Menu Plan Monday: 06/06/2016

I have a full work schedule this week, we have a work meeting to attend, Joe has a dentist appointment, and I am trying really hard to get some household projects knocked off my list.  Our week isn't as crazy as some we have around here, but it is still plenty full.  I planned out meals using mostly what I had on hand, and I even worked in a summertime favorite (chicken salad) since the weather has warmed up and seems to be behaving.  We also tried something new last night - pasta in the crock-pot - which worked fairly well, but needs some tweaking.  I am hoping to share that recipe with you all the next time I make it, barring it turns out like I want it to.  Anyway, below is my menu plan for this week; I hope you can draw some inspiration from it!

• Breakfasts: Fruit, Eggs, and/or PB Toast for Me; Pop-Tarts for Joe; Turkey Sausage Links, Fruit, Fruit and Grain Bars, and/or Peanut Butter Fiber Bars for Howard
• Lunches: Leftovers, Canned Soup, Salad, Misc. Frozen TV Meals, PB and J Waffle Sandwiches, and/or Tuna/Chicken Salad Sandwiches
• Dinners:
• Sunday - Pasta, Marinara Sauce, and Meatballs in the Crock-pot, Garlic Bread, Salad

• Monday - Crock-pot Chicken Fajitas, Salad, Mexican Rice

• Tuesday - Fruited Chicken Salad, Chips, Salad
• Wednesday - Crock-pot Pork and Sauerkraut, Crock-pot Mashed Potatoes
• Thursday - Day working at Pap's --> Out :-)
• Friday - Pizza, Veggie Dippers

• Saturday - Crock-pot Meatloaf, Salad, Baked French Fries

For more AWESOME menu plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report: 05/29-06/04/2016

This week began our June grocery budget, with a bonus $123 leftover from May!  Having the leftover is especially helpful for June since there are 5 weeks - the extra basically covers the fifth week, so that worked out pretty well.  I didn't really need a whole lot this week other than some produce, and chips for our taco salads, so I decided to stock up on some awesome coupon and sale deals, like grass-fed beef, organic chicken breasts, Benefiber, and Joe's espresso coffee.  I spent more than in the past few weeks, but it all balances out over the course of the year.  Below you can see how my spending broke down this week...

• Sunday's CVS Trip: $7.23 oop, Earned $8.75 ECB's ($4 x 2 Benefiber rain check, and $0.75 Snickers)

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $40.94 oop (included, but not pictured are 8 gallons of H2O)

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $46.10 oop, Earned $0.25 Mobisave Rebate (apples), $0.25 Ibotta* Rebate (apples), and $0.50 Checkout51 Rebate (Luna bar)

• Tuesday's Dollar Tree Trip: $11.42 oop (included, but not pictured is a 4th bottle of powder)

Total OOP: $105.69
Total Earned: $9.75
Total Remaining for June: $368.20
*Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!

Linked to Couponaholic, I Heart Publix, and many more! 

Goals Update: May 2016

 

May was even more crazy than April - we had our first two events of the year at the museum, I worked a tea, and there have been S-O M-A-N-Y school tours.  Plus Joe's mom went on vacation for a week so we had Pap-babysitting duty.  We are still down a docent at work, so I am pulling double-time, Joe and I both had doctors appointments, and Howard has so much energy - if I could just bottle some of it!  So, needless to say, we have been busy.  June should be a slower month tour-wise, and there should be a new docent hired, which means I should have more down-time!  YAY!!  With all that being said, I didn't get a whole slew of things accomplished in May.  I am hoping for a more productive June, but, for now, here is how things progressed in May...

Personal:

• Lose 20 lbs (about 1.5 lbs a month) -  I have lost 11 1/2 pounds!  I have been scouring sales ads and the thrift stores for new clothes.  Even though I haven't lost much, I must have lost inches as well, because a LOT of my clothes are baggy enough they look bad on me.  I am trying to stick with staple pieces from the thrift stores because I know that I will need to buy new clothing again before my weight-loss journey is done. 
• Exercise 292 days - In May I exercised 26 out of 31 days.  For a total of 123 for the year.  I'm right on track with this goal!  I feel great!  I am so much stronger and more limber than I was when I started in January.  I have decreased hip and back pain, and my feet are actually starting to feel better as well - which is a weird side-effect, but I'll take it! 
• Drink at least 70 oz of water everyday - I did so much better with this goal in May.  I probably reached this goal 20 out of the 31 days.  

 Financial:

• Coupon and deal shop to stick to my $350/month budget - I shared my budget update for May here.  If you click over, you can see all of the great things I was able to stock-up on while still staying $123.89 under budget!  This included tons of fresh produce, frozen meals, shampoo, meats, and a variety of other items.
•  Earn at least 6 - $25 Amazon gift card through Swagbucks - No gift card again this month, which puts me behind one.  I am hoping that I can make up for this in June.  2 Down, and 4 to go.
• List at least 10 things per month online or 120 for the year - I didn't list anything online in May, but I am still on track to reach the 120 items for the year.  I am hoping to list a few books and some sewing patterns online in June.  January - Check (23), February - no check (0), March - Check (43), April - no check (1), May -no check (0)
• Set up at 6 Flea Markets/Shows to sell our wares - No shows this month.  Joe decided not to set up at the one we had planned to do this month.  I am hoping we will be able to find an additional one to do later on to make up for this one.  Total for the year = 2

Household:

• Completely declutter the entire house - I am almost done the bookcase - I'm just waiting for Joe to go through a basket of his stuff.  Then it's onto the cedar chest. 
• Finish my 2016 project list - I have my project list update posted separately.  However, I will share that I was able to get quite a few new-to-us toys washed, had some pictures printed, and I was able to make a dent in a few other things on my list.

Blogging:

• Post at least 3 times a week - I posted at least 3 times per week again in May.  All totaled I shared 13 posts in May, which averages to over 3 a week!  I enjoyed being able to share my ideas for frugal toddler birthday gifts with you all!
• Do a 31 day series in October - Not there yet.  I have been working on some ideas in my blogging journal though. 
• Set up a Facebook page for my blog - Still not done.  I looked into the process one night, and it was too much to do that close to bedtime.  I plan to get this done one day in June during Howard's nap time.  

How is everyone else doing with their goals?

Anything new or different you are trying this year?

Share some of your goals in the comments...

May 2016 Budget Update

May ended with over $100 left in the grocery budget -- wahoo!  That is totally amazing!  I am so thankful for the amazing deals that I have been able to find, and the ability to just keep rolling the excess grocery money into the next month's budget.  I am hoping that by the end of the year I will be able to do a massive Amazon order and a large BJ's trip to help replenish our pantries and freezers to keep them well-stocked.  I am so pleased with my grocery deals this month.  I was able to stock up on laundry detergent, sunscreen, frozen meals and veggies, and lots of fresh produce!  Below is the weekly breakdown for the month budget-wise; feel free to click the weekly links to get a more detailed listing of my purchases and to see more pictures.

• Week #1: $82.95 oop, Earned $2.25 Mobisave Rebate, $0.25 Ibotta Rebate, $15 ECB's, and $9 Saving Star Rebates 

• Week #2: $64.80 oop, Earned $9 ECB's, $0.50 Find and Save Rebate, $1 Saving Star Rebate, and $1.25 Ibotta Rebate*

• Week #3: $71.20 oop, Earned $0.50 Saving Star Rebate, and $0.25 Ibotta Rebate

• Week #4: $69.93 oop, Earned $2 ECB's, $1 Saving Star Rebate, and $0.25 Find and Save Rebate

*Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!
 

Total OOP: $288.88

Total Earned: $42.25

Total Remaining: $123.89!!!!!

How did you do with your budget this month?  

Did you get any amazing deals?

Share in the comments below...

Menu Plan Monday: 05/30/2016

I have a full work schedule this week, plus I have planned to tackle a few household projects with Joe's help this coming weekend.  I am in the process of getting caught up on my coupon clipping/filing, the house is cleaned, and the laundry is folded - yay!  I feel like the clouds have broke and the sunshine of progress is shining through!  I am praying that I can keep the momentum going this week so I can steam through my many to-do lists.  Since I am hoping for a full week of accomplishments, I kept my menu simple, and filled with family favorites.  Here's what's cookin' this week...

• Breakfasts: Eggs, Bacon, Peanut Butter Toast and/or Fruit for Me; Pop-Tarts for Joe; Fruit and Grain Bars, Mini Muffins, Peanut Butter Fiber Bars, Fruit, and/or Turkey Sausages for Howard
• Lunches: Leftovers, Salads, Canned Soup, Sandwiches, Misc. Frozen TV Dinners
• Dinners:
• Sunday - Crock-pot Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy, Rice, Steamed Broccoli

• Monday - Taco Salads

• Tuesday - Leftovers
• Wednesday - Crock-pot Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, Pasta, Garlic Bread, Salad

• Thursday - Take-out!
• Friday - Pizza

• Saturday - Sautéed Turkey Kielbasa, Scalloped Potatoes, Broccoli and Cheese  

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report: 05/22-28/2016

This week I did most of my shopping at ALDI.  There were a few deals to pick up at CVS and Giant, but we mostly needed things that I buy from ALDI - produce, snacks, cheese, and trash bags.  I was very pleased to find a deal on laundry detergent since I was almost out.  I really need to get back to making my own, but I was able to get each bottle of Purex for just $1.50, so I'm not too worried about it right now.  I have also started stocking up on sunscreen for summer.  I try to just shop the deals at CVS for sunscreen so I can pay with ECB's.  I can usually pick up enough to last the three of us the summer.  I was also pleasantly surprised to see vidalia onions at ALDI!  I love these on hot dogs with sauerkraut and mustard - I know I'm weird, but they are so tasty!  Overall I had a good week spending-wise, below are the deals I scored...

• Sunday's CVS Trip: $6.40 oop, Earned $2 ECB's (Coppertone)

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $32.03 oop, Earned $0.25 Find and Save Rebate

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $28.32 oop, Earned $1 Saving Star Rebate (Purex)

• Saturday's Dollar Tree Trip: $3.18 oop (no picture, just 2 newspapers, and 1 sheet of stickers)

Total OOP: $69.93
Total Earned: $3.25
Total Remaining from May: $123.89

Linked to Couponaholic, I heart Publix, and many more! 

Household Project List 2016 - May Update

 

I thought that my progress for April was slow, but things moved sloth-speed in May.  I have been SO BUSY with work, and teas, and Howard, and life.  But that happens sometimes and it's okay.  The way I give myself grace is knowing that there is always tomorrow, and if not, I won't care anyway.  It's a phrase that is becoming clearer to me the longer I am a working mother!  We are in the process of having our bathroom remodeled by our 'landlord,' so the projects I have planned for there have been put on hold and will possibly take care of themselves.  I love it when that happens!  I have been chipping away at a few other things, but I wasn't able to cross much off this month.  We are still down a docent at work, so I have a heavier work-load then I should - there is suppose to be a new person hired in June.  I am hoping that this will give me a little more time to work on my household projects before the summer gets too crazy.  Here are how the list is looking so far this year...

• Bedroom: 
• Declutter 2 Dressers, 1 Chest of Drawers, 2 Nightstands, 1 Closet, and Under the Bed -- Finished in February
• Steam off the crappy boarder - Have not started yet.
• Re-glue the wallpaper seams - Have not started yet.
• Change the wall art - I am still on the hunt for a shelf, but with all the rain we've been having, shopping for one at a yard sale has been hard.  Memorial day weekend is looking promising - there are always a slew of yard sales then, and the weather looks like it might cooperate at least a little bit, so we'll see.

• Hall: 
• Declutter Hall Closet, Desk, and Coat Closet -- Finished in February
• Sell desk, and move in a bench -- Finished in April
• Build another shelf in the hall closet -- Unneeded, crossed off in February

• Bathroom:
• Declutter the Bathroom Cabinets and Drawers  -- Finished in February
• Touch up the paint - Like I said above, our bathroom is getting some work done to the tub and surround, so it is very possible that we will be getting some fresh paint in there as well, without having to lift a finger, but only time will tell.

• Living Room:
• Declutter 8 Cube Baskets, 1 End Table, and 3 Dresser Drawers -- Finished in March
• Finish adding pictures to our 'mural' wall - I sent quite a few pictures from my phone into CVS to be printed.  Once I pick them up next week, this will be finished, for now anyway.  I'd like to update at least a few of them yearly, just to keep things looking fresh.  
• Paint the letter 'R' on our 'mural' wall -- Finished in January
• Find new art for behind the futon - I have found the picture that I want, but it's pricey.  If I can find something similar at a yard sale for less money, I will scoop it up for sure.  If not, I'm in the process of saving up so I can get it as a birthday gift to myself.

• Kitchen:
• Declutter 35 Cabinets, 1 Pantry, 1 China Cabinet, and 11 Drawers -- Finished in March   
• Get a new trashcan -- Finished in February
• Steam the wallpaper off our microwave table, and repaint it - Have not started yet.
• Paint the windows/sills/trim - Have not started yet.
• Clean out the chest freezer and defrost it -- Finished in March
  

• Nursery/Office:
• Declutter the Closet, Dresser, Desk, Chest of Drawers, Bookcase, Sewing Table, and Cedar Chest -- I'm done my part of the bookcase.  I am waiting for Joe to go through a basket of stuff on it that is his, and then we can add it to our flea market stuff and move the new dresser in.  Then it's onto the cedar chest - almost done.
• Go through the CD 3-drawer organizer and combine into a large CD case - Have not started yet.
• Install new curtain rods and tie backs; Hang new curtains - Have not started yet.
• Make a new curtain for the closet; Hang - Have not started yet.
• Buy new Lamp/Shade for the Dresser -- Finished in April
• Re-glue wallpaper - Have not started yet.
• Bring in new chest of drawers (#2) - See above.
• Build new shelf (or two) above the desk; Add books to shelves -- We won't be able to build shelves above the desk the way I wanted to, so I am on the lookout for a small, mostly decorative, shelf at the thrift stores and yard sales.
• Paint the windows/sills and the closet door frame - Have not started yet.

• Laundry Room:
•  Declutter Desk, 3 Drawer Stand, Bookcase, and Closet (including stored Christmas decorations) -- Finished in March
• Touch up paint from renovation - Have not started yet.
• Hang art -- Crossed off in May.  I decided that this isn't necessary.  Plus I am working on Joe to get me a hanging clothes line for in the laundry room, so I will need all the wall space I can get. 
• Wash box of new-to-us toys - I made a HUGE dent in this in May, but I'm not quite finished yet.  I Clorox-wiped everything that I could, but what is left needs to soak in bleach water to be sterilized.
• Buy an Ikea cube system, assemble, and organize -- Have not started yet.  We are in the process of getting rid of the desk that is in there now and that is a total waste of space.  We should be able to buy the cube system in June or July.  

 Are any of you working on some household projects this year?

What are you getting accomplished? 

Menu Plan Monday:05/23/2016

This week I work 4 days, but I get to have Friday and Saturday off - YAY!  I am hoping that we get to hit up some yard sales this weekend.  With all the rain we have been having for the past two months, we haven't been able to go at all.  #rainraingoaway  We have a chest freezer bursting at the seems with proteins, so I made sure to include plenty in this week's meals.  I also planned crock-pot meals for my work days -- knowing that dinner will be ready when I get home from work makes me so happy, and relieved.  I am hoping to get some meal prep done today after we run errands and go grocery shopping.  It makes such a big difference when I have produce that is ready to go in the fridge, and meal components in the freezer!  With all that in mind, here is this week's menu plan... 

• Breakfasts: Eggs, Bacon, Whole-grain Toast, and Fruit for Me/ Pop-Tarts for Joe/ Fruit and Grain Bars or Mini Muffins, and Turkey Sausages for Howard
• Lunches: Leftovers, Canned Soups, PB and J/Tuna/Egg Salad Sandwiches, Salads, or Misc. Frozen TV Dinners
• Dinners: 
• Sunday - Baked Fish, Baked French Fries
• Monday - Ruby Tuesdays!
• Tuesday - Crock-pot Chicken Fajitas, Mexican Rice, Salad

• Wednesday - Crock-pot Pork Tips and Mushroom Gravy, Jasmine Rice, Steamed Broccoli 

• Thursday - Crock-pot Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, Pasta, Garlic Bread, Salad
• Friday - Pizza, Salad

• Saturday - Leftovers - clean out the fridge!

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report: 05/15-21/2016

For the first time in a L-O-N-G time, I didn't go CVS this week.  We had a crazy Sunday, so I didn't get to the store until late, and by that time, I just wasn't feeling it.  I was only going to pick up some sunscreen anyway, and I wasn't sure if it was going to be a good deal or not, so I decided to pass.  I ran in ALDI for a few things to round out our meals this week, and some snacks for Joe.  Then I sped through Giant, mostly because we hadn't eaten dinner yet and I was hungry!  There were a few good deals at Giant, like cheap diet TV dinners, half-priced organic chicken breasts, and $2 foil.  But the rest of the items were just things I picked up because I didn't have much to get this week - cream of mushroom soup (I like the organic kind), slow cooker liners, and ground mustard.  Overall, we had a pretty good week spending-wise, as you can see below...

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $29.04 oop

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $42.16 oop, Earned $0.50 Saving Star Rebate (Pasta Salad), and $0.25 Ibotta Rebate* (Broccoli)

Total OOP: $71.20
Total Earned: $0.75
Total Remaining for May: $193.82

 *Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!

  Linked to Couponaholic, I Heart Publix, and many more!

Frugal Finds: May 2016 Edition

This month I had to share some of my Dollar Tree finds from the other day!  I think I should probably mention that I am addicted to planning -- Hello, my name is Laura and I'm a planaholic -- he, he.  While I'm sharing secrets, I also love to binge watch 'plan with me' videos on YouTube while I exercise.  Now, while I love watching people decorate their planners, it just isn't practical for me.  I do a little washi tape and some stickers to pretty things up, but I NEED a LOT of space to brain-dump my to-dos.  

3 packages Birthday-themed Stickers for my planner $3
1 package Owl Stickers for my planner $1
3 Zip-top Cosmetic cases for organizing office supplies and Howard's Flash Cards $3
2-6 count packs Ice Cream Thank you Cards $2
2 packages Page Markers for my planner $2
1-5 count pack Self-laminating Sheets for insurance cards $1
1 roll Double-sided Tape $1
1 Eye Shadow Brush $1
+ $0.84
Total OOP: $14.84

I also stopped at a Dollar Tree while we were in Hanover one day, and finally found the utensils for Howard's kitchen he's getting for Christmas!  I was really surprised to find the Little People coloring book with 8 large crayons in the back as well!  It fits perfectly in the diaper bag for when we are out and about.
1-4 pack of HEAVY Magnetic Clips $1
1-1000 count Coding Labels for my planner $1
1 Little People Coloring Book and 8 Crayon pack $1
1-8 piece Play Utensils $1
3 Boxwood Balls for filling a pottery bowl in the living room $3
+ $0.42 Tax
Total OOP: $7.42

Have any of you been to the Dollar Tree recently?
What kind of deals are you finding?