The Broke Mommy's Guide to finding pennies

I read something interesting on facebook yesterday. Someone posted a 30 day no spend challenge. They offered adorable print outs to create a big budgeting binder that were quite impressive. After reading through, I realized that I do this on a daily basis. The only difference is I don't have a goal in mind to NOT spend money. I don't have an option.

Necessities are the only things on my list. I buy what I must. The small amount I have left over, I typically do something for or with my son. I can't recall the last time I did something for myself outside of buying a coffee here, or there. The luxury would be nice. I went shopping last weekend and tried on clothes, but purchased nothing because I couldn't. In my former life (pre baby), random Tuesday night shopping sprees were always on the list. Do I miss those days? Yes, but not because I want to buy clothes for myself. I'd like to be a little more frivolous for my son. It sucks being so tight fisted, but I appreciate that he can't talk to ask me for things. Boy, am I in trouble when that changes!

 

This all got me thinking and my gears going. Pretty dangerous for a broke mommy. I sliced and diced my entire budget to squeeze out any extra pennies, but found very little wiggle room. Cutting my grocery list seems to be the best solution, but that required some more creative thinking behind meal planning. I drafted up a monthly grocery list  and meal plan and came to $30 under budget!

 

The point behind all of this is where there is a will there is a way. It might not always be so obvious, or right in front of your face. It took me really breaking everything down to find a little more money in the budget. I plan on doing this again tonight to come up with some more ideas. Honestly, I don't need a lot and I'm so appreciative for what we have, but sometimes not being spontaneous and a little whimsical makes me sad. I just hope I'm raising an appreciative, grateful little boy who understand his mommy gives him what she can and will always try to take that extra step if possible.

 

I hope all of you moms out there give yourselves a little extra pat on the back tonight. It's hard juggling all of these different balls. We have to wear so many hats. Financial planner, chef, maid, etc. It isn't always easy. I think a lot of people forget that being a mom is like holding 20 different jobs all at the same time. I know I never gave moms enough credit until I became one. Sometimes, I even feel like a magician for making ends meet each month, but I somehow make it..

The broke mommy's guide to recipes!

I am the casserole queen! If you're on a budget trying to feed your family, it's the perfect solution! I decided to share some of my favorite recipes that make a lot for a small price! I hope you guys enjoy these as much as I do!

 

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

 

This seriously takes no time at all and is so delicious!

 

2 bags of tater tots

1lb ground beef/turkey

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

½ onion

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

Cheese

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

I brown my meat first, then I stir in green pepper, red pepper, and onion. (you can omit this if your kids hate them)

Mix your cream of mushroom soup into your meat/pepper mix.

Spray a pan with non-stick spray.

Put a layer of tots down.

Spread your meat mix over the tots

Top with cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min/until the tots are done

 

PIEROGI CASSEROLE

 

The best part about this is you can use the other half of your green pepper, red pepper, and onion without having to buy double ingredients!

 

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

½ onion

1lb ground beef/turkey (I've even used sausage instead)

2 boxes Mrs. T's pierogies

Cheese

1 jar of pasta sauce

 

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spray your casserole dish/pan with non-stick spray

I brown my meat first, then I stir in green pepper, red pepper, and onion. (you can omit this if your kids hate them)

Put down layer of frozen pierogies

Spread your meat mix over pierogies

Top half of pasta sauce

Top with another layer of frozen pierogies

Top with the other half of sauce

Top with cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min/until pierogies are soft

 

PIZZA CASSEROLE

 

1 box of ziti

2 jars of pizza sauce

Any kind of toppings you want (mushrooms, pepperoni, peppers, etc)

1 package of mozzarella cheese

 

This is REALLY easy

 

Just boil your pasta and drain.

Spray a pan with non-stick spray

Layer in the pasta and sauce, then top with cheese and your toppings.

I bake at 350 until my cheese has melted.

 

Super quick, cheap, and easy! Plus, you can involve the kids! Tastes perfect paired with garlic bread/salad!

 

 

The broke mommy's guide to meal planning!

This past weekend, I rounded up my lists and did the shopping for the next two weeks. Not an easy task on a budget. Before I began, I made sure I meal planned, so that I could at least stay on track with the budget I set for myself. I had to buy groceries along with dog and baby food, household necessities, and diapers. I ended up spending $97, which was $6 under budget. I'm sure you're asking how the hell I was able to do this. Below are my lists and meal plans.

Breakfast: Egg and spinach quiche with whole wheat toast.
Lunch: Broccoli and pasta casserole
Dinner: a variety of lean gourmet frozen meals, which I'll mix into whole wheat tortillas and eat with a side of mixed vegetables/baked potatoes.
Snacks: Slices of pepper/cucumber dipped in light ranch dressing, greek yogurt with pineapple, and frozen yogurt with ginger snap cookies.

Not too bad. I bulk cook for the week and then divide everything per day. Pasta makes so much, so I can feed myself lunch for an entire week on such a small budget. A box of pasta costs 98 cents! An entire bag of frozen broccoli is 98 cents as well. I mix both together with a can of cream of mushroom soup for a whopping 99 cents a can. That's a total of $2.95 to feed myself lunch for an entire work week. I don't count weekends because I'm typically at my parent's house, so I usually have lunch with them, or I make soup at home, which is something I always have in my cupboard.

Breakfast is even easier. A dozen eggs is fairly cheap. I mix a dozen of eggs with a package of spinach to make egg quiche in muffin pans for two weeks. I freeze the following weeks and thaw when it's time to use. A dozen of eggs is around $1.28. Frozen spinach costs 98 cents. My whole wheat bread was a whopping $2.00. Breakfast for two weeks costs me $4.26!

Dinner is always a bit of a challenge. I don't have a ton of time to cook, so I usually buy lean gourmet meals. They cost $1/meal. I typically stick to the chicken/rice and Mexican/rice flavors and then mix into a whole wheat tortilla to make quick burritos. I pair this with either mixed vegetables, or a baked potato. It's very filling and I can eat dinner for two weeks on a very small budget.

Snacks can be quite costly. I ended up buying 1 cucumber for 75 cents and then 6 peppers for 75 cent each. I'll slice these up to have as snacks for the next two weeks. I also bought some Greek yogurt and canned pineapple, and frozen yogurt and a box of ginger snap cookies. Don't judge. A mom has to treat herself sometimes. I don't eat big amounts, so these all last me a two week span.

Corresponding grocery list:

EGGS
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
SPINACH
2 BOXES OF PASTA
BROCCOLI
2 CANS CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
MIXED VEGGIES
LEAN GOURMET MEALS
WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS
POTATOES
GREEK YOGURT
GINGER SNAP COOKIES
6 GREEN PEPPERS
1 CUCUMBER
LIGHT RANCH DRESSING
FROZEN YOGURT
2 CANS OF PINEAPPLE

There you have it! My tiny, yet fulfilling grocery list for the next two weeks! I'm not a person that needs tons of variety, so I'm usually okay with eating the same thing over and over again. If you aren't a person that can tolerate that, then you'll probably have an issue sticking to my method. I just found it's a lot easier this way. Buying less ingredients keeps the cost down. The baby is getting Gerber meals, which are costly, but I am able to divide each meal into two, so I save that way. I always pair a meal with a jar of veggies/fruits, so he's getting plenty to eat with more variety, so he doesn't get too bored.

Let's talk diapers for a second. People buy huggies/pampers which are so costly! I buy a generic brand that I get at Family Dollar. The diapers cost $6. You can also buy a generic version at Walmart for $5.97. Why the hell would I pay nearly $10 for huggies/pampers, when these diapers work just as well? They hold up so well too. I ran out of swim diapers and let Emerson go into the pool with one of these on and it held water like a champ! I was absolutely shocked, but it makes buying diapers for two weeks cheaper. I buy 3 packs. 2 for home and 1 for daycare. $18 sounds a hell of a lot better than $30!

Kodie isn't eating some $17 bag of dog food either. Our local dollar store has bags for $1. I buy 2 bags, which lasts us 2 weeks. I'm sure there are people out there rolling their eyes over me not feeding my dog some organic food, but I assure you she is very well fed and healthy as a horse. If I'm eating on a budget, then so is my dog. Say what you want, but that's the way it is!!

As far as household products go, I buy my tooth paste and toilet paper at the dollar store. Because it's just me using these products, I don' t go through them nearly as fast. I buy 1 roll of toilet paper for $1. Each roll has 1000 sheets. Typically at the end of 2 weeks, I still have some left on my roll, so it works for me. Colgate at the dollar store is $1, but the tubes are a little smaller than full-size. Luckily, it's just me using it, so it lasts longer. I typically buy dish liquid every two weeks because I'm constantly washing bottles. The dollar store comes in handy for this as well as garbage bags, paper towels, shampoo, soap, etc.

There you have it folks. This is how I get by on a bi-weekly basis with $97! I'm not blowing my money on all the bells and whistles. I only buy the necessities. I think if people cut out all the fluff (junk food), they'd have a little extra money. If you can afford it, then go ahead, but please don't be one of those broke moms crying over money when you have 5 bags of Doritos in your cupboard.

The Broke Mommy's guide to Apples!

I absolutely LOVE this time of year. I'm sure the kiddos aren't totally in agreement with the end of summer and start of school, but it excites me knowing fall is right around the corner. Help ease their back to school blues (and yours) with some fun activities listed below! The best part about it is it won't cost you more than a bag of apples!

 

 

Apple Bobbing

 

Why not? Whether you're apple picking, or buying store bought, it's a pretty cheap activity to do with the kiddos. Plus, it's healthy!

 

Make an Apple Pie

 

Making mini apple pies is a great way to get the kiddos involved!

 

Have some cider

 

Parents, add in a little butterscotch or caramel schnapps to make a caramel appelini! Delicious!

 

Make Caramel Apples

 

You can set out different toppings (sprinkles, nuts, cookie crumbles) to set up a caramel apple bar!

 

The Broke Mom’s Guide to Free Eats!

 

 

 

It's not too often that I'm treated out to dinner, or even eat dinner that doesn't involve standing at my kitchen counter. Anytime I think of having a meal out, I see dollar signs. It's sad that my mind instantly flies to the beating my wallet will probably take. Before my little hungry hippo could eat solids, my mind traveled here less often. I knew it wasn't worth it to go to a restaurant knowing my boob would be the only thing on the menu for him to eat. Now that he's venturing into solids, we have more flexibility. The "girls" would be off the menu for once, so heading out to dinner wouldn't be entirely out of the question, but the price still hangs me up. A very thrifty friend of mine reminded me that kids eat free at a lot of places. What?! I had never really thought about this before my uterus had been invaded with a baby. He was right though. Kids are treated like royalty and eat free at the below establishments in/around Pittsburgh:

 

MAX AND ERMAS : Kids under 12 every Tuesday

 

DENNYS: Every Tuesday

 

NORTH PARK CLUBHOUSE: 99 cent kids meals on Tuesdays

 

UNOS: Kids eat free Tuesdays

 

CLADDAUGH IRISH PUB: Kids eat free Sundays with purchase of adult entree

 

RIVERTOWNE NORTH SHORE: Mondays, One Free Kid's Meal with purchase of Adult Entree

 

STEAK N SHAKE: Saturday and Sundays. Purchase one adult meal for a free kid meal.

 

PENN BREWERY: Enjoy up to two kids' meals with the purchase of one adult entrée on Tuesday nights

 

WALNUT GRILLE: Kids eat free Monday and Tuesdays with purchase of adult meal

 

HOFBRAUHAUS: Kids under 12 eat free, plus there's face painting, balloon animals, and great prizes!

 

LONESTAR: Kids eat free on Tuesdays

 

BOB EVANS: Kids eat free on Tuesdays

 

 

There you have it. A little bit of variety too! I guess I'll be planning our first restaurant outing very soon!

 

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The Broke Mom's Guide To Design

I have what my dad likes to refer to as champagne taste on a Kool-Aid budget. I like to look like I'm living it up when really, I'm just barely living. My home is really important to me. Because I'm too broke to venture out, I spend a lot of time riding my couch. Why spend time in a room that's as bare as my wallet? I have a great passion for design, but I don't have the budget to support it, therefore, I've had to create ways to trick myself into thinking I've done a full upgrade without spending any money. I've created what I like to call "The borrowers guide to design".

Step #1: A Design Plan

--Choose two rooms that you'd like to upgrade. Settle on a general design concept and make notes to what you'd like to change.

Step 2: Go "Shopping"

--Take a couple laps around your hoome, locate pieces that you'd like to incorporate into your rooms, and how they'd fit into your new design scheme. Update furniture by using cheap tactics such as spray painting, or re-upholstering for a fresh look.

Step 3: The Execution

--Push it, girl! Swap furniture in and out of rooms to create a new feel. It's the wife swap of interior design!

Wah-la! Two newly decorated rooms! I recently did this with my living room and kitchen. I had a very tall bookcase in my living room that drew the eye right up to the ceiling. I wanted something a little lower to the ground, so I went "shopping" at my parent's house and swiped a bookcase they were no longer using. I moved my tall bookcase into the kitchen and created a pantry. I was able to free up some cupboard space and organize a lot better. My living room now has a much better flow to it by upgrading to my borrowed bookcase. Both rooms now have a new feel to them and I spent $0!

I love the look of the brown bookcase against the white wall and white furniture. I have a rental, so I'm not permitted to paint.. The white bookcase blended in a bit too much for my liking, so this was a welcomed change in my living room. It feels a bit warmer in there now. The kitchen has a completely different feel to it too. It felt so bare before I added in my new pantry. I absolutely love being able to organize! I am a breastfeeding/breast pumping machine. I lacked room for my pump and bottles before. They littered my kitchen counters, which was a bit awkward when guests stopped by. Now, I have a designated place for everything. I can't stop organizing! It makes it a lot easier when meal planning too. I can see exactly what I need. I plan on borrowing more in the future and upgrading again. Be on the look out!