I'm BACK!!! Finally, I have a menu planned before the week begins and I also have all my ingredients as well. Boy does it feel great to be prepared:) Now that my husband is home during the week I am needing to menu plan. When it was just the little boys and I, I could get away with serving ground beef with beans and rice every night, but I am thinking that my husband will want something more than that. So it's back to menu planning for me.Sunday: Beef short ribs in the crockpot w/BBQ sauce, crispy potato wedges, fruitMonday: Crockpot Chile Verde, (this is totally different than chili, with an "i")Tuesday: Clean Out the Pantry Crockpot Chili - Keep Reading
Menu Plan Monday
Presenting Matthew Brian Robert Davis
It's been a bit quiet today here at Frugal Living NW because I had my baby last night!I went into labor early in the morning Wednesday and had moderate contractions every 20 or so minutes until about 5 in the evening. I spent the day reorganizing my household stash, writing posts, taking a great nap and generally getting ready to push a baby out!Around dinner time, things picked up quickly -- hard contractions every 3-4 minutes. My midwives came over a bit after 7:00 and I entered birthing bliss -- the birthing tub. And, of course, my labor completely slowed down. One of my midwives checked me and told me I was at 7 cm. Come to find out later she's a Keep Reading
How to Can Apple Pie Filling
My husband is a HUGE apple pie fan, so ever since his Aunt Anita started giving some of her canned apple pie filling to us for Christmas, I have been wanting to learn to do the same. Well, I finally did it! Friday, the boys and I went to her home where we all, including Grandma, peeled, cored and sliced up 6 large boxes of the hugest apples I have ever seen. She then taught me all the steps to canning and sent me home with 16 jars AND a box of apples. We had fun and I learned a lot, including that canning apples is not very difficult. I don't know what the exact cost ended up as there was a lot of sugar involved, among other things. I do know, Keep Reading
Menu Plan Monday – Finally!
This is the first time in a while that I have actually had my grocery shopping done at the beginning of the week in order for me to have a menu planned for Monday. It is really quite calming to be done for the week, so let's hope this is a trend that will continue!Breakfast:* Waffles*Bob's Breakfast, aka: yogurt & granola with milk and fruit*eggs on toast*oatmealLunch:*tuna fish sandwiches (have to use up all that tuna somehow!)*PB&J's, fruit*Mac&Cheese, fruit smoothieSnacks:*strawberry banana smoothies*zucchini bread*hummus & crackers*almonds & cranberries*carrots from the garden (no really, they eat them like candy!)Dinner:*Tuna Keep Reading
Is Costco Really Worth It?
I just received a great question from Heidi, a new couponer: My family has a basic Costco membership (I think $40/year) and we shop there at least once a month. I also get my contact lenses there and we get some other household things there (toilet paper, etc.). Since I'm new to couponing, I'm still learning how to do the deals and combine discounts, but at this stage of the game, just running out to Costco seems a lot easier for some things (like TP). Could you please address if Costco is or isn't really cheaper than Walgreens, Target, Safeway, Albertsons (with coupons) and/or if it's worth paying for the "privilege" to shop there. Here's the short Keep Reading
My $40 Food Budget and Menu Planless Monday
Don't you hate it when you go into a store for "just one thing" and come out with a whole bag worth?!I went into Fred Meyers today to get the 5/$10 deal using my $1/1 Cheerios challenge coupons and ended up using half my food budget there. There were some good deals, though, so I'm actually glad I stopped. I will even admit, to the loyal Freddies fans, last week was a good week at Fred Meyer. Enjoy that, it doesn't happen often.Fred Meyer 6.07lbs. Foster Farms Chicken Breasts $6.01Cheerios $2 (only one left, but I got a rain check!)canteloupe $.37/lb. = $1.71bananas $.59/lb. = $1.61red grapes $.98/lb. = $1.78leaf lettuce $132 oz. Daisy sour cream Keep Reading
Saving Money On "Real Food"
photo by rhettmaxwellI received the following email from a reader, Janelle, and thought the discussion would be helpful to many of you. I've been reading your weblog off and on for a while, and have a question for you. I notice that most (not all) of the "deals" you get, and that are out there with coupons are for foods that I don't choose to feed my family. Processed, not organic, not local, containing high fructose corn syrup, etc. While I admit, we're not perfect, how does a family that often eats granola (from the bulk bins or homemade), homecooked meals, and uses natural or kitchen (vinegar, etc) products to clean, actually use the tips that Keep Reading