• Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    It was my fifth full week of doing my new cash budget system – Groceries $40 for 4. This week I was super busy so for the most part we ate from what we had in the fridge, freezer and the pantry.  I think it is important to have these weeks where we utilize our food stockpile.  Although, it is nice to stock up during the weeks it is equally rewarding having the opportunity to be more creative with the food we have on hand.  I even made and delivered a meal for someone in our church this week with the food on hand without making a run to the grocery store for extra ingredients.   It felt great saving some of the grocery shopping cash this week too especially since I had a couple higher weeks in the past. Below are my grocery shopping adventures for the week!

    Bi-Lo Groceries

    Grcoeries from Bi-Lo:

    • $7.02 at Bi-Lo for 1 gallon of Skim Milk, 1 gallon of 2% Milk, and 1 loaf of bread.

    In our fifth week of the challenge – Groceries $40 for 4 we spent $7.02 so it was a pretty good week regarding saving extra grocery cash.  We did better this week because I didn’t have the extra time to go grocery shopping and we ate from our pantry.  Although I wasn’t able to stock up on a few extra items this week it was wonderful being able to eat some of the items we already had in our fridge and pantry!  Last week we stocked up on milk and I froze it, however, I didn’t pull it out in time for it to thaw enough to drink otherwise we wouldn’t have even purchased the milk this week.  Oh well….you win some and lose some!  I was thrilled to see Bi-Lo still had their milk under $3 so everything went well.   I am still trying to work out all the details of how to make the budget most effective for our family and I think we need some weeks have been easier than others.  We’ll see how I do next week and yes it’s another busy week!

    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: Mom’s Beef & Broccoli

    In honor of my Mom’s birthday this week I picked one of my favorite recipes that she makes.  My Mom is a great cook and I actually made Beef & Broccoli last weekend so thought I would share it with you as well.  I love this recipe and it is delicious!

    Mom’s Beef & Broccoli:

    • 3/4 lb fresh Broccoli
    • 1 lb lean boneless Beef Steak (top round, flank, or sirloin work well)
    • 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce)
    • 1 clove of Garlic, minced or pressed
    • 1/4 cup Salad Oil (or olive oil)
    • 2 tablespoon of Water
    • 1 1/2 tablespoon Corn Starch
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground Ginger
    • 2 tablespoon cooking Sherry
    • 1 1/4 cup regular strength Beef Broth
    • Dash of Red Pepper

    Cut broccoli and set aside.  Cut beef with the grain into 1 1/2 inch wide strips then across the grain in 1/4 inch slices.  In bowl mix beef, soy sauce and garlic.  Let marinate 15 minutes.  Prepare cooking sauce corn starch, ground ginger, dash of red pepper, cooking sherry, and beef broth.  When wok is hot add 1 tablespoon of oil, add half of the meat mixture.  Stir fry until browned (about 2 to 3 minutes).  Repeat with second half of meat and 1 more tablespoon of oil.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and stir in the broccoli for about 1 minute.  Add water cover and cook about 3 minutes.  Add cooking sauce to meat and stir until the sauce has thickened.

    When I made this dish last weekend I added in some mushrooms and onions that I needed to use up.  I cut back on the oil and didn’t have the Sherry so that was eliminated however since I added the additional juicy vegetables it was still tasty.  This recipe is amazing as is but feel free to add in extra items that your family enjoys eating.

    Photo by gkdavie

  • Family Recipe: Cheesy Spaghetti Bake

    My cousin Jordan gave me this recipe several years ago and I love it.  I still use it when I want to do something a little different with spaghetti.  I like that it is easy yet delicious!  There are several variations to this recipe that I use to mix it up a little bit too.

    Cheesy Spaghetti Bake:

    • 2 lb ground Hamburger
    • 32 oz Spaghetti Sauce
    • 12 to 14 oz Spaghetti Noodles
    • 1/2 cup Milk
    • 1/2 cup Onions
    • 1 1/2 cup Velveeta Cheese

    Brown the beef and onion in a skillet and drain.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and simmer 10 minutes.  Break spaghetti noodles into quarters and cook according to directions; drain.  Add spaghetti noodles to the sauce mixture.  Dice up and melt Velveeta cheese and milk together in a saucepan on low heat.  Stir frequently until melted.  Spread 1/2 of the spaghetti mixture in to a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.  Top with 3/4 cheese sauce, then the remainder of the spaghetti mixture.  Drip remaining 1/4 cup of melted cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

    Variation 1: Sometime I will layer the spaghetti noodles on the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides then add the sauce and meat on top followed by the cheese mixture.

    Variation 2: Layer the spaghetti noodles on the bottom, then a thin layer of cheese, followed by the meat & sauce mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top

    Variation 3: Cook in 2 pie dishes so I can share with others, for example, if someone just had a baby or surgery and I am bringing them a meal I will cook one for our family and one to give away.

    Variation 4: Add Mushrooms and other veggies to the Spaghetti bake (you can put them in as a separate layer or mix them in with the meat and sauce mixture).

    Photo by Norwichnuts

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    Groceries from CVS, Walgreens, & RiteAid

    It was my first week of doing my new cash budget system – Groceries $40 for 4.   Although it has been a learning process the week has gone pretty well so far.  Since this my first week am I still testing the water and we continue trying to utilize the food we already have in our pantry and freezer.  Here is my grocery spending for the week:

    • $1.61 at Walgreens for 2 cans of Mandarin Oranges and 1 can of Mushrooms
    • $7.96 at RiteAid for a gallon of Milk, 2 packs of Cheese, 1 container of Sour Cream
    • $3.72 at CVS for a 24 pack of Bottled Water and 2 boxes of Popcorn

     

    Groceries from Ingles and CVS!
    • $1.98 at CVS for another 24 pack of Bottled Water (Jake should be set for a little bit!) & Free Mike-n-Ikes Candy!
    • $10.00 at Ingles for Strawberries, Oranges, Tangerines, Onion, Seafood, and Apples.
    Groceries from Aldi's
    • $14.06 at Aldi’s for Pineapple’s ($0.99 each), Salmon Fillets, 2 Cheese Packages, Cucumber, Bananas, Cheese sticks,  and Celery.

    It was our first week of the challenge – Groceries $40 for 4 and we spent $39.33 so we were very close to going over.  I was disappointed to see RiteAid’s milk spike up this week, but thrilled to get the 24 packs of water for $1.98 as well as some fresh fruit and veggies on sale.  I used some coupons, bought clearance items, and utilized weekly ad discounts to help save us a little extra on our grocery budget.  Since it was my first week I was testing the water and hope to do better next week now that we have replenished our fruit and veggie drawers.  We’ll see how I do!

    I hope 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.  I hope by taking the extra time to watch my grocery spending it will allow us to feed our family, enjoy life, 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: Steamed Gyoza

    My cousin Renelle gave us this recipe several years ago and it is delicious!  As I was going through my recipes and menu I realized it has been awhile since we have made Gyoza in our house, I think it is time to make them again.   Renelle is an amazing cook and comes up with some really creative, fun, and unique recipes.  Steamed Gyoza is a Japenese Steamed Dumpling.  If you like dumplings and are looking for something different yet delicious you should try this recipe!  Go ahead try something a little interesting this weekend.  You may discover a new recipe you love!  Thanks Renelle for giving us some many amazing new recipes to enjoy!

    Steamed Gyoza

    • 1/2 lb ground Pork or Beef
    • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 2 tablespoon Water
    • 3 Shitake Mushrooms, finely chopped (optional)
    • 3 tablespoons Green Onion
    • 4 Water Chestnuts, finely chopped
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon Rice Wine or Sherry
    • 1 package Gyoza or Wonton Skins
    • 1-2 eggs well-beaten (you can just use water)

    Mix all ingredients together except skins and eggs.  Take one wonton skin, place about 1 T of the mixture in the middle of the skin and wrap skin around the filling.  Seal the edges with the egg or with water.  Place in veggie steamer so edges are not touching.  Steam for 7-10 minutes.  You can also fry them in a pan if desired.  Serve warm with soy sauce, sweet and sour, or plum sauce.

    Photo by joyosity

    Gyoza

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    Now that I completed 9 weeks of my No Grocery Shopping challenge I want to share what is next on my agenda as far as grocery shopping is concerned.  I would LOVE to live off my pantry and freezer for the entire year, however, it is getting lower and I need to start shopping for some additional items.  I learned a lot from the recent challenge and want to keep my family fed while staying within our budget.

    Explanation: For the first time ever I am going on a strictly cash system for our groceries.  It is my desire to spend no more than $40 per week for my family of 4.  I am sticking to just grocery and food related items at this time since I have a separate budget for household, health & beauty.  If I find that I still have extra consistently I may decide to roll the other items into this as well.  As an additional bonus if I have more than a half of week of “extra” money remaining at the end of the month I want to contribute that money towards my Creative Cash. Although I know I will have days and weeks with hiccups like with any challenge it is my desire to be more accountable with what I have been given.  I perceive this budget change to have many benefits over the past systems I have used for example it will allow me the opportunity to buy items on sale but not over do it plus makes me more responsible with the money we have been given, and helps control the spontaneous purchases.  Only time will tell how well it works for our family.

    Every family is different so you need to decide what is best for your specific family and situation.  I am starting this endeavor after several months of thought and prayer regarding our family finances.  On a side note I do want to let you know that just because the title says Living on a Budget:  Groceries $40 for 4 that does not mean we will never host guests in our home or take a meal to someone in need.  Our guests and meal deliveries throughout the month are also included in this budget so the actual number will vary from month to month regarding how many people we feed but for simplicity sake it is Groceries $40 for 4 due to our family size and budgeting.

    I hope 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.  I hope by taking the extra time to watch my grocery spending it will allow us to feed our family, enjoy life, 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.

    Photo by MoneyBlogNewz

  • Family Recipe: Homemade Egg Noodles

    Grandma Willa makes the best Egg Noodles!  She received this recipe from her Mom, my Great Grandma Joedemann.  If you are wanting some great tasting homemade egg noodles these are amazing.  The ingredients are ones you typically have on hand and it is easy to make.

    Egg Noodles:

    • 4 Eggs
    • 1 1/2 cup Flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
    • Optional – dash of garlic salt or caraway seed

    Mix and place on a floured pastry sheet roll out & cut.  You may need a little more flour depending on the moisture of the dough.  The dough should be pretty thick you want it just enough to roll it out.  Use the noodles immediately or let them dry for a few minutes before using with your favorite dish.

    Photo by msufal

  • Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (February Update)

    Now that we are almost through February 2011 you may be wondering how I am doing with my No Grocery Shopping Month Challenge.   I am wrapping up week 8 of my “No Grocery Shopping” goal.   This month has been harder because the pantry and freezer are getting lower but for the most part I have been doing well as long as I do my menu planning ahead of schedule.  When I go over what I am going to make for supper that morning, check for the ingredients, and have a plan everything goes so much smoother. Here are my criteria for purchasing any grocery items over the last 8 weeks:

    • FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
    • Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
    • For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.

    Although with all that being said I did have to purchase a few items not really within my guidelines for one meal recently.  I was in charge of making our Community Group meal at church last Wednesday, we have an average of 16 to 20 people on Wednesday night.  While we still have plenty to feed our family of four, I did pick up a couple items from the store to make the meal last week since there are people in the group that have food allergies and I wanted to make sure I had items that they could eat.  The extra items that were not in my guidelines were:

    • Bananas which I bought at Save A Lot | Rite Aid for $0.19 a pound to make homemade banana pudding, it was delicious!
    • 2 lb bag of Green Giant Potatoes for $2.49 to make homemade potato soup, my friends recipe!  You can find more of her great recipes at Reflecting on the Simple Things in Life!
    • 1 cup Heavy Cream for homemade potato soup
    • 1 onion for $0.68 for the homemade beef stew

    So now you know that I didn’t entirely hit my goal of no grocery shopping except for necessities.  When I first set the No Grocery Shopping challenge I was hoping to get through the month of January, the fact that I plan to make it to the first few days into March with only a few extra purchases during the challenge is a huge win (at least for me).  In the month of February the only other groceries I have purchased are:

    • 5 gallons of Milk
    • 2 packages of Cheese
    • 1 Loaf of Bread

    For the most part the No Grocery Shopping challenge went fairly well.  I spent a little over $19 (including tax) for the month of February on grocery necessities.   We even did extra activities during this time of cutting back.  Doing this challenge may seem silly to some but it has made a huge impact on my way of thinking.  It has been a wonderful learning experience and made me appreciate how many blessings we have in our lives.  I hope to do a similar challenge in the future to help remind me of the importance of saving as well as using the items we have on hand.  Even with the challenge we were still able to participate in several extra events in February while only using items in our freezer or pantry:

    • Hosted Guests in our Home
    • Made food for a Super Bowl Party
    • Brought Treats to the Girls Valentine’s Party
    • Brought Cupcakes and Drinks to the Girls Birthday Party for School
    • Had Snacks for Girls Night

    I do have to say that I had a hard time buying the few extra items that I purchased this month……I felt guilty buying extra food during this challenge especially when I know we still have plenty.  I am grateful for an amazing husband and two wonderful kids who put up with me throughout this adventure.  It is my plan to try and make it through the first few days of March (only 1 more week) with this goal, which will be 9 weeks of only shopping for the necessities (with a few hiccups in the mix). I want to thank everyone for all the support and encouragement along the way.  One of the BIGGEST ways that helped keep me accountable is that I knew people were watching, reading and commenting on the blog.  Thanks for being a part of my life and helping me at least feel like I touched a finger tip on my goal.

    So what’s next!!!!  In the next few days I will be sharing with you my next Grocery Shopping Goal, don’t worry it won’t be as extreme, however I want to continue to utilize the stockpile we still have and not waste what God has given us.  With this new challenge it will allow me the freedom to Grocery Shop for the family yet stay within a budget, PLUS perks!  Stayed tuned as I unveil what is coming up next and if your up to it you can join me in the next adventure!

    Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others.  Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff”  and if you are like us we just have too much.  I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives.  When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.

    Photo by Little Blue Hen

  • Family Celebrations: Girls Birthday!

    Happy Birthday Banner for Brina and Karlie!!!

    The girls had a blast celebrating their sixth birthday!  We made the day special for them and had fun!  It is still hard to believe that they are growing up so quickly.  Here are a few shots from our adventures on their birthday!

    Birthday Breakfast - Blueberry Bear Pancakes & Banana Pudding with Star Candles
    Brina and Karlie LOVE writing in their notebooks. At breakfast they got a pretty princess notepad with purple fluffy pen! Super exciting and cute! (Even better is I found them on clearance at Walmart.)
    Karlie playing with her little pony at TGI Friday's
    Brina playing with her little pony at the restaurant - TGI Friday's
    We celebrated their birthday dinner at TGI Friday's!
    Brina and Karlie enjoying their caramel & chocolate ice cream birthday sundae's at TGI Friday's!!! So delicious they got it all over themselves!
    Karlie and Brina using their gift certificates at Toys R Us!
    Brina picked out a pink & white puppy and baby doll supplies at Toys R Us!
    Karlie and Brina sharing their birthday goodies!
    Daddy helping Karlie putting together her Hot Wheels truck!
    Brina LOVES her horses, the stable, and books! We read one right away then put the horse and book back in the stable!
    Karlie so excited about her Stomp ROCKET! She even blasted a few off in the house that night!
    Brina and Karlie coming downstairs for some more birthday fun!
    Brina having a blast riding the go cart in the front yard! Peddle FASTER!!!

    Look Out MOM!!! Karlie's driving fast and you're in the way! Use the breaks!!!

    I have been very blessed with a sweet family.  Even though I am still in shock that my baby girls are 6 years old I am thankful for them and the privilege of watching them grow up.  Wishing them many more awesome years together!

    FREE Shipping on Party Supplies at Shindigz

  • Family Recipe: All American Corn Bread

    The All American Corn Bread is my Mother-in-Law’s recipe.  She has a lot of delicious recipes that we have enjoyed.  The first four birthday cakes for the girls were made by Jake’s Mom.  She would take the theme for that year and come up with something creative yet different for each of the girls.

    If you’re looking for a wonderful corn bread recipe you should check out this recipe.  It is a great compliment to a pot of chili, soup, or any home cooked meal.

    All American Corn Bread

    • 2 cups Biscuit Mix
    • 1 cup Half-n-Half
    • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 3/4 cup Sugar
    • 1 cup butter
    • 1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
    • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    • 2 Eggs, slightly beaten

    Scald cream with butter, add to thoroughly mixed dry ingredients.  Mix in eggs.  Pour into greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Allow to stand for several minutes before cutting.  Serves 12

    Photo by Tristanf