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Shared Oct 22, 2014 comment

Ask The Readers: Frugal Toddler Clothes?

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 22, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ask-the-readers-blue
Today’s questions is from Sara:

What is the best, most frugal store or website to buy new toddler clothes?

I’ve been blessed to have a friend supply nearly all of my daughter’s clothes through hand-me-downs, but now that friend is moving away, and I’ve been caught off guard.

I have tried shopping clearance sales and thrift stores, but everything is out of season at this point, and we’re headed quickly towards cold weather with only three long-sleeved shirts. I am employed out of the home full time, so time is a precious resource as well.

Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Oct 21, 2014 comment

This Week’s $103 Grocery Shopping Trip + Menu Plan for 5

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 21, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ALDI Shopping Trip

Bananas — $0.44 per pound — $3.42 (Got $0.25 back from Checkout51.)
2 packages of Multi-Colored Peppers — $2.49
2 bags of mixed veggies — $0.99 each
Butter — $3.49
3 bags of Gala apples — $2.99 per bag (Got $0.25 back from Checkout51.)
Avocados — $0.99 each
Bag of onions — $0.99
2 cucumbers — $0.49 each
2 boxes of shredded wheat — $1.99 per box
Peanut butter — $1.69

Total with tax — $38.23

Kroger Shopping Trip

2 dozen eggs — $2.99 per dozen
Italian sausage — $4.99
Sliced cheese — $3.49
Travel sized toothpaste — $1
Travel sized body wash — $1.09
Half & Half — $2.69
1 gallon of milk — $2.99
Smoked turkey — $26.63
2 lbs. ground sirloin –5.99 per pound
Total with tax: $65.35

Total for all groceries: $103.58

Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Bacon & Eggs or Oatmeal

Lunches

Sandwiches or Leftovers (We had Protein French Toast and Pumpkin Protein Pancakes for lunch on Sunday.)

Snacks

Popcorn
Fruit/Veggies
Cheese
Apples with Almond Butter
Pumpkin Pie Smoothies
Healthy Cake in a Mug

Dinners

Dinner with our small group — We did a salad bar this week and we brought hard boiled eggs, chopped peppers, salad dressing, sunflower seeds, and avocados.
Leftovers
Italian Sausage and Sweet Potatoes
Crockpot Stuffed Peppers
Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Dinner Out

What’s on YOUR menu this week? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Oct 21, 2014 comment

How I Saved Today: How we got a 15% discount just for asking!

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 21, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

My Sunday afternoon: At Jesse’s softball game, taking time to soak in a beautiful fall day, and enjoying perusing some magazines and reading a little from this thought-provoking book. (So far, I’m disagreeing with some of the premise of the book, but am being inspired to have more quiet in my life and to take time to engage in activities that really fill my soul.)

We had such a wonderful weekend! I was mostly offline — which was a needed change after spending most of the last few weekends completely focused on book-writing.

Jesse took the kids geo-caching for the first time and they loved it. They are already begging to go again! 🙂 If you’ve never tried this fun activity before, they highly recommend it. I can’t wait until I can go with them!

We spend Sunday afternoon at the ball park for Jesse’s softball games. I got in a little reading and soaked up the crisp fall day and wonderful sunny weather!

My How I Saved tip for today is to always ask for a discount. We were shopping for clothes for some of the kids this weekend. As we went to check out, the cashier asked us if we’d like to open up a credit card with the store we were at so we could save 20% off our purchase.

We said no, but then Jesse asked lightheartedly, “Could we still get the discount?”

We expected the cashier to smile and say no. But instead, she said, “Well, I can’t give you 20% off, but I CAN give you 15% off.”

It never hurts to ask for a discount!

How Did YOU Save Today?

Leave a comment on this post telling us how you saved today. Just for fun, I’ll choose one winner and send them a $25 iTunes gift card.

The winner of the Papa John’s gift card was Amber {minimouse216@}

Shared Oct 21, 2014 comment

When You’re So Proud of Your Friends (+ enter to win a copy of God Made Light)

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 21, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve been acquainted with Jessica and Matthew Paul Turner for a few years, but it’s only been since we’ve moved to the Nashville area that I’ve really gotten to know them well. And let me tell you, these two are the real deal.

They’ve loved on us, invited us into their home multiple times, asked us to come with them to events, listened to us, and gone out of their way to truly welcome us to Tennessee. Their friendship has been a gift to us and has been an answer to many prayers we’ve prayed for authentic friendships and community.

You know how there are people who just make you feel so special and loved and cared for? That’s the Turners.

And I couldn’t be prouder of them today as they are launching their brand-new children’s book called God Made Light. They have poured years into this project and have funded it with a significant portion of their savings.

This book is a playful, whimsical adventure through the creation of light. It encourages children to remember that they were created for a purpose — to shine and make a difference in this world.

I am really hoping that this is the first of many children’s books they produce because it’s beautiful and so meaningful. The pictures are very well done and its rhyming lyrics make it so fun to read!

This book would make a great gift for Christmas presents this year. Plus, DaySpring has partnered with Matthew and Jessica to produce a line of adorable products you can purchase in addition to the book. My favorite product was probably the encouragement cards, but my kids thought the puzzle and night light were the best. 🙂

You can get free shipping from DaySpring if you purchase $35 worth of God Made Light products and use coupon code SHIPLIGHT at checkout.

You can read more about the book, the message behind it, and see pictures of the inside of the book over on Jessica’s blog. Also, be sure to check out Matthew’s post on What Happens When 11 Publishers Say “No”.

To purchase a copy or read reviews from others, you can head over to Amazon here.

Win a Copy of God Made Light!

I know not all of you can afford to purchase God Made Light, so I wanted to buy 10 books to give away to readers here. To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post telling us who you would give this book to if you win a copy.

I’ll choose 10 winners on Thursday and will notify the winners via email.

And the winners are:

Jane (jane_jaimes2731@)
Megan (megsmiller@)
Kate (kate.e.rhea@)
Theo-Ann (tpfrog2001@)
Mickey (mickeydachs@)
Denise (kdhannibal@)
Maria (mjsotomayor@)
Kathy (southerncountertops@)
Shaunta (taychambers@)
Tamboliya (tamboliya@)

Shared Oct 21, 2014 comment

How I Slashed My Monthly Vegetable Bill By 53%

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 21, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Cassie of Vegan Insanity

I’ve been vegan for over a year now. When I first made the switch to a plant-based diet, I spent an enormous amount of money on vegetables. Since I have them with pretty much every meal, I was buying them in abundance, and my bank account was showing that.

I started doing a bit of research and experiments to see if I could save a serious amount of money on my produce – and I did! In fact, last month I gave myself a budget of $30 per week for my produce purchases (at that point I was spending about $60), and came in under budget by $6!

Here’s what I did to save money on vegetables:

1. Check the discount rack.

My local grocery store has a discounted produce rack, and every time I went shopping, I would check it out for veggies that I could use. I often walked away with peppers, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes (among other things) for 50% off or more!

Some vegetables had to be used right away, some would last a few days, and some of them I would stick in the freezer for later use.

2. Scour the farmer’s markets.

Farmer’s markets were a lifesaver for me last month! I went every weekend, and I always scored a ton of great deals when I was there.

I would usually show up about 30 minutes before closing time, and would ask the vendors for rock-bottom prices on their remaining vegetables. Most of them accepted!

One of the best deals I scored at the farmer’s market was a 10 pound box of bell peppers for just $5! I brought them home, washed them, cut them up, and popped them in the freezer. Now I have months’ worth of peppers in the freezer for soups, chili, and more!

3. Pick your own.

If you don’t have a farmer’s market nearby, check to see if there are any farms in your area, and if they offer “pick your own” vegetables.

Many farms allow you to pick your own potatoes, tomatoes, fruits and more – for a lot less cash than what you’d pay at a grocery store.

Plus, a trip to the farm is a fun family outing!

4. Shop in season.

One of the biggest things I did to lower my costs on veggies was to stop buying things I wanted, and instead only purchased the things that were in season.

When produce is in season, it’s not only much cheaper, but it also tastes way better.

Visit Fruits & Veggies More Matters to learn all about in-season produce and when you buy your favorite vegetables (and fruit).

These are the ways that I was able to cut my bill on veggies by 53%. Since this experiment was so successful, I’ve decided I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing.

There are always ways to save on foods that make up a big part of your diet, no matter what they are!

What are some ways that you’ve been able to save money on vegetables?

I’m Cassie – vegan food lover, money-saver, and blogger. I live in Vaughan, Ontario, right near the big city of Toronto, with my husband, our 2 kids, 3 cats, and a dog that thinks he’s a cat, too. I love to cook and share delicious vegan food with everyone I know.

photo source

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Shared Oct 20, 2014 comment

Cutting Back on Caffeine… or maybe not?

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 20, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I had fully planned to stick it out through the end of the month with my Cutting Back on Caffeine commitment for October (cutting back from two cups of coffee per day to one cup per day), but it’s kind of really starting to stink. As in, it’s messing with my sleep patterns and habits.

You see, ever since I went down to just 1 1/4 cups, I have fallen asleep at least an hour or two before I was planning to and then have had trouble getting up in the morning when I planned to do so.

So, you might not think this is a big problem. Except it is, because I keep falling asleep before taking my contacts out, washing my face, or taking my pills before bed (I am currently on a few different medications because of some health issues + my usual vitamins)… and well, I keep waking up at 3 a.m. or so realizing that I accidentally fell asleep before doing my nightly routine. So then I have to get up and do my before bed routine and then that wakes me up so much that I have trouble falling back to sleep. Which, in turn, means I sleep in later than I was planning to and wake up feeling like I still need more sleep.

Yes, I know these seem like such trivial problems to have, but I feel like cutting back on that one cup of coffee is kind of wreaking havoc on my life. And it’s just not worth it… especially while I’m in the middle of mothering, developing relationships in a new community, running a business, and writing a book.

So, even though I’m not usually a quitter, I’m going to give myself grace and just say that this experiment has gone on long enough and I’m going back to my two cups of coffee per day.

Stay tuned for November’s 12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge. 🙂

Shared Oct 20, 2014 comment

6 Goals For This Week + An Update on Last Week’s Goals

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 20, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m going to be out of town at a conference half of this week, so I’m keeping my goals short and sweet. 🙂

Last week’s goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Finish reading Teddy’s Button aloud to the kids at lunch time. {We made an executive to stop this book and instead Kathrynne begged if she could start reading Sir Bentley aloud to us. I was happy to oblige. She’s been reading this series and loving it so much that she wanted to share it with us.}

2. Have a movie night with Jesse. {Does watching the Royals game together count?}

~~3. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

~~4. Start a new sewing or handwork project.~~ {I started knitting a scarf.}

Personal Goals

5. Work on reviewing and memorizing Romans 1 and Romans 2:1-3.

6. Finish reading I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t), A Proper Pursuit, and a few other titles. {I made some good headway on my own book-reading this week, but I didn’t finish any books yet. Look for an update later this week, when I hopefully will have finished a few books and will have some short reviews to share. :)}

~~7. Run or exercise at least 5 times.~~

Business Goals

~~8. Continue to work on chapters 8 and 9 of my book manuscript.~~

~~9. Write answers to questions for an upcoming online interview.~~

~~10. Finish my first article for an upcoming magazine column.~~

This week’s goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. At least 3 days, read aloud with the kids and/or listen to Kathrynne read Sir Bentley. {My plan is for her to read while we fold laundry. We’ll see if that plan pans out.}

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

3. Work on reviewing and memorizing Romans 1 and Romans 2:1-3.

4. Finish at least two books.

5. Run or exercise at least 4 times.

Business Goals

6. Finish chapters 8 and 9 of my book manuscript, start on chapter 10.

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Shared Oct 20, 2014 comment

Five Frugal Family Fun Ideas (+ Win a Copy of In This House, We Will Giggle!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 20, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Courtney of CourtneyDeFeo.com

The conversation starts so pure and with great intention. You are a fun mom, thank you very much! You want your kids to have fun – but you forgot one thing. When you ask your kids questions, you will get honest answers.

For instance: “Kids! How would like to have some fun today? What would you like to do?”

Child 1 – “Go to Disney?”

Child 2 – “Go buy new clothes?

Child 3 – “Go get ice cream?”

Child 1 – “Okay, fine, how about Six Flags?”

Child 2 – “Just a headband then?”

Child 3 – “Can we make milkshakes?”

And you just see dollar signs and exhaustion. Here are just a few simple ideas on how to have some family fun without spending money and or too much time.

1. Have Box, Will Create

The next time a box comes in your house (or you see a giant moving box around a friend’s house) – grab it! Save it!

Challenge your family to make it into a sailboat, rocket ship, school bus or playhouse. You would be surprised what a family can create together – just need imagination and household supplies.

2. Raid The Closets

Set the timer and tell the kids they have 1 minute to find their best outfit in mom and dad’s closet – they will have two minutes to prepare a song or dance for the group.

If they picked dad’s outfit – they must sing or dance like him. If they picked mom’s outfit – yep, they are impersonating mom. Respectfully, of course.

3. Hide That Treasure

Our family started this tradition years ago and it’s a winner.

We had an old antique “pink lady” that I strongly disliked as a child. I wanted it out of my room. So my mom hung onto it and planted it in my home as an adult. I discovered it and giggled. Then, I hid it back in her house and then it became a game.

Find an old treasure or trinket and keep moving it from house to house in your extended family. The hunt and thrill of the game becomes highly amusing among the cousins.

Or, play the same game with your immediate family members: hide an item somewhere in the house and then see who finds it first. When they find it, they have to re-hide it. And so on and so forth.

4. Sneaky Giving

There is something in your house that a neighbor would enjoy. As a family, make a surprise treat bag or donate a toy to a child. Go deliver to your neighbor’s porch with an anonymous note. All the family has to sneak together.

Don’t get caught! Generosity is more fun when it’s a surprise!

5. Kitchen Dance Party

Our family loves all of the free stations on Pandora. Get dad to play DJ and just pick your nightly dance spot. Challenge each family member to their best moves – the sprinkler, the worm, anything goes.

Remember, family fun doesn’t have to cost a dime. Just pick a tradition and go for it. Don’t forget to giggle!

Courtney DeFeo is the creator of ABC Scripture Cards featured on “The View” and author of In This House, We Will Giggle. She is a graduate of Auburn University and has worked in marketing for Chick-fil-A. Courtney and her husband, Ron, are the parents of two children. To connect with Courtney, visit CourtneyDeFeo.com.

Win a Copy of In This House, We Will Giggle!

Need some fresh ideas and inspiration for making virtues, love, and laughter apart of your daily life as a family? Check out Courtney’s new book, In This House, We Will Giggle. I got my copy recently and can’t wait to read it soon!

I’d love to give away a copy to three readers today. Just leave a comment telling us your favorite frugal family fun idea.

I’ll choose three comments on Wednesday and will send you a free copy of Courtney’s book!

Update ~ And the winners are:

Shanda (sgcwarren@)
Karly (mommy2boysx2@)
Jocelyn (providentmom@)

photo source

Shared Oct 17, 2014 comment

ALDI Named the Nation’s Low-Price Grocery Store for the Fourth Year in a Row!

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 17, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

As you well know, ALDI is hands down one of my very favorite grocery stores. I’ve sung the praises of ALDI over and over here on my blog.

A few reasons I love ALDI:

I love the low prices on staple ingredients — We’ve found that we’ll usually save at least $30 to $40 per week by shopping at ALDI over the regular grocery store. I love that we can consistently get low prices without having to even mess with pairing coupons with sales.
I love the simplicity — they only carry one brand/type of item to choose from so it streamlines my grocery shopping.
I love the small atmosphere — it’s so quick to get in and out of the store because it’s small. I can grab what I need,
I love the no-frills approach — ALDI is all about keeping the main thing, the main thing. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles, which keeps their overhead costs down significantly and allows them to keep their prices low.
I love the produce prices — A 3-pound bag of Gala apples for $1.99? Yes, please! I love that I can count on ALDI to always have at least 2-3 really amazing produce sales each week!

Yes, my love for ALDI runs deep and wide! So I was excited to see that they were named the nation’s low-price grocery store for the fourth year in a row, according to a survey conducted recently.

Here’s the press release:

Batavia, Ill. – August 6, 2014 – Discount grocer ALDI was recognized as the nation’s low-price grocery leader for the fourth year in a row, according to a recent consumer survey* conducted by Market Force Information, Inc., the world’s leading customer intelligence solutions company. When asked to rank the top grocers offering low prices, consumers ranked ALDI ahead of competitors such as Costco, Walmart and Trader Joe’s. Consumers also named ALDI one of the top three favorite grocery store chains in America**.

“It’s no surprise that ALDI continues to be recognized as the low-price grocery leader,” said Jason Hart, president, ALDI. “However, these latest survey findings prove that a growing number of consumers are choosing to shop at ALDI for more than just low prices.”

In addition to remaining the low-price grocery leader, ALDI maintained a top five ranking in the categories of Good Private Label Brands, Accurate Pricing and Tags and Sustainable Environment / Green Policies. ALDI also earned top-five rankings in three new categories: Courteous Staff, Fast Checkout and Nutrition / Health information.

“Our accelerated expansion plan is a testament to the millions of shoppers who have embraced the ALDI approach to offering the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices, in a simple and easy-to-navigate shopping environment,” added Hart. “Consumers are increasingly impressed with the high quality of our food and the fact that we offer a growing number of healthy, organic, gluten-free and better-for-you options, including nearly 70 varieties of fresh produce.”

ALDI announced in December 2013 that it intends to open 650 new stores across the country in the next five years.

This just makes me happy on so many levels. I’m happy that ALDI is receiving the recognition that they deserve for having such great prices. I’m happy that this means more people are saving money. And I’m thrilled that they are opening 650 new stores.

I’m really, really hoping that some of those 650 stores are going to be opened close to some of you who don’t have an ALDI nearby!

Not familiar with ALDI or need more convincing to try shopping there? Read my post on How Shopping At ALDI Saves Us Close to $1,000 Per Year.

Are you a fan of ALDI? Why or why not?

{Note: This post was underwritten by ALDI. All opinions are my own. As you well know, I’m kind of an ALDI groupie so I was more than happy to talk about this recent survey when they approached me about writing this post. 🙂 Read our disclosure policy here.}

Shared Oct 17, 2014 comment

How I Saved Today: My FREE order from ePantry.com!

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 17, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

So, remember when I told you about the great deal ePantry was offering to my readers on Mrs. Meyer’s products and other natural cleaners and products?

Remember how I also told that for a few days only, if you shared about ePantry with your friends and they made a purchase through your referral link, you’d get a $20 credit to ePantry?

Well, a number of you ordered through my link and helped me earn quite a bit of ePantry credit. (Thank you!)

Above is a picture of what I ordered from ePantry with my referral credit. I am excited to not only be able to use some of these products for our family, but also to have extras to give away to others. We’ve already had fun blessing some people with Mrs. Meyer’s products!

Psst! Interested in getting the deal on Mrs. Meyer’s products? You can find a very similar deal to the one I was offering over on MomAdvice.com through Tuesday only.

~~Tell Us How You Saved & You Could Win a $50 Papa John’s Gift Card!~~

~~Who wants to have free pizza on me?? Leave a comment telling us how you saved today and I’ll choose one comment and send you a $50 Papa John’s gift card so you can have dinner on me!~~

The winner of this giveaway was Amber {minimouse216@}

The winner of yesterday’s Starbucks gift card was Jessi (admin@). You should have received an email with details on how to claim your prize.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Oct 17, 2014 comment

Brigette’s $57 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on October 17, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 large Pumpkin (to cook up and freeze) – $2.99

1 gallon Milk – $3.69

2 packages bagged Italian Salad (@$0.99/each) – $1.98

1 quart Half & Half – $1.69

2 24-oz packages Zucchini (@1.39 each) – $2.78

1 3-lb package frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts – $6.49

1 3-lb bag Onions – $0.99

1 2-oz pure Almond Extract – $1.99

1 2-oz pure Peppermint Extract – $1.99

1 Cucumber – $0.49

1 3-lb bag Lemons – $2.69

1 24-oz package Roma Tomatoes – $1.19

3 1-lb packages frozen Ground Turkey (@1.69/each) – $5.07 (This is my first and probably last time buying these. I figured it was worth a try, since they are less than half the price of ground beef!)

1 jug Pumpkin Spice Creamer (Bad me, I know! I have been craving this stuff and between nursing a big baby and training for a half marathon next weekend, I am consuming massive amounts of calories. I am trying for healthy calories overall, but this is my splurge :))

1 3-ct package Green Peppers – $1.29

1 2-lb bag Carrots – $1.19

1 16-oz bag frozen Strawberries – $2.19

1 bunch Bananas (2.85lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $1.25, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51

Total: $41.44, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51

Harris Teeter (Trip #1)

1 jar Sharwoods Curry Sauce – $1.99, used $1/1 printable (doubled), plus $1/1 Harris Teeter evic – $1.00 MM after coupons

6 packs Trident Gum (@$1.00 each) – $6.00, used 3 $1/2 off Trident Singles exp. 11/22/14 (SS 10/12/14) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

2 boxes Muellers Hidden Veggie Pasta (@$1.00 each) – $2.00, used $1/2 Mueller’s Pasta Product, exp. 11/20/14 (SS 09/21/14 R)(doubled) – FREE after coupons

1 tube Colgate Optic White Toothpaste – $3.00, used $1/1 printable (doubled), plus $1/1 Harris Teeter evic – FREE after coupons

1 can Vidal Sassoon Hairspray – $3.49, used $2/1 Vidal Sassoon Shampoo or Conditioner, exp. 10/31/14 (SS 09/21/14) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

2 4-pk Dannon Yogurt (@2 for $4.00) – $4.00, used 2 $1/1 (These were insert coupons, but I am not seeing them in the database, so I am not sure where I got them from!) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

2 jars Earth Balance Coconut Peanut Butter – (@2 for $5.00) – $5.00, used 2 $1/1 printable (doubled) – $0.50 each after coupons

1 box Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch – $2.09, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.59 after coupons

2 jars Smuckers Natural Fruit Jam (@2 for $4.00) – $4.00, used $1.50/2 Harris Teeter catalina (doubled) – $0.50 each after coupons

2 12-oz packages Sorrento Stringsters – $6.00, used 2 $1/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00 each after coupons

2 Bird’s Eye Voila Alfredo Chicken (B1G1) – $5.69/2, used 2 $1/1 Birds Eye Voila Variety, exp. 11/13/14 (SS 07/27/14) (doubled) – $1.69/2 after coupons

2 18-ct cartons Eggs (@$1.77 each) – $3.54

Total after all Sales, Coupons, and Tax: $9.03

Harris Teeter (Trip #2)

1 container Dole Garden Soup – $2.50, used $1.00/1 printable (doubled), plus $1.00/1 Harris Teeter evic – $0.50 MM after coupons

4 packages Maruchan Bowls (@$1.00/each) – $4.00, used 2 $1/2 coupons (SS 08/17/14) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

4 packages Yakisoba Noodles (@$1.00/each) – $4.00, used 2 $1/2 coupons (SS 08/17/14) (doubled) – FREE after coupons

2 single El Monterey Burritos (@$1.00 each) – $2.00, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupons

4 cans Healthy Request Campbells Soup (@$2.15/each) – $8.60, used 2 $1/2 printable (doubled), plus $1.00 Harris Teeter evic and $0.50 Harris Teeter evic – $3.10/4 after coupons, plus receive a $1.00 catalina for buying 4 (which should doubled to $2.00 if I use it before next Wednesday)

1 jar Vlassic Farmer’s Garden Pickles – $2.50, used $1.00/1 printable (NLA) (doubled) – $0.50 after coupons

1 package Campbells To Go Soup – $3.19, used $1.00/1 printable (doubled), plus $1.00/1 Harris Teeter evic – $0.19 after coupons

2 Yellow Squash, reduced – $0.49

2 8-oz packages Kraft Cheese (@$1.69/each) – $3.38

Total after all Sales, Coupons and Tax: $7.16, plus receive $1.00 catalina back

Total for all Groceries for the Week: $57.63, plus receive $1.25 back in rebates

Weekly Menu

Breakfasts

Oatmeal x 3 (My kids have been BEGGING for oatmeal for breakfast recently! I stir in frozen fruit which they love and it helps it cool off faster!), Eggs and Toast x 2, Cereal x 2

Lunches

PB&J on Homemade Bread/Cucumbers/Apples; Leftovers x 2; Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar; Veggie Omelettes/Bananas; Tuna Sandwiches/Carrot Sticks; Baked Potatoes with Cheese/Green Pepper Slices

Dinners

Taco Salad, Peas

Venison in the Crockpot (The last of the venison from last year…REALLY hoping my husband gets some venison this year as well!), Sautéed Zucchini, Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

Out to Dinner with Friends

Best Chicken Pot Pie, Tossed Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing, Apple Slices

Leftovers

BBQ Chicken Pizza (without cilantro), Carrots

Three Cheese Baked Spaghetti, Steamed Broccoli, Leftover Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

Snacks

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Baked Apple Oatmeal

Shared Oct 17, 2014 comment

The Long Road Bag Tutorial

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 17, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Abi of The Modern Prairie Girl

This bag was made for those LONG road trips.

It holds everything, while still being slouchy enough to get crammed into the car with everything that’s brought along for a vacation! The Long Road bag is super quick and fun to make – so let’s get started!

Walk through it carefully, so you don’t miss anything that might be needed. Lay out your fabric pieces as you go, so it comes together without any mishaps!

I give you some ideas about what fabric choices that would be extra fun to use when you decide to whip up this bag. The handle is really unique. Having the knot or bow option leaves way for it being sized for a petite, regular or tall lady. You can adjust the length of your bag for a cross body style or if you just want it to hang from your shoulder.

The Long Road Bag

Finished flat measurements: 12” wide x 14 ½” tall x 2 ½” deep
Handle strap: 35” to 56”

Required Supplies:

fabric straps
- for outside bag two pieces 13”x10” top half
- for outside bag two pieces 13”x 6 ½” bottom half
- for lining two pieces 13”x 15 ¾”
- for handles two pieces 4”x36”
13” piece of lace (optional)
sewing machine
scissors
sewing pins
matching/coordinating thread

Notes on fabric:

I love to play with my fabric combinations, and I would encourage you to do it also! This bag would be super cute out of burlap, cotton velveteen, or a cotton home décor as well as a fun quilting weight cotton print.

Also, play off of your special piece of lace that you want to show off on your Long Road bag. Sew, have fun!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sew outside bag pieces, right sides together, along the 13” side. Press seam open. Pin and sew optional lace down to front of bag along the middle seam.

2. Sew outside bag right sides together. Turn bag to the side, matching bottom seam, with side seam. Pin both corners of bag.

Using a ruler, make a straight 2 ½” line. Use a pencil or marker to make your line. Sew down line and cut off excess peek of fabric. Turn bag right side out.

3. Take handle strips. Take one short end of each strip and turn the fabric in on itself ½”. Press. Turn the long sides in to meet in the middle of your strip. Fold over again, so raw fabric edges are encased. Sew along both long sides and the finished short end at 1/8”. Repeat with other strip.

4. Sew handles at each side of finished outside bag.

5. Take lining pieces and sew right sides together, leaving a 3” gap in the middle of the bottom of the bag. Repeat making gussets from step 2 for your lining.

6. Put finished outside bag inside lining. Stitch bag around the top at 5/8”. Clip off excess fabric around the top.

7. Pull outside bag through gap. Sew gap closed and push lining into the outside bag.

8. Topstitch around the mouth of your bag at ¼”. Put your bag on your should and knot or bow your handles at the top.

Your Long Road Bag is finished!

Keep in mind that this bag isn’t just for road trips, but any good times!

This bag is a great Christmas or birthday gift – especially if the recipient loves a beautiful handmade gift!

Sew… what are you waiting for? Have fun and please share your success story with me on the Modern Prairie Sewing facebook page.

designed & made by Abigail A. Long, author of Modern Prairie Sewing: 20 Handmade Projects for You & Your Friends. Head on over to her blog: The Modern Prairie Girl.

Shared Oct 16, 2014 comment

How I Saved Today: Making Starbucks Hot Cocoa at home!

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 16, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

You can take the girl out of Kansas but you can’t take the Kansas out of the girl. Representing our Kansas City Royals in the new shirt Jesse bought me and cheering them on as they head to the World Series!!

So, I’ve been a little quiet here the past two days.

Tuesday we had some big meetings here in Nashville with a team of people to discuss some future projects we’re working on (I’m just about ready to burst with excitement — more details coming soon!) and then we went over to hang out with some friends and watch the Royals game.

Our Nashville friends are {mostly} all rooting with us for our boys from Kansas City with us and we keep getting multiple generous offers to please come hang out while the games are on so that we can watch the games on real cable TV instead of our creative non-cable solution. 🙂

Wednesday morning, I got up in the wee hours of the morning to finish two business projects that were due yesterday. And well, by the time they were done, I was so tired, that I went back to bed at 8 a.m. and slept for a few hours. I guess my body was behind on sleep!

At any rate, it was so nice because we stayed home all day long yesterday. I never even made it out of my yoga pants. And a quiet day at home was just what my soul needed.

The highlight of yesterday was definitely the Royals winning and making it to the WORLD SERIES! If you know my husband, you know what a HUGE deal this is. I’m just so happy for him… this has been a dream of his since he was a little boy and he never believed it would actually happen. And it HAS!

Today, I finally got around to making the Starbucks Inspired Hot Cocoa that reader, Amber, shared with me a few days ago. She’d left a comment saying that they had made it and loved it… so naturally, because I love all things Starbucks, I asked her if she’d share the recipe. She graciously emailed it to me along with details.

I took the recipe and Trim Healthy Mama-fied it. So here’s the original recipe + my tweaks:

Starbucks Inspired Hot Cocoa

3 cups whole milk (I used one cup half and half + 2 cups almond milk.)
6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
4 Tablespoons sweetener of choice (I used Xylitol.)
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 oz. espresso
Pinch of Kosher salt

Put it all in Vita-mix and use the hot soup option (or start on 1 and gradually increase to 8 and leave there for 5-7 minute, until hot). If you don’t have a Vita-Mix, I’d recommend bringing it to a boil on the stove top, stirring constantly.

Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

We all agreed that this was very yummy! And it is definitely something I’ll be making again. It was so easy to make and such a fun treat — and much less expensive than Starbucks!

Tell Us How You Saved & You Could Win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card

How did YOU save today? Just for fun, I’m giving away a $50 Starbucks gift card to one reader who leaves a comment on this post telling us how you saved. I’ll choose and post a winner tomorrow.

This giveaway is over with and the winner is Jessi (admin@). You should have received an email with information on how to claim your prize.

The winner of this week’s earlier Mrs. Meyer’s giveaway is Riza {missriza@}. You should have received an email with details on how to claim your prize.

Shared Oct 16, 2014 comment

6 Books I Hope to Read This Week + 2 Books I Read Last Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 16, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Books I’ve Finished Recently:

Love, Skip, Jump — I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, but it encouraged me to continue to look for ways to be a giver in my everyday life.

Chaos to Clutter-Free — This ebook was a great refresher on the need for organization in our homes and the difference it makes. If you need some step-by-step organizing help, this would be a great place to start.

Books I Hope to Finish This Week

I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) — I’ve had this one started for quite awhile, and it’s good. It’s just deep and it’s taking me awhile to get through!

A Proper Pursuit — I’ve not started this book yet, but am really hoping to finally get this book read this week!

Nurturing the Soul of Your Family — This book was one I found when I was searching for another title and the premise resonated with me so I decided to pick it up. We’ll see what I think of it after reading it!

Addicted to Busy — This was another book that I found when looking for another title and thought it looked like a good read. Have you read it?

You and Me Forever — Multiple readers have said that I MUST read this book, so I’m excited to dive into it!

Me Before You — My friend, Ginger, told me this was one of her very favorite books so I knew I had to read it. 🙂

What I Listened To:

The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown — I’m slowly working my way through these CDs and gleaning so much. I especially have been contemplating her thoughts on shame versus guilt (Guilt says, “I did wrong.” Shame says, “I am wrong.”) Lots to ponder!

Movies We Watched:

Dispatches From the Front — My mom gave us this DVD and we watched it as a family on Sunday. It’s always so fascinating to learn about other cultures and beliefs and to see how God is moving and working in lives around the world.

And, of course, we’ve been watching lots and lots of baseball. How about our Kansas City Royals?? We can’t wait for the World Series. Even if our boys in blue don’t win, we’re so proud that they made it farther than most anyone thought possible this season.

What have you read recently? What are you planning to read this week? Any good book recommendations for me?

Shared Oct 16, 2014 comment

Snap App: Are you having trouble getting your rebates?

Published: by Crystal Paine on October 16, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A reader emailed in yesterday:

I, like a lot of other couponers, have been having HUGE issues with Snap lately and I’m thinking it would be great if you ladies could get someone from Snap to answer some questions about the SLOW processing times, rejected receipts, money disappearing from accounts, etc. You’ve probably already heard about all the issues they are having but if not just check their FB page. -Alison

I am trying to get to the bottom of this, because I’ve not had any trouble with the Snap App personally. However, I don’t want to be promoting something if there are a bunch of issues with it or people aren’t going to get their money.

So let me know: what has your experience been with Snap? Have you had any trouble with getting your cashback?

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Weekly Menu

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Snacks

The Long Road Bag

Required Supplies:

DIRECTIONS:

Your Long Road Bag is finished!

Starbucks Inspired Hot Cocoa

Tell Us How You Saved & You Could Win a $50 Starbucks Gift Card

Books I’ve Finished Recently:

Books I Hope to Finish This Week

What I Listened To:

Movies We Watched:

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