Think Christmas--No it's not too early!

Today is part one of my 2 part series on how to prepare for Christmas financially.
I know what you're thinking 'Christmas, is this woman crazy?'.  Well there's only about 4.5 months until Christmas (see a countdown clock here) and you know that those 4.5 months will fly by.  Don't get caught with your proverbial pants down this year; prepare early!
Personally I'm one of those wackos that starts shopping for the next Christmas on the 26th of December.  I like to pick up gift sets, wrapping paper, ribbon, bags, ornaments and boxes as early as the day after Christmas.  Other items go clearance the first week of the year.
But enough about that, today I want to talk about how to prep for Christmas. 

1. Start Saving.  Estimates vary from source to source, but it seems as though the general consensus is that Christmas costs the average family approx. $800.  If you haven't started planning yet that means you should be saving approx. $44 a week in order to pay cash for Christmas.  I'm not saying you should spend $800, only that you should look at your finances, set a budget and start to save.
2. Look for ways to offset holiday expenses.  Some ways to do this...
1. Swagbucks earns you points for using their search engine, watching videos, answering polls, doing surveys and shopping through their affiliate links.  You can redeem your points for giftcards.
2. Secret Shopping.  MSPA has a list of accredited secret shopping services you can sign up for.  NO real secret shopping service will ask for money upfront.  On average shops pay about $5 and you'll get to eat for free!
3. Survey sites.  I don't belong to too many of these, but I have gotten onto a few consumer panels via Communispace that pay me $10 in Amazon gift cards every month that I'm actively giving my opinion on new products!  Mindfield is a great company to start with.  They have high pay outs and a low cash out threshold. 
4. Unload unwanted items via eBay, consignment sales, craigslist or consignment sales.  This will get you cash and help declutter--a win-win!
3. Make your list, check it twice.  Giving is wonderful, much better than receiving if you ask me, however do you really need to buy for your 2nd cousin twice removed, or your hairdresser or your daughter's pre-K teacher?  Probably not.  Make a primary list of people you need gifts for.  Next make a list of people you'd like to be able to give to.  Baking cookies, making fudge or even a thoughtful card are probably all you need to to for those secondary people.  Remember you don't have to give to everyone, especially if you're on a tight budget.

Hopefully this has given you a little food for thought.  Check back next week for part 2 in my 'Think Christmas!' series!

**This post does contain affiliate links.

Roast Pork and Pepper Sandwiches

We all get stuck in cooking ruts.  You know the times in your life when you end up cooking the same 2 dozen or so dishes in a cycle.  In an attempt to breakout of the seemingly endless loop of 'best hits' I've been cooking I decided to attempt roast pork sandwiches.  I was going for something similar to a Philadelphia style roast pork sandwich.  The results...erethral.  The pork had the benefit of marinating overnight and simply zinged with flavor.  To make this dish even better it's a fantastic make ahead dish.
The marinade recipe below is my house recipe.  I use it on chicken, fish, pork and it is delicious on potatoes.  This keeps in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.  You can easily double, triple or halve this recipe, but I definitely recommend making at least what the recipe calls for because it makes creating a flavorful dinner a real snap.

Marinade Ingredients

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or micoplaned
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

 Marinade Directions
Put all the ingredients in a mason jar.  Screw the lid on tightly and shake.  Presto, done.

Pork Sandwich Ingredients

• 2-2.5 lb pork loin, tied if need be
• 1/3 c. house marinade
• .5-1.5 c. chicken stock
• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 2 sweet onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Rolls, whole grain mustard and provolone cheese

Directions
Place the pork tenderloin in a gallon size zip top bag and pour 1/2 c. marinade over it.  Make sure the pork loin is well coated.  Allow this to marinade at least 8 hours, 24 hours is best.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a large, oven safe saute pan (I love my Cuisinart stainless set seen here) over medium high heat.  Sear the pork loin well on all sides and remove to a plate (this will take 3-5 minutes per side).  Deglaze the pan with half a cup of chicken stock.  Once the brown bits are up add the Worcestershire, bell peppers, onions, salt and pepper.  Stir well and place the pork loin on top.  Place the pan in the oven and cook about 2 hours (about 20 min. per lb of pork.) until the pork is done. 
Allow the pork to rest 20 minutes.  Slice the pork nice and thin.  Serve up with the pepper and onions on a lightly toasted roll topped with provolone and mustard.
Make Ahead: Follow the directions.  When the pork comes out of the oven allow it cool at room temperature for an hour.  Refrigerate the pork and veggies.  To reheat place the veggies in a sauce pot with 1 c. chicken stock and warm over medium heat.  While the veggies are warming slice the cold pork very thinly. (A benefit of letting it get cold is it will be much easier to slice)  When the veggies are warm place the pork in the pot and allow to warm.  If you've sliced the pork thinly enough it should only take 1-2 minutes to heat.

Kroger Shopping 7/28-8/3 and Why it Pays to Shop Markdowns

I don't often walk out of Kroger going 'Wow, I saved so much!'.  Though I do most of my staple shopping at Kroger (some produce, milk, meat, baking items and those items that I need to fill in dinners) it's not a store I typically stock up on things from.  I consider it a good day if I save 25% at Kroger.  Today, however, I hit a jackpot of deals that I had to share!

The savings ratio on this trip isn't as impressive as other shops, but we needed some odds and ends (the reason I went into the store in the first place), so that raised my total. 

The truly impressive savings to me are the toilet paper and the fire logs (yes I know it's almost August what do we need those for, hang in there with me).  The logs, brace yourself for this, were just $2.19, yep you read that right.  An employee was bringing a cart with markdowns out and I saw them sitting there with a $2.19 price tag on them.  I asked him if that was per log.  He said 'Nope, we found them hiding out in the back.  I scanned it and it printed out a tag for that price'.  I was sold.  Those logs are more than that per log and I got 6 for that price.  I'll tuck them in the garage until cold weather season rolls around and then I'll be thankful to have gotten them!
The toilet paper was, for whatever reason, marked down to $6.49 from $12.99 (50% right there) and I had a $0.50 off coupon that doubled to a dollar, bringing 20 rolls of toilet paper down to just $5.49 (or just $0.27 a roll, my stock up price is $0.35 or lower).
I also got some pork chops on markdown ($4.29) plus I used a $1 off fresh pork coupon and a half gallon of Skim for $0.99 that still had a week left on the expiration date! 
It was definitely worth my time to scan the markdowns today!
The other deals I got today were included in the buy 5 save $5 sale.

• 2 Crest Kid's Toothbrushes $0.79--used 2 $0.50 off coupons from 7/28
• 2 2+ Gerber Meals $1.99--used a BOGO cash register printed coupon
• 1 Oral-B Complete Toothbrush $1.49--used a $0.75 coupon from 7/07

I also bought other items, but those were the great deals in total I spent $23.49 and saved $17.51, which is over 42% and the savings amount doesn't include the markdown prices; if you include that I saved over double that amount!

So at the end of the day the lesson from this?  Take the time to shop the clearance.  What you find won't always be a great deal, but you never know what you'll find!

Back to School Shopping; Not Just for School Aged Kids

Everyone's talking about 'Back to School' right now.  Summer is wrapping up and teacher in-service is well underway is many parts of the country.  I'm sure most of us with non-school aged kiddos aren't paying too close attention to the wheeling and dealing centered around the back to school crowd, but maybe we should be.
Over the next few weeks I'll be keeping you posted with the best deals on items that are either a) for the under 5 set or b) items that we all need.
One of the best times to shop here in Tennessee will be this weekend (August 2-4) when school supplies, clothing and computers will be tax free!  For the details on Tax Free Weekend click here .  I know I'll be heading out to do some shopping.  In TN our sales tax is 9.75% so shopping during this weekend is like getting a 10% discount right off the top!
Now so far I haven't seen too many phenomenal deals, but that doesn't mean there's not anything out there worth shopping for!  Here are a few deals worth stopping in for.

• Office Max.  They have a bag in your Sunday paper that gets you 20% off of anything that fits in the bag (some exclusions apply).  The best deal with this (in my opinion) is ink.  Ink isn't cheap and rarely goes on deep discount.  Stock up now to print coupons for a few months.
• Toys R Us  Crayola Crayons are $0.25 a pack when you buy for (limit 8).  I stock up during back to school sales for my toddler.  If you have a tot you know how many broken crayons you can go through.  Remember to save your broken Crayolas for a craft project I'll be featuring in August!

Check back for more deals.  I'll be adding to this list as the week progresses.  I'm sure more stores will be advertising great deals, plus I'll be scouring the stores on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and bringing you my findings!

CVS Shopping Trip 7/28/13

I don't shop drug stores weekly.  For me I find it more time efficient to focus on deals available to me at Publix, Kroger and Target--stores that I frequent regardless of a good deal.
However, every now and again CVS has a deal or two I can't pass up!  Last week and this week were two of those weeks.  Last week I stopped in and bought 2 packs of Huggies Pull-Ups for $15.73 and received $5 CVS reward dollars (I used 2 $3 off coupons).
This week I picked up the following

• 2 Herbal Essence Shampoo--1 BOGO coupon from 7/28
• 2 Pantene Shampoos--1 BOGO from 7/07
• 1 Starbucks Coffee--1 $1off printable
• 1 Oral-B Battery Toothbrush--1 $3off from 7/28

So I paid $2.38 out of pocket after coupons and reward dollars and walked out with $5.50 in reward dollars to spend another day!  Considering I was down to my last bottle of shampoo these deals couldn't have come at a better time!

My best drug store shopping advice.

• Go with a list and shop the deals; nothing else.
• Pick ONE drug store to shop.  Running all over town for deals and trying to keep track of rewards isn't worth the time in my opinion.  I simplified my life by picking a conveniently located drug store (CVS) and I don't shop any other drug stores regardless of the deals they offer. I realize that doesn't work for everyone, but it's worked well for me so far!

Life Hack: Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Here's a quick tip.  When you need to spray a muffin tin, cake pan or pot with cooking spray do it over your dishwasher!

I simply open it up and do all my spraying right over the door.  This way the mess is contained and when you run the dishwasher it's all washed away!

Money Saving Monday: Utility Bills

I don't know about your house, but in mine the electric bill is the largest bill (outside of the mortgage) that we pay each month.  Utilities can really eat up a chunk of your household budget, so why not try to keep them as low as possible. 
While we all like to enjoy the creature comforts of the 21st century (myself included) we don't like to shell out the big bucks associated with them.  Here are a few ways we try to reduce our utility bills.

• Keep it as cool in the winter and as warm in the summer as is comfortable.  I typically let our house get up to 76 degrees in the daytime in summer months.  Yes it can get warm, but it can save big bucks.  Likewise in the winter we let the house go down as low as 62 degrees at night.  Pile on the blankets and snuggle up to the one you love!
• Adjust the heating/cooling while on vacation.  It's not practical to let your heating/cooling go to extremes on a daily basis, but when you're away adjust it so you aren't wasting electric unnecessarily.  
• Don't run the dishwasher if it's not full.  How many times have you run yours 3/4 full.  If you can squeeze in a few more dishes wait until after breakfast to run it.
• Utilize rain barrels and harness the power of the sun.  When it's cold out, but sunny, raise the blinds and let the sun shine in.  If it's hotter than the sun out there lower your shades to help keep your house cool.  Put up a clothes line!  It might be low tech, but it works.
• Shut the HVAC off!  For 2-4 weeks in Spring and Fall we turn our HVAC off.  We open the windows, air out the house and enjoy the beautiful weather.
• Make sure your doors and windows are well sealed.  If you can see your curtains blowing in the wind it's probably time to look at sealing them up.
• Utilize the grill in summer.  I love to bake, but when it gets above 80 you'll be hard pressed to get me to bake.  The oven heats up the house too much!  In the warmer months we grill, grill, grill--keeping the heat outside, where it belongs.

The list could go on and on, but I feel as though these are some of the most effective ways to save some $ while still being practical.  Do you have a favorite way to save on electric, gas and water? Share it with us!

Life Hack: Safely Disposing of Razor Blades

If you're a DIYer or crafter you probably go through a few box cutters, Exacto knife blades, craft knife blades etc...I know that some people are probably just throwing these in the trash, but you could dispose of them a little more safely with just 10 seconds of work.

I tape my used blades to a piece of cardboard and then throw them out.  This not only keeps it from ripping the trash bag, but will keep animals from eating it, kids from cutting themselves and lower risks to your hard working trash people!

Stay safe out there!

In Season: Early Spring

The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and pollen is floating freely in the air--must be spring.  As soon as the weather warms we start craving juicy Watermelon, succulent tomatoes and sweet corn.  Unfortunately for our pallets we've still got a ways to go before any of the a fore mentioned items begin to bud. 
Just because summer's bounty isn't ripe for the picking doesn't mean there aren't some items that have begun to show their lovely faces!  Here are a few things you can start to look for.

• Lettuces
• Strawberries
• Herbs
• Leeks
• Green Onions
• Asparagus
• Peas

I try to shop and eat as seasonally as my wallet and family's patience allows.  This means we haven't seen a plump, delicious tomato in over six months.  Sometimes it's hard, but I can tell you that the light at the end of the tunnel is that much sweeter because we wait.  Buying seasonally will allow you save money, reap the best nutritional benefits, eat locally and get the best tasting product.
What am I eating right now?  Strawberries and asparagus have been wonderful.  Today Kroger I picked up asparagus for $1.28lb...wow.
What's in the garden?  Lettuce, leeks, peas, carrots and a bounty of herbs are all in the ground and happily soaking up some rays.  In three to four weeks I'll be able to start harvesting lettuce and peas.  About that time peppers and tomatoes will be ready to go into the ground. 
I know it's tempting to eat whatever whenever, but I promise you if you try eating seasonally you'll learn that food really does taste better coming from closer to home!
If you're interested in a seasonal diet I recommend checking out the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  It really changed the way I see eating!

Money Saving Monday: Fix What's Broken

As Americans we're more likely to throw something away and replace it than we are to fix it.  What's wrong with us?  I've never sat down and figured out how much we save by being DIYers but I can tell you it's a lot.
There are ways to save BIG dollars like refinishing furniture and cabinets or doing your own car repairs/maintenance.  However you don't need to be an avid DIYer to save yourself a boat load.  By doing preventative maintenance and minor projects yourself you can still rack up a substantial savings.  Here are a few ideas.

• Clean your vacuum!  Your users manual has a section on cleaning/preventative maintenance; read up on it!  I clean my filters monthly and clean the hoses and rotators twice a year.  You will definitely extend your vacuum's life by treating it right.
• Have a hole?  Sew or patch it yourself!  Even if you're not a sewer you can still patch a minor hole.  Big box stores like Wal-Mart sell iron on patches in a variety of colors.  If the hole is in a place where it's highly visible you can always sew an embellishment over it!    
• Give it a fresh coat of paint.  When our mailbox post was looking broken, faded and in need of replacement what did I do?  I painted it!  It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do for almost anything.

The bottom line; think the next time you reach for the trash can.  I've been challenging myself to throw away less.  I'm thankful I have a handy hubby, but I promise you don't need to be the blocks Mr. Fix-It to fix yourself!

Lean, Mean, Green Juice

I'm not a big proponent of diets.  Most of us can't stick with them and then end up feeling unsatisfied and frustrated come the end of the day.  I am a big proponent of eating a well balanced diet.  I'm always looking for a way to get more veggies into my diet and turning them into an unfiltered juice is the easiest way I've found of doing this. 
Most smoothies feature too much sugar and not enough nutritional benefits to justify the calorie intake.  My solution is to turn to juicing (pureeing really) raw fruits and veggies.  You could make a fresh juice with just about any fruit or veggie.  The most important thing is to use a good blender.  This doesn't mean a super expensive counter top hog, but that $10 blender you got in college probably isn't going to cut it.  I bought my Oster blender from Wal-mart.  It's a 600 watt blender with just a few buttons, and it breaks down easily for cleaning.

This recipe makes two 16oz juices.  I recommend consuming immediately.  If not, refrigerate and shake well before drinking.

Ingredients
1 ripe banana, sliced
4 strawberries, quartered
1/2 orange, sectioned (I use 1 clementine)
1 handful spinach
1 carrot, diced
1/2 c. orange or apple juice

Directions
Put the carrot, spinach and juice into the blender.  Pulse the blender until the carrot is broken down enough for the blender to run smoothly.  Run the blender on high for 30 seconds.  Add in the banana, strawberries and orange, pulse 10 times.  Ta-da!  You made a healthy, delicious juice drink!

Don't be scared of it, the spinach gives it a green color that some don't find appealing, but you really can't tell it's in there!  This is full of antioxidant and fiber.  I often drink this in place of lunch.  You could add a cup of yogurt to this to give it more body.  Give it a try, you just might enjoy it!

Money Saving Monday: Family Activities

Movies, museum excursions, zoo outing, baseball games and other family activities can really eat into one's budget.  There are ways to have family fun without breaking open the bank.
We allot $30 a month for 'entertainment'.  Thirty dollars might not sound like much for a family of 3, but I assure you we get at plenty of outings out of our $30.
Here are a few ways to get the most out of your entertainment budget; whatever it may be.

• Take advantage of discount sites such as Living Social and Groupon.  I've gotten tickets to our local Discovery Center for 50% off.
• Use coupons or discount tickets.  Frequently the grocery stores or fast food restaurants in our area pair up with attractions.  Entertainment books, Clipper magazines and other discount magazines also have coupons for area attractions.
• Use any type of student/military discounts.  Many attractions offer 10% off with a student or military ID.
• Take advantage of free days.  Many museums, national parks and zoos have a free day fall and spring, for residents.  Just provide your driver's license.  The Memphis Zoo here in TN is free on Tuesdays from 2PM until close.
• Some movie theaters run a special discount period, ours has 'twilight shows' (4-5:30) that costs just $5.50 and children under 3 are free (score!)!  We also purchased a popcorn bucket for the year for $17 during a promotion.  This will allow us to fill it up for $3!  It's a great way to splurge without spending a fortune!  You could even split the upfront cost of the bucket with a neighbor, friend or family member!

Now if you're living paycheck to paycheck or you just don't have the money to spend on family outings--don't.  There are lots of FREE options for a day of family fun.  Here are a few of my family's favorite ways to spend a day out for free.

• Pack a picnic and go to the park!  Parks are free and the fresh air is good for everyone.  By packing a picnic lunch you've made it an affair!  If it's raining hit up your local mall's play space.
• Find free local events.  Check with the community center, your local newspaper and follow favorite restaurants and attractions on Facebook.  For Easter Chick-fil-A had an Easter egg hunt with prizes, face painting and a bouncy house...all for free!  We did buy 2 biscuits and a cup of coffee (1 biscuit was free w/a coupon) for less than $5.
• Take in the local beauty.  Do you have a a picturesque town nearby?  We frequently go to the town of Franklin and window shop and take in the fresh air!  
• Go to the library!  Our library has story hours (Barnes and Noble also does this) twice a week.  It's a great way to spend an hour.

The most important thing about your family is that you get to spend time with them.  So whether you're spending time around the dinner table or at the zoo know that in the long run no one will remember that you did or didn't spend money on family together time!

M.I.A. and Looking Forward

I hope everyone had a wonderful, peaceful Easter. I'm sorry I've been MIA for the last few days.  Between prepping for Easter and catching (another) head cold I've been wiped out!  Never fear though, I'll have some great posts coming in the next 2 weeks!
My husband and I finally got my new raised garden bed finished and some plants in the ground.  I'll have some pictures of our new raised bed and a guide to early spring planting up later this week!  Just because it's not warm out yet doesn't mean you can't grow some fantastic and super nutritional produce!

I've decided to follow along with Crystal over at Money Saving Mom while she does her 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge!  You'll be able to stop in here every evening and see what I've tackled.  I'll be bringing you my own organization tips, a trip to the Dollar Store for 'getting organized under $10' and a peek inside my (slightly OCD) garage sale organization!  We have a HUGE community yard sale here every August and I spend the whole year boxing up items in anticipation of this.

Laundry Room Re-Do--Part 2

So you want to re-do your laundry room, need a little inspiration?  Here's the (almost) finished product of my laundry room re-do.  I'd still like to install a new light fixture, but I'm going to shop around and hopefully not spend more than $15 on a new one.

Here's a shot of the back wall.  Unfortunately my shelving and its contents covered up the stripy-ness (yes that's a word), but I'm still happy with the end result.  I found a home for all my overflow baking products, cake boxes and other paraphernalia.  The microwave also got a new home over the washing machine.  We installed a metal support bracket on the microwave shelf since it's pretty heavy.

 I bought these 'under the shelf' style baskets for $5 a piece at Lowe's.  I'm using them to store floor cleaning supplies and dryer care items.  I love these for bottom shelves where space often gets wasted.

We took the door down, lightly sanded it, primed it, painted it and installed new brushed nickel hardware.  All of our interior doors have brass hardware; we're changing out one set of hardware a month until it's all brushed nickel.

Aren't those brackets lovely?!  They're antique brackets that I've had sitting around for months (or years, no judging please) and decided here was as good a place as any to put them.  This shelf is extra tall for my super tall serving pieces.

The whole project took one weekend.  Here's the cost breakdown.

• Paint & Primer--had on hand $0
• Shelving--had on hand $0
• 3, 1"x2" boards--$21
• 2 antique brackets--on hand, $0
• Contact Paper--$5 (with lots left for other projects)
• 1 metal bracket--$3
• Storage Containers--$4
• 2 Storage Baskets--$10
• New Door Hardware--$11
• Command Hooks--had on hand $0

So for $54 I got a new laundry room.  This is $4 more than we had budgeted.  I told myself this is O.K. because we would have replaced the hardware anyway.  I got to use some things I had laying around (there's a lot of that in my house) and I got a new laundry room with lots of great storage!

Have you redone a room on the cheap lately?  Share it with us!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake--Ulimate Quick Dessert

Have a late night sweets craving?  Need a dessert to take to a dinner ASAP?  Just want to make your family something special and delicious without spending hours slaving in the kitchen?  Look no further than the quick and easy classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  This cake goes together in a snap, bakes in about 35 minutes, is best served warm (so no waiting!) and is made with pantry staples!

Ingredients

Topping
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/3 c. chopped pecans
7 pineapple rings (1 20oz can with 3 leftover)

Cake
3TBSP butter, room temp
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
Directions

Preheat the oven to 375.  Spray a 9" cake pan with baking spray.  Make the topping by melting the butter and mixing in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Spread the topping in the bottom of the pan.  Lay the pineapple rings in the pan.  Fill any holes with chopped pecans.  Set aside.

Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon mix the butter and sugars together.  Mix in the egg, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.  Mix in half the milk and then half the flour.  Mix in the remaining milk and flour.

Carefully pour the batter evenly over the topping.  Use an offset spatula to smooth the batter over the entire pan.

Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge.  Place a serving plate on top of the cake pan and carefully flip the cake over, tapping the bottom of the pan until the cake releases.  If any of the pineapple rings stick to the pan pull them out and lay them back on top.

This cake is best served warm which means no waiting for a cake to cool!

**Adapted from the King Arthur recipe 

Laundry Room Re-Do

We've lived in our house for 3 years now.  We've done something to every room in our house.  Every room but one...our laundry room.  It's one room we're in and out of all day, everyday and we hadn't touched it! 
Well I finally got tired of the beat up paint, lack of storage space and the seemingly cramped quarters.
The problem?  I didn't want to shell out big bucks for a room makeover.  Especially for a room that few people see.  So I talked it over with the hubs and we decided on $50 to redo the room. 

Here's a few before shots of our laundry room.

The Problems

• Off to the right  used to be a white wire shelving unit that held the microwave and other misc. junk.  It was taking up so much floor space I couldn't get a laundry basket comfortably in front of the dryer.  
• The door was storing my large collection of sprinkles, but it rattled when the door opened, the kids could get into everything and the shelving was scratching the paint on the door.
• I needed more shelving to store large serving dishes, candles and other odds and ends.
• My brooms, mops etc needed a home.
• The walls were scuffed, peeling and the room was generally depressing.

Plan of Action

• Paint the back wall a cheery color to brighten up the space.
• Repair the other 3 walls and give them a fresh coat of paint.
• Install an additional shelf above the washer/dryer and 1 shelf on the opposite wall.
• Find the cleaning supplies a home.
• Organize and beautify!

Here's the work in progress.

 After we repaired the walls we taped off some wide stripes on the back wall and got down to painting.  We decided to keep the remaining 3 walls neutral, so we just gave them a quick touch up.  We reused paint from other rooms in the house, so no cost to us there.

Thankfully we save anything we think we could ever use, so we had leftover shelving from a closet.  That gave us enough shelving for our additional 2 shelves.  We pulled the existing shelves down, sanded them, painted them and then I topped them with some bright, cheery contact paper I bought at Wal-Mart.

The hubs mounted all our shelves and I went to work filling them up with all my stuff!  The cleaning items got a new home on Command Hooks (I love those things) on the back of the door.

Want to see the final product and get the cost total for this laundry room re-do?  Stop by tomorrow and get the skinny!

Stop over at Not Just a Housewife for a linky party showcasing some very neat Spring projects. 

Money Saving Monday: Be a Planner

Every Monday for the rest of the year I'll be bringing you a money saving tip!  If you have a favorite way to save some money feel free to chime in!
Today I'm talking about being proactive as a way to save money.  How will this save you money? 
In today's culture we're all about now.  By thinking about the future you can save yourself a substantial amount of money. 
Here's an anecdote for you.  In October our living room TV died.  It just gave up on living.  It was football season, and we were sad.  A large portion of the US would probably have purchased a new TV that very week.  Well, as much as we wanted to, we refrained and started researching TVs.  We went TVless for 7 weeks while we scoured the stores for the very best deal.  In the end we got a great deal on a very nice TV.  It was tough waiting, but in the end we saved over $250 by having a little patience.
This is a great way to save a lot of money, but it's also a great way to save small amount on a daily basis (which will add up over time).  By purchasing thing like laundry and dish detergent, sponges, diapers and dry groceries when they are on sale I can save a big chunk of change on our grocery bill!

Publix Best Buys 3/20-3/27

This week's Publix Ad is GREAT.  I walked out with far more than I normally do.  Here are the best deals of the week.

• Publix 1lb Butter $2.00
• Steamfresh Veggies $1.30
• Simply Mashed Potatoes $1.89 ($.75/1 & $1/2 Publix Q) $.65ea
• Eat Smart Veggies $1
• Sabra Hummus $2.00
• International Delight 32oz $1.55 ($.55) $1
• Sargento Shredded Cheese $2.09 ($.55/2 & Free Egg Publix Q) $1.81ea and Free Eggs!
• Craisins & Craisins Trailmix $1.23
• Uncle Ben's Rice, boxed mixes $1.00 ($1/2) $.50ea
• Mueller Pasta $.80
• Dole Pineapple $.71 ($.50/2) $.21ea
• Swanson Broth $1.30 ($.40/2) $.90ea
• Toufayan Flatbread $1.25
• Mott's Medley or Apple Juice $1.50 ($1/1 Medleys) $.50
• Domino 5lb Sugar $2.49 ($.50) $1.49
• Texas Toast Croutons $.89
• Purex Detergent $3.50 ($1.00/1) $2.50
• Reese's PB Eggs $1.55 ($1/2 & $1/2 Target Q) $.55ea

In total I spend $44.80 (wwaaayyy more than usual) and saved $72.28; that's 62%!  I also picked up the penny item this week (Publix brand 'sandwich cookies').  I was lucky this week and I had a Publix gift card which covered my run!  Hurray!

Starbucks Groupon--Friday, March 3/22

My husband just got an e-mail that there will be a Groupon deal on Starbuck's gift cards tomorrow!  He got the deal a day early (though I have no clue why I didn't!) so check your inbox and see if you got an invitation to purchase this deal early.

The deal is a $10 gift card for $5.  I love this deal because I love Starbucks as a place to curl up with a book and get away from my life!

This usually sells out so if you want it be sure to buy first thing in the morning!

If you're not a Groupon member you can click here for my referral link to sign up!  I admit I don't buy too much from Groupon, but they do have some spectacular deals from time to time.

No Time? How to Get a Healthy Dinner on the Table in No Time!

We're all busy.  We have lives to live.  Sometimes life's schedule goes a little over and those best laid dinner intentions are quickly shoved onto the back burner.  We turn to take out, drive thrus, frozen fish sticks or worst yet, no real dinner at all. 
If this happens sometimes it's not a bad thing.  Variety is the spice of life.  I'm not crusading against Happy Meals here.  What I am saying is that this happens to a lot of us more often that it should.  With a little prep, a well stocked pantry/freezer and the willingness to do a little work you can get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.  I don't know about you, but where I live it's going to take me 30 minutes to run out to our closest restaurant (Mexican) and back.
Well, you say, enlighten us please.  Gladly.  Here's a few tips on how I get dinner on the table after a crazy day and a few ideas to get you started.

• Keep a well stocked pantry/freezer.  Pasta, jarred sauce, frozen veggies, frozen ravioli, sandwich meats and cheeses can be great jumping off points for a meal.  If you don't have to run to the store, you're more likely to make dinner.
• Don't beat yourself up for serving a boxed mac and cheese to your family.  Do serve a vegetable alongside it.  I love the Birds Eye Steamfresh veggies...I don't even have to dirty a dish!
• Cook for your freezer.  Making meatballs, enchiladas, french toast or soup?  Make a double batch and freeze one. Then all you have to do is defrost, warm and serve!  You've already done the work, now reap the benefits.
• Breakfast is your friend.  Breakfast is quick and cheap.  When all else fails I always have the ingredients on hand for pancakes or waffles.  I mix up a batch and serve them alongside a big fruit salad.
• Do the prep ahead of time.  If you know it'll be a crazy day don't wait until 5PM to think about dinner.  You can chop veggies, marinade (or in some cases cook) meat and do other prep work hours or days ahead of time.  By washing and chopping vegetables and pounding out meat ahead of time I can put Chicken Piccata and a salad on the table in just at half and hour!

Lastly

• Don't set yourself up for failure.  If you even think the day is going to be wild don't plan on making lasagna for dinner.  Plan ahead if you can and if the day has gotten away from you take stock of what you've got and work with it.

I hope this has given you a little inspiration to use what you have and avoid the dinnertime crunch.