally fine if you still want to smother them in syrup and lots of butter.
It’s like a little piece of heaven on a plate!
AND, they freeze wonderfully — so feel free to make a double batch and save yourself a little work later on.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (I used coconut sugar because that’s all I had!)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2 cups milk, buttermilk or sour milk*
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter (you can also use oil or coconut oil, but we prefer butter)
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pancakes
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, milk, and melted butter
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add egg mixture and chocolate chips.
4. Stir until just moistened.
5. Cook on a greased pancake griddle. Serve immediately or cool and freeze.
Makes around 10 regular-sized pancakes. I usually double or quadruple the recipe when I make it for the freezer.
How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Pancakes:
Lay cooked and cooled pancakes on a baking sheet and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour (until frozen).
Remove from frozen pancakes from pan and place them in airtight freezer bags or containers.
To thaw: Take desired number of pancakes out of freezer bags and heat one to two at a time in the microwave for one to two minutes. Or, place on a baking sheet and cook in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 tbsp sugar I used coconut sugar this time because that’s all I had!
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups milk buttermilk or sour milk
- 4 tbsp melted butter you can also use oil or coconut oil, but we prefer butter
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and melted butter.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add egg mixture and chocolate chips.
- Stir until just moistened.
- Cook on a greased pancake griddle.
- Serve immediately or cool and freeze.
TO FREEZE:
- Lay cooked and cooled pancakes on a baking sheet and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour (until frozen).
- Remove from pan and place in airtight freezer bags or containers.
TO THAW
- Take desired number of pancakes out of freezer bags and heat one to two at a time in the microwave for one to two minutes. Or, place on a baking sheet and cook in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Other Pancake Recipes We’ve Loved:
- Whole-Wheat Chocolate Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
- Whole-Wheat Blender Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
- Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes (freezer-friendly)
- Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes
- Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes
- Homemade Baking Mix
- Make Ahead Pancake Batter method (great if you don’t like reheated pancakes)
- And here’s a fun pancake idea for preschoolers: Pancake Letters & Numbers
For more make-ahead breakfast ideas, check out this post on how to Simplify Your Mornings With Make Ahead Breakfasts.
What are YOUR favorite pancake recipes or make ahead breakfast ideas? I’d love to hear!
FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!
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Why I Don’t Make My Bed Every Day
Last week, I shared on Instagram stories about how I was trying to make my bed every day. (Are you following me on Instagram? I’m having so much fun sharing little behind-the-scenes peeks into my life through the Instagram stories feature!)
My friend, MacKenzie, directed messaged me saying something like, “I can’t believe you don’t make your bed every day! I assumed you would always make your bed as soon as you get up!”
In case any of the rest of you had that same idea, I wanted to set the record straight: I don’t make my bed every day.
Nope, I don’t.
I know that I recommend it in my very popular post 5 Things You Should Do Every Day post, so I kind of feel like a hypocrite putting this out there. I also know that people have lauded the virtues of making your bed for years.
But I just have come to realize that a made bed is not the be all, end all in life.
Yes, I love a made bed. Yes, I love how it looks when I walk into my room. But many days of my life have gone by without my bed being made in the last year and I’m okay with that.
Because I’ve determined that it’s just not a top priority for me at this season of life. I admit, there’s also the practical part of me that thinks things like: I’m just going to get back into it tonight, so what’s the big deal of making it every day.
(I know! That probably sounds crazy to those of you who can’t really function without making your bed!)
The older I get, the more I’m coming to grips with the fact that we are all so different.
Some of you can’t stand to not make your bed, some of you don’t care and never make your bed, and some of you (like me) like to have it made but it doesn’t ruin your day if it’s not made.
All of us our wired differently and that’s the beauty of how life works! We can learn from one another. We can be inspired by one another. But we don’t have to be carbon copies of one another.
We all have different areas that are important to us and things that are priorities to us. Making the bed is not a huge priority to me, but having a clean kitchen is very, very important to me.
So if I only have 15 or 20 minutes to devote to cleaning or house projects in the morning, I’m going to devote that to the kitchen, because that’s more important to me. And I’m good with that, and so is my husband. (He really doesn’t care a bit whether the bed is made or not!)
My Perspective on Bed-Making Applies to Finances, Too
As I was thinking about this whole to make your bed or to not make your bed thing, I realized how so much of this can be applied to finances, as well:
1. Determine What Is Most Important To You — If you want to have financial success, you first have to determine what your priorities are. Just like I determined that it’s not a top priority for me to have my bed made every day, our family has also determined that having nice household furnishings is not a priority for us. But investing time and money into our kids’ activities (such as baseball and figure skating) is a priority, just like having a clean kitchen is a priority to me.
What are your financial goals? What area your hopes and dreams financially? What is a priority to you financially? Start there — and make sure it’s truly what is most important to you, not just what you think should be most important to you.
2. Do What Works Best For You — Stop feeling like you have to keep up with every one else or do what everyone else does. If you don’t really care about making your bed and it doesn’t make a difference in your life, stop feeling like you should — just because you read an article or watched a video or talked to a friend who is a diehard advocate of bed-making. If you don’t really care about having nicer furniture or wearing nicer clothes or driving a nicer car, stop feeling like you should — despite comments or criticism from other people.
Learn from other people. Be inspired by other people. Try new things if your current system isn’t working. But ultimately, do what works best for you and your family.
Do you make your bed? Why or why not? Does it make a difference? I’d love to hear!
Related: What a Messy House Can Teach You About Financial Success
Gretchen’s $53 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Aldi
2 dozen Eggs – $0.69 each, used $0.10 Mobisave rebate – $0.64 each after rebate
1 pkg Tortilla Chips – $1.19
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99
1 loaf Bread – $0.89
2 pkg Cheese – $1.89 each
1 can Refried Beans – $0.79
1 lb Ground Beef – $2.69
1 Applesauce – $1.89
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each, used $0.25 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.36 each after rebate
2 can Cream Chicken/Mushroom Soup – $0.69 each
1 Half & Half – $1.89
1 pkg Chocolate Chips – $1.79
1 pkg Deli Turkey – $2.49
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99
Total after rebates: $24.06
Dillons
2 Avocados – $0.33 each, used $0.50/2 printable – $0.08 each after coupon
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
1.64 lbs Bananas – $0.97
1 Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream – $2.99, used $0.60/1 e-coupon – $2.39 after coupon
2 Chobani Yogurt – Marked down to $0.59 each, used $0.50/2 Ibotta rebate – $0.34 each after rebate
1 Chobani Yogurt – $1.25, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Daisy Sour Cream – $1.49
1 American Beauty Spaghetti Noodles – $0.49, used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate – Free after rebate
2 Kraft Snack Trios – $0.99 each, used $0.75/2 printable – $0.62 each after coupon
1 Ragu Spaghetti Sauce – $1.29, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.74 after rebate
2 Ronzoni Spaghetti Noodles – $0.49 each, used $0.50/2 e-coupon – $0.24 each after coupon
1 Moms Best Cereal – $1.67
Total after coupons and rebate: $10.81
Sprouts
0.87 lbs Asparagus – $1.29
1 Broccoli Crown – $0.74, used $0.15 Ibotta rebate – $0.59 after rebate
1 Cantaloupe – $0.98
1.22 lbs Cauliflower – $1.20
2 Moms Best Cereal – $1.99 each (I bought these before I knew they were cheaper at Dillons.)
2 lbs Butter – $1.99 each (I’m loving the cheap butter prices I’ve found at Sprouts the last few weeks!)
2 pkg Chicken Breasts – $3.31 and $3.17
Total after rebate: $18.50
Total for all stores: $53.37
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Toast and Eggs x 3
Oatmeal
Lunches
Cheese/Crackers/Fruit/Veggies x 2
Turkey Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks
Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Cucumbers, Carrot Sticks x 2
Macaroni & Cheese, Broccoli
Leftovers
Dinners
Tossed Salad, Fruit Salad, Chocolate Cheesecake (My brother and his wife are coming for dinner and they are bringing pizza!)
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Tossed Salad
Spaghetti, Green Beans, 30 Minute Rolls
Grilled Chicken, Steamed Asparagus, Mashed Potatoes
Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Crackers, Grapefruit (from my mom)
Dinner out (using a gift card from my in-laws!)
Leftovers
We’re also hosting our small group one evening and I’m making Cookies, Chips and Bean Dip and Tortilla Roll-Ups.
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)
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 Loving
The kids were SO excited about Valentine’s Day and spent hours the week before making Valentine’s for their friends, classmates, and teachers. We gave them a budget, took them to Dollar Tree, and then they did all of the work themselves (with a little oversight from us!)
I love how excited they get about blessing others and doing things for others. And I also love that they are all at the age when they can get really stoked about this kind of stuff together. I know that this won’t last forever and I sort of want to freeze time.
I think they were also pretty excited about the fact that they got some candy from friends, too… candy is sort of a rare treat around here so I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing that they are so excited about the prospect of candy!! 😉
And I just had to share this picture. I totally staged it, but it’s such an accurate representation of our life right now. There is never a dull moment. Ever.
We went shoe shopping on Thursday because Kathrynne (12) desperately needed tennis shoes as her feet seemed to grow one size in a week and she was literally about to burst through her current tennis shoes.
(She has one pair of tennis shoes and pretty much only wears them every single day unless she’s going to a wedding. No joke.)
Kaitlynn (9) was all, “Why are we shopping for tennis shoes?? Can we please look at more fun shoes? Oh, look at these! And these! And these!” And then, of course, she was trying to find a way to convince me that she surely needed some new shoes.
(This girl has five times as many shoes as Kathrynne and Silas combined and would buy a new pair of shoes every day if she had the money! Again, no joke.)
Finally, Silas (7) is all, “Are we done yet?” And then was trying to bump into Kaitlynn while she was wearing these heels around so that she would fall over.
Yup. These are my three. They couldn’t be any more different, but they bring so much life, joy, laughter, and color into our lives! And today also solidified for me why I prefer to shop for shoes from Amazon!
What I’m Celebrating
Kaitlynn is landing her axel now!!! This is a HUGE figure skating accomplishment and we’re SO proud of this girl! (Watch the video here. She’s improved quite a bit even since this video was taken!)
Now, she’s starting to work on perfecting all her doubles (double toe loop, double salchow, double loop, double flip, double lutz) and then it’s on to the double axel!
We are having trouble getting her off the ice these days. All she seems to want to do is practice, practice, practice. And then eat, sleep, go to school, and get back on the ice again!
I’m also celebrating the fact that I got to go on four different dates this week — once with Kathrynne, once with Jesse, once with a friend, and once on a double-date with some friends of ours to try our first ever Escape Room experience.
What I’m Reading
This past week, I only finished one book: Answers to Prayer. The week was full and there wasn’t as much time for reading as there usually is. Although I did read quite a bit from The Road Back to You and No More Faking Fine but both were books I didn’t want to speed through, but wanted to slowly absorb and think about.
This week, I’m reading: Thou Givest, They Gather (an old Christian reprint), No More Faking Fine (a spiritually encouraging book), Gathering Blue (a story-driven book), and Chasing Slow (a book on life improvement).
I’m hoping to finish No More Faking Fine, Gathering Blue, and Chasing Slow this week. I’ll let you know how that goes next week! {See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 21 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What I Learned This Week
Public Service Announcement: don’t hold an avocado in your hand while trying to cut the pit out.
I was in the middle of a conversation with a friend, not really paying attention to what I was doing, and in a split second, I had jabbed the knife through the avocado and stabbed my finger.
It was such a strong stab that I was afraid I the knife had gone all the way through my finger. But nope, just a deep cut. I missed the tendon and blood vessels, so it didn’t bleed much and all it needed was a trip to urgent care.
They were able to glue it instead of give me stitches — yay! In all honesty, my finger never really hurt… and the only thing that hurt at all was my arm where they gave me a tetanus shot (since I was using a knife and haven’t had a tetanus shot since I was a kid).
Oh, and I still ate my salad I was making — before I went to urgent care. Hey, I was hungry and there’s no point in wasting a good avocado!! 😉
(It reminds me of the time I made Jesse stop for an Arby’s sandwich while I was having major contractions and writhing in pain bent over the front seat of the car while he was driving me to the birth center to deliver Silas. I knew I needed to eat to have strength to deliver Silas. Which I did — about an hour later. What can I say? Food is fuel and you gotta fuel your body — even if you are in labor or you’ve just stabbed your finger!!)
What I’m Laughing About
I did a video on Friday making Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes live. If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I often do Facebook Live videos.
Facebook mirrors the video image, so if you have your phone screen turned toward you for the video (letting you see what the video/image looks like), everything is flipped — meaning if you’re holding up a bag of flour that says “Whole-Wheat Flour” on it, it’s going to be backwards, etc.
This can be quite distracting when you’re doing a video that’s a recipe where you’re holding up different bags/boxes/containers of ingredients.
So I got the “brilliant” idea to try turning my camera around so that the screen wasn’t facing me but that the video wouldn’t be a mirror image. I set everything up and thought it would work well.
Ahem. I clearly think I’m much shorter than I am, because when I filmed the Facebook Live video, my head was completely cut off the entire time!!!
And then I tried to turn the camera around halfway through and things just went from bad to worse.
If you need to laugh today, go fast-forward through the video so you can see just how awful it was. And also, be encouraged: bloggers and vloggers who have been at this thing for years and years and years still have plenty of “Well that experiment certainly didn’t work!” moments.
I’ve learned that the best thing I can do is laugh at myself and invite others to laugh along with me!
What I’m Pondering
I have fallen down into the Enneagram rabbit hole… thanks to a few friends from my Discipleship Group! It’s fascinating and eye-opening and a little scary all at once.
Jesse and I spent hours last week reading about each type and it produced some incredible insights into each of our hearts and lives. It also gave us so much more clarity for ourselves and each other.
For those of you who are into the Enneagram, I’m an 8 and he’s a 5. Even without understanding the Enneagram, I look back and realize how I have fought against my eight-ness for a long time because I wanted to be a 2 or something warm and fuzzy like that. But nope, I’m an 8 through and through.
And now I want to embrace it and own it and become the healthiest version of an 8 that I can be. Because that’s how God made me and how He can use me best.
When we realized that Jesse is a 5 and have studied more about it, it’s really helping me to better understand how he processes things, what his needs are, and what his amazing strengths are.
What number are you? I’d love to know! Oh and I took the test online and it gave me the wrong result. I found this book and reading things online to be a lot more accurate and clarifying than the online quizzes. But maybe that’s just me!
(Those of you who don’t know what the Enneagram is are probably shaking your head at reading this and wondering what sort of crazy talk this is! Well, do yourself a favor. Go read up on the Enneagram, get this book, and maybe it will rock your world in profound and good ways like it has ours! You’re welcome!! ;))
In Case You Missed It
My posts from this past week:
- My 7 Favorite Freezer-Friendly Muffin Recipes
- My Top 3 Favorite Sites to Get Great Deals on Clothes
- 5 Simple Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill Today
- How I Got a Mailbox Full of Freebies This Past Week
- Get a copy of my brand-new 5 Days to a Better Grocery Budget ebook
My YouTube videos from this past week:
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 one of my books, one of my Gratitude journals, a blank journal, a few books I’ve recently read and would love to pass onto someone else, plus a book we enjoyed as a family!
To win this stack this week, leave a comment letting us know something that is making you laugh (a funny story, a movie, a YouTube video, a funny picture, something you have done or your kids did, etc.).
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 Kim (kim_redmon13@) who was the winner of last week’s stack of books giveaway. Kim, you should have received an email from me asking for your mailing address!
Blessing a Friend in Need Without Breaking the Bank
Guest post from Sarah of SarahBeckman.org
She wasn’t someone I had met personally, but we were down-the-street neighbors. In fact, until her diagnosis, I hadn’t ever spoken to her. But once I heard the news, she captured a place in my heart.
It seems these days, everyone knows someone with cancer.
I was not able to help her as often as I would have liked, but I tried to find small ways to bless her—a meal here and there, or a text of encouragement before or after treatments. And I believe the Biblical command to “love our neighbor as ourselves” carries even more weight when someone is facing a time of trial in their life.
One day my new friend down the street came to mind while I was at the grocery store, which was just down from Keva Juice, a frozen drink shop. I remembered another friend’s dependence on smoothies after she had endured chemotherapy and found it hard to eat or swallow. I knew her order by heart, and had often delivered it to her at home or the hospital.
So I texted my neighbor, and offered to bring her something from Keva Juice. At first she was reluctant. She said she didn’t want me to make a special trip and had no idea what she’d want. I said, “I’m here anyway. I will text you a link to their menu, and you can choose what you’d like. Text me your order and I’ll deliver it on my way home.”
She found an option on the menu, and within 10 minutes I was at her door with a cup full of hope that cost me less than five dollars.
People who are facing crisis of health or life don’t want to be a bother. And often, grand gestures are difficult to receive. (Really, most things are hard to receive; after all, we’re women!) But with intentionality, a small expense and just a dash of time, it’s easier than you think to bless someone in need.
Here are 10 ways you can bless someone without breaking the bank:
1. Post a message on a support site. (Caring Bridge or other)
2. Text a scripture verse once a week. (I love Romans 15:13)
3. Offer to drive kids to sports or activities.
4. Order their favorite candy or guilty pleasure to be sent from Amazon.
5. Post a funny video to their social media site, or email.
6. Deliver a fresh plant or flowers. (Trader Joe’s has gorgeous flowers for less than $5!)
7. Call and pray over the phone.
8. Stop by the hospital and do a makeup refresh or deliver a new lip moisturizer.
9. Order a pizza to be sent to the house.
10. Send a card in the mail. (Yes, good old-fashioned handwritten mail with a stamp!)
You don’t have to break the bank to offer a small blessing in the midst of a friend’s dark days.
Whatever the trial, our job is to shine a light in their darkest spaces, even if that little sliver of sunshine comes in a Styrofoam cup with a straw.
Sarah Beckman is an author and speaker. Her book, Alongside: A Practical Guide for Loving Your Neighbor in their Time of Trial, released February 14, 2017. In it you’ll find more practical ways to support those you care about in the rough patches of life and the inspiration to follow through.
Brigette’s $69 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $69 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
2 3-lb bags Pink Lady Apples – $5.98
1 Pineapple – $1.89
1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49, plus receive $0.25 from Checkout 51 – $3.24 after rebate
1 2-lb bag Red Grapes – $3.79
1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49
1 box Rice Squares – $1.99
1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.49
1 box Crisp Rice – $1.39
1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79
2 24-oz jars Meat Sauce – $2.38
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.29
2 bags Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.98
1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 2-lb bag Carrots – $0.69
1 pkg Baby Bella Mushrooms – $0.79
1 bunch Bananas – $1.03
1 Cabbage – $0.69
1 2-lb bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $5.89
1 Cauliflower – $2.29
2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.98
2 1-lb pkgs Fresh Green Beans – $1.98
1 Cucumber – $0.49
1 Baking Powder – $0.99
1 pkg Strawberries – $2.29
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89
4 dozen Eggs – $3.16
Total after Rebate: $59.85
Harris Teeter
2 boxes Keebler Cereal – $3.55, used 2 $0.50/1 Keebler Cereal, exp. 3/26/17 (RP 02/12/17 R) (doubled) – $1.55/2 boxes
2 cans Progresso Soup – $2.68, used $0.50/2 Progresso Products, exp. 3/4/17 (SS 01/08/17) (doubled) – $1.68/2 after coupons
3 cans Well, Yes! Soup – $4.50, used 3 $0.75/1 Campbell’s Well Yes! Soup (doubled) – FREE after coupons
1 tub Organic Girl Baby Kale – $1.99, used $1.00/1 printable – $0.99 after coupon
1 pkg Simply Potatoes – $1.49, used $0.55/1 Simply Potatoes Cut Potato Item, exp. 2/28/17 (SS 01/08/17) (doubled) – $0.39 after coupon
10 containers Yoplait Yogurt – $3.70, used 2 $0.50/5 printable (doubled) – $1.70/10 after coupon
2 pkgs Al Fresco Chicken Sausage – $3.98, used 2 $1/1 Al Fresco Product, exp. 2/28/17 (SS 01/08/17) – $1.98/2 pkgs after coupons
1 64-oz carton Minute Maid Orange Juice – $2.50, used $0.55/1 printable (doubled) – $1.40
Total: $9.69
Grocery Total for the Week: $69.54
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Veggie Omelettes and Yogurt x 2
Cereal x 3
Oatmeal and Fruit x 2
Lunches
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Mini Peppers x 2
Soup, Crackers, Apples x 2
Leftovers x 3
Dinners
Chicken on the Grill, Fruit Salad, Fresh Veggie Tray with Ranch Dip, Soft Garlic Breadsticks, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes (company for dinner – one of our guests is bringing brownies and ice cream for dessert)
Meat Potato Quiche (using ham from the freezer), Tossed Salad, Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Carrots
Grilled Chicken Sausage Hotdogs, French Fries, Stir-Fried Green Beans
Homemade Pizza, Fruit Salad
Hamburger Vegetable Soup (using ground venison in place of hamburger), Easy Whole Wheat Muffins
Leftovers
My Top 7 Favorite Freezer-Friendly Muffin Recipes (Plus Grain-Free Options!)
My Top 7 Favorite Freezer-Friendly Muffin Recipes (Plus Grain-Free Options!)
These freezer-friendly muffin recipes are a great frugal way to get breakfast on the table quickly, or serve a nutritious afternoon snack. They are all delicious, easy, and will really fill you up!
Our family has always loved muffin recipes — especially during the days when we were on a really tight grocery budget and trying to stretch every last dollar and ingredient. Muffins are easy to whip up, usually very frugal, and can often be tweaked if you want a healthier version.
They are also really versatile! They can be used for on-the-go breakfasts and snacks, paired with a bowl of soup to make the meal more filling, or enjoyed as an after-dinner treat.
Over the years, I’ve found many muffin recipes that are really easy to prepare ahead of time and freeze for later. If you’ve been a blog follower for a while, you’ve probably noticed that my freezer cooking sessions often include some sort of muffins or bread. I love that muffins freeze so well and are almost as delicious thawed out as they were right after baking!
Here are my top 7 all-time favorite freezer-friendly muffin recipes…
1. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins – These muffins are hearty and filling. Not too sweet, but just the perfect blend of crunch and chocolate mixed together.
2. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins – This recipe is one of our longtime family favorites. These muffins are so good and freeze so well. These also make a great dessert to add to a sack lunch. Just pull a frozen muffin out and stick it in a baggie in your sack lunch and by lunchtime, it’s all thawed and ready to eat.
3. Easy Morning Glory Muffins – These muffins are delicious and nutritious. They are packed with carrots, whole wheat flour, raisins, coconut oil, and apples. When my friend, Angie, brought us some one day, I took one bite and knew they were winners.
4. Corn Dog Muffins – This recipe uses my favorite World’s Best Honey Cornbread to make an easier version of homemade corn dogs. Kids love this one, and it’s such an easy make-ahead lunchbox idea!
5. Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – This non-Pinterest-perfect picture does not do this delicious recipe justice. Years ago, I used to make this for the kids all the time. They aren’t the healthiest muffins you’ll eat, but they are yummy, frugal, and super easy to whip up!
6. Apple Butter Muffins – I found this recipe online a few years ago, and decided to substitute apple butter for applesauce. I tweaked a few other things and wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but we all ended up loving these. They are SO delicious and freeze really well!
7. Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins – These muffins have been a family favorite for almost 20 years. We got the recipe from a Taste of Home magazine and have been making them ever since! Even though they look fancy, they are simple to make and rely on just a few basic ingredients. And the jam is a fun addition!
Looking for grain-free options? Try these!
1. Egg & Sausage Breakfast Bites – These are SOO good. And they are incredibly easy to make and freeze really well!
2. Trim Healthy Mama Cupcakes – These grain-free, dairy-free cupcakes are pretty delicious for how healthful they are!
3. Grain-Free, Honey-Sweetened Muffins – When I discovered this recipe, I did a happy dance! The ingredients are a little unique, but trust me on this, these are good. No, they might not taste quite like a regular muffin made with flour, but they are still scrumptious — and easy to make, too.
A Few Tips On Making Muffins
I highly, highly recommend grabbing a set of Silicone Baking Cups! I bought some this year and have been pleasantly surprised with how well they worked and how easy they were to clean and wash!
I’m definitely sold on using these — especially because they kept the muffin pan so clean and easy to wash! These are now a staple item in our kitchen!
Also, did you know that you can freeze unbaked muffin batter?! This is such a helpful tip when you’re in the middle of a freezer cooking session and ran out of time, or when you made too much batter and would rather save it for another freezer cooking session!
What are some of your favorite freezer-friendly muffin recipes? I’d love to hear!
FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!
Mornings just got so much easier with this FREE list of 50+ Easy & Cheap Breakfast Ideas for Busy Weekday Mornings!
My Top 3 Favorite Sites to Get Great Deals on Clothes
Like to dress in cute clothes but don’t want to pay a high price tag for them? Here are some of my favorite ways to get great deals on clothes…
As I talked about in this post, I’ve changed how I approach fashion and clothes in the past two years. I’ve surprised myself and discovered that I really enjoy cute clothes, cute shoes, jewelry, dressing up almost every day, and having more variety in my wardrobe. But I’m still very committed to keeping a simple wardrobe and not spending an arm and a leg on clothes.
On my Facebook Live videos people are constantly commenting on my clothes and asking where I got an item. So I thought it was high time I put together a post of my current favorite places to find great deals on clothes:
1. thredUP
I get a lot of my clothes on thredUP and it’s my very favorite used clothing site to shop from. (I got the jeans shown above brand-new for just $8.99!)
One of my favorite ways to shop thredUP is to search for deals on high-quality brands I already know that I love and adore but would never pay full price for. You can often find name brand items that are in like-new condition (or even new with tags!) — at great prices!
I love that they have a HUGE selection and that you can really drill down to very specific searches — you can refine your search in great detail if you choose: what colors of clothes you want, what brands you want, and what price range. This allows you to really find exactly what types of things you are looking for.
Plus, if an item doesn’t fit you, you can log into your account within 14 days from when it’s delivered to say that you want to return it. You can then print a postage paid shipping label and return slip. Read my full review of ThredUp here.
2. Amazon
If you watch my Facebook Live videos, you know that I’m sort of an Amazon freak — especially when it comes to shirts/tops. I may need an intervention. And I may be the only person on the planet who thinks that Amazon is the best place to buy clothes from.
But I don’t care. Not one bit.
I’ll fly my freak flag and wave it loud and proud. Because y’all, AMAZON. ‘Nuff said. 😉
Here are a few shirts I’ve loved this fall/winter that I got from Amazon:
- PinUpArt Women’s Color Block Long Sleeve Sweatshirt
- V-Neck Knit Pleated Tunic
- MBJ Drape Top With Side Shirring
- Long Sleeve Tunic Top
- Derek Heart Flannel Shirt
And here’s a post I wrote with some of my faves for spring/summer: My 3 Favorite Summer Shirts from Amazon
If something doesn’t fit, most Amazon clothes purchases can be returned for free, but you have to read the details because different sellers are different. I also look at the reviews of the shirts, too. Because Amazon reviews are a goldmine of helpful information!
What I’ve found works best is to find a few brands that I love and then buy multiple colors of that same item once I know that I love it (because I might be branching some, but I’m still boring enough to have multiple colors of the same shirt. Hey, if I like it a lot and it fits really well, it’s so much easier to just have the same shirt in different colors!!)
Amazon’s search feature is not set up well to find exactly what you are looking for, so you might have to do some poking around. I usually poke around a bit and then, when I find an item I like, I look at the “Customers Who Purchased This Also Purchased” section halfway down the page. This tool often turns up some great finds that are in similar styles to what I love.
3. Zulily
Note: As of 2023, Zulily is on its way out of business, so I don’t recommend ordering from there.
Zulily is an online daily deal site that has lots of sales on ladies’ clothing. They offer sales on brands and high-quality items often. They especially seem to have great deals on shoes and workout clothes. Most of their sales last for 3-4 days.
My favorite sales are when they have a huge clearance on workout clothes. I’ve gotten sports bras for just a few dollars each, workout tanks for just a few dollars each, name-brand running shoes for half price, high-quality workout shorts and leggings for around $10 a piece, and really high quality leggings for less than $10!
One important thing to note: They do not ship right away and it usually takes 2-4 weeks for you to get your order. They occasionally offer free shipping, but it’s usually $7.95, so I wait until they have a great workout sale or clearance sale and stock-up.
Other than these four places, the only other places I’ve bought clothes from in the last year (as far as I can remember) are from Stitch Fix and my shoe-shopping experience at the mall. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten a few high-quality items from Stitch Fix, as well, just using credit I’ve gotten from my Completely Honest Review post.
I have mixed feelings on Stitch Fix because the prices are high and it’s sort of a risk you take to sign up for a fix. But I have gotten a few items each year that I’ve loved and I’ve not spent anything out of pocket on it because their referral program is so generous, but I think it’s one of those things that can be hit and miss — and it can work great for some people and not work at all for others. Read my Completely Honest Review of Stitch Fix here.
5 Other Places to Get Great Deals on Clothes
Your Closet — Don’t run out and get something new because “you have nothing to wear” without first checking your closet. There might be a dozen items in there you’ve not worn for awhile just because you forgot about them! Save yourself a trip to the store plus the money for new clothes by making sure you’re wearing what you already own!
Thrift Stores — Thrift stores are a gold mine of deals, if you have the patience to dig and look. Approach it like a treasure hunt, have strict guidelines for what you are looking for, and make sure
Swap Meets with Friends — Get your group of girlfriends together and have everyone bring what they no longer love, need, fit into, or wear and swap out clothes. This is a fun way to freshen up your closet — for free!
Cents of Style — They offer GREAT sales a few times per month (as you probably know if you follow along here!). Never pay full-price from their site, but definitely sign up for their email list to be notified of their sales. I especially love their t-shirts and their leggings.
TJ Maxx — I’ve found lots of great deals at TJ Maxx over the years. You never know quite what you’ll find, but it’s a great place to find deals on basics like camis, socks, scarves, and workout clothes.
Target — Target often releases great coupons through their cartwheel app that can be paired with items from the Clearance Racks. This can make for great deals!
What are YOUR favorite ways to get great deals on clothes? I’d love to hear! Tell us in the comments!
5 Simple Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill Today
Looking for some quick and easy ways to cut your grocery bill? Here are five ideas…
I wrote a post a few weeks back with 10 simple ways to cut your grocery bill by $50 this week. I had so much fun putting that together, but I didn’t have room to share all of my ideas. So here are five more simple way to cut your grocery bill today:
1. Plan a Menu
Do you dread 5 p.m. because it’s when you have to try to pull something together for dinner or feel guilty about ordering takeout yet again? Do you often find yourself running to the store at the last-minute in a frazzled state rushing through the aisles and throwing random things into your cart in hopes it will magically create a five-course dinner?
The truth is, you could throw away the 5 p.m. dread and almost completely eradicate the frazzled last-minute grocery store trips if you sat down at the beginning of the week and made a menu plan.
I can’t even begin to calculate how much we’ve saved over the years through the simple act of menu planning. By planning ahead and buying all the groceries we’ll need for the week in one shopping trip, we save numerous trips to the store throughout the week. In addition, when you have a plan in place for what you’re supposed to be eating each meal and you’ve already purchased the ingredients for those recipes, it’s a lot harder to justify chucking the plan for takeout.
Need some help getting started with menu-planning? Check out my post here. Also, read this post: How to Plan a Weekly Menu in Less Than 10 Minutes.
2. Go to More Than One Store
When I mention how I save a lot of money by shopping at more than one store, I’m often met with resistance:
“But I don’t have time to go to more than one store! I can barely make it into Walmart once a week.”
“That’s not saving money! You’re wasting all sorts of time and gas running around to fifteen different stores in one day. Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective and efficient to just do all your shopping at one store each week?”
“I’m glad that works for you, but I don’t have near the patience or organization to even attempt something like that!”
Let me be clear: I am not advocating going to 15 different stores that are 45 minutes away from your home in order to save $2 at each store. That’s not saving money, in my definition. Instead, that’s wasting enormous amounts of time and effort and producing little to show for it but wear and tear on your vehicle and an exorbitant gas bill.
What I am advocating is taking a little bit of time to scout at your nearby stores each week and pick a few which have the best sales and deals. Then base your grocery trip planning on shopping only at those stores.
Want to learn more about saving money by shopping at more than one store? Read my post here.
3. Shop the Markdowns
The very first thing I do when I walk into a grocery store is to go around the perimeter of the store and look for the orange markdown stickers on items. I hit the produce section first. Then the meat, dairy, and bread items.
By starting with looking for markdowns, I then can rework my grocery list if I hit on a great deal. For example, if I was planning to buy carrots and cucumbers to use as raw veggies during the week, but I found a big bag of marked-down colored peppers and a marked-down head of cauliflower, if they were less expensive than the carrots and cucumbers I was planning to buy, I’d likely swap them and save a dollar or two.
My favorite thing about buying markdowns is that they add some variety to our menu. While I might not pay full price for a roast or salmon, I’ll snatch it up if it’s marked down by 50%.
I often receive the question, “How do you find out when a store marks down groceries?” I wish I had some super-secret answer to tell you so that you could just magically find markdowns at your store. However, each store is different and often the policies vary widely even in the same store chain in the same town. Sometimes, a store doesn’t even have policies for markdowns and it is based upon whatever mood the produce manager is in as to what kind of deals you’ll find.
Some store chains have a policy against marking items down. The best way to find out is to just ask. Usually, the produce manager is the person to start with.
Inquire what they do with produce that is going bad or milk that is almost to its expiration date and see if they have a policy on marking these items down. If they don’t, ask if you could get a discount if you found a gallon of milk which was expiring in a few days or produce which was going bad.
Find out more of my tips for saving money by shopping the markdowns at this post here.
4. Buy in Bulk
You can save at least 20% off the price of many staple products by buying them in bulk. If you’re going to be using the bulk amount of something over the course of a year and it can be stored for a long period of time, you might as well purchase it in quantity at a discount, right?
I save around $27 per year by buying yeast from Sam’s Club instead of at the grocery store. However, I don’t find it is worth it to pay for the membership. Instead, I just go in on the get in free days that they have a few times per year.
Be aware that not all warehouse packages are a good deal. In fact, many times, you’ll pay more per ounce for buying the large package than you’d pay if you bought multiple smaller packages when they are on a great sale at the grocery store.
You can often purchase large quantities of produce seconds for great prices from local farms (check LocalHarvest.org to see if there are farms near you that sell to the public). And if you like high-quality meat, you’re almost always going to save at least $1 per pound by buying it in bulk.
If you don’t have freezer space for large amounts of meat or products, consider splitting a bulk order with a few friends. That way, you all get the discount, but none of you have to buy a new freezer to store it in!
If you grind your own wheat or eat a lot of oats, rice, beans, or other staple ingredients, check into the prices of nearby health food co-ops or Azure Standard.
If don’t find great sources for buying in bulk from health food co-ops and Azure Standard doesn’t deliver to your area, check and see if your health food stores or grocery stores would give you a discount for buying in bulk. It never hurts to ask!
You might also just buy in bulk by practicing the Buy Ahead principle — buying multiples of items at your grocery store when they are at their rock-bottom prices!
For more tips and ideas for how to save by buying in bulk, read my post here.
5. Use Cashback Apps
You can earn cash back for purchasing groceries through apps like iBotta and Checkout 51. This is a great way to save money on groceries and more — without clipping coupons!
Each app works a little differently, but the cool thing is that you can use all of them at one time! Here’s the basic gist: Scan your grocery receipts every time you shop and then request cashback for any items you bought that qualify.
These apps often have offers for milk, bread, eggs, fruit, and so on. Even if you only earn $0.50 each week for taking a minute to scan your receipt, that adds up over time!
Also, if you shop at Walmart regularly, you’ll want to check out their Savings Catcher Program. Here’s how it works:
- Enter or scan your Walmart receipt. You can either enter your receipt number on the Walmart Savings Catcher website, or scan the receipt’s barcode with the Walmart App. Your purchase must have been made within the last 7 days.
- Walmart compares prices for you. Walmart will match the price of any local competitor’s printed ad for an identical product.
- You get refunded the difference. If the Savings Catcher finds a lower advertised price, you get the difference.
To learn all about my favorite cash back apps, sign up for my free printable!
Do you want to take better control of your grocery budget? If so, you’ll want to read my newest eBook, 5 Days to a Better Grocery Budget!
This eBook will give you all the tips, tricks, and practical advice you need to create a grocery budget tailored to your family’s needs that you can actually STICK to (because that’s the key!)
In this eBook, you’ll learn:
- How to create a grocery budget that fits your family’s needs and your finances!
- New systems to help you keep track of what you spend at the store!
- How to actually stick with your new budget and save money for years to come!
- Ways to save up to $50 off your grocery bill THIS WEEK by using the 10 simple strategies outlined in this eBook!
Gretchen’s $45 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Dillons
2 Snickers Candy Bars – $1 each, used Buy One Get One Free printable – $0.50 each after coupon
1 half gallons Milk – $0.99 each
1.23 lbs Bananas – $0.73
2 lbs Butter – $2.50 each
1 bag Green Peppers – Marked down to $0.99
1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99, used $0.10 Mobisave rebate AND $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.64 after rebates
1 box Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes – $1.99, used $0.40/1 printable – $1.59 after coupon
1 Cookie Layer Crunch Bar – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Sour Cream – $1.50, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $1 after coupon
1 Sunbelt Granola Bars – $2.69
1 bag (16 oz) Kroger Shredded Cheese – $3.50, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $3.25 after rebate
1 Celestial Seasonings Tea – $2, used $1/1 printable – $1 after coupon
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
1 Cantaloupe – $1.50
Total after coupons and rebates: $22.36
Aldi
1 dozen Large Eggs – $1.18
1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.85
1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 lb Ground Beef – $2.69
3 pkg Strawberries – $1.29 each (Yay! It’s been forever since strawberries were on sale!)
1 pkg Red Grapes – $1.98
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each, used $0.25 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.37 each after rebate
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.69
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.29
1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.59
1 loaf Bread – $0.99
1 Grape Jelly – $1.39
Total after rebate: $23.24
Total for both stores: $45.60
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 2
Toast and Eggs x 3
Biscuits, Fruit
Oatmeal
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Fruit x 2
Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Veggies
Baked Potatoes, Sliced Green Peppers
Lunch at my parents
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Sour Cream and Mushroom Chicken, Rice, Biscuits, Tossed Salad
Hamburgers, Baked French Fries, Cantaloupe
French Toast, Eggs, Fruit Salad
Poor Man’s Steak (using ground venison), Make Ahead Butterhorn Rolls, Green Beans,
Venison Roast, Potatoes, Carrots
Salad Bar
Spaghetti, Steamed Peas, Pumpkin Muffins
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ win a stack of books from me!)
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.
So, this was a bit of a rough week. I tried out something new in regards to our schedule (exercising and showering in the late afternoon/evening instead of the morning like I’ve done for most all my life) and it sort of flopped on its head and I felt out of sorts most all of the week. But hey, you never know if something will work if you don’t try it, right?
We also declared this week a Screen-Free Week at our house for the kids… because watching movies or playing on devices was becoming too much of a default.
The first 24 hours are always a bit rough, but it’s amazing how creative they become after we make it through the initial boredom and whining!
Silas said this afternoon, “Remember that peanut butter apple dip you used to make? I wish you could make it again!” I realized we happened to have all of the ingredients, so I suggested he make it.
A little oversight and 25 minutes later, this boy had made some apple dip for dinner. And he was beaming with pride at doing it almost entirely himself! (Note: Here’s the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Apple Dip recipe in case you are interested.)
I think this Screen-Free thing might be sticking around for longer than a week!! I can’t believe how much calmer and happier and industrious everyone has been this week as a result!
(Note: Our only exception to the Screen-Free declaration is for family movies/shows watched together. We love to watch 1-2 movies/shows together each week and we decided we’d continue to allow that this week!)
Then, I ended up coming down with some sort of sickness mid-week (congestion, fever, headache) that decided to hang around for a few days).
In all honesty, I struggle with frustration when I’m sick. I don’t like to be down and out. I don’t like to be needy.
I used to get sick almost every month because I wasn’t taking care of myself and was running myself ragged. Now, I’m so much healthier, but anytime I do get sick, I start hyper-analyzing my life and wondering if I’m overdoing it.
I’m trying to remind myself that sometimes — despite your best efforts — you just get sick. It’s okay. Don’t stress over it. Just let yourself be grateful that you can cancel and rearrange some things in order to rest. And then just truly rest.
What I’m Loving
Having a rough day? Or feeling a little on edge?
I have fallen in love with these Calm-a-Mama products!! And they really do seem to work!
They are made with herbs and flower essences and taste and smell great! You just take a few drops when you need a little pick me up!
Funny story: I was having a rough day the other day and someone close to me (who shall remain nameless!) helpfully suggested I just try drinking the whole bottle of one of these! 😉
(A big thank you to Megan Tietz from Sorta Awesome for recommending these! I got mine from Amazon. Here’s the link. You can also read more about them directly on the company’s website.)
What I’m Reading
So. I’m going through tell you something I never thought I’d say again: I’m writing another book.
Yup. For real.
After my 3rd book launched, I felt like there was a good chance I’d never write another book. I was all “book-marketed” out and felt like I’d given all the book words I had to the world.
But something has been stirring inside of me over the past few months and when I read Published I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I was supposed to take up book-writing again. I tried to talk myself out of it. I tried to convince Jesse that it was a bad idea.
But we both knew I needed to act on it — especially since it’s my Year of Yes!
I’m self-publishing this time and plan to take it slowly — just writing for 15 minutes every morning after my morning run (when I’m always crazy inspired!) I’m excited about it — especially because I won’t have the publisher deadlines this time!
Anyone else want to write a book with me? Or are you thinking of maybe writing a book some day? If so, you MUST download this book. It will inspire you that you can actually do it. Yes, you. Even if you don’t have a writing background, a marketing degree, a social media platform, or even love to write.
This book is FREE through midnight tonight!! Just sign up for the free video here and you’ll also get a free download of the ebook! And leave a comment to let me know if you are planning to try to follow the book’s outline to write a book in 90 days!
In addition to reading Published, I also read Be Real, Hope in Front of Me, The Cozy Life, and I Got This. (I was able in get in more reading time since I was sick!)
This week, I’m reading: Answers to Prayer (an old Christian reprint), No More Faking Fine (a spiritually encouraging book), Gathering Blue (a story-driven book), and Chasing Slow (a book on life improvement).
I’m hoping to finish Answers to Prayer, Gathering Blue and Chasing Slow this week. I’ll let you know how that goes next week! {See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 20 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What I’m Pondering
In the past few weeks, I’ve wondered a lot whether I have what it takes to parent my kids. I’ve worried that I’m failing them. That I’m messing up in a big way.
One child has been going through a really stubborn phase. Another child has been struggling with their faith and questioning a lot of things. And then there’s the child who had to go to the principal’s office recently.
I’ve made a commitment to never publicly talk negatively about specific kids online. But just because you only see the good and the beautiful that I share doesn’t mean there’s not plenty of hard behind-the-scenes.
My husband and I have been crying out to God for wisdom on how to parent these kids and I’m realizing anew that there are no quick fixes or 3-Step Formulas.
But there is this that my Heavenly Father keeps whispering to me: “Love them like I love you. Don’t shame them for their mistakes. Don’t let it be about your reputation. Don’t parent to please others. Don’t parent for behavioral modification. Focus on their hearts. Forgive. Heap on the grace. Walk with them. Love them where they are at. Celebrate the good and the beautiful. And always point them to Jesus and the Gospel.”
I don’t have what it takes in my own strength, but He does. “Love through me, love of God.”
In Case You Missed It
My Posts From This Past Week:
- This Month’s Blog/Business Income Report
- My Attempts at Using a Curling Wand (+ 50% off!)
- Heart String Art Tutorial
- 3 Practical Ways We’re Teaching Our Kids About Money
- I Learned Contentment From Driving a Chevy Caprice
My YouTube Videos From This Past Week:
Also, I’m back to doing my Morning Show on Facebook Live between 9 and 9:15 a.m. every week day morning. I’d love for you to tune in on Facebook and join me live. I share some inspirational encouragement + we talk about deals. And I often take questions live or just share a little peek into my life, too!
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 one of my books, a few books I got for free with credit on Swap.com that I have and have loved, a few items I was sent two of, a few books I’ve recently read and would love to pass onto someone else, plus a tea I love!
To win this stack this week, leave a comment letting us know what you are reading, loving, or pondering. I’d love to hear!
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.
This Month’s Blog/Business Income Report (December)
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.
Are you a newer blogger? If so, you’ll find this January 2017 Blogging Income Report from The Simply Organized Home to be very thorough, helpful, and inspiring. And I love seeing how she made $1700 and the breakdown of her income!
Ready for the numbers? Here’s our income and expenses report for the month of December 2016:
December 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 advertising (See a detailed breakdown of all affiliates we earned income from below.) — 62%
- Digital products (Sales of Make Over Your Mornings, Make Over Your Evenings, and Make Over Your Year) — 16%
- Sponsored Posts — 13%
- Banner ads (We mostly work with AdThrive for this. Erin lists more ad companies here.) — 9%
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.
- Sazze (from partnering with BlackFriday.fm for Black Friday ads) — 37%
- Amazon Digital Services — 23%
- ShareASale — 11%
- Other (MySavings, Inc., Survey Sampling International, LLC, DiscountMags.com, 23 Publishing, SecureN1 Transactions, Escalate Network, CotterWeb Enterprises, The Selling Family, TopCashBack, LinkShare, Ultimate Bundles, and more)– 10%
- Brilliant Business Moms (this was from affiliate sales of Beth Anne’s Brilliant Life Planner) — 8%
- Commission Junction — 7%
- Dedicated Media, Inc. — 3%
- Bluehost — 1%
December Expenses
- Payroll expenses — 55%
- Subcontracted services — 12%
- Web-based tools (InfusionSoft*, Feedblitz, GoDaddy, Dropbox, Harvest, etc.) — 8%
- Computer, hosting, Internet expenses — 6%
- Partner & Affiliate Payments (Sign up for our affiliate program for our products here.) — 4%
- Health insurance — 3%
- Other (Office space rent, PayPal fees, shipping/postage fees, merchant account fees, bank service charges, utilities, travel expenses, wifi, etc.) — 3%
- Professional fees (for our CPA, payroll management, etc.) — 3%
Percentage of Income Versus Expenses
Recent Experiments
1. Launching 15 Days to a Healthier You
At the end of December, we launched 15 Days to a Healthier You. We ran this course somewhat differently than most other courses I’ve done in that we released a workbook but then all of the lessons were recorded live via Facebook Live every evening.
Overall, it was a success. We had some hiccups along the way, not everyone loved me doing live videos versus pre-recorded videos, and there were a few technical glitches. However, I was happy with the end result. We ended up have over 2200 people who went through the course live and we got a lot of very positive feedback overall.
The one thing I learned, though, was that it took a toll on me and was hard on our family’s schedule to do a live video at 8 p.m. every single week night for 3 weeks straight. If we do another live course like this down the road, I’ll likely either do the videos earlier in the day or will only have a few per week versus five per week. But live and learn, right?
2. Combining Our Email Lists
We’ve been hard at work behind-the-scenes to re-organize our lists and clean up a lot of things in InfusionSoft (we decided to stick with InfusionSoft instead of moving to ConvertKit). In the past few weeks, we merged two of our mailing lists so that we now only have a mailing list for each of our soon-to-be three sites.
This has made things much more organized for us and made it easier to figure out which list we should send which types of newsletters and offers to. We’re still working on cleaning up and culling the lists, but we’re getting close to having things all in good order — and just in time for the launch of the new sites.
3. Working on New Opt-ins
A few weeks ago, we also defined our ideal subscriber for each of our email list and mapped out plans to do a better job of growing our email lists specifically with these target markets in mind. We’ve been working on new opt-ins for these lists and we’re getting ready to launch and test these over the next few months. I can’t wait to see how it affects our email growth!
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
This Month’s Featured Question
This month’s featured question is from Christy from The Harper House:
I just hit the one year mark with my blog and am blessed to have phenomenal growth; however, I can barely keep up and am running myself ragged. Do you have any tips on when and how to hire VA’s? I would love to start outsourcing some things that I hate doing and spend my time focused on what I’m good at. How did you find your team? And what is a good rate of pay to offer VAs? Thanks so much! -Christy
This is a fantastic question! If you’re a blogger and you’re finding yourself stretched with all of your blogging to-do’s, it may be time to hire a VA.
What is a VA? A VA is a virtual assistant — someone who can help you keep your blog running smoothly while taking some of the work off of your plate.
It’s important as a blogger to understand that you can’t do it all. Really let that sink in for you. Your time is valuable and is better spent doing things in your business that sparks joy and feeds your passions.
Don’t risk burning the candle at both ends, all the while sacrificing your quality of content and quality of life for the sake of growing your blog. Know that for all of those tasks that you don’t enjoy whatsoever, there’s a skilled VA out there who does! So if you’re teetering on becoming overwhelmed and burnt out, it’s time to start looking for help.
My first recommendation before you start looking for your ideal VA is to figure out what types of tasks would be the most helpful for you for someone to do. Think about which tasks take you the longest, bog down your time, drain your energy, and are ones you feel overwhelmed by. Make a list of those tasks.
Then, make a list of what your ideal candidate would look like. What are their strengths? What experience would you want them to have? What are the non-negotiables you are looking for? How would you want to work with them (by email, by video call, by phone, by Voxer, by Slack, etc.)? Think through how this is going to work and what this is going to mean for you as far as changes you may need to make in your own work systems and processes.
When considering these things, I’ve found it helpful to know what my own strengths and weaknesses are. I highly recommend taking the Meyers-Briggs personality test to find out what your personality type is. 16Personalities.com is a great place to start (and it’s free!).
Once you find your personality type, you’ll be able to find what other personality types you’re compatible with. For instance, I’m an INTJ so I know that for certain positions, a VA who is an INFJ will be the perfect match for me and other personality types will drive me batty in those positions!
When vetting your VA applicants, knowing their personality type can help you have a really good idea of their basics strengths and weaknesses from the get-go. If they don’t know their personality type, send them on over to that quiz on 16Personalities.com and help them find out! This has been a game-changer for me and my team.
Next, I recommend starting with a very small project. Working together on an trial basis using a small project or two will help you get to know whether or not the chemistry is there. Chemistry is very important when it comes to building a team, which is what you’re doing.
By starting with a small, short-term project, you’re able to see if it’s a good fit for both of you. You’re able to discover their strengths and weakness, see how prompt they are to complete tasks, determine if you like working with them, learn how well they respond to critique, and get a feel for whether this is a relationship that would work long-term.
Remember this: Your VA is going to have an important role in helping you structure, organize, and run your business. Pick someone whom you know you’ll enjoy working closely with long into the future. Going into the hiring process with this in mind will help you be much more realistic and objective in who you choose. And it will likely save you a lot of drama and headache down the road.
Once you’ve found someone you feel like will be a good fit for you long-term, begin with minimum hours — not a full-time position! Ask them to help you for 2-5 hours per week with the projects that are most pressing. As you need to, you can add more hours and/or tasks. But keep it simple at first.
I currently have 3 full-time employees and all of them started with just a few hours per week that morphed into more and then more and then finally a full-time position. This natural progression allowed for both of us to get to know one another, to make sure it was a good fit, and made the transition so much smoother.
Do keep in mind that it usually takes a good 2-3 months before you really start to see a lot of fruit from making the hire. At first, it can be frustrating that you’re spending MORE time training someone, answering questions, critiquing their work, and helping them get inside your brain. Do not skimp on the training part. Trust me, it will pay off!
Finally, let’s talk about pay. There are SO many variables when it comes to the rates you pay your VAs.
Most VAs will present you with their pre-set rates. You can always negotiate with them, but remember that what they charge depends largely on what services they’re offering. Many VAs do general work (formatting and scheduling posts, content development, email management, etc.) while others specialize in one area (content management, project management, PR, etc.).
It’s important for you and your VA to have open conversations about pay. Generally, you can expect VAs to charge anywhere from $15/hr to upwards of $100/hr (and everywhere in between!). Keeping the lines of communication open will ensure that there are no miscommunications AND that you are both on the same page.
Hiring a VA can be the best decision you’ll ever make for your business. Choose well!
Note: Interested in becoming a VA? I highly recommend starting by reading The Boostrap VA.
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
- August 2016 Income Report
- September 2016 Income Report
- October 2016 Income Report
- November 2016 Income Report
More Posts on Blogging
-
- Help! I Want to Start a Blog, But Isn’t the Market Already Saturated?
- Help! I Want to Start a Blog, But I Can’t Figure Out What I Should Blog About!
- The 3 Most Important Things You Should Do After You Start a Blog
- Why I Think You Should Break the “Blogging Rules”
- 5 Questions to Ask When You Feel Like Quitting Your Blog
Have any questions for me about this income report or about making money blogging? Leave a comment!
Brigette’s $78 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $78 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 pkg Strawberries – $1.49
1 2-lb pkg Red Grapes – $2.98
1 pkg Mushrooms – $1.29
1 3-ct pkg Green Peppers – $1.49, plus receive $0.25 rebate from Checkout 51 – $1.24
1 bag Brussel Sprouts – $1.29
1 pkg Zucchini – $2.49
1 pkg Radishes – $0.99
2 bags Chocolate Chips – $3.58
1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $2.99
1 head Cauliflower – $2.29
2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38
1 bag Pepperoni (which somehow ended up in the fridge instead of on the table for the picture :)) – $2.19
1 2-lb bag shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $5.89
1 2-lb bag shredded Cheddar Cheese – $5.89
1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $2.49
1 bunch Bananas (2.54lb @ $0.44/lb) – $1.12
2 dozen Eggs – $2.30
1 38-oz jar Ketchup – $1.49
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99
1 pkg Artisan Baby Lettuce – $1.99
2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98
2 gallons Whole Milk – $5.98
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.89
1 pkg Fresh Ground Beef ($1.99/lb) – $6.22
1 box Rice Squares – $1.79
1 box Raisin Bran – $1.79
Total: $74.55
Harris Teeter
1 2-lb bag Carrots – $0.97, plus receive $0.25 from Ibotta – $0.72 after rebate
1 Maruchan Bowl – $0.59, used $0.25/1 printable (doubled) – $0.09 after coupon
3 boxes Yakisoba Noodles – $1.35, used $1/3 Maruchan Yakisoba Products, exp. 3/31/17 (SS 01/22/17) – $0.35/3 after coupon (my husband LOVES the Yakisoba noodles and Maruchan bowls and brings them to work in his lunches. He will buy them at full price if I don’t buy them with coupons for him. :))
2 pkgs Nabisco Saltine Crackers – $3.79, used $0.75/2 Nabisco Cookie or Cracker Products, exp. 2/25/17 (SS 01/15/17) [3.5-oz.+] (doubled), plus receive $1.00/1 rebate from Checkout 51 – $1.29/2 after coupon and rebate
1 5-ct pkg Fresh Bagels – $0.97 (one-day sale)
1 loaf Sara Lee Bread – $1.99, used $0.55/1 Sara Lee Bread, exp. 3/11/17 (SS 01/08/17 R) (doubled), plus receive $0.25 from Ibotta – $0.64 after coupon and rebate
Total after Coupons and Rebates: $4.05
Grocery Total for the Week – $78.60
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Oatmeal x 2
Eggs, Toast, Strawberries x 2
Lunches
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Oranges, Carrot Sticks x 2
Macaroni and Cheese, Pepper Slices, Apples x 2
Leftovers x 3
Dinners
Fellowship Group Church Get-Together – I’m bringing Freezer-Friendly Barbequed Meatballs, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, and Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies
Individual-Sized Bagel Pepperoni Pizzas, Fruit Salad, Tossed Salad
Ham and Bean Soup (I still have ham in our freezer to use up), Skillet Cornbread
Tacos (I use ground venison from the freezer in place of hamburger for our taco meat), Roasted Garlic Cauliflower, Best Spanish Rice
Grilled Chicken, Tossed Salad, Baked Potatoes
Meat Potato Quiche, Fruit Salad, Green Beans
Leftovers
We Paid Cash: Moving From Kentucky to West Virginia
A testimony from Christina who blog at Youthful Homemaker
At the end of last year, my husband got hired for a new job — but we had to move for the job.
We had been focusing on getting out of debt, and only had $1,000 in the bank. That amount would be enough for a 350 mile move — including deposits on a home and utilities.
Then, while we were preparing to move, my husband was laid off from his current job, meaning we had to start his new job one month sooner.
We were not packed, we didn’t have enough money in savings to cover the moving expenses and our living expenses until the new job’s paychecks started coming in, and we knew we would have to be very careful with our money to make it while staying away from debt.
Here’s how we managed to pay cash for our big move!
1.We rented out our house.
The biggest, and some said craziest, thing we did was renting out two of our bedrooms and even our living room couches to total strangers. When Ian’s job situation changed, we needed money… fast!
When Ian was at work, I took a night after the kids were in bed and packed up two rooms, my office and my infant son Logan’s room. I moved Logan into our bedroom and within a few days we had one room rented, then the other, then the living room couches.
We ended up renting out to three people over the course of two months. Two men who both had come to our town for a new job and were looking for places for their families to live, and a young lady from New York. We made $665, which covered a lot of our expenses!
It was a fun experience, and we loved it!
2. We packed and moved everything ourselves.
We knew we needed to save in every area we could, so we got moving boxes free from the dollar store nearby and I packed every chance I got. I also compared rates for the moving van companies in town, which saved us at least $300.
We had family come help us pack everything into the moving van, and we unpacked everything ourselves into the new apartment. Not hiring movers saved us around $350.
3. We called in favors and cash back
I use reward programs like iBotta all the time as a part of my normal grocery shopping routine, usually for extra payments on our debt snowball. We used any restaurant gift cards for food when we were on the road to save on our food costs while we were on the road.
We also explained to the office staff at our new apartment complex and asked them if they had any good specials, they told us about their referral program and recommended that we list each other as the referring residents on our applications, so we both got $250 gift cards when we signed our lease!
Ultimately, we both did things that were really hard for us to do. Ian thought it was crazy to rent our house out to strangers, and I did everything I possibly could to save money in every area, as well as eating some humble pie by asking family for help.
We were so blessed to have the support of family and friends, but mostly we were glad we had been living frugally for months, so cutting back wasn’t as hard as it could have been!
Christina is the mother of two children, who loves sharing her debt-free journey and family life at her blog, Youthful Homemaker. Her favorite things are tea, graphic design, and making new friends.
Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.
Evidation: Get paid to be healthy!
Looking for super simple ways to earn a little extra cash passively? Sign up for the Evidation app!
Evidation App: A Simple Way to Earn Money!
Sign up for Evidation to get paid for being healthy! Just create an account, and you’ll earn points for every healthy activity you perform: taking steps, exercising, sleeping, logging water/food, etc. You can also earn bonus points for taking health surveys!
Evidation pairs with different health apps to help reward you for your healthy actions. Pair apps like MyFitnessPal, Runkepper, Fitbit, Apple Health, and more! You get to choose how much or how little you’d like to share.
I’ve been using this app for a few years, have a few apps connected, and earn about $20 per year without doing much of anything. It’s pretty much passive income and you can earn more if you take the quick surveys regularly!
You earn $10 for every 10,000 points earned. It’s not a ton of money, but every little bit adds up — especially when it’s passive like this, and you get rewarded for something you’d already be doing anyway!