Tuesday, November 29, 2011

My Meal Planning Experiment

Earlier this week, when I was thinking about meal planning and looking for new ideas, I came across a super cute homemade menu planner.  (For those of you who don't know me well yet, I am a huge sucker for cute, unnecessary things.)  Even though a plain old scrap of paper has been working just fine for me to plan my meals with, this cute idea made me want it.  (Remember - sucker for cute stuff)  So, I downloaded a free file.  But, as is my nature, I couldn't just use it as is.  It had owls on it.  Owls?  Yes, owls.  I am not a fan of owls.

However, being the creative genius and master time waster that I am (heavy sarcasm should be inflected here), I decided to "edit" the planner to remove the owls.  This was after I attempted to start from scratch and make my own version. (as my kids would say - epic fail)  The edit was much more successful and I did manage to remove the owl and leaves, leaving a cute meal planner with only a heart and flower.  Now what?  It seems like such a cute planner should have a purpose beyond just scratching out what I may or may not actually cook this week.

I started thinking (dangerous thing) and came up with a plan.  I have a cookbook where I put all the recipes I've collected over the years and it's getting pretty ugly.  By that, I mean that it's falling apart and it's really grossly dirty from being spilled on so many times.  (did I mention that I am not the neatest cook?)  I've been wanting to get a new one, but haven't found "the right one" yet.  What if I used my new cute, but unnecessary, meal planner as the beginning of my new family cookbook?  (Does this mean the planner is now useful instead of unnecessary?)

Here's what I plan to do:  I found a 3 ring binder in our "school supply" closet that wasn't being used.  I printed the front and back covers of the planner and slid them into the front and back covers of the binder.  Then I added divided tabs and labeled them with recipe book headings like "main meals, side dishes, breads" etc.  Each week I will make my menu plan as usual (except I will use my cute new planning sheets) and then after I actually make the meals I plan, I will add them to the new family cookbook.  If I work on this for at least the next few months, I should have a nice collection of our favorite recipes all in one place.  The internet and cook books are great, but if we've had it before, I hate having to remember where the recipe is located.  Plus, by using the meal planning sheets and keeping them in the first section of the binder, I can easily remember what we've been eating lately.  This should come in handy when I'm stumped for new ideas or when I can't remember how old the frozen chili is because I forgot to put a date on the container.  (as if I would ever do such a thing.....)

So there you have it, my meal planning experiment project.  I think it may actually inspire me to stick to my meal plans for a while.  Just in case you are interested, here is an image of the cute planner I'll be using.  If you, like me, enjoy cute but unnecessary things, please let me know and I can send you a copy of the planner.



Monday, November 28, 2011

Menu Plan Monday - Lunchbox Edition

Good Morning!

If your house is anything like mine, I'm sure that this morning was a challenge.  It always seems to be harder to get everyone up and moving on a Monday, but especially a Monday after an extended weekend.  Thankfully, our new lunch system makes at least one part of our routine a little less hectic.  Since the kids only had 2 days of school last week with the holiday, most of our lunch choices are the same, although they did devour a few items on Wednesday when we were at work and they had the day off...

Protein Choices:
Cheese Slices (Monterey Jack and Colby)
Peanut Butter
Raw Almonds (not roasted or salted)

Fruit & Vegetable Choices:
Grapes
Baby Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Bananas
Avocados
Dried Apricots

Grain Choices:
Bread
Granola Bars
Mini Rice Cakes (cheddar and caramel flavors)

As a side note for those of you without school age kids, I often make my own lunch from the "ingredients" I list out in this post.  Especially on days when we don't have leftovers to choose from or if I am running late in the morning.

Menu Plan Monday









Good Morning!!
I hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend.  I wonder how many of you will be serving leftover turkey at least once this week?  Since we went away for the holiday, we will NOT be eating turkey this week.  In fact, Scott and I decided last week that in order to keep our weigh loss goals from getting too far off track with all the Thanksgiving dining we anticipated that we were going to spend this week doing a raw food cleanse.   If you are wondering what that means, I'll do my best to explain - 

Starting on Monday morning, we will be trying to limit our food intake to smaller portions and limiting ourselves as much as possible to raw foods.  Our staples for the week will be fresh fruits and veggies (no dips allowed), nuts and water.   There are a few exceptions, like hummus and limited amounts of canned or frozen veggies.  Last time we did this was quite a few weeks ago and we both lost over 4 pounds in 5 days.  But more importantly, we both felt healthier at the end of the week and were able to break some bad eating habits like drinking soda every day more easily.  Lately we've both fallen back into some of our bad habits and feels like we need to get back on track in order to stay on pace to meet our healthy weight targets in a reasonable time frame.

I won't be planning any full family meals this week, but we will try to all sit down together to eat our varied suppers.  Since the kids are not participating in the cleanse they will be enjoying kid favorites like grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken noodle soup, hot dogs and chicken nuggets, along with some sides of fresh fruits and veggies. 

Here is a sample of what Scott and I will be eating:

Breakfast:  
1/4 cup natural almonds (not roasted or salted)
1/2 cup fruit

Lunch:
raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers)
hummus (my favorite is garlic)
avocado

Dinner / Supper:
salad with fresh spinach or spring mix greens
homemade or light vinaigrette dressing, just enough to taste 

My biggest challenge this week will be living without Dr. Pepper.  Scott's biggest challenge will be living without Raisin Bran.  What would your biggest challenge be if you did a food cleanse like this?  Have any of you ever done something like this?  I'd love to hear your experiences.  Thanks in advance for sharing.


Sunday, November 27, 2011

Cub Foods Match-up 11/27 - 12/3


It looks like Cub has some great prices on cereal and snacks this week.  I may have to stop in even though I'm not eating those foods this week.  Cereal for as low as $1 / box is hard to beat.  You can check out all the deals and match ups HERE.  Thanks to Definitely Deals for putting together this week's list.

CVS Match Ups - 11/27 - 12/2

After last week, the match ups for this ad look a little less exciting, but there are still a few bargains worth chasing down this week.  If you are new to CVS shopping, make sure you sign up for the Extra Care Card so you can take advantage of the Extra Care Bucks offers each week. Once you get started, this is one of the easiest ways I have found to get things for free.  Make sure you also go online and register your card so you can take advantage of the e-mail coupons they often send too.
Here are some of this week's deals:

As low as free after ECB

$0.50/1 Dawn Power Clean, Bleach Alternative or Oxi Product, exp. 11/30/11 (P&G 10/30/11)
$0.50/1 Dawn Product, exp. 11/30/11 (P&G 10/30/11)
$.25/1 Dawn 11/27/11 P&G
As low as $.49

$.50/1 Tide/Downy 11/27/11 P&G
$2/1, $1/2, $0.50/1 Tide Detergent, exp. 11/30/11 (RP 10/23/11) watch expiration date
$1/1, $0.50/1 Gain Detergent or Fabric Enhancer, exp. 11/30/11 (P&G 10/16/11)
As low as $3.94

For the rest of this week's deals, look HERE.  Thanks to Passionate Penny Pincher for putting this together.

Penny Prints are Back at Snapfish

Up to 500 prints just 1 cent each and 50% off site-wide!

Penny Prints are back at Snapfish!  Starting today and ending November 28th, you can enjoy 4" x 6" prints for just a penny each and 50% off site-wide!  Use the code PENNYNOV and you can print up to 500 photos.  Or, if you want to check out some of the other cool photo gift items they have, you can use the code CYBER50 to get 50% off on just about everything else.  
The best part?  You can use the codes more than once to increase your savings.  I love that!!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Deals, Deals, Deals

Okay savers, I think I am waving the white flag.  My intention was to sit here and blog my heart away to let you know about every great deal I could find on the web.  But there are just too many and I am too new at this to keep up.  (It's tough work being a bargain shopper).  So, here is what I CAN do for you this year - Check out these 2 blogs:
www.moneysavingmom.com
www.passionatepennypincher.com

Their fingers must be burning with all the deals they are posting today.  :o)  I'm going to sit down with some Diet Dr. Pepper and shop, take a few notes, and learn from the best so that next year I can jump in and will be better prepared for the craziness of Black Friday.

Please do share any deals that you find either here or on the Facebook page so that we can all take advantage of what others are finding.  Happy Shopping!!

Free Amazon Credit

Check out this good deal from Money Saving Mom - 
Just go to this page on Amazon.com and type in coupon code STUDYBRK and you’ll get a free $2 credit automatically added to your account!
You must redeem this credit by November 28, 2011.
(Just a note that the link above is a referral link and that it will credit MoneySavingMom.com.  If you don't know what that means you can go to her site and read all the details.)

Black Friday Deals - Best Deals

I just came across this post from Passionate Penny Pincher that put together a huge list of all the top retail deals for this weekend.  Check it out here if you need some hints on where to shop.

Free Chocolate Turnover From Arby's

Arby's 3 for $5
Need a quick chocolate fix while you shop today?  Stop by Arby's and get a FREE chocolate turnover.  Print the coupon HERE.  Happy Shopping!!

Financially Fit Friday

"When real faith grips you, you develop a mind-set that looks for the best in everything, refuses to give up, finds a way around or through every obstacle, and presses on to victory."
- Norman Vincent Peale


Have you started a money makeover? What are you planning on paying CASH for? What bill are you paying off? Share a bit of your story! No story is too small to share! Real life stories keep Sister C motivated :D Catch up on Our Story to see how far we've come.

Emergency Fund - $1000 - STOCKED!

Tuition Payment - $1000 due on 1/25/2011
  • Deposited $50 work bonus
  • Currently Saved $50 - 7% of our goal
Fun Money - Not sure what to save up for. I'm toying with the idea of visiting my sister in Maine in June...
  • Deposited $30 in fun money.
  • Current Balance $198.72
    • This account pays for my membership at Curves, for my ladies night out, and gifts for birthdays and Christmas. So I need to start saving for Christmas! Oh wait, I'm excellent at finding sales/deals, so I don't need much lol
House Fund - Goal $15,000.00 by 5/31/2011
  • Deposited $300 in leftover tips and paychecks
  • Currently Saved $1148.62 - 7% of our goal
    • In the next few weeks I plan to research out where to put our money to get the highest interest rate. I know it might not be much, but every little bit helps :D
    • I also plan to call around to different banks and find out mortgage rates, down payment requirements for different purchases - such as 'regular' house buying mortgages, foreclosures, short sales, contract for deed, etc. Then we'll know what we are up against :D
Likes | Tumblr
The following are the other loans we currently have, but will put them on the back burner as we save for a house bigger than a 2-bedroom for our family of SIX :D We plan on keeping the duplex we currently own, and renting out the side we currently live in, thus earning more money each month that will pay these off for us :D

Hubby's Student Loan as of 10/01/2011 $9395
  • Outstanding Balance is $9,342.92
My Student Loan as of 10/01/2011 $6480
  • Outstanding Balance is $6,441.96
Bank of America loan as of 10/01/2011 - $2228.49
  • Outstanding Balance is $2,106.99
    • I called this company and asked how much we needed to up our payments to get this done in 12 months. It's only $60/mo. So we are jumping on that! Now scheduled to be done 11-2012 instead of spring of 2013!
Family Loan $3000 - Will be paid back with tax return
Family Loan $1000 - Will be paid back with tax return

$10 for $20 at Old Navy Groupon

Get $20 worth of apparel at Old Navy for just $10 today through Groupon!  The Groupon is valid in-store only from 11/26/11 through 12/24/11. For details, check this link:  http://passionatepennypincher.com/2011/11/hot-deal-20-groupon-at-old-navy-just-10/oldnavy-7/.  Thanks to Passionate Penny Pincher for finding this great deal!!


Black Friday Deals - Here we come!!

Did any of you brave the crazy crowds last night and grab up some great Black Friday deals?  Or maybe you are out right now, making a day of it?  Or, if you are like me, you might be surfing the web looking for great deals that you can find while sitting on the couch at you in-law's house in your pajamas.  :o)  Stay tuned while I shop the web today and look for great deals.  I'll be posting as I find them, but please feel free to add comments and share anything you find too!  

Good Luck!!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Transformation Tuesday - A New Challenge

Time to check in again - It's been a rough couple weeks for me and the Biggest Loser challenge.  But, I thought it would be appropriate to post this week, when most of us will face a huge challenge - Thanksgiving Dinner.  Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, the list goes on.......

So, how can a "dieter" or even someone just watching their weight enjoy this food centered holiday without doing some serious harm to your waistline?  Here are a few tips to help you survive and enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner:
1.  Drink Water - Make it a point to drink at least one full glass of water 10-20 minutes before the big meal.  The water will make you feel fuller and help prevent over-eating.
2.  Small Portions - Go ahead and taste all your holiday favorites, just serve up small portions of each.  This way you won't feel like you are missing anything.
3. Save Dessert for Later - You know you want dessert, but you also know that right after you finish the turkey you will be stuffed beyond full.  So, have the pumpkin pie, but wait an hour or so.  You'll get to enjoy dessert and take care of the afternoon munchies all at once.

MY biggest challenge during the holidays isn't the meals, it's the snacks.  This week will be a big challenge for me.  I'm hoping I can take my own advice and stick to my plan, or at least close to it.  :o)  I just need to keep reminding myself that I CAN do this.

What are your strategies for enjoying Thanksgiving while not throwing your healthy eating habits and weight loss goals out the window?  Any tips and tricks you can share?  Thanks for your feedback.

Menu Plan Monday

Good Morning!!  Thanks to those people who shared menu ideas last week!  I really appreciate the ideas and enjoy seeing what others are making.  Personally, I've kind of been on a soup / stew kick lately.  The Loaded Potato Soup I made last week turned out great.  Scott ate leftover soup for breakfast the next day!   It was really easy and started with a bagged soup mix, but I think next time I'll try the whole thing from scratch.

That's the other thing I am looking into, cooking from scratch.  I've always been a "faster and easier is better" sort of cook, but lately I've been feeling like simpler is better.  And by simpler, I don't necessarily mean faster and easier.  I'm working on more whole foods and made from scratch recipes.  I'd like to work my way away from eating out of boxes and start using real food, not freeze dried or re-constituted stuff.  It's going to be interesting and challenging, but I feel like the health rewards will be worth it.  I also believe it will be more cost effective.   I'll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, here's what I'm thinking we'll make this week:

Monday:  Ravioli, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread
Tuesday:  Chili Pie with Cheesy Potato Topping, corn bread
Wednesday:  Pancakes, Eggs, Sausages
Thursday:  Thanksgiving Dinner with Extended Family
Friday:  Thanksgiving Part 2 with Extended Family
Saturday:  Cheesy Vegetable Chowder, salad, breadsticks
Sunday:  Leftovers

What are all of you making this week?  A couple of you shared last week and I was grateful for your suggestions and comments!! I'd like to challenge more of you to post at least one of the meals on your menu for the week here.  Let's see how many different ideas we can come up with.

Menu Plan Monday - Lunchbox Edition


I've been struggling with lunch planning for a while.  And to be honest, I've gotten bored with this weekly post.  So I started thinking of ways I could "spice things up" just a bit.  I started really thinking about what my kids were eating and realized we really aren't putting as much effort as we should into BALANCED lunches.  So, I decided to switch up this post to help me make sure I'm providing balanced, healthy lunches every day.

With that in mind, I'm going to start having them pack lunches with these guidelines - Each lunch should contain 1-2 proteins, 2-3 fruits/veggies, and 1 grain.  They get milk at school, so that covers dairy unless they want to take water and sub a dairy from home.  In order to make sure I am providing enough choices to keep things interesting, I'm going to organize the weekly plan a little differently.  (see below)  I think this will not only help me to make sure I buy the right "ingredients" for healthy lunches, but it will start to teach them how to balance their own meals and why each food group is important.

Here's the new planner:

Protein Choices:
Cheese Sticks
Peanut Butter "Uncrustables"
Raw Almonds (not roasted or salted)

Fruit & Vegetable Choices:
Grapes
Baby Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Bananas
Avocados

Grain Choices:
Bread (in the "Uncrustables")
Granola Bars
Banana Bread


Well, what do you think?  Any suggestions for one of the food groups?  I always appreciate your feedback and comments.  Have a great week!!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Black Friday Deals

BlackFriday.fm
Here's a 'Master List' of store deals for this coming Friday.  Anyone planning on camping outside of a store for something?  Anything you'd love to buy?

A handful of stores are actually starting today and other days during the week leading up to Black Friday, including Amazon.  So make sure to have your list ready so when you see a great deal on something you need, you can snag it up before it's gone :D

Saturday, November 19, 2011

$5 FREE from Magazines.com



This offer won't last long, but if you head on over to Magazines.com on Facebook, you can get $5 mailed to you when you follow these simple steps:
   1.  "Like" their Facebook Page.
   2.  Copy the Promo Code that appears
   3.  Head HERE, scroll to the bottom of the page and paste the code where requested.

In a few weeks you should get a check for $5.00.  

Wal-Mart Deals



As you check out the latest deals and match-ups from Walmart, don't forget their ad match policy.  Remember that Walmart prices tend to be regional, so this match up will be most applicable to those of you in Minnesota.  

Thanks to Pocket your Dollars for putting this list together.   

CVS Match Ups - 11/20 - 11/23

CVS is one of my favorite stores for personal care and paper product deals. I love their loyalty program and the cashiers at my store are the best!  If you are new to CVS shopping, make sure you sign up for the Extra Care Card so you can take advantage of the Extra Care Bucks offers each week. Once you get started, this is one of the easiest ways I have found to get things for free.  Make sure you also go online and register your card so you can take advantage of the e-mail coupons they often send too.


This week's ad match ups for CVS are from Pocket Your Dollars, a Minnesota based blog.  You can find the full match up HERE.  Make sure you shop early this week though, there will be a second ad coming out later in the week for the holiday weekend and Black Friday deals.  Here's a sneak peak at a few items that might make it onto my list:


Angel Soft Bath Tissue (12 pk.) or Sparkle Paper Towels (8 pk.) $4.99
Available coupons include:
Angel Soft: $0.45/1 from 11/13 Red Plum insert or $1/1 Angel Soft Bath Tissue printable
Sparkle: $0.50/1 from 11/13 Red Plum insert
Final price: As low as $3.99 for bath tissue ($0.33/roll) or $4.49 for paper towels ($0.56/roll)


Land O Lakes Milk (Gallon 1%, 2% or Skim) $2.29
Sale price, no coupon needed
Final price: $2.29 (This is most likely a regional deal.)


Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna $0.88
Buy 2 and use $1/2 available from Recyclebank
Final price: $0.38 each after coupon


What's on your list this week?

New Discount Codes for Blockbuster Express

Blockbuster Express is now offering discount rental codes via text messages instead of online.  If you have a texting plan, this is still a great deal.  If you don't, it's probably cheaper than paying full price for a rental, but not quite as great as a totally free movie would be.  Here's how it works:  Text any of the key words below to 39777 to get a $1 off rental code.  It will take about 10 minutes for the code to come to your phone.  Then, just redeem the code you are sent at your nearest Blockbuster Express.  Once the text is sent, you will have 10 days to use the code and there is a limit of 5 free codes that can be redeemed per day.  Just remember that this is a standard text and all standard rates will apply.  Here are the "magic words":
  • HERO
  • CIRCUS
  • CAGE
  • FAST
  • BOSS
  • STORM
  • FAN
  • MATER
  • PILOT
  • APPLE
  • HONOR
  • PARIS
  • JUDY
  • TERRI
  • ZOO
  • PITT
  • RAND
 What are you waiting for??  Go pop some popcorn and grab a blanket - I hear your couch calling you......

Thanks to Passionate Penny Pincher for the Heads up on this deal!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Financially Fit Friday

"When real faith grips you, you develop a mind-set that looks for the best in everything, refuses to give up, finds a way around or through every obstacle, and presses on to victory."
- Norman Vincent Peale


Have you started a money makeover? What are you planning on paying CASH for? What bill are you paying off? Share a bit of your story! No story is too small to share! Real life stories keep Sister C motivated :D Catch up on Our Story to see how far we've come.

Emergency Fund - $1000 - STOCKED!

Tuition Payment - $1000 due on 1/25/2011
  • Currently saved $0
Fun Money - Not sure what to save up for. I'm toying with the idea of visiting my sister in Maine in June...
  • Deposited $10 in fun money.
  • Current Balance $168.72
    • This account pays for my membership at Curves, for my ladies night out, and gifts for birthdays and Christmas. So I need to start saving for Christmas! Oh wait, I'm excellent at finding sales/deals, so I don't need much lol
House Fund - Goal $15,000.00 by 5/31/2011
  • Deposited $2.01 in spare change
  • Deposited $3 from a survey
  • Deposited $9.28 from Ebates. I'm serious, if you do any online shopping, get signed up there NOW! With Christmas coming, I'll be doing all my shopping through this link first!  I should have a nice check next time :D
  • Deposited $390.05 in leftover tips and paychecks
  • Currently Saved $848.62
    • In the next few weeks I plan to research out where to put our money to get the highest interest rate. I know it might not be much, but every little bit helps :D
    • I also plan to call around to different banks and find out mortgage rates, down payment requirements for different purchases - such as 'regular' house buying mortgages, foreclosures, short sales, contract for deed, etc. Then we'll know what we are up against :D
Likes | Tumblr
The following are the other loans we currently have, but will put them on the back burner as we save for a house bigger than a 2-bedroom for our family of SIX :D We plan on keeping the duplex we currently own, and renting out the side we currently live in, thus earning more money each month that will pay these off for us :D

Hubby's Student Loan as of 10/01/2011 $9395
  • Outstanding Balance is $9,342.92
My Student Loan as of 10/01/2011 $6480
  • Outstanding Balance is $6,441.96
Bank of America loan as of 10-/01/2011 $2228.49
  • Outstanding Balance is $2,228.49
    • I called this company and asked how much we needed to up our payments to get this done in 12 months. It's only $60/mo. So we are jumping on that! Now scheduled to be done 11-2012 instead of spring of 2013!
Family Loan $3000 - Will be paid back with tax return
Family Loan $1000 - Will be paid back with tax return

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Today I am Thankful for....

I am home with a sick kiddo today, work has been stressful, the house is a mess and I haven't started supper.  We are double booked with activities tonight, my to-do list is a mile long, the refrigerator smells and yet, 

Today.
I spent the day at home.  I baked banana bread and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.  I got the kitchen clean.  I was able to pick my son up from school.  I started outlining a blog post series.  I got to take a LONG hot shower with no one pounding on the door to interrupt.  But, most importantly, I remembered to find joy in the little things.  What are you thankful for today?

Thrifty Thursday - How Thrifty Are YOU Willing to Be?


I read a blog post on Penniless Parenting this week about living without a refrigerator.  Yes, you read that right, living without a refrigerator.  Seems a little extreme to me, because I like to be comfortable.  But after I read it, I couldn't help but think about what I WOULD be willing to do to save money.  Not just a few cents here and there, but to really alter our lifestyle in order to really save.  I've decided I'm not ready to give up modern conveniences like the refrigerator and microwave.  I also would have a hard time functioning without my cell phone and my laptop (or at least a computer of some sort), but I would give up the dream of having a smart phone, I could live without the land line, and even though my family couldn't, I could live without television.  I'd be willing to drive my van until it's drawn it's last breath, I could turn the heat down a few degrees and even try to live without air conditioning.

But those are the easy and obvious choices.  There must be more I can do- right?  I think so too.  So, in the coming weeks, I'd like to you join me as I journey through my life and home and find ways that I can be thrifty.  The ultimate goal will be to not only find ways to cut costs, but how to increase the quality of my life while doing it.

Mankato Sam's Club

A friend messaged me to tell me that Sam's Club in Mankato has gallon sized jugs of Joy for only 81c and 12 packs of the 9 ct of Clorox on the go Wipes for 81c also!  I don't have a Sam's Membership, but if you do, let us know what other great deals you find :D

Someday...


Ever have one of "those" days?  I've been having quite a few lately, and this was a good reminder to me that everything truly does happen for a reason.  Today, the sun is shining and even though I'm home with a sick kiddo, I'm enjoying the beauty of the day and catching up on all the "home" stuff that's been neglected lately.  I may even try some baking this afternoon as a special treat if  she starts to perk up.  :o)

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life

  

In order to bring you the best of what's out on the web, we often read a multitude of other blogs and websites.  I've fallen behind, but started reading a blog post series by one of my favorite bloggers (besides Sister C, of course).  Money Saving Mom is writing a series titled 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life.  I need to start over and really take the time to read it, because when I have skimmed it over "in my spare time," I've found it very convicting and I think I could really benefit from it.  I'd like to encourage you to check it out, at least the introduction and see if it's anything that you could benefit from too.  Here's to breaking bad habits and feeling more on top of life!!

Free Redbox DVD Code


Heading out this weekend for a new movie release?  If nothing on the big screen sounds tempting, check out this code for a free DVD from Redbox.  The best part is you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own couch in your jammies.   Just find your nearest Redbox location and enter code: NVMCDBR.  Now -  relax and enjoy!!


Thanks to Definitely Deals for the tip!

Starbucks BOGO Holiday Drink Event



Starting today, Starbucks is offering a Buy One Get One Free event when you buy one of their holiday drinks.  You can take advantage of this event November 17 - 20, 2 -5 p.m. at participating Starbucks locations.  Check out these flavors:  Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulee Lattee, Gingerbread Latte.  They almost sound good enough to tempt a non-coffee drinker like me.....almost. :o)


Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Hy-Vee Ad 11-16-11 - 11-22-11

Thanks, Penny Pinchin' Mom, for the matchups!

Remember to check up on our list of Tips for Shopping at Hy-Vee.

This week I hope to buy $50 in groceries so I can also take advantage of Hy-Vee's policy of accepting competitor coupons.  And I have a $5/$50 Cub coupon :D  It's time to stock up on some things in the Z Household.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

By Whose Standards?

Tumblr_lkr90cpro61qf2ft3o1_500_largeI absolutely love this post on Heavenly Homemakers!  I needed to read that.  My life is much different than the "norm" because my husband and I both work in sales/commissions and thus don't have 9-5 jobs, we have four kids and live in a two bedroom home while we pay off our debt and pay cash for things.  It can be hard to be tempted to look at how others are living and wishing you lived like them, but we do not know everyone's circumstances and what their bank accounts look like.  So, be happy with where God is calling you to be :D 

The Money Saving Mom's Budget - Review

I was given a preview copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget book to review.  I've decided to read one chapter at a time and do what she suggests before moving on to the next chapter.  And so far, it's AMAZING!  Chapter 1 which deals with setting goals, and this is something I/we need to write down again as we have slacked off lately.  I know how important setting goals are, but lately, I've earned an F grade.  I loved how Crystal points out that you should pick a large goal, but break it down into little pieces so they don't seem so huge.  So, here are my goals...
  • Save $15,000 by May 31, 2012 for a new home.
    • Follow me every week in Financially Fit Friday as I show you exactly how we are saving every week for this goal!
    • This amounts to $500/week we need to save.  A pretty big stretch, but it is what it is.  And tax return time is coming, which will hopefully have some extra $ for this fund. 
      • Spare change, extra shifts, selling toys, selling clothes, keeping the heat lower in the winter, taking shorter showers, etc will all help in earning and saving us some money.
  • Organize my home, one room at a time, per week.
    • My goal is to always have the main level clean of clutter.  I want my husband to be able to walk into our home and not be bogged down with immediatly seeing clutter. 
    • I also want to take one box per week of clothes and toys to Once Upon a Child and sell them.
      • Christmas is approaching, my kids will get more toys and clothes.
      • This extra cash will go into our House Fund :D
    • This week, I want to organize our bedroom.  I want to fall asleep in peace, not walking into an extra storage room that it has become.
      • Give away clothes, by either donating them or on Freecycle
        • My clothes
        • Hubby's clothes - he already bagged them up!
        • Tubs of baby clothes that have infested our room
      • Hang up mirror I got for Christmas LAST YEAR that's still sitting on our floor
      • Sell jewelry at Encore downtown along with some clothes and shoes.
    • Always have the dishes done before I go to bed. 
    • Fold and put a load of laundry away every day.  Otherwise, we end up with 8 loads of 'clean' laundry that piles up on the floor in front of the washer and dryer
    • Make chore charts for kids. 
      • I started this, but never finished them.  Our household runs a lot smoother when the kids pitch in, and they know 330pm is chore time and they can't play or anything until the chores are done.  Nor will they get their $1 at the end of the week :D 
  • Continue to eat healthier and work out 3 times per week.
    • I've now lost weight finally!  I'd like to average 2 pounds per week, except a holiday week, which I hope to lose 1 or at least break even :D  My goal is to be down a total of 30 pounds by May 31, 2012. 
      • Currently have 26 to go :D
    • I've been very good about buying food lately.  Hardly any prepackaged items, making most of our food from scratch.  Which sounds impossible to some, but it's really easy once you start. 
  • Crystal says to pick 3 goals, but I need to add this one to it:  Spend quality time with Ryan and also each child, especially Eve.
    • Eve is my twin.  Which means we butt heads 99% of the time.  I'd like to take her out for 30 minutes and bond while buying hair flowers for the two of us :D  OR, teach her how to wash the dishes.  I don't know why, but I have refused to teach her, and this way I have to learn patience, and it will be one less chore for me to do :D
So, there are my goals.  Ready, Go!  lol  What is one of your goals you want to accomplish?  How are you going about accomplishing that?

A fun way to keep track of your goals AND earn some free gift cards is by using Daily Feats.  Go check it out, it's free to sign up!

If you'd like to pre-order your own copy, head on over to Amazon and do so!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Menu Plan Monday - Lunchbox Edition

I need your help.  I feel like I am falling into a rut with cold lunch choices.  I need some inspiration.  It seems like every week I am just copying what I wrote last week, with nothing new or interesting added.  Did I mention I could use some inspiration here?  What are you putting in your kids lunches this week??



Here are our lunch choices this week:  Updated 11-16-11


From the pantry: (pre-packed into single serving containers)
Chewy Granola Bars
Pretzels
Granola Thins
Bananas
Chocolate Cookies
Almonds
Dried Apricots

From the 'frig / freezer:
Cheddar Cheese Sticks
Carrots
Go-gurt
Cottage Cheese
Grapes
Broccoli
Cauliflower

 Now it's your turn - I'd love to hear what's going to be in your child's lunchbox this week.  Thanks in advance for sharing!

Menu Plan Monday

Hi All!  Hope you had a good weekend.  I'm still struggling to enjoy menu planning.  Do you ever have that issue?  For now, I'm still keeping it simple - I've got a lot going on these days and just need to focus on easy warm food that doesn't take too much prep work.  Here's what ended up on my menu this week - 





Monday:  Wild Rice Soup with Chicken Breast & Toast
          - I made enough to freeze half for a second meal in a few weeks
Tuesday:   Cold Sandwiches, Fruit, Salad
          - we have a school concert to attend so it's a meal on the run for us
Wednesday:  Burgers, Fries, Fruit or Veggies with Dip
Thursday:  Taco Soup, corn bread or bread sticks
Friday:  Pancakes and Eggs
Saturday:  Loaded Potato Soup with Salad
Sunday:  Leftovers

What are all of you making this week?  I'd like to challenge you to post at least one of the meals on your menu for the week here.  Let's see how many different ideas we can come up with.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Cub Foods Ad Match Up 11/13 - 11/19/11

As you look over this list of match ups, don't forget that the Cub coupon book is also still in effect this week and the home mailers had $5 coupons on the front page.  If you missed it, you can find those match ups HERE.   A big thanks to Definitely Deals for putting together both lists.  Don't forget that Cub accepts manufacturer coupons up to 90 days after their stated expiration date.  I haven't been able to find their complete coupon policy on their site, but I did find a copy HERE, thanks to Pocket Your Dollars.

I didn't see anything on the list that I really need at first glance, but I would like to take advantage of the $5 coupon and some $1 coupons that recently expired.  What will you put in your shopping cart this week?

Saturday, November 12, 2011

15% off Saving Pass at Children's Place

Holiday Weekend Event!If you have younger kids, check out this bonus savings pass offer from Children's Place.  This weekend they are offering an additional 30% - 50% off all their clearance items.  On top of that, they have a code online for an extra 15% off.  Just enter code UF42011 at checkout.  You can also click through and print a coupon to use in-store.  I haven't checked out our local store lately, but in the past I've gotten some great deals during this type of sale.  I did see some really adorable shoes tonight that might be worth a trip to the mall tomorrow.....

Remember, this sale is good only for the weekend, so make sure to check it out today!!

Extra 30% from Aeropostale

 If you have a pre-teen or teen, this deal is worth checking into.  Sister K has a 13 year old who loves Aero jeans.  I'm not sure if this sale will help me get a great deal or not, but I will definitely be checking it out.  If not jeans, I may be able to score some other good deals that I can use for Christmas.  You'll need to act fast though, the extra 30% code is only good through November 14, 2011.

Sunday Coupon Preview - 3 Inserts This Week

It looks like we should expect 3 inserts in our papers this weekend.  Want to know more?  Would you like to know exactly which coupons you can hope to find?  Then check out the Sunday Coupon Preview.  Each week they list which inserts are expected to come out and which coupons will be in each one.  It's especially helpful if you don't always buy the same number of papers or want to know which week you should pick up an extra to snag that great coupon everyone is talking about.

iPod / iPhone data cable for $1.00, shipped - today only!

iPod Cable
1 Sale a Day is offering an unbeatable price on this iPod/iPad/iPhone data cable.  For a few more hours you can pick this cable up from their website www.1saleaday.com for just $1.00!  That's right, $1.00 and it ships FREE.  Sister K got one last time they were free and although it seems to take forever and a day to arrive, it was free and it works.  If you need a replacement for your Apple device, you may want to hurry over and grab one of these before they are gone.  You can get all the details and purchase it HERE.  

Best Walmart Deals

Walmart. Save Money. Live Better.This week I surfed over to Money Saving Mom to see what the best deals at Walmart might be.  You all know by now that I'm not a huge Walmart fan, but for those of you who are, HERE is a link to her post highlighting the current deals.  


Anyone a Walmart fan?  Find any good deals lately?  Please share here.  Thanks!

CVS Match Up for 11/13 - 11/19/2011

CVS is one of my favorite stores for personal care and paper product deals. I love their loyalty program and the cashiers at my store are the best!  If you are new to CVS shopping, make sure you sign up for the Extra Care Card so you can take advantage of the Extra Care Bucks offers each week. Once you get started, this is one of the easiest ways I have found to get things for free.  Make sure you also go online and register your card so you can take advantage of the e-mail coupons they often send too.


This week's ad match ups for CVS are from Pocket Your Dollars, a Minnesota based blog.  You can find the full match up HERE, but here's a sneak peak for a few items that might make it onto my list:


Buy 1 Blistex Five Star, Complete Moisture, Lip Medex, DCT, Herbal Answer and more for $2, Get $1 Extra Buck (Limit 1)Use $0.25/1 from 11/13 Smart Source insert
Spend $1.75, get $1 Extra Bucks back
Final price: $0.75 after coupon and Extra Bucks


Suave Invisible Solid $1.00
Use $0.25/1 from 10/16 Red Plum insert (exp 11/13) or $0.75/1 Suave Deodorant printable (Facebook offer)Final price: As low as $0.25 after coupon


Skippy Peanut Butter $1.67Buy 2 and use $0.60/2 Skippy printable
Final price: $1.37 each after coupon


Finish Jet Dry, Powerball or Gelpacs (10-20 ct.) $2.99Use $0.75/1 from 9/18 or 10/23 Smart Source inserts (exp 11/13)$0.65/1 Finish Powerball or Gelpacs printable$0.65/1 Finish Powerball or Gelpacs printable$0.50/1 Finish Jet-Dry Rinse Agent or Turbo Dry printable or $0.50/1 Finish Jet Dry Rinse Agent or Turbo Dry printable
Final price: As low as $2.24 after coupon ($0.11/pack)


Your turn - check out the list and let us know which things make it in your shopping cart....