Hello again, savvy savers! What a hectic, busy, joyous weekend we have had here in Dixie. Tonight finds us with an update of this past weeks No-Spend December activities, events, and challenges.
Day 5: Last Saturday, after an afternoon trip to library for the reading of Scrooge, our family attended our town’s annual holiday parade. We arrived early to reserve our favorite spot, on the local pavilion, where we enjoyed the comforts of home, by way of hot cocoa and blankets while we waited for the much anticipated festivities to begin.
This year’s parade, in the style of most small town’s was full of festive lights, local business-sponsored floats, and even a ten minute showing by our local police forces motorcycle squad. Each year our town comes out to impress, and without fail, local debutantes and church groups alike, come out to spread holiday cheer throughout our local, historic down town area.
Each year I look forward to bringing the family to see the various floats, my greatest moment is always watching my husband Daniel’s face beam like a child, as he watches to the drum line from our local high school, his Alma mater preform holiday chorus classics. For those who may not know, Daniel was a member of this drum line while in high school, and went on to be on his collegiate drum line as well. Keep in mind, we live within walking distance of out local high school, and often hear the band practice in the late afternoon and summer hours on the high school playing field, but to hear our high school’s marching band in person is always an awesome treat!
Day 6: For Day 6, the family and I had a Movie Marathon (ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas), where we watched The Little Drummer Boy, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Nightmare Before Christmas, with DIY popcorn bar.
After the movie marathon, I created DIY natural cleaning kits for friends and family. My thought was that so many people are in the throws of planning, preparing, and cleaning for house parties, out of town guests, and the end of this school semester, and baskets of homemade, natural cleaners would be a welcome change from the overpriced commercial brand in-store. I created six baskets, each contained DIY Holiday Scented Pine Sol, DIY Wood Balm, and DIY Grapefruit Counter Top Cleaner. Each basket cost under $3.00 per person, per trip of cleaners and decorative Dollar Tree baskets as well.
Day 7: Monday saw the beginning of another weekly menu, which was as follows:
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: Gift Card to local restaurant.
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.
Monday also our annual family trip to our local mall to pick out an Angel Tree recipient at local mall. When we returned home the family helped themselves to a DIY cocoa bar, and I a dozen and a half jars of DIY hot cocoa mix for church, PTA friends, and colleagues; the mix was placed in quart jars, which cost under $2.25 per person to bag, tag, and give!
Day 8: We held out family Holiday Music Party; diy music, dancing, and fun at home with just the family, fuzzies, and I. We also finished up creating out DIY palette holiday trees for our front display; the trees were adorned with solar lights. I love frugal, upcycled holiday decor!
Day 9: Our family attended the Christmas Open House for local Wesley House; we dropped off free items and kids toys we’ve collected this year from freebie offers, product reviews, and discount shops.
Later that evening, I created DIY manicure cuticle oil tins, which will be featured in mason jarred manicure kits for the You’ve Been Jingled baskets we will give out later this month to neighborhood friends; each jar cost under $4.00 per person to create.
Day 10: Daniel and I attended a free outdoor light and laser show at local plantation home. What’s awesome is that Daniel and I’s tickets come from a Checkout51 rebate check from October’s No-Spend Month Challenge.
Day 11: Family Trip to see Local Christmas Lights in town. We brought cocoa and blankets, and admittedly this was my favorite night thus far this month!
Day 12: Yesterday morning we attended our town’s Christmas festival at the Historic Temple Theater, and later in the evening we attended the Highland Baptist Church Annual Singing Christmas Tree pageant; tickets were budgeted from Mobisave savings earned in October and November.
Day 13: This week ended with a family visit to Bethlehem revisited; a free living Nativity tour at a local church in my neighborhood. It’s always so exciting to see the beautiful, graceful animals, talented actors, and harpists too!
Overall this week could best be described as productive. I was able to create half of this months gifts for family and friends for under $71.00 dollars from my budget envelope system, attend a daily activity, create upcycled, frugal holiday decorations, and saved my family $342.22!
So, savvy savers… how has your holiday season been thus far? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!
Here’s to saving!
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