Looking for a quick healthy breakfast option that will fill you up, give you energy for the entire morning, and taste great too? Try breakfast cookies — a nutritional and delicious breakfast on-the-go for busy morning.
Quick and easy Breakfast Cookies Recipe
Believe it or not, as far as I can remember, I’ve never made Breakfast Cookies. So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it.
Of course, I tweaked it because we didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand, but I was super happy with how my tweaked version turned out. They are delicious, healthy, and filling!
What is a Breakfast Cookie?
They are a cross between a cookie and a muffin — usually using more nutritious ingredients like dried fruits and nuts and containing much less sugar.
Breakfast cookies are usually a healthier option than sugary breakfast cereals or granola bars, yet still super convenient for busy mornings or even eating on the go.
Breakfast Cookie Recipe ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups oats (I used whole oats because that’s what I had. The original recipe calls for quick oats or said you could coarsely grind whole oats in the blender or food processor.)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
How to make Homemade Breakfast Cookies
1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
2. Drop heaping Tablespoons of mixture onto greased cookie sheet and flatten the tops slightly (these cookies won’t rise or spread when they bake).
3. Bake at 325ºF. for 15-16 minutes or until slightly browned.
4. Cool completely and store in an airtight container or freeze in a freezer bag.
(Makes 12-15 cookies.)
How to Serve Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
These cookies are great for a quick breakfast on-the-go, or an energy-boosting snack in between activities.
They are perfect on their own (maybe with a big glass of cold milk) or can be a yummy side dish to eggs and bacon.
They are also pack well in school lunches.
How to Store Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies will store at room temperature for several days, AND they freeze wonderfully!
They can be a bit sticky, so if you plan to freeze a bunch in the same container, it usually works best to freeze the cookies flat on a cookie sheet or baking rack first, then, once they are frozen individually, transfer them into a zip top bag or food storage container.
Breakfast Cookies Recipe FAQs
Usually dry cookies are a result of baking too long or using too much flour. Since this recipe doesn’t call for flour, a dry cookie is likely due to a few too many minutes in the oven. Try decreasing the baking time by 2-3 minutes and see if that helps.
While oats are a wonderful source of whole grains and essential vitamins and nutrients, the “healthiness” factor depends on what you mix with the oats! If you mix in lots of sugar, oils, chocolate, etc. the finished product will likely be as nutritious as any other cookie. However, if you mix in fruits and nuts, these cookies will offer a higher nutritional value.
Quick cooking oats usually work best for baked goods because they are more finely chopped and hold together better than whole oats. That said, whole oats (or traditional oats) will taste fine — the cookies might just be a little messier. You should not use oat grouts for this recipe!
Homemade Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups quick oats
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
- Drop heaping Tablespoons of mixture onto greased cookie sheet and flatten the tops slightly (these cookies won’t rise or spread when they bake).
- Bake at 325ºF. for 15-16 minutes or until slightly browned.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container or freeze in a freezer bag.
Nutrition
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Have you ever made Breakfast Cookies? What do you put in yours?
6 Simple Ways to Save on Baby
Guest post from Alisha of The Savvy Bump
Are you pregnant or planning on starting a family and concerned about the cost of having a baby? Well don’t worry just yet, babies can actually be more affordable than you might think!
Here are 6 simple ways to save on baby expenses:
1. Have a Smart Baby Registry
Many pregnant women are generously thrown a baby shower — and a baby registry is often appreciated so family and friends know what you need. Make sure the majority of your baby registry items are “needs” and not “wants” and wait to shop until after your shower.
If you receive mostly needed items at your baby shower, your shopping list will get much smaller and your bank account will thank you. Even if you are not having a baby shower, create a baby registry or two anyway so you can take advantage of the 10% of completion coupon that stores like Babies “R” Us and Amazon will give you later on.
2. Use Gift Cards Wisely with Price-Matching
Price-matching can save you a lot of money on baby items, so make sure you take advantage of this strategy even when you’re shopping with gift cards. It can be easy to see gift cards as “free money” but you should stretch your gift cards as much as you would your own hard-earned cash.
Shopping with a Babies “R” Us gift card doesn’t mean paying Babies “R” Us prices! Take advantage of the price-matching policies at Target, Babies “R” Us, and other stores and pay the often-lower Amazon prices.
3. Don’t Open It
It is tempting to open all your gifts and purchases before your baby arrives so that everything is organized and ready — especially when the nesting urge hits. But beware, you’ll find that some items will get very little use.
For my family, it was the bouncer I paid for with a Target gift card. It ended up being an unnecessary baby item for us because we always used the Rock ‘n Play.
If you find you don’t need something after the baby arrives, then return it! Amazon, Target, and Walmart all have a 90-day return policy so if you end up not needing a gift or particular baby item you can either get a refund or exchange it for something you really need. That will definitely save you money!
4. Wait for the Best Price
Over at The Savvy Bump, my goal is to help you get the best prices on baby items. I post a variety of baby deals, and although you certainly don’t need everything you see, if you have a gift card, Swagbucks reward, or money in your budget to use on baby gear, I want to help you get the lowest price possible on quality items.
If you’re patient, you can save a lot of money because you’ll get the best deal on wipes, diapers, nursery furniture, car seats, and so on. Prices on Amazon change by the minute and you usually don’t have to wait long for a price drop — you just need to be patient and pay attention.
5. DIY and Buy/Sell Used Items
I am not that great with DIY projects, but I am getting better, thanks to Pinterest. Did you know that you can easily make your own Moby Wrap for a fraction of the price? Just start a Baby DIY board and do a search on Pinterest. You’ll find lots of great tutorials for many baby and nursery related DIY projects!
Another tip is to buy and sell used baby items. Garage sales, Craigslist, and eBay can be great places to score great deals on used or even new baby items. When you’re done with an item, sell it! Most things can be easily disinfected and they’ll work just as well as something new right out of the box.
6. Just Don’t Buy It
Do babies really need a swing, bouncer, and a Rock ‘n Play? Does a crib need to be $500 in order to give your baby a good night’s rest?
A Bumbo is cute but can you manage without it? Yes, you can! Some items might be useful and a lot of fun, but is it worth credit card debt or a decreased savings account?
If I could go back in time, I would definitely buy less and keep it simple. It is easy to get so excited about your first baby that you want everything you see at the store! It just isn’t worth it if your finances cannot handle it. Talk to experienced mothers and ask them what they could have done without. You’ll learn and save a lot!
The best strategy for keeping your finances healthy with a baby on board is to keep things simple. Your nursery needs to be full of love — not expensive furniture. You don’t need the latest and greatest baby gear, just make sure everything is safe and functional.
The most important thing to provide your baby with is your love and attention — and those things are always free.
Alisha is happily married to a husband she considers her best friend and they enjoy the adventure of raising their two year old daughter together. She blogs at The Savvy Bump to help pregnant women and moms find the best maternity and baby deals.
Slow Down Challenge: Taking Time to Express Gratitude (Day 5)
This week, I’m joining Jeff Goins for his Slow Down Challenge. If you want to participate, sign up for the free Slow Down Challenge email list. Also, you might consider grabbing a copy of his book, The In-Between. Jeff is such an inspiration to me as a writer and I highly recommend reading all of his books, if you have a chance!
Expressing gratitude doesn’t require money. It doesn’t require much thought or effort. But it can change our whole outlook on life.
I started keeping a gratitude journal last year. It helped me to keep a positive, thankful attitude in the midst of some health problems I was experiencing.
But once those health problems were resolved, I saw such benefit in recording my blessings every day, that I continued doing it. To keep it simple, I’ve just been using the one-line-a-day journal my mom gave me for Christmas.
Every morning, when I first wake up, I read my Bible, pray, and write down at least one line of blessings from the past day. Some days it’s easier to come up with blessings than others, but I can always come up with at least a few good things from the day before — even if it was a hard day.
I’ve found that starting my day by recounting the blessings from the previous day puts me in a different state of mind. And it gets the day started on a great foot! Plus, it reminds me to live with a grateful, thankful spirit.
Do you have a method for remembering your blessings and the things you’re thankful for? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments! And if you’re blogging about this challenge, be sure to leave the link to your blog post below.
10 Guaranteed Ways to Never Run Out of Blog Post Ideas (#10)
Missed the first posts in this series? Check them out here.
10. Give Generously
I’m going to let you in on a little secret here: Want to know one of the best ways I’ve grown my blog? By promoting other people.
It might seem counter-intuitive, but it’s not. When you live your life with outstretched arms, you are richly blessed in return. You shouldn’t give so that you’ll get blessings — because otherwise it’s not true giving at all! — but I guarantee that you will lead a much more fulfilled and joyful life if you spend your life pouring it out for others.
Promote Others
Don’t keep a good thing to yourself!
If you find another great blog post, pass on the link. If you read a great ebook written by another blogger, share it. Not only is this a great way to have endless blog fodder, but your readers will appreciate the great finds you pass along.
Go out of your way to look for ways to build up and encourage other bloggers. You’ll be blessed and inspired in return!
Share Your Knowledge
If you’ve learned a great tip or trick, freely share it with your fellow bloggers. I can’t tell you how many great ideas I’ve gleaned from people who were willing to share their knowledge. And I find so much joy in being able to share ideas and tricks I’ve learned along way with others, too.
You know what I’ve found? Not only is it a lot of fun to freely share ideas, but it also tends to fuel new inspiration for future blog posts and strategies. The more that I pour out to others, the more I seem to be inspired myself.
Blog For Something Bigger Than Yourself
What is your purpose for blogging? Can I challenge you to make it something that is bigger than yourself? Blogging for income or fame won’t give you the lasting satisfaction and fulfillment that blogging for a bigger purpose will.
Maybe you want to encourage people, share practical ideas, inspire others to be givers, motivate people to rethink their positions on something… or a host of other things. There is so much amazing good that can be done through blogging.
At the end of your life, the money you made won’t matter. The house you lived in won’t matter. The car you drove won’t matter. The clothes you wore won’t matter. What will matter is the lives you impacted and the people you invested in.
Be a generous blogger. Catch a vision for what your unique gifts are to bring to the world and then go invest your life into things that matter! I promise that this will give you more amazing motivation, momentum, and fulfillment than you may have ever dreamed was possible.
Swagbucks Paid for My College Textbooks
Today’s Swagbucks success story is from Holly:
From the time that I was very young, my mom made it a priority to teach my siblings and me to be frugal. So when I started working on my B.A. in 2012, I knew that I wanted to keep my expenses to a minimum. However, as anyone who’s gone through college will tell you, textbooks can quickly break the bank because of their outrageous prices.
I started college right about that same time that I started using Swagbucks, and I quickly realized that by earning and using Amazon gift cards, I could pay for my textbooks without having to pay any money out of pocket.
Here’s what I did:
- Made a concerted effort to take the daily poll, NOSO and the toolbar every day when I first got on to the computer for 4 easy Swagbucks.
- Used the Swagbucks search engine to look up websites and information that I needed online. Since it seemed like I was constantly having to look something up, I usually earned about 20 or 30 Swagbucks every day from that.
- Got several friends and family members to sign up and was able to earn referral points from their earnings.
- Turn on Swagbucks TV with my speakers muted and allow the videos to play without becoming a distraction.
- Take surveys when they were available (this is the way I’ve earned the most Swagbucks).
Using Amazon.com, I could shop around for the best prices on textbooks, usually used, and buy them for considerably less than the average student would pay going into a college bookstore. Over the course of a year, I was able to pay for almost all of my textbooks — 32 courses’ worth — without having to spend any money out of pocket!
Once I completed the course, I then sold my books and, in some cases, was able to make a small profit. Once I finish college, I’ll look forward to putting my Swagbucks gift cards to good use in other areas.
My 9-year-old Paid Cash for Air Jordans
A testimony from Amy from Amy’s Peas and ThankYou
With the start of the new school year, my 9-year-old, Owen, wanted (and needed) new sneakers. This year was the first year he was brand specific — he wanted Nike Air Jordans, which are around $100 a pair.
My initial response was that designer sneakers are out of our budget and totally unnecessary. But then I thought maybe we could make this a learning experience, and Owen could have his pricey sneakers after all.
There are not a lot of ways a 9-year-old can earn money. He is too young and inexperienced to mow lawns or walk dogs, and a lemonade stand is a hard way to earn a buck.
However, Oregon is one of ten states that requires a refundable deposit for soda, beer, and water bottles, and I’ve noticed that most people let those sticky cans build up in their garages and dread the hassle of returning them. So we decided to offer to pick them up from our friends and family, giving them a cleaned out garage and Owen a chance to earn some money.
I posted a notice on my Facebook page stating that my son was working to earn money for his own shoes and if anyone had cans they had no interest in returning, we would gladly come get them. I was surprised how many people contacted us!
Over the course of one month, Owen and I picked up and returned cans from our friends and family. Owen would feed them into the machines and take his tickets inside to redeem. For a shy kid, I felt like he was learning his first lesson in thanking our friends and family and then conducting the transactions at the return centers.
By the end of one month Owen earned $161! He earned his shoes — but more importantly to me, he learned the sense of pride in earning your own way, the value of delayed gratification, and the hardest lesson for him: to actually save his money instead of trying to spend it on every trinket and piece of candy that caught his eye.
Owen is now busy saving for his own Kindle Fire!
Wife to one, Mama to two. Stay at home mom. Left behind an uninspired career in waitressing and retail management because my Dad was right and my Latin American Anthropology degree didn’t prepare me for a decent career. I blog my love of cooking (and eating) at Amy’s Peas and ThankYou.
Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.
Slow Down Challenge: Embracing Interruptions (Day 4)
This week, I’m joining Jeff Goins for his Slow Down Challenge. If you want to participate, sign up for the free Slow Down Challenge email list. Also, you might consider grabbing a copy of his book, The In-Between. Jeff is such an inspiration to me as a writer and I highly recommend reading all of his books, if you have a chance!
It’s fitting and convicting that today’s challenge is about embracing interruptions. Because I totally bombed this one almost as soon as I woke up this morning.
I usually wake up a good bit before my kids do and have quite a bit of quiet time to read, pray, and tackle business and blogging projects before everyone’s up and the day starts.
But this morning, I woke up late and almost everyone was up soon after I was. Instead of quiet, there was interruption after interruption after interruption.
I felt frazzled and frustrated… and then I saw that today’s challenge was all about embracing interruptions. Oops.
After reading Jeff’s post for today, I began again with new resolve. And I’m so glad I did.
Embracing interruptions meant getting to hear some amazing news from a friend’s phone call, enjoying a game of baseball with Silas (his determination and focus brought me so much joy!), watching Kathrynne do card tricks, watching Kaitlynn create, and laughing over a random inside joke with Jesse.
How did you embrace interruptions today? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your blog post about it!
You never know what might happen when you write to a company and ask for a coupon!
You never know what might happen when you write to a company and ask for a coupon!
An anonymous reader emailed in the following tip:
I’m currently pregnant with my second child and I knew I wanted a carrier for this baby. However, after looking around, I knew I couldn’t spend over $100 on an Ergo or Boba.
I remembered one of your readers commenting one time about writing to a company to ask for coupons, so I wrote to both Ergo and Boba asking if they ever ran specials on older models, returns, or older colors. Ergo was nice, but replied with a no. Boba’s rep said they ran a black Friday special, but if I was willing to write them with reasons I wanted a Boba carrier, they would be happy to put my name in a “lottery” of sorts for a free carrier. He said they read all the emails and the reps decide on a winner.
Figuring it was a long shot (but still so nice of him to offer!) I sat down on my lunch break the next day and wrote how fussy my first daughter had been, but baby wearing was not a big thing then. I was honest and said I loved the carrier they offered, but simply couldn’t work it into my budget. I was blown away when a little over a month later, an email came through that I had won the carrier!
I figured a basic model in black would arrive to my home, but I was shocked when they contacted me and asked that I pick whatever model carrier and color I wanted. I picked a lower priced carrier in a unisex pattern so I could pass it onto a friend when I was finished with it. I called the company to thank them and give them my choices. I was so very thankful.
Not even four days later my carrier arrived in the mail, with a special gift of a matching carry bag AND a Boba mini in the matching pattern — they said it was so my daughter could carry a doll around just like mommy! So I guess it really can pay to write to companies and ask for special offers!
Money-Saving Camping Tips
Guest post from Gretchen of Desert Survivor
Camping can be one of the cheapest and most memorable ways to take a vacation! Here’s how to make it a successful venture:
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
If you don’t sleep well, you probably won’t be able to do other things well. If you have access to a camper, that can almost be like sleeping at home. However, sleeping in a tent can be a different story.
Over the years, our beds at home have become more comfortable, with foam padding, pillow-top mattresses, and more. The ground has stayed the same: hard. And if you’re not used to hard, you won’t sleep well.
So bring a sleeping pad. This could be the inflatable mattress you use for guests at home, a specially made camping pad, or a bunch of blankets folded up. It doesn’t matter, as long as you have something. Kids might not need anything. But as I’ve told my family numerous times, “I have hips.” Women’s hips just need a little extra padding!
Make sure you have appropriate covers — if it’s hot, you won’t need so many, but there’s nothing like being freezing cold to keep you from sleeping well. The covers don’t have to be fancy, just bring enough — and don’t forget that you might need one under you too!
Finally, be sure the tent you’re in is adequate for the weather. There’s nothing worse than setting up your tent and then having a thunderstorm drench everything in it because the rainfly wasn’t on or adequate. A higher quality tent will provide more protection and last more years, but if all you have is a cheaper one, you can rig a tarp over it to help keep it dry.
Two more tips for sleeping through the night: be sure to bring a pillow. It’s amazing how much that helps. And bring earplugs. They can help muffle noises that you’re not used to and help you sleep better.
Plan Your Meals
I’m not a very good meal planner at home, but when I go camping, I make lists. I want to make sure that I’m going to have something to eat. I’ve camped with a couple different types of campers: the gourmets, and the survivalists. Both have merits. Regardless of the type, both need some meal planning. As you can see with the two menus below, it’s possible to have a simple menu with a quick clean-up that’s not costly but still healthy.
Breakfast: juice, yogurt, scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee
Lunch: sandwiches, carrots, apples
Dinner: potato-carrot-sausage foil dinner, corn on the cob roasted over the fire, S’mores
Snacks: fruit, cut-up vegetables, homemade trail mix
Breakfast: homemade muffins, hard-boiled eggs, bananas, milk
Lunch: tortilla wraps, cherry tomatoes, oranges
Dinner: hot dogs, green beans, popcorn,
Snacks: nuts, dried fruit, granola bars
To keep food cool, instead of buying a bag of ice, I often freeze water in old juice or milk containers and put them in the cooler. The ice stays longer, and as it melts, I have additional drinking water instead of a soggy mess at the bottom of the cooler.
If you have kids, have them help plan the meals, they will then be much more excited about helping to prepare it!
As for a camp kitchen, I keep mine in a see-through Rubbermaid container. I have simple pots and pans, a can opener, plates, cups, eating utensils, spatula, matches, paper towels, aluminum foil, and spices packed and ready to go to make getting out the door easier. Sometimes we cook over a fire and sometimes we use a Coleman stove.
Everything Else
Camping can be as simple as eating and sleeping. You can add a few activities like hiking, fishing, star gazing, and wildlife watching. Games around camp that we enjoy are flashlight tag (those simple finger flashlights make for cheap fun!), hide ‘n seek, t-ball, frisbee, ring toss, and catching insects.
Camping is a great way to unplug, spend some quality family time, and relax. Although camping can be frugal, the memories it makes are priceless.
Gretchen Baker lives nearly in the middle of nowhere (it’s three hours to the closest shopping mall). Fortunately, she has a good Internet connection. She lives on a ranch next to a national park and blogs at Desert Survivor about how to survive and thrive in the desert environment.
Do It Yourself: Cold Process Dill Pickles
CreativeGreanLiving.com shows you how to make homemade cold process dill pickles.
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.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Slow Down Challenge: Multitasking is a Myth (Day 3)
This week, I’m joining Jeff Goins for his Slow Down Challenge. If you want to participate, sign up for the free Slow Down Challenge email list. Also, you might consider grabbing a copy of his book, The In-Between. Jeff is such an inspiration to me as a writer and I highly recommend reading all of his books, if you have a chance!
I’ve been reading The Myth of Multitasking recently. It’s a really simple read, but it’s been very thought-provoking.
I always thought I was a pretty good multitasker. Now I’m not so sure. You see, according to the book — and I’m beginning to be persuaded it’s true — there is no such thing as true multitasking.
Instead, the author makes the case that what we call “multitasking” is really just an inefficient way of switch-tasking. When we are trying to do two things at once, we’re really just switching back and forth between two different things — taking a much longer time to do both.
(The author does say that there’s such a thing as background tasking, where you are listening to music while cleaning, etc. But when it comes to tasks that require concentration, he makes a strong case that multitasking is a misnomer.)
Today’s project for the Slow Down Challenge was to focus completely on one task until it was finished. I chose the task of writing four handwritten cards that I’ve been meaning to write for two weeks. The project has been on my to-do list for two weeks and it was high time I finish it.
So I got the cards out, set the timer for 20 minutes, and jumped in. I did really well at focusing for 20 minutes, but I only had written 1 1/2 cards by then (yes, these were long handwritten notes — I had a lot I wanted to express in them!). I kept plodding along, but I realized that I had a lot of trouble staying completely on task after 20 minutes.
I finally finished up the cards at the 50-minute mark. And it felt really, really good to have them done, but I also realized that I need to work on my concentration more. Or, maybe just accept that I need to split my tasks up into 20-minute blocks since that seems to be about my maximum time-frame for working with focused intensity?
Confession time: I did stop one to briefly talk with Jesse and I also checked my email on my phone a few times. But I promise it was after the 20-minute mark. 🙂
By the way, if you missed Carrie’s post on time management from earlier today, you should go read it. Lots of great food for thought there on staying on task.
What project did you try to tackle and finish with full concentration today (read today’s challenge details here)? Tell us in the comments or blog about it and leave your link below.
Gretchen’s $49 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Aldi Shopping Trip
1 Flour Tortillas – $0.99
2 Canned Green Beans – $0.49 each
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
1 Grapes – $1.58
1 Grape Tomatoes – $1.49
1 gallon Milk – $1.99
1 Canned Chili Beans – $0.59
1 Brown Sugar – $1.29
1 Sour Cream – $1.29
Total with tax ($0.80) – $11.99
Dillons Shopping Trip
1 lb Sterling Silver Ground Beef – $3.99
1 Kroger Chicken Drumsticks (4.14 lbs) – $4.10
2 Kroger Cheese (Shredded & Block – 24 oz each) – $4.99, used $1/1 Super Sale e-coupon (took off $2) – $3.99 each after coupon
1 Ham Steak – $2.79
0.80 lbs Broccoli Crowns @ $0.99/lb – $0.79
1 Kroger Frozen Hashbrowns – $1.99
2 Santa Cruz Organic Strawberry Lemonade – $1.50 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $0.50 each after coupons
1 Pillsbury Gluten Free Cookie Dough – $4.49, used Free coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Kroger Applesauce – $2.19
1 Kroger Just Fruit Jelly – $2.15
1 Kroger Cream of Mushroom Soup – $1
1 Dillons Large Eggs (dozen) – $0.99
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
1 Nature’s Harvest Loaf Bread – $2, used $0.55/1 printable (doubled to $1) – $1 after coupon
1 Red Mill Wheat Bran – $1.69
2.33 lbs Bananas @ $0.52/lb – $1.21
Total before sales and coupons: $58.75
Total with tax ($2.92) after sales and coupons: $36.78
Total for all grocery items: $48.77
Menu Plan for this Week:
Breakfasts
Cereal, Toast, Bananas, Oatmeal
Lunches
Tossed Salad, Leftovers, Cheese Quesadillas, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Scrambled Eggs
Dinners
Chicken & Veggies in Crockpot, Bran Muffins
Tacos, Fruit Salad
Steaks on the Grill (gift from Crystal), 30 Minute Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Pop-Up Pizza Casserole, Tossed Salad
Spaghetti with Garlic Gravy and Lemon Chicken, Gluten-Free Oatmeal Spice Muffins, Steamed Broccoli
Hashbrown Casserole, Green Beans, Cantaloupe
Work Party
6 Ways To Save Time and Get More Done Online
Guest post from Carrie of Natural Mom Talk Radio
Every work-at-home-mom wants to maximize her time online. Whether you are a blogger, virtual assistant, writer, or crafter, here are six tips that will help you get more done in less time when you boot up your computer:
1. Define Your Purpose
Before you even open your computer, know exactly what you’re going to accomplish and get right down to business.
I’m reminded of those movie scenes of medieval times when a traveler arrives at the gates of the city. Before he is allowed in, he must state his business. Doing so will help you avoid aimlessly checking email, social media accounts, and the like (who, me!?). Personally, I find it imperative to have a to-do list at my side so I don’t get sidetracked.
2. Analyze
What are the steps you regularly take in your business? Are they paying off for you? Are your marketing efforts producing measurable results?
It’s important to track these things so you don’t waste time in unprofitable activities. For example, getting to know your website stats so you can see where your traffic is coming from is vital.
Another area to analyze is your own energy and productivity levels. In her book, 2K to 10K: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love, author Rachel Aaron said that she created a spreadsheet to track how much she wrote at various times of the day. She was shocked to discover that simply by changing her writing schedule a bit, she could produce far more words in the same amount of time.
3. Think Like Henry Ford
Henry Ford didn’t invent the car. He invented the assembly line, which made cars affordable, and that changed everything.
Mass production saves time, money and energy. How can you use the assembly line approach in your work? By batching similar activities together.
If you have a time slot to write an article and get on a roll, write two articles. Don’t check your email all day. Check it once or twice a day, when you’re actually at a computer and can answer emails.
Need to make some changes to your site? Wait until you have several tweaks, and do them all at once.
Brain researchers have told us that each time we have to switch gears mentally, we lose time and focus. So stay in flow. Multitasking doesn’t really work.
4. Automate
Tools like autoresponders, vacation response settings in email, signature lines, e-courses, FAQ pages on your website, scheduling posts in your blog, etc. are all wonderful pieces of technology that allow you to do something once and benefit from it over and over.
For instance, if you are a virtual assistant, you probably find that clients ask you the same questions over and over again. Copy and paste those into an FAQ page on your website to save yourself time. If you’re in direct sales and have a downline, train them all at once using Google Hangout, webinars, teleseminars and such.
5. Identify Your Shiny Objects
In some way, we’re like that dog in the movie Up. (Squirrel! ) We get distracted by shiny objects online. Maybe it’s email, Twitter, visiting message forums, reading too many blogs, Facebook or Pinterest — oh, don’t get me started on Pinterest!
You might just have to eliminate some of your social media accounts if they aren’t anything more than a distraction. Consider using some of the free software available to help you block these, because here’s the honest truth: Anything that doesn’t directly earn you income needs to be done in your free time, after money-making activities.
6. Use a Timer
If you have young kids, you probably know the power of the timer. The timer keeps your preschooler in time out. The timer tells your impatient child “how much longer?!” until something happens. Etc. Why not utilize the mysterious power of the timer on yourself?
If it currently takes you 45 minutes to write a blog post (which you should know from the “analyze” portion), challenge yourself. Set the timer for 35 minutes then hit publish. If you have only an hour to work while hubby plays with the baby, set a timer for 45 minutes and work quickly, then check email and Twitter.
These are a few of the tips that have helped me to stay focused and get more done online… do you have anything else to add to my list?
Carrie, a wife and mom to seven lively kids, writes about homeschooling, practical frugality and natural parenting at Natural Mom Talk Radio. She is the author of the ebook, Slash Your Grocery Budget *and* Eat a Whole Foods Diet with ALDI.
The live Google+ webcast is tomorrow (Today’s the last day to submit your questions!)
The live Google+ webcast is tomorrow (Today’s the last day to submit your questions!)
Just a reminder that the live Google+ webcast is tomorrow!
On Thursday, August 22, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST I’ll be doing a live Q&A on Google+! During that hour, I’ll be answering as many of your pre-submitted questions as possible. There’s no set topic for the event — so feel free to ask me anything and I’ll answer as many questions as I can!
This will be a fun way for us to just get to hang out live for a bit. (I wish it could be in real-life — but virtual chatting can be the next best thing to real-life chatting!) You can just show up and tune in or you can participate in the live chat that will be happening at the event page during that time, too.
There are two ways you can submit your questions ahead of time:
2. Post your questions as a comment on the Google+ event page.
I’ll pull questions from both places and answer them during the live event. It’s likely that I won’t be able to answer every question that’s submitted — but, if I can’t get to your question, you may see your question used as inspiration for a future Money Saving Mom® blog post!
To watch the Q&A session live, just head over to the Google+ event page at 3:00pm EST on August 22nd. You don’t have to have a Google+ account to watch the event (but if you’d like to participate during it by leaving comments on the event page, you will need to have a Google+ account).
We hope you’ll join us on August 22, 2013 — and feel free to invite your friends, too!
By the way, don’t forget you can follow Money Saving Mom® on Google+ and join the Money Saving Mom® Google+ Community!
Ask The Readers: Quick, easy, budget-friendly school lunch ideas?
Ask The Readers: Quick, easy, budget-friendly school lunch ideas?
Today’s question is from Sarah:
My kids’ school has bumped hot lunches up to $4.10 this year! While I usually pack lunches, there’s no way my kids will get the option for one school lunch per week at these prices.
So I have a couple questions:
1. How much do you usually spend on the ingredients for cold lunches?
2. What are your go-to lunches that are quick and easy to prepare? (I don’t mean cutesy ideas like you see on Pinterest, but quick and practical.) -Sarah
Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.