Home Management Binder: Menu Planning/Master Grocery List

What would be a Home Management Binder without a Menu Planning section? Check out this post for some Menu Planning tips and tricks if you are still new to the game.


This section is still a work in progress. My goal when it is finished is to have a complete Master Grocery List, and a Monthly Menu Plan to fall back on--in those busy, crazy times when I just do not have the time to come up with a plan.










This is my the cover page for this section. Feel free to Click Here and print yours.






Behind my cover page is extra notebook paper for me to write down meals, side dishes or desserts that I come across during the day, that I want to try. If I find them on the internet, I will either save them in my favorites or Stumble them so I can find them later. If I find it in a cookbook, I will go ahead and write down the cookbook and the page so I can easily find it again, when it makes "the plan."

After the notebook paper, I have the always-work-in-progress Master Grocery List. Just when I think I have it down, I think of something else, or decide to do something differently. My goal with this list is to incude everything that I buy on a regular basis, as well as price points that I consider to be a good stock up price. I've just recently re-done the one I was using, and I'm not so sure that this is exactly what I am looking for either. I found my current template off of our Excel Program, and have just went in and customized it to work for me.

I've also included a few extra Weekly Menu Plan sheets just in case I am able to fill it in before the week comes up. I'm currently using the free printable that MomAdvice offers, but Orgjunkie recently linked to a bunch of menu printables and I think I found a new one that I might like better.

Once the current plan is figured out, it gets transferred to my dry erase board that is displayed on my refrigerator. I've really come to love this thing--it is much better than the calendar system I used to use. Plus, it is pretty! I found it at Wal-Mart for $1, up by the cash registers. If you are unable to find one--I have a few extra. ;)




Nothing too complicated, which makes it easy for me to keep with it. I was hoping to have my Master Grocery List and Monthly Meal Plan completed to share, but I'm just not quite there. Yet. ;)

Do you have a Master Grocery List or Monthly Menu Plan?

If you have a Home Management Binder, I would love to see your Menu Planning/Grocery Section. Link up!

**If you're walking along getting your binder set up, next week I'll cover the Finance Section. For a complete schedule, check out the BlogFrog or Facebook Fan page in the blog sidebar.**

Home Management Binder: Cleaning Lists

A clean home is an incredibly inviting, welcoming place to be, although at times it can be daunting to clean it all. In addition to it being daunting, all the tasks are oftentimes hard to remember. I've often found myself lost and confused as to what needed to be done daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly. The Cleaning List Section in my binder was created to fix this, and help me to stay on top of all the tasks. In the end hoping that I would have a clean, inviting home, without getting overwhelmed while attaining it.

When creating your Cleaning List, you need to keep in mind the things that need to be done in your home. What works for me won't always work for you.

When setting up this section, I first had to come up with an attractive "Title Page" so that I knew what was in that section.

Click Here to print the one I used.

Then I needed to come up with a cleaning schedule, but first I needed to decide what needed to be done, when.

1. What needs to be done daily? Laundry, unloading/loading the dishwasher, etc.


2. What needs t0 be done Weekly? paper clutter, donations, sheets, refrigerator, etc.


3. Monthly? ceiling fans, windows, walls/cobwebs, etc.


4. Seasonally? Touch up paint, declutter, dryer vents, smoke detector, etc.
   
   

Then I needed to come up with a checklist that would help me to remember when these tasks needed to be completed.

{I came across this one, and decided to share it.}This is a basic house cleaning list that lets you check off when they are compelted; broken into weeks. Click Here to print.

This is the one that I use and it does have some "non-cleaning" tasks thrown in as a reminder to myself. Click Here to print.

{This is a template from our Excel Program. I love how detailed it is, and decided to include it in my binder.} These are an in depth cleaning/maintenace schedule, covering both interior and exterior parts of your home. It is broken up Quarterly and Seasonally. Click Here to Print.

After I had all parts of my home covered and accounted for and broken up, I had to make sure that I would be able to come up with a system that allowed me to get these tasks done. After all that is the whole purpose, right? :)

Right now, I write my daily tasks on my To-Do List on their corresponding days (You can see more of that, here). If, when I have all of the that days tasks filled in and scheduled, I still have a time slot available, I add in a monthly task in. If I am able to complete a monthly task, I put a check mark next to that task on the sheet protector with a dry erase marker. When the next month rolls around, I am then able to erase all my marks and start anew. I do have the complex home maintence schedule in my binder, but haven't even had the chance to implement it yet. But, I'm thinking that it will run just about the same way.

I decided not ot include an actual detailed daily task list, because I found it too complex to include my every task in a day. I'm hoping that in my absense, the person that was stepping in for me would know that I load/unload the dishwasher daily (or atleast when needed).

Do you have a Cleaning Schedule? I would love to see it!

If not, now is the time to set one up. Feel free to print off the forms in this post, or create your own. Take pictures, make a post and link up! Let's get Organized!

*Please link to your blog post, not your homepage.

*Please stay on topic, and remember to link back here, so your readers can see the other tips passed along.

*As always, if you do not have a blog, you can leave yours in the comment section.

Next week I will go over my Menu Planning Section. To see the full schedule, visit the BlogFrog or my Facebook FanPage (both are in the sidebar).

After School Snacks: Finding Freedom Friday

I don't know about the rest of you, but when my children arrive home from school, they are starving! Some days it feels as if it'll take a horse to fill them up. I really don't mind if they eat junk some days, but not every single day of the week. In the last year, I have really tried to add to my list of snacks and add some more healthier options. Some have gone over well, while others tanked! I usually try to get our snacks simple since I am usually doing prep work for our dinner at the same time.

Here are some of our favorite After School Snacks:

• Smoothies. I always toss in some wheat germ and flax seed for good measure!


• Yogurt. I just made my first ever batch of homemade yogurt, hopefully I will be able to convert them! So much healthier.


• Cereal. I'm not much of a cereal fan for breakfast, so I let my kids grab a handful of their favorites for snacks. Corn Pops, Bluebery Muffin Tops, Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks and Honey Nut Cheerios are our favorites. They thought they were in heaven when I bought Cocoa Puffs for them a few weeks ago! ;)


• Hummus w/HM Pita Bread or carrot sticks.


• Fresh Fruit.


• Chopped Veggies. My daughter could live off of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes!


• Milkshakes. This is a rarity, but they love it when I make Chocolate Peanut Butter Shakes.


• Apples with Caramel Dip. (Cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla) This was always my favorite growing up.


• Home baked snacks. The possiblities are basically endless here, just depends on what I've made for the week. We love HM Banana Bread, muffins of any form (they are stuck on Strawberry Muffins right now), and of course cookies. Since they are homemade, I generally try to sneak in some whole wheat flour, flax or wheat germ. You can find some of my recipes under the Recipe Label.


• Granola Bars.


• Granola/Yogurt


• Cheese and Crackers.
• Sweet Pickles
• Jalapeno Jelly w/cream cheee on Wheat Thins. Sounds crazy, but it is oh so good!
• I came across an idea recently from Parenting.com that I can't wait to try. They took cream cheese and jam (homemade would be perfect), mixed it together and spread it on a graham cracker. Yum!
• Family Fun also has some really great ideas that are not your normal after school snack. I can't wait to try the Peanut Butter Balls or the Cookies and Milk Bars (don't forget that you can make your own Sweetened Condensed Milk for these.) You can find more of their recipes here.

What do you give your kids for After School Snacks??

Packable Kids Lunches: Finding Freedom Friday

School is in full swing, which is rather hard to believe. Our school has an awesome lunch program, where they have 3 things to choose from. Two of those three choices is a hot meal of some form, and the other is a form of salad, with milk they cost .80¢! Honestly, there are very few things that I can pack at home that can beat that. But, on occassion, the children sometimes want to bring their lunch and eat with their "lunch packing" friends. I completely understand, as I have been there before, but I have to get creative and make the most out of our options.

My list of frugal packable lunches is quite short--I'm really looking forward to your suggestions!

• Leftovers. My oldest could live off of cold leftovers, especially pizza and lasagna. While it weirds me out just a tad, he is a-okay with it, and since it is frugal..I guess I am, too.
• PB & J on HM WW Bread.
• Homemade Lunchables. You do know that they are waaayyy cheaper to just buy your own crackers, cheese, and lunchmeat, right?? We don't do this very often because my piglets could eat their weight in them. No matter what else I serve with them.
• Tortilla Wrap Sandwiches. Something about serving a regular sandwich on tortilla bread, as my kids call it, just makes it extra special. For even more fun, slice them into disks, then pack them. The fillings of these are endless! My mom used to make one with Roast Beef, lettuce, and a pickle/cream cheese mixture. Yummo!
• Soups in a thermos
• Lunch Meat/Tuna sandwiches loaded with veggies. Tuna can be fairly frugal as long as you don't go overboard with your servings. In additon to your meat, load it up with veggies your kids love, not only to pack in nutrition, but to bulk it u. You can use less meat this way.
• Corn Dog Muffins
• Cheeseburger Muffins.

For sides/snacks:

• HM Granola bars.
• HM Granola and yogurt.
• Oatmeal Raisin cookies
• HM Trail/Snack Mix
• Applesauce (home canned is the best!)
• Of course fresh fruit.
• Smoothies. My husband packs these all the time. I make up a blender full (throwing in some wheat germ and ground flax) and freeze them in small containers. He packs them in his lunch box. When lunch comes, they have thawed a bit, and are perfect!

Don't forget to tuck a note in and let your little one know you love them! :)

What are your favorite things to pack?

°Feel free to link up to your post, not your homepage. And don't forget to link back here, so your readers can see all the other ideas!

Other posts of interest:

• Easy Travel Snacks/Meals

Finding Freedom Friday: Cutting Back to School Costs

The summer has flown by, and sadly school season is soon to start. I haven't accomplised half of the things I wanted to by summers end this year, but that is probably a good thing. This summer has been absolutely crazy--I can't imagine packing it with anymore. I'm really looking forward to the weeks to come so that I can relax, breathe a bit, and get back into our normal routine of things around here.

Unfortunately with a new school year approaching, that means new school supplies and usually a new wardrobe. Oftentimes we focus too much on the stuff and not the purpose, and in the process end up with "things" and spend far too much money. Just because it is school season doesn't mean you have to break the bank!

Here are my tips to saving:

• Reuse school supplies. Now I don't mean make your children use the same dingy crayons from last year--I may be frugal, but I'm not cheap and out to embarass my kids! Some ideas of things to reuse are: Rulers (my oldest has used the same ruler for 2 years straight, and you can't tell), school box (we bought a plastic school box for the kids last year, and it still looks like new), scissors, and backpacks.
• Shop Thrift Stores. When school was getting ready to start last year, I hit a thrift store up by my hometown and ended up with all the clothes my kids could need and more. Every single piece of clothing was name brand (most of them jeans for DD) and I even bought 3 pairs of shoes. Not one of them looked used, there were no stains/rips. In the end there were about 3 brown paper grocery sacks crammed full and I paid less than $30 for all of it! This year, today as a matter of fact, I am doing the same (although I am going to a different town)--there is no reason to pay full price for something when I can pay less than 25%!
• Watch Those Sales and Stock Up! At the start of every school season, Walmart as well as many other retailers, put all their school supplies on a major markdown. When you are able to catch it--STOCK UP! Having those extras around will come in handy if they run out mid-school year (instead of paying full price) or to keep around for the following year. I still have about half a box of spiral notebooks from last year (that I caught for 5¢! I even used some as a Christmas gift to my oldest because he loves the things.) and tons of pens and highlighters that I got for free from Walgreen's last year.
• Remember their Purpose! There are always going to be those big, fancy top of the line school supplies/school clothes out there, and while they may be tempting to get because they are "cool"--do you need them??? Does the lower level counterpart serve your purpose?? Keep this in mind as you shop--it will help you avoid those temptations!

What are your tips to starting school off on budget?

Feel free to link up your tips, but please link to your post, and not your homepage.

Get freedom from normal!

2009 Goal Update: July Edition

It is hard to believe that the last Goal Update I did was the beginning of June--for the month of May. I thought it was going to work out great to have more time between the updates, but it isn't. I've had a hard time staying on track and remembering where I'm at.

June and July were both very busy months for us--July moreso than June. Not only is there the 4th of July (which comes with a big celebration at our church that we help organize) but there is also my birthday, our anniversary and canning season is usually in full force. Add that all in with a dash of VBS, and a few church trips here and there and you've got my month of July. Pure and utter craziness and chaos. And a recipe for a budget disaster. Hmmph.

There..I admitted it. July (as far as our finances go) pretty much stunk.

• Finances: We've gained a bit of headway on our debt, but not as much as I would have liked. My debt ticker shows $12505.40, but that doesn't show our last payments. If my calculations are correct, we should be down to about $11,805-ish. Since I don't know the exact numbers yet, I haven't updated the sidebar or my percentages.
• Gardening: This year the squash bugs and I have gotten to know each other. This isn't a good thing. They annihilated my zucchini (which I dealt with since my DH hates it) but now, they are trying to go after my pie pumpkins! Eekk. So, I threw organic out the window and dusted those things with Sevin until they couldn't see the light of day. I was proud of myself..until I walked out there a few days later and they were still there!! Those things are tough!
  • My food storage (atleast from the garden) is going fairly well. I canned my first batch of diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce yesterday. You can see a list of all the other things I've canned so far this year here. It is so nice being able to step back and take a look at all my home canned goodies on my pantry shelves. Makes me smile.
  • We're starting to plant the fall garden and looking into our plans for next year's spring garden, what we are adding to the orchard, as well as our herb garden (that will happen next year!).

• Self: I did so good exercising through the month of June and parts of July. I loved The Shred, and I still do, but my routine has gotten all crazy and I've had a hard time regaining control of it again. The first thing that gave: exercising, and I can tell. I'm hoping to get control again now that we are regaining our normalcy.

• Home: We are still trying to figure out whether or not we are doing our major remodel project this year or not. Because of this, all of the painting and inside renovating has been put at a standstill. The suspense is killing me, but I keep reminding myself that it is all in God's timing..not my own.

  • I've become a lot better at embracing (and thoroughly enjoying) my life as a housewife, wife and mother. With that I've gotten better with accomplishing my day to day duties. My home (albeit chaotic) has been peaceful and inviting and close to everything I've wanted and dreamed for it to be.

So how have you been doing on your goals?? Fill me in--it's been awhile!

Finding Freedom Friday: Frugal Challenge Recap

Well, it's been a week! Did you survive the frugal challenge?

I did! It even went better than I anticipated! I definitely think that maybe we should go for a longer challenge, don't you think? If felt like this one ended just about as quick as it began.

Here is my recap from the week:

• When traveling away from home, pack your own snacks, meals and drinks. Yes! We've really not been away a whole lot, other than back to the hometown over the weekend. My house was out of all things snack related (other than a few fruit snacks--which I packed), so I knew I would have to stop off at the store. We were spending the weekend with my mom (first time in almost 6 years!!!!) and I had no idea if she would have snacks for us or not so I picked some up at the grocery store on our way out.
  
• Try not to eat out at all this week. From Saturday to next Friday.Yes! This is the one I was really worried about on our end. While sometimes we do really well, there are other hurried trips in which we just decide to eat out. Especially those trips back home. But, this time I stuck to my guns! I stopped off at the store on the way back to the hometown and bought fried chicken from the deli as well as potato wedges and snacks that we needed for the weeked at my mom's. On our way home, which was right around dinner time, we decided we could wait until we got home (around 7) and eat something quick out of the refrigerator. And you know what?! Not one of us died from starvation. :)
  
  
• Plan outings that are no cost adventures, such as parks and museums. Again, we've had a pretty uneventful week. There was a lot of rain at the beginning of the week, and I've been fighting a migraine. Over the weekend though, we made it withougt spending a dime and the kids had a blast. We picked cherries and made a pie, and we've played around the house. It's been fun, and it's been frugal. :)
  
  
• Make extra meals for your freezer for days when you have no gusto to cook dinner. For lunch on Thursday, I made Corn Dog Muffins and since the recipe makes about 24, and we only need 8 for lunch, I froze the rest. This is definitely going to come in handy for our lunches!
  
  
• Make something from scratch that you normally wouldn't, such as bread, household cleaners, snacks, etc. I didn't do as well in this area as I had wanted. My original intention was to make some cleaners, but the headache pretty much derailed me. However, I did end up making my own vinaigrette dressing for our dinner, since I had to switch to Plan B (the boys went out on a fishing trip, so I wanted more of a simple dinner).
  
  
• If you haven't made a budget (or goals for 2009) yet..DO IT! If you are all squared away here, check and see if there is something in your budget that you can lower, or cut out completely. I realized that since the big kids were out of school that I didn't have to worry about their school lunch money. That gave me an additional $42/month for the summer, but I guess that isn't technically cutting something out.
  
  
• Try out a new-to-you frugal idea such as washing/re-using ziploc bags, using less laundry/dishwashing detergent, re-use juice from canned fruits and vegetables, save butter tubs, amongst many others. Be creative! Fail. I'm sure there are frugal steps that I haven't made yet, I just didn't have the brain power to search them out.

How did your week go? Are you up for another Challenge in the next month or so? How about ideas for an upcoming Finding Freedom Friday? Let me know your thoughts!

Finding Freedom Friday: Are You Up For A Challenge?

For this edition of Finding Freedom Friday, I would like to put forth a Week Long Frugal Challenge. With Summer in full swing, we are running to and fro and spending lots of time in the outdoors. While I do love every minute of it, sometimes it is incredibly tempting to look toward the not so frugal side of things. I don't know about you, but I don't want to fall into that mess!

While I would love to do a Month Long Challenge, I think it would be best to start out small and see if we can conquer this first. And I know we can! ;)

Here's the Challenge:

• When traveling away from home, pack your own snacks, meals and drinks. Be sure to check out this post for lots of different ideas.
  
  
• Try not to eat out at all this week. From Saturday to next Friday.
• Plan outings that are no cost adventures, such as parks and museums. Check out the Frugal Family Fun post for some ideas.
  
  
• Make extra meals for your freezer for days when you have no gusto to cook dinner. This post has some pointers and OAMC/Freezer Recipes.
  
  
• Make something from scratch that you normally wouldn't, such as bread, household cleaners, snacks, etc. The Finding Freedom Friday: Making Your Own vs. Store Bought post has a lot of different ideas to try out. You can also browse through my recipe section for numerous "from scratch" recipes.
  
  
• If you haven't made a budget (or goals for 2009) yet..DO IT! If you are all sqaured away here, check and see if there is something in your budget that you can lower, or cut out completely.
  
  
• Try out a new-to-you frugal idea such as washing/re-using ziploc bags, using less laundry/dishwashing detergent, re-use juice from canned fruits and vegetables, save butter tubs, amongst many others. Be creative!

That's it! Easy peasy, right? The Challenge will start Saturday (gives you a day to get all the non-frugal things out of your system. :) and end next Friday with a Finding Freedom Friday: Challenge Recap.

I will be running around, back to the hometown again this weekend, so I'm hoping to be able to stick to the "no eating out" part. This may prove to be a toughie!

So, are you up to it?!

**I've just realized that Mr. Linky has disappeared from all of my old posts, and on my end it only stores the latest 5! AGH! So, if you linked to the Finding Freedom Friday posts mentioned in this post, and you want your link included--please email them to me and I can manually add them all in. Sorry!**

Finding Freedom Friday: 2009 Goal Update

It's a new month and time to check in and see how we've all be doing on our 2009 goals. I don't know about you, but this has really helped me stay accountable to myself and to everyone else for that matter. Although things aren't going exactly as I had planned, we are still taking steps forward.

Here is how we are doing so far:

• Our federal tax refund came back and we put it to good use! A huge portion of it went to our debt, bringing it down to $13083.17 with a total of $6592.72 paid since January (38% of our goal)! While we should be closer to the 50% mark at this point in the year, I am most definitely not complaining!

• In addition to a lump debt payment, we added a big chunk to savings. We originally wanted a total of $4000 in our savings (Max out of pocket for health, vehicle maintenance, home maintenace, etc.), but we've changed that up a bit. We've decided instead of having our full max out of pocket for health expeses set aside that we would put $500 instead. I know that that is a far cry from the original $1500--but at this point our debt snowball is of decent size that when a medical bill arises we can pay it and we used that extra to get our currrent debt number down. Also, we still have the base emergency fund of $1000. We also had in mind to set aside $1000 for vehicle maintence. My husband recently had to have some work done on his truck as well as a new set of tires. After everything was said and done, there was close to $700! So, our new amount that we are shooting for (as long as no other expenses come up) is $2300. We are 70% there.

• Our garden is in full force. You can see all my garden updates here.

• As of Friday morning I start Jillian's 30 Day Shred. It arrived in the mail today (I got it for free with my swagbucks!) and I'm dying to start it! And I just may be dying when I start it. :)

Everything else is going really well! 2009 has been a really productive, memorable year so far--and I'm anxious to see what the rest of it brings. From here on out, the 2009 Goal Updates are going to start being bi-monthly instead of monthly, hopefully that way I will have more to report.

How are you doing?

Frugal Family Fun

**This is an updated version of a post orginally published in March 2009.**




The spring-like weather has really got me ready for some outdoor family fun that doesn't break the bank. Thankfully we live in an area that is loaded with free , or close to it, family fun. Many of which are in most communties.

Back in my hometown, which we still visit often, there is one of the biggest fish hatcheries around. You can feed the fish for about 25¢ and there are numerous trails to walk on, as well as a small museum type thing. If trails aren't your thing there is also a playground to play on. This type of set up, minus the fish hatchery, is also found in a lot of state parks--which are prominent around me as well as many other areas. State Conservation centers are also a great place to take kids to learn about the outdoors. Many of them have workshops, and trails as well.





We have also had the pleasure of visiting various rivers, and the parks that accompany them. This has been a lot of fun for us. There is no telling what we will find while out looking!




Even if you stumble upon a rainy day, there is still frugal family fun to be had--visit your local library and let your imaginations run. Most libraries, even our teeny one, have summer programs for the kids with various different activities. If leaving the house isn't something you are up for on a rainy day (I like to stay home on these days personally) make it an indoor craft day, play with play-dough (or moon sand which is favorite in my house), or construct a big building out of popsicle sticks--or a ship and see if it will float in the bathtub! :)


Having fun family days don't have to break the bank, or cost much money at all, to be memorable.

What Frugal Family Fun ideas do you have to share?

1.Changing Reflection

This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday: "Mom I'm Bored" Edition

Finding Freedom Friday

In looking back over the Finding Freedom schedule--I realized that somehow or another I never scheduled a topic for this week! Ooops!

Guess that just means we have a Free For All. Especially since Mr. Linky is all broken and what not.

So, what is your tip for Finding Freedom from the Norm? Budgeting tips, how you've cut your costs, ways to "live like no one else so you can live like no one else" later, vacationing frugal style, or anything else you have to offer.

**I've added in Mr. Linky, but I have no idea if he will work. If nothing else, leave your link in the comments and I will add it into the post.**

Finding Freedom Friday: Frugal Flops

I've not always been a frugal person. Even my beginning years as a single mother. While I may have been very careful how I spent my money--that didn't make me frugal. My frugal journey really only began about 2 years ago when we started Dave Ramsey's FPU. The last year or so, I've really amped up my frugal-ness and I truly desire to be Frugally Domestic. With that being said...I've had my fair share of Frugal Flops!

For instance:

• Homemade Dishwasher Detergent. While it will definitely work in a pinch, it isn't something that I will continually keep on hand. I will stick to my Electrosol. Especially since they like to roll out those awesome $2.50 coupons now and again.
• Oat Bread. I guess it wasn't technically a flop since I converted it into some awesome bread crumbs. But as far as being bread--uh no!
  
• Black Bean Brownies. Which was totally my fault to begin with. I went all crazy health nut, and tried to improve on "perfection" and it went over like a led balloon with my husband! I'm going to give it about a month and try it for real this time. I promise. :)
• Buying a tiller from an auction. My husband and I love going to auctions, and are able to (generally) score some great deals. My piece of advice--check out the goods before you bid cause it could be nothing more than a yard ornament. 'Nuff said.
• My first attempt at hummus. A few months back I decided that I would try my hand at hummus, although I was unable to get my hands on tahini. I had never previously heard of it before, so I was confident in thinking that it didn't matter (although deep down I knew otherwise!) and that I could still get a good product. Yeah, don't do that. Use tahini. Today I used this recipe, along with these homemade pitas. Awesome!
• And...while it may be too soon to tell (and I truly hope it is)....Herbs. I really had/have high hopes of growing a ton of herbs this year. Not only for me to use in the kitchen, but for aesthetics and medicinal purposes. I've successfully killed cilantro, attempted to germinate rosemary, killed a rosemary plant that I bought...and forgot to germinate countless other seed packets. Are you sure you want my gardening advice?!
• At the end of last year when I was still actively couponing, I would sometimes buy multiple copies of All You Magazine or our local paper. Only to never use those coupons. :( Bad, bad couponer!

I'm sure that along the way I've missed some. Being frugal is definitely a journey that isn't always full of successes. But, don't let it get you down! There are far more successes than failures, atleast in my experience.

Have you had any Frugal Flops while on your journey to being Frugally Domestic?

**I know that Mr. Linky has been pretty wonky this week. If he happens to disappear, leave your link in the comments and I can add them all in when I return on Tuesday.**

Finding Freedom Friday: Easy Travel Snacks/Meals

The summer months really get crazy around here. It feels as if we are always on the run. We aren't far from multiple rivers, springs, and beautiful State Parks and we try to take full advantage of them--especially during the summer months. Between that and driving to see family back in the hometown, we spend a lot of time on the road. If we were to eat out every time we were gone, I'm almost certain we would have to mortgage our home to pay for it all!

Let me put things in perspective real fast (the number side of me is dying to come out again!). One meal out for my family of 5 costs no less than $25. That one meal is equivalent to 33% of my grocery budget, or roughly 7 meals made in my kitchen! Say what?!

Not only that, but my food generally tastes better. I really don't mean to come off arrogant, but honestly, does anything beat homemade? And better yet, I have full control over the ingredients and the nutritional value. Anyway....

What do you do when you are out and about around lunch or dinner time? Or even for snacks? Be prepared. If you know that you may be gone while everyone gets hungry be sure to pack something to eat, or eat before you leave.

Here are some ideas:

• Pizza Pockets (We love these!) Grab these on your way out.
• Sandwiches on French Bread Baguettes or Whole Wheat Bread. Add some fresh veggies or fruit, and maybe a muffin (or two) and you've got a meal!
• Chicken Wraps (grilled chicken, lettuce, ranch dressing inside a tortilla. Yum!)
• Cookies for Snacks (Our Favorite: Oatmeal Raisin)
• Granola Bars
• Fresh Fruit. Our favorite to pack along is bananas, strawberries or grapes--I don't have to chop them up!
• Armed with a cooler you could pack: Egg Salad/Tuna Salad/Ham Salad/Chicken Salad sandwiches or wraps.
• Leftover Fried Chicken. To me this sounds so wrong, but my children and my husband love leftover, cold fried chicken.

Really--being prepared will save you tons of money! What ideas do you have for Easy Travel Snacks/Meals?

Now, having said all this, I must confess that this evening I was prepared--but hubby was not waiting! We made a run to the big town to shop for cell phones/garden fence. I was fully prepared to cook dinner when we made it home, but DH was not waiting (and really neither were the kids) so we ate out. You win some, and you lose some. Oh the irony.

1. Amy's Finer Things
2.Changing Reflection
3. April
4. Donna (Zookeeping 101)
5. Heather at Just Doing My Best
6. It's Frugal Being Green (Meal Plan 4/12, road trip week)

Looking Ahead: Finding Freedom Friday

Just wanted to remind you of the Finding Freedom Friday schedule. This week is : Easy Travel Snacks/Meals. I'm ready for some new ideas as our busy season is coming quickly! Be sure to come back Friday with your ideas and link your post. If you do not have a blog, that is fine as well--you can always leave your ideas in the comment section. I usually make the post live Thursday evenings.

Here is a look at other upcoming topics:

• May 15th: Easy Travel Snacks/Meals
• May 22nd: Finding Freedom: Frugal Flops
• June 5th: Finding Freedom: 2009 Goal Update
• June 12th: Finding Freedom with a Week Long Frugal Challenge

If you have any ideas for upcoming Finding Freedom Friday Topics, I would love to hear them!

Also, as I've mentioned, the summer is usually insanely busy for us. If you would be interested in doing a guest post in the upcoming months, I would love to hear from you. Just shoot me an email at phendricks @ centurytel.net and let me know what topic you would like to write on.

Finding Freedom Friday: OAMC/Freezer Meals

Have you ever just had one of those days where you lack all "want to" and gusto to fix dinner? It's in the plan, you have everything to make it, but you just aren't feeling it?

Insert Once a Month Cooking (OAMC). It solves that problem for you.

Ever forget an ingredient at the grocery store for your planned meal, and nothing else comes to mind to fix. Or the planned meal just doesn't sound appetizing at all?

You guessed it! OAMC solves those problems too.

Having a meal in the freezer has also saved my budget on those occasions when I think I want to eat out. Then I remember that there is some Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup, or a casserole waiting for me in my freezer. That isn't to say that we don't eat out, because we do..on occassion. Honestly, I can't wait until I have a whole freezer full of meals to choose from (I would be happy with half a freezer at this point!).

Basically the concept is to cook up a whole bunch of different meals or partial meals that are freezer friendly in one day (or a couple or even just do one extra when you make your regular dinner). I've been dreaming of doing a OAMC day, but frankly I've just not made it that far. Honestly, in the OAMC world, I've not made it far at all.

Here are some of my tips, from my very limited experience:

• Freeze your meat in a marinade. That way when you need it, all you have to do is take it out of the freezer and thaw.
• Freezing individual servings is ideal for lunches. For soups and broth, let cool first and then pour into a paper cup. Once frozen, you can pop them out of the cup and put into a Ziploc bag.
• Label, Label, Label. You will definitely want to make sure that you label everything, even if you think that you will recognize it later on. There are so many foods, that when frozen, look alike. Avoid the guessing game, by labeling when you put it in the freezer. I have guilty of this too many times to count!
• Cook like meals together. For instance; Hamburger meals, Chicken meals, etc. This will make your prep so much easier instead of having numerous different kinds of meat out.
  

What to freeze?

• I freeze lots and lots of soups mostly because when making them they take on a life of their own. By the time I am done I have a huge stockpot full and it just isn't possible for us to eat it all before we grow tired of it, or before it goes bad (which just isn't an option). To take up less space put them in a Ziploc bag and lay them flat.
• Pasta Sauces. Brown up a bunch of hamburger meat and add the desired amount of pasta sauce (perfect for the summer months when you have an abundance of garden fresh vegetables). Freeze in family sized portions. Perfect for lasagna, spaghetti, tortellini, or any other recipe that calls for a meat marinara sauce. Just thaw your frozen portion and proceed with the recipe!
• Endless amounts of baked goods. So very handy to freeze muffins, cookies, cakes, breads, etc for using later as snacks or in packed lunches. TIP: Pop a frozen muffin in your lunch box, and by lunch time it should be ready to eat. It also helps keep your other food cold.
• Various Casseroles.
• Breakfast Burritos. Scramble up a dozen eggs, fry up a pound of bacon or sausage, add some cheese and wrap up a bunch of burritos. Perfect for mornings on the run. I used to make up a bunch of these when I was still working and my husband and I would both grab one on our way out the door. When we made them, I would wrap them in aluminum foil. When ready to heat, remove the foil and pop in the microwave. Beats McDonald's burritos any day!
• And although I've never tried it (but have been meaning to): Make your own frozen pizza. Why not? Homemade pizza is way better than those processed, lacking toppings, no choice, store bought frozen ones. I'm hoping to try freezing our new favorites.

Right now that is all that I have tried, but it is just a sampling of the endless possibilities you have with OAMC/Freezer Meals.

Once you get started, you'll be Finding Freedom in no time!

What are your tips for OAMC or for making Freezer Meals? Have any recipes to share? How has it helped you?

I really can't wait to see what you all bring, but please abide by the rules. (You can find them at the bottom of this post)

1. Stephanie (Batch Cooking: What It Is and How I Do It Part 1) (Part 2)
2. Lynn
3. Amy- Cutting Coupons in KC
4. Changing Reflection (making meal prep easy)
5. pennypinchinmomma (guide to oamc)

Don't Forget Finding Freedom Friday Tomorrow

I can't wait for it to get here!



Tomorrow for Finding Freedom Friday we will be talking about OAMC/Freezer Meals. While I am really new at this concept, I've loved every bit of it!



Since I am brand new, I can't wait to see how everyone else does it. I'm ready to grab some new OAMC recipes, and hear all about this has helped you find freedom in the kitchen, financially and any other possible way.



If you are not familiar with OAMC (once a month cooking) I encourage you to dabble in it. The possiblilites really are almost endless and the benefits are numerous.



And, for all you seasoned veterans (or beginners like myself) be sure to bring your tips, tricks, and recipes tomorrow so we can all become pros!

Coming up on Finding Freedom Friday

Can you believe that this weekend is the beginning of May?! Good grief 2009 is flying before my eyes. Hopefuly this means an end to all these April Showers. Can I get an Amen?



So, with April over that means it is time for another 2009 Goal Update. Come join in Friday and let us know how you are doing on your 2009 Goals. And...still yet, if you haven't set any, all is well. Do that NOW and link up Friday with your list.



The topics for upcoming Finding Freedom Fridays are:

**Please note that I changed some dates around.

• May 1st: Finding Freedom: 2009 Goal Update
• May 8th: Finding Freedom with Freezer Meals/OAMC
• May 15th: Easy Travel Snacks/Meals
• May 22nd: Finding Freedom: Frugal Flops
• June 5th: Finding Freedom: 2009 Goal Update
• June 12th: Finding Freedom with a Week Long Frugal Challenge

Finding Freedom Friday: Time Management

Time Management. What an important topic. One that I still do not have perfected, but I'm well on my way. Or so I like to think.



I have receieved a lot of emails over the last few months on how I manage to take care of my young family, make most of my families food from scratch, coupon, garden and still have time to function. I must admit, that once upon a time, things did not flow all too smoothly around here.



First off, I think it is very important to first become organized, then you really need to have your priorities in line. What do you really want to accomplish today? This week? This month? Year? Dare we think any further? Sure!



Once you realize what it is that needs to be done and have a basic understanding on how long it will take for you to accomplish it--you are well on your way.



Obviously it wouldn't be logical for me to think that I would be able to till/weed/plant my entire garden in a day, as well as all the laundry, cleaning and baking for the week. Breaking these tasks up into manageable blocks of time helps greatly in accomplishing things, as well as being efficent and not feeling overwhelmed. It is very important as a wife/homemaker/mom/person to not feel overwhelmed! I know for me if I am overwhelmed, more than likely I will shut down. Either that or I will go all crazy housewife and accomplish everything under the sun in no time flat--but, I'm not a nice person/wife/mom. And honestly, what is the point in that?!



Balance.



So, my advice--plan your day. Here is a snapshot of what my typical day has looked like in the last few weeks.



6:00am-6:45-Wake. Get kids on the bus to school.
6:45-7:30 Computer time. Answering emails. Blogging. Popping in on twitter.
7:30-8:30 Shower. Laundry. Kitchen Pick-up. If I'm making bread for dinner or for the week, this is when I will start it.
8:30-9:30 Noah wakes. Noah Snuggle time. Sometimes extra computer/bill time.
9:30-12:00 Tasks for the day. Lately it has been gardening, and spring cleaning all while being interupted by an energetic, very playful 3 year old that really makes my life fun!
12:00-1:00 Lunch. Big kitchen clean up.
1:30-3:30 Relax/Quiet Time--unless I feel spunky! :) If I have added umph (which I have had the last few weeks. yay!) I catch up on anything that I have been slacking on, bake or whatever else.
3:30-4:30 DH and Big kids are coming home.
4:30-7:00 Prepare/Eat/Clean Dinner.
7:00-8:30 Homework. Getting Big Kids ready for bed. Last minute watering of seedlings/plants.
8:30 on. Time with DH, computer time, reading--basically anything goes.

Paying attention to the clock on my "must get stuff done" days, has really helped me to manage my time better and actually get things done. I have found this escpecially helpful in the area of computer time! I love my blog(s), twitter, facebook, and reading other blogs, but I have to limit myself or it could easily consume me. So, please forgive me if I seem to be MIA--I'm really trying to balance everything in my life. My once new born children have quickly grown up on me, and before I know it they won't need me anymore. I must cherish it now!



Also, not only is time management important for accomplishing your day to day tasks--it is essential on snagging those deals! If you don't allow time to shop the weekly sales with your coupon match-ups and keep a close eye on expiration dates, you could easily miss out which will cost you more in the long run. I've been guilty of this very thing far too many times to count!

Now it is your turn! How do you manage your day and fit all your duties in?

Don't forget the rules to linking up found on this post.

Finding Freedom Friday Reminder

Just wanted to give a reminder about Finding Freedom coming up tomorrow. The topic is Time Management, just in time for the busy summer months!



How do you stay on track during your busy day and accomplish all the things that need to be done? Prioritize? or a mad dash to see just what you can get done? How do you fit in play time with the kids? Quality time with your spouse? Me time? Dinner Time?



Come back tomorrow and fill us in!



Here is the extended schedule, as well.

• April 24th: Finding Freedom with Time Management
• May 1st: Finding Freedom: 2009 Goal Update
• May 8th: Finding Freedom: Easy Travel Snacks/Meals
• May 15th: Finding Freedom with a Frugal Challenge

If you have any suggestions for Finding Freedom Friday topics, you can email me at phendricks @ centurytel.net or drop me a comment.

Finding Freedom Friday: Organization

I get a lot of emails and questions asking about different organizational ideas (which I love, by the way). I rate organization pretty high on the list of easy ways to "find freedom". Afterall, if you can't find something you either have to replace it (more money), or spend countless minutes trying to find it (time wasted). Being organized definitely helps!

With that being said, I win some days, and I lose some days. Seriously.

I'm no expert or pro in organization, and I find that I am constantly changing my method. This makes me even more giddy to hear what your organizational tips are!

Currently, this is what really helps me out:

• Baskets or small containers. Having similar items all in one place, really helps me out. Anymore you can find super cute containers at Dollar Tree or any Dollar/Discount store. I'm loving my kitchen cabinets, and have used the same idea in my refrigerator with great success.
• Also, small plastic containers work wonders in your kitchen drawers..or any drawer for that matter. Jessica just posted a picture of hers, which looks exactly like mine! I love it! Everything is right there, no need for digging.
• Lists, Lists and More Lists. I find that lists really help me stay organized and focused. Especially in the way of finances and goals. I just use a normal plain jane spiral notebook that I picked up when they were on sale for .05¢. I literally bought an entire box!
• I'm still working on it, but I also find that lists work for organizing my house cleaning. I hope to have this near perfection so I can "unveil" it in the next month or so.
• Binders. I have many binders.
• I have one for my recipes.
• Budget/Finances that also contains my goals.
• Home Mangement (which still isn't finsished), my house cleaning guide will also go in here. I love Problem Solving Mom's idea for creating your own daily dockets!
• I also have one that contains different ideas for all the holidays.
• Also, since we plan to build on to our home next year I have one that contains different house plans and decorating ideas.
• And, I even have one for my coupons. Although I've not touched them since December!
I'm sure that this sounds like I have binders everywhere you turn around, but really it isn't too overwhelming. Sure beats having all those papers cluttered around, or all in a million different places on my computer.

What are your tips for organization? How has it helped you to Find Freedom?

I'm really looking forward to your responses! With my husband being home all last week--I'm not feeling all too organized this week. And, I'm always looking for ways to improve my "system". Don't forget the rules to linking. (You can find them on this post.)

This post is linked to Organizing Tip Thursday.