This week on the cheap

I'm trying to get back in the swing of things now that Levi is almost six weeks old. I finally finished transfering my coupons to the binder system. I'm really liking it so far. Dan and I sat down to figure out our financial goals and timing for them. Which, led us to realize we need to be working like crazy to save more. So this month we are hoping to only use cash and try to spend less than normal. So I challenged myself this week to see if I could get all my groceries for under $30. I did it and here is what I got...


Meijer was running some great sales this week. I like to most of the deals are posted at http://cincinnaticents.blogspot.com/. If you want a complete list.

They are running a 10 for 10 event get the 11th item free. These are always nice because with coupons I get a lot of freebies.
2 Easy Macs free w/ coupon
4 Green Giant steamers free w/ coupon
4 pizza rolls .60/ box
1 can fruit 11th item free

Barilla pasta was on sale with coupon ende up being .39/box so I went ahead and got 4.
Campbell's soup 8 cans @ .50/can (cream soups)
2 cans Select harvest soup .45/each
3 loaves whole wheat bread B1G2 $3.19 total
2 rolls breakfast sausage $1.80/each
2 packs cookie dough $1/each (buy 2 get $1 off milk)
2 gallons milk $2.20
2 heads broccoli .79/each
Family pack of chicken $1.79/lb
lunch meat $1.50
Leaf lettuce
eggs
Garlic toast

I ended up with 45 items and spent $27.26. I saved $56.70. I bought food for the week and some for the stockpile.

Menu for this week: (these are just dinners)

Mon- Free Chick fil A (bought large fry to share $1.98)
Tues- Church meeting Dinner provided
Wed- Chicken casserole times 2 for house church
Thurs- Brinner (Breakfast for dinner)
Fri- possible date night (child care at church for $10 fundraiser + gift card for dinner= cheap date)
Sat- homemade pizza, sweet corn, salad
Sun- Homemade soup

Also, this week one of my goals is to organize our stockpile of food. We are so blessed to have so much. So, I'm hoping to put together a box to send to the local food bank, and get an inventory of what I have for my family. I'd like to prepare to defrost my freezer either this week or next also. I'm hoping over the next six weeks to do some major organization. So this weeks goal is food.

Just another Manic Monday...

It was 7:15 this morning when my alarm a.k.a. Levi started screaming. After a relaxing 5 hours of sleep I knew I wasn't going back to bed. I fed the baby which I was half grateful for because for some reason I was abnormally full and a little sore.

By 7:45 I heard the pitter patter of a tiny stampede of toddlers coming down the hall, then down the stairs, then I heard a loud crash, then I knew for sure I wasn't going back to sleep. Next was my wonderful husband trying to escape from the toddlers who by this point realized Daddy was here and they didn't want him to get away. I tried to distract with cereal and a possible cuddle on the couch. Luckily today it worked with no major issues.

Isaac crawled up in my lap and snuggled me.
"I love you, Mommy." He tells me, and I realize that being a mom for is worth it for all the fuss for moments like this.
"Jesus gave you your boys, huh, Mom...He's a great guy." At this point I can't help but giggle at the description of our Lord and Savior as "a great guy", but out of the mouth of babe.

After this brief but adorable moment I move on to my to do list for the day. I have:
12 loads of laundry to process through.
lots of coupons to sort
A meal plan to make
A grocery list to make
Sheets to change
Phone calls to make
Clean the bathroom
Clean the refrigerator before going to the grocery
Dust
Windows
Mop

May parents are coming in Wed night to meet Levi and spend the weekend with us so I have a lot of cleaning to do to get ready. Also, I've started homeschooling Isaac for preschool so we take about 20 mins a day to work on his stuff. Tomorrow we have an open house for his Tuesday school which is essentially a free preschool on Tuesdays. I'm so excited for him. I have a phone date planned during nap time to talk to my dear friend Meghan. Maybe we will try to skpe with the kids because I miss seeing them. They are like my little neice and nephew and i love them and miss them now that they live in FL.

Well, laundry is ready to be switched and the boys just finished their cereal so there are dishes to do and diapers to change. So here we go with another Manic Monday.

My boys

Here are some pictures from this weekend of my wonderful little men (and big man).

Cheap grocery week

This week was a fun week for grocery shopping. The nice thing was I really didn't NEED a whole lot so I could just look for good deals and a few fun things. First I decided to try Walgreen's. I used to do a lot of CVS, but I feel like their deals haven't been worth going in with three littles so I've skipped it for a few months. I have noticed Walgreen's seemed to have some good deals. I think I like it and will go back. Tonight I got 3 rolls of scotch tape, a 8x8 scrapbook page, and 2 packages of Tylenol for $1.41. Not a ton of stuff, but super cheap. Plus, they were things I actually need now.

Then I went to Kroger. They are running their Mega Event where you buy 10 items and get $5 off instantly. So I came home with:

4 cresant rolls(.50 each)
2 cinnamon rolls (.50 each)
3 packs of kids yogurt (My kids LOVE these Trix and Diego)
1 box Trix cereal (.50)
1 King size Reese's(free with coupon from this past sun paper)
box of Kashi cereal (free coupon from Vocal Point)
2 Breyer's ice cream (these were a great deal with coupon $1.65 each!)
2 gallons of milk ( this was the only thing I couldn't live without this week)
a tomato
some fresh green beans

total= $15.53
I saved 28.09 for a 64% savings

I am excited that at this point I am under budget for the month. We try to stay at $50 a week. Last week I went over a bit, but I have been under the other weeks so it made up for it. Plus, last week I bought Asher his birthday gift so that took $15 off the top...The good news is that his present is a little tikes baseball tee we have watched all summer and it finally went on clearance. I'm bummed because the golf set we wanted had been clearanced too, but it was gone... Oh, well.

Levi Brian Robert is here!

Ok so better late than never. We had our little man on July 29. He was 7lbs 10 oz and he is adorable. His brothers love him. Asher won't stop kissing him. He is an easy going little dude. So here is our newest addition, Levi Brian Robert.

Asher

Today Isaac is sleeping a little long for his nap. Which means I get some time with just Asher. He is just so cute! I love watching his little walk and his little talk. He is in a baseball phase right now and everything can be a bat and ball. While usually this is a pain. today I'm watching and just adoring my cute little man. He won't be the youngest for long...He is at such a defiant but adorable age. Ah, the joy of toddlers.

Homemade = less expensive.

I found something I'd love to try. I've never personally made homemade laundry soap, but I've heard it is amazing. A friend posted this recipe and it looks easy enough to make. Right now I have about six months worth of detergent stockpiled, but when that is used I'm hoping to try this. Here is the recipe for any one else who is interested. Let me know what you think.

Laundry Soap Recipe: 2 bars Fels-naptha soap (you can buy at Kroger laundry aisle),
2 cups Arm & Hammer Soda Wash (also at Kroger in the laundry aisle),
and 2 cups Borax.
Grate bars of soap into small pieces (I use my blender on "ice chop" setting to shred - washes up great!) and put into 2 quarts boiling water and stir occasionally until melted.
Put Soda Wash and Borax into clean 5 gallon bucket (I used a kitty litter container, well rinsed). Add 2 1/2 gallons hot tap water and stir until dissolved.
Add melted soap mixture and stir. Cover. Use 1/4 cup to 1 cup in each load (depending on load size and dirt amount). It will become gel-like. Sometimes a little like jello.


Another money saver is home made baby wipes. I've done this since Isaac was a baby. It is quick and easy. I really like these for newborns because they are very sensitive and there are minimal ingredients.

Cut one roll Bounty paper towel in half. In a tupperware pour 2c. water, 2T. baby oil, and 2 T. baby shampoo. Set half the roll in tupperware for a few minutes to soak. Turn roll over until entire half is wet. Gently pull out cardboard from the middle. Wipes will pop out like a wet wipe roll. Each roll makes two tupperwares full.

I love doing this. It really only takes a matter of minutes. Plus the boys like to help pour in the ingredients.

I really like finding "recipes" for homemade items. If it saves money and is better for us and the enviroment then why not take the extra couple of minutes. :)