Nicole

Meal Plan Monday (11/23-11/29/15)

Happy Monday, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a sunny, cold start start here in Dixie. This weeks menu is going to be a little different, as it will consist of consist of not only Cupboard Clearing ideas, but we will be “rolling one meat,” smoked chicken breast, from one meal to the next! Please note, the chicken being “rolled” in this weeks menu is Tyson frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breast 6 lb. packs, purchased at Sam’s Club last month for $3.50 each; this was part of a Plus Members monthly savings program deal. The cost of this weekly menu is only $19.56, and it feeds a family of four.

Here’s what we will be having this week:

Monday
Breakfast: Strawberry, blueberry, and Almond Milk Smoothies.
Lunch: Almonds, celery, carrot sticks, and Crystal Light
Snack: Almonds, and Gala Apple Slices.
Dinner: Smoked chicken breast wraps, with Roma mottoes, spinach, feta, and Greek dressing; served with with Diet Cola.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche pudding cups, with strawberries.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal, with Almond milk.
Lunch: Chicken taco roll-ups; in lieu of taco shells I use Romaine Lettuce Sheets; served with crystal light.
Snack: Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Freezer Cooking Chicken and Dumplings (modified using smoked chicken); served with steamed broccoli and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Gluten-Free Brownies.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Baked Frittata Cups (chicken substituted for sausage); served with Almond Milk.
Lunch: Chicken salad, with walnuts and grapes; served with diet cola.
Snack: Grapes and string cheese.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Curry; steamed peas, steamed rice, and crystal light.
Dessert: Gluten-Free brownie sugar-free ice cream sandwhiches.

Thursday
Thanksgiving Holiday Menu

Friday
Thanksgiving Holiday Menu Leftovers

Saturday
Thanksgiving Holiday Menu Leftovers

Sunday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt topped with Strawberries; served with Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Stuffed smoked chicken breast sandwiches; served with sweet Potato Fries and Crystal Light.
Snack: Almonds, and Gala Apple Slices.
Dinner: Chicken mole, served with steamed rice, corn, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Diet Coca-Cola slushies.

This weeks Sunday prep:

Again this week week I wanted to make room in my deep freeze for the upcoming cyclical sales and to get us to the no-spending challenge in place in the next few days. With this in mind, set out to make several new crock pot-ready freezer meals, made from stockpiled veggies, pork roast, and chicken breasts already on hand.
I prepped three meals; Chicken Curry, BBQ Chicken, and Cranberry Pork Roast.
Also, prepping a weeks worth of breakfasts and lunches on Sunday’s, can be another way save a half hour of time each day time during the week for yourselves; I also find that this helps with my diet as having prepped snacks, ready and on hand, deters me from reaching for not-so-healthy options.
I checked out this weeks sales ads, and made a shopping list accordingly; this also includes adding, sorting, and organizing coupons too!

So, that’s what we will be having this week. I’d love to hear what’s on your menu as well!

Here’s to Monday meals,

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Thanksgiving Day Sensible Eating Tips!

Hello again, savvy savers! With Thanksgiving less than a week away, I wanted to share a few of the ways I plan to stick to my diet this Thanksgiving!

Whether you love or dread the Thanksgiving holiday, one thing for sure is: it’s hard to stick to your diet. A plate, or three, lovingly heaped with turkey, gravy, buttery mashed potatoes and all the trimmings can blow any progress you’ve made in the previous months.Before your grumpy cat face overtakes your entire mood, fear not for there are many things you can do to stick to your diet and still enjoy a Thanksgiving meal!

Here are some “turkey day” tips to get you through Thanksgiving as an Eater:

You know the old wives tale, to never to go food shopping on an empty stomach, right? The same applies to the holidays! Never sit down to a holiday meal on an empty stomach. Eat a high protein snack beforehand, such as a 1/2 cup of almonds and a piece of string cheese, or a small apple, and drink a full glass of water to alleviate overeating at the table.
If you’re invited over to someone’s home, bring along a tray of veggies, and low fat dip, so that you’ll have something healthy to snack on; low fat cream cheese and two teaspoons of Greek vinaigrette make an awesome option.
If you are a turkey day traditionalist, and feel Thanksgiving cannot go on if the substitution of any family favorites commences, foods,then commit to limiting how much you eat, plan to eat one plate and that’s it.
The Golden Rule: Portion control is key here. A serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards; mashed potatoes (1/2 cup) about the size of 1/2 a baseball; use a spoon to measure out gravy instead of pouring it on, etc.
Commit to 20 minutes of exercise, even on Thanksgiving. Take a twenty minute walk with family members or friends in between courses. If the weather permits, play a game of touch football in the backyard. Just stay active!
Try to avoid empty calories. Stay clear of sugary sodas, punches, and mixed drinks or even better, water.

If You’re Doing the Cooking

Serve twice the number of non-starchy vegetables dishes as you will gravy, turkey, or calorie-laden dishes; think salads, crudites, butternut squash soup,etc.
Limit the amount of courses you serve this year. By limiting the number of dishes, you will stress less, and spend more time enjoying the holiday, food-free!
Make your mashed potatoes low fat by using skim or almond milk, think sour cream over butter. Also; consider making creamed cauliflower instead!
Instead of the array of desserts, pies,tarts, and the traditionally fair served every year, why not make an angel food cake and top it with berries and low fat whipped cream, or perhaps a low-fat, budget-friendly berry trifle instead.

I hope these tips help to keep you, and your waste, on the thin and narrow this Thanksgiving!

Love and healthy dishes,

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How to Winterize Your Pantry Stockpile!

Good afternoon, savvy savers! With winter just around the bend, if your stockpile is anything like my own, than your stockpile is a large investment in both your home and family, and deserves the proper amount of planning and preparation.

Here are a few tips to help you better preserve your precious goods, and hard earned dollars, here are my suggestions for winterizing and weatherizing your stockpiled goods:

Canned goods: Canned goods cannot be allowed to freeze. When canned goods freeze, they stand the chance of cans bulging, which can cause the seam and lid failure, which can cause food-borne illnesses, not to mention to fail, changes in product texture, flavor, nutrient factors, and product color. Most canned goods are packed in a solution of salt or sugar, which lowers their freezing point, but canned goods should not be stored below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Before temperatures freeze this season, avoid storing foods where the temperatures will reach below freezing.
Insecticides: Products in foam-based product cans should be stored in warmer climates.
Soft Drinks, Coking Oils, and Cleaners: Freezing can have adverse effects on liquids such as soda, cooking oil, soap or detergent. Basements are a great place to store these goods. Frozen detergents and cooking oils can be brought back to room temperature by placing them in trash bags, at room temperature, and then storing accordingly.
Dried Foods: Foods that are dehydrated or freeze-dried will actually last longer in the cold since there is no water in them to freeze, or can be frozen in deep freezes! This also applied for flower and plant seeds.
Paper Products: Household goods, such as paper towels, plastic cups and utensils, razors, floss and toothbrushes, can be kept in cooler climates in your home.
Produce: Some produce such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and apples will actually keep longer stored in bins in cooler climates or sheds; be sure to check produce weekly, and any sign of age the produce should be composed, especially potatoes, which can emit deadly gases if left to rot over several months.

So, I hope these tips will help you keep your stockpile in tip top shape this winter!

Here’s to saving,

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What I learned from October’s No-Spend Monthly Challenge!

Hello again, savvy savers! October’s No-Spend Daily Challenge, as part of the #31DayLWSZ Challenge, is now over! I want to discuss my experience this past weeks savings victories, challenges, and learning curves this past month of challenges.

The rules were pretty simple:

No spending on anything beyond absolute necessities.
Eat from your pantry & freezer as often as you are able.
And make changes to the way you purchase and consume goods, services, and commodities in your home.
The idea of the challenge is to keep up with your daily activities,, but the main goal is simply to stop spending.
This challenge can be a life changing experience, as you may just be amazed at how your mindset and perspective will change after just a month of seeing how you can enrich your life, without spending more!

There were a few exceptions to the rule as follows:

Unavoidable expenses related to employment, such as gas, are okay.
Unavoidable school related expenses.
Doctors appointments, veterinarian appointments, co-payments, family/pet prescriptions, and therapy sessions are okay.
Do keep existing service and repair appointments that can’t be rescheduled to “Spending” months, such as hair appointments, lawn care services, trash removal, in-home repair services, etc.
Do keep existing tithing and charitable giving.
Do have an adequate stockpile of necessities prior to beginning this challenge, such as pet food, bedding, litter, laundry detergent, dish soap, snow salts, bottled water and emergency staples (if you live in areas frequently affected by seasonal weather), etc.
Do keep up with healthy living habits. I will continue to use my envelope saving system to fund app purchase rebates (iBotta, Shopmium, Snap by Groupon) for fresh produce and milk savings that may pop-up during my no-spend months; due to my PCOS I need several servings of fruits and veggies daily, and these app savings help keep my freezer stocked on a budget.
And it goes without saying, please do pay all of our monthly obligations; rent, mortgage, insurance, utility payments, banking fees, student/financial/business loans, medical expenses, and assumed or credit card debt.

This NO Spend month was not just about a decrease in spending, but a challenge to find ways to live well, live better, find new sources of joy, will spending less. This month proved to be a time of being able to a life rich with family, friends, and creative planning, secured by fiscally responsible measures. This month was made all the better by the amount of encouragement and accountability shared by all of my readers, too!

I’m not gonna lie, there were tough moments, moments I felt I was simply doing without; I longed for Cherry Coke Zero, Brumble & Brown Strawberry Spread, and a large bag of Life Should Taste Gluten-Free Chips!

This month I was able to save a total of $1,021.34, and some of the ways I did this were by:

Pantry Organization
Utilizing On Hand Food Options To Help Make Weekly Menu Ideas Sheets
Learning Home to “Dine Out At Home”
Working on a personal #Choose30 Challenge
Creating a local Coupon Swap
Rain-Check Shopping for next months needed coupon staples and groceries
Learning ways to Save On Monthly Utility Bills
Learning ways to better clean my home
Establishing Cleaning Routines & Decluttering Zones)
Establishing new, lasting ways to organize by Bathrooms & Linen Closet
I clean off my Counter-tops
I Clean Out my Closet
I organized my Home Office & Craft Room
I sold my closet finds on Facebook Local Groups, Craigslist, and eBay which garnered $213.00
I sold crafts on ETSY totaling $109.00 from items I had on hand
I started selling patterns on Crafsty

All-in-all, I am pleased with this months progress and will be thinking of new and better ways to save come December’s next No-Spend Month Challenge! The funds from this challenge went towards my yearly savings goal for acquiring a rental property/tax sale in the year and a half to come. I am proud of myself, and so proud of you all as well. If you were able to follow along with this challenge, I’d love to hear about it!

Last month my top new ways to save a total of $838.46 by:

Pantry Organization
Utilizing On Hand Food Options To Help Make Weekly Menu Ideas Sheets
Learning Home to “Dine Out At Home”
Working on a personal #Choose30 Challenge to be more positive daily.
Rain-Check Shopping for next months needed coupon staples and groceries from this last weekend.
I clean off my Counter-tops to use as workstation areas for donating, sorting, and prepping donations.
I listed and sold items via eBay, Craiglist, Facebook Local Groups, and Craftsy patterns.
Had an in-home spa day and saved $32.00!
Upcycled several new home projects.
Our family ate from our crock-pot for a week!

I did have a few set backs this week though. My husband needed to take the entire $80.00 cushion I set aside for this months produce and incidentals budget for an impromptu school robotics club he is the sponsor of, as well as the funds needed for an oil change (for his car that was suppose to have previously been taken care of). Mind you I was a little taken back to find my home stripped of cash, sodas, and my pre-purchased Halloween candy (candy and sodas to help supplement our family and his 14 students going with him on this trip). My saving grace? Three hours after he left for his day-trip, I received not one, but four ETSY shop orders (that I already had the materials on hand for, score!), which not only reimbursed my budget, but paid for the missing household staples, and set my savings goal ahead by $27.00!

So, all’s well that ends well here is the Roberts household.

As well here are a few ways I have been able to accomplish my no-spend goals this past week:

I woke up at 6:25 daily, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
I read three review books.
I finished today’s Day 1-7 No-Spend Challenges!
I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
I cooked from my pantry, eleven times.
I walked for three miles every other day!
I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
Read my daily devotional.
I cleaned out my coupon cabinet, paper files for my ETSY business, and recycled numerous bins of random scraps of fabric around my craft room, too!

My tally of last weeks savings are:

I was able to procure 16 new rain-checks savings $54.00 in savings.
I completed 2 surveys online via Ipsos-iSay, and earned a $1.00 towards my next Amazon gift code.
I eat at home thirteen times, saving our family $77.93.
I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $1.20, the cost of 6 trash bags.
I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a frozen latte, for free, a savings of $2.99!
I received $32.98 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
My family drank water for one, and saved $7.30, the cost of a five 2-liters of soda.
We made DIY fireplace starters, savings $12.98 over commercial pricing.
We used earned gift card dollars at Sam’s Club to buy gas, saving us $20.04.
We made DIY hand sanitizer bottles, saving our family $7.98.
We made DIY wet dog food, saving out family $19.98 over a case of pet food cans.

So, overall my family saved $138.38

This months savings goal remaining: +$49.62 for this month.

All-in-all, I am pleased with this past months progress and will be thinking of new and better ways to save come the next months ahead! Mind you this progress is in part due to my families use of earned and gifted survey cards; I’ve read a lot of people state that they will not be using them on the challenge, but for me and mine, we love them. I legitimize these cards as ALL were earned from taking surveys, using savings apps, or by wining contest, paid affiliate campaigns, and giveaways. Free money is just that, free.

I’m excited to note that these funds will be able to be allocated for last-minute holiday gifts, holiday donations, and Angle Tree presents this holiday season. As well, a fourth of the funds from this challenge went towards my yearly savings goal for acquiring a rental property/tax sale in the year and a half to come. I am proud of myself, and so proud of you all as well.

If you were able to follow along with this past weeks #31DayLWSZ challenge, I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to Saving,

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Meal Plan Monday & Winn-Dixie Shopping Trip (11/2-11/09/15)

Happy Monday, savvy savers! This week is starting off to a sunny, cooler start here in Dixie, and I could not be more excited! Thankfully, this weeks menu is going to be a breeze, and consists of Cupboard Clearing ideas, so stepping out to the market is not necessary! I am cooking and prepping solely from what is in my deep freeze pantry, and stockpile this week! The couponed cost of this weekly menu is only $28.41 and it feeds a family of four.

Here’s what we purchased this week:

Winn-Dixie:

4 Jumex Juices, $0.49 each
Candied Orange & Lemon Peel Tubs, $0.25 each
Ripe Banana Bags, 2/lb for $0.39
2 Marshmallow Fluff Cups, $0.39 each
(2) 1-Liter Coke Bottles, $0.99 each; Submitted for a $1.00 iBotta App, and only paid $0.50 after rebates
2 Zapp’s Chips, 2/$2.00
2 lb bag of Cabbage, $0.49/lb
3 bags of Yaki Nori, $1.00 each
Tomato, $0.89 each; submitted for $0.25 Checkout51 Credit
2 cloves garlic, 2/$1.00
2 Tubs Move Over Butter, $1.19 each
1 Quart Fat Free Land-O-Lakes Hal and Half, $1.39
3 pound bag of Bolthouse Carrots, $1.29
EarthBound Farms Salad Tub, $3.99; used $1.00 Earthbound Farms Coupon

So this week I paid $20.76 for $81.23 worth of groceries and home goods, all of which went to replenish my stockpile, freezers, and pantry!

As well, this week we will be having:

Monday
Breakfast: Meatless Monday low-fat Mozzarella and Spinach Omelette, with Green Tea.
Lunch: Almonds, Cheese Crackers, Cheese rounds, with celery, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Almonds, and Gala Apple Slices.
Dinner: Crockpot Three Bean Chili, cooked with Boca Crumbles, with Diet Cola.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Cups.

Tuesday
Breakfast: Green Tea, Coconut Milk, and Strawberry Smoothie; made with Truvia.
Lunch: Freezer Cooking Chicken and Dumplings, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Frozen/Thawed Strawberries and String Cheese.
Dinner: Taco Roll-ups; in lieu of taco shells I use Romaine Lettuce Sheets.
Dessert: Gluten-Free Brownies.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Baked Frittata Cups, with Unsweetened Almond Milk.
Lunch: Taco Salads, with crystal light.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Curry, steamed peas, and crystal light.
Dessert: Homemade Gluten-Free Truvia brownies.

Thursday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, with fruit cup, and Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Tossed Salad with Turkey, light vinaigrette, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and apple slices.
Dinner: Grilled Turkey Burger Patties, sweet Potato Fries, with Crystal Light.
Dessert: Brownie flurries with leftover brownies; we use Edy’s Sugar-Free Ice Cream.

Friday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, with fruit cup, and Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Tossed salad, with homemade Greek Yogurt dressing, and Crystal Light.
Snack: Strawberries and two pieces of Sugar Free Chocolate; candy is used as melted drizzle for berries.
Dinner: Barbecue Pork, Steamed Green Beans, and Crystal Light.
Dessert: Diet Coca-Cola slushies.

Saturday
Breakfast: Homemade Greek Yogurt, with fruit cup, and Unsweetened Almond milk.
Lunch: Chicken Salad, and Crystal Light.
Snacks: String Cheese and grapes.
Dinner: Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, Quinoa, and lemonade.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Cups.

Sunday
Breakfast: Bacon, Eggs, and Toast, with Unsweetened Almond Milk.
Lunch: Grilled Sausages, Steamed Broccoli, Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese, with Crystal Light.
Snack: Grapes and walnuts.
Dinner: Crockpot Orange Chicken with Almonds, Steamed Peas, and crystal light.
Dessert: Sugar-Free Dulce de Leche Cups.

Here’s to better meal options,

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October No-Spend Monthly Challenge Day 29: Make Money Online Taking Surveys!

Hello again, savvy savers! I hope you all are well rested, and ready for a new daily challenge! So, for today I want to focus a way you can earn money in your spare time, with online survey sites!

Why Survey Sites: Last year I earned $420.00 taking online surveys. Here’s how:

The average survey takes 20 minutes, so one could realistically complete 3 online surveys in an hour, and have generated $9.00.
Though is not a great sum of money, the earned survey funds could potentially add up to a $36.00 a month, or $420.00 savings annually.
This is only an average of 3 surveys are taken weekly. based on qualification and availability.

I used those funds to pay for holiday gifts, birthday gifts, as well as earned Amazon gift cards which paid for my entire years worth of Amazon Subscribe & Save and Amazon Pantry items! Awesome, huh?

Here are my favorites:

1) Harris Polls: Harris Polls is the Boss of survey sites. Their research is well-respected and frequently cited; the number of points awarded per survey is generous; and there are lots of rewards to choose from – gift cards, prizes and sweepstakes entries. You can make up to $45 per survey in 20 min the #1 paying survey site today!

2) ZoomPanel: If you’re looking to earn rewards quickly, ZoomPanel is the survey site to join. They typically send out several survey invitations each week, and have a great collection of rewards to choose from – the latest books and movies, electronics, appliances, jewelry, home decor, charitable donations and more; you can earn up to $20.00 an hour with this site.

3) CVS Advisor: CVS Advisor is a must-join site. You’ll probably only get a few survey invitations a year, but you’ll want to respond to those invitations when they come. They reward participants with Extra Care Bucks, and it’s not uncommon to receive $10 in ECBs for participating in a single survey.

4) Swagbucks: Join swagbucks; answer surveys; and earn points that you can redeem for gift cards to popular stores and restaurants. Earn additional points by shopping through the site, using their search engine and watching videos. I have earned upwards of $40.00 a month with this site!

5) Ipsos I-Say: Ipsos is a global survey-based market research company that serves more than 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. As an Ipsos I-Say community member, you’ll have the opportunity to take surveys and earn rewards that can be redeemed for money, Amazon.com gift cards, donations such as the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, and prepaid American Express cards. Most members receive surveys at least once each month with an average of about four per month, and the more surveys you take, the more points you earn. In addition, many Ipsos members also have the chance to test new products and services before the general public. I personally use this site weekly, and since joining last year, taking an average of 10 surveys a week, have thus far earned $130.00; $90.00 of this was used on Amazon to help offset my holiday stocking stuffer costs! If you’re interested in joining Ipsos, click here.

6) KidzEyes: KidzEyes is a website that conducts market research among 6-12 year old kids, and is in full compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. KidzEyes conducts surveys for children’s companies, and wishes to have kids fill out surveys, in order to provide better products and services for children and sometimes they are interested in hearing parents’ opinions too, in which case, you will help earn your child(ren) additional KidzPoints. When kids complete the surveys that they receive from KidzEyes via email, and surveys completed earn KidzPoints that can be turned in for cash or prizes’ points can be withdrawn and deposited into your checking account and given directly to your child.

7) Funovation Panel: If you like the idea of influencing the future trends in toys, holiday purchases, and children’s clothing, than the Funovation survey Panel is for you! This is a free survey site, which enters your information into drawings and sweepstakes, often for large ticket toy items, in exchange for short surveys! I have been a member of this site for a little over a year, and have found the surveys fun; its a great way to get sneak-peeks into the upcoming seasons toys and holiday gift ideas! Click here to check the site out and to get more information!

8) PineCone Research: One of my favorite survey companies is Pinecone Research, who is currently accepting new members to their online research panel. This research firm gives points away at the end of each survey, which have a cash out value of $3.00, which can be transferred to an existing PayPal account, to a pre-paid card, a mailed paper check, which you can set aside to be directed to your savings account! The average survey takes 20 minutes, so one could realistically complete 3 online surveys in an hour, and have generated $9.00, and though is not a great sum of money, the earned survey funds could potentially add up to a $36.00 a month, or $420.00 savings annually, if 3 surveys are taken weekly. based on qualification and availability.

So today I challenge you to check out the above survey sites, and see if you can start saving today! Be sure to check back tomorrow morning, and see tomorrow’s Daily Challenge!

Here’s to saving,

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October No-Spend Challenge Day 7: Week 4 Reflections (How We Saved $884.16 Thus Far This Month)

Hello again, savvy savers! For today’s October No-Spend Daily Challenge, as part of the #31DayLWSZ Challenge, I want to discuss my experience this past weeks savings victories, challenges, and learning curves for week three of the challenge.

So, thus far this month I was able to save a total of $738.46, and some of the ways I did this were by:

Pantry Organization
Utilizing On Hand Food Options To Help Make Weekly Menu Ideas Sheets
Learning Home to “Dine Out At Home”
Working on a personal #Choose30 Challenge to be more positive daily.
Rain-Check Shopping for next months needed coupon staples and groceries from this last weekend.
I clean off my Counter-tops to use as workstation areas for donating, sorting, and prepping donations.
I listed and sold items via eBay, Craiglist, Facebook Local Groups, and Craftsy patterns.
Had an in-home spa day and saved $32.00!
Upcycled several new home projects.
Our family ate from our crock-pot for a week!

So, all’s well that ends well here is the Roberts household.

As well here are a few ways I have been able to accomplish my no-spend goals this past week:

I woke up at 6:25 daily, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
I read three review books.
I finished today’s Day 1-7 No-Spend Challenges!
I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
I cooked from my pantry, eleven times.
I walked for three miles every other day!
I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
Read my daily devotional.
I cleaned out my coupon cabinet, paper files for my ETSY business, and recycled numerous bins of random scraps of fabric around my craft room, too!

My tally of last weeks savings are:

I was able to procure 16 new rain-checks savings $54.00 in savings.
I completed 2 surveys online via Ipsos-iSay, and earned a $1.00 towards my next Amazon gift code.
I eat at home thirteen times, saving our family $77.93.
I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $1.20, the cost of 6 trash bags.
I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a frozen latte, for free, a savings of $2.99!
I received $32.98 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
My family drank water for one, and saved $7.30, the cost of a five 2-liters of soda.
We made DIY fireplace starters, savings $12.98 over commercial pricing.
We used earned gift card dollars at Sam’s Club to buy gas, saving us $20.04.
We made DIY hand sanitizer bottles, saving our family $7.98.
We made DIY wet dog food, saving out family $19.98 over a case of pet food cans.

So, overall my family saved $138.38

This months savings goal remaining: +$49.62 for this month.

All-in-all, I am pleased with this past weeks progress and will be thinking of new and better ways to save come the next three weeks ahead! Mind you this progress is in part due to my families use of earned and gifted survey cards; I’ve read a lot of people state that they will not be using them on the challenge, but for me and mine, we love them. I legitimize these cards as ALL were earned from taking surveys, using savings apps, or by wining contest, paid affiliate campaigns, and giveaways. Free money is just that, free.

If you were able to follow along with this past weeks #31DayLWSZ challenge, I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to Saving,

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