April 2014

Freecycle Exercise Equipment!

Hello again, savvy savers! Today I am starting another new blog series, Battle Of The Bulge, Budget-Style! I will be focusing on ways to live a healthier, more active lifestyle while be able to afford clean, organic, obtainable foods! I believe this series can be worthwhile for many, who like myself, wish to get more in shape, not through crash-dieting but by small attainable lifestyle changes! All of the changes I propose will be free or affordable, and most meals and plans will contain couponed savings or deals! Fads are fancy, but coupons are a commitment! With that said, here is where I am currently: I have a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. I am looking to lose 60lbs., find affordable non-gym membership options for working out, and change the way I consume food; this includes meals, snacks, and splurges!

Today I am 31 years young, I am 5’6”, and weigh 197 lbs; I am down tw0 pounds since last week. I walk my dogs but beyond this am not terribly active. My lifestyle causes sedentary behaviors; I work-from-home, blog, run two internet businesses, and perform advocacy work online as well. I am an internet-based excuser! Today finds my continued yoga, meditation, walking my dogs, using a pedometer, portioning my meals, and now I also measure myself monthly!

For today’s sixth installment in this series, I want to discuss exercise, and in particular, exercise equipment. My husband has been an avid gym user for years, but I myself do not like exercising in small-confined space with others, and so I began to look for alternatives. Recently, I started noticing that on my local Freecycle groups page that so many were getting rid of exercise equipment, and so my deab hubby graciously went locally to pick-up two pieces of equipment for me, a like-new elliptical machine and stationary bike. I have started using these items daily, and it has been so fun! I use it daily, in addition to walking, and tennis, and have noticed how much better I feel after doing so! What’s even funnier, is that almost daily someone in my Freecycle group is again, giving away this type of equipment as well! I would recommend everyone, with small allowing, to check out you local Freecycle group, and see what you can score!

Here’s to your health!

Plant Holder Produce Bins!

Good morning, savvy savers! For this weeks organizational post, I wanted to share with you one of the ways I organize my home! In my kitchen, on the wall on my pantry door, I have affixed two, and soon to be more, half-circle wire plant holders to the exterior pantry side board, and these baskets allow me to store produce, snack cakes, miscellaneous kitchen items, or whatever I have on hand, that has been purchased in bulk, that would need to be stores. As of right now, they are holding a myriad of snack cakes, which are being donated as prizes for my husbands school, as well as potatoes and apples, which are sprouting and tomorrow will be planted (upcoming tutorial will follow on my DIY potato towers); the potatoes would have been planted today, but we are currently under a severe weather watch in my area through tomorrow morning!

In any event, I found my baskets online, through Amazon.com here, and I just love how little space they take up, but how utilitarian they are in design!

Here’s to organizing!

Weekly Reflections: Highs And Lows From This Week & Weekly Goals For Next Week!

Hello again, savvy savers! I wanted to end my weekly posts by bring the week to a close with a post about the reflections on this past week.

The highs for the week:

Finishing up papers for Graduate School.
Making new friends on my blog.
Finishing four review novels!
Losing one pounds.
Trying to expand my family!
Repurposing three rooms in my home.
Continuing a daily devotional.
The emergence of Spring.
Planting Strawberries and Herbs!

My lows for the week:

Stress from certain family members illness.

My quote for the week:

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato

My inspiration for the week:

Being able to recycle 90% of my weekly trash!

My humor for the week:

Goals For The Coming Week:

Lose 1 pound, organize my gift closet, finish all papers for this term, walk the dogs 1/2 mile a day, and have all blog assignments done on time!

Happy Sunday!

Weekly Menu: Feeding A Family of 4, For Only $22.74 This Week!

Happy Sunday, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a gloriously rainy..then sunny start here in Dixie. Thankfully, this weeks menu is a breeze, and consists of Cupboard Clearing ideas, so stepping out to the market is not necessary! Without further ado, here is my weekly menu, for which was derived from couponing deals, freebies, and cupboard cooking; I will be feeding a family of four this week for only $22.74!

This week we will be having:

Monday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, Apples, and Granola, with Apple Juice.
Lunch: Salami and Cheese pita sandwiches, with Humus dip, sweet potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Almonds, Grapes, and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Hawaiian Pork Sliders, Green Beans, Baked Potatoes, with Hawaiian Rolls, and Diet Cola.
Dessert: Key Lime Cookies.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal of Choice, Milk, and Apple Slices
Lunch: Freezer Cooking Beef Stew Cups, crackers, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Blueberries and Pecans.
Dinner: Taco Tuesdays!
Dessert: Key Lime Trifle cups.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Poached eggs on English Muffins, with milk and juice.
Lunch: Taco Salads, with crystal light.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Grilled Hamburgers, steamed corn, and crystal light.
Dessert: Homemade brownies.

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal of choice, with fruit cup, and milk.
Lunch: Tossed Salad with Turkey, Crystal Light, and homemade mango chips.
Snack: Hummus and crackers, with grapes.
Dinner: Crockpot Thai Green Curry, served with rice and blanched snow peas, with Crystal Light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies.

Friday
Breakfast: Smoothies.
Lunch: Tossed salad, with walnuts, grapes, and homemade Greek dressing.
Snack: Granola and fruit cup.
Dinner: Barbeque Chicken Sliders, with Bacon and Cheese, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Coca-Cola slushies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Bakes Pancakes, with sausage, and milk.
Lunch: Grilled Chicken sandwiches, with Sweet Potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snacks: String Cheese and grapes.
Dinner: Homemade Pizzas, with tossed salad, and lemonade.
Dessert: Carrot Cake Cupcakes, with homemade cream cheese icing.

Sunday
Breakfast: French Toast, with syrup, sausage links, and milk.
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets , baked mini macaroni and cheese cups, steamed Broccoli, with Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and walnuts.
Dinner: Crockpot Barbecue Apple Pork Sliders, Steamed Corn, and crystal light.
Dessert: Carrot Cake Trifle Cups!

Enjoy the ideas!

Weekly Gardening Update: 4/27!

Happy Sunday, everyone! Here is this weeks gardening post update!

This week I was able to plant half of my herbs, including my lavender, thyme, basil, lemon grass, parsley, bay leaves, and mint. Also, the tomato sprouts are coming up and in two weeks should be able to be thinned, and then planted outside! I cannot wait for fresh, ripe summer tomatoes; I also love green beefsteak tomatoes fried, topping my shrimp etoufee!

This finds my outdoor green beans six inches taller, greener, and lush as ever! Also, the squash plant, though small, is growing! In addition, my mum plants from last fall have doubled in size, and will have sucker that need to be plucked in the next few weeks! This week to come I will be planting my hill of strawberries, starting potato and sweet potato towers, as well as creating a summer butterfly flower bed! Despite the pollen which can infiltrated every bed, tree, sidewalk, and encrusted my grill and smoker mats, everything is lush, green, and beautiful!

Here’s to next week!

Book Review: 10% Happier, By Dan Harris

Good afternoon, savvy savers! This afternoon finds us with another awesome book review, this time 10% Happier, by Dan Harris. This book is an easy read, in the best sense of the word. Here is a little backstory on this book. In 2004, when Nightline co-anchor Harris filled in on Good Morning America, he suddenly suffered a debilitating panic attack during the live broadcast. That event, compounded with a hectic home life, was the troubled culmination of decades spent experimenting with recreational drug experimentation, and working so vigorously that he managed to burn his internal work, at both ends. The on-air meltdown spurred Harris to research nonmedicinal therapeutic remedies and retreat-style self-help through the contemplation of what exactly happiness is.

The author explains in great detail how to change from being a journalistic cynic, to profound thinker, family man, and devout humanist.

This book is a must read this summer!

To find out more about this book, click here!

In compliance with FTC regulation, I hereby disclaim that I received a free copy of the book from Litfuse Publishings, in exchange for my review. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions of this book, its author, and publisher, are that of my own.

Clean Scuff Marks Off Leather Shoes With Banana Peels!

Good morning, savvy savers! For this weeks Cleaning Solutions Post, I wanted to share with you a quick, go-to cleaning secret in my home. The way I remove scuff marks off of light colored leather shoes, is with the inside of banana peels! Just rub the inside of the peels on scuff marks, let sit for two minutes, rub in, and then wipe away any residue! This tried-and-true method was handed down to me by my mother, and will surely come in handy as people are switching out their winter boots for Summer flats, espadrilles, and sandals!

Here’s to natural cleaning methods!

Older Posts

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

Sharing is Caring:

search