Deals & Giveaways
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
It was a busy week but in between appointments I was able to make it to a couple stores. I was able to stay under budget and stock up on some goodies, including produce and diary products! Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles and Save A Lot | RiteAid Ingles Groceries:
- $10.03 at Ingles for 1 fresh Coconut, 1 container fresh Celery, 1 container fresh Mushrooms, 1 container fresh Cherry Tomatoes, 1 bag fresh Oranges (4 lbs), 1 package Summer Sausage (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance except the summer sausage which was a special treat I bought for my husband this week. All the produce including the bag of oranges were marked down to 99 cents!)
Save A Lot | RiteAid Groceries:
- $22.74 at Save A Lot | RiteAid for 1 bag Bagels, 1 box Poptarts, 1 container Country Crock Spread, 1 box Mrs Freshley Chocolate Cupcakes, 1 container Cool Whip, 1 box Tropical Jr Pops, 2 boxes Yogurt Tubes, 4 cans Cream of Mushroom, 1 container Parmesan Grated Cheese, 1 can Pinneapple Chunks, 1 jar Salsa, 1 two liter Orange Crisp, 1 gallon Milk, 1 bag Carrots, 1 bag Grapefruit (3 lb), and 1 box Cream Cheese. (All the items were on sale or clearance plus I used a couple of coupons! The bagels, Mrs. Freshley Cupcakes, Tropical Jr Pops, and Yogurt Tubes were marked down to clearance “special today” prices.)
Groceries, Household Items, & Other Goodies from Walgreens Walgreens Groceries:
- $0.49 at Walgreens for the grocery items – 4 boxes Baking Soda and 3 bags Chewy Spree Candy. (The total for this entire purchase was $2.06 including tax for 30 items making it $0.07 per item which is how the 7 groceries items cost $0.49 at Walgreens this week.)
Groceries from Kmart Kmart Groceries:
- $1.50 at Kmart for 1 box Saltines, 1 pack Orange Gatorade, and 1 box Ritz Crackers. (Jake ended up getting sick this week so on my way home from a work appointment I stopped by Kmart to pick up some stuff for him. Thankfully, I had a $5 Kmart Gift Card and all the items were on sale this week at Kmart).
Groceries, Household, Baby, Beauty and Gift Items from CVS CVS Groceries:
- $0.21 at CVS for the grocery items – 1 loaf Sara Lee Whole Wheat Bread, 1 loaf Sara Lee White Bread, and 1 box Candy Canes. (The total for this entire purchase was $3.16 including tax for 42 items making it $0.07 per item which is how the 3 groceries items cost $0.21 at CVS this week.)
This week I spent $34.97 on groceries. Even though I was only a little under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items at the same time. I did not anticipate my husband being sick but we had enough flex in the budget and hit the sales to cover the extra expense. I hope that next week is better week and we can come under budget!
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.
CVS: Spent $3 and $12 ECB’s Back
Groceries, Household, Baby, Beauty and Gift Items from CVS I went to CVS on my way home from an appointment this week. The CVS had a bunch of cosmetic items marked down 50% to 75% off. I was able to get the items pictured above for $3.16 including tax and received $12.00 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase. Today I used some store, manufacturer coupons and ECB’s to help pay for the purchase.
You can get great deals even without clipping a lot of coupons. My receipt shows that as of December 6th I have saved over $2,000 at CVS this year (and I don’t even go every week) 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. All of the items I purchased were on sale or clearance. Here is what I purchased this week.
- 1 – Cherry Candy Canes (10 count) for $1.27 (FREE plus overage after ECB’s because the Extra Care Bucks did not print when I checked so I ended up getting $2 ECB’s for this item.)
- 1 – Ali Deep Brown Brow Definer for $1.19 (on clearance for 75% off)
- 3 – Lip Smacker Lip Gloss (Clear) for $2.46 ($0.82 each after 75% off clearance, perfect for stocking stuffers)
- 10 – bottles Confetti Nail Polish for $8.20 ($0.82 each after 75% off clearance, another great stocking stuffer)
- 11 – bottles Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish for $9.02 ($0.82 each after 75% off clearance)
- 1 – Sally Hansen Fingernail Clippers for $1.37 (after 75% off clearance)
- 3 – Wet & Wild Mega Silk Glossy Apple for $2.97 ($0.99 each after 75% clearance)
- 1 – Wet & Wild Mega Silk Glossy Berry Burst for $0.99 (after 75% clearance)
- 1 – Wet & Wild Liquid Lip Color Coco for $0.99 (after 75% clearance)
- 1 – Huggies Supreme Diapers Size 1 (40 count) for $9.49 (received a $1.00 ECB)
- 1 – Sara Lee Whole Wheat Bread for $0.57 (on clearance)
- 1 – Sara Lee White Bread for $0.57 (on clearance)
- 4 – American Greetings Cards for (used store and manufacturer coupons and received $3.00 ECBs)
- 1 – Revlon Deluxe Clipper Set for $2.99 (received $6.00 ECBs)
- 1 – Revlon Valupak Emory Boards for $3.59 (received $6.00 ECBs)
Here are the coupons I used on the items.
- Used $5.00 off $20.00 Coupon from CVS Kiosk
- Used $0.99 CVS coupon from Kiosk for a free American Greeting Card
- Used $2.00 manufacturer coupon for American Greeting Card
- Used $3.00 CVS coupon for Huggies
- Used $2.00 manufacturer coupon from Huggies
- Used $1.00 manufacturer coupon from Revlon
- Used $5.00 CVS Beauty Club Reward Coupon
- Used $25.99 CVS ECB’s
I received $12.00 ECB’s back today:
- $6.00 ECB’s for Revlon Products
- $3.00 ECB’s for American Greeting Cards
- $2.00 ECB’s for Candy Canes
- $1.00 ECB’s for Huggies Products
Today I was able to save $109.01 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons.
Here are some more up close pictures of the products I was able to pick up.
CVS had a lot of cosmetic items on clearance for 50% to 75% off
Was able to get 2 loaves of Sara Lee Bread for $0.57 each on clearance!
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.
Amazon: Melissa & Doug Toys 50% off – $10 each (Today Only)
Today only (12/8/11) Amazon has a wide variety of Melissa & Doug toys for just $10
The sale includes Wood Blocks, Food Sets, Puzzles, Educational Toys and more!
Plus you can get FREE SHIPPING with your Amazon Mom account or Free Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
Use your Amazon Gift Cards from Swagbucks for additional savings, to learn how to get started go here!
Melissa & Doug toys are great gifts if you have any kids left to buy for on your Christmas list.
Walgreens: Spent $2 and Got $6 Back
Groceries, Household Items, & Other Goodies from Walgreens I ran by Walgreens on the way home from an appointment this week to use up a couple coupons that were about ready to expire. I spent $2.06 including tax at Walgreens this week for grocery, household, health and beauty purchases and received $6 Register Rewards back from that visit to use towards my next purchase at Walgreens.
Here is what I got this week:
- 4 – Nice Baking Soda for $2.00 ($0.50 each after coupon)
- 2 – Dove Deodorants for $3.99 (received $3 Register Rewards. Also, I was able to get 2 because there was a BONUS pack that included 2 full size deodorants in it making it an even better deal. Yay!)
- 1 – Revlon TopSpeed Nail Polish for $3.99 (received $3 in Register Rewards back.)
- 9 – Snowman Tumbler Cups for $1.49 ($0.16 each after coupon)
- 2 – Nice Wax Paper (75 feet) for $1.98 ($0.99 each after coupon)
- 1 – Reynolds Aluminum Foil (20 feet) for $0.99 (each after coupon)
- 4 – Wexford Tape (450 inches) for $2.38 ($0.59 each after coupon)
- 3 – Nestle Chewy Spree Candy for $0.75 ($0.25 each after coupon)
- 2 – Red Sharpie Markers for $0.58 ($0.29 each after coupon)
- 2 – Green Sharpie Markers for $0.58 ($0.29 each after coupon)
The total was over $36 with tax before using discounts & coupons. Here are the coupons I used on the items.
- Nice Baking Soda Coupons
- Snowman Tumbler Coupons
- Nice Wax Paper Coupons
- Reynolds Aluminum Foil Coupons
- Wexford Tape Coupons
- Nestle Chewy Spree Candy Coupons
- Sharpie Markers Coupons
- Used $17 Register Rewards
I received $6 Register Rewards back today:
- $3.00 Register Rewards for Dove Product
- $3.00 Register Rewards for Revlon 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).
Organized Chaos: Organizing Our Games
Our Family Game Closet
Our family LOVES games! Every year for Christmas we get a new family game to play. It has been fun having a Family Game Night or a Game Party with friends at our house. One of the problems with our games is we used to store them in two separate places so when guests were over we either had to show them two games storage places or try to list off all the games for them to choose from. A couple months ago as I was cleaning out the front closet I realized several things……
- The front coat closet is only used about 3 months a year (we live in South Carolina so we have a shorter winter season)
- We keep the coats we use the most in other places in the house (this closet was only storing extra coats / jackets, table linens, and our vacuum.)
- Usually when our guests arrive the coats / jackets get laid over a chair near the closet instead of actually hanging them up in the coat closet.
- We get into our two game closets a lot more then we get into the coat closet (with exception to take the vacuum out).
- If we were to put our games in this closet all our games can be put into one location.
- We could still store the vacuum (which was the only item currently in the closet that we used regularly) in the closet with our games.
After pondering the layout for our “new” game closet I decided to see what my husband thought of the idea. He thought it was a great idea too. We already had some of the materials we would need leftover from re-doing the bedroom closets so we agreed to do it.
Here is what I did:
- Removed everything from our front closet (donated the coats / jackets that the girls had outgrown and put the table linens in the linen cabinet with the sheets and towels).
- Used the leftover shelving items from re-doing the bedroom closets.
- Purchase a few additional shelving pieces with a gift card that we have from Home Depot.
- Put away all the games from the other two locations into the closet.
I was very excited to get the shelves up and get all the games into the one closet. The new system is both practical and perfect for our family. It is much easier picking out a game to play when we have a family game night or when our guests are over. Plus, there is no more trying to figure out where we put a game since they are all in one place. I am pleased with our new game closet, just wish I it hadn’t taken me so long to figure out where to put our games! Where do you store all your games?
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of December 7 – 13, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. You can start stocking up on some great deals for upcoming Holiday cooking. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Sugardale Bone In Hank Potion Ham – $1.19 per lb
Chicken Leg Quarters – $0.49 per lb
Beef Eye of Round Roast – $3.99 per lb
Cooked Cocktail Shrimp (41 to 50 count) – $4.99
Hickory Springs Sliced Bacon (12 oz) – $1.99
Farmington Pork Sausage, Hot or Mild (16 oz) – $1.99
Fairgrounds Sliced Lunchmeats, Assorted Varieties (16 oz) – $2.99
Fairgrounds Jumbo Hot Dogs (16 oz) – $0.99
Portside Fish Fillets, Tilapia, Perch or Flounder (16 oz) – $3.99
Matlaw’s Shrimp Ring with Sauce (10 oz) – $4.99
Portside Imitation Crabmeat (16 oz) – $1.99
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
Coburn Farms Cream Cheese – $1.00
Land O’ Lakes Spreadable Butter (8 oz) – $1.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.30/1 coupon from insert 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $1.49 each after couponBanquet Family Size Entrees (26 to 28 oz) – $2.00
Tropicana Orange Juice (59 oz) – $2.99
Chef Antonio Rising Crust Pizza, Pepperoni or Cheese – $3.49
Eggo Waffles (10 count) – $1.79
World’s Fair Vanilla Ice Cream (56 oz) – $2.79
Mrs. Smith’s Pies, Pumpkin, Apple or Cherry – $2.99
Use $1.00/2 coupon from pamphlet Target booklet (Expires 12/30/11)
$2.49 each after couponGold Leaf Deep Dish Pie Shells – $2.33
Coburn Farms Sour Cream (16 oz) – $1.59
Morning Delight Crescent Rolls – $1.69
Save A Lot Today Orange Juice (59 oz) – $1.99
Curly’s Pulled Pork or Beef (18 oz) – $3.99
Produce
California Navel Oranges (4 lbs) – $2.99
Mixed Bag of Fruit (4 lbs) – $2.99
Idaho Potatoes (10 lbs) – $2.99
Tomatoes (6 pack) – $1.99
Red Grapefruit (3 lbs) – $1.50
Sunburst Tangerines (3 lbs) – $1.50
Household
Tide Powder Laundry Detergent (20 oz) – $3.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from Ebony magazine (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 11/27 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $2.99 each after couponWrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $1.39
Poly Steel Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil (37.5 sq ft) – $1.99
Wrightware Napkins (250 count) – $1.69
Chenard Plastic Cutlery, Knife, Fork, Spoon Assortment (48 count) – $1.69
Max Force Alkaline Batteries, Assorted Varieties – $1.99
Grocery
Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee (22.6 oz) – $6.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from insert 11/6 Red Plum (Expires 12/3/11)
$5.99 each after couponCrisco Vegetable or Canola Oil (48 oz) – $2.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 11/6 Red Plum (Expires 1/31/12)
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 11/6 Red Plum (Expires 1/31/12)
$2.49 each after couponCap ‘N Crunch Cereal, Assorted Varieties (12 to 14 oz) – $1.99
Kraft Deluxe or Velveeta Dinners (9 to 14 oz) – $1.79
Ritz Crackers, Assorted Varieties (14 to 15 oz) – $2.50
Prego Pasta Sauce, Assorted Varieties (24 oz) – $1.50
Use $0.75/2 coupon from 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from 10/16 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $1.13 each after couponPregresso Traditional Soups, Assorted Varieties – $1.50
Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Assorted Varieties – $2.49
Welch’s Chillers Juice Drinks, Assorted Varieties (64 oz) – $1.99
On the Border Tortilla Chips (12 oz) – $2.00
Grissom’s Brown ‘n Serve Rolls ( 12 count) – $1.19
Monet Entertainment Crackers (8 oz) – $1.69
Lofthouse Snickerdoodle Cookies – $2.79
Cafe Valley Fudge Bundt Cake – $3.39
Portmann’s Mayonnaise – $2.49
J Higgs Saltines – $1.19
Wylwood Chili Beans – $0.75
Hargis House Beef Stew (24 oz) – $2.39
Hargis House Sloppy Joe Sauce (15.5 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Alfredo Sauce (15 oz) – $1.99
Crisp Cranberry Lemon Lime Soda (2 liter) – $0.79
Coburn Farms Evaporated Milk (15 oz) – $0.79
Ginger Evans Cake Mix – $1.35
Ginger Evans Ready to Spread Frosting – $1.49
Ginger Evans Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (12 oz) – $2.29
Morning Gem’s Frosted Flakes Cereal (17 oz) – $2.29
Morning Delight Complete Buttermilk Pancake Mix (32 oz) – $1.89
Morning Delight Country Style or Buttery Syrup (24 oz) – $1.89
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.
Review & Giveaway: “Tomboy In A Princess Dress” by Suzi Shelton
I am thrilled to share with you Suzi Shelton’s newest Music CD “Tomboy in a Princess Dress”. Our family has been enjoying listening to Suzi’s music. “Tomboy in a Princess Dress” by Suzi Shelton will be released on December 11th. You can listen to these 3 songs from Suzi Shelton on SoundCloud:
All of the songs were a hit with my family! My favorite song is “Tomboy in a Princess Dress” because it is cheerful, catchy, and my girls have been known to wear princess dress up clothes while playing tag, climbing trees or other fun activities. The song “Tomboy in a Princess Dress” has been stuck in my head for several days now. Our girls LOVE Suzi’s music and keep asking to listen again! It has been a huge hit in our home. Suzi’s music is perfect for kids who enjoy listening to cheerful music in the car, while playing or just for fun.
More information about Suzi Shelton and her inspiration for her newest album:
Award winning NYC Kindie singer/songwriter Suzi Shelton is getting ready to release a new EP with her brand new music video “Tomboy In A Princess Dress” on December 11th. Originally inspired by her seven year old daughter, this song portrays some pretty active and strong girls who also love to wear princess dresses, tiara, and tutus. “I can climb the tallest treetop, barefoot without a care. Tough as nails and fast as lightening, braids and ribbons in my hair.” The eponymous title track “Tomboy in a Princess Dress” is written for families to celebrate girls who embody extraordinary girl power whether it’s climbing a mountain (literally or figuratively), riding a skateboard or starting a water balloon fight…while not diminishing the need to express themselves in dress up. Suzi’s new release features 3 brand new recordings with her rockin’ band including “Tomboy in a Princess Dress,” “Smile in My Heart” featuring her daughter Emma on backup vocals and traditional song“Pony Boy.” It also contains the brand new music video for “Tomboy in a Princess Dress, ” produced by Roley Poley Productions.
On “Smile in My Heart” Emma makes her recording debut, although she has been performing at Suzi’s concerts for years as part of the backup group “The Gumdrops.” “Pony Boy” is an upbeat, sweet, traditional folk song and features Chicago-based children’s artist, and kindie pal Little Miss Ann. The EP was produced by Marc Bazerman and features Suzi’s band including Steve Elliot on guitars and banjo, Matt Clohesy on bass (both upright and electric) and Rob Heath on drums as well as Erin Hewgley on cello, and the Gumdrops, Samantha and Sabrina van Putten.
Suzi is also a local mom blogger who writes about her parenting experiences with a 7 and a 13 year old, and life as a kindie rocker. She has been in the children’s music industry for over 10 years and has a great FB presence and twitter following. She is also the host of a series of music and movement videos for Gymboree Play + Music. She has performed at Symphony Space and The White House, and is a regular at 92YTribeca’s B.Y.O.K. (Bring Your Own Kids) and Madison Square Park’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series. She has also traveled and performed to her young fans in St. Louis, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, Washington D.C. and as far away as Portland and San Francisco.*
Upcoming Events with Suzi Shelton:
On Monday, December 19th at 6:30 PM (EST) Suzi Shelton is offering an ONLINE FAMILY HOLIDAY SHOW (pay what you wish) via Stageit.com Anyone with a computer can join in on the fun and hear the new songs, and email her their song requests during the show. http://bit.ly/stKG2w
I encourage you to check out more of Suzi Shelton’s music at her website. These CD’s would make a great Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers for your kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews!
Giveaway
As a way to say thank you to my readers and to share great music from Suzi Shelton I am hosting a giveaway!
The winner of this giveaway will receive:
- Suzi Shelton’s newest CD “Tomboy in a Princess Dress”
- 2 Additional CD’s by Suzi Shelton
Here’s how to enter the giveaway:
- Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied. You can sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing which song you enjoyed the most from Suzi Shelton’s newest CD or any other one that you heard!
All comments must be made by Monday, December 19, 2011 at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.
Make sure to follow Suzi Shelton to learn more about her music:
*I was given this product to write an informed review. The music and artist information were provided for me, however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was not paid to write this post. A special thanks to Suzi Shelton for providing these CDs to review and for the giveaway!Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises (B.L.E.S.S.): 25 Days of Christmas Blessings (Update)
Candy Cane and B.L.E.S.S. note taped to a local ATM Machine
We have officially started our 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. (Blessing Lives Everyday with Special Surprises) and in all honesty I think we have been blessed more by doing these activities. It has been a real joy doing these fun events everyday and it has been a great experience so far. In some cases we get to see who receives our B.L.E.S.S. gift and in other cases we will never know who is on the receiving end. We pray that whoever receives or finds these gifts will experience joy during this Holiday Season. Each night we take down the B.L.E.S.S. activity for the next day and read the verse and the activity then pray for those who have and will receive our little BLESS’ings.
Quarters taped to the toy and candy vending machines at the front of the store.
Here is what we have done so far and a couple pictures to share of our adventures:
- Day 1 – Gave a donation to the Salvation Army then passed out stickers at our local Walmart as people were coming in and out of the store. During our 45 minutes passing out stickers at Walmart we saw several friends (it was great to greet friends on their way in or out of the store). The girls gave one little girl and her Dad a sticker, the Dad reached into his Walmart bag pulled out a new container of cookies gave it to his daughter and then had her give the girls each a cookie to say “thank you” for sharing a sticker. It was so sweet, I almost cried watching the whole interaction in the middle of the Walmart store entry way!
- Day 2 – Taped a candy cane to the ATM at a local bank. Taped quarters to the toy and candy vending machines at a local store. The girls wanted to go back the next day and see if the quarters were used!
- Day 3 – Hid dollars in the toy section at the Dollar Tree, the girls loved doing this one and giggled the whole time they were hiding the dollars. They were very excited for the kid who would find a dollar hidden in the toys.
- Day 4 – Collected food for the Alms & Legs Food Pantry to help families in our local community. The girls each picked out items that they wanted to share with others. They spent a considerable amount of timing picking out the perfect cans of vegetables, fruit, and other goodies to share.
Quarter taped to the vending machine for another little kid to enjoy
One of our favorite verses this week went along with our Day 4 activity.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. – Matthew 25:35
The verse was very specific so it was a fun one to discuss. When we discussed the verse with the girls they knew exactly what it meant. “If a person is hungry we should give them food.” They enjoyed picking out some of their favorite foods to share.
Karlie’s $1 “hidden” in the Dollar Tree toy aisle
I am super excited to see how great this B.L.E.S.S. activity is going already. It has been a true joy sharing with others (many of whom we’ll never meet). It has been a great experience and I look forward to seeing what will happen with our fun adventures this week.
Brina’s $1 “hidden” in the toy section on Dollar Tree.
The main purpose of this activity is to teach our family the joy of giving and sharing to those around us. I plan to do another update on our fun B.L.E.S.S. adventures next week. Sometimes it’s the little stuff that can make the most positive impact. I would love to hear how you are spreading the Christmas cheer this Holiday Season.
(Update) I have been asked by a number of people for a printable version of the 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S. activities, verses, and sheets to handout so here they are for your family to enjoy as well:
- 25 Days of Christmas Blessings B.L.E.S.S. – Acts of Service (we came up with more than 25 activities, around 40, then narrowed them down and decided as a family which ones to do together. I decided to give you all the activities we had listed so you can choose which ones work well for your family from the list. Just print these out on colorful paper, cut out, and place into your B.L.E.S.S. activity bags!)
- 25 Days of Christmas B.L.E.S.S handout sheets to leave on an item or to give to the person you are blessing.
Book: “Money Savings Mom’s Budget” by Crystal Paine
I had the privilege of reading a preview copy of Crystal Paine’s first book “The Money Saving Mom’s Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life, and Save Thousands a Year” which will be released on January 10, 2012! I have been following Crystal’s blog Money Saving Mom for several years now and was thrilled to receive a copy of her new book to review. As I expected the book was full of practical advice on life, home management, and finances. Crystal discusses tips and resources that have worked well for her family as well as some of the challenges she has experienced along the way.
In the book Crystal shares a step by step process to financial success through seven rules:
- Rule #1 – SET BIG GOALS AND BREAK THEM DOWN INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES
- Rule #2 – STREAMLINE YOUR LIFE AND CUT THE CLUTTER
- Rule #3 – SET UP A REALISTIC, WORKABLE BUDGET
- Rule #4 – TAKE THE CASH-ONLY CHALLENGE
- Rule #5 – USE COUPONS
- Rule #6 – NEVER PAY RETAIL
- Rule #7 – CHOOSE CONTENTMENT
She has these rules broken out over 12 months so you can focus on one at a time and within a year you may see amazing results in your personal life as well as with your family finances. I like that Crystal gives manageable steps for someone starting out and challenges to those who are already practicing some of the principles in her book. In the back of the book she gives worksheets to help get you started on your goals, priorities, budget, and more. By making just a few changes you may start seeing positive results in your life right away.
I wear many hats throughout the week, however, if my priorities and life are a mess I will not have any time or resources leftover to help others. This book helps you streamline your life, household, and finances so you can be a blessing to your family, friends and to the people around you. Her quote “Stop trying to do it all” rang loud and clear when I read it. As women for some reason we feel like we have to be SuperMom or Superwoman yet we often fail because we cannot do everything. When our priorities are in order we will have the time to focus on things that truly are important.
Crystal wraps up the book perfectly by addressing her final rule, “Choose Contentment”. This chapter was my favorite, it is a good reminder to practice contentment in all areas of our lives. No matter what the circumstances are there is ALWAYS much to be thankful for in my life. “Choose to bloom where you’re planted – even if it seems like it’s among thorns.”
I am super excited to see how implementing a few key rules can make a positive impact in my family and hope to share them with you along the way. The Money Saving Mom’s Budget is a practical, encouraging, and motivating book. It would be a perfect gift for your Mom friends, graduates, or as a wedding gift.
The best part…..is that all the profit for the sale of this book are going to Compassion International. Compassion International is an organization that helps to feed and clothe needy children around the world. You can pre-order The Money Saving Mom’s Budget by Crystal Paine now at Amazon it’s $11.09 right now, with a price-guarantee that if the price goes down any between when you order and the release date, you’ll get the lowest price. Plus you can get free shipping with your Amazon Mom account.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
I didn’t get a post up last week with birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving taking up extra time. I sent Jake to the store with a list of items to pick up and he came home with a few “extras” and I was told that they were for my birthday so they shouldn’t count in the normal weekly budget. He did get everything on the list and the few extra items were delicious (shrimp, corn on the cob, etc….) . I am back to a more regular routine this week. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Walmart and Ingles Walmart Groceries:
- $21.40 at Walmart for 2 packs Yeast, 1 gallon of milk, 1 bag Purple Grapes, 1 bag Apples, 2 bottles Ocean Spray Juice, 2 bags Bread, and 1 bag Chicken.
Ingles Groceries:
- $7.74 at Ingles for 2 containers Strawberries, 1 box Wholly Guacamole, 1 container Mushrooms (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance except the strawberries because they were for a new Mom’s dinner I was delivering this week.)
Groceries from BiLo and Walgreens BiLo Groceries:
- $3.27 at BiLo for 1 gallon of milk. (Somehow my family managed to drink a whole gallon in a day this week so I had to go back and get some more!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $0.18 at Walgreens for 2 boxes of Brown Sugar after coupons.
This week I spent $32.59 on groceries. Even though I was only a little under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items and to recover a little bit from last weeks birthday and Thanksgiving celebrations. This week I had the privilege of taking meals to two new Moms and meet their little ones, what a blessing children are in our lives! I hope that next week is better week and we can come under budget!
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.
