Heartfelt Words Giveaway!

Head on over to The Grocery Cart Challenge Giveaways HERE and see what you could win! It's beautiful!

Ok now, go!

GCC Shopping Round Up

I don't like shopping when I can't find even ONE amazing deal that makes me feel faint and giddy, but that's what happened this week. Oh well.

This was my week to provide soccer treats for my son's team so you'll see those tucked away in my receipts. You'll also see some Kotex in there. I haven't quite convinced my daughter of the virtues of reusable menstrual pads yet. But I found them buy-one-get-one-free so that was nice.

Franz Bread Outlet

3 loaves of bread and two bags of mini bagels $4.70

S & S Liquidators

12 double rolls of TP $4.99
2 bags of Kotex pads BOGO $1.99
Raw sugar packets $.99
2 boxes mint brownie mix $1.98
2 packs of juice boxes $2.98
2 boxes granola bars $1.98
2 boxes toothpaste $1.98
2 bags Starbucks whole bean coffee $5.00
15 lb potatoes $1.99
2 cream of mushroom soup $1.18
Teriyaki sauce $.49
2 large cans spaghetti sauce $1.38


Grocery Outlet

5.21 lb Whole Chicken $5.70
4 toothbrushes $1.98
conditioner $.99
2 pkgs hot dogs $1.00
3 mac and cheese $1.00

Win-co

2 lb carrots $.98
3.5 lbs ground beef $6.44
3lb eye of round roast $6.84
Hair dye $3.38
2 margarine sticks $1.56
.89 lbs bulk chocolate chips $2.44
3.07 lbs bulk brown sugar $1.93
2.43 lbs bulk spaghetti noodles $1.92
3.69 lbs bananas $2.14
2 lbs white sugar $1.98
margarine $.68
.17 lbs bulk onion soup mix $.50
5 dozen eggs $3.98

Grand Total $77.07

If you'd like to share your shopping victories this week please do! Make sure to link directly to your post, not your homepage and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

I Hate Being Late

I just wanted to pop in and let you know that I'll get my shopping post up in the morning. It's been a super busy day today and I just need to hit the hay. Good night to you all!

Menu Plan Monday

Here we are...another week come and gone. Here's what we'll be eating this week.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal

Vanilla Puff Pancake and fruit

Toast and applesauce

Pancakes with homemade syrup

Chocolate chip muffins and fruit

Poached eggs and toast

Leftover muffins

Dinners

Senate bean soup, buttery bread machine rolls

Pot roast with root veggies

Spaghetti and garden green beans

Whole crockpot chicken, corn, rolls

Homemade chicken noodle soup, peasant bread

Stir fry with rice

Leftover Buffet

Check back tomorrow to see how my $60 stretched to feed the six of us for the whole week. And for more menu plans go HERE.

Giveaways Coming Soon!

Just wanted to let you know that I've got a couple of REALLY GREAT giveaways coming up in the next few weeks. I'm SO excited. So check back for some fun stuff coming soon.

And if you're a mom with a business you'd like to promote through a giveaway (because I totally love being able to help other Mom's who are working hard for their families) then send me an e-mail and we'll talk details.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

One of the biggest ways to lower your grocery budget is to cook from scratch. And that doesn't JUST mean cooking your own meals, but also NOT relying on other packaged foods like spice mixes.

A good thing to remind yourself is that if a manufacturer can make a food, then so can you.

Many recipes calls for Onion Soup Mix in roasts, dips and soups. Here's a great recipe for a homemade version that costs pennies. Remember to buy your spices in bulk if you can, to lower your costs even more.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

3/4 cup instant minced onion
1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1 1¼-ounce package.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Just enter your info into Mcklinky. Please be sure to link directly to your post, not your homepage and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Garden Progress

I was asked a few days ago about my garden so I thought I'd post a few pictures.

I've still got some roma's.....

and cherry tomatoes growing.

A second round of summer squash. You can see two new ones growing here.

Some green beans...

Lots of basil...

Our pumpkins by the front door...

About two weeks ago I planted a second crop of carrots, broccoli, and lettuce, hoping to get one more harvest in before it turns cold. What's left in your garden?

GCC Shopping Round Up

This day has been so busy that here I am, 10:30 at night, just getting a chance to type this up and I can't even remember actually doing the shopping this morning.


Franz Outlet Store


3 loaves of bread and 2 bags of hoagie rolls $4.70



S & S Liquidators


Tampons (emergency stash) $3.99
9 cans veggies $3.51
Dog chews $1.99
Greenies $3.99
Cream soup $.49
Starbucks Coffee $2.99

(-5.00 off coupon)



Grocery Outlet



Sour cream $1.29
Mozzarella $1.99
Frozen Fries $1.99
Frozen Blackberries $1.99
Soy milk $1.99
2 pkgs. hot dogs $1.98
Ibuprofen $3.99
Conditioner $.99



Win-co



Milk $1.99
5 dozen eggs $3.98
Plain yogurt $1.78
Bulk chili powder $.28
Bulk Granola $1.15
Strawberry Yogurt $1.78
Tomato paste $.84
Bulk powdered sugar $.89
Bulk beef base $1.05
Sugar $1.98
Bananas $2.01
Ground pork $2.49
Drumsticks $3.43


Grand Total $56.51


Would you like to share your shopping trip or a bargain you found this week? Just enter your info into Mcklinky. Please remember to link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday

Looking forward to what will probably be our last week of summer weather and then the glorious Washington rains start. Nine months of rain, but also hot soups for dinner, roaring fires in the fireplace, maybe a little snow, and snuggling on the couch with books and blankets. I love this time of year.

Breakfast

Toast and Fruit

Baked ham and cheese omelet rolls

German Pancakes with fruit

Easy Cinnamon buns and fruit

Oats with brown sugar and walnuts

Fruit, yogurt, and granola parfaits

Scrambled eggs and toast

Dinners

Vegetarian Chili and Weight Watchers Cornbread

Crock Pot Ham and Scalloped potatoes, garden salad

Dinner with extended family

Hamburger Barley Stew and Buttery Bread Machine Rolls

Delicious Drumsticks, baked rice and steamed veggies

Ham, Cheese and tomato Quiche

Leftover Night

Check back tomorrow to see what I purchased for $60 and for more menu plans go HERE.

Financial Planning For Our Kids College Education

A reader asked....

How are you planning financially for college for your kids?

Oooh, that's a good one. This one involves a practical response as well as the unveiling of some beliefs I hold. I'll start with practical because that's easier.

First, I'm a firm believer in kids learning the value of setting a goal and figuring out how to accomplish it. As much as I love my children, I know from my own experience that I value things a whole lot more when they haven't been handed to me but when I've had to put my own drive, passion and efforts into getting them. For example, the car I was given at the age of 16 and killed out of carelessness because I had no invested interest in it. Compare that experience with the one where I had to take out a loan and hold down a job to make payments. That car, I treated like a baby.

Or with my 14 year old son who wanted a dog and decided to get a job, earn the money and do the research. He doesn't even complain about scooping poop. The dog we handed to him for Christmas when he was 10? Nobody claimed ownership or responsibility for that dog. She lasted 18 agonizing months before we found a new home for her and finally got the yard cleaned of all that poop.

So the thought of just handing my kids $50k or more for their college education? Do I really think they are going to respect that education as much as the one they work hard for and are determined to get? I'd be robbing them of a whole passel of life lessons. So no, we don't feel that we need to provide for their college education.

We do have a savings account for each kid though. We haven't decided what we'll use it for or when they'll get it. I think for each kid it will be different and we'll know when the right circumstances are presenting themselves for us to unveil it.

And this is how it works. Every time the kids earn some money or get a monetary gift they are given the choice to save part or all of it. Whatever dollar amount they choose to save, we match. So if they choose to save $20, we match the $2o for a total of $40 going into their accounts. Then we explain how Dad invests it for them and in 10 years their $40 turns into $400 dollars. Pretty good incentive for saving. They are a part of the process of tracking the growth of their investment as well, so they can see what is happening with their money and learn the concept of investments.

Now, for the college education thing. I'm a questioner. I don't do something just because everyone else does. I don't believe that public education is the best place for my kids just because that's the normal thing to do. I don't believe that college is necessary just because everyone says it is. And I'm not placing that expectation on my kids either. (Notice I am applying this to my kids, not yours. This is what we believe in our family and I'm not saying that your beliefs are wrong if they differ from mine.) What I do believe is finding my children's passions and learning to turn that into something that they can use to support themselves. I want to fan that flame and help it to grow into something they will want to do the rest of their lives. I don't want them to work a monotonous job that they hate for all their lives just because they need to pay the bills. Life is too short to be trapped like that. And money isn't near as important as a full life and a healthy family.

My job is to help them dip their toe into every area of interest, see if it's something they have a talent and passion for, and then feed and nurture it.

Now if my children's passions lead them to a career where a college education is a must than I'm fully supportive of that goal. But if a trade school, apprenticeship, or just plain hard work and motivation is what's needed, then I'll support that too.

And that's our financial plan for our kids education.

Cheesecake Doesn't Have To Be Intimidating

Cheesecake is one of the desserts that I love but I used to think I could never make one of my own. It scared me and looked like it was complicated and expensive to make. And I'm here to tell you that neither are true. It's just as easy as baking a cake as long as you know three very simple tricks. So here's how to do it.

For the crust you'll need:

1 package of graham crackers ($.40)

3 tablespoons of sugar ($.15)

3 tablespoons of melted margarine ($.07)

For the filling:

4 8-ounce boxes of cream cheese at room temperature($3.92)

1 cup sour cream ($.65)

1 cup white sugar ($.80)

4 eggs ($.27)

3 tablespoons flour ($.07)

1 tablespoon vanilla ($.05)

Rough total for ingredients $6.38 (a whole cheesecake around here would cost $25)

Preheat the oven to 325. Crush your graham crackers to equal one cup of crumbs. I use my food processor.

Mix with melted margarine and sugar.

Then press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.

Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.

Set oven to 450 degrees and cream together cheese, sugar and flour.

Add eggs one at a time.

Slowly blend in sour cream and vanilla.

Pour into crust.

TRICK NUMBER ONE:

Put an ovenproof pan of water on the bottom rack and put your cheesecake on the top rack. The moisture will keep the top of your cheesecake from cracking during cooking time.

Bake for 10 minutes and then turn oven to 250 degrees and bake for one hour.

After one hour, the cheesecake will look pale and jiggle in the middle. Everything in you will tell you to cook it longer but really, it's done.

TRICK NUMBER TWO:

Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for one more hour. Don't remove it. This will keep the center of your cheesecake from falling and leaving a higher rim around the edges.

Remove from oven when timer goes off and set on a cooling rack.

TRICK NUMBER THREE:

Take a sharp knife and carefully slide it around the edges to loosen the cake. Otherwise when you release the sides of your pan, it could pull on the cake and cause a crack in the top.

Now release the sides of the pan and let cool completely.

Chill for several hours or until ready to serve and top with your favorite topping.

It's really that simple and cheap!

I tried to capture a picture of the finished product but my flash bleached out the picture and I had a crew of 5 hungry people who didn't want to wait while I tried to solve it. But here it is...

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Enter your info into Mcklinky below. Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Behold....The Fun Jar

We like to have fun around here. But sometimes the fun stuff costs money, especially with six of us. So we created the fun jar.

Since we make a habit of always spending cash we tend to accumulate lots of change. We took an old flower vase and began putting our change into the jar. The plan was to gather enough change to do something extra fun. Not the regular fun stuff like swimming or hiking or movie nights but bigger.

Pretty soon the kids decided to put their pennies in there. It became a fun game as we dreamed about what we could do with the money. The kids would pull it down from it's resting place above the wall oven and count it every time it looked a little fuller. The anticipation was as much fun as the day it was actually full. And on that day we dumped it out, counted up the loot, and the full jar equaled $324. We got a motel and went to the beach for the weekend.

Now we're filling it up again hoping for a trip to Great Wolf Lodge. We might need two jars for that one.

For more works for me Wednesday tips go HERE.

GCC Shopping Round Up

I can't tell you how excited my kids get on their birthday. It's not just about the presents either. On their day they get to pick all three meals...no holds barred. And my teenager has caught onto this and goes for the gold. We're talking a ham, people. It's like a food holiday around here and the countdown until Thursday is mentioned every few hours.


S & S Liquidators

3 boxes of light bulbs $1.47
Bananas $.99
8 apples $2.00
Starbucks Coffee $3.49
Onions $1.00
Tomato soup $.49
Diced tomatoes $.39
Teriyaki Sauce $.99
Tin foil $1.99
Olive oil $3.99

Grocery Outlet

Frozen peas $.79
Frozen corn $.79
sour cream $1.29
Body wash $1.99
Bacon $1.79
3 mac & cheese $1.00
Bleach $1.19

Win-co

Milk $1.98
Ham 18.79
celery $.48
Parsley $.48
Bulk angel hair pasta $3.38
Chive cream cheese $1..71
4 boxes cream cheese $3.92
Margarine $.68
Bulk walnuts $.85
2 boxes margarine $1.56
Garlic $.78
2 lb cheddar $3.98
Bulk navy beans $.85
Bulk brown sugar $2.06
yellow pepper $.78
red pepper $.78
green pepper $.48


Grand Total $71.17

Would you like to show and tell your grocery shopping this week? Just enter your info into Mcklinky. Please be sure to link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please remember to link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday

Whew! It's the last of the boys birthdays this week as my oldest son celebrates another year. Also lots of busy soccer nights where I focused on quick, make ahead, or crock pot meals.

Breakfasts

Toast with homemade plum butter and fruit

Oatmeal with apples and walnuts

Garden Zucchini Bread and fruit

OJ, French Toast, Bacon and Scrambled eggs

Egg, Ham and cheese bagel sandwiches

Poached eggs and toast

Leftover Zucchini Bread

Dinners

Angel Hair Pasta in garlic sauce, steamed peas

Meatless Hopping John and cornbread

Broccoli Rice Quiche, sliced apples

Ham, Crock pot Mashed Potatoes, gravy, garlic green beans, Cheesecake w/ blueberries

Senate Bean Soup, Buttery Bread Machine Rolls

Grilled Ham and Cheese, tomato soup, fresh veggies and dip

Leftover night

Check back tomorrow to see what my shopping totals are and for more menu plans check out Organizing Junkie!

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap - Homemade Baby Wipes

Allison sent me an e-mail with a recipe for Homemade Baby Wipes that I thought might benefit some of you. So cool that you don't have to rely on the grocery store for this.

Homemade Baby Wipes

Take a roll of Bounty Select-a-size (I have only used Bounty so I don't know how generic holds up) and cut it in half. Remove the center cardboard tube. Save the other half for another batch.

Mix into a Ziploc or Rubbermaid container:

• 2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons baby wash
• 2 tablespoons baby oil
• 1 tablespoon alcohol (optional - but I have always used it)

Place the paper towels in the Ziploc with the solution and start pulling from the center. I usually make them the night before and flip the bag over so the paper towels are thoroughly wet in the morning.

I got to thinking about this recipe. I've heard several people say that they use flannel scraps for wipes and I thought you might be able to use them in this recipe too. Just put them in the Ziploc solution and let sit. That would save the cost of the brand name paper towels. Then you would wash them like normal cloth diapers. I've also heard of people putting this solution in an old plastic wipe box with the built in dispenser so that's another option too.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Please enter your info into Mcklinky. Be sure to link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Where's Dog Food Fit In?

Beth writes...

I see dog raw hides, how does dog food fit in? I never see it in your weekly booty.

And there's a story behind that.

My teenage son wanted a dog but we really didn't think we could afford it right now. So he came up with this great plan, complete with a written contract, budget, and income statement, that showed how he would get a job and earn the money to pay for the dog. He assured us that he would take full responsibility for all food, vet bills, training and poop-scooping (my husbands desire) and all vacuuming of dog hair (mine). He outlined the cost of adoption, vet bills, food and toys and we said to ourselves, "Yeah, well if he can actually come up with that kind of money THEN we'll let him get a dog. " (Insert evil laughter here.) I was sure my carpets would remain dog-hair free.

But that boy of mine went knocking on neighbors doors and racked up two weekly lawn mowing jobs. Then he called grandparents and spread bark dust, mowed, weeded and did all sorts of manual labor. And in a matter of two months the kid raised $500 dollars.

We, uh, adopted a dog at that point.

So....all that to say....we don't buy the dog food. My hard working son paid the adoption fee, paid the vet bills, buys premium dog food (to avoid any vet visits) and yes, even scoops the poop.

My penance is buying treats for the dog to make me feel better for my unbelief.

Diapers In A Budget

Carrie writes:

Gayle,I love your blog. Thank you for taking the time to write every week. I just wanted to know if you think a $60 budget is reasonable for a family of 6 when 2 children are in diapers? I don't know if I should add this in the $60 or keep it separate. Also, do you get up at the crack of dawn to cook breakfast in the morning? What does your schedule look like before the kids go to school. Thanks Gayle!

There is just no stinkin' way I could fit diapers into a $60 for 6 people budget. So take a deep breath and be released from even thinking that is possible. (Well, maybe someone else could do it but I wouldn't be able to.) If I still had kids in diapers I would definitely be a diaper coupon clipper. I wouldn't count the diapers into my food/household budget but I would institute some saving strategies in that area.

First, I always bought generic diapers when I was still using them. I like the generic and they worked just fine for me. Same with the wipes. There's no excuse for using name brand diapers because it's totally a preference thing. Not a need. If you can afford them with no problems then by all means, waste your money. And I've experienced every thing a kid could put in a diaper X 4! So I know what I'm talking about.

Second, I never wasted a diaper. My kids diapers only got changed when absolutely necessary. It was fully used and I very seldom had kids with diaper rashes. I never let them sit for hours in their yuck but I sure didn't change it every time I checked it for wetness.

And third, knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn't even buy disposables unless the kids were in daycare or visiting grandparents. I would buy the supplies to use cloth diapers and after the initial expense, the only extra cost would be laundry expenses and the occasional replacement. And the homemade laundry soap recipe works great on cloth diapers.

As to the breakfast and schedule question, one of the perks of homeschooling is that we don't have to rush off in the mornings. I usually get up around 6:30 or 7 and get ready for the day. On a normal day we eat breakfast around 8AM and then work on school projects and book work until lunchtime. After lunch is chores and some down time and the evenings are full of sports, friends or fun.

Thanks for asking Carrie.

Need Snacks Fast!

See that title? That was the plea from my kids today. They were whining that there weren't any snacks in the house. I've been lax in my baking lately because of all the real-life stuff that's been using up my time. So today I found a yummy recipe on good old recipezaar that I whipped up real quick. And the smiles on my kids faces have lasted hours. I like it because it looked yummy and I had every single one of the ingredients on hand. Nothing fancy in these, just good home baking.

You can find the recipe for Snickerdoodle Blondies HERE. It makes a 9 x 13 pan so if my kids hadn't demolished them all so fast, they would have been nice to freeze in bite size portions for more emergency snack attacks in the future.

Maybe the next batch.

Frugal Recreation and Gas Use

Dana asks....

Where we have the most trouble is of course our fuel costs for our work commute now and entertainment. There isn't much to do about fuel other than try to scout out your best prices but do you have ideas that work well with your family for entertainment that is frugal and fun?

Gasoline costs are a huge concern for us too. We use gasbuddy.com to find the cheapest gas prices in town for fueling up. We don't commute since we work and school at home, and we try and run all errands in one trip as often as possible. Our gas budget is $20 in our economic Volvo and $20 in our gas guzzling family Suburban per week. Unless we're all together or both need a car at the same time, we try and drive the Volvo as often as possible. And there have been several times where we had to say no to something because gas was low and had to be saved for something more important.

Gas costs are also figured in when we are looking for something to do as a family. And with a family of our size we have to make sure that our recreational activities don't cost an arm and a leg.

• We live close enough to the ocean that a day trip to the beach is a fun thing to do. We pack a picnic lunch and then our only cost is gas and all the sandy laundry we bring back.


• We also make use of our local YMCA. For a family day pass we can swim, workout, play basketball, or hit the racquetball courts.


• Local playgrounds are places we visit for free. It's amazing how much fun different playground equipment can be.


• A few times a year we go to a movie as a family. This is a spendier event so to keep costs low we smuggle in our own snacks and hit the matinee to save a few extra dollars.


• We find local hiking trails and head out into the woods with a picnic.


• We rent movies for free from the library and have movie nights with homemade snacks. (We're watching The Waltons right now.) We also have a netflix subscription and sometimes use the free codes at redbox.


• We also hit local aquatic parks on their bargain family pass days. The parks around here have huge slides and pools with waves and sprayers. Lots of fun!


• We keep our eye out for free community events and celebrations. We've attended Native American pow-wows, Scottish festivals, Earth Day events, county fairs, holiday parades, free outdoor concerts, kids fishing events at the beginning of fishing season, local sporting events and all sorts of other fun things. We don't pass up FREE very often.


• We also enjoy zoos, aquariums, and museums. This is also a spendier event so we get in on bargain days with a family pass when we can.

Fun can be had for cheap if you just look in the right places.

GCC Shopping Round Up

Ok. Steak is stinking expensive. But birthday's are important and since that's what the birthday boy wanted for dinner, I'm grinning and bearing it. Here's what I came home with today.

S & S

3 boxes of cake mix $1.00
2 bunches of bananas $1.98
Dishwasher detergent $1.49
2 containers of frosting $1.98
Organic veggie broth $.79
Organic chicken broth $.79
2 cans tomato soup $.98

Grocery Outlet

4 corn $1.00
Fettuccine $.99
Bacon $1.79
4 cans tuna $2.00
Ketchup $2.99
Conditioner $.99

Win-co

2 tater tots $2.96
Bulk pet treats $1.51
Bulk rawhide bones $3.13
Margarine $.68
2 lbs cheddar $3.98
12 Chicken thighs $6.38
6 steaks $12.80
Lemon juice $1.77
Yogurt $1.78
3 dozen eggs $3.72
10 lb potatoes $1.98
1 gallon milk $1.98
2 lb carrots $.98

Total $ $62.42

The bread store was closed because of the holiday weekend so I'll have to go back there tomorrow. I'll buy 5 loaves of bread for $4.70 which will bring my total to...

Grand Total $67.12

Higher than I'd like but considering it's a birthday meal week, I'm pleased.

Would you like to show and tell about your shopping trip?

Just enter your info into Mcklinky below. Please remember to link directly to your post, not your homepage, and include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday

September is birthday month around here. My second son turns 9 this week and requested steak. So in order to get that in the menu I tried to be extra thrifty with our other meals. I had lots of chicken meat leftover from a roasted chicken last week that I used to make White Chicken Chili. I'll be adding that meat to our menu in the form of a stir fry and then boiling down the carcass for the last of the meat and broth for delicious homemade chicken noodle soup.

Breakfast

Toast with Plum Butter and tea
Oatmeal with almonds, brown sugar, and apples
French Toast
Yogurt Parfaits
Crumb Topped Banana Muffins
Leftover muffins
Scrambled eggs, bacon and toast

Dinners

Broccoli Pasta, fresh veggie tray
Stir fry chicken and veggies over rice
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and buttery bread machine rolls
Chicken Rice and Spices Bake, green peas

Leftover Night
Steak, Mashed Potatoes, green beans and birthday cake
Spicy Bean and Rice soup, Peasant Bread
Check back tomorrow to see how our $60 budget stretched and for more menu plan ideas go HERE.

Interview Up At Simply Canning

My friend Sharon has a great site called Simply Canning that I think you'll want to check out. Whether you're new to the whole canning process or your a seasoned pro she's got tips and recipes, budget cooking ideas and all sorts of other information that you're going to want to see. And Sharon's willing to answer any questions you might have.

She also did an interview with me and has just put it up. You can see it HERE. It will tell you a little bit more about me and my story.

So head on over and take a look at all the great info she has for you. She's an expert and a neat lady too.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap Caramel Corn

This is a big one at our house when we're craving a sweet snack for movie night. It's really quick to put together and I always have the ingredients on hand.

Homemade Carmel Corn

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
12 cups popped popcorn, remove the duds. Here's the homemade microwave popcorn recipe I use.

In a saucepan bring butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a boil stirring constantly.

Place popped popcorn in large bowl and pour caramel mixture slowly over popcorn, while tossing and stirring to coat evenly.

The caramel can settle on the bottom so make sure to scrape and stir will.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Just enter your info into Mcklinky. Please be sure to link directly to your post not your homepage and please provide a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Low Cost Proteins And Other Stuff

Lori writes....

I have followed your blog for about a year and I think you are amazing!!

Questions:

What about buying proteins for low/no carb diets? Any good ideas for where to buy cheap but good quality meats?

I've never tried the low/no carb diets so I'm not even sure how that works. But I do keep an eye out for cheap proteins for my family. Remember, proteins aren't just meat. Proteins can be beans, meats, dairy, nuts and seeds. When I'm shopping for meat-protein, I find out from the store when they mark their meat down. One of my local stores has $1 and $2 off on meats every Monday. Another local store marks amazing cuts of meat down around 5pm, when people are getting off work and trying to find something quick to fix for dinner. Ask your meat department if AND when they mark down their meats. I usually buy what I can afford and stick it in my freezer.

How often do you entertain and for how many guests?

This varies a lot. We have time where it's every week that we have guests and then other times it's about once a month. We attend lots of potlucks and I'm part of a ministry that takes meals to new mothers or people recuperating from surgery so food for others is always happening around here. Usually when we have guests it's 4-6 extra people but I have hosted for 30 before.

What about brown bag lunches? And convenience foods?

Our life is so home-centered that we don't regularly need brown bag lunches since we homeschool and work from home. But, during soccer season, on those long Saturdays full of multiple games, we pack things like homemade burritos, sandwiches, fruit, veggies and dip, giant pickles....simple things. We don't buy much convenience foods because they are just a waste of money and really not good for you. But sometimes I can find mac & cheese 3/$1 or hot dogs 2/$1 and I'll grab them up for a treat. We're health conscious but not legalistic about it.

These seem to be where I blow my budget. I think I do pretty good but I know I can do better.

I have wondered what it is you and your husband do for a living and if you are one of the Dave Ramsey followers? I like Dave Ramsey, so I don't intend to offend if you are a follower.

Yesterday's post answered what my husband does for a living. We're pretty committed that I stay at home and raise the kids so we've been willing to sacrifice for that over the years. I do some freelance writing when I have the time and I get paid a bit for that. But we don't rely on anything that I bring in for paying living expenses. It's usually for something fun like a day at the beach or a meal at McDonald's.

We aren't Dave Ramsey followers although we believe he's pretty sound, has a great plan in place and we've read some of his material. I'd recommend his stuff. But I'm more of a Chris Bryant follower. That's my husband, who's a financial advisor. ; ) He's pretty smart about money matters and he's done a good job taking care of our finances. We do believe in being debt free and living within the limits of the income we make. If we can't pay cash for something, we just do without until we can.

I also wonder if this is a long term commitment you have or if there is an end date attached to this budget.

This wasn't planned and my long term commitment is to stay frugal. This crazy budget came around because we started our own business and knew that until it took off, we were going to have to be really creative. When we made our new self-employed budget, after paying the bills, we only had $60 left for groceries. So we bucked up and made it work. I'd be perfectly happy with an $80 or $100 budget per week for the six of us. I'd buy more meat.

I have to say KUDOs on your laundry soap, I made it and love it. Not to mention all the other recipes you have for make your own.

Thank you for your commitment to serving the public with great money saving ideas. We need more people like you.

Remember Those Questions?

Remember a week or two ago when I opened up for questions? Well, I've answered some of them privately and I'm starting to tackle the public ones.

Christi writes:

I am interested in your religion.

I read both of your blogs and you do not quote the bible.

But, your kids have all biblical names so you must be somewhat religious. I am curious about how much of your life revolves around your church and the bible.

I also wonder what your husband does for a living because he works from home.

To start with the easier question, my husband is an independent financial advisor. Which means he works for himself, governed by the state, and counsels people on financial strategies whether that's investments, trusts, estate planning, college fund planning or financial management. He works from his home office and meets clients in their homes. Therefore he is home a lot. Which is so great for our family life.

The second part of your question is a little more complicated. I'm a Christian of no specific denomination and Jesus is personal to me. He's not a religious icon or a historical story, he's a friend and I try to live my life according to the Bible. We are very involved in church activities and yes, I intentionally don't quote the Bible on this blog. And here's why.

This subject of this blog is universal....saving money. And while I do feel that my success at what I do with our groceries is definitely a provision from God, I also want it to appeal to everyone no matter what religion or belief system they have. I'd hate to have someone click away because they see a Bible verse and just aren't at a place where that speaks to them yet. I've been to Bible quoting blogs and while there are many out there that come across sincere, the rest sound fake and preachy and paint a picture of perfection that just isn't real. It turns me off and I'm guessing anyone who isn't a Christian clicks right over the top of them and moves on. I avoid religious language in real life and on this blog too. I don't use pretty Bible words when I pray. When I talk to someone about Him I talk in regular English not flowery talk that would make no sense to someone who doesn't know church-talk, and I want my life to be realistic. I struggle, it's hard, my marriage isn't perfect, my kids aren't always good, I get cranky, I lose my temper, I get discouraged, I sometimes feel hopeless but I've also got a place that I go to for strength and counsel and peace and that's Jesus. So the lack of Bible quotes is intentional and works for me. The behind the scenes e-mails and talks that go on simply because people see something different about the way I live my life is so much more effective at providing opportunities to share my faith than preaching to people that don't want to hear it.

And it's a little bit scary to hang it out there like that but there you go.

More questions and answers coming soon!