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.