Living on a Budget

  • On the Farm: How to Prep Acorns for Cooking

    Fun Fall Experiment - Processing our acorns so we can cook with them.

    I recently decided to experiment with cooking acorns and the adventure turned out pretty well.  There are some things I will do differently the next time around but overall the whole experience was educational and enjoyable for the whole family. To learn how I decided to go on this unique venture you can read about what got me started in my post  “On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels”.

    I am always looking for ways to teach my children and since the Fall season is here after a few comments, questions, and some researching about acorns it was decided that our next activity was to go through the complete process of gathering, sorting, opening, processing and cooking with acorns (now that we know that acorns are not just of squirrels).  Here are the Five Steps to gather, sort, crack, and process the acorns in a day instead of doing it the traditional way of putting them in a stream or burying them in mud and waiting weeks before you can eat them.

    Bucket full of acorns

    Step 1 – Gathering Acorns:

    • Each family member took a bucket or bag and headed outside to start collecting acorns.  We found a couple trees that had acorns under them and started filling our buckets. Please see “On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels” to find out which trees to collect acorns from.
    • Inspect each acorn as you pick it up for holes or cracks.  Some good ones will have the caps on others will no longer have the caps attached.  (I discovered later that we were not good at detecting microscopic cracks or holes in the acorns, so later we just gathered the acorns and used the sorting step to eliminate the bad acorns, see below).
    • Fill up your bucket or bag and pour all the acorns into a large sink
    Filling up the sink with acorns and water.
    • Tips to help with gathering (I discovered some ways to make this process easier for the future acorn gatherings):
    • You don’t need to look at each individual acorn, the sorting process is much better at isolating the bad acorns and making sure only the good ones remain.
    • Observe what the wildlife is doing prior to picking up acorns.  For example if the squirrels prefer certain trees then head for those trees first because the acorns will most likely contain less tannins and have less of a problem with bugs.  Trust the animals instinct, they go for the good ones first.

     

    Filling up the sink with water to see which ones will float.

    Step 2 – Sorting Acorns:

    • Put all the acorns in a large sink, plug the sink and run cool water over the acorns.
    • The water level should be several inches above the acorns on the bottom to help with the sorting process.
    • The acorns that are crack, have holes, or that are bad will float to the top of the water.
    • The good acorns will sink and remain on the bottom.
    • Remove all the acorns that are floating and leave the good ones on the bottom.
    • Stir the acorns with your hands (or a paint mixer) to shuffle around the acorns, if any more float to the top of the water remove them.
    Stirring them with the paint mixer to see if there are any more floaters.

    Tips to help with sorting:

    • We used a large utility sink to sort the acorns.
    • Don’t worry about inspecting every acorn (see the Gathering Acorns step above) before putting it into the sink.
    • This sorting step will eliminates 99% or more of the bad acorns in your batch so you can speed up the gathering step by not looking at each individual acorn.
    • You may be surprised at how many acorns are floating
    • You may need to go back out in the yard and pick up some more acorns.
    • In some batches we had as many as half of the acorns floating to the top.
    • Throw away any floating ones because they are not good so you don’t want to waste your time cracking them if you cannot use them.
    • We used the paint mixer to stir up the acorns which help make sure if any bad ones were trapped under the good ones they came to the top so we could remove them.

     

    Rinse the acorns for a few minutes to get any remaining dirt off of them. We used this stick to help disperse the water over the batch of acorns. Then let them soak to soften the shells so you can crack them open easier.

    Step 3 – Cracking Open the Acorns:

    • Once you have sorted the acorns and only have the good acorns remaining (the ones that did not float) drain all the water out of the sink.
    • After all the water is drained, rinse the acorns with the drain open for several minutes.  You do this by running the water through the acorns and stirring occasionally.  This step helps get out any of the extra dirt and cleans the acorns.
    • Plug the drain, refill the sink with water and let the acorns soak under water for approximately hour to soften the shell.
    • Once the acorns shells have softened take out an acorn, tap it lightly with a hammer until it cracks slightly, peel back the shell and remove the nutmeat.
    • Put the nutmeat in a pot that you can cook it in and put the shell in another bowl that will be taken back outside to compost or throw away.
    Cracking open the acorn with a hammer.
    • Tips to help cracking open acorns:
    • You can use a flat screwdriver to help pry open the shells.  Usually your fingers will work but sometimes having a screw driver helps.
    • You can start cracking open the acorns right away instead of soaking for an hour, however, you will notice that the longer a acorn has been soaking the easier the shell is to remove.  I just took out a handful at a time so the remaining ones could continue soaking.

     

    What a whole acorn nutmeat looks like.

    Step 4 – Processing the Acorns (AKA “Leaching” the tannins out of the acorns):

    • This step is very important with acorns.  You will need to leach the acorns to remove any tannins that are in them.
    • Bring two large pots to a boil.
    • Pour the acorns into one pot and let it boil for 15 minutes.  The water will turn a dark brown / black color which is the tannins coming out of the acorns.
    • After 15 minutes strain the water off the nuts and transfer them to the second pot of boiling water.  Boil them for another 15 minutes.
    • While the second pot of water is boiling with the acorns refill the first pot and bring it back to a boil.
    • Continue transferring back and forth from one pot of boiling water to the next for 15 minutes at a time until the water stays clear.
    • The nutmeat will not have a bitter taste to it once the tannins have been removed through leaching.
    Our full pot of acorn nutmeats in the boiling water as we start the leaching process.
    • Tips to help with processing / leaching:
    • If you can use a large pot with a strainer inside it for transferring the nutmeats between the boiling pots of water it will be much easier.
    • Make sure to never rinse the nutmeats in cool water during the leaching (boiling) phase of the processing because it could actually cause the tannins to seal in the nutmeats making it impossible to remove enough of it so you can safely eat them.
    • It usually takes several boiling times before the water comes back clear.
    Tannins coming out of our acorns. (See how the water is a dark brown color)

     

    A dehydrator full of dried acorns! They will dry to a dark brown color.

    Step 5 – Drying the Acorns:

    • Once the water is clear after boiling the acorn nutmeat you can drain them completely and transfer them to a jelly roll pan, spread out into a single layer and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  OR you could put the acorn nutmeat into a food dehydrator until the nutmeats is completely dry (approximately 8 to 12 hours).
    • The nutmeats will turn a dark brown color when they are completely dry.  You are now ready to try out your acorn recipes!
    • Tips to help with drying:
    • The dehydrator works really well for drying out the nutmeats.  It works a lot like drying fruit or beef jerky.  Plus it can run through the night and uses less power than your oven.
    • You can dry the acorns for several days in the sun but you take the risk of bugs and squirrels taking the acorns or they could go moldy.  It is pretty easy drying them in the oven or dehydrator so I think that would be the best option.
    • You can store the dried acorns for several months in the refrigerator or freezer, they will last several week at room temperature.

    Information regarding processing Acorns was found at Wikipedia, Grandpappy, and LiveStrong

    I will be sharing soon a couple acorn recipes that we have tried with the acorns we have processed from our yard.

     

  • On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels

    Rinsed acorn with its cap still on.

    “Acorns are for squirrels to gather and eat during the cool winter months” was my response when the kids asked me about the purpose of acorns.  It has been a pretty mild Fall in our area but our yard has been full of acorns, squirrels, birds, rabbits, turkeys, and all kinds of animals gathering for the cooler months.  Our family has been blessed to have property with a lot of trees, a small creek, and plenty of wildlife.  Even though we live in the “suburbs” on our little 4 plus acres it feels like we are out in the country.  One of the Fall activities we have as a family is raking leaves and acorns.  Now that the acorns and leaves are steadily dropping the discussion regarding Fall, leaves, acorns, and activities around the season have been in full swing on the farm.

    There are several oak trees on our property but the one in our front yard has produced an abundance of acorns this year (the ground was covered and continues to be covered with acorns even after raking and collecting).  After thinking about it for a little bit we concluded that the reason that tree was so full of acorns had to do with the extra “water” that is has enjoyed from our garden.  Jake and I were talking about the tree and the amount of acorns and jokingly mentioned that we could live off the acorns if we wanted to this winter.  The girls were already collecting acorns for their “acorn pies” they were making in the sandbox and asked us a couple times why we couldn’t eat acorns.  I honestly didn’t have a great answer other than my normal because “Acorns are for squirrels.”

    After a couple weeks of thinking about our conversation and talking with the girls about how people in the past lived off the land through gardens, nuts, animals, and crops I decided to research acorns a little more.   I figured that if the squirrels are eating the acorns there has to be some benefits to them, right!?  They are a nut.   I read what articles I could find about how to cook acorns and decided it may be fun experiment for the family to try making something with the acorns.  There is not a huge amount of acorn recipes out there but I was able to get enough to feel confident to try it.  I figured it would be an interesting educational activity for the kids as well.

    Here’s some fun facts about acorns that you may or may not know about:

    • The first people that we can find in history who have ate acorns were the Greeks over 2,000 years ago
    • The acorn has been a source of nutrition for many people during past food famines.
    • Native American Indian tribes use acorns.  The Cherokee, Pima, and Apache Indians considered the acorn a staple food that they used in a variety of recipes.
    • The majority of acorns cannot be eaten raw from the trees or ground.  They have a bitter taste which is the tannin that is used to make leather.  If you taste a raw acorn and it is very bitter it is best not to eat it until it has been processed.
    • There are a variety of ways people have used to remove the tannins from the acorns.  Some records show that they have buried the acorns in mud for weeks then will dig them up and use the sun to dry them naturally.  Others place the acorns in a basket or cloth (the basket or cloth needs to be strong enough to hold the nuts but allow water to run through it) with heavy stones, place the basket in a quick flowing stream for several days or weeks then they would sun dry them.  Now with stove tops the process of removing the tannins is quicker by boiling the tannins out of the acorns (I will go through the entire leaching of the tannins process in a later post).
    • It is said that a fully grown Oak Tree can produce as much as 1,000 pounds of acorns in one season.
    • Acorns are low in sugar and have a sweet nutty taste.
    • Acorn flour or meal can be used in bread, cookies, grits, pancakes, brownies, stews, cakes, tortillas, muffins, and many other recipes.  You can eat an acorn plain or with a glaze once it’s been processed.
    • Acorns have carbohydrates, protein and fats, 6 vitamins, 8 minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, potassium), and 18 amino acids.  They have a lower fat content than the majority of other nuts and compare very well with other wild foods you find in nature.
    • Eating 1 handful of acorns is like eating a pound of fresh hamburger (nutritionally equivalent)
    • Much like the squirrels storing acorns for later we can store acorns for a long time as well.  Acorns do not spoil quickly so they can be eaten and/or processed at a later time.

    There are two main types of trees acorns come from:

    • The White Oak Trees can live over 650 years, be more than 4 feet in diameter and up to 100 feet tall.  The White Oak is the most common and has a dark green glossy leaf with light green on the bottom and the leaf edges are rounded.  White Trees have a smooth shell and the nutmeat is a shade of white.  The White Oak Trees are the best for acorns that you want to eat and use in recipes because they have a low tannic acid, but are still sweet and can be eaten after a little processing.
    • The Red Oak Trees are not as common and their leaves have a glossy green top side (much like the white oak) but there bottom side is fuzzy and the leaf edges are pointed.  The Red Oak acorns can take up to two years to mature and the nutmeat is more of a yellow color.  Red Oaks require processing before to eating and generally are not harvested for human consumption unless there is a famine.   Red Oak Trees have a higher tanic acid level which is why they need more processing and are typically eaten when necessary such as starvation or famine because if you eat too much tannin it can be bad for your kidneys.

    Why do Acorns need to be processed before eating them?

    • Acorns contain tanic acid (if you try a raw acorn and it is bitter that is the tannin you are tasting) which is used to make leather and has several other great qualities, however, if you eat an excessive amount of tannin it could lead to kidney failure.  If you want to try processing and using acorns for recipes try to pick the acorns from a White Oak Tree since they are much lower in tannins; if you decide to consume ones from a Red Oak make sure to process them very well.  I will walk you through the steps to remove the tannic acid (tannins) from the acorns, the process is called leaching.

    Information regarding Acorns was found at Wikipedia, Absolute Astronomy, Grandpappy, and Nutrition Data

    I will be sharing soon how to pick the perfect acorn, sort them, prep the acorns for cooking, how to process the acorns to remove all the tannins, and a couple acorn recipes that we have tried.

  • Save A Lot: Deals for the week of October 19 – 25, 2011

    The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience.   Save-A-Lot is continuing their 10 for $10 sale so if you haven’t already go ahead and stock up on these products.  You can mix and match any number of the 10 for $10 items and you are not required to buy 10 items in order to get the products for $1.  Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!

    Meats and Seafood

    Chicken Drums or Thighs – $0.88 per lb

    Fresh Chicken Wings – $1.49 per lb

    Pork Chops – $2.79 per lb

    Ground Chuck  – $2.49 per lb

    Primo Brats & Italian Sausage (19 oz) – $2.99

    Sugardale Sausage Links, Smoked & Polish (3 pounds) – $3.99

    Eckrich Franks (16 oz) – $1.00

    Butterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00

    Ocean Market Fish Fillets (4 oz) – $1.00

    Gwaltney Rolled Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00

    Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).

    Fridge and Freezer

    Take & Bake Pepperoni or Supreme Pizza (33 to 36 oz) – $5.99

    Take & Bake Cheese Pizza (33 oz) – $5.49

    Shaner’s Chicken Wings, Spicy or Honey BBQ (16 oz) – $2.99

    Dairy Fresh Aerosol Whipped Topping (7 oz) – $1.00

    Parkway Quarters Margarine (16 oz) – $1.00

    Eckrich Bologna (16 oz) – $1.00

    Budding Deli Cut Lunch Meat (3 to 4 oz) – $1.00

    Fisher Boy Fish Sticks (6 oz) – $1.00
    Use $0.75/1 printable coupon from Fisher Boy
    $0.25 each after coupon

    Oscar Mayer Lunchables – $1.00
    Use $0.55/1 coupon from tearpad found in stores
    $0.45 each after coupon

    Hormel Sandwich Sliced Pepperoni (3.5 oz) – $1.00
    Use $0.55/2 printable coupon from Hormel
    $0.73 each after coupon

    Schooner Imitation Crab (8 oz) – $1.00

    Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza (Pepperoni or Supreme) – $1.00

    Pillsbury Grands Flakey or Buttermilk Biscuits (16.3 oz) – $1.00
    Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 8/7 General Mills (Expires 10/29/11)
    Use $0.30/1 coupon from insert 9/11 General Mills (Expires 12/3/11)
    Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 8/7 General Mills (Expires 10/29/11)
    Use $0.40/2 coupon from insert 10/2 Smart Source (Expires 12/24/11)
    Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 8/7 General Mills (Expires 10/29/11)
    Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 9/11 General Mills (Expires 12/3/11)
    Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 10/2 Smart Source (Expires 12/24/11)
    As low as $0.67 each after coupon

    Banquet Brown & Serve Sausage (6.4 oz) – $1.00

    Tropicana Fruit or Berry Punch (64 oz) – $1.00

    Mr. P’s Pepperoni Pizza Bites (9 oz) – $1.00

    Banquet Dinners (4 to 10 oz) – $1.00

    Produce

    Avocados – $1.00

    3 Pack Peppers – $1.00

    Dole Salad Mix (12 oz) – $1.00
    Use $1.50/2 coupon from Blinkie found in stores (Expires 10/31/11)
    $0.25 each after coupon

    Green Cabbage – $0.39 per lb

    Red or Green Grapes – $1.29 per lb

    Gala or Fuji Apples (3 pounds) – $1.99

    Caramel and Candy Apples – $1.00

    Household

    Pert Bath Tissue (24 rolls) – $4.99

    Save A Lot Today Paper Towels (8 count) – $3.99

    Triumph Quilted Paper Towels (1 count) – $1.29

    Save A Lot Today Paper Towels (1 count) – $0.50

    Ultra Soft Bath Tissue (4 rolls) – $1.99

    Puffs Facial Tissue (100 count) – $1.00
    Use $0.25/3 coupon from insert 10/2 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 10/31/11)
    $0.92 each after coupon

    Angel Soft Bath Tissue (4 count) – $1.00
    Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 8/14 Red Plum (Expires 11/14/11)
    $0.50 each after coupon

    Luster Facial Tissues (160 count) – $0.99

    Angel Soft Bath Tissue (12 rolls) – $3.39
    Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 8/14 Red Plum (Expires 11/14/11)
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 8/14 Red Plum (Expires 11/14/11)
    $2.89 each after coupon

    Save A Lot Today Bath Tissue (4 rolls) – $0.89

    Grocery

    Malt O’ Meal Cereal, Berry Colossal Crunch and Golden Puffs (10 to 12 oz) – $1.00
    Use $1.00/3 printable coupon from Malt O’ Meal
    Use $0.50/1 coupon from tearpad found in some stores (Expires 1/31/12)
    As low as $0.50 each after coupon

    Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna (5 oz) – $0.69
    Use $1.00/2 printable coupon from Recycle Bank
    Use $1.00/5 coupon from peelie found in some stores (Expires 12/31/11)
    As low as $0.19 each after coupon

    Cheez It Baked Snack Crackers (7 to 9 oz) – $1.69
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 9/18 Red Plum (Expires 11/13/11)
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from “Score Big Savings” Booklet (Expires 10/31/11)
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from tearpad found in some stores (Expires 11/30/11)
    $1.19 each after coupon

    Mountain Holler Avalanche Soda (2 liter) – $0.75

    Bay Mist Berry Splash (64 oz) – $1.89

    Save A Lot Today Chocolate Chip Pancakes (5.5 oz) – $0.59

    Save A Lot Today Homestyle Mashed Potatoes (4 oz) – $0.79

    Hampton Farms Roasted and Salted Peanuts (10 oz) – $1.00

    Sundia Fruit Cups (8 oz) – $1.00

    Kaskey’s Family Size Condensed Chicken or Tomato Soup (26 oz) – $1.00

    Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta (14.5 to 15 oz) – $1.00
    Use $0.50/2 coupon found in package (Expires 5/31/12)
    Use $0.50/2 coupon from September 2011 All You Magazine (Expires 11/15/11)
    $0.75 each after coupon

    Toast Em’s Toaster Pastries (14.7 oz) – $1.00

    Mrs. Freshley’s Sugar Mini Donuts or Brownies (6 to 16 count) – $1.00

    Very Fine Juice Drinks (Fruit Punch or Pineapple Orange) (32 oz) – $1.00

    Chex Mix (8 oz) – $1.00
    Use $0.50/2 coupon from peelie found in some store (Expires 1/30/12)
    $0.75 each after coupon

    M&M and Mars Candy (3 oz) – $1.00
    Use $1.50/2 coupon from September 2011 All You Magazine (10/31/11)
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from 8/28 Red Plum (Expires 10/31/11)
    As low as $0.25 each after coupon

    Pasta Roni (Assorted Varieties) (4 to 6 oz) – $1.00

    Rice A Roni (Assorted Varieties) (6 to 7 oz) – $1.00

    Betty Crocker Seasoned Mashed Potatoes (4 to 6 oz) – $1.00
    Use $1.00/3 printable coupon from Betty Crocker
    Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 9/11 General Mill (Expires 11/5/11)
    Use $0.50/3 coupon peelie found on package (Expires 3/1/12)
    As Low As $0.67 each after coupon

    Heinz Gravy (Beef or Turkey) (12 oz) – $1.00

    Red Gold Ketchup (32 oz) – $1.00
    Use $1.00/4 printable coupon from Red Gold
    $0.75 each after coupon

    Kraft Marshmallow Creme (7 oz) – $1.00

    Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals!  Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.

    For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here.  If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.

  • Travel & Vacation: Places to Stay and Play in Charleston

    Pizza picnic at the pool in Charleston!

    We got Domino’s (they had a buy 1 pizza get 1 free coupon) and brought it back to the hotel to eat. The girls wanted to check out the pool so we ate by the pool then went swimming.  The first night we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Mt Pleasant, it was literally a block away from Waterfront Park.  It was a busy weekend with a lot baseball tournaments, American Idol tryouts, and a couple other community activities. We still had a blast together and Jake was able to get his work done as well. The biggest down side to this hotel is their breakfast was pretty expensive for families but there are plenty of restaurant chains nearby you can get a breakfast for a great price.

    Swimming with Daddy in the pool.

    The girls enjoyed having some time to swim in the pool after a very hot day at the parks around town.  Thankful for an opportunity to spend some time relaxing together as a family.

    Karlie relaxing and snacking in her makeshift bed.

    Baths were taken and pedicures were done so Karlie decided to take a few minutes to relax and snack in her bed before brushing her teeth and going to sleep.  Glad the girls enjoy going on adventures and are flexible during the trips.

    Karlie, Brina and Mommy's fancy hot pink and purple pedicures!

    On one of our trips this summer I surprised the girls with bringing finger nail polish.  It soon became a tradition when we went on a trip for me to bring a couple “wild” colors and all the girls get their fingernails and toenails painted the first evening in the hotel.  The girls loved spending the time together and getting beautiful in the process.  Sometimes it is the little things you do together that make the most impact.

    Karlie ready to try out a new pool.

    We stayed at the Rodeway Hotel the second night of our trip to Charleston, it was literally across the street from the Holiday Inn so we didn’t have to go too far!  I was so thrilled to see the girls confidence in the water increase over the past few months.  They loved their noodles but were okay not having on their life jackets in the pool.  The hotel had a really great hot breakfast every morning, plus ice cold lemonade any time of the day which was a huge hit with the hot kiddos!

    Brina talking and motioning with her noodle.

    The noodles were great in the water but I remember getting bopped with them several times outside of the pool.  The girls were good about making sure to bring them to the pool but sometimes in the process of walking and talking the noodle was more like a weapon, ha!

    Relaxing at the hotel before crashing.

    We introduced the girls to the show “America’s Funniest Home Videos” on this trip.  They thought it was hilarious and as you can see from this picture they were completely captivated by the show.  Their favorites were the silly animal clips!

    The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Explore with a good attitude, look for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Book: “Ouch” by Ragnhild Scamell

    We rented this book Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell from the library several years ago and it has been a favorite of the girls since then.  The book is about a Hedgehog who is preparing her nest for the winter months when an apple falls from the tree and sticks onto her back.  She tries to get help from her friends but ends up getting more and more items stuck to her until she finally finds a friend that can help her get them off her back.  The book has bright colors and is enjoyable to read to the kids.  If you are looking for a fun Fall book to read to your children you should check this one out at your local library.

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    It was a blast having the girls shop with me and to have extra time together last week, but I must say I am glad to have Jake back.  I did manage to keep myself very busy while he was awhile so the week flew by quickly.   I am back to my “normal” schedule this week.    Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries Ingles and Save A Lot | RiteAid

     

    Ingles Groceries:
    • $16.10 at Ingles for 4 gallons of Pet Milk (marked down to $1 each), 2 Peach Tea, 1 Nectarine Juice, 1 bag Bananas, 1 container Tomatoes, 1 container Oranges / Grapefruits, 1 loaf Bread, 1 bag Snow peas, and 1 container Pork Filets,  (I was excited when the “milk” man marked down the already marked down milk to $1.00 each, I got 4 gallons and froze three of them when I got home.  Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down or on clearance including the produce, meat and milk!)
    Save-A-Lot |RiteAid Groceries:
    • $11.59 at Save-A-Lot | RiteAid for 24 pack Bottle Water, 1 pack Brown and Serve Rolls (12 count), 1 Cheddar Chex Mix, 1 box Toast Em Strawberry, 1 package Deli Ham, 1 package Roast Beef, 1 package Chicken Breast, 1 package Carrots (2 pounds), and 2 cans Pillsbury Biscuits.  (All the items purchased were on sale this week, for more information and coupon match-ups go to our  weeklySave-A-Lot page)
    Groceries from BiLo

     

    BiLo Groceries:
    • $5.51 at BiLo for 1 bag Southern Home Wavy Potato Chips and 1 gallon Milk (BiLo still has the best prices on milk on this side of town.  I picked up the chips for a snack for our Community Group.  Plus save $0.05 per bag for bringing my reusable bags.)

     

    Groceries from CVS
    CVS Groceries:
    • $0.75 at CVS for 4 bags Flava Puff Nacho, 1 bag Flava Puff Hot Party Mix, and 6 canisters Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips (I was able to get ALL of these items marked down on clearance for 75% to 90% off plus I used a $2.00 ECB coupon!  I should be good on chips for lunches the next couple weeks.)

    This week I spent $33.95 on groceries.  Even though I was a little under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on several items.  Thankfully I had extra wiggle room this week to help on future grocery purchases.  I hope that next week is an even better week and we can come under budget.  I was THRILLED to get milk for $1.00 a gallon (milk averages between $3 to $4 and this brand is close to $6 per gallon normally.  Thankful for an opportunity to stock up on several other items!

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • Recipes: Easy Steak Marinade

    Steaks ready to go on the grill!

    Every once in awhile we get a good deal on steak or as I am going through the freezer I run across a steak that begs to be eaten.  One of the best ways to get a great price on steak is buy a roast that has been marked down and slice it into steaks.  You can choose to make the steaks as thick or thin as you want.  Life with twins, work, and all the other activities have a way of keeping us busy so we have discovered the easiest steak marinade that tastes amazing.  No mixing, stirring, measuring or anything other than pouring to make your steak marinade.  It’s easy and delicious.  Several guests have asked for our recipe and they are surprised when we show them what we use because it really is that simple.

    Easy Steak Marinade:

    • 1/2 to 1 cup Italian Salad Dressing
    • Steak

    Unwrap the steaks, poke holes into the meat with a fork on both sides.  Take the bottle of  Italian Salad Dressing from the fridge and pour approximately 1/2 cup to 1 cup on the steaks.  The longer you allow it to marinade the more the flavor soaks in but you can even do it just for a few minutes on either side while you chop of veggies to go on the grill with it. Put the steak on the grill and cook it how you like it!

    Sometimes I will pull the steak out and put the marinade on first thing the morning other days I am putting it on moments before it hits the grill.  Either way is delicious and super easy.    We often use Italian Salad Dressing mixed with Chicken or Fresh Vegetables as well.  Thankfully South Carolina is still warm this time of year so we are enjoying a few more weeks of grilling season!  Once Winter hits we add a little of the Italian Dressing to the crockpot chicken or beef  and it tastes great!  We usually pick up our Italian Salad Dressing at the Sav-Mor Sidewalk Box Sale for $0.05 to $0.15 per bottle or use coupons when we can get it for a great price.

  • Walgreens: Spent $2 and Got $1 Back

    Walgreens Deals

    I had to pick up the girls from Good News Club yesterday and stopped by Walgreens on the way home to use up a couple coupons that were about ready to expire.  I spent $2.56 including tax at Walgreens this week for health and beauty purchases and received $1 Register Rewards back from that visit to use towards my next purchase at Walgreens.  Thankful for the bandaids that I found on clearance, it seems like we go through them and the school is always looking for them as well.

    Here is what I got this week:

    • 1 – Walgreens Large Antibacterial Bandaids on clearance for $0.82
    • 1 – Walgreens Medium Antibacterial Bandaids (20 count) on clearance for $0.75
    • 1 – Walgreens Wal-Born (like Airborne) on clearance for $2.59
    • 1 – Walgreens Gauze Bandaid Pads (30 count) on clearance for $1.29 (it came up for less then it was listed on clearance)
    • 1 – Wagi Baby Bib with Pocket on clearance for $1.09
    • 1 – Halls Warm Ups with Apple Cider for $1.00 (FREE with Register Rewards)

    The total was over $21 with tax before using discounts & coupons.  Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $4.60 Register Rewards

    I received $1 Register Rewards back today:

    • $1.00 Register Rewards for Halls Product

    Walgreen’s Register Rewards will expire two weeks from the date they are printed so you will need to make sure to use them before their expiration date.  I always keep the ones that are expiring the soonest on top of the stack to make sure to use them first.

    Another important fact regarding Walgreen’s Register Rewards you will need to know if you haven’t used them before is you can only use 1 coupon per item.  If you use a manufacturer’s coupon for every item you are purchasing you will not be able to use any Register Reward for that transaction.   If you do have a coupon for each item then check Walgreen’s weekly ad because they will have items on sale each week for pennies up to $1 that you can use as “filler” items but they won’t raise your total too much.  Once you get started using coupons and rewards you may discover, like I did, how to purchase many of your health and beauty items for nothing or very little.  Since using coupons and reward programs I rarely pay full price for any of our health and beauty items plus I usually have extra to share with guests visiting us or to give away.

    For those of you who shop regularly at Walgreens I encourage you to share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share how you saved at Walgreens (links to your blog article on how you saved are welcomed as well).

  • CVS: Spent $0.18 and Got $9 ECB’s Back

    CVS Deals

    I went to CVS yesterday on the way home from work to use up a couple ECB’s that were about to expire.  I was able to get the items for $0.18 including tax and received $9.00 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.   The CVS I went to had the items I was looking for in stock.  The only coupons I used today were ones from the CVS Kiosk and the ECB’s.

    You can get great deals even without clipping a lot of coupons.  My receipt shows that as of October 6th I have saved over $1,600 at CVS this year so you can do it without investing a lot of time into it or being an extreme couponer that empties the shelves.  Over time the savings add up and I have even taken several weeks off here and there while I have been busy or traveling or when our stock pile is full.   Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 1 – ThermaCare Lower Back and Hip for $3.79 (had a raincheck from a previous week for $3.79 plus received $4.00 ECB back)
    • 1 – Dial Cranberry Bar Soap (3 pack) for $1.88 (received $1.00 ECB’s back)
    • 1 – Nature Made Vitamin D (100 count) for $7.99 (received $4.00 ECB’s back)
    • 1 – Tums Ultra 1000 (72 count) on sale for $3.99 (used $2.00 kiosk coupon)

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $3.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $2.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon for Tums
    • Used $12.48 CVS ECB’s

    I received $9.00 ECB’s back today:

    • $4.00 ECB’s for ThermaCare Products
    • $4.00 ECB’s for NatureMade Products
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Dial Products

    Today I was able to save $20.99 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons (over 90% savings).

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

  • Teaching Our Children: How to Celebrate Special Days (Wrapping Gifts & Writing Cards)

    Birthday balloons they picked out earlier this year - Karlie picked out the star one and Brina picked out the birthday celebration one.

    When a celebration is drawing near whether it is a Birthday or Holiday or Baby Shower or  Wedding or just something fun the girls get excited.   They LOVE wrapping gifts and writing cards.  It is cute watching them pick out the perfect card, beautiful wrapping paper, special balloon, and diligently work on putting together their surprise.  Sure they use a lot more tape, wrapping paper and the process can be messy but think about all the amazing opportunities you have to teach your child during it.

    • The Joy of Giving to others
    • How to wrap a gift with wrapping paper, in a gift bag, and adding the additional bling (ribbons, small gifts, etc…) to it
    • Hand Eye Coordination Skills with the cutting, taping, and folding
    • Creativity with wrapping and writing the card
    • Thinking of others
    • Measuring
    • Shapes
    • Sharing with someone else
    • Sizes and how they fit into a bag or how much paper they will need
    • And Many More
    Karlie wrapping a gift

     I let them each pick out their own wrapping paper to use.  It was a looked a little more like “Christmas” Holiday wrapping paper but that’s what they wanted and it was their gift to give away.  As you can see she picked out a special “treat” gift as well!  I am amazed at how much more efficient they have become even in the last year with wrapping.  Yes, we still have the occasional – “Mom, I didn’t cut the wrapping paper big enough” but overall they are getting better at the process as a whole.  (I’ve even had problems not cutting the paper big enough!)

    Brina working on a card

     Many times the girls will write not only a note in a card to someone but also draw and color a picture for them.  They really do put a lot of heart and thought into the cards and gifts.  It is really neat to see how much they care for others and enjoy doing it.  To them wrapping and card writing is almost as good (maybe better some days) than doing a craft.  Thankful for their willingness to be a blessing to others both family and friends.