Budget

  • Travel & Vacation: Fun in Charleston

    On our family road trip to Charleston we got to discover neat places.  Thanks to a friend, who gave us some information in advance, we had a blast exploring new kid playgrounds during our time away.   It was a fun filled inexpensive mini vacation together.

    Karlie climbing.

    The girls and I spent one morning at the Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park.  They loved it!

    Brina on the tire swing.

    Brina loves spinning on this swing!

    Karlie enjoying her time at the playground.

    It took a lot of work to climb up the jungle gym and go down this slide, Karlie is quite pleased with her accomplishment!

    Brina loves this slide.

    Brina happy to finally go down the slide, several kids fell trying to get up the jungle gym to go down this slide.

    Giggling as they look down on Mommy!

    Brina and Karlie loved being up high and thought it was hilarious how “tiny” Mommy was on the ground.

    Brina determined to get find the diving stick.

    The girls swam for hours in the hotel pool.  They had fun splashing, playing, relaxing and meeting new friends.

    Karlie loved splashing around in the pool.

    We spent almost five hours in the pool that afternoon.  The nice part about where the pool was located is that part of it was in the shade throughout the day so you didn’t have to be out in the intense heat all day swimming.

    Daddy, Karlie and Brina ready for dinner at Red's

    We ate at a local seafood restaurant one night.  The girls favorite part was that the kids meals were served on a frisbee so they were able to take it home with them, they thought it was so funny.

    Crossing the Arthur Ravenel Bridge just after sun down to go into downtown Charleston.

    We gave the girls the option after dinner to go back to the hotel and swim or go to downtown Charleston and drive around.  Much to our surprise they wanted to go explore downtown Charleston.  They always enjoyed going over this bridge!

    The girls wanted to know all the history behind the cannons.

    Daddy patiently answered many questions on the history behind Charleston and the surrounding area during our walk through the park and downtown.

    The most bizarre thing we saw in Charleston.

    As we were walking through the part we saw a visible path of white feathers about 3 to 5 feet across from one tree to the next tree (about 30 to 40 feet away).  The feathers had obviously been placed there for a reason, we believe there is some historical resemblance but not sure.  Can anyone who has more knowledge on the history of Charleston give us an explanation?  It was odd seeing a path of feathers between two huge trees and several cars as they were driving by honked as they passed that part of the park.

    See the white line between the two trees? It is a wide path of white feathers.

    I am still a little perplexed by this one…..

    Our family thoroughly enjoy Charleston the food, adventures, and time together was refreshing.  I am thrilled the girls had fun exploring the town.  I have a little bit more about our Charleston adventures coming up soon so stay tuned!

    “A Vacation To Remember” series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed.  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.  Go with a good attitude and looking 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!

  • Save A Lot: Deals for the week of July 20 – 26, 2011

    The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience.   Save A Lot is introducing their “Save A Lot Today” brand products this month and continued their sale so it is a  great time to stock up on several items (no coupons necessary to get the Save A Lot Today prices).    Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!

    Meats and Seafood

    Fairgrounds Meat Hot Dogs (12 oz) – $0.69

    Fresh Chicken Wings – $1.49 per lb

    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

    Popsicle or Fudgsicles – $1.00

    American Basics American Cheese Slices – $1.00

    Save A Lot Today Orange Juice – $1.99

    Save A Lot Today Party Pizza – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Pizza Rolls – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Imitation Shreds – $1.00

    Household

    Save A Lot Today Bath Tissue – $0.89

    Save A Lot Today Laundry Detergent – $1.99

    Produce

    Cherries – $1.99 per lb

    Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99

    Idaho Potatoes (5 lb bag) – $1.49

    Grocery

    Budget Gourmet Fettuccine Alfredo or Mac N Cheese – $0.69

    Campbell’s Original O’s (26 oz) – $0.97

    Kool Aid – $0.10
    Use B2G1F coupon from the July All You Magazine (Expires 12/31/11)
    Use $0.50/5 coupons from Kool Aid Facebook Page
    As low as $0.00 each after coupon

    Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos Scoops – $1.00

    Nabisco Cheese Nips Snack Crackers – $1.00
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/30/11)
    $0.50 each after coupon

    Splash Out Gallon Drink (128 oz) – $1.00

    Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes – $1.00

    Sundia Fruit Cups – $1.00

    Save A Lot Today BBQ Sauce – $0.79

    Save A Lot Today Ranch Dressing – $0.89

    Save A Lot Today Apple Juice – $1.19

    Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Pancake Mix – $0.49

    Save A Lot Today Pancake Syrup – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Mashed Potatoes – $0.79

    Save A Lot Today Biscuit Mix – $0.79

    Save A Lot Today Brownie Mix – $0.99

    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.

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    This week was a little different doing our Groceries $40 for 4 because we were on the road for part of the week.   It was a great road trip with the family, we traveled over 40 hours in a week and were able to spend time with family during our trip.  Thankfully the girls travel well and slept well in the van.  I packed a lot of fun activities and snack food for the trip.  We came home to a house that was 90 degrees inside, clean, and had an empty fridge since we had eaten or packed pretty much all our perishables.  This week I spent most of the grocery budget on restocking items in our fridge and pantry.

    Groceries from Walgreens, Ingles, and BiLo

    Walgreen Groceries:

    • $4.07 at Walgreen’s for A & W Root Beer (2 liter), Domino Sugar, Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix, Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, Frito Lay Stax BBQ, Frito Lay Stax Original, Frito Lay Stax Sour Cream & Onion, Daisy Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, 4 packs of Ranch Flavored Sunflower Seeds (on clearance for $0.89 each, usually the best price I can get is $1.00 so stocked up on a these for upcoming road trips).   I used $10 in Register Rewards that were expiring this week to bring this total down to $4.

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $4.13 at Ingles for 1 bag Laura Lynn Bread (on sale for $0.98), 30 packs Wylers Cherry Drink, 5 packs of Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurts (on clearance for $1.00 each), 1 package of Pork (reduced for quick sale), 1 box of Pretzel Lean Pockets (free with coupon), 6.5 pound bag of banana’s (clearance for $1.49),  4 packs of Raspberry Yogurt Covered Pretzel (on clearance for $0.99 each, normally $6.83 per pound), 1 package of Strawberries (on clearance), 1 package of sliced Mushrooms (on clearance), 1 package of whole Mushrooms (on clearance.  I used a gift card I had been given a few months ago for part of the amount and paid for the rest.  All of the items were on sale or clearance so it really was a great shopping trip to Ingles.

    BiLo Groceries:

    • $12.92 at BiLo for 1 gallon of Skim Milk, 1 gallon of 2% Milk, 1 bag of splenda Sugar (store brand and on sale), 1 bottle International Delight Coffee Creamer (free after coupon), 2 boxes of Banquet Pasta Carbonara (on closeout for $0.50 each). 

    I am excited to be back doing our Groceries $40 for 4 budget again after our big road trip for the summer.  I was surprised to see the milk prices spike even more since I bought it last, however, I was pleased to get some great clearance items this week in my shopping trips, (especially at Ingles).   This week I spent $21.12 on groceries.  Even though I was under budget on my amount for the week  I was still able to stock up on several items.  Thankfully I was able to keep the amount within reason so I had little extra left over for those weeks when I find a really good deal or go a little over.  We were out of town for a part of this grocery week so it was a little different from our usual events.

    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.

  • Family Recipe: Easy Blackberry Cobbler

    A good friend made a delicious cobbler earlier this week which inspired me look up my Aunt Pat’s recipe.  I have made for years.  The recipe calls for blackberries but you can really use any type of berries.  It is a great dessert to make for the family or share with others.

    Easy Blackberry Cobbler:

    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 1 1/2 tablespoon Cornstarch
    • 1 cup Water
    • 2 pints drained Blackberries (fresh or frozen and thawed)
    • 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
    • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon Nutmeg

    Crust:

    • 3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
    • 1 cup self rising Flour
    • 1/2 to 3/4 cup Milk
    • 1/2 cup Sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Extract
    • 1 teaspoon Nutmeg

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  For filling put 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pan.  Whisk in water.  Boil for 1 minute or until mixture is clear.  Stir in blackberries and remaining filling ingredients.  Pour into 1 1/2 quart greased baking dish.  For crust mix all crust ingredients and pour over filling.  Bake for 24 to 30 minutes.  Serves 4 to 6.

    Photo by JeffreyW

  • CVS: Spent $7 and Got $32 ECB’s Back!

    CVS Deals

    CVS has a few good deals this week.  Even though I didn’t get to CVS until midweek I was still able to pick up several deals.  I was happy to stock up on some items including school supplies and shampoo this week while utilizing a few of my coupons.  Today I was able to get the items for $7.82 including tax and received $32.49 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 1 –  John Frieda Shampoo for $7.39
    • 1 – John Frieda Conditioner for $7.39
    • 1 – John Frieda Repair for $6.89
    • 7 – Caliber 2 Pocket Folders for $0.70 ($0.10 each)
    • 2 – Caliber 1 Subject Notebooks (70 sheets) for $0.67 ($0.33 or $0.34 each)
    • 2 – Caliber 10 x 8 Notebooks for $0.67 ($0.33 or $0.34 each)
    • 1 – Pilot Easy Touch Blue Pens (2 pack) for $1.00
    • 1 – Pilot Easy Touch Black Pens (2 pack) for $1.00
    • 1 – Complete Multi-Purpose Solution (12 oz) for $7.99
    • 1 – Tampon Refresh Brilliant (18 count) for $6.79 (used rain check and coupon)
    • 2 – Scrabble Card Game for $4.14 ($2.12 each) (clearance product)
    • 1 – Card Game for $2.12 (clearance product)
    • 1 – CVS Calcium for $1.50 (clearance product)

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $2.00 John Frieda Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $2.00 John Frieda Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $2.00 John Frieda Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $1.00 Tampon Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $3.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $5.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $4.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $20.99 ECB coupons from prior purchases

    I received $32.49 ECB’s back today:

    • $10.00 ECB’s for John Frieda Products
    • $7.99 ECB’s for Complete Products
    • $7.00 ECB’s for Tampon Products
    • $5.00 ECB’s for Beauty Rewards
    • $2.50 ECB’s for Spring Savings

    Today I was able to save $59.80 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons.

    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.

  • Walgreens: 30 Books for $2

    Walgreens Deals (books on clearance)

    I went to Walgreens to stock up on some of their deals this week.  The best deal I got was in their clearance aisle where they had a bunch of their books, coloring books, and activities books on clearance.   Since I went a little later in the week not all the advertised products were available and I had several Register Rewards that were expiring this week so it worked out well.   I spent $2.27 including tax at Walgreens for this transaction.  I picked up a couple other items (including food which you will see in a later post this week) but this was my best deal at Walgreens this week.  The books will be great for upcoming road trips and other fun activities with the family.

    • 10 – Disney Books (on clearance for $0.49 each)
    • 10 – Disney Activity Books (on clearance for $0.29 each)
    • 10 – Disney Coloring Books (on clearance for $0.29 each)

    The total was over $11 with tax before using discounts & coupons.  Here are the coupons I used on the thirty items.

    • Used $9 Walgreens Register Rewards

    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 a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save at Walgreens.

  • Teaching Our Children: Encouraging the Kids to Read During Summer Vacation

    Our reading tree!

    I was trying to come up with a visual prompt in our home that encourages our children to read this summer.  The girls LOVE it when they are read to and could do it for hours but since they are starting to read on their own I wanted to find something that would help motivate them to read a little more.  I came up with the idea “Spring into Reading” since we technically started it in the Spring and I wanted to boost the girls reading skills.

    My Mom graciously made the tree for me and my Sister in Law Becky helped cut out a bunch of the leaves.  The purpose of the tree is simple find a visual way for the girls to see their reading progress.  Each member of our family gets a different color of leaf.  When that member reads a book to the girls or they read a book on their own they get to put up their leaf.

    We have started to fill out our tree with leaves and hope to get an after summer break picture up for you to see what we accomplished.  If all goes well I hope to see more and more of the girls leaves going up throughout the summer as their reading skills increase.

  • Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – Zucchini, Green Beans, Squash, Lettuce, Cucumber, Strawberries, Purple Beans, and Tomatoes!

    We are loving the fresh vegetables from our garden!  This week I only took one picture from the garden because we were traveling.  The good news is we were able to take some of our goodies from the garden to share with family along the way.  Also, while we are gone my brother and his family get to pick any of the produce that is ready for themselves or to give away so I didn’t get pictures of the items they picked while we were out of town.

    Here are some of the fresh veggies we were able to eat and share this week:

    Fresh Garden Produce!

    We were able to pick this all in one day fresh from the garden.  Fresh Zucchini, Green Beans, Summer Squash, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Whole Size Tomatoes, Fresh Leafy Green Lettuce, Purple Beans, a handful of Strawberries that made it in the picture and a Banana Pepper (not pictured because it was ate by the kiddos).  Some of these items we delivered to a good friend since we were traveling and we wanted to make sure they were eaten while they were still fresh.

    We were able to share some of the veggies this week with family and friends!  Thankful for a garden that we can share!

    What are you eating out of your garden this week?

  • Save A Lot: Deals for the week of July 6 – 12, 2011

    The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience.   There are a lot of great deals that are continued this week at Save A Lot.  Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!

    Meats and Seafood

    Fresh Ground Beef – $1.99 per lb

    Pork Spare Ribs – $1.88 per lb

    Chicken Leg Quarters – $0.59 per lb

    Sugardale Jumbo Hotdogs (3 lbs) – $2.99

    Holten Beef Patties (32 oz) – $3.99

    Sugardale Smoked Polish or Hot Sausage (40 oz to 48 oz) – $2.99

    Johnsonville Bratwurst and Italian Sausage – $3.79
    Use $0.75/1 coupon from magazine 4/20 Kroger’s My Way Magazine (Expires 7/31/11)
    Use $0.55/1 coupon from insert 4/17 Smart Source (Expires 6/30/11)
    As low as $3.04 after each coupon

    Schooner Tilipia, Whiting, Pollock Fillets (32 oz) – $5.99

    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

    Buyer’s Best Crinkle Cut French Fries (5 lbs) – $1.99

    Minute Maid Orange Juice (64 oz) – $1.99
    Use $1.00/1 peelie coupon found on package (Expires 3/30/12)
    $0.99 each after coupon

    World’s Fair Ice Cream (56 oz) – $1.99

    World’s Fair Red, White & Blue Pops – $0.99

    Jungle Jammers Twin Pops – $1.99

    World’s Fair Sundae Cups – $2.49

    World’s Fair Ice Cream (4 quart) – $3.99

    Reser’s Potato or Macaroni Salad – $2.99
    Use $1.00/1 printable coupon from Coupon
    $1.99 each after coupon

    Jungle Jammers Freezer Pops (24 Count) – $1.99

    Morning Delight Jumbo Biscuits – $1.39

    Morning Delight Frozen Buttermilk Waffles – $1.49

    Snack-A-Tizers Potato Skins – $1.99

    Mantia’s Pepperoni French Bread Pizza – $1.99

    Country Crock Spread – $2.99
    Use $1.00/1 coupon from May All You Magazine (Expires 7/15/11)
    $1.99 each after coupon

    Household

    Charmin Basic Bath Tissue (12 rolls) – $4.99
    Use $0.25/1 coupon from insert 6/5 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 7/31/11)
    $4.74 after each coupon

    Wrightware Napkins (250 Count) – $1.55

    Wrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $1.19

    Solo Plastic Cups (20 count) – $0.99
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 8/31/11)
    $0.49 each after coupon

    Royal Oak Charcoal – $2.99

    Wisk Liquid Laundry Detergent (50 oz)- $3.99
    Use $2.00/1 coupon from insert 6/26 Red Plum (Expires 7/31/11)
    Use $2.00/1 coupon from insert 6/26 Red Plum (Expires 8/7/11)
    Use $1.00/1 printable coupon from Wisk Facebook Page
    As low as $1.99 each after coupon

    Produce

    Fresh Peaches, Plums and Nectarine – $0.89 per lb

    Seedless Watermelons – $3.49

    Hot House Tomatoes – $0.99 per lb

    Grocery

    Bubba Cola or Crisp Orange Soda (24 pack) – $3.99

    Herr’s Potato Chips – $1.67
    Use $1.00/1 printable coupon from Smart Source
    $0.67 each after coupon

    Cap’n Crunch Cereal – $1.59
    Use $0.50/1 coupon insert from 4/17 Red Plum (Expires 8/31/11)
    $1.09 each after coupon

    Domino Granulated Sugar (4 lb) – $2.39
    Use $0.50/1 coupon insert from 5/22 Red Plum (Expires 7/31/11)
    Use $0.50/1 coupon insert from 6/26 Red Plum (Expires 9/30/11)
    $1.89 each after coupon

    Kraft Miracle Whip Dressing (30 oz) – $2.49
    Use $1.00/1 coupon insert from 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/17/11)
    Use $0.75/1 coupon insert from 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/17/11)
    Use $1.00/2 coupon insert from 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/17/11)
    As low as $1.49 each after coupon

    World’s Fair Chocolate Syrup (24 oz) – $1.79

    Mrs. Richardson’s Hot Fudge Topping (16 oz)- $2.29

    World’s Fair Ice Cream Cones (24 count) – $1.59

    Maraschino Cherries – $1.29

    BBQ Sauce – $1.19

    Crystal Bottle Water (24 Pack) – $2.49

    Summerset Ice Tea Mix – $2.29

    McDaniel’s Classic Coffee (11.5 oz) – $2.69

    Morning Delight Syrup (24 oz) – $1.49

    Sunkist Solid White Tuna – $1.39

    Bay Mist Tropical or Berry Blend Splash (64 oz) – $1.79

    Spice Time Salt / Pepper Shaker Combo Pack– $1.59

    Ginger Evans Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix – $0.79

    Nature’s Grain Cinnamon Raisin Swirl – $2.49

    Nabisco Oreo Cookies – $2.99

    Cowboy Billy’s Baked Beans – $1.29

    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.