Shopping and couponing

So I’ve been wanting to post some of my favorite resources when it comes to shopping and couponing. I’ve found several blogs that have really helped me out and I think I’m doing a decent job when it comes to saving some money for our family!!! (and since we’re going thru Dave Ramsey’s FPU class at church right now every stinking little bit helps!!!)

So here's my recommendations!!

First of all I read all my blogs in Google Reader. That way I just log in in the morning and if someone updates a blog it shows up in my reader. Then throughout the day I just check and see if anyone has updated.

There are three blogs I do check on my Blackberry when I’m not near my google reader and I do check those for updates religiously throughout the day.

Those are:

Crystal at Money Saving Mom

Jenny at Southern Savers (my friend Erin took Jenny’s couponing class in SC)

And

Marcy at Stretching a Buck (from Columbus , featured on NBC4 every other Monday with Ellie!!!)

There are several others but these gals are great with their deals. Marcy and Jenny do a breakdown of the ads for grocery stores and all three do the drug stores!! I love Marcy because she does a Giant Eagle deal (complete with what coupons go with the sale items!!!).

I’ve been tweaking my coupon organization system for the last few months- I finally think I have something that works. Erin (in SC) and I have been brainstorming methods and I hope to post pictures soon of what is finally working for me!!!

I’ve also found some great recipe websites that I’d love to share.

Year of Crockpotting (and she’s got a cookbook out!!)

Pioneer woman Cooks (delish food!!)

$5 Dinners (I love this gal)

Once a Month Mom (girls after my own heart....freezer cooking!!!)

Other things that have helped me with our grocery budget is menu planning and stock piling. Organized Junkie does a great blog carnival I’ve been trying to get into the hang of participating in and Money saving mom does a great stockpiling post.

Hopefully this post will be useful to someone!!!

Meal Plan Monday

Here is the Menu Plan for this week. I’m hoping to do a better job with these updates!!!

Monday: Brinner (Max’s pancakes)

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza (it wasn’t defrosted enough to use Sunday night before work so we’ll use it Tuesday)

Wednesday: Jason works so the boys and I are going to dinner at church with grandma.

Thursday: ?? We may be going to pick berries with the inlaws so we’ll either eat with them or have something from the freezer stash.

Friday: Inlaws will bring (they watch boys on Friday so I can sleep while Jason is at work.

Saturday: Bacon Cheeseburger Rice from freezer

Sunday: Homemade pizza.

(on Wednesday I’m hoping to make another batch of freezer crust for pizza and some bread in the bread maker!!!).

I typed this post up last night via my work email to post today...and we've already deviated!! We made the homemade pizza tonight (I didn't feel like brinner). We'll adjust the plan for the week!!!

We have veggies!!!

I know I said I had other topics to blog about- but when this has to come first!!! I went out to water my square foot garden this am and oh how glorious it is!!!


Here are my bigger tomatoes!

My square foot is bursting at the seams!!! We've harvested lettuce, onions and peppers already!! I'm hoping to get some basil next week and make pesto!!! (I'll try to post a recipe and pics at that time!!)

And I can't wait to pluck these babies off!! Beautiful juicy cherry tomatoes!!! Ripe for the picking!!!

I do love summer!!!

I don't understand.

I really just don't understand why I'm so busy!! Yes, 2 kids under 2 makes for a busy mommy....but I hate that I'm not posting on these blogs!! I want the boys blog to be a memoir of sorts and to share pictures with out of town family and friends and this one...well....it's a bit of everything on my mind!!

I do have some goals over the next few weeks for this blog- I'm hoping to do a series on grocery shopping and budgeting/couponing/etc. I've had several family and friends ask me what I'm doing so it'll be easier to share on here all the links of the fabulous blogs that are helping me keep my spending down.

We're in week 4 of FPU and I'm loving every minute of it!! I've said before we've been practicing Dave's baby steps and principles but for the first time we're really serious about eliminating debt and it's exciting to see our progress!!!

I also want to post some more recipes (both freezer cooking and otherwise). For one it's nice to have them all in one place, on the otherhand, several people have asked about our smoothies so I thought I'd just share on here!!!

The boys are great!! We've spent a ton of time in our backyard. Blow up pool, water table and grill...what more does a family need!!??

I'm ok....

I haven't been able to keep up on my google reader (my favorite blogs) let alone post on this one. But here is an update...(it's kinda like a 10 on Tuesday that I always intend to do...but it's 10 on friday)
1. Jake is 2 months old.
2. We've followed Menu Planning Monday every week, I just haven't posted about it.
3. We're in week 2 of Financial Peace University!! We love this class and would recommend it to anyone interested.
4. Going along with FPU- this summer is a big summer for us. We're using the 13 weeks of FPU to try to "makeover" all areas of our life.
5. Jason has lost 9 pounds so far using our smoothies as a way to increase our fruits and veggies and get an overall healthier lifestyle.
6. I'm not bitter that Jason has lost 9 lbs and I haven't....I feel healthier and have more energy.
7. This next week we're gonna add exercise into the plan.
8. Our garden is lovely. My mom and I had salad from it last night!!!
9. I've been trying some new recipes lately...delicious muffins, pizza crust, and of course our fun smoothies. I'll try to share recipes soon.
10. I have a list of things I want to blog about when I have time...my mother's day present, books I'm reading, FPU, food, etc....so much!!!

But yeah, we're ok, busy with 2 under 2. And enjoying every single minute of it!!!