Gearing Up for a New Semester with Campus Book Rentals

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  college books are ridiculously expensive to buy.  I average at least $200 per course I'm taking.  This semester I'm taking 5 courses...I can expect to spend around $1,000 on books (on top of my tuition)!!  Yikes.

At first I thought the idea of renting my books was weird.  But then I thought more about it and DUH, I try to sell my books back (and getting next to nothing for them) to the bookstore after each semester...what is the difference?!  The difference is the money saved!  You can save tons buy renting your books each semester.  Here are some of the perks to using Campus Book Rentals:

-save 40-90% off of bookstore prices
-free shipping both ways
-can highlight in the textbooks
-flexible renting periods
-donates to Operation Smile with each textbook rented

This is a screen shot off my student account for school.  It's one of the books I'll need (in fact I need two for this particular class) this semester.  It tells me how much to expect to pay for the book (new, used, rent etc).

It was super easy to find the book on CampusBookRentals.com by copying and pasting the ISBN.  Here's what came up for the exact same book.  The rental price difference is almost 50% off!!!!

There's also the option to rent books you already own using RentBack. You rent out books to other students and you could make 2-4 times more money than buyback options (like when the campus book store offers me $4 on a book I spent over $100; no really, that's happened.  I always end up keeping them out of principle).

This is a great idea for anyone who's in college, going to college or who has kept their college books, like me.  Yay! For saving money!!!  I already own enough in student loans!

***Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post of an awesome company I really like. If you have more questions regarding this please check out: http://www.lovinglifeandlivingonless.com/p/disclosure-and-policies.html

Zaycon Foods

How does Zaycon Foods manage to provide such high quality super fresh meat and produce to its customers at such low prices? The answer is strength in numbers. And not our numbers, yours!

Zaycon Foods can sell its products at bulk rate prices to individual consumers and families because our unique sales event business model brings lots of people together, adding all their purchasing power into a combined bulk food purchase. And when you buy as part of a group that’s committing to such a large purchase, the power is in the hands of the purchaser! It’s the ultimate group buy in terms of both price and consumer empowerment.

You can pre-select exactly what you want to order from a given Zaycon sales event – sometimes you may want to stock up on our amazing meaty back ribs and sometimes it might be all about the Zaycon bacon – and then, on the day of the sales event, you and a whole big bunch of your neighbors will find yourselves in a nearby parking lot watching as an entire tractor trailer’s worth of high quality natural food is unloaded into all of your cars! You will be amazed at how quickly one of our refrigerated trucks goes from being filled with natural, fresh chicken or hundreds of gallons of grade A non-homogenized milk to being empty and back on its way to the farm!

A Zaycon Foods truck sales event often lasts less time than you would spend on a trip to the grocery store, yet you will leave with a whole lot more food than you’d get at the market, and for much better prices, too!

When you use the Zaycon Foods sales event as your preferred place to purchase meats, milk, and any of our other fine products, you get advantages even beyond the bulk pricing that comes with our special sales model. You also have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what you’re going to get! A trip to the grocery store can involve wasted time wandering around looking for various foods spread out across the store; at a Zaycon Foods parking lot meat truck delivery (or milk or berries or fish delivery, too!) you have pre-ordered your foods, so all you have to do is show up and wait for our friendly staffers and volunteers to load up your car. 

Also, unlike in the grocery store, the prices you will pay for a Zaycon Foods product are locked in on our website, so you will know how much you are going to spend before you have committed to a purchase. 

At a supermarket, you might pay one price for chicken on one day, and then a higher price on another day. With Zaycon, you decide that you want to order a case of our fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts, you check the price and then you commit to it, knowing that from that moment on, we are committed to getting you your fresh, natural food!

To Get Started Click on this link

***Disclaimer: Review products have been given to me for review purposes. My opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate links. By using these links you are helping support LLandLoL, but of course it is never required that you use my links. If you have more questions regarding this please check out: http://www.lovinglifeandlivingonless.com/p/disclosure-and-policies.html

$25 Monthly Makeup Challenge Month 4

If you are jumping right into the $25 Monthly Makeup Challenge feel free to check out the previous months: Month 1, Month 2, Month 3.  Basically, the challenge is to build a quality makeup collection buy budgeting $25 each month. 

Creating A Stylish Bathroom on a Budget

 

If you have a family, or even if you just live by yourself, keeping a bathroom looking stylish or even tidy and up to date can feel like a chore. Just keeping it clean with everything put away can seem like a full time job, and on top of that, many household’s bathrooms tend to be outdated or left uncared for. In reality though, it can be pretty easy to create a bathroom that looks stylish on a budget and still covers everything you need.

Being one of the most used rooms in the house aside from the kitchen, so you’ll really need to consider everything that goes into your bathroom carefully. Make sure first that you are able to compromise and be flexible on what you’re willing to have in your bathroom.

If the bathroom is a small room, you’ll need to make the most of the space you have. There’s really no point trying to squeeze in a bath or a double sink because these will just take away your storage options and make the bathroom appear cluttered. Instead make sure that you have as much built in storage as you can, and use mirrors and lighting effectively to open up the space. Pale coloured tiling will also make the room appear slightly bigger.

If your problem with keeping your bathroom looking great is keeping it clean, here are a few simple tips. Try not to let the clutter or job of cleaning the room get over your head. Make sure that every time you or a family member uses the bathroom, they pick something up and put it away, or give the sink or mirror a quick wipe down. You can make this easier by having fittings that are easier to keep clean in the long run, such as pieces from the stylish Vitra Designer collection. For surfaces that only need a quick wipe down everyday rather than a deep clean, mix vinegar and water equally in a spray bottle with a few drops of an essential oil of your choice – this will keep things clean and give them an amazing shine.

Give your bathroom a bit more of a spa feel to create a relaxing environment by keeping the décor all under a simple colour scheme or theme. If you’re going for nautical, purchase towels in shades of blue; perhaps do a bit of DIY and wrap some thick roping around your mirror frame; or place ornaments like model ships on a windowsill. If the bathroom is small, try to keep your theme minimalistic, perhaps in monochromatic shades of black and white. It will really stand out and impress your guests.

***This is a Sponsored Guest Post. If you have question regarding this please check out my Disclosure and Policies

 

5 Meals for $2 or Less (per person)

I pride myself on cooking inexpensive and (usually) healthy meals.  I usually have the ingredients for these meals on hand and they are my 'go-to' especially if we're feeling a bit of a financial pinch.  But regardless, my family really enjoys these simple and cheap meals! 

Dollar Store Craft: DIY Display Stand

I found some easy DIY stands on Pinterest (follow me!) and knew I wanted to make one for my vanity or bathroom.  I kept it in the back of my mind but it certainly wasn't on my top priority list.

While I was waiting for my prescription I decided to kill some time in the dollar store nearby.  This project popped into my head. 

The awesome part about this DIY project is it you can change it up for what your store offers, you can change the sizes or styles of the plates...the possibilities really are endless.  So here it is- my stand for $3!

Keeping Kids Busy This Summer Without Breaking the Bank

Last summer, thanks to so inspiration on Pinterest, we implemented our first "Summer Bucket List".  We comprised a list of things to do to keep active throughout the summer.  I broke up the list into "Free" "Inexpensive" and "Pricey" categories.  This helped us decide what was feasible on any given day for our family of 5. 

$25 Monthly Makeup Challenge Month 3

Hopefully you are familiar with this challenge, if not feel free to check out month 1 and month 2. 

Basically, the point of this challenge is to purchase quality makeup products to add (or start) your makeup collection.  The challenge is staying in budget and 'saving' your budget for purchases throughout the year.  The goal is quality over quantity (although sometimes you can absolutely find fantastic products at drugstores or on sale!).  By breaking up these typically more expensive purchases I'm budgeting and splurging things I really want, which is the way it should be!  I use restraint and, instead of buying cheaper products through the month I use the $25 to purchase an item (or items) I've been wanting to try or that I know I already love.

This month I found what I wanted on sale!  I had been eyeing TheBalm Liquid TimeBalm Spot Concealer because I love tea tree and it's antibacterial, acne treating qualities.   Last month TheBalm.com launched a brand new site and with that they offered 50% off!  I 'like' TheBalm on Facebook and that's how I heard about this awesome sale.  The site launch was postponed a few days so I waited and checked Facebook constantly to see when it went live- 50% is a big deal to me, especially on an item I really want!

TheBalm Liquid TimeBalm Spot Concealer is originally $20 but I scored it for $10 plus shipping.  Usually I hate paying for shipping, I scour the Internet for a free shipping code or wait until a free shipping offer, but with the 50% off sale there wasn't any shipping deals.  But this still ended up being a great deal.  Shipping was $4.95.

I've been using this product for almost 3 weeks now and it's amazing.  The coverage is light to medium,which I expected from reading reviews, but it's buildable. I use it before foundation to let the tea tree do it's thing on my skin/blemishes.  I can even use it under my eyes and it doesn't cake up or settle in the creases of my giant mommy-eye-bags! 

I'm glad I added this product to my beauty arsenal and would've paid full price for it anyway, I just got lucky! Which brings me to some tips to get high end/quality makeup for cheaper:

TIP: Like the brands you love or are interested in on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!  You may get special codes or sale news for just keeping up to date with these companies!

Total available this month (based on money saved so far and $25 each month): $33.47
Grand total this month: $14.95 (regularly $20)
Amount left over (from $33.47): $18.52
Total Available Next Month: $43.52

 

Can you tell I'm saving up for something?! :)

You can find this product at Sephora or TheBalm.

Checkout what other's are doing this month for the challenge!

Introducing NYX Spring Line- Affordable Makeup I Love

My Go-To Products for Daily Use

NYX has always been a favorite makeup brand of mine so when I got the chance to review the new line I did a happy little jig (not really- I danced.  I'm sure it wasn't pretty.  *disclaimer- I recieved these products for review).  The formulas are fabulous while maintaining extremely affordable prices.  NYX already had a place in my makeup collection and in my heart but after seeing and using the new products from the NYX Spring Line it now has a place in my daily routine.

$25 Monthly Makeup Challenge Month 2

Last month a few of my fantastic bloggy friends and I started the $25 Monthly Makeup Challenge.  It's all about building (or adding to) your makeup arsenal.  I'm focusing on quality- not quantity.  Only spending $25 each month (and 'rolling over' any leftover each month).  Last month I got Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick (you can see that post here).

Last Month's Total- $19.67
Leftover- $5.33
Total available this month- $30.33

This month I choose to purchase Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Eyeshadow Primer is extremely important to keep creasing and oil at bay.  Even if you don't have oily skin, eyelids are oil pools for anyone.  The oil is what creates the creasing of your perfectly placed eye shadows.  This primer helps the shadows stay pigmented, too.

This primer works fantastically!!  It is one I've been wanting to try and knew I wanted to add it to my makeup kit.  The price tag is $20 at Ulta and Sephora so it's a splurge for me.  But again, this challenge is all about slowly building a kit full of quality items for only $25/month. 

This Month's Total: $21.86
Left over (from $30.33): $8.47
Total Available Next Month: $33.47

So far I have my Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick and Too Faced Shadow Insurance.  What kind of item would you like to see next month?  I'm thinking concealer but let me know your thoughts below! Don't forget to check out what others are doing with this challenge (Links Below)!

New Carseat for Baby G: Saving Up and Making a Decision

Baby G is almost two- well, we have a few months to go but I've already started searching for car seats because the boys' GiGi and PopPop (their great-grandma and great grandpa) have a seat for K but not for Baby G.  They usually only travel as far as the neighborhood park which is a pretty easy walk but I completely understand their desire to have a safe car seat 'just-in-case'.

Baby G's First Birthday Seems Like Yesterday!

Although I love to save and be frugal where I can, car seat choices are too important.  Researching your choices for what you need for your family's lifestyle, your car, your child and reading reviews from other consumers can really narrow it down for you.  Of course, finding a sale on a seat you are already considering is always icing on the cake! 

Britax car seats seem to be a favorite among parents and I am currently in love with both the Britax Pinnacle and the Britax Frontier.  For us, this would be considered a large purchase, which means planning ahead and saving, which is exactly what we're doing!

I drive a Prius and have two car seats in the back for the boys and there still needs to be room for Jelly Bean to sit in the middle safely.  These two Britax car seats seem to be thin enough to allow room in my somewhat small backseat, they are convertible which means they will work as a booster later on and they both go up to 90 lbs!

It's a tough choice when shopping for car seats and I'm still making my final decisions.  I have a few months to save and choose...but I have a feeling these months will fly by and Baby G will be 2 before I even know it!

***Disclaimer: If you have  questions regarding sponsored posts this please check out: http://www.lovinglifeandlivingonless.com/p/disclosure-and-policies.html

9 Money Saving Tips for Buying Eyeglasses Online!

 9 Money Saving Tips For Buying Eyeglasses Online

One of my fav pictures of K when he was learning to walk- very proud he stole Daddy's glasses!

The Internet is an invaluable tool for bargain hunters. It doesn’t matter if you are buying electronics or eyeglasses, you can save a substantial amount of money if you know how to shop online. Here are a few money saving tips to help you find cheap eyeglasses online.

1.       Do Your Research

It is important to know exactly what you want when shopping for glasses online. Take the time to educate yourself about the various frame materials and lens types that you can choose from. There are thousands of styles to choose from; you can save both time and money if you research your options first and then narrow your search criteria according to your own needs.

2.       Stay Away From Designer Frames

You can save a significant amount of money if you limit your search to off-brands. Just because a pair of frames has a designer label doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting a better quality product. You can often save hundreds of dollars by buying off-brand without sacrificing quality of style.

3.       Don’t Be Fooled

If you don’t read the product description carefully, you can be fooled into thinking that you are getting a pair of high quality glasses for a real steal. For instance, even though an advertisement or product heading refers to the frame as titanium, the product description may indicate that it is actually a titanium alloy, which is why the price is so low.

4.      Do Some Comparison Shopping

Once you have found a style you like, type the exact style number into a search engine to see what sites have the best deals. Don’t forget to search for promo codes to score additional discounts as well.

5.       Take Advantage Of Price Match Guarantees

While you are doing comparison shopping, look to see what sites offer price match guarantees. Many companies that advertise cheap glasses will beat a competitor’s price by a certain percentage if you find the exact same style elsewhere.

6.       Be Careful When Choosing Add-Ons

When you start adding on features such as a UV coating or a scratch-resistant coating, the price can increase significantly. Some sites include these features in the price of their glasses while others do not. Take this into consideration when comparing prices as well.

7.       Look For Free Standard Shipping

Many sites offer free standard shipping with a minimum purchase. Others may charge as much as $20 or more for protective packaging and shipping services.

8.       Enter Your Information Carefully

On many websites, you are responsible for entering in your prescription information. Type carefully and double check the information you enter before finalizing your order. It doesn’t matter how much of a bargain the glasses are if they don’t have the right lenses.

9.       Use A Health Savings Account To Make The Purchase

Most people buy a new pair of glasses every year or so. If you plan ahead and allocate a portion of your health savings or flex spending account that money will be tax free. While this won’t save you money on the actual purchase price, it will save you money indirectly. Every little bit counts!



 

***Disclaimer: If you have questions regarding my policies please check out: http://www.lovinglifeandlivingonless.com/p/disclosure-and-policies.html

The $25 Monthly Makeup Challenge

Some of my bloggy friends and I have decided to link up and do a new series called The $25 Monthly Makeup Challenge.  Let me explain a little about the challenge and then I'll get right into it!

The challenge: $25 each month (for a year) of quality beauty products to build or create a makeup starter kit. If the total is under the $25 allotted I'll be able to save that 'leftover' and put it towards other purchases. 

This challenge is based on the desire to build (or add to) your makeup arsenal.  Although, I am always one for a good deal and the most 'bang for your buck' I do believe in splurging and one of my favorite things to spend money on is beauty! For this challenge the products you purchase aren't necessarily the cheapest (this isn't going to show off how much makeup I can get for $25) but these are products I have been wanting to purchase, try or add to my makeup collection.  Each month I will be sharing my purchase, why I chose that item, tips and if I have an regrets etc. 

I'm really excited about sharing some of my favorites- some will be high end and others you'll be able to find in your local drugstore.  Regardless of price- I'm going to focus on quality and there are certain drugstore items I find as good (or better) than other higher priced options.

This month I wanted to buy a 'fun' item and keep the cost a little lower (so I can put the extra towards another purchase in the up coming months).  I decided on a lip product.  Truth be told, I used to ignore my lips almost entirely.  I played up my eyes so much in my younger years I thought I wasn't supposed to do my lips too.  Also, my lips are on the smaller side, not no-existent but certainly not full.  With age has come wisdom and I now realize I can use lipsticks and lip products to enhance what I'm working with naturally.

I purchased Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick in Breathless.  I chose this because I prefer a dewy look on my lips (Benefit has a Full Finish Lipstick, too) and this product looks like gloss but it's not sticky at all.  It gives a subtle hint of color without drawing too much attention. It's a buildable color too, so if I wanted, I could apply more coats to get a deeper berry color (although it's described as a grape color I think it's much more of a berry).

The price of this product is $18.  The size is large, the color choices are gorgeous and the quality is amazing.  You can find this at Ulta, Sephora and other similar stores or online (Amazon).

TOTAL this month: $19.67
Leftover: $5.33
Next Month's Budget: $30.33

 

Meal Plan Monday 3/18/13

I'm back to planning my meals- I've been slacking and my grocery budget is the one suffering.  If I don't plan our dinners at the very least, I get stressed around 5pm and the meals I do make (or buy) are never really well balanced!  So here I am again- back to Meal Plan Mondays.  Hopefully this keeps me accountable and helps inspire you!

Dinner 1: Easy Beef Stroganoff with a side of corn.

Dinner 2: Meatball Sandwiches (with bell peppers and onion) and potato chips

Dinner 3: Easy Chicken Casserole

Dinner 4: Chicken Taco Salad

Dinner 5: Tostadas (vegetarian or with chicken) and rice

Dinner 6: Chili Cheese Dogs with baked potato

Dinner7: Leftovers or eating out :)

Lunch Entrees: Leftovers, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Mac and Cheese, Canned Soups
Lunch Sides: grapes, carrots, crackers, strawberries

Breakfast: Cereal, Easy and Healthy Oatmeal Bars, Eggs, and Banana Muffins

This week I bought a 3 lb value pack of ground beef for just under $8 and a cooked rotisserie chicken for $6.  With what I have in my pantry/fridge/freezer the rest of the list was well under my $80 budget!  

What are you making this week??

Simple and Quick 'Beef Stroganoff'

If you 'Like' the fan page on Facebook you know I've been slacking on the Meal Planning front and because of this I've been going over my grocery budget.  I'm going to try to get back into the swing of things and I'll get back to posting my Meal Plan Mondays (it helps me stay accountable and hopefully helps you all out, too!). 

Feed 5 for under $5!

The other night 5pm rolled around and I hadn't figured out what was for dinner.  I scrambles to see what I had in the pantry and fridge and came up with super simple 'Beef Stroganoff' meal that was actually a huge hit. 

What you'll need:
3/4- 1 lb of ground beef ($2.68)
2-3 cups of noodles (I used the last of two different kinds) (.75)
1 can cream of mushroom soup ($1)
garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
Total: $4.43

I browned my meat in my fantastic new Ozeri Green Earth Non-Stick Frying Pan (100% PTFE and PFOA Free) and cooked my noodles in a pasta pot I got for my bridal shower.

After both were cooked I drained them.  I added the cream of mushroom soup to the meat and added the salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.  I tossed the noodles into the meat mixture and I was done!  Open up a can of corn as an easy side and watch your family gobble it up!!  It took less than 20 minutes!

Soda Stream Where Have You Been All My Life?!!

I recently got a Soda Stream (Genesis) and I am obsessed.  Let me explain.  I am a soda drinker.  I drink far too much soda and won't go into details for fear you may judge me, but I'll simply state: I know it's not right, but I drink it quite often.  I usually buy cans of soda when they are on sale and my go-to is diet anything. 

I have heard of Soda Stream, as you probably have too, but I never really thought it was a product for me.  I love my soda and I always thought the sodas and drinks wouldn't taste right coming from something like this.  Until I started realizing my soda habit was really eating into my grocery budget.  Those little cans are adding up.  Plus there's the eco-factor.  Even with recycling it doesn't feel right to be buying tons and tons of aluminum cans.  I've (mostly) made the switch to reusable water bottles but didn't think it was possible to use 'reusable' soda containers...

Then I got this magically little machine.  My soda tastes amazing and Hubs-To-Be made the comment it tastes fresh, I couldn't agree more! It's ridiculously easy and so convenient.  Truthfully, I'm wondering why I haven't made the switch sooner.  Setting it up was easy, I put the CO2 can in the machine, that was it.  I used the provided bottles and filled with cold water to the line and then attached the bottle to the machine.  There's a button on top you press to get the carbonation and it makes a loud buzzing when the pressure is just right.  I like to add more carbonation on fruit flavors- it just tastes so good with all those bubbles!  To add the flavor/syrups you tilt the bottle and add a cap full (or the sample size) slowly.  Then seal the bottle up and give it a gentle shake to move the flavors all around.  Then it's ready to drink! 

We tried Naturally Sweetened Cola flavor first, then a Sparkling Natural Black Currant and Pear and last night I had Fountain Mist.  Each flavor was fantastic and the bottle is about 4 servings which makes it perfect for us (the kids don't drink sodas and such).  They have so many flavor choices- we got a sampler pack with the machine which is perfect to test out some of the most popular flavors.  I'm hoping Hubs-To-Be likes the energy flavors, that would really save us some money (he's obsessed with orange Monster's- I think they are called Monster Chaos and they can really get expensive). There are Kool Aid, Country Time, Crystal Light, MyWater and more soda flavors than you'll know what to do with!

Find out more about the machines, supplies and accesorries online: http://www.sodastream.com/
Like Soda Stream on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SodaStream
And Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sodastream





***Disclaimer: Review products have been given to me for review purposes. My opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate links. By using these links you are helping support LLandLoL, but of course it is never required that you use my links. If you have more questions regarding this please check out: http://www.lovinglifeandlivingonless.com/p/disclosure-and-policies.html

Tips for Getting Freebies and Samples

Samples are a great tool for companies and awesome for us as customers (I cannot tell you how many times I've been saved by samples. Ran out of toothpaste? Grab the sample! Heading out of town? Samples take up less room in your bag!). Here are my top tips to helping make freebies and mostly samples work for you.

1. Create a new email account.
You'll thank me later, I promise. When you sign up to recieve freebies the marketing team, company, whoever will almost always ask for an email. You don't want all those offers clogging up your personal email account. (I also use this special email for things like Groupon, Living Social and websites like these)

2. Pick a spot in your home to hold all those freebies.
Samples are almost always small. If you are collecting samples and freebies make sure you've dedicated a place for them. For example, I have a basket in a drawer in the bathroom that holds all the toiletries I've accumulated. In my pantry I keep samples mostly in the spice basket (yes, I said spice basket, I'm currently working on a new system ;)). Makeup samples, truthfully, get thrown in my makeup container (well, usually in it...sometimes things end up around it. Close enough, right? :)).

Meal Plan Monday with NO COUPONS 1/14

I went to the store yesterday with no coupons and having not looked at the ads.  A lot of people think keeping your grocery bill low involves 'too much work'.  Time spent matching ads to current coupons, clipping coupons, making a meal plan to match those ad/coupons and then hours in the grocery store finding those particular items. 

Yes, couponing can take some time.  I won't lie.  When I'm REALLY couponing, visiting multiple stores and really making the most of my coupons and the sales that week, it can take hours (usually I take this time after the kids have gone to bed and when Hubs-To-Be has gotten a new video game he wants to play).  I find the pros out-weigh the cons.  I will say I am not as intense about it as when I first started, but I've never been extreme.

Regardless, I went yesterday, on a mission to see how I'd do with no coupons.  I bought mostly store brand items, which I do often anyway.  Sometimes, with couponing, though, you can get the name brand products for the same price or cheaper.  But my mission was simply to see if those of you who aren't into the idea of couponing could still 'do it'.  I'm happy to report that even the cashier (who was unaware of my experiment) said 'Wow, that's pretty good, for a whole cart worth of stuff! Nice.' when he saw the total.  I left with everything I need for this week , plus more (5 boxes of cereal should last me more than a week, but really, with these kids, who knows!?) :) for $66.51. 

Here are some highlights: 5 boxes of cereal (Kellogs, Quaker, 2 Life and Rice Krispsies) 1.88/each
Cans of green beans, peas, corn (Libby's Brand) .75 each
Store Brand Pie Crust 2 packs- .99 each (I grabbed 2)
Bananas .38/lb
Potato Salad and Cole Slaw- 16oz .99/each (I got these for a side for this weeks meal plan, usually I'd just make potatos salad from a bag of potatoes, but I know not everyone has time for that).
Dole Salad Bags- 2/$5 (I got a salad mix and spinach)
Pillsbury Cookie Dough Large- .99
Dozen Eggs- .99/each (I got 2)
Salami- .99/each (I got 2)

I also got a rotisserie chicken, snack foods, veggies, sour cream, yogurt, those squeezies for baby, tortillas and taco shells, hamburger buns, bread, beans, english muffins, Kraft cheese, tortilla chips, ranch dressing, milk (not on sale so I only grabbed one- I'll need another before the week is over I'm sure but spending $3/gallon was painful) and more.

Conclusion: It can be done.  I went in with no idea what was on sale and no coupons.  I did have my meal plan and a budget.  A week's plus worth of food for $66.51.  Not too shaby.  I will say meat wasn't on great sale, so it's a good thing I've stocked up (although the rotisserie chicken could last me 3 meals).

Easy Chicken Casserole

This week for dinner we'll have:
Hearty Salad
Easy Chicken Casserole
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Cole Slaw and Potato Salad
Taco Salad
Carne Asada (with tortillas and veggies)
Talapia Tex Mex Tacos



Lunch served with side/snack: bean burritos, peanut butter sandwiches, turkey and cheese sandwiches, soup

Breakfast: eggs and toast, pancakes (remember my Rainbow Pancakes?), banana muffins, and cereal.

Rainbow Pancakes

Snacks: saltines with peanut butter, pretzels, bananas, grapes, graham crackers and carrots.


Do you coupon? Meal Plan? Budget?  What's your strategy when it comes to grocery shopping? I'd love to know!

Meal Plan Mondays 1/7/13

This week I've decided to dish up some of our family favs for dinner and try one brand new recipe I found on Pinterest.  I still want an easy recipe, even though it's new to us.  So I decided on a Garlic-Lemon Pork from Martha Stewart.  I haven't tried it yet, but it seems easy enough and I have many of the ingredients.

We're getting back into the swing of things with school and extra extracurriculars so I need some easy meals to avoid the fast food rut!

Dinner 1: Homemade Hamburger Helper (Ground Beef, noodles, milk, cheese, salt pepper and sour cream)

Dinner 2: Garlic Lemon Pork

Dinner 3: Nana's Tacos

Dinner 4: Enchilada Lasagna

Dinner 5: Chicken Alfredo with Veggies

Dinner 6: Frozen Pizza

Snacks:  We've been snacking a lot on veggies and fruits lately and I love it.  Green bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots and grapes are the favorites. Sometimes a list full of produce can add up, but choose what's in season and on sale and look for catinla print outs and deals at your local grocery store (Safeway Just4U had a personal coupon for me $3 off produce purchase of $10 or more- and I've seen that one before :)). 

Breakfast: Eggs, pancakes and cereal

Lunch: We'll be eating some lunches on the go this week so I'll turn to 'less mess' in the car ideas like Peanut butter sandwiches and sliced deli meat wrapped around string cheese.  We'll also have soup and leftovers.

I'm starting to feel in a rut so please share some of your favorite recipes (easy or advanced :)) below!

Money Saving Challenge: How Will you Save Money This Year?

Surely you've seen it posted all over Facebook and the blogging world.  I love the idea of this.  I would LOVE to be able to do it, but realistically, $52/week the last week of December seems like pushing it to me.  I just don't want to set myself up for disaster/failure.  We live on one income and really really don't need anything.  We want for stuff; but even then we usually find a way to get it.  We don't deny ourselves much; within reason, of course.

I think for now I plan to take $5/week and put it away.  One way to make sure that $5 isn't spent is to get it in coins from the bank and putting it in a jar/piggy bank. (I'm more apt to spend dollar bills if they are saved and if the money is in my savings there's a chance I'll swipe it away using the card!  I have discipline but not that much when faced with an amazing shoe sale...). I'd love to hear your plans for saving this year? Will you be doing a challenge similar to this one?

I'm not sure to credit for this photo of the challenge...it's been passed around so many times!  If this is your photo please let me know!

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