Menu Monday

Hello and happy Monday!  I didn't post my menu last week because I got busy but you'll just have to take my word that I had a menu and I stuck to it.  :)

This week as I was planning I noticed that a lot of my pantry items that I like to stock up on are on sale, so I spent a little over my grocery budget for the week.  I don't ever feel guilty about that as long as it is a really good deal and I know that it will pay off in the end to buy it now.

For example...
Albertson's had GM cereal on sale AND I have coupons...makes it less than $1.50 for a box of Chex.
Safeway had 93% lean ground beef on sale for $1.99.  I am a total lean beef snob so I stocked up, divided it into 1lb portions and put it in my freezer.

Those are just two things.  I also bought coffee for an ultra low price because I can't live without my cup of joe in the morning.  Yep.  I'm a hopeless coffee addict.

And now on to this week's menu:
Monday: Kari's Mexican Casserole
Tuesday: Sweet 'n Sour Chicken
Wednesday: Turkey BLT Quesadillas
Thursday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Breakfast
Sunday: Pizza!

Well, have a great week all!  Hopefully wherever you are, the groundhog won't see his shadow and Spring will come early this year. :)

~Melissa

Company Girl Coffee on Saturday

Good morning! Come on in and grab a cup of coffee. Yesterday I found myself without coffee. In fact, my cupboards and fridge were quite bare! I ended up making a very long grocery list and heading for the store yesterday afternoon when my DH got home. I was very proud of myself because I was very organized and took advantage of the sale going on at our local grocery store. The deal was if you bought $30 in certain products, you would get back $15 in coupons towards your next shopping order. So I separated out my list and made three different transactions. The $15 I got back on the first one went towards the second one (which I only paid $8 for after coupons) and then the $15 I got back on the second one went towards the third transaction. There was a girl behind me in line that was asking all kinds of questions because she had just started using coupons and wanted to know how I was saving so much money. I love catalinas! The trick is to be prepared (know what products are included in the deal) before you go to the store and then stick to your list!

It's quiet here this morning. The kiddos are sleeping in. Before very long, Saturdays will be the only day that they can do that! I can't believe there are less than three weeks before school starts. We're headed out for vacation on Monday so what's left of summer will slip by quickly. Sadly, we have to leave their daddy behind because he doesn't have enough vacation stored up yet to go with us. We're going camping as a family Labor Day weekend though, so that will be fun.

I've been reading a book lately that I just can't seem to put down. It's called "Three Cups of Tea." I highly recommend it! My mom read it and then gave me a copy. Once I finally picked it up and started reading, I couldn't believe I waited that long.

Here's a review from the web site:

In Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time , Greg Mortenson, and journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the journey that led Mortenson from a failed 1993 attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully establish schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to promote peace with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote communities in central Asia. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.

If you go to the Three Cups of Tea Web site and purchase the book there, 7 percent of your purchase will go toward a girls' education scholarship fund in Pakistan and Afghanistan. If you haven't already read it, I would encourage you to check it out yourself!

Well, the kiddos are finally stirring so I better get some breakfast started. I'm glad I could share coffee with you. Thanks for stopping by!

Creating Sanctuary on a Shoestring

Hi there! Two Company Girl posts in one weekend! Yay! I already had a story in mind for coffee on Friday, so of course, I just had to get another post in about Home Sanctuary on a shoestring!

I was blessed to spend this weekend with my mom, sister, and niece. They drove over the mountains to visit after a very LONG winter of not seeing each other. When it comes to living frugally, my mom taught me just about everything I know.

When I was growing up, my parents owned a hardware store. It was there that I had my first job. They taught me the value of working hard for your money, saving it up, and spending it wisely. My mom started a savings account with me at a very young age and taught me how to keep track of the funds in my ledger. I still have that savings account today.

My first tip is to always know your balance in your checking/savings account. This may sound simple, but a lot of people don't keep track. I keep my receipts, enter my withdrawals and deposits into my computer, and then balance it both on-line and against my statements when they come. That way, I always know how much money we have in the bank. It keeps me from making "impulse buys."

That leads me to tip #2. Never buy on impulse if you can help it. When you want/need something, write it down. Consider how great of a need it really is and how much money it will cost. Think about whether or not you can fit it into your budget at the moment. Comparison shop. Watch for the best deal so that you can make an informed decision. That way you won't regret it later.

Tip #3 for living on a shoestring: Plan a budget, and follow it. Ours is the simplest of budgets. I started by writing down all our bills and the days that they are due. Then I added food, household items, personal, (clothes, haircuts, etc.) and entertainment. Our budget for entertainment may be small, but it's important to include it or you're spending money that's not there. I re-evaluate our personal budget twice a year. This year, we had to add a school category for supplies, snacks, backpacks, etc. because three of our children are now in school. Savings is a separate category for us and we put money aside when we can. It is our goal to some day be to the point where we can put something aside every month, however small it may be.

Tip #4, but actually the most important one in our household is that we faithfully tithe 10% off the top of my husband's paycheck. We firmly believe that God honors that, and 100 percent of what we own is His anyway. Over the years, He has always provided for us. Time and again He has met our needs, and we gladly give back to Him in return.

Now that I've shared a little about my budget and money management, let me briefly give you a few of my practical tips for saving money.

• Clip coupons. From what I've been reading, a lot of you already do. Great! I recently became a fan of printing coupons from my computer. If you don't get the paper, then that's a great way to still get savings.
• Combine coupons with promotions. Find out what weekly promotions your local grocery store is running. I recently saved 50% on my weekly shopping trip because I planned out my strategy beforehand.
• Keep a running list of what you need, take it with you to the store, and STICK TO IT.
• Want to take that one step farther? Meal plan. Start with one week (I plan six days at a time and then one day of left-overs). It's not hard to come up with six meals. Make a grocery list of what you need for that week's meals and attach it to your menu. File it and create a "menu planner" of your own.
• Stock pile when items are on sale if you have extra money in your budget to do so. I have a pantry full of staple foods that I use all the time. Then if we are really strapped one week (tighten up the shoestring!), I can get creative with what we have in our pantry. That doesn't just go for food. You can stockpile soap, shampoo, toothpaste, cleaning solutions, etc. Even if you think you don't have room, there are creative ways to store extras. (But that's a different post!)
• I mentioned an entertainment budget. To be honest, most of the time our budget in that area is non-existent. We have to be pretty creative. We LOVE board games. So when we do have a little extra, we tend to spend it on a game that we can play over and over again. When the weather is nice, we get outdoors as much as possible. Yesterday we went to the park to watch the kids' dad play softball. We brought a picnic lunch and played on the playground there. It was an incredibly fun time and we spent no money at all.
• When it comes to clothing, I don't buy unless it's on sale. We also accept hand-me-downs. If I have something that doesn't work for me anymore but is still in good shape, I offer it up to a friend. I've heard of friends doing entire wardrobe exchanges when they get desperate!

Well, I think I've taken enough of your time! I could talk about this stuff all day long. I also love reading your tips. Sorry this post came late in the weekend. I was busy "bargain shopping" with my mom and sister! :)

Have a great week everyone! I look forward to coffee next week.

-Melissa

My One Year Post

I just realized that a year and two days ago was when I started this blog! A lot happens in a year, and looking back, I am so thankful for how we have grown as a family and where God has brought us on our journey together. With that in mind, I thought I would make my 10 Things Tuesday post about things that I'm thankful for over the past year.

1. I'm thankful that God has really provided for us financially over the past year. Around this time last year we were sitting in a bankruptcy court because our business had to shut down, and the owners of the building we were leasing decided to sue for the remainder of our five year lease. We had no other options but to file bankruptcy. God is so faithful though, and He provided the means for us to survive through my husband's Realty license.
2. I'm thankful that we didn't lose our home in the bankruptcy. We have a roof over our heads and that's more than I can say for many Americans in this unstable economy.
3. I'm thankful for the time that we have been able to spend together as a family over the last year. I know that at times it felt crazy but as a Realtor my husband set his own hours so we were often able to enjoy the pleasure of his company here at home.
4. I am thankful that it never got so bad that I had to get a job outside the home, but that God provided ways for me to supplement our income through watching a friend's boys. I only had the privilege of watching them for a short time, but they were wonderful and I'd watch them again in a heartbeat!
5. I am thankful for my growing children. Only one child left to potty train! We've had lots of new stages here at our house. BC started Kindergarten. RL and JS have both lost teeth. Kids have learned to swim, and oh, talk!!! It's been so fun to listen to CD come up with more and more words every day! We also finally put him in a toddler bed. LR (4) is already reading some words and writing her name. They are growing up so fast!
6. I am thankful that in His perfect timing God brought worship leading back into my husband's life. He started at the Airforce Base Chapel as the worship leader. Although this wasn't his ideal job, it sufficed to get him doing what he loves again. It was a perfect transition for what was to come.
7. I am so very thankful that God led us to Mirabeau Chapel. There were actually two jobs that we were looking at, but God clearly closed the one door and paved the way for my DH to go back to full time ministry. The road was rough and the journey long, but there was much to be learned along the way. I thank God for where he has brought my DH to today. He is clearly where he belongs.
8. I am thankful for lifelong friends. During our journey, we have had the support of close friends by our side. They have shared our pain, and walked with us through a difficult season. Many have prayed for us and I cannot express how thankful I am for this. And for their loyalty. And for their patience. And for their understanding. But mostly for their prayers.
9. I am thankful for new friends. I have made many encouraging friends since I started this blog. Some are mothers, some are grandmothers, some are just beginning their journey in marriage. I am thankful for them all. I have treasured their encouraging words and look forward to getting to know them better. I am also thankful for the friends I have already made at our new church and how they have tried to make our transition as easy as possible. Baskets, cards, and warm words of welcome have helped our family feel at home.
10. I couldn't go without giving thanks to our extended family also for the support they have been to us in the past year. Parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents...they have all stood by our side as we walked through a tough time. We couldn't have made it through this past year without their listening ears, helpful advice and generous giving. We are so lucky to have such loving family surrounding us!

I have really enjoyed blogging my thoughts this past year. It started out as a place to record what matters to this family but it has become so much more. Thanks for sharing the journey! I look forward to sharing what God brings our way in the year to come.

"We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds." Psalm 75:1

No Worries

If you are looking for Company Girl Coffee, you can just scroll down to the next post. After posting that nothing of great significance happened in my life this week, I had some pretty major stuff happen yesterday...thus the reason for this post! : )

Two quotes from last week's sermon on money:
"It's only money!" "It's all God's anyway!"

It seems like every time I hear a good message in church these days, there's always a life lesson that follows. Last week our Associate Pastor spoke on Luke 12. He focused on 2 Money LandMINES and how to defuse them.

LandMINE number 1: GREED. The Bible says to guard ourselves against greed. Greed is not just something rich people experience. In today's economy, it is easy for any of us to experience greed when we think only of ourselves. Two ways we can defuse greed are to think beyond ourselves, and to see beyond eternity. Sure I struggle to meet my budget, but there are other ways to give. I can serve at the local food pantry. I can donate clothes that my children have grown out of that are in good condition. I can even offer to babysit for a friend or neighbor for free once in a while so that she can get out with her husband, or just spend some time in peace and quiet. All of those things not only see beyond my own life, but can have eternal value.

LandMINE number 2: WORRY.
Luke 12:22-26 Then turning to his disciples Jesus said "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you will have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds! Can all of your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over the bigger things?"

The cure for worry? Remember who your Provider is. Here's the part I was really tested on this week! It is easy to trust God when everything is running smoothly, and bills are getting paid, and there is food on the table. Worrying about the bigger things is a different matter!

Yesterday we took two very big blows to our finances. Part of it was planned as a part of our budget. The other part was NOT. First, my DH went to the dentist to find out what was causing his jaw pain. He's been to our doctor, who thinks he has TMJ. The dentist confirmed that, and he was fitted for a night guard. That, we were prepared for. What we weren't prepared for was a chipped tooth, 3 missing caps, and 4 new cavities! Wow! Now I would normally worry about how we're going to pay for all that, but thankfully the dentist we chose was referred through a friend and gave us a "Pastor's rate." Plus he split the work into phases that will be a little less straining on our budget. No worries here! Thank you Lord for your provision!

The other major thing had to do with our furnace. Back in the fall we had someone come out to look at our AC and he thought he noticed a crack in our furnace when he was in our basement. We didn't have it in our budget to have a furnace tech come out at the time so we just tabled it since we weren't using the furnace at the time anyway. More recently we thought we smelled gas coming from the furnace. That was enough reason to call a repair man and get him out here as soon as possible. Yesterday he came out only to "condemn" our furnace and say that it needed to be replaced as soon as possible. OUCH! He even suggested that we might shut it down and go find other means of lodging until we could replace it.

Now I'm not an expert on this, but CO2 poisoning is a pretty serious thing, right? I immediately began to panic about the safety of my family. Luckily, upon further investigation, the tech. determined that we were ok to stay here as long as we bought a CO2 alarm. So out we go to get the alarm. He still condemned our furnace and we got a quote right away of $2500 for a new one. We get a partial rebate from our local power company and have family willing to let us borrow the money to get the job done. Within an hour of the first bad news and my initial worries, my mind was set at ease, and my family will be taken care of.

I have to ask myself and anyone who reads this that same question that Jesus asked His disciples. "Can worries add a single moment to your life?" Nope. If anything, they take away from precious time that we could spend doing something else. What a hard lesson to learn. Maybe next time, I won't be so quick to worry.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done." -Phillipians 4:6 (NLT)

Penny Pinching Ideas

Hi, and welcome to coffee! Or tea, or whatever happens to be your beverage of choice. Mine happens to be water right now. I've come to really enjoy Company Girl Coffee. I don't get to post all that often, so Fridays are one of the days that I allow myself a little extra time to reflect and blog. Sorry for those of you who aren't ABBA fans, I couldn't resist! Just scroll down and pause if you want. : )

What I want to share today, has come up more than once this week. Usually, when something comes up more than once, I know that there is a lesson involved. This particular lesson has to do with penny pinching. Growing up, my mom really taught me well. She taught me the importance of saving your money, and spending wisely. She is the one that showed me how to make a budget, balance my checkbook, and plan for the future. I love her for that, and I hope to pass on the "good stewardship" lesson to my children.

Here are a few things we do around our household to be good stewards...

• Make out a budget and stick to it. There are all sorts of books you can read and classes you can take to do this. Our family just made my own list of bills and money spending categories on my computer. It cost us nothing and we have it to refer to often.


• Balance your checkbook. Not just balance it, but reconcile it against your statement for anything you may have missed. It's never good to find out too late that you don't have enough money in your bank account to pay for bills. Not to mention the overdraft fees that the bank charges on top of being overdrawn.


• Plan a menu and shopping list, and stick to it. I realize that schedules can change at the last minute, but I try really hard to stick to my menu plan.


• Use coupons! I keep mine categorized so that when I go to do my shopping, I can check to see if I have any coupons that coordinate with my grocery list. I DON'T, however, buy something, just because I have a coupon for it.


• Watch for great sales on regular used items and then stock up on them. Here's where I like to use those coupons that may not be on my grocery list. For example, if cream of chicken soup is on sale (which is a staple in our house) and I have a coupon for additional savings, I will stock up my pantry so that I can then "shop" from my pantry at a later date when there might not be such a great deal out there.


• Don't eat out on a regular basis. We hardly ever eat out as a family, but save it for special occasions.


• Drink coffee at home. You'd be amazed how much "coffee dates", or "coffee with the girls" can add up. I like to invite my girlfriends over to my house and put on a pot here instead. Not only is it more cost effective, but it's more personable too.


• Plan out date nights and save up the money for them. We don't have baby sitting in our budget yet, so we like to take advantage of relatives being here, or swap babysitting with a friend. Then we do something low cost like ice cream, or dinner where we might have a gift certificate. It doesn't have to be fancy to enjoy each other's company.


• Plan family recreation that doesn't cost a dime. Go to the park. Take walks together. Play board games. (Assuming you have as many lying around as we do.) This time of year, we have fun just stepping out into the back yard and watching stars. Keep it simple, and it doesn't have to cost you anything.


• Make a list of things you need and plan to pay CASH for them. If you don't have the money now, then you don't really need it that badly. Prioritize. Pray about the things you think you really need.

I could go on and on, but I've run out of time. If you want to read more about money saving tips, I suggest you visit here. XBOX Wife has a great list of her own. : ) Thanks for visiting! I look forward to sharing coffee with all of you this weekend!

Luke 16:10-11 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"

Priceless Memories

I haven't posted in a while because our family has been so sick. This time around I got it and it put me out of commission for days. We're all on the mend now though, which is encouraging.

The other day I was watching tv and I saw one of those MC commercials with the trail of money spent and then at the end it says "priceless." Our budget has been kind of tight lately so we have really put a halt on unnecessary spending. I think the commercial is very creative, but who says you have to spend money to make priceless memories?

I was talking on the phone with my mom a few days ago and she gave me some of the best advice I have ever received from her. I told her that we were pinching pennies, and she said "When you were little and we didn't have a lot of money we had to get very creative. The best thing you can do is find projects around the house to do together as a family. Sort toys, clothes, even papers with your kids. They'll love it just because they're spending time with you. You're also teaching them the value of working and organizing. Or give them a box and some crayons and markers and let them decorate it to make their own spaceship or car. Encourage them to use their imagination. The best memories in life are made using little or no money."

She's right. Some of my best memories are counting nuts and bolts, (we had a hardware store) or building forts out of blankets and furniture. It doesn't matter how many times I line up and dress up all of my daughter's barbies, she loves it every time. The other day the whole family went out into the yard for "clean-up" time after a long hard winter. It was so fun to watch my kids get so much joy out of working in the yard together. Together, we're working on building a few priceless memories of our own.

Taking Care of Things Matters

This morning I sent my six year old dd to school with $3.99 to pay for her torn up library book. I have heard of "the dog ate my homework" before, but "the dog ate my library book" is a new one to me. It's really no laughing matter. I explained to R (dd1) that she couldn't leave her things, and especially other people's property, lying around where our new puppy could get to them. She has a designated place for homework and things such as library books, but for some reason, the book got left out.

It was a good learning moment for all my kids. We have been trying to teach them to take care of not only their own personal property (i.e. toys, games, etc.) but also other people's things. This has definitely proved to be a challenge. It has been a little better since their dad let them each take $10 out of their piggy banks and purchase a PS2 game of their own. We showed them how to be sure to put away one game before putting in another. The rule is that if they don't put the other sibling's game away, they can't play for a day. They only get a certain amount of time playing anyway, so to have it taken away is a big bummer.

The training is slow going, but in the long run, it will be worth it to teach them to respect other people's property.

Matthew 25:23 "His Master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness'"