How To Save Money While Eating Out

We have a large family, so eating out for us is rare and usually consists of the $1 menu at a local fast food joint. But occasionally we have the opportunity and funds to go to a sit-down restaurant as a family. This can easily be 60 - 80 dollars for all six of us but we've learned some ways to keep the costs down.

• We make a point of eating before the dinner menu is in effect. Most restaurants switch from a lunch menu to a dinner menu around 4 pm. Prices go up but portions don't get any bigger for some reason. So if you plan to eat your meal before that time you can get the same amount of food for a much smaller price.

• If you're kids are still able to order off the kid menu, take advantage of it. Kid menu's are an amazing price and many times I've found them to have either the perfect portion size for my child or more food than they can handle. I don't think I've ever found it to be too little food for them.

• Don't order drinks. Oh My Goodness! It should be illegal what they charge for a soda pop in a restaurant when I know darn good and well that If I walked to a vending machine a few blocks away I could get it for $.50. The last place we went to charged $1.50 for a glass mostly full of ice and no refills. Forget it. We always order waters with lemon wedges at no charge. Then the kids squeeze their lemon into the water and add a packet of sugar from the table and they have homemade lemonade. That shaved $9 off our bill.

• Most restaurants have a lunch special or soup-salad-bread special for a discount price. This weekend when we headed to the beach I had a large bowl of clam chowder, a giant salad with shrimp on it, and garlic toast for $7. It was billed as a "Quick Lunch Special" and my plate had more food on it than anyone else at the table. It was a great deal for a restaurant meal. (I had to block out the memory of how cheap that would have been to make at home so I could actually enjoy it.)

The last meal we ate out for ended up costing us $39 for six people using these tips. If you're traveling this summer and find yourself eating out, I hope these tips will help you keep costs down too!

For more great ideas go to WFMW.

GCC Shopping Round Up

We have a girls slumber party at our house tonight so I'll be serving dinner and breakfast to a few extras. And of course party food is never the same as everyday food. On the menu...

Dinner: Pizza Roll Ups, Pop

Snacks: Microwave Popcorn, Brownie Sundaes, Donuts

Breakfast: Lemon Poppy Seed and Blueberry Muffins, Sausage Links, Orange Juice

So here's how the shopping trip went.

S & S Liquidators

15 lbs potatoes (not pictured) $1.99
2 packs of blueberries $1.00
2 cans of baked beans $1.98
4 cans Marinara/Spaghetti sauce $1.33
2 packs of strawberries $1.98
2 cans chili $1.18

Franz Bakery Outlet

3 loaves bread, and 2 boxes donuts $4.70

Grocery Outlet

TP $2.99
2 cake mixes $1.98
garbage bags $.99
Mozzarella $1.99
Waterproof Mascara $1.69
2 packs Generic Claritin $3.98
Nasal Spray $.99
Green Beans $.69
Canadian Bacon $1.99
Hot Dogs $.59

Win-co

3 Soda Pop $2.34
5 dozen eggs $3.88
Tater Tots $1.48
Margarine tub $1.98
Milk $1.98
Corn $1.32
Bulk Granola $.95
Bulk Seasoning Salt $.51
Margarine sticks $.78
Bulk Microwave Popcorn $1.28
Vanilla Ice Cream $1.98
Strawberry Yogurt $1.68
2 frozen OJ $1.62
Bananas $1.93
Sausage Links $1.96
Apples $1.98

Grand Total $60.53

If you'd like to share your shopping successes please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and don't forget to provide a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from your post.

Menu Plan Monday

We were on our way to church this morning and took a detour to the ocean instead. We don't normally act that spontaneous but it was kind of fun. So here I am, back home and planning my menu too late at night...but it was worth it.

We stopped for fish and chips (on a very limited budget) and managed to feed all 6 of us at an actual sit-down restaurant for $39. Just so you know that we aren't all light eaters, the teen on the right has been known to eat 7 hot dogs in one sitting. His little brother on the left is eager to catch up. It's no small feat to feed these growing boys along with the rest of us, on a budget of $60 a week.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal

Costco copycat muffins, sausage links, and OJ

Poached eggs, toast and fruit

Lemon Poppy seed Scones and berries

Pancakes

Yogurt Parfaits

Leftover Pancakes from the freezer

Dinners

Pizza Roll Ups, Brownies, Pop (kids are having friends over)

Redneck Casserole, corn on the cob

Whole Crockpot Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, green beans

Spaghetti, steamed broccoli, Peasant Bread

Chicken and Veggie Soup (leftover carcass) Homemade French Bread

Baked Potato Bar

Leftover Night!

For more great menu's go visit organizing junkie!

Check back tomorrow to see how the $60 budget stretched. It's a tight week so I'm hoping to come in well under budget.

Weekend Link Luv - WOW!

When I said I would pick five of your posts who was I kidding. I couldn't just pick five if my life depended on it. You all had some amazing things to say so I narrowed it down as much as I possibly could (it was HARD) and these are the posts that I think will help you on your frugal journey. I'm sorry I couldn't print them all.

Heather at Pages By Heather writes, "I have gotten some free past its prime produce lately and have been learning to use it creatively and not get caught up about its appearance." She has a really well written article that will make you look twice at what you might have. I love things that challenge my preconceived ideas.

Monica wrote a post HERE that made me gasp, laugh and retch all at the same time and that's all I'm going to tell you about it because you need to go read it. OH. MY. GOSH! It will save you some convenience money.

Jami at An Oregon Cottage has a great tip on weedless gardening. Right up my alley since I'm all kinds of lazy when it comes to weeding. I can't wait to try it.

Moxie at Little Bits From My Home To Yours has a recipe for Poor Man's Jelly that I'm looking forward to trying. Jelly is such a treat in our house, one that always runs out and this is a great thrifty alternative.

Cindy is doing a series called Makin' Do Or Doing Without that I'm really enjoying. That is one of the best frugal concepts you can get. She was faced with a decorating dilemma in THIS post and came up with a super cute solution.

Melissa at Saving Cents With Sense wrote a very thought provoking post on how frugality has become the "in" thing to do now, but along with that comes some unhealthy judging. She'll give you a healthy perspective on living a frugal lifestyle. Go HERE to check it out.

Thank you to everyone who sent me a link. They were ALL good, not a bad one in the bunch. I think I might do this again sometime. If you were featured and would like to grab the button at the top please feel free. I made it just for you.

It's Your Turn To Shine

Normally, on the weekends, I like to share links to articles that interest me and I think might interest you. But this week I didn't have any spare time to cruise the internet.

So how about this...

• Have YOU written an article that could help someone on their frugal journey? A tip? Some frugal inspiration? Some fresh frugal perspective?
• Have you read something somewhere else on the Internet that inspired you to greater thriftiness or was a yummy recipe?

Then e-mail me the link (gaylebryant6@hotmail.com) and I'll go through them and pick five to highlight over the weekend. I'll put up the links on Saturday so you have this evening to send me your links. (oh, the pressure). And the five winners will get an all expense paid trip to.....well, how about just a whole lotta blog traffic?

I'm going to close comments on this so it's not a free-for-all of links and I can keep it somewhat organized. And if this turns out to be a fun thing, then maybe we'll keep it up.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap - Strawberry Lemonade

We had some strawberries in our fridge and I decided to make a thick slushy lemonade with them. Turned out so good and felt like summer in a glass.

Strawberry Lemonade

(makes 1 quart)

1 container sliced strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup lemon juice

2 cups ice cubes (can use less)

In a blender process all ingredients until smooth. Drink immediately.

If you would like to share a recipe with us please be sure to link directly to your recipe post, not your homepage, and please return the link luv by linking back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from your post.

Common Cents Article

HERE's a link to my newspaper article today.

The Easiest Way To Weed

I prepared a little video for you guys explaining my secret to weeding.




And no, the company did not send me a free one just to get me to talk about it. I just love the thing that much and think everyone who works in a garden or yard needs to spare themselves the back breaking labor and get one of THESE BABIES.

ok. i'm done being a nerd now.

For more WFMW tips go Here!

And if you already have one please share in the gushy love fest. I'd love to hear about how much you love yours.

Walk With Me In My Garden

All but one kid was gone this morning, a rare occurrence in this house. Hubs was downstairs doing work in his home office, Elijah was glued to a new video game that he recently bought with his hard earned lawn mowing dollars and I actually had free time. So I spent the morning in the garden.

Buttercrunch Lettuce

Squash

My first roma tomato of the season

I had mentioned I was going to try my hand at front yard gardening and here are some pictures.



This is my walk to the front door and if you look close under the window, you will find our pumpkin patch.



Out of at least a dozen seeds, we have three plants that actually survived. I chose pumpkins for the highly visible front yard because they just look so full and pretty when they are growing and I figured the vines will fill out my barren patch of dirt. Plus they will be so close to my front porch where they will become decorations during October and November before I turn them into pies.

What the heck is this? It doesn't look like a weed to me.

I also found a mystery plant in my garden beds that I can't identify and I need your help. I think it might be a pepper plant that decided to carry over from last year. Or maybe it's just a weed gone crazy. What do you think it is?

GCC Shopping Round Up

I started my day off this morning, introducing a friend to the wonders of homemade laundry soap. I helped her make her first batch. So fun!

I love this time of year. It's when the local growing season makes (most) produce prices drop. Now, the cauliflower price I paid today about made me have a seizure in the middle of the produce aisle, but the strawberries....ahh, can't beat that price unless you grow them yourself.

So, the little kids are off for a slumber party with Grandma and the big kids (that also includes Me and Chris) are having a homemade pizza, pop, chocolate chip cookie and movie night.

S & S Liquidators

2 large packs of strawberries $3.58
Polish remover $.79
Light Mayo $.99
Hairspray $.79
8 apples $2.00
4 garlic $1.00
8 roma's $2.00
Bandaids $.99
2 Marinara Sauce $.66
2 cream soups $1.18


Grocery Outlet

Buttermilk $1.49
2 soy milk $1.98
Lemon juice $.99
Swiss cheese $3.55
2 cans pears $1.38
Chicken thighs ($2 off) $3.60
Whole Chicken ($1 off) $5.78
Pop $.99
3 mac & cheese $1.00

Win-co


Strawberry Yogurt $1.68
Milk $1.98
Bulk Oats $.36
Bulk granola $.85
Italian Parsley $.38
Pepperoni $2.47
Bulk pinto beans $.74
Bulk popcorn $1.64
Bulk onion soup mix $.96
Bulk linguine $.97
Broccoli $1.02
Margarine $.82
Cauliflower $2.28
Bulk chocolate chips $3.67
Bulk poppy seeds $1.07
2 lemons $.56
mushrooms $2.95
Bananas $1.33
Cucumbers $1.16
Bulk Baking powder $.63
Bulk almonds $.79

Grand Total $69.77

If you'd like to share your shopping trip story this week please link directly to your post (not your homepage) and include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday - I Found A Great New Cookbook

I came across a fun cookbook when cruising the library shelves this week. It's called The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook and I'm really loving it. If you see a recipe on my menu this week without a link, I probably got it from this cookbook. Go see if your library has it and if not, you can find a link to it in my right sidebar under the title "I Recommend."

Breakfasts

Toasted Bagels and fruit

Lemon Poppy seed Muffins

Swedish Oatmeal Pancakes (these look yummy with pears and toasted almonds in them)

Yogurt Parfaits

Oats with apples and brown sugar

Pancakes from scratch

Leftover Muffins

Dinners

Pizza Roll Ups (family movie night) and pop

Speedy Stir Fry and brown rice

Crockpot Round Steak, mashed potatoes, fresh sliced veggies

Baked Pasta w/ Fresh Tomatoes and Smoked Mozzarella, buttered peas

Creamy Mushroom Bake, and green salad

Crockpot Pinto Beans and Rice, marinated cucumber and tomato salad

Leftover Buffet

To see more Menu's go check out Organizing Junkie and don't forget to check back tomorrow to see if I kept it under $60 this week.

Weekend Link Luv

I'm a little late getting the links up this weekend. The past few days have been spent preparing for today's Grocery Cart Challenge workshop. To those of you that were there, I had so much fun and I hope you walked away with some good stuff.

So on with the links...

HERE's a really great article called 10 Tips to Save Energy (and Money) in Your Home. I liked it because they were simple ways to cut back and cut down. Every single one of them is easily doable.

I think I have 2346 weddings to go to this summer and about $3.56 in my budget. Check out THESE great frugal wedding gift ideas.

Have a great weekend and remember to check back sunday night for the Weekly Menu Plan with all kinds of good recipe links.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap - Cheap Teeth Whitening

I'm kind of on a non-food recipe kick lately and this one plays directly on my vanity.

I hate having yellow teeth. Even the slightest hint just grosses me out. I used to use Crest Whitestrips but they are seriously expensive so I've been brushing every few weeks with baking soda because that's all the info I could find on cheap ways to whiten teeth. And I can't say that I noticed ANY difference.

But I came across this article HERE and it talks about using the combo of peroxide and baking soda. I know it works in my laundry but is it safe for my mouth?

And the answer is yes. It's in most teeth whitening toothpastes, mouthwash's and whitening kits already. The key is to brush and spit....don't swallow and to NOT use it every day. Most info I find recommends using it once a week to once a month. Check with your dentist or do some research on your own if you need more details on that part of it.

So....here's the recipe.

1 tsp baking soda
1 cap full of hydrogen peroxide (the kind you get in the first aid section)

Stir together and wet your toothbrush with the solution. Brush as you normally would. It doesn't taste good so I just brush my front teeth with it and avoid getting it on my tongue. Then I follow up with a minty brushing and my mouth tastes and looks better.

And how does it work?

Seriously noticed the difference after just one use plus it's so cheap!

If you'd like to share a recipe please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from the body of your post.

A Yummy Way To Start The Day

Another delicious breakfast this week. I thought it came out pretty and I now have a new food addiction; Prosciutto which is thinly sliced Italian ham.

Ooh baby!

Shirred Eggs

My friend Emily would rather eat mud than a tomato so if that's not your veggie of choice you could easily sub mushrooms or peppers or zucchini or some other veggie for this.

Homemade Oxyclean...Just In Time For Summer Vacation

What is it with summer? It seems that the grass stained knees and the dirty stained bottoms double in quantity as kids spend most of their time playing outdoors. Good times, but it kinda stinks for the laundress of the house. That's when we whip out our Oxyclean. But if you're anything like me you'd rather pluck your chin hairs in public than spend the outrageous price to buy this stuff. So here's a homemade recipe that will save you an enormous amount of money.

Homemade OxyClean

1 cup water

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

1/2 cup baking soda

Mix together and soak laundry in it for 20 minutes to overnight and then wash as usual. Or you can just skip the water and pour the peroxide and baking soda directly into the wash with your laundry soap and wash as usual.

This idea is participating in WFMW at We are That Family.

Weekly Shopping Trip

I did more visiting than actual shopping today while out and about in the grocery stores. I think the kidlessness goes to my head and all I want to do is stop adults in the aisles and talk about adult things.

Yeah, I'm that weird lady at the grocery store.

So here's what I managed to toss in my cart in between all the gloriously-adult conversation...

Franz

3 loaves of bread and 2 bags of mini bagels $4.70
2 free loaves of bread $0
3 boxes of donuts $5.00 (it's called PMS)

S & S Liquidators

8 peaches $2.00
4 apples $1.00
lime juice $.29
2 cans green chilies $.50
dish soap $.49
2 packs of Roma tomatoes $2.98
Cereal $1.50
4 onions $1.00
15 lbs potatoes $1.99
grape juice $1.99
TP $4.99
Equal $1.99

Grocery Outlet

Half n Half $1.49
V-8 $1.99
Parmesan $1.99
lemon juice $.99
2 cartons soy milk $1.98
frozen corn $.99
Canadian bacon $.99
Prosciutto $1.99
2 margarine $1.58
2 cans broth $1.38
3 tomato sauce $1.77
Cheddar $1.99
Mozzarella $1.99
can diced tomatoes $.69


Win-co

5lb carrots $2.48
2.15 lbs bulk brown sugar $1.25
1.3 lbs celery $.77
2 cucumbers $1.16
.66 lbs bulk black beans $.61
.33 lbs bulk dutch baking cocoa $.93
3.2 lbs bulk sugar $1.71
2 gallons milk $3.96
sour cream $.98
margarine $.68
4 lbs bananas $2.08

Grand Total $70.12

If you'd like to share your shopping adventures this week, come link up! Please make sure to link directly to your post, not your homepage, and include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge in your post.

Fathers Day

Fathers Day is on Sunday and I never know what to get my Dad. I usually get him a gift card so he can get what he REALLY wants. So if you're stuck for Fathers Day, try Amazon's gift cards. Not only do they have everything from books, to golf equipment to tools, but you can find discounted prices so he can get the most with his card.

And it's easy to get your gift cards in time for Father's Day (June 21):

1) E-mail a personalized gift card for immediate delivery or...
2) Print a personalized gift card on your own printer

Click HERE to go directly to the gift card page.

Menu Plan Monday

I have a busy week ahead of me and when that happens, I turn to my trusty freezer. About once a week I'll double a recipe and stick it in the freezer for such a time as this. So this week I'll be pulling out an already prepared Cabbage Casserole. (FYI, I really hate cabbage but this is the only way I'll eat it. It's like lasagna).

I'll also be doubling my muffin and pancake recipes to stick in the freezer for quick breakfasts at the end of the week. I just microwave these goodies to warm them back up and they're as good as new. If mornings are a busy time for you, this is a great way to be prepared. Just do some baking on the weekend and you've got breakfast at your fingertips all week long.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal with sliced apples and brown sugar

Coconut Cream Muffins (doubled) and fruit

Shirred Eggs

Pancakes with homemade syrup

Rice Crispies with sliced fruit on top

Leftover Muffins

Leftover Pancakes

Dinners

Cabbage Casserole, veggies and dip

Pizza Roll-ups

8 Layer Tortilla Stack, garden salad

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas

Pommes Anna, garden salad, peasant bread

Barley, Black Bean and Corn Burritos

Fathers Day with Family

Check back tomorrow to see how my $60 shopping trip went. I'm sweating it a bit. It seems like my list is really long this week.

Weekend Link Luv - U-Pick Farms

I hope to expand my garden to grow blueberries or strawberries someday but for now, I'm sticking to veggies, watermelon and pumpkin. And since I want A LOT of berries so I can make jam, pies and freeze some, I just can't pay a grocery store price.

Pick-your-own farm prices are substantially lower than grocery stores and the quality is higher since they are picked straight from the plant by you, rather than picked too early and shipped in trucks for days. They are also much less likely to be sprayed with pesticides.

I came across a site that lists u-pick farms all across the country. If you go HERE you can click on your part of the country and look up all the farms in your area. I think we're going to make a day of it and have some fun.

So here are some tips to make your berry picking experience the best.

• Call ahead to check on hours. Some farms have odd hours or unforeseen circumstances that cause closures or berry shortages.



• Go early in the morning to the get the best fruit that's ripened overnight.



• Speak to the farmer or worker to find out where the best patch is.



• Bring snacks, sunscreen, water bottles and hand wipes ( berry picking can be messy).



• Wear old clothes and shoes and bring hats to shield your face from the sun.

Have a great weekend and we'll see you in a few days for Menu Plan Monday. Don't forget to cruise the Grocery Cart Challenge archives over the weekend for some frugal tips on homemade housecleaning products, great frugal recipes and more!

Last Call....Only A Few Spots Left

Saturday, June 20th, I'll be teaching a Grocery Cart Challenge Class and I have just a few spots left. If you'd like to come and hang out with me for a few hours, all while making your own cleaning supplies, sampling some frugal meals, learning how to menu plan and shop for less, and asking all the questions you every wanted to ask me, well than call this number (360-442-5400) or go HERE to enroll online. I can't wait to meet all of you that have signed up already. We're going to have fun!

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap - Better Than The Box

There's a common myth out there that when you're in a hurry, a box of cake mix or brownies is faster than homemade. And I've made thousands of both. But I can honestly say that it doesn't take me any longer to make basic cake or brownies than it does to open a box (laden with ingredients that I can't even pronounce) and stir in some eggs, water and oil. The cooking times is the same and the taste is so much better.

So here are my standard brownie and cake recipes for when I want a no frills cake fast. I have more complicated recipes for special occasions but if you want a homemade version of a mix, then this is the way to go.

Moist Fudgey Brownies From Scratch

1/2 cup melted margarine or butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8 inch square pan. In a bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not overmix). Spread in pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. DO NOT OVER-BAKE. Do the knife/toothpick test. It should come out with moist crumbs, not clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

For double recipe, bake in 9x12 pan and add 5 minutes to baking time.

Chocolate Cake

White Cake

And for total decadence

Texas Sheet Cake (this is like the Krispy Kreme of cakes)

Chocolate Torte ( a flourless gourmet cake made from everyday ingredients but SO amazing)

If you'd like to share a recipe, please link directly to your blog post, not your homepage and include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Another Great Breakfast

One of my kids' favorite breakfasts are parfaits. There are cheers when they come down for breakfast and see the brightly colored glasses waiting for them on the table. And I have to remind myself that everything in it is good for them because how can something that looks like dessert be healthy?

But it is.

And it's cheap too at around 50 cents per serving.

To try it on your family just grab some tall glasses and layer your favorite yogurt, berries, and granola.

Now I'm off to work in the garden today and do some yard work at my Mom's house. I finally have the slugs, earwigs, pill bugs, deer and elk conquered. My first squash flower has opened up and my pumpkins, tomatoes and lettuce are growing in leaps and bounds.

Can't wait for my first garden salad.

Check back late tonight for the recipe swap.

In The News

If you're new here, I write a frugality column for our local newspaper twice a month. Here's this months article for the locals.

A 10 On The Yumm-o Scale

Can I just say.....

THIS


Was divine!

Shopping Round Up And Some Observations

I learned something new today. When you find two different apples for the same price per pound choose the apples that weigh less for the best value. Seriously. I had the choice between cameo and golden delicious and I like both. But the cameos were way heavier even though they were the same size as the other ones.

I also was out of the basic baking supplies like flour, white sugar, and brown sugar. When I can fit it into my budget I like to buy the 25 lb bags of flour and very often I can do that. But it wouldn't fit this week so I bought just what I needed to get through to the next shopping day. It's always nice to buy large quantities or to stockpile but when you are on a very tight or fixed budget, sometimes in order to get everything you need you sometimes have to buy just enough for the pay period. That's a key reason why I can shop for all six of us for $60 per week. I buy just what we need, one week at a time.

Although at some point I hope to be able to add a stockpile fund to my weekly budget.

Franz

5 packages of bread $4.70


S & S Liquidators

Coffee $4.99
Bandaids $.99
3 large cans spaghetti sauce $.99
2 cans broth $.78
Mens deoderant $.99
Olive oil $3.99

Grocery Outlet

Freezer bags $.79
Double rolls TP $2.99
Mozzarella $1.99
Parmesan $1.99
Vegetable oil $2.79
2 cans pears $1.38
2 bags french fries $1.98
Cheddar block $.99
Frozen berries $1.99
Soymilk $.99
Kethcup $2.99

Win-co

5 dozen eggs $4.32
Gallon milk $1.98
2 bags ravioli $5.56 (Gack!)
3 lbs Bulk unbleached flour $$.93
Margarine $.98
Yogurt $1.78
2.5 lbs Bulk brown sugar $1.45
2 bottles BBQ sauce $1.96
1/2 lb bulk cornmeal $.29
1/4 lb bulk sliced almonds $.59
1.3 lbs broccoli $.99
1 lb green beans $1.85
1/2 lb bulk granola $.92
3 lbs apples $2.23
3.3 lbs bananas $1.91
Sugar $1.95

Grand Total $67.99

So tell me about all your great deals!

If you'd like to share your shopping trip (the recipe exchange isn't until Thursday night) please link directly to your shopping trip post not your homepage and please share the linky luv and link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge in your post.

Menu Plan Monday

I'm kind of excited about this weeks menu. I've got several new recipes to try. It probably didn't help that I did all my planning on an empty stomach.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal with Apples, Cinnamon and Brown Sugar

Kids Ziploc Omelettes

Pancakes with homemade syrup

Breakfast Bread Pudding

Yogurt and Fruit Parfaits

Almond Danish Puff and fruit

Breakfast Leftovers

Dinners

Arm Roast Sloppy Joes and Tater Tots

Crockpot Potatoes, Green Beans and Ham, Sweet Cornbread

Italian Rice Balls with Marinara and steamed broccoli

Pantry Soup and Peasant Bread

Steak, Baked Potatoes, Peas

Crockpot Ravioli and sliced veggies with dip

Leftover Buffet

Check back tomorrow to see how my $60 shopping trip went. You can see LOTS more menu plans HERE.

Garden Update

Well, it seems my homemade fence is a success. There was dear (or elk?) poop all around it when I went out to mow and weedwack today. Unfortunately I now have smaller critters to deal with. Almost all my lettuce, cucumber and green beans have been nibbled so I'll be taking a trip to my favorite garden store for some organic bug killer. If I could just wring their little necks I'd do it.

I did find out that to keep slugs off my plants I can circle them with crushed egg shells (thanks Berdie) which I always have on hand. So I went compost diving and dug them back out and crunched them up. It seems that the little slimy guys don't like to crawl over the sharp shells. Diatomaceous earth works well too but the egg shells were free.

I like free!

Also, while weed wacking I came across two mature kumquat trees in the back corner of our yard. I forgot we even had them under all those vines and weeds. So I cleaned them up, trimmed them and I'm looking forward to some Kumquat Marmalade this winter. They are a citrus fruit that blooms in the winter so I have no idea why some crazy person thought they could grow in Washington State.

Hello.....rain?

I've also been dabbling with some front yard gardening. I have all kinds of flower bed space in my front yard and while I like flowers, I would rather have edible plants growing. So I'm taking it one bed at a time and I've planted a pumpkin patch in the bed under our front window. I figure it's so close to the house that the deer and elk will leave it alone. It's where the kids (who are in charge of the pumpkins this year) are planting their starts and they are growing well.

So as soon as my garden doesn't look so pathetically nibbled I'll put up some pictures. Until then, I'm dreaming of fresh homegrown produce. I'm so envious of all you out there with longer growing seasons who are already getting to eat the fruits of your labor.

Leave me a comment and tell me how YOUR garden is growing.

Weekend Link Luv

I always have leftover rice on hand and being a good frugal girl, I freeze the leftovers to be used for something mysterious later. But that stuff can stack up fast. So I'm forever on the lookout for creative leftover rice recipes. Here's one that just makes my mouth water at the thought. It has a little gourmet cheesey surprise in the middle. Rice and cheese. Perfect.

I love me a big bag of a purse. I don't carry those dainty things EVER. Check THIS out. It's a totally hip purse made from recycled tires. Is that cool or what? I heart me one in a bad, bad, way. Plus this is just a really neat concept. I love taking junk and turning it into something valuable again. I think that's why it appeals to me so much. Unfortunately I can't justify the price but it's still a cool idea.

Got sick kids that need pedialyte? Don't go out and buy it. Make it yourself with THIS recipe.

See you in a few days for Menu Plan Monday. Have a super weekend.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap - Homemade Linen Spray

It really bothers me that when I pull my cotton sheets from the dryer (or clothes line) they have what I can only describe as a burnt smell. Even before I used homemade laundry soap and homemade dryer sheets, I had this problem. The perfume from the store bought soaps would wear off and I'd still be left with unpleasant smelling pillowcases and linens. The answer was the fancy luxury linen sprays that you find in the stores. But what do you do when you can't justify spending well over $10 for a product like that?

You make your own.

It's so easy and just WAY cheaper. Plus you know EXACTLY what's going in the bottle and landing in your bed for you to sleep in all night. And the best part? I'm being frugal but still adding a little pampering and luxury into my life. So here you go. The best recipe for...

Homemade Linen Spray

1 teaspoon of essential oil (a popular scent is lavender but we don't really care for it. A nice fresh scent is jasmine and I really like mango oil for a light fruity scent.)

1/4 cup of witch hazel (you can substitute this with vodka, cetyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol)

3 1/2 cups of water

I used an old hairspray bottle with a pump spray and just washed it out. Then I poured in all the ingredients and gave it a good shake. Just spray on your sheets every morning when you make the bed. You can use this on tablecloths or any linens. It dries quickly and leaves a wonderful scent that smells so good when you turn down your sheets at night.

The witch hazel or alcohol is used as an emulsifier to keep the oil and water from separating. You can make it without, but you'll need to shake it very well to get it to mix together without leaving oily spots. I recommend using the emulsifier.

Check my sidebar on the left under "I Recommend" for a great set of essential oils. You can also add them to your homemade laundry detergent to have a scent to your clothes. I plan on trying it this week.

If you'd like to leave a recipe to share please remember to link directly to your post not your homepage. And please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Free Stuff For Kids This Summer

I remember being a kid and looking forward to the last day of school. I grew up in sunny Northern California so my summers were filled roaming the neighborhood with the kids and swimming in the pool. I think I came home at meals and when the sun went down and then played at that pace until school started again in the fall.

Now we live in Washington state where my kids never know if they are going to wake up to a summer rain or sunny day and it takes a little more attention to keep them occupied since they are the only kids in our neighborhood.

Summers can be long.

So if you're anything like us and you need some creative but cheap ideas to keep the kids productive and occupied during the summer than here's a list of frugal things to do with your kids.

Summer Reading Programs

Our local library taps into the national summer reading programs and I bet yours does too. Kids are rewarded all summer for reading books. They can earn prizes and attend fun events all summer by enrolling. Check your local library for info. My kids have participated for several years now and even the teens look forward to it.

Barnes and Noble has a summer reading program too. Kids can earn a free book by reading eight books and keeping a summer reading journal. When you return it to the store your child receives a coupon for a free NEW book.

The Scholastic Summer Challenge offers kids points for time spent reading. Kids earn prizes and can even have a chance to set a world record for reading.

Activities

Do your kids like to bowl? Go visit Kids Bowl Free to find out all the details. Kids can get two free games of bowling EVERY DAY this summer at participating locations.

And I've posted HERE about how your kids can watch free movies at the participating theatres during the summer.

Here's an amazing free idea. Apple computers is hosting FREE workshops for kids. "Your kids can learn to make a movie, create a photo slide show, write and record a song, put on a show for everyone, and have a blast doing it all. At Apple Camp, kids learn how to do cool stuff on a Mac and discover their hidden talents along the way. Apple Camp occurs at selected Apple Retail Store, and each free workshop lasts three hours."

Our nearby zoo offers a special all year but you can really take advantage of it during the summer. It's called $2 Tuesday and for 2 bucks a head every second Tuesday of the month, we can all spend a day at the zoo. What a savings! It normally costs us all $40-50 dollars to get in. Just make sure to pack your own lunch and bring water bottles. Check your local zoo for similar deals.

Is eating out a recreation for your family? Here's a list of over 50 restaurants where kids eat free. Make sure to call before you go to verify the information but we've eaten at Applebees many times and only had to pay for Chris and I.

So there you have it. I hope these ideas get your summer off to a fun but FRUGAL start. Let me know if you have any other cheap summer tips. I'd love to include them.

Go see WFMW for more great summer ideas.

Shopping Round Up

I bought lots of fresh produce today and I can't wait until I can eliminate that from our budget. My homegrown organic lettuce, tomatoes, apples and basil would have knocked $6.50 off my budget this week. Can't wait until I can start harvesting some of those goodies and put those dollars toward more expensive things like meat and dairy products.

I also came home today and began to put things away in my garage freezer only to find that some munchkin hadn't shut the door properly. Lost almost all my free bananas from last week (luckily I had some stashed in the inside freezer) and had to toss some soup that I had stashed in there. I saved all the meat though. Thank goodness that I'm so lazy that the lower shelves had enough ice built up to keep that meet semi frozen. See, just another reason to never defrost.

I rest my case.

Franz

5 loaves of bread $4.70

S & S Liquidators

2 strawberries $2.50

Aussie hairspray $1.99

can of mandarin oranges $.49

8 apples $2.00

4 onions $1.00

bananas $.79

2 cans diced tomatoes $.66

1 head cauliflower $1.00

10 roma tomatoes $2.00

Grocery Outlet

Vegetable oil $2.79

garbage bags $.99

Toothpaste and mouthwash $2.29

pinto beans $.99

Bacon $1.49

3 packs of smoked sausage $2.97

Cheddar $1.99

Frozen OJ $.99

frozen peas $.79

frozen corn $.79

diced ham $.99

Win-co
Gallon milk $1.98

paper napkins $1.98

Bulk cornmeal $.34

fresh basil $.98

Bulk oats $.52

Ground Beef (not pictured) $5.45

Bulk rice $.22

leaf lettuce $1.48

margarine $.78

Bobby pins $2.00

cream cheese $.88

2 lbs mozzarella $5.41

Bulk baking powder $.50

Bulk mini chocolate chips $.46

Grand Total $57.18

If you'd like to share about your shopping trip, just link directly to your post (not your homepage) and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge. Oh, and you can grab the button if you'd like.