Shop Smart To Save Money

 There are a few places that you can shop for items that will save you money. Here is a short list of places that you can shop for items. Great ways to save money on clothing and household items.

1. Thrift stores - This is my favorite way to find clothing and household items. You can also find great furniture and home decor. 

2. Consignment stores - A great little consignment shop can be a way to save money on higher end clothing and more. You might even want to start taking items that are taking up space in your closet to make some extra money.

3. Discount Retailers - They have name brand items for a lot less. I do a lot of my Christmas shopping at store like TJ Maxx. 

4. Outlet stores - You can usually find bargains in outlet stores.

5. Garage sales - Takes a bit of time and can be hit & miss, but sometimes you can find some amazing items. Lots of furniture, camping equipment, clothing, baby items, etc. 

6. End of season sales - Watch for them. Buy expensive items out of season. You can save a bit by doing this.

6 Super Easy Dinners for Under $60 (Week #33) – Low Dough Family

 

6 Super Easy Dinners for Under $60 (Week #33) – Low Dough Family

 I love sharing other blogs and websites that have great tips, recipes, and money saving ideas. Sharing it on this blog helps me keep it in one place for myself also. I try really hard to share money saving tips and recipes. All of my recipes can be made out of a well stocked pantry. Keep your pantry stocked full for in case of emergency etc. Having a full and stocked kitchen is the first way to survive!! Be prepared to survive whatever comes your way.

This is another one that has a ton of great money saving tips. 

6 meals for less than $60!! Any way to save money at the grocery store is a great article.

51 Car Camping Tips to Live Luxuriously [+Setup Idea Pic Inspo] – The Crazy Outdoor Mama

 

51 Car Camping Tips to Live Luxuriously [+Setup Idea Pic Inspo] – The Crazy Outdoor Mama

 I bought my Honda Odyssey just for this! I want to make it into a comfy tiny camper so my son and I can travel with our dog. We tried to go up into Canada last summer with our dog in a little car and that did not work AT ALL!

10 Cheap and Delicious Meals You Can Make with Beans

10 Cheap and Delicious Meals You Can Make with Beans: The Versatile and Nutritious Ingredient for Any Diet - Mental Scoop

 I just had to share this. Beans are such an economical and healthy food that you have got to have it in your stockpile. You can do so much with them and they replace meat. The perfect budget-friendly addition to meals.

 

A Couple of Mug Recipes

 This is a great way to have a quick meal when you do not want to cook a lot. Get a coffee mug and make one of these. 

Omelette in a Mug
To your mug add the following:
 2 eggs
1 tablespoon diced bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped spinach
1 tablespoon diced ham or cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk eggs, add ingredients, microwave for 2-3 minutes, check with fork.

Mug Mac and Cheese
To your mug add the following:
1/4 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons shredded cheese

Cook pasta in microwave (about 1-2 minutes), add cheese and milk, microwave for 30 seconds.

An Egg Substitute Just In Time For Fall

 You can swap out the eggs in a cake recipe with Pumpkin Puree. It will come out so moist and delicious. Use a Yellow cake mix and just use 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree with 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice instead of eggs. I just use store bought cream cheese frosting.

Food Storage Recipe ~ Caramel Peanut Ritz Cracker Treats

This is a fun treat to make that everyone will love. 

 NEED:

1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup roughly chopped peanuts

1-2 sleeves of Ritz crackers

Prepare a Baking Sheet by lining it with Parchment paper and laying out  single layer of Ritz crackers.

In a saucepan, heat the sweetened condensed milk, butter, and brown sugar over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.

 

Lower the heat, then whisk in milk, vanilla extract, and chopped peanuts. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the mixture thickens, then remove from heat.

 

Using a cookie scoop, spoon the caramel-peanut mixture onto each Ritz cracker.

Allow the treats to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

Food Storage Recipe - Vegetable Boil

 Simple Vegetable Boil to use up the veggies you have gotten from your garden. Super healthy and yummy.

NEED:

* Potatoes

* Corn of the cob

* Baby carrots

* Broccoli

* Onions

Seasonings

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Lawrys season salt

Creole seasoning or slap ya mama

Smoked paprika

Red pepper

Mrs dash original

 

 

Fill a your pot up with water or vegetable broth.

 

Add your vegetables and seasonings.

 

Put your lid on the and boil for 20/30 minutes.

What Can You Do Now About Budgeting

 There are some important things that you need to do to get a better handle on your budget. The first thing that you need to do is to fill out a household budget. Write down every single time you spend money. Doesn't matter how small of an amount it is. Write it down. Keeping track of every dollar spent will help you to get control of your spending. You will see what you are spending it on and know what you should STOP spending it on. 

Set up cash envelopes for the three groups where you are overspending the most. Examples of the most overspending groups are food, clothing, and recreation. Make it a challenge to see how much money you can have left at the end of the pay period. Put the money left into savings.

Use your budgeting system daily! This helps you to save money and have money saved for any emergency or something that the household is planning on doing in the future. Anything a house remodel, a new car, school, a vacation, wedding, etc. You could be saving for anything. A goal that the whole family can get into and make it fun. If the whole family is included into the budgeting it will make it more easy to keep the budget. When you start to reach your goals it will change your whole life and be so enjoyable. 

Food Storage Recipe - Bean Salad

 

Super quick bean salad. Perfect for a quick addition to any meal.

Chop up 3 whole pickles

Chop up 3 hard bolied eggs

 1 can of red beans

chopped up fresh Dill

3 tablespoons of sour cream

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

Lemon juice

Garlic

Salt and pepper

 

Mix all of this together in a bowl with a cover and set in fridge for a couple of hours.