Saveology

At MOPS today I was able to teach a small segment on couponing and I thought I would post what I talked about! Hope this helps some of you new couponers!


Budget
-Before you do anything make a budget
-Use cash only. When it is gone you are done!
-A good rule of thumb in setting a family grocery budget is $25 per person a week on all meals. (Example a family of four would have a $100 budget a week)

Where to get your coupons
-Sunday papers (buy at the dollar store)
- Coupons.com
- Couponnetwork.com
-Smartsource.com
-Redplum.com
- Facebook “Likes”
- Blogs have a great coupon database.
-happyhomemakercindy.com
-ingoodcents.com
-pennypinchinmom.com
cuckooforcoupondeals.com- has a great ABC's for couponers-Meijer mperks and mealbox
-All You magazine (subscribe or at Wal-mart only)
*make an email account just for coupons

Where to use coupons
-Meijer, Marsh (double up to .50) Walmart, CVS, Walgreens.
-Target (you can use a target coupon plus a manufacturer coupon on one item)


What no coupons??
-Wal-mart will price match an ad
-Shop the sales!!
-Don’t be brand loyal
-Aim for 50% off regular price (that can be sale plus coupon)
-Make a list before you leave! Stick to it, no impulse buying!

Kids!
- have them help clip coupons
-teach them how it is important to save money and have a budget

Good Price points
-Chicken 1.99 or less a lb
-Ground beef 2.89 or less a lb
-Milk 2.50 a gallon
-Eggs $1 a dozen
-Toilet paper .25 a roll
-Paper towels .50 a roll

Other great ways to save some cash!
-Water heater set to 120 degrees
-AC set at 78 degrees.
-turn ceiling fans off when you leave, fans cool people not rooms.
-Heater set at 68 degrees
-turn heat down when you leave for work or class.
-for  every degree you turn down you can save 1-3% on your bill
-Use a space heater only. You can save upto $1,000 a year
-Turn off the lights when you leave a room

-use compact fluorescent light bulbs. they use 75% less energy and last

           10x longer. You can see a $100 savings in a year.
-Use a crockpot once a week. Pre-heating a oven uses the most energy in your house.
-Pay your bills on time! Paying late can affect your credit.

Unemplyment = cooking at home!

I am to the point where I am truly having to cook at home every night. I do enjoy cooking but I was used to a couple meals at the campus house every week and meals at a restaurant once in a while with students, in other words i didn't have to cook but a couple times a week. The one thing I don't enjoy though is the same meals, nor do i desire to be in the kitchen for two hours trying to put together a meal, so I am now addicted to pinterest for recipes!

I thought I would share some of those recipes with you and what i thought about them. I will only put the ones I actually liked and those that made it into my recipe book! All of these can be found on my pinterest as well!

Now first I do want to mention how I do a meal plan, usually only a week at a time until recently. Both of my grocery stores recently had a wonderful sale on their meats so I stocked up (about a months worth). I went though my recipes before hand, went through my pantry and wrote down the things I still needed to make several meals. Two hours and $85 dollars later I had a month worth of meals!
First up is
Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas
 These were my favorite thing I made this week...honestly my new favorite menu item! Mine actually looked that and tasted even better! Plus I made homemade salsa with it. Very easy and only 20 minutes in the oven.

Second one of the week was
Double Honey garlic chicken
This was my second favorite of the week. Though it has seven different spices in it, it made for a very interesting taste! Mine weren't real crunchy like the pictures, but it was a fun meal to make. Plus i only used half of the flour mix so i froze the rest for later.We served it over rice with a separate sauce, though they also made great sandwiches!

final suggestion of the week was Beef and Broccoli This meal is made in the crock pot and served over rice. Very easy as well. My sauce did not thicken up like the picture showed, but it was still really good. Eat it in a bowl!

"Never Once"

This song brought me to tears this week at church, but it was a true and wonderful reminder for me. I hope you enjoy it.

"Never Once"
Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful


Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Through the tears

Yeah so I am kind of down. Depressed. Moody. Overwhelmed. I HATE the unknown. Not knowing how we are going to pay the bills next month. Not knowing where we might end up moving, let alone if we will even like it. Not knowing what we are going to do about our house. Not knowing what to do for a husband who has been hurt by people we trusted. Not knowing when the wait of wanting to be pregnant is over.

I need a ray of sunshine,  a light at the end of the tunnel. A glimpse of hope. Even better a peace about the unknown. I need laughter. Wow I am typing this through tears in my eyes. Oh the tears how I hate them. They come when I least expect them and they just frustrate me more. They don't wash away the pain, they don't bring back friends. But yet they come and they just make a mess of my makeup.

This evening we were reading to Cadence the story of Gideon (veggie tale style) and how he "tested" God. I kind of want to do that. Anybody have an extra piece of fleece? Through all the things God has asked of us recently the main thing has been to just trust. He is in control. We can handle unemployment. We can handle the disappointment of not being pregnant. We can handle the uncertainties of life. But we can't do it alone.

How I wish Christ was here on earth and he can just grab my hand and lead. I mean literally in the flesh be on earth. Don't get all theological or spiritual on me and tell me, "but he is with you". As a visual learner it would be easier to just see him. But he isn't anymore. He came once and will again someday and until that day I press forward. I do my best to follow him and do his will.