Finding harmony in family, finance & military life

Do you budget those drive thru runs?  After we paid off our last debt and had wiggle room in our budget we would mark $100 every month for eating out (Restaurant on our budget form). For a family of 7 $100 really does not go far and we meaning Brent and I thought it would curb our fast food runs to a minimum. Well it really didn't. We wanted to eat less junk yet I somehow found myself justifying a happy meal or a coffee because we still had money in the Restaurant budget to buy it.  So we made a change.  We cut back our Restaurant budget to $50 and agreed it was to be spent on a meal out for the entire family. With coupons we can hit one sit down restaurant as a family for $50 including tip or we break it into two pizza nights per month. If we wanted fast food it was coming out of our personal money. Brent and I each get personal blow money to spend on whatever we want. Since making that change our eating fast food has cut way back.  I love it! Maybe o...

I am not cooking for Thanksgiving! So this menu will not include a Thanksgiving/ Turkey Day meal. If you are following my menu's at all this is probably a great one to just tuck away and pull out any old time just like the rest. I hope you enjoy it. We are currently on Day 5 of this menu plan so you know I am running late getting this posted as usual. Salmon Cakes, homemade mac n cheese, sliced apples Homemade Pizza  Spaghetti with salad and homemade french bread Baked chicken, corn bread muffins and salad Slow Cooker French Toast with sausage links and homemade hash browns Broiled Fish, Rice and broccoli Date night ( The kiddo's will be served either left overs if there are any or Tuna/Hamburger Helper) Spaghetti with salad and French bread Baked Pork Chops, Corn bread muffins and cauliflower/carrots Chili with beans and rice Meatloaf, mashed Potatoes and string beans Spaghetti with salad and french bread

Communication.  Man, I can not stress just how important communication is when trying to win in life and in finances. As a married couple trying to get your financial house in order communication is the key to success. I am not talking about the communication you have with your girl friend, male pal, bank teller, parents or even your financial adviser although that one is important. I am talking about you t alking to your spouse.  Encourage each other, hold each other accountable, share your dreams for the future you will share together. The more you communicate the easier it will become to accomplish your goals. Work together as a team, create your budget as a team, set goals as a team, dream together as a team and your team will WIN!!  Take 30 minutes tonight to talk to your spouse about where the money you will make in December is going. Write your budget together putting it on paper on purpose that's your game plan, your goals, your strategy to win! You c...

I am so behind guys! I was finally able to write up a quick 11 day menu to at least get us through the 18th. We have been living off of left overs and quick thinking! Let me just say the chipotle shredded beef and simple chicken burritos were a huge hit at my house! Ok the menu. This is all based on stuff I already have stocked up in my pantry and freezer and yes we finally stocked up on some meat in my deep freezer. Fried Catfish Nuggets (cornmeal, salt, pepper deep fry in oil just a couple minutes and yum) Cornbread muffins and carrots both raw and steamed to suit the entire family Meatloaf and Mashed potatoes served with String beans Chili with beans served over rice or tortillas Restaurant Night!! For us this is November 11th if you are a member of the Armed Forces check to see which restaurants in your area are honoring you with a free meal! Spaghetti with Salad and hopefully home made bread Homemade Pizza Baked Chicken bone in, sticky rice and broccoli again some raw som...

Cleaning up the kitchen today Justice came running in dressed as Batman's sidekick Robin "Mom I am going to play super hero". So cute! I helped my little super hero finish putting on his costume. Then he was off not to fight crime but to read a book in his bed for quiet time. Later I got to read with him enjoying one of those rare one on one moments. It was so nice. Brent was promoted yesterday. He had the entire family get up on stage with him! We all got to punch him in the arm right on that new stripe. Even Kady gave him a good punch with that sweet baby fist. She had the Colonel cracking up as she danced across the stage holding my hand as we made our way to daddy's side. It was wonderful and I am so proud of him. I have been enjoying all of the hilarious faces Kadynce has been making. Her personality is really shining through and she is so much fun. Her favorite thing to say is "Your so funny!" Laughing as she says it. She is the silliest child we h...

Saturday was wonderful. I finally got the break my overworked, stressed out, exhausted self needed. I love my children and my husband so much more then anything else in this world actually, but sometimes I just need to get away. I did just that this past Saturday. Brent had to go in to work for just a little bit on Saturday morning and as soon as he got home I packed up my big old purse and ran out the door. Ha more like unpacked it since I had to pull out all the diapers, wipes and snacks I usually tote around with me. First I went to WalMart leaving all preconceived notions of a budget behind me and carrying my list in my head. Two big no no's! I especially know this having taught both FPU and coupon classes not to mention the couples we have counseled on budgeting but Saturday was my day to rebel and so I did. I grabbed some supplies for my coupon binder, note books to keep track of prices at different grocery stores and a book (fiction of all things) for myself.  No coupons...

You get the picture right? I am sure you have seen it too. Someone thinking of no one but themselves compromises someone else putting them in a bad, uncomfortable or dangerous situation. Two days in a row now I have seen just that. Yesterday I went with my entire crew to immunizations on base. It was an early release day and the place was packed with parents taking their children to get the flu vaccine. As we were getting closer to front of the line I overheard a conversation that really made me feel uneasy. A mother was at the desk with her two daughters waiting their turn to be called back. She asked if they were getting the shot or the mist. The immunization tech explained the the shot was reserved for people who had health conditions such as asthma or pregnancy because they had a very limited supply come in. Everyone else was supposed to get the flu mist vaccine which is actually stronger then the shot. Well the mother started to throw a fit saying her daughters would not get the...

Hi my name is Frank and I have anger management issues and stress! Ok no my name is still Sarah or mom depending on who you are but the later part is still true. Stuff bothers me, often to the point of boiling over. I get angry easily and then I get stressed out over being angry. If I could just learn to let it roll off or go with the flow my life would be so much simpler. Instead I see an injustice in the world that I can not make right and the hot lava of anger starts to flow. Will I never learn? Of course the anger only accounts for part of the stress. My son lost his shoes yesterday. I did not realize the shoes were missing until it was time to leave for an appointment so in looking for the shoes I lost it. My throat hurt from screaming and he got to go out with mix matched shoes on his feet. At least I found one shoe for each foot or we really would have been in for it. Last week this would not have bothered me so much this week I am stressed and it really bothered me. Brent s...

Sorry I am getting this up a little bit late. My last menu was changed around a bit and we had left overs a couple nights so tonight is actually meal 16 for us. None the less I will post two weeks worth of dinner ideas! Quiche I will probably make one with just cheese and one with spinach and cheese Pizza night! I have a bunch of frozen pizzas that are just begging us to eat them. I will serve a simple salad along side for a great meal. Spaghetti with sauce and perhaps some homemade french bread yum Chicken burrito The plan is to slow cook four chicken breasts with taco seasoning and shred it (I will freeze half of it for another meal). I will steam some sticky rice and serve it burrito style with lettuce, tomato, avocado and cheese. Maybe add some cilantro too.  Typically this is date night! The kids will enjoy leftovers or tuna helper. Grill night! Brats, hot dogs, chips and sliced cucumber and tomatoes Family Restaurant night. We don't have much left in our restaurant b...

My husband and I have recently found ourselves being sought out for financial advice. Now we are not experts, have no formal training or special initials following our last name. Our qualification did not come from a school at all, really it came from life. Life and the book that completely changed our lives The Total Money Makeover . We will help out anyone who asks by meeting with them, giving them the book and helping them create a budget with a goal. It is our passion to see people win with money. People just like us who are ready to say no to debt and yes to living like no one else so that later they can live like no one else! Brent and I are financial opposites he is the free spirit spending money freely and I am the natural nerd trying to tell every dollar that comes in where to go hoping a few stick around. I loved making budgets, making sure the bills got paid and the groceries were bought. Brent loved shopping, buying what he wanted and justifying the purchase because it i...

Have you walked out of WalMart for less then a $1? Ever? Probably not. It is ok, not many people do. Today was my day and I will tell you how I did it! Remember my last trip to the Mart when I bought all of those razors? Each pack had a $3 off coupon so today I took a trip back to use up those coupons. This is what I bought 6 12 ct packs of Schick Disposable Razors @ $1.97 each 12 ct pack of Sunbeam Hamburger Buns @ $2.66 10 ct pack of Extra Large La Banderita Flour Tortillas @ $2.18 (oh my gosh these are so good) 7oz can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce @ $1.27 My total before tax and coupons was $17.93. I handed over 6 of the $3 off coupons totaling $18! My total out of pocket was $0.85!!! I seriously felt like I had just robbed the bank. The entire time I was walking toward my van I kept looking over my shoulder waiting for a blue vested, smiley face pinned manager flanked by WalMart's version of a mall cop to come running after me demanding I spend more mone...

I only did a very small amount of grocery shopping yesterday. We decided to go to the local IGA for the first time ever. Let me just say I love that store! It actually felt like a grocery store. It was roomy, fresh, not over crowded and had friendly helpful staff. It had no corporate America feel to it at all. I loved it. We went there to see if they still had the family packs of ground beef on special for $1.88 per pound which they did. Then we wandered around for a bit to see what the store was like and to see if they had any other good deals. I found the Le Creme liquid creamer on sale two for $4 and had the Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon to go with it making them only a $1 each. I also grabbed a pound of Italian Sausage that was on sale and had a coupon to go with it making for another great deal. I enjoyed my stroll through a real grocery store so much I think I will start shopping there more often. They will often have meat on sale which is great for me since we plan on getting the ...

We went to WalMart this morning after skimming the online deals, clipping a few coupons and digging through my coupon stash. I will not bore you with the details of shopping with 5 kids and a hungry husband as I am trying to block out the memories! Instead lets jump straight into my savings. First if your WalMart carries the one pound bags of Purina One dog food and you got the $4 off coupon buy it! You get great overage and even if you do not use the dog food a shelter will. Our WalMart does not so I am saving that coupon for another day and another store. My list was simple 1/2 Gallon TruMoo Milk $3.98 (yikes if I had known it was that high I never would have promised the kids) Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Bread Mix $2.28 A dozen eggs $1.87 6 12 count Schick Slim Twin Disposable Razors $1.97 each 2 2 Liter bottles of Sierra Mist $1.25 each 2 Liter Bottle Dr. Pepper Tens $1 My total before coupons was $23.45 my total after coupons plus tax was $5.81! Coupons I used...

We have a winner!!! HART!!!!! Woohoo congratulations :) I will be contacting you by email shortly. Thank you all so much for participating.  Please check back regularly for future giveaways  and please if you have not already  join my mailing list                so you can enjoy my regular posts.

Ok here we go!  The moment everyone has been waiting for! My first ever giveaway!!! Today I am giving away two  of Dave Ramsey's   best selling books The Total Money Makeover and More Than Enough If you have never read these books  then you are in for a real treat. If you have read these books but it has been awhile  then get ready to find something eye opening      that you missed the first time. If you already own these books, love these books and  read them all the time then now is your chance to share them with someone you love and change their lives forever! Now this is how it will work In order to sign up for the giveaway you must leave a comment with your first name and email address. The email address is of course so I can contact you once you have won!!  Then share my blog via www.facebook.com , Twitter, email any way you like! Once you have shared leave a second comment stating "I Shared!"  and of course your ema...

Ok so yesterday I went shopping! We hit three different stores all before lunch and I saved so much money!! Seriously if you have not started using coupons yet then this is your weekend to try. Just listen to all of my great savings! First I went to Walgreens where I spent $8.46 but I saved $33.66 matching my coupons to sales and using my Register Rewards from my last trip. Just look at at the great stuff I bought!! Then it was on to Rite Aid. Now remember how I got $15 worth of +UP well I walked out of there only spending $1.43 plus I will get back $4.60 in rebates! I even scored a Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair that was on clearance marked down to $2.49 which I had a $1 off coupon for woohoo! I got two free wipes refill packs plus free toothpaste on that trip. My total savings between sales and coupons was $23.36!! Look at this! Last but not least I hit up the commissary. I had some WIC shopping to do (WIC stands for Women, Infant & Children). I also just so happened to...

I ran well more like crawled (I am so sick) into Walgreens today to take advantage of the Military Tuesday 15% discount and some deals. I bought (These prices reflect the price after military discount. If you are not Military or you do not go on Military Tuesday then you will pay whatever the regular sales price is.) 2 Litter Pepsi (just one although they are on sale 3 for $4) $1.52 Coldcalm 60 ct $5.94 2 Nivea Lip Care 2 for $4 but after discount they were 2 for $3.40 3 15ct Cascade action packs @ $3.39 each Coupons I used $1 off any Cascade 2 $0.50 off Cascade Action Packs $3 off 2 Nivea Lip Care My Total after tax, coupons and Military Discount was $17.45 I then got the $7 Register Reward for buying the Coldcalm and the $3 Register Reward for buying $10 worth of the Cascade 15ct Action Packs! I am very happy with this trip!!

You know those little random thoughts that pop in your head throughout the day? Here lately "I love my husband" has been the most common one. When love replaces the hurt it seems to bubble over into every area of your brain! Have you loved your husband randomly today? Brent and I started doing devotions, reading the Bible and praying together at night back in August after attending an Art of Marriage conference. We do not get to it every night but we do try very hard to get it done.   At the time we had two copies of The Love Dare collecting dust on the shelf so that is where we started. The common theme throughout that book is to love intentionally through Christ.Every time we open that book I see an area of my life that I need to let hate, bitterness and hurt out and let Christ move in. It is not always easy to love... Just to love unconditionally... No string attached to the love...  I forgive you and still love... No actually it is impossible without first lov...

       I will be hosting the giveaway this Friday!! If you haven't yet please share my blog with as many people as you possibly can. The more the merrier in fact. If you haven't heard about my giveaway yet you can read all about it here !                                                           Thanks

I hit up Rite Aid today for the first time in a very long time. I did eh ok. Certainly nothing to get real excited about but I wanted to share what I bought and what coupons I used. Suave Professionals Shampoo $2.69 Suave Professionals Conditioner $2.69 Pantene Shampoo $3.50 Pantene Conditioner $3.50 3 Aveeno Conditioner $5.99 = $17.97 2 Aveeno Shampoo $5.99 = $11.98 2 Dove Shampoo $3.50 = $7 2 Dove Conditioner $3.50 = $7 Dove Body Wash 24oz $5.99 Aveeno Lotion $3.49 Aveeno Lotion $1.74         Total before tax was $67.55. I then used these coupons B1G1 Free Suave Professionals MC stacked with the $2 off 2 Suave Rite Aid Coupon $3 off 2 Pantene MC $1 off Dove Body Wash MC B1G1 Dove Hair Care MC stacked with the $2 Dove Hair Care Rite Aid Coupon and 2 of the $0.75 of Dove Hair Product Printable Coupons 2 of the $3 off 2 Aveeno Product MC 2 of the $1 off Aveeno Product MC $2 off Aveeno Rite Aid Coupon I had 2 of the $2 off Aveeno S...

Oh my goodness!! Headline news on Yahoo is telling people to ditch their debit card and switch to a credit card!! You can read about it here . Are they all stupid? Don't answer that it is rhetorical. Do not switch to a credit card, ew gross debt! You hear me?!!!   Instead close your checking account with Bank Stupid and open up an account with Perkstreet ! Free checking and you can earn 1%, 2% (if your checking account has a starting balance of $5000 or more) or 5% (bonus money changes monthly but still awesome) cash back on all of your purchases. Oh and did I mention no fees!!   Hey or you can just go to using plain, old, wonderful cash. When Brent and I first started paying off our debt using the Dave Ramsey plan we used the cash envelope system. There is no chance you will ever go into debt using the cash envelope system and a well thought out written budget.  Please I am begging you do not open a credit card account!!! You have options Banks are just tr...

If you are getting tired of pancakes and waffles then try this fun and easy apple cobbler for your next family breakfast! What you will need 4 apples(4 cups) pealed, cored and chopped 1 cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon maybe a little more we love cinnamon! 1/4 tsp nutmeg 2 TBSP Butter cut up 1 1/3 cup milk 2 cups Bisquick Preheat the oven to 350 Put your apples in the bottom of your baking pan I used an 8x12 and it worked great. Then mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and sprinkle evenly over the apples. My daughter actually did this part for me so I could mix the milk and Bisquick together. Dot the butter over the apples then pour the Bisquick milk mixture over that spread it evenly. Bake for about 40 minutes until topping is golden brown and cooked through. Rotate your pan about half way through baking time to make sure it gets an even browning. Let it cool for a few minutes then serve. We got about 12 servings. It was delicious! Please do not forget to sign ...

UPDATE: The giveaway will be this coming Friday October 7th!! Please check back often for updates. Thank you and I am so excited!! Yes I am finally doing it, I am having a giveaway!! Here is the deal my follower base is very small so I am asking everyone to please share my blog with as many people as you possibly can. Once I have 100 followers I will get the giveaway under way! Here is the really cool part the winner of my give away will win a copy of Dave Ramsey's Best seller The Total Money Makeover along with a copy of his book (another best seller) More Than Enough ! So please start sharing my blog like crazy and thank you very much for taking the time to read my posts! I wanted to add real quick the best way to follow me is by clicking  the Follow By Email tab on the left of my page! Thanks!!

Since my menu plans have been a big hit in the past I wanted to quickly share the one I just wrote up. 1st. Grill night!! Hot dogs, Johnsonville Brats, potato chips and fresh cut up cucumbers and tomatoes 2nd. Fair Day!! We are planning to spend the day at the Wayne County Fair with the kids eating fair food :) 3rd. Chick-fil-A Mother Son Date Knight and Home made Pizza Party for Daddy and the Girls woohoo  (hmm I may be running to grab some pepperoni)   4th. Crock pot Chicken Alfredo with spaghetti squash (so happy it is fall!) 5th. Frozen Pizza and Salad 6th. Fish&Chips (aka frozen Ore Ida Fries) and steamed kale 7th. Date Night (we order carry out for the two of us or make a special meal just for us while the kids get finger food or Tuna Helper and a movie in the boys room) 8th. Home made pizza night (this time the kids get to help!) 9th. Family Dinner Out At Ruby Tuesdays! With a coupon of course :) 10th. Spaghetti with salad and if I have tim...

 You will need 1 carrot chopped 1 rib of celery chopped half an onion chopped  (personally I plan on using less onion next time it was a bit strong) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp ground thyme 2 TBSP lemon juice 1 cup white grape juice 4 cups water 4 Salmon fillets 1 Slow Cooker liner :)  Mix the chopped veggies with the salt, pepper and thyme Pour the veggie/spice mix in the slow cooker with the lemon juice, grape juice and water. Turn your slow cooker on high and let cook for about 20 minutes. Clean your salmon so it is ready to put in the slow cooker after the 20 minutes is up.  I used a bone in skin on fillet but I would suggest using the boneless, skinless fillet to save on time. Place salmon in slow cooker, and cook on low for about 45 minutes or until salmon is pink and cooked through. Other then the strong onion flavor this dish was great! I got the recipe from All You Magazine and tweaked it to suit our needs. Let me know if...

My Disclaimer: I am not without sin! I will probably hurt your feelings and I will definitely make you think. This is what God laid on my heart to write and I did the best I could. I hope it touches you and I hope you share it, no matter how it makes you feel. Thank you for reading and well enjoy as always. "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything." 1 Corinthians 6:12 " So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 Gluttony is a sin, the sin of gorging ones self, it is THE sin that can quite literally result in death. Yet it is also a sin that is rarely approached from the pulpit. In my 25 years as a Christian I have actually only heard it addressed once in a sermon and it was brief. Now I am not knocking Pastors after all they have a multitude of other matters to preach on. I do wonder somet...