What's on the Menu: 1/1-1/7

Here's what we are having for our dinners this week! I've been toying around with different menu plan printables that I have found on different blogs. I finally gave up and created my own, which I will be sharing soon!

Sunday: Chicken and Asparagus Rollups, Baked Sweet Potatoes

Monday: Sante Fe Style Chicken over Brown Rice, Tortilla Chips

Tuesday: Fish Tacos, Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Wednesday: White Bean Chowder, Corn Bread

Thursday: Tator Tot Casserole, Tossed Salad

Friday: Tinga ( This is a fantastic Mexican recipe that my old roomate, Rebekah used to make, and was kind enough to send me! I'll post the how-to when I make it!)

Saturday: "Like P. F. Chang's" Lettuce Wraps, Brown Rice

What's On the Menu: 12/11-12/17

Here's what we're having for our dinners this week:

Sunday: Burgers and fries (Mike had guys over to watching football!)

Monday: Breaded fried fish, and home-fried potatoes

Tuesday: Small group- we're bringing the tossed salad

Wednesday: Beef stew and biscuits

Thursday: Baked breaded chicken, hasselback sweet potatoes, broccoli

Friday: We will be at my job for the kid's Christmas program

Saturday: Home made pizza, salad, sweet potato fries

Ten Minute Tuesday: Perfectionism Sets In

So here is how the Ten Minute Project is going...

Ten minutes allows me enough time to feel like I've barely made a dent in what I want to do. So I get frustrated, and either feel like a "little bit at a time" is stupid, or go crazy deep cleaning. And then I spend a lot more than ten minutes.

I'm finding that it's hard to spend ten minutes improving something. I realized that I don't like improvement, I like drastic results. I would prefer that in ten minutes, my home looks like this:

Extreme Home Makeover, and all.

So....here is my self-discovery through Ten Minute Tuesday:

I think I want slow and steady progress, but I don't. I want quick perfection. Not good. It helps me to do a major project, then use my ten minute increments to keep up on my work. I can hardly stand trying to do a large project a little bit at a time. So, all in all...I believe the Ten Minute project will have to be about learning to expect less, but slowly and steadily, get more.

Money Mondays: Budgeting During the Holidays

It's been about a week since I have blogged! The holidays get so busy, don't they? Time flies by before you know it. It's that way with money this time of year, too, unfortunately. As you pick up things here and there while you're out, you realize your bank account has dwindled away. Enter credit card spending to get through the gift buying. Lots of people are still paying for their holiday and "catching up" well into the new year. This is definitely not the best way to spend wisely, pay off debt, and live abundantly!

There are a few ways to avoid these holiday pitfalls. First, remember that Christmas comes every year, on the same day. Which means....you guessed it....plan ahead! You have an entire year! Decide early who you will be buying for, and try to keep your eyes open for deals during the months leading up to Christmas. If you budget for a little bit every month, you won't have to spend a huge chunk in December. Or worse, accumulate credit card debt that will haunt you later.

Another way to avoid the holiday spending trap is to set a spending limit. Decide ahead of time how much you are willing to spend on each person on your list, and stick with it.

One final thought is to put it in perspective. Realize that buying gifts isn't really what the day is all about. Consider giving to someone who is really struggling. Or even having your kids join in the giving by receiving fewer gifts and helping a family in need. That is an experience that will last a lot longer than the latest toy.

The most important gift you can really give to your family this year is wisdom in spending. Freedom from debt, peace of mind, and giving to others are invaluable. Consider going against the grain of the consumer culture this year!

My Favorite Deals: Walgreens 12/4/-12/10

I am planning on heading out to Wags before church this Sunday to grab the best deals. I have some Register Rewards I need to roll into new savings, and I think I can do it with some of these great advertised deals!

(4) Hershey's or Cadbury Candy- $2.50 each
Use (2) $1/2 Printables
FP: $8, Get $5 RR

Scott Paper Towels-6pk.- $5
Use $1/4 pk. or larger 
FP: $4, or .67/roll

Revlon Top Speed Nail Polish- $3.99
FP: $3.99, get $3 RR

Schick Intuition, Hydro, or Quattro- $8.99
Use $2/1 
FP: $6.99, get $3 RR

Dove Men + Care Deoderant- $3.99
FP: $3.99, get $3 RR

(2) Clairol Gray Solution Hair Color- $6
Use (2) $2/1 
FP: $8, get $2 RR


Aquaphor Lip Repair- $4.99
Use $1/1 Printable 
FP: $3.99, get $2 RR

PLUS....the Jingle Cash Promotion is back!
 
December 4-10, 2011:
Spend $30, Get $5 Jingle Cash
Spend $50, Get $10 Jingle Cash
Spend $75, Get $15 Jingle Cash
Spend $100, Get $20 Jingle Cash


Let's see what I'm able to grab!



I linked up at.....

Crunch Time At Target!

Today I had very little time to shop with, but I wanted to use that great Target printable coupon for a free $10 gift card when you spent $50 at Target. I also had a catalina coupon print out last week at Target for $5 off of a $50 total! Well, combine that with your every day coupons,Target printables and Target mobile coupons, and you are in for one wild ride at the Big Red Bullseye!


My goal was to spend as little out of pocket as I could, and only buy things I actually needed, not just spend $50 in order to get my gift card. Here's the breakdown of what I managed to save!

Febreeze Room Spray- on clearance for $2.08
Used $1/1 from mailer 

(2) Ghirardelli Holiday Candy Bars - $2 each
Use (2) $1/1 Printables 
and $1/2 Target Mobile Coupon

(2) Market Pantry Sliced Cheese- $3.14 each

(2) Market Pantry Bagels- $1.24 each

Market Pantry Tortillas- $2.79

8 pk. of Gatorade- $5.99

Market Pantry OJ- $2.39

(6) Archer Farms Yogurt Cups- .62 each

(2) Market Pantry Lunchmeat- $3.04 each

(2) NYC Nail Color- .94 each
Use $1/1 Target Printable 

(3) 2 oz. BioTrue MultiPurpose Solution
Use (2) $2/1 Target Printables 
And (1) $2/1 Target insert coupon 
*I was not sure if I could use this deal, because the coupon stated "not valid on travel size." I didn't get this in the travel section, so the cashier let me have it.

Women's pajama top tshirt- $2.48 on clearance
Use $3/1 Target Printable (adjusted down to $2.48)

Men's Holiday Boxers- $5.99
Use 20% off coupon 

I used my $5/$50 coupon and my $10 gift card when you spend $50 coupon. 

Total out of pocket: $34.90, and received a $10 Target gift card. That makes a total savings of 50%!!!

What's on the Menu? 12/4-12/10

Here's what we're having for our dinners this week:

Sunday: Spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread

Monday: We will be at my job for the Christmas Party!

Tuesday: We will be at small group!

Wednesday: Chicken tacos, chips and salsa

Thursday: Chili and cornbread

Friday: Either ordering takeout or having friends over!

Saturday: Leftovers and a friend's karaoke party! (Not sure what we are bringing yet!)

What To Do With 40 lbs. Of Sweet Potatoes: Sweet Potato Casserole

We are still working through our crazy amount of huge sweet potatoes! Here is a recipe that my mom got from my 1st grade teacher way back in the day....we still use this every year at Thanksgiving! By the time my daughters are old enough to make it, it will be an old family recipe! :)

 Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups of cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 stick of margarine
less than 1/3 cup milk

Mix these ingredients and pour into a 9"x13" baking dish. Spread topping (recipe below) over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Topping

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup margarine
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

My Favorite Deals: Giant Eagle 12/1-12/7

There isn't a whole lot that I'm after this week at GE. Here are a few deals I'm going to grab when I head out to grocery shop!

Free Dozen Giant Eagle Eggs WYB 2 Country Crock Soft Spreads at $3.50 each 
Use .40/1 Printable, Printable 
FP: $5.40 for 2 butters and 1 dozen eggs   

V8 Splash Smoothies- $1.99
Use $1/1 
FP: .99 each 

International Delight Creamer- $3
Use .55/1 Printable
FP: $1.90

Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Grands, Golden Layers, or Crescent Rolls- $1
Use .50/1 Cinnamon Rolls
or .55/3 Crescents 
or .40/3 Grands 
*There are also a variety of printables floating around out there! :)
FP: ALA Free! 




 

{friday's featured female} :: The Proverbs 31 Woman, vs. 13-25

I'm struck by how many things the Proverbs 31 lady had her fingers in. Sometimes I feel like I need to pick one thing and make a career or life's goal out of it. Does anyone else ever feel that way? The need to compartmentalize our lives?

What I like about her is that she isn't in a box. She is into variety, but she isn't flighty. She doesn't take on so many things that all of them are half-finished. Instead, she purposefully chooses many areas of interest. Anything that promotes her big-picture goal of keeping her home and family is in. If it doesn't help her get to where she needs to be, it's out.

Check out the diversity of this cool lady!

Vs. 13- She creates products to sell, and also to use in her home.
Vs. 14- She is a savvy shopper, often traveling to get the best products.
Vs. 15.- She manages her household staff, and is able to designate responsibility.
Vs. 16- She invests in buying property.
Vs. 16- She uses the money from that property to invest and create a second avenue of income.
Vs. 17- She keeps herself healthy and fit.
Vs. 18 & 19- She uses her spare time in the evenings to work on her products to sell.
Vs. 20- She invests in helping the needy with her time and money.
Vs. 21- She takes the time to prepare her home for hard times and seasons.
Vs. 22.- She creates clothing for her family that are both practical and beautiful.
Vs. 23- She married someone who brings her honor as well.
Vs. 24- She sells her products wholesale to merchants, and collects her revenue later.
Vs. 25- She isn't lazy! (That we can tell!)

I love how she values her time, as well as her finances. She doesn't waste very much, but she figures out how to make her time and money work for her. She definitely works smarter and not harder. She frees herself up to do more by becoming more efficient; she doesn't burn herself out by doing too much! I think this is an especially hard thing to learn.

I love lots of different things, but I don't know if I limit myself to things that will help me build my life. I want to learn what this woman mastered- streamlining, not taking on new things on a whim. Her interests are careful building blocks of her life. I want to be calculated with my time, my money, and my talent, like she is.

Heidi Klum Fragrance only $1.99 at Target!

I'm loving all of Target Mobile Coupons that came out yesterday. Think I'm going to be making a trip over to the big Bullseye!!! Check out this great deal on fragrance. It's not something I would normally go buy (I'm a body spray girl!) but I may pick this up for a Christmas gift!

Heidi Klum’s Shine Perfume- $9.99
Use $5/1 from November's All You Magazine 
AND $3/1 Designer Fragrance Target Mobile Coupon
FP: $1.99

Thanks, Krazy Coupon Lady!  

Cheap Ghirardelli at Target! (YAY!)

Thanks to the new set of Target Mobile Coupons sent out yesterday, we can now go buy a bunch of chocolate for next to nothing at Target! Now that makes me pretty happy! :)

Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel Bars in Holiday Packaging- $2.00
Use $1/2 Target Mobile Coupon
AND (2) $1/1 Printables  
FP: .50 each WYB 2 

Ghirardelli Intense Dark Bars- $2.24
Use $1/2 Target Mobile Coupon 
AND $1/2 Printable 
FP: $1.24 each WYB 2  

Thanks, Krazy Coupon Lady!  

Ten Minute Tuesday: The Egg Timer

When I was a kid, my sisters and I hated cleaning our room. (Nothing has changed!) My mother would finally lay down the law and set her kitchen timer on our dresser with an allotted amount of time. At the end of that time, she would "mom clean" whatever we had neglected to do. She cleaned with a black trash bag. (I never really knew if this stuff went in the actual trash, or just in the attic...)

This introduced me to the world of working under pressure. Throughout school, time limits were a motivational tool to me. More like a brain trick, really. I would tell myself, "Try to get three more math problems done before 8:53," or "If I can get all of this done by 9:00, I can reward myself with a movie/show/snack/etc." I still have that same programming at my job even now, years later. "I'll do 3 more minutes, then get up and stretch my legs/get a cup of coffee/pee/etc."

Up against a time limit is how I work best. I am really not a very productive person when something could, or couldn't get done, and it's not really that important. I could clean my room this weekend. I could finish up the filing on Friday when it's slow. I could cut up that fruit some other time. I could deep clean the bathroom when it really needs it! :)

According to this article we work best when we have boundaries around our time. I like that phrase. I tend to have very tight boundaries around my time when it involves others, as most Type A personalities do. YOU are making me late. YOU should have had that done yesterday so that I could finish my work. I wanted to clean the garage and YOU agreed to help me today. YOU should have found a babysitter for this night a long time ago. (Sound familiar to anyone else? Please say yes....)

Something as simple as limiting our time on something that doesn't matter, or allotting a small amount of time to something that does can make a world of difference in how we do things, and in how much we get done. I tend to spend long chunks of time on projects. I really throw myself into it, and make it perfect. And then I don't want anyone to touch it. I don't want a "lived in" house, I want a magazine house. And if I can't have that, I guess I'll just have a messy house. That perfectionist, "all or nothing" attitude toward work is what exhausts us.

And it is because I have exactly that perfectionist, "all or nothing" attitude toward my house that I am beginning Ten Minute Tuesday. Today I downloaded a free Kitchen Timer App onto my smart phone. I didn't even have to go to the store, or spend a dime! (Or, put off beginning this challenge until I bought a timer!) I'm starting of small, with only one Ten Minute Project on my list. On Tuesdays, I'll check in and let you know how the Ten Minute Project is going. I'd like to work my way up to spending about an hour each day maintaining my home, or on some looming projects that I need to do...but not all in one chunk. My goal is to spend smaller increments of time on big projects- whether that means limiting the time I spend on things I like (like coupon clipping and matchups) or increasing the time I spend on things I hate (like cleaning the bathroom).

Ten Minute Project #1: 10 minutes daily on my bedroom. (You do not even want to know what it looks like. Here's a visual: The jewelry and hair extensions I took off right after the wedding are still strewn across my dresser. That was almost 2 months ago. That's all I'll tell you!)

How do you motivate yourself to use your time efficiently? Will you take the Ten Minute Tuesday Challenge with me?

What to do with 40 lbs. of Sweet Potatoes? Potato Puree!

My husband recently started working at a produce distributor. We were excited when we found out that there was a store with an employee discount! Until he found out that, yes, they have some amazing prices, but you have to buy in bulk! So, my sweet hubby brought me home 40 lbs. of sweet potatoes. We gave away a little less than  half to his brother and sister in law. Which left me with a LOT for our little two person family.

And these weren't your run of the mill sweet potatoes, either! They were enormous!

So I have been looking up different ways to use the lovely roots before they go bad....thank goodness they have a pretty good shelf life! This week, I am planning on making this simple and delicious looking recipe for Sweet Potato Waffles, and freezing those. I am also going to make my mom's A-Z Bread using sweet potatoes as my "A-Z." I'll share the recipe when I make it! We have small group this week, and I'm am supposed to make a veggie.....guess what we'll be bringing?!?

I started some prep work last night by making some puree for my waffles and bread/muffins. Here's how it goes.....

1. Boil with the skins on, until soft on the inside when you stick your fork in. Mine were huge, so it took a while to cook all the way through.

2. Let them cool off, and when you can handle them, peel off the skins.

3. Cut into chunks and toss into a food processor. (I got mine for $4 at a garage sale and I L.O.V.E it!)

4. Blend until smooth.

5. I stored this in a container and put it in the fridge to use tomorrow. You can freeze it, or immediately cook with it!

Does anybody else have a sweet potato recipe they could share? I've still got about 15 lbs. to go!



Linking up at..................

Money Mondays: Beginning the Journey, Part 2

Last week I began to tell you about the road to financial freedom that my husband and I are on right now. We wanted to start off on the right foot by paying cash for our wedding and honeymoon. And we did it! It felt so good to come back from our honeymoon, and not have to face how we would continue to pay for our special day. We were done with it, and could move on into our future. We were so blessed throughout our wedding planning to receive generous gifts from others, opportunities for overtime, and encouragement from each other to save rather than spend. It was hard, but it feels really, really good. Not only were we able to pay for our wedding and honeymoon, but we were able to pay off two small balance credit cards. They really weren't very big, but the feeling of crossing them off of our debt snowball was so wonderful! Now that money can be used toward the next debt we want to eliminate! A couple of weeks after our wedding, we did make the decision to finance an SUV. It was scary, but necessary. We hope to make that our last debt-creating purchase while we pay off what we have and live freely! This last week, I got to pay off another credit card!

As I continue the Money Mondays series, I hope to share what we are learning and accomplishing with our money. I am certainly no expert when it comes to money. However, I am very organized and hope to be able to offer you some tools and some encouragement if you are on the same journey!

Happy Spending this Cyber Monday! Remember to only buy what you can pay for!

Join me on Facebook!

You can head over to my Facebook Page and show me some love with a "Like!"

Do you love this picture? I do! It's kind of everything I want to be....and then again, eveything I don't really want to be. Do you know what I mean? It's hard in our generation to find that balance of being a fantastic home maker, and also being a Modern Girl!

My Favorite Deals: CVS 11/27-12/3

Well, I was sorely disappointed at the lack of deals going on at CVS this week. Maybe it's because last week was so stinkin' good! I'm glad my Extra Bucks earned with the Black Friday deals don't expire until Christmas Eve. There were a few things that I wanted to snag, but of course, but noon on Sunday, they were completely wiped out. I got rain checks for my items, so maybe they will restock soon. I wanted:

Complete Multi-Purpose Solution- $8.99
FP: $8.99, get $8.99 EB back

Glade Room Spray- .99
Use $2/2 printable (This is no longer available at this value, but there are lots of .55/1 coupons out there to be printed on many sites!)
FP: Free! 

I am thinking about price matching these Glade room sprays at Walmart, since there are no reward deals attached with them. They are a part of the "Spend $30, get a $10 gift card promotion, but I am definitely not in need of 30, and I wasn't that interested in the other items offered.

My Favorite Deals: Walgreens 11/27-12/3

Well, I am still recovering from my 14 or so transactions at Walgreens on Thanksgiving! But....I couldn't resist the few freebies going on at Walgreens this week, and my leftover Register Reward from the Black Friday sale were burning a hole in my pocket. So I rolled them into this purchase. You are looking at about 5 transactions here! I was excited that my Walgreens has 3 pack bags of apples marked down to .49 each. I used these as my filler items for my transactions, since I was using so many Register Rewards and coupons. A much more practical and healthy alternative to my usual candy bar fillers!

It doesn't look like much, but this is a haul worth just under $65, if I were to pay full price.

I paid $4.75, which was only the tax that my Register Rewards wouldn't cover!

My favorite matchups:

Walgreens Cold Sore Treatment - $7.99
FP: $7.99, Get $7.99 RR back

Mission Foot Rehab Cream- $5.99
FP: $5.99, Gte $5.99 RR back

Mission Max Muscle Rehab Roll-on Gel- $5.99
FP: $5.99, Get $5.99 RR back

Soft Lips Lip Protectant and Suncreen, Pearl- $2.00
FP: $2, Get $2 RR back

When A Great Deal Isn't Really.

Black Friday got me thinking about the way we spend money in a hurried frenzy when we think there is a great deal to be had. Example: Earlier in the week, before the rush and the hype of Black Friday, I was at Target and saw some scarves hanging up. They were plain, looked soft, and were marked at a regular price of $5. I thought, "Those look nice, and basic. Maybe I should buy a few. I wear scarves a lot. I'll think about it." There were plenty there, so I decided to wait. Fast forward to the Black Friday ad for Target- the same scarves were listed as some limited time, hot deal in the ad for...you guessed it...the low low price of $5! Wow! What a deal! When I went to Target around 6AM on Black Friday, that rack of scarves was down to bare bones, just a few color choices left. On Saturday, my husband and I went to Target again, to see if they had any games left in their Black Friday, 2 Day Only Sale. We found one marked down to a very good price, and decided to get that. We also saw Scrabble on sale for $9.99. It was "price cut" down from $9.89. We are easily deceived, aren't we?

Another thing I considered as we decided our money limit and what to buy was quality. Some of these fantastic deals are not scams, but they are not the items with the highest quality ratings either. Why is that? So that you need to buy the same items, again, at fantastic prices....next year on Black Friday. Towels, for instance, are always at a dirt cheap sale price on Black Friday. $2 or less. But are they ever the nice, plush, absorbent ones? No, they are the ones that you will be using as cleaning rags by next year. A towel of great quality and thickness could last you several years. The "great deals" usually won't. We considered the same principle with the great TV deals that were out there this year. The cheapest ones were either going to be incredibly limited in number, and would only go to the most die-hard shoppers that had been camping out since the week before, or they were brands we didn't recognize. We decided to wait for a pretty good sale over an unbelievable sale, and choose which television we actually want to own.

My point is definitely not that you have to pay with an arm and a leg to have anything worth owning. No way! I believe you can get great quality for less! My point is that we shouldn't buy things just because of the low price tag. That takes us from being savvy, to being a sucker. Consider you purchases carefully, and use wisdom with your money. That, I think, is the real secret to getting a great deal.

Black Friday: My Shopping Adventures!

I never used to go out shopping on Black Friday. My mom hates shopping, and so it wasn't something I grew up doing. Furthermore, we lived in New Jersey, and it is the official rudest state in America. You can imagine how much fun shopping there can be. I'm pretty sure all of those stories about people getting trampled to death on Black Friday happened at our local Walmart. (I'm kidding, but it's pretty close to being true.) I also worked retail, so usually ended up working, not shopping. It's been just within the last couple of years that I started hitting the sales at 6 am, like the rest of the crazy world. Last year, I was introduced to couponing and shopping the deals at drugstores on Black Friday, so now I am really hooked.

This year Michael and I were pretty excited about making a few larger purchases on Black Friday. We were able to really take stock of what we have, and what we still want after our wedding, and are working our way down our wishlist.

We really wanted a TV, and considered being one of the insane people who stand in line for hours at Best Buy to get the $200 flat screen, but decided against it. We figured we valued our rest and our holiday more, and that the chances of us being able to get one of those coveted deals were slim, since we weren't going to spend out Thanksgiving on a sidewalk. We would rather wait and maybe put one on layaway.

I was able to grab several good deals, so all in all I am pretty happy. Here what I got, and what I saved by braving the crowds. Besides the wonderful deals at CVS and Walgreens on Thanksgiving day, we got...

A bedding set at Walmart for $34.99 (not sure what the regular price was; I got the last one!)
A set of sheets at Walmart  for $6.88 (also the last one!)
A few DVD's for $1.96 each at Walmart
A few TV series DVD sets for $10 each at Walmart
A Rubbermaid set of containers for $6.88 at Walmart

*I braved Walmart at 9PM on Thanksgiving, and was surprised to be out of there by 10:30. I guess I picked just the right time, because later on I heard lots of Walmart horror stories from other shoppers when I was out and about at other places. I am not sure how much I saved at Walmart, because they don't mention the original prices in the Black Friday ad like some stores do. So that kind of stinks. I also got...

A printer at Staples for $60, regularly $149!
A pack of 100 blank CD's for $14.99, with a $10 Easy Rebate, regularly $34.99, I believe!

*This was the only deal I was willing to stand in line for. We really needed an updated printer, and with this Black Friday deal, we could afford to get something with more bells and whistles than I would normally want to pay for. Staples was an awesome store to shop at on Black Friday. The manager brought in coffee and donuts for all of us standing in line for 2 hours at 4 AM, and then the entire staff was super cheerful and friendly as they came in for work. Then the tech people came out to chat with people in line and answer any questions about what to buy. It was actually an enjoyable shopping experience! My final stop was Target. I originally thought about staying out all night and going to the midnight opening of Target after I got out of Walmart, but when I saw the line wrapped around the building at 10:30 PM, I decided to go home and go to bed to gear up for my Staples trip.  Besides, all I was after at Target were little things like towels, no deal that was worth going into that madness. I finally did go to Target around 6 AM after getting my printer, and it was already picked over and almost empty. So insane, right? I found all of the deals that I had come to Target for, still waiting for me...

A fire pit for my hubby for $30, regularly $60
The Michael Jackson "This is It" DVD for my hubby, for $3.99 (not sure about regular price)
New washcloths for $2 for an 8 pack (I think about $4.50 regular price?)


So there you have it, all of my adventures of saving money by braving the Black Friday crowd....until next year! :)

Thanksgiving- My Part of the Menu

I love cooking, especially for large groups of people. It's hard for me to make food for two, and I am lucky that my husband like leftovers. Last year, I worked in direct care for the Children's Home, and cooked the entire Thanksgiving meal for about 30 people. It was super fun and although I was tired, my inner Martha Stewart craves that many people thinking my food is yummy and well-presented.

This year, however, I have an office job, at the same place, and no cottage full of lovely girls to make a holiday for. So I was excited when my new sister in law invited us over to celebrate with their family, and asked me to make several dishes. I like making the traditional foods of Thanksgiving, especially the pies. My pie recipes are very special to me, because they are my grandmother's. She has Alzheimer's and is currently in a nursing home. She doesn't know any of us. I am always reminded when I use one of her recipes, that one of the first signs of her Alzheimer's was losing her ability to bake. She had always been a fantastic baker, and then slowly her cookies became a little dry, then things didn't turn out anymore....it was very sad. So whenever I use (or tweak!) one of her recipes, I feel like I am carrying on what she cant anymore. It makes me proud that her pie crust recipe is probably the best pie crust I have ever tasted. You know it's good pie when people don't leave the crust like they normally do! :)

Here are the pies I made.....apple, pumpkin, and sweet potato. (The sweet potato was a recipe from the internet, the other two are her recipes that my family has always used.)

Below is my grandmother's pie crust recipe. It's tempting to skip making home made crust, and just get the store bought stuff, but I promise, the 15 extra minutes is well worth it.

Perfect Pie Crust 

Yields: 4 balls of dough, enough for four 9" pie crusts

 Ingredients:

4 cups of flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Crisco
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1 tbsp. vinegar

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and Crisco. I find that the best way to blend the Crisco in is a pastry cutter or large fork. The mixture will be sort of crumbly. Add in water, egg, and vinegar. Even after mixing this in, it will need a little help mixing in that last bit of flour that seems to stay on the bottom of the bowl. You can do this by kneading the pie crust until everything is mixed in and smooth. Separate into 4 balls, and roll out pie crusts, or seal in an airtight plastic freezer bag or container and freeze. This recipe can be frozen for as long as desired. You should bake this according to the instructions of the pie you are making.

Catching up from the holiday weekend...

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Ours was very fun and relaxing, and we enjoyed it being our first married holiday! I started the day off right, with come highly competitive coupon shopping. How is couponing competitive, you ask? :) When all of the local couponers are ready for a really fantastic sale and you are all lined up outside of CVS at 7:45 am, and there is a limited supply when they open those doors. That's how! :)

Luckily, the other ladies there to shop those deals were very friendly, and we all helped each other find things. Then we all headed over to Walgreens when it opened. One of my fellow couponers even offered to stick a few items in her cart for me since I was stuck in line at CVS. Couponing can be so fun when people are polite, don't clear shelves, and share the coupon love!!!

Last year on Black Friday was actually when I was introduced to the world of Extreme Couponing, and what we like to call "The Drugstore Game." My life has not been the same since! Happy Anniversary, my darling coupon binder!

Here is what I snagged during this great Thanksgiving sale:

I paid $37 and some change.....

And I saved....wait for it......$248.00.

I am thankful for coupons. And Register Rewards. And Extra Bucks. And friendly cashiers (especially them!).

Money Mondays: Beginning the Journey, Part 1

I am naturally frugal. I don’t like large, expensive purchases. I love getting a good deal; getting the most bang for my buck. That should mean that I always have a bunch of extra cash, right? Wrong. The downside of loving bargains is….well….loving bargains. They can get really hard to resist.

When I was younger- those exciting 19-20-ish years- I was foolish and discovered credit cards. I found so many great deals that I couldn’t pass up, and I eventually got myself into some debt. I learned how to justify every purchase instead of saying no or waiting until I had more money.

I had always considered myself to be good with money because of how far I can stretch a dollar. One thing I never really learned was to save that dollar instead of stretching it. So, between the exciting swipe of plastic payment, and the lack of a savings account, I learned some hard lessons about money and how debt keeps us weighed down.

I started dating my husband about three years ago, and we found that we had a lot of good things in common. We had a few things in common when it came to money too. Neither of us had been taught how to save, although neither of us were extravagant spenders, either, for which I am thankful. By this time, I had at least figured out what a bad thing credit card debt was, and was trying to figure out how to dig out of the hole I had made. Thankfully, my husband had never used credit cards, so we did not compound the problem. But he had school loans, and with combined income, comes combined debt.

When we got engaged, we were learning some really great things about money. However, we found ourselves responsible to pay for a wedding and honeymoon. What to do? We wanted to be wise, but also to have a nice wedding. With only nine months until our wedding, we decided to make some changes.

We knew that we wanted financial freedom as a married couple, and we wanted to start off on the right foot, despite our mistakes or lack of knowledge in the past. We committed early on to only have what we could pay for when it came to our wedding and honeymoon. And you know what? God greatly blessed that commitment. This would be the beginning of our journey toward better money management!

{friday's featured female} :: The Proverbs 31 Woman, vs. 15

I’d like to go through Proverbs 31 verse by verse, but I think I’ll do so in random order!

My husband just got a new job and started a week or so after the wedding. It’s about 45 minutes from our house, and he has to be there around 4:45 AM! I’ve been trying to get up with him and make him some breakfast and lunch for the day. We get up around 3 to get ready. Sometimes I stay up and sometimes I go back to bed for an hour or two before I have to get ready for work. Getting up this early forces us to go to bed early too. Now I have always been a night owl, so this is a really big adjustment for me. It also really cuts into my evening. I come home from work between 5:30 and 5:45 in the evening, make us dinner, then we clean it up. Then we have a tiny bit of time to watch some TV or a movie, then it is already time for us to shower and go to bed. Getting anything accomplished on a weeknight is getting a little impossible! Which leads me to the verse that I’ve been reminded of this week:

Vs. 15- ^"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.”

Ok, so I am definitely rising while it is still night. And making my husband something to eat. And then….getting on Facebook, reading blogs, and so on….

While it’s nice to have that “down” time to myself, my goal is to use that morning time to get some things done that I haven’t been able to keep up on since going to bed earlier. I think the thing that impresses me the most about the Proverbs 31 woman is her use of time. She doesn’t seem stressed and stretched thin, but, man does she get a lot done! I mean, I know it assumes a lot that to say she wasn’t stressed. I’m sure the Bible just isn’t recording all of the times she went all “Type A” on her family and they avoided her and her productivity at all costs. Or the times she pulled a Martha and yelled at people for not helping her…because, let’s face it: there is no way she did all this stuff and was always totally balanced. But I love her use of the moments that she had to check things off her list. She took care of her family first. Notice she didn’t have servants getting up early to get HER breakfast ready. She got up and fed the family, and fed her maidens before starting her day. Who wouldn’t want to work hard all day with a lady like that? She made sure others were taken care of first. I think that’s a worthy example.

Here are a few of my goals for using my “rising while it is yet night” a little better:

-         Have a quiet time with God (can I admit that I am really bad at this?)

-         Clean up the kitchen after making breakfast

-         Work on a little light cleaning and straightening up

-         Disciplined blogging

-         Eating breakfast

-         And eventually…working out  (Which I hate, but I think early morning would be a great time to get it over with!)

Are you an early morning person? If so, how much do you manage to accomplish in the AM?

Now is the time to shop at Bath and Body Works!

Right now, Bath and Body works is offering a buy 3 get 3 sale on their signature items. There is also a $10 off of a $30 purchase coupon. You can print it out, or use the code TENSHIP whe shopping online. I plan to use this deal in combination with a $10 gift card I got from MyPoints. So, my $10 out of pocket should get me lots of fun Christmas gifts!

Free $30 code for Paper Coterie!

I loooovvveeee this site! When they first came out, they had a free $40, with which I made my guest book for my wedding. It was a huge hit, and it is something I can continue to display in my house for years to come.

Right now, Paper Coterie is offering a free $30 with the code HAPPYBIRTHDAY. You just pay shipping for your item. They are also offering a buy one, get a copy free sale for calendars and recipe items. I'm not sure if it will combine with the code, but I'm going to try it and find out.

A Spotlight on Geyer's Fresh Foods, Medina, OH!

There is a grocery store right around the corner from our house: Geyer's Fresh Foods (although the sign actually says "Hawkins"....weird....). We don't do our shopping there, but it is our "quick I need one more thing for dinner, and that's the closest place, so pay whatever it costs" store. Totally the opposite of what we are going for with couponing. I have found this store to be hit-or-miss. I don't find great deals so often that I'll shop there very often, but when the sales are good, they are very good! Honestly, the store is a little dingy, and a little overpriced usually. (And there is a cashier there that I always end up getting, who I just want to smack.) But, all that being said...they deserve a moment in the spotlight for their occasional, amazing deals. Once I stocked up on Tyson boneless, skinless chicken there for $1.38/lb. I was very happy. This week, they have a featured sale  that I just may take advantage of. They also double coupons up to 50 cents.

Save $10 on a turkey WYB 12 participating Kraft food items: 
(Plus, they have turkeys for .98/lb.!)


Miracle Whip dressing, and Kraft Mayo- $3.68 each

Kraft Dressing- $2.50
Use .75/1
(Or, I saw .50/1 coupons on Ebay that would double!)
FP: ala $1.50 

Stove Top Stuffing- $1.25
There are a lot of "buy 4 Get 1 Free coupons on Ebay right now!
 
Kraft Jet Puffed Marshmallows- .98

Planter's Mixed Nuts and Cashews- $4.98

Planter's Peanuts- $3.50

Maxwell House Coffee, 33-34.5 oz.- $8.98

Ritz Crackers- $2.50
Use $1/2 in ad coupon
FP: $2 each WYB 2

Nabisco Snack Crackers- $2.50
Use $1/2 in ad coupon
Or $1/2 Printable 
FP: $2 each WYB 2

Philadelphia Cream Cheese- $1.67
Use $1.25/3 
FP: $1.25 each WYB 3

Kraft Singles-$2.50

Kraft Shredded and Chunk Cheese- $2.50

Cool Whip whipped topping- .98

Oscar Mayer bacon- $4.99
Use $3/2 in ad coupon 
FP:  $3.49 each

Claussen Pickles- $2.50

There are lots of other good Thanksgiving deals in this ad, but this one is BY FAR my favorite!

My Favorite Deals: Target 11/13-11/19

I am always on again- off again with Target. I go through seasons where I feel like I do all of my best coupon shpping there, and then times where I haven't been there forever! The truth is, if I don't have a specific list of what I need, it is just better for me to steer clear of the big red bullseye. I cannot go in without finding ten things I really, really want absolutely need. :) Here are my needs this week. I am hoping I'll be able to get them, because, sadly, my printer is down. my hubby thinks it is time to buy a newer, nicer one. Unfortunately, that means delayed gratification, and fewer printed coupons.

Buy 5 Participating Glade Holiday, Palmolives, or Softsoap Products, get a $5 Target Gift Card:

(Here are the ones I want! there are many more included!)

Glade Holiday Jar Candles- $2.50
Use $1/2 Printable , Printable , Printable

Glade Holiday Scented Oil Refills - $2.50 (I LOVE these, they just burn so quickly!)
Use $1/2 Printable, Printable, Printable

Glade  Holiday Room Spray- $2.50
Use .55/1 Printable, Printable, Printable 

FP: $9.95, + receive a $5 Gift Card, WYB 2 Candles, 2 Oil Refills, and 1 Room Spray

Market Pantry OJ- $2.19
Use $1/2 Target Printable 
FP: $1.69

Nestle Morsels- $2.34
Use $1/2 
Or $1/2 Printable , Printable , Printable 

FP: $1.84 (Not an amazing price, but better than full price, and I need some!)



Thanks to the Krazy Coupon Lady for the printable coupon matches!

My Favorite Deals: Aldi's 11/13-11/19

Here are some things I love from the Aldi's ad this week. I usually go with their produce prices, but my husband recently started working for a produce distributor. We just may be able to gte some better deals with his employee discount, so I am excited to find out! Here is what I am after for right now:

3 lb. bag of yellow onions- .69

10 lb. bag Russet potatoes- $1.49

Celery- .69

Sweet potatoes- .49/lb.

Assorted goat chees logs- $1.99
(I got these last year for my Thanksgiving appetizer buffet, and they were fantastic!)

My Favorite Deals: Walgreens 11/13-11/19

Here are the highlights of the Walgreen's ad this week:


Revlon Emery Boards- $1.49, + Buy One Get One 50% off
Use (2) $1/1 Beauty Tool 
FP: .12 each 

Revlon Tweezers- $2.49 + Buy One Get One 50% off
Use (2) $1/1 Beauty Tool
AND $1/1 from the Walgreen's coupon booklet (will take off $2)
FP: FREE!

Select Scunchii Hair Accessories- $2.99
FP: $2.99, get $2 RR

For me, these free and almost free items are what stood out to me! I am definitely biding my time until all of the Black Friday coupon deals to go CRAZY stocking up :) I do need to restock my hair elastic stash...my sisters depleted it when they were in for the wedding. Plus, in our house, we need double the elastics for my husbands thick dreadlocks! 

Extra deals at Target- Online Only!

Right now on Target.com, accessories and apparel are Buy One, Get On 50% Off. Target put out a coupon code for an additional $5 off you order, online only! Hurry, this ends today!

My Favorite Deals: CVS 11/13-11/19

This week, I still have my $10 voucher through the SaveMore deal I posted about last week. My sister also informed me after she used my CVS card when she went to the store, that if I update my email address, I can receive $4 in Extra Bucks. So I will definitely be going online to check that out. So those are the rewards I'll start with, if I go snag any of these deals! Here are the ones that appealed to me the most:

Purex Crystals- But One Get One Free
Use $1/1 Printable (my CVS only lets me use one coupon if one of the items is free)
FP: unknown 

Wet & Wild Nail Polish- .69
Use $1/1 (I will need to buy these online!)
FP:  .31 in overage, if your CVS allows it


Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce- .88
Use $1/2 Printable 
FP: .38 each WYB 2


Spend $30 on the following, receive a $10 Gift Card:

Skippy Peanut Butter- $1.66

Vitamin or Smart Water- $1

M&M's- $2.49
Use $1/2
FP: $1.99 each WYB 2

Fiber One or Nature Valley Granola Bars- $2.44
Use .75/2 (Nature Valley)
Or .40/1 (Fiber One)
FP: ala $2.04

Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks or Gushers- $2.44
Use .50/2
FP: $2.19 each WYB 2


Finish or Jet Dry- $2.99
Use .75/1
FP: $2.24

This deal doesn't have any super low prices, but there are a couple of things that I need, so I may go for it and get the $10 gift card!

{friday's featured female} :: The Proverbs 31 Woman

I'd like to talk a little about an inspiring woman every week. Usually it will be this fabulous lady, but a few others will get sprinkled in there, too! If the woman we talk about is from the Bible, this post will probably be a little more like a study. If it's someone else, like a character from history, or from my life, it will have a little bit of a different feel. We'll see how it develops! I'm excited to share with you what inspires me.

In this first post, I want to tell you why I love this nameless woman from Proverbs. I grew up in a very legalistic atmosphere, not so much within my home as in the church and school we attended. There was a clear way they wanted women to be, and it was preached often. I didn't care for the standard they were putting out there. I didn't want my choices of what to be limited to a wife, mom, or Christian school teacher. I wanted to do something great. Most of all, I didn't want to fit into the mold that others thought I should. I didn't want to be a certain way that women were "supposed to be." The problem is, because of the environment I was in, I thought it was actually God who had this limited box for women. I had in my mind that the Proverbs 31 woman, this clear pattern for women laid out by God Himself, must have been a Pastor's wife. It's always funny how we come full circle when we stop believing what we think God wants from us, and actually start looking.

I love doing things around my home. I always have. I love cooking and baking, and crafts, and organizing, and all things domestic. But I never wanted to be limited to that. I wanted to do it ALL- the domestic stuff and the career stuff. I felt a little like an oxymoron. I was angry at those who told me I had to be a particular kind of woman. And I was angry at God because I thought He was in on that.

Enter the Woman who did it all. I don't remember how I got started reading more about the Proverbs 31 woman. I think it was probably in college. But once I started, I was hooked. It was as if I was looking at God and the Bible in a new light. I know that might seem silly, but I was really struggling with a God who would give me talents, and then force me to be in a box as a woman. I didn't realize until I opened up His Book that this was a man made box. And so it was and is with many things. It is God who is limitless; men always try to change that.

As I read and studied Proverbs 31, I felt peaceful knowing that I could love my domestic skills, and love business as well. I could aspire to do both things, and to be unlimited in my goals and interests. She seemed to be sending me a wink, and saying that the joke is on people who limit what God really wants from us. She seemed to be saying that it might just be okay to be myself.

And this is why I love her so much. I don't claim to be an expert, or a great example of the Proverbs 31 woman. Probably not even a mediocre example. But she opened up a new way of thinking for me, so I want to share her with you, too. I came to a place of wanting to be more like her, instead of fearing to be like her. I hope you see her for the awesome woman that she is. I can't wait to get to know her better, together!

Buehler's- My Favorite Matchups, 11/9-11/15

Around here, we have Buehler's, a family owned (albeit pretty big!) grocery store that I never paid that much attention to...but then they started doubling coupons. :) Smart move, Buehler's! I still don't go often, usually just when they have a really irresistable item. But I felt they deserved a nod, for all they do to bring a great deal to us here in Ohio!

Here are my favorite things this week:

Honeysuckle White or Amish Valley Frozen Turkeys- 69 cents/lb. from 11/2-11/23, limit one per store card.
* I am so excited to go get a turkey for this price. I hope they keep their stock up all month!

Perdue Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast Deli Lunchmeat- $4.49/lb.
*We both pack lunches for work and get a little too excited about good lunchmeat prices!



Okay, that's actually all that stood out to me in this week's ad. I definitely think their store sales are hit or miss, but when they are good, they are VERY good. Like these great prices on turkey. :)

Aldi's. I love it so much.

Does anyone else love it the way I do? I feel like their quality goes up and their prices go down ALL the time! Love! Here is what I will snag this week at this fantastic store (week of 11/6-11/12):

Chicken broth- $1.29
( I am allergic to MSG, and they always carry MSG free!)

5 lb. Bag of Grapefruit- $1.99
(My new hubby loves grapefruit, so this is a steal!)


3 lb. bag of Golden Delicious, Gala, Red Delicious, or McIntosh Apples- $1.49 each  (Apple Pie, anyone??)

2 pack of multi colored peppers- $1.49

Artisan Lettuce- 99 cents

Fit & Active Neufchatel Cheese- 89 cents

*Usually I round out my shopping at Aldi's, knowing I can always get a great deal on all those items I don't really coupon for and stockpile. The beauty of the great produce prices at Aldi's is that you can always price compare at Walmart to get a better deal on what may be better produce!

My Giant Eagle Favorites 11/10-11/16

First let me say, I don't always have all of the applicable coupons for a sale. That is why I love to sit with the ad at the beginning of the sale week while I am logged into Ebay. Rather than buy a million newspapers, I order a large amount of a certain coupon when I see a sale I'd like to stock up on. Sometimes I have coupons given to me, and sometimes I will buy several papers if I feel like I am running low on a lot of things. Other than that, I use my printables and do my basic grocery shopping. I can do this now because I am in a nice comfy spot with my stockpile. It allows me to relax and not coupon like crazy ALL the time!

Here is what I really like at Giant Eagle this week:

Del Monte Canned Vegetables- 20 for $10 WYB 20 (.50 each)


1 FREE Wilton baking pan WYB 4 of the following items at $2.50 each:
     -Bisquick
       Use .50/1 Printable, Printable, or from 11/13
        Or .50/1 eoffer

     -Gold Medal Flour
        Use .25/1 Printable
   
     -Betty Crocker Muffin Mix
       Use $1/2 Printable , Printable


Duncan Hines Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, or Frosting - 4 for $5 ($1.25 each)
Use .50/1 Duncan Hines Cake Mix or Comstock (I didn't get these but I found them on Ebay!)
FP:  .25 each! 

*You can also use the .50/1 coupon on the Comstock Pie Filling, and pair it with another great coupon: Free Duncan Hines Cake Mix WYB 2 Comstock Fruit Fillings! Not sure what the price is on the filling yet, but I can't wait to find out! 

Newman's Own Salsa or Pasta Sauce- $2.50 each
Use .50/1
FP: $1.50 each 


Sargento Shredded Cheese- $2.50
Use .55/1 Printable 
FP: $1.40 each 

International Delight Coffee Creamer- $1.50
Use .55/1 Printable , Printable
FP:  .40

Chex Cereals- 3 for $5 WB 3 ($4 off instantly)
Use (3) $1/1 (I was able to find these on Ebay!)
FP:  3 boxes for $2


Nature Valley Granola Bars- $2.50 each
Use .75/1 Granola Thins - if included!
Or .50/1 Sweet and Salty- if included
Or .75/2 Granola Bars or Nut Clusters
FP: ALA $1 each, if these kinds are part of the sale! 


Ragu Pasta Sauce- $1.25 each
Use .50/1 (I found these on Ebay- they are in Spanish, and say "valid at Fiesta," but are a manufacturer coupon. Hope I don't have any problems, because this is going to be a great price!)
FP:  .25!!

Schick Disposable Razors- $5.39 each
Use $6/2 (I printed this a while back, and I plan to see if it will work with this sale!) 
FP: $2.39 each, if this coupon matches the sale item!




Buy Any 2 at $9.99 each, get a bonus 20 cents in Fuel Perks:
     - Quilted Northern Bath Tissue, 18 double rolls
   
     - Sparkle Paper Towels, 12 big or 12 large rolls
        Use $1/1 
         FP: $8.99

     - Brawny Paper Towels, 8 giant rolls
        Use .50/1 2 roll or larger
        FP: $8.99 
     
    - Angel Soft Bath Tissue, 24 double rolls
       Use .50/1 6 double rolls or larger 
       FP: $8.99 each  

*I'm not in love with this deal, but I really need paper towels, and who doesn't love Fuel Perks?? :)



Well, that's a highlight of my faves at Giant Eagle for the week! I wonder how many I'll be able to get! As a note, I look for the newspaper coupons to match myself, by searching my beloved binder, and also Ebay and coupon clipping sites. I do search other great blogs for where to find the best Printable coupons, and I will always try to give credit by pointing you in their direction to show some LOVE!

For complete Giant Eagle Matchups, head over to Stretching a Buck or Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring !
      



 

How I Will Be Doing My Store Matchups

I worked long and hard carefully typing out all of the sales at Giant Eagle this week. I worked so hard that it was taking way too long. I really stopped to consider the value of having another coupon blog with matchups for every store that you can think of. And the truth is, I'm not sure that bringing every deal to your attention is my goal in this blog. My goal is more to share the experience and love of building my home both while I was single, and also on this new journey of marriage! With that being said, I think the best use of my time is to share some of my favorite highlights of upcoming sales and deals, and then point you in the direction of some fantastic established blogs by ladies who take the time to comb through every deal! I'll be passing on what I see around the internet, and sharing some deals that I run into while I'm out and about. I'll work hard to show you the fruits of my shopping and saving, and introduce you to some of the best coupon blogs out there!

I don't want my whole focus here to be about coupons. That is just one small piece of what I see for this site. I want to share a way of life that I think will extend beyond the grocery store. I want myself, and also my readers, to grow as they read, and become more and more excited about their home.

We'll see how this works for me as I get started! I hope you enjoy your visit to my blog and take the time to share some of your own great shopping highlights from this week!

Free + Moneymaker on Travel First Aid Kits!

Did you get the $1/1 J & J Red Cross Item from 11/6? You can get travel sized first aid kits at Walmart for just 97 cents. Don't forget that Walmart lets you keep overage, making these a 3 cent  money maker!   I plan to buy some coupons on Ebay to get this great deal. Hopefully there will be some left when I get there!

Thanks, Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring!

$5 for a $10 CVS voucher through SAVEMORE!

Today I bought a $10 voucher for CVS for $5 through SaveMore.com. Who knows when I'll want that extra $10 to kick start an awesome coupon deal! The nice thing is that it doesn't expire until 2020, so I can hold on to it until I see something I want to snag. Go here to grab this great deal! They also have a great 50% deal for Subway today!