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Shared Jul 2, 2013 comment

Swagbucks Paid for our Google Nexus Tablet

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s Swagbucks success story is from Laura:

I’m a stay-at-home mom to three precious, busy boys under age five. My husband works hard to provide financially for our family. He does not buy things for himself very often, so I really wanted to surprise him with something special last Christmas.

I knew that he would love to have a tablet, but there was no room for such a large purchase in our gift budget. I could not do any work outside of the home while caring for our boys, so I had to get creative.

I’ve enjoyed using Swagbucks for several years, but I normally just earned a small gift card every month for using the search engine and occasionally entering codes. My brother started using Swagbucks surveys, and he was raving about the ability to earn lots of extra Swagbucks through the program. Several months before Christmas, I decided to give it a try.

I completed surveys during naptime or while my husband and I were relaxing and watching television in the evenings. I chose to cash out my Swagbucks for Paypal deposits, and by Christmas, I had earned enough to purchase a 32 GB Google Nexus tablet from eBay!

My husband was completely surprised and thrilled with his gift. He is now active on Swagbucks, too, and he uses his tablet to complete surveys and earn extra gift cards and Paypal cash for our family.

Have you saved up and purchased something using your Swagbucks? If so, you could get a $50 gift card just for sharing your Swagbucks success stories with MoneySavingMom.com readers!

Note: Last month’s Swagbucks gift card winner was mdschlote — congratulations! You’ll be receiving your gift card from Swagbucks today.

Shared Jul 2, 2013 comment

Reader Tip: How to Get Your Kids to Eat Broccoli Stalks

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

A reader emailed me a few days ago with this pretty creative tip:

I wanted to share my money saving tip! My kids like to bite the tops off the broccoli and leave the rest. I got tired of WASTING the stems, so I peel them and use them for dips now.

Once you peel the skin off, they are surprisingly tender! The kids go nuts for them! -a reader

Shared Jul 2, 2013 comment

Do It Yourself: 4th of July Table Lanterns

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 2, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CreativeGreenLiving.com shows you how to make homemade table lanterns.

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

Shared Jul 1, 2013 comment

This Week’s Menu {and 5 new recipes from Pinterest I’m planning to try this week!}

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 1, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week, I told you I was going to experiment with five new Pinterest recipes. I already shared my major success with the Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal Bars. And I didn’t get a chance to make the Homemade Bath Bombs yet — hopefully this week!

I also made the three other recipes and can’t wait to tell you more how the Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup, No Knead Make Ahead Dinner Rolls, and the No Knead Dinner Rolls turned out. Let’s just say that there was one big success and two pretty severe failures. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to post pictures and details tomorrow afternoon.

But for tonight, here’s this week’s menu, plus some more Pinterest recipes I’m planning to try:

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, Peanut Butter Toast, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Mac & cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 3

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Chocolate Chip Monkey Muffins
30 Minute Homemade Pretzels
Boiled eggs

Pinterest Recipes to Try (I’ll report on how these work!)

Homemade Bath Bombs (not exactly a “recipe” since these aren’t edible, but a DIY project I’m hoping to try this week!)
Double Chocolate Muffins
Vegan Coconut Oil Banana Muffins
Chocolate Chip Monkey Muffins
30 Minute Homemade Pretzels

Dinners

Build Your Own Haystacks
Breakfast for dinner: Pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
Simple Vegetable Frittata, fruit salad, Vegan Coconut Oil Banana Muffins
Fourth of July Celebration (I’m bringing something, but haven’t decided what yet. If you have a great suggestion of an amazing July 4th themed dish, I’ll take all the inspiration I can get!)
Meatballs, steamed veggies, grapefruit, Chocolate Chip Monkey Muffins
Dinner out
Dinner with extended family x 2

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

Shared Jul 1, 2013 comment

8 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 1, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read three chapters of The Trumpet of the Swan to the children. Read three chapters of Number the Stars with Kathrynne, read three chapters of A Nest for Celeste with Kaitlynn, read a few picture books with Silas.

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

Personal Goals

~~3. Review Romans 1:1-16.~~

4. Exercise six times. Run 12 miles. (I did exercise 6 different days, but most of those were really short sessions on the treadmill so I only ended up totaling 8 miles this past week.)

5. Finish The Charge, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Resolution for Women, Hidden Places, and I Still Believe. (I’ve been reading a little out of a few books almost every single day, but I didn’t actually finish any books this week. Oh well, hopefully this next week!)

~~6. Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.~~

Homemaking Goals

~~7. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.~~

Business Goals

~~8. Finish making the edits to the recipes for the new recipes page.~~ (Yay! I finally got this done!! I’ll be rolling out the new page design as soon as my designer gets it up and running!)

This week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read three chapters of The Trumpet of the Swan to the children. Read three chapters of Number the Stars with Kathrynne, read five chapters of A Nest for Celeste with Kaitlynn, read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Spend intentional time just playing and having fun with the kids everyday.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-17.

5. Exercise six times. Run 10 miles total.

6. Finish The Charge, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Resolution for Women, Hidden Places, and I Still Believe. {Hopefully I’ll finish at least one book this next week!}

7. Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

Homemaking Goals

8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.

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.

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

Click here to sign up!

Shared Jul 1, 2013 comment

5 Ways to Help on a Tight Budget

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 1, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Courtney of Blessed by Brenna

“What can I do to help?”

For many, this is the first thought that comes to mind when you hear of a family who has just welcomed a new baby, someone who is battling health issues, or a family who is grieving in the midst of a death. However, it can be difficult to know how best to help a family in need, especially when there is not much extra money around.

When our daughter was born in December 2011, with a life-threatening skin condition, our community leaped into action to aid in whatever ways they could while we dealt with many health problems during her first year.

From that experience, we gained a much better understanding about what can be very helpful during a time of crisis or need. And assisting a family in need doesn’t have to hurt your tight budget, especially if you get a little creative.

1. Take charge and put your time to good use.

If you are close to a family in need, think about what you would want done in a similar situation, whether it’s a new baby or a health emergency. Gather a group of friends to clean a family’s home or let someone know you are going the store and ask what you can pick up for them, so that they don’t feel they are inconveniencing you to request groceries.

Or, tell the family when you are available on a certain day or time period, so that they know it’s not an inconvenience to ask for help during that time.

2. Organize meals.

There are online tools for this, such as MealTrain.com, that alleviate any stress of coordinating, as people who want to bring food can simply sign up with what food they are bringing. You can also tailor it for the family’s schedule, so that if getting meals every day is too much food, you can limit it to two or three days a week.

Creating a meal is a frugal way to make a positive difference to a family who doesn’t have time to worry about cooking and grocery shopping.

When it comes to food, you might also keep a couple of things in mind:

Consider preparing a frozen meal instead of fresh. When a family has a new baby, they are likely getting a lot of food right away. With a frozen meal, they can put it away to enjoy at a time when the food supply has died down but life is just as hectic. Be sure to tightly wrap the food with foil and Saran Wrap and to label what it is, the date it was prepared and any cooking instructions.
Breakfast and lunch items can be just as helpful as dinner items, and are often less expensive to prepare. Baking a batch of freezer-friendly muffins or bringing over deli sandwiches and soup is extremely appreciated by families who are likely getting only dinner meals.
Package all your food into containers or Ziploc bags that can be thrown away when done, so the family doesn’t have to worry about returning a nice casserole dish to you.

3. Give a gift card.

If a family is in the midst of a health emergency and you want to help financially but can’t afford to give cash, consider giving a gift card to aid with meals, gas or groceries. You can utilize your Swagbucks points or other rewards systems to “purchase” a gift card for someone at no cost to you out of pocket.

For months, I was unable to clip coupons, shop around for the best prices, or meal plan, so being able to use a gift card to run into a single store or order a pizza was a huge relief on our budget and our emotional state.

4. Consider the container.

If you are bringing a gift to a family, such as for a new baby, “wrap” your presents in a decorative basket or storage container instead of spending the same amount on a large gift bag. Containers can be put to good use to help store toys, craft supplies or other household items whereas a gift bag will likely just be thrown away!

5. Send thoughts and prayers.

If your budget is really tight, don’t hesitate to simply reach out to someone and let them know that you are thinking of them and praying for them. Sending a heartfelt message with prayers can mean the world to someone who is trying to cope with a big change in their lives, good or bad.

Courtney Westlake is the author of the blog Blessed by Brenna, where she shares the challenges and triumphs of her family after her daughter Brenna was born with Harlequin Ichthyosis, a very rare and severe skin disease.

photo source

Shared Jun 29, 2013 comment

3 Things to Do to Have a Great Morning

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 29, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to feel in control of your days? Wishing you could find a way to bring order instead of chaos into your life?

You need to have a better morning. It’s a surefire solution for more productive and peaceful days. Why? Because when you start the day on the right foot, the rest of the day falls into better place — without much effort at all.

1. Begin the Night Before

You’re tired at night. I totally get that. I am, too. In fact, most nights, I just want to get some comfy pants on, put my feet up, and enjoy a good book or movie.

But I’ve found that if I take 15 minutes to prep for the next day, I do myself a huge favor. I use these 15 minutes to do three things:

Quickly clean up the main living areas of our home (if you’re using the Motivated Moms cleaning schedule, this would be a great time to tackle today’s projects, if you haven’t already).
Look over our plans for the next day and make a short to-do list or loose schedule for the next day (you can use my free printable Daily Docket for this).
Get together anything you need to get out the door the next day (purse, library books to return, etc.).

When I do this, I enjoy crawling into bed or curling up with a book a whole lot more because I know I’ve got things in great order for the next morning. Plus, those 15 minutes of effort often completely change my morning.

You see, this guarantees that not only do I wake up to a cleaned up house, but I wake up feeling in control of my day — because I already have a plan of action in place. Now all I have to do is just follow the plan!

Tip: When making your to do list, challenge yourself to immediately cross three things off, without even doing them. This will force you to carefully evaluate everything on the list and help you weed out what isn’t that important.

2. Get Up a Little Earlier

I know, I know. Getting up early is not fun, glamorous, or exciting. And if you’re currently in a stage of life where you’re getting up multiple times in the night due to illness, pregnancy, or caring for a fussy infant or child, you can skip this point entirely.

But the rest of you, hear me out. Getting up just 15 minutes earlier can make a tremendous impact on the overall success of your day — and quite possibly your entire life! I dare you to just try it for three weeks and see if you prove me wrong.

Instead of pulling yourself out of bed at the last minute and then rushing around like a mad woman so you can get out the door and get wherever you need to go, try waking up 15 minutes earlier than normal in order to spend quiet time praying, reading the Bible or an encouraging book, or writing in a journal. This will give you a calm start to your day and will allow you time to be still, count your blessings, and begin your day with a great attitude.

Tip: Find a friend to join you in your early rising challenge. It’s always so much easier — and more fun! — when you’re not going it alone. You might text each other each morning when you get up to help you stay accountable.

3. Attack the Hardest Thing First

I’m a master procrastinator. I can come up with all sorts of seemingly good things to do instead of doing what I really should be doing. But when I spend most of the day procrastinating, I feel behind and unfulfilled.

At the beginning of this year, I challenged myself to stop putting off things as long as I possibly could and committed to begin my day tackling those dreaded tasks first. I thought it was going to be hard — and it was!

But I also was delighted to discover that those tasks I was loathing really weren’t that hard when I just set my mind to do them and then did them. They took a lot less time than I thought they would and I always felt so good to check the hard things off my list early in the day.

You know what else I discovered? I have more time than I thought I did!

When I stopped burning daylight and stalling in order to avoid the unpleasant tasks, it freed up a lot of extra time in my day. This, in turn, made me feel much less busy and able to go through my days more calmly and cheerfully because I wasn’t constantly feeling behind.

Tip: Have a dreaded task to tackle? Set a timer and challenge yourself to race against the clock. This will motivate you to work harder and faster — and will make it more like a game than a difficult task! You’ll probably find you get the project done in no time at all!

What things do YOU do to set yourself up for a great morning?

Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Mornings.

This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you revolutionize your productivity, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.

If you’ve ever wished that you could figure out how to get more done, have more organization in your life, and find time to spend on things you love, the Make Over Your Mornings Course is for you. Find out more about it here.

Shared Jun 28, 2013 comment

4 Websites Absolutely Anyone Can Use to Make Money Online

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

Guest post from Miranda of WAHadventures.com

Even you can make money online! Yes, it is true.

There are many legitimate ways to earn extra cash and supplemental income online. Nowadays, anyone can do it.

If you want to bring in some additional income to help with the household bills, save for a vacation or get yourself out of debt, there are many websites online to get you started. You don’t have to be highly experienced or have a long resume to work with any of these four websites to begin making money online.

1.Textbroker

Textbroker works with people from all over the United States to write very basic articles on a wide variety of topics. For instance, my first Textbroker article was on the topic of how to care for a mattress. I spent a few minutes finding a few articles online as my resource and quickly typed up the short article.

Although Textbroker does have an application process, it is very light and almost everyone who can use proper grammar, lives in the US, and speaks English is quickly accepted.

The greatest benefit of writing for Textbroker is their quick weekly pay to your PayPal account.

2. SliceThePie

SliceThePie has to be one of the coolest websites for making money online! Get paid to listen to a song and then write a brief review to give the artist your feedback.

Although this gig doesn’t pay enough to count as a job, it is something you can do any time, day or night. Additionally, SliceThePie pays to your PayPal account a few days after you withdraw your funds (provided you have reached the minimum $10 cash-out threshold).

There is no application process, just sign up and begin earning money. SliceThePie is a fun way to make some extra cash when you have a few spare moments through the day.

3. Fiverr

Fiverr is making a huge wave with freelancers online. Anyone can make money using Fiverr. Just create an account and begin thinking up things you can do virtually for five bucks!

Whatever your specialty may be, from proofreading articles to giving tips about how to feed an iguana, there is no limit! You can also make things (like a pair of earrings) and sell for five bucks, just add an additional shipping cost that the buyer will be responsible for.

Fiverr is afun way to make money, however, they do keep a portion of your earnings (everyone’s gotta make money). After Fiverr keps their portion and you pay your PayPal fees, you usually see around $3.77 per gig. So, keep that in mind when brainstorming the services you will offer at Fiverr.

4. QuickTate

QuickTate is a general transcription company that mostly deals with transcribing voice mail into text. It is a fun job, listening to other people’s phone’s voice messaging system and typing out what is said.

Unfortunately, QuickTate doesn’t pay much for this work, but their application process is very simple and easy to pass.

Many people use QuickTate as a way to gain some general transcription experience and ease their way into becoming a genuine freelance transcriptionist. Working online at QuickTate is a great way to hone your typing and listening skills.

Anyone can make money online. These are just four of many websites people often use to make a little extra cash or supplemental income. For more ways to make money online and even ways to work full time from home be sure to visit Work at Home Adventures for home based job leads, reviews of companies offering work from home jobs, and tips or advice for surviving the online freelance world.

Miranda Grimm- The creator of WAHadventures.com– has many passions in life. The Lord, her family, blogging and especially Web/Graphic Design. Miranda is living out her dream, working from home to be with her children while actually making money doing something she loves!

Shared Jun 28, 2013 comment

Reader testimony: We paid off our second mortgage 7.5 years early!

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

I got this email from Heidi yesterday and was so inspired by it that I asked permission if I could share it with you all:

I absolutely love your blog! A few years ago we had credit card debt and within a year was able to pay that off. We found Dave Ramsey (whom I told my husband about because of your posts) and followed the steps he outlines for getting out of debt.

Last month, we were able to take money from our savings (while still leaving a size-able emergency fund) and pay off our second mortgage 7.5 years early! The man at the bank was shocked that we saved the amount and didn’t take from our 401K.

Now we will pay ourselves back in a year and take what we paid on the second and put that towards the first to pay that one off early, as well. I can’t wait until we can say we are completely debt-free!

Thank you for all of your posts and deals. I love it! I, too, am a stay-at-home mom to two boys (4 and 6) and love reading about the things you do with your children. -Heidi

Shared Jun 27, 2013 comment

Amazon Subscribe and Save: A Good Alternative for Warehouse Membership?

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

Have you ever wondered if the Amazon Subscribe and Save program can actually save you money? Read this for a really honest cost comparison and review!

{Don’t miss our post on how the Subscribe & Save program can help you take charge of your budget!}

Guest post from Sumitha of A Fine Parent

A recent post here on MoneySavingMom.com raised the question can a warehouse membership save you money?

What if your answer came out as a “No”? Or, like me, what if you could possibly save some money, but dread the warehouse trips because (a) it’s too far away (b) it’s too crowded and (c) you end up buying way more than you planned to, because they entice you with those super yummy samples (Can you tell I have an incredible love-hate relationship with those samples?)

Maybe the real question is: Can you still save money withOUT the warehouse?

A Cost Experiment

I recently ordered a whole bunch of household supplies using the Amazon Subscribe and Save option (details here), and I think the overall bill came out much lower than what it would cost me at Costco.

I’ll be honest — I did not cross check the price on each and every item. Instead, as always, I ran a quick litmus test by comparing the prices on two things — toilet paper and paper towels.

For toilet paper, we use Charmin Ultra Soft and my “stock up” price is $0.25 per regular roll. At Costco, when I had last checked they had a coupon running and the cost of a regular roll was $0.23. At Amazon, using the subscribe & save option, the cost of a regular roll was $0.22.

Similarly, for paper towels, we use Bounty and my stock up price is $0.75 per regular roll. At Costco, when I last checked, with coupon, it was $0.77 per regular roll. Amazon currently has a coupon too, and the cost came up to $0.59 per regular roll.

I was sold! I even ended up buying some items that are not available at warehouse locations and paid much less than the standard grocery store prices.

A Few Tips on Using Amazon Subscribe and Save:

1. You can cancel the subscription immediately after you receive your shipment if you don’t think you will need the supplies at regular intervals, and re-subscribe when you do need the items again.

2. The subscribe and save items will be shipped in the month after the one that you place your order in — so you will need to plan ahead.

3. Shipping is free on subscribe and save orders.

4. Taxes will apply depending on your state.

5. You can stack Amazon coupons with the subscribe and save discount, so be sure to check for coupons before you place your order.

6. You get the 15-20% subscribe and save discount only if you have 5 or more subscriptions arriving in a month, otherwise the discount is just 5% (You can get up to a 20% discount if you have an Amazon Mom account).

7. There are no fees (equivalent to the warehouse membership fees) for using subscribe and save.

8. I personally think there is a better choice of items using Amazon subscribe and save. So, if you are brand-loyal or just like the ability to pick and choose, you may have better luck on Amazon subscribe & save compared to warehouse clubs.

9. You can shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 🙂

I better stop before I start sounding like an ad for Amazon — I am just flush with the joy of avoiding a trip to the warehouse by shopping in my jammies while the kiddo sleeps!

And, as it may be obvious from my excitement, I’m fairly new to this. If there are any veteran Amazon Subscribe and Save shoppers here, will you please share some of your expertise with us?

In your experience, what are the best products to save the most on compared to the warehouses? Any other tips, tricks, or gotchas to watch out for?

Sumitha is a long-time reader of MoneySavingMom.com and blogs at A Fine Parent. She believes that “Good Parents are Made, Not Born” and is dedicated to helping parents master the skills and habits required to become the best parents they can be. Click here to see how her passion can change your life!

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

Click here to download!

Shared Jun 27, 2013 comment

Karen’s CVS Shopping Trip: 3 packages of Huggies + 5 other items for just $8.68 out of pocket!

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

Karen emailed me details on her CVS shopping trip:

I wanted to share with you my trip to CVS today. I wanted to share my deal for your readers with little ones. I have two in diapers and it can be very expensive.

I spent a total of $6.63 out of pocket. Here’s what I got —

Transaction #1

2 Crest Pro Health Mouthwash1 Liter for $4.99
2 Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste

Total before coupons $15.96
Used 2 $1.10 coupons for the Mouthwash
Used 1 $2 off purchase of 2 Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste
Used 10 ECBs from last week’s purchases
Total before tax $1.76
Tax (7%) $1.12
Total after tax $2.88 and I earned $12 Extra Bucks

Transaction #2

1 Johnson and Johnson Head to Toe Body Wash $3.00
2 Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers $18.98
1 Pull-ups Diapers $9.49

Total before coupons $31.47
Used $6 off $30 purchase emailed from CVS (Readers need to join the CVS email club to receive these great coupons!)
Used 2 $3 off Huggies coupons (Note from Crystal: There are printables printable here and here.)
Used 1 $1 Johnson and Johnson Head to Toe Body Wash
Used $2.50 off Pull-ups coupon
Used $12 EB from Transaction #1
Total before tax $3.97
Tax (7%) $1.78
Total after tax $5.75 and I earned $12 Extra Bucks

I spent $8.68 out of pocket on this trip, but because I began with 10 ECBs and ended with 12 ECBs! This is an incredible deal on diapers!

See the full list of deals at CVS this week.

Have you gotten a great deal thanks to a tip you’ve found here on MoneySavingMom.com? Take a picture of your deal/purchase and write a short post on the deal details and submit it here. If your submission is chosen to be posted, I’ll send you a $25 Amazon gift card! Note: the more creative, unique, and well-written your post, the more chance it will have of being posted.

Shared Jun 27, 2013 comment

There’s power in being debt-free!

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

My friend, Ruth, emailed me last night with the following. I thought some of you would be encouraged by reading it so I asked her permission to share it here:

Last night, someone stole the catalytic converter off my car. Apparently they’ve got some kind of precious metal in them, so thieves use a saw to cut them off people’s car super quickly–they got 4 in our apt complex.

I went through the process of filing a police report, insurance claim, and driving the car over to the repair shop. As we were driving home, David (my husband) said something like, “Well, at least we have our emergency fund and this won’t make much of a dent in it.”

And I realized that in all the stress of those hours, I hadn’t worried once about how we were going to pay for the repair. The power of being mostly-debt free (we just have a small student loan left to pay off)! -Ruth

Shared Jun 26, 2013 comment

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Bars

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

There is such a thing as “healthy chocolate” — well, sort of! These chocolate no-bake bars are perfect for your next sweet craving. And since they are packed with nutritious ingredients, you don’t need to feel guilty!

You Need to Try These Chocolate Oatmeal Bars (No Bake!)

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and immediately knew I wanted to try it. But I took awhile to get around to it.

However, the other day, my friend Angie asked me if I’d tried it yet. When I told her that I hadn’t, she told me that I must, must try it as soon as possible.

I’ve never known Angie to steer me wrong, so I made it a priority. And I’m so very glad I did.

Best-Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars

Folks, these bars are the bomb. What’s even more amazing is that they are packed with nutritional goodness.

There’s only one problem: it’s near impossible to eat just one. So if you’re trying to watch your calories, you might just skip over this post.

But for the rest of you, please do yourself favor and run to your kitchen and make these. You can thank me later. 🙂

Chocolate Oat Bars Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter)
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

1. In a large sauce pan, melt the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat, stirring regular as it can burn easily.

2. Once everything is melted together, remove the pan from heat and add in the oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, nuts/raisins, and vanilla. Stir together until the chocolate is completely melted.

3. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and cool in the fridge. If you’d like thicker bars, you can pour the mixture into a smaller pan.

4. When the mixture is hardened, cut into bars and eat.

5. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Easy No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars Variations

Substituted quick oats for the traditional oats for a different texture (the bars will probably be a little firmer too).

You could also try a variety of different mix-ins — dried fruits, nuts, seeds, etc.

You could also add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to really pack in the nutrients!

How to Serve Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Bars

These delicious bars are a perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. They are great for school lunches, and could easily serve as a nutritious dessert!

How to Store No Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

You’ll want to keep these bars in the refrigerator as they can get a bit melty at room temperature. You can also free them for months!

Recipe

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars (No Bake)

Author Crystal Paine

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Chill Time 30

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
2 cups oats old-fashioned
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts or dried fruit
1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large sauce pan, melt the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat, stirring regular as it can burn easily.
Once everything is melted together, remove the pan from heat and add in the oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, nuts/raisins, and vanilla. Stir together until the chocolate is completely melted.
Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and cool in the fridge. If you’d like thicker bars, you can pour the mixture into a smaller pan.
When the mixture is hardened, cut into bars and eat.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition

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Shared Jun 26, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s $38 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

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

Aldi

1 Strawberries – $0.99

1 Carrots – $0.99

1 Roma Tomatoes – $1.29

1 Cauliflower – $1.69

1 bag Oranges – $2.99

Total with tax (7.3%) – $8.53

Dillons

1 (3 lbs) Kroger Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – $6.98

1 Kroger Applesauce – $2.19

2 M&M’s Ice Cream Sandwiches – $2.99, used 2 $2/1 printable – $0.99 each after coupons (These are great to have in our freezer when we have last minute company, which happens quite often.)

1 gallon Horizon Organic Milk – Marked down to $0.99

1 Kroger Napkins – $0.95

1.42 lbs Organic Bananas @ $0.67/lb – $0.95

2 Nivea Lotion – Marked down to $2.56, used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 6/23 RedPlum insert – $0.56 each after coupon (Always keep your eyes open for items marked down on the shelf. These are normally $7.49! We can never have too much lotion around our house.)

1 Betty Crocker Mac & Cheese – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon (We prefer homemade Mac & Cheese but I’ll use the pasta from this and throw the “cheese” away.)

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

0.65 lbs Broccoli Crowns @ $0.99/lb – $0.64

1 Cucumber – $0.59

1 Kroger Canned Black Beans – $0.69

Items a part of the Mega Sale (Buy 4 – Get $4 off instantly): (Prices listed below are after $4 savings)

2 Turkey Hill Natural Ice Cream – $2.49 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $1.49 after coupons (I think we should be stocked up on ice cream for a while!)

2 Huggies Baby Wipes – $0.99 each, used 2 $0.50/1 coupon from the 6/23 SmartSource insert (doubled) – Free after coupons

2 Kraft Cheddar Cheese – $1.99 each, used $0.50/2 printable (doubled) – $1.49 each after coupon

1 Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes – $1.99 (I asked my husband before I went shopping if there was anything he needed me to buy. Frosted Flakes was his answer. 🙂 )

3 Old Spice Shave Gel – $0.99 each, used 3 $1/1 coupon from the 6/2 P&G insert – Free after coupons

2 Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese – $0.99 each, used $0.50/2 printable (doubled) – $0.49 each after coupon

4 Ken’s Salad Dressing – $0.99 each, used 4 $0.50/1 coupon from the 5/5 SmartSource insert (doubled) – Free after coupons (I will donate these because we don’t eat this kind of dressing.)

Total before coupons and sales: $93.23

Total after coupons and sales: $30.25

Total for all grocery items: $38.78

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Applesauce, Bananas, Cereal, Toast

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Cheese Quesadillas, Leftovers, Cauliflower Cheese-Sticks, Fruit

Dinners

Chicken & Rice Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, Gluten-Free Oatmeal Spice Muffins

Chicken Pockets, Tossed Salad, Sliced Oranges

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, 30 Minute Rolls, Steamed Carrots

Haystacks, Steamed Cauliflower, Toasted Organic Multigrain Buns (I got these a while back on clearance and froze them.)

Taco Pasta, Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread, Tossed Salad

Crock Pot Black Bean Chicken, Parker House Rolls, Fruit, Steamed Broccoli

Dinner with extended family

Shared Jun 26, 2013 comment

Freebies in My Mailbox: Gluten-Free Cookie Mix, Ovaltine, Garnier, Pond’s, and Gud

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

Here are the freebies that arrived in my mailbox in the past two weeks:

:: Free Ovaltine samples

:: Free Pond’s sample

:: Free Gud sample

:: Free Garnier sample

:: Coupon for a free tub of Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Cookie Mix

What freebies have arrived in your mailbox this week?

By the way, if you want to start getting great freebies in your mailbox, just start signing up for the freebies I post every day that interest you. Within 4-6 weeks, your mailbox will start filling up with great freebies!

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

Breakfasts

Lunches

Snacks

Pinterest Recipes to Try (I’ll report on how these work!)

Dinners

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

1. Take charge and put your time to good use.

2. Organize meals.

3. Give a gift card.

4. Consider the container.

5. Send thoughts and prayers.

1. Begin the Night Before

2. Get Up a Little Earlier

3. Attack the Hardest Thing First

What things do YOU do to set yourself up for a great morning?

1.Textbroker

2. SliceThePie

3. Fiverr

4. QuickTate

A Cost Experiment

A Few Tips on Using Amazon Subscribe and Save:

In your experience, what are the best products to save the most on compared to the warehouses? Any other tips, tricks, or gotchas to watch out for?

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

Transaction #1

Transaction #2

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Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Nutrition

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FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Aldi

Dillons

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Lunches

Dinners

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Ingredients