It's Just My Life CA

5 Budget Friendly Christmas Traditions

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Dear Diary,

I have always had the Christmas tradition of waiting until the first snowfall after October 31st to put up my Christmas Tree. Oh, I should add that the snow has to stay on the ground as well. I bet you can guess what I woke up to this morning. Our very first snowfall of the season. And to answer that question you might be having YES I will be putting away all my fall decor and be putting up at least one Christmas tree today.

With the fresh snowfall and bringing out of the Christmas Tree, I tend to reflex on our past Christmas's when all the children were at home. My children can tell you how Christmas crazy I have been known to be over the years no matter our financial situation. I make the most out of every Christmas and 2020 will be no different. Thanks to COVID-19 I don't think our schedule will get any busier this year. Things will be different but it doesn't mean we have to step away from our family traditions it just means they will look a bit different this year.

In my Christmas on a Shoestring I talked about creating or having traditions for your family to do. I am going to give you a news flash - they don't have to cost money. I like to keep our traditions simple and cost-effective which means traditions under $10.

Traditions are only traditions if you do them year after year. That is what makes it a tradition after all. Our family went through a brief transition when 3 of my 4 children moved out of our home to pursue further education. This meant changing some of the traditions and also giving some up and making new ones. Here are some of the traditions we have kept over the years.

Christmas Lights

Make some hot cocoa at home and plan a night to go for a ride to see the Christmas lights where you live. There are some spectacular displays out there to view with your family. Make some cookies the day before and hide them away to surprise the family with them on your drive.

Christmas Movie
Pop some popcorn and plan to do a family movie night and watch your favourite Christmas movie. We like to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation every Christmas eve.

Special Days
My family has a special day when we decorate our Christmas Tree and we always set aside days for baking. December 1st marks the first day that I play Christmas music in our house. I know the stores have them playing before then but for us, that is the day.

Advent Calendar
This year I was lucky enough to find a tea advent calendar. I love to have tea every morning and I can't wait to start my tea advent calendar this year.

Games
There is nothing like a game night by the tree to help get into the Christmas spirit. Spending time with your family is a much better investment than any gift you can buy.

I would love to know what are some of the traditions you do with your family.

Until next time,

Annie

Christmas on a Shoestring ($100 Budget)

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 11:30:00 +0000

For the past two years, it seems as though all that is happening is prices are increasing at a very quick rate. It is hard to keep up with the day-to-day expenses without feeling the pinch. I know that we are not the only family feeling the economic turn. We have been told her locally that our hydro prices are going to go down effective November 1, 2022, but we shall see how that reflects with our monthly bills.

Growing up there was times when money was very tight. My parents always made Christmas special. I learned from a young age that money is not required for making a truly magical Christmas. In fact, those can be the most memorable and joyful Christmases ever! I am writing this post in hopes that someone else might benefit from our hardships and joys.

I know my family is not alone in their struggles financially not just at Christmas but all year round. Christmas seems to magnify those struggles even more because you always want to be able to provide your child/children with a Christmas to remember and in this day in age of so much consumerism it makes it difficult to get away from that.

Almost 10 years ago we were hit with the news just before Christmas that our middle daughter was gravely ill and the expectations of her survival were definitely up in the air. I will let you all know now that she did survive and we are beyond blessed to have her still with us. When something like this happens you can't but not help to realign how you look at things.

CREATING A CHRISTMAS

DECORATING

This year I spent some time going around looking at various stores' Christmas decor for inspiration. I had no intent on purchasing any of it but I wanted to get some ideas of how to decorate with what we already had at our house. Thankfully we have our tree because of my allergy to real trees we always put up an artificial tree.

TIME

I have always found that the time we spend together playing games, baking, doing a movie night, or even just talking are the memories that last a lifetime for my family.

GIFTS

Look around your house at the toys you purchased your children last year I bet very few of them are being played with now. I know over the years I have noticed that there were a few of the gifts we gave our children that they lost interest in very quickly.

As a family we have decided to draw names for Christmas, it started with just our kids drawing names amongst themselves, and now my husband and I draw names with them. We make it a Secret Santa exchange with a set price limit of $40. To make this easier we email out a questionnaire for everyone to answer so that they have some idea of what the other person would like for Christmas.

Even this year I have not yet decided if I will be doing stockings for everyone. I might just do some of their favourite snacks in their stocking.

TRADITIONS

Even if you have limited resources it is the perfect time to start new traditions! Every Christmas eve we take a drive and look at the lovely Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music. I think keeping the traditions going is really important for us as a family and even creating some new ones that are fun.

BAKING

I have fond memories of making Christmas treats during the holidays. My children all love baking and helping me in the kitchen and creating different treats for us to enjoy over the holidays.

SERVICE

No matter how little money we have we always make sure that we give what we can to others so our children know what is it like to give to others in need. Teaching your children to serve others is important.

Every Friday I will be writing more about our $100 Shoestring Christmas and different things I have found to make and do with my family to make the Christmas season more memorable and fun. If you have any ideas you would like to share with my family of things you have found in the past that have helped you stay on budget for Christmas please feel free to share them with me and my readers.

FRUGALITY IS A WAY OF LIFE

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:37:00 +0000

When I do something I am an all-in kind of girl or nothing. This can be a good thing when it comes to wanting to live on one income and raise 4 children. Frugal living is about being economical and resourceful with our resources. It definitely doesn't mean being cheap. As a matter of fact, I prefer to buy quality items that might cost a bit more upfront but it will last longer and wear longer because of quality. For me, it is about being intentional with the resources we have been given and not wasteful.

There were years when living frugally was definitely not a necessity but something I strived to do so that we could enjoy a few things in life while living off one income and raising a family. I am not sure why most people don't start out trying to be as frugal as possible in life. It truly is one of the main things I hope my children have learned by my example over the years. I also understand that some people find it overwhelming to even start to change the way they have been living and others have never been given the tools to live frugally.

I like to get the most out of my money all the time whether I am purchasing groceries, household goods, or even a car. I want to be a good steward of what has been given to me.

Some of the frugal things I have done over the years is ...

Cut my own hair and my families - This has been such a useful thing over the years and has also come in handy during the pandemic when all hair salons closed down for a period of time. I had everything on hand to cut hair and I was not afraid to cut it.

Make my own bread - I love knowing the ingredients in my bread. I also the way it makes my house smell so good when it is baking. There is nothing better than fresh bread out of the oven still warm with butter on it.

Buy clothing at thrift stores or on clearance - Clothing can be a huge expense and I like to make quality purchases but for a fraction of the price. People donate very good quality clothing that you can pick up cheap at the stores.

Shop the Local Buy and Swaps - If there are larger items you need to purchase remember to keep your eye out on your local Facebook marketplace. I sometimes have a few things that I would like to have and I just keep my eye out on the marketplace for them. Also, be strict with yourself so you are not caught making purchases of things you don't really need.

One in and one out rule - I try to go by the one eat and one out rule when it comes to purchasing items. All items including housewares, decor, and clothing. It helps my house from getting cluttered.

Frugal living looks different to everyone. To me, it is really watching what I spend my money on groceries, clothing, or anything else. It is saying no to friends when they are going out to dinner because it is not in my budget. I know what I can afford and have no trouble at all saying no to things I can't afford. I am trying to live my life to the fullest while living on a small budget after all.

What does frugal living look like to you?

Until next time,

Annie

TAKING A DAY TRIP WITH YOUR FAMILY

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

There is nothing better than waking up in the morning with no real plans for the day. It allows my family to think of a place to go and explore for the day. Day trips take very little planning because they do not require a lot of money but they do require a bit of packing so that you can enjoy the day to the fullest.

If it was just my husband and I packing wouldn't be a huge deal but with children on board it means you do have to pack a few things for your own sanity. I like it when the whole family can enjoy the day trip.

Some of the items we always pack for our day trips are the following -

- Thermal Cooler bag - to put in all our items we like to keep cool like salads, cucumbers, cherries, grapes, etc.
- Insulated Cups - we use Bubba's at our house because they keep your drinks cold for many hours while traveling we even have a very large one so we can refill our water while on the road.
- Large Bag - Depending on the weather but I throw in some towels, a bag of chips or any other items we might need on our trip
- Plastic Dishes - we don't like to eat off of paper plates or dishes so I purchased a set of plastic dishes with cutlery to put in our bag to use on these trips.
- Sunscreen - always a must to protect our skin from the elements.

We prefer day trips over long weekend trips because when it comes down to it we prefer to sleep in our own beds at night. Once we have decided where we are going for the day I make and pack up some food for us to eat while we are out. Not only does this cut down on the cost of the trip but it gives us a chance to find a different place to picnic and explore while we are out.

We also like to play games while driving down the road our favourite is the alphabet license plate (really not the technical name but it is what we call it) as we drive down the road we start with the letter A and go through the alphabet to see how many time we can complete the whole alphabet.

Let's Chat!

Do you go for day trips with your family? What do you pack with you when you go? Do you play car games on your way to your destination?

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops (Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops have become a great comfort food around our house and since we are home all the time there was never a better time to pull out this recipe and make them for dinner.

2 TBSP Brown Sugar
2 TBSP Ketchup
1 TBSP Soy Sauce
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Lemon Juice
This recipe is perfect to glaze 4 pork chops.

Mix the above ingredients all to combine well.

If doing in a fry pan on the stove preheat the fry pan on medium heat before adding the pork chops.

if doing in the oven preheat over to 350* and then cook pork chops in a shallow pan lightly greased for about 15 minutes on each side.

Glaze one side of the pork chop and once it is cooked turn over and glaze the other side of the pork chop.

Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the pork chops.

How do you make your dressing?

YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO SAVE MONEY

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Telling you how to save money is like telling you how to lose weight. Everybody knows how to lose weight. To save money you need to spend fewer dollars than you earn. In both cases, you need to adjust your rate of consumption to your rate of work.

Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash

It is easier to say work more and make more money but it is a known fact that the more money you make the more money you spend. For me working outside the home to make more money isn't an option. For one it causes me a great deal of stress. I find juggling my work life and home life a job in itself always making sure all my client's needs are being looked after.

Earning more money often requires more time away from home and less time to call your own. I can see this being an option for the short term but definitely not a long term option for anyone in the house. There is a point where the quality of life and standard of living depart. Where earning more results in personal cost and lessens your quality of life.

The solution in this situation is to find a balance between earning more and saving more so that you can live the highest quality of life. When you do earn more resist the temptation to spend more. Learn to discipline yourself to save as much as you earn as possible.

For my family budget, I have always made it a point to budget less than we earn on a monthly basis. This way I always know there will be extra to pay off debt or put into saving every month. It did take a while to get used, it was not always fun but to see numbers as far as debt being paid off and my savings account worth it growing for a special trip or just some fun family adventure has been the reward.

Maybe setting a small reward or goal in mind would help you save money.

Let's Chat!

How have you found the balance between earning more and saving more?

10 THINGS I HAVE CHANGED IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Photo by Jazmin Quaynor on Unsplash

The last few weeks have been life-changing for my family. I do know that my family is not the only one going through the changes the world has cast upon us. Here are a few things that I have changed or found very helpful during our social distancing.

1. Cook once and eat twice. - I like to make a large enough meal that I have leftovers for lunch the next day. This has very handy since we are participating in social distancing and home all day long.

2. I don't need as much dish detergent to wash my dishes. - I fill a foaming soap bottle with 1/3 dish soap and the rest with water. My dishes are clean every time I wash them.

3. Pour milk that is about to expire into an ice cube tray. - They are great in smoothies.

4. I don't have to buy a face scrub. - I can use coffee grounds or brown sugar with coconut oil as a face scrub.

5. I have been working on becoming a more reusable household. - I have cloth napkins, unpaper towels and now fabric makeup wipes.

6. I run my dishwasher on a shorter cycle and guess what? I still get my dishes clean.

7. I am beyond grateful for my stocked pantry. - Being able to cook from my pantry instead of rushing out to the store to pick up groceries.

8. I can still make my families favourite recipes by substituting ingredients and getting a very similar result. - I didn't have spaghetti noodles so I used penne instead. It was just as good!

9. Work on projects in and around my house that I already have the supplies to do. - You know the projects you keep putting off because they are not the first thing on your list. Well, now that you have time to tackle that list it is time to get them done.

10. I have saved a ton on gas because I don't go anywhere. - I love being home and I am learning to appreciate my time at home more and more.

WHERE DO I GET STARTED?

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 12:00:00 +0000

I am back!

I won't go on about where I was and why I took a break from blogging all you need to know is that I am back. I love blogging and have a passion for it and sharing information that has helped me over the years of living large on a small budget. The question I always get is Where do I start? or How do I get started?

Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash

There is no need to put off what you can start today until tomorrow because we all know that tomorrow never comes. I have always found it best to record our spending habits over the course of a minimum of 2 months but 3 months is better. That does not mean that you can not set up a budget for you or your family to follow now. You can still do that but remember when you are setting up a budget for the first time without recording your spending habits it leading up to it you must have some sort of buffer because it is hard to get a 100% accurate budget without prior knowledge of your spending.

When you are recording your expenses they are going to fall into one of two categories - essential and optional. Essential expenses are things that you can not cut. For me, those things include my mortgage, house taxes, insurances, utilities, food bill, and cellphone bill. Even though to me a cellphone bill is something you can save on I can not totally cut it from my budget on a monthly basis. My food bill contains essential items for general nutrition but it also contains items I can cut back on so I put it under my essential because we need to stay healthy.

You are the only person who can decide what is essential and optional to your situation. For everyone this is different and there is no right or wrong. Remember comparison is a joy robber so do what is best for you and your family. The point is to understand what you have left once the things you value are taken care of on a monthly basis.

For my family becoming debt-free is a goal we are working towards. It is very important to us to be debt-free so that we can then, in turn, use our money to help bless others. We do live off of one income only so taking even the little steps to become out of debt is important.

Tracking your spending will give you a true picture of where you are financially and where you can make cutbacks that are comfortable for your family.

Let's Chat!

Where have you been able to cut back financially?

Classic Meatloaf (Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 12:00:00 +0000

Meatloaf in our house is definitely a comfort food no matter the time of the year. When life throws you some lemons I find great comfort in making our favourite meals to help get us through the little bumps in the road.

I find Christmas makes the bumps in the road seem bigger because of the pressure put on ourselves. We want to give our family everything and we often feel like we can't do enough. In our family, we do everything on a budget including our Christmas Family Traditions. The memories we create with our family is the most important thing we can give them no matter the time of year. It took me a lot of years to realize that and now that I have I feel the need to pass it on to all of you. Be present in everything you do with your family. Put your technology away and enjoy them. Enjoy life!

Meatloaf

For the loaf
1 1/2 lbs. Ground Meat
1 cup Bread Crumbs
1 cup Milk
1 Medium Onion Diced
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

For the sauce
3/4 cup Ketchup
2 TBSP Prepared Mustard
4 TBSP Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 5x9 loaf pan.

Mix all the ingredients for the loaf together and form a loaf in greased pan.

Mix all sauce ingredients together and pour over prepared loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in a preheated oven.

ENJOY!

Let's Chat!

What is your favourite meal to cook when you are having a rough day?

*** The recipes, video and photos are my own. The opinions and comments on this blog are those of the author. ***

Caramel Apple Pork Chops (video included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +0000

The leaves are falling and the smell of apples is in the air. What a perfect time to make Caramel Apple Pork Chops for dinner. I usually have everything on hand to make this recipe that everyone in my family loves.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops - Printable Version

2 Pork Chops (your choice of cut)

1 tsp Oil

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Nutmeg

2 Tbsp Butter/Margarine

2 Apples (peeled, cored and sliced)

1 - Heat a large skillet. Add oil and place pork chops in a hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes turning occasionally. Remove pork chops from skillet.

2 - Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Add butter to the skillet and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are tender.

3 - Add Pork Chops back into skillet cover and let simmer until sauce has thickened.

4 - When serving remember to serve with apple slices and sauce over the pork chops.

Let's Chat!

Do you have a favourite meal that you make because you know you have the ingredients on hand?

*** It's just my life... was supplied meat and cookware from www.ShopeaseFoods.com. The recipes, video and photos are my own. The opinions and comments on this blog are those of the author. ***

Real Food on Budget Week of December 10, 2018.

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 12:00:00 +0000

The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is in full swing. I thought I was going to be ahead of everything having all my Christmas shopping done by November 30th and that includes my wrapping as well.

Apparently, I needed to get things done early because life has decided to put a curve in my plans. We are now dealing with a bit of a health crisis in our family. Everything I had planned has been tossed out the window as we deal with heart problems of a loved one. Planning my meals to keep my family on track is even more important now that we don't know what each day will bring.

Between doctors and hospital visits, we are trying to live our life as normal as possible. Sitting around and waiting for something to happen has never been our way to live life. We will continue to be part of things with family and friends to help maintain normalcy in our life. If you think of it please say a little prayer for our family. We could sure use it.

My instant pot is getting a work out when preparing our family meals because we can eat a homecooked meal that can be prepared very quickly and it always so tasty.

~ Menu ~

Dinner

Garden Vegetable Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Roast with potatoes and carrots in slow cooker/instant pot
Rotisserie Chicken, Rice, Veggies
Pork Chops with Onions, Potatoes, Broccoli
Homemade Pizza
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Garlic Toast

Lunch

- is always leftovers from the night before
Grilled Cheese
Soup

Breakfast

Waffles
Oatmeal

Bagels w' Cream Cheese

LET'S CHAT!

What is your favourite slow cooker or instant pot meal?

3 TIPS FOR SAVING ON GROCERIES

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Next to paying for rent or a mortgage one of the largest expenses for most households including our own is food. The rising costs of food have really got me thinking about our food budget.

Have you noticed that the sizes of products keep shrinking but the price either stays the same or keeps rising. I can not be the only one that is noticing this.

I have found a few tricks the grocery stores seem to be doing to make us think that we are still getting our monies worth when really the size of the product is getting smaller and the price is staying the same.

1. Is it really a CLEARANCE price?
Have you ever noticed how the larger quantity of items goes on sale and yet when you double check in the aisle you can clearly see if you purchase a few of the smaller size items and make them equal the larger one that buying more smaller ones is more economical then buying the larger on clearance.

2. There is a SALE tag so it must be a good deal right? Not always so. It is important to check your prices when buying anything on sale. It is not always a good deal because it has a sale tag, we are just programmed to think that it is.

3. When paying by the pound you need to double check the pricing and the weight of the item. I do notice that a lot of places have pay by weight but yet they have no scale in site for you to double check how much you will be paying. Always ask for them to let you know before you give up your hard earned money on the item.

Remember it is your money and you should always double check the pricing of the items you are purchasing. Follow these tips and you would be tricked at the check out to pay more for your groceries.

Let's Chat!

What do you do to save on groceries?

EASY ENCHILADAS (Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 12:00:00 +0000

This week I am making Easy Enchiladas for my family. When I grabbed my tried and true recipe for this dish I was reminded that I haven't made this in a long time! I am not sure why I haven't because it is a family favourite but I think it just got pushed to the side for a while. Once I placed dinner on the table my daughter requested I make it more often.

1 lb Ground Meat
1/2 Onion, diced
1/2 Pepper, diced
1/4 cup water
1 envelope Taco Seasoning Mix

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup Sour Cream or Yogurt
1 cup Cheese, grated

12 Tortillas

Preheat oven to 350*.

Brown Ground Meat, onion and peppers together in a fry pan.

Add water and taco seasoning to browned meat mixture.

In another bowl mix together soup, sour cream and cheese.

Assemble enchiladas by putting in meat mixture and some soup mixture into each tortilla.

Roll tortillas and place into baking dish.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

LET'S CHAT!

What do you make when you feel burnt out?

WHITE TURKEY CHILI in the INSTANT POT(Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 12:00:00 +0000

I am trying to use up our Thanksgiving Day leftovers since we will be enjoying more turkey in December for Christmas. This White Chili recipe is an easy way to use up the leftovers and get a quick meal on the table using my instant pot. This recipe can also be done on the stove in less than 30 minutes.

2 cans White Kidney Beans (15oz)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups Turkey, cubed
1 1/3 cups Milk
1 can Green Chilies (4oz)
1 TBSP Cilantro
1 TBSP Onion, minced
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Oregano

Put all ingredients in Instant Pot.

Mix chili and close instant pot. Set to manual 8 minutes.

If making the Chili on the stove put in all ingredients and stir bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.

LET'S CHAT!

How do you like to use up your Turkey Leftovers?

Real Food on Budget Week of November 5, 2018.

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 12:00:00 +0000

The past three weeks I have finally felt like me again. Life is full of hills and valleys and I feel like my life has been one rollercoaster ride for the last 8 years. I am so beyond grateful for my amazing family and how much of a support they have been for me over the last few years. I am not sure how I would have made it through without them.

I have chosen to renew my blog domain which also means I am going to get back to what I am passionate about. My passions have not changed. I love sharing my simple living tips and life with all of you. We are just getting into the crazy Christmas time of year. It is even more important that I keep on track with my grocery budget so that all other things can be kept within my budget making Christmas easier to cash flow.

I did a major inventory of my freezer and I have enough meat in the freezer to make it through the whole month of November. I know I will have to pick up milk and fresh produce but I should be able to save a lot of my grocery budget this month.

Meals this week:

Chicken and Dumplings
Pork Chops, Onions, Rice and Veggies
Mac & Cheese Pasta Bake
Chili
Garden Vegetable Soup
Shepherd's Pie
Nachos

Lunch:

Our lunches usually consist of dinner leftovers.

- Salad
- Soup

Breakfast:

- Fresh Fruit (Oranges, Strawberries & Apples)
- Toast
- Bagels
- Oatmeal

Snack:

- Brownies
- Oatmeal Cookies

Shopping:

$ 7.97 Ice Tea Mix
9.99 8kg Bag of Rice
2.99 Fudgicles
0.99 Celery
______
$21.94

Leftover for next week - $53.06

Items on hand:

- Onions

- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Frozen Vegetables
- Rice
- Chicken Breast
- Ground Chicken

- Chicken Thighs
- Pork Chops
- Pasta Sauce
- Pasta (Various)
- Bread
- Wraps
- Apples
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Cheese
- Creamed Cheese
- Ricotta Cheese
- Quinoa

If you are looking for more menu inspiration be sure to check out Orgjunkie, she hosts a weekly menu plan Monday link up.

LET'S CHAT!

What is one of the ways to try to save on your grocery budget?

FEEDING MY FAMILY ON $75/WEEK OR LESS

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

I think we are all aware of the rising costs of food no matter where you live. I know here in Ontario, Canada some of the prices are crazy when it comes to food costs. I am always up for a challenge when it comes to saving money without compromising what we eat. I did some hunting to find out what the average cost for food for a family of three should be and it came out to $100/person/month. For my family that works out to be $300/month which is $75/week.

My goal is to eat healthy meals every day on $75 a week for the three of us. That is two adults and our teenage daughter. Years ago I used to just head to the store and not think about the price of the items I put in my cart. But in the last 15 years, things have changed. We have been living off of a very limited income and I need to really think before I put something in my cart to purchase.

Over the years I have learned that their are less expensive alternatives to meat. Beans and lentils can be used to bulk up meals and if you have a farmers' market near your house you can often get good deals near closing time. Don't forget that when it comes to vegetables and fruit frozen are often cheaper and last longer without losing nutrition value.

Using coupons really does help me reduce my grocery cost on some items but to be honest for me price matching is where I save a ton. This last week alone I saved over $20 just by price matching items in my cart. I came home with 5 bags of groceries and only 3 items were not price matched. I try to just go to one store only so that I also save money on gas(the rising price of gas is another story) and I do all my price matching at that one store.

Saving money does take a little work. Going through flyers to find the best price on the items you use takes time but the internet is a huge resource and their are many places on the web that do all of this for you so it doesn't take you long at all to gather the best prices you need for price matching. I spend less than an hour a week gathering the different screenshots I need on my tablet to price match with at the store. I do realize that everyone's time is worth money but when you are saving over $20 by spending about 45 minutes before heading to the store I feel it is more than worth it.

Weekly menu planning is also key for us when it comes to saving money on groceries. When I am going through the flyers to see the sale prices I am also going through recipes in my head that I can make with the items on sale that week. My goal is to make every meal at home and not to have to ever eat from a restaurant. With menu planning it means I am making my meals from scratch and that does take time and planning and meal prep. Nothing that can not be done on a Sunday at the beginning of the week and then meal prep during the week is a lot less.

In short here are the ways I save:

Menu Plan - I do this every week so we don't get off track on our budget and so I know what to make for the week. It really eases the stress of cooking dinner.

Baked Goods - Every week I make our baked goods including bread for the week. I usually make brownies, cookies, puddings, jello and bars for the week.

Buy in Bulk - We purchase flour, rice, and beans in bulk which significantly cuts down with the costs.

No Juices or Soda - We do not buy juice or soda as a general rule.

No Boxed Snacks - We bake all our snacks for the week so baked snacks are not needed in our house.

Buy Produce we eat - I only buy the produce that we will eat and if something is going bad I try to use it up in baking or cooking right away or put it in the freezer to use at a later time. I try to do zero waste.

Let's Chat!

What are some ways you save with your weekly food budget?

5 Ways I Saved in July

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

Being intentional with our money is very important to me. I don't want money to control what we do I want to be able to control what I do with our money.

In July I saved money 5 different ways. Saving money allows us to be able to pay cash for surprises such as needing to put in a new windshield wiper transmission to the tune of $350. It was so nice to be able to have the cash on hand to pay for this instead of using a credit card. Because we have been much more intentional about our money we have an emergency fund on hand to cover almost all of our unexpected expenses.

Cool Off in the Pool

We do have a pool in our backyard which makes is really nice for cooling off after some time in the heat and this summer it has been really hot so our pool is getting a lot of us. We saved money by not having to use the public pool which costs $3/person to swim in.

Clothing

Shaylin's sister cleaned out her closet and gave Shayiln some hand me downs. I love that all my daughters wear the same size in clothes. It really can save me money since my oldest two daughters buy their own clothes. They are adults and live on their own.

Dog Grooming

This is something I don't think about but we save dollars on every other month because we groom our dog ourselves. From cutting her nails to trimming her fur. This saves us about $80 in our area.

Haircuts

I got sick of the heat this month so I decided I needed a shorter hair. So out came the scissors and off I cut my hair. I love the length of it now and I didn't have to book an appointment or pay for a haircut. That alone is at least a $25 savings.

Turned Off Air Conditioning

This is not an easy one with the temperatures we have been having but I decided to try to go without our air con on as long as we could. We do have a pool to cool off in after all. And we have gone over a week without air con on.

How did you save this month?

Other posts you may enjoy:

5 Ways I Ssved in June

5 Ways I Saved in May

7 Ways I Saved in April

Real Food on Budget Week of August 13, 2018.

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 11:00:00 +0000

I am back!!!

I have taken a hiatus for a few months while I recovered from Caregiver Burnout from caring for my daughter and her medical needs for the last 8 years. I am human and I can not do everything and take on everything and everyones needs 24/7. I have started to say NO to things that I really don't want to do and enjoy my time with my family.

Even though I have been on a hiatus I have continued to stay on budget with our food purchases and menu planning. I really find that for me it takes the stress out of my life by knowing what we are going to be eating for our meals every night.

Meals this week:

Chicken, Fried Rice
Spaghetti & Meatballs, Garlic Bread
Shepherd's Pie
Enchiladas, Spanish Rice
HM Panzerotti & Sauce
Grilled Chicken, Vegetables
HM Burgers, Salads

Lunch:

Our lunches usually consist of dinner leftovers.

- Salad
- Soup
- Egg Salad

Breakfast:

- Fresh Fruit (Oranges, Strawberries & Apples)
- Toast
- Bagels
- Oatmeal

Snack:

- Brownies
- Cookies

Shopping:

$ 5.97 Bread (3 loaves)
2.97 Sour Cream
6.00 Frozen Vegetables (3 bags)
1.97 Celery
______
$16.91

Leftover for next week - $58.09

Items on hand:

- Onions

- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Frozen Vegetables
- Rice
- Chicken Breast
- Turkey Meatballs (Frozen)
- Ground Chicken

- Chicken Thighs
- Ground Turkey
- Chicken Legs
- Pork Chops
- Pasta Sauce
- Pasta (Various)
- Bread
- Wraps
- Pears
- Apples
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Cheese
- Creamed Cheese
- Quinoa

If you are looking for more menu inspiration be sure to check out Orgjunkie, she hosts a weekly menu plan Monday link up.

LET'S CHAT!

Do you try to keep your staple items always on hand and stocked up?

BLOGGING HIATUS

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 20:41:00 +0000

I am taking a blogging hiatus until April 30th. I thank you for stopping by and there are still some amazing articles to read on my blog while I am on hiatus.

Looking forward to sharing some amazing tips and financial strategies with you when I am back. See you when I return!

Panzerotti (Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 11:00:00 +0000

I never like to waste food in the kitchen. When I have leftover meat I like to use it up in a few days or freeze it for a meal later in the week. I cooked a ham and found that I had a lot of leftovers. I portioned it out to use for other meals and put it into the freezer.

One of our family favourites is panzerotti. Everyone in the family likes different things in the panzerotti so making them at home and to everyone liking is not only easy to do but makes a fuss free dinner since it is exactly as they like.

Panzerotti

For the dough (you could also use store bought pizza dough)
split the dough into quarters:

2 envelopes active dry yeast (I used just over a tablespoon of bulk yeast)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups warm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
olive oil (I just drizzle in enough to make the dough easier to work with, probably a tablespoon or so)
cornmeal

Combine the yeast, salt, sugar, and warm water in a bowl. Cover and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until foamy. Place flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center, add the yeast mixture and olive oil, and mix well.

For the panzerotti

2-3 Tbsp Tomato Sauce
1 cup Ham (diced)
optional:
Peppers
Onions
Pepperoni
Pineapple
and any other toppings you like on a pizza.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Now take your dough and make sure you divided it into 4 pieces. Set 3 aside and start working on your first one.
You want to lay it out on a floured surface. You can either hand stretch it or use a rolling pin.
Roll it just like you would a pizza.
Now on the one side of the dough put some sauce. About 2 or 3 tablespoons should be good.
Now toss on your meat where you put the sauce.
Now add your cheese. Make sure you leave enough rim to wrap the panzerotti so you want a good 1 to ½ inch space around the edge.
Now take your dough and fold it over. It should make a little half moon.
Now press lightly on the middle where the toppings are to remove any air. Important step.
Now press down the edges to seal them.
Now you take those edges and fold them over on again.
Press the edges down really well so you have an air tight seal.
Now very carefully lift it up (by hand if you're a pro, spatula if not) and put it on the cooking tray to put in the oven.

Cook until done usually about 10 to 15 minutes.

Let's Chat!

Do you make pizza and panerotti's at home? What is your favourite things to put on them?

*** It's just my life... was supplied meat and cookware from www.ShopeaseFoods.com. The recipes, video and photos are my own. The opinions and comments on this blog are those of the author. ***

Real Food on Budget Week of March 12, 2018.

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 11:00:00 +0000

After taking a few weeks off, it is time to get back to posting my weekly grocery shops. It is almost hard for me to believe but I am still using up my meat in the freezer. I am sure we an go almost another 2 months on the supply I have built up. Having said that I am not going to pass up any good sales on chicken while I am using up my stock. I don't believe in using all I have up and starting fresh. I feel the way I save money is that I continuing replenish my small stock of what we use so I never have to pay full price for any of it.

There are staple items we us week after week so to use it all up without always looking for a sale doesn't make any sense to me. I always keep a running list of our staple items and review it weekly. This week brown sugar was on sale so I grabbed two bags of brown sugar to have one in my pantry and one in my container.

Meals this week:

Sheet Pan Greek Chicken & Potatoes
Pulled Chicken, Rice, Broccoli
Pork Souvlaki, Rice, Carrots
Nachos
One Pot Pasta
Lemon Chicken & Fried Rice, Veggies
Cabbage Roll Casserole

Lunch:

Our lunches usually consist of dinner leftovers.

- Salad
- Soup
- Egg Salad

Breakfast:

- Fresh Fruit (Oranges, Strawberries & Apples)
- Toast
- Bagels
- Oatmeal

Snack:

- Banana Bread
- Oatmeal Cookies with Butterscotch Chips

Shopping:

$ 2.45 Green Grapess
1.92 Red Grapes
1.78 Lettuce
1.78 Onions 3lbs
3.96 Brown Sugar 1.98 x2
1,44 Dare Cookies
5.00 Old Dutch Chips 2.50 x2
4.98 Bread 2.49 x2
4.27 Milk 4L
2.50 Broccoli
2.98 Cheese Buns
6.99 Farm Boy Potato & Leek Soup

$40.05 - Total Spent

Budget:

$34.96 - Total left from week of March 12th
$48.64 - Total left from week March 5th

Total - $83.59 brought forward

Items on hand:

- Onions

- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Rice
- Chicken Breast
- Chicken Meatballs (Frozen)
- Ground Chicken

- Chicken Thighs
- Ground Turkey
- Chicken Legs
- Whole Turkey x 1
- Pork Chops
- Pasta (Various)
- Bread
- Wraps
- Apples
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Cheese
- Quinoa

If you are looking for more menu inspiration be sure to check out Orgjunkie, she hosts a weekly menu plan Monday link up.

LET'S CHAT!

Do you try to keep your staple items always on hand and stocked up?

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole (Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

My husband loves to come home to dinner on the table when he gets in from a long day at work. I love to cook for him so making some of our favourite casseroles during the winter months make dinner prep a lot easier for me. I like to prep casseroles in the morning and then store them in the fridge until it is time to put them in the oven for dinner. I find that really frees up my day to do things with my daughter and help her with her school work for the day.

Fried Rice

1 TBSP Butter

2 eggs, whisked
2 TBSP Butter
1 cup Mixed Vegetables , frozen or canned
2 cloves, Garlic minced
1 small White Onion, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 to 4 cups cooked rice, chilled
2 green onions
4 TBSP Soy Sauce
2 tsp Oyster Sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil

Heat 1 TBSP butter in a large skillet until melted. Add in eggs and cook until scrambled. Remove egg.

Add additional butter to pan and heat until melted. Add in diced onions, mixed vegetables, garlic, salt and pepper saute until soft. Once heated through add in rice, soy sauce, green onions, Oyster Sauce. Continue to heat rice through for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs to combine and Sesame Oil. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

3 cups Fried Rice (recipe above)

1 chicken breast

1 package stir fry vegetables

Teriyaki Sauce (or buy a bottle of premade Teriyaki Sauce)

3/4 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1 TBSP Honey

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Sesame Oil

1 clove Garlic, minced

2 TBSP Corn Starch

2 TBSP Cold Water

Instructions:

1. Make fried rice from recipe above or buy premade.

2. Heat oven to 350 Degrees

To make Teriyaki Sauce

3. In a medium sauce pan combine, stir together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, sesame oil and garlic.

4. In a small bowl stir together corn starch and cold water, add a 1 tsp of teriyaki sauce to corn starch mixture and then slowly pour everything into the boiling mixture whisking until it thickens. Then set aside.

5. Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour 1 cup of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and shred chicken.

6. Steam the veggies and then add the veggies, rice and chicken together in a 9x12 greased baking dish. Drizzle remaining teriyaki sauce over top.

7. Bake for another 15 minutes, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Let's Chat!

Do you make a lot of casseroles in the winter? What is your families favourite casserole?

*** It's just my life... was supplied meat and cookware from www.ShopeaseFoods.com. The recipes, video and photos are my own. The opinions and comments on this blog are those of the author. ***

Real Food on Budget Week of February 19, 2018.

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

This week I am menu planning for 4 (3 adults and 1 teen), I have to take into account a few different dietary restrictions but I am sure I can get it done on my budget. I plan on making some bread and buns for this week. That should help a lot with lunches for my husband and the girls for the week.

I am planning a trip to Costco on Tuesday of this week if my car repairs are not to much and I will add that trip to my totals once I get home. I know I have to pick up a few things from Costco that are just cheaper than any where else.

Meals this week:

Turkey Dinner with fixings
Hot Turkey Sandwiches & Fries and Veggies
Teriyaki Chicken, Rice & Bean Bowls
Minestrone Soup
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Chicken and Dumplings, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable
Tacos & Mexican Rice

Lunch:

Our lunches usually consist of dinner leftovers.

- Salad
- Soup
- Egg Salad

Breakfast:

- Fresh Fruit (Oranges, Strawberries & Apples)
- Toast
- Oatmeal

Snack:

- Double Chocolate Coffee Cake
- Banana Bread
- Oatmeal Cookies with Butterscotch Chips

Shopping:

$ 2.97 Strawberries
5.00 Ragu Sauce x5 @ 1.00
1.00 Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Bars
2.00 Apple Sauce x2 @ 1.00
0.81 Green Pepper
5.00 Ground Chicken 1lbs x5 @ 1.00
2.00 Sour Cream x2 @ 1.00
1.00 Mr Noodles x4 @ 0.25
3.54 Egg Noodles x2 @ 1.77
4.00 Wonder Bread x2 @ 2.00
1.97 Celery
1.97 Lettuce

$31.26 - Total Spent

Budget:

$43.74 - Total left from week February 19th
$28.83 - Total left from week February 12th
$48.75 - Total left from week of February 5th

Total - $121.32 brought forward

Items on hand:

- Onions

- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Rice
- Chicken Breast
- Chicken Meatballs (Frozen)
- Ground Chicken

- Chicken Thighs
- Ground Turkey
- Chicken Legs
- Whole Turkey x 1
- Pork Chops
- Pasta (Various)
- Bread
- Wraps
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Cheese
- Quinoa

If you are looking for more menu inspiration be sure to check out Orgjunkie, she hosts a weekly menu plan Monday link up.

LET'S CHAT!

Do you make monthly trips to a warehouse store like Costco or Sam's Club?
What are the best deals you find there?

Rotisserie Chicken in the Slow Cooker (Video Included) #WhatsCookingWednesday

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

I love the rotisserie chicken you can pick up at the grocery store but I am not sure everything they season it with - to be on the safe side I decided to come up with a recipe that we could do at home so that we know what exactly is in it. It takes minutes to prepare as long as your chicken is already thaw.

Rotisserie Chicken in the Slow Cooker

1 Whole Chicken (I used about a 4lb one but judge for your slow cooker)
1 onion quartered
2 carrots cut
2 stalks of celery

Rub
2 tsps Salt
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder

In a small bowl, mix together all spices for the rub. Remove and disgard the giblets from the chicken. Rinse chicken cavity and pat dry with paper towel. Rub chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place onion, celery and carrots in chicken.

Start by placing foil balls in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Cook chicken on high for 4 to 4 1/2 hours depending on the size of the chicken and strength of your slow cooker. Times will vary so use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached 165 degrees. Let your chicken rest on the cutting board for about 15 minutes before carving.

Let's Chat!

Do you pick up a Rotisserie Chicken at your local grocery store to make dinner easier?

*** It's just my life... was supplied meat and cookware from www.ShopeaseFoods.com. The recipes, video and photos are my own. The opinions and comments on this blog are those of the author. ***

Menu Planning on Budget Week of February 12, 2018.

noreply@blogger.com (AnnMarie Brown) — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

I have been asked by a few people on instagram if I ever buy any meat. I actually do purchase meat but in December I found a great meat sale and stocked up with tons of meat and because of this I probably won't have to buy any meat until well into March unless I find a great meat sale before then. This leaves me with only have to purchase produce fresh and frozen, as well as other items to keep my pantry and kitchen stocked up.

On Valentine's Day I plan on making my husbands favourite meal Chicken Parmesan. We are not a family that usually goes out on Valentine's Day we like to celebrate at our house kind of low key will goodie bags for everyone that is home at the time.

Meals this week:

Chicken Parmesan, Rice, Broccoli & Carrots
Tacos, Mexican Rice
Pork Chops with Apples, Potato Wedges, Beans
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Instant Pot Mac & Cheese, Salad
Chicken and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable
Instant Pot Chili served in Bread Bowls

Lunch:

Our lunches usually consist of dinner leftovers.

- Salad
- Soup
- Buttered Noodles

Breakfast:

- Fresh Fruit (Oranges, Bananas & Apples)
- Bagels
- Toast
- Oatmeal

Snack:

- Bran Muffins
- Oatmeal Cookies

Shopping:

$ 1.97 Potatoes 10lbs
3.88 Pasta Sauce x4 @ 0.97
0.99 Fettuccine Noodles
2.47 Cream Cheese
2.50 Orange Juice Pulp Free x2 @ 1.25
4.97 Apples 4lbs
0.97 Romaine Lettuce
1.97 Cantaloupe
2.97 Turkey Bacon
2.97 Baby Bell
2.28 Jello x4 @ 0.57
3.94 Sugar x2 @ 1.97
2.27 Ketchup
2.58 Oatmeal
3.96 Nutri Grain Bars x2 @ 1.98
4.00 Bread x2 @ 2.00
1.48 Blueberry Bagels

$46.17 - Total Spent

Budget:

$28.83 - Total to Carry Forward
$48.75 - Total from week of February 5th

Total - $77.58 brought forward

Items on hand:

- Onions

- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Rice
- Chicken Breast
- Chicken Meatballs (Frozen)
- Ground Chicken

- Chicken Thighs
- Ground Turkey
- Chicken Legs
- Turkey x 2
- Pork Chops
- Pasta (Various)
- Bread
- Wraps
- Apples
- Oranges
- Cheese
- Quinoa

If you are looking for more menu inspiration be sure to check out Orgjunkie, she hosts a weekly menu plan Monday link up.

LET'S CHAT!

Do you stock up on items you know you purchase all the time when they are on sale or do you just pick them up as you need them?