Rewards
What Do You See – a Mess or a Race Track?!
After lunch one Sunday the girls were instructed to pick up the newspaper after they were finished looking at it while Jake and I worked for a few minutes on our schedules for the upcoming week. After about thirty minutes or so I came back into the kitchen and this is what I saw…..my first thought was “seriously, what a huge mess!” Instead of picking up the papers they had spread all of them over the kitchen and dining room floors. When asked as to why they didn’t pick “up” the newspaper they told me “Well we decided that it would make a great race track!”Although the mess was big I had to hold back from laughing. It was a pretty cool looking race track even if it was a mess. They were quite proud of their “track”. So despite the fact the kitchen and dining room looked like they were carpeted with newspaper and ads I decided to let them enjoy it for the afternoon as long as they would pick it up before we left for Awana that evening.
The silly part is that they had a blast with the newspaper. Who would have ever thought that a newspaper could provide so much entertainment. They rebuilt the roads several times, added new vehicles, used it as a walking track, and several other silly things all in that one afternoon. In a matter of hours that newspaper got more love and provided more entertainment then all the other newspapers we have ever received put together. And the best part, when asked to pick it up (the second time) the girls did it happily and in a matter of a couple of minutes.
So was it worth me having to endure a messy house for a few hours? Absolutely! The girls had fun, they used their imaginations, were creative, and played well together. The problem is I don’t always “react” well when I see a mess someone in my family has created whether intentionally or unintentionally. Sometimes I am more worried about the mess they are making that I don’t allow them to just have fun. Yes, having a clean has is important but if the house is always perfect then a race track would never happen.
It was worth a temporary messy house to hear the girls giggling together over a silly newspaper converted into a race track. Thankfully this time around I gave into just enjoying the fun moment and waited to clean up the mess later. What do you see – the mess or the race track?
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
I wasn’t able to spend a lot of time shopping the sales this week with all the extra stuff going on around here (including sick family members for a couple days), but I was able to go to a couple stores and pick up some stuff. Most of the stuff I stocked up on were items that we can use over the next few weeks. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles and Walgreens
Ingles Groceries:
- $27.93 at Ingles for 1 loaf Laura Lynn Bread, 2 boxes Act II HomePop Popcorn, 2 boxes Act II Light Popcorn, 2 boxes Act II Butter Popcorn, 2 bags Laura Lynn Oyster Crackers, 2 jars Vlasic Dill Relish, 3 bags Laura Lynn Shredded Cheese, 1 container Deans Onion Dip, 2 boxes Yogurt (clearance for 50 cents each), 1 block Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 2 bags English Muffins, 4 tubes Laura Lynn Texas Biscuits, 2 tubes Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, and 2 loaves French Bread. (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance. I was able to pick up some more cheese on sale, and used some coupons for the items purchased!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $7.27 at Walgreens for 2 gallons Milk, 1 box South Beach Granola Bars, 4 boxes Mountain Dew (12 packs), (everything was on sale, I used coupons, registered rewards, and I received $5.99 in Register Rewards back to use towards my next purchase.)
This week I spent $35.20 on groceries. Even though I was under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items at the same time. I was thrilled to stock up on bread and diary items as well as other great fridge & pantry items this week. 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.
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
It was a wild week, our family has a lot of fun adventures coming up so I am trying to stop on top of everything. Hopefully I will be able to share a little bit more about our upcoming plans before long. I was not able to get to the grocery store until late on Friday but thankfully was able to pick up almost everything I needed this week even if I did got a little over budget. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Save A Lot | Rite Aid, Walmart, Ingles, and Walgreens
Save A Lot | Rite Aid Groceries:
- $7.90 at Save A Lot | Rite Aid for 2 boxes Blue Bonnet sticks of butter, 2 boxes Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, 1 container Butter Spread (3 lb), and 1 bag Carrots (2 lbs). (All the items were on sale or clearance.)
Walmart Groceries:
- $0.00 at Walmart for 1 bag Whole Wheat Sandwich Rolls (on clearance), 1 bag Everything French Bread (on clearance), 1 bag Chocolate Chips, 1 box Popcorn (8 count), 2 liter Mountain Dew (price matched), and 1 box Idaho Potatoes (free product coupon). (Bought items on sale or clearance and paid with a gift card so the total was zero.)
Ingles Groceries:
- $42.84 at Ingles for 1 jar Peter Pan Natural Peanut Butter, 1 can Tuna Fish, 1 Starkist Tuna Fish, 2 boxes Pop Secret Popcorn, 2 loaves Laura Lynn Bread, 4 bags Laura Lynn Shredded Cheese, 2 blocks Laura Lynn Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 2 Laura Lynn sliced Cheese (16 count each), 2 boxes Breakfast Biscuits / Pancakes (on clearance, 10 count each), 6 containers Fresh Blueberries (on clearance), 3 bags Snow Peas (on clearance), 1 container Cherry Chocolate Covered Pretzels (on clearance), 1 container Roasted Soybeans (on clearance), 2 bottles Bare Naked Fruit Drinks (on clearance), 2 Laura Lynn English Muffins (6 count each) and 2 sweet Yellow Onions. Not pictured 3 bags of chips we purchased to take over to a friends house. (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance. All the produce was marked down to $0.99 cents, I was able to pick up some more cheese on sale, and used some coupons for the items purchased!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $0.65 at Walgreens for 2 dozen Eggs, 1 S6 Power Bar, 1bag Domino Sugar (4 lbs), and 1 two liter A&W Root Beer (everything was on sale, I used $9.59 in coupons, and I received $1.89 in Register Rewards back to use towards my next purchase.)
This week I spent $51.39 on groceries. Even though I was over on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items at the same time plus I had a little extra to spend since I had come under budget in previous weeks. I was thrilled to stock up on produce (blueberries) and diary items as well as other great fridge & pantry items this week. 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.
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
I am back on schedule with sharing my grocery budget for those who asked if I was continuing (thanks for checking on me). While the girls were out of school for the Holidays and Jake had a few days off work I decided to take a break from posting my Groceries $40 for 4. I did stay close (I went over by a little bit) to our target budget but did not take any pictures since my priority was spending time with my family during the Holidays. Now that school and work are back to normal routine I plan to share regularly with you. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
- $30.04 at Ingles for 3 boxes Fiber One Blueberry Yogurt, 4 boxes Fiber One Key Lime Pie Yogurt, 1 box Laura Lynn Taco Shells, 1 bottle Eggnog, 1 container fresh Portabella Mushrooms, 1 container fresh Black Eye Peas, 1 container fresh Raspberries, 4 packs Laura Lynn Sharp Cheddar block cheese, 4 bags Sargento Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 4 bags Sargento Shredded Mexican Cheese, 1 box Laura Lynn Oatmeal, 1 head Caulifornia, 1 head Lettuce, and 1 bag Coleslaw. (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance. All the produce was marked down to $0.99 cents, the yogurt was marked down to 50 cents, and all the cheese was on sale! We should be stocked up on cheese for awhile, somehow we manage to go through a lot in our house!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $3.58 at Walgreens for 2 gallons of Milk (the milk was on sale for $2.79 each and I used a $2.00 coupon)
KMart Groceries:
- $3.00 at KMart for 12 pack A&W Root Beer (on sale and a special treat for my husband since he works so hard to provide for our family I decided it was worth the “splurge” for him.)
This week I spent $36.61 on groceries. Even though I was under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items at the same time plus it allows me a little extra to spend next week if I find a great deal. I was thrilled to stock up on produce and diary items as well as other great fridge & pantry items this week. 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.
Pampers Gifts to Grow – 20 Free Points
You can receive another 20 free points from Pampers with new Gifts to Grow codes!These codes are different from the previous codes I have given.
- Use Code: FAC1211PPXHKHND
(Expires 12/31/11 at midnight CST)
- Use Code: FB2012NYAFJRYCN
(Expires 1/6/12 at midnight CST)
You can save up the rewards to purchase gifts!
For more information about the Pampers Gift to Grow Program and how you can start earning Pampers “Gifts to Grow” Rewards for your family go to Pampers Gifts to Grow!
Pampers Gifts to Grow – 5 Free Points
You can receive another 5 free points from Pampers with a new Gifts to Grow code!
This code is different from the previous codes I have given.
Use Code: TWIT23YBYAD2011
The code didn’t have an expiration date but they usually expire in a few days so be sure to add it to your account soon!
You can save up the rewards to purchase gifts!
For more information about the Pampers Gift to Grow Program and how you can start earning Pampers “Gifts to Grow” Rewards for your family go to Pampers Gifts to Grow!
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of December 21 – 27, 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 – $1.17 per lb
Boneless Prime Rib – $4.99 per lb
Pork Boston Butt – $1.39 per lb
Pork Spare Ribs – $1.99 per lb
Cooked Cocktail Shrimp (41 to 50 count) – $4.99
Hickory Springs Bacon (12 oz) – $1.99
Farmington Pork Sausage, Mild or Hot (16 oz) – $1.99
John Morrell Cocktail Smokies (12 oz) – $1.99
Armour Meatballs, Original, Italian or Turkey (14 oz) – $1.99
Sugardale Center Cut Ham Steak – $2.99 per lb
Snow Crab Clusters – $6.99 per lb
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
Colburn Farms Cream Cheese (8 oz) – $1.00
Buyers Best Hash Brown Patties (11 oz) – $1.00
Birds Eye Sweet Kernel Corn or Mix Vegetables (16 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 11/13 Smart Source (Expires 12/30/11)
$0.75 each after couponJeno’s Crisp & Tasty Pizza, Pepperoni or Combination (6 to 7 oz) – $1.00
Blue Bonnet Spread Quarters (16 oz) – $0.69
Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Orange Juice, Orginal or Calcium Plus (59 oz) – $2.99
Kraft Chunk Cheese, Assorted Varieties (8 oz) – $1.99
Use $1.35/2 coupon from pamphlet Kroger’s My Magazine “Giving Back Together” (Expires 1/29/12)
$1.32 each after couponWelch’s Fruit Juice Cocktail, Concord Grape or Passion Fruit (64 oz) – $1.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from insert 9/25 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.75/1 coupon from insert 9/25 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.75/1 printable coupon from Welch’s
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 9/25 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/11)
As low as $0.99 each after couponCreamy Whip Whipped Topping (8 oz) – $0.99
Colburn Farms Sour Cream (16 oz) – $1.59
Wylwood Tator Puffs (32 oz) – $2.29
Snack-A-Tizers Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (8 oz) – $2.49
Save A Lot Today Pizza Rolls (15 count) – $0.99
Take & Bake Pizza Pepperoni or Supreme (33 to 36 oz) – $5.99
Take & Bake Pizza Cheese (33 oz) – $5.49
Produce
Mixed Fruit (4 lbs) – $2.99
California Naval Oranges (4 lbs) – $2.99
Celery – $0.69
Sweet Potatoes – $0.49 per lb
Mini Carrots (1 pound) – $1.00
Household
Wrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $1.39
Wrightware Napkins (250 count) – $1.69
Poly Steel Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil (37.5 square feet) – $1.99
Max Force Alkaline Batteries – $1.99
Grocery
Sunbeam Bread (20 oz) – $1.29
Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, or Assorted Varieties Cereal Bowls (1 to 2) – $1.00
Herr’s Potato Chips (3.75 oz) – $1.00
Southgate Chili (15 oz) – $1.00
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix – $0.45
Save A Lot Brand Soda, Assorted Varieties (2 litter) – $0.63
Ginger Evans All Purpose Flour (5 lbs) – $1.99
Colburn Farms Evaporated Milk (12 oz) – $0.79
Ginger Evans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (12 oz) – $2.29
Wylwood Whole Kernel Corn or Green Beans (14 to 15 oz) – $0.59
Kurtz Hot Sauce (12 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Lasagna (16 oz) – $1.79
Senora Verde Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (10 oz) – $0.69
Kurtz Ketchup (24 oz) – $0.99
J Higgs Buttery Rounds (16 oz) – $1.99
So Cheezy Streamin Cheese (8 oz) – $2.59
Senora Verde Bite Size Rounds Tortilla Chips (13 oz) – $1.49
Senora Verde Salsa, Assorted Varieties (16 oz) – $1.49
Crisp Cranberry Lemon Lime Soda (2 liter) – $0.79
Deter’s Ginger Ale (2 liter) – $0.79
J Higgs Snack Mix (15 oz) – $2.79
Wylwood Great Northern Beans (16 oz) – $1.19
Kurtz Wing Sauce (12 oz) – $1.39
LeCour’s Finest Fudge Shortbread (13 oz) – $1.59
Monet Entertainment Crackers (8 oz) – $1.69
J Higgs Peanuts (16 oz) – $3.39
McDaniel’s Classic Roast Coffee (33 oz) – $6.29
McDaniel’s French Roast Coffee (27.8 oz) – $6.79
McDaniel’s Donut Shop Coffee (12 oz) – $4.49
McDaniel’s Enhanced Coffee Creamer (16 oz) – $2.29
Allure Sweetener (100 count) – $1.39
McDaniel’s Coffee Filters (200 count) – $1.39
Bakery
Bakery Fresh Pies – $2.99
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.
Pampers Gifts to Grow – 5 Free Points
You can receive another 5 free points from Pampers with a new Gifts to Grow code!This code is different from the previous codes I have given.
Use Code: TWITVJB16CD2011
The code didn’t have an expiration date but they usually expire in a few days so be sure to add it to your account soon!
You can save up the rewards to purchase gifts!
For more information about the Pampers Gift to Grow Program and how you can start earning Pampers “Gifts to Grow” Rewards for your family go to Pampers Gifts to Grow!
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
It was a week full of traveling, work, and Christmas celebrations! I was able to stay under budget and stock up on some goodies, including produce and other fridge & pantry products! I am thankful that South Carolina does not have any tax on groceries, this is very beneficial when I am trying to stay within the grocery budget down for our family. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles and Dollar Tree Ingles Groceries:
- $12.77 at Ingles for 1 fresh Cantaloupe, 1 bag Grapefruit, 2 bags Brussel Sprouts, 1 bag Broccoli, 1 bag carrots, 1 bag Peanuts, 1 jar Claussen Pickles, and 1 container Honey Ham. (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance. All the produce including the huge bag of grapefruits were marked down to $0.99 cents! The ham was marked down and is perfect for making lunches, the Claussen pickles are my husband’s favorite pickles but I rarely buy them because they are so expensive but since they had one marked down I snagged one for him this week!)
Dollar Tree Groceries:
- $1.00 at Dollar Tree for 1 loaf Nature’s Own White Wheat Bread
Groceries from Whole Foods Whole Foods Groceries:
- $2.14 at Whole Foods for 2 jars Tikka Masala Curry, 2 jars Korma Curry, and 2 jars Jalfrezi Curry. (Used a coupon, part of a gift card, and they were on sale this week especially since I typically do not shop at Whole Foods since it is across town! I was SUPER excited to get six jars of curry for only $2.14. Our family enjoys having curry every few weeks so this will come in handy, plus we have family coming to stay with us who loves curry too. The only thing that I was really disappointed to see was that Whole Foods no longer carries the curry packs like they used to, either way I was still happy to get these for a little over $2! The lady in front of me spent $194.00 which is more than my budget for the entire month on just a few things in her basket and the lady behind me wanted to know how I got all of this for so little. Thankful for an opportunity to save AND share with others.)
This week I spent $15.91 on groceries. Even though I was under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items at the same time plus it allows me a little extra to spend next week if I find a great deal. I was thrilled to stock up on produce as well as other great fridge & pantry items this week. Now I am hungry for a “curry” dinner! 🙂 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.
Gift Giving: 12 Days of Christmas
This year we decided to spread the Holiday Cheer out at our house this year by doing the 12 Days of Christmas again. I did this last year and it was a huge hit. Christmas morning can be so busy and this allows an opportunity to spread the fun over 12 days instead of packing everything into one day. Starting December 13th the girls will be able to open one a day until Christmas. The cost was less than $20 total, including boxes and wrapping paper. Most of the gifts were bought on clearance over the past year. We did a joint stack for both of our girls, however, you can choose to do a stack for each person.
Here is what our 12 Days of Christmas includes:
- Day 1: Christmas Ornament for each girl (purchased last year after Christmas on clearance with rewards).
- Day 2: Two Music CD’s by Suzi Shelton (received CD’s from doing a review and giveaway)
- Day 3: DVD Veggie Tales (DVD was free, but paid a small fee for shipping)
- Day 4: Two Giant Candy Canes, one Princess and 1 Cars (purchased with rewards)
- Day 5: Two Christmas Coloring Books (purchased on clearance with rewards)
- Day 6: Christmas Craft, painting ornaments (purchased with rewards on clearance)
- Day 7: Christmas Flower and Snowman (purchased with rewards on clearance)
- Day 8: Christmas Book God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren (purchased when it was on sale with Swagbucks gift card)
- Day 9: Two Christmas Headbands (purchased with rewards on clearance)
- Day 10: Game (found on clearance at Kmart and used gift card)
- Day 11: Two Hooded Bath Towels (used a coupon and picked them up on Black Friday)
- Day 12: PJs for each to wear Christmas Eve (picked up on sale and used a coupon)
Other Ideas for 12 Days of Christmas:
- Hair Accessories
- Facial Cleansers or Make Up – if you have a teenager just starting to wear makeup or want to update your collection my Mary Kay contact is doing a 12 Day of Christmas set! If your husband is looking for something awesome to get you he may want to contact Ann too.
- Socks or Tights
- Chapstick
- Socks
- Gloves or Scarf
- Card Game
- Construction Paper
- Markers or Crayons
- Matchbox cars
- Small Toys
- Baby Doll Clothes
- Christmas Underwear
- The ideas are endless!
Karlie & Brina excited about their 12 Days of Christmas
I wrapped them in the original boxes or found ones around the house to put the items into. The Christmas paper was purchased on clearance and I used a coupon. Many of the items we purchased on clearance throughout the year and / or used CVS – ECBs and Walgreens – Register Rewards, Swagbucks Gift Cards or Coupons. I cannot remember the price for all the items but with the rewards it may have been under $10 out of pocket for the entire set of 12 gifts and some days had multiple items in them. We did a joint stack for our girls to save money, however, the items we picked match their individual interests (for example the craft with one being princess and the other being cars). When the girls walked into the room and saw the stack of gifts they were super excited.
