God's Word for Us Today

Psa 37:23 The LORD guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him.
Psa 37:24 If they fall, they will not stay down, because the LORD will help them up.
Psa 37:25 I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the LORD or their children begging for food.
Psa 37:26 At all times they give freely and lend to others, and their children are a blessing.
Psa 37:27 Turn away from evil and do good, and your descendants will always live in the land;
Psa 37:28 for the LORD loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.


I love these verses. If we do things to please the Lord (give freely to others, turn away from evil & do good, be faithful!), He will protect us and our children. We will not go hungry, neither will our children, He will never leave us! So, no matter the situation your family is in, ALWAYS trust in the Lord and His promises. He will never leave you...

Groceries This Week

I was not excited with the deals this week, and when there are weeks with not so great deals, I stock up on things I don't normally buy. This week, my "extra" purchases were a gallon of Olive Oil and wheat flour. I also grabbed an extra thing of butter to throw in the freezer.

My total this week, was exactly $50.


Not many meals? Well, besides trying to make more from Scratch, I have good grocery deals stocked up. So, say there is a good deal on ketchup, instead of buying one, I may buy 2 or 3 (or more!). Like right now, for instance, I have about 25 boxes of cereal in my cupboard. Because we NEED 25 boxes? Not exactly. But I got MOST of those boxes for right around $1. Considering some of those boxes are too big to stand up in my cupboards, I'd say that is pretty good. What is also good is, that I won't have to pay full price for cereal!

If you shop the deals and use your coupons WITH the good deals, in stores that double and triple coupons, you can end up saving a lot of money.

So far this month, I have spent a total of $136. on groceries. That means I have $139. left to spend for the month.

How have you done this month?

Groceries Coming... And a Word

Today, I will be going grocery shopping. Of course today is rainy, instead of the sunny that it has been for the last 5 days! But, that just gives us more of a challenge, right? 2 kids, groceries, 5 stops... Oh boy.

Ecc 9:8 Always look happy and cheerful. (GNB)

Thank you, Lord! I realize that in my life, when I allow myself to stress, I am not only feeling SICK, but it so quickly rubs off onto others. I walk through the store, as best I can, with a smile. This is a testament to Who is living IN me. So when people frown their way through the store (and maybe through LIFE!), I hope I can be a good part of their day.

So often stay-at-home mothers wonder how we can witness to people and share how awesome our God is. THIS is how: give a smile, be friendly when others aren't, give the cashier a nice word on a tough day, when others give a "downer" comment- give a positive on (example: oh... 4 boys huh? (in a sad voice). I say, Yes, we are blessed!).

Have a wonderful day everyone! :)

Spring Cleaning- Main Bath

I am so excited to be working on another thing to get my home "Spring Ready"... With the temps rising a bit and with 12 days left until the first official day of Spring.... I am SO ready. How about you?

This week, we will be working on the Main Bathroom. This is the bathroom that everyone uses, including guests when they come to your house. Are you ready??? I sure am!!!

Like we did last year, let's first talk GERMS. Yeah. In the bathroom, as you can imagine there are LOTS of them (and if you have kids there are probably more!). And we are going to try to get them all cleaned, and learn how to keep the germ level down.... Here are some that we mentioned last year:

• Did you know it is recommended that you flush the toilet with the lid DOWN? According to Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of microbiology at University of Arizona in Tucson, flushing the toilet with the lid up is not wise. "Polluted water vapor erupts out of the flushing toilet bowl and it can take several hours for these particles to finally settle -- not to mention where," he says. "If you have your toothbrush too close to the toilet, you are brushing your teeth with what's in your toilet." Nice. That is why for the last year, I have been nearly obsessive with making the boys flush with the lid closed! YUCK!

• About scrubbing your tub/ shower- These should be cleaned to help reduce the spread of viruses, fungi, and bacteria. "Do it at least twice a week with a disinfectant that contains bleach," Horowitz says. Here's what can happen if you don't: "Germs can line the walls (of the tub) and you can easily touch the surface and then touch your mouth," he says. What's more, the dead skin cells that sit on inside of the tub can be contaminated. If someone with a cut or open wound goes in the tub, those organisms can infect that wound and increase the overall load of bacteria." Sweet. I usually spray mine down and let it sit for about 10-20 minutes then scrub it down...

• Wipe down sinks and drains each day with a cleanser containing chlorine bleach. This will knock out 99.9 percent of fecal organisms. Countertops, appliances, and faucet handles should get the treatment two or three times a week, and toilets, tubs, and showers once a week. I usually replace my hand towel by the sink daily also.
  

Just a few little tidbits to gross you out this fine day! So what is the PLAN???

This week we need to:

• Give the shower/tub area a good scrub down. Use a really good cleaner and even get out a scrub brush and scrub every inch of that shower. Use this as an opportunity to clean out any unused items from the shower, like the rest of that conditioner that you don't use anymore, or the old razor.

• Also, replace you shower curtain, if it needs it. If you have a cloth one, take it off and wash it this week. Usually they recommend not drying these in the dryer, so they should be fine hanging them a little damp. My suggestion would be to wash the curtain either first thing in the morning or right before bed. And let it dry at a time when not many people will touch it. I would do it during the day when my boys are at school.

• Sweep. Wipe down the floors and the walls with a disinfecting cleaner. Clean the mirror. Wash your curtains. All of these things on the walls and floor will catch any germs as the toilet is being flushed with the lid up. When wiping down the floor, start at the furthest point away from the toilet, then work your way TO the toilet. That way none of the "toilet germs" are spread across the floor.

• Clean your sink. Clean Anything that is also sitting around your sink. I use an old toothbrush around the faucet fixture. You would be grossed out on how much dirt those boys drag in... Summer is horrible! Spring and mud do us NO favors... And then it sits around the faucet. Make sure you are wiping down your sink area DAILY. Especially if anyone in you home is sick with colds or flu.



• Rid out you cupboards. Organize! This is needed in my bathroom! I get so many good deals on things in all kind of gets shoved in our cupboards and then, doesn't really scream organized. Add baskets and drawers, as needed to organize your toothbrushes, combs, and other person items.



• Have a laundry hamper. This seems to go with out saying but it does reduce a lot of mess in a bathroom if there is somewhere for those dirties to go! And if you already have a hamper make sure you clean it!!! This is also a place for germs and bacteria. Spray this down regularly with a disinfecting spray.



• If everything working? Make sure you get those things fixed this week. Are all of the light bulbs working? Anything else need done?

• Last but not least, how is the decorating? Did you want to do anything different? Add anything new? Now's the time!

Here are the pictures of my bathroom:




Not too bad, needs some organizing. And I will definitely be scrubbing it down. I try to keep it clean because I read all of those "facts" last year about germs and try to keep them at bay.

So, now it's YOUR turn! Let's see what you got!

Spring Cleaning- Entry Way, Part 2

It's Friday! And time to take a look at all of the hard work we have done this week, on our Entry Areas! Please take time to check everyone's hard work out, I can't wait to see it myself!

Well, this week for me was a week that I have been waiting for, for 3 years now... Almost 3 years ago, the "dry wall guy" as we will call him, ( because that is a NICE name ) stood in my kitchen and promised he would be back the following week. Well, I'm still waitin'... And while I was waiting, I had to deal with my entry looking like this:


I was always apologizing for my horrible entry room, because it was unfinished, there was NOWHERE to put anything... It was just, all right there... for all to see as they walk into our home. WELCOME! Right?

So, after 3 long years (I have been very patient!), we are finally tearing into our entry room! Bye, bye unfinished room!

This is what the room looked like as of Thursday night.


No. Still not finished, but STARTED! Which is SOMETHING! Like the floor?! I have a floor covering! YAY!!! Saturday will be a workday. We are building 2 closets in the room, you can see the start in the 2 corners. Then under the window will be some coat hooks for the boys' coats and backpacks.

I WILL be posting more pics very soon! So, not exactly Spring Clean, but definitely on it's way!

So, how did YOU do this week??? Care to share? If you don't have a blog, just leave a comment for us sharing how you did. And if you DO have a blog, please link up the POST to which you are talking about Spring Cleaning. You can also copy the Spring Cleaning Image above to add to your post, if you'd like...

So, SHARE! I can't wait to see! :) PS- Join us Monday for Cleaning the Main Bathroom! Tips and tricks coming!

Don't Forget! Spring Cleaning Tomorrow!

Can't wait to see how everyone did with Spring Cleaning in their Entry Area! Start linking up tomorrow morning!

If you weren't able to join us and link up on Monday, never fear. You can just show us your before and after pics tomorrow!

And if you are like me, you MAY NOT be done by tomorrow! Join me tomorrow morning and find out why! (Oooh! I'm sooo happy!)

And if you don't really have an entry that needed work, join us on Monday for the Main Bathroom! Don't EVEN tell me you don't have one of those! :)

See you tomorrow morning! YAY!

God's Word for Us

Psa 19:1 How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done!
Psa 19:2 Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next.
Psa 19:3 No speech or words are used, no sound is heard;
Psa 19:4 yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. God made a home in the sky for the sun;
Psa 19:5 it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom, like an athlete eager to run a race.
Psa 19:6 It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other. Nothing can hide from its heat.

I taught our K-3 kids in church on Sunday, and we were talking how AWESOME the things that God has done, really are. One of those things we talked about was the sun! And how God made it! And He made it perfectly!

Praise His Name! And we get to see that perfect light each day. When we feel the sun on our faces, let us not forget the God who loves us made it!

Groceries This Week

OK, I haven't done this in a LONG time, mostly because I feel silly taking pictures of my groceries. BUT... I am doing it again, at least for a little while, because I have had some inquiries to how we spend around $70 a week on groceries for 6 people...

For one thing, check my posts on Money Saving. Also, this post on how I organize my coupons then go grocery shopping...

Well, there is a bulk food place about 25 minutes from my house. I have in the past only gone there about 2-3 times a year. But I can see myself going a little more now that I am making more from scratch... The prices aren't AWESOME, but they are good. I MOSTLY shop there because baking items don't have many coupons (if ANY), and the prices usually run about what they would in a store with a good sale.

SO here is my shopping trip to the Bulk Food store. We spent $28. on flour (25 lbs!), oats, flax, 2 boxes of cereal, bananas, yeast, 4 small loaf pans, cheese (some is gone from the pic, hubby and boys ripped into it!), and milk chocolate chips.



Next shopping trip, was Meijer. This is my usual shopping spot. Not because the EVERYDAY prices are great, because to be honest, they aren't. But the sales, combined with doubled coupons are what I am looking for. It helps me get things like cereals down below $1 per box, and free tomato sauce, free coffee mate creamer & something we NEVER buy, Lunchables (FREE!)! I spent $58. for everything pictured here. Plus I got back a few dollars in Catalinas (the print out coupons from the register) for our next trip.


Not bad, with organic veggies (except for the free Dole salad), Soy Milk, Milk, 12 boxes of cereal, olive oil & more...

So, this week, because of my "Bulk Store" trip, my weekly spending is $86.

Now, since my budget this month is $275., which comes our to about $68. per week, I will now have to watch my next weeks purchases, to keep on track. That shouldn't be a problem since I actually bought a LOT in bulk (FLOUR!). I go through about 5 lbs of flour a week, so that trip will save me money for the next 5 weeks! Also, I should NOT have to buy ANY cereal for about a month! So, take that off of the bottom line too.

But, if it all comes down to starving your family or spending over your monthly budget. DON'T starve your family!

Also, the first month you make your family a food budget, start at something DO-ABLE. Like if you spend $200 a week, start at $175 a week for your budget. And as you get better at spotting deals and using your coupons with good sales, then you will DO better! Then the following weeks, slowly move your budget down...

I am planning on my budget going down this summer, because of all of the fresh fruits and veggies. If you don't have a garden of your own, try growing something like a tomato plant in a pot or in your flower garden. Or offer to help a family member or friend with their garden, and you can share in it's harvest! If you have the time, a little SHARED manual labor can really go a long way!

Anyone CAN change their budget in a good way, it DOES take time and effort though. To some people, it isn't worth the time, and that's OK if you can afford it. But I was shopping with no coupons( or an occasional one or two) at Wal-Mart and Aldi's. I was buying all generics, and NO organic foods. I was spending $200. or so each week, and that is when I had a family of 5. I WANTED something better for my family. I WANTED to be able to buy a better product for our money. And I DID actually HAVE the time to spend each week figuring out the "deals". So, I did it, and I will never look back...

If you DO have any questions about shopping or saving money on your groceries, don't hesitate to ask. I'm sure you will get answers from several people! In the end, figure out what works the best for YOU and your family. Then work at getting BETTER AT IT!

February's Grocery Budget- How Did We Do?

If you recall, I started at the first of the year working on my grocery budget again. I had let it go over Thanksgiving and Christmas, and was kindly asked by my husband to start back up on it. Our grocery budget before I had quit, was $70 per week for the 6 of us. That included diapers, wipes, toiletries, food and more.

Last month, just starting back, I gave our budget plenty to work with while I tried to get back into "deal shopping". Well, luckily I had no trouble remembering what I was supposed to do. I spent about $70 per week, right back on track. But my goal for February was to bring my total down even more. But slowly!

So, if any of you are also visitors to my other blog, you know how I have been personally working towards making things from scratch. Not buying the mixes but making the mixes myself, not buying the bread but making the bread myself... So, I gave myself the $70 a week budget, but with the goal of working on not buying so much pre-made but making more homemade.

The result? For the month of February, I kept under my budget, and spent about $69. per week. We spent $277. for the month on 193 items. Figured out, that is only a 39% saving with coupons and everything.

This month, I bought more flour, baking soda, baking powder, oil, etc. than I have in previous months. The problem with these items is they rarely go on sale, and when they do they rarely have coupons. So I bought flour on sale, buy there was no coupons for it. So savings total goes up... I'm not complaining though. We kept our budget, AND I have been making more from scratch. So I am happy!

The challenge next month is that I am lowering my monthly budget by $10. It doesn't seem like a lot, but we will see! I am going to continue on the road of making more from scratch, and keep plugging away at finding the sales. I am also going to be working at getting my almost 2 year old to NOT be afraid of the potty! Getting rid of diapers and wipe will be a HUGE savings! (February alone I probably spent around $32. on diapers and wipes! YIKES!)

So, how did YOU do in February? Any new goals? Any new "tricks" you'd like to share?

To see how I work on saving money, go HERE.

Spring Cleaning- Week 1, Entry Area

Welcome to Week 1 of Spring Cleaning! I am excited to get started, how about you? This week we will be working on the Entry Area.

Your Entry Area is the area that all of your guests enter into your home. Where do they take their shoes off and jackets off? Where do you greet them? THIS is the Entry Area.

This Area should be welcoming! This is their first impression of your home! And of YOU! Is there a place that they can easy put coats? Shoes? What about someone who needs to sit and put on shoes? Can they do that in this area? (I remember when I was pregnant, if I didn't have slip-on shoes, I HAD to sit to get my shoes on, cuz I couldn't see then otherwise!) How is your organization?

• Coats~ Rid through your coats, what are you wearing right now? Are you ready to put away those winter coats? If you are, get those washed up and put away (somewhere else, like an unused closet or basement area). Get out those spring jackets, wash them up if needed. May be put away those gloves and hats??? Wash them up too. We won't be putting away our winter coats yet, but I will be washing up coats, hats, gloves, and pulling out some Spring jackets getting them ready! Woot!
  


• Sweep, wipe down, dust... (I know around the "kid level" on our doors, seems a little dirtier then on other places on the door, Clean it!)


• Wash any rugs. Shake them out outside, then throw them in the wash! Or get new ones, if needed...
  


• Reorganize! Use baskets, tubs, shelves, hooks, etc to get everything back into a "working" order. Look at your room with "fresh eyes". Act like you are walking into that area, like if you were a guest. Does it look cluttered? Fix it!
  


• Clean Windows, spray off screens, etc.

• Everything working??? If something needs fixed, fix it today! If it needs thrown out, do it!

• Decorate. Does your area need to say more "Hello!" than "good-bye..."? Make this area as warm and welcoming as possible!

Our entry area need BIG TIME work. We have tried different things to try to organize, but it is still an unfinished room. So, it still, to me, seems unwelcoming. It's always embarrassing to see the cluttered mess of barn boots, winter boots, tennis shoes, dress shoes, barn coats, good coats, backpacks and more... It's always muddy (I hope it's mud, it COULD be poop...I suppose), and we are constantly trying to mop it up. Time to put the thinking cap on!

Here is what our entry looks like today:



Ouch!

Needs work, is an understatement! So, it time to get crackin!

I would love if you would join me! If you can, link up! Share pics and ideas you have. If you don't have a blog, at least leave a comment and tell us you are Spring Cleaning too! And don't forget to join us again on Friday for the end results!

God's Word for Us Today

Psa 121:1-8 I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let you fall; your protector is always awake. The protector of Israel never dozes or sleeps. The LORD will guard you; he is by your side to protect you. The sun will not hurt you during the day, nor the moon during the night. The LORD will protect you from all danger; he will keep you safe. He will protect you as you come and go now and forever.

Why do we worry about things that we have no control over? Our God is an AWESOME God, and He is continually with us! He NEVER sleeps! Praise His Holy and Wonderful Name!

Thank you, God, for being there for us, even when we are afraid we are on our own! Help us to remember that YOU are in control. All you ask is that we trust in You. Thank you, Lord!

Spring Cleaning- Starts Monday!!!

Monday is the big day! We are starting to Spring Clean! Oh, I have been itchin' to start... but have had to try to hold myself off. The Lord tried to teach me self-control in the funniest ways...

But, Monday is the day. Check out the schedule HERE. This Monday starts with the Entryway... And mine needs some work! Hopefully, I will get some MAJOR stuff done! And getting the hubby involved in this one is a MUST! :)

So, don't forget to join us Monday! See you then!

SWAG BUCKS, Awesome News!

Great news for people with and without Swag Bucks accounts:

OK, you may have heard me talk about swag bucks on here before. And I seriously LOVE it. It is basically a search engine that you do all your searches through (you can download a toolbar onto your computer). When you do your searches, occasionally you will win something called Swag Bucks. What are those? Well swag bucks are basically dollars you can use (save them up!) to purchase things like gift cards or other things online! I used some of mine at Christmas to purchase accessories to go with a Wii we had bought the boys. I got all of the accessories and a few games for FREE! All with my Swag Bucks searches!

I have some great news for those of you who DON'T already have a Swag Bucks account AND for those of you who DO! SO listen up!

If you don't already have a Swag Bucks account, today is the day to get one! For signing up today, you will get 6 Swag Bucks! Just for signing up. But WAIT! There is more!

Now, this applies to those of you who already have an account and for those of you who are going to sign-up today... Today, they are multiplying whatever is in your account by 10! So, if you sign up today and get 6 swag bucks, you will really be getting 60!

If you had 50 swag bucks in your existing account, you will now have 500! The Swag store will be proportional to this change. So if something was 45 swag bucks, it will now be 450. Got it?! Plus, they will be giving away even MORE Swag Bucks than before! So go do some searches!!!

So, if you would like to start earning today, and DO NOT YET have a Swag Bucks account go HERE and enter the code: SWAGGYBOOTS. This code is go from now until March 4th at 6 am (PST).

Have fun doing searches!

God's Word for Us

Oh, to have a heart like this! I pray that we strive toward this. I pray that we are content with the plans that God has for our lives!


Psalm 131:1 LORD, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me.
131:2 Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me.
131:3 Israel, trust in the LORD now and forever!

Next Monday's Spring Cleaning!

Next Monday, is the big day! It's the day I looked forward to as soon as I could see the dust and clutter when the sun shone through my windows the other day. You don't think your home is THAT bad until the sun shines on it!

So, here is the rundown. Much is like it was last year. Monday, we will post before pics of our rooms, or areas. And link up here. Then, during the week, work on those rooms! I will give you ideas, and hopefully some inspiration to complete your tasks! Then, Friday we will regroup and post pics of our finished area or room...

Here is what we will be covering each week:

March 1-5, Week 1: The Entry. This is the point that most people enter our home. When you have people over, does this area get cluttered with shoes and coats? Is this area Welcoming? If you walked into your home for the first time, what would your first impressions be?

March 8-12, Week 2: Main Bathroom. This is the bathroom that everyone uses. Are there changes you would like to make in making this small room more efficient?.

March 15-19, Week 3: Master Bedroom. Often a neglected room. What changes would you like to make in your room? We need to treat ourselves and our hubby a little better!

March 22-26, Week 4: Master Bathroom, or a Secondary Bathroom. These are also a very neglected space, not many people see it so why bother? Well, the most important people in our family see it, so that should be enough to step-up this room a bit...

March 29- April 2, Week 5: The Laundry Area. I know these come in all shapes and sizes. Mine in is a unfinished basement, and I dislike "my" area. I know some of you actually have a room for laundry, but is it as welcoming and as efficient as it could be??? If mine were cute and more efficient, I think I would like to spend more time in it!

April 5-9, Week 6: The Office. (No, not the TV show). The room (or area) that houses your desk, your bills, your computer, your coupons, etc. I just have a desk, but you may have a room. Do we need to get into some of those drawers and rid out? Do we need to take an inventory of what we have? This week could also include homeschool areas. As the school year comes to a close, is there an area that has been neglected? We have a set of drawers for our boys when they come home (from a public school) and we put all of their important papers in files and drawers. How can we steam-line these areas better?

April 12-16, Week 7: Children's Bedrooms. So, get everything together for better organization. Make a place for everything! Cleaning out clothes, make a list for clothes needed for the summer! Maybe start to put away some winter stuff!

April 18-23, Week 8: Living Room &/or Family Room. Are there things in your living room that could really be thrown out, do you need to redecorate? Do you need to go through all of those CD's and DVD's? What about that ceiling fan, is it ready to be turned on for spring? Lots to do in this room!

April 26-30, Week 9: Kitchen & Dining Area. I know for me this is a BIG one. I do have a lot of things in my cupboards. Do I need everything? Are there squeaky doors or drawers? Does the decor need a good cleaning or replacing? How about the refrigerator? The freezer? The microwave? The Stove??? I know we probably (hopefully) use this area the most. This is a gathering place, a family place. We need to spend lots of time here, making it a better place for our family.

May 3-7, Week 10: Main outdoor Hang-out. Woo Hoo! By this time, it should be getting warmer, and we will probably be starting those gardens. Let's not forget that outdoor living room! This area is the area that my family spends the most time in the summer. We have a patio out a back door, with a grill and flower beds. So, we need to drag that grill out and get it cleaned up! We need to clean out those flower beds, get mulch, and start planting! Drag out your outdoor furniture, and get ready to enjoy the outside again! YAY!

So, there it is! The run down of what we are going to do for the next 10 weeks. For those large areas, don't try to get everything done at once! We have 5 days! Take it one step at a time...

Well, who's ready??? I know I am! See you Monday!

Spring Cleaning!!! You Ready?

Starting in 10 days, I will once again be hosting a link-up for Spring Cleaning. With each area that we cover, I will give ideas, tips, and info...

You can join along by taking pictures of the area we are going to clean that week, post BEFORE pics on Mondays on your blog. And the AFTER pics on Fridays! If you don't have a blog, join in anyways!

The sun ACTUALLY was shining today at my house, and it ACTUALLY got above freezing! WOW!!! The sun shining in my windows made me realize how BADLY in need of a Spring Cleaning my house really is!!! ICK!

So, join up with us on March 1st to get started! I can't wait!!!

More information coming next week!!!

God's Word- He is Our Protector!

Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The LORD protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.
Psa 27:2 When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall.
Psa 27:3 Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God.
Psa 27:4 I have asked the LORD for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the LORD's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.
Psa 27:5 In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock.
Psa 27:6 So I will triumph over my enemies around me. With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple; I will sing, I will praise the LORD.

January's Grocery Budget- How Did We End Up?

I told you earlier about, how I fell of the wagon for a while with my grocery deals...

And how this month, I was asked by my hubby to start back doing 'the deals' again. I knew it was time. Our grocery budget was normally $70. or less per week for our family of 6. And at the end of this year, we were over $100. and more towards $130. on average weeks. And that was using some coupons, but not really trying hard to find the BEST deals.

Well, working at finding the best deals is worth it! In the end, my average per week for groceries, was $70. Which is where I was when I 'fell off the wagon' before. In the month of January, my first month back to 'deal shopping', I spent $284.71 for 284 items! That is $1 per item! Considering, each week I buy 6-7 gallons of milk ($2.29 ea), 3 gallons of Soy milk ($2.95 ea), and diapers ($8.99 on sale), I think my average is pretty decent!

And in fact, my goal for up coming months, is even LOWER. I had a high goal of $380. for January, which is a little higher than I wanted it to be, but I was getting back into the 'groove'. Heck, I still had over $95. to spend! :)

So, my goal for February is $285. I am hoping to get lower than that. My goal for March (as of right now) is $280. Then when Spring hits and I start being able to produce some garden vegetation, I am going to slowly start to lower my budget again. I am also planning on canning and freezing lots of garden veggies, so this will bring my grocery bill down even more!

On our small farm, we are going to be getting some meat chickens, a cow (for meat), more egg laying chickens, turkeys, and we will have goats for milk. We already have a freezer full of venison from my hubby this last Fall. I am hoping our budget can drop even more than I am planning. I am hoping at the end of the summer, I will only be spending $200. per month. So in August and September (5 shopping weeks) I will only have $40 to spend on my family of 6!

One thing that may help in that equation is that I am planning on having my littlest one potty trained... We shall see how THAT goes! :)

I am excited again, to be working on reducing our grocery budget. I am going lower than we have even gone before, and I am excited about it!

We have some other areas we are looking to apply that $$ to. We are hoping in a year from now to take our kids to Florida and go to Disney. We are of course doing this in the most economical way possible! More on THAT later! We are also starting the process of adoption. We would LOVE to add a little girl to our mostly masculine family. And unfortunately, to place a child in a good and loving home, is very expensive.

But, I think we can do this. So far, God is leading the way. And I pray that we continue to follow in His footsteps.

So, are you on a grocery budget? How did you do this month??? What changes are you planning on making for the future???