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Shared Mar 14, 2015 comment

Gretchen’s $46 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Gretchen on March 14, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Homeland

2 Skippy Peanut Butter – $2 each, used $0.55/1 printable (doubled) and $0.50/1 coupon from the 2/8 SmartSource insert (doubled) – $0.95 each after coupons

1 Post Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal – $2.50, used $1/1 coupon from the 2/8 SmartSource insert (doubled) – $0.50 after coupon

2 Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta – $1, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – Free after coupon

3 Dannon Oikos Yogurt – $0.88 each, used $1/3 printable (doubled) – $0.21 each after coupon

2 Yoplait Yogurt – $0.50, used $0.40/2 printable (doubled) – $0.10 each after coupon

2 Cucumbers – $0.69 each

1 bag Spinach – $1.89

2 Kraft Sliced Cheese – $2, used $1/2 printable (doubled) – $1 each after coupon

0.89 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.85, received $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $0.60 after rebate

Total with tax ($1.21) after coupons and rebate: $10.32

Dillons

1 SeaPak Shrimp Scampi – $4.34, used $1.50/1 coupon from the 2/8 SmartSource insert – $2.84 after coupon

1 pkg Kroger Bacon – $2.99, received $0.25 back from Ibotta – $2.74 after rebate

1 pkg Driscoll’s Raspberries – $2.99 AND 2 Lemons – $0.79 each, used $1/$4 produce mailer coupon

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $0.99

1.95 lbs Cabbage – $0.76

1 can Kroger Pineapple – $1.09

1 pkg Kroger Flour – $1.79

0.71 lbs Broccoli – $1.34

1 gallon Dillons Milk – $2.59, received $0.25 back from Ibotta – $2.34 after rebate

1 pkg French Bread – Marked down to $0.89

1 Hormel Rev Wrap – $1.99, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

Items a part of the Mega Sale (Buy 5, Get $5 off):

3 Frosted Flakes Cereal – $1.99, used $1/2 printable (no longer available) and $0.50/1 printable – $1.49 each after coupons

1 Breyers Ice Cream – $2.99

1 pkg Hormel Sliced Turkey – $2.49, used $0.50/1 coupon from the 3/8 SmartSource insert – $1.99 after coupon

2 Kraft Cheese – $1.79 each, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.29 after coupon

4 Quaker Oatmeal Bowls – $0.79 each, used 2 $1/2 coupon from the 3/1 RedPlum insert – $0.29 each after coupons

2 Irish Spring Gear Bodywash – $2.49, used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 2/22 SmartSource insert – $0.49 each after coupons

2 Mr Bubble Bubblebath – $0.99 each, used 2 $0.50/1 printable – $0.49 each after coupons

Total with tax ($2.56) after coupons and rebates: $36.06

Total for both stores: $46.38

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal x 2

Eggs/Toast/Fruit x 3

Oatmeal Cups

Biscuits & Jelly, Bacon

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Fruit

Pizza Quesadillas, Veggies

Tossed Salad x 2

Yogurt, Fruit, Cheese Slices

Cheese/Crackers/Veggies/Turkey Meat

Spinach Smoothies and Cheese Quesadillas

Dinners

Shrimp Scampi, Tossed Salad

Hoagie Sandwiches, Chips, Fruit (We still have fruit from the last 2 weeks of grocery shopping that needs to be used up.)

Steamed Cabbage & Cubed Venison, Rolls

Black Bean Quesadillas, Steamed Broccoli

Chicken Pockets, Steamed Cabbage, Sliced Apples

Lasagna Casserole, Oatmeal Raisin Muffins, Tossed Salad, Green Beans

Hawaiian Haystacks

Shared Mar 13, 2015 comment

From Coupon Mom to Latte Mom (Or Not!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 13, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Rachael of Thriving on Thrifty

You all know the different types of moms out there. You have ones like me, the frazzled couponer or you have the “well-put together-latte mom” as I call them.

Now, if you are a latte mom, please know that I am in no way putting you down. If anything, I have a bit of the jealous monster, hence this post. I always seem to write posts on being content, I guess I do so to remind myself of this important principle…

At the grocery store the other week, I frantically ran through the aisles scouring the shelves to find the items I had strategically planned to purchase with my purse full of coupons. Generally, I am a little more put together, but this was a particularly rough day.

As my children said “Hi!” to everyone in the store from the cart, I bent down to pick up items my son had so graciously pushed off the shelves onto the floor.

I looked up from my frazzled mess to see a mom come walking by in her yoga pants and Starbucks latte. It was almost in slow motion with cool music playing in the background (as you would see in a movie). She slowly pushed her perfect hair behind her ears and flashed a beautiful smile at her 2-year-old daughter dressed from head to toe in her Baby Gap outfit. She had very few items in her cart along with a large bouquet of beautiful flowers.

All of a sudden the music stops as my son accidentally kicks me in the head and snaps me back to reality.

Of course, the jealous monster starts to rage as I wish I could be her. I start wishing I could slowly browse the aisles picking out whatever looks good and not worry about costs. I wish I could take the time to slowly sip a latte and not worry about the next stop on my “once-a-week” trip into town. I wish my children could be dressed in this season’s trendy new clothes.

But as my child flashes a smile and a quick “hi” at the next passing stranger (yes, he is very outgoing), it reminds me of everything I DO have to be thankful for.

I have two beautiful children who look just as beautiful in last year’s clearance rack as they would in this year’s fashion trends. I have a basket full of food I get to feed my family. I have been blessed with the skills and passion to coupon and deal shop for that food and their clothes (hence, getting it free or very cheap). I have a wonderful, supportive husband who allows me to be able to stay home and raise our children everyday.

What else could I possibly ask for??

And you know what? If I stick to my budget and stay a “couponing mom”, maybe, just maybe I’ll be a “latte mom” some day! On second thought, I would miss the thrill of the couponing and deal-seeking! Only time will tell, but I do know for now I’m going to enjoy my current blessings.

How have you been blessed today?

Rachael is a stay at home mom of 2 beautiful children who looks for ways to save and loves scoring freebies. She is a couponer at heart and loves to share her deal-saving tips at her blog Thriving on Thrifty. Be sure to stop by and say hello!

photo source; photo source

Shared Mar 13, 2015 comment

Brigette’s $63 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 13, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 3-ct pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 large bag Kale – $1.99

2 1-lb pkgs frozen Ground Turkey – $3.78

2 pkgs Garden Salad – $1.18

1 5-lb bag Red Potatoes – $1.79

1 16-oz bag Tilapia Fillets – $3.49

1 bunch Bananas (2.07 lbs @ 0.35/lb) – $0.72, plus receive back $0.25 from Checkout 51 – $0.47 after rebate

1 3-head bag Garlic – $0.79

2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.98

1 24-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.99

3 16-oz pkgs Baby Carrots – $2.07

4 1-lb pkgs Butter (only $1.89 each!) – $7.56

2 8-oz cartons Mushrooms – $1.58

1 3-lb bag Yellow Onions – $0.99

1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.69, plus receive $0.25 back from Snap by Groupon – $1.44 after rebate

1 16-oz bag Frozen Peas – $0.89

Total after rebates: $35.98

Harris Teeter

10 8-oz bags shredded Cheese, various kinds (B2G3)- $13.00

1 gallon Milk – $2.99

1 12-oz bag Sorrento Stringsters – $2.49, used $1/1 Sorrento Galbani Stringsters or Sticksters Snack Cheese (SS 01/11/15 #2 R) – $1.49 after coupon

1 pkg Sargento Tastings Cheese – $1.49, used $0.75/1 Sargento Tastings Cheese, exp. 3/22/15 (SS 01/25/15) (doubled) – FREE after coupon

1 box Fiber One Protein Cereal – $3.00, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled), plus $0.75/1 Harris Teeter evic, plus receive $0.75 back from SavingStar – FREE after coupons and rebate

1 box Tetley Tea – $1.29, used $0.75/1 Tetley Tea, exp. 3/31/15 (SS 02/08/15 R) (doubled) – FREE after coupon

1 head Cabbage (3.60lbs @ $0.25/lb) – $0.90, plus receive 20% back from SavingStar – $0.72 after rebate

2 8-oz Dawn – $2.00, used 2 $0.25/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00/2 after coupons

1 32-oz bag frozen Spinach – $2.29

2 Yoplait Yogurts – $1.00, used $0.40/2 printable (doubled) – $0.20/2 after coupon

4 pkgs McCormick Gravy Mix – $2.00, used 2 $0.50/2 McCormick Gravies, exp. 4/12/15 (RP 03/08/15 R) – FREE after coupons

1 8-oz container Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa – $3.89 (NOT a good price – but Aldi was out of cocoa powder today, and I NEEDED cocoa powder! :))

Total after tax and rebates: $25.90

Flower Foods Bakery

6 pkgs Bread and Hoagie Buns (reduced to $0.33 each) – $1.98

Total: $1.98

Weekly Total: $63.86

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Oatmeal and Strawberries (from the freezer) x 3

Veggie Omelettes x 2

French Toast with Homemade Strawberry Chia Jam x 2

Lunches

Cheese Sticks, Crackers, Carrot Sticks, Bananas x 2

Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar (Lettuce, Kale, Mushrooms, Carrots, Boiled Eggs, Shredded Cheese, Sunflower Seeds), Toast x 2

Baked Sweet Potatoes, Apple Slices, Tuna

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Egg Roll in a Bowl, Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes with Ham (a friend gave us a huge ham this week!), Sautéed Zucchini, Tossed Salad

Chicken and Gravy over Brown Rice, Steamed Buttered Carrots, Toast

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Oranges

Pan Fried Tilapia, Baked French Fries, Tossed Salad, Steamed Peas

Date Night (SO excited for a night out with my man! :))

Leftovers

Snacks

Smoothies, Popcorn, Yogurt, Cheese Sticks, Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars

Shared Mar 12, 2015 comment

One of the greatest gifts you have to offer: The ministry of your presence

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 12, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

{The four of us together at a cabin in the mountains last year.}

The four of us met two years ago at the SheSpeaks Intensive. We were all in the same breakout group at the conference together and we connected within the first day.

We live in 4 different time zones. Our age range spans about 15 years. But, despite this, God knit our hearts together and forged a deep and lasting bond between us.

We’re all authors and speakers trying to manage full lives, fulfill the calling God has given us, and keep our families as our main priorities. We all have very diverse backgrounds and stories, but similar struggles. And we all knew we needed some safe friends to join us in this sometimes tumultuous and exhausting journey.

From the get-go, we committed to be all in as friends. To make our friendship a priority. To speak the truth. To cheerlead. To love well. To always believe the best. And to deal with conflict immediately.

Over the past two years, our bond has been strengthened as we’ve weathered a lot of life together…

{At the Launch Conference together last year with a “Flat Stanley Renee”.}

We’ve celebrated book launches and successes. We’ve cried together over heartache and struggles. We’ve laughed over the silliest of things.

We’ve prayed countless prayers… over health issues, big decisions, personal struggles, and so much more. We’ve walked through the death of loved ones together.

We’ve stayed up way too late talking together in person. And we’ve blown up many a text stream together in just a matter of minutes.

We’ve seen each other at our worst and our best. We’ve shared hotel rooms and bathrooms. We’ve cooked meals together, grocery shopped together, and gotten lost driving way too many times.

{The four of us together at a cabin in the mountains last year.}

And, most recently, we’ve walked through Michele’s battle with cancer together. Our hearts have bled for her and the pain and suffering she’s undergone as a result.

We’ve rallied around and supported her as best we knew how from afar — sending care packages and flowers and cards and texts and emails. Storming the gates of heaven on her behalf. Doing all we can to make her laugh. Being a safe place for her to share about those dark hours.

But we wanted to do more than just text and write and pray and send gifts in the mail. We wanted to go. To be there. To hold her hand. To sit with her in her pain. To be in the same room with her. To try to communicate how much we love her.

So, a few months ago, we worked out babysitters and speaking schedules and calendars and blocked off the days around Michele’s book launch to go to be with her. And on Saturday, we each boarded a plane — from California, North Carolina, and Tennessee — and flew to Denver to be there with her.

We were so honored that she would let us come — especially so soon after her treatments and while she’s still in the thick of the recovery process. We couldn’t stand not being with her.

On Monday, Michele had a little energy so we were able to take her to a local spa and then got coffee drinks and sat on her couch and laughed and cried and shared our hearts.

Tuesday — the day of Michele’s book launch — was a hard day for her. She was in a lot of pain and really exhausted. She spent most of the day resting. But even when she was sleeping, we wanted to be as near to her as we could.

So we all sat on one L-shaped couch, prayed for her, talked quietly, watched her Amazon book rankings soar, and updated her on how her book launch was going every time she woke up.

We kept asking her if she needed anything or if she wanted us to leave. And every time, she’d say, “No, I just want you near to me. I need you here. I just want to wake up and have you close by me.”

Friends, so much of the time, we want to serve and do things for other people. We want to try to fix their problems. Or lessen their pain. Or we feel like it’d be easier for them if we leave them alone.

There is a time and a place for helping in practical ways, but sometimes, those who are going through dark times just need someone to come and sit with them in their pain and hurt.

They don’t need words. They don’t need acts of service. They don’t need fixing.

They just need the ministry of your presence. They just need to know that they are not alone.

The beautiful and unexpected result of this was that each of us left our time together feeling so filled up. And our hearts were further knit together by just sitting together like this. Not doing. Not fixing. Just being there for our friend in her hour of need.

Sometimes, the best way to help is to just to sit with someone in their pain.

So I encourage you: who in your life is struggling? Who is going through a dark and difficult situation?

Go sit with them — either physically or metaphorically. Let them know that they are not alone. That you are with them. That you love them. And that you are going the distance with them.

Give them the ministry of your presence. It’s one of the greatest gifts you have to offer.

Shared Mar 12, 2015 comment

6 Things Our Family Has Chosen to Splurge On

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 12, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Note: This post was inspired by Andrea Dekker’s post on how they decide what to splurge on and what to save on.

I think that many people have this idea that if you’re frugal, it means you’re miserable. That you save every single penny and hold onto it for dear life.

In my view, that’s not what frugality looks like at all. Yes, I’m an advocate of never spending more than you need to. Yes, I’m a firm believer in taking time to scout out the best deal. Yes, I’m all about making-do and doing without if you are in a tight spot financially.

But despite all of this, I do not believe that you should become a miser or a tightwad in the name of “frugality.” After all, I believe money is just a tool. The purpose of money is not to accumulate as much of it as you can; it’s to do as much good with it as you can.

This is not just about giving and making an impact, but also about investing and spending your money in a way that is in line with your family’s priorities. It means deciding to save money in areas that don’t matter to you so that you can spend more money in areas that do matter to you.

The purpose of money is not to accumulate as much of it as you can; it’s to do as much good with it as you can.

For the first few years of our marriage, pretty much every extra penny went to paying for making it through undergrad and law school debt-free. We had made a choice: 1) to invest our money into law school and 2) to try to do it debt-free.

By making these choices, it meant that other things had to take a back seat: we didn’t buy anything that wasn’t a basic necessity and we made-do over and over again in order to stay out of debt.

Choices can have either consequences or rewards. In this case, it turned out to be rewards because those choices put us in a position to eventually have wiggle room in our budget to make other choices — like being able to splurge on some budget areas that are important to us.

As our budget has increased, we’ve have lots of conversations over what areas are priorities to us and what really matters to our family long-term. These priorities sometimes change as our seasons of life change — and that’s a good thing! Priorities and needs change over time and so should our budget.

6 Things Our Family Has Chosen to Splurge On

Here are 6 things we have decided are worth splurging on right now in this season of our life:

1. Giving Generously

This is paramount to everything we do and the driving force behind why we want to manage our money well. Truly, there is so much blessing in being a giver!

And the thing we’ve found is that you can’t out-give God. The more we open up our hands and let Him use our resources to impact others, the more fulfillment and joy we receive in return.

2. Children’s Activities/Sports

All of our kids are actively involved in one sport — Kathrynne is on swim team, Kaitlynn takes ice skating lessons and private coaching, and Silas just started baseball. Each of these costs a fair amount of money — from the cost of equipment to the costs involved with competitions and swim meets, to the costs involved with lessons and coaching.

For some families, this investment might not seem worth it — especially when you factor in the time investment (Kathrynne has swim practice/meets 3-4 times per week, Kaitlynn has lessons/coaching 3-4 times per week, and Silas has baseball once per week). For our family right now, we feel that this is money and time well invested because of the character we see our children developing.

Not only do these activities encourage our children to be more outgoing and brave in new situations with new kids and adults, but it challenges them to work hard, learn to listen and follow the instructions of their teachers and coaches, face their fears head-on, and have a good attitude even when they struggle or don’t place well in a competition. We truly believe that the lessons they are learning from these sports will be invaluable for them the rest of their life.

Case in point, just last night, Kaitlynn showed me a large bruise on her arm that she’d gotten from a bad fall in ice skating. I said something like, “Ouch! That had to really hurt!” She quickly responded enthusiastically, “My coach says that if you don’t have bruises, you’re not an ice skater!”

Instead of running from hard things, she’s embracing them as part of the process of perfecting new ice-skating jumps and maneuvers!

3. A Cleaning Lady

I fought against the idea of hiring a cleaning lady for a long, long time. It felt so extravagant and just plain wrong for a frugal person like me to spend their money on.

But Jesse kept on encouraging me to just consider it. Finally, after much coaxing from him, I broke down and tried it one time.

And I was hooked.

For many people, this might not be a wise investment of their money and I honestly hesitated to even put this out here publicly for awhile because I know that some people might be a little put off by it.

But here’s the truth: Jesse and I both work 30-40 hours per week and we are committed to homeschooling our kids, so we’re learning that we have to look for ways to streamline and simplify our lives if we want to have breathing room and margin.

Having a cleaning lady come in a few times per month saves us at least 15-20 hours each month. That’s 15-20 hours we get back to invest in our kids, invest in our marriage, and maybe even to spend sleeping or just enjoying downtime!

When we divided the cost by the number of hours it saves us, we realized that it was very worth this expense for this season of life. Because we make a good income and because we found a cleaning service with good rates, it really only costs us a few hours of our time working to pay for the cleaning service each month. Right now in my life, I’m all about spending a few hours of time working in order to save 15-20 hours per month!

We still have to keep up the daily maintenance — and we all pitch in to help with laundry, pick up, bathrooms, kitchen cleaning, etc., but it’s been incredibly helpful to have someone come in and clean our floors, dust, deep clean the shower/tubs/toilets, and clean our windows.

4. A Good Hair Stylist (for me)

I’ve mentioned this before, but this is probably one of my biggest (and one of the few!) splurges I make on myself.

There’s something about a good hair day that just makes the whole day so much better! Having a good hair stylist means that I have mostly good hair days instead of constantly fussing and being frustrated with my hair when I mostly cut it myself.

When I started going to get my hair done at a more expensive place about five years ago, I quickly realized what a difference it made. My hair looked much nicer. It was much easier to fix. And it needed very little maintenance from me on a daily basis.

In addition, Jesse loves it when I spend time and money on my appearance (he’s the spender in our relationship, remember?!), so investing some money on my hair every other month is actually a way that I show my husband that what’s important to him is important to me.

5. A Gym Membership (for Jesse)

When we moved to Tennessee, Jesse signed up for a guy’s fitness group at a small locally-owned gym here. Honestly, this has been one of the best things he’s ever done for his health!

He’s faithfully gone to the gym at 6 a.m. 3 times each week almost every week since signing up and it’s been so amazing to see the impact it’s made in his life. Not only has he gotten a lot stronger and fitter, he’s had so much more energy and zest for life as a result!

I love to see how healthy and strong he’s becoming and how he’s pushing himself and excelling. The accountability and motivation he’s received from going to the gym and being apart of this group for the past 10 months has been life-changing for him!

6. Traveling as a Family

We keep things pretty simple at our house and don’t spend a lot of money on Christmas or birthdays. Instead, we’ve decided to prioritize traveling and giving our children experiences versus things.

Since we homeschool and Jesse and I are both self-employed and can work anywhere, this allows us the flexibility to be able to travel regularly. And we all love doing so!

We’ve found a lot of ways to travel inexpensively: we look for great deals online and book things when they are at their lowest rates, we almost always use the same airline and hotel chain so that we can rack up points and use these for free tickets and hotel stays, and, as much as is possible, we utilize credit from Swagbucks to cover the costs of some of our travel expenses.

While these tricks allow us to spend as little money out of pocket as possible each trip, we still do invest a fair amount of money on travel each year. However, for our family, the memories we make, the things we get to the see, the history and geography we learn together, the experiences we get to share… are all worth the investment.

Your turn: What does YOUR family splurge on? Or what do you hope to splurge on when you have the wiggle room someday?

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Shared Mar 11, 2015 comment

How on earth is it possible to get 8 hours of sleep at night?!?

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I attended my first MOPS meeting tonight. When they introduced the video I think I gave an audible “Yay!” (Hopefully it wasn’t too loud?) when I saw it was a video from you explaining living with intentionally. When it was time to discuss, I joyfully began telling how I follow your posts and how your time management of “fringe” time and blocking off 8 hours of sleep were life changing for me. But, several just couldn’t believe 8 hours of sleep is possible, even when you “live intentionally.” How do you encourage people who are skeptical that it is possible?? -Luci

First off, Luci, I loved this email from you! Thank you for being such a devoted reader. I was truly touched and grateful to hear that things you have read here have encouraged you and made such an impact on your life.

Here are a few thoughts to answer your question:

I know I say this often, but I’m going to say it again: I think it’s always important to remember that what works for one person will not necessarily work for another.

So what might be the perfect solution for you and your family in your season of life may not work at all for a different family in a different season of life. Do what works for you. And don’t worry if it’s completely different than what works for someone else.

I’m thrilled that you’ve found ways to make sleep a priority and are getting 8 hours of sleep every night! That’s fantastic! However, for moms who are still getting up multiple times each night with a toddler or baby, for women who struggle with insomnia, for pregnant women, or for those with other physical issues or limitations, getting a solid 8 hours of sleep each night just might not be possible.

When I encourage people to make sleep a priority, it’s because I believe that many of us are sleep deprived and exhausted and that this is contributing to a number of physical issues. But I don’t say this to lay a guilt trip on women or to put everyone in a one-size-fits-all sleep box.

Some people genuinely need more sleep than others. Some people can truly function well on less sleep. Figure out what works for you.

If you’re feeling exhausted all the time, look at your schedule with your spouse or a good friend and ask them for their input on how you might be able to fit more sleep into your schedule. Get creative, if need be!

Some ideas: Maybe you could sneak a nap in while your baby naps in the morning. Or maybe you could go to bed when your kids do. Perhaps you could find a way to sleep in a little extra in the mornings. Or maybe you could even take a mid-afternoon nap with your toddler.

In addition, make sure you’re exhaustion is actually sleep related and not the result of poor diet, lack of exercise, not drinking enough water, too much stress, or another physical problem that’s contributing to you feeling fatigued.

No matter what season of life you are in, do make sleep a priority. This doesn’t have to mean 8 hours of solid sleep every night, but it does mean that you prioritize sleep and that you take opportunities you have to sneak in naps, go to bed early when you’re tired, and get up a little later if you’re feel drained. It might mean that some other things get set aside so you can squeeze in a little extra sleep, but it will be worth it. Because here’s the thing: if you make sleep a priority, it will have a positive trickle down effect into almost all other areas of your life.

What advice and thoughts do you have for Luci? How do you prioritize sleep in your life? I’d love to hear!

photo credit

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Shared Mar 10, 2015 comment

9 More Ways to Save Money in Your Kitchen

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Kyle of The Penny Hoarder

When every penny counts, you want to make the most of your household budget. To stretch your hard-earned dollars even further, why not try some unorthodox ways to save money in the kitchen?

1. Wash and Reuse Aluminum Foil and Zip-Closure Bags

I can’t be the only one whose parents ran a thrifty kitchen. This was one of my mom’s favorite strategies.

Wash out your tinfoil and zip-closure bags, let them air dry and use them again. Some people advise against reusing plastic bags that have had raw meat or moldy food in them, but most plastic bags can be used many times before they start to degrade.

2. Use Rags Instead of Paper Towels

You’ve probably seen those commercials where people show off the strength of their paper towel by wringing out the towel like it was a rag.

Well, why not just use a rag? You’ll save money on paper towels and never have to worry about an empty roll! Simply cut up an old T-shirt or some old socks to create your own cleaning rags.

3. Turn Leftover Veggies and Bones into Stock

This tip helps keep food waste to a minimum — even food you wouldn’t normally think of eating.

Get a few more meals out of your veggie peels, ends, bones, and meat scraps before throwing them away. Find a good stock recipe, toss in your leftovers and simmer. Try this vegetable stock recipe, or follow these guidelines to make beef, turkey or chicken stock.

4. Freeze Seasonal Produce

Don’t pay for out-of-season produce. Buy fruits and veggies at their cheapest, then freeze them to last all year.

Some items are more appetizing frozen whole, while others are better in pieces or pureed.

5. Learn How to Can Food

Here’s another one you might have seen your grandma doing: canning food. Home canning is a staple of money-saving kitchens, although it’s becoming more of a trend as people realize it’s a great way to enjoy their favorite fruits and veggies all winter long.

You’ll want to be careful, because improperly canned food can carry botulism. For meat, seafood or vegetables, you should use a pressure canner and follow guidelines like the USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning. Canning fruit using a water-bath canner? Make sure to boil your canning for as long as the recipe says, adding an additional minute for every 1,000 ft above sea level to account for the effects of altitude on boiling temperature.

For delicious (and safe) canning recipes, check out the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving or Food in Jars.

6. Get Deals on Bruised Produce

Many bruised fruits and vegetables are totally safe to eat, as long as you avoid anything with mold or where the bruise has broken the skin.

Go to a farmer’s market and ask if the vendors have any “seconds,” or fruits and vegetables that might be too bruised to display. Bruised bananas make the best banana bread!

7. Bake in Ceramic or Glass Dishes

Ceramic and glass containers conduct heat better than metal containers, according to Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic.

The next time you bake that cake or casserole, use a ceramic or glass dish. You’ll be able to reduce your oven temperature by about 25 degrees Fahrenheit, which saves both energy and money!

8. Turn the Heat Off When Cooking Pasta

When you cook pasta, let it boil for about two or three minutes, then turn off the heat and keep the lid closed. Your pasta will cook perfectly in about 15-20 minutes, though the first time you try this, you may want to test it sooner than that to find the perfect amount of time for your brand of noodles.

9. Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Don’t forget about saving money when you clean up!

You may already be familiar with vinegar and baking soda cleaners, but take a look at this list of 52 DIY Natural Cleaners and learn how to make even more cleaning products to help you scrub and disinfect.

Do you do all of these things? Why or why not? What ideas would you add to this list?

Kyle Taylor is the founder of The Penny Hoarder, a popular blog about weird ways to earn and save money. His blog is read by more than 5 million readers a month and has been featured on Oprah.com, ABC News, Men’s Health and Woman’s World magazine

Shared Mar 10, 2015 comment

A Peek Into Our Week: Turning our home into a film studio!

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We had a full week last week and I finally have a chance to sit down and write a recap of it! Here are some peeks into our week to give you a behind-the-scenes look into our daily lives…

After 5 years of training, I now have my own in-house breakfast chef. Fried eggs are his specialty and he can make them completely by himself now (I just oversee since it involves a stove!)

Moms of littles, it might feel like all you do is change diapers and clean up messes and cook food and wipe noses and fold yet another load of laundry and feel constantly pulled in 15 different directions. But hear me on this: someday soon, all that effort and training and work is going to pay off. And even though right now it might feel like that day will never come, it will. Don’t give up! It will be worth it!

All on her own, Kathrynne decided she wanted to start helping Silas learn how to read. He’s been discouraged because blending and phonics don’t come easily to him (unlike math) and he really wants to learn how to read.

So Kathrynne asked me if while I continue to work with him on phonics and sounding out words, she could teach him some sight words so he could at least read more than the handful of words he knows now.

Seeing them work so hard together on this just touches me deeply and blesses this mama-heart in big ways! These are the mothering moments I will forever treasure!

On Monday afternoon, I went to the coffee shop to soak in a little quiet before a busy week of filming began. It’s always good to get some writing and blogging work done and write love notes to some of my favorite people.

{One of my goals for 2015 was to write a love note to each of my kids every month. It’s a simple thing, but the act of stopping to reflect and express appreciation and admiration not only can deeply impact another life, but it’s also so good for your soul. If you are too busy to stop and say “thank you” and “I love you” — you are just plain too busy.}

Tuesday, we spent the day prepping our house for the film shoot, spending hours meeting about the scripts for each of the videos– revising/rewriting/and editing, etc. — and then our team went out to dinner that night.

These two girls and all their hours and hours of behind-the-scenes work made the filming possible. I am incredibly grateful for all they invest in my life on a daily basis (Joy is one of my managers and Ashley is my brand-new, amazing executive assistant!)

Wednesday, we filmed all day long. And I truly mean that. 🙂

We started at 8:30 a.m. and I got done around 9:30 p.m.We had a few short breaks, but we were mostly working every minute of that whole entire time. I will have a whole new appreciation for well-done videos and course and films in the future!

Whew! It was exhausting and it took me awhile to find my groove, but once I found it, things got easier and easier as we went along.

I learned so much from this film shoot — what works, what doesn’t work, and how I need to better prepare. Hopefully, the next time we attempt a project like this, it will go much smoother as a result of what we learned!

For those of you who are wondering: we filmed 14 “days” of videos on a subject I’m fiercely passionate about: using your mornings well to set your day up for success. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it because we truly believe the final product will be one that powerful impacts and inspires thousands of lives! I can’t wait to share it with you very soon!

On Thursday, we shot hours of our every day home and lives in action. From our morning routine and making breakfast (in our PJs) to homeschooling to reading aloud to household chores and much more, we wanted to give you a really authentic look into how our mornings run.

It was another very long day, but it was fun and stretching — and such a blessing to get to do this as a family. Our kids learned so much about film and production today and were such troopers for all the takes and re-takes we did!

On Friday, we had a pretty laid-back, family day. And then I took this beautiful girl to get her hair done all fancy for the Father-Daughter dance at church.

She had a BLAST — not only getting all fancy, but also getting to have a very special evening with her daddy! I failed to get pictures of she and Jesse when they were all dressed up, but they had professional pictures taken at the dance, so I can’t wait until we get those back!

Saturday morning, I woke up at 3:40 a.m. to catch an early flight to Denver to go see some of my dearest friends: Michele Cushatt, Kathi Lipp, and Renee Swope. I was supposed to get into Denver at 11:30 a.m. However, it turned out to be a crazy morning of mishaps and airport fiascos and I didn’t even make it to Chicago until after 10:30 a.m. and then had to wait for the only available flight out to Denver from Chicago — 5 1/2 hours later.

But instead of feeling frustrated over things that were outside my control, I decided to choose gratitude and just enjoy the quiet and opportunity to read and write than an unexpected long layover at the airport afforded me!

The four of us have spent the last two days laughing, crying, talking, laughing, crying, and just soaking up the opportunity for all of us to be together. These girls are some of my dearest friends and we’ve been itching to get together — especially because we’ve been walking through Michele’s cancer and surgeries and chemo and radiation with her and it hurts our hearts so much that we all live in different states. Watching Michele suffer and struggle and go through so much has been incredibly hard for each of us these past few months, so to finally be together again has been very healing for all of us.

We are also excited to be here to celebrate the launch of Michele’s book (it officially releases today!). I’ll be sharing more about her book and how it’s impacted me later on this week. For now, I just want to encourage you to go check it out on Amazon. It is truly one of the most well-written books I’ve ever read.

If you (or someone you know) is going through a really difficult time right now, I cannot encourage you enough: go pick up a copy of Michele’s book. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will be so encouraged by her words and story.

How was YOUR week this past week? Tell us about it in the comments!

Shared Mar 10, 2015 comment

10 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

With the filming last week, I decided to take the week off from setting 10 goals and just focus my energies on all the details of the filming. That turned out to be a good call as things took longer and required more time and energy than I’d anticipated.

Goals from two weeks ago:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

~~1. Continue on with our Morning Time routine. Read aloud every day.~~

~~2. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

~~3. Have a family movie night.~~

~~4. Write a note of encouragement to one person.~~

Personal Goals

~~5. Exercise at least 4 times.~~

~~6. Finish at least two books.~~

7. Finish the Cosy Posy Ear Warmer.

8. Try one new recipe.

Business Goals

~~9. Train my new local assistant.~~

~~10. Review/practice script for my new course filming next week.~~

This week’s goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Continue on with our Morning Time routine.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Have a date night with Jesse.

Personal Goals

4. Exercise at least 3 times.

5. Finish at least two books.

6. Work on the Cosy Posy Ear Warmer.

7. Try one new recipe.

Business Goals

8. Write 2 substantive blog posts for next week.

9. Shoot a quick video for a project.

10. Finish the copy edits for my new manuscript.

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 Mar 9, 2015 comment

How to Make 20 Freezer Meals at ALDI for $150

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 9, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I Am That Lady shows you how to make 20 Freezer Meals for $150 with ingredients purchased at ALDI. These meals can be adapted to be gluten-free.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Mar 9, 2015 comment

15 Easy Meals You Can Make In 15 Minutes Or Less

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 9, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

K.M. Logan at Free Homeschool Deals shows you 15 Easy Meals You Can Make In 15 Minutes Or Less.

Shared Mar 9, 2015 comment

Building Authentic Friendships and Community

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 9, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This month, I’m honored to be the featured guest as part of Mandi’s Live course.

The Live course is a 12-month journey to a life you love. No matter when you join, you’ll start by identifying your values and priorities and then working through each of the 12 modules, one month at a time.

This course provides:

a step-by-step approach that helps you focus on one area of your life at a time to create real, lasting changes
experts sharing fresh, exclusive content on each topic
a variety of multimedia formats: written blog posts, podcasts, vlogs and printables
a rolling format that allows you to join us in any month and cover the course material over the following 12 months
lifetime membership so you can revisit the monthly themes year after year
BONUS: offline content (PDF, .mobi and .epub)
BONUS: access to a private Facebook group for encouragement and discussion

During the month of March, I’ve joined Mandi to talk about Connection, Friendship, and Community. We’re sharing lessons we’re learned about friendship, including:

the benefits of friendship and community
how to be a friend and build long-lasting friendships
community versus individual friendships
finding time for friendships when your life is already full
the good and the bad of social media for connecting
how to cultivate authentic friendships
choosing which friendships to invest in
knowing when and how to end a friendship
how to deal with a friendship that ends suddenly
and more

If you’re interested, you can sign up for the course here. You can choose to either sign up for the entire 12-month course, or just choose to purchase access to this month.

Shared Mar 7, 2015 comment

Brigette’s $63 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by Brigette on March 7, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 gallon Milk – $2.99

1 3-ct pkg Romaine Hearts – $2.99

3 1-lb pkgs frozen Ground Turkey (not pictured) – $5.67

1 can Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.69

2 12-oz pkgs American Cheese – $3.78

1 32-oz container Greek Yogurt – $3.89

1 24-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.99

1 head Cabbage – $1.29

2 heads Cauliflower – $3.98

1 bunch Bananas – ($2.76lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $1.21, plus receive back $0.25 from Checkout 51 – $0.96 after rebate

8 0z Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.89

1 pkg assorted Mini Sweet Peppers – $1.99

2 5-lb bags Flour – $2.78

1 16-oz jar Salsa – $1.49

I 6-oz pkg Raspberries – $1.49

1 8-oz pkg Swiss Cheese – $1.79

Total after Rebate: $40.66

Harris Teeter

2 18-ct cartons Eggs – $3.54 (limit 2)

1 box Cheerios (B1G1 @ $3.39) – $1.70, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $0.20 after coupon

2 9-oz Dawn Dish Detergent – $2.00, used 2 $0.25/1 Dawn Product, exp. 3/31/15 (P&G 03/01/15) (doubled) – $1.00/2 after coupons

2 8-oz chunks Cheese – $2.54 (limit 2)

2 Colgate Toothpaste – $2.00 (used a rain check from several weeks back), used 2 $0.50/1 Colgate Toothpaste, exp. 3/14/15 (SS 03/01/15) (doubled) – Free after coupons

3 4-ct pkgs Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding (B1G1 @ $2.99) – $4.49, used 3 $0.75/1 Kozy Shack Pudding, exp. 3/31/15 (SS 01/18/15) (doubled) – Free after coupons

1 pkg Shirataki Miracle Noodles – $1.69

Fuji Apples (3.02lbs @ $0.99/lb) – $2.99

4 pkgs Gwaltney Hotdogs – $3.88, used 2 $0.75/2 Gwaltney Hot Dogs, exp. 3/15/15 (SS 02/01/15 R) (doubled) – $0.88/4 after coupons

Total: $13.09

Sawyer’s Produce

By far the score of the week was discovering – thanks to a sweet friend – a produce warehouse just a few miles from our house that was selling flats of organic strawberries for $5 each! They are sweet and not over-ripe. I am freezing most of them, and we will be enjoying them mixed into oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, etc. for the next several months!

16 1-lb cartons Organic Strawberries (plus a couple of oranges they sent home for us to sample) – $10.00

Total: $10.00

Weekly Total: $63.75

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Oatmeal and Strawberries x 3

Cereal

Scrambled Eggs and Toast x 3

Lunches

Peanut Butter and Strawberry Chia Seed Jam Sandwiches x 2, Mini Peppers

Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese, Sautéed Zucchini, Apples

Baked Potatoes with Toppings (Salsa, Greek Yogurt, Broccoli, Shredded Cheese), Raspberries

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Roasted Cauliflower x 2

Leftovers

Dinners

Taco Salad, Oranges, Steamed Peas

Pakistani Kima over Brown Rice, Tossed Salad

Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes, Turkey Bacon, Bananas

Pan Fried Tilapia, Baked French Fries, Steamed Broccoli

One Million Vegetables Lentil Stew, Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Chicken Tetrazzini (leaving out the mushrooms), Steamed Cauliflower, Italian Garlic Bread

Leftovers

Snacks

Pudding, Smoothies, Overnight Strawberry Refrigerator Oatmeal (for me), Strawberry Crumb Bars (for the family), Popcorn

Shared Mar 7, 2015 comment

5 Freebies I Got In My Mailbox This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Here are the freebies that showed up in my mailbox this past week:

Frizz-Ease sample

Zarbee’s Naturals Elderberry Gummies (these were yummy!)

Candid Conversations with Connie — free book earned from Tyndale Rewards

Adventures in Odyssey CD set — free with points earned from Tyndale Rewards

Pride & Prejudice (can you believe I’ve never read it??) from PaperBackSwap — I’m so bummed that PaperBackSwap is now going to be charging a small amount per transaction. I had some credit in my account that had built up over the years that I was able to use to cover the cost of an unlimited yearly membership. But after that year expires, I’m not sure that I’ll continue to use them.

What freebies have arrived in your mailbox recently?

By the way, if you want to start getting great freebies in your mailbox, just start signing up for the freebies I post every day that interest you. Within 4-6 weeks, your mailbox will start filling up with great freebies!

Shared Mar 7, 2015 comment

5 Tips to Score the Best Prices at Kid’s Consignment Sales

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2015 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Kim of Thrifty Little Mom

Do you love kid’s consignment sales as much as I do? They give me a bigger shopping adrenaline rush than I get on Black Friday.

In the last 5 years I’ve learned a thing or two about scoring amazing deals at kid’s consignment sales and today I want to pass that wisdom on to you:

1. Get Into the Pre-sale

A pre-sale is when the sale organizers open the doors for a select few before they open them to the general public. The crowd is smaller, the environment is more relaxed and you get a choice of the best priced items in the best condition.

Typically, to get into a pre-sale you have to: be a seller, donate money, or volunteer for a shift.

2. Shop Prepared

Build your shopping list throughout the year. I keep a handy electronic list going at all times, and when I see or think of an item I’d really like my kid to have, I add it to the list on my phone. That way when the next sale comes around I know that I’m looking for.

Whatever the item, I can usually track it down between one or two of these sales and get an incredible deal on it. It’s kind of fun — like a scavenger hunt!

3. Compare Prices

Don’t just buy the first toy you see. More than likely there will be about 10 duplicates of the same toy all marked at different prices. When you find several of one item, compare the prices and condition and take the one marked at the best price.

4. Bring Cash

Often these sales are small businesses or non-profits who get hit with heavy fees for processing credit or debit cards. I always bring cash to avoid having a $1-$2 charge added to my bill.

This also keeps me from overspending. I give myself a cash only budget in order to make sure that I don’t spend more than that at the sale. It’s easy to get carried away!

5. Shop the Half Price Day

At most consignment sales, the last day is also ½ price day. You just look at the tag and if it’s marked “Yes” under “½ price” you know that it will be 50% at check-out. This is typically when I rack up on clothing, yet it often includes toys, shoes and other items at the sale.

Not all sellers participate in the half-price sale but there are enough who do that makes it worth it to head to the event on the last day.

As you begin your bargain hunting this Kid’s Consignment sale season I hope you will find these tips helpful and that you save yourself some big bucks!

Kim Anderson is a house spouse, mom, and blogger at Thrifty Little Mom. Her blog focuses on inspiring others to pursue financial freedom while finding joy in frugal living. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her electrical engineer husband, 3-year-old son and a Beagle named Bit.

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Homeland

Dillons

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

How have you been blessed today?

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Flower Foods Bakery

Weekly Total: $63.86

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

Snacks

1. Giving Generously

2. Children’s Activities/Sports

3. A Cleaning Lady

4. A Good Hair Stylist (for me)

5. A Gym Membership (for Jesse)

6. Traveling as a Family

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

1. Wash and Reuse Aluminum Foil and Zip-Closure Bags

2. Use Rags Instead of Paper Towels

3. Turn Leftover Veggies and Bones into Stock

4. Freeze Seasonal Produce

5. Learn How to Can Food

6. Get Deals on Bruised Produce

7. Bake in Ceramic or Glass Dishes

8. Turn the Heat Off When Cooking Pasta

9. Make Your Own Cleaning Products

FREE DOWNLOAD: 60 Meals To Help You Avoid Takeout!

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

Aldi

Harris Teeter

Sawyer’s Produce

Weekly Total: $63.75

Weekly Menu Plan

Lunches

Dinners

Snacks

1. Get Into the Pre-sale

2. Shop Prepared

3. Compare Prices

4. Bring Cash

5. Shop the Half Price Day

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