Frugal Accomplishments 4th week of April

This past week was spring break for us.  We always try to spend spring break at home as a "stay-cation", taking advantage of things that we don't typically get to do around home.  We kept our spending relatively low, although we did spend on a few special things.  Meals were at home or picnics, mostly.  The beautiful weather allowed us to spend loads of time outside, so that was great for the boys.

• Cooked all meals at home including:  chili without beans (I'm avoiding legumes for a few weeks to try to heal my gut) using mostly things we had in the freezer/pantry, picnic with fruit, veggies and dip, nuts, etc., made energy bites, made homemade cheese straws, salads, overnight oatmeal in the crock pot, and paleo waffles
• Continued with regular laundry habits of washing in cold water and hanging clothes to dry
• Listened to a few free podcasts, etc. while getting ready in the mornings
• Visited local attractions for a discounted rate because we're local.  Every year this location offers April discounts to local residents, which is really nice.  We enjoyed seeing wildlife, hiking, and picnicking here for $9 total (it's usually $22 per person) plus the small amount of gas to get there.  The boys had a blast and because we got there early, we missed the traffic and lines.
• We took the boys to a play of the Cat and the Hat at an area theater.  Mom purchased the tickets for us, so we just had to pay for gas to get there.  It was a sweet show, and a really nice experience for the boys.
• Planted our garden with the boys.  We planted onions, radishes, various greens, basil, oregano, borage, beans, and cucumbers. These were all from seeds, so they will take a while to grow.  The radishes will grow quickly, which should be exciting for the boys.We had some rain, so we didn't have to water them by hand.  Most were planted in pots, but a few of the larger ones were in a small garden area we'd prepared.
• We spent several days at The Playhouse with the boys.  They had a great time outside with the bubble machine set up on the playground, and had a great time playing with all the indoor exhibits.
• I took advantage of a $10 off $50 order at Harris Teeter and stocked up on some items.  We hadn't done a big grocery run in a while, so we needed some staples and some produce.  I was able to make things stretch further with coupons and a raincheck for the sale price on something.
• We gleaned a few items from the food pantry this week, though the collection from local stores was less this week, perhaps due to the holiday.

What did you do to live and save green this past week?  I'd love to hear from you!

Frugal Accomplishments 2nd Week of April

The weather was beautiful this past week!  It gave me such an itch to get out in the garden!  (The weekend was a total washout, so I'll probably wait until Easter at this point to plant our containers.)  The boys took a little road trip, so Mom and I had a wonderful girls day together yesterday.  We hadn't had one in ages and it was super fun.

But you're here to check out the frugal accomplishments, so here's what we did to live and save green this past week:

• Ate meals at home including:  double batch of quiche with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and onions with goat cheese (all from our pantry and fridge), dinner salads, almond flour pizza, smoothies, energy bites, and homemade bone broth.
• Helped with food pantry pick up and was able to glean several items including organic milk, nondairy milk, organic keifer, fruit, veggies, gluten free snacks, tea, etc.  We plan to help next Sunday as well, as they're short on volunteers right now.
• Enjoyed reading from our own library at home.  I also enjoyed a few YouTube videos at home.
• Worked out at home with YouTube and walking.  I also enjoyed some yoga at the Children's Council.
• Washed laundry in cold water and hung to dry.
• Participated in our regular children's council groups and earned baby bucks, which we were able to cash in for a Walmart card.
• Loved some time outside with the boys and dog playing.  The sunshine was great, and it was fun to be with them.
• Mom and I had a great girls day.  She treated me to brunch after early church and we did a little shopping.  Then she helped me do a little mending and we had a nice visit.  
• I entered a few free sweepstakes online.  They're a long shot, but would be helpful if we won.  It would really help with the house and medical bills.
• We continued to research some side hustle businesses, and I wrote up a few eBay posts.  We have a goal of posting 3 items a week, which should help us pay off bills faster.
• I took the boys to a free event at the high school that was STEAM focused.  They loved it!  We got there early and they had a blast:  huge blocks, box city, real fire truck!, physics and robotics demos, etc.

What did you do to live and save green this past week?  I'd love to hear from you!

10 Ways to Entertain a Family on a Budget

We are all about entertaining our children on a budget.  Kids generally don't want anything other than time with you, the parent, when you get right down to it.  So, when it comes to entertaining our kids during the day, or weekend, we try really hard to make it quality time and something that we'll all enjoy.  So, here some of the ways we try to honor our family principles and quality time together.

Public Library (Free!)
We try to go to the public library at least once a week.  Our children's librarians do a great job of story time, but also other activities.  Recently, they had materials out to build leprechaun traps for St. Patrick's Day.  They regularly have a scavenger hunt up for kids, as well as other things.  The summer reading program is probably our favorite thing they do, and many public libraries have them.  The boys love visiting the library, and we also find that it's a great meeting place for us, and there are many times when we need a quiet space to do some work that we find ourselves there.

Local Park (Free!)
We're fortunate to live in an area that has many local parks.  Some are more natural areas, while others are specifically designed with children and families in mind.  One of our favorite parks has great play equipment, but also nice trails for biking and walking.  The great thing about parks is that they're free and the kids get loads of energy out, so they're getting their vitamin D and a good night's rest (which means more time for Mommy and Daddy to have an at home date when they crash early!)



Visit a Local Farm or Farmer's Market (usually free)
If your kids are anything like ours, they love animals!  Visiting a local farm or farmer's market almost guarantees seeing farm animals doing their thing, as well as a pretty up close experience.  Our local CSA farmer organizes farm visits a few times a season, which we love, because it means our kids are really learning where their food comes from.  Sometimes, the kids are even invited to eat from the farm too, which is super cool and means they're getting some extra veggies in too.

Take a Hike (Free!)
In most areas, there are at least a few hiking trails around.  If you're in a big city, you can probably find a state or national park within easy driving distance.  We love to visit our local hiking trails, some of which have waterfalls or other cool things to look at along the trail.  By packing a picnic, it means that we can make a day of it, and it usually doesn't cost us anything more than the gas to get there.  Hiking is also an excellent way to get some exercise, and we're beginning to be able to teach our kids about some of the cool edible plants out there, as well as some of the wildlife native to our area.  Do you have a favorite local hiking trail?


Family Pizza and Movie/Game Night (Free, depending on ingredients on hand)
We used to do family pizza night every Friday night.  We'd make homemade dough in our bread machine and use our homemade pesto and go from there.  This cast iron pizza dip also sounds incredible. Since we've gone mostly gluten free, we're experimenting with almond flour crusts, and we think we've found a good one.  It's a little more costly than the wheat based one, but it's worth it for our health.  We then add whatever veggies or toppings we have on hand.  Movie choices are easy now with Netflix (or whatever you pick up from your local library) and as the boys get older, games are easier to play.  We're really looking forward to them getting old enough to get into board games.  You could even organize a game swap with friends if you're kids are getting a little bored with the selections at your house.

Cookout or Camp-out (Free or low cost, depending on venue)
Our family loves a good cookout, but who doesn't?!  It doesn't have to be anything elaborate, and if you plan ahead, you can use some things in your freezer or pantry to pull it off pretty easily and inexpensively.  We try to keep quality ground beef and chicken in the freezer, so if we plan well, we can easily thaw that in the refrigerator.  That means all we need is sides to go with burgers or grilled chicken, which might include pasta salad, green salad, sliced fruit, or some grilled veggies.  One of the things I love about the grill is that it doesn't heat up the kitchen in the summer, and cleanup is generally pretty easy. 

If you're planning a camp-out, it might take a little more prep, but if you have your own camping gear it's pretty simple.  We have friends who have a flat yard, so there are times we just do a friend's camp-out there.  Other times, we rent a site at a local park for a few dollars a night.  Either way, it's a fun outing and quality family time.  We usually take the ingredients to make foil pouch campfire meals.  Do you have a favorite camp-out dish you make?  Share it in the comments below!

Water Play or Pool (Free or low cost)
If you're looking for a summer activity to wear your kids out, consider water play!  We have several rivers, creeks, etc. in the area where the kids can play.  Our local children's museum (which we have a gift membership to) has a water table outside that's loads of fun too.  Playing outside in the water is a great way for kids to get some energy out, engage in positive play with peers, and stay cool on a warm day. 

We love our local pool too, for water play.  It can get a little packed out on some days, so we try to go on the early side, but it's loads of fun.  It was tougher with the boys when they were smaller, but now that they're big enough to trust a bit in the water, it's much easier.  We usually take snacks so that we don't have to purchase from the vending machines, saving our wallets and getting healthier snacks into their bellies.

Local Community Events (Free or low cost)
With Easter coming up, there are Easter egg hunts all over the place.  Our public library is awesome at organizing events for holidays, and many area churches and organizations put together egg hunts.  We've attended local school international arts nights, science nights, etc., which are generally open to anyone in the community, not just that school community.  The boys really like attending vacation Bible school at a local church and it's always really well organized and run.  This weekend, our local children's museum is putting together a huge event for kids to explore all things science, math, and arts related.  There are so many free events to check out in your community, especially if you're plugged in.  If you're new to the area, the local library is usually a great resource, not only for the events they plan, but also because they know of other community resources and events.

Children's Council (Free)
Our area children's council does a great job of organizing parent support groups with free child care.  They offer several of these throughout the week, and there are various incentives to participate.  There is a toy library that they have for checkout, and they also organize the signup for The Imagination Library, which provides free books to kids ages birth to 5.  Our boys love getting their books in the mail, and the toy library is phenomenal.  It's a great way to try out new toys without having to sink money into them.

Bowling (Low Cost)
Through Kids Bowl Free, our kids get to bowl two games for free throughout the summer.  There is a charge for shoes (half price), and you can include adults for a discounted rate.  We have saved some on the adults by buying our own blowing shoes (we still rent the kids, since their feet are growing so fast).  This is a great rainy day activity and the kiddos love it.  Check it out to see if your local bowling alley participates!

Bonus!  Games at home (Free!)
There are so many games to play at home.  My kiddos are young, but here are a few that are regular hits around our house:

• Hide and Seek
• Scavenger hunt/treasure hunt (hide toys.plastic eggs, etc. and hunt for them)
• Build your own race track (using recycled materials like card board, etc.)
• Outdoor play:  balls, running, tag, remote control cars, fill bird feeders, etc.
• Play kitchen
• Puppet shows
• Build a fort with sheets/blankets and read stories
• Make a snack in the kitchen:  air popped popcorn, cookies, energy bites, etc.
• Coloring/art centers
• Make a game with math problems.  Do math with edible manipulatives such as raisins, nuts, green peas, or chocolate chips

What low cost entertainment ideas do you have for your kids or family?  I'd love to hear from you!

Frugal Accomplishments 1st Week of April

As usual, this past week was all about saving where we can.  We did take a weekend trip, but it will be reimbursed by the school since it was work related for me. 

We continue to work at developing a side hustle to bring in some additional income.  I'm hopeful that this blog will become one such way, and we're doing some research to figure out some ways to monetize this without it becoming so ad heavy that it's unappealing to readers.  (If you have any ideas, please let me know in the comments section!)  Earning baby bucks through our Children's Council activities is another way we're able to supplement our income a bit, since each time we accumulate 10 we can earn a Walmart card.  This Walmart card allows us to purchase some needed items without spending out of pocket.

Other ways we've saved:

• Meal planning for the month of April will allow us to stick to our food budget and our dietary needs.  This past week we've had banana bars, a snack plate, and crock pot Asian chicken with Asian slaw.
• We enjoy our shared meals through our support groups at the Children's Council.  We also shared a meal with my mom, using some things we had on hand for minimal cost.
• Our play activities were focused on free things, like hide and seek and doing an Easter egg hunt.  We've been stuffing the eggs with little man's sight words and plan to add letters to the eggs for baby.  This helps with reading readiness and they've had a blast with it.  We've had fun with hide and seek by using skip counting (5, 10, 15, etc.) to rehearse counting and basic number sense.
• The weather was pretty enough outdoors this weekend for a lot of outdoor play.  I was able to do yoga outside while the boys played, and this gave all of us some vitamin D exposure.
• I worked out with YouTube videos and our yoga parenting class.  I also was able to get some walking in on the college campus this weekend.
• We washed most clothing in cold water and hung to dry.  Potty training continues to go well, so we've pretty much packed up the diapers (we used cloth).  We still use a diaper at bedtime for baby.
• A big Costco run was made this past weekend, where we restocked on pantry staples and some organic freezer items like berries, broccoli, and fish.  I price checked a few items, and realized that we can get them cheaper at our local store, so I skipped those.  We keep a running list using Google Keep, so I stuck to our list so that we didn't buy a lot of things we didn't need.
• The ThreadUp bag (referral link) I sent it was finally processed.  I didn't earn as much credit as I'd like from it, but hopefully I'll get some referral credit or add a little more to it when I send in the next bag.  This is a nice way to clean out a bit and give me a little spending money for clothes without paying out of pocket.
• A generous coworker gave us some eggs from her free range chickens, which was really nice.  The eggs will be great for breakfasts and for baking.
• I did a few Epsom salt baths at home for relaxation and cleansing.  I have found that I really do sleep better, especially if I include a little lavender and tea tree oil in the bath.
• I've begun picking up little man from school more so that Benny isn't driving across the county multiple times a week too.  It's a little tougher to get my work done, but it's worth it for the savings.  Little man is also getting some of his homework done during this time, so that's a plus.

What did you do to live and save green this past week?  I'd love to hear from you!

April Menu

This month is, as always around our house, about eating as cleanly and healthfully while still enjoying the food we eat.  We just did a major restock run at Costco for some essentials, like almond flour, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, etc.  The bill was more than we normally spend, but since we're trying to eat more organically, I'm ok with that.  Once our CSA share starts in May, as well as some of our own edibles, we'll be able to bring the organic produce bill down quite a bit.

We're also trying to find some more time this month for Benny to work, so we're trying to make meals quick and easy.  That means more crock pot meals, more leftovers, prepping ahead on the weekends, and easy dinner salads.  You'll also notice that there are several meals that use the same side or dish reworked.  For example, when we make chili, I'll freeze some to have later with baked potatoes.  Or, I'll fix Asian slaw on the weekend and make a large batch so we have enough to go with stir fry and crock pot Asian chicken.

So, here's the plan for this month:

Breakfasts:

• Smoothies:  frozen berries, some other fruit, greens, nondairy milk, flax/chia, and any spices we add in (cocoa powder, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon  are all favorites)
• Banana bars
• Baked oatmeal
• Roasted veggies with eggs
• French toast (for those eating gluten) or Paleo pancakes
• Yogurt parfaits with berries and granola

Lunches:

• Leftovers
• Snack plates:  fruit, nuts, hard boiled eggs, veggies and dip, crackers and cheese, etc.
• Salads

Dinners:

• Thai coconut chicken curry soup (from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker book)
• Beef chili with corn bread
• Veggie stir fry over brown rice with egg rolls and Asian Slaw
• Cabbage and kielbasa skillet meal with corn bread
• Chicken tacos with greens, salsa, Greek yogurt, and cheese
• Beans and rice with fixin's
• Tomato basil soup and salads and quesadillas
• Loaded baked potatoes with beef chili and salads
• Crock pot Asian chicken and Asian slaw
• Pecan crusted chicken and roasted veggies
• Breakfast for dinner (some combination of French toast, pancakes, bacon, eggs, roasted potatoes, etc.)

What meals do you have planned to help you live and save green this month?  I'd love to hear from you!

Frugal Accomplishments 4th Week of March

This past week was once again about using what we have and trying to save where we could.  We were glad to find out that the fix to the car was about $30, not a few hundred like we were anticipating.  I'm grateful to have a mechanic that we can walk from, so I can drop the car off and then little man and I walk to school from there.  It was some good free exercise and mean little logistical issues.

On the down side, we were kind of blind sided with a hefty medical bill.  I had a test done back in February that ended up being way more than anticipated.  We're working through things to try to come up with creative ways to pay that down asap.

• All meals were made at home including:  smoothies, salads, pork loin and potatoes in the crock pot, roasted veggies, and breakfast for dinner.  
• Grateful for shared meals with friends and at our Children's Council groups.  I came home with enough leftovers from our yoga class for at least three extra meals.
• We volunteered for the food pantry pick up at a local grocery store, so we came home with several things including organic yogurt, nondairy milk, fruit, veggies, etc.
• Because we serve on the Wesley Foundation board, the campus minister generously invited us to the board retreat and allowed us to bring the boys.  So, while Benny was in meetings and planning sessions, I got to play with the boys at the conference center and took them to a local science museum that we have a gift membership to.  The boys had a great time and it was a nice break.  We were grateful for the meals and a little overnight time away.
• We continued with our regular hanging of laundry to dry, except sheets.  We had a few extra loads of sheets because of some nighttime accidents, but that's just par for the course right now.
• I worked out by walking the track at the school that's not far from our house, as well as YouTube videos at home.  It was nice to be able to get outside and walk some with the weather warming.
• I worked another hour or so on lesson plans for the local art and history museum I'm consulting for.  I'm hoping to finish that work soon so that I can be paid for that work soon.
• We explored an offer from BB&T to open a new account with them for a $200 bonus.  It looks legitimate, so we'll probably do that this week.
• Combined errands as much as possible.  This saves on gas and allowed us to also be intentional about spending.
• I began completing the paperwork to file for a $100 health credit with one of the insurance policies we have.  It looks like I'll have to get my doctor to complete part of the form, but it shouldn't take too long to get that credit back.
• We found a few more things we can sell on eBay to make a little extra money, which should help pay down the medical bills.  We had a little time to chat last night after the boys were in bed and made a goal of posting at least three new items on eBay each week, which should be do-able.
• I looked through the seeds I'd saved in the freezer from previous years.  I plan to start a few things in pots soon, because we can give them a little protection under the carport.  I'm hoping to begin some greens and maybe herbs.
• Our regular recycling and composting efforts continue.
• I looked over a few of my threadUp emails (referral link).  There were a few tempting things, but to keep our budget, I didn't order anything.  If I earn some more credit with them, I might use the credit to buy a new summer tunic or dress, but it's just a want, so not really necessary.
• After much debate, I decided to let my Mary Kay business lapse.  It's just not where my heart is anymore, and it was becoming difficult to even get enough orders to make the annual activity order reasonable.  I was spending more money than it was worth, so it's better for me to spend elsewhere and let it lapse.

What did you do to live and save green this week?  I'd love to hear from you!

Frugal Accomplishments 3rd Week of March

This past week was a mixture of success and failure, frugally speaking.  We did a pretty good job keeping our regular expenses low, but had a surprise with one car almost dying on us yesterday.  So, we're still waiting to hear what the cause might be and how much the repair will cost.  I'm grateful to have some savings and that the car didn't leave Benny and baby stranded.

Here are our frugal successes (and potential failures):

• Cooked meals at home including:  Asian lettuce wraps (very good, definite repeat), Asian slaw, dinner salads with salmon patties, sloppy joes, eggs and greens, roasted veggies, breakfast for dinner, and smoothies.  The dinner salads with salmon patties were a date night meal, which was nice and something we hadn't made in a while.
• We enjoyed some free meals at our Children's Council parent support groups, as well as dinner with Mom.  
• Treated the family to a meal out since we had some gift card money to spend.  It was not our first choice of restaurant, so I think in the future, we may choose to resell the gift cards and spend the money elsewhere.  The meal upset both of our tummies, though it didn't seem to affect the boys.
• Combined as many errands as possible with trips we were already making into town, including a trip to the grocery store.  I picked up some things on Thursday afternoon on my way to yoga (canned coconut milk, cabbage on sale for 17 cents/pound, and a few other small things).
• Continued with potty training.  Baby is getting very good with things overall, although we still have an accident or two daily.  Sometimes it's just a battle of wills, but we'll work through it.
• All laundry was handled as usual, with washing in cold and hanging to dry.  
• I resisted the temptation to purchase some new shoes I saw on sale online.  So, while I'd have liked them, the $50 we saved by not purchasing them means that we've got more in our savings.
• I put out an appeal to our faculty for trinkets for our treasure box at home.  A few folks have shared items, which makes the treasure box even more fun at home.  The boys are enjoying it, and it's saving us $2/week instead of purchasing something at the Dollar Tree each week.
• Picked up pull ups at the Children's Council instead of purchasing them.  This saved us $7-$10.
• On Saturday, the boys and I went to the library to make leprechaun traps (so fun!).  Then, we went to the Playhouse for some play time, and went to the Humane Society to take the items that little man had received for his birthday to donate there.  He loved the time in the kitty rooms, and was very proud to give his donations.  We saved the tax receipt for the donations.  It was more driving than I usually do on Saturdays, but worth it for the smiles and time petting the cats.
• Gratefully accepted an offer by Mom to keep the boys so we could have a date night.  We stayed home and cooked together, which is something we enjoy but hadn't really had a chance to do in a while.  The dinner of large salads and salmon patties cost us nothing, because it was all from our regular grocery budget, and it helped us clear out the pantry a bit because we used canned salmon.  It was really only a one pan meal, too, since we just had to make and cook the patties.  We made them grain free by using almond flour and coconut flour instead of bread crumbs.
• A wonderful coworker gave us some beautiful free range eggs, just because we shared extra egg cartons with her.  The eggs were clearly more nutritious than grocery store eggs, because the yolks were bright yellow-orange, almost like we'd added turmeric.  They made wonderful meals.
• I used some ingredients we had on hand to make homemade berry popsicles with some coconut water, banana, and frozen berries.  They've been a big hit as dessert or a treat after school.
• We took the boys up to the school yard near the house on Sunday afternoon to practice riding the bike and for some bubble play.  Little man is getting really good at his bike, although I'm afraid he's growing so fast he may need a new bike by summer!
• We began planning our summer vacation.  We got dates on the calendar and are working on ways to save on these trips.  One will be to see family, so lodging and most food will be covered.  We're always sure to take some of our own food and purchase some of our own to help out.  The other trip will be to CA to see a wonderful friend.  We'll pay for this with travel points.  We will likely eat most of our meals with this friend, and take advantage of a hotel breakfast, so meals shouldn't be too expensive.  We'll do a quick shopping trip while there to provide for any snacks or picnic items we might need.
• The previously mentioned car repair is a financial drain, but we're hoping it won't be too big.  We've been trying to set aside some funds to purchase a new car, but had hoped that we could wait to do that.  We'll see what the repairs entail.
• We were grateful to receive a box of gleaned produce, organic non-dairy milk, yogurt, etc. from the food pantry.  This, plus the little bit we had to purchase at the grocery store, will get us through this week nicely.  We continue to try to work down our freezer and pantry shelves.
• I took on a curriculum consultant position with a local art and history museum for their upcoming exhibits to develop lesson plans for them.  I was able to work a few hours this week on that project, so I've documented my time.  I'll submit my initial draft of the first lesson plan to see what they think and so that I know how to proceed with the others.  I'm happy for the side gig work, and am hopeful that it might lead to more consulting work with them in the future.
• I also applied for a summer professional development opportunity.  The stipend is substantial, so we're hopeful that I'll get in.  However, if I don't, it will still be a wonderful summer with the boys at home.  I'm really looking forward to that time with them.  

What did you do to live and save green this past week?  I'd love to hear from you!