Free 2 Be Frugal

HOT New Coupons, Ready to Print!

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Lots of hot new coupons have been added to Coupons.com. Ready...set...print!

Click the box to start saving!

Menu Plan Monday...February 13

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:28:00 +0000

Breakfasts

Kashi Heart to Heart cereal and milk, fruit (6 ww pT+)
2 wheat mini bagels with whipped cream cheese(6 ww pT+)

Lunches

Turkey burger with cheese, baked chips, fruit (12 ww pT+)
Tuna sammies on whole wheat, nonfat yogurt, fruit (9 ww pT+)
Egg salad sammies on Sandwich Thins, baby carrots, fruit (8 ww pT+))

Dinners
Date Night (Bonus Points Time--gotta love gift cards!)
Salad with Grilled Chicken (6 ww pT+)
Turkey Club Salad (9 ww pT+)
V-day Family Favorite: THE Meatloaf, potatoes, broccoli (15 ww pT+)
Chili, Wheat Bread and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (10 ww pT+)
2 Tacos and side salad with light ranch dressing(8 ww pT+)
(Didn't get to last week) Chicken Tikka Masala and Aloo Gobi (10 ww pT+)

Snacks

Piece of fruit and 2 cheese sticks (4 ww pT+)
94% fat-free popcorn (3 ww pT+)
Smart Mix Snack Pack - Baked Cheetos/Lay's/Doritos/Rold Gold Pretzels (3 ww pT+)

Treat of the Week

Chocolate Diet Soda Cake with Chocolate Cool Whip Frosting--recipe to come (6 ww pT+)

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

9 Tips for What to Do When You're Laid Off

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:54:00 +0000

I recently became unemployed.

The company I was working for is facing some financial adversity and so they have begun to lay people off. Being the lower "man" on the totem pole, I was one of the first to go. I have never been laid off (or fired) before, so this is all new territory to me.

Not to mention, completely unexpected...

Here are some of the tips I have been offered from friends and family:

1. Apply for unemployment benefits AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I am learning firsthand that it really is a long and arduous undertaking, applying for and waiting for that unemployment check. There are a lot of hoops to jump through to get it. The sooner you start the process, the better.

2. Update your resume. It has likely been awhile since you have fixed yours up, so get cracking! When it comes to job opportunities, the pickin's are slim so you'll want to come off as the cream of the crop to get that interview call.

3. Reasses your spending priorities. Now that you are short on income, your budget will look different to you. You may no longer consider things you used to take for granted and deem "necessary" as such. Cut out whatever unnecessary spending you can. Plan a tighter budget. There are always things you can cut out or cut back on.

4. Call your credit card companies, utilties, etc. and ask about hardship programs. Many offer them, but do not advertise their availability. Explaining your situation honestly and openly can help you cut down the size of your payments for a limited time.

5. Tap into your emergency fund. If there ever was a time to utilize these funds, it is now.

6. No emergency fund? Go into resource-finding mode. Sell things you don't really use or need on Craiglist or ebay. Sell your old jewelry and coins to a local jeweler. Cash in savings bonds.

7. Get creative. What special skills or talents do you have that you can put to work to earn some extra income while you search for the right job? Can you tutor/give music lessons/fix computers/do basic car maintenance?

8. Take good care of yourself. Sudden loss of your job can be tough to take. Make sure you continue to get adequate rest, eat healthy, get exercise, and find things to do that you enjoy on a daily basis. Now that you have some extra (okay, a lot) of free time, it is a great opportunity to catch up on your well visits, physical exams, and other health care we frequently put off because we are so busy with work.

9. Stay positive and seek support. A good frame of mind can go a long way. Be sure you have a few good people in your life who you can talk about your situation with when you need to. It is important to get your feelings out and process them. Not to mention, if people know you are out of work they just might be able to help you find new employment. Extra sets of eyes and ears are a good thing to have!

Menu Plan Monday...February 6

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:37:00 +0000

Breakfasts

Skinny Green Monster Smoothie (6 ww pT+)

Life cereal and milk, fruit (6 ww pT+)

Lunches

Tuna sammies on whole wheat, nonfat yogurt, fruit (9 ww pT+)
Egg salad sammies on Sandwich Thins, baby carrots, fruit (need to calculate)

Dinners
Our son's First Holy Communion Party--No Cooking!
Chicken Tikka Masala and Aloo Gobi (10 ww pT+)
Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (7 ww pT+)
Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken over egg noodles, with steamed broccoli (need to calculate)
Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken and steamed rice (need to calculate)
Grilled Chicken with BBQ sauce, light cole slaw, corn (10 ww pT+)
Chicken Pot Pie (8 ww pT+)

Snacks

Piece of fruit and 2 cheese sticks (4 ww pT+)
94% fat-free popcorn (3 ww pT+)
Smart Mix Snack Pack - Baked Cheetos/Lay's/Doritos/Rold Gold Pretzels (3 ww pT+)

Treat of the Week

No-Bake Cheesecake (7 ww pT+)

Chocolate Diet Soda Cake with Chocolate Cool Whip Frosting--recipe to come (6 ww pT+)

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

Recipe: Stuffed Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:07:00 +0000

I am craving strawberry cheesecake big-time! These stuffed strawberries are reminiscent of the flavors of it and are very low in points.

It is 1 Weight Watchers Points Plus* per serving. Makes 12 servings (of 2 stuffed berries each).

Ingredients:

-1 pound strawberries
-4 ounces fat-free cream cheese
-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
-2 1/2 tsp. Splenda

Directions:

Wash the strawberries and pat them dry. Cut off the tops of the berries so they are flat. Cut a small hole in the flat part of teach berry. Using a hand mixer, blend together the cream cheese, vanilla, and Splenda. With a small spoon, stuff the berries with a tiny dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

Chill until ready to serve.

*Weight Watchers Points Plus values were calculated using the Recipe Builder e-tool, to the best of my ability.

Should You Buy the Paper This Weekend?

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:16:00 +0000

Are you like me and only buy the Sunday paper for all the good coupons? You can get a sneak peek of which coupons will grace the papers this weekend before they even hit the presses.

Click below and check it out!

Recipe: Pineapple Angel Lush

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:58:00 +0000

I helped throw a baby shower this past weekend and anyone who is watching their weight knows that parties are hard on us dieters! The best thing to do is bring your own food to share, ensuring that there will be some healthy choices available to you. I knew that the chocolate cupcakes were going to be calling my name, so I had to be sure I brought an equally decadent and delish dessert that was Weight Watchers-friendly.

So I made my own version of Pineapple Angel Lush (and it went really fast--and there were cupcakes left over after the party because my dessert was such a hit!)

It is 4 Weight Watchers Points Plus* per serving. Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

-1 store bought angel food cake
-1 tub of Fat-free Cool Whip
-1 can of crushed pineapple in water (or its own juice--avoid it in syrup)
-1 small box of Sugar-free vanilla pudding
-strawberries

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the Cool Whip, pineapple (drained of most of its liquid), and pudding mix. In a 13 x 9 pan, spread enough of the mixture to cover the bottom. Cut up the angel food cake into small pieces and put in an even layer in the pan. Top with spoonfuls of the remaining mixture and spread all over the top. Garnish with strawberries.

*Weight Watchers Points Plus values were calculated using the Recipe Builder e-tool, to the best of my ability.

I Heart FREE Magazines

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:04:00 +0000

Every month I get a big ole stack of magazines delivered straight to my mailbox. And they arrive absolutely free of charge. Yep, that's right. I don't pay. If you wait it out, you will eventually find a free offer somewhere on the web for that magazine you like.

Here are a couple of classic mags I've been getting for eons (these offers come and go throughout the year):

File Your Federal Taxes Online for FREE with TurboTax

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Doing your taxes can be tricky. If there's ever a time you want to be sure your calculations are 100% accurate, it's now. But hiring an accountant or taking it to one of those tax preparation offices is pricey!

Did you know you can use TurboTax to file your federal taxes--for free?

FREE tax prep

FREE printing

FREE e-filing

FREE online support center

Click the box below and start filing for your biggest tax refund guaranteed!

Recipe: Lightened Up Awesome Roast Beef

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:46:00 +0000

My inspiration for this recipe came from a recipe called Awesome Roast Beef I tried years ago from AllRecipes.com. I've been craving some good comfort food and decided to modify it and give it a whirl. Success!

It is 8 Weight Watchers Points Plus* per serving. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

-1 pound flank steak (or London Broil)
-1 can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
-1 can of fat-free beef broth
-6 red potatoes, quartered
-salt and pepper, if desired

Directions:

Place the quartered potatoes into a crockpot. Top with the meat (be sure it is thawed, not frozen). Pour the mushroom soup and beef broth over the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on LOW for about 8 hours.

*Weight Watchers Points Plus values were calculated using the Recipe Builder e-tool, to the best of my ability.

Clip Your Way to Savings

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:11:00 +0000

Use RedPlum.com to print and clip free grocery coupons!

To start saving right away, click the box below:

New Month = New Coupons!

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:08:00 +0000

February already? Where on earth did January go?

Well, since it's a new month that means there are tons of brand spankin' new coupons ready to print out at Coupons.com

Click the box and start printing your heart out!

Recipe: Lightened Up Taco Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:33:00 +0000

Since joining Weight Watchers I try to incorporate more salads into our weekly menu plan. But eating the same ole, same ole salad day after day and week and week gets old real fast! My solution has been to try a new salad recipe each week and have them for lunch.

By prepping whatever meat goes into the salad the day I grocery shop, I am prepared to eat well the entire week long!

This week's salad was Lightened Up Taco Salad. It is 7 Weight Watchers Points Plus* per salad.

Ingredients:

-2 1/2 ounces of ground beef (I buy 80% lean and cook a whole pound at a time)
-taco seasoning (I make my own)
-1/4 cup salsa
-2 T. light sour cream
-1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
-1 cup salad greens of your choice

Directions:

Brown 1 pound of ground beef in a pan. Pour into a colander and drain grease. Run water over colander to eliminate as much fat as possible. Put beef back into the pan and add taco seasoning and mix well.

Now you have enough ground beef to make about 6 salads.

Add a cup of salad greens to your salad bowl. Top with 2 1/2 ounces of your taco meat, cheese, and salsa. Add your dollop of sour cream to the top.

*Weight Watchers Points Plus values were calculated using the Recipe Builder e-tool, to the best of my ability.

Menu Plan Monday...January 30

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:16:00 +0000

Breakfasts

Skinny Green Monster Smoothie (6 ww pT+)

Scrambled Egg Beaters sprinkled with shredded cheese and
4 strips of microwaveable turkey bacon--love this stuff! (6 ww pT+)

Lunches

Tuna sammies on whole wheat, nonfat yogurt, fruit (9 ww pT+)
Lightened Up Taco Salad--recipe to come, nonfat yogurt fruit (7 ww pT+)

Dinners
Lightened Up Pizza Rolls with salad
(you have to scroll way down to see recipe - 8 ww pT+ for three,
add points for salad dressing of choice)
Parmesan Linguini with Peas (9 ww pT+)
Salisbury Steak--different twist with corn and sliced bread (13 ww pT+)
Grilled Tilapia, steamed green beans, rice (9 ww pT+)
Cheesy Taco Pasta (9 ww pT+)
Lightened Up Awesome Roast Beef--recipe to come, and broccoli (9 ww pT+)
Egg beaters with shredded cheese, whole grain white toast with fruit-spread,
turkey sausage links (12 ww pT+)

Snacks

Piece of fruit and 2 cheese sticks (4 ww pT+)

Herr's Tangy BBQ Popped Chips (3 ww pT+)
Quaker Stila Bites (3 ww pT+)

Special K Cracker Chips (3 ww pT+)

Treat of the Week

Helping out with a baby shower so I am making some yummy
WW-friendly goodies to share....

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip (2 ww pT+, add points for baked tortilla chips)
Pineapple Angel Lush--recipe to come! (4 ww pT+)

Weight Watchers Low-Fat Stuffed Strawberries--recipe to come! (about 1 ww pT+)

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

And the Winners...

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:22:00 +0000

...of the Ocean Spray Fruit Snack Giveaway are:

Carrie

Andrea

Grammy2Kaiden

An Ordinary Housewife

Laura Mom Reviewer

Sweetheart

Congrats! I'll be in touch shortly to get your info to get your prize pack out to you.

3 Tips for Menu Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Menu planning is hands-down one of the best money saving practices a gal can put into practice!

I find a few things to be helpful to get me doing it on a regular basis:

1. Accountability - I like to participate in a weekly blog meme called Menu Plan Monday, where hundreds of ladies share their menu plans (and tons of new recipes to try out!) every single Monday. This means I have to have my menu plan ready to post on my blog by Monday.

2. Organization - They say ten minutes of preparation will save you and hour down the road. It typically takes me about a half an hour to complete this particular task. Did I just hear groans? Ladies, DOING THIS saves me 3 hours a week! I don't go to the grocery store every day, trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Wouldn't you love to have 3 extra hours a week in your schedule to do something better than hanging around in the supermarket?

When I write my shopping list for the week, I simultaneously create my menu plan. Then when it is finalized, I jot it down on a menu planning template. Don't have one? Check out these 20 completely free printables. One of them is sure to suit your fancy. The person who compiled this awesome collection also suggest several ways to use these templates. Right now I am into using mine in a photo frame turned dry erase board. Love it!

3. Inspiration. A mom needs a good source for recipes. Or two. Or twenty. Cooking day in and day out (no matter how much you used to LOVE cooking) gets old. Doing the same ole, same ole. Eating the same ole, ole.

B-O-R-I-N-G.

Got a free couple of minutes? Surf the net and look for some recipe sites or blogs (I like . Bookmark the ones that look good. Subscribe to the awesome ones. I strive to try at least 1 new recipe weekly. I like to keep it fresh, and my family appreciates it!

Menu Plan Monday...January 23

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:26:00 +0000

Oh, people. I am so sick that sick doesn't even say it. My family has been passing around a cold (I was the lucky recipient of it for the past week and now it is phasing into a sinus infection). So my plan this week is to try to avoid eating out and totally blowing the diet and budget. Here's hoping!

Breakfasts

Cinnamon Life with 2% milk (6 ww pT+)
NEW Dulche de Leche Cheerios with 2% milk (6 ww pT+)

Lunches

An assortment of Lean Cuisine entrees with side salad and fruit (ww pT+ vary)

Dinners
An assortment of Smart Ones Satisfying Selections with extra veggies on the side
(ww pT+ vary)

Snacks

Piece of fruit and 2 cheese sticks (4 ww pT+)

An assortment of 100 calorie snack packs
(I find that most of them are around 3 ww pT+)

Treat of the Week

Yeah--not gonna happen this week. I can barely stand, let alone bake. LOL

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

Review: Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks (and a Giveaway, Too!)

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:51:00 +0000

Fruit snacks used to be a sticky subject around this house.

My son is a huge fan of them. What 6 year old isn't? But I'm not a huge fan of feeding my already-hyper kiddo foods full of red food dye. And most varieties we've found in stores contain loads of it!

But Ocean Spray has come out with a new line of fruit flavored snacks that have no food dyes, real fruit juice, and a daily dose of Vitamin C (100%). They come in two flavors: Berries and Cherries and Assorted Fruit. And for just 80 calories a pack, they make a pretty good snack.

Good news, Free 2 Be Frugal readers! The good people at Ocean Spray and MyBlogSpark are letting me host a giveaway. 6 lucky peeps will win 4 boxes of fruit flavored snacks.

Here's how to enter:

-Leave a comment here telling me which flavors you'd like to see Ocean Spray come out with next.

-Subscribe to the Free 2 Be Frugal blog.

-Follow Free 2 Be Frugal on Facebook.

-Follow Free 2 Be Frugal on Twitter.

Check back here to see who wins January 27th!

P.S. Everyone scores a money saving coupon for Ocean Spray's new fruit snacks. Click here to get your coupon to save $1.10 off 2 boxes.

*Disclosure: The prize packs were graciously given to me from Ocean Spray through MyBlogSpark. I was not given any compensation to write this post and the opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

Review: Weight Watchers Sweet Baked Goods

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Keeping your New Years resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight just got easier! Weight Watchers and Dawn Foods continues to expand its line of Sweet Baked Goods to include even more sensible snack choices. Muffins, cakes, brownies, and cookies--oh, boy!

If chocolate is your craving, then the Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Muffin is the way to go. For just 4 Points Plus you can indulge a little and not regret it. And it is satisfying because each muffin contains 6 grams of fiber to fill you up.

Yearning for a blueberry muffin with your morning coffee? Then try Weight Watchers Blueberry Muffin, which is full of real wild blueberries. It too has just 4 Points Plus. Add a fresh piece of fruit and you have the perfect breakfast.

*Disclosure: I received samples of Weight Watchers Sweet Baked Goods for free due to my affiliation with MomSelect. These are my honest opinions and I was not given any payment to write this review post.

Menu Plan...January 16

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:12:00 +0000

Breakfasts

2 mini whole wheat bagels with whipped cream cheese(6 ww pT+)
Fit & Active multigrain waffles, Fit & Active turkey sausage link,
and sugar-free syrup (9 ww pT+)

Lunches

Salad with grilled chicken and low-fat Casesar dressing, clementines (6 ww pT+)
Lean Cuisine pepperoni pizza, salad with light balsamic vinaigrette dressing, clementines (11 ww pT+)

Dinners
Chicken Rollatini with Prosciutto and Cheese and salad (10 ww pT+)
Chicken Tacos with light sour cream and shredded cheese and rice (12 ww pT+)
London Broil with A-1, 1/2 baked potato with light sour cream, broccoli (12 ww pT+)
Dinner out with the in-laws - Japanese hibachi (bonus points time!)
Broccoli Pasta, salad (10 ww pT+)

Didn't get to last week...Cashew Chicken with rice (10 ww pT+)
Didn't get to last week...Fit & Active fish sticks, corn, veggies and lowfat dip (14 ww pT+)

Snacks

Piece of fruit and 2 cheese sticks (4 ww pT+)

Nonfat yogurt with 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (4 ww pT+)
Fit and Active version of "Cheeze-It" crackers(3 ww pT+)

Fit & Active version of "Oreo" thins(3 ww pT+ each)

Treat of the Week

Diet Soda Cake (5 ww pT+)

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

Menu Plan Monday...January 9

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:29:00 +0000

Breakfasts

Cinnamon Life with 2% milk (6 ww pT+)
Fit & Active multigrain waffles, Fit & Active turkey sausage link,
and sugar-free syrup (9 ww pT+)

Lunches

Spinach Salad with grilled chicken, sliced strawberries and mandarins
with low-fat poppyseed dressing (6 ww pT+)
Lean Cuisine pepperoni pizza, salad with light balsamic vinaigrette dressing, clementines (11 ww pT+)

Dinners
Cashew Chicken with rice (10 ww pT+)
Angel hair pasta with meat sauce, salad with light balsamic vinaigrette (8 ww pT+)
Fit & Active fish sticks, corn, veggies and lowfat dip (14 ww pT+)
Egg beaters with shredded cheese, whole grain white toast with fruit-spread,
turkey sausage links (12 ww pT+)
Pasta and Broccoli, dinner roll (11 ww pT+)

Didn't get to last week...Pan-fried flounder, broccoli, rice (10 ww pT+)
Didn't get to last week...Swedish Meatballs, no-yolk egg noodles, spinach (10 ww pT+)

Snacks

Piece of fruit and 2 cheese sticks (4 ww pT+)

Nonfat yogurt with 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (4 ww pT+)
1/2 peanut butter and banana sammie on whole grain white bread (3 ww pT+)

Fit & Active fat-free Devil's Food cookies(1 ww pT+ each)

Treat of the Week

Mini Chocolate-Chip Cookies (1 ww pT+ each)

Don't forget to head on over to

Organizing Junkie

for hundreds more menu plans!

Another Admission-Free Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:14:00 +0000

The first weekend of each month marks a momentous occasion---Museums On Us! This awesome program is a way Bank of America gives back to the community and its customers. Simply flash a Bank of America credit or debit card and get in to participating museums free of charge.

On their site you can even sign up to get a text or email reminder when the weekends are coming up, but you can also be sure hear to about it hear at Free 2 Be Frugal!

Priorities and the Goals Based on Them

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Author Crystal Paine (from Money Saving Mom fame) encourages readers to make a list of their priorities and then formulate personal goals from there. I have been working on this activity for the past few weeks and decided to post them here. I do so for two reasons. First, I hope to inspire you to really think through what you hope to accomplish this year. And second, I appreciate the kind of accountability that sharing your goals with thousands of people can bring!

Here is my complete list of goals for 2012, based on my 6 priorities, listed in bold:

Being a Christian

-Meet with my Life Group at least 2x per month

-Read/highlight my Bible daily

-Write at least 1 encouraging letter to someone each month

Being a wife

-Bring back monthly date nights

-Read at least 1 book on marriage

Being a mother

-Lose 30 pounds to improve my health so that I can do more with my son

-Improve the eating habits of the entire family

-Get the family to spend more time being active, at least 3x per week

-Read at least 1 book parenting

Using our money wisely

-Restrict eating out to special occasions

-Try at least one new recipe per week

-Revert back to a tighter budget

-Reinstating personal allowances for each family member

Creating experiences and making memories with my family

-Turn our spare bedroom into a scrapbook room

-Scrapbook at least 2x per month

-Experience live music at least 1x per month

-Take at least one family trip

Lifelong learning

-Read at least 4 books each month

2012, in One Word

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:38:00 +0000

I have long noticed that many, many bloggers designate one single word as a theme of sorts for the new year. An inspiration, if you will.

If you had to pick just one word, just one little word to describe your focus for the upcoming year, what would it be?

Check out mine below (Thanks to Melanie from Only a Breath for making me this graphic to remind me of mine all year long! If you're a blogger, she'll make one for you, too.)

Setting Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Your Frugal Friend, Niki) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

A new year means resolutions for many people. And resolutions are often broken. And fast! How about setting some goals this year instead and making a plan of attack for meeting them?

Here are my top 3 overall goals for 2012, based on my list of priorities (more on that later):

1. Find an exercise routine that works for me and stick to it at least three days a week.

2. Lose 30 pounds on Weight Watchers.

3. Less stuff; more meaningful experiences.

Want to set some goal for yourself, but just not sure how to get started? Check out Money Saving Mom's post on yearly goals and then print out her free worksheets.