Family Finances
Be My Valentine: Sweetheart Sandwich
Valentine Heart Sandwich for the Brina’s lunch box
It is a lot of fun putting in something different into the girls lunch box. Around the Holidays and whenever I get the urge I do a special surprise in their lunch boxes. I typically do at least one special lunch box note or shape or treat a week, occasionally they get a few extras squeezed in when I have the time and creative juices flowing. In honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day Holiday I put a heart PB&J sandwich in their lunches.
It an easy way to show the girls that I am thinking about them and care, plus they had a blast showing off their heart sandwich at lunch time to their friends! The majority of evenings if we have time I have the girls at least start putting together their lunches. Many nights they make the PB&J sandwiches themselves. Yes, they are messier and probably use more peanut butter and jelly but they enjoy pitching in and helping put together their lunches. Also, lunch making time gives us a few extra minutes of productivity and socializing together in the kitchen. Sometimes after they finish their lunches I will sneak in a note or something special other times I am making the lunches so I will add a special Momma’s touch.
All you have to do for this simple treat is make your peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Use a cookie cutter to make the shape you want. Put it in a container or sandwich bag and it is ready for them to discover the next day at lunch.
Heart shaped cookie cutter that I used for their PB&J sandwiches!
Karlie’s sweetheart surprise sandwich!
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of February 8 – 14, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Boston Round Roast – $2.99 lb
London Broil – $3.49 lb
Beef Sirloin Tips – $2.99 lb
Family Pack Cube Steak – $3.49 lb
Family Pack Stew Meat – $2.99 lb
Family Pack Chicken Wings – $1.59 lb
Butterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00
$0.55/1 coupon from insert 1/14 Smart Source (Expires 2/26/12)
$0.45 each after couponBoston Butt Roast – $1.69 lb
Family Pack Chicken Drumsticks or Thigh – $0.99 lb
Chicken Leg Quarters (10 pounds) – $6.89
Carolina Ground Turkey (12 oz) – $1.00
Gwaltney Pork 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
Oscar Mayer Wieners (16 oz) – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Bologna (12 oz) – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Lunchables (4 oz) – $1.00
Banquet Dinners, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (16 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.40/2 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (3/3/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/31/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 12/4 Smart Source (Expires 2/25/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 12/4 Smart Source (Expires 2/15/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
As low as $0.67 each after couponBuyers Best Crinkle Cut French Fries (32 oz) – $1.00
Save A Lot Today Chicken Strips or Meatballs (7 to 9 oz) – $1.00
Banquet Brown ‘n Serve Sausage Links, Maple or Original (6 oz) – $1.00
Budding Deli Cuts (Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Roast Beef) 3 to 4 oz – $1.00
Hormel Pepperoni or Hard Salami (3.5 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 1/15 Smart Source (Expires 3/15/12)
Use $0.55/2 printable coupon from Hormel
As low as $0.50 each after couponHinsdalel Corn Dogs (3 count) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Fish Sticks (6 oz) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Shrimp Poppers (4 oz) – $1.00
Tortino’s Pizza Rolls, Pepperoni or Cheese (15 count) – $1.00
Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza, Pepperoni or Supreme (9 to 10 oz) – $1.00
Produce
Oranges (4 pounds) – $2.99
Potatoes (10 pounds) – $2.99
Mini Carrots – $1.00
Head Lettuce – $1.00
Tomatoes (3 pack) – $1.00
Russet Potatoes (5 pounds) – $1.99
Onions (3 pounds) – $1.29
Red or Yellow Peppers – $1.00
Avocados – $1.00
Yellow Onions (3 pounds) – $1.00
Grocery
Betty Crocker Hamburger or Chicken Helper, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups, Assorted Varieties (8 oz) – $1.00
Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta, Assorted Varieties (14 to 15 oz) – $1.00
Diane’s Garden Tomatoes, Whole, Petite or Crushed (28 oz) – $1.00
Nissan Souper Meals, Assorted Varieties (4.3 oz) – $1.00
Hormel Micro Cups, Assorted Varieties (7.5 oz) – $1.00
Wylwood Cut Green Beans or Whole Kernel Corn (28 to 29 oz) – $1.00
Progresso Vegetable Classic Soups, Assorted Varieties (19 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 1/8 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
$0.75 each after couponLay’s Stax, Assorted Varieties (5.5 to 5.75 oz) – $1.00
Bud’s Best Bite Size Cookies, Assorted Varieties (6 oz) – $1.00
Knorr Sides, Assorted Varieties (4 to 7 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 1/29 Red Plum (Expires 2/26/12)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 1/29 Red Plum (Expires 2/26/12)
As low as $0.67 each after couponChicken of the Sea White Tuna (5 oz) – $1.00
Kraft Mac & Cheese, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Hawaiian Punch, Assorted Varieties (32 oz) – $1.00
Malt O Meal Cereal (10 to 12 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 printable coupon from Malt O Meal
$0.67 each after couponBetty Crocker Flavored Mashed Potatoes (4 to 6 oz) – $1.00
Kool Aid Bursts (40.5 oz) – $1.00
Red Gold Ketchup (36 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.
Fresh & Healthy: Lunch Box Meals
Encouraging our kids to eat healthy lunches
The best part about making lunch for your kids to take to school or for your husband to take to work is you know exactly what they are eating each day. There were a few days when the girls would come home from school hungry and cranky, after asking them what they had for lunch I would occassionally get the answer……”yogurt”. My girls really do like yogurt, unfortunately it is not the most filling nutrition to help you get through the rest of the school day. Which is just one of the reasons we decided to start making the girls lunches this year.
Here’s what they have in their lunch boxes:
- PB&J Sandwich
- Freshly Sliced Plums
- Lime or Raspberry Jello (sugar free)
- Freshly Sliced Summer Squash & Cucumbers
- Yogurt Cup or Stick
- Freshly Made Banana Bread
- Snack – Bag of Peanuts or Biscotti
- Drink – Gatorade or Reduced Sugar Juice
After Halloween I picked up the “candy corn” baggies which the girls love! I was able to get 100 candy corn baggies for $0.25 cents on clearance. The girls smile when I put in a “fun” bag and it helps me stretch the budget so it’s a win-win for the family!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
It was a busy week and I got sick (that doesn’t happen very often) so that slowed me down a little bit but I was able to make some headway on my goals. Thankfully I was able to get some rest and don’t have to postpone too many items.
Here is the update on last weeks goals:
Family Goals
Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday- Read a book to the girls everyday – I fell asleep early one night and didn’t wake up until after the girls were in bed so the book didn’t get read
Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this weekSchedule a Date Night with the Girls & Re-Schedule My Date Night with Jake- Finalize the Girls Birthday Party Items – working on it
Set up a dentist appointment for the girls– scheduled and went to the dentist, no cavities!- Pick up the girls new glasses – picking them up this week
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – with being sick I didn’t get this one done this week hope to get back on track soon
- Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday – not every night
Finish reading Crush It by Gary VaynerchukRead and listen to the next section of Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together).Set up an appointment to get updated on shots / vaccinations– went to the doctor and got my shots, wasn’t too excited about this one, but it was necessary for upcoming travel!- Finalize Upcoming Travel Plans – dates set / plane tickets purchased / visa – my visa has arrived and tickets are purchased, waiting on Jake’s visa!
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned and written by MondaySpend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the houseDinner ready by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday)- Spend time re-organizing and de-cluttering the Master Bedroom & Bathroom – the time I had allotted to do this was taken up with being sick and trying to get better, hope to get this done next week
Business Goals
Pay all bills that come in the mail this weekWork on ideas for upcoming blog postsSpend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk- Write a Guest Blog Post – deadline was postponed with sickness
- Schedule Meeting with Accountant for Business Taxes – scheduling this week
Ministry Goals
Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requestsMeet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchEmail Alms & Legs Ministry Team regarding our upcoming meetingPut together the Alms & Legs Meeting Agenda
Financial Goals
Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – working on it
- Start working on our personal 2011 taxes – we have started the taxes
- Put money aside for upcoming trips – putting aside some of the money
Here are my goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
- Read a book to the girls everyday
- Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this week
- Go on our Date Night with the Girls
- Celebrate with family and friends at the Girls Birthday Party
- Pick up the girls new glasses
- Schedule Appointment with Chiropractor
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
- Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday
- Finish reading Everything Romance by Todd Hafer
- Read and listen to the next section of Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together).
- Finalize Upcoming Travel Plans
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
- Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
- Dinner ready by 5:30 PM (Monday through Thursday)
- Spend time re-organizing and de-cluttering the Master Bedroom & Bathroom
Business Goals
- Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
- Write a Guest Blog Post
- Schedule Meeting with Accountant for Business Taxes
Ministry Goals
- Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Email Alms & Legs Ministry Team with the Meeting Notes
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses
- Complete our personal 2011 taxes
- Put money aside for upcoming trips
- Pay for Jake’s College Classes
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
It was a busy week which started with traveling from a conference (we went to Nebraska and Kansas with a brief stop in Texas). Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles and Walgreens
Ingles Groceries:
- $18.02 at Ingles for 2 loaves Laura Lynn Bread, 3 containers Fresh Strawberries (on clearance for $0.99), 1 bag Bananas (on clearance for $1.49), 1 bag mixed Fresh Fruit (5 pounds oranges, red delicious apples, granny smith apples on clearance for $1.49), 2 containers Fresh Raspberries (on clearance for $0.99), 1 half gallon Pomengranate Tea (on clearance for $0.99), 1 bag Fresh Organic Cucumbers (on clearance for $0.99), and 3 bacon wrapped Steak Filets (they are normally over $9 each regularly but got them on clearance for $1.99). (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance. The fresh fruit, veggies, tea and steaks will come in handy with the upcoming Valentine Holiday. I don’t usually pick up fancy steak even with it on clearance for $1.99 but since Valentines Day is right around the corner and we are going to do a special dinner!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $7.54 at Walgreens for 2 gallons Milk and 2 two liters Mountain Dew (They had their milk marked down to $2.79 each and their Pepsi products marked down to $0.98. The soda is great for upcoming events).
I think my body was worn out by the time I got home from the conference that it crashed and I ended up getting sick. Thankfully after a couple days of rest, extra fluids, and lower activities I was able to bounce back. I appreciate my husband and kids for stepping up and helping out around the house. Somehow they managed to stay healthy, yay! I didn’t have around to doing a regular grocery shopping run until Friday with all the travel and sickness.
This week I spent $25.56 on groceries. I was under on my budgeted amount for the week because of the busy week with the conference and traveling so thankfully I have a little extra to use towards groceries another week. I was happy to find fresh produce and steak on sale for the upcoming Valentine celebration. I hope that next week is better week, back to normal, 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.
Be My Valentine: Memory Jars, Cookie Surprise, Scrapbook Highlights, Romantic Dinner for Two, & More!
Last year I started the “Be My Valentine” series to help celebrate the upcoming Valentine’s Day Holiday. Here are some fun ideas from last year that our family enjoyed:
Be My Valentine: “I Love You” Memory Jar
A unique Valentine’s gift this year packed full of love and memories! I have created jars (or containers) full of memories for various occasions in the past and they have always been a huge hit with both kids and adults.
Be My Valentine: Cookie Surprise!
Surprise Valentine's Cookie - this one had three different flavors! A fun cookie to make with your kids. It is a sugar cookie with crushed hard candies to make window panes. Fun activity and delicious!
Be My Valentine: Scrapbook Highlights
how your spouse and family you love them on Valentine’s Day by doing a Scrapbook highlighting the big events over the past year. (Photo by shimelle)
Be My Valentine: Romantic Dinner for Two!
You can go out on Valentine’s Days (or any other Date Night) for less when you pack a picnic for two.
Gift Giving: 12 Days of Appreciation
I did this 12 Days of Christmas Appreciation for Jake at Christmas time but it would be a great one to do for Valentine’s Day, your Anniversary, or birthday!
A picture of one of the 12 Days of Appreciation for my husband to help get you started on ideas!
I would love to hear some of your ideas of how you are planning to make Valentine’s Day special with the one(s) you love! Feel free to share you link below in the comments! 🙂
Be My Valentine: “I Love Everything You Dew” Love Note
I LOVE everything you dew!
A few weeks ago I discovered these cute “pop” love notes from Darling Doodles and have been enjoying adding these love notes to my stash of ones to give to Jake! 🙂 He enjoys drinking Mountain Dew so when it goes on sale I try to get a little for him. This particular love note was a great one to give to my man!
When Jake is coming home after being away with work for several days or if he has had a tough day I try to do something special to cheer him up. I will put the surprises in various visible places throughout the house (his side of the garage, kitchen, his desk, our dresser, on his plate at the table, etc…) where I know he will be. Although, he never knows when I am doing it or where I will put it he always finds it. On this particular day he was stressed with a lot on his plate with work, travel arrangements, family and everything else. I decided it was a good day to put out a special surprise for him to say “I love you”! The Mountain Dew and sweet note sitting on the dresser downstairs in our family room was the first thing he saw walking into the house and it did bring a smile which made it worth it for me!
Sometimes taking just a few minutes out of your day to show your spouse you are thinking about them and that you care can make all the difference. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, money or effect but the benefits will go a long way. Doing something special for them could mean packing their lunch for work the next day, laying out their clothes the night before, or even leaving a love note on their pillow. Investing time and energy into your marriage is always good for the entire family. How do you cheer your spouse up or make them feel appreciated?
New Upromise eCoupons for February 2012
Upromise has posted their new eCoupons for the month of February 2012. Remember to activate your eCoupons to get additional savings. If you have not yet signed up for Upromise you can get more information regarding on our experience or directly at the Upromise website.
This month they have 22 coupons you can activate for bonus savings. Once you activate your eCoupons all you have to do is scan your rewards card or purchase the items at the store and the cash will be added to your account. You don’t even have to carry any coupons to get the rewards!
You can go to their website for more information on the Upromise program, it’s free to join.
Giveaway: “Dining On A Dime” Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper
I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied! The winner of this giveaway will receive a copy of Dining On A Dime Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper! As a Mom, wife and homeowner I am always looking for ways to eat better and spend less. After reading Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper’s cookbook I know many of you will enjoy this book too! 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. Sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email or like on Facebook.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing what one way you save money while buying groceries or cooking.
All comments must be made by February 29th at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.
You can learn more information about this great book and my review on Dining On A Dime Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and JillCooper.
*A special thanks to Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper with Living on a Dime for providing this book for the giveaway!
CONGRATULATIONS to Our 5 “Money Saving Mom’s Budget” Book Winners!
The names have been drawn for the giveaway!
CONGRATULATIONS to
Melissa Donovan
Bonnie
Brooke Butcher
Lisa Smith
Angela W
for winning a copy of
Money Saving Mom’s Budget by Crystal Paine!
Thanks for making a comment in honor of our Giveaway!
An email has been sent to you with more information*
Enjoy Reading Your Next Book!
Don’t forget to enter our next Giveaway (the next giveaway will be announced later this morning)!
*Giveaway must be claimed within 5 business days of the prize being announced. Failure to claim the prize within the allotted time frame means you forfeit the prize.
