April 2014

Battle Of The Bulge, Budget-Style: Monthly Measurements!

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 199 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 my fifth post, I wanted to discuss a new lifestyle strategy I have implemented, monthly measurement logs. Using a seamstress tape, I measure my neck, arms, bust, waist, hips, thighs, and calves, then log my progress each month, good or bad, to see a visible result of my diet strategy. I have found this method daunting at first, but now, in my weight lose, find that seeing my actual results, is amazing and euphoric!

I highly recommend pushing your boundaries to the side, and see how you measure up to your own personal, obtainable healthy lifestyle goals!

Here’s to the Journey!

Meal Plan Menu: Feeding A Family of Four, For Only $23.87!

Good afternoon, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a rainy, dreary start. Thankfully, this weeks menu 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 $23.87!

This week we will be having:

Monday
Breakfast: Mini meatless mushroom frittatas, Fruit cups, and Juice.
Lunch: Turkey and Cheese roll-ups, with Humus dip, sweet potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Almonds, Grapes, and String Cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Cola Chicken, Green Beans, Baked Potatoes, with Corn Muffins, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Key Lime Cookies.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal of Choice, Milk, and Apple Slices
Lunch: Freezer Cooking Chilli, crackers, carrot sticks, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Trail mix.
Dinner: Taco Tuesdays!
Dessert: Brownie Ice Cream Sundaes Sandwiches.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Yogurt with granola, and juice.
Lunch: Taco Salads, with juice.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Grilled Hamburgers, steamed corn, and crystal light.
Dessert: Homemade flurries, with leftover brownies.

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal of choice, with fruit cup, and milk.
Lunch: Tossed Salad with Turkey, Crystal Light, and homemade banana chips.
Snack: Hummus and crackers, with grapes.
Dinner: Baked Spaghetti, and tossed salad, with milk.
Dessert: Butterfly Cake.

Friday
Breakfast: Smoothies.
Lunch: Tossed salad, with walnuts, grapes, blueberries, and homemade Greek dressing.
Snack: Granola and fruit cup.
Dinner: Kosher Dogs, With Slaw and Chili, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Coca-Cola slushies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes, with sausage, and milk.
Lunch: Grilled Chicken sandwiches, with Sweet Potato chips, and Crystal Light.
Snacks: String Cheese and grapes.
Dinner: Grilled Bratwurst, with steamed corn on side, pasta salad, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Cupboard Clearing Cake

Sunday
Breakfast: French Toast, with Milk, and Honey.
Lunch: Grilled Salmon Fillets , baked mini macaroni and cheese cups, steamed Broccoli, with Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and walnuts.
Dinner: Crockpot Pot Roast, Twice Baked Sweet Potato Souffle, and crystal light.
Dessert: Hot fudge sundaes, with splenda fudge topping!

Enjoy the ideas!

Starbucks Frappuccino Spice Bottles!

Good morning, savvy savers! As we are currently in Earth Month, and soon approaching Earth Day, for this weeks Organizational Ideas, I wanted to share with you one of the upcycled ideas I implement to save myself time, money, and effort in my home kitchen, my Starbucks Frappuccino Spice Bottles!

I have always loved the shape and size of these bottles, and while looking at a case of these beautifies my husband brought home last fall from Sam’s Club, I began to think of how much these bottles resembled the spice bottles I saw in Europe. Sure, the original design was marketed to be reminiscent of the old-timey milk jugs of the last century, but to me they called for a higher purpose! I simply boiled the bottles for one minutes in hot water, removed the labels with olive oil, air dried, and then filled with spices.

As you can see, I store a myriad of spices in my jars, from my cinnamon sticks, to my curry powder, and homemade taco seasoning. I have them lined up five across, and three deep, and without taking up much cabinet space, am able to accommodate all of my spice cooking needs!

This is one of my favorite upcycling projects in my home, and I hope you like it as well!

Here’s to being organized!

13 Comments

Edible Easter Baskets!

Good evening, savvy savers! Spring has sprung, as have the myriad of Easter-themed projects around the net, and The Lady Prefers To Save is no exception!

As I posted yesterday, each day this week I will be posting an Easter-themed recipe, craft, or project. For today, I wanted to share my Edible Easter Basket Project! For this project I simple hot glued four theatre candy boxes together, hot glued a small square of cardboard beneath the basket for stability, and used tubed Easter candy for handles. The basket is filled with Dollar Tree goodies, and filled with recycled paper shreds! I was able to make this basket for $4.00! This basket would make a great addition for young children, neighbors, friends, family, teacher, and co-workers! The customization options for this basket is endless.

Here’s to crafting!

16 Comments

Indoor Greenhouse Update!

Good afternoon, savvy savers! With so many things going on in my life, it always feels so nice to be able to take a Sunday afternoon and plant more of my seedlings. The time I spend working in soil is always some of the most joyous times of my life.

Today I wanted to post a few updates about my indoor greenhouse!

Here is the emergence of the tomato and pepper seedlings; I have bell and jalapenos planted, and beefsteak tomatoes currently. This week I will be planting my cherry, heirloom, and big boy tomatoes, as well as my banana, cayenne, habanero, and chilli peppers.

Here you can see my Green Beans and Yellow SQuash, both are container varieties, and will be planted this week; they only took two weeks to grow this high!

Here is my first tray of Wax Beans, which will also be planted this week!

Finally, my salad bowl has visible sprouts, and a large spray of baby sprouts about to spring up; this is week two on my Summer Salad Bowl!

Well, here’s how my greenhouse looks on week two! Next week, I will start planting outdoors, and will continuing to plant my seedlings; I will be starting 21 different types of seedlings this week, including my herbs!

Here’s to gardening!

2 Comments

Homemade Brown Sugar Citrus Body Scrub!

Homemade Brown Sugar Citrus Body Scrub. A simple to make scrub full of essential oils and DIY goodness from items I purchase online from Amazon.com, can be purchased at your local Dollar Tree, or you may have on hand as is! I love this blend, as I keep a jar in my shower, as well as a jar by my mudroom sink, to scrub off garden debris! The scrub is both exfoliating, as well as moisturizing to skin. I apply this scrub weekly in the fall and winter, and bi-weekly in the summer.

I can make this scrub for $0.48 for 16 ounces.

Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coarse brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar in the raw
1/2 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon dried orange zest
10 drops essential lemon oil
2 drops eucalyptus oil

To make the scrub: mix all ingredients together, and store in a glass jar or container at room temperature. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings!

Good afternoon, savvy savers! Today finds us with yet another one of my weekly recipes, this time my Couponed Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings! I use chicken from Zaycon, and my other ingredients from the Dollar Tree, and am able to make recipe for under $5.00, which feeds 8!

Here’s how I make it:

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced (or use blacnhed or bagged frozen onions)
2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Pwder
2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 Cup Luke Warm Water
1 Teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions:

1) In a Crockpot, add the chicken halves, cut into chunks.

2) Next, add your onions and soup to the Crockpot.

3) Cook the mixture on high for 6 hours.

4) On the 5th hour, start to make your dumplings. Start by sifting flour and baking soda in a sperate bowl, and then add your oil, water, and parsley, until a dough forms. Let the dough rest on your countertop for 10 minutes.

5) 30 minutes before completion, break your dough into small pieces, and add to the crockpot. Cook additional 30 minutes.

6) Enjoy!

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