Super EASY & Delicious Peach/Strawberry Jam!
I’m loving all the fruit coming on! From pears and peaches to plums and more I’ve been busy canning away! This year though I stepped out of my comfort zone and make jam! Guys, this was my first year making jam and can I say, it’s so easy!! My amazing friend gave me her recipe and I got busy whipping up batches! Here it is:
7 Cups of peaches
7 cups sugar (or to liking)
1 box Jello (large box) I used strawberry but orange and raspberry sound yummy too
I left the skin on my peaches but just cleaned them really well and took out the pits. Then once I had seven cups I added the sugar and turned on the burner to cook them down. I used my immersion blender to get everything mixed and blended together then added the jello. Allow to simmer until thickened and then can them.
How to Save Money on Working Out
Do you want to keep fitness in your life, but need to trim down your budget? I’ve been there my friends. I used to spend a lot of money on a gym membership but finally figured out that it was killing my budget (before I started paying attention to my budget that is).
Anyway, I have figured out that you really don’t need to spend a lot of money to stay fit, in fact, you really almost don’t need to spend any money to stay fit. Here are just some of the tips that I follow on how to save money on working out and you can too!
- Take a hike. Seriously, hiking is an AMAZING workout that burns calories, and lets you explore the beautiful nature around you while you do so! Anyone that is looking for a frugal workout option, I always recommend hiking. I have hiked over 50+ trails in my state (most more than once) and have loved them all, although I do prefer waterfall hikes.
- Walk. Go walking around your neighborhood, or to a local park that has walking trails. Again, the fresh air and nature all around you are exhilarating and a fun way to get your fitness on!
- Youtube it. We live in the glorious technology age! Take advantage of that. There are countless workout videos available to stream on YouTube. You can literally do any type of workout right in your living room.
- Play with your kids. Kids have non-stop energy. Try to join in that with them and play play play! You would be surprised to find out how many calories you can burn this way.
What are your favorite ways to work out without the gym? I would love to hear all of your awesome ideas!
How to Save Money on Name Brand Clothes
With the back to school rush upon us, and some of us already shipping our kids off to school, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the cost of clothing for our kids. It is also really easy to overspend while shopping for our kids. This is exceptionally true if you are shopping for teenagers.
While I don’t prescribe to the “keeping up with the Jones’” mentality in my family, I also want my daughter to be able to have the clothes she wants and for her to fit in with other kids. Because, yes, other kids notice if your kid isn’t wearing name brand stuff and kids are mean so they give other kids a hard time for being “poor.” This is all ridiculous, of course, but I have found that I far prefer to give my children the opportunity to not stand out for the bullies. That being said, no, I am not poor, but I am certainly not going to waste hard earned money on a label. So, what can I do? Well, I buy the label, but I buy them smart.
Here are a couple of tips on how to save money on name brand clothes:
- Buy used. I am not afraid to buy used clothes. As a matter of fact, it is my preferred way to shop for clothing. For my daughter, her label of choice is American Eagle jeans. She currently has 8 pair of these jeans in her closet and I will tell you this, I have only bought 1 pair of these jeans brand new. EVERY SINGLE other pair of these jeans was purchased at either Goodwill (on half priced day) or Plato’s Closet. I’m not kidding. She has a drawer full of these popular jeans and other than the one new pair she got, we have never spent more than $10 on a pair.
- Shop Clearance. Clearance is the way to go when shopping for almost everything! Sometimes you can save as much as 75% on clothes and shoes shopping this way. Oftentimes these are barely out of season, so they are still in fashion.
- Outlet Malls. If you have an outlet mall near you, I highly recommend shopping there, especially during big sales weekends. I buy almost all of my family’s shoes at outlet malls and have scored some seriously low prices on clothes and shoes.
Do you like, or do you have a family member that loves name brand clothing? How do you save money on them?
How to Save Money on Furniture
So, you are wanting to get new furniture for your house, but don’t want to break the bank? What to do, what to do? I feel ya because I am literally in the process of moving into my very first brand new home and I so badly want new furniture, but we are on a budget. But have no fear, we can do this! It can happen my friends, you can buy furniture to get your house looking its very best without spending a lot of money. Here are some of my favorite tips on how to money on furniture:
- Buy used. Seriously, I know the big bed bug scare is terrifying, but it happens FAR less often than you would think and you can find some amazing deals on Craigslist, OfferUp and Facebook marketplace on furniture. If you are too afraid of bedbugs, just stick to furniture that doesn’t have soft surfaces.
- Auctions. I didn’t realize this until just this morning actually, but you can buy furniture, even brand new furniture for amazingly low prices at auctions. You can probably Google “Furniture Auctions” and find ones near you.
- Outlet stores. Outlet stores have really great deals on furniture. Occasionally you will find factory seconds, or dent and scratch deals (typically very minor flaws) and huge discounts.
- Clearance section. For the love of Pete, buy last year’s models! You are going to save so much money and unless you are friends with a furniture designer no one is going to know if your furniture is hot this season or not. Any honestly, no one will care.
- Buy display models. Why not buy the display model of a piece of furniture? These typically come with 20% or more discounts! Well worth it!
How have you saved money on furniture before? Or do you like to pay full price on it?
How to Make the Perfect Dole Whip
Summer is not over and now is the time to enjoy a yummy Dole Whip right from your own home. If you’ve been to Disneyland then you know all about this yummy treat. It’s one that we tend to get every time we go to Disneyland. This treat would make a great family night treat or Friday night friend night treat. Enjoy!
Copycat Dole Whip Recipe
From: Magical Recipes
Ingredients:
- 2 20 ounce cans Dole crushed pineapple with juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
Directions:
- Drain pineapple; reserve 2 tablespoons juice. Set aside.
- Place pineapple, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and reserved pineapple juice in blender or food processor container; cover and blend until smooth.
- Pour into two 1-quart freezer zipped bags and store bags flat in freezer.
- Freeze 1-1/2 hours or until slushy.
- Stir pineapple slush gently into whipped cream until slightly blended, in large bowl.
- Return to freezer until completely frozen, about 1 hour.
- Enjoy
How to Save Money on Healthy Foods
Outside of your home and health insurance expenses, what is the biggest expense for your family? I bet you are going to say food/groceries. Feeding your family is one of the most important things you need to do in life, but it is also one of the most expensive. Keeping your food bill on a budget is an important tool for keeping your entire budget on track, but it can be done.
We have made it to where I can feed my family of 5 for $500 per month. I’ve seen people do better, but I’ve seen a lot of people do worse too. The thing is though, I like to feed my family a healthy diet free of packaged and convenience foods, which can be much cheaper.
Here are the tips I followed to learn how to save money on healthy foods:
- Shop at my local farm stand. Just a couple miles from my house is a non-gmo farm stand where I can get really cheap produce! I find apples 5/$1.00 zucchini 4/$1.00 and watermelons for $3 each. The food is fresh, local and cheap and it helps keep my food bill down.
- Shop sales at the grocery store. I almost never buy anything full price so just about every single meal at my home has been planned around the sales at the grocery store.
- Meal plan. I know, I know, I talk about it all the time, but the reality is, meal planning is such an integral part of maintaining a budget. Try this: create one month of healthy meals and shop around that plan (while sticking to sales).
- Avoid pre-packaged meals. Convenience foods that proclaim to be healthy meals are almost always going to be more expensive than other healthy foods. Try the good old rule for grocery shopping: stick to the perimeter to eat healthiest!
What are your favorite tips on keeping the price of healthy foods down?
Save Money on Healthcare with These Tips
I know that healthcare continues to be top on the list of expenses in life. The thing is though that there are things that we can do to keep our healthcare expenses lower. Check out how you can save money on healthcare with these tips:
- Go to a dental school for tooth care. If you are having tooth problems, consider heading to a dental school. Dental students will work on you for far less money and they have certified dentist/teachers supervisors watching over them.
- Go generic. When you are buying prescriptions, ask for the generic version. You can save a significant amount of money, by not going name brand.
- Get a discount card. If you don’t have dental insurance, you can sign up for a discount card to save a huge percentage off of the typical price.
- Audit your bills. If you have a hospital bill, you should make it a habit to inspect your bills. Hospitals are big and they sometimes make mistakes. You never know how much you might save just by inspecting it.
- Explain your circumstances. If you are short on cash, tell your doctor or dentist exactly that and they may be able to offer a different option for you that could cost less.
- Ask for sample meds. If you have a prescription that is needed, ask your doctor if they have any samples that you can use. You may be able to save a little bit of money this way.
- Get high dose prescriptions. Did you know that a high dose prescription often costs the same as the same meds in low dose? Many times you can simply split these pills in half (make sure you ask your pharmacist though!).
There are lots of other tips out there for saving on your healthcare, you just have to be creative.
Hidden Ways to Save Money on Back to School
So, we all now know how to save money on things like clothing and other back to school stuff, but how can you save money on the all of the fees that it takes to actually send your kids back to school? You know what I mean, registration fees, lunch fees, school sports fees, etc.
Here are several hidden ways to save money on back to school:
- Check for scholarships. Depending on your actual need, there may be scholarships available for certain registration fees.
- Skip the extras. I just registered my daughter for high school and they charged $30 for a yearbook. My daughter had been saving up, so she opted to buy it, but don’t forget that this is not a requirement. I mean, really, how often are your kids going to actually be looking at that yearbook?
- Make lunches at home. Unless you qualify for reduced or free lunches, school lunch is quite expensive. You will save a significant amount of money by making the kids cold lunches at home.
- Look into reduced sports fees. It doesn’t matter if your child is playing sports for the school or a different sports program (kids inc, etc), there are often scholarships and reduced fees for families in need. Sometimes the fees will be cut in half, sometimes they will be discounted even more. Alternatively, they also occasionally allow payment plans.
- Cut back on new school clothes. Chances are, your child doesn’t need hundreds of dollars worth of new back to school clothes, maybe cut back on those a little bit to free up other money.
Back to school is expensive enough, there is no need to add more stress to it by stretching your budget beyond its means. If you are struggling to make ends meet, there are things that you can do to make it easier to afford.
Good luck and happy back to school everyone!
How Much Should You Be Spending on Date Nights?
Okay, let’s get real, when was the last time you and your hubby went out on a REAL date? I’m talking a lipstick-dressed up-high heels wearin’ date. For most of us, it doesn’t happen very often. When we think of a date night it might be a quick dinner at the local Wendy’s, but hey you’re on a date. So how much should you be spending on date nights? For me and my hubby, we like to break it into groups. Couple date nights, routine date nights and unique/new date nights. These categories usually have a similar price point that we try to stay around. We like to spread the more expensive type of dates which are the unique/new date nights throughout the year. That way our date nights are always fresh and different. We usually classify dates this way:
Routine Date Nights: These are the cheapest date nights. These are hopefully every week or every other week. These date nights could be totally free. It could be as simple as a walk through your neighborhood and just talk. It could be a dinner at Noodles & Company with a coupon for a free meal. It could be anything close by that you do regularly. We try and keep these super cheap so we can spend more money on the other dates.
Couple Date Nights: This is obviously when we go out with other couples. This is usually priced between the routine date nights and the unique date nights. This could be a little pricey depending on what you decide to do or it can be super cheap too. Obviously we try and use gift cards or coupons whenever we go out to dinner or to an event. We try and keep this price range around $50-$100. Now everyone is different and every budget is different so you can change it up and put price ranges on these 3 categories to fit your budget. We typically do this a few times a year.
Unique/New Date Nights: These types of dates are your most expensive date nights. These could be dates that cost you even $300 or more. If you have your heart set on seeing Justin Timberlake in concert or you hear that Hamilton the musical is coming to your city, you just might want to splurge and fork out your arm and leg for a ticket. You know what? Those are super fun date nights and so worth paying the money. Finding a new resteraunt that might cost a little more, but you’ve never been to is so fun to try out. We try to save for these date nights through the year. Some years we only do one of these date nights per year. However, some years we might do more.
So how much do you spend on your date nights? What would you spend more money on and what would you be willing to save money on? Those are some questions you might want to think about. If you are NOT going on date nights, then you totally need to start doing it! You can make a budget and then schedule them out throughout the year. It really makes dating so much fun.
Meal Planning Tips for Everyone!
Anyone else not great at meal planning through the summer? We’re running around, on vacation, attending BBQ’s and everything in between. That also means we’ve been eating out a lot more than I’d like. So with school back in session I thought what better time to get back into meal planning. If you’ve never tried meal planning give it a try, you’ll find less stress come dinner time and more money in your bank account!
First I like to come up with themes for each day of the week. This gives us a variety throughout the week and we’re not eating the same type of meals back to back. You can do:
- Breakfast
- Pasta
- No Meat
- Soups
- Italian
- Misc/Leftovers
- Chicken Night
- Casserole
- Crock Pot
- Grill Night
- Kids Pick
You’re going to create a master list. Divide each of these themes out and put your family favorites under each one. Then when you’re ready to plan out your week (or longer if you’d like to plan out more) you’ll select one for each theme for the day you’re on. Here’s a FREE worksheet you can use to make this planning easier. But don’t throw your list out when the week is over! You can use these over and over! I have 4 of them I route through meaning we have a whole month planned out with different meals for each week.
Now don’t forget to check what you have first before you head to the grocery store. Keep things organized in your pantry and storage so you know what you have and when things will expire. Use these up first so you’re not throwing away your own money. Then be sure to shop the sales. If your budget will allow, stock pile on the items you’ll use. I’ve found with having the 4 rotating menus, I know what ingredients we’ll use and need to stock up on through the month. When the sales hit, I’m ready.
The best part is you can involve your whole family in the process so everyone gets to have their favorite meals throughout the month. AND this same process works for lunches too. I hope this will help with less stress come dinner time and you’ll no longer be wondering “what’s for dinner” 30 minutes before it needs to be on the table.
How to Save Money on Your Next Date Night
So, you and your honey want to go out for date night, but you are also on a budget. What to do, what to do. I’ve been there, countless times. Truthfully my husband and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary tomorrow (YAY!!) and we have had many many date nights through those years. Not all of those date nights cost us money, plenty were had when we were dirt poor, so we know how to make a date night happen. .If you are looking for new ideas on how to save money on your next date night, here you go:
- Date night in – Date nights don’t have to mean a night out. Date nights for us have always been about making time to spend together a priority. Sometimes that meant that we sit outside with a glass of wine at night, or we watch old reruns of Friends in bed together. We just made sure that time was carved out of our days to spend time one-on-one.
- Coupons – Coupons aren’t just for groceries, my friends! There are lots of coupons out there for restaurants and things to do. Check Groupon, look on the back of your grocery receipt, check the paper, there are plenty of coupon options out there for you.
- Skip the drinks. You can buy a bottle of wine for cheap, no need to spend $7+ per glass at the restaurant. Next time you go out to dinner with your honey, opt for a couple of drinks when you get home instead of with your dinner.
- Take a walk. Walking is free, the air is fresh and you can choose your surroundings. I love taking walks with my husband instead of sitting in a crowded restaurant.
These are just a couple of the very simple options of ways we have had our date nights that have saved us quite a bit of money. What is your favorite way to save money on date night?
Back to School Time Saving Tips
Public school buses parked in a line with doors open
When school is getting ready to start again, life just gets busy and hectic and it feels like you simply don’t have time for anything. I have three children, I know the drill. This year though I have a kid going into middle school and one in high school, plus a toddler in tow, I need all the time I can get.
So, if you are like me and you need some help with time management, here are some back to school time savings tips:
- Make a schedule. Make a schedule of the things you need to do and plan accordingly. Combine trips, plan shopping trips together, etc.
- Shop online. I’m all for supporting local businesses, but the reality is, online shopping helps you save a lot of time and sometimes a lot of money in general.
- Meal plan. Create a meal plan for the week or month ahead. Planning your meals in advance cuts down on time needed throughout the day.
- Recruit the kids to help. I know it seems easier to just do all of the work yourself, but I promise you once you actually hand off some responsibility to the kids, it will start getting easier. Plus, they need to learn these responsibilities anyway.
- Get schedules early. Be sure to get the kids schedules early so that you know exactly what times they will need to arrive at school or the bus stop.
What things have you found to be best at helping you save time when it comes to back to school time? Time management hasn’t always been my strong suit and I still to this day find that I falter in it from time to time. I would love to hear any tips and/or pointers that you have found helpful in saving you time.
Easy, Low-Cost Fall Decor Ideas
The chill in the air, the ever so slightly change in colors, I know that you can feel it coming. You know what I am talking about, Fall! That’s right, my friends, Fall is coming and it is coming quickly. Pretty soon we will be seeing pumpkin flavored everything and harvest parties galore. In order to avoid spending an arm and a leg on decor when Fall does arrive, get started now on prepping your decorations.
Here are some easy, low-cost fall decor ideas to get your house ready for the upcoming season:
- Look in your storage. I bet you have some old decor stored up already, right? I always find seasonal decorations that I have forgotten about stored in my closets and garage.
- Go thrift shopping. Right now is a great time to go into Goodwill or other thrift stores to look for deals on autumn decor. Thrift shops are just like any other store and they prepare their merchandise based upon the season. I was recently in my local Goodwill store and saw lots of cute fall wreaths and other decor pieces for just a couple of dollars.
- Check out the dollar store. The dollar store is truly one of the best places to buy decor. Just $1 can get you a good decor piece that can be accented by other all-season decor pieces. I love buying fall colored napkins and candles at the dollar store.
- Check out nature. Some of the best decor pieces that you can use during the fall season is stuff that occurs in nature itself. Hay, dried leaves, corn husks, pumpkins and gourds are all free or very cheap and make the best autumn decor pieces.
Fall is my favorite season to decorate for and I love how inexpensive it can be to do so. What is your favorite way to decorate for the fall?
10 Easy Tips for Keeping Your House Clean
Do you need a little help keeping your house clean? I know I do. I have three children and let’s face it, it is HARD to keep a house clean with a toddler running around the house and big kids running from activity to activity.
If you need a little bit of assistance getting your house in order, check out this list of 10 easy tips for keeping your house clean:
- Make a chore list. Keep a list of all of the chores that need to be done and follow it. If you are anything like me, you sometimes forget things (even if they are right in front of you), having things listed out, helps with that.
- Enlist the family’s help. You are not the only one that lives there, you are not the only one that should be cleaning it.
- Make a cleaning schedule. In addition to listing out the chores that need to be done, make a schedule of what chores will be done each day. This helps to ensure that it all gets done.
- Unload the dishwasher right away. I have found that a great way to keep my kitchen clean is by clearing out the dishwasher the minute it is done. That way whenever a dish gets dirtied up it can go straight into the dishwasher and not dirty up the sink or counter.
- Fold laundry right away. Laundry is my housekeeping downfall. It really can be the difference between my house being cleaned and a disaster. I have found that if I fold my laundry the minute it comes out of the dryer, my house stays much cleaner and less cluttered.
- Keep cleaning cloths/wipes handy. Always keep cleaning cloths and/or wipes within easy reach in the kitchen. This way you can easily wipe up any messy spills right away.
Tips & Tricks to Save the Most Money on Back to School Shopping
If you haven’t started school yet, you probably are getting close. We start school in less than 2 weeks and I’m kinda freaking out. I should be more prepared than I am, but I’m not. If you are in the same boat, no worries. There is still time and plenty of deals available to save money. Here are a few tips and tricks you will want to remember when you shopping both online and in-stores.
Shopping Online Tips
When shopping online you will want to first go directly to the site. During this time of year there will no doubt be coupon codes and possibly free shipping available. For example, Under Armour is having a 25% off backpacks and free shipping on their site. That makes the backpacks cheaper than what you would find on Amazon or other selling sites. So check direct websites first and see what deals they are offering.
You will also want to see if the sites have email lists. If they do then they usually have a coupon code or deal for signing up for emails. Take advantage of those extra savings. If you are already signed up for emails then be sure to check your emails! There could be some extra savings you aren’t aware of already available for you.
Whenever I am shopping online you want to take advantage of the free shipping. I either try to buy all I want in one big purchase to reach the minimum free shipping amount or I wait until they offer the free shipping.
In-store Shopping Tips
When shopping in-stores you’ll first want to see if they have an app. Most stores will have apps and special coupons or deals available. Once you have the app you can check those out. For example, if you are shopping at Target for school supplies or clothing you can take advantage of their Target Cartwheel coupons as well as their other coupons on their app. You’ll want to download these apps before you get in-stores because you can compare and see which stores may have the better deals.
Before you head in-stores see if they have coupons directly on their online site. You can either print those out or show them on your mobile phone when checking out in-stores.
This time of year a lot of stores are offering cash back ore credit with purchases. For example The Children’s Place is offering a FREE $10 PLACE cash on every $20 that you spend.
Hopefully those tips will help you save a little more money when shopping for your back to school items. If you need some price points for this years school supplies, be sure to check out this post. Have a great school year!