Top 10 Posts of 2014

Wow. This year is already coming to an end. How does this happen?! As soon as I get used to writing the year, it changes. Oh well. My genuine hope for all my readers is that 2015 will bring many blessings and joyous moments.

To wrap up the year, here are my 10 most read posts this year...I've got some great new posts coming in 2015...thank you so much for following Save Money, Live Joyfully!

1. You Know You're a CI Parent If...

2. Dear Lady Who Told My Deaf Son to Be Quiet

3. DIY Jeopardy Board

4. Slow Cooker Recipe Collection

5. Lego Patterns Travel Game- Free Printable

 

6. Find a Homeschool Schedule That Works for Your Family

7. DIY Lego Travel Tray

8. Our First Grade Curriculum Choices

9. Tips for Entertaining on a Budget

10. 30 Life Lessons for My 30 Years

Why I Stopped Couponing (And How I'm Still Saving Money)

Before Junior was born, I was all about couponing. I would look through the ads while comparing them to my coupons, and had a coupon box I would bring with me every time I went shopping. I routinely got products for free (even if I didn't use them), and several times received cash overages after a grocery shopping trip!

But, after he was born and days became hectic and crazy and exhausting, and I started homeschooling Tater at about the same time, I had to stop. I didn't have time to eat, much less sit and clip or print coupons and compare ads. Meals became simpler, shopping trips became more infrequent, and coupons slowly died off in my little world. Here are the top reasons I stopped couponing, and the ways I'm still saving money:

1. Time
I used to spend at least an hour a week clipping coupons and comparing prices. I would spend another 2 hours weekly driving to stores and shopping for the items I was going to use coupons for. I decided that those extra three hours a week could be better used, such as making food from scratch while Junior napped, planning out my menu with ingredients from the pantry or making the most of leftovers, or planting a garden (or watering the garden my husband planted =)). All of those efforts combined to save me significantly more than the $10 a week average I was saving in coupons, and I ended up with more time to spend with my family.

2. Product Availability
Whenever there was a good coupon deal, and thousands of money saving bloggers had already alerted the masses, I would find our store shelves empty. Often, I had just gone to the store just for those several items, and ended up wasting time, energy, and gas for nothing. By going to the store less frequently, and only for items I really need, I save money on gas and on impulse buys.

3. Item Quality
We've been trying to eat healthier, and that means we rarely eat items that most coupons advertise.We eat more fresh fruits and veggies, more simple meals, and less packaged goods than we used to. Even with coupons (or possibly because of coupons), I used to spend a lot on snack foods, even if we didn't end up eating them, just so I could use the coupon. Now, I get most of our snack foods from Trader Joes, which are often organic but still less expensive than their brand name grocery store counterparts. We eat mostly organic now, and my grocery budget has actually gone down $20 a week because I buy so much less pre-packaged items. Fruits and vegetables and high quality items don't have to be expensive. In season fruits and vegetables are often very inexpensive.

On occasion I will clip a coupon for something I need to purchase anyway, and the Target Cartwheel App has been a hassle free way to save, but gone are the days of crazy couponing. In exchange, I have more time, a lower budget, and we're eating healthier.

Do You Coupon? Why or Why Not? Join in the Conversation on Twitter or Facebook!

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Post Roundup-September 2014

I thought it would be fun and helpful for my readers if I did a post roundup every month, and divided everything into categories for easy access to all the recipes and articles I put up. What do you think? Is it helpful to post a roundup every month?

Special Needs/Junior

• You Know You're a C.I. Parent If...

Recipes

• 8 Gameday Menus on a Dime 
• Fantastic Fall Apple Crisp
• Leftover Chili Tortilla Pie

Homeschool

• Beating Homeschool Burnout Before it Begins
• Classical Conversations Giant Board Game Review

Saving Money

• Ask Sara: "Where Do You Shop?"

Book Reviews

• Get to Know King David (Children's)
• The Quick Start Guide to the Whole Bible (Bible Reference)
• The Berenstain Bears: Blessed are the Peacemakers (Children's)
• Love Letters from God (Children's)
• Your Family in Pictures (Photography)
• Good News for Weary Women (Women's Encouragment)

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Ask Sara: Where Do You Shop?

"Where are your favorite places to shop? I never know if I'm getting the best deal on something."
-Courtney

Hi Courtney,

If you're happy with the deal you got, then it's a good deal! But, I have found my "favorites" when it comes to purchasing specific things.

Here are some of my go-to places to shop for various items...

Primary Groceries: Trader Joes
Trader Joes has basically everything I need for the week. I purchase most of my canned/jarred items, dairy, and frozen goods there. Not only are they significantly less expensive than our local grocery store, but the items are often organic.

Meat: Costco
Costco has good meat quality at a reasonable price. They also have organic beef and chicken for half the price of the grocery store.

Produce: Sprouts or Costco
When Costco has their organic fruit in season, I typically purchase most of my fresh fruit there. If not, I get fruit at Sprouts. While Sprouts can be more expensive, they typically have several produce items on special every week that we will pick up. As for vegetables, I like the frozen organic vegetables from Costco. They taste fresh, and don't cost too much.

Kid's Clothes (New): Gymboree, Children's Place
We have been blessed with many hand-me-downs, but if you prefer to purchase your kid's clothing new instead of gently used, I have had good luck at Gymboree buying on clearance with a 20% coupon or Children's Place online using coupon codes which they have frequently. I don't spend more than $3 per new item for my toddler, or $5 per new items for my 6 year old (who is in size 8, thus more expensive clothes). But, because I buy quality clothes, I can sell them for $1 to $2 each at a yard sale, and almost make my money back! 

Kitchen Items: Costco Business Center, Homegoods, Ikea
If you happen to have a Costco Business Center in your area, don't be fooled by the name, you can find some great deals for your home. Since it's built for businesses and restaurants, the Business Center doesn't carry the fun stuff (clothes, books, toys, etc), but they carry a ton of restaurant (ie kitchen) supplies at very low prices. They have pots and pans, utensils, servingware, and other items. One of my favorite items to get there is the digital meat thermometer, only $3 each. Similar thermometers are $10-12 anywhere else. I also like Homegoods for good cookware, and Ikea for miscellaneous items, such as spatulas and straws.

Women's Clothing: Target, Nordstrom Rack
I love the tank tops at Target. They go under anything, and I can often get them for $4 each when they have a sale and a clothing coupon. I've gotten many cute outfits at Target for a fraction of the cost anywhere else.
Nordstrom Rack is hit-or-miss. You have to be patient, but on occasion you can find some incredible deals. My daughter was recently the flower girl in a wedding, and I found an amazing white satin flower girl dress marked down from $100 to $24.99. I could not have purchased the fabric to make the dress for cheaper than that!

Toys: Homegoods, Costco
Homegoods has a really nice toy section, and they're often good quality, such as Melissa and Doug. When I'm purchasing for a birthday party or baby shower, Homegoods is my first stop. During Christmas season, Costco has wonderful deals on toys, which I often purchase to use as birthday gifts throughout the year.

Where Do You Like To Shop? Let me know in the Comments!

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5 Ways to Save Money on a Family Vacation

Family Vacations should be an exciting time filled with wonderful memories and shared experiences. It should be a time of joy, and not worrying about the financial side of things. To get the most out of your vacation, try some of these money saving tips!

1. Set a Budget and Give Yourself Wiggle Room
-The first thing you'll want to do when planning a vacation is to set a budget. This should be a budget for everything, not just the travel and lodging expenses. You'll want to make sure you plan on the cost of meals, gas, and souvenirs. If you max out your budget on the hotel, you'll stress out every time you go to dinner or have to tip someone.

2. Start Planning Early...and Keep Checking
-For our last vacation, I started planning about 4 months before our travel dates. I kept an eye on airfare and hotels for several weeks before booking anything.  I looked for lodging coupon codes on Retailmenot and looked around for seasonal deals. We purchased a travel package when I was convinced the price was at its lowest, about 3 months before our travel dates, but purchased the additional insurance for our trip in case we found a better deal. I'm glad we did! About 6 weeks before our vacation, I repriced the entire package and it was $500 cheaper. So I canceled and rebooked. It was a bit of a hassle, but we saved $500 that would pay for our meals while traveling.

3. Find a Hotel with Free Breakfast and Pack Lunches
-Whenever we travel, we look for hotels that offer complimentary breakfast, then purchase lunch items--such as lunch meat, bread, chips, and water at Costco when we arrive and store them in the room mini fridge. Then we're only paying for one meal every day. The savings really adds up.

4. Look for Local Coupons and Check Online Reviews
-Before you go, check Groupon or Living Social for any local restaurants or activities you can save on. You can also check Yelp or other review sites for out-of-the-way restaurants that may charge less than touristy areas, and local favorite activities that aren't overpriced.

5. Consider Souvenirs Carefully
-Souvenirs can really eat away at the budget. And usually, these little trinkets end up broken or misplaced, being little more than wasted money. One of my favorite souvenirs is to take lots of pictures, then create a photo book when we get home. It's something the kids can look through over and over again, and we can relive the memories without wasting any money.  

Finally, Enjoy Your Family Time, No Matter Where You End Up
-The point of a family vacation is to enjoy the time together no matter what your budget is. By planning ahead and giving yourself wiggle room in your budget, you can enjoy your time without worrying about how much you're spending, since you've already planned on the expense. And when you've removed the stress, you're free to create wonderful, lifelong memories.

What is your favorite way to save on vacation? Let me know in the comments!

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Ask Sara: "My Husband Won't Eat Meatless Meals!:

Ask Sara:

"Hi. My name is Heather, and I've been trying to cut my grocery bill, but my husband won't eat a meal unless it's full of meat. I get so discouraged with money saving meal ideas that only include meatless meals and beans and rice. Help!" 

Hi Heather. First of all, good for you in trying to balance your grocery bill with your husband's preference for meat in every meal. I'm sure it gets frustrating seeing the cost of meat rising while you're trying to get your grocery budget down.

Here are a few ideas for keeping meat in meals while keeping your grocery budget down:

1. Let Him Know the Situation
Most men, when faced with a problem, want to fix it. And in any budget there has to be sacrifice. So, present the issue to your husband--meat is expensive, and you need to keep the grocery budget down. Find a compromise he can live with, and your budget can handle. Working together to solve the problem will hopefully keep some of the tension and stress out.

2. Learn How to Stretch Meat
If you want some specific tips on learning to stretch meat, I have a post here on the 5 S's of Stretching Meat. But, you can turn one pound of meat into two-plus meals with a little creativity. Adding meat to soups, pastas, salads, and stir-fries will really stretch.

3. Use the Freezer
When you find a good deal on meat, pick up a bunch, wrap or bag it well, taking care to get the air out so you avoid freezer burn, and stick it in the freezer. Stocking up on meat when you have some extra wiggle room in the budget or find a good deal will help the grocery budget.

Here are some ideas for some meals that help stretch meat. They're some of my husband's favorites, so they're husband approved! I can easily turn 1.5 lbs of meat into two dinners and one or two lunches for our family of 4 by shredding or cutting it into chunks and adding a hearty side.

Main Dishes
-Beef Stew 
-BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
-Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
-BBQ Chicken Pizza
-Buffalo Chicken Pizza 
-Hamburgers or Sliders
-Sesame Beef Stir Fry
-Chicken Fried Rice
-Beef Enchiladas
-Beef Burritos
-Chicken Tacos
-Carnitas Tacos
-Chicken/Beef/Carnitas Tostadas
-Chili
-Spaghetti and Meatballs
-Meatball Soup
-Pasta with Meat Sauce
-Pasta with sliced Sausage
-BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad
-Greek Chicken Gyros
-Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Casserole

Hearty Sides
-Cornbread
-Black Beans
-Refried Beans
-Rice Salad
-Caesar Salad
-Roasted Vegetables
-Twice Baked Potatoes
-Baked French Fries
-Macaroni and Cheese
-Baked Potatoes
-Broccoli Casserole
-French Bread with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Dipping Sauce

These are just some ideas, but you can still have meat in every meal without breaking the bank. What are some of your favorite ways to please a meat-eater without using too much meat?

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50 Cheap or Free Summer Activities

I can still remember the excitement of that last day of school...visions of sleeping in, watching TV, and eating tuna fish sandwiches by the pool all danced in my head. Such bliss.

Now, that stuff was fun...for about a week...then the boredom set in. By the time September rolled around, I actually looked forward to the first day of school. So, to avoid the summer boredom, here are 50 of my favorite cheap or free summer activities to keep your family busy!

1. Have a Creature Scavenger Hunt (find a black bug, a green bug, a ladybug, a butterfly, etc.)

2. Attend Library Storytime

3. Find and hike local trails

4. Go for a nature walk in your neighborhood. Glue your findings to a nature scrapbook.

5. Have a water fight.

6. Have a Shape Scavenger Hunt in the house (find a round food, a square toy, a rectangular tool, etc)

7. Bring handmade Thank You notes to your local fire station. (You can also bring store bought goodies, as many fire stations won't accept homemade food.)

8. Set up a water slide with the hose and a toddler slide.

9. Write and put on a family play

10. Explore "Free Museum Days" (In San Diego, they have free museum admission days for local residents every Tuesday.)

11. Plant an herb garden

12. Make a vinegar and baking soda "volcano"

13. Build bridges out of popsicle sticks and glue. Test by putting weight on. Winner gets a small treat.

14. Bake cookies for a neighbor

15. Make homemade French bread (the warm weather of summer helps yeast rise!)

16. Make homemade play-doh

17. Go to the local county fair on "half price" day (if available)

18. Build a "track" with painters tape on the carpet, and have races...either with kids or Hot Wheels!

19. Go to a local aquarium fish store, and look at the different colored fish

20. Visit a local Nursing Home and bring handmade cards saying "Thinking of You". Or, grab a group of friends and go sing for the residents.

21. Build a Lego or block city

22. Find a book of great artists at the library, and paint your own version of their works

23. Get inexpensive PVC pipe from the hardware store and create a water run or marble run with the pipes.

24. Explore local parks and splash pads

25. Walk around the local Farmer's Market

26. Look up local street fairs...they happen frequently on summer weekends.

27. Start crafting handmade Christmas presents

28. Have a picnic at the park, the backyard or the beach

29. Look up local "Concerts at the Park"

30. Draw a city out of sidewalk chalk

31. Go to your local historical society (many towns offer free admission, or suggested donations of $1-2.)

32. Start shopping for Operation Christmas Child boxes by keeping an eye on clearance bins and sales.

33. Have everyone go through the house and collect odds and ends to make an "invention". Give small treats for "most unique", "most useful", etc.

34. Have a neighborhood "Day Camp". Each mom takes the kids for a morning, and shows them a new skill. (One day might be gardening, the next baking, the next painting, etc.)

35. Get out old photo albums and show the kids pictures of when you were their age.

36. Hide pennies around the house or in the sandbox and have a treasure hunt.

37. Ask if a non-local friend or cousin wants to be a pen pal.

38. Make a Rock Turtle

39. Have a Yard Sale

40. Discuss how animals use camouflage, and have each child glue sticks, grass, and leaves to an item, and take turns hiding and finding it.

41. Make homemade Finger Paint

42. "Fizzy Colors"

43. "Secret Code Painting"

44. "Stained Glass Watercolor Collage"

45. Set up an obstacle course in the backyard

46. "Camp" in the backyard or living room

47. Have a Family Movie Night

48. Get your favorite childhood book or movie from the library and read or watch it with the kids.

49. Check local theaters for their $1 Summer Film program

50. Build a fort

What are your Favorite Inexpensive Summer Activities?

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Saving Money: 10 Experience Gifts for Kids

 

As any parent can tell you, Christmas and birthdays, while fun, exciting, and memorable, can often be overwhelming just from the sheer amount of new toys accumulated. Many parents, in an attempt to tame the toys, like to give their children "experience gifts". Experiences help build memories, help you simplify, and can save you money. Instead of gifts for your child, family and friends can contribute to their experience gifts as well. Here are some of my favorite experience gifts:

1. Zoo Passes
-Kids love the zoo, and most zoos offer annual passes that are only slightly more than a one-day admission.

2. Theme Park Tickets/Passes
-Some theme parks offer resident pricing, but if that is still steep, consider a day trip to your local (or closest) theme park for your child's birthday. If there are no theme parks close to you, get tickets for an annual county fair or carnival.

3. Sports Sign-Ups
-Sports seasons can be pricey (between $50-$100 a child, just for registration, and not counting any equipment, team party fees, etc.) For your child's birthday present, have friends and family contribute to a sports season.

4. _____ Lessons
-Is your child interested in learning horseback riding, art, or guitar? Lessons can be a wonderful birthday present, and there are a world of options to suit any child's interest!

5. Movie at the Theater
-Purchase discount movie tickets at Costco, and take your child out for a movie in the theater. Theater movies are an exciting outing for kids; especially if you splurge and let them bring candy! 

6. Day at an Entertainment Park
-Think a day of mini golf, arcade games, and any other attractions your local entertainment park offers. 

7. Special Meal Out 
-We always went out to dinner, my choice, the day of my birthday. I always thought this was better than a party! Breakfast out the morning of your child's birthday is a fun tradition as well (he or she would especially enjoy it if it means getting to school late =) ) 

8. A "Date" With Each Parent
-For a special memory, allow your child to spend some one-on-one time with each parent. This could be a date to get a bagel with mom one morning, and an afternoon with dad at the park. Great memories don't have to cost a lot of money.

9. Tickets to a Sporting Event 
-Instead of a toy, consider taking your child to a local sporting event. Most Major League stadiums have inexpensive standing-room-only seats. Half of the fun is walking around the park anyway! If you have a local minor-league team, the tickets are often very inexpensive even for good seats. Minor League stadiums may even let your birthday child's name go up on the scoreboard for free!

10. Combine All Family Birthdays To Put into a Vacation Fund
-We had never taken a family vacation before last year, but we also didn't want to add any more expenses to our year. So, last year we decided to take our entire family birthday budget (including our anniversary), and put it towards vacation. We had an incredible time, and my children also considered it their "birthday trip", making it even more special for them.

Remember, your time is worth more than toys in the eyes of your child. 

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DIY-"Glass" Table Cover

Back when we were fortunate enough to have a Pottery Barn outlet in California, I found all sorts of great treasures. A few of my favorites included a velvet Christmas tree skirt for $13, a set of floor-to-ceiling curtains for $20 (regularly $200, and matched my bedroom perfectly!) and a kid's school room set--a bulletin board, desk, and bookshelf for around $100 total.

Since Stinker was just a toddler when I purchased the table, it was an art table for a while, and I sought to protect the wood from the disastrous effects of errant paint and over zealous glittering by covering it with a vinyl tablecloth. Messes wiped off easily, and it worked well. Until this year.

Now that Stinker is in school, I was looking for a way for the desk surface to be more accessible to allow for easier writing, (and more of a school desk feeling), but would still protect the table from scratches. 

Initially considering glass, I consulted my grampa (an former engineer and woodworker with his own little workshop), who suggested I look into plexiglass for the project. Not only was it significantly cheaper, but it also was safer for the kids...no shattering if it were to fall.

I measured the table (multiple times to ensure a perfect fit), and purchased a sheet of plexiglass from a home improvement store slightly larger than the table so I could make it fit (it cost less than $40). Then I found someone with a table saw (my awesome grampa!), and he cut the plexiglass sheet to fit the table perfectly. (My gramma and I helped. It was a team effort :))

Since plexiglass is lighter than glass, it doesn't sit on top of the table as easily, so I purchased a few wood-safe velcro strips that hold the edges of the plexiglass down without the use of adhesive.

I put paper under the plexiglass, and Stinker can use dry erase markers to practice her writing and letters without wasting paper.

Simply erase when done! I love our new table, and Stinker has enjoyed sitting at a "big girl" desk.

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Non-Clutter Ideas for Stocking Stuffers

I love Christmas. It's possible that Christmas music begins at or around Halloween in my home. I love the Christmas cookies, the Christmas trees, and the family time we spend together to make precious memories. One thing I do not, however, love about Christmas, is the clutter.

I don't mind the kitschy clutter of Christmas joy...the glittery everything, the tinsely everything, the snowman candle that has been sitting on top of our fireplace since December 2011...but there's one kind of clutter that makes my skin crawl. The Stocking Clutter.

Stockings are one of my family's favorite tradition, and it seems to be more about quantity than quality for the kids, but after a few years of sticking 90% of stocking stuffers into the junk toy bin the day after Christmas, I decided to take a hard look at how I could save money by not buying junk, but still make stockings fun and enjoyable.

1. Give Experiences
-We try to give our children experience gifts when we can, such as Zoo Passes or amusement park tickets, and you can use the same principle, obviously scaled down, for stockings. These can be some of the most meaningful, yet inexpensive gifts you can give. Some ideas:

• A sprinkle shaker, with a homemade coupon for making and decorating cookies together.
• A homemade coupon book, including such privileges as staying up 30 minutes past bedtime, or going out for ice cream, or having a family game night.
• An inexpensive DVD (Target often has family/children's movies for under $5) and your child's favorite sweet treat with a plan to have a family movie night. 

2. Useful Doesn't Have To Be Boring
-I know, I know. You're going to read: "give socks" and immediately go to the next idea. But, useful and practical gifts don't have to be depressing. And you'll save yourself some money buying something you'd probably have to buy anyway.

• Fuzzy, cozy socks in fun colors (slipper socks are always a hit)
• A toothbrush in a fun color/shape/size
• Band-Aids with your child's favorite character
• Brightly colored hair clips or hair ties
• A hat, scarf, or mittens
• A flashlight (kids love flashlights, and they're always good to have on hand in case of emergency!)
• School supplies (maybe something you picked up for free with coupons during school supply season.)
• A festive holiday plate, cup or utensils
• Books

3. Consumable Gifts
 -Food is always fun for little ones to get in their stockings. At least mine. Junior's nickname is "Beast" for a reason. The boy can eat! His whole stocking will probably be snacks this year.

• Sweet treats your child doesn't normally get
• Mini cereal boxes for breakfasts
• Fruit with a hard peel such as an orange or tangerine
• Art and Craft supplies (considered consumable since they get used pretty quickly!)
• Hot cocoa packets
• Fruit snacks or other favorite snack items

4. Moderation is Key
-I still like a add a couple silly little toys, such as a mini My Little Pony figurine for my daughter or a Hot Wheels car for my son, or a little light up ball or wands, but those are the exception rather than the rule. And, since there are only a few, it makes the clutter more tolerable.

Tell Me!
What kind of stocking stuffers do you like to add? How do you manage the clutter?

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Frugal Ingredients I Always Have on Hand and Recipes

Inspired by an old post "10 Non-Perishables I Always Have In My Pantry", I decided to share the perishables I purchase almost every week in order to make frugal meals. These are my staples, and things I can use to whip up a meal at a moment's notice.

*Lettuce
-Make a quick salad for a side or main dish, or use in sandwiches.

*Eggs
-6 Meal Ideas for Eggs

*Potatoes
-Add to soups or stews to stretch your meat, have a baked potato bar using leftover veggies or chili from the week, make oven fries for a quick side, or twice baked potatoes.

*Milk
-Use in smoothies using leftover or frozen fruit, make breakfast for dinner with waffles or pancakes or simple french toast.

*Garlic and Onions
-This is my favorite frugal ingredient combination there is. Use as a starter for soups, or pasta sauces, or whip up a batch of slow cooker black beans or refried beans.

*Tortillas
-We go through a lot of tortillas, mostly because leftovers always seem to find their way into one. Quesadillas, burritos, soft tacos, enchiladas, lettuce wraps, and breakfast burritos are some of my family's favorite ways to use up these little round holders of culinary joy.

*Cheese
-You can use cheese in just about everything, and while it's not a cheap ingredient, per se, a little cheese makes a big difference in a frugal meal. Top chili, baked potatoes, or omelets with cheese, make homemade pizza using english muffins or homemade pizza dough

*Carrots and Celery
-Along with garlic and onions, carrots and celery make up the base of any combination of soups you can imagine including minestrone, meatball, and chicken noodle. 

What foods do you always have on hand? I'd love to hear your family favorites as well!!

Browse all my Family Favorite recipes here

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Saving Money...Quick Tips at Target!

Target is one of my happy places. Sometimes on the weekends, I'll leave the kids with my husband and go for a drive. That usually means I'm going to the nearest Target to wander around the aisles in peace.

One of my favorite parts of Target is browsing their clearance sections. While they often have an excellent clearance selection, purchasing unnecessary items obviously increases the risk of overstepping our budget. Here are a couple tips for staying on budget in the clearance aisles of Target:

1. Keep an Eye out for "Online Items"
-Items that were purchased online and returned in stores are as much as 90% off. Because it's not a store item, they want to liquidate at quickly as possible. The areas that I've seen the most online items are in the baby section (baby shower returns), and the furniture/home section. They're often just tossed into the regular clearance area, though, so keep an eye out. But, it's very hit or miss, and these deals are often scooped up quickly.

2. Check Reviews Before Buying
-Recently I saw a toy that I thought would make a good Christmas present for my daughter. It's was 70% off. However, I pulled out my phone, went on Amazon, and checked the reviews for the product. It only received 2 stars in multiple reviews for being poor quality. I decided not to purchase it. If it's poorly made, even on clearance, it's probably not a good deal.

3. You Don't Need Every Deal
-Being largely homebound with Junior for the last 16 months has taught me that I don't need every single good deal that pops up. If there's no room in my budget, or it's just clutter that I really don't need, it's not a good deal for me. When you look to purchase something, even if it's just a few dollars or on clearance, ask yourself "Do I really need this?" "Do I have a place for it?" These questions help me realize if I'm buying something that will truly be used, or just buying for the sake of buying.

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6 Frugal Meal Ideas Using Eggs

Barring an allergy or sensitivity, eggs are a great frugal ingredient that you can use for many different meals. Here are some ideas for saving money on your weekly menu using eggs as an ingredient.

1. "Leftover" Omelets
When I have scraps of vegetables or meat left over I like to make omelets. It only takes a small amount of leftovers to make omelettes, but they are very filling. Serve with a smoothie using any fruit on hand.

2. Fried Rice
I love this recipe for fried rice, for when I have even a little bit of meat leftover from a previous meal.

3. Salad Topper
Add hard boiled eggs to a salad, for a protein boost that will help fill you up. Try it on spinach salad or Caesar Salad.

4. Breakfast Burritos
Scramble eggs with a little bit of chili powder and garlic powder. Fill a tortilla with eggs, cheese, salsa, and bacon if desired. Serve with fruit or roasted potatoes.

5. Breakfast Scramble
I'll make breakfast scrambles when I have a little bit of veggies leftover but don't feel like making omelettes. Scramble eggs with chopped vegetables, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, potatoes and spinach. Serve with toast.

6. Egg Sandwiches 
For a quick and filling meal, scramble up two eggs, and place on a slice of toast. Top with cheese and broil until cheese is melted. Top with another slice of toast. 

Browse my other family favorite recipes here

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Saving Money...Eating Organic

With the official start of summer coming up later this week, many people are looking forward to eating lighter, healthier meals full of fresh produce that remind us of warm weather and summer nights.

One of the most popular healthy trends right now is eating organically. Organic foods are free of typical pesticides and genetically modified organisms, but are often significantly more expensive than their conventionally grown counterparts. Is it possible to eat organically without breaking the bank?

1. Prioritize
-Research foods that are most likely to contain pesticides or be genetically modified. Consider purchasing organic for the major offenders, while purchasing conventionally for other foods. For example, I rarely purchase organic bananas, because the peel protects the fruit itself from pesticides. Eating organically doesn't have to be all or nothing. Save in some areas, while splurging in others.

2. Consider Homegrown
-Even if you have a small yard (like us), you can still grow your own food. We grow strawberries in pots, and have dwarf citrus trees that require little space. Our dwarf tangerine tree is about 3 feet tall and a foot wide at the base, but yields around 100 tangerines a year!

-However, homegrown doesn't have to mean you grow something yourself. Research local organic farms and sign up for a CSA basket. You are at the mercy of what's in season, but you'll probably get a great selection of organic produce for much less than purchasing at the grocery store.

3. Stretch Meat
-As with conventionally grown items, you'll get more bang for your buck if you use meat as a side with produce as the star of the meal. Read my top 5 tips for stretching meat here. I have found the best deals in my area for organic chicken and ground beef at Costco, but if you have local farms, you could buy a side of beef and split with a friend or store in the freezer.

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5 Ideas for Spaghetti Noodles

Chicken Stir Fry with Spaghetti Noodles and Naan

Spaghetti seems to be the workhorse of the pantry. It's 4:58pm. Your husband will be home in a half hour, and the kids are whining incessantly asking for food. You totally forgot to defrost meat for dinner. What do you do? In my house, this means Spaghetti Night!

Spaghetti is great, but I like options and variety, so here are my top 5 ways to use spaghetti noodles.

1. Stir Fry
-Usually, we serve rice with our stir fry fixins. But, using spaghetti noodles instead makes for a great stir fry dish. Simply stir fry up your favorite veggies and proteins, and toss (including any extra sauce) with spaghetti noodles and serve.

2. Chicken Noodle Soup
-Egg noodles are the traditional noodle of choice for chicken soup, but broken spaghetti noodles are delicious as well (just ask Campbells!).

3. Chili Spaghetti
-If you have leftover chili sitting around (or in the freezer), top spaghetti with chili, cheese, and sour cream for a not-so-authentic Cincinnati Chili variation.

4. Pasta Salad
-For a light summery main course, break spaghetti noodles in half, cook until al dente and rinse to stop the cooking process. Drain well and toss with salad dressing, and veggies such as peppers, spinach, tomatoes, and olives. Add some cheese (such as feta) and some chicken if you'd like, let chill for a couple hours, and serve!

5. Spaghetti Sandwiches
-Whenever I make spaghetti with salad and garlic bread, I inevitably end up making a sandwich out of my meal. Why? I have no idea. But, it's delicious. Just toss some spaghetti noodles with warm sauce, stuff into toasted rolls, top with parmesan and mozzarella cheese and lettuce, and drizzle ranch over the whole thing.

One last idea--Freeze Them!
This isn't a recipe, but it's good to know that spaghetti noodles can be frozen for next time. Perhaps whip up a batch of my favorite freezer friendly meatballs, or some of my famous pesto.

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Saving Money: Online Coupon Codes

While I haven't had the opportunity to do as much couponing since my second child was born last year, I have been able to do more online and comparison shopping. Barring groceries, I often find what I'm looking for cheaper online. Before I purchase anything, I check online for the lowest price and scour the web for coupon codes. Here are some of my favorite sites for gathering coupon codes:

• Save1.com
• Save1.com is like other coupon code sites, but with a humanitarian twist. If you use one of their offered coupon codes when you check out at a retailer (they offer coupons for several thousand online retailers), this family-owned company receives a small commission. Part of that commission is then used to fund several BBB-accredited, non-profit charities that provide meals for needy children. Since their inception in 2012, they have provided over 93,000 meals for malnourished children around the world!

•  RetailMeNot.com
• Retailmenot.com is the largest of the coupon code sites. Coupons are updated constantly and allow user contributions. It also allows people to vote on whether or not a particular coupon worked for them, allowing you to find the most reliable coupons quickly.

• Ebates.com
• Ebates really comes in handy during Christmas season when I do a lot of online shopping. By using their retailer links and provided coupon codes, they offer you a percentage of their commission as cash back. I have been using Ebates for about 5 years, and have enjoyed getting a little extra money in my mailbox every few months.

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Homestead Corn Muffins

My son is scheduled for surgery soon, so we've been staying in as much as possible. Seems that everyone on this side of the country is battling some kind of flu/virus/cold, and we need to keep him healthy. As a result, we've been going to the store less, and making do with what we have. (Which is a great way to save money and something we should be doing more of anyway!)

So, when I threw together Chili last night using leftover steak in place of the usual ground beef, I knew I needed an accompaniment. I had one egg left--not enough for my usual cornbread recipe, so I improvised upon a couple different recipes until I came up with this slightly sweet and crumbly corn muffin recipe. Great for crumbling into a big bowl of hearty chili! It's denser than my usual cakey cornbread, so if you want it more cakey then crumbly, add another egg.

Homestead Corn Muffins makes 18-24 muffins

2 cups cornmeal  

2 cups milk 

1 TBS lemon juice 

1 C all-purpose flour 

2/3 C white sugar 

3 TBS canola oil 

3/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking soda 

1 egg

• Preheat oven to 350*. Line a muffin tin with liners. 
• Add lemon juice and milk to bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
• Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl.
• Add milk mixture, oil, and egg. Combine until well combined.
• Pour muffin liners 2/3 full with batter.
• Bake 15-20 minutes, or until browned and knife poked into the center of muffin comes out clean.

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Make it or Buy It? Jewelry Cleaner

With all the hand washing going on around here lately, my rings were getting all soap scummy and dull. Remembering the last time I used storebought jewelry cleaner, I spent $6 and had an allergic reaction that caused all the skin around my rings to peel off, I decided to look for a DIY option that would get my rings sparkling again. I had been using toothpaste and an old toothbrush, but I wasn't sure all the chemicals in the toothpaste were good for the metal in the rings.

While reading my recent issue of Real Simple magazine the other day, I found an excitingly simple recipe for cleaning jewelry, and decided to test it out. So, here it is!

-2 parts dish soap (I used 2 TBS Dawn)
-10 parts warm water (10 TBS)

Let soak for 3 hours. Remove jewelry and gently scrub with an old toothbrush. Rinse with hot water. 

So, how did they turn out? Unfortunately, I forgot to take a "before" picture, but there was definitely a difference. The rings were shinier, sparklier, and the soap scum from all the preventative hand washing was washed away.

I don't even know how much 2 TBS of dish soap costs...maybe a penny or two? Either way, compared to the expensive jewelry cleaner in the stores, this method is definitely a winner.

Bottom Line: Make It!

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5 Things to Do With Leftover Chili

Over the weekend I made a big batch of wonderful chili. Typically, I freeze my chili in one meal increments to pull out when I need a quick meal, but this time I decided to see how long I could make the leftovers appealing by using them in different dishes. Here are the top 5 ways I like to use up chili.

1. Chili Cheese Nachos
-I place some tortilla chips on a foil lined sheet, dollop on some chili, and sprinkle cheddar or Mexican cheese over the top. Bake in a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until the chili is warm. You don't want to overcook them...I made that mistake for lunch today and ended up with mushy chips and burned cheese! Serve with salad if you want to be healthy. Serve with nacho cheese if you want to be like me.

2. Chili Topped Baked Potatoes
-This is a simple and inexpensive way to use up that last bit of chili. Cook a scrubbed baking potato at 375 degrees until a knife goes through easily, 45-75 minutes depending on size (potato size can vary quite a bit!) or in the microwave for about 10 minutes. Open, top with chili, green onions, cheese, and sour cream.

3. Chili Tamale Pie
-Use a slotted spoon to place the chunky meat in an 8x8 greased baking dish. Cover with some chili liquid; enough to moisten but not covered or the topping will be soggy. Spread prepared cornbread (mix or homemade) over the top. Bake as cornbread package or recipe instructs. Serve with a green salad.

4. Cincinnati Chili
-So this isn't true Cincinnati Chili which has cloves and cinnamon and no distinguishable large chunks of meat in it's sauce. And my husband has a fear distaste for raw onions, so no onions topping it for us. Since I'm 2,000 miles from Cincy, I figured it okay to take creative license. I apologize to any Ohioans (and retort with "Taco Bell isn't really Mexican food"),  but, chili makes a pretty good topping for spaghetti. Just serve warmed chili over cooked spaghetti. Top with cheese and raw onions if you'd like.

5. Chili Omelets
-Make an omelet with cheddar, green onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Ladle warm chili over omelet and serve.  

What is your favorite way to serve leftover chili? Please share!

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FREE Reach Floss at Target and Walmart

I haven't had to purchase dental floss in ages. Thanks to this $1/1 Reach Floss coupon, you can get regular Reach floss for FREE, as it is only $0.97 at Walmart and Target!
(Note: the coupon says "available at Walmart, but since it's a manufacturer's coupon, it should be accepted anywhere.)

If you do happen to go to Target, don't forget to print another $10 gift card when you spend $50 coupon, expires 12/15.