Quick Quesadillas

Ingredients:

2 soft tortillas

1/2c graded cheese

1/4c black beans

1/4c diced chicken*

2 tablespoons salsa

Directions:

Spray pan with cooking spray and turn to med-low put tortilla in add half of the cheese spread evenly, add beans, chicken, salsa and rest of cheese. Cover with other tortilla. I cover the quesadilla with a lid so the cheese will melt. Cook for about 3-4 min until underneath is golden brown then flip and brown the other side. Once brown remove to a plate and cut like a pizza. I also use a pizza cutter. Enjoy! Serves 2

* I roast a chicken every other week or so and save the white meat for meals like this or salads or I will freeze it for a yummy chicken casserole! If you have a big family and don't have any left over from a roast chicken you could roast two chickens and eat the dark meat first and save the white meat for other dishes. I have just found that the white meat tastes better in other dishes or leftover.

Free Milk @ Albies

Wow! I think some of us have over looked this great deal. I have calculated it out a couple of different ways and it either makes milk or cereal free.

Scenario 1 w/o Coupons:

7 boxes of cereal @ 1.79box $12.53oop

____________________________________________________________

Get a cat back for 3 gallons of milk up to $4.19ea That's $12.57 in free milk. * You don't just have to buy one gallon of milk. You can buy $4.19 worth of milk. I talked to the store manager at my local Albertsons and that's how they do it there. You may want to check with your manager at your local Albertsons before you do this deal it may make it or break it for you.

Milk at my local Ablertsons (Stadium Store Caldwell, ID) is on sale this week for $2.29 a gallon. Last week I got it for $2.59 gallon (still cheaper than Walmart) So I figured that this deal would get me 5.5 gallons!

Milk at my local Walmart last time I bought it was $2.72 a gallon. Making it $14.96 for 5.5 gallons.

So, you can pay the $12.53oop for the cereal and get free milk! We go through about 3 gallons of milk a week. The way I look at it is that I am going to buy milk anyway so I might as well get free milk. If you don't go through milk that fast you can always free it. It freezes great. You don't have to poor any out. The round circles on the sides of the milk jug allow it to expand.

Senario 2 w/ coupons $1/2 (from 3/7 rp)

8 boxes of Ceral @ $1.79box $14.32

- 4 mc $1/2 -4.00

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Total $10.32

for 8 boxes of cereal and $12.57 worth of milk (5.5 gallons).

Senario 3 w/coupons & doubles:

8 boxes of cereal @ $1.79box $14.32

- 4mc $1/2 -4.00

- 3 doubles -3.00

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Total $7.32

for 8 boxes of cereal and $12.57 worth of milk!

You can keep rolling this deal and do it as many times as you like! The cat will keep printing.

April Budget

We get paid on the 10th and the 25th so that's when we pay our bills. We completed the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University in December for my husband and I it was life changing! WOW! If every one in America did this we would all be rich. It was amazing! We started the program in October and have stuck with it ever since and have vowed to do it the rest of our lives. That's a pretty big vow but for us its like a healthy financial diet. We found something that works and we are sticking with it. Its really pretty easy too.
Since we have two paydays that's how we do our budget. We keep a binder with all of our budgets in it (past, present, & future). Our check are never the same amount. My husband is a truck driver so they very from paycheck to paycheck. We always have an estimate of what they are but don't know until they are actually deposited in our account. Generally they are higher than what we have budgeted! So here gos:

April 10th pay check: est, $1500*

Tithe $150
Rent $650
Power $ 71
Water $ 35
Gas $ 80
Cell phones $ 75
Internet $ 40
Grocery $ 97
Eating out $ 10
Fuel $ 80
Car Insurance $107
Rent Insurance $ 18
Life Insurance $ 57
Child Care $ 30


Total $1500

This paycheck is the one we use to pay all of our major bills. The next check on the 25th is the one we have a little more wiggle room with. I'm sure you have questions so please feel free to ask. I will be going over alot more detail about our budget in the near future.
I am happy to say that my husband and I are well on our was to living a DEBT FREE lifestyle! I hope I can help a few of you do the same! :)
* The estimate is net income. What we actually bring home after taxes, health insurance, flexible spending account, and 401k is taken out.

Round 2!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm back! Well, I stopped blogging last year in early summer. Last year was a rough and stressfull year for my family and I but we have made it through with flying colors! I will tell more about it later.
Lets hope this time I can keep up with this blog cause I love bloging! It just takes alot of time. So, hopefully I can find that healthy balance.
Like I said before there are some really great money saving, coupon blogs out there. I am going to try a new twist on the money saving blog and acctually let everyone into our lives and our budget. Look back for my budget post and how we spend but for now dont forget to take the polls on the right!

She's Cute!!!!

I know she is cute but I really wanted you to look at the outfit. It cost me a $1. I got it last winter when I was on Va-Ca in Eagle Crest, OR. I was out going to thrift stores and I found a store that had a huge pile of kids clothes on this large table. The sign said. .50cent each. I thought to myself I might rummage through this pile. Well, I found some great stuff for my daughter. Someone had donated stuff that was just her size. I had just told my husband that morning that I needed to get Linden some new pjs. Hers were too small. I found like four pairs in there. I also found 2 bathing suites, a couple of pairs of pants, a couple tops, and a few other odds and ends including this cute little outfit. The top is "The Children's Place "and the skirt is "Carters" all for a dollar. I got about 20 pieces of clothing all for $10.

When I was looking for jeans for my daughter in the store they are about $10 a pair. I can't afford that. Thats why I try to shop form myself and kids at consgnment stores, thrift stores ( Goodwill, Savers, ect) yard sales, & clearace racks. I was able to get 20 pieces of clothes in great condtion for $10. Great Deal!

I just thought I would share this little story with everyone since yard sale season has sprung and everyone is out & about. Stop by a few sales you might be surprised what you find and save. =)

Garden Update!

I thought I would share a few pics with everyone as to what my garden looks like so far. One of the blogs I follow Together We Save made a comment on my last post that is very true. It is not just about saving money from your garden but about family time as well. This is very true. We had such a great time yesterday planting everything and it truly was a family ordeal. My son loves to plant corn so I think I will have corn popping us everywhere. =) This will make me think of him when we are out weeding.

It is a truly great feeling to be able to reap what you sow. When veggies start popping up everywhere. I love bringing a big basket full of veggies into the kitchen and then creating something tasty out of them. Or knowing that when you open a can of green beans in the middle of winter that you actually grew them. That makes you look forward to summer.

The money saved is a great thing along with healthy veggies but these memories my kids will have forever and will hopefully pass them down to their kids.

Its not too Late!!!

This is the weekend if you are going to start a garden do it now! I have made the mistake of getting mine in late and it really does make a difference to get it in as early as possible.
My husband just tilled a large spot for ours. We are planting this year corn, green beans, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, letus, spinach, green onions, peppers, jalapenos, and herbs. I know it sounds like a lot but we are going to use all of it! I will can green beans, tomatoes, pickles, salsa, and a few other things. I will freeze corn, squash, & peppers. I will have about $100 into my garden when it is all said (with renting the tiller, seeds and plant starts) and done but I am going to produce way more than that. I am going to keep track pound for pound this year and see how much I really save.
If you don't have a large space for a garden consider a few potted tomatoes or plant it in your landscape. I have been doing that for years.
This year we asked the builder that owned the empty lot behind us if we could plant the garden back there and he was more than willing to let us use the space. He was happy that it could be of some use to someone. It never hurts to ask in this case it paid off. Happy Gardening! What are you planting?

Start Saving!

Ok. I know this is hard to think about right now but if you plan far enough ahead you could really save alot of money. CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!! I know it is a ways away but if you start saving now you will be grateful you did. Especially in these tough times. So, if you save $50 a month starting in May you will have $350 by the end of November.
Start planning now! That is how you are going to get the best deals and really make your money stretch. Come mid July when all the summer sales are in full swing you will have $100+ to spend on Christmas gifts. Planning ahead really does pay off. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Unimportant Favoite Things!

I was recently tagged by Together We Save to list six unimportant things that make me happy. But before I start, here are the rules:

1. Mention the person who nominated you. Be sure to check out blog.

2. List six unimportant things that make you happy !

My List:

1. My day has not started unless I have had my Diet Coke this by far is my favorite
moment of the day.

2. Blogging is my new favorite thing! I now have two different blogs! Savvy Squirrel &
Grape Vine.
3. I love every holiday! I think I get more excited than my kids. =)
4. My next favorite moment of the day is when my husband calls to say Goodmorning!
5. Is my favorite number. This is the day I was born on!
6. Getting great deal! This makes me very happy. The best one: a brand new Lazy Boy
for only $30.
3. Tag six blogs. State the rules, and let them know with a small comment on their blog.

This is who I tagged:



Cheaper by the Dozen and Get One Free

Thrifty Northwest Mom

Frugal Mommy

Saving Your Cents

Coupom Mommie

Super Coupon Mom

Check out these great Blogs!!!!!

Thanks,

Together We Save

Summer Days!

I know everyone is itching to get out of the house. There are so many things that I want to do this summer. How bout you? Well, it seems like when we get to those "Dog days of Summer" we are at our wits end with board'em and ready for it to be over but reality is winter is very long. So what I started doing this winter when I was dreaming of those hot summer days is I started making a list and talking to my kids about what we were going to do this summer & what makes summer fun!
You will find that this really helps. When you don't know what to do when it is scorching outside just go to your list ( I put mine on the fridge). You will find things on there that you have forgotten. This has worked great for me & my family. Just try it. I also do this for Summer, Fall, Winter, & Holiday meals. You know when all your making is the same 5 things all week but you are caving the baked beans & potato salad that summer brings on.