Oh my word...February is here! I can't believe how mild this winter has been. Not that I'm complaining...I really don't care for snow. My kids, on the other hand, are bummed because they have only been able to go sledding once this year so far. Oh well...I am just hoping that with this beautiful weather comes an even more fabulous spring!
Today, the sun is shining through my dining room windows, TJ is doing is homework, and I am getting ready to take my daughter to Michael's to find a car for the Pinewood Derby that her girl scout troop is going to participate in. I am really looking forward to getting out for some reason! I am also sitting here planning my week of meals. I have gone back to work three days a week, which is great for our budget, but not so great for my house. Keeping up with four kids, a husband, and a dog while working is definitely a challenge. They go through a lot of clothes! My washer never stops! But I digress...back to thinking about our meals for this week.
This is how our week is panning out...tomorrow is Sunday, therefore, we go to church and then Grace has a girl scout meeting at 2. There is a pot luck after church tomorrow so we won't have to worry about lunch so it is breakfast and dinner, plus whatever I decide to contribute to the pot luck. Then Monday is a crazy night...Ryan has a cub scout meeting and Ethan is visiting a local boy scout troop. Tuesday night TJ has a meeting and won't be home for dinner, Wednesday and Thursday are open (for the moment), Friday night is the inspection and impound for the pinewood derby which is next Saturday morning. So...since I am working on Monday's, Thursday's, and Friday's...I am trying to preplan the prep work for those nights, this way I can still cook from scratch, but it won't take me as long.
I am still planning two meatless meals a week. Last week we had a beautiful eggplant parmesan on Monday night that I served with a salad, and last night I made a delicious veggie pot pie that was full of veggies and we didn't miss the meat one bit! I think for this week, I am going to make a quiche for dinner one night, full of broccoli, onions, and cheese and for our second meatless meal, I think that I am going to go with a veggie minestrone soup. If there is one thing that I love to make, its soup! It is easy, delicious, inexpensive, and I can have it on the table in 30 minutes or less!
So here is the plan for the week:
Sunday: Breakfast- Crockpot egg casserole (the cost of eggs has decreased significantly!)
Lunch- Pot Luck- I am going to take Swedish meatballs
Dinner- Roast Pork (I have it in my freezer already, when I bought it, it was $1.99/pound and it is just over 2 pounds. The roast was a total of $4.23)
Twice-Baked potatoes with cauliflower, broccoli, and cheese (this is a house favorite!)
Fresh dinner rolls
Applesauce
Monday- Breakfast- Cereal, banana
Lunches- Packed lunches (Ham or PB&J, pretzels, cheese crackers, homemade trail mix and Juice box.)
My lunch is usually 1 Greek yogurt and something crunchy like pretzels.
Dinner- Minestrone Soup, homemade bread.
Tuesday- Breakfast- Cheese Omelets, toast
Lunches- Packed lunches
Dinner- chicken enchiladas, yellow rice
Wednesday- Breakfast- Oatmeal cinnamon muffins, banana or orange
Lunch- Packed Lunches
Dinner- Broccoli and cheese quiche, salad
Thursday- Breakfast- Leftover quiche or cereal, with fruit
Lunch- Packed Lunches
Dinner- Mini Meatloaves, au-gratin potatoes, green peas.
Friday- Breakfast- Cereal, fruit
Lunches- Packed Lunches
Dinner- Shrimp Scampi ( I bought the shrimp two weeks ago on sale for $5.98 a pound...they are medium size) with Salad
Saturday- Pinewood Derby Day!
I am providing pancake bites for the snack table at the derby so I have purchase the supplies for those too.
Breakfast- Blueberry Muffins, fruit
Lunch- Pizza (We purchase pizza at the pinewood derby)
Dinner- beef tips over mashed potatoes (I have two chuck steaks that I bought on sale that I am going to cut and use for this meal.) & Dijon green beans.
Grocery List-
eggs (2 18 packs) $4.36
bread (3 loaves) $4.17
milk (3 gallons) $5.97
butter (2 pounds) $5.78
deli ham- (1 pound) $4.08
potatoes (5 pounds) $1.99
frozen peas (2 pounds) $1.98
Corn meal (5 pounds) $2.78
Bananas (5 pounds) $1.95
frozen blueberries $2.99
Vanilla Greek Yogurt (family size) $3.79
1 box dittalini pasta $1.38
1 bag of carrots $0.69
1 celery bunch $1.39
1 pkg. 12 cheese sticks $2.79
1 16 oz. sour cream $1.28
yellow rice -$.98
Total for the week- approximately $48.35
If you notice, there is no meat on this list...I am pretty well stocked at this point. I also have a pretty stocked pantry so my list is small.
What's on your menu this week?
Showing posts with label All About Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label All About Me. Show all posts
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Monday, November 9, 2015
Award Winning Apple Pie!!
The public library held it's 2nd Annual Pie Bake Off today and I nervously prepared my Crumb Topped Apple pie to enter. Having never entered any competitions in the past, I had absolutely no idea what the judges would be looking for or what my competition would look like. I hurriedly baked the pie this morning and took it straight from the oven to the library. I had to pick up my son from school on the way and I wasn't trying to get the pie to the competition on time. As I carried it into the library, I was shaking a bit because I was soooooo nervous! After entering the room where the contest was taking place, I realized that there was some real competition. The pies were so beautiful and mine was pretty, but not as nicely done as some of the others...you could tell that they had been lovingly made.
We had been told that they would be serving pie starting at 2 pm, so Adam and I left with the promise of returning for a taste of some of those scrumptious pies (Adam wanted the pumpkin pie so badly that he talked about it for two hours after we left!) Just as we were about to get ready to head back to the library, I got the phone call that my pie was the winner! I was completely shocked and delighted that the judges had chosen my pie.
So now, I can change the name of my pie to an award winning apple pie! I truly hope that you will find this recipe just as delicious!
We had been told that they would be serving pie starting at 2 pm, so Adam and I left with the promise of returning for a taste of some of those scrumptious pies (Adam wanted the pumpkin pie so badly that he talked about it for two hours after we left!) Just as we were about to get ready to head back to the library, I got the phone call that my pie was the winner! I was completely shocked and delighted that the judges had chosen my pie.
So now, I can change the name of my pie to an award winning apple pie! I truly hope that you will find this recipe just as delicious!
The pie that I made for this contest was made using my perfect pie crust, apple pie filling, and crumb topping. Check out those recipes right here...
http://mymamascheap.blogspot.com/2015/11/apple-pie-filling.html?spref=pi
I hope that you are having a marvelous Monday!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Pantry Basics- Spices, Packets, and Seasonings
A good spice rack can take your meals from okay to WOW! I still don't know what all of the spices on my spice rack can be used for, but I do have some that I use all of the time and couldn't live without!
There are common spices, or herbs, that should be in every pantry, and these spices are usually found in many recipes. Let me be specific about spices, herbs, and seasonings. A spice or an herb is something that is grown and then dried. The difference between a spice and an herb is determined by the part of the plant that it comes from. Okay...I know, I know, not the most exciting post so far...but because we are talking about spices and herbs, I thought you may find it interesting that spices and herbs are not the same thing!
So what is the difference? Although both spices and herbs are part of plants, they are derived from different parts of the plant. Spices come from the root, stem, or seeds from a plant. Some examples of spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Herbs come from the leaves of the plants. Some examples of herbs are thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley. As a root vegetable, onions and garlic would be considered spices when dried. So if you are asked to use onion or garlic powder then that would be a spice.
Alright, so I'm now done with my science lesson for the day! Spices and herbs are written interchangeably on most recipes so try not to be confused. So what spices or herbs should you have in your pantry? Great question! Take a look at your favorite recipes and determine which spices and herbs are required for them; those are the spices and herbs that you should have in your pantry.
Below is the list of spices and herbs that I have in my pantry at all times. If you are just beginning to cook, these are the ones that you will want to have on hand right away.
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Cumin
Chili Powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Rosemary
Black Pepper
What about seasonings? What are those? So for these, I think about a mix of different herbs and spices that make a seasoning blend. For example, Italian seasoning, chicken seasoning, and season salts are all seasoning blends. In addition, a seasoning packet like taco seasoning and chili seasoning are also spice blends.
So, what should you have in your pantry? All of the above...especially if you are just starting out. Luckily most of these spices and packets can be purchased for less than a dollar and they last a long time if stored properly. I try to go through my spices and herbs twice a year. They lose their potency after a while, especially once they're open. If you notice that the smell or color of your herbs is not as strong as it was when you first got it, then you may want to replace it. Try not to purchase an herb rack with a lot of spices that you have never heard of before, you probably won't use them, and that is just a waste of your money.
Do you have spices in your pantry that aren't on this list? Please share! We would love to hear your fresh ideas.
I hope that this was helpful! Next week I'm going to talk about stocking up your fridge and freezer.
Blessings to All!
Kim
Friday, September 18, 2015
Back in the Swing of Things
School has started and now we are in the full swing of back packs, lunch pails, and homework! Since Labor day, this house has been had a whirlwind of activity, which I have to admit has been really exciting and fun! We have four little ones in school as our youngest has started UPK this year, and so this Mama is trying to organize the house and de-clutter while the kiddos are out of the house, which hasn't left much time for my blog...but today I am back and I have some great stuff to talk about!
School can really knock you off of your rocker! My kids have a strict schedule now that school is back in session and I am working tirelessly to keep them on track with homework, reading assignments, and of course their extra curricular activities. Then, somehow in between all of that, I have to try to remember when they had their last bath (which is a task in and of itself!) Crazy town is what has happened in our quiet house! Now that the dust is settling a bit, I am really excited to get back to work!
As many of you know, I work very hard to meal plan, and usually I can plan a great menu in just a few minutes, but this week, with the weather going from cooler to hot, I struggled to figure out what I wanted to make. So, essentially, I went grocery shopping with only a few meals in mind. Thankfully, I have enough food in the pantry that I am able to put meals together without too much of an issue. After my shopping trip, I thought about my pantry and decided this would be a great time to start a new weekly series! So be on the look out for my Pantry Basics series! These articles will be essential if you are just starting out on your meal planning journey. I have to admit that it took me years to get my pantry to a place where I can pull easy meals out of it without much thought. My hope and prayer for you is that, with these tips and strategies, it won't take you long to get on the road to a well stocked and functional pantry.
Anyone with a cupboard can have a pantry so please don't be discouraged if you don't have a dedicated pantry. To be honest, I only have two cupboards that I use to store food. If your storage space is limited, that's okay! You can still have a functional pantry.
Getting Started!
Getting started doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, my biggest piece of advice in this project is to write a list of really quick, go to meals, that you or your family eat on a regular basis. Out of those meals, write down the dry or canned ingredients. For my family these meals include spaghetti, chicken and wild rice soup, and tacos. My pantry is never without spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, angel hair pasta, wild rice, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, taco shells, or taco seasoning (I make my own now and its amazing!)
Step 1-
If you need to start small, I recommend developing a list of 2-5 meals that you or the family eats all of the time. I could give you a list of what I have in my pantry but if your family is vegetarian, then what I have in my pantry would be completely wrong for you. So start there. Once you have a list of meals in place, write down all of the dry or canned ingredients that you would need to make all of those meals. What do I mean by dry ingredients? After all, cheese is dry right? By dry ingredients, I am talking about all of the those that are not in a can or a bottle that do not require refrigeration. For example, boxes of pasta would be a dry ingredient. Other examples might be rice, seasoning packets, spices, flour, sugar, and cereal(s) like oatmeal.
The next step is to write down all of the canned or bottled items you may need to make those recipes. In my pantry those items would be any canned tomato product, chicken broth (I make my own but I always keep canned chicken broth on hand too), chili beans, and cream of mushroom soup (I am working my way to making it from scratch, I'll keep you posted!)
To keep up with my pantry, I always purchase at least one of each of the items above when I go to the grocery store. It's just part of my weekly budget and since I don't want to appear on the next episode of "Hoarders" I always do a spot check of my pantry when I am meal planning. If I have a ton of chili beans in my pantry, I know that I should make chili sometime during that week. The spot check also lets me know what items I need to "stock" up on. For example, this week, I used several cans of cream of mushroom soup. I like to have at least 4 on hand per week, which means I keep 8 on hand because I shop every two weeks, and since I only have 4 left, I put four cans on my shopping list. I may not even use them, but if I need to drop a quick casserole in the oven this week, I know that I have them to fall back on.
Now that you have determined what should be in your pantry you need to decide how many of those items you need to keep on hand based on your shopping schedule. If you shop weekly, then you may only need to keep 1-2 like items in your pantry at a time (this saves space for those of you who don't have much). If you like to shop bi-weekly or monthly, then you will need to have more. Determining how much of an item you need on hand can be done with trial and error. I would recommend a three month trial period to start. If you never used that can of spaghetti sauce, then you should only have to keep one on hand, but if you purchased 5-10 of any one item during the trial period, then you know that you should keep at least 8 on hand in the pantry. Make sense? If not, that's okay! It's early and I am multitasking, LOL. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask!
Do you have a well stocked pantry and have an idea to share? We would love to hear it! What do you keep in your pantry?
***Stay tuned! Next week: Spices and Seasoning Packets. What to keep, what to get rid of, and how long they stay fresh in the pantry.***
Check me out on Pinterest! My Mama's Cheap! Even if I am not posting on here every day, I'm pinning stuff daily! Check out some of the recipes that I'm pinning and let us know how they worked out for you and your family!
School can really knock you off of your rocker! My kids have a strict schedule now that school is back in session and I am working tirelessly to keep them on track with homework, reading assignments, and of course their extra curricular activities. Then, somehow in between all of that, I have to try to remember when they had their last bath (which is a task in and of itself!) Crazy town is what has happened in our quiet house! Now that the dust is settling a bit, I am really excited to get back to work!
As many of you know, I work very hard to meal plan, and usually I can plan a great menu in just a few minutes, but this week, with the weather going from cooler to hot, I struggled to figure out what I wanted to make. So, essentially, I went grocery shopping with only a few meals in mind. Thankfully, I have enough food in the pantry that I am able to put meals together without too much of an issue. After my shopping trip, I thought about my pantry and decided this would be a great time to start a new weekly series! So be on the look out for my Pantry Basics series! These articles will be essential if you are just starting out on your meal planning journey. I have to admit that it took me years to get my pantry to a place where I can pull easy meals out of it without much thought. My hope and prayer for you is that, with these tips and strategies, it won't take you long to get on the road to a well stocked and functional pantry.
Anyone with a cupboard can have a pantry so please don't be discouraged if you don't have a dedicated pantry. To be honest, I only have two cupboards that I use to store food. If your storage space is limited, that's okay! You can still have a functional pantry.
Getting Started!
Getting started doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, my biggest piece of advice in this project is to write a list of really quick, go to meals, that you or your family eat on a regular basis. Out of those meals, write down the dry or canned ingredients. For my family these meals include spaghetti, chicken and wild rice soup, and tacos. My pantry is never without spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, angel hair pasta, wild rice, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, taco shells, or taco seasoning (I make my own now and its amazing!)
Step 1-
If you need to start small, I recommend developing a list of 2-5 meals that you or the family eats all of the time. I could give you a list of what I have in my pantry but if your family is vegetarian, then what I have in my pantry would be completely wrong for you. So start there. Once you have a list of meals in place, write down all of the dry or canned ingredients that you would need to make all of those meals. What do I mean by dry ingredients? After all, cheese is dry right? By dry ingredients, I am talking about all of the those that are not in a can or a bottle that do not require refrigeration. For example, boxes of pasta would be a dry ingredient. Other examples might be rice, seasoning packets, spices, flour, sugar, and cereal(s) like oatmeal.
The next step is to write down all of the canned or bottled items you may need to make those recipes. In my pantry those items would be any canned tomato product, chicken broth (I make my own but I always keep canned chicken broth on hand too), chili beans, and cream of mushroom soup (I am working my way to making it from scratch, I'll keep you posted!)
To keep up with my pantry, I always purchase at least one of each of the items above when I go to the grocery store. It's just part of my weekly budget and since I don't want to appear on the next episode of "Hoarders" I always do a spot check of my pantry when I am meal planning. If I have a ton of chili beans in my pantry, I know that I should make chili sometime during that week. The spot check also lets me know what items I need to "stock" up on. For example, this week, I used several cans of cream of mushroom soup. I like to have at least 4 on hand per week, which means I keep 8 on hand because I shop every two weeks, and since I only have 4 left, I put four cans on my shopping list. I may not even use them, but if I need to drop a quick casserole in the oven this week, I know that I have them to fall back on.
Now that you have determined what should be in your pantry you need to decide how many of those items you need to keep on hand based on your shopping schedule. If you shop weekly, then you may only need to keep 1-2 like items in your pantry at a time (this saves space for those of you who don't have much). If you like to shop bi-weekly or monthly, then you will need to have more. Determining how much of an item you need on hand can be done with trial and error. I would recommend a three month trial period to start. If you never used that can of spaghetti sauce, then you should only have to keep one on hand, but if you purchased 5-10 of any one item during the trial period, then you know that you should keep at least 8 on hand in the pantry. Make sense? If not, that's okay! It's early and I am multitasking, LOL. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask!
Do you have a well stocked pantry and have an idea to share? We would love to hear it! What do you keep in your pantry?
***Stay tuned! Next week: Spices and Seasoning Packets. What to keep, what to get rid of, and how long they stay fresh in the pantry.***
Check me out on Pinterest! My Mama's Cheap! Even if I am not posting on here every day, I'm pinning stuff daily! Check out some of the recipes that I'm pinning and let us know how they worked out for you and your family!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Baked Oatmeal Cups (Updated)
Yesterday, while trying to figure out this whole Pinterest thing (which is still a work in progress), I came across some of the recipes that I had posted last year, pinned by some of my followers. Some of you wrote some very nice things about my blog, you were sharing some of my recipes for others, and you were encouraging them to check me out. I was saddened as I read this because realized that I didn't hold up my end of the bargain. I left everyone wondering if I would be returning to the blog, and that was wrong. I hope that you will all forgive me, and I want to assure you that I am working on the blog and trying to come up with fresh, new ideas to share, every day!
After looking at my stats, I realized that this recipe is the most popular recipe that I posted last year. The link to this recipe was shared by my friend Maura at happydealhappyday.com (Please check her out! She is amazing!!) Along with the link is an article that I wrote for her detailing some of my tips for keeping my grocery shopping trips within a $75/week budget.
Today, I am posting an updated version of this recipe, with pictures. Thank you for keeping my blog alive while I was away! All 5000+ page views! I am humbled and grateful to you all!
This recipe is well known and loved in our house! I hope that your family enjoys them as much as we do!
First, gather up all of your ingredients. After looking at this picture, I realized that I forgot to photograph the eggs. There are 2 eggs in this recipe.
Mix the dry ingredients and then add the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.
Stir in the dried fruits or nuts, or both is you prefer.
Fill your muffin cups with a 1/4 cup measuring cup and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
I wish you could have been in my kitchen this morning as these beauty's were baking! The house is so aromatic with the smell of cinnamon!
Baked Oatmeal Cups (Makes 12)
Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners, set aside.
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
3/4 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, blueberries, or cherries) or nuts or both!
Directions-
1. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Add the eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir well to combine completely (you can use a mixer, but I generally make this by hand.) Add the fruit and mix well. The batter will be wet.
2. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, fill the paper liners (go ahead and fill them to the top). Bake for 15-20 at 350 until golden brown. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. They can be eaten right away or stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for about 3 days.
***They can be frozen as well, I would eat them within a month if you do. To reheat, simply microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until it is warm all the way through. ***
If you have visited us before and have made this recipe, I would really love for you to share your experiences with us.
Thank you!
Blessings to All!
Monday, August 24, 2015
Back to School
It's that time of year again...back to school time. This is the first year in our house that all of my children will be attending school every day. It is a very sad time for me, but an exciting time for my son Adam as he starts UPK this year! Thankfully, he will be home with me everyday at lunch time, so I am not totally heartbroken by the fact that he is growing up!
Getting ready for school can be expensive, especially when you have a big family like mine. I have four kids that I have to prepare for the coming year and those costs can add up quickly! Here are some of the tips that I can offer to keep your costs down, while supplying your little ones with everything that they need for school.
1.) Look for the sales.
Yep, that means checking the flyers and going where you see the majority of your needs for the least amount of cost. For me this is Walmart. Luckily, for us, the school is supplying a lot of the school supplies this year. This is a first for us. I am still responsible for tissues, pencils, a spiral notebook, and some binders, but overall it is a very light list! I am not a Walmart sponsor, in fact, I try to avoid Walmart whenever I can, but it is convenient and they have everything I need at a very low price.
2.) Shop at consignment or second hand shops.
Not only does shopping at these establishment help the local economy, but it is a great way to find brand name clothing at a considerably lower price. I can not tell you how many times I have been able to find brands like Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nike in a second hand store for a fraction of what it costs retail. I am very picky when shopping for clothes in these establishments, I look them over for stains, wear and tear (especially boy clothes!), and I check all of the zippers and buttons. I have had a lot of success shopping this way! I was able to clothe all of my children for the summer (shorts, shirts, sundresses, and pajamas) for $40. ALL OF THEIR CLOTHES FOR $40! I do the same thing for school clothes.
3.) Reuse whatever you can.
All of my children needed a 1 1/2 binder for school last year. I bought them all new ones. When school ended, 2 of the 3 children brought their binders home and they are in good used condition. They will be reusing them this year. There is no need to purchase something new when we have what they need right here at home. I have plans to reuse all of the pencil boxes and art smocks again this year as well. Check out what your kids brought home from school in June and reuse them as needed. This is actually the 3rd year in a row that my son Ethan is using his lunch box and his backpack.
4.) Look for sales on snacks and juice boxes and then stock up!
I have a BJ's membership that I use for school lunches. I know what you might be thinking...I thought she made everything from scratch! Well, I do, most of the time. I like to make my own trail mix, granola bars, cookies, and such from scratch. However, I like some items in their lunch that I purchase. They include, cheese sticks, yogurt sticks, pretzels, applesauce and fruit cups, and juice boxes (Roaring Waters to be exact). With a coupon, these items can be very inexpensive at BJ's. If I don't have a coupon and they are available at Aldi I will buy them there. In addition to these lunch items, BJ's often has a coupon for buy 1 peanut butter get the jelly free this time of year. I usually purchase 3 of these deals and then I have enough peanut butter to get us through the entire school year.
Raising kids can be very expensive, but I find that if I follow these tips, I am saving so much time and money!
What are some things that you do to save money? Did you find this article helpful?
I hope that you will share some of your ideas with us!
Blessings to all!
Getting ready for school can be expensive, especially when you have a big family like mine. I have four kids that I have to prepare for the coming year and those costs can add up quickly! Here are some of the tips that I can offer to keep your costs down, while supplying your little ones with everything that they need for school.
1.) Look for the sales.
Yep, that means checking the flyers and going where you see the majority of your needs for the least amount of cost. For me this is Walmart. Luckily, for us, the school is supplying a lot of the school supplies this year. This is a first for us. I am still responsible for tissues, pencils, a spiral notebook, and some binders, but overall it is a very light list! I am not a Walmart sponsor, in fact, I try to avoid Walmart whenever I can, but it is convenient and they have everything I need at a very low price.
2.) Shop at consignment or second hand shops.
Not only does shopping at these establishment help the local economy, but it is a great way to find brand name clothing at a considerably lower price. I can not tell you how many times I have been able to find brands like Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nike in a second hand store for a fraction of what it costs retail. I am very picky when shopping for clothes in these establishments, I look them over for stains, wear and tear (especially boy clothes!), and I check all of the zippers and buttons. I have had a lot of success shopping this way! I was able to clothe all of my children for the summer (shorts, shirts, sundresses, and pajamas) for $40. ALL OF THEIR CLOTHES FOR $40! I do the same thing for school clothes.
3.) Reuse whatever you can.
All of my children needed a 1 1/2 binder for school last year. I bought them all new ones. When school ended, 2 of the 3 children brought their binders home and they are in good used condition. They will be reusing them this year. There is no need to purchase something new when we have what they need right here at home. I have plans to reuse all of the pencil boxes and art smocks again this year as well. Check out what your kids brought home from school in June and reuse them as needed. This is actually the 3rd year in a row that my son Ethan is using his lunch box and his backpack.
4.) Look for sales on snacks and juice boxes and then stock up!
I have a BJ's membership that I use for school lunches. I know what you might be thinking...I thought she made everything from scratch! Well, I do, most of the time. I like to make my own trail mix, granola bars, cookies, and such from scratch. However, I like some items in their lunch that I purchase. They include, cheese sticks, yogurt sticks, pretzels, applesauce and fruit cups, and juice boxes (Roaring Waters to be exact). With a coupon, these items can be very inexpensive at BJ's. If I don't have a coupon and they are available at Aldi I will buy them there. In addition to these lunch items, BJ's often has a coupon for buy 1 peanut butter get the jelly free this time of year. I usually purchase 3 of these deals and then I have enough peanut butter to get us through the entire school year.
Raising kids can be very expensive, but I find that if I follow these tips, I am saving so much time and money!
What are some things that you do to save money? Did you find this article helpful?
I hope that you will share some of your ideas with us!
Blessings to all!
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Weekly Menu and Shopping Trip
Well, this summer seems to be flying by and I have been behind the eight ball which is completely normal for me. I am always behind, especially when the kids are home...four little people can definitely derail my plans very easily.
So, now that we are back from our vacation, and everything is slowing down as we get ready to start school, I can get back to the things that I love to do!
I have to be honest, I have not been doing much meal planning and my grocery bill has been paying the price. I am guilty of eating out because of my lack of planning, and that is something that I hate doing because I can't stand it when my kids eat food filled with chemicals and preservatives.
What can I say, I was tired!
It feels good to be back to my old self again!
In the last few days, I have spent time on Pinterest. I am learning new tips and researching new meal ideas. I have also been following some blogs and reading about other frugal families.
I have so many ideas to share with you! I can't wait to get started!
For my first real post of the year, I have decided to give you a run down of our meal plan for the week and my trip to the grocery store.
Here's a little run down of our week...
Tuesday (tonight)- my husband is at a meeting for church so its just me and the kiddos. No big deal! The kids love pizza so for tonight, it's homemade pizza.
Wednesday- Chicken Enchiladas. (Check out my great recipe!)
Thursday- My dad is coming for dinner and I had a steak in the freezer, so that is the plan for dinner. Steak, corn on the cob, potato salad, and rolls.
Friday- It's the first night of camping and with setting up the camper and camp site there won't be time for an elaborate dinner. We are serving hot dogs, potato chips, and watermelon.
Saturday- 2nd night of camping- We are going to have a nice simple dinner of Italian sausage with peppers and onions, macaroni salad, and more corn on the cob (tis the season!)
Sunday- We're back home so I have planned a spinach and artichoke macaroni & cheese. I can set this up on Friday before we leave and it will just need to go in the oven when we get back on Sunday. It will be great!
Monday- I have someone coming over to the house to show me some new cleaning products and I don't want to be cooking while she's here, so I am using my crock pot and making my family their first pot roast of the year! (Chuck roast has been very expensive and now it's on sale for $4.69 a pound at Wegman's when you purchase a family pack.) To go with the pot roast, we are also having mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade dinner rolls.
Tuesday- Crock Pot Meal #2 for the week. Thank you Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes for your recipe idea! I am going to make your Chicken and Dumplings with my own homemade biscuits. I am serving it with Sweet potatoes and peas. I can't wait to try it!
Wednesday- Crockpot Meal #3 for the week with a creamy ranch pork roast, roasted potatoes and broccoli. I am making my homemade cornbread as a side.
Thursday- We are taking dinner to a friends house. Tonight it is going to be BBQ chicken thighs and drumsticks, twice baked potatoes, and a cucumber and tomato salad.
Friday- It's my birthday and honestly after a two weeks of cooking I am sure I will be ready for a night on the town with my family.
Grocery List for the week:
5# bag of potatoes (2.49 @ Wegman's)
Frozen cut green beans, broccoli florets, spinach, and peas ($0.99 each)
grape tomatoes (2 pounds for $3.99 @ Wegman's)
cucumbers (3 pk. for $3.49)
green peppers (6 pk. for $3.99)
Corn on the Cob (fresh from the farm stand)
bananas ($0.49 per pound @ Wegman's)
watermelon (In season)
peaches (In season) ($3.99 for a qt. @ Wegman's)
Apples (8 pounds for $6.99 @ Wegman's)
5# bag of flour ($1.55 @ Aldi)
4# bag of sugar ($2.15 @ Aldi)
1 family pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts ($1.99/ pound @ Wegman's FP)
1 family pack of mild Italian sausage ($2.79/ pound @ Wegman's FP)
1 family pack of chuck roast ($4.69/ pound @ Wegman's FP)
1 pound of bacon ($2.99/ pound @ Aldi)
3 boxes of frozen cooked breakfast sausage ($1.09 ea. @ Aldi)
1 block of white cheddar cheese ($1.59 @ Aldi)
1 block of Monterey Jack Cheese ($1.59 @ Aldi)
1 pound of mozzarella cheese (shredded) ($2.99 @ Aldi)
1 pound of mild cheddar cheese (shredded) ($2.99 @ Aldi)
1 package 16 slice American cheese slices ($1.79 @ Aldi)
3 Gallons of milk ($2.18 each @ Wegman's)
3 pounds of butter ($2.89 each @ Aldi)
1 tub of whipped butter (for camping) ($1.99 @ Aldi)
1 qt. half and half ($1.89 @ Aldi)
2 bottles of Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer ($2.19 ea. @ Aldi)
4 boxes of cereal ($1.59-$2.29 ea. @ Aldi)
2 18 packs of eggs ($7.99 for 2 pk. @ Wegman's)
1 pound of ham (deli) ($4.99/ pound @ Wegman's)
1 pound of turkey (deli) ($5.49/ pound @ Wegman's)
1 pound of shell pasta ($1.19 ea. @ Wegman's)
4 cans of navy beans (pot luck church picnic) ($0.99 ea. @ Wegman's)
1 bottle pure maple syrup (for baked beans) ($4.99 @ Aldi)
1 package of real bacon bits (for baked beans) ($1.29 @ Aldi)
3 sweet potatoes ($1.49/ pound @ Wegman's)
Chips (for camping) (3 bags for $1.19 ea. @ Aldi)
Chocolate bars (camping) (6 pk. for $3,49 @ Wegman's)
marshmallows (camping) ($0.99 ea. @ Wegman's)
1 large can of coffee ($5.49 @ Aldi)
1 small bag of French Vanilla ground coffee (a weakness of mine!) ($4.99 @ Aldi)
flour tortillas ($2.49 for FP @ Wegman's)
ranch seasoning packet ($0.59 @ Aldi)
2 loaves of 12 grain bread ($0.89 ea. on sale at Aldi today only!)
2 loaves of whole grain white bread ($0.99 ea. @ Aldi)
1 loaf of rye bread ($1.49 ea. @ Aldi)
pepperoni ($1.99 ea. @ Aldi)
What I have in the house already- Breakfast for the week-
1 jar of artichoke hearts Cereal
chicken drumsticks and thighs egg, sausage, & cheese burritos
2 pound pork roast Oatmeal bakes
hot dogs pancakes
hot dog rolls fruit
celery
corn meal Lunches-
onions P,B, &J sandwiches
yellow rice ham and turkey sandwiches
sour cream grilled cheese sandwiches
fruit leftovers
What I spent- $96.65 @ Aldi
$ 122.24 @ Wegman's
$218.89
Snacks-
Apples, bananas, peaches
Applesauce
Graham Crackers w/ PB
Cheese Crackers
Cheese Sticks
chocolate animal crackers
Although it seems as though I have gone over my budget of $100/ week, I actually spent less. The family packs of meat that I purchased are going to last about 3 weeks. Therefore, I can split their cost by 1/3. In addition, I purchased a few items that were not on the list, but I knew that I was running low on. An example would be the tub of shortening that I bought. Overall, the total was approximately $189.89. When divided by 2, I came in under budget at $94.94 per week. I consider that a success!
Please feel free to share your menu for the week. I would love to know more about you, your budget, and your tips and ideas for saving money!
Blessings to All!
Kim
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Back to the Blog!
WOW! That is all I really have to say after almost an entire year off from the blog. As many of you may know, I was enrolled in school and unfortunately, this Mama couldn't multitask. I have recently graduated with a degree in Childhood Education and I am ready to start blogging again!
As it goes, many things have changed this year. My father has found a house and moved so I have one less mouth to feed and I am not a student any more so I have a little more free time. The kids are all a year older and that means that their appetites have grown, so our budget has gone up a bit. I try to stay below $85.00 per week but if I go up to $100 I try not to stress.
Some things have remained the same though, I still shop at Aldi, Wegman's, and occasionally Walmart. I try to stay away from Walmart if I can, but the convenience of having one only a few miles from my door is too hard to pass up when I am out of milk or dog food.
This year on the blog I am going to spend more time focusing on my grocery store tips, recipes, and budgeting information. Although the other subjects (frugal living and crafts) are interesting to me, I don't feel as though I have enough expertise to continue blogging about them.
What I hope you will get from this blog going forward are easy, family friendly recipes that will fit into any budget. In addition, I will be focusing on ways to cook all of your food from scratch, using as many fresh and natural ingredients as I can. Finally, I will be sharing tips on how to remain on budget and offer your family the best food that you can afford.
I would love to hear comments from you as well! If you have tried something and it doesn't work out, please let me know. It can be hard to give all of the little details of recipe preparation in writing. In addition, if you have something that you do that you would like to share, we would love to have it! I could always use new ideas and recipes to try! I would still like to encourage only family friendly comments if you choose to leave one.
Thank you for stopping by My Mamas Cheap!
Blessings to all!
Kim
As it goes, many things have changed this year. My father has found a house and moved so I have one less mouth to feed and I am not a student any more so I have a little more free time. The kids are all a year older and that means that their appetites have grown, so our budget has gone up a bit. I try to stay below $85.00 per week but if I go up to $100 I try not to stress.
Some things have remained the same though, I still shop at Aldi, Wegman's, and occasionally Walmart. I try to stay away from Walmart if I can, but the convenience of having one only a few miles from my door is too hard to pass up when I am out of milk or dog food.
This year on the blog I am going to spend more time focusing on my grocery store tips, recipes, and budgeting information. Although the other subjects (frugal living and crafts) are interesting to me, I don't feel as though I have enough expertise to continue blogging about them.
What I hope you will get from this blog going forward are easy, family friendly recipes that will fit into any budget. In addition, I will be focusing on ways to cook all of your food from scratch, using as many fresh and natural ingredients as I can. Finally, I will be sharing tips on how to remain on budget and offer your family the best food that you can afford.
I would love to hear comments from you as well! If you have tried something and it doesn't work out, please let me know. It can be hard to give all of the little details of recipe preparation in writing. In addition, if you have something that you do that you would like to share, we would love to have it! I could always use new ideas and recipes to try! I would still like to encourage only family friendly comments if you choose to leave one.
Thank you for stopping by My Mamas Cheap!
Blessings to all!
Kim
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Meal Plan for the Week
This week the weather is going to be cool and wet, so when I was planning our menu for the week, that was definitely a consideration. Cool weather makes me think of fall (wait a second, not so fast...the summers not over yet!) and I love cooking in the fall. Right now I am picturing my family apple picking and making applesauce...which is always a blast! But I digress, the cool wet weather is calling to me and so the menu is reflective of that for sure.
This weeks menu consists of Hamburgers, Chili, Roasted Chicken, Spaghetti, and since we are camping this weekend, Italian Sausage. I have many of the core ingredients for these meals in the house already, so there wasn't much to buy when I went to the grocery store.
When we went to the store this week, my little angels had returned, and for being so good in the store, I splurged and bought some ice cream treats. I also found some of my favorite snacks, Veggie Sticks, so I had to have some of those. Overall, I went a little over budget (again), but I did buy some more things to bulk up my pantry since school is going to be starting for me really soon, and I need the pantry to be well stocked with ingredients for quick meals.
Tonight is a yummy roast chicken dinner, and we haven't had one in a while so I am really looking forward to it! I have potatoes and fresh green beans and I am making my buttermilk biscuits too. I think that I'll make dessert too, a fresh blueberry pie sounds like the perfect end to a great meal (plus it's TJ's favorite!)
What's for dinner in your house this week?
This weeks menu consists of Hamburgers, Chili, Roasted Chicken, Spaghetti, and since we are camping this weekend, Italian Sausage. I have many of the core ingredients for these meals in the house already, so there wasn't much to buy when I went to the grocery store.
When we went to the store this week, my little angels had returned, and for being so good in the store, I splurged and bought some ice cream treats. I also found some of my favorite snacks, Veggie Sticks, so I had to have some of those. Overall, I went a little over budget (again), but I did buy some more things to bulk up my pantry since school is going to be starting for me really soon, and I need the pantry to be well stocked with ingredients for quick meals.
Tonight is a yummy roast chicken dinner, and we haven't had one in a while so I am really looking forward to it! I have potatoes and fresh green beans and I am making my buttermilk biscuits too. I think that I'll make dessert too, a fresh blueberry pie sounds like the perfect end to a great meal (plus it's TJ's favorite!)
What's for dinner in your house this week?
Yummy Banana (Nut) Pancakes
Extra ripe bananas are not usually available in our house because my kids usually gobble up all of the bananas before they ripen, but this morning I have quite a few. When I have ripe bananas I usually make an oatmeal bake, but since we just had one last week, I decided to make something different. Using bananas in pancake batter can be tricky because bananas can make the batter dense and the outcome can be heavy, dense pancakes that no one wants to eat. But this recipe is easy and tastes delicious! My kids love them and always ask for seconds. It also makes enough pancakes that I can usually freeze some for another breakfast later.
I hope you enjoy!
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. On a pre-heated 325 degree griddle, cook the pancakes until bubbly, flip the cakes over and cook until brown and steam is lifting from the pancakes. Serve immediately.
**To freeze the pancakes, lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze. After they are frozen, move them to a freezer bag. To reheat in the microwave, place a single layer of pancakes on a plate and microwave for 1 minute for each pancake. You can also reheat them in the toaster.
This is a great breakfast choice for those rushed school day mornings!
I hope you enjoy!
Banana Pancakes- (Makes 24 cakes)
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. On a pre-heated 325 degree griddle, cook the pancakes until bubbly, flip the cakes over and cook until brown and steam is lifting from the pancakes. Serve immediately.
**To freeze the pancakes, lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze. After they are frozen, move them to a freezer bag. To reheat in the microwave, place a single layer of pancakes on a plate and microwave for 1 minute for each pancake. You can also reheat them in the toaster.
This is a great breakfast choice for those rushed school day mornings!
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Blueberry Pancakes
My sister just recently gave us three huge bags of frozen blueberries, which is awesome because my kids love them! Unfortunately, they aren't very good by themselves because many of them were picked early and are very tart which means that cooking them is the best way to go.
This morning for breakfast, I was thinking about what I was going to make since I don't want to eat through all of the cereal in our house, Ryan mentioned that he wanted blueberry pancakes. Easy enough! I set out to make them.
Making pancakes from scratch is really economical, fast, and they taste far better than any box mix you can buy! You can add whatever you want to your own pancakes too...often times I will use bananas or applesauce in our pancakes for something different and they are always a huge hit!
This morning for breakfast, I was thinking about what I was going to make since I don't want to eat through all of the cereal in our house, Ryan mentioned that he wanted blueberry pancakes. Easy enough! I set out to make them.
Making pancakes from scratch is really economical, fast, and they taste far better than any box mix you can buy! You can add whatever you want to your own pancakes too...often times I will use bananas or applesauce in our pancakes for something different and they are always a huge hit!
Blueberry Pancakes (Makes 12 cakes)
Follow the recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
to this add 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries.
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Enjoy!
Shopping in a Club Store
For the last few years, TJ and I have been club members at BJ's. We have a Sam's club close by and soon there will be a Costco as well. These club stores offer more "family" or "bulk" packages for what they consider to be a discount from other retailers. I love going to BJ's! There is something about walking up and down the aisle in what looks like a warehouse and then finding a great deal! But you have to be careful in a store like this, especially if you are on a tight budget. Sometimes what seems like a great deal is actually going to cost more than if you shopped elsewhere. So here are some tips to help you save money in a club store to help you stick to your budget.
1.) Use coupons if you can. BJ's is awesome because not only do they accept manufacturers coupons but you can use them at the same time you use a BJ's coupon. For example, if you have a pampers coupon for saving $2 on a case, and BJ's has a coupon to save $4 on a case, you will get $6 off of the case of diapers. BJ's also has a coupon book you get in the mail, but if you want more than one coupon, you can go to the service desk and they give you another book! I was able to get a 32 pack of Yo plait Go-Gurts for $4.99 this week, and I have two more coupons so I can buy two more before school starts!
2.) Watch the unit price! This is really important because often times you can find a better deal at Walmart, Wegman's, or Aldi. Club stores are really good at packaging items so that it looks like you're getting the best deal in town. A 36 pack of Scott's tissue for $27.00 might seem like a great deal but if you work out the math, that is $.75 a roll (still a good price) but at Walmart right now I can get a 27 roll pack for 15.00 which makes them $.55 a roll. If you pay attention to the unit pricing (no matter what store you're in) it helps to keep you from spending more when you think you're spending less.
3.) Only purchase what you plan to eat, or what your family will consume. That jar of mayonnaise for $6.99 might be a great deal, but not if you're throwing it away. If the items aren't wrapped for individual use, you have to use it all before it goes bad, rancid, or stale. I have a big family so this is never an issue in our house, but if you are shopping for a family of four, you'll want to be mindful of what your family will actually eat.
This week at BJ's I used coupons and got some great deals! Here they are:
A 48 oz can of Folders Original Coffee- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
Two 48 oz jars of Skippy Peanut butter and Two 32 oz jars of Welch's grape jelly- Retails for $13.48, I got them all for $9.99
A 32 count box of Yo plait Go-Gurts- retails for $6.99, I got it for $4.99
A 125 oz bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher liquid- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
A 133 oz bottle of Gain Original Fabric Softener- Retails for $9.99, I got it for $7.99
I bought 2 gallons of milk at $2.49 each (cheaper than anywhere else!)
I got an 8 pack of Puffs Tissues (school supplies)- retails for $11.99, I paid $8.99
Altogether my purchase was $53. The good thing is that many of these items will last for months in our house so if I stretch that cost out, I saved a lot of money!
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What are some of your best club store purchases?
1.) Use coupons if you can. BJ's is awesome because not only do they accept manufacturers coupons but you can use them at the same time you use a BJ's coupon. For example, if you have a pampers coupon for saving $2 on a case, and BJ's has a coupon to save $4 on a case, you will get $6 off of the case of diapers. BJ's also has a coupon book you get in the mail, but if you want more than one coupon, you can go to the service desk and they give you another book! I was able to get a 32 pack of Yo plait Go-Gurts for $4.99 this week, and I have two more coupons so I can buy two more before school starts!
2.) Watch the unit price! This is really important because often times you can find a better deal at Walmart, Wegman's, or Aldi. Club stores are really good at packaging items so that it looks like you're getting the best deal in town. A 36 pack of Scott's tissue for $27.00 might seem like a great deal but if you work out the math, that is $.75 a roll (still a good price) but at Walmart right now I can get a 27 roll pack for 15.00 which makes them $.55 a roll. If you pay attention to the unit pricing (no matter what store you're in) it helps to keep you from spending more when you think you're spending less.
3.) Only purchase what you plan to eat, or what your family will consume. That jar of mayonnaise for $6.99 might be a great deal, but not if you're throwing it away. If the items aren't wrapped for individual use, you have to use it all before it goes bad, rancid, or stale. I have a big family so this is never an issue in our house, but if you are shopping for a family of four, you'll want to be mindful of what your family will actually eat.
This week at BJ's I used coupons and got some great deals! Here they are:
A 48 oz can of Folders Original Coffee- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
Two 48 oz jars of Skippy Peanut butter and Two 32 oz jars of Welch's grape jelly- Retails for $13.48, I got them all for $9.99
A 32 count box of Yo plait Go-Gurts- retails for $6.99, I got it for $4.99
A 125 oz bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher liquid- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
A 133 oz bottle of Gain Original Fabric Softener- Retails for $9.99, I got it for $7.99
I bought 2 gallons of milk at $2.49 each (cheaper than anywhere else!)
I got an 8 pack of Puffs Tissues (school supplies)- retails for $11.99, I paid $8.99
Altogether my purchase was $53. The good thing is that many of these items will last for months in our house so if I stretch that cost out, I saved a lot of money!
What are some of your best club store purchases?
Monday, August 4, 2014
Keeping it Simple
I can't believe that August is here and in just a few weeks school will be starting! I'm tired, and a little bit overwhelmed with the amount of work that I want to accomplish around here before my semester starts, so I am keeping things simple this week!
This is the last week for soccer, TJ and I have nothing else planned for the week, so it should be an easy week to plan. Last week we didn't eat any of the meals I had planned. This happens occasionally when things pop up or I'm not feeling well (which was the case last week). This is going to make dinner planning easier this week because I still have all of those ingredients in the house. Grace has been begging for tacos, so for dinner tonight we are going to have that. I still have the ingredients for the Salisbury steaks, the Turkey dinner, and I have plenty of sausage and chicken so this week I won't have to purchase any meat (if I don't want to). Additionally, many of my garden veggies are ready to be harvested so I won't have to purchase any green peppers, or yellow squash this week. I'll hit the local farm stands for most of my veggies because they are not only really inexpensive, but they taste so much better than anything you can buy in a store!
Here is the menu for this week:
Tonight- Tacos
Tuesday- Mixed Grill
Wednesday- Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Thursday- Salisbury Steaks
Friday- Deep Dish Pizza
Saturday- Turkey dinner (with stuffing)
For breakfast this week:
Today- Cereal
Tuesday- Banana Baked Oatmeal
Wednesday-Yogurt, Granola
Thursday- Cereal
Friday- Blueberry Pancakes, sausage
Saturday- Egg Sandwiches
Lunches-
Today- Macaroni & Cheese
Tuesday- PB&J sandwiches, pretzels
Wednesday-Ham Sandwiches, cottage cheese
Thursday-PB& J or Ham Sandwiches, yogurt
Friday- Hot dogs, tator tots, applesauce
Saturday- Ham Sandwiches, or leftover pizza (if there is any)
Snacks- Cheese crackers, applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots, pretzels, animal crackers, or homemade granola bars.
Here is the grocery list for the week: Hopefully I can stick to the list and keep my costs low!
Lettuce
Tomato
Cheddar Cheese
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Fresh Broccoli
Real bacon bits
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese
Butter
Yogurt (Vanilla)
Bread
Ham (Deli)
Cottage Cheese
Hard Taco shells
Cheese crackers
Carrots
Bananas
Animal Crackers
Friday, August 1, 2014
Busy Busy Busy
It is unbelievable to me that there is only one month left of summer vacation! I am sitting here thinking about how I want to proceed with my blog and what new features that I want to add because my school semester starts in just a few weeks and when it does, I may not be able to post articles as often as I would like too. I have already found it difficult to get on some days to write (and this is my passion) with four kids and a lot on my plate already! But don't worry, I will try to work harder to post, even if I have to do it after the kids go to bed.
This week I have been incredibly busy working on preparations for our garage sale. It is so freeing to get rid of all of the extra clutter and clothes that have sort of, well, overtaken our life and home. Yesterday, I went down into the basement and pulled out all of the boys old clothes looking for clothes for Adam and realized that I had two full, extra large totes of clothing that he just recently outgrew...that was a waste of storage space because I never needed them and didn't even know they were down there! So I washed them all and took them out for the garage sale and now a whole wall in the basement is cleared out and empty.
Toys are another problem area in our house. With my father recently moving into his own house, we now have a new play room in our basement. I have to admit that once it is out of sight, it is out of mind...but when I was down there yesterday and looked around at the mess, I decided that there was an opportunity to get rid of more stuff. Today we will be going through the toys and getting rid of some of those too. When they don't play with them, it is time to get rid of them!
So why take the time to have a garage sale? I know a lot of people who think that hosting a garage sale is too much work and effort, but I really love seeing our things go to people who need it or want it more than we do. I also like having the extra cash in my pocket so that our family can go out to a movie, dinner, or whatever other fun thing the kids are interested in doing. I could donate everything to Goodwill, and believe me, they get a lot of donations from us every year, but I like having a garage sale. I love seeing people and generally just being out of the house for a day!
Some tips for a successful garage sale (just in case you want to host one too)
1.) Make sure your items are clean and in good repair. There is nothing worse that having a pile of dirty items (especially clothes) to look through. Everything should smell relatively good and there shouldn't be a lot of dust or dirt on any items.
2.) Everything should be clearly priced. People don't like to try and guess what you want for an item, make sure you have a price on everything and if you don't, have a sign posted with prices on it (I do this for clothes because it is impossible to price everything.)
3.) Try not to over price your items. This is a garage sale, which means that people don't want to pay what you paid for it, even if it still has its tag on it and you never used it. I usually don't price anything more than a third of what I paid for it, so if I paid $10 for something than I won't charge more than $3 for it. If it is a high end item, than I will price it accordingly, but remember, it's used no matter what so it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
4.) If you are trying to make money and you are hosting a garage sale with other people, try not to shop through their items (if you can help it). The purpose is to get rid of clutter, not to add it back with items that were on you're friends tables. (I already bought something that I didn't really need, but loved, so I know how hard this is to do!)
Do you have any garage sale tips or ideas to share?
This week I have been incredibly busy working on preparations for our garage sale. It is so freeing to get rid of all of the extra clutter and clothes that have sort of, well, overtaken our life and home. Yesterday, I went down into the basement and pulled out all of the boys old clothes looking for clothes for Adam and realized that I had two full, extra large totes of clothing that he just recently outgrew...that was a waste of storage space because I never needed them and didn't even know they were down there! So I washed them all and took them out for the garage sale and now a whole wall in the basement is cleared out and empty.
Toys are another problem area in our house. With my father recently moving into his own house, we now have a new play room in our basement. I have to admit that once it is out of sight, it is out of mind...but when I was down there yesterday and looked around at the mess, I decided that there was an opportunity to get rid of more stuff. Today we will be going through the toys and getting rid of some of those too. When they don't play with them, it is time to get rid of them!
So why take the time to have a garage sale? I know a lot of people who think that hosting a garage sale is too much work and effort, but I really love seeing our things go to people who need it or want it more than we do. I also like having the extra cash in my pocket so that our family can go out to a movie, dinner, or whatever other fun thing the kids are interested in doing. I could donate everything to Goodwill, and believe me, they get a lot of donations from us every year, but I like having a garage sale. I love seeing people and generally just being out of the house for a day!
Some tips for a successful garage sale (just in case you want to host one too)
1.) Make sure your items are clean and in good repair. There is nothing worse that having a pile of dirty items (especially clothes) to look through. Everything should smell relatively good and there shouldn't be a lot of dust or dirt on any items.
2.) Everything should be clearly priced. People don't like to try and guess what you want for an item, make sure you have a price on everything and if you don't, have a sign posted with prices on it (I do this for clothes because it is impossible to price everything.)
3.) Try not to over price your items. This is a garage sale, which means that people don't want to pay what you paid for it, even if it still has its tag on it and you never used it. I usually don't price anything more than a third of what I paid for it, so if I paid $10 for something than I won't charge more than $3 for it. If it is a high end item, than I will price it accordingly, but remember, it's used no matter what so it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
4.) If you are trying to make money and you are hosting a garage sale with other people, try not to shop through their items (if you can help it). The purpose is to get rid of clutter, not to add it back with items that were on you're friends tables. (I already bought something that I didn't really need, but loved, so I know how hard this is to do!)
Do you have any garage sale tips or ideas to share?
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