Saving Families Money Since 2007
It’s Day 14 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge and today we’re planning our Christmas Freezer Cooking!
I chose three new recipes to try tomorrow. Here were the three I chose:
Looking for more Christmas Freezer Cooking ideas? Check out this post.
What recipes are you planning to make tomorrow (or later this week)? I’d love to have you share the links or a link to your blog post (if you posted about it).
At the beginning of every week in 2013, I’ll be sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you’ll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you’re already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.
Since we’ve been married, we’ve saved thousands of dollars alone just by packing sack lunches. While Jesse was in law school and we were living on a beans-and-rice budget, brown-bagging it was a must as there was no way we could afford even eating off the dollar menu on a regular occurrence.
But even though we brown-bagged it out of necessity, we found lots of ways to make it easy and yummy — so it really didn’t feel like a sacrifice. Plus, the money we saved made it every bit worth it!
If you’re willing to put in a little time to plan ahead so you have the necessary food on hand and then to take a few minutes every evening or morning to put together a sack lunch, the return on this small investment of time can be quite remarkable.
In fact, I figured out that most of the lunches I’ve packed for my husband cost anywhere between $0.75 to $1.50 each (remember, that’s mostly because I’ve shop the sales, used coupons, and stocked up on items when they are at their lowest prices!). A lunch at a fast food restaurant is likely going to cost at least $4-$5 at a minimum.
Based upon these calculations, it is very safe to say that packing a lunch has saved us at least $3 per day. Over the course of the year, that’s $750 saved!
And that’s a low figure. If someone is eating out at nicer restaurants most days and spending $7-$12 per lunch, the savings are significantly higher!
In addition to the savings, there’s also the added benefit of homemade lunches also often being much more healthful for you as well–especially when compared with fast food meals.
Amber emailed in and shared how they were saving $200+ per year by packing lunches:
We save $200+ a year by packing my son’s lunch for school. The daily lunch at our school costs $2.15, so for the 180-day school year, the cost of buying lunch is $387.00!
I have found that I am easily able to pack my son’s lunch including a healthy entree, salty side, fruit and “treat” for no more than $1 a day. I’m blessed that he prefers his filled water bottle to a more expensive drink, however, even adding a drink would still have significant savings over the purchase price.
This year we will save about $200 (I’m figuring there will probably be 10 lunches that will end up being purchased over the course of the year). Yahoo! Given the potential savings, I decided I would purchase a thermal entree container to send his favorite leftovers. It will be a $3.99 well spent.
And Illysa wrote and said she figured they were saving $225 per year by packing lunches:
My children’s school charges $2.75 a day for lunch. That works out to be about $495 each school year (per child).
Since I’ve never been pleased with the school lunch options (a typical week at my child’s school looks like this: tacos, pizza, spaghetti, grilled cheese, nachos… ugh!), I decided to make sure my kids had a healthy, delicious lunch packed for them each day. It takes a little extra time each evening, but it’s worth it!
Entrees:
– Homemade pizza. An entire cheese pizza can be made for about $5. A slice in the lunchbox would cost about $0.60.
– Quiche Cup: (Can be made in a cupcake tin) A dozen eggs and a brick of cheese can make 12 quiche cups. The cost per cup is about $0.30.
– PB&J Sandwich: Costs about $0.35 to make at home.Sides:
Organic baby carrots go on sale at my grocery store for $0.49 a bag. They run this sale about once a month. I always stock up, because one bag lasts me a week. That’s only $0.10 a day! It’s a perfect side item in the lunchbox!
Crackers can be found for about $2 a box (without coupons). One box should last about 2 weeks. That’s only $0.20 a day. Cheese bricks often go on sale for $2. You could slice it up and add it to the crackers. One 8 oz brick lasts me about one week. Only $0.40
a day.Yogurt easily found on sale for $0.50 each.
You can easily put together a combination of these items for $1.50. And you can search through your stockpile to find items that might be even cheaper. At $1.50 a day, you’ll save $225 over the course of the school year. -Illyssa
Download a free lunch box planner printable from A Little Delightful.
One thing that has helped me in packing lunches is to divvy up serving-size portions of muffins and cookies in baggies and stick them in the freezer. Then, when I’m packing lunches, I can just pull a few of these baggies out to add to the lunch and round things out.
Baggies of muffins and cookies are also great to have on hand for when we’ll be out and about running errands. Being prepared with our own food means we divert the urge to make a quick stop through the drive thru!
I’ve also found that doing sack lunch prep the night before makes it so much easier. For some reason, I’m much more motivated and creative at nighttime than I am most mornings. Take a few minutes after dinner to figure out what you’ll be packing the next morning and even get as much as possible ready. You’ll never regret this in the morning!
If you’d like to pack lunches for your kids, but just don’t have the time to do it on busy school mornings, here’s a great idea from KJ:
I have four children, including a newborn. I drive my older two children to school so all of us need to be ready to go in the morning.
In order to make the mornings go smoother, I wanted to have my two school-aged children pack their own lunches. I also wanted a variety in their lunches and not all cheese sticks
So I posted this on the fridge:
- (1) sandwich/granola bar/bread or muffin
- (1) fruit/veggie/yogurt/cheese
- (1) drink
- (1) cracker
- (1) dessert
- Have your lunch packed by 7:45
- Pray before you eat
- Have a great day!
On the weekends, I will bag the desserts and crackers. I then put the baggies in a large bag labeled desserts or crackers in the pantry. I make the PB&J sandwiches (put in freezer), and bag the fruit or veggies. I will also make the granola bars or homemade muffins. There is also a shelf in the fridge that is “their shelf”. That is where we keep the drinks, fruit, homemade applesauce, etc… for their lunches.
I timed it once and that whole process from start to finish took me 20 minutes! Much quicker than trying to put everything together in the mornings.
I like it because it is one less thing I have to do in the mornings. They like it because they can choose what they put in their lunch that day. It works well for us!
One quick & easy way we’ve sped up sack lunch preparations is by making up a bunch of Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches for the freezer. Looking for more make-ahead sack lunch ideas? Check out my Lunchbox Freezer Cooking series.
Need some more budget-friendly sack lunch ideas? Check out the comments on this post.
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
Dinners
Pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
PB&J sandwiches, carrots, fruit (Jesse will be gone, so I’m keeping it simple!)
Mini Chicken Pot Pies (I’m going to make homemade biscuit dough for these), fruit
Ham & Cheese Pockets, fruit salad, steamed veggies
Chicken & Stuffing Casserole, fruit salad, steamed veggies
Dinner out
Dinner with extended family
What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.
Guest post from Carissa of Pretty/Hungry
The most magical Christmases in my memory have been the ones where the people, the conversations, the laughter, and the love stand out above any of the gifts I gave or got.
It’s for this reason that I believe having a budget can truly enhance our Christmas spirit and our appreciation for special Holidays with those we love. The budget forces us to get creative… and oftentimes, it results in more “together” time because we’re choosing to play a game at home rather than go out to a movie theater or shopping mall.
One year in particular, I organized a Cookie Decorating contest. I had found a huge Christmas tree cookie cutter at a thrift store (for FREE!) and it became the centerpiece of our (now annual) Christmas tree decorating contest!
I baked up a big batch of cutout sugar cookies ahead of time (1 tree per person), and everyone contributed decorations and icing. We then had a big decorating party!
The idea was simple. After everybody in the family (young & old) had decorated a tree cookie, we then took a picture of each tree and posted the photos in a public album on Facebook. We asked people to “Like” any/all of the trees they thought were good. And at the end of the voting period, the tree with the most “likes” was declared the winner!
My brother-in-law surprised us all by decorating the winning cookie! (The brown one with Santa Claus on it.)
We all loved looking at each other’s creative ideas, and it was nearly impossible to choose a favorite! But even better than the lovely finished cookies, was the time we all spent together working on a common activity.
Many of us have gotten married since that year, which means we’re rarely all together for the same holidays anymore. That makes the memory of decorating those cookies together all the more special. I will never forget the fun of that Christmas!
Carissa is a wife and mother of a sweet 1-year old girl. She loves the Lord, her family, and cooking! In recent years her family has made drastic cuts to their budget in order to start saving to build a home. Carissa blogs at Pretty/Hungry about all her kitchen creations!
It’s Day 14 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge!
Today, we’re gearing up for some Christmas Freezer Cooking. If you missed this post with ideas on what to make, be sure to read it.
I’ll be planning my list, making a shopping list, and buying groceries for the items I’ll be making.
What are some of your favorite Christmas foods to make ahead and freeze? Share the recipe links in the comments!
Day 14 Project
1. If you haven’t done so already, read chapter 8 from Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas. (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.)
2. Choose at least 2-4 recipes to make this week and purchase any ingredients you need to buy to make them. These can be Christmas goodies or things for your Christmas meals. You choose! I’m going to be picking some Christmas goodies — probably things off my Recipes I Want to Try Pinterest board. I’ll let you know what I choose on Monday.
3. Come back tonight around 8 p.m. and share the list of what you’re planning to make — and I’ll share mine, too!
Last week’s goals:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1.Read 4 chapters of Loony Coon aloud to the girls. Read a few picture books with Silas.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Blog about the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge.Personal Goals
4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-24.
5. Run 9 miles.6. Read Leaving Yesterday, Safe People, The Greatest Gift,
Into the Whirlwind, andThe Gifts of Imperfection.
7. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.
8. Work on Christmas presents.Business Goals
9. Write a guest post for book launch week.
10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.
This week’s goals:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Blog about the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge.
Personal Goals
5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-25.
6. Run 9 miles.
7. Read Leaving Yesterday, Safe People, The Greatest Gift, Who Calls Me Beautiful, A Winter Dream, Balance, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, Freefall to Fly, and The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Romance.
8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.
9. Work on Christmas presents.
Business Goals
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.
It’s Day 12 & 13 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge!
Delicious food is one of the best things about Christmas, in my opinion! 🙂 But who wants to slave away in the kitchen all day on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Here are a some ideas of things you can make ahead of time and freeze to make your Christmas meal preparations smoother and leave you more time to just savor the season:
Make up a double or triple batch of cookie dough and keep it in the freezer to give as gifts or to use when company drops by unexpectedly or you need a treat to take to a gathering at the last minute. Here’s one of my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes.
Make Homemade Baking Mix in order to quickly whip up a pan of Cinnamon Roll Biscuits for Christmas morning. You can use it in place of Bisquick in any recipe.
One year, I made biscuit dough ahead of time and stuck it in the freezer to be able to quickly make Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists for a Christmas Brunch at my family’s house the day after Christmas.
You can put together the dry ingredients from a scone recipe like this Glazed Cinnamon Scone recipe and freeze them. Then, it’s a snap to whip up a batch of scones since you’ll already have the dry ingredients measured out.
If you want to really speed up prep time for scones, you can also make the dough up ahead of time and cut the scones and flash freeze them. Just pull them out, thaw, and bake to have fresh scones without almost zero effort! Our very favorite scone recipe is this Pumpkin Scone recipe.
Fresh Cinnamon Rolls just can’t be beat, but they can be time-consuming to make! Reduce your workload by making the dough in the bread machine and then roll out, cut, and freeze them. Find detailed directions on how to freeze, thaw, and bake Cinnamon Rolls here.
Looking for a delicious roll recipe that can be made ahead and frozen? Check out our family’s Butterhorn recipe. It’s a little time-intensive, but oh so worth it!
What’s Christmas without candy? My World’s Easiest Christmas Candy recipe is a winner–and it can be made ahead and frozen (if any of it lasts that long!)
This Chocolate Chip Banana Bread freezes really well and is perfect to make ahead in little loaf pans and give as gifts or to serve for a Christmas brunch. Not a banana bread fan? Try my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe.
10. Drink MixesHomemade drink mixes are great to give as gifts or to have on hand to serve at Christmas get-togethers. Plus, you can keep them for months in the freezer!
What are some of your favorite Christmas foods to make ahead and freeze? Share the recipe links in the comments!
Day 12 & 13 Project
1. Read chapter 8 from Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas. (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.)
2. Choose at least 2-4 recipes to make next week. These can be Christmas goodies or things for your Christmas meals. You choose! I’m going to be picking some Christmas goodies — probably things off my Recipes I Want to Try Pinterest board. I’ll let you know what I choose on Monday.
3. Take some time to just stop and enjoy your Sunday — even if it’s just 5 minutes of quiet or taking time to write down blessings from this past week. Step back and refresh, relax, and refuel. Life doesn’t always need to be lived at breakneck speed!
Guest post from Koren.
The alternative to conventional household cleaners is far simpler and cheaper than you probably imagine. With just a few all-natural staples you can quickly and easily make your own green cleaners.
Baking soda and vinegar are basically your best friends here, offering an astonishing range of applications across the whole house with antibacterial qualities to boot. Some people even clean from top to bottom using only these two stars.
But others (including me) aren’t huge fans of vinegar’s strong smell, even though it does dissipate rather quickly. That’s where fresh herbs, citrus fruit or peel infusions, and essential oils come in. A few drops here and there and that pungent vinegary smell is promptly replaced with a fresh, all-natural perfume.
Other products you’ll want to keep in your all-natural cleaning arsenal include olive oil, castile soap, hot water, and hydrogen peroxide. And quick word on that last one: despite its nasty-sounding name, hydrogen peroxide is simply water with an extra oxygen molecule that makes for a totally natural and super powerful sanitizer.
Armed with these few staples you’ll be able to make almost every cleaner listed below, plus a myriad others!
1. Homemade shower cleaner – baking soda, castile soap and essential oils combine to make this all-natural shower scrub.
2. Green clean the grout in your bathroom – a how-to walking you through three eco-friendly options to remove even the most stubborn grout grime.
3. Non-toxic bathtub cleaner – combine a little liquid soap, baking soda and essential oils to make a cleaner that can be stored for up to a year.
4. Clean your shower with a lemon – clean thick grime and dirt rings from your shower area with this incredibly simple scrub.
5. Non-toxic sink and tub scrub – a gentle baking soda and natural soap combination that will leave your bathroom sparkling clean.
6. Homemade toilet cleaner – three simple cleaning formulas including a tea tree bowl scrub and a heavy-duty lavender-lemon scrub.
7. Non-toxic citrus floor cleaner – a simple 4-ingredient cleaner that can also be used on countertops.
8. Budget no-streak glass cleaner – harness the streak-busting power of cornstarch and spend as little as 33 cents per 2 ½ cups.
9. Homemade air freshener spray – a little alcohol, water and essential oils combine to make a powerful air freshener that stores for one month.
10. The magic trick that hides all evidence of a #2 – this amusingly written piece on toilet smells tells you how to hide all evidence of a … well, you know.
11. Peppermint foaming hand soap – keep your hands clean with this fresh-smelling and super easy hand soap.
12. For your microwave – easily remove baked-on crud using just baking soda, white vinegar, water and a special technique.
13. No-rinse green refrigerator cleaner – vinegar, hot water and lavender essential oil will cut through grease, disinfect and leave a clean, natural scent.
14. Clean the stove – a surprisingly simple method using only hot water.
15. Homemade oven cleaner – another easy oven-cleaning option using baking soda and white vinegar.
16. Make burnt pans shine again – halve scrubbing time with a little help from vinegar, baking soda and water.
17. Clean tarnished silverware – this DIY, which uses just aluminum foil, baking soda and water, is almost miraculously easy.
18. Natural stainless steel sink cleaner – clean and deodorize your sink and even solve mild clogging issues with this easy technique.
19. Natural drain cleaner – unblock clogged and smelly drains using just baking soda, vinegar and hot water.
20. Homemade dishwasher detergent – a tried and true recipe for squeaky-clean dishes and glassware.
21. Make your own dishwasher tabs – a 5-ingredient recipe set in ice cube trays to make easy-to-use tabs.
22. Reusable peppermint kitchen wipes – a great way to recycle old clothes while harnessing the antibacterial power of peppermint essential oil.
23. Two-ingredient kitchen cabinet gunk remover – fight oil with oil for unblemished surfaces and cupboards.
24. DIY television and computer screen cleaner – just white vinegar and distilled water are needed for this streak-free cleaner.
25. Homemade dusting spray – a little natural soap, essential oil and water will have your surfaces spick and span in no time.
26. Remove spots and stains from upholstery – six green cleans for tough stains like red wine and coffee, including one method utilizing an egg yolk.
27. Make your own furniture polish – add shine to your furniture with just lemon, olive oil and vinegar.
28. Super-cheap leather cleaner – vinegar and olive oil combine to make an affordable cleaner and conditioner for leather seats and sofas.
29. Make your own wood polish – bring a lemony-fresh scent to your home with this simple furniture protector.
30. Carpet stain remover – an all-natural spot remover, perfect for when food goes flying.
31. Deep clean your carpets – if you can afford to hire a steam cleaner, you can professionally clean your own carpets without using any chemicals.
32. Clean wooden floors with tea – use the tannic acid in tea to smooth over scratches and bring out the natural shine of wood floors.
33. Pre-wash laundry stain and spot remover – mix up a batch of this all-natural spray and keep on hand to squirt on stubborn stains before washing.
34. Remove pungent smells from laundry naturally – use baking soda to eradicate a range of smells, from smoke and sweat to baby spit-up.
35. Natural laundry soap or liquid detergent – a low-sudsing cleaner suitable for top or front loaders that can easily be made into a powder or liquid.
36. Homemade laundry detergent for cloth diapers – this special formula avoids castile soap, which can build up and cause diapers to repel moisture.
37. Get great smelling laundry without softener – five ideas for adding a natural scent to your freshly washed laundry.
38. Scented vinegar rinse – use fresh plants like lavender, mint, basil, chamomile or thyme in this fabric softener alternative.
39. Homemade bleach alternative – a 4-ingredient mix that will brighten whites and is also safe to use on colors.
40. Natural sheet and fabric softener – just add 1 cup of baking soda to your washing machine for naturally soft clothes and linen.
41. Make your own wool dryer balls – reduce wrinkles and soften your clothes while saving electricity with these DIY dryer balls.
42. Use aluminum foil balls to keep clothes static-free – an incredibly simple and frugal technique that can be reused over and over again.
43. Naturally control insects in the kitchen – a list of natural and frugal ways to deal with pests including fruit flies and ants.
44. Natural fly spray – combine apple cider vinegar and citronella essential oil for a powerful spray to keep bugs at bay.
45. Freshen your trash bins – this easy solution eliminates garbage smells!
46. Homemade garbage disposal refresher – made with lemon peel, these little tabs will instantly cure a smelly garbage disposal.
47. Homemade citrus vinegar cleaner – a lemony-fresh-smelling all-purpose cleaning concentrate that can be used for surfaces of every variety.
48. Simple lemon lavender cleaner – for those who don’t like the smell of vinegar, a naturally scented cleaner that’s great for using up the lemon peel.
49. All-purpose cleaner – a 3-ingredient cleaner perfect for everything from streak-free mirrors to wiping out the cat litter box.
50. Miracle all-purpose cleaner – great for the kitchen, bathroom, stubborn stains and anything else, you’ll need baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
51. Homemade disinfectant – a quick spray harnessing the germ-killing qualities of lemon and thyme essential oils.
52. Window and glass cleaner – this easy DIY cleaning solution is all natural and works wonders on your windows and glass!
Next time you’re hunched over your cleaning, scrubbing like mad and inhaling all manner of store-bought cleaner fumes — spare a thought for this list. Because here you have enough natural cleaning products to try something new every week for an entire year, in every corner of your home.
You’ll soon find there’s almost nothing an all-natural cleaner can’t handle. Many recipes are surprisingly simple to make, and you’ll wonder why you ever forked out the money for expensive and harsh chemicals in the past.
So go on. Pop over to your pantry, pull out the baking soda and vinegar, and get green cleaning. Your family and your wallet will thank you and your house will smell fresh as a daisy – a real one.
Koren Helbig is an Australian who likes to live well without spending the earth.
All year long, I’ve been working on an embroidery project. In fits and starts as I find my hands free throughout the week, I pick it up and add some more stitches.
Here a little, there a little, it’s coming together. And gradually, all those tiny stitches added together are starting to take shape and turn into a beautiful handwork project that someday soon we’ll be able to display on our walls.
It’s the same with our lives.
The little choices we make. The habits we form. The decisions we make… these all add to the canvas of our lives.
By themselves, the little daily choices and decisions might not seem like they really matter. But they do.
Don’t give up! Don’t stop inching forward. Keep making wise choices, keep exercising discipline, and keep developing good habits.
It will add up to a beautiful masterpiece… a life well lived.
It’s Day 12 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge! And today we’re talking about one of my favorite things — Christmas music!
Christmas would not be Christmas to me without wonderful Christmas music playing in the background. When I was growing up, we always had a special stack of Christmas records and cassettes (yes, remember those?) that we pulled out to play only at Christmas time. Pulling out the Christmas records and cassettes always signaled that Christmas time was really here.
We decorated the Christmas tree, baked cookies for the neighbors, made homemade gifts for the grandparents, drank hot cocoa, wrapped Christmas presents, and celebrated our family gatherings with Christmas music playing in the background. It set the tone for so many special memories.
Today, we’ve traded the records and cassettes for MP3s, but Christmas still wouldn’t be the same without the music. I like to buy a new album or two each year to add to our family’s collection. And then we rotate playing our Christmas music all December long.
Here are six of my favorite Christmas albums:
He is Born — This CD is by my sister so I happen to be a little biased. 🙂 You can listen to sample clips from most of the songs here. You can listen to one of the complete songs here (and yes, that’s my sister playing the harp!)
What are some of your family’s favorite Christmas albums or songs? I’d love to find new ones to add to our list of favorites!
Day 12 Project & Update
1. If you didn’t do so yesterday, read chapter 7 from Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas if you didn’t get a chance to read it yet. (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.)
2. Download some Christmas music and play it in your home/car over the next two weeks.
Our Update: We’ve been playing Christmas music since November! 🙂 However, most of that had just been MP3’s. I pulled out all our Christmas CDs today for us to rotate through over the next two weeks.
The following is a guest post from a reader who asked to remain anonymous. If you missed part 1, be sure to read it here.
When someone you love has a tight budget, it can be hard to know the best way to help lighten the load or otherwise bless them — especially if you’ve never been there.
Here are some tips to help you understand how you can help:
Like many people with limited finances, if you ask me if I need help, I’ll usually say “no.” We can almost always make ends meet. Accepting help can be humbling, and I just don’t want to be that kind of person that has to always be on the receiving end; I’d much rather give.
However, if you don’t actually ask or offer — but simply help us out with a gas card or whatever, it can be a huge blessing!
The other side of this idea is that if you do offer, please actually follow through.
For most of my adult life, I’ve lived at a significant distance from family, and just traveling in to be with them for a holiday is often hard to swing.
One year, things were particularly tight, and my dad offered to pay for our gas if we came in. We came, but he never delivered. I never asked, and we spent the next couple of months barely scraping by.
I really love to give and entertain and play hostess, but it’s really hard when money is tight. When I was single, my apartment was kind of the hub for my group of friends. As a result, I’d often end up buying and preparing the food when we’d get together.
While I enjoyed doing this, it was really hard on my very limited budget.
One time, I actually mentioned in an e-mail that it would be great if everyone would pitch in a few bucks. Many of my friends lived with their parents and made far more than I did, so I knew they could afford to help with food. When the evening came, I desperately hoped someone would remind everyone about pitching in, but no one did.
It can be awkward to receive certain kinds of gifts when money is tight.
First, there’s the gift that requires you to buy things in order to use it. Toys with batteries are infamous for this, but I’ve received other money-pit gifts, as well. One example was a tart warmer that required me to purchase tarts to use it. I’ve also received accessories like necklaces or scarves that I had no outfit to match.
Next, there’s the frivolous, extravagant gift that just doesn’t seem to make sense when I live so paycheck-to-paycheck. I’d much rather receive something I can use or a small gift, along with a gift card, so I can buy that thing I’ve been eying at the store.
Even $10 or $20 to spend on me can be so much fun when you rarely have extra spending money! I also love it when people ask if I have a “wish list.” (I keep one up on Amazon.com for use when I earn gift cards from Swagbucks, Plink, or Viewpoints.)
Third, there’s the generous, anonymous gift. If you really want to spoil me, I may feel bad about your generosity because I can’t begin to return the favor. That’s when an anonymous gift can be the best gift of all. You can hear me telling everyone about how wonderful it was and secretly know that it was from you!
The author is a freezer-cooking, baby-wearing, stay-at-home mama who does freelance writing while her 3 young kiddos nap. She’s married to a wonderful man who’s the pastor of a small country church and prefers to remain anonymous due to the content of this post.
This White Chicken Chili Recipe is so easy to make and super tasty! It’s a long-time favorite in our family and one I can remember enjoying for as far back as I can remember.
Guest post from Brigette
My mom has served this soup as part of lunch on Christmas Day for as long as I can remember!
She always did a “Soup and Sandwich” theme, with several different kinds of soup and all the ingredients for make-your-own sub sandwiches. This kept Christmas meal preparations fairly simple, while still being a meal that we all looked forward to!
White Chicken Chili is a nice change of pace from regular chili too.
The original recipe, which I’ve adapted somewhat, came from some dear family friends who are well-known for their hospitality and delicious recipes.
This soup is no exception! It is cheesy, filling, and perfect on any chilly day of the year.
1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.
2. Stir in garlic and the remaining spices except salt and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes
3. Add chicken, beans, chilies, broth, and 12 ounces cheese. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
5. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Start with a very large, heavy-bottom pot to make sure you have enough room for your ingredients and so the soup doesn’t burn as it simmers.
Also, make sure you taste-test as you go along to assure it’s properly seasoned.
And, if you want to make it in advance, just transfer the cooked soup to a large slow cooker and let it simmer on low for several hours, or until you’re ready to eat.
There are many ways you can tweak this recipe based on what you have in the house (or your family’s taste preferences.
Feel free to adjust the spices, or even try new seasoning blends, based on what you prefer.
You can also use shredded or ground turkey for a different flavor and texture.
Omit the chilies if that’s not your thing — try different cheese blends to see what you like best.
The great thing about chili is that it’s essentially a meal in itself, however it pairs well with any type of salad or sandwich, fresh fruit, homemade bread or rolls, crackers, cornbread, etc.
You could also create a “topping buffet” and offer a variety of cheeses, green onions, sour cream, and other toppings to make it feel a little more gourmet.
Chili is great as leftovers, so definitely plan ahead to make sure you get to enjoy them!
Chili will last for several days in the fridge if stored in an air-tight food storage container.
You can freeze Chili for later, if you don’t think you’ll be able to eat all the leftovers within a week.
Freeze it as a full meal or in individual servings (great for lunches throughout the week).
Chili reheats wonderfully — either on the stove or in the microwave.
Microwave individual servings in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until the desired temperature is reached.
If you’re reheating a bunch of chili, you’ll have the best results by reheating it in a saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
If you know you like thicker chili, you may want to use less broth when making the soup (you can always add more later). However, if your chili ends up too runny for your preference, you can thicken it with flour or cornstarch.
Regular chili has a base of red chilies, tomatoes, red beans, and beef, while white chili calls for green chilies, white beans, and chicken. They are very different but both delicious!
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Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy. She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.
Meal time just got so much easier!
“I’m no Ann Voskamp.”
The words spilled off my tongue last week as I was trying to explain my writing style to a company who wanted to possibly have me do some projects with them.
After I got off the phone, I realized what a big deal it was that I said those words. And, more importantly, that I said them with courage and confidence.
You see, for years, I wanted to be able to write poetically, beautifully, and poignantly. I wanted to be a wordsmith and an artist as a writer.
I’d read books by these writers. I’d study their writing style. I’d convince myself that I could write like that. And then I’d try… and the final result would come up short.
But I kept trying, because I thought that a writer had to write in beautiful phrases and word pictures. Otherwise, you weren’t a writer; you were a wannabe.
Slowly, ever so slowly, these past few years, I’ve stopped trying to be who I thought I was “supposed” to be and started embracing who God has made me to be. I stopped wishing I had her gifts or her talents, and started owning the gifts and talents God had given me.
And you know what? There’s been immense freedom and fulfillment in that.
I won’t ever be as poetic as Ann or as picturesque as Angie or as deep as Brene, and that’s 100% okay. My gift is to take big-picture concepts and break them down into bite-sized pieces. My writing style is practical and actionable. My voice is conversational.
That’s who God has created me to be as a writer… and I’m completely content with it.
Yes, I want to grow as a writer. Yes, I want to improve. Yes, I hope that I continue to stretch and challenge myself so I don’t stay in the safe zone as a writer.
But I’ve stopped wishing I were someone else and started owning my own voice. Because it’s the one I’ve been given.
I have a message that others need to hear. I have a way of sharing things that will be different than Ann, or Angie, or Brene. Because I’m the best version of me that exists.
I’m no longer a wannabe. I’m a writer.
Will you join me in this journey of seeking to embrace who God has called us to be? You are the best version of YOU. Believe it, own it, and live it!
It’s Day 11 of the 21 Days to a Simple Christmas Challenge!
I gathered together some of our Christmas and winter-themed books today to read to the children. Here’s what I came up with:
We also requested all of these books that were available from our library.
And here are the two Christmas-related books I’m reading this December: A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans and The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.
What Christmas/Winter-themed books are you planning to read/reading this December? If so, I’d love to have you share your list or a link to your blog post (if you posted about it).
Dillons
I didn’t have time to go to Aldi this week so I bought everything at Dillons. Note: The beef jerky in the picture above was NOT purchased at Dillons (it was purchased at a different store as a Christmas gift/stocking stuffer for my husband). I didn’t realize it was in the picture until several hours later…I’m guessing my toddler stuck it up on the table when I wasn’t looking. 🙂
1 Kroger Cocoa Puffs Cereal – $2.99
1 Dillons Eggs – $1.67
1 Romaine Lettuce – $1.49
1 gallon Dillons Milk – $2.98
1 Kroger Flour – $1.47
1.03 lbs Broccoli @ $1.49/lb – $1.53
1 Cucumber – $0.75
1 Carefree Liners – $1
1 Green Pepper – $0.75
0.46/lb Green Beans @ $1.69/lb – $0.78
1 Kroger Sliced Turkey Breast – $2.50
1 Dannon Vanilla Yogurt – $2.79
1 Kroger Mild Cheddar Cheese – $2.99
1 Kroger Mayo – $2.35
1 Comforts Baby Wash – $2.99
1 Organic Sugar – Marked down to $1.39
1 Kroger Sandwich Slim Buns – $1.99
2 Duracell Batteries (4 pk) – $1.99, used 2 $1/1 printable – $0.99 each after coupons
1 Tyson Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (48 oz) – $7.99
1 Clear Care – $10.99
1 Flour Tortillas – $2.49 (These were marked as $1.50 each and I realized when I got home that I was overcharged.) 🙁
1 SoftSoap Pump – $0.89
1 Garlic Salt – $1
2 Ramen Noodles – $0.20 each
1 Izze Sparkling Juice – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
Total with tax ($4.30): $62.45
Cereal x 2, Eggs, Toast, Applesauce (I canned this several months ago)
Leftovers, Cheese & Crackers, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit, Veggies & Crackers
Turkey Sandwiches, Chips, Steamed Broccoli
Chicken Tetrazzini, Peas
Pancakes, Eggs
Deer Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Biscuits
Chicken & Rice Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, Banana Muffins
Venison Stew, 30-Minute Rolls, Steamed Cauliflower
