Want to learn how to get the best bang for your buck at Hobby Lobby? Head on over to Passionate Penny Pincher to read her post on 7 Secrets for Saving at Hobby Lobby.
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4 Steps Toward Living a Satisfied Life
Guest Post from Sarah Mae of SarahMae.com
I long to raise my kids well.
I long to travel to the beautiful places in the world.
I long to be a person of depth.
I long to write and speak words that will help people.
These are just a few of my longings. Of course some are stronger than others.
I used to long for two lives.
In one life I was doing what I’m doing now, living in a small town with my husband and beautiful children, doing my best as a wife, mom, homemaker, and fringe-hour writer.
In the other life I was living in Paris or Tuscany, breathing in the beauty of my surroundings every day. I lived in a little apartment and I wrote all day and spent my nights in deep conversation with the locals.
I don’t long for that second life anymore. I now fully and completely enjoy my life. But it took a process to get to where I am now. It took some pain and some eye-opening and some choices.
Many of us have longings and dreams and desires that pull at our hearts, but that our reality doesn’t necessarily make room for. Some of us ache with longing, some of us have deeply unfulfilled longings, and some of us are just tired and don’t know what do with our dreams and longings. Some of us don’t even know what it is we really long for.
I spent the last two years in focused wrestling mode trying to figure out the tangles in my longings, and how to really live and enjoy my life and not feel as though life was rolling over me in waves I couldn’t stop or contain. I was determined to live a satisfied, fully-awake life.
I wrote about my journey and my discoveries in my new book, Longing for Paris, where I share intimate stories, hard-learned lessons, and the delight of bringing my longings into my everyday. But let me take a few moments and share with you some key things that have a made a difference between me just living, and me living satisfied.
Four Steps Toward Living a Satisfied Life
Before I begin, keep these truths tucked in close:
- We will never have it “all-together” this side of heaven
- We can do our best by grace
1. Choose Your Life
The number one thing I did that helped me to get unstuck and live was to choose my life.
No one is going to live my life for me, and no one is going to make the decisions that are healthiest for me. I used to just let the waves of life roll over me as I went along. I always felt like I needed a pause button to catch up on life, and often times I felt as though I was drowning. I also wanted to please others, and I made decisions based on their reactions to my choices instead of what was best for me and my family.
Not anymore. I know now that in order to live and not get sucked under, I need to make choices that align with what I really want and where I see that God is leading me.
Choosing your life, choosing to make wide-awake, healthy decisions for yourself is a game-changer.
2. Embrace Who You Are
The second thing I learned in being satisfied with my life is not just accepting who I am, but embracing who I am.
I am a visionary who likes to sleep in. I love flamingos. I don’t like schedules. I like teaching and encouraging women through speaking, and I’m decent at it. I will never play a musical instrument because my brain doesn’t work that way. I can’t sing worth a darn. I love reading and studying and learning.
You are beautifully made and you have a gift that you can use to serve others. Don’t try and be like someone else because it will lead to a crummy life. Be you. Figure you out. And enjoy yourself.
3. Failures Don’t Have to Define Your Life
We have all botched up in this life. We’ve all made a million mistakes, and we will continue to fail in so many ways throughout our life. BUT, these failures do not have to define us. There is grace and love that covers a multitude of our shortcomings. Even the darkest, ugliest parts of us don’t have to rule us; there is always light waiting to be let in.
You might fail, but you are not a failure. You have purpose and beauty, and even your failures can be used to help others get free.
4. You Can Always, Always Begin Again
“It’s a fresh new day with no mistakes in it.” I love that line from Anne of Green Gables. Because it’s true. Each day we get to begin again. Each day is new and fresh with beginning.
The surest way to live a satisfied life is to be awake, to choose, to let grace cover you, and to begin again each day, knowing you will never have it all together, but you can nonetheless shine.
Here’s to life and beauty and deep satisfaction.
“It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live.”
Victor Hugo
Sarah Mae is a writer who encourages women to keep on and begin again. She is a wife, mom, homeschool teacher, conference founder, speaker, and piecrust botcher. She makes her home in the beautiful Amish countryside of Pennsylvania, where she often ponders what life would be like if she actually finished all the laundry. You can find her and her books at SarahMae.com.
5 Healthy Crockpot Freezer Meals
Why I’ve Chosen to Buy Nothing New for 8 Years
Guest post from Katy of The Non-Consumer Advocate
I like keeping my family’s expenditures down as much as any MoneySavingMom.com reader, so when I read an article in my local newspaper about a group of San Franciscans who’d just completed a “buy-nothing-new” year, I got excited. Their Compact allowed exceptions for a few items such as food (duh!) and safety equipment (whew!).
I wanted in.
My husband thought I was insane to suggest such an extreme challenge, but I felt compelled. “One month,” I explained. “I’ll try not to buy anything brand new for one month.”
That month was January of 2007.
One month turned into two, and before I knew it I’d completed my own “buy-nothing-new” year. And when December rolled around, I saw no reason to stop. Not only had I saved an enormous amount of money, but I’d also put the brakes on the never ending influx of clutter-y stuff that makes housekeeping an un-winnable war.
I began blogging as The Non-Consumer Advocate.
It’s been eight-and-a-half years since I joined The Compact! Yes, there have been times when buying used has been a huge pain in the tuchus, but mostly it’s been a breeze.
My husband thinks that used shoes are disgusting, so he chooses that as an exception. (The Compact is very individualized, as each person decides their own exceptions.)
My exceptions include personal care items, bras, underwear, books written by friends, and harmonicas. Yes, harmonicas . . . think about it.
Here’s how my family makes only buying used a possibility:
We examine wants vs. needs.
So often the urge to buy something new is a fleeting impulse. By having to find a used version, it sets up a built-in lag time that often kills that gotta-have-it-now desire.
We repair instead of replace.
Whether it’s a piece of clothing or a broken household item, we do our best to extend our belongings’ lives.
We borrow and lend.
Whether you call it a sharing economy or simple neighborliness, there’s simply no reason for everyone to buy, store and maintain their own infrequently used household items. (C’mon folks, when was the last time both you and your neighbor needed a post-hole digger at the same time?!)
We shop to thrift stores, garage sales, and consignment shops.
Even my style conscious teenagers go to Buffalo Exchange to satisfy their trendy needs.
We give experiential gifts.
And yes, we even give used stuff as gifts.
We no longer shop as entertainment.
Strolling around the mall or even browsing a street of local shops is an unnecessary temptation.
I also think about the environmental and societal consequences of unnecessarily manufactured goods. I want no part in sweatshop labor!
Of course there have been times when buying used was impossible. But those purchases were few and far between. No one is going to be 100% perfect in anything they do, but if I can avoid 95% of new purchases, I call that a win.
For my wallet, my home, and the environment.
Katy Wolk-Stanley lives in her hometown of Portland, Oregon and both works as a labor and delivery nurse and blogs as The Non-Consumer Advocate and for The Huffington Post. She describes herself as a laundry-hanger-upper, utility bill scholar, library patron, teenage wrangler, nap enthusiast and citizen. She has featured in The NY Times, USA Today, The National Enquirer, The Happiness Project, and The Today Show.
How to Freeze Avocados
Never throw out an over-ripe avocado again! Head over to A Delightful Home for details on How to Freeze Avocados.
My completely honest review of Montessori by Mom Toolboxes
Awhile back, Montessori By Mom generously sent me one of their Monthly Toolboxes to review.
Montessori By Mom is small business operated by Nathan & Teresa Hadsall. I love their concept of monthly craft and educational toolboxes that encourage kids to do hands-on, creative activities to learn and explore different themes.
If you subscribe to their Monthly Toolbox Subscription, each month they’ll send you a box that contains everything necessary for hours and hours of Montessori-inspired activities that follow a theme to engage the imagination. Most Toolboxes also contain authentic, high-quality Montessori materials.
Each Toolbox Contains:
- Themed curriculum for many activities
- Online video instruction for activities and basic Montessori principles
- Online resources (with info and printables)
- All necessary materials
- Extension activities with other materials from home
- An online community of parents and teachers
All the curriculum and materials are curated by experienced, AMS accredited Montessori teachers. They also provide an online video to explain the how and why of each activity.
You don’t have to be a Montessori expert to provide a high quality Montessori education for your children. As long as you are subscribed, you will also have access to the online community where you can ask questions and interact with other parents.
They sent us this Art Appreciation Toolbox — which had a Masterpiece Art Collection, a Make Your Own Paint Set, and Montessori Shape Work Book. There were multiple activities you could do with each item: studying the paintings, matching the paintings to the artist, talking about different types of paintings and art, trying to paint the pictures, making your own paint, talking about blending colors to create new colors, talking about paint consistencies, being creative with your own paintings and artwork, talking about different shapes and how they show up in everyday life and in artwork… and the list could go on and on.
Our favorite parts of the kit were making our own paint and trying to match the colors in the artwork and then re-create the pictures they sent. We also enjoyed displaying some of the art on the little easel they sent and changing it out periodically. It’s a great way to encourage kids to notice and appreciate art.
The Montessori By Mom boxes are designed for kids ages 3-5, however, as you can tell from the pictures, Kaitlynn (8) and Silas (6) really enjoyed them. I thought most of the activities could be for a wide range of ages.
I loved that they sent so many projects and supplies. We were able to spend a long time working on the projects and my kids were very engaged in them. Honestly, I had to get in on the fun, too.
I mean when else have I had the opportunity to make homemade watercolors and then paint with them?
I was very impressed by the quality of the materials. They weren’t cheap, by any stretch of the imagination. And they definitely sparked a lot of creativity.
However, I would say that this is not the type of box you could just hand off to your child and let them have fun with it. My kids needed some supervision, help, and guidance with the projects.
I also expected there to be more detailed instructions and ideas sent with the box. They did give quite a few activity ideas, but I would have loved for them to have been spelled out in more detail.
I think the biggest drawback for me with the Montessori By Mom Toolboxes is the price. The cheapest option is $50 per month. And while it’s a quality box that you get and it has quite a few activities that you could spend hours doing, that’s still really expensive in my book.
You can get $10 off when you subscribe through this link (referral link) and it does support a wonderful small business, but it’s still a lot of money to invest in a monthly box of activities.
If you are looking for a monthly activity box that isn’t quite so expensive, you might check out my Completely Honest Review of KiwiCo.
A $250 Shopping Spree to Cents of Style?? Yes, please!
Who wants to win a $250 Shopping Spree to Cents of Style? I’m giving away one $250 Shopping Spree EVERY DAY for the next 3 days!
If you win, you can use it to buy some of our new line of shirts with Cents of Style. Or to spend on any of the other great sales they run and adorable items they offer!
{Psst! I talked to the great folks at Cents of Style today and they are offering an ongoing coupon code to get any of the shirts in our line for $19.95 shipped! Just use coupon code CHOOSE to get this deal. Yay!}
Just fill out the form below to enter to win*:
And then come back tomorrow to enter to win again!
Yesterday’s winner was: Jen (jenr126@) — you should have received an email with your code.
*Note: By filling out the form, you are agreeing to be added to the Cents of Style email list to be notified of sales they run. However, you are more than welcome to unsubscribe from their list at any time if you are not interested.
3 Strategies to Simplify Brown Bag Lunches
Want to start packing lunches for your kids, your spouse, or yourself to take to school or work each day? Here are three strategies to help you simplify and streamline the process:
1. Have a Plan
I know that this sounds so simple, but your success in actually following through with your good ideas and ambitions all hinges on actually having a plan. Just as you need to plan a menu for the week and buy the groceries to make those meals if you want to, you know, eat at home, you also need to have a plan for lunches you want to pack if you actually want them to be able to get packed!
Think ahead of time how many lunches you’ll be packing that week, what you’ll be packing, and what groceries you need to purchase. I recommend keeping it as simple as possible.
Don’t feel pressured by Pinterest pictures to think you need to come up with fancy new meal ideas every single day. Really, you don’t. Trust me on this.
Instead, rotate a few different sandwich options and side options throughout the week. It really won’t hurt anyone to eat the same thing a few times each week! 🙂
Write this list of lunch ideas down, write down the ingredients you need to buy, and then you can use this plan over and over again. I recommend typing it up and laminating it or keeping it in an app on your phone so that you never have do the planning work again.
If the thought of making the same thing over and over and over again just won’t work for you or your family, try a 4-week or 6-week rotating lunch menu. This is more work to plan and follow through with, but once you’ve made the plan and created a grocery list based upon the plan, again, your planning work is done.
Need some motivation to put forth the effort to plan and make lunches? How about considering how much money you’ll save by doing so.
Over the past 12 and a half years of our marriage, I’ve packed countless lunches, not only for when Jesse was in law school and then working outside the home, but also for myself and/or the kids when we are out and about for the day or on a field trip.
One time a few years ago, I sat down and did the math. And it astounded me!
I figured out that most of the lunches I’ve packed cost anywhere between $0.75 to $1.50 each (remember, that’s mostly because I’ve shop the sales, used coupons, and stocked up on items when they are at their lowest prices!). A lunch at a fast food restaurant is likely going to cost at least $4-$5 at a minimum.
Based upon these calculations, it is very safe to say that packing a lunch has saved us at least $3 each and every time. Over the course of the year, that could add up to as much as $750 saved — just for packing a lunch for one person!
And that could be a low figure. You see, if someone is eating out at nicer restaurants most days and spending $7-$12 per lunch, the savings would be significantly higher! In addition to the savings, there’s also the added benefit of homemade lunches also often being much more healthful for you as well–especially when compared with fast food meals.
2. Prep Ahead
Part of the drawback to packing a lunch is the part where you have to pack it. If only lunches just magically packed themselves, eh? 🙂
One of the best ways to make things simpler is to prep things in bulk. When you get back from the grocery store, wash and chop all the carrots and celery and store them in a little water in an airtight container in the fridge. Slice the cheese. Cut up the melon. Wash off the berries. Hard boil the eggs. Bake the chicken.
Have everything as ready to stick into a lunchbox as you possibly can. This will make packing a lunch a breeze and will give you little excuse not to actually make it happen.
I’ve also found that doing sack lunch prep the night before makes it so much easier. For some reason, I’m much more motivated and creative at nighttime than I am most mornings. Take a few minutes after dinner to figure out what you’ll be packing the next morning and even get as much as possible ready. You’ll never regret this in the morning!
A few of our favorite Make Ahead Lunch Ideas:
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Veggies
- Fruit
- Sliced Cheese & Crackers
- Homemade Soup — especially great for the colder months!
- Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets (these are great if you have access to a microwave at work
3. Use Your Freezer
One thing that helped me in packing lunches was to divvy up serving-size portions of muffins and cookies in baggies and stick them in the freezer. Then, when I’m packing lunches, I can just pull a few of these baggies out to add to the lunch and round things out.
Baggies of muffins and cookies are also great to have on hand for when we’ll be out and about running errands. Being prepared with our own food means we divert the urge to make a quick stop through the drive thru!
A few of our favorite Freezer-Friendly Lunch Ideas:
- Freezer-Friendly Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
- Freezer-Friendly Banana Bread
- Easy Morning Glory Muffins
- Homemade Energy Bites
- Brown Bag Burritos
- Homemade Pizza Pockets
- Southwest Roll-ups
- Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
Looking for more make-ahead sack lunch ideas? Check out my Lunchbox Freezer Cooking series. And speaking of prepping ahead of time, you might also want to check out my post on 8 Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas.
Note: MightyNest sent us some products to try out. Here are the products featured in the pictures in this post: Blue Lunchbox, Green Ice Pack, Neon Green Container, Divided Container, Black Lunchbots Rounds, Silver Insulated Bottle, and Green Din-din Spoon and Fork Set.
Shared Jul 28, 2015
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48-Hour Giveaway: Dressing Your Truth Course + $200 Gift Card (1 Winner)
48-Hour Giveaway: Dressing Your Truth Course + $200 Gift Card (1 Winner)
I am SO excited to be bringing you another Dressing Your Truth Giveaway! The last Dressing Your Truth giveaway was one of the most popular and most-talked-about giveaways I’ve ever done.
In fact, since then, I’ve had reader after reader come to me and thank me for recommending this course and tell me how much it’s transformed their life and how they think about what they wear.
For those of you who missed my first review, here it is:
I first heard about the Dressing Your Truth® Course from a reader who highly recommended it to me and suggested that I look into it.
At first, I didn’t really think it was something for me. After all, I’m the girl with the minimalist wardrobe. The girl who only wore a few colors. The girl who would happily wear the same thing over and over and over again.
But as more and more people recommended it, I decided to just at least take a peek at it. I was intrigued enough that when the folks at Dressing Your Truth asked if I’d write a review of their program, I told them I’d consider it.
However, I said I would only write a review on two conditions: 1) That I loved the program and found it to be very helpful and 2) if they’d do a giveaway for my readers.
In all honesty, I didn’t think I’d like the program. I thought I’d probably watch one or two of the lessons and decide it just wasn’t worth my time or your time. So I doubted I’ll actually end up even writing a review or running a giveaway.
Boy, was I ever wrong!
I actually ended up finding the entire course utterly fascinating! And many, many of you who have been with me in person over the past few months have not only heard me passionately sharing about it, you’ve also probably noticed that I’m gradually shifting over to wearing much more bold and bright colors.
Why? Because going through the course helped me to really solidify what type of person I am and what colors and styles really mesh with my inner personality and bents. It’s been amazing to me to realize that when I dress in accordance to the type of personality I have, I feel much more confident and energetic.
What is the Dressing Your Truth Course?
In the Dressing Your Truth course you’ll discover which of the 4 Types of beauty you express, plus learn the tools for how to express your true beauty through your clothes, accessories, makeup and hair.
This 3-hour course teaches you about the 5 elements of style—color, fabrication, texture, design lines, and pattern—and how to determine what type of person you are and how you should dress for that type. It shares in-depth suggestions for not only clothes, but also accessories, makeup, and hair.
By helping you learn exactly what looks best on you, the Dressing Your Truth course not only transforms your outward appearance to match your inner true personality, but it also saves you a lot of time and effort because you’ll be able to streamline your wardrobe down to those styles and colors and patterns that look best on you and fit your personality type.
Caveat: Some of the parts of the course are a little “out there” and borderline weird. But overall, I found the course to be very interesting and engaging, very thought-provoking, and very eye-opening to me. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to approach clothes and how I dress in the same way again as a result of going through this course.
It’s been close to 10 months since I’ve gone through the course. Since then, I’ve slowly weeded out the items from my wardrobe that aren’t my type. I’ve found that knowing exactly what works for me makes getting dressed and shopping for clothes so much easier. I can almost instantly spot what will and won’t work, I have much more confidence about putting outfits together, and more and more, people are asking ME for input and ideas on their clothes and outfits!!
Let me tell you, that completely surprises me each and every time it happens. But I’m always more than happy to share what I’ve learned! If I can help someone else have the same experience I’ve had in discovering what styles and colors best suit their personality, I’m all about that!
Since I last ran a giveaway, the course has been updated to include new information, more transformations and a member’s area called DYT Life that helps you apply the information beyond your outer appearance.
Want to Go Through the Dressing Your Truth Course for FREE?
One reader will win both the Dressing Your Truth online course and a $200 shopping spree to spend in the Dressing Your Truth online store! This life-changing course also includes hours of personal style training, DYT Club Membership, outfit guides, monthly online events, and much more. The Dressing Your Truth online store features customized apparel, jewelry, accessories and makeup—all handpicked for each of the 4 Types of beauty.
To enter, click on the graphic below and type in your name and email address. One winner will be chosen and posted next week. This giveaway ends Thursday, July 30, at 11:59 pm, CST.
Introducing our new Retail Sales Coupon Database!
Many of you have fallen in love with our Grocery Store Coupon Database so you’ll be excited to know that we now have a new feature on our site — the Retail Sales Coupon Database, powered by SaleHoot.
This Retail Sales Database will keep you updated on coupons and offers for online stores that I know many of you regularly shop at. Be sure to check it out before making an online purchase to see if there’s a coupon for what you’re planning to buy.
Head over here to check it out. You can access it all the time by click on the Retail Sales button in the header above on MoneySavingMom.com.
You can search by coupon type, sale offer, or sale category.
And/or you can search by store name.
You can thumbs up any sales you love or share the sales on Facebook or Twitter.
Please note: We’re just testing this out over the next little bit and hope to add more features to it down the road. We welcome your feedback and suggestions.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Shared Jul 27, 2015
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Looking for a simple way to make a little difference on a tight budget?
Looking for a simple way to make a little difference on a tight budget?
This Back to School season, Dollar General and Unilever are teaming up to create a brighter future for our children by helping to nurture minds and bodies through affordable meal solutions and literacy program.
Looking for a way to make a difference but are short on cash right now? Here’s something simple you can do: Head to Dollar General’s Facebook page, fill out the form here, and share how you plan to help create a brighter future with the hashtag #DGBrightFuture.
It literally takes seconds to do and for everyone who shares how they plan on creating a #DGBrightFuture, Unilever will donate $1 to the DG Literacy Foundation — up to $20,000!
It’s a simple and free way to make a small difference!
Legal Disclaimer: Between 6/22-8/16/15, Unilever will donate $1.00 to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for every person who supports the Unilever Bright Future Movement. Maximum donation of $20,000. For information on the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, see here for more details. For information on the Unilever brightFuture Movement, visit this link.
{This post was underwritten by Lunchbox. Read our disclosure policy here.}
I’d love to meet you in San Diego on August 15, 2015!
Our team is so excited to be bringing our one-night Say Goodbye to Survival Mode event to San Diego on August 15, 2015!
This evening will be encouraging, inspirational, and actionable. I’ll be sharing from my heart and giving you practical steps to take to:
- Stop living life feeling stuck, exhausted, and overwhelmed
- Determine your most important priorities & find time to invest in what really matters
- Break free from the lie that whispers “I’m not good enough”
- Move past loneliness and build authentic friendships with other women
If you could use a boost to live with more intention, joy, and purpose, you won’t want to miss this special one-night event!
San Diego Say Goodbye to Survival Mode Event Details
When: Saturday, August 15, 2015 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (PDT)
Where: Canyon View Church of Christ, 4292 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92117
What: A night of encouragement, laughter, inspiration, and getting to meet other local MoneySavingMom.com readers. Plus, I’ll be sticking around afterward to get to meet and hang out with everyone who comes!Go grab your tickets here. And invite a friend, too!
Psst! We have a special group rate for those who’d like to invite a group of women to come.
Any questions? Submit them here and we’ll be glad to answer them for you!
And if you’re planning to attend, be sure to RSVP on the Facebook Page here and then share the link with others you think would love to attend, as well.
P.S. Don’t live in the San Diego area and want to have us bring this one-night Say Goodbye to Survival Mode event to your church or women’s group in late 2015 or 2016? We’d love to chat with you about that! Just fill out this form here and we’ll be in touch with more information on dates we have available and how we can serve your church or women’s group.
Gretchen’s $40 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Dillons
1 Kroger Shredded Cheese (16 oz) – $2.99
1 loaf Nature’s Own Bread – $3.39, used $0.20 Ibotta rebate – $3.19 after rebate
1 Kroger Half and Half – $1.99
3 half gallons Dillons Milk – $1 each
1 General Mills Chex Clusters – $2.99, used $1/1 printable AND $1 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.99 after coupon and rebate
2 Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Energy Cereal – $2 each, used 2 $0.50/1 printable – $1.50 each after coupons
2 pkg Frozen Waffles/Pancakes – $1 each, used $0.75/2 e-coupon – $0.63 each after coupon
1 Zone Bar – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Lara Bar – $1, used $0.40/1 e-coupon – $0.60 after coupon
1 dozen Dillons Eggs – $2.53
8 Larabars/ZoneBars – Marked down to $0.25 each, used $0.20 Ibotta rebate
1 Skinny Cow Iced Coffee – $1.67, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 bag Oranges – Marked down to $0.99
1 bag Apples – Marked down to $0.99
1 bag frozen Peas – $1
1 Cottage Cheese – $1
1 Horizon Grahams – Marked down to $0.99
2 Ramen Noodles – $0.20 each
1 bag Kroger Spinach – $2.50
2 Squash/Zucchini – $1.11
1 bunch Tomatoes – $1.33
1 Old El Paso Refried Beans – Marked down to $0.59, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.09 after coupon
1 bag Organic Carrots – $1.50, used $0.20 Ibotta rebate – $1.30 after rebate
1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $0.99
1 Broccoli Crown – $0.70, used $0.20 Ibotta rebate – $0.50 after rebate
4 Cucumbers – $0.50 each
Total with tax after coupons and rebates: $40.90
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfast
Cereal & Juice x 3
Toast & Eggs x 3
Protein Waffles, Eggs, Fruit
Lunches
Crackers/Cheese/Fruit/Veggies x 2
Macaroni & Cheese, Veggies
Tossed Salad, Cottage Cheese
Baked Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Fruit
Leftovers
Dinners
10 Minute Baked Ziti, Biscuits, Tossed Salad
Chicken/Squash Skillet, Tossed Salad
Pancakes/Waffles, Eggs, Fruit Smoothies
Venison Stew, Steamed Peas, Homemade Bread
Dinner with family
Chicken Drumsticks, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Chicken & Rice, Tossed Salad
Large Family Meal Planning
Have a large family or just wonder how they stay organized? Head on over Free Homeschool Deals for Jamerill’s post on Large Family Meal Planning.
Gretchen’s $1.56 Target Shopping Trip
Target Shopping Trip
1 Hunts Snack Pack Pudding – $0.91, used 25% off Cartwheel coupon – $0.68 after coupon
2 Dr Pepper – $0.88 each, used $1/2 printable – $0.38 each after coupon
2 Bounty Basic Paper Towels – $0.97 each, used 2 $0.50/1 printable – $0.47 each after coupon
2 L’Oreal Hair Stylers – $3.99 each, used 2 $2/1 Target printable AND $1/1 printable AND $2/1 printable AND 10% off Cartwheel coupon – $0.29 each after coupons
2 Divergent DVD’s – $8 each (On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off), Used 2 $5/1 printable – $1 each after coupons
Used $5 Target gift card from last week’s shopping trip
Total after coupons: $1.56 (I only had to pay tax!)