Weekly Spending Report: 04/03-09/2016

This week I got some great deals on diapers, produce, and proteins! 

• Sunday's CVS Trip: $23.89 oop, Earned $8.75 ECB's ($5 Pampers/Always, $3 CVS Diapers, and $0.75 M and M's), and $1.50 Ibotta Rebate* (Pamper's Cruisers)

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $47.02 oop (included, but not pictured are 4 gallons of H2O), Earned $0.55 Mobisave Rebate ($0.25 Bread, and $0.30 Lettuce), and $1 Find and Save Rebate

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $32.47 oop, Earned $0.25 Mobisave Rebate (Eggs), $0.25 Ibotta Rebate* (Eggs)

Total OOP: $103.38
Total Earned: $12.30
Total Remaining for April: $269.31
*Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!

Frugal Finds: April 2016 Edition

I was able to make it into the thrift store this month, twice!  I found some great deals -- not as many as I was hoping for, but that's the way it goes sometimes.  I really could use some fresh short-sleeve tee shirts, I found 2, but I need about 3 more.  I also found the most adorable little cup!  In the store I was hemming and hauling about whether to buy it or not, but then I decided that for a buck I really couldn't go wrong.  If I couldn't find a use for it, I knew I could sell it and get my dollar back.  Well, it is the PERFECT size to hold small post-it notes on my desk!!!!  I was excited to find some clothes for Howard in larger sizes as well.  I LOVE the pull on jeans for him, but they are so hard to find used above 2T.  So, when I saw some today is amazing condition and half-price, I snatched them up super quick!  #ifyousnoozeyoulose  Here's the price run down of my thrift scores this month...
First Trip:

3T Pull-on Jeans for Howard (in mint condition) $3.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.99
4T Pull-on Jeans for Howard (in mint condition) $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
4T Pull-on Jeans for Howard $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
5T Fleece PJ Pants for Howard $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
Youth size 4/5 Heavy Fleece Zip Hooded Coat for Howard $5.99
Short Sleeve Navy V-neck Tee for Me $3.99
Tiny Gilded Peacock Cup for my desk $1.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.99
+$0.06 Tax (for cup)
Grand Total OOP: $14.49
(would have been $24.99 before sales, saved $10.50 or 42%!!)

Second Trip:
5T Fleece PJ Pant for Howard $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
Short Sleeve Teal V-neck Tee for Me $3.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.99
Hanging Basket for Howard's Magnet Collection $0.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.49
Potty with Elmo Sound Book for Howard $0.99
 Matching Game for Howard $0.99
+$0.12 Tax (for game and book)
Grand Total OOP: $6.07
(would have been $10.07, saved $4 or 40%!!)

Have you been thrifting lately?  
Any amazing finds to share?  
Let me know in the comments!

Menu Plan Monday: 04/11/2016

This week I have a fairly heavy work schedule, including 2 large tours -- but, the spring cleaning is done and the house is organized and looks AMAZING!  Now if the weather would just cooperate, we could get on with open windows and outside play.  Also, for some reason the fridge is breeding leftovers, so that is on the menu until it's empty.  Then we'll move in to some quick and easy (and crock-pot) meals!  I think part of the issue (not really) is all the fresh veg I have been buying (and eating) lately -- I need to re-learn how to cook since I am eating more salad and less of everything else.  But, enough of that, without further ado, this week's meal plan...

• Breakfasts: Pop-Tarts - Joe, Mini Muffins/Waffles/Fruit and Grain Bars/Yogurt - Howard, Eggs/Strawberries/Yogurt - Me
• Lunches: Leftovers, Misc. Frozen Diet TV Meals, Salads, Canned Soup, PB and J/Tuna/Egg Salad Sandwiches with Chips
• Dinners:
• Sunday - Leftover Buffet
• Monday - Tacos, Mexican Rice, Salad
• Tuesday - Crock-pot Pork Loin, Crock-pot Baked Potatoes, Broccoli and Cheese
• Wednesday - Take-out
• Thursday - Leftover Buffet, take 2
• Friday - Homemade Pizza, Salad
• Saturday - Crock-pot Chicken Breasts (1/2 for dinner and 1/2 for Chicken Salad next week), Rice Pilaf, Misc Veg from the fridge

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Menu Plan Monday: 04/04/2016

This week I am finishing up my Spring cleaning -- almost done!  Open season starts here at the museum, so I have my first two pre-scheduled tours this week, and I have a tea to prepare for on Saturday, so yeah, things are going to be a little busy around these parts.  Cock-pot meals to the rescue!  I also got some not so great news back from the doctor that my triglycerides are high, so I need to cut back on carbs and sugar, no bueno.  I purchased a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies this week, and prepped enough to get me thru a few days on Sunday.  That way I can have salads at the ready, and strawberries, because strawberries are delicious!  We'll see how things go; I have to have my blood rechecked in 4 weeks, so hopefully a little change in diet helps.  Any way, on to the menu plan for this week...

• Breakfasts: Yogurt/Sliced Strawberries/Eggs and Toast for Me, Pop-Tarts for Joe, Waffles/Fruit and Grain Bars/Mini Muffins for Howard
• Lunches: Leftovers, Salads, Canned Soup, Tuna Salad/Egg Salad/PB and J Sandwiches
• Dinners: 
• Sunday - Turkey (red) Kielbasa, Scalloped Potatoes, Creamed Spinach
• Monday - Crock-pot Pork Tips and Mushroom Gravy, Jasmine Rice, Steamed Broccoli
• Tuesday - Tacos, Salad, Mexican Rice
• Wednesday - Pizza, Salad
• Thursday - Canned Soup, and Grilled Cheese or Takeout (depends on how late we are getting home from Joe's grandfather's house)
• Friday - Crock-pot Lasagne, Salad, Garlic Bread
• Saturday - Leftover Buffet

For more AWESOME menu plans, visit Org Junkie!

March 2016 Budget Update

This month I came in under budget again!  I don't know how many more months that will be possible the way Howard is eating.  Howard turns 2 in April, but he eats like a 10 year old, sometimes, other times he barely eats at all - I'm told this is a normal toddler thing - but when he does eat, man he really eats.  Any who, I got a LOT for my money this month - cheap diapers, ground beef, various vegetables, strawberries and so much more!  I am loving the coupon deals that I have been able to score at CVS and Giant lately; I hope that they continue!  Also, the Dollar Tree has really upped their game in what they have to offer.  I have been able to pick up learning items/manipulatives and snacks for Howard, as well as cleaning and crafting supplies for me.  Overall I am really pleased with what I have been able to purchase and still stay under budget.  Here's how my spending went in March...

• Week #1: $89.84 oop, Earned $12 ECB's , $1 Saving Star Rebate, and $0.40 Mobisave Rebate

• Week #2: $96.85 oop, Earned $7 ECB's, and $0.95 Find and Save Rebate

• Week #3: $84.89 oop, Earned $13 ECB's, $0.99 Saving Star Rebate, $1.50 Ibotta* Rebate, and $0.34 Find and Save Rebate

• Week #4: $45.40 oop, Earned $7 ECB's, $1.50 Checkout 51 Rebate, $0.30 Mobisave, and $1 Saving Star Rebate

• Week #5: $54.38 oop, Earned $6 ECB's

Total OOP: $371.36

Total Earned: $52.98

Total Remaining: $22.69!!!!  

This will be added to April's money, so I will start next month with $372.69!

How did you do with your budget this month?  

Did you get any amazing deals?

Share in the comments below...

Weekly Spending Report: 03/27-04/02/2016

This week marked the end of the month, and I finished March $22.69 under budget!  I'll add this to April's money, and will hopefully make out just as well next month.  I got some great deals this week, including $1.50 mashed potatoes, money-maker shampoos, and a bunch of cheap items from the Dollar Tree!  I've already tried out the lint roller that I purchased, and like it so much I went back and bought 3 more!  The sticky on it is great, but what most impressed me was the ease of tearing the used sheet off the roll.  I highly recommend them.  I also grabbed a beach ball while they had them in stock.  Last year we bought Howard one at the ocean because another child had one and he liked it so much -- they are $6 in Ocean City - yuck!  So, I bought a spare for a buck, which is a much better price in my book.  Any way, here's how my spending went this week... 

• Monday's CVS Trip: $5.61 oop, Earned $6 ECB's ($4 Garnier Fructis, and $2 Gillette)

• Monday's ALDI Trip: $17.79 oop

• Monday's Giant Trip: $13.02 oop

• Wednesday's Dollar Tree Trip: $8.42 oop

• Saturday's Dollar Tree Trip: $9.54 oop

Total OOP: $54.38
Total Earned: $6
Total Remaining from March: $22.69!!!  Under budget again!!!

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

Goals Update: March 2016

March was a little crazy here in Maryland - we had some 70+ degree days, and we also had snow - go figure.  The days when the weather was nice, I opened all the windows in the house to air it out, and then took Howard outside to play at various playgrounds nearby all day.  He needed time outside, and so did I.  I didn't get a whole slew of items accomplished in March.  I did get quite a few things done on my household project list, and I also did well with my blogging goals!  Other than that, I didn't really do much.  But that's okay.  I am so thankful for the nice weather we have had and time I've had off from work to spend with Howard.  In April I go back to a more regular work schedule, which is nice, but I'm going to miss all the time I've been able to spend at home with Joe and Howard.  Hopefully when they finishing hire a new tour guide here at the museum in April/May, I can go back to my 3-day-a-week schedule.  So, anyway, here are how the rest of my goals are playing out so far this year...

Personal:

• Lose 20 lbs (about 1.5 lbs a month) - So far I have lost 4 pounds.  It isn't much, but it's something.  I also went for some blood work this month.  Since I have been having such a hard time losing weight, despite daily exercise and dieting, the doctor is leaning towards either a thyroid or hormone issue.  I am hoping it is something simple that requires a pill, and then I can feel better and go about my day, but we'll see.  She should have the results by the end of the month.  If it's earth shattering, I'll share. 
• Exercise 292 days - In March I exercised 29 out of 31 days.  For a total of 73 for the year.  I'm right on track with this goal!  I feel great for the most part, a little sore, but great!  I just wish I was losing more weight though.
• Drink at least 70 oz of water everyday - I did better with this in March.  Still not quite up to 70 oz, but close.  Most days I can get in around 48-56 oz, which is about 3-3 1/2 water bottles.  I think part of my progress has to do with the warmer weather we have been having.  Who wants to drink ice water when it's snowing?  Not me, that's who.  I much prefer hot tea.  But, now that Spring is upon us, the sun is out, and the weather is heating up -- ice water, here I come!  

 Financial:

• Coupon and deal shop to stick to my $350/month budget - I shared my budget update for March here.  If you click over, you can see all of the great things I was able to stock-up on while still staying $22.69 under budget!  This included $1.04 packages of diapers, Green Giant frozen vegetables, Eggo Waffles, dry shampoo, and a variety of other items.
•  Earn at least 6 - $25 Amazon gift card through Swagbucks - I was able to earn my second $25 Amazon gift card this month!  2 Down, and 4 to go.
• List at least 10 things per month online or 120 for the year - January - Check (23), February - no check (0), March - I listed a lot of toddler boys clothes as well as an old desk on a Facebook selling group - check (43). 
• Set up at 6 Flea Markets/Shows to sell our wares - Joe sat up at a tool show this month.  He didn't sell a whole lot, but we did get rid of a few things.  Total for the year = 2

Household:

• Completely declutter the entire house - I still have 2 areas left.  I am waiting for a couple of other household projects to be done before I tackle these last two areas, but I am so excited to be this close to finishing!
• Finish my 2016 project list - I have my project list update posted separately.  However, I will share that I was able to finish most of my decluttering, purchased some frames for DIY wall art, and finally cleaned out the chest freezer, along with a few other things.  I shared some pictures of my progress here. 

Blogging:

• Post at least 3 times a week - I posted at least 3 times per week again in March.  All totaled I shared 16 posts in March, which averages to over 3 a week!  I loved being able to share the Easter baskets I made for Joe and Howard, as well as how I made the gift tags. 
• 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 April 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...

Menu Plan Monday: 03/28/2016

This week I am planning to tackle my deep Spring cleaning.  I am hoping to be able to do the entire house in a day or two while Joe and Howard are away.  I clean every week, but twice a year I like to make sure that the house is thoroughly dusted, scrubbed, de-gunked, and disinfected.  Since there's a lot of hard work on the docket for this week, I kept my menu plan easy; there's lots of crock-pot meals like usual, as well as a couple of leftover days to keep the fridge cleaned out.  Here's what's cookin'...

• Breakfasts: Waffles, Mini Muffins, Fruit and Grain Bars, Pop-Tarts
• Lunches: Leftovers, Misc. Frozen TV Meals, Canned Soup, Quesadillas
• Dinners: 
• Sunday - Out to Lunch/Dinner with Family for Easter
• Monday - Homemade Hamburger Helper
• Tuesday - Leftovers
• Wednesday - Crock-pot Pork Loin, Crock-pot Baked Potatoes, Broccoli and Cheese
• Thursday - Crock-pot Orange Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Buttered Steamed Broccoli
• Friday - Leftovers
• Saturday - Pizza

For more AWESOME menu plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report: 03/20-26/2016

This week I got some great deals, including cheap dry shampoo, $0.50 frozen vegetables, and delicious strawberries!  I kept my shopping to a minimum since the end of the month is drawing near and I want to make sure I have enough money in the budget to get me through.  Really the only 'stock-pile' shopping I did was at CVS, the rest were things we needed for meals this week.  Here's how my shopping broke-down this week...

• Sunday's CVS Trip: $2.22 oop (included, but not pictured are 4-12 packs of Coke Products), Earned $7 ECB's ($5 Tresemme and $2 Venus), $1.50 Checkout 51 Rebate (Venus), $0.30 Mobisave (Hand Soap), and $1 Saving Star Rebate (Tresemme)

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $31.18 oop (included, but not pictured are 4 gallons of H2O)

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $12 oop

Total OOP: $45.40
Total Earned: $9.80
Total Remaining for March: $77.07

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

Household Project List 2016 -- March Update

 

In March I hauled some serious butt on my project list -- I finished decluttering all but 2 spaces, organized some CD's, purchased some frames for DIY wall art, and cleaned out the chest freezer, along with a few other accomplishments.  I am definitely full steam ahead for April in regards to motivation for household projects!  I am hoping that I can get Joe on board with me and knock out another few things next month.  But without further ado, here's how things went in March...

• Bedroom: 
• Declutter 2 Dressers, 1 Chest of Drawers, 2 Nightstands, 1 Closet, and Under the Bed -- Finished in February
• Steam off the crappy boarder
• Re-glue the wallpaper seams
• Change the wall art - I purchased some frames this month at the thrift store that I am going to use for this, but I am looking for some AWESOME (free printable) prints to put in them -- any suggestions?

• Hall: 
• Declutter Hall Closet, Desk, and Coat Closet -- Finished in February
• Sell desk, and move in a bench -- The desk is listed on Facebook, and is awaiting a buyer.  Once it's moved out, the bench will be put in it's place.  I should be able to cross this off by next week!
• 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 (Joe and I might actually repaint the entire bathroom, as the color scheme is not great, so this will happen last, if at all - we might just wait and repaint in 2017)

• Living Room:
• Declutter 8 Cube Baskets, 1 End Table, and 3 Dresser Drawers -- I finally made the time to get all our DVDs into two CD cases.  We still have some VHS tapes to go through; I want to make a list of the ones we would like to have as DVDs so I know what to look for at yard sales.  But I am done with decluttering in the living room for now.
• Finish adding pictures to our 'mural' wall
• Paint the letter 'R' on our 'mural' wall -- Finished in January
• Find new art for behind the futon

• Kitchen:
• Declutter 35 Cabinets, 1 Pantry, 1 China Cabinet, and 11 Drawers -- It took a few days, but I got everything cleaned out!  I managed to fill a HUGE reusable bag and 2 diaper boxes both full of stuff to sell.  I also had very few food items to pitch.  Maybe a dozen.  I know that probably sounds horrible to some, but it is the smallest amount for me ever.  This means that we are being better stewards with what we are provided, stocking up on things we actually eat, and rotating them properly.   
• Get a new trashcan -- Finished in February
• Steam the wallpaper off our microwave table, and repaint it
• Paint the windows/sills/trim
• Clean out the chest freezer and defrost it -- Finally got this done!  It looks AMAZING and it is so much easier for me to access things when I need them!  Instead of having to go chest-freezer diving for a little package of beef, I can just reach into the reusable bag that holds beef items.  I think this system is going to be very easy to maintain - I don't know why it took me so long to figure out that it would be beneficial for us?  I also cleaned out the fridge while I was at it.
  

• Nursery/Office:
• Declutter the Closet, Dresser, Desk, Chest of Drawers, Bookcase, Sewing Table, and Cedar Chest -- I really wanted to be finished with my decluttering this month, but I have decided to wait on a couple of things.  I really want to have the shelves above the desk built before I declutter the bookcase so I know what I have room for and can use that as a limit on what I keep.  I am trying to work smarter, not harder, so I don't want to have to go through things twice.  Also, I need to get the CD's moved and organized (see below) before I can get to the cedar chest to work on it comfortably.  
• Go through the CD 3-drawer organizer and combine into a large CD case 
• Install new curtain rods and tie backs; Hang new curtains
• Make a new curtain for the closet; Hang
• Buy new Lamp/Shade for the Dresser
• Re-glue wallpaper
• Bring in new chest of drawers (#2)
• Build new shelf (or two) above the desk; Add books to shelves
• Paint the windows/sills and the closet door frame 

• Laundry Room:
•  Declutter Desk, 3 Drawer Stand, Bookcase, and Closet (including stored Christmas decorations) -- I was able to finish decluttering the laundry room this month as well.  And, surprisingly , it really didn't take that long to do.  The bookcase, 3 drawer stand, and desk took a total of maybe 15 minutes.  There were a couple handfuls of things to put away elsewhere, and a handful or so of trash, and that's it - done, and done! 
• Touch up paint from renovation
• Hang art -- still deciding on if this is necessary
• Wash box of new-to-us toys  

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

What are you getting accomplished?