CVS: Spent $9.16 and Got $27 ECB’s Back!
This week CVS has a few great deals. I was happy to get a small pack of Allegra for my allergies, this week it was free with ECB’s and I had a $2 coupon. I used 3 separate coupons just for the Aquify and was able to pay for it completely plus overage. I was able to get a handful of items for $9.16 and received $27.98 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.- 1 – CoBroxin Homeopathic Oral Spray – $18.99
- 1 – Allegra Allergy (5 Count) – $6.99
- 1 – Aquify Contact Solution Kit – $9.49
- 1 – Colgate Max White Toothpaste – $2.99
The total was over $41 with tax before using coupons. Here are the coupons I used on the items.
- Used $2.00 Allegra Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $2.00 Aquify CVS Instant Coupon
- Used $1.50 Aquify Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $7.00 Aquify CVS Kiosk Coupon
I received $27.98 ECB’s back today:
- $18.99 ECB’s for Cobroxin
- $6.99 ECB’s for Allegra
- $2.00 ECB’s for Colgate
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.
Book: “The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas Stanley
As I was thinking about the various books I have read over the past few years “The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas Stanley came to mind. In this book Stanley explains the research he did on how America’s wealthy got there. You don’t need to make a substantial amount to be smart with your money. Living a flashy and fancy lifestyle isn’t what it takes to be wise with your finances. I found it fascinating learning more regarding the millionaire “mindset” and the questions he asked in his research.Our family has been trying to stick to our budget and be more responsible with the blessings we have been given. We are by no means millionaires but we feel it is important to always continue to learn and grow. My husband and I listened to the audiobook version of this book together. If you are trying to wrap your mind around finances this is fun book to read or listen to as you work through the process as a family. I encourage you to communicate and pray as a family as you go on this journey together. When we were first married it became very clear that Jake and I had different patterns and views on finances. Taking the time to listen or read these types of books together helps encourage and strengthen your relationship while providing a positive outlook on finances. What works for one family may not be doable for the next family, however, we all have been giving many blessings in life. We still continue to make mistakes, pick ourselves back up, and learn from the lessons God continues to teach us. We want to purposely chose to be wise with what we have been given so we have more opportunities to share with those around us.
Living on a Budget – Groceries $40 for 4
SaveALot | RiteAid and Walgreens I made it through my second week of doing my new cash budget system – Groceries $40 for 4 and I have to be honest with you, it didn’t go well at ALL. It was a super busy week and I decided at the beginning of the week to totally revamped my menu for this week. The good news is the menu included a bunch of new healthy recipes, however, since we have been cutting back on our grocery shopping the last few weeks we had to rebuild our fresh fruit and veggie stockpile. Although I was able to get a lot of great deals on veggies (Thank You Aldi’s) it still added up quickly. My grocery store shopping this week was spread out and sandwiched in between appointments which made it even more hurried and less organized. I am still learning how to operate on the cash grocery system (even though I blew it this week). Hopefully, we can continue trying to utilize the food we already have in our pantry and freezer along with adding in extra fresh fruits and veggies. I did learn a lot about the mistakes I made this week (hopefully I can refrain from repeating them). What I learned this week from some of my grocery shopping mistakes:
- It is important to make the time to go shopping and not try to squeeze it in between appointments (rushing through doesn’t always work well even with a list).
- Forgetting some of my coupons made a huge difference ( I didn’t have the time or desire to use extra gas to go back for them)
- Shopping early morning is much better than in the middle of the day (not as many markdown items)
- Fresh items are more expensive (it is okay to substitute in some frozen ones too).
- Completely altering your menu once the week has already started causes unnecessary stress
- There are certain times of day it is not smart to take the whole crew with you to the store (right after school when they are restless and very HUNGRY)
- It is very difficult sticking to a $40 grocery budget when I had numerous hiccups in my process
Pictured above is my Walgreens and SaveALot | Rite Aid trip. Sorry I was not able to get a picture of my Aldi’s and BiLo trips it took everything in me just to put the stuff away (actually, I still have a few cans sitting on the counter still waiting for me to put them in the pantry). I didn’t separate out my household and grocery items at Aldi or BiLo either so I don’t have the exact totals but to be completely honest I more than double my grocery budget for this week. Here is what I spent at the two stores pictured above and what we bought:
- $5.05 at Walgreens for 2 cans of Cashews
- $19.23 at SaveALot | RiteAid for Milk, Parmesan Grated Cheese, Yogurt, Carrots, Cheese, Mushrooms, Stew Meat, Hamburger Helper
Life was spread out and busy this week. My grocery shopping and house shows the ripple effect of it too. It was our second week of the challenge – Groceries $40 for 4 and we more than doubled our grocery budget of $40. I was disappointed in myself for making so many silly mistakes (and I knew better too) in my rush to pick up groceries and feed the family. I did get to use some coupons, bought clearance items, and utilized weekly ad discounts to help save us a little extra on our grocery budget even though the savings wasn’t enough. I really hope to be more organized and do better next week. 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.
*Hot Deal* DealPulp – Give $3 Credit & Get $3 Credit
DealPulp is another daily deal site (like Groupon & Living Social). Today you can earn a $3 credit when you sign up here for a new DealPulp account! You can then turn around and invite friends through your referral link on your account and give them a $3 Credit as well! How it works!
- Sign up here on DealPulp = $3 Credit from me!
- Share your referral link with a friend by visiting today’s deal and clicking “invite.”
- When your friend signs up for a DealPulp account = they receive $3 Credit from you!
- You can help friends gain credits!
This deal ends in less than 20 hours. It costs nothing to sign up and you can use your $3 towards a future purchase at DealPulps. I have received several great deals at DealPulp already! The last two DealPulp deals I have purchased were $1 each therefore you could potentially get three unique deals for $1 each just for signing up and sharing. In the spirit of sharing with others please feel free to post your referral code in a comment below so we can help others get their credits as well!
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of March 16 – 22, 2011
The Save A Lot 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
Fresh Whole Chicken– $0.79 lb
Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs (16 oz) – $0.99
Schooner Fish Fillets (12 oz) – $1.99
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
Hot Pocket Singles – $0.79
Banquet Fruit or Pot Pies – $0.50
Use $0.40/2 coupon found on packages (Expires 5/31/12)
$0.30 each after couponFisher Boy Fish Sticks – $0.99
Use $0.75/1 printable coupon from Fisher Boy
$0.24 each after couponFairgrounds Bologna – $0.99
Frisby’s Shoestring Fries – $0.99
Imperial Spread Quarters – $0.65
Coburn Farms Lowfat or Light Yogurt – $0.50
Household
Pert Bath Tissue – $0.89
Wrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $0.99
Axis Bleach – $0.99
Angel Fresh Fabric Softener Sheets (40 count) – $0.99
Being Well Body 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner – $.199
Produce
Fresh Green Cabbage – $0.49 per lb
Fresh Express Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99
Carrots (2 lbs) – $0.99
Grocery
Tuna Skillet Masters – $0.79
StarKist Chunk Light Tuna – $0.50
Prego Spaghetti Sauce (24 oz) $1.50
Use $0.35/2 coupon from insert 1/2 Smart Source (Expires 3/31/11)
$1.33 each after couponKaskey’s Chicken Noodle Soup – $0.53
J. Higg’s Crackers – $0.89
Kurtz Yellow Mustard – $0.69
Kurtz Hot Sauce – $0.99
Krutz Ketchup – $0.89
Portemann’s Salad Dressing – $1.25
Potatoes on the Side Scallop or AuGratin – $0.99
Mantia’s Pizza Crust Mix – $0.49
Mantia’s Pizza Sauce – $0.99
Mantia’s Grated Parmesan Cheese – $2.55
Tangy Original Sunny D – $0.99
Use $0.25/1 coupon from insert 1/16 Smart Source (Expires 4/30/11)
$0.74 each after couponSundia Fruit Cups – $0.89
Libby’s Pineapple – $0.99
Gourmet Select Oven Baked Onion Rings – $0.99
Jones Potato Sticks – $0.99
Cactus Joe’s Hot Fries or Dipping Chips – $0.99
Cheese Curls Cheese Balls – $1.29
Mike Sell’s Kettle Chips – $1.79
Vinter’s Multipack Chips (16 count) – $3.99
So Cheezy Shells & Cheddar or Deluxe Mac & Cheese – $1.00
Del Pino’s Beef or Mini Beef Ravioli – $1.50
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.
CVS: Spent $12 and Got $18 ECB’s Back
This week CVS has a few great deals. I was happy to get some Allegra for my allergies, it is usually more than $20, but this week it was on sale, I had a coupon, and I received an ECB back for it. My local store was sold out of some of the deals in the weekly ad already but I was able to get these few items for $12.84 and received $18.99 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.- 1 – Irish Spring Body Wash – $2.99 with $2.00 ECB’s
- 1 – Tena Ultra Thin Pads – $9.99 with $9.99 ECB’s
- 1 – Allegra Allergy – $17.99 with $5.00 ECB’s
- 2 – Dentek’ Floss – $5.98 with $2.00 ECB’s
- 1 – Dulcolax Tabs – $4.99
- 1 – Purex Laundry Soap – $3.99
The total was over $48 with tax before using coupons. Here are the coupons I used on the items.
- Used $2.50 Tena Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $2.00 Allegra Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $4.00 Dulcolax Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $3.00 Purex Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $24 ECB’s from previous purchases
I received $18.99 ECB’s back today:
- $9.99 ECB’s for Tena
- $5.00 ECB’s for Allegra
- $2.00 ECB’s for DenTek
- $2.00 ECB’s for Irish Spring
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. 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: Spent .44 Cents and Got $9 Register Rewards Back
Yesterday must have been my day to get get $9 in rewards back since I received $9 back from CVS and from Walgreens on the same day. I spent $0.44 including tax at Walgreens this week on health and beauty purchases and received $9 Register Rewards back from that visit to use towards my next purchase at Walgreens. For those of you who haven’t used Walgreens Register Rewards here’s what I got and how I spent only 44 cents.- 2 – Colgate Toothpastes (1 MaxFresh & 1 MaxWhite) – $5.00 with $2.00 Register Rewards Back
- 2 – SoftSoap (Juicy Pomegranate & Mango Infusions and Sweet Honeysuckle & Orange Peel) 18 oz – $7.00 with $5.00 Register Rewards Back
- 1 – Always Pantiliners (34 Count) – $2.99 with $2.00 Register Rewards Back
The total was over $16 with tax before using coupons. Here are the coupons I used on the five items.
- Used $0.75 Colgate Manufacturer Coupon for 1 toothpaste
- Used $0.75 Colgate Manufacturer Coupon for 1 toothpaste
- Used $1.00 Always Manufacturer Coupon
- Used $8 Register Rewards from previous purchase
- Used $5 Register Rewards from previous purchase
I received $9 ECB’s back today:
- $2.00 Register Rewards for Colgate
- $5.00 Register Rewards for SoftSoap
- $2.00 Register Rewards for Always
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. For today’s purchase that worked out well because I had 5 products which I used 3 manufacturer’s coupons and 2 Register Rewards. 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.
A couple weeks ago Brina and I picked up the Softsoap Juicy Pomegranate & Mango Infusions at CVS and we LOVE it! Brina carried it through the entire store and occasionally stopped to open it so she could smell it. It really does smell amazing and refreshing. I was thrilled to find it on sale at Walgreen’s this week. The girls are going to be very excited to find out I got another one for them.
As you can see from the items I purchased you don’t have to spend a lot of money or purchase every item on sale to get a good deal at Walgreen’s. If you spread the $0.44 out over the 5 items I paid $0.08 per item (which includes tax for the entire purchase) PLUS I received $9 in Register Rewards back that I can put towards my next Walgreen’s purchase. 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.
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
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of March 2 – 8, 2011
Here are this weeks deals 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
Pork Picnic Roast – $0.99 lb
Frozen Boneless Chicken Breast – $1.49 per lb
Ground Beef (73% lean) – $1.99 per lb
Schooner Fish Fillets (2 lbs) – $4.99
Port Side Battered or Breaded Fish Fillets – $2.99
Port Side Cooked Shrimp – $3.99
Port Side Popcorn Shrimp – $2.17
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
Banquet Fruit or Pot Pies – $0.50
Totino’s Party Pizzas – $1.19
Use $1/5 coupon from insert 2/13 General Mills (Expires 5/7/11)
Use $0.50/3 coupon from insert 2/13 General Mills (Expires 5/7/11)
Use $1.25/4 coupon from insert 1/30 Smart Source (Expires 4/23/11)
Use $0.50/1 coupon from insert 1/23 Red Plum (Expires 4/16/11)
As low as $0.69 each after coupon
Michelina Pizza Rolls – $1.99
Coburn Farms Shredded Cheese – $2.59
Haas Cheesecake – $3.49
Household
Trend Laundry Detergent – $1.88
Triumph Big Roll Papers Towels – $1.29
Solutions Glass Cleaner – $0.99
Glo Classic Dish Liquid – $0.99
Angel Soft Bath Tissue – $2.49
Produce
Idaho Potatoes (10 lbs) – $2.49
Navel Oranges (3 lbs) – $1.49
Whole Watermelons (select locations) – $3.99 each
Grocery
Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail Juice – $.188
General Mills Cereal (24 to 25.2 oz) – $2.49
Use $1/3 coupon from insert 2/13 General Mills (Expires 3/26/11)
$2.16 each after coupon
Prego Spaghetti Sauce (24 oz) $1.50
Use $0.35/2 coupon from insert 1/2 Smart Source (Expires 3/31/11)
Use $0.60/3 coupon from insert 1/2 Smart Source (Expires 3/31/11)
As low as $1.20 each after coupon
So Cheezy Shells & Cheddar or Deluxe Mac & Cheese – $1.00
Del Pino’s Beef or Mini Beef Ravioli – $1.50
Portmann’s Tartar Sauce – $1.39
Portmann’s Seafood Cocktail Sauce – $1.29
J Higg’s Potato Chips – $0.99
Save-A-Lot Soda – $0.69
Crystal Drinking Water (24 package) – $2.49
Kaskey’s Onion Soup Mix – $0.79
Portmann’s Real Mayonnaise – $1.99
Panner Peanut Butter – $1.47
Bramler’s Grape Jelly – $1.49
J Higg’s Saltine Crackers – $0.89
Kaskey’s Chunky Soup – $1.49
Mantia’s Spaghetti – $0.79
Mantia’s Grated Parmesan Cheese – $2.49
Crisco Vegetable or Canola Oil – $2.49
Green Giant Vegetables – $0.59
T.G.I. Friday’s Cheddar Bacon Potato Skins – $0.99
Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding – $0.99
Bakery
Country Treats Donut Holes – $2.29
JJ’s Chocolate Pie – $0.44
Bakery Fresh Cherry or Apple Pie – $2.99
Theodoro Mini Bagels – $1.49
Lofthouse Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies – $2.49
Guiseppe’s Garlic Bread – $1.79
Baby
Tickles Diapers – $5.99
Pet
Trooper Dog Food – $5.99
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.
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
