2 examples of eliminating debt to try in the new year

2 Examples of Eliminating Consumer Debt

           

 According to Debt.org, on average, each American household with a credit card carries $8,398 in credit card debt, and each credit card holder has at least 4 credit cards in their names. Some might wonder what can be done about this. There are many ways we can stop debt and even eliminate Consumer Debt. Eliminating consumer debt in two different ways: The snowball method and maintaining a budget can help you have financial security and help you become free from consumer debt for good.

 

            One of the most effective ways to eliminate debt is mentioned by family and consumer advisor In the Ensign Article from July 2011 Getting Out of Debt—for Good By Luke V. Erickson “Arrange your debts from smallest to largest. Make the minimum payment on all debts each month except for the smallest one: on that one, pay as much as you can. Once it is paid off, roll the regular payment you had been paying on that debt to the next-largest debt until it is paid off. Continue the process until the payment “snowball” has grown so large it quickly knocks out debts that stand in its way.”  This example is one of the best ways and trusted ways to start eliminating debt. From personal experience, using the snowball effect to get rid of debt has helped us pay off our car and student loans faster and live without carrying consumer debt.   

 

            A great way to be mindful of where your money is going is to start and maintain a budget. The extra money that you have at the end of the week or month goes back into the debt that you have acquired. When we are able to manage our finances, including budgeting, we are able to enjoy financial freedom. Budgeting is key for financial freedom. Remember the key to eliminating consumer debt is working within the money we take home or living within our means. Lane V. Erickson’s a Bankruptcy Attorney wrote “Simply put, budgeting means tracking purchases and expenses and creating a written plan to save a certain amount of money each month. But why should we budget? Many people think a budget robs them of their freedom.” I like what   President Tanner wrote on financial freedom, “On the contrary, successful people have learned that a budget makes real economic freedom possible.” Budgeting provides economic freedom because it allows us to control our money rather than allowing our money to control us.” Knowing that budgeting is a way of life to eliminate debt helps us to have the financial freedom we deserve.

 

There is a wonderful feeling when you pay off that debt! Having to budget is never easy- or fun. However, I have found that when we are cautious about our spending, we might not always get what we want, but we get what we need. To stop consumer debt, having this thought in my mind has helped me stay away from debt. Using the snowball method and budgeting has helped my family and I to be wise stewards of our money, and resources and to eliminate debt. 

Whats for dinner? Menu planning is worth the time!!

Summer is always a great time to just eat whatever for supper and not worry about the timing issues. When school starts up (which I dread for lots of reasons) you are a slave to a schedule, that is if you are me it is... Bedtime is like a ticking time bomb at our house... I need to know what we are having for supper that morning or the whole evening goes downhill fast.

With Menue Planning,  When I am able to plan a good week or dare I say a month of good meals that are family-friendly usually we save more money and my time is spent better in ways that can enrich my life.

Where do I Begin?

I like two methods: 1 start where you are, and give your self permission to be flexible.
why am I meal planning?  and What is my goal?

How to implement the Why you are menu planning:

1. How am I going to remember the meals that I have planned out?

2. How am I going to implement meal planning and follow through?

3. Do I like prep work, Or how much of a cook do I want to be? 

4. How much time do I have to get dinner on the table each day?

These 4 questions are so important for a good menu, once you know those answers to these 4 questions, then you can start menu planning.

I have two ways that work the best for my family,

Option 1 (great for procrastinators)

Menu plan week to week

build your menu around what is on sale.

Use the sales and adds that are current for this week when you go grocery shopping to help you buy meat, produce dairy, and perishable items that are on sale from your local grocery store.

 For example, if Chicken is on sale I will have at least 3 meals of chicken that week. I will sometimes roast two chickens so I have one to eat for supper and the other chicken to shred for quesadillas. I will also decide what to do for lunches and breakfast, but I don't worry too much about those meals because cereal and muffins are not that hard to plan for. I really love this blog for all their amazing easy recipes

When planning for a week of dinners, I write it down on a post-it note and have it in the fridge for the week, that way it's an easy reminder. I will often make one trip to the store the day after the add hits, so I have time to see what's on sale and what I need for the week. super simple, and my go-to when I don't have a plan like Option 2.

Get this free template here

Option 2 (great if you have a plan and a trying to stockpile good deals on groceries.) 

Monthly menu planning is fun... (I can't lie, I have to tell myself this because if I don't I won't get my monthly menu plan going.)

You will want a good foundation to start with if you have a freezer, and storage space this may be the way to go.

For a month of dinners, I use a cheap calendar. (you know the ones that you get in the mail, or are at the dollar store.) Or I print them like this one from simply unscripted

I start by labeling each day of the week a category for dinner: Monday-Pizza, Tuesday-Mexican, Wednesday-Italian,  Thursday-Meatless, Friday- Grill, Saturday-Comfort food, Sunday- quick and easy.  These categories make it easy to plan each day of the week instead of saying hmm... what should we have on this Tuesday, also My family likes knowing that it's Friday pizza night! Wha Who! It makes your life easier having a label for each day of the week. That is why you are only going to have some type of spaghetti once or twice a night in a month... and so on. does your family get tired of spaghetti too because you make it too often?

 Then I plug in what I think my family will eat, and then make notes for when I need to go the store for an item. it's really that simple!

Tips for doing a Monthly meal plan

When I first started I spent a good hour looking through my cook book, or Pinterest to see what sounds good for supper, I still do but more as a free time thing than for meal planning.  So give yourself a good hour to plan, make yourself a good snack, and plan during a quiet time when you can focus and not be interrupted. I have even prayed to my father in heaven to help me plan, and those months always seem to go smoother.

Some of my great meals are the ones that I can make from memory, like a chili dinner, or a pork chop dinner, and casseroles. I like to keep things simple.
I use a menu planning software called Cook'n, I like it, but I usually find that a cheap calendar works just as well, especially if you are not "a cook that has to have a recipe" and just wants to have supper on the table.

Stock up on items you use often when they are on sale, this helps save a lot when menu planning, I know that I can use Pasta Sauce in lots of other ways than just pasta sauce. so.... I have about 30 jars stored because I got them on sale for half the cost. I like to stock up on about 25-50 items per year so about 1 item per week that I know will last for at least 6 months.

My favorite way to meal plan is to always have a couple oops meals, you know the nights when your not feeling like cooking, or getting dinner on the table, that is when I have frozen pizza or everything I need to make a soup, or a salad, or even mac and cheese for the kiddos. Those meals come in handy, but don't make it a crutch!

If you like to cook, use your kitchen tools, that will also help with knowing what you want to cook and what you have time for... don't underestimate the power of your mixer and food processor!

Here is a link that I thought was also helpful and full of great advice!


If you are wanting a good footing on how menu planning works, MomsByHeart.Net has some amazing blog posts.


I would love to learn how you get supper on the table, are you the family where you are like- let's go out every night and now you need to "figure it out" been there-done that lots of times!

What is your reason for or your WHY you want to start or keep doing Menue planning?

What is Strategic Shopping and why you should be doing it!

Want to go grocery shopping? Yup, me neither. You go, get your essentials without a list, and $200 later you come home with everything but what you went in to get in the first place. We have all been there. So.. there has got to be a better way right? Yes, and companies know it, that’s why there are all these little tricks to help you save your money at THE STORE!

To beat the marketing game as consumers we need to play along and take small victories when they come. This game is called Strategic Shopping, it’s a real thing, grocery stores and supermarkets (WalMart in particular) knows it really well.  Here are some tips to help you save money next time you're at the grocery store

Know your Store’s add and buy what’s on sale. Lots of times Hy-Vee and other grocery stores have a weekly sales ad. Hy-Vee in the Des Moines area the add drops on Tuesday, I like to grocery shop on Monday and/or Thursday. To be more particular, Hy-Vee has the best items on sale at the beginning of the month, and then at the end, the middle part of the month they usually are not filled with great rock bottom prices. Keep an eye on those “hot deals” sometimes the only reason why they are a “hot deal” is because they have a bunch of that product that they need to sale, it’s not really a discount.

Shop with a list but be flexible, I am a total advocate for sticking to a list, but often times I go grocery shopping and deviate from my list slightly, let me give you a great example: I see this pork loin on sale for half the cost it normally is (in Iowa we can get pork at a good price,) it’s not on my list but that’s a better deal than the pork chops I was going to get. So I get the pork loin and cut them into chops, better yet I make the meat department cut up the loin for me so I don’t have too. Sometimes a general item of 2lbs of white meat than 2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts can save you loads of money. So always be on the lookout for deals that are

worth buying, and that you can substitute.

Look High look low… all too often the manufacturers will pay the grocery store for prime real estate for their product placement, usually at eye level. Cereal is a great example, all the popular more expensive items are in plain sight, where the same item but in store brand is at the bottom. (often times the store brand is made by the same manufacturer.) So I ask myself am I really willing to pay X brand name for prime real estate when I could get the same product for at least 10% cheaper?

Same product, different locations I love tortillas for easy dinner solutions, which one do I buy?There are only like 40 different kinds, the answer is NOT THE ONES THAT ARE REFRIGERATED. You are paying for the cost of them to refrigerate them… go with the ones that are just on the shelf, the same thing with bagels. While we are on locations, know where your deals are kept, for us Hy-Vee Prairie Trail always has baskets at the front with discounted items, sometimes it’s laundry detergent at a rock bottom price, but I have been able to get a bunch of staples like brand name cereal, and artisan noodles at a rock bottom price.

Same product but Different packaging is always a great game changer, I am always wondering why they had to change the packaging up, My mommy saving senses are in active mode: sometimes it’s a way for you to get less and pay more like a standard cake mix, they lower the price 10 cents, but you get half the cake mix! Yes, really manufacturers will do that and call it a new item. I get annoyed by this often.I get a different brand and off I go.

Another great example was when I was looking for Multigrain Tortilla Chips, guess what? All tortilla chips are multi grain because they use corn, corn is a grain. So don’t pay extra for those “healthy” multigrain chips, when I saw that the ingredients were the same, same size, “healthy marketed bag” was $2.00 more! OUCH!!!! Pay attention to the details, and what you are really buying.

Just doing these small things have saved me on average $20 every grocery store visit, Or in a better light, that is how I can spend $20 extra at Memory Bound, or on other art supplies! Hah it's always fun when I feel like can save $20 and spend it on my art addiction!

Colorful fun for your winter blahs

I remember taking a workshop that was all about sensory play, and that is where my love for tactile play comes in, I love playing with my kids in the sensory table! So I have a fun, colorful idea for you!

Say it with me: WATER BEADS! Yes! They are so much fun, that water beads are rated as a #1 best seller for kids toys on Amazon... if you haven't tried these you are missing out on some really fun times with your kids.

For a tub of water beads I put in about half of the bag, so 4 oz.

For $3.50, I have something that will entertain all my kids from 2-yrs through 8-yrs old! I add bowls, kitchen utensils, and sometimes plastic animals or tractors to the sensory bin and let them play! they have fun, and it makes me smile when I hear their giggles!






From the Manufacturer:

WHAT TO DO WITH WATER BEADS

1. Sensory Water Beads
Sensory play is what water beads are best at. Kids of all ages love the feel and look of them. They are so enticing! Colorful, smooth, squishy, cool… Really, there’s not much more you need to do with water beads than have a bowl full of them to plunge your hands into and hold and squish them.
Water beads seem like magic to kids because the beads start out so tiny and grow within a few hours. Just watching the beads change is a fun activity for younger kids. 

Holiday Season at Hy-Vee

I love grocery shopping during the holiday season, I can really get some good deals. I thought I would give you some of my top items I stock up during this two week sale cycle that happens every year around this time.

Juice pouches for $.99-$1,79, cheaper than Sams Club!

Peanut Butter, $.99 a jar, you wont see a sale like this until August, so if you go through PB, now is the time to make multiple trips to Hy-Vee for PB. I go through about a jar ever other week, so I need about 30 Jars to last me till August! (if you are building up a stock pile!)

Butter, did you know Butter freezes really well, it's silly to buy butter at regular price. I love the taste of Hy-Vee butter, its much more flavorful than Sams club brand, and to me having good butter in my baked goods is totally worth it!

Flour, $.99 5lb. bag, Yes Please, I will be stocking up on this item.

I keep an eye out for those un-advertised deals, like bacon, Cream Cheese, cheese blocks, Egg Nog, chocolate Milk, Chex Cereal, take and bake pizza, chocolate chips, (so lots of dairy, and baking Items)

On a diffrent note, Our husbands are joining more and more in our weekly shopping trips according to the FMI Grocery retail group.

Happy Grocery shopping! it's going to be fun saving money and working on your stock pile this week!

My love affair with my food processor and Craftsy Class review

So.... I really love kitchen appliances, seriously it's like a love affair. The food processor has been on my list of things to buy for a long time. So I got a Kitchen Aid 11 cup food processor and I love it! It makes cooking and baking easy, Or what I should say is Baking is easier with a food processor!

So I knew the power behind my FP (food Processor) but like most new toys it's easier to play around and get to know it, but as a busy mom I didn't have time for that, so I entered into the world of Craftsy where they have classes on this stuff for people like me! So While I was playing blocks with my kiddo's and folding laundry I was able to watch the whole class, and learn how to use my new tool more efficiently, and creatively with my family in mind.

This class was my saving grace for time management, going in to this fall season I knew I needed to really start eating healthy, so the class gave me great examples on how to save time and eat healthy at the same time, The salad that Chef George Geary created, made me realize that I could have a salad every day. It was way cheaper to buy the heads of lettuce than to buy the bagged stuff anyways, in no time at all I was able to make and package up my salads for the week.

Chef George also had a whole lesson on just the dough blade! I enjoyed making the Cottage Bread, it was delicious, and extremely easy, He made it possible for me to make a loaf of bread that tasted like something you would get at a stake house! I then made the best pizza dough I have made in a long time and will never buy pre made pizza crust again.

The Peanut butter was such a great recipe to see, I am such a visual learner, and really have enjoyed learning how this easy process works. I decided that I wanted some Flax Seeds in my PB and why not make it!  At the store today I saw it on the shelf for $10.99 a jar! I was on a mission to make the same thing cheaper and so I did, I was able to make this same pb for under $4.00! Wha Who I saved us some money today!

the basic ingredients for Flax Seed Peanut Butter 

Flax seed peanut butter with animal cookies

Here is the simple recipe, adapted from the class
Peanut Butter
1 lb (2 cups) Roasted Peanuts, or other nut of your choice
2 Tbls of your favorite oil, I used Olive Oil
1/2 tsb of Cinnamon, or other spice that you would like, I used Cinnamon
1/2 tsb of salt (I used sea salt)
less than 1/4 Cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup Flax Seeds

process the nuts first with the blade for about 2 minutes. while the processor is running add the oil and the rest of the ingredients one at a time. then keep blending till you get the right constancy. We like eating it with animal crackers and apples.  This recipe is made best by viewing the lesson and then making it!

The last Recipe that I had to try was the Meat Loaf recipe. and it was so easy to make with the food processor, and it made my artist child happy while doing it, I got my hands all messy and it was fun to make!

This was such a great class, it really saved time for me, I now understand how to convert a recipe to use it for a food processor, I learned valuable tips that the pro's do to save time and energy, did you know that professional bakers don't always wash the bowl for every new batch of cookies, or cupcakes? They wash the bowl once at the end of the day. I also learned that you make all your dough one day and then bake the next day to save time, and energy. These are just some of the things that I learned from watching this class.

Other recipes that I want to try that were demonstrated in the class are:
Hummus,
Mayo,
cookie dough in the food processor (pb, chocolate chip, butter cookies)
Salsa


So what do you want to try in your food processor? The food processor is a tool that every good cook/baker needs and the Craftsy Class is a great companion!

The Art of Caramel and Peanut Brittle recipe

So, thinking about Christmas yet? Nope, well I sorta am, I wanted to get an idea of food gifts that I could give out during the Christmas season, I needed some where to start. Seriously if I had know how easy and cheap it was to make peanut brittle, I would never have bought Peanut Brittle! Keep reading for the exclusive recipe from craftsy on Peanut Brittle.

 It is said by America's test kitchen that you only need like 20 really good dishes to be called a good cook, I totally agree. With that thought in mind I think Caramel is a hard thing to accomplish well every time. I mean why does it crystallize, or burn so easy when I followed the recipe. Right? Right! So when I saw this class on Craftsy my eyes got really big with excitement and and I thought I needed to know how Caramel works.

I was pleasantly surprised by the content of this class! it's well thought out as most craftsy classes are, There is some small history lessons to help with what caramel is, which helped with making caramel.

This class will save me money in the long run, I always seem to want to have some peanut brittle during the Christmas season, and for about $2.00 a batch I can make peanut brittle to my little hearts content, or make it and give it out, smiling that you really only spent $2.00 on the gift, that could retail up to $15.00 (which btw is the cost of the class when it goes on sale!) I also posted about the Caramel candies, you can find my blog post here along with the recipe

One of the main reason's why I wanted this class was to figure out how to make caramel sauce, you know the dip used for apples, and a filling for chocolates, or bon bons. I finally have a perfect recipe for both with the knowledge to know just exactly what to do. (I learn best from watching then doing.)

Once you got the caramel sauce mastered, then it's onto cupcakes and those were so good! I had to pack them up for my husband's PTO meeting tonight, so I didn't eat them all up... and yes that is praline/peanut brittle on the top of the cupcake!

Way to Go Craftsy and Carole Bloom, I am a caramel know it all now! With the hopes of making a dry caramel desert in the future!

Carole Bloom's Peanut Brittle Recipe from Craftsy  
(Ingredients add up to $2.00, (peanuts and Sugar.))
Yield: 12/3 pounds (750 g) 

Ingredients
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 ml) water
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups (300 g) skinless roasted salted peanuts

Method
1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone non-stick liner.

2. Place the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a 3-quart (2.8-l) heavyduty saucepan over medium-high heat. As the mixture cooks, run a damp pastry brush around the edges of the pan to push any stray sugar crystals back into the mixture. Do this two times.

3. The mixture will bubble around the edges first and then the bubbles will move to the center. Cook the mixture until it begins to turn color, about 7 minutes. If the mixture begins to color in one place, turn the pan and swirl it to help distribute the color evenly. Do not stir, which will cause the mixture to crystallize.

4. Once the mixture is evenly amber colored, immediately stir in the peanuts and completely coat them with the caramel.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and turn the mixture onto the lined pan. Using a silicone spatula, very quickly spread the mixture thinly. Leave the brittle to cool completely.

6. Lift the brittle from the liner and break into pieces by hand.

7. Store the brittle between layers of waxed paper in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Variations Note: Any single type of nut or mixed nuts can be used, as well as any dried fruit.

If the nuts or fruit are large, chop them coarsely. Total volume of add-ins should be 2 cups.
For Almond-Date Brittle: Dates (coarsely chopped or cut with scissors) + toasted whole almonds.
For Peanut-Raisin Brittle: Salted or unsalted skinless roasted peanuts + raisins (your choice of color). For Pumpkin Seed-Apricot Brittle: Shelled toasted pumpkin seeds + chopped apricots.

Best way to save money.... The real secret

Ok ready for the biggest ahh haa moment I came to this year as we "worked out" a budget? you got it... Don't spend money... the less money you spend the more money you save. in theory that works wonderful, even saying out loud or seeing it "works."  So how do you get to the point that you don't spend money..... hummm that is the question?

Although I don't have everything figured out, and usually it takes a lot of mojo to "save money" This is what I have learned

First start small, I have a stock pile that right now my family is eating out off,  because I know food sales are going to be going on in the month of November and December, and I want to save my grocery money for when the Sales are really good. So I only buy what we need for food, like milk and fresh produce. I then replace the food when prices are at a good price and stock up. (small things that really make a big difference.)

2. The Dave Ramsey envelope system does work, we use to do that in college and I hated it, but it got me in the habit of deciding just how much I wanted something, and stretching my dollar as far as it could go.  basically it's a system that let's say we have $500 a month for groceries, $200 for Gas, $50 for clothes and so on, and you put that money in an envelope and use that money for when you need cash from that category. (this means you don't use your credit/debit card.) I have done the same thing with a gift card from the grocery store, I would load up x amount we have to spend that month on groceries and then when the money was out... you guessed it I was done grocery shopping for the month.

3. Don't window shop. I use to love to "window" shop but $200 later I was like opps I did it again right? so I don't window shop. That temptation is gone when you don't window shop.

4 What motivates you to save money. Remember that I don't like to save money with out some serious mojo... yup... so find out what you really want. For me I started couponning/saving money because I really love being an Artist, but I can't be a starving artist with a family to raise. So I wanted money for my art addiction, that was enough for me to figure out how couponning really worked.  Now that I have most of the Art stuff that I "need" not want, I want to save for a family vacation to Disney. I think it's a lot more do able then just saying I need to save money, get some mojo behind it and you can do it!

Those are my tidbit of knowledge on saving money. I would love to hear your comments about how you "save money by not spending money"

My 52 item list for food storage

My 52 item list for food storage

You know that I love getting a good deal and then stocking up on it when it is a good deal, with not too many strings attached, like using coupons and store coupons and then going to Ibotta to get an even better price. No, I like the rock bottom deals that happen once a year. The list I made up has the timing when grocery go on sale at the lowest price so you can stockpile

. 

Here are 52 items that you can buy that isn't that expensive to help with your food storage.  the idea is that each week of the year you get what you think you need for the year, or 3 or 6 months depending on your situation (aka space you have to store.)

For example, I know my family likes spaghetti a lot, I go all out when this is my price point. I will buy at least 52 cans of spaghetti sauce when it's at my price point. the same thing with all the other food, so at any given week you will buy 52 of one thing, that could potentially last you for the year...

the beauty of this plan is that if there isn't a good sale that week or funds are a bit low the sale will come back around every 2-6 months, so it's a really forgivable plan.

These sales are taken from Hy-Vee's sales cycle, but other Grocery stores are on the same general cycle. It's also important to note that I wrote this list knowing that these items are on sale sometime during that month so it is very possible that the item doesn't go on sale the week I say it is, but be on the lookout for that item to be on sale during that month or a couple weeks after.

January January- February is frozen food months look out for good deals. 

week 1 Oat Meal

week 2 granola bars, nutrigrain bars, healthy high protein/fiber bars

Week 3  vitamins (shelf life isn't that long, so restock again in summer) and protein powder, healthy food items

Week 4: Sea Food- frozen, fresh, or canned. its a great time to buy and stock up!

week 5: frozen bread- garlic, warm and ready, frozen noddles.

February: National canned food month

Week 1 Syrup, Honey, pancake mix

Week2 Canned fruit, (I like to buy oranges and peaches, every three months)

Week 3 canned Beans, tomato sauce

Week 4 Frozen Vegetables and  Frozen Pizza's and dinners, be careful to only buy what you have room for.

March

Week juice, apple, lemon, and other juices you drink and cook with.

week 2  Butter

week 3 Strawberries, frozen fruit

week 4 Chicken- whole ones that you can roast and shred and then freeze the meat.

April

Week 1 Ham, (also on sale in November)

Week 2 Spaghetti sauce (march is also a good time to get this deal)

Week 3 Butter (on sale during Easter, best price of the year, I like to freeze it!)

Week 4 Baking supplies, cake, brownie, mixes, Marshmallows, chocolate chips and stock up on flour and sugar, the next good deals won't be until November.

week 5  sports drinks, bottle water, flavored water

May

Week 1 BBQ sauce, Salad dressing and marinades, and salt

Week 2 Hot dogs, brats and other grilling meats

Week 3 Sunscreen, and bug spray

Week 4 fresh berries, and vegetables

June National Dairy month   

Week 1 Dairy - think of freezing yogurt, ice cream, heavy whipping

Week 2 Mason Jars (also on sale in August, but I find them best deals in June)

Week 3 Paper goods, toilet paper. napkins, paper towels

Week 4 Paper goods, plastic ware, paper plates,

July

week 1 Pop sickles

week 2 back to school supplies, pencils, pens, binders, crayons, markers, notebooks (it's a great week to do some shopping (after July 4th))

Week 3 office supplies

Week 4 fresh produce to freeze and can (I like to get tomatoes and make bruschetta)

week 5 baked beans, and other picnic sides (pickles, olives,  suddenly salads)

August ( not a great month for deals on food, I save some  of this month's budget for November)

Week 1 pudding cups

week 2 Cereal (Chex and other cereal are on sale in November)

Week 3 Facial Tissues

week 4 and disinfectant wipes

Week 5  fresh peaches freeze them or can them!

September (also a slow month for deals, I save some money for November and December)

week 1 Apples

week 2 diabetic supplies(only if needed)

week 3 back to school snacks and cereal

week 4 chia seeds

October

Week 1 canned Pumpkin

Week 2 alarm clocks, batteries, smoke detectors

week 3 nuts

week 4 canned soup

Week 5 Tooth past, and oral care

November

week 1 evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk

week 2 canned vegetables and broth

week 3 Turkey and Ham

week4: Noodles -all kinds, this items goes on sale throughout the year, my price point is $1.00

week 5 flour, sugar, baking supplies

December

week  1 potatoes, like instant potatoes, betty Crocker  boxed potatoes, canned sweet potatoes

week 2 crakers, dips, seasoning mixes for dip

week 3 pie crusts, jello

week 4  canned vegetables and fruit

week 5 spices

 ok, maybe there is a bit more than 52 items for food storage but this really works for me, and it's an easy no brainier way to get a good stock pile. 

I hope this helps!

5 minute rule

Ok, so I try hard to save my family money, after all I am the stay at home mom that takes pride in well, the little things. I like to pride myself with wow, I did this for half the cost, or because I am able to stay at home I am able to make bread, you get the idea right? So when reading coupon mom's strategic shopping book. She mention the 5 minute rule, I loved it and it's now my ah ha moment at the grocery store. Its simple, when ever I want to buy something already packaged and ready to go, I think to my self, is this something I can make or do, in five minutes? If it is then I don't get it and save more money. I suppose this rule might apply to those that loves to be in the kitchen with kiddo's running around, and trying to help you with Disney princess music in the back ground, I don't know but that is the way it is at our house.

The rule has saved me extra money, I wish I could tell you but for the most part it's a simple way to save some real money at the grocery store. Here are some things that I don't buy any more and my reasoning

baking mixes, I know I have posted some before but you gotta love them. My reasoning is, if your buying a cookie mix, and you still have to dirty dishes, why not make a big batch of cookie mix and store it in a 20 cup rubber maid container. and yes it takes me about 10 minutes to make the whole mix, but I got 20 cups of mix or 10 batches of cookies at hand, and your saving a ton of money! Other baking mixes I have already prepared that I don't buy any more are: corn bread mix, bisquick, and pancake mix

Produce, some things I see working out while others not so much, bag lettuce is marked up at least 50% pre cut fruit and veggies, up wards to %100.

Fabric softener, like I mention in my last post

bread, it takes no time in the kitchen, and who doesn't love home made bread

Meat, buy  meat when it's on sale and freeze it, 5min to repackage and divy out the portions, or cook the ground beef with what ever seasoning you need and you are all most done making a dinner to prepare, I like to buy 3lb-4lbs and cook it and then freeze it in four portions, so I am only dirtying up one pan one time instead of 4 times.

Cheese, my kiddo's love the cheese cubes, I hate the price, but for what seems like half the cost you can cut up your cheese cubes your self, takes 5 mins. I also like to grate my cheese, this takes me less than 5 min. to do.

I hope this helps you to save some extra money at the grocery store, like me this was an ah ha moment that I thought was a simple way to save some money.

Sales Cycles and how it can benefit you

I know that I have posted this post before but I always like a good refresher. I always like to know what season is a good time to buy what grocery items, and when a specific item will be on sale at what time of the year. so here is my list, keep in mind that months run into each other meaning that just because Frozen food month is March expect frozen food stuff to also be on sale at a rock bottom price in February also, so always know your price points and snag the deal when you see it.

So want to know how sales cycles work? it's super easy, once a year a product will be at it's rock bottom price, that also means Manufacturers will send out coupons for this product, you should also find a bunch of these type of coupons on line, It's a savings haven! so we will take frozen pizza (since they were on sale just a couple weeks ago) this is the time to stock up on frozen food. Digorno pizza was on sale for a rock bottom price at 2/9 I had a buy 2 get one free coupon so I got 3 Digorno Pizza's for 9 or for $3 a piece. If you could see my freezer  I almost need anther one since it's almost full of frozen food items that my family will use this coming year. That is how you can use sale cycles to your benefit  stock up once a year on the items that are on sale at it's rock bottom price so you don't pay double 6 months from now for the same item.

January

National Oatmeal Month: Quaker
Diet Foods: Healthy Choice, South Beach, Lean Cuisine, Special K, Kashi, Smart Start, 100 Calorie Packs, Yogurt
Super Bowl Sunday: Pepsi, Coke, Chips, Dips, Cheese, Sandwich Items, Crackers, Snacks, Wings
Seasonal Produce: Oranges, Pears, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Cabbage, Spinach
Clearance: Christmas Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Papers,
Winter Health: Cold Medicines and Vitamins

February

Hy-Vee usually have lots of good deals on frozen food this month

National Canned Food Month: Canned Fruit, Pie Fillings, Vegetables, Meats: Tuna, Chicken, Salmon
National Hot Breakfast Month:  Malt O Meal, Oatmeal, Eggo Waffles, Syrup
Valentines:  Chocolate, Hershey’s, KY Lubricant, etc
Chinese New Year: Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Noodles, Canned Water Chestnuts
Seasonal Produce:  Artichoke, Asparagus, Raspberries, Potatoes, Strawberries, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Spinach

March

Frozen Food Month: Ice Cream, Frozen Vegetables (Boxed, Bag, or Steam), Frozen Meals, Foster Farms Chicken, Waffles, Pizza
Seasonal Produce: Artichoke, Asparagus, Haas Avocado, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Leek, Lemon, Lime, Mushrooms, Spring Onions, Orange, Peas, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Tangerine

April

Easter:  Ham, Eggs, Spices, Baking Supplies: Sugar, Spices, Baking Mixes, Chocolate Chips, Butter, Coconut, Marshmallows, Brownie Mix, Cake Mix
Earth Day: Organic Foods, Energy Saver, Reusable Totes
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbages, Carrots, Grapefruit, Haas Avocado, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas, Rhubarb
Clearance: After Easter sales

May

Memorial Day: BBQ Sauce, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips, Grilling Meats, Hot Dogs, Hamburger Meat, Marinade, Salad Greens
Paper Products: Plates, Utensils, Insect Repellant, Sunscreen
Cinco De Mayo: Salsa, tortillas
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocado, Beans, Green, Beets, Blackberries, Carrots, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Peas, New Potatoes, Raspberries, Strawberries

June

National Dairy Month: Eggs, Milk, Ice Cream, Cheese, Cream Cheese, Butter, Yogurt, Whipping Cream, Whipped Cream, Cool Whip
End of June is Fourth or July Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
Seasonal Produce: Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Honeydew, Nectarines, Peaches, Potatoes, Raspberries, Red Onions, Squash, Summer, Strawberries, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes, Watermelon

July

National Ice Cream Month
More 4th of July BBQ Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
End of July: Back to School Sales Begin: Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Seasonal Produce: Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Beans, Green, Blueberries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Garlic, Grapes, Nectarines, Onions, Red, Valencia Oranges, Peaches, Sweet/Bell Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August

Back to School: Pudding cups, Lunch meat, Lunchables, Bread, Cold Cereal, Waffles, Lunchboxes
Disinfectant:  Clorox, Purell
Clearance:  Insect Repellant, Sunscreen, charcoal
Seasonal Produce: Gravenstein Apple, Haas Avocado, Green Beans, Beans, Berries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Onion, Peaches, Bartlett Pears, Bell Pepper, Plums, Raspberries, Squash, Summer, Tomatillo, Tomato

September

Back to School Sales through Labor Day:  Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Diabetes: Bayer Glucose Meters, Glucerna Cereal
Seasonal Produce: Apples, Artichokes, Beans, Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Onion, Valencia Orange, Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Pomegranate, Squash, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Winter Squash
Baby Items: Major Baby Equipment, Baby Safety

October

Halloween: Candy, Fresh Pumpkin
Beginning of the Baking Sales: Canned pumpkin, Evaporated Milk, Baking Chips
Daylight Savings Time Ends Promotions: Alarm Clocks, Batteries, Safety Equipment, Smoke Detectors
National Seafood Month
Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month: Pedigree, Purina
Seasonal Produce: Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Chard, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Lemons, Parsnip, Pears, Pomegranate, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Spinach, Squash, Winter, Turnips, Yams

November

Best month of the year to stock up on lots of grocery items, ( a little secret, my grocery bill doubles this month- but so does the savings, buget for a big grocery bill the sales are endless it seems)

Hot Cocoa, Coffee, Tea
Baking Sales in Full Swing: Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Coconut, Cake Mixes
Canned foods: Soup, Broth, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Thanksgiving Items: Turkey, Canned Pumpkin, Stovetop Stuffing, Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Celery, Comice Pears, Cranberries, Kiwi, Lemons, Orange, Potato, Squash, Yams
Clearance: After Halloween Sales

December

Holiday Dinner: Egg Nog, Deli Platters, Instant Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows. Sour Cream Dips, Crackers, Chips, Soda, Ham
Baking: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, Muffin Mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream
Canned Foods: Soup, Broth, Condensed Milk, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Bok Choy, Bosc Pears, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Dates, Grapefruit, Haas Avocados, Kale, Kiwi, Kumquat, Lemon, Napa Cabbage, Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, Red Cabbage, Rutabaga, Savoy Cabbage, Spinach, Winter Squash, Yams, Turnips, White Potato
Clearance: After Thanksgiving and After Christmas Sales

Long-Term Produce Storage...Kind of...

A few weeks ago I posted about growing green onions on your windowsill and I am still doing this, and the onions are growing for the 3rd time since cutting.  I was seriously so excited when I found that it worked.  Well, this week I found a new tip that I wanted to share.  It is a way to preserve your celery and have it last at least 4 weeks.  

Photo of wrapped celery from 3monthspreparation.blogspot.com

If you wrap your celery in tin foil before placing it in the fridge it will last for weeks, and  it will still be fresh and crisp when you pull it out!!  This is where I learned this from.  Crystal Young, the blogger I learned this from, also stored broccoli for 7 weeks wrapped in tin foil, and heads of lettuce for at least 6 weeks!!!

Crystal is a Christian mother of 10 and she decided to feed her family from her food storage for 3 months without going to the grocery store.  They didn't go to the store (except for more baby formula and her husband's deodorant) and she cooked all her meals and snacks from scratch.  She also blogged about her success' and failures at 3monthspreparation.blogspot.com.  I sat and read through her 90 day challenge for 2 hours last night.  I was inspired by her words and motivated by her skills!!  Crystal has such wisdom and faith and sees God's hand in all she does for her family.  I strive to have the faith of someone like her.  

There are so many ways to save money and to live frugally and I am still learning everyday.  I get so excited to learn a new trick and I hope you find them useful too!!

 

http://preparetodaywardnewsletter.blogspot.com

Free Printable Fathers Day Coupon Book

Father's day is coming up and all dad really wants is a couple free slobbery kisses by the kiddos and maybe a free back scratch from you. So, ditch the idea of getting him a new tie or gift certificate for the garden store and make him this adorable and FREE ticket book!

CLICK HERE to download your complimentary ticket designs! You can put the tickets loosly in an envelope or make a small booklet, like I did, shown above! To make the booklet, cut down {red} cardstock to 4.25x11, placed the tickets on top, and folded the cardstock over! Then, secure closed with two hole punches and some ribbon!

Have fun with this simple, modern craft to make dad feel like king for the day!thanks, http://www.nellie-design.com

Easy Under The Bed Storage Idea!

Another great storage idea!

Materials:

Old Dresser Drawers (I get these from Goodwill, Yard Sales, even from people just throwing out old dressers.)

4 Casters (wheels) (Get them here!)

Handles (if needed)

Paint (if needed)

Screwdriver or Cordless Drill (Get it here!)

Directions:

Take some old dresser drawers and attach the casters (wheels) to the 4 corners of the drawers. Add handles if needed. For a newer or neater feel paint the drawers to match the bedroom decor. Great under the bed storage!

Source: bhg.com

How one person repurposes their creamer containers into snack holders!

Make Your Own Yogurt Pops with a Vacuum Sealer

I don't have a vacuum sealer or food saver, but this looks like a great idea for someone that has one!!!!

If you already have a vacuum sealer or food saver, you're already familiar with how well it works to save and store food. If you don't, you probably know someone who does, and with the roll of foil already loaded in the machine and a tub of yogurt, you can make your own yogurt pops in a matter of minutes.

With a food saver, you can essentially create vacuum sealed bags of any size, so Once A Month Mom decided she could make thin, long baggies into which she could spoon her favorite yogurt and then seal off the top. When you see the photo, it's the kind of trick that seems obvious, but since most people use vacuum sealers for meat, cheese, or other perishables, yogurt pops may not spring to mind.

She also notes that you can use the same process for pudding or juice, and then toss them in the freezer for frozen yogurt, pudding pops, or popsicles. If you have a vacuum sealer, what are some of your favorite uses for it?

Thanks, onceamonthmom.com

How to Prepare Freezer Meals

Go here: http://cuttingcouponsinkc.blogspot.com/search/label/Freezer%20Meals for more meal see makes!

The basic recipe for a Freezer Meal is :

raw meat
1 can cooking soup
1 soup can water (sometimes milk)
seasoning.

Place all of the ingredients in a Ziploc freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer. To prepare, run warm water on the bag until you can break it into several pieces. Place in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

For example, one of the basic recipes I use is for Sunday Chicken. This consists of 1 lb. raw Chicken Breasts, 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 soup can water & 1 packet of dry onion soup mix. I serve this with either mashed potatoes or rice and a veggie (usually green beans).
Some of my favorite cooking soups are:

Cream of Mushroom
Cream of Chicken
Cream of Onion
Cream of Chicken & Mushrooms
Cream of Chicken with Herbs
Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic
Golden Mushroom
Cheddar Cheese
Fiesta Nacho Cheese
French Onion
Tomato
Cream of Shrimp

I did not include Cream of Celery in my list because I personally do not like the flavor of it but it can be used too. You can also use Tomato Sauce, Chicken Broth or Beef Broth in a freezer meal.


A Freezer Meal does not have to be complicated. You can add 2 cups Spaghetti Sauce (homemade or store bought) to a ziploc bag and add 1 lb. of raw chicken. Now you have Chicken Parmesan. Simply add the contents of the bag to your crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Serve over pasta and top with cheese.

I have also taken 2 cups of salsa and added 1 lb. raw chicken. This makes yummy Chicken Tacos or can be served with Mexican Rice. There are no limits to the Freezer Meals you can create. Use ingredients your family likes and combine with ingredients you have in your pantry.

One time I made a Freezer Meal & labeled it Itailan Chicken. It was delicious!! Unfortunately I had no idea what was in it. I am guessing that I probably had some leftover ingredients and I just tossed them in the bag and labeled it so you might want to include a list of ingredients on the ziploc bag so this doesn't happen to you!


This is one of our favorite Freezer Meals. I buy the boneless Country Style Ribs and put them in a frezer bag. I then add barbecue sauce and a little water and freeze. These can be cooked in the crockpot for 4-6 hours, in the oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour or on the grill.

My best advice is to get creative & don't be afraid to experiment. There are no right or wrong recipes, just use your families taste to determine what ingredients you use in a Freezer Meal.

Thanks, cuttingcouponsinkc