Have you purchased your copy of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode yet? Get the book here!
Summer Bucket List
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Shared Feb 11, 2014
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SavedPlus: Save Money When You Shop + Try it and Get a $15 Savings Bonus
SavedPlus: Save Money When You Shop + Try it and Get a $15 Savings Bonus
Need a little discipline to help you put money in your savings account? SavedPlus is an app that helps you automatically build your savings when you shop. Here’s how it works:
- Download the SavedPlus app to your smartphone, or use it online at SavedPlus.com.
- Register with SavedPlus.
- Set the savings slider. Decide how much you want to save every time you spend. 5% to 20% of your purchase amount will be automatically transferred from your checking to your savings account.
- Link your bank accounts to SavedPlus. SavedPlus is bank independent and should work with any bank that offers online banking.
- Choose your source and destination accounts. If you have more than one checking or savings account, you’ll choose the accounts you’d like to use with SavedPlus. You can set your savings to deposit into a traditional savings account, a money market account, or even long-term savings like a 401(k) or an IRA.
- Set your savings goals. Save for your emergency fund, a college fund, debt retirement, and more.
- Track your savings and adjust your settings. You can log in and track your progress or adjust your savings slider anytime through the app or online at SavedPlus.com.
Get a $15 Bonus!
For a limited time, you can get a free $15 savings account bonus when you sign up for SavedPlus using the promo code promo10. To get this offer, you’ll need to install and link your bank accounts to the SavedPlus app. Your $15 savings account bonus should be deposited within a week.
This post was underwritten by SavedPlus. See our disclosure policy here.
Gretchen’s Walgreens Shopping Trip: Spent $5.16
Walgreens Shopping Trip
Transaction #1
2 Mitchum Deodorant – $3 each (Buy 2, Get $4 Register Rewards)
Used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 1/12 SmartSource insert1 Christmas Tree Ornament – Marked down to $0.10
Redeemed 1,000 points (like $1) from previous shopping trip
Tax: $0.44
Paid $1.54 out of pocket, Received $4 Register Rewards
Transaction #2
2 Colgate Total Advanced – $3 each (Buy 2, Get $4 Register Rewards)
Used 2 $0.75/1 coupon from the 2/2 SmartSource insert1 Christmas Tree Ornament – Marked down tot $0.10
Used $4 Register Rewards from Transaction #1
Tax: $0.44
Paid $1.04, Received $4 Register Rewards plus 300 points (from Walgreens Winter Beauty Event)
Transaction #3
2 Axe Body Spray at $5.49 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off (Buy 2, Earn 2,000 Balance Rewards Points)
Used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 1/26 RedPlum insert1 Rockstar Energy Drink – $1 (Buy 1, Get $1 Register Rewards)
1 Russell Stover Valentine Chocolate – $0.39 with in-ad coupon
Used $4 RR from Transaction #2
Tax: $0.59
Paid $0.86, Received 2,000 points and $1 Register Rewards plus 350 points (from Walgreens Winter Beauty Event)
Transaction #4
1 Scope Mouthwash 1 L – $3.49 (Buy 1, Get $2 Register Rewards)
Used $1/1 coupon from the 2/9 RedPlum insertRedeemed 2,000 Balance Rewards Points from Transaction #3
Tax: $0.25
Paid $0.74, Received $2 Register Rewards
Transaction #5
2 Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo – $2.69 each (Buy 2, Earn 2,000 Balance Rewards Points)
Used 2 $1.50/1 coupon from the 1/26 RedPlum insert2 Christmas Tree Ornaments – Marked down to $0.10 each
Used $2 Register Rewards from Transaction #4
Tax: $0.40
Paid $0.98, Earned 2,000 Balance Rewards Points plus 250 points (from Walgreens Winter Beauty Event)
Total for all transactions: $5.16, plus $1 Register Rewards and 2,850 points (like $2.85) leftover
Q&A: What do I do when I get thrown off my routine?
As I am reading your book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, I am trying to do one thing at a time… I began to implement a morning routine. That worked for about 2 days. We had to put my kids (ages 1 and 5) in the same room to sleep, as we are renovating the room my youngest was in. Now, the older one falls asleep sooner, and gets up an hour earlier. When she opens the door to the room to come out, she wakes my youngest up, too.
So they are both awake an hour earlier than normal and my routine doesn’t work. Since I am not a morning person, simply pushing my wake up time back an hour is an agonizing thought, though it may be what I have to do.
My question is this: this happens to me in some form or fashion ALL THE TIME. I struggle to get a routine, then once I get one and settle in to it, a wrinkle comes and throws it off. I get out of my groove and consequently seem to never find it again.
Do you have any suggestions for getting back into the routine (for whatever area) after I get out of it? I thrive on order, but cannot seem to keep it. -Kasie
Oh, Kasie! I so know this feeling — and I think many others can relate, too! Here are some ideas I had after reading your email:
1. Make Sure You’re Not Biting Off Too Much
After years of trial and error, I realized that the reason I was failing at my goals and ambitions was because I was trying to take on more than I could handle.
So step back and evaluate your morning routine (or whatever area you’re trying to change) and make sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew. Maybe just start with getting up 10 or 15 minutes earlier and doing one thing, every single morning.
This might seem discouraging because it feels so small, but starting somewhere and doing something is better than trying to overhaul your life overnight and ending up burnt out and overwhelmed. In addition, if you make tiny little steps in the right direction, they’ll add up to big progress over time.
2. Get an Accountability Partner
It’s amazing what a difference accountability can make! Think about running a race: if you have people running alongside you and cheering you on the sidelines, you’re going to have much more motivation to keep going and stick with it.
It’s the same in our lives: if we want to stay the course and follow through with our goals, we’ve got to be intentional about finding accountability partners and surrounding ourselves with cheerleaders.
Maybe ask a few friends who also want to make some small and steady progress in areas in their own lives to keep you accountable to stick with your morning routine. Text, call, or email them to check in on a daily or weekly basis. If you have a blog or Facebook account, you can also post your goals and progress there. I’ve found public accountability to be extremely helpful.
3. Ask a Trusted Friend for Ideas & Encouragement
In addition to having accountability partners and cheerleaders, I’ve found it’s imperative to have people in my life to bounce ideas off of and who can give me wise counsel. Find a few people that you can be 100% honest and vulnerable with about areas in your life you’re struggling with. These should be people who are committed to you, who will celebrate your successes, and who will love you enough to speak the truth to you when you need to hear it.
Ask these people for their advice and input when you’re having difficulty in a particular area. They will know you and your situation well and can give you counsel that’s tailored to your needs and specific situation. They’ll also be there to encourage you when you are feeling like you’ve fallen off the bandwagon and can help you get back up when you’ve fallen.
A Few Practical Ideas That May or May Not Work For You:
- Switch Most of Your Morning Routine to the Evening: Can you switch some of your morning routine to before bed to simplify your morning routine?
- Give Your Children Something to Do in Their Rooms: Could your children have a special basket of toys they could play with in their room if they wake up early to give you an extra 20 or 30 minutes to
- Have Your Children Join You in the Routines: Could your children join you in your morning routine if they wake up early?
- Try Getting Up Earlier for Three Weeks: I know you said you are not a morning person, but maybe consider going to bed a little earlier and getting up a little earlier for three weeks to see if it works for you?
What advice or ideas do the rest of you have for Kasie?
photo credit; photo credit: photo credit
Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? It all starts the night before! Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Evenings.
This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you maximize your evenings in order to experience more success in your life, more order in your home, and more joy in your soul.
It’s time to stop sleep-walking through life and wake up to the amazing excitement and fulfillment that comes when you follow my simple plan to Make Over Your Evenings.
This Week’s Menu Plan + Freezer Cooking in an Hour Plan
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 3Snacks
Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs
Butterscotch Brownies
Freezer Cooking in an Hour Plan
No Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ham & Cheese Pockets
Dinners
Homemade Pizza, veggies, fruit
Slow Cooker Southwest Soup, Homemade Soft Pretzels, fruit
Breakfast for Dinner: Pancakes from the Freezer, scrambled eggs, fruit
Build Your Own Haystacks, fruit
Ham & Cheese Pockets, Fruit
Dinner at our church’s Valentine’s Banquet
Dinner out (We’re going to Oklahoma City as a family for a fun getaway trip and are planning to use our gift card to The Cheesecake Factory that we got as a Christmas gift one of the nights!}
What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.
10 Goals For This Week
Last Week’s Goals:
Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals
1.
Read 4 chapters of Missionary Adventures of Bob & Arty aloud to the girls.
Read 4 chapters of A Big Year for Lily to Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Clean out 4 drawers in our bedroom/bathroom.
4. Make Little House Inspired Molasses Candy with the kids.
See our Molasses Candy pictures and how it turned out here.
Personal Goals
5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-27.6. Complete five days of the P90X Program.
7. Read Sarah’s Key,
Eat Move Sleep, Samson,Undaunted, and On Every Side.8. Finish embroidery quilt square project. Make this Knit Headband.
Blog/Business Goals
9. Record the audiobook version of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode. {I finished two days of recording and am 2/3rd of the way through the book. I have 1/3 of it left and plan to finish recording that this Friday. You can see a little behind-the-scenes photo collage on my Instagram page.}
10. Write three content pieces for my blog.
This Week’s Goals:
Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals
1.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Clean out 2 drawers in our bedroom/bathroom.
4. Take a family overnight trip to Oklahoma City.
Personal Goals
5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-28.
6. Complete four days of the P90X Program.
7. Read Sarah’s Key, Samson, On Every Side.
8. Finish embroidery quilt square project. Make this Knit Headband.
Blog/Business Goals
9. Put together details for a download for March’s 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge.
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 Feb 10, 2014
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“We didn’t have a spending problem. We had an income problem.”
“We didn’t have a spending problem. We had an income problem.”
Testimonial from Tiffany of Wife.Mother.Teacher
In the fall of 2012 I was introduced to Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. I found his book at our library and became a regular radio listener. With the purchase of our home, we were quickly realizing — we’d bit off more than we could chew.
Between student loans and our new mortgage, our money needed to be told what to do if we were going to survive.
That realization led me to call in to the Dave Ramsey show seeking advice. By amazing grace, I was able to make it on air and Dave gifted us his Financial Peace University class.
Let the Games Begin
As predicted, money fights ensued. My husband and I learned that we weren’t on the same page with money, and fit the bill as personality opposites.
Within 3-6 months, we made monthly budgets and usually stuck to them. But it wasn’t until around month 9 that we really got the hang of the entire plan. We were working together creating our budget, and checking in with each other regularly. We were using the cash envelope system to follow through on our budget, and feeling successful, but that’s the point where we hit our next obstacle.
We had already cut our spending dramatically — cutting back internet and cable TV, canceling smart phones, and limiting our grocery budget. And although we were making the minimum payment on all of our debts, we were struggling to really get the ball rolling on our debt snowball.
With nothing more to sell or cut out, we had to get real.
Our financial problems were no longer a spending problem. They were an income problem.
If we ever wanted to get out of a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, and see the debt snowball in action, we would have to increase our income.
Entering Phase Two of Our Debt Snowball
I waitressed before teaching, but with my husband’s schedule, a traditional part-time job wasn’t feasible. We don’t have an evening sitter that we could count on to babysit on such a regular basis.
Instead my husband picked up extra hours at work and I started working after school activities to earn a little extra income. It helped, but we still needed to find something more consistent.
That’s when I started tutoring online. Since completing my first lesson, I feel like I have found the key to increasing our income for the time being. It’s not a perfect solution, but until we can find another avenue, it will work.
We keep counting down the numbers as we pay off our smallest debt. I know that if we continue to persevere, our debt snowball will really start to take hold.
Whether you’re in phase one, or two, it’s important not to loose sight of your goal. No matter how big your debt, you can achieve financial freedom. The hard work and effort are worth it, especially when you learn to live on what you make. I’m looking forward to what phase two of our debt snowball has to bring and guarantee we’re up to the challenge!
This post was written by Tiffany at Wife.Mother.Teacher. – a blog devoted to sharing a passion for home management with modern, working moms – where you’ll find posts on household budgeting, teaching & raising a toddler. In her free time, Tiffany enjoys reading, exploring the great outdoors and catching up with friends and family.
Shared Feb 10, 2014
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FREE 4-Day Celebrating Your Valentine on a Budget Challenge + Free Love Notes Printable Pack!
FREE 4-Day Celebrating Your Valentine on a Budget Challenge + Free Love Notes Printable Pack!
Many of you are on tight budgets right now, but you still want to come up with creative ways to celebrate your Valentine on a budget. So I put together a 4-Day Series on How to Celebrate Your Valentine on a Budget.
This series has practical ideas, a daily challenge, and just some personal ideas of things that have helped our marriage stay strong over the past 11 years. The ideas will work for Valentine’s Day — or any day of the year!
Sign Up for the 4-Day Challenge!
Sign up below and you’ll get an email every day for four days. These emails are simple and fun — each ending with a small practical challenge for you to implement that day.
When you sign up, you’ll also get a FREE printable Love Notes packet — with some fun ideas on how to keep the sparks flying in your marriage by the simple act of writing love notes. Plus, we put together some cute printable love notes that you can use to show your Valentine just how much you care about him/her.
Psst! Wishing you could get a copy of my new book for Valentine’s Day? We’ve made it really easy for you to do so here!
How to Start a Freezer Club
Are you tight on time or money but want to eat healthy meals at home on a regular basis? Consider starting a Freezer Club with your friends.
“A Freezer Club is a small group of friends (anywhere from 2-8 people) who commit to cooking freezer-friendly meals for one another each month.” ~Rachel at Thriving Home
Interested in learning more about starting a Freezer Club? Read more at the Thriving Home blog.
Shared Feb 10, 2014
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My Interviews with Kat Lee: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode & Keys to Successful Blogging
My Interviews with Kat Lee: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode & Keys to Successful Blogging
I was honored to get to do two interviews with Kat Lee recently! We did an interview for her Inspired to Action Podcast where we talked about my new book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, and on How They Blog where we talked about Keys to Successful Blogging.
On the Inspired to Action Podcast, we talked about:
- How to create and stick with your goals
- How to find margin in your life
- How a “best stuff” list will help you create margin.
- The importance of self care.
- How knowing your drainers and fillers will energize you.
On the How They Blog Podcast, we talked about:
- How I got started blogging.
- The importance of building relationships for blogging success.
- The first step toward monetizing your blog.
- How to find your voice.
- How to find your niche.
- How to know what to quit.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Shared Feb 8, 2014
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How to Stay Focused on Your Debt Snowball When Real Life Hits…HARD!
How to Stay Focused on Your Debt Snowball When Real Life Hits…HARD!
Guest post from Kim of Kimz Kitchen
My family and I are avid followers of MoneySavingMom.com and Dave Ramsey. When my husband and I graduated from college, the only debt we had were some (relatively) small student loans to pay off. Our plan was to knock them out before we started adding children to our family.
Things were going well, and though we got pregnant before they were paid off, we had every intention of being debt-free before our first daughter arrived.
Then real life happened.
A deer hit our car, and even with good insurance, we had to replace our car. Because it wasn’t worth much to begin with, and it was our only vehicle, we had to take out a small loan to pay for another used one. This put our debt payoff on hold.
Then our daughter was born with major health issues — which meant big medical bills to pay.
A couple years later, my husband was out of work for several months, so our debt snowball was put on hold again and I sold everything I could on Craigslist and Ebay. MoneySavingMom.com was such a huge help to us during this tough time.
The next few years brought on more high deductibles that had to be paid each year — our daughter was bitten by a copperhead one year, we had another beautiful little girl the next, we had three pregnancies that ended tragically (and with big medical bills), and then my husband was diagnosed with a large (benign) brain tumor that needed an eleven-hour surgery to remove.
So, while our debt was small and easily manageable in the beginning, we were being stalled every year by big bills that had to be paid first. I would hear the stories of others who were paying off smaller amounts of debt on smaller incomes in a quarter of the time we were and I would get SO discouraged!
Some of you may be in a similar situation to us. You have every intent to dump your debt quickly, but life happens, and sometimes it hits harder than you can imagine.
If you can relate, here are a 5 tips that helped us stay focused (and kept us from growing our debt):
1. We always paid ourselves first and made sure our $1,000 emergency fund was available for short term emergencies. This came in handy when our hot water heater started smoking and a pipe burst in our guest bathroom!
2. We started using the envelope system to pay cash for budget busters like groceries, eating out, and date nights. Anything left over went straight to our current outstanding bill.
3. We used coupons to save money on our grocery bills and played the drugstore game for toiletry items. CVS was our favorite. Many times we were getting our milk and diapers free! We would even use extra free items to make up small gift baskets for gifts for our families.
4. We paid our bills first to avoid more debt. Whenever the big medical bills came due, we put our debt snowball on hold until they were paid. In a sense, we were cash flowing those medical bills, using our debt snowball money to pay for them. While it was hard to lose the steam on my student loan, it was still something that had to be done, and we were grateful to have the means to pay them.
5. We simplified our belongings and made money by selling our excess belongings on our local Facebook Yardsale page, Craigslist, and eBay.
We stuck to our goal, and the day before my ten-year college reunion, we paid the final payment to my student loan!
While it took MUCH longer than I had anticipated, it was still worth the effort. Plus, the lessons we learned about saving, living on less, and paying cash for everything have been invaluable.
Kim is wife to a brain tumor survivor and mom to two girls here and three kiddos in Heaven. She blogs about her adventures in homeschooling, cooking, and helping young children deal with sibling loss at her Kimz Kitchen.
12 Months to a Healthier You: Week 6 Check-in
Are you joining us for the 12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge? If so, it’s Saturday and guess what that means? It’s time for our weekly check-in to post our progress.
February’s Challenge:
We’re focusing on developing the habit of eating more fruits and veggies in February. I encourage you to set a simple and doable goal for exercise and to stick with it.
If you haven’t set your February Exercise Goal yet, be sure to do so and then leave a comment on this post telling us what your goal is. New to this challenge? Read more details on the plan for this year here.
My Fruits/Veggie Intake Goal for February
My goal for February is to eat at least six big salads every week. I’m also hoping to keep up with January’s habit of doing P90X at least 4-5 times every week.
This Week’s Progress:
Yay! I hit my goal this week of eating six big salads plus exercising 4 times!
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.
Gretchen’s $53 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Aldi
1 loaf Bread – $1.29
1 Pineapple – $1.29
1 Flour Tortillas – $0.99
1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – $4.21 (I was so excited that their chicken was marked 50% off!)
2 dozen Eggs – $1.59 each
1 Carrots – $0.99
1 Roma Tomatoes – $1.29
1 bag Cuties – $1.99
1 Blueberries – $1.79
1 can Pineapple Chunks – $0.89
1 Cream Cheese – $1.29
1 Chocolate Syrup – $1.49
1 bag Spinach – $1.69
1 Celery – $0.69
1 Cauliflower – $1.69
1 can Pumpkin – $0.89
1 Strawberries – $1.29
Total with tax ($1.99): $28.93
Dillons
1 gallon Milk – $2.78
1 gallon Chocolate Milk – $2.78
4 Totino’s Pizza Rolls – $1 each, used 4 $1.25/1 printable (no longer available) – Free plus overage after coupons
1 Annie’s Mac and Cheese – $1, used $0.75/1 catalina coupon – $0.25 after coupon
1.24 lbs Bananas @ $0.55/lb – $0.68
1 Cascadian Farms Granola – $2.50, used $0.75/1 coupon from the 1/5 SmartSource insert – $1.75 after coupon
1 Kroger French Bread – $1.99 (Requested by my husband…I prefer homemade bread, but I love spoiling him sometimes.)
3 Gluten Free Quinoa Pasta – Marked down to $0.99 each (We aren’t allergic to gluten but I have several friends who are, so I always keep my eye out for good deals on gluten free items.)
2 Nature Valley Granola Bars – Marked down to $1.99, used 2 $1.25/1 printable (no longer available) – $0.74 each after coupons
2 John Frieda Root Lift – Marked down to $1.59 each, used $3/2 coupon from the 1/19 SmartSource insert – $0.09 each after coupons
1 Hormel Rev Wrap – $1.99, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99 (I will get 20% back from SavingStar.com.)
1 Marshmallow Matey’s Cereal – $4.49 (My husband was shopping with me and put this in the cart! :))
1 Suave Lotion – $0.99, used $1/1 coupon from the February All You magazine – Free after coupon
2 Right Guard Deodorant – Marked down to $1.09 each, used $2/2 coupon from the 1/26 RedPlum insert – $0.09 each after coupon
1 Natural Cane Turbinado Sugar – Marked down to $1.89
Total before coupons and sales: $48.20
Total with tax ($2.67) after coupons and sales: $24.07
Total for all grocery items: $53
Menu Plan for this Week
Breakfasts
Cereal, Homemade Granola, Oatmeal, Toast, Homemade Juice (I’ll use various fruits and veggies.)
Lunches
Fruit/Veggies & Cheese/Crackers, Mac & Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Tossed Salad with Tuna, Egg and Spinach Quiche Cups
Dinners
Baked Chicken Drumsticks, French Bread, Tossed Salad, Sliced Clementines
Hawaiian Haystacks, Steamed Cauliflower
Crepes, Sausage, Fruit Salad
Venison BBQ Brisket, Pumpkin Muffins, Steamed Broccoli, Baked Potatoes
Chicken Fajitas, Sliced Veggies
Lasagna (from the freezer – I made and froze this a couple of weeks ago), 30 Minute Rolls, Tossed Salad
Date night
Reader Tip: A Frugal Replacement for Tomato Sauce
Kimber emailed in the following tip:
I have a non-frugal confession: I am brand-loyal about pasta sauce and I really don’t like the generic stuff.
However, I discovered a great use for the cheaper, store-brand pasta sauce… it’s a frugal replacement in recipes that call for a tomato sauce. Not only is it usually much cheaper than tomato sauce, the jars of pasta sauce contain more ounces than the cans of tomato sauce!
This might not be news to anyone but me, but I thought I’d pass it on anyway. I have some lentil soup simmering right now (using this tip) and just tasted it — fabulous!
So next time you see a great deal on store-brand pasta sauce, scoop it up and try using it in your other recipes that call for tomato sauce.
Baked Spaghetti Pie with Cottage Cheese
If you’re looking for a quick, simple and frugal meal that everyone will love… Spaghetti Pie is it! Not only can you make it ahead if you’re short on time, you can also make several at a time and freeze them for later!
Guest post from Brigette:
Spaghetti Pie Recipe with Cottage Cheese!
Spaghetti pie has been one of my Mom’s go-to recipes for as long as I can remember (so long that none of us can remember where the original recipe came from).
And it still is!
Any time we visit my parents for more than a few days, Spaghetti Pie will most likely be on the menu at some point. It’s another one of my Mom’s crowd-pleasing recipes that can be made up ahead of time and frozen – perfect for company!
Although Spaghetti Pie is similar to lasagna in taste, it’s cheaper to make and quicker to assemble!
My Mom usually serves this with a tossed salad, a fruit salad, and fresh homemade bread (Dill Bread is especially yummy with this!)
Baked Spaghetti Pie Ingredients
- 6-8 oz. spaghetti noodles
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 lb. ground beef or bulk pork sausage
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- ¼ cup green pepper, chopped (optional)
- 1 (8 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Ingredient FAQs:
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, any type of pasta could work for this recipe — however, it’s easiest to form a “crust” with spaghetti, fettuccini, or angel hair pasta noodles.
Gluten-free noodles could also be substituted.
Can I use store-bought pasta sauce?
Certainly! You can substitute any of your favorite store-bought (or homemade) pasta sauces in place of the dice tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, and salt. You may choose to still add the cooked ground beef and onion mixture to your store-bought sauce.
You could even try store-bought pesto or alfredo sauce to mix up the flavors a bit.
Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Yes! Simply omit the ground beef and sautee some mushrooms or additional veggies of choice to add to the sauce. You could also add in more cheese to increase the protein.
What can I add to spaghetti sauce to make it taste better?
Most Italian herbs, like parsley, basil, and oregano, will boost the flavor of your pasta sauce. Also, make sure you add enough salt — along with a little sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
Which is better ricotta or cottage cheese?
This is probably a personal preference more than anything else. Ricotta cheese has much smaller “curds” and a smoother texture. Cottage cheese is usually less expensive, lower in calories, and higher in protein.
How to Make Spaghetti Pie with Cottage Cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Cook spaghetti al dente and drain.
3. Stir butter into hot spaghetti; stir in beaten eggs and parmesan cheese.
4. Press this mixture into a greased 9 or 10-inch pie pan to form a “crust.
5. Spread cottage cheese over spaghetti crust.
6. In a skillet, cook the meat, onion, and green pepper until meat has browned and vegetables are tender.
7. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, and garlic salt. Heat through.
8. Spread meat mixture over cottage cheese.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Easy Spaghetti Pie Variations
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?
If you boil the noodles and cook the ground beef ahead of time, you can dump all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or until all the cheese is melted. It will not resemble a “pie” but the flavors will still be delicious!
Can I make a double batch?
This recipe is so delicious, you’ll want to make a double batch! You can either use 2 pie pans or put it all in a 9″x13″ pan (with the “crust” on the bottom). You’ll probably want to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes as well — just keep watching so the cheese doesn’t burn!
How to Store this recipe for Spaghetti Pie
How do I freeze this recipe?
It works best to freeze this recipe after you assemble the pie but BEFORE you bake it. When you want to serve it, simply defrost it overnight in your refrigerator and bake as directed in the recipe.
Recipe
Easy Spaghetti Pie
Spaghetti Pie is similar to lasagna in taste, but it’s cheaper to make and quicker to assemble! It's a family favorite weeknight recipe that we hope your family will love too!
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles (uncooked)
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 eggs; beaten
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 lb ground beef or bulk pork sausage
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped (optional)
- 8 oz can diced tomatoes
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook spaghetti al dente and drain.
- Stir butter into hot spaghetti; stir in beaten eggs and parmesan cheese.
- Form this mixture into a crust in a greased 9 or 10-inch pie pan.
- Spread cottage cheese over crust.
- In a skillet, cook the meat, onion, and green pepper until meat has browned and vegetables are tender.
- Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, and garlic salt. Heat through.
- Spread meat mixture over cottage cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 more minutes, or until cheese melts.
Notes
Feel free to substitute your favorite pasta or store-bought sauce in place of recipe ingredients. You also might just want to make a double batch!
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