The hubs told me today that I have an eye for Ikea chairs at yardales. I am ok with that.
$2! Definitely shoved that in our trunk.
$2! Definitely shoved that in our trunk.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Do You Google?
One way that I stay on top of nutritional info/new studies, crafty/frugal ideas, and coupon match-ups is my Google Reader. If you have a google account [gmail or google plus, for example], you can just sign in using that. [If you don't, get one! Google is amazing.]
Under "more" on the main google page, click on reader and get yourself set up. Any blogs that you visit, you can click on their RSS feed button [it looks kind of like a wifi signal, if you don't know what I'm talking about], select "google", and then "add to google reader". Then all your blogs go to one place, and you can sign into your google reader and see everything at once, instead of wandering all over the internet!
You can also save things [by "starring" them] and add tags to your starred items so you can find them later. I've been using this for years, and MAN does it make my life easier!
Under "more" on the main google page, click on reader and get yourself set up. Any blogs that you visit, you can click on their RSS feed button [it looks kind of like a wifi signal, if you don't know what I'm talking about], select "google", and then "add to google reader". Then all your blogs go to one place, and you can sign into your google reader and see everything at once, instead of wandering all over the internet!
You can also save things [by "starring" them] and add tags to your starred items so you can find them later. I've been using this for years, and MAN does it make my life easier!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Shopping Trip 6.2
Normally, I'll go shopping on Wednesday when the circulars come out, so that I know all the good deals won't be gone. But this is going to be a weird month for us, because we're switching around some administrative stuff with the Hubs's income. So we went ahead and shopped Monday, partly for this, and partly because I had an E-VIC special on organic milk [which I use to make yogurt] that ended on Tuesday.
So here's what we got, partly stocking up and partly for a cookout we're hosting today!
(2) Mrs. Paul's Grilled Tilapia
Luigi's Italian Ice 6pk
Frozen Corn on the Cob
Frozen Green Peas
Sargento 2% Provolone Slices
Athenos Hummus
(2) Dean's Heat 'n Eat Dip
Silk Almond Milk Single
Silk Almond Milk 1/2 Gallon
(2) 4pk Turkey Burgers
Organic 2% Milk Gallon
32 oz Bailey's Creamer
(2) Wheaties Cereal
(2) Cheerios
Whole Grain Croissants 3pk
Watermelon slice
Total before discounts: $76.97
VIC Discounts:
BOGO Mrs. Paul's (-$5.39)
BOGO Luigi's (-$2.00) [half price if you only get one]
Corn on sale (-.82)
Sargento Cheese on sale (-.89)
BOGO Hummus (-$1.50) {half price}
Dean's on sale (-.79 each)
Silk 1/2 Gal on sale (-.45)
Turkey Burgers on sale (-2.19 each)
Organic Milk EVIC (-$1.22)
Bailey's sale (-$1.49)
BOGO Wheaties (-$3.69)
BOGO Cheerios (-$3.29)
Coupons used:
$1 Mrs. Paul's
.50 Luigi's (doubled to $1)
.55 Sargento (doubled to $1.10)
.85 Dean's (doubled to $1.70)
.55 Silk Single
.60 Silk 1/2 Gal (doubled to $1.20)
$1.00 Wheaties
$1.00 Cheerios
$2.00 Bakery Coupon for Croissants
Total after discounts: $39.60
So added to the internet order from earlier this week, I'm up to $71.10 for the week.
I went over the $65 mark, but stayed in my $80 budget. This is because I bought the meat and dips for the cookout that I wouldn't ordinarily buy. Also, I'm stocked up for the month on flour and cereal, so that will reduce what I have to spend on the other weeks. If I can keep the month to $250, I'll be okay with that!
I'm amped to see if I can do this. :] If I hadn't had the girls with me, I probably would've done better, but that's alright.
So here's what we got, partly stocking up and partly for a cookout we're hosting today!
(2) Mrs. Paul's Grilled Tilapia
Luigi's Italian Ice 6pk
Frozen Corn on the Cob
Frozen Green Peas
Sargento 2% Provolone Slices
Athenos Hummus
(2) Dean's Heat 'n Eat Dip
Silk Almond Milk Single
Silk Almond Milk 1/2 Gallon
(2) 4pk Turkey Burgers
Organic 2% Milk Gallon
32 oz Bailey's Creamer
(2) Wheaties Cereal
(2) Cheerios
Whole Grain Croissants 3pk
Watermelon slice
Total before discounts: $76.97
VIC Discounts:
BOGO Mrs. Paul's (-$5.39)
BOGO Luigi's (-$2.00) [half price if you only get one]
Corn on sale (-.82)
Sargento Cheese on sale (-.89)
BOGO Hummus (-$1.50) {half price}
Dean's on sale (-.79 each)
Silk 1/2 Gal on sale (-.45)
Turkey Burgers on sale (-2.19 each)
Organic Milk EVIC (-$1.22)
Bailey's sale (-$1.49)
BOGO Wheaties (-$3.69)
BOGO Cheerios (-$3.29)
Coupons used:
$1 Mrs. Paul's
.50 Luigi's (doubled to $1)
.55 Sargento (doubled to $1.10)
.85 Dean's (doubled to $1.70)
.55 Silk Single
.60 Silk 1/2 Gal (doubled to $1.20)
$1.00 Wheaties
$1.00 Cheerios
$2.00 Bakery Coupon for Croissants
Total after discounts: $39.60
So added to the internet order from earlier this week, I'm up to $71.10 for the week.
I went over the $65 mark, but stayed in my $80 budget. This is because I bought the meat and dips for the cookout that I wouldn't ordinarily buy. Also, I'm stocked up for the month on flour and cereal, so that will reduce what I have to spend on the other weeks. If I can keep the month to $250, I'll be okay with that!
I'm amped to see if I can do this. :] If I hadn't had the girls with me, I probably would've done better, but that's alright.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
First grocery purchase of the month!
At $65 a week, I have a $250 a month budget [it sounds huge when I say it like that!! *thankful*], and last night I made our first "bulk" purchase for the month.
I used myspicesage.com to order coconut flour, which was recommended to me by a very smart friend who is a nutritionist by trade. I'm trying out some gluten-free eating, because I've been reading a lot on the effect that gluten can have on the body. One of the side affects is bad seasonal allergies, along with some other things we've had issues with. So I'm going to try this and see if those things go away. If they do, wheat will be out for good!
Anyway, I got 5 pounds of coconut flour, and they threw in 5 free vanilla beans [those things are $3 a piece at the farmer's market here! Homemade vanilla extract anyone?!] and a 1 ounce packet of pumpkin pie spice. PLUS free shipping. So I spent $32 of my budget so far, but I should not need any more flour this month. Stocking up on staples can cost, but they last a long time so if you break it down between the 4 weeks of the month, it's only 8 of the 65 dollars. Plus if it helps with allergies, I'm going to save a FORTUNE on allergy medicine! ;]
I used myspicesage.com to order coconut flour, which was recommended to me by a very smart friend who is a nutritionist by trade. I'm trying out some gluten-free eating, because I've been reading a lot on the effect that gluten can have on the body. One of the side affects is bad seasonal allergies, along with some other things we've had issues with. So I'm going to try this and see if those things go away. If they do, wheat will be out for good!
Anyway, I got 5 pounds of coconut flour, and they threw in 5 free vanilla beans [those things are $3 a piece at the farmer's market here! Homemade vanilla extract anyone?!] and a 1 ounce packet of pumpkin pie spice. PLUS free shipping. So I spent $32 of my budget so far, but I should not need any more flour this month. Stocking up on staples can cost, but they last a long time so if you break it down between the 4 weeks of the month, it's only 8 of the 65 dollars. Plus if it helps with allergies, I'm going to save a FORTUNE on allergy medicine! ;]
Monday, July 2, 2012
Free Samples from Target
Did you know Target has a free sample section on their website?
From the home page, go to "see more", and then click on "sample spot". Right now the samples are Garnier Fructis, Starbucks K-cups, and some Shout color wipes. I've got some coming my way already!
[Make sure you say you haven't tried/bought it before when it asks you, so that you qualify!]
From the home page, go to "see more", and then click on "sample spot". Right now the samples are Garnier Fructis, Starbucks K-cups, and some Shout color wipes. I've got some coming my way already!
[Make sure you say you haven't tried/bought it before when it asks you, so that you qualify!]
What I've Learned. What I do With It.
I do a lot of research on food, and clean healthy eating. I haven't always given it much thought, but after watching my grandmother die from diabetes complications just because she wouldn't change her eating habits, I realized just how much what we eat impacts us. It seems obvious, right? If you put mountain dew in the tank of a car [or anything other than the fuel it was designed to run on], it ruins the car. How much more, then, should we care about what we put into our bodies, and whether or not it's what was designed to go in them? Look around - just as the wrong fuel can ruin a car, the wrong foods are ruining our bodies.
My interest in this grew exponentially when I got pregnant with my Sugarbean. I knew what I was eating was going straight to her little developing body, and that was heavy for me!
So that is what got me started. Add to that the fact that my husband is in full time ministry and has to raise support, and you have the other half of my food interests - a tight budget!! And now we arrive at the blog.
I have heard so many people say that they would eat cleaner if they could afford it. People seem to believe [and man, does the media push it!] that eating healthy is so much more expensive than eating junk that only the super wealthy can do it.
That is not true!!
If we can afford to do it, pretty much anyone can. So this is what I'm doing.
The hubs gave me a grocery budget of $80/week for the 4 of us. I wrote some things down, looked at some prices at Harris Teeter [where I shop] and the farmer's market [where I shop for produce], and I think I can get it all for $65/week.
I'll blog how much time I spend prepping for the shopping, what deals I find, what I get, and how much I spend. I'll probably throw recipes in there too.
I hope someone sees this, and gets something from it. I hope you'll take to heart the fact that your body is a temple, and learn to treat it as such. Ask Jesus to show you how He would like you to eat. I promise He cares about what you put in your body!
Also, a disclaimer: we are not perfect! I am still learning, and hubs and I both grew up in the south eating southern food, so it has been a gradual shift for us. I am NOT an expert, and I am NOT judging how you eat. Just sharing what we choose to do. :]
My interest in this grew exponentially when I got pregnant with my Sugarbean. I knew what I was eating was going straight to her little developing body, and that was heavy for me!
So that is what got me started. Add to that the fact that my husband is in full time ministry and has to raise support, and you have the other half of my food interests - a tight budget!! And now we arrive at the blog.
I have heard so many people say that they would eat cleaner if they could afford it. People seem to believe [and man, does the media push it!] that eating healthy is so much more expensive than eating junk that only the super wealthy can do it.
That is not true!!
If we can afford to do it, pretty much anyone can. So this is what I'm doing.
The hubs gave me a grocery budget of $80/week for the 4 of us. I wrote some things down, looked at some prices at Harris Teeter [where I shop] and the farmer's market [where I shop for produce], and I think I can get it all for $65/week.
I'll blog how much time I spend prepping for the shopping, what deals I find, what I get, and how much I spend. I'll probably throw recipes in there too.
I hope someone sees this, and gets something from it. I hope you'll take to heart the fact that your body is a temple, and learn to treat it as such. Ask Jesus to show you how He would like you to eat. I promise He cares about what you put in your body!
Also, a disclaimer: we are not perfect! I am still learning, and hubs and I both grew up in the south eating southern food, so it has been a gradual shift for us. I am NOT an expert, and I am NOT judging how you eat. Just sharing what we choose to do. :]
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Recyclebank = grocery budget savior!
Wanted to share something that helps me out in a major way, budget-wise.
Recyclebank is a site where you basically watch little videos or make pledges or read short articles [all of it is very quick!] and earn points. I don't usually care for things like this, except that I discovered one of their prizes is a $10 off $50 at Harris Teeter coupon!! It literally takes me about 20 minutes, if that, of clicking through the earning opportunities to earn the 100 points it takes to get this. I've done it several times, and there are lots of other high value coupons, but I just can't drag myself away from that HT one. ;]
Seriously try it out! If after a few minutes you're not feeling it, then all you've lost is a few minutes. But if you like it, you could be saving some major money pretty easily!
[You can use other coupons with the $10 one too...just coupon your total down to $50 and then pull this baby out!]
Recyclebank is a site where you basically watch little videos or make pledges or read short articles [all of it is very quick!] and earn points. I don't usually care for things like this, except that I discovered one of their prizes is a $10 off $50 at Harris Teeter coupon!! It literally takes me about 20 minutes, if that, of clicking through the earning opportunities to earn the 100 points it takes to get this. I've done it several times, and there are lots of other high value coupons, but I just can't drag myself away from that HT one. ;]
Seriously try it out! If after a few minutes you're not feeling it, then all you've lost is a few minutes. But if you like it, you could be saving some major money pretty easily!
[You can use other coupons with the $10 one too...just coupon your total down to $50 and then pull this baby out!]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
