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Shared Sep 30, 2013 comment

Kroger: $126.10 worth of organic produce for just $17.63!

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 30, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Beka from Uncoventional Homemaker emailed in her shopping trip today and I thought it was such a great example of how you can find great buys on organic produce. Here’s what she said:

I normally don’t shop at Kroger as we only buy organic groceries. But they have a small organic selection and it’s close to home so I thought I’d stop in. Boy, am I glad I did!

They had an overstock of organic seedless grapes. So as a manager’s special, they marked them down to $0.50 a pound! That’s a steal on organic grapes!

I also don’t normally go through clearance produce, it seems every time I do look it’s all terribly wilted. But some bell peppers caught my eye.

I did a quick peek just to see if they were organic or not and they were! And they really weren’t all that wilted at all!

I rooted through their whole big shelf of clearance produce and found nine packages of organic bell peppers. Three of them in each bag at $0.99 a bag! Organic bell peppers are usually $2.49 each!

Here’s what I got:
25 Organic Bell Peppers (and two conventional ones were mixed in there also) — $8.91 total
17.44 pounds of Organic Seedless Grapes — $8.72 total
On my receipts, the savings shows up as $108.47!! Wow! This has never happened to me before!

(My full purchase is not in this picture as my family devoured half a colander of grapes and quite a few bell peppers before I thought to take a picture.)

I have four children so I have no doubt we’ll eat all the grapes. But we own a juicer and will gladly enjoy some fresh grape juice if we can’t finish eating them before they start going bad.

We’ll make some meals with fresh bell peppers now as well as snack on them like crazy. I’m going to freeze extra bell pepper strips for stir-fry’s and soups later on. I also picked up another 16 pounds of grapes for other moms that I called while I was in the store — as I wanted to share the blessing!

Beka is a homeschooling mom of four, including her new sweet little boy that they just brought home from China. She blogs about their adoption at Our Eternal Treasures. She also blogs about health and Christian living at Unconventional Homemaker.

Shared Sep 30, 2013 comment

10 Goals for This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 30, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

So um, last week? It was sort of a bust when it came to my goals list.

There were some unexpected big things that came up that took a lot of my time and energy and I just had to shelve my plans for what become much more pressing priorities. It was good stuff and it was more important than pretty much anything on my list below, so it was worth it.

But this week? I’m hopeful that I’ll see a bit more progress on my goals. 🙂

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read 3 chapters of The Borrowers and 4 chapters of The Tanglewoods’ Secret to the children. Read 3 chapters of Caddie Woodlawn with Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

3. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-23.

4. Run 10 miles. (only ran 8 miles)

5. Read Daring Greatly, Leaving Yesterday, Bread & Wine, and Wild Goose Chase.

Homemaking Goals

6. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.

7. Try at least two new recipes.

Business Goals

8. Work on updating 10 more posts for Pinterest.

~~9. Work on two new upcoming talks.~~

~~10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.~~

This week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read 3 chapters of The Borrowers and finish reading The Tanglewoods’ Secret to the children. Read 3 chapters of Caddie Woodlawn with Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

3. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-23.

4. Run 12 miles.

5. Read Daring Greatly, Leaving Yesterday, Bread & Wine, and Wild Goose Chase.

Homemaking Goals

6. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.

7. Try at least two new recipes.

Business Goals

8. Work on updating 10 more posts for Pinterest.

9. Practice my updated talk for Saturday’s event in Andover, KS.

10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.

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 Sep 30, 2013 comment

This Week’s Menu Plan + Freezer Cooking in an Hour Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 30, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Mac & cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch {veggies, cheese, yogurt, fruit, crackers, etc.}
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 3

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs

Freezer Cooking in an Hour (I’ll share more how this goes later on this week!)

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
Banana Oatmeal Cups
Iced Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Freezer-Friendly Pizza Dough

Dinners

Breakfast for dinner: Pancakes, fruit, scrambled eggs
Bean & Cheese Burritos, fruit, steamed veggies
Homemade Pizza, fruit, veggies
Ham & Beans, World’s Best Cornbread, fruit, veggies
Meat, Potatoes, Onions, and Carrots in the crockpot, Chocolate Chip Muffins
Dinner with extended family
Dinner out

What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.

Shared Sep 30, 2013 comment

Monthly Sponsor Spotlight: An interview with The Dave Ramsey Show

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 30, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We’re excited to have the The Dave Ramsey Show as one of our monthly sponsors in September.

I had the opportunity to interview them and get to know their company a little more recently:

1. We hear that The Dave Ramsey Show has made a huge change after more than 20 years on the air. Can you tell us more about that?

In August we launched The Dave Ramsey Show video channel and app. This new channel allows us to reach more people and give them a behind-the-scenes look at our show, our team, and our listeners.

People can watch callers live in our lobby doing their “debt-free” screams, and see background information about their journeys to becoming debt-free. We also have great content that plays during the breaks from our other personalities.

2. Where did the idea for the video channel come from?

A lot of people want to listen to the show, but aren’t able to because of their schedules or location. The video channel meets people where they are, and lets them consume the show in a way that best fits their needs.

3. What do you hope this new way to consume The Dave Ramsey Show will accomplish?

Our goal is to provide hope to as many people as possible. The video channel allows us to help more people positively change their financial situation through more content and more opportunities to consume the content. The channel is available to people 24 hours a day, no matter their location, so there’s always an opportunity to watch.

4. What’s your 30-second pitch on why someone should watch The Dave Ramsey Show?

No matter where you are financially, the Dave Ramsey Show will help you find answers to your questions. We have callers that are facing bankruptcy and foreclosure, and we also help callers who are building serious wealth. Money touches every part of people’s lives, and we cover all of it.

Interested in becoming a monthly sponsor or advertising with us? Find more details here.

Shared Sep 30, 2013 comment

Take the 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life Challenge (starts October 3, 2013)

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 30, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Need a kick in the pants? Take the 21 Days to a More Discipline Life Challenge hosted by Hello Mornings!

Head over here to read all about the challenge — and to enter to win one of 10 free copies of my ebook!

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Sep 28, 2013 comment

Confessions of a Secret Spender

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 28, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Dizee of Doofy Dizze

I struggle with money.

There, I said it. The cat is out of the bag.

Some people seem to have a “frugal gene” – they always know the smart way to spend a dollar or save a hundred. I am the type of person who could figure out a way to spend money while shipwrecked alone on a deserted island.

Thriftiness does not come easy to me and I constantly work to find a balance between saving and splurging.

I understand the fundamentals – I use coupons faithfully, dutifully purchase items on sale, and lovingly care for my stockpile.

But I will still overspend. And when I overspend, I get cranky. Downright surly.

Many people will say I should work on developing my self-control. And, to a large extent, I don’t disagree. But with two kids, three dogs, a husband, a full-time job, a house, and a sick father – there are many times my focus is simply elsewhere.

Many days, I am doing good to have matching socks and a clean shirt on.

So in an effort to control my spending proclivity, I have come up with some ways to be Mindlessly Mindful:

Sweating the Small Stuff

Purchases under a few dollars generally didn’t register on my radar. For instance, I developed a hardcore McDonald’s hot tea/oatmeal addiction. These trips to McDonald’s would usually run me less than $5. But then I woke up one week and realized the drive-through attendant knew my order by heart.

Gasp, I had become a regular! I quickly totaled up my trips for the month – 12 visits! I was going Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

That was when it hit home – $60 on food that would only cost a few dollars to prepare at home. Tea literally involves boiling water, it couldn’t get much easier. Plus, it wasn’t doing my waist line an iota of good.

(I am happy to report the Drive-Thru girl and I are no longer BFFs!)

Using my Debit Card

Controversial I know, but I found cash gets lost in my possession. My wallet is the equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle for twenty dollar bills. I take out just enough money to purchase gas and keep a few extra dollars in my wallet in case of an emergency.

I also appreciate the accountability of the debit card. My husband can see my purchases — do I really want him knowing I had KFC, Taco Bell, and Burger King for lunches in one week? Not so much. This was especially true when I was also paying Weight Watchers weekly…

Avoid Trigger Stores

Just as Superman’s greatest weakness was kryptonite, the Dollar Store obliterates all my defenses. With everything priced at a dollar, I feel like Donald Trump. This is also true at my previous home-away-from-home… Target. I would walk in to buy toothpaste and walk out with a toaster.

I have found it is better for me to spend a dollar or two more at a store with fewer temptations. In the long run, I am saving major bucks.

Check Your Balances

You have to love technology. Back in the day, you had to have your checkbook on you to see what was in the bank. Now, I log into the bank daily and check the activity. It has become as routine to me as brushing my teeth.

With much of our bill paying being done online, this little examination is also a visual reminder of those pesky bills I can sometimes forget about (you know, little things like the mortgage or electricity.)

Scheduling Some Spontaneity

Does this seem counter-intuitive? I have found that knowing I can splurge once in a while saves my sanity and stops me from making a ridiculous purchase.

I allow myself a tiny splurge once in a while – a song on iTunes, a new tube of mascara. It satisfies my need to spend lavishly while also keeping me in check.

In the end, it comes down to doing what is best for you.

There are many times I judge myself against others I see online or know in real life. Just remember: Comparison is the thief of joy. My goal is to just be happy with who I have become.

Dizee is a wife and mother who is on a quest to simplify her life one day at a time. Each day she posts her successes (and failures) at Doofy Dizee. She would love for you to stop by!

photo source

Shared Sep 27, 2013 comment

Crescent Chicken Squares

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 27, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

These delicious chicken squares are such an easy weeknight meal and your whole family with love them. You might just want to make a double batch!

Guest post from my sister, Gretchen.

I know you’ll love these easy Chicken Crescent Rolls

Note from Crystal: I can testify that these are amazing! In fact, these were one of my favorite meals growing up. This is a must-try recipe. Trust me on that!

These crescent chicken pockets have been a family favorite recipe for years.

The rich, creamy filling makes these pockets so delicious and filling… and they are just so quick and easy to make, especially since I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

The best part? They are freezer-friendly!

I often whip up a double or triple batch of these and stick them in the freezer for lunches or dinners on the go.

While you can use refrigerated crescent rolls for the dough, I like to make my own biscuit dough from scratch. It takes a little bit more time but is worth it in the end.

That said, if you’re short on time or energy — just go with store-bought refrigerated crescent roll dough!

Chicken Crescent Roll Ups ingredients

6 oz. cream cheese; softened
4 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons melted butter (divided)
2 cups cooked chicken breasts, diced
2 Tablespoon onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon parsley (optional)
2 packages of crescent dinner rolls (or your favorite homemade biscuit dough)

NOTE: You may need more than 2 packages of crescent rolls if you don’t add much filling. Also, if you stuff them full of chicken mixture, you may end up with extra dough. We recommend 1/4 cup of filling per pocket, for a total of 8 pockets.

Chicken Pockets substitutions

Try mixing up the flavor combination by adding a little garlic powder and chives. Or go with your own favorite herb or seasoning.

Add cheese — because everything is better with cheese! A 1/2 cup would be the perfect addition to this recipe, for an even gooier filling.

Cooked turkey is also an easy substitute for cooked chicken — perfect for using up holiday leftovers!

How to make Chicken Crescent Rolls

1 Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, milk, and 2 Tbs. melted butter into a smooth consistency.

3. Stir in chicken, onions, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix until well combined.

4. Divide crescent or biscuit dough into 8 equal sections.

5. Roll/press each section roughly into an 8×8 inch square (press 2 crescent rolls together).

6. Spoon a heaping 1/4 c. of the chicken mixture into each dough square.

7. Pull up the 4 corners and seal the edges (or just fold the dough over the chicken mixture and seal).

8. Place dough packets on a greased cookie sheet (seam side down) and brush with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

9. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until browned.

How to serve Crescent Chicken Squares

These delicious crescent chicken squares are a full meal all on their own. However, you can stretch them a bit further by serving with steamed or roasted veggies, a salad, and fresh fruit.

For a more casual meal, you could serve them with raw veggies and chips.

How to store Chicken Crescent Squares

You can store any leftovers in a food storage container or zip-top bag and refrigerate for up to a week.

The leftovers make great lunches — if you plan to use them as lunches, it works well to store each crescent square separately.

How to freeze Crescent Chicken Roll Ups

As mentioned above, these are freezer-friendly to make your life just that much easier!

Simply let the cooked chicken packets cool to room temperature, then wrap them individually in foil, and store in a freezer bag.

They work wonderfully for on-the-go lunches as they defrost by lunch time and can simply be reheated in the microwave.

Recipe

Chicken Crescent Squares

Author Brigette

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Ingredients

6 oz cream cheese
4 tbsp milk
4 tbsp melted butter divided
2 cups cooked chicken breast diced
2 tbsp onion diced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tbsp parsley optional
2 packages crescent dinner rolls

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, milk, and 2 Tbs. melted butter into a smooth consistency.
Stir in chicken, onions, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix until well combined.
Divide crescent or biscuit dough into 8 equal sections.
Roll/press each section roughly into a 8×8 inch square (press 2 crescent rolls together).
Spoon roughly 1/4 c. of the chicken mixture into each dough square.
Pull up the 4 corners and seal the edges (or just fold the dough over the chicken mixture and seal).
Place dough packets on a greased cookie sheet (seam side down) and brush with remianing 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until browned.

Nutrition

Love this recipe?

Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!

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Shared Sep 27, 2013 comment

Reader Tip: How a Kind Letter Resulted in Free Pampers!

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 27, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Stacy emailed in the following tip:

A few weeks ago, I was reading this post about writing to stores, telling them how much you love their products, and seeing if they have any coupons they are willing to offer. I decided to write to Pampers because we go through them so much.

I told them how I love their diapers and that they are the only diapers my kids could wear because every other brand gave them chemical burns. I requested coupons and got an email back saying they would be more than happy to send me some emails and also asked me if I would be willing to participate in a diaper study because they are trying to improve the diapers. I said “yes” thinking they would send me a couple diapers to try out.

Well, I got a package in the mail from them today. Not only did I get 5 coupons for diapers, I also got 2 bags of diapers to try out! My son goes through diapers pretty quick so the extra diapers really help out. So just wanted to say thanks for the tip! -Stacy

Shared Sep 27, 2013 comment

Coming next week: Frugal Photo Friday!

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 27, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

As you well know, I tend to be just a little bit frugal. Er, well, maybe more like a lot frugal. My husband says that if I were left on my own, I’d never spend any money on myself. I love to spend money on others, but when it comes to me, I’ll just keep using and re-using whatever I already have. 🙂

That’s not always a bad thing… especially considering all of the money it has saved us over the years. Sometimes we lose sight of just how much these simple things we do really benefit our lives. And it’s time that we celebrated the simple savings!

Welcome to Frugal Photo Friday! Like we did last year, during the month of October, I am partnering with Rebekah from SimplyRebekah (that’s us above at a conference last year!) to bring you a fun series dedicated to inspiring others and celebrating our simple savings. We’ll be sharing photos each Friday of simple ways that we save money. And we’d love for you to join us!

How it will work:

Each Friday in October Rebekah and I will share pictures on our blogs that demonstrate ways that we save money. At the end of our posts we’ll have a link-up where you can share a link to your own blog post. Your Frugal Photo Friday post should include at least one photograph along with a brief caption or story that explains how you saved money.

The Details:

No blog? You can also share your pictures on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #FrugalPhotoFriday.
Frugal Photo Friday posts will go live on Friday mornings and the link-up will stay open until Sunday night at 11:59 PM.
You will only need to share your link on one of our blogs and it will automatically be displayed on both blogs.
Please link directly to your Frugal Photo Friday post and not to your homepage.
Feel free to grab the Frugal Photo Friday button to use in your post.
Please include a link back to Money Saving Mom® or Simply Rebekah in your post so others can be encouraged by all the savings.
There is no time limit on your savings. We want to see things that saved you money this week, last month, last year, or beyond!

Unlike last year, we won’t have themes for each week. Instead, we’re leaving it wide open for you to share any Frugal Photo you’d like!

You can see our posts from last year, if you need some examples to help get the creative wheels turning in your brain:

My Frugal Photo Friday Posts from Last Year

Making Starbucks at Home

The Library & Cooking with Kids

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets

Finding Great Deals on Photography

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Rebekah’s Frugal Photo Friday Posts from Last Year

Recycling Gift Wrap

Puzzle Swaps & Being Content

5 Frugal Ways to Decorate a Kid’s Room

The Discount Grocery Store & Meatless Meals

Remembering with Video & Not Wasting Beauty Products

Shared Sep 26, 2013 comment

Sliced Baked Potatoes Recipe

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 26, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve been making Sliced Baked Potatoes for years. In fact, this was one of the first recipes I started making way back in my early teens!

These are versatile, hearty, and delicious. They are a fun way to dress up an ordinary potato!

Sliced Baked Potatoes

4 medium baking potatoes (evenly-sized)
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 Tablespoons melted butter
2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, thyme, sage, etc.) or 2-3 teaspoons dried herbs (of your choice
4 Tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Scrub and rinse potatoes. Cut into thin slices, but NOT all the way through.

Put potatoes in a baking dish and fan out the slices. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with butter, then sprinkle with herbs.

Bake potatoes for about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Then bake for another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and potatoes are done.

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Shared Sep 26, 2013 comment

Do It Yourself: Smartphone Keychain Cleaning Cloth

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 26, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

RoseKnowsCoupons.com shows you how to make homemade smartphone keychain cleaning cloth.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Sep 25, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s $40 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 Apple Juice – $1.49 (These are a special treat for a roadtrip my little boy and I are taking this weekend. One of them didn’t make it home though…) 🙂

1 Carrots – $0.99

1 Cauliflower – $1.69

Total with tax ($0.30): $4.47

Dillons

2 U by Kotex Liners – $1 each, used 2 $0.75/1 coupon from the 7/22 SmartSource insert – $0.25 each after coupons

2 Kotex Natural Balance Liners – $1 each, Received $2.50 catalina – Free plus overage after catalina

2 LA Looks Hair Gel – $1 each, used 2 $0.75/1 printable – $0.25 each after coupon

1 Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn – $2.49, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Kroger Ice Cream – $2.50

2 Sunbelt Granola Bars – $2.19 each, used Buy One Get One Free coupon from the 9/8 SmartSource insert – $1.09 each after coupon (Another special treat for our roadtrip!)

1 Simple Truth Whole Chicken – Marked down to $8.34, used $1.25/1 e-coupon – $7.09 after coupon

2 Kroger Cheese – $1.50 each

1 Smart Chicken Drumsticks – Marked down to $2.75

1 lb Sterling Silver Ground Beef – Marked down to $4.48 (I hate spending this much on ground beef, so I will stretch this to make 2-3 meals.)

1 pkg Baby Spinach – $2.50

0.98 lbs Roma Tomatoes @ $0.99/lb – $0.97

1 Cucumber – $0.75

1 Green Pepper – $0.75

1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $2.25, used $0.40/1 e-coupon – $1.85 after coupon (I should have purchased this at Aldi…)

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

Total before sales and coupons: $53.97

Total with tax ($2.72) after sales and coupons: $35.54, plus received $2.50 catalina (for buying Kotex)

Total for all grocery items: $40.01

Menu Plan for this Week

My son and I will be gone several days this week and my husband is fending for himself (he prefers it that way!), so I didn’t have to plan for as many meals.

Breakfasts

Personal Sized Baked Oatmeal, Cereal, Toast

Lunches

Leftovers, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks and Apples, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Dinners

Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken, Tossed Salad, Green Beans

Lasagna, 30-Minute Rolls, Tossed Salad

Egg Burritos, Fruit

Grill Out Steaks (gift from Crystal), Biscuits, Steamed Cauliflower, Tossed Salad

Shared Sep 25, 2013 comment

We Paid Cash: A Disney Vacation

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We paid cash! A testimony from Lindsay

My family recently returned from Disney World — and are proud to say that we did the entire trip debt-free!

About a year ago, we decided that we would take our two daughters on vacation in the summer of 2013. We kicked around the idea of Disney World, but knew it was a pricey vacation and wanted to pay cash for whatever vacation we took. We starting stashing away extra cash leftover from our envelope system, held a garage sale, and cut back on spending.

We researched great times of the year to visit Disney, and decided that September would be a good time for our family to visit. We found that September has historically been a low month for Disney World and that they frequently offer their “Dining Plans” for free if we elected to stay at a Disney Resort.

We knew that a full week at Disney would not be optimal for our family so we found a 3-bedroom townhome with a water park for only $65 per night and stayed there for the first four nights of our vacation. This enabled us to cook at home and also to travel to attractions other than Disney.

We have a zoo membership through our hometown zoo and used the reciprocating zoo list to visit a wonderful aquarium in Florida for free. In the same town, we visited a free and beautiful beach — Siesta Key. That entire day of vacation was nearly free, and probably was one of our best days!

We rented a car for the first four days then returned the car to the Orlando airport. This enabled us to use the free Disney Magical Express transportation system to travel to and from the airport to our Disney Resort that we stayed at the remainder of the week. This eliminated the need to pay for parking at Disney and also for a car that we would not be using while we were there.

Wal-Mart and Target stores in the Orlando area offer tons of low cost, adorable Disney t-shirts and memorabilia, so we purchased our daughter’s autograph book and t-shirts at Wal-Mart instead of in the Disney Parks. The autograph book was $1.98 at Wal-Mart compared to $10.95 and up at Disney World. The t-shirts were a 1/3 of the price of those at Disney World.

Disney has a nightly electric parade, but the glow necklaces and toys are quite pricey. We bought glow necklaces and wands at Dollar General for $1 prior to leaving and packed them away in our suitcase. Our daughters could careless where their glow necklaces came from, all they knew was that they had one!

We had a wonderful, memorable vacation, and returned home with cash to spare!

Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.

Shared Sep 25, 2013 comment

Ask The Readers: When should I start stocking up on baby things (medicine, formula, etc.)?

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Uma:

I’m pregnant and will be a first-time mom. I just started looking for deals on diapers and wipes… and in the process, I came across few medicines deals, too. So I’m wondering, how early can/should I start stocking up on medicines, formulas, and other items that could potentially expire? (I’m planning to breastfeed; however, I want to have few packages of formula on hand for emergencies.) -Uma

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

Shared Sep 25, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s CVS Shopping Trip: $5.97 out of pocket for $64.21 worth of products

Published: by Crystal Paine on September 25, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CVS Shopping Trip

3 Huggies Diapers – $9.49
Used 2 $2.50/1 printable and 1 $2/1 printable
And used $3/1 CVS printable (no longer available)

1 Desitin – $2.99
Used $0.75/1 printable

1 Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser – $9.49
Used $2/1 printable
And used $1/$5 CVS any cleanser coupon

1 Neutrogena Make Up Remover Towelettes – $7.49

1 Neutrogena Soap – $3.29

Used $10/$50 CVS coupon

And used $24.99 ECBs from last shopping trip

Total before coupons, sales and ECBs: $64.21

Total with tax ($2.98) after coupons, sales and ECBs: $5.97, Received $10 ECBs (for buying $30 in Baby products) and $7 ECBs (for buying $20 in Neutrogena products)

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