Freezer Cooking

I am 4.5 weeks away from my due date with baby #2, so I am in major nesting mode.  There are so many things left on my to-do lists (Baby Bucket List & Nesting To Do List) so I am trying to choose a few things each day to get crossed off.

I spent some time today researching freezer meal ideas.  I was on the hunt for recipes that included freezing and reheating instructions (not easy to find) and were semi-healthy.  I also have a hatred for any recipe that includes cream of ___ soups.  There is something about that stuff that creeps me out.  I complied a list of 30 different recipes (some are very similar) and will pick and choose from the list what I want to prepare before Emma's arrival.  The first one I will tackle is Baked Ziti.  I will adapt the recipe a bit to fit our tastes (organic ground beef and our favorite jar of pasta sauce, Rao's) and will probably make 3-4 smaller pans instead of 2 large pans.  Definitely a good comfort meal to have on hand!

Here is the list I complied today.  We'll see how many I can knock out before I run out of steam or Emma arrives.  I'll update as I cook and let you know how it goes.  I would love to be able to post updates once we actually eat the meals to let you know how they were, but no promises.  Things will most likely be crazy around here. 

Enjoy!

• Baked Ziti - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/prego-now-and-later-baked-ziti/
• Chili - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/veggie-vegetarian-chili/detail.aspx
• Bean Burritos - http://www.shutterbean.com/2009/make-your-own-freezer-burritos/
• Calzones - http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-calzones-and-freez-151276
• Spinach Lasagna - http://www.babycenter.com/0_frozen-assets-10-easy-recipes-to-freeze_1461090.bc
• Chicken Chili - http://www.babycenter.com/0_frozen-assets-10-easy-recipes-to-freeze_1461090.bc?page=3
• Chicken & Black Bean Chili - http://pregnant.livejournal.com/17071127.html
• Lazy Lasagna Chili - http://pregnant.livejournal.com/17071127.html
• Spaghetti Sauce - http://pregnant.livejournal.com/17071127.html
• Crockpot BBQ Chicken - http://pregnant.livejournal.com/17071127.html
• Baked Ziti - http://pregnant.livejournal.com/17071127.html
• Lasagna (unbaked) - http://www.tammysrecipes.com/easy_lasagna
• Macaroni & Cheese (unbaked) - http://www.tammysrecipes.com/creamy_macaroni_and_cheese
• Three Cheese Baked Spaghetti (unbaked) - http://www.tammysrecipes.com/three_cheese_baked_spaghetti
• Spinach Rice Casserole (unbaked) - http://www.tammysrecipes.com/spinach_rice_casserole
• Chicken Taco Filling - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2012/02/bajios-slow-cooker-chicken.html
• Ham & Cheese Ziti - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2010/05/ham-and-cheese-ziti-by-melissa.html
• Beef & Bean Burrito Pie - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2011/03/giant-beef-and-bean-burritos.html
• Spaghetti Sauce - http://followinginmyshoes.com/healthy-living/recipes/slow-cooker-spaghett-sauce/
• Meatballs - http://followinginmyshoes.com/my-recipes/easy-homemade-meatballs/
• Marinated Chicken for the Grill - http://lifeasmom.com/2010/04/chicken-in-marinades.html
• Dr. Pepper Spaghetti - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2012/02/dr-pepper-spaghetti-by-amity.html
• Manicotti - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2012/03/manicotti-by-kristi.html
• Cranberry Chicken - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2012/04/may-guest-cook-kara-curfman-cranberry.html
• Honey Sesame Chicken - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2012/02/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken.html
• Mac N' Cheese with Tomato - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2011/04/sabrina-nelsons-mac-and-cheese-with.html
• Sunshine Chicken - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2011/01/sunshine-chicken-by-amanda-from-amity.html
• Mexican Stuffed Shells - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2010/09/taco-filled-pasta-shells-by-cassie.html
• Cheeseburger Pie - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2010/03/cheeseburger-pie-by-cassie.html
• Sweet & Spicy Chicken Stir Fry - http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/2012/02/sweet-and-spicy-chicken-stir-fry.html

Rite Aid Diaper Deal

I thought I would share with you a great deal on diapers going on at Rite Aid this week.  If you aren't familiar with Rite Aid, let me tell you a little bit about their two rewards programs.  They have a new program called +Up Rewards.  This is a card you get at the store and you scan it each time you shop there (just like CVS or Kroger).  The card gives you "money" for your next shopping trip, on certain items. These are coupons that print at the bottom of your receipt that you can use on your next purchase (just like CVS Extra Care Bucks).  Rite Aid also has another reward program called Single Check Rebates.  This is something you do online.  After each shopping trip, you go to their website (https://riteaid.rebateplus.com)  and enter your receipt information and then at the end of the month you have to go back to the site and request your check for that month. (You can only request your check one time per month, so make sure you have entered all your receipts for that month!)  This online rebate takes a little more "work", but is essentially free money.  I get a check in the mail every month from Rite Aid for at least $5, but sometimes up to $20 (depending on that month's deals).  This is a regular check that you can deposit or cash at your bank.

So, here is the diaper deal going on at Rite Aid this week...

Buy 1 pack of Pampers Diapers at $8.99

- You will get back $2 of +Up Reward "money" for your next shopping trip at Rite Aid
- When you enter your receipt online, you will earn $2 more that you can have sent to you at the end of the month
- If you got the Sunday Paper this past weekend (August 1st), there was also a $1.50 coupon for Pampers in the P&G Coupon flyer that you can use
- Also in the same coupon flyer was a coupon for a free pack of Pampers wipes when you buy a pack of Pampers diapers that you can use
- So, you can get a pack of Pampers diapers and a box of Pampers wipes for $3.49!!  That's a great deal!!!

Even if you don't have the two coupons from the Sunday paper, it's still a good deal!

If you have any questions, let me know!!

Our Playroom

I am so excited about the playroom we are creating for Hannah.  It has been a work in progress for a couple months now, but it is finally starting to come together!  YEAH!  I still don't know how to decorate the room, but I have figured out the layout and the furniture we need.  We already have a couch and a chair in the room (these used to be in our family room) and the pack n' play is in there.  Other than that, we needed a lot of book storage.  Since I used to teach second grade, I have a ton of children's book (we are talking a couple thousand!), so we needed some bookshelves.  I really loved the shelves at Pottery Barn Kids, but the ones I liked were $200 a piece....and we needed at least 2.  So I went on the hunt for good quality shelves at a decent price.  Thanks to some friends on Facebook, I found some at Target that are very nice!  And the price was amazing...just $60 each.  At that price, I could order 3 for less than one of the PBKids ones....so I did!  I spent a couple hours on Tuesday putting the shelves together (wow there were a lot of screws!) and am very impressed with how solids they are!

Since I didn't get the PBKids shelves, I decided to get the baskets from there (they were on sale and so cute!)  I spent Wednesday putting those together (very easy) and filling them with toys.  I love the way they look on the shelves. 

The top shelves will hold books and the baskets will have toys in them.  Yeah for storage that is practical and cute!  But now I need help with the rest of the room!  Unfortunately the couch in the playroom is read (doesn't really match my pink and green baskets), but the chair is a very neutral khaki.  You can see the wall color in this picture (also a neutral khaki).  The other thing I want to get for the room (eventually) is a small table and chairs.  I have been looking on a great website (www.eplayfurniture.com) and have a few in mind, but nothing picked out yet.  I like the look of the espresso table and chairs to match the shelves.  But I desperately need help with the decorating of the walls and the rest of the room.  I am so bad at that!  I barely have any pictures hanging on our walls in the entire house and we have lived here for over 3 years!  I need help!!  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :-)

More Ways to Save

I am just in a saving money mood lately! :-)  I thought of a few more ways that we cut corners around here, so I thought I would share.  Maybe you will find something that is helpful!

• I only use half a dryer sheet for each load.  I find that half works just as well as a whole.  Better yet, you can skip dryer sheets altogether.  But I like the way they make my clothes feel and smell.
• I reuse gallon ziploc bags when I can.  When we open a bag of cookies I store them in a ziploc to keep them fresh.  Instead of throwing it out after the cookies are gone, I reuse it for something else.  Since the cookies were in their original bag still, the ziploc isn't dirty at all.  I do this for as many things as I can....ziplocs are expensive and not exactly a "green" product.
• I only use half of a baby wipe on small messes.  I tear them in half if it's just a wet diaper and stick the other half back in the container for next time.  They tear easily and half a wipe is all I need for wet diaper changes.
• Brian and I rarely buy gifts for each other.  Neither one of us has the love language of gift giving or receiving, so gifts just aren't a huge deal for us.  We would rather have a hand written letter than an expensive gift.  However, it is nice to get a surprise every once in a while. :-)  But normally when we want or need something, we just buy it then.
• I save scrap paper if it's blank on one side.  Instead of throwing out paper that only has a little writing on it, I try to reuse the clean sides.  For example, when I print a coupon it only uses the top of one sheet of paper and the rest is just blank.  After cutting out the coupon, I save the rest for writing down grocery lists or other notes.  This is definitely the "greener" way.
• I never get my hair cut!  This is not because I want to save money, it's more of a matter of laziness really.  But I really only get a hair cut once a year, if that.  When I do get it cut, I have it cut fairly short and then it just grows out over time.  I like going from long to short and I get to donate the hair they cut every time.  I also don't color my hair or highlight it because that is just so expensive and really not good for your hair.  I figure as I get older and get grey hairs I will have to dye it, so why start now?!
• Brian does all our lawn care himself.  Granted we don't have a very pretty yard, but it is maintained and looks just fine for us.  We aren't very outdoorsy people, so as long as the grass is mowed, we are fine! 
• Brian does our taxes himself.  He actually enjoys it....one benefit of marrying a finance guy! :-)

Money-Saving Tips

A few posts back I wrote about how we strive to live frugally and to be wise with our money (Life Abundantly)  I wanted to make a list of some of the money-saving strategies that we use on a daily basis around here.  Not all of them will work for everyone, but maybe there is something on this list that you hadn't thought of before. 

1. Clip coupons - These can be accumulated from so many different sources...the Sunday paper, magazines, coupon dispensers in the grocery store, and online...And even if you only have a couple every time you shop, you will at least be saving more than you were without them!  And when you combine a coupon with a sale, you save that much more!
2. Stock up - When you find a good price on something you use often, buy a bunch of it!  We do this with a lot of things (cereal, chips, snack bars, canned goods, pasta, pasta sauce, frozen veggies, toilet paper, paper towels, diapers, wipes, cleaning products, etc.)  The one thing we buy this way that has saved us the most money is boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  We never pay more than $1.99 per pound and we freeze them.  We buy several packs at a time, trim off any fat, pound them thin, wrap them in saran wrap, and store them in gallon sized ziplocs.  Then I just take out how many I need and let them defrost in the fridge the night before I plan to use them.  Such an easy way to save a lot of money!
3. Use cloth diapers - This doesn't apply if you don't have little ones at home, but I thought I would put it on this list anyway.  We use cloth diapers part-time (not at night or when we travel) and save a bunch of money.  Yes, there is the up-front cost of buying the diapers, but they pay for themselves in no time and can be used for multiple children.  The resale value of cloth diapers is amazing as well!!
4. Breastfeed - Again, this doesn't apply if you don't have little ones at home.  I think it goes without saying that you save a TON of money breastfeeding instead of formula feeding.
5. Make your own baby food - Also doesn't apply for those without children at home.  It really doesn't take that much more work and the benefits and cost savings are huge.  You know exactly what your child is eating and you can make large batches and freeze in smaller portions.
6. Buy things used - You don't always have to have brand new items.  We have never purchased a "new" car and most likely never will....why would you?  Baby items are also great to buy used.  Other things that come to mind that are just as good second-hand are books, cds, and dvds, among other things.
7. Shop online - You can save a ton of money by buying things online.  When you buy online you can take the time to find the best price available and there is less of a chance of impulse buying.  We use sites like www.froogle.com to make sure we are getting the best price.  Also, be sure to look for coupon codes before you buy anything online.  Check out the website www.retailmenot.com
8. Sell unwanted items on Craigslist - I have actually made a good amount of money by selling our "junk" on Craigslist.  There was a time when I was making a couple hundred dollars a month from my sales and getting rid of unwanted stuff we had lying around.  
9. Stay organized - When you are organized you know what you have.  That way you won't purchase something you already have but just forgot about. 
10. Buy nice things - Yes, the initial cost is more, but you save money in the long run.  If you buy furniture that is well made, it will last longer.  If you buy cheap stuff, it will fall apart and you will have to replace it more often, therefore costing you more.
11. Buy/Eat what is in season - We always eat the fruits and veggies that are in season, therefore on sale.  I plan our meals around what is in season.  This way we are eating the freshest fruits and veggies and saving a lot of money!
12. Reuse plastic grocery bags - I try to use reusable grocery bags as much as I can, but when I do get a plastic grocery bag I always reuse it at home.  I use them in small trash cans so that I don't have to buy trash bags for those cans.  We also use them in Hannah's diaper bag for dirty diapers and for Brian's lunches.  Another good place to keep some is in the car...you never know when you will need one!  I used them as barf bags on more than one occasion while pregnant. :-(

Life Abundantly

We live a full life.  We have been blessed with so much!  My husband has a great job, we have a home in a safe neighborhood, we are able to buy the things that we need (food, gas, clothes, etc.),  I am able to stay home with Hannah...the list goes on and on.  We thank the Lord daily for His many blessings and are constantly in awe of how good He is to us.  However, all those things do not come freely.  We are very wise with our money and feel that whatever the Lord gives us, we should use it to the best of our ability.  Many people wonder how we are able to live with only one income.  It's not always easy.  We do have to make sacrifices, but to us, it is worth it.  Thanks to our frugal way of living we are both able to do what we love!

So, I thought I would share some of our money-saving strategies with you.

1. Grocery Shopping - I rarely pay full-price for anything. I shop the sales and use coupons on top of that.  Yes, it does take extra time to plan out what I will buy, but we save over 50% every time we shop.  I get all my shopping lists from Southern Savers and plan my meals around what is on sale each week.  I also keep a running price list of the items I buy regularly.  That way I always know what the best price is and don't get sucked in by the "SALE" signs.  Our grocery bill is rarely over $60 per week and often WAY less! :-)  
2. We eat dinner at home every night during the week.  Even if I don't have a meal fully planned (and believe me, these days I don't!) we still find something to eat in the house.  But we do eat out on Friday and Saturday nights (most of the time).  This gives me a much needed break from cooking and gets us out of the house! :-)  However, when we do eat out, we often use coupons.
3. We don't have the latest and greatest gadgets.  This is hard in the society we live in.  We are bombarded with new gadgets and gizmos on a daily basis.  It is so easy to think, "I need that new ___.  If I don't get it I will not be fully satisfied."  We rarely buy new electronics and the ones we have were most likely gifts. ;-)  When we do finally decide to upgrade on of our electronics (cell phone, tv, dvd player, etc.) we do a TON of research and find the very best price available.  
4. We save a lot of our earnings.  Thankfully I married a finance major, so I don't have to worry about balancing the check book or saving money in a ROTH IRA.  Because he is so great at doing these things, I stay out of his way and let him do his thing. :)  So I can't speak much about the actual investments, but what I do know is that he has the money automatically taken out of his paycheck so that we never even see it.  That way, we don't miss it!  We have learned to live on less because we see less.

Even though we are frugal with our money, we still leave room for fun and spontaneity.  We love to travel (well, I should say "loved"...not doing much traveling now that Hannah is here), we love good food, we like to shop, and we have the freedom to do those things.  Being frugal doesn't mean you have to live a boring life.  For us, it is just the opposite.  We are able to live a life filled with joy and peace because we are wise with what the Lord has given us.