NSS and Chore List

This is going to be a super random post.  I have about a million things floating through my head right now...so I'm going to puke them out via bloggin'.  Lucky you!!!

1.  Aldi has an app.  Yes, it has an app.  I downloaded it without question.  I have zero idea what it's all about or what's on it...but I'm psyched that they have an app.

2.  After school program asked parents to contribute to a snack and one of the items on the list was Cheese-It's.  I got Aldi brand, two boxes for $1.79 each.  Grand total for contribution $3.83 (tax included).  BAM!!! 

3.  NSS is going quite well with a few exceptions:

1. Hubby purchased can lights for our garage...it needed to happen before the snow flies.  
2. I had to purchase pants for Sweet Pickle (yes had, it's getting colder and Sweet Pickle has exactly 1 pair of pants that fits her.  She HATES leggings and is very particular on her sweats - she doesn't want ones that have the elastic around the ankles...that may be a fashion that's coming back but my girl isn't havin' it.  The way she feels about this is much like the way Peanutty feels about jeans...he calls them "death pants".  True story.).  She wanted "swishy" pants or "wind" pants, if you will.  They don't make them for wee girls so I purchased her a couple pairs of wind pants in the "boys" section. (We don't believe in "boy" and "girl" clothing...having Sweet Pickle has made that abundantly clear...she views them all as "clothes".  Man, I love her.).  Well, I was all geared up to go to about 300 stores to find what she would want.  I went to 2 stores and found exactly what we needed.  You will all be so proud of me.  I packed my coffee and a snack and headed into Target (packing my own rations made me skip the Starbucks).  I will tell you, I was in there for 4 minutes.  They didn't have what I needed so I left.  Simple.  I then headed to, gulp, Walmart.  Bingo.  The store that has terrible carts had exactly what I needed.  At roughly $5 per pair, she's set for the fall/winter/spring/sometimes summer (thank you Iowa weather whiplash). Now, to see if she approves...eek!

Those are the only exceptions thus far.  I'm trying to move my grocery shopping day to Tuesdays rather than Fridays.  I'm glad I have.  Aldi (are you so sick of hearing about this place?) restocks everything on this day.  At least today proved to be true.  Produce was stocked to the brim giving me first pick of everything.  Loved every minute, but only spent about $15 on items to get us through until next Tuesday.  I only purchased the fake, but delicious, Cheese-It's, some produce, and milk.  Not to shabby, eh?

4.  In our home, we have "Chore Lists" for the kids and payday is Fridays.  Hubby and I compiled the list of reasonable things the kids can accomplish with little or no supervision.  We do NOT push them to do these things.  But, they know full well that the more they do, the more money they make.  Not to mention when they are wanting our attention on days we're trying to get the house clean, I've used the motto:  Many hands make light work.  Here are the kids' chore charts that hang on the fridge:

I'm uber irritated that I can't figure out how to rotate the pix!  Sorry.  But I'm sure you'll live.  These lovely charts are slipped inside a page protector and we mark to the side with a dot when they've completed these tasks.  Some of these tasks can be done multiple times per week so that's why we dot them rather than cross them off.  Some weeks are better than others, but when one of them whines that they would like to purchase something but they don't quite have enough money...that opens the discussion door to talk about taking the initiative and earning.  Both have their eyes on something they're saving money for, so all in all, it's a good situation.  EVERY family has a different way of doing these kind of things...but here's our take on it.  Things they don't get paid for is cleaning up their messes (when they craft, or get out the melty beads (Perler beads), or decide to build a town with everything they own), setting and clearing the table.  You get the idea.  The charts are stuck on the fridge with jumbo clothes pins that I purchased at Michaels for about a dollar each.  I also purchase their first initial to glue on the front (not pictured).  I let them have at it with some cheap paint they chose at the store.  I then glued magnets on them and ta-da!  A fancy, hand painted, chore chart holding clip!

5.  Every Tuesday I wash towels and toilets.  That's why we call it Towel & Toilet Tuesday.

6.  It's almost time for me to purchase my 2016 Life Planner.  I'm getting excited.  Woot!  Of course I'll be posting about that one!!!

7.  When you're potty training your kids at night time, double sheet everything in case of an accident.  So it'd look like this:
Mattress
Waterproof mattress pad (we got the one's that covered the entire bed like a fitted sheet)
Fitted sheet
Sheet
Waterproof mattress pad
Fitted sheet
Sheet

If there's an accident, all you have to do is gather the top set off, and throw it in the washer.  Clean up the kiddo, and tuck them back into clean sheets with fresh blankets of course.  Time saver!!

That's all I've got for right now!  I hope everyone has a great rest of the week and enjoys this post of 'Sweatpants'.  Until next time!!!

*Side Note:  I need to re-organize my linen closet...it's gotten out of control from neglect.
**Side Note II:  I'm not proof reading.  Surprise!

NSS and Kids Fun Plate

I have this glorious find from Target.  Weird, right?!?!  Not really.  Back in the spring, after Easter, I stumbled upon two gems in the clearance section.  It was 70% off and I thought they'd be fun:

These wonderful Lunch Trays cost me all of $1.30 each.  I'm not usually one to purchase this kind of stuff because I think they cause clutter and I don't like having too much "stuff".  These have been worth the $2.60 times 10.  They're so much fun for the kids and it also makes me set out good portions of food for them.  They are dishwasher safe, which in my book is worth its weight in gold.  Plus, during the summertime, we do a lot of picnics, both inside and out, and these have proved to be fun and sturdy!  I've seen these on clearance at Target just about every season.

We lay out towels and the get a variety of food put on their plates...please note that we try to give our kids a variety of nutritional foods...but we also have no problem slapping a hot dog in a bun for supper.  Sometimes you just have to do that!!! 

No Spend September Update:

This past week went super well!!!  I went grocery shopping for the next two weeks, with the exception of purchasing milk, bread and some produce next week.  I raided our cupboards and pantry and meal planned by that.  I USUALLY try to do this, but sometimes it gets exhausting and can burn you out pretty fast.  I managed to spend $135 on two weeks worth of food.  Aldi is ALWAYS the first place I go to purchase groceries.  That place is a gem.  If you haven't tried it, do it.  It'll save you some serious moolah.  Now, know that I did NOT purchase any kind of meat products during this shopping trip.  Hubs and I buy our meat in bulk (half a cow, or when chicken is on sale, we buy a LOT to get us through for a few months).  Deep freezers are amazing and should be utilized...we do just that.  Here's what our meal plan looks like this week:
-Crock pot pot roast
-Leftovers from the weekend (chili, bbq smokies, bbq wings...all leftover from a tailgate...you know watching those footballers make some holes in one while under the watchful eye of an umpire)
-Taco soup (made with the leftover meat from the pot roast-speaking of, I best be getting that in the crock pot!)
-Tater Tot casserole (family favorite!!! we do NOT put veggies in it, we eat them on the side-apparently that's weird)
-Chicken and noodles
-Chicken tortellini soup
-Leftovers will be used for lunches and if there's too much, we'll eat them as a supper

Quick dinner fill-ins for us (things we always have on hand) are breakfast for dinner, and homemade pizza.  We do NOT buy frozen pizza.  We stopped that years ago, BUT we have traded our neighbors our chicken fajita leftovers for a frozen pizza...it was delicious...yes, that really happened.  :)

A couple other things I thought of to save some dough:

-We don't have a single magazine subscription that we pay for.  I figure you can just hit up some doctors offices to read what's new and current if you must...I kid, but some offices have stellar selections.  If you have a magazine you love, perhaps you could ask for a subscription as a gift for your birthday or Christmas.  Our kids get Highlights magazine from their Grandparents as a Christmas gift. We love it, they love it.  It's a win-win!

-Utilize your public library for books.  I'm a book lover.  I LOVE to read.  I started going to our small town library just a few months ago, and it's glorious.  I also joined a thing called BookBub.  They send me daily emails to let me know about book deals.  Some are free and some are reduced price.  I indulge in the free books on my Kindle...the ONLY downfall to this is I've noticed that most of the free books are #1 in a series, while the following books cost money.  Usually the free books are easy reads that I'm satisfied without reading the rest of them.  Now, if it was Harry Potter or the Hunger Games...I couldn't have just read the first book. 

Ok, that's all I have for right now.  I hope you enjoy and I hope you're saving some money this month...if not, spend some for me.  Until next time...

Side Note: Not editing this so hopefully you can make heads or tails about what I'm typing about.
Side Note II:  I've got nothing for this one, but I feel like I should at least put two.

NSS Update: Week 1 Under the Belt

Week 1 has come and gone already for No Spend September!  So far, so good.  There was only one "discretion" that I made.  Over the long weekend, we were going to indulge in some swimming.  Due to the fact that family owns this pool we were swimming in, we got to attend for free (BONUS) - 3 days in a row.  Both Peanutty and Sweet Pickle wear the over the nose goggles while swimming.  A pair snapped and needed to be replaced.  COULD it have been lived without?  Probably.  Would I hear about how swimming wasn't as fun for the entire weekend?  Yes.  I tooled over to the Dollar General (with a $5 bill from my stash - if you haven't read my post about this here's the breakdown, I don't spend five dollar bills...I save them - simple), and was pleased to find them clearancing out ALL of their swim stuff - this included the goggles.  They were originally $5 per pair...I got them for $1.25.  I purchased 3 pairs (stocking stuffers perhaps?), which made my total $4.01.  While it came out of my personal stash, I was happy to part with it to salvage a fun, hot weekend of swimming.  Otherwise, the spending was under complete control.  I didn't step foot in a Target for the entire week...folks, that is huge.

Here are a couple of other tips that I thought of to help curb the impulse to shop/buy:

• Throw away catalogs the second you take them out of the mailbox.  If you're like me, you receive catalogs for this and that (clothing, shoes, hobbies [hunting/fishing], learning toys, party supplies, home goods...the list is quite endless)...and again, if you're like me, you may or may not have signed up to receive these catalogs.  I take these catalogs and recycle them immediately.  I don't flip or browse...I toss.  Done.
• Instead of rushing out to purchase a grocery item (or something you THINK you need), try to think of an alternate replacement.  You're making stir fry for dinner and don't have broccoli...but you have zucchini and carrots.  Improvise.  I've done this on many occasions...did it turn out delicious?  Not always.  Is it edible?  Yep.  Push on.  
• Make a list of items you run out of.  If you can live without it until the end of the month, great!  Even better if you can live without it all together.
• Organize what you already have!  Pantry, closets, movies...you'll be surprised what you find in there and will come up with new ideas with what you've got OR you'll be inspired to purge.  We did our closets this weekend and rid ourselves of 3 garbage bags full of clothing.  It will be donated to a great cause this week!

I've received a LOT of questions about the reusable pouches I posted about last week.  So, in addition to those awesome tips, I thought I'd give it my review:

These little gems are called 'Little Green Pouch'.  I purchased a set of 4 on Amazon for roughly $12.  They are the same type of pouch that Go Go Squeeze applesauces come in, but are reusable.  They are top rack dishwasher safe.  After using these for about two weeks, I've come to the conclusion that they are worth the money.  And sometimes the little extra hassle to clean them.  With the help of a butter knife, you can get all the nooks and crannies of the pouch clean.  It literally takes an extra minute or two and they're clean.  Hot soapy water and a little shake down help as well.  So far it's had applesauce (purchased at Aldi for about $1.79 - gets us about 8-10 servings), and chocolate pudding (also purchased at Aldi for maybe $.50 and two cups of milk).  Peanutty hasn't complained so that's a plus.  The biggest trick is probably going to be training your kids to NOT throw it away.  I think they're worth the money and the time it takes to clean them.  Give them a go - you may love it!

Not very riveting, but hopefully a little helpful!!!  NSS is off with a bang, but not without the urge to shop...especially since I've started my Christmas shopping.  Yes, you read that right.  This woman is going to get her shopping done by Halloween...at least that's my goal!!!

Happy Saving!!!  Until next time...
Side Note:  I have a sick little so I'm not editing...who am I kidding, I never edit.
Side Note II:  I'm going to decorate for fall today...80 degrees outside screams fall, right?

NSS Take 2

Yep!  Summer got away from me.  Life was busy and now it's even busier but in a completely different way.

Folks, it's time for ..........NO SPEND SEPTEMBER!!!  It being September 1st, I thought I better get back into blogging a little more, not to mention I actually have a teeny, tiny bit of free time this morning to do so.  Let's dive right in.

In a nutshell, No Spend September (NSS) is a full month where we don't spend any extra money.  Yes, we spend money on fixed requirements.  This may include; mortgage, car payment, utilities, cell phone (I hate paying this one, it pisses me off every. single. month.  Highway robbery. AND we don't even have two smart phones!), groceries, daycare...you get the idea.  What we don't spend money on (by we, I mean me because I'm the #1 offender in this house) is going out to eat, girls night out (or GNO according to a sweet friend of my S.C.), Target sprees (I swear to Pete that every time I go, I find TONS of clearance stuff that I just "know" I'll use or will gift...in all honesty, that is the truth),  family outings (with the exception of a couple that were already planned and budgeted for, like a Friday night football game for our school), no Starbucks or Caribou.  Seems pretty simple right?  We are a family that rarely eats out, but when life gets busy and you're out running around, it's just WAY easier to grab something rather than make it at home - just think, that's around $30-$50 for a family of 4 to eat out depending on where you go

Here are a few things that I do to try and simplify life and to get a little more organized.  In the process of doing these things, I really do inspire myself to do better.  Here we go:

#1.  UNSUBSCRIBE.  Just this morning, I woke up to about 20 emails, most of them stating that there was a "BIG SALE", or "END OF SUMMER BLOWOUT"!  It's easy to get sucked into subscribing to emails, mostly because they offer a percentage off your order or claim you'll miss out on a lot of deals and steals.  While this is true, it can bog you down.  I was feeling bogged down, so I cleaned house.  I didn't unsubscribe to ALL of them, just one's that I maybe purchase something from about once a year.  Plus, I get tempted to purchase all because they're having a sale, and I have a 20% off coupon and $10 in in-store cash...it's a black hole.  A swirling vortex that will suck. you. in. 

#2.  Pack snacks or a lunch.  When I have Peanutty or Sweet Pickle or both with me while running errands, I pack a bag full of snacks and drinks.  This alone saves me money from not having to purchase snacks while we're out and about.  Here's the little bag I use.  I will bet a GOOD CHUNK of you readers have a bag just like this...if you've ever purchased from Thirty One Bags...you have something like this:

Or do you have this:

How's about this one:

Yeah, pretty safe to say if you've been to a Thirty One party, you have one or all of these (327 more bags just like these were not pictured).  Anywho, back at it.  I use that top one that's an insulated bag to put snacks and drinks while we mosey around doing what we need to do.  IF, like today, we will be running around during lunch time, I will pack up lunches in something like this:

Thank you Target dollar bins!  I purchased this for $3 over a year ago and it's been a home to many PB&J's, Goldfish crackers, grapes, Veggie Straws, and yogurt covered raisins.  Sweet Pickle thinks this is just the cats meow.  Nothing that would need to be cold is packed in the lunch box since it gets toted around and/or left in the car.

#3.  Lists.  We pack Peanutty's lunch every day.  To expedite the sometimes grueling process, we sat down with him and got ideas for what he would like in his lunch each day.  I then typed it up, printed it out and it now has a lovely home stuck to the side of our fridge for a quick reference. 

Essentially, he gets something from each category in his lunch every day.  This list is completely unique to him, so we know he likes all of these items and is willing to eat them for his lunch.  When grocery shopping time rolls around, I ask him what he thinks he'd like for the following week so I can purchase the necessary items.  This year I made little packing stations for ease of packing. 

I'm not a huge fan of using so many plastic baggies, and I have a Pin (yes, that dirty bitch named Pinterest has poisoned my life again, drat!) for sewing my own reusable bags - just haven't had time yet.  It's simple to grab one of each, and throw it in a lunch bag and off he goes.  Last year we had purchased the GoGo Squeeze applesauce's - not sure if you've purchased those, but you practically have to sell your first born to buy them.  So, I started researching re-usable pouches, and we're giving them a go this year:

They've actually been quite amazing.  They are top rack dishwasher safe, we also hand wash them to make sure every nook and cranny is getting cleaned.  We've done applesauce and pudding in them so far, and I think it's worth the $12 for 4 off of Amazon.  I also purchased the collapsible funnel for $6.  So far, so good.  I highly recommend them.  BUT, keep in mind we've only been using them for about a week.  

 

Ok folks!  That's all I've got for today.  Kind of a doozie!!!  Whew!  

 

Summing it up:  Mission: Save My Family Some Money  - has commenced.  Please feel free to join me on this month journey.   It's actually kind of fun...until you're pacing in front of Starbucks because you're in dyer need of a caramel vanilla soy latte with whip.  

Happy Saving!!!  Until next time!!!

Side Note:  I'm not editing...I need to do some filing.

Side Note II:  I want to get my pumpkin decor out, but feel at 90 degrees I can't bring myself to do it!

Cleaning Cupboard

I have a cupboard full of cleaning supplies.  Anywhere from carpet spot cleaners, to Windex, to a multitude of sponges, to furniture cleaner...it gets out of hand. 

Please cue 'Psycho' music...

It MAY not look so bad, but the white plastic bins can be deceiving.  It's organized chaos in there.  It was time to purge and re-group!  I started by disposing the stuff that we have had for a while, or stuff we used to use for wood floors but no long have wood floors (we may be going back to that sometime soon, but not sure if I want them again)...you get the idea.  Get rid of the stuff you don't need/use.  If you'll notice, I have everything that has harsh and harmful chemicals.  I know there are all sorts of organic products out there that are safer for kids/pets/humans in general, but to be quite honest, I'm OK with using what we've got.  Gasp!  She's OK with poisoning her children?!?!  We don't lick it once its been sprayed or use it as a perfume, so I truly believe if you're careful with it, it's not a problem.  I'm probably getting shaking heads over this last tidbit, but I'm good with it.  To each his own.  Also, if you'll notice, it's a cupboard that's high up off the ground so my Littles can't get into it.  Use common sense and all will be just fine.  Or, have the CDC's number on hand.  Moving on...

I emptied the entire cupboard and cleaned the shelves...

Then I rounded up a whole bunch of plastic containers I had laying around the house - purchased at either a Dollar Store, Target or Walmart.  And of course I have my trusty label maker and Washi tape...

We have quite a few sponges that are designated for certain cleaning purposes:  cooktop, bathtub, toilet, sinks...and in order to keep them separated (disgusting to think of a toilet sponge used on your counter tops - side note: I don't use a sponge on our counters, I use bar clothes that I wash every day), I used these inexpensive (3 for $1) white plastic trays.  I Washi taped the crap out of them, and labeled each one.  These plastic containers stack nicely so after being labeled, I just stacked them up.  Keeps them in their own separate tray, and if you put them away wet, the slots in the containers allow them to dry.  Easy peasy.

Here's one container that has all things sponges/squishy cleaners.

This smaller container houses all types of industrial hand cleaners.  We use these a lot with all the projects we do around here.

Random container has extension cords and window treatments (you know, that plastic wrapping you put on your windows in the winter?  We have new windows but still do this...we save just that much more money with them on - seriously).  There's plenty of room in there for me to add to it.  We originally had a ton of light bulbs but we don't need them as frequently now that we switched to the energy efficient type bulbs.  We moved those into the basement utility room that I will NOT show you until it's time to organize it.

This container has furniture cleaner, cooktop cleaner, shoe polish, toilet discs, furniture cleaner, and Goo Gone (if you don't have this, you need it, it's wonderful.  Peanutty had a pack of bubblegum in his coat pocket when we washed and dried it - the Goo Gone took it right out.  It was a miracle...maybe not a miracle, but when you're only 1 month into the cold season and a NEW coat is annihilated by bubble gum, you're pretty damn grateful for the Goo Gone).

End result?  This.  It's still going strong after having done this months ago.  I can find whatever I need quickly.  Next step is doing this to every cupboard, closet, and room...slowly but surely!!!

I hope you enjoyed today's edition of Are These My Good Sweatpants!  Until next time...

Side Note:  I'm considering writing a novel.  Yay?  Nay?
Fun Tidbit:  A dryer sheet dipped in water (or soapy water) will remove ALL dead bugs from the front of your vehicle.  I've done this every time we wash a car and it works wonders.  Try it, it's a life changer.

Organizing Me

Lately I've been having a hellava time getting motivated to do much of anything.  It's summer, my kids are home and I feel like I want to just say "forget it" when it comes to the "needs to be done" list.  Oh yes, I have lists upon lists upon lists that I should do.  These lists are either written down or in my head.  When the lists are in my head, I tend to start having stressful days, freak out moments and a little short tempered.  I've decided to share some of the things that I do or have that help make my life easier.  Some of these things are a repeat from past posts, but I need a boost.  I'm hoping that by publishing my thoughts, I'll be able to get my sh!t together.  Or in other words:  Organizing Me.

Here goes:

1.  A clean kitchen is by far my #1.  I know this sounds crazy but in our home, this is where I am a huge portion of my day.  Between cooking, meal planning, activities with the kids, eating meals, sorting mail...etc...it's the zone for everything.  When my kitchen is a mess, my mind is in complete disarray.  You think I'm kidding?  I'm not.  My kitchen cannot be cluttered or have anything on the counters/table.  A place for everything and everything in its place.  95% of the time, I make sure the kitchen is cleaned up before I go to bed.  Last night, I did no such thing (I seized the opportunity to binge watch Teen Wolf [I'm not kidding about this either nor am I ashamed...it's good stuff]).  I woke up this morning a little cranky and when I came out to the kitchen I felt immediately stressed.  I took 15 minutes to clean it all up and instantly felt better.  I know it's crazy but when the central part of this home is out of sorts, so am I.  The flowers on the table make me smile too...it's the little things (they're fake but will last a lifetime...until I change it up).

2.  My Planner.  I know, snore fest!  I've blabbed about this stinking thing time and time again, but I'm still in love.  I've had 3 of these planners and I adore it.  It's great to jot things down and I get a week at a glance that helps me remember what I need to do, where we all need to be and most important; when we get to have free time!  It's worth the purchase...and they just came out with a whole new slew of add-ons.  Check it out - you won't regret it:  www.erincondren.com

3.  These Post-Its.  While the planner serves a great purpose, sometimes there just isn't enough room for all the lists I have going.  Sometimes you just need to list a couple things and having a whole sheet of paper is a pain in the ass.  I had 3 lists going at the same time just last week for multiple things.  Once the list was complete, I could toss it and forget about it.  They're small enough to put in your backpack, purse or car.  $6 for 4 pads is worth the money to me. I had 3 sheets going at the same time: quick grocery list, birthday to-do's for Peanutty, and a pros and cons list for purchasing a vehicle (this is a real struggle right now - I hate car shopping - worse than shopping for jeans and swim wear - at least I don't have to worry that someone is trying to rip me off when I'm buying capris).

4.  Have something to look forward to at the end of the day.  Even though the neighbor girl is more excited to see me than my own kids, I look forward to seeing them and the Hubs.  Being home is my prize at the end of the day, but it's even better when I can look forward to something for just me after Peanutty and Sweet Pickle go to bed.  A good book or a movie/tv (ahem Teen Wolf) show is all it takes for me to get excited for "me" time.  It also motivates me to get my stuff done so I can spend more time doing something I really want to do.  Eye on the prize!

While it's not a huge list, it's what helps me.  I'd love to hear things that others do to get life under control and organized!  I hope you have a most marvelous Tuesday!!!

Until next time...

Groceries getting you down???

I know some of this may be redundant to some of you followers, but I feel as though this is a struggle that I have weekly.  Grocery store shopping/using what you've got/organizing meals...blah, blah, blah...I'm getting nauseated just typing it.  It never goes away, you always have to do it, and you get burned out.  At least I do.  Especially lately since it seems like we have SOMETHING going on every single night; meetings, games, practices, get togethers (ok, that's a fun one but still requires you to plan a little bit).  Thanks to a lot of things:  Pinterest (still a dirty bitch), Aldi, Walmart (I'm NOT thanking their carts because they suck the big one and I've called headquarters to alert them to this crime...why can't they take a page out of Targets book and get the super nice plastic carts that seem to roll like they've had a tune up each and every time I go in there...sigh, I love Target), Sams Club, Costco and a new found co-op thanks to my Sister-these things are made a little easier.  I'm going to keep this simple by mapping out what I like, where and why:

1.  Pinterest (why I'm putting a photo with it, I'll never know):

I love getting recipes off of here.  It's quick, easy and most of the time, the recipes are decent.  I'm making one for tonight's dinner called Mississippi Pot Roast:

-1 roast (I used an arm roast that we have from a huge beef purchase we made last week)

-1 packet of dry Ranch (purchased at Aldi for $.59)

-1 packet dry onion soup mix (purchased at Aldi for $1.19 for 2 packets)

-1 stick of butter (purchased at Aldi for $1.99 for 4 sticks)

-Pepperoccini peppers (guess where? Aldi again for $1.29 for a jar) you add as many or as little as you like

Crock pot for 7-8 hrs on low.  I also threw in there some "weird carrots" that I received in my co-op purchase from last weekend.  They're orange, yellow, white and purple (my nose is crinkled just thinking about them but my sister assures me they're delicious...we shall see dear sister). 

 All sorts of recipes you can look up...I also have about 8 limes that I have no idea what to do with...guess what?  Pinterest has a solution for those too...anywhere from a foot scrub to a pie...Pinterest has an idea.  Surprise, surprise.

2.  Aldi:

I'm in love with this little store.  They are priced for a family that wants to save.  It's convenient and has loads of products (many gluten free products as well - side note:  I was going to type glaucoma free just now).  I'm partial to quite a few things so I'll type what I don't like instead:
-Bagged onions (almost half are rotten-not cool)
-Chips (we are Lays and Doritos people, yes, there are certain things we are food snobs about) We WILL purchase their tortilla chips - you can't mess up corn and salt.
-Cereal (we've actually never tried these, we're just partial to Malt-O-Meal bagged cereals at Wally World AKA Walmart)
-Beef (we're those people that purchase a third or half of a cow to save money, the whole chickens there are inexpensive and great for crock potting and shredding for later meals)
-Ice cream (we just haven't had great luck with it)
Produce is very good there as well as the "stock up" items one may need: canned items, baking items, snacks for the kiddos...just check it out, you may just love it.

3.  Walmart:

I just like their prices.   I'm a Target fanatic...if they sold a t-shirt with the Target symbol on it, I'd buy it and wear it much like people do with their favorite sporting team.  I don't have one of those, but I love Target, so why not have a tee...million dollar idea?  Probably.  While we're on the subject of Target:  while I love it (like, I should marry it), I've recently be3en keeping away from it because of the prices and because of their clearance items.  I seem to think that if they're on clearance and I COULD use it someday, then I must have it.  Sound like a personal problem?  It is.

4.  Sams Club and Costco (sorry no photo):
Mi Mamma has a membership to Sams so I got there to purchase items like Folgers coffee, produce, boneless chicken boobies, Gatorade in the squat bottles (perfect for littles) and the other random items - I purchased tp and paper towels there this last time - so far, they're great for the price!  My friend has a Costco membership and sweetly takes me when I need to purchase my absolute favorite beverage, Tazo concentrated chai.  They have a 3 pack for about $7.50 - if you purchase one carton at Target it's $4...you're saving $4.50 by purchasing the 3 pack.  Why am I telling you this info?  Because that stuff is delectable!  I also love their salsa, it's $5 and fresh and the whole family likes it.

5.  Co-op:
My sister recently introduced me to a co-op she had been ordering from.  It's all fresh produce and for $17 I received two weeks worth.  The only downfall is you get what you get.  BUT, it's also made me try a few new recipes AND has also broadened our produce palate.

Random info for saving money with the groceries:
-Try a "use what you've got" week.  I had found that I had some stuffing mix (I HATE stuffing/dressing as a side dish itself-that's just a little personal tidbit) from a previous recipe so I decided I needed to use it rather than throw it away:

I put it in our little blender thingy and made crumbs.  I used said crumbs for a homemade meatball recipe.  It was delicious and made me feel like I was resourceful.

-Don't purchase pre-packaged items like little bags of Goldfish crackers, or cookies.  Buy them in bulk.  If it's for a kids lunch, purchase reusable baggies and pack them in those instead.  It's worth it especially if you pack your kids lunch daily (like I do).  Not buying disposable baggies saves you money and the planet.  Now, I get having to purchase pre-packaged stuff for school snacks, sometimes you have to but you can also cut down on some things.

-If there's a sale, stock up.  Yes, I have a deep freeze full of shredded cheeses, beef and tater tots. 

-Don't take your kids...I'm laughing at this one...I always have a child or childs with me every time I got to the store.  But, if you're like me, you practically jog through the aisles grabbing what you need.

-Make lists and stick to it.  I've done this the past few times and if I forgot to write it down, we go without.

-Pick a day to make a weekly meal plan.  Mine is Sunday.  I ask the family if they have ideas (very rarely they do), check my cupboards/pantry/fridge/freezer and make my meal plan from there.

-Write down your meal plan in a central place.  If you've got a significant other/partner that is up for helping out with meal making, having a central location for the meal plan can get the ball rolling quicker in the evenings.

-Prep ahead of time.  Use already made shredded chicken, cut up veggies the night before, use meat from another meal to create something new (you had roast beef? Now make shredded beef tacos with the leftovers)...there's always a way to get it done...but you have to be ambitious and sometimes it's hard to do.

-Don't eat out.  We eat out as a family maybe twice/month.  We are lucky to live in a town that doesn't have any restaurants, so we're forced to make something at home.  At first (10 years ago) it was hard, but now it's just second nature to whip something up OR we have those "every man for himself" nights.  Usually consists of the kids eating a sandwich, chicken fries, or a bowl (or two) of cereal.

-Have a "bring whatcha got" potluck.  We do this A LOT with neighbors and family on those nights you just don't feel like cooking but have a ton of leftovers...

-Eat your leftovers!!!  We eat nothing but leftovers for lunches.  Period.

That's all I have time for now!  I'd love to hear some grocery store saving ideas!  I know I've forgotten quite a few, but I have to scoot!

Have a great weekend!!  Until next time...

Side Note I:   Sweet Pickle is singing "Royals" by Lorde and it's pretty awesome...she's 3.
Side Note II:  I'm not reading before posting this so if it doesn't make sense, get creative.
Side Note III (this is the last one I promise...for today):  What would you like me to report on?  Ideas are always good!!!