Money Minute - 5 Quick Money Saving Tips

Have you ever wondered what little things around the house you could do to keep more green in your wallet?  I've got 5 quick tips for you. These have made a difference at our house!

1. Plan It - Use the sales circular each week to plan out meals.  Buy just what you need and stick to it. I plan 2-3 extra meals per week in case our finicky taste buds decide they don't want what was planned. Menu planning alone has cut $50 - $75/month off our grocery budget.
2. Unplug It - After charging electronics, unplug the cord.  To make this easier, try using a surge strip.  Plug electronics into surge strip.  When charged, unplug the whole surge strip rather than single electronics.
3. Cut It - See where you can cut back with the amount you use.  Can you use just a little less shampoo each time? Can you use half the fabric softener? Can you use that razor just ONE more time?  It's amazing how much the little things add up.
4. Hoof It - When you are shopping at open air malls or shopping plazas, park in a central location.  Make a quick trip back to the car between stores but don't move the car until it is just too far to walk.  Save on gas and wear on the car. Help your starter last a bit longer! Burn a few calories in the process.
5. Maintain It - By spending a little to properly  maintain your vehicles and appliances, you will improve performance and efficiency, extend the life, and avoid expensive catastrophes.

How do you save money around the house?  Let me know in the comments!  I may use your tips in my upcoming eBook and I will give you credit and link to your blog!

This post is shared at We Are THAT Family as part of Works For Me Wednesday.  Check out more great tips there!

Thanksgiving Dinner, Free Recipe eBooks, Thanksgiving Coupons and more

Well, quick update from yesterday's post.   Hubby and I woke up this morning, went on a family walk, came home and discovered that the fraudulent charge was gone - it just dropped off of our account!  Woohoo!  Now, I will be contacting multiple fraud departments, the detective, and the FBI internet crimes division to let them know.  It is unfortunate that we cannot get a few pieces of vital information because it never posted to our account, but now we don't have a mess to clean up.

On to the deals!

Walmart is offering a Thanksgiving feast for 8 for just $20!  Here are some details:

According to a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation, last year’s average cost of a turkey was roughly $1.19 per pound. Beginning today, select Grade A turkeys are available for 40 cents per pound at Walmart.* These gobblers are part of Walmart’s $20 Thanksgiving menu guaranteeing family favorites will be on the dinner table this holiday season. Walmart’s $20 Thanksgiving feast includes:

• One 12-pound Grade A turkey*
• Three 11 to 15.5-ounce cans Green Giant vegetables
• Two 14-ounce cans Ocean Spray cranberry sauce
• Three 6-ounce boxes of Stove Top stuffing
• One 5-pound bag of red potatoes
• One 12-count package of Sara Lee dinner rolls
• One 22-ounce pumpkin roll cake

See some coupon matchups and print some other great holiday coupons by visiting KC Penny Pinching Mama.

Snag a free sample of FLIX - dental picks that are faster than flossing.

Do you like tea?  Twinings is offering a great deal on their glass chest filled with tea plus free shipping.  These would make great gifts.  Click on over to Hip to Save for all the details.

Free eBooks!
Grab a free copy of the FREE Thanksgiving Recipes eBook from Quality Health:



Laura, at Heavenly Homemakers, is offering some sweet ebooks completely free!

For the Love of Pie ebook has 31 great recipes sent by her readers.

Also, grab a copy of Fun, Fabulous, and (mostly) FREE Preschool Projects - a compilation of great ideas from many moms.

Happy bargain hunting!

Menu Planning Monday

http://orgjunkie.com/2009/09/menu-plan-monday-sept-7th.html

Well, I succeeded in not going to Kroger for an entire week!  I have a small list to purchase this week.  Other than that, we are living out of the pantry.  We have plenty of chicken and beef, so with a plan, we should have no problem!

Monday - Chicken Quesadillas
Tuesday - Beef Stroganoff
Wednesday - Chicken and Dumplings - no, I never actually made this last week.  Let's give it another try!
Thursday - Beef enchiladas
Friday - Frozen pizza
Saturday - Manwich
Sunday - Burgers

Menu Planning Monday

So, we have a ton of leftovers to start our week with. Let's see if we can stick to my plan a little better this week! We were thrown off last week with the sick baby. Poor little guy! He's feeling better, but still having low-grade fevers. His MRSA lesion is looking quite a bit better but still quite gross.

I do have a pack of hash browns that I need to prepare before they spoil. I will be making an egg casserole early in the week to use for breakfasts through the week (our toaster oven went ka-put so it's just cereal for now unless I get my lazy/sleepy self out of bed early to make pancakes or French toast).

Monday - Spaghetti leftovers (given to us by a new mom that had what appeared to be several GALLONS of it delivered to her after the baby came home! She had enough for 3 meals for them and sent us home with 2 meals!)
Tuesday - Chicken drumsticks with biscuits and peas (corn for Hubby)
Wednesday - Mac n Cheese leftovers (complete with little bits of hot dogs)
Thursday - Chicken Quesadillas
Friday - BBQ Cupcakes - recipe here
Saturday - Burger night
Sunday - Frozen pizza

Menu Planning Monday

Ok, so last week I ate NOTHING from last week's menu! I thought Hubby might be home once or twice. I was wrong. Band camp is now over and he is starting with classes today. We should start to find a routine again! I may be gone for dinner Wednesday or Thursday to visit a good friend from college!

Monday - Bubble Pizza Casserole - recipe here
Tuesday - Roast Chicken Drumsticks in BBQ sauce with alfredo
Wednesday - Burgers/Dogs
Thursday - Chicken patties
Friday - Taco pie - recipe here
Saturday - Stroganoff
Sunday - Pizza

Menu Planning Monday

This week, I plan to limit the use of my oven as it is to be in the 90's and humid most of the week. Hubby will miss many meals as band camp starts today. The band director's wife is being induced TONIGHT! Many of the professors are stepping up to help.

Sleep is still a major issue in our house. Baby had one of his to teeth pop through a couple days ago. Three more teeth working their way through. He wakes up writhing in pain when his ibuprofen wears off. Poor little guy! I'm looking forward to sleeping the night in my own bed - even if I still need to wake for night feedings. The bed is soooo much better than the recliner!

Hubby just called to tell me he heard on the radio that our water will be turned off from 9am - 5pm tonight! This is the first we have heard. Thanks water department! 15 minutes to shower and store up jugs of water for the day - we have 3 dogs here at the moment. I am thankful I stocked the pantry with several gallons of water earlier this summer.

Here's the plan!

Monday - BBQ Chicken Quesadillas - use recipe from here and alter by directions below
Tuesday - Burgers on the grill
Wednesday - coolest day of the week! Bubble Pizza Casserole - recipe here
Thursday - Cereal for dinner
Friday - Hamburger Helper taco/rice
Saturday - Chicken Pockets - see recipe below
Sunday - Mac n cheese with hot dogs

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
I made these after seeing several recipes suggesting something similar. I found that boiling rather than grilling the chicken works well and allows me to use chicken that is not fully thawed.

Prepare chicken and tortillas as before. I pulled the chicken and added in a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce for flavor. Add in some bacon bits (I like the real bits rather than the crunchy Bacos). Serve with BBQ dipping sauce.

Chicken Pockets
This is so stinking easy! Thaw chicken breasts. Preheat oven to 350. Create squares of aluminum foil large enough to pull around one breast of chicken to make a packet. Place one chicken breast on one foil square. Pour 2-3 Tablespoons of your favorite salad dressing on top. Create pouch by pulling foil around chicken and rolling. It should not be snug. Bake for 30 minutes. To serve, top with a tablespoon of fresh dressing.

Menu Planning Monday

This week should finally be a little more normal. Hubby will be back at work more often and hopefully we'll be out late less. Here is one reason why last week was so crazy:


Hubby and I cleaned and stained our deck. We hope to get at least another 5 years out of it although we'll see. The deck is only 5 years old but was not well cared for with the previous home owners.

Here's another reason:



We spent a day at the amusement park. Baby had a great time!

Ok - here's our plan:

Monday - Roast Chicken (crock pot - see recipe here) and baked potatoes
Tuesday - Enchiladas
Wednesday - Meat Pie
Thursday - Chicken Alfredo
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Burgers/Dogs/Drumsticks on the grill
Sunday - Chicken Teriyaki

Menu Planning Monday

So... last week was a total bust. We did not have a single meal that I planned. Here's hoping this week is a little better. Hubby will be around and HOPEFULLY Baby's teeth will pop through so he sleeps more than a 2 hour stretch at night again.

Monday - Beef stroganoff - using Hamburger helper from my stockpile
Tuesday - Stromboli - see recipe below
Wednesday - Burgers/dogs on the grill
Thursday - Chicken quesadillas - see recipe below
Friday - "Best Of" leftover buffet
Saturday - Picnic at amusement park
Sunday - Pizza

Stromboli
This recipe can be as easy as you would like to make it. I normally use the store brand refrigerated pizza dough in the tube. I have used pouch dough and homemade dough as well. This serves 4 is serving side dishes as well.

Ingredients:
1 tube pizza dough (or 1 pouch or enough homemade dough for 1 pizza)
Mozzerella cheese (I always have shredded on hand but slices are easier)
Pizza toppings of your choice (I keep it simple with pepperoni and cheese and occasionally Canadian bacon)

Directions:
Roll dough onto pizza stone or cookie sheet. A square or rectangle shape works best. Arrange a thin layer of toppings on dough leaving 2 inches clear on one side. Carefully roll dough and toppings into a log shape ending with the clear strip. Press the seam together and place on bottom of roll. Cut top of roll in a few places to vent. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. When Stromboli is done, it will be golden brown and the cheese will be bubbly. Brush the top with a little butter for an added touch. Let cool for 5 minutes and slice into serving sizes. Serve with your favorite pizza or marinara sauce.

Chicken Quesadillas
I have not made these yet! I read several recipes and created my own. We'll see how it turns out! I'd love to hear your favorite takes on this recipe!

Ingredients:
Large flour tortillas (2 per quesadilla)
Shredded cheese (Monterrey Jack, colby, cheddar - your choice)
Grilled chicken breast, cubed or pulled (you can purchase pre-cooked chicken or grill yourself)
Optional: diced veggies - tomato, pepper, onion - whatever you like
Butter
Taco sauce/salsa
Sour cream

Directions:
Grill chicken and either shred or cut into small cubes
Lightly butter (or spray with cooking spray) one side of tortilla
Place butter side down in skillet
Layer cheese, chicken, and veggies on tortilla
Top with another tortilla, butter side out
Carefully flip tortilla and cook until lightly browned and toppings are melted and hot
Slice into wedges
Serve with dipping sauces - taco sauce/salsa, sour cream, guacamole

Menu Planning Monday

Well, it is always hard to plan meals after vacation where nearly every meal was eaten out! This week is, as usual, out of the ordinary. Hubby will be gone most nights so meals will need to be either really early or really late.

So, I started this post at 11am. It is now 9:30pm and I still have not finished! Here's the quick and dirty version:

Monday - leftover frozen pizza
Tuesday - Meat Pie
Wednesday - Grilled Chicken
Thursday - Stroganoff
Friday - Burgers/Dogs on the grill
Saturday - Pork roast
Sunday - "Best Of" leftover night

Menu Planning Monday

Well, I have no clue what we'll be having this week. In all honesty, I have no desire to plan at all. I know this is a dangerous frame of mind - I will be tempted to order pizza and eat out. We had such a busy weekend and I am exhausted. Baby is exhausted but fighting sleep like a champ. I spent an hour working on helping him fall asleep. Daddy is taking his turn right now with no end in sight. Baby's 9 months old today!

Anyway, I need to plan. I have yet to use the frozen chicken I keep planning to use. I am pulling it out of the freezer so I can use it tomorrow! Here's what we'll be eating!

Monday - random leftovers
Tuesday - Crock Pot Chicken (see recipe below)
Wedneday - Enchiladas
Thursday - Grill out burgers/dogs
Friday - Chicken Tacos (with leftover crock pot chicken)
Saturday - Beef Stroganoff
Sunday - Homemade Pizza

Crock Pot Chicken

One small chicken
Seasonings
One half can random beverage (I have used Coke, Sprite, orange juice, and beer - all with great results. It always comes out tasting like rotisserie chicken)

Clean chicken and place in crock pot. Season chicken as desired. I use onion powder, salt, pepper, Crazy Jane's Mixed Up Salt, and poultry seasoning. Pour in one half can of beverage. Cook on low all day.

Chicken will literally fall off the bone. Serve with your favorite side. We will be having baked potatoes with ours. Yum!

Menu Planning Monday

Well, we are in the throes of redecorating and moving rooms around! We didn't get to put our fingerprint on the house much when we moved in last year since Baby decided to come a month early - just a month after moving in! We (well, Hubby) finished Baby's room while we were recovering in the hospital. We are switching our office and guest rooms. The "new" office is getting a fresh coat of paint - ceiling and closet and all - to turn it from a deep brown with a bright purple closet and beige trim (have I mentioned I am NOT a fan of beige) to a steel grey with bright white trim and black accents. Hubby installed a nice new ceiling fan. The plaster repair is finished and everything is primed. The ceiling is painted and the new fan is up.

Here are a couple before pictures - actually pictures from before we bought the house so it isn't even our stuff!

The back corner:




And the purple closet.

I'll post when we have after shots! By the way - the sellers were great in making everything neutral, but I am so sick of beige!

This week, being a holiday week, is full of craziness. We will be making a trip to visit my parents and go to the Pittsburgh Zoo (free, thanks to local zoo membership) plus we will go back to the church where we were married and will visit good friends who are coming into town.

Here's our plan!
Monday: Meat Pie (recipe below - a family favorite)
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes
Thursday: Baked Crock Pot Chicken (I forgot to thaw my chicken last week)
Friday: dinner at the zoo
Saturday: cookout at parents house
Sunday: Papa John's pizza in the park as we meet our friends

Meat Pie:
1lb ground beef
3-4 servings mashed potatoes/potato buds
frozen corn or peas
shredded cheese
1 pie crust
1 packet/jar gravy

Preheat oven to 375.
Brown and season meat
Prepare mashed potatoes as directed
Pour meat into bottom of pie pan
Cover meat with a sprinkling of shredded cheese
Mix frozen vegetable into finished mashed potatoes
Cover meat with potatoes
Cover pie with 1 pie crust
Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Serve and top with hot gravy. Yum!

Menu Planning Monday

Well, the crazy week is over! It is time to return to a little normalcy! We have one big change here - Baby is quite mobile now! Thankfully hubby is around a lot for the rest of the summer to help me adapt to keeping the home and caring for a little guy who chases the dog (by crawling) all day!

We will have the usuals for breakfast and lunch - toast, eggs, cereal, pancakes, French toast for breakfast and soup, cold cuts, spaghetti o's, leftovers, chef boyardee, mac n cheese, or grill foods (hot dogs/hamburgers) for lunch.

Here's what we will be having for dinners!

Monday - grilled pork chops
Tuesday - enchiladas
Wednesday - roast chicken (whole chicken in crock pot) and crash hot potatoes
Thursday - beef stroganoff
Friday - burgers/dogs on the grill
Saturday - chicken tacos (with leftover roast chicken
Sunday - pizza

Menu Planning Monday

So, my plan for last week didn't go as planned! We did well and didn't eat out or buy anything last minute. We were blessed to have dinner with friends one night and we just switched some meals and created new things from our pantry. This will be another crazy week, so we'll see how well this plan holds up! Breakfast will be cereal and toast most mornings. We will have cinnamon rolls one morning and eggs or French toast another. Lunches will be sandwiches, leftovers, or canned raviolis.

Monday - Meatball Hogies
Tuesday - Tacos
Wednesday - Chicken Alfredo
Thursday - Burgers/dogs grilled outside
Friday - special birthday lunch/dinner for ME!
Saturday - Dominos House Party for my Birthday!
Sunday - Dinner at the hometown Independent League Baseball game for Father's day