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Shared Mar 11, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #7 (update)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m so excited about how many of you are joining us for the 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge! If you missed today’s assignment, you can find it here.

The weather was so beautiful here today again! We’re soaking it up!

So in cleaning the baseboards today, I realized that I don’t think I’ve cleaned them since last 4 Weeks to a More Organized Challenge.

And that would explain why all sorts of nasty dust and dirt was sitting on them — yuck!

I also realized that I forgot to show you the 7 things I got rid of yesterday in my post last night. I did a little cleaning on the kid’s bookshelf and came up with a few things to pass on/get rid of.

And here’s today’s box of stuff: I went through my office and found a few odds and ends to get rid of — mostly stuff to throw out.

How you do on Assignment #7? I’d love to have you share your progress and success with us so we can be inspired. Either post a link to your blog post below or leave a comment with your update.

Shared Mar 11, 2014 comment

52 Different Ways to Save $100 Per Year: Eat More Beans {Week 47}

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Each week for 52 weeks, I’m sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you’ll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you’re already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.

We use a lot of beans around here; they’re inexpensive, they’re filling, and they’re nutritious. Pair them with rice and you have a complete protein.

I use beans to stretch our taco meat and as a base for many soups and other dishes we regularly eat. If you purchase dry beans in bulk, they are even more economical!

Some of Our Favorite Bean Recipes

How to Live on Beans & Rice for a Week

When I read Ruth’s post here on how to live on beans and rice for a week, I thought it’d be fun to try and come up with my own version. While we’ve never tried to just have beans and rice all week long, Ruth inspired me to come up with an almost-week-long beans and rice menu plan, too, using some of our favorite legume recipes.

Day One: Cook up a big ole’ pot of beans (I do mine like this. You can add in seasonings, onions, etc. if you prefer). I’d recommend cooking black beans, pinto beans, and chili beans. Mix equal parts of the beans and make chili (we like to add onions, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, spices, hot sauce, pickle juice, and anything else that strikes my fancy that evening! You can add some browned ground beef if you like.). Serve over brown rice with cheese and hot sauce.

Day Two: Take the leftover chili and make “haystacks”–set out bowls of chopped lettuce, tomatoes, corn chips, rice, cheese, sour cream, olives, and hot sauce. Let everyone pile things on and make up their own “haystack”.

Day Three: Mash up some of the black beans and pinto beans (you can make them refried like this, if you like) and mix with a little salsa and chopped chicken. Roll up in tortillas, sprinkle with cheese and heat through.

Day Four: Make pizza crust and top with mashed/refried beans, salsa or diced tomatoes, onions (if you like) and cheese. Bake. If you have leftover lettuce and tomatoes from Day Two, you could sprinkle them on top of the baked pizza. If you have any leftover chili, you could also make “Chili Pizza” using chili and tomatoes and cheese as the pizza topping.

Day Five: Use any leftover chili, beans, or mashed beans you have left to make Mexican Lasagna (substituting most of the meat for beans.)

Does someone in your family hate beans? Check out this post from Kelly on how to eat on a beans and rice budget when your husband hates beans.

How To Freeze Beans — From Janelle at Gluten-Freely Frugal

Did you know that could be done? I didn’t, until I read an article in Gluten Free Living Magazine about preparing beans.

I have greatly modified their recipe to due a much larger quantity, and have modified cook times. It is not terribly labor intensive, but spans a pretty long period of time while you’re doing other things, so pick a day you’ll be home for a few hours.

Here’s how to make Recipe-Ready Beans for your freezer:

1. Find a big pot. I use an enormous soup pot. Bring 9 quarts of water to a boil. Do not add salt; it keeps the beans from softening. Rinse six cups of beans in cold water. After the water has reached a boil, add the beans. Boil at a rolling boil for about 3 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and let the beans soak for an hour.

3. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the beans are soft. It took mine about 2 hours (they were small black beans). Many things can affect how long it takes, including the type, the size, and the age. Older beans tend to take longer to soften.

4. When they are soft enough, package in 2-cup containers (that is the approximate size of a can, so it’s recipe -ready!) You can add some salt now if you want to, and leave them in their liquid.

Now, next time you have a recipe that calls for beans, you can easily thaw out a container from your freezer, at a fraction of the cost.

I ended up paying about $0.80 for 6 cups of dried black beans at the discount store (you could do any kind, though). I got six pints of beans out of this recipe, which equals about $0.13 per “can”.

What are your favorite ways to serve beans? I’d love to hear!

Shared Mar 11, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #7

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve set aside the month of March to really focus on organization in my home and life. And I’d love for you to join me!

Day 7 Assignment

::Get dressed in something that makes you feel great {there’s something about dressing in clothes that make you feel great that just gives you more energy and zest for life!}

::Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, refer to your list of weekly goals, and make a list of no more than 5-7 specific things you want to accomplish today.

::Complete your morning routine {if you don’t have a morning routine, take some time to create one today! Read my How to Develop a Routine That Works–And Stick With It series for step-by-step help.}

::Set the timer for 15 minutes and vacuum the main living areas of your home.

::Wipe down all the baseboards in your home. If you have children who can help, you might divide your home up into sections and have everyone take a section so you can get this job done quickly!

::Find 7 items to get rid of today. Throw them out, stick them in a donate or garage sale box, give them to a friend who can use them, or list them on Craigslist or eBay.

Note: If you work outside the home or have a really busy week with little time for extra projects, just do the bolded project above.

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

To grab your free ebook so you can participate in this challenge, just fill out the form below with your name and email address. You’ll need to confirm your email address and then your free ebook will be sent to you instantly.

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

Shared Mar 11, 2014 comment

10 Different Ways to Save at Least $100 Per Year

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m over on Dot Complicated today sharing about 10 Different Ways to Save at Least $100 Per Year. Read the post here.

What did I miss on my list? I’d love to hear YOUR ideas for how your family saves at least $100 per year.

Shared Mar 10, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #6 (update)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m so excited about how many of you are joining us for the 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge! If you missed Monday’s assignment, you can find it here.

It was another full and eventful day here! The weather was beautiful, so the kids were able to play outside this afternoon — which was so nice after so many cold days the past few weeks! I even broke out the flip flops to celebrate the warm weather. 🙂

I also tried making whipped butter for the first time. I cannot believe I haven’t tried this until now. It’s a great way to stretch butter and made it easy to spread. I’ll share more details and pictures on how I made it later this week.

Oh how the car needed to be cleaned out! It didn’t look too awful at first glance, but the more I started cleaning, the more I realized how neglected it’s been recently!

Yikes! See that bowl peeking out? That’s a cereal bowl left in the car from Sunday morning on our way to church… because we’re so organized like that. Ahem.

I vacuumed and vacuumed and it seemed it was a never-ending job!

Not perfect — but so much better! See that tub? That’s our Emergency Box and it’s been one of the best things we’ve ever started keeping in the car. Comes in handy all the time!

How you do on Assignment #6? I’d love to have you share your progress and success with us so we can be inspired. Either post a link to your blog post below or leave a comment with your update.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Mar 10, 2014 comment

10 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

~~1. Read 3 chapters of A Big Year for Lily to the girls. Read 3 chapters of Jungle Doctor’s Fables. Read a few picture books with Silas.~~

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

~~3. Blog about the 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge.~~

~~4. Make Homemade Whipped Butter.~~

Personal Goals

5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-28.

~~6. Exercise four times.~~

7. Finish reading The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages and I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t)

8. Drink 8 glasses of water every day. {I did this all but one day!}

Blog/Business Goals

~~9. Put together a special download page for an upcoming event.~~

~~10. Tweak and practice my talks for the Hearts At Home Conference.~~

This Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Read 3 chapters of A Big Year for Lily to the girls. Finish reading Jungle Doctor’s Fables. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Blog about the 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-28.

5. Exercise four times.

6. Finish reading The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages and I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t)

7. Drink 8 glasses of water every day.

Blog/Business Goals

8. Practice my talks for the Hearts At Home Conference.

9. Work on my talks for the Teach Them Diligently Nashville Conference.

10. Write three content pieces for my blog.

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 10, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #6

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home

I’ve set aside the month of March to really focus on organization in my home and life. And I’d love for you to join me!

Day 6 Assignment

::Get dressed in something that makes you feel great {there’s something about dressing in clothes that make you feel great that just gives you more energy and zest for life!}

::Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and create a list of weekly goals. I’ll be posting my weekly goals later on today.

::Complete your morning routine. {If you don’t have a morning routine, take some time to create one today! Read my How to Develop a Routine That Works–And Stick With It series for step-by-step help.}

::Set the timer for 15 minutes and run through your home quickly picking up everything that’s out of place and putting it away.

::Clean out the inside of your vehicle. Remove all trash and clutter. Use a vacuum attachment to vacuum all the seats and floors out.

::Find 7 items to get rid of today. Throw them out, stick them in a donate or garage sale box, give them to a friend who can use them, or list them on Craigslist or eBay.

Note: If you work outside the home or have a really busy week with little time for extra projects, just do the bolded project above.

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

I put together an ebook with encouraging articles, all the daily assignments, plus printable checklists so you can know exactly what’s planned for the month and to allow you to work at your own pace, if you’d like. To grab your free ebook so you can participate in this challenge, just fill out the form below with your name and email address. You’ll need to confirm your email address and then your free ebook will be sent to you instantly.

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

Shared Mar 10, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #5 (update)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m so excited about how many of you are joining us for the 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge! If you missed Friday’s assignment, you can find it here.

So, in case you didn’t notice, I sort of fell off the earth this weekend… I had every intention of blogging about my Friday projects on Friday, but then we were gone all afternoon and evening with friends and didn’t arrive home until after midnight! So then, I was determined to blog about it on Saturday, but we spent Saturday playing catch-up, looking at rental houses in TN (virtually, of course! We found one we love, had friends who live there go and look at it for us, and now we’re now waiting to see if they accept our application!), and spending the evening with our extended family.

When I got home Saturday evening, I meant to finish the post, and then I promptly fell asleep. Such is life sometimes! 🙂

At any rate, we did get the couches cleaned and we did have much, much more than 15 minutes of fun & refreshment — more like hours of it, since we got to spend a lot of time with dear friends!

Oh, how I love clean couches!

I cleaned out the utility closet/pantry in our basement and came up with a box full of items to get rid of — yay!

How you do on Assignment #5? I’d love to have you share your progress and success with us so we can be inspired. Either post a link to your blog post below or leave a comment with your update.

Shared Mar 7, 2014 comment

Gretchen’s $48 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 Vegetable Oil – $2.39

1 Salsa – $1.69

2 Strawberries – $1.29 each

1 Pineapple – $1.29

1 Cucumber – $0.59

1 Rice Cakes – $1.29 (I’m thinking these are going to become a staple at our house. My son loves them!)

1 Corn Chips – $0.89

2 Grapefruit – $0.29 each

1 Cauliflower – $1.69

1 Flour Tortillas – $1.19

1 Italian Dressing – $1.39

1 Old Fashioned Oats – $2.29

1 Half & Half – $1.69

3 cans Beans – $0.59 each

1 gallon Milk – $2.73

Total with tax ($1.72): $25.77

Dillons

7 Mom’s Best Cereal – $1 each (I was so thrilled about this price as this is some of our favorite cereal!)

1.2 lbs Bananas @ $0.59/lb – $0.71

1 Lettuce – $0.99

1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $1.34

0.71 lbs Broccoli @ $1.59/lb – $1.13

1 Kroger Frozen Green Beans – $1

1 Kroger Butter – $2.50

1 Breyer’s Ice Cream – Marked down to $2.70

1 Kroger frozen Apple Juice – $1.29

1 Clabber Girl Baking Powder – $2.25

Total with tax ($1.71): $22.62

Total for all grocery items: $48.39

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Homemade Granola

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit/Veggies/Crackers, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Mac & Cheese, Leftovers

Dinners

Chicken Rice Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, 30 Minute Rolls

Haystacks, Sliced Pineapple

Lasagna Casserole, Homemade Bread, Tossed Salad

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Sliced Strawberries, Butterhorns

3-Bean Chili, Cornbread, Sliced Veggies

Date night

Dinner with family

Shared Mar 7, 2014 comment

12 Months to a Healthier You: Week 9 Check-In

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Are you joining us for the 12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge? If so, it’s Friday and guess what that means? It’s time for our weekly check-in to post our progress.

March’s Challenge:

We’re focusing on developing the habit of drinking more water in March. I encourage you to set a simple and doable goal for drinking more water and to stick with it.

New to this challenge? Read more details on the plan for this year here.

My Water Intake Goal for March

My goal for March is to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. I’m also hoping to keep up with January’s habit of doing exercising at least 4-5 times every week and February’s habit of eating six big salads every week.

This Week’s Progress:

I quickly realized that I don’t drink enough water! This challenge has been so good for me and I’m happy to report that I’ve hit my goal of drinking 8 glasses of water every day all but one day! I’ve also kept up with exercising and eating big salads. And I can definitely tell that being intentional about these three things are making a big difference in my life!

How Are YOU Doing?

Leave a comment telling us how you did on your exercise goals this past week. If you’re blogging about this challenge, leave the direct link to your blog post about the challenge below.

Are you on social media? You can also share your progress on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter by using hashtag #12MonthstoaHealthierYou.

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

Click here to download!

Shared Mar 7, 2014 comment

Gretchen’s CVS Shopping Trip: Spent $1.18 for $21 worth of products!

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CVS Shopping Trip

1 Gold Emblem Jelly Beans – $0.99 (Buy 1, Get $0.99 ECBs)

1 Cadbury Mini Eggs – $0.87 (Buy 1, Get $0.87 ECBs)

2 Crest Be Toothpaste – $4.99 each (Buy 1, Get $3.25 ECBs)
Used 2 $1/1 coupon from the 3/2 P&G insert

1 Jumbo Valentine’s Bear Card – Marked down to $0.59 (This card is HUGE and was way too big to fit in the photo above.)

Used $10 ECBs from previous shopping trip

Total before coupons, sales and ECBs: $21.83

Total with tax ($0.88) after coupons, sales and ECBs: $1.18, Plus received $8.23 ECBs

Shared Mar 7, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #5

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve set aside the month of March to really focus on organization in my home and life. And I’d love for you to join me!

Every weekday morning at around 10 a.m. CST, I’ll be posting the day’s assignment and then every evening at around 8 p.m. CST, I’ll be posting my progress and pictures, along with a link-up for you to share your progress and pictures, too.

Day 5 Assignment

::Get dressed in something that makes you feel great {there’s something about dressing in clothes that make you feel great that just gives you more energy and zest for life!}

::Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, refer to your list of weekly goals, and make a list of no more than 5-7 specific things you want to accomplish today.

::Complete your morning routine {if you don’t have a morning routine, take some time to create one today! Read my How to Develop a Routine That Works–And Stick With It series for step-by-step help.}

::Remove your couch cushions and clean out any crumbs, toys, or other miscellaneous items you find. Use an attachment on your vacuum to vacuum the cushions, underneath the cushions, and all crevices of your furniture. Spot clean the fabric, if needed.

::Set the timer for at least 15 minutes and do something you really enjoy and that relaxes and rejuvenates you. If you need ideas, here are a few: read, write, call a friend, pray, exercise, bake, play with your children, laugh with your husband, stop by the bookstore and browse the book selection, work in the garden, or take a nap! Take some time to just stop and enjoy life today!

Note: If you work outside the home or have a really busy week with little time for extra projects, just do the bolded project above.

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

Shared Mar 6, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #4 (update)

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m so excited about how many of you are joining us for the 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge! If you missed today’s assignment, you can find it here.

Today was a good day, but it was a LONG day… lots of unexpected interruptions, lots of memory-making, lots of great discussions with friends and family, lots of productivity, lots of family time… and I. am. tired! But I promised you all I’d get this up tonight, so I’m putting off bedtime just a little bit to get this up. 🙂

I was so excited to realize that our commitment to regularly cleaning out underneath the beds and couches is paying off — because there wasn’t hardly anything under there!

That was a welcome relief from the last time I blogged about all the nastiness underneath our couches.

Silas had a blast helping me make pancakes tonight.

He helped put some of the batter on the griddle and then was so excited to tell me what each little pancake was… there was an elephant, a rocket, and many other interesting objects! His imagination always cracks me up!

Cleaning the bathroom always makes me happy… well, at least once it’s cleaned! 🙂

I cleaned out my closet and come up with a bag full of items to get rid of — yay!

How you do on Assignment #4? I’d love to have you share your progress and success with us so we can be inspired. Either post a link to your blog post below or leave a comment with your update.

Shared Mar 6, 2014 comment

Gretchen’s Walgreens Shopping Trip: Spent $1.95 for $49.45 worth of products

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Walgreens Shopping Trip

3 Almay Makeup Remover Wipes at $5.99 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off

1 Almay Makeup Remover Pads at $4.99 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off

4 Almay Lip Balm at $5.99 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off

Used $2/1 Walgreens coupon from the March coupon booklet (it only took it off 7 items)

And used 4 $5/2 printable

Redeemed 2,000 points

Total before coupons, sales and points: $49.45

Total with tax ($2.53) after coupons, sales and points: $1.95 (Plus qualified to receive a free Almay Cosmetic Bag which will be sent in the mail)

Shared Mar 6, 2014 comment

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Assignment #4

Published: by Crystal Paine on March 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve set aside the month of March to really focus on organization in my home and life. And I’d love for you to join me!

Day 4 Assignment

::Get dressed in something that makes you feel great {there’s something about dressing in clothes that make you feel great that just gives you more energy and zest for life!}

::Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, refer to your list of weekly goals, and make a list of no more than 5-7 specific things you want to accomplish today.

::Complete your morning routine {if you don’t have a morning routine, take some time to create one today! Read my How to Develop a Routine That Works–And Stick With It series for step-by-step help.}

::Set the timer for 15 minutes and do a quick-clean of your bathroom. Need specific directions? Read this article on How to Clean Your Bathroom in 15 Minutes.

::Clean out underneath your beds and furniture. Remove clutter and trash and put it away or throw it away. Move the furniture (if possible) and vacuum underneath.

::Find 7 items to get rid of today. Throw them out, stick them in a donate or garage sale box, give them to a friend who can use them, or list them on Craigslist or eBay.

Note: If you work outside the home or have a really busy week with little time for extra projects, just do the bolded project above.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

Some of Our Favorite Bean Recipes

How to Live on Beans & Rice for a Week

How To Freeze Beans — From Janelle at Gluten-Freely Frugal

What are your favorite ways to serve beans? I’d love to hear!

Day 7 Assignment

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

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

Day 6 Assignment

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

Aldi

Dillons

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

March’s Challenge:

My Water Intake Goal for March

This Week’s Progress:

How Are YOU Doing?

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

CVS Shopping Trip

Day 5 Assignment

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

Walgreens Shopping Trip

Day 4 Assignment

Get Your Free Ebook + Printable Checklists

Are you planning to join us today? If so, leave a comment below!

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