Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 3)
Our family finished week 3 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- 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.
What Happened this week?
I finished the third week of this goal. The only thing I purchased this week was a 1 gallon, 1 loaf of bread, and a handful of fresh produce. Our menu was pretty basic this week, but mostly because it was a busy schedule this week.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
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.
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Week 2)
Our family finished week 2 of our no grocery shopping goal. Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. I have made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it this 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full of meat, produce from our garden this summer, fruit, and other great items. Our pantry is also overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- 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.
What Happened this week?
I finished the second week of this goal. The only things I purchased this week were a 1 gallon of Milk, a jar of Mayonnaise, and soft foods for my daughter who was recovering from tonsil surgery (bananas, popsicles, drinks, yogurt, etc…). I was able to plan our menu around the foods we had on hand, plus Jake was traveling for a couple days this week so we tried to keep it a little simpler.
It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
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.
Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping
Every new year we set goals, challenge ourselves to reach new heights, and to focus on what’s really important in life. The picture above is a handful of receipts where I bought grocery items over the last few weeks. Back in 2011 I made it a goal to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me. One of the ways I did this was by going through several No Grocery Shopping weeks, picking up only necessities while trying to use the items we already had in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.
When I did it in 2011 it was my intention to go 1 month, but I made it 8 weeks (with only a few hiccups). It is my plan to do this again with the hope of making it at least through the month of January. I will be sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.
Life Simplified Goal:
- No Grocery Shopping (except for necessities) in the month of January.
Explanation of the Goal: My goal during the month of January is to not shop for groceries other than necessities (milk, eggs, bread). Our freezer is full and our pantry is overflowing with all the great deals that we have picked up over the past few months. One of the reason for the goal is that I want to use the items I have and not waste them. Stockpiling is wonderful but there may come a point when we need to eat through that stockpile before it expires, save the extra money to work on a financial goal, and be creative with what we have at home. I have been thinking about this challenge for several weeks over the Holidays. Over the past few months (including our experience traveling to India) it has really hit me that we have been really blessed yet there are children and families that content with a lot less. Menu planning may take a little extra creative thinking on my part but I think I can do it. If I do purchase something it needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- 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.
I have already started this goal. The only things I purchased this first week has been a loaf of bread and 1 gallon of milk. Last week we ate a bunch of leftovers for several days since our fridge was full and we don’t want to waste the food we have. Plus a sweet friend brought us a meal after my daughters surgery which was amazing and got us through more than two meals. It takes a little more time and focus to come up with a menu but everyone seems to be doing pretty well. The real challenge will come at the end of the month when we are getting low in the pantry and when we host guests!
I will share with you the challenges, successes and what I had to purchase so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. I would love to extend this goal into February if I can make our pantry stretch!
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.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of October 24 – 30, 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!
Meat and Seafood
Beef Stew Meat – $2.99 lb
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast – $2.49 lb
Pork Sirloin Chops – $1.99 lb
Chicken Drums or Thighs – $0.99 lb
Ground Beef – $1.99 lb
Pork Sirloin Roast – $1.69 lb
Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage (12 oz) – $1.99
*Pick 5 for $19.99 promotion on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more.
Fridge and Freezer
Banquet Frozen Dinners – $0.99
Totino’s Party Pizza (9 – 10 oz) – $1.29
Produce
Celery – $0.59 each
Green Cabbage – $0.25 lb
Sweet Potatoes – $0.39 lb
Apples, Assorted Varieties – $0.99 lb
Russet Potatoes (8 pounds) – $2.29
Carrots (1 pound) – $0.39
Grocery
Mantia’s Spaghetti Noodles (16 oz) – $0.88
Mantia’s Pasta Sauce (24 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Grated 100% Parmesan Cheese (8 oz) – $2.99
Hargis House Sloppy Joes Sauce (14.5 oz) – $0.99
So Cheesy Mac & Cheese (7.25 oz) – $0.39
Wylwood Canned Vegetables, Corn or Green Beans – $0.59
Diane’s Garden Sliced Tomatoes (14.5 oz) – $0.69
Wylwood Red Kidney Beans (15 oz) – $0.79
Marcum Chili Seasoning – $0.57
J. Higgs Saltine Crackers (16 0z) – $0.99
Kurtz Ketchup (32 oz) – $0.99
Kaskey Onion Soup Mix (2 oz) – $0.89
Save A Lot Soft Drinks (2 liters) – $0.69
Sunny Delight (48 oz) – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries (11 oz) – $0.99
Westcott Vegetable Oil (48 oz) – $2.69
J. Higgs Potato Chips (10 oz) – $1.49
Ginger Evans Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Cowboy Billy’s Baked Beans (16 oz) – $0.89
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends. For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list. Please make sure to check with your local Save A Lot store, the ads do vary per region.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of October 17 – 23, 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!
Meat and Seafood
Beef Stew Meat – $2.99 lb
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast – $2.49 lb
Pork Sirloin Chops – $1.99 lb
Chicken Drums or Thighs – $0.99 lb
Ground Beef – $1.99 lb
Pork Sirloin Roast – $1.69 lb
Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage (12 oz) – $1.99
*Pick 5 for $19.99 promotion on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more.
Fridge and Freezer
Banquet Frozen Dinners – $0.99
Totino’s Party Pizza (9 – 10 oz) – $1.29
Produce
Celery – $0.59 each
Green Cabbage – $0.25 lb
Sweet Potatoes – $0.39 lb
Apples, Assorted Varieties – $0.99 lb
Russet Potatoes (8 pounds) – $2.29
Carrots (1 pound) – $0.39
Grocery
Mantia’s Spaghetti Noodles (16 oz) – $0.88
Mantia’s Pasta Sauce (24 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Grated 100% Parmesan Cheese (8 oz) – $2.99
Hargis House Sloppy Joes Sauce (14.5 oz) – $0.99
So Cheesy Mac & Cheese (7.25 oz) – $0.39
Wylwood Canned Vegetables, Corn or Green Beans – $0.59
Diane’s Garden Sliced Tomatoes (14.5 oz) – $0.69
Wylwood Red Kidney Beans (15 oz) – $0.79
Marcum Chili Seasoning – $0.57
J. Higgs Saltine Crackers (16 0z) – $0.99
Kurtz Ketchup (32 oz) – $0.99
Kaskey Onion Soup Mix (2 oz) – $0.89
Save A Lot Soft Drinks (2 liters) – $0.69
Sunny Delight (48 oz) – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries (11 oz) – $0.99
Westcott Vegetable Oil (48 oz) – $2.69
J. Higgs Potato Chips (10 oz) – $1.49
Ginger Evans Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Cowboy Billy’s Baked Beans (16 oz) – $0.89
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends. For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list. Please make sure to check with your local Save A Lot store, the ads do vary per region.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of October 10 – 16, 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!Meat and Seafood
Pork Sirloin Roast – $1.69 lb
Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage (12 oz) – $1.99
Ground Beef – $1.99 lb
Beef Stew Meat – $2.99 lb
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast – $2.49 lb
Pork Sirloin Chops – $1.99 lb
Chicken Drums or Thighs – $0.99 lb
*Pick 5 for $19.99 promotion on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more.
Fridge and Freezer
Colburn Farms Yogurt (6 oz) – $0.50
Produce
Russet Potatoes (8 pounds) – $2.29
Carrots (1 pound) – $0.39
Celery – $0.59 each
Green Cabbage – $0.25 lb
Sweet Potatoes – $0.39 lb
Apples, Assorted Varieties – $0.99 lb
Grocery
J. Higgs Potato Chips (10 oz) – $1.49
Ginger Evans Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Coca-Cola (2 liters) – $1.00
Sara Lee Honey Wheat Bread (20 oz) – $1.99
Sunbeam Old Fashion White Bread (20 oz) – $1.99
Panner Peanut Butter (18 oz) – $1.99
Nature Trails Chewy Granola Bars (10 count) – $1.99
Chase & Sanburn Coffee (23 oz) – $4.99
Sunny Delight (48 oz) – $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. Please make sure to check with your local Save A Lot store, the ads do vary per region.
Giveaway: Target Gift Card
I am doing another giveaway!!! The winner of this giveaway will receive a $10 Target Gift Card! As a busy Mom I am always looking for ways to save, use coupons, and stay within budget for our family. I know many of my readers are doing the same for their families as well and free gift cards are a great way to stretch the savings even more! Target is a great place to pick up household items, groceries, clothing, gifts, and more for your family.
There are two ways to enter this giveaway:
- Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing one of your favorite items you shop for at Target!
All comments must be made by May 31st at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing. On May 31st I will randomly draw a winner from those who have entered the giveaway.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of April 27 – May 3, 2011
The Save A Lot deals are similar to the ones from last week so if you haven’t had a chance to stock up on these deals you can do it this week. The weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Bone-In Shank Potion Ham – $0.99 per lb
Sugardale Sliced Bacon (12 oz) – $1.99
Fresh Chicken Wings – $0.99 per lb
Gwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $0.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Coburn Farms Cream Cheese – $0.79
Creamy Whipped Whip Topping – $0.79
Buyers Best Crinkle Cut French Fried Potatoes – $0.99
Imperial Spread Quarters (16 oz) – $0.50
Fairgrounds Jumbo Hotdogs – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Bologna – $1.00
Banquet Family Size Entrees (26 to 28 oz) – $2.00
Port Side Battered or Breaded Fish Fillets or Fish Sticks – $2.99
Wylwood Frozen Vegetables – $0.99
Banquet Brown & Serve Sausage Links – $0.99
Oscar Mayer Microwave Bacon – $2.99
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – $2.49
Home Churned Spread – $1.89
Morning Delight Crescent Rolls – $1.55
Mr. P’s Pepperoni Pizza – $0.99
Household
Ginger Evans Baking Cups – $1.19
Star Ware Food Storage – $1.49
Produce
Large Fresh Pineapple – $1.50
Fresh Romaine Hearts – $0.99
Baby Carrots (1 lb) – $0.79
Grocery
Grissom’s Brown & Serve Dinner Rolls – $0.79
Potatoes on the Side Au Gratin or Scalloped – $0.79
Ritz Crackers – $1.79
Shelby’s Grove Sliced Peaches (29 oz) – $1.00
Libby’s Pineapple – $0.99
Portmann’s Tartar Sauce – $1.29
Mantia Mostaccioli Penne Pasta – $0.99
Morning Delight Complete Buttermilk Pancake Mix – $1.49
Morning Delight Syrup – $1.49
Hargis House Regular or Chicken Vienna Sausage – $0.39
J. Higgs Potato Chips – $0.99
Palmer Peanut or Caramel Candy – $0.99
Portmann’s Salad Dressing – $1.89
Portmann’s Real Mayonnaise – $1.99
Ginger Evans Cake Mix – $0.99
Ginger Evans Frosting – $1.99
Ginger Evans Muffin Mix – $0.79
Ginger Evans Graham Cracker Crust – $1.29
Ginger Evans Instant Pudding – $0.50
Shelby’s Grove Mandarin Oranges – $0.49
Toast Em PopUps Poptarts – $0.99
Malt O Meal Cereal – $0.99
Vista Sandwich Creme Cookies – $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.
Old Navy Sale: One Day Wonder Friday 4-8pm & ALL Day Saturday
Old Navy is having a ONE DAY WONDER Sale today Friday, April 22, 2011 between 4pm and 6pm and ALL day on Saturday April 23rd on solid polos.
How It Works: There are 3 ways you can participate in the sale, chose one way and start saving.
- Old Navy Facebook page from your Smartphone
- Print a screenshot of Old Navy’s Facebook page
- Show them your Old Navy card
It’s easy to save a little extra! Happy Shopping!
New York & Co. Coupon: $50 off $100
Save $50.00 off your purchase of $100.00 or more at New York & Co. with the coupon code. It can be used for 50% savings on the latest arrivals or on Sale and Clearance items. It also stacks with a Buy 1, Get 1 50% off promotion on clothing bottoms and reduces the shipping charge.
Use Code: 4923
The coupon is good on regular and sale priced items. Stack the coupon with several Buy 1, Get 1 50% off promotion and clearance items for even greater savings! Happy Shopping!
