My Farm Fresh Trip 6/30

Total Sale Value = $55.83

Total Paid = $24.05

SAVED 57%

**Nothing too impressive this week! I am going back for the General Mills Deal... You get 2 Catalina coupons printed one for the General Mills & one for the Nature Valley Bars. When you buy 4 boxes of Nature Valley bars = $10 & receive a $5.00 Catalina coupon AND a $2.00 Catalina coupon! So, 4 boxes for $2.00 & then make it sweeter if you have coupons (SS 5/22)! 

Here's what I got:

Tuesday Tweeking... The Cleaning Schedule

This past week I worked on creating my cleaning schedule like I posted about last week! It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I listed the things that need to be done weekly & monthly. I tried to schedule one "long" chore, one "short" chore & one chore *my kids can help with every day. I also scheduled monthly chores to be done on a specific week of the month.

 Here is my cleaning schedule:

My New Recipe of the Week - Chicken Parmesan

This week I am trying Chicken Parmesan. Now, I have tried making this before a long time ago, but it more consisted of buying breaded chicken & throwing a can of tomato sauce on it... I'd say it doesn't really count. We had a meal similar to this at a friends house a few nights ago & it was delish! So I was trying to recreate it! I really just keep forgetting to ask her for the recipe! 
My favorite thing is that you can easily make this recipe for a couple or a crew... Like I have! :)

My Meal Plan 6/27-7/03

**So, this week is back to normal with my whole family home! The only thing I need to buy is milk & peppers. I'm actually trying 2 new recipes this week, Chicken Parmesan & Amish Friendship Bread. I'm really excited about the Friendship Bread, I've been patiently waiting for the 10th day. Have you ever made it before? There's so many different ways to make it!
What's your favorite variation?

Sunday Stuff

The Rite Aid & Walgreens deal matchups are posted! I skipped the Drug Stores last week, because I really didn't need anything & I wanted to get some extra things at the grocery stores! I haven't decided yet, what I'll do this week! Because I still want to go back to Farm Fresh & Harris Teeter to get some more things! 

This past week my 2 older kids were away at camp! I thought the house would feel so quiet without them... I was wrong! I don't know if the 2 younger are just the loudest or if they just decided to compensate for the lack of people!?!? The kids had an absolute blast at camp & I managed to keep the ones at home busy! We went to the pool 3 times this week, played in the sprinkler, had a movie night, played w/ play-doh, legos, computer games, the wii, colored, and much more!

We have decided to get Busch Gardens Fun Card passes! Hopefully, we can make it this week! The kids have been saving up their report card money to go to Great Wolf Lodge, and they actually have almost all they need! But they chose to take some money out to pay for their passes! We are not going to the Lodge until the winter, so they decided they will have at least 2 report cards to earn the money back! They are already such great decision makers... Wonder where they get that from??? :) 


I will post my Meal Plan in the morning... With summer started & us making last minute plans with family & friends we have not been following it entirely! Not eating out... but not eating exactly what's on the menu! So, if you notice some repetitions from the past weeks, it's not because we eat the same few things, but because we didn't eat them the weeks before! 

That's my week in a nutshell! So far... I've managed to stay since summer has started! We'll see how long it lasts! I'm guessing I'll loose it the week in July when my husband & mother are gone for 8 days on a missions trip! Stay tuned...
 

My 2nd Harris Teeter Trip 6/25

Total Sale Value = $65.50

Total Paid = $30.32

**I went back today & did pretty well, again! I hope to go back at least 1 more time & get a few more things! Check out the Harris Teeter page & my 1st trip for a complete list of matchups!

Here's what I got:

My 1st Harris Teeter Trip 6/24

Total Sale Value = $37.05

Total Paid = $15.63
SAVED 58%

**I have been waiting for payday to shop at Harris Teeter & I was also wanting to avoid the "rush" of couponers that Super Doubles week brings! Most of the freebie items were, of course, already gone, but I hope when I go back they will have restocked! I was able to lower my total extra by $7.84 from using my Walgreens Register Rewards. 

For full list of matchups check out the Harris Teeter page.

Here's what I bought:

Start Saving Your Lunch Money!

Lunch can be the easiest meal to spend extra money on and not even realize it. All those "Lunch Specials" you think you are getting for a bargain, quickly add up and are often not even any cheaper, yet you still receive a smaller portion.

The obvious way of saving money at lunch time is to bring your lunch... I realize that can sound unappetizing & unrealistic, but these tips should change your perspective! Whether you work in an office, out of your car or outside... hopefully this will give you a few new ideas of ways to save money & still eat out!

My Farm Fresh Trip 6/22

Total Sale Value = $32.82

Total Paid = $11.68 + 2 FREE Milk coupons to use!

Saved 106%

 This week Farm Fresh is definitely competing for our business against the Super Doubles at Harris Teeter!

**I stopped in for a late night trip to get a few free & cheap items! I saved over 100% because... I earned 3 FREE milks!!! The cost for the milk ALONE would have been $12.42 + tax... That means I essentially MADE money, since I paid less than the cost of the milk! Woo hoo! I'll probably go back this weekend after payday to get some meat & fruit!

For the complete lists of sales read the Farm Fresh page & Harris Teeter page!

Here's what I got:

Tuesday Tweeking... The Cleaning Schedule

Last week, I posted about how you need to adapt cleaning into your own daily schedule. This is the only way to assure that things actually get crossed off the "To Do List"... You have to be intentional!
Know that there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to cleaning schedules. Each household is unique & therefore, you will have to create a schedule based on what fits your priorities & lifestyle. I know you're wishing you didn't have to do the work of creating a schedule, but just like with other things... If you take the little bit of extra time now to plan this out, it will save you time in the long run!

Here are some steps to creating a schedule:

Our Attempt at a Summer on the GO!

Last week, I posted about my anxiety over keeping my kids busy for the summer! (Read that post here) I am so happy to know that I am not the only one! And you guys gave me some great ideas for activities!

Then I read this post... And I had a light bulb moment! My kids have the ability to play well together, but when they normally fight is when they're bored & cannot agree on what to do. I can always tell when these moments are coming, because they want to do nothing but watch tv & when they are talking about what to do, they say "No" to EVERY thing! So, I decided what if I can give them ideas BEFORE they get bored??? 

I wrote out a list of the activities from the "I'm bored cards", your comment ideas, did a little researching online for what is fun & cheap in my area & anything else I could think of. I then counted the days of summer they have left, which is now 76 days. And my goal is to have them do 1 thing from the list everyday. 
I have not given them this list, because they would want to do everything in 1 day! I chose not to make the jar & have not even told them about the list, because I did not want to cripple their creativity. They can be really great with coming up with their own ideas. These are things just for myself, that I can suggest when I see they are having difficulty entertaining themselves. This normally happens when my youngest son lays down for a nap or in the evening & they are getting a little cranky & tired.
My ideas range from simple games, pretend play, outside activities & places I will have to take them.

Here is my list:

My Meal Plan 6/20-6/26

**This week my 2 oldest children are off at camp for the week, so we will be eating smaller meals & probably have more leftovers. Our 2 youngest have smaller appetites & can be quite picky. 

For more info on meal planning read this post.

NEW Printable Coupons

• $1.50 off Ritz Crackers AND Coca-Cola 1.25L
• $1.00 off Breyer's Blast
• $2.00 off Huggies PullUps
• $1.00 off ANY size Degree Deodorant - can use for sample size
• $1.00 off TUMs
• $1.00 off Red Baron pizza
• $1.00 off Hilshire Lower Sodium Lunchmeat
• $2.00 off Nivea For Men Face Care product or 2 Shave Gels
• $1.00 off I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

Use zipcode 07039:

•  $1.00 off 2 Oscar Mayer Hotdogs
• $0.75 off 2 Ball Park Franks
• $1.00 off Sara Lee Deli meat - 1 lb. or more from deli counter or 1 package of pre-sliced meat
• $0.75 off Newman's Salad Dressing
• $1.00 off any The Good Life Brand recipe for cats

Use zipcode 23320:

• $0.50 off Smart Balance eggs
• $1.50 off multipack Boost Kid Essentials
• $0.75 off Truvia natural sweetner

 

Happy Father's Day!!!

   So, I am headed home from dropping off my 2 oldest kids at Camp for the week! I am actually blogging from my car... Isn't technology crazy?!?! The kids we're ecstatic! I know they will have a blast! Last year, my daughter cried when she left! I tried to not take it personally! Lol
   I am wondering what I am going to do with only 2 children at home! I know that can sound offensive to some of you who have 1 or 2 kids. But when you have "a lot", having only 2 kids becomes a break! I guess it's just warped thinking! I am sure I will make good use of my "I'm Bored" ideas. (I plan on posting about it this week.)  
   
   The Rite Aid & Walgreens deals for the week are posted! And remember the Farm Fresh & Harris Teeter deals are still good through Tues. Let me know how you do shopping! I was so happy to hear 2 success stories this morning at church! One friend saved $300 just by meal planning & using a few coupons! And the other saved 50% on her bill at Farm Fresh! Love knowing you are trying & succeeding & figuring out what works for YOU!!!
   
   Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there! I hope today is filled with naps, tv, cookouts & laughs! Today can be bittersweet for some... I understand this, but I hope that you will not allow it to affect your day or life negatively! Instead, use your pain as motivation for being a great dad or motivating others to be the best dad they can be! In this society it can be extra hard to be a great dad, but I pray that you will realize the importance of your role & fulfill it with honor! 
   Here is my gift to you on this Father's Day... Enjoy it to the fullest! If you'd like to share it here is the link.

“Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice” ~ Unknown

Never raise your hand to your kids.  It leaves your groin unprotected.  ~Red Buttons

Marriage Built to Last

Last night, our church hosted a marriage teaching on Chip Ingram's "Marriage Built to Last"! The focus all comes down to putting Christ at the center of your marriage! It was such a great night of teaching, sharing & commitments. There were over 50 couples present!

My husband and I were blessed by the opportunity to be able to speak. Our topic was "Breaking Down the Walls". This topic is definitely one that we've been forced to walk straight through... It was either that or divorce. It is only by the grace of God that we can now say, we are 100% committed & divorce is not an option for us! It is crazy to think of us being in this "place" right now. I always say, if God can do what he has done for us... There's hope for ANYone!

In creating a "Marriage Built to Last", you must agree to make a lot of hard decisions for the sake of your marriage:

But I'm not a "Couponer"...

    I know that when some people look at my site & my savings, they think I could never do this... I don't have the time, or the patience & why bother wasting time to save a few cents here & there? Right? Am I reading your mind?

    I'm reading my own mind... I don't have extra time and I certainly don't have patience! Lol But I have figured out how to integrate coupon & other saving processes into my life. 

    My process may not be your process. My savings may not be your savings. But every bit counts & adds up. And what matters is that you're starting somewhere. Try new things & eventually you will figure out what works for you!

   Here are some different options you have:

My Farm Fresh Trip 6/15

Total Sale Value = $85.11

Total Price Paid = $60.64

Saved 32%

 **So, this week I almost had a heart attack at the register when I handed over my money! Lol I haven't paid this much at 1 store in awhile. But I am not going to Harris Teeter this week, because I'm not too impressed. And I got a lot of meat, because my freezer was running low & everything was priced well. Everything else was free or close too, but still... I prefer to save at least 50%!

 For the complete list of deals go to the Farm Fresh page & Harris Teeter page. 

Here's what I got:

Store Matchups & NEW Printable Coupons

The new Farm Fresh matchups & Harris Teeter matchups are posted! Not too impressive of a week at either place. Farm Fresh does have a lot of great fresh produce sales! This week I'll definitely be dipping into my stockpile.

Here are a few new printable coupons! Print what you will use now!

Use zipcode 23322:

• $0.50 off 2 Milky Way Brand bars
• $0.50 off Smart Balance Eggs
• $1.00 off 5 Weight Watcher's Yogurt Cups
• $0.75/2 Ball Park Franks

Tuesday Tweeking... The Cleaning Schedule

As I've said many times this blog is dedicated to saving you time & money!!! So, I have decided to dedicate one post a week to saving time... Nothing to do with coupons or sales or shopping! :) This will mainly just be me sharing tips from myself & other bloggers on ways to simplify your life! Don't we all crave simplicity for our lives?!?!

So, today's topic is about Tweeking your Schedule! How many times do you wake up in the morning with the full intention of crossing off everything on your "To Do List" and then when your head hits the pillow you realize that maybe one thing was done?!?! The next day, you wake up and start the cycle again... 

There are so many things fighting for your time that cleaning, errands & chores easily loose precedence! How many times do we say to ourselves, "I don't have time right now. I'll do it later when I'm not so busy." Guess what??? That "not so busy" moment... NEVER happens!!! 

We are left with two options. 
Option #1 - Frantically clean right before guests arrive. Cleaning off counters, vacuuming, spraying febreeze & shoving things anywhere, but in plain sight. (We've all been there) This can get real old, real fast if you often have drop-in guests. 
Option #2 - Adapt cleaning into your daily schedule. This allows you to maintain your home, instead of letting it become overwhelming. And this way you do not have to abandon your normal daily activities to spend a day cleaning.

Here are some tips:

Friday Fun

This week has been jam packed! Between commitments & trying to keep the kids busy, we barely spent any time at home. But I am not complaining! This week has been great weather, which allowed the kids to spend more time outside without dying of heat within minutes! Our backyard is all sun, so on hot days it can be unbearable. 

- The kids attempted to fly their kite
- Isaac had a shot of bravery and attempted (& quickly) failed at the monkey bars
- I tried a new recipe that everyone loved
- We were able to take advantage of the pool before public school was out

We are slowly settling into a summer routine, which I'm happy about... Routines and schedules are my passion! Lol The kids have been getting along relatively well. I have changed their "chore routine" for the summer and it seems to be a positive change. 
They do not have set chores everyday, instead they must clean up after themselves without being asked. If they have to be reminded, they will clean up their mess & have a chore I specify. Also, if they are not getting along, they will have a chore. This actually seems to be helping them to take care of their messes & figure out how to get along... Especially when asked if they need a chore to stop fighting! :) 

This week was also, my Grandads 78th birthday! We celebrated with cake & went down to the beach to hear a band play. We sat in the sand & were serenaded by my parents singing along! I can only hope that I can live to be as healthy, happy, and full of energy as my Grandad! He is definitely a prime example of working hard for the things you want in life, never accepting a handout, not complaining over things you can't change, being content with your life, and loving your family to the fullest!

**How was your week??? Did you take advantage of the weather???

New Recipe of the Week - Easy Chicken Enchiladas

 

Every week I have been trying to add a new recipe to my repertoire. I figured if I'm already putting it on my Meal Plan for everyone to see, I might as well document it for you to maybe be inspired to do the same. Depending on my schedule, I'll try to test it out on Monday & then report back on Tuesday and let you know my findings! :) 

So here's the 1st one.