This weekend, a fellow blogger, Molly at liveinnanny.com posted a great article on her blog about affordable children's birthday parties.
She makes some fun, creative, and frugal suggestions I wanted to share with readers.
Speaking of birthdays, check out this great list of birthday freebies I shared last February!
Thanks, Molly. Happy blogging!
Why Be Frugal?I consider frugality an art form and a religious conviction. I learned about paying cash for purchases, recycling and reusing just about everything and being generous to friends and those in need from my parents.
My faith instructs me all things are gifted by God and so I am compelled to be a good steward of my gifts. [The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man. Psalm 115:16]
Monday, February 6, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Meal planning for a busy week ahead
Yesterday I saved almost 40% on my groceries at Kroger. I'm proud of myself that I updated my food inventory as I put items away. Having the inventory has helped me plan meals and upcoming shopping trips. Now I have multiples of items purchased intentionally at the lowest possible price.
I purchased 20 items included in the buy 10/save $4 promotion Kroger was running and also stocked up on Kroger eggs - 4 day sale price of $1.77, Sun laundry detergent for $1.77. Some other great deals include chicken pieces for $.99/lb (For $10 I bought 1 pack of legs, 2 packs of thighs and 2 packs of chicken breasts!); and Uncle Ben's Microwave Rice packets (part of the buy 10/$4 promo plus a coupon to buy 3, get one free).
My meals planned for the week so far:
Monday: Egg salad and bacon toasted sandwiches, cottage cheese with pineapple slices, celery and carrot sticks.
Tuesday: Boneless pork ribs in the crock pot, salad, rice.
Wednesday: Roasted chicken, stuffing, lima beans.
Thursday: California kitchen pizza, salad.
Friday: Turkey burgers, french fries, peas.
Desserts: Pumpkin chocolate chip cake, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, ice cream.
Lunches: lunch on the run tuna salad kit, smart ones entrees (I keep a supply in the freezer at work), egg salad sandwiches.
I've got to look up some new, interesting chicken recipes that I can cook up next weekend.
What's on your menu for the week?
I purchased 20 items included in the buy 10/save $4 promotion Kroger was running and also stocked up on Kroger eggs - 4 day sale price of $1.77, Sun laundry detergent for $1.77. Some other great deals include chicken pieces for $.99/lb (For $10 I bought 1 pack of legs, 2 packs of thighs and 2 packs of chicken breasts!); and Uncle Ben's Microwave Rice packets (part of the buy 10/$4 promo plus a coupon to buy 3, get one free).
My meals planned for the week so far:
Monday: Egg salad and bacon toasted sandwiches, cottage cheese with pineapple slices, celery and carrot sticks.
Tuesday: Boneless pork ribs in the crock pot, salad, rice.
Wednesday: Roasted chicken, stuffing, lima beans.
Thursday: California kitchen pizza, salad.
Friday: Turkey burgers, french fries, peas.
Desserts: Pumpkin chocolate chip cake, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, ice cream.
Lunches: lunch on the run tuna salad kit, smart ones entrees (I keep a supply in the freezer at work), egg salad sandwiches.
I've got to look up some new, interesting chicken recipes that I can cook up next weekend.
What's on your menu for the week?
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Buy a TV on Superbowl Weekend?
Some experts suggest a great time to buy a big screen TV is just before the Superbowl. Makes sense to me, as there are probably some still in stock from Christmas and retailers are anxious to get them out of inventory. Also, there will probably be some great sales in the few days prior to the big game.
Other great deals for the month of January: cameras, computers, small appliances, air conditioners, Christmas gift wrap and decorations (yes, I still see some in stores--often marked down 75%).
How about thrift stores? Lots of perfectly good clothing and household items were donated after new ones were purchased or received as gifts for Christmas.
Many of the experts I read suggest the best day of the week to buy gasoline is Wednesday (still time tonight to go!) and any day, early in the morning We've seen gas prices go up several cents when we happened to be driving by a station early in the morning, and then later in the day!). So if you head to the gas station early Thursday morning, you'll probably be getting the best price of the week. (Gas prices tend to rise on the weekends.)
Other great deals for the month of January: cameras, computers, small appliances, air conditioners, Christmas gift wrap and decorations (yes, I still see some in stores--often marked down 75%).
How about thrift stores? Lots of perfectly good clothing and household items were donated after new ones were purchased or received as gifts for Christmas.
Many of the experts I read suggest the best day of the week to buy gasoline is Wednesday (still time tonight to go!) and any day, early in the morning We've seen gas prices go up several cents when we happened to be driving by a station early in the morning, and then later in the day!). So if you head to the gas station early Thursday morning, you'll probably be getting the best price of the week. (Gas prices tend to rise on the weekends.)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
More stockpile cooking and "sharing the love"
Yesterday I finally got to Target to score my 'better than free' Smart Ones Frozen Meals. See details of this awesome offer here. The cashier didn't even realize Target had a $3 off coupon! She said she was going to print it off and use it with a manufacturer coupon as I did.
Then I did some major cooking and baking! Hubby was feeling a bit neglected as we have had NO baked goods in the house since about a week after Christmas! Baked chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Also made yummy salsa-beef chili for dinner last night.
Today before church I started the slow cooker roast for our dinner tonight and then made some absolutely scrumptious turkey and white bean chili and baked lemon chicken with stuffing, both for meals later in the week.
I'm sharing the love this week, in that I'm going to add some canned soup, pasta sauce and pasta to the donation bag we keep handy for our local food pantry, Lamb's basket. (Our church delivers all the donated items we drop off at church).
It's so great to be able to donate even more because we're saving so much more now that we've started stockpiling groceries and cooking from the stockpile.
Tomorrow I'll be at Bible study so we're having Kroger pizza that I scored for $5 (large size, fresh made from the deli, that I froze) and salad for dinner.
Tuesday is grocery shopping night so we'll probably have the chili.
How is your stockpile helping you save money?
Just be frugal,
Mary
Then I did some major cooking and baking! Hubby was feeling a bit neglected as we have had NO baked goods in the house since about a week after Christmas! Baked chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Also made yummy salsa-beef chili for dinner last night.
Today before church I started the slow cooker roast for our dinner tonight and then made some absolutely scrumptious turkey and white bean chili and baked lemon chicken with stuffing, both for meals later in the week.
I'm sharing the love this week, in that I'm going to add some canned soup, pasta sauce and pasta to the donation bag we keep handy for our local food pantry, Lamb's basket. (Our church delivers all the donated items we drop off at church).
It's so great to be able to donate even more because we're saving so much more now that we've started stockpiling groceries and cooking from the stockpile.
Tomorrow I'll be at Bible study so we're having Kroger pizza that I scored for $5 (large size, fresh made from the deli, that I froze) and salad for dinner.
Tuesday is grocery shopping night so we'll probably have the chili.
How is your stockpile helping you save money?
Just be frugal,
Mary
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Cooking From My Stockpile
True to my word in my earlier post, Big Stockpiling Step, I have been preparing meals and plan to use recipes based on the items I have on hand.
The other day I fixed in the crock pot, what my husband declared is THE BEST pork loin recipe ever! He raved about it and my son even commented that he didn't need a knife to cut the meat!
I bought a 3.5 lb pork loin on sale at Kroger on Tuesday night, cut it in half and put 1/2 in the freezer. Here's the recipe I fixed:
1.5-2lb. pork tenderloin
1 oz. envelope dry onion soup mix
3 TBS minced garlic (I used a dried garlic mix I had on hand)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (the recipe calls for red wine--I didn't have any on hand)
3 TBS soy sauce
Place pork tenderloin in slow cooker with contents of soup packet/onion mix and garlic/garlic mix. Pour water, wine and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat.
I allowed the tenderloin to sit overnight in the fridge, turned it over in the morning and cooked for 4 hours on low.
I served brown rice with a bit of the liquid from the crock pot and stir-fry vegetables.
Yum, yum, yum.
My husband had a sandwich with sliced tenderloin the next day and even commented how good the sandwich was!
I'm going to chop up the remainder of the meat and freeze it in a zip lock bag. I'll use it a 'throw together' soup or other dish later.
Today, I'm going to cook up the beef roast in the crock pot (purchased on sale this week) and will mix up some white chili using turkey left over from Christmas from the freezer. Finally, will make a batch of salsa-beef chili using 1 lb. of ground turkey we bought on sale.
Signing off so I can get cooking!
Just be Frugal!
Mary
The other day I fixed in the crock pot, what my husband declared is THE BEST pork loin recipe ever! He raved about it and my son even commented that he didn't need a knife to cut the meat!
I bought a 3.5 lb pork loin on sale at Kroger on Tuesday night, cut it in half and put 1/2 in the freezer. Here's the recipe I fixed:
1.5-2lb. pork tenderloin
1 oz. envelope dry onion soup mix
3 TBS minced garlic (I used a dried garlic mix I had on hand)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (the recipe calls for red wine--I didn't have any on hand)
3 TBS soy sauce
Place pork tenderloin in slow cooker with contents of soup packet/onion mix and garlic/garlic mix. Pour water, wine and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat.
I allowed the tenderloin to sit overnight in the fridge, turned it over in the morning and cooked for 4 hours on low.
I served brown rice with a bit of the liquid from the crock pot and stir-fry vegetables.
Yum, yum, yum.
My husband had a sandwich with sliced tenderloin the next day and even commented how good the sandwich was!
I'm going to chop up the remainder of the meat and freeze it in a zip lock bag. I'll use it a 'throw together' soup or other dish later.
Today, I'm going to cook up the beef roast in the crock pot (purchased on sale this week) and will mix up some white chili using turkey left over from Christmas from the freezer. Finally, will make a batch of salsa-beef chili using 1 lb. of ground turkey we bought on sale.
Signing off so I can get cooking!
Just be Frugal!
Mary
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