tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31106300155203521312024-02-06T21:39:37.058-05:00Love From The LarochellesLiving the Simple, Frugal Life to the FullestAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-35558854151168895932016-11-11T22:33:00.002-05:002016-11-11T22:47:57.742-05:00Fill Your Freezer - Meat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Meat is so expensive. As much as I'd love to cut down on meat and have more vegetarian meals, certain family members wouldn't go for that! So instead, I choose to always have my freezer stocked with sale and discount meat.<br />
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All of our discount meat is either 30% off from No Frills or 25% off from Wal Mart. The meat is usually discounted because it's been on the shelf for a few days and needs to be 'eaten' right away. I always check the date to make sure it's still good and then put it in the freezer as soon as I get home and we have never had the issue of meat going bad.<br />
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The next thing I love to do, which I am sharing right now because of the upcoming holiday season, is to stock up on sale meat around Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is the time to fill your freezer with whole Turkeys and Hams!<br />
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Around the holidays whole turkeys are less than half price at around $0.90/lb in my area. This is cheaper than any other meat at regular or sales price. There is usually a limit of 2 per family/customer but since they are on sale at basically all the stores I really could get as many as I wanted. Usually 2 or 3 turkeys is enough for a few months anyways.<br />
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So far I have only bought a ham marked down after the holidays once but I'm definitely doing it again! I bought a HUGE delicious glazed ham for about $20 just after last Christmas and cut it into slices. I froze a few slices together in each freezer bag and pulled out ham when I needed a quick meat for dinner or even to fry up with breakfast over the next few months. That $20 ham must have done at least 10 meals.<br />
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Due to our recent move, my deep freezer is currently empty and unplugged at the old house and I just have use of my small fridge freezer. I have no idea how people without deep freezers survive! My fridge freezer is so full I can barely shut the door. Thankfully my deep freezer is being brought over soon because I am so excited to fill it with cheap meat over the holiday season. I am definitely most looking forward to a big breakfast with fried ham come the new year!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-63273979735991209202016-09-13T16:19:00.002-04:002016-09-13T16:19:42.185-04:00Clearance Groceries I quickly stopped in at a local grocery store that I don't normally go to a few days ago. I usually don't go there because it's more expensive, however, I needed hamburger buns, had 3 babies that needed to get out of the house and it was within walking distance! While their regular prices are usually high, turns out they have good clearance prices. $2 well spent!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-20640680017364272812016-09-09T20:47:00.001-04:002016-09-09T20:47:30.177-04:00Frugal Moving Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are currently in the process of packing up our house and moving out into the country and lately it's got me thinking a lot about costs. I've heard people talk about how expensive moving is way too many times! While buying a new house is definitely expensive, so so expensive, many aspects of moving don't have to be. Today I am excited to share all the things that I am doing to try to make this move as inexpensive as possible.<br />
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Some of these may be common sense, but it's our third big move so far and it's the first time I've thought to do many of them!<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Don't Buy Boxes</b></h3>
Buying boxes from somewhere like Home Depot will cost you around $1-$3.50 per box. This might not seem like much but if you have as much stuff as we do, that could add a few hundred dollars to your moving expenses. Instead, get yourself some free boxes!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6d3lIs9iyCmOF3k9q2tEdL1k4GfvpPAzdwzSiothLxrxW3Suf3PxZH5XNfYmvcWFNmJkCUYzA_sPuZT2EcSa3vgqP7sGa8O6mPr_Fgl0Kva0w2NHt5JGtkPfYnES94KhFf9JPfaibtI/s1600/IMG_1865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6d3lIs9iyCmOF3k9q2tEdL1k4GfvpPAzdwzSiothLxrxW3Suf3PxZH5XNfYmvcWFNmJkCUYzA_sPuZT2EcSa3vgqP7sGa8O6mPr_Fgl0Kva0w2NHt5JGtkPfYnES94KhFf9JPfaibtI/s200/IMG_1865.JPG" width="133" /></a><u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Think Ahead</b></u> - If you know you are going to be moving in a few months, save any cardboard boxes you get instead of recycling them. I have been doing this with diaper boxes for the last few months. With three kiddos in diapers right now, I've got quite a few diaper boxes laying around. If you don't have any kids in diapers, ask family members and friends who do to save their boxes for you.<br />
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<u><b>Businesses</b></u> - If you know anyone running their own business, ask them to save shipment boxes for you. Or even a friend working at a restaurant or grocery store could let you know when they have boxes available. If you don't know anyone, call around to stores. We got the boxes for our first move from a Tim Hortons down the road. Also, a friend recently told me that the LCBOs usually have boxes stored in the cupboards near the cash and one of our grocery stores keeps boxes piled near the checkout lines, free for taking.<br />
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<u><b>Food Banks</b></u> - Food banks often have boxes of food delivered from local grocery stores or food bank distribution centers. In some cases, it is easier for them to give the boxes away than have their volunteers put the time and effort into breaking them down and recycling them. This is where I got all my banana boxes for this move.<br />
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<u><b>Online</b></u> - Check the free sections of Kijiji or Craigslist, people whp have just moved often give their boxes away. You could even try posting a "Wanted" ad. Next, try writing a Facebook post looking for boxes. A friend may have just recently moved, or even just have some unused boxes sitting around waiting to be recycled.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iMlrwFaOjh1IPehXyFbldJpn5E_2_lK1hONaVa8PmI6Kk6PdaTzcYH9td7ydtzOu3ul7RsJFwzd6lQkDOvFg_a3Xvyo7bZiONEA-TDuV1D-0SAMUZM0tos564tyyx9FW1HILmuATNRo/s1600/IMG_1863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iMlrwFaOjh1IPehXyFbldJpn5E_2_lK1hONaVa8PmI6Kk6PdaTzcYH9td7ydtzOu3ul7RsJFwzd6lQkDOvFg_a3Xvyo7bZiONEA-TDuV1D-0SAMUZM0tos564tyyx9FW1HILmuATNRo/s400/IMG_1863.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana and Liquor boxes are the strongest!</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Don't Use Boxes</b></h3>
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Still having a hard time finding free boxes? Maybe it's time to consider not even using boxes... or at least using as few as possible.</div>
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<b><u>Garbage Bags</u></b> - Garbage bags are a cheap alternative at $0.10 each (depending on which brand you use) and can be used for a multitude of different items like stuffed toys, clothing, pillows, blankets, sheets, towels and so on. They can also squish into places that a big box might not fit, like the front seat of your car.<br />
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<b><u>Suitcases </u></b>- I have seen people leave their suitcases all stored one inside the other while moving and we've probably even done it ourselves. What a waste of space! Suitcases were literally designed for transporting clothes. This move our suitcases are all filled up with clothing for the new house. Since suitcases are fairly sturdy they could be filled with other non-fragile items, like shoes, as well.<br />
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<b><u>Rubbermaid Bins</u></b> - If you're going to be purchasing more rubbermaid and storage bins or organizing at your new place anyways than go ahead and stock up now. These are much sturdier than boxes and if you fill them with seasonal items, you probably won't even have to unpack once you get there.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Forget the Bubble Wrap</b></h3>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Linens</u> - Things like blankets, towels and pillowcases have to be moved anyways, why not use them to wrap fragile items. I lined boxes with blankets for any glass items and put different items in<br />
different layers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This box is lined with a thick blanket since it will hold glass pans. </td></tr>
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<b><u>Flyers </u></b>- Save up the flyers before moving. If you get as many flyers as we do, a months worth should be plenty! These are a free, lightweight option for wrapping and protecting fragile items.<br />
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<b><u>Bags</u></b> - Even plastic grocery bags make a good barrier for fragile items.<br />
<h3>
<b style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Forget the moving Truck</b></div>
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The need for, and cost of, a moving truck will depend on how far you move, how much stuff you have and what kind of deal you can find. Generally, if you are moving within the same city, it's more cost effective to skip out on the moving truck. </div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Multiple Trips</u> - Making multiple trips in your own vehicle is usually cheaper than paying for the gas and rental of a van or truck.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration: underline;">Friends</b> - Gather up your friend. Know someone with a truck or trailer? See if they will help you out for the day. Make it worth their while with some free pizza at the end of the day. If you pile things right, you can fit a lot more than you might think in one pickup truck.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDbGu5lJMhF0-73hpfeESqIcTXsS4vq99Ch4J2f33FMh9u4T1FUBPahuPeLJt3mo2LmYH1TDzkxydsi3NG4dt4UnfU3VClDg-e20SxWHVaMjMULmOLdT-ERbQe_hj188TbVSSeWytkiU/s1600/PickupTruck-300x217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDbGu5lJMhF0-73hpfeESqIcTXsS4vq99Ch4J2f33FMh9u4T1FUBPahuPeLJt3mo2LmYH1TDzkxydsi3NG4dt4UnfU3VClDg-e20SxWHVaMjMULmOLdT-ERbQe_hj188TbVSSeWytkiU/s1600/PickupTruck-300x217.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: http://acumenmd.com/blog/ehr-conversions-are-we-there-yet/</td></tr>
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If you feel uncomfortable asking for free help, paying a friend for a few hours of their time is totally fair and still way cheaper than a rental. I don't know many people who aren't looking to make some easy money on the weekend.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Boxes make the best toys!</span></div>
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Between the closing fees, home insurance costs and the purchase and installation of a new woodstove, this new home isn't going to be cheap, but there's no way I'm going to let moving costs make it any worse! I'd rather save that money for new home decor... or at least for the supplies I'm going to need for all the DIY projects I plan on doing once we move!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-82909651407471912502016-09-05T11:10:00.002-04:002016-09-05T11:10:35.960-04:00Foster Baby Milestones - A bittersweet Moment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love watching babies do all their 'firsts'. The first time that they roll over, smile, sit up, get their first teeth, crawl, say their first word. It is so adorable and so exciting. It's actually kind of embarrassing how excited I get, or is it all parents? It's like we don't know that essentially every other baby on the planet is also able to do the exact same thing at some point in their babyhood. As a foster parent, I not only get to watch my son hit all his milestones, but I get to experience double the excitement with our foster baby.<br />
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In the short six weeks that Baby has been here, we have seen him learn how to sit up on his own, learning to crawl, pop two teeth, and now stand up. Every time he does something new I yell for my husband and run for my camera. Of course, I usually miss it! Seeing him accomplish all these firsts makes me so happy. I am so happy that, despite everything going on in his life, he is developing properly and accomplishing all these 'normal' things. I am excited that I get to see them and I am so proud!<br />
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But, I am also sad. I am sad that I am the one witnessing these things happen instead of his Mom. I am sad that I'm the one taking videos and pictures instead of her. I am sad that when he grows up and asks about his first steps, his first words, she won't know. Or that her story won't be the true story. I am sad that, despite how badly she wants them back, she isn't doing everything required of her to get them.<br />
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I can not imagine missing my babies first anything. I can't imagine saying goodbye to my tiny toothless baby boy one afternoon and then having him show up to visit a few days later with two big white teeth sitting in the front of his mouth. I can't imagine not being the one to cuddle and sooth him through the pain of teething. I can't imagine not being there to experience the pure excitement and overwhelming joy of seeing him grab onto the crib rails and stand up by himself, for the very first time. I can't imagine missing the huge smile that crosses his face when he realizes that he is standing, by himself!<br />
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I am lucky to have double the fun watching both babies grow and develop. Each time Baby does something new we get excited, we cheer and congratulate him. It is a happy moment for him and it's exciting for us, but it's sad for Mom. The true definition of bittersweet.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-20986642257307376872016-08-26T20:23:00.000-04:002016-08-26T20:23:57.947-04:00Harvest 2016So excited to start bringing in the produce from this years garden! I think this is my most productive year so far. The tomatoes are delicious, there are SO many green beans, we have had some HUGE turnips and my butternut squash are starting to look good. Seriously, how do people NOT have gardens??<br />
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I can't even express how cool it is to plant some seeds in the spring, water the garden a few times and then literally be able to walk in the back yard and choose fresh vegetables for dinner only a few months later.<br />
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I know some people avoid gardening altogether because of the work you have to put into it but honestly, once the garden is dug nature does most of the work. I for real only put a few hours into the garden this whole year. I planned it out on paper, a friend and I spent less than an hour planting, we watered it maybe 10 times and spent a combined total of (maybe) 2 hours weeding. And it still grew! It isn't perfect, but it grew!<br />
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And last summer my 6 month pregnant self put even less time in and still had a huge harvest. Seriously, the cucumbers and tomatoes were rotting on the vine because we couldn't eat them fast enough. Since I wasn't able to weed the whole summer or stake the plants, my garden was a mess, but it grew! You had to wade through the bean plants to find the cucumbers and the tomato plants were growing across the lawn, but it grew!<br />
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Gardening is definitely the best way to save money on food. You can clip as many coupons as you want but even $0.10 yogurts and $0.50 freezer pizzas can't compare to the abundance of (basically) free food that a few hours of gardening can give you!<br />
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If you have shied away from gardening in the past because of the amount of hard work you thought it requires, I am begging you to reconsider! It's never too early to start planning your garden for 2017.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-81405708427894154502016-08-25T21:55:00.000-04:002016-08-25T21:55:07.993-04:00Foster Care is HARD If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/larochellevictoria/?hl=en">Instagram</a> than you may have already seen part of this post, but I figured that there's no better way to start off a Foster Care page on the blog than with the blunt truth; Foster parenting is HARD!<br />
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<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I am so tired. So so tired. So tired of getting up 7+ times a night. So tired of changing 20+ diapers a day. Tired of dealing with 2 year old temper tantrums every time I say no. Of listening to 3 babies crying at the same time. Of stepping on soggy cheerios every 5 seconds. Of constantly responding to phone calls and emails from social workers. So tired of receiving false accusations and zero appreciation.</span></h1>
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<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But you know what else I am tired of?</span></h1>
<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Children being neglected. Children being abused. Children being stuffed into group homes. Siblings being separated. Children being shuffled from one foster home to another and never feeling like they were loved. Tired of people refusing to foster because of the bad influence foster kids would have on their biological children. Tired of kids aging out of the system without ever finding a forever home. Tired of the stigma that goes with being a foster parent. Tired of hearing that all foster parents must do it for the money. Tired of the assumption that kids who have been in the system can never have a normal life. </span></h1>
<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />I am so tired. </span></h1>
<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Three weeks today since these cuties arrived. We aren't sure how long they're going to be with us but I'm going to push through the exhaustion and continue to love them to the best of my ability for as long as it takes.</span></h1>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">_________________________________________________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I don't want to scare anyone away from fostering, and I'm not saying you have to be an extremely emotionally stable, wise, patient, flawless, rich individual in order to be a good foster parent. In fact, I wish more people realized that they would make great candidates for foster parents! But, you should also know what you are getting into!</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Foster parenting is the hardest job that I have ever, and probably will ever have. Not only is it loud and stressful but it's also both emotionally and physically draining. Take care of a toddler is hard enough on its own. Dealing with a toddlers temper tantrum when a visit with Mom is cancelled at the last minute and he is brought back into your house is frustrating and also heartbreaking. Trying to understand the emotions and confusion that a 2 year is experiencing after a visit with a father that he hasn't seen or heard from in months, is next to impossible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Being informed that bio Mom believes you are abusing her children and wants to press charges, after you spend the entire night awake, caring for, rocking, cuddling and changing her sick baby, is </span></span>definitely not for the weak hearted. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> Foster parenting is full of moments of frustration, anger, impatience, hurt, betrayal, and exhaustion....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">But then there's the moment when you sit down on the floor to clean up toys and the toddler hops onto your lap, cuddles you and then kisses you on the forehead. The moment that the baby gets back from a visit and his entire face breaks into a toothless smile the second he sees you. The moment you look up from your phone because you hear laughter and find the toddler laying with your 8 month old son, tickling him and blowing on his belly (see below). These are the kind of things that fill your heart with love and make you forget about the multiple tantrums, the yogurt on the floor, the legos scattered across the house and the </span></span>never ending<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> dirty diapers--if only for a moment!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Foster care is HARD, so so HARD --but it's also worth it. So so worth it!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-49213606302625217502016-08-24T11:21:00.000-04:002016-08-24T12:00:38.143-04:00New Beginnings 8 months and 17 days. 261 days. 6264 hours. 375,840 minutes. The amount of time since I have posted anything on this blog. Anyway that you look at it, its been a long time.<br />
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I have a lot of reasons (aka excuses) for why I have been absent. The best excuse, of course, is that our adorable little baby Eli Timothy Gilbert Larochelle was born on December 23rd, 2015 and I barely had time to shower for the first 6 months since then!<br />
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Once Eli calmed down around 6 months, I was ready to relax and take back some personal time.... but God had other plans! In July we took back our status as Foster Parents and I am currently "Mama" to 3 little guys under 2 years old!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry about the quality! Getting 3 littles to sit still for 2 seconds is impossible!</td></tr>
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Overall though, it really came down to insecurities. "I can't have a blog, I'm not a writter! Other than maybe a week in 2nd grade, I've never even wanted to be a writter" or "Everyone I know has a blog. I don't have anything new to say. Everything I'd write about has already been written, and written better, by someone else". </div>
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The more I thought about it though, I realized "That's the fun of free internet blogs isn't it? Anyone can write about anything they want. Nobody has to read it f they don't want to". And so, I am back.</div>
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I love being frugal and sharing my finds. Trying out DIY tutorials and sharing which ones actually work. Foster parenting and being open about how difficult it is! If this blog helps someone to save money on groceries, encourages someone to make something from scratch, sparks a desire for fostering in someones heart, great! If not, oh well, it gave me something to focus on for a few hours that didn't involve dirty diapers, legos, spit up or soggy cheerios! </div>
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Check back because I've got 8 month worth of posts to make up for! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-53030805593515858372015-12-07T15:01:00.004-05:002016-06-12T21:49:57.503-04:00Frugal Finds Fall 2015 - Get the Most out of Thrift Shopping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3zNjuM_3E5xbR12EuH9HdOhqByyyq7AmbAXNJwwNtP1aNCLQXTwISYSLu3BnONuaVmZTtbqWiA63G8hRPh50HN5OLKcUGJhF4GuEbbGNajvA67ysjnFpjLM2Q7lWivypjds0mpYwY3Y/s1600/FallFindsc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3zNjuM_3E5xbR12EuH9HdOhqByyyq7AmbAXNJwwNtP1aNCLQXTwISYSLu3BnONuaVmZTtbqWiA63G8hRPh50HN5OLKcUGJhF4GuEbbGNajvA67ysjnFpjLM2Q7lWivypjds0mpYwY3Y/s320/FallFindsc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have a confession to make. As much as I am all for living simply and saving money, I have a serious obsession with shopping. I even immensely enjoy grocery shopping and I'm pretty sure it's just because I get to buy stuff. Thankfully, for the sake of our budget and my sanity, God created thrift stores and even then, I have to control myself.<br />
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While you can still find some pretty awesome deals on the clearance racks at regular stores, nothing beats the good old Salvation Army. I love the fact that I can get 5 used but new looking, good quality items for the price of one brand new one. I often even find things at the Thrift Store that still have the tags on and clearly haven't been worn. <br />
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I know some people find the idea of thrift shopping kind of gross or a little sketchy and while they can be, most really aren't. The places I typically go, like Salvation Army and Value Village are kept tidy and well maintained. Also, the clothing is well washed before being put out. I know because anytime I try something on at the Salvation Army I am nearly chocked to death by the powerful smell of whatever detergent they use... When I get home from second hand shopping I always just throw the items straight into the washer and we've never had any problem.<br />
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Today I wanted to post some my favorite items I picked up this fall and how much I paid for them.<br />
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Childrens' clothing, name brands are Carters, Mexx, The Childrens Place and Nevada. Everything in good condition for $2. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4Ecnab5dYt4ndYHBaLp2vJvLbYLgwzKL3FEB3M2spmDeOyOO2IijWqnXCc8pk_Hv56v6NNMhUulu8a7EUSDxgzWiEZmqJgR_azB8yLTlIw_wMbv8lXS1PUzpUETk9q2cNiG584xKK6c/s1600/brand2b.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4Ecnab5dYt4ndYHBaLp2vJvLbYLgwzKL3FEB3M2spmDeOyOO2IijWqnXCc8pk_Hv56v6NNMhUulu8a7EUSDxgzWiEZmqJgR_azB8yLTlIw_wMbv8lXS1PUzpUETk9q2cNiG584xKK6c/s320/brand2b.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRghAOG2YQGDJQoLpGxMjJPyzMoIVWniQJH474EdYyHePLWxAmfI2T-Ebo6m46nrwEFjWjulXDs867s2vImqEOs93bFWnH_dyfcBuY1ZxPSw4pwl1M13kMK31-5GB_TmTZL6Crd6s7zA/s1600/brand2a.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRghAOG2YQGDJQoLpGxMjJPyzMoIVWniQJH474EdYyHePLWxAmfI2T-Ebo6m46nrwEFjWjulXDs867s2vImqEOs93bFWnH_dyfcBuY1ZxPSw4pwl1M13kMK31-5GB_TmTZL6Crd6s7zA/s320/brand2a.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivHJHpxwk7HyYxwwUIpAl1ISPF7SrBQsNp8KU50DoruH1sS6CH6cuGNgb63yeUqy6kAyMIi1uoBSyQ31LIsbE0QbXkH77T9llWIexrd4-37Gg2OIqjgULF9xbZRZ7iDOEDsuC5DR_znQ/s1600/Brand2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivHJHpxwk7HyYxwwUIpAl1ISPF7SrBQsNp8KU50DoruH1sS6CH6cuGNgb63yeUqy6kAyMIi1uoBSyQ31LIsbE0QbXkH77T9llWIexrd4-37Gg2OIqjgULF9xbZRZ7iDOEDsuC5DR_znQ/s320/Brand2.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Sweaters, all of which I can wear even over my big pregnant belly. None of these are great name brands but all were $2 and I wear the black one once a week... if not more now that most of my maternity clothes don't fit anymore! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYr_JMflsHGw6roa3T5fCA5bW_u52_eCeju8SC5yRgyyhZI4-IvK5_-OaAiXSDvVPfmp7fEhDhDwRkyI3_0WzxHB15p2JfMY_CZoMBpJRRvh4AdtXIp_TDIURN8T3L_z-Q3LMYKFKD4I/s1600/Maternity3or4.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYr_JMflsHGw6roa3T5fCA5bW_u52_eCeju8SC5yRgyyhZI4-IvK5_-OaAiXSDvVPfmp7fEhDhDwRkyI3_0WzxHB15p2JfMY_CZoMBpJRRvh4AdtXIp_TDIURN8T3L_z-Q3LMYKFKD4I/s320/Maternity3or4.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfVnYTzCvQ2JqHypDvbC8gjJuyrR7L90Yvg7RhUqqnzoSDDWXk5v0fw1PMDd3kvFGmSM_CjmNgmL05YLlAdEOIeXvfg69HoMpgIZgXKu8aglPXIW0P6wgu8JcIyhXbJtoHklb2pZduuI/s1600/Ftwentyone+3.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfVnYTzCvQ2JqHypDvbC8gjJuyrR7L90Yvg7RhUqqnzoSDDWXk5v0fw1PMDd3kvFGmSM_CjmNgmL05YLlAdEOIeXvfg69HoMpgIZgXKu8aglPXIW0P6wgu8JcIyhXbJtoHklb2pZduuI/s320/Ftwentyone+3.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhM1LjDwB1g1Pch7NCOAN6szrQfY4qppIWuBJEyXukwYLt_rcMSg8qwPy-wkCpGR5Gbt6-Y1DQkUby7ELoyEfTZubz9ZIOM8SGLqnJXJmLAg2R6HYWtWug4GSz8xwUvainTC1K2nkThQ/s1600/AmerEagle5+or+less.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhM1LjDwB1g1Pch7NCOAN6szrQfY4qppIWuBJEyXukwYLt_rcMSg8qwPy-wkCpGR5Gbt6-Y1DQkUby7ELoyEfTZubz9ZIOM8SGLqnJXJmLAg2R6HYWtWug4GSz8xwUvainTC1K2nkThQ/s320/AmerEagle5+or+less.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Pretty maternity shirt, $3. Super comfy long sleeve from Forever 21, $3 and a pair of American Eagle pants for my husband, $5. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULGfSDhoY6JmhJ6OB7vbG0nBZYpkDv7ZsEBcoBwIGKdAB2Y0A4AieNRNKN-eZXWfJ39eMHvy3WptGWrUvAAJxjE_qx5TB0ar3XmmUDyJfQuzRNKwV5cH69ILRe3JXkfrzDVGpCAGIZR4/s1600/bubble-teapot-45oz-teal_l.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULGfSDhoY6JmhJ6OB7vbG0nBZYpkDv7ZsEBcoBwIGKdAB2Y0A4AieNRNKN-eZXWfJ39eMHvy3WptGWrUvAAJxjE_qx5TB0ar3XmmUDyJfQuzRNKwV5cH69ILRe3JXkfrzDVGpCAGIZR4/s320/bubble-teapot-45oz-teal_l.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Clothing isn't the only good find at Thrift Stores either. I had really been wanting a nice solid coloured tea pot, similar to this one from Davids Tea, for a while but couldn't spend $30 on it. Also, I needed some good quality winter boots that weren't totally hideous, that I could bear to wear in public, that actually kept my feet warm and dry but didn't cost $100+. So, I kept my eyes open on my thrift shop visits over the last few months and.. voila, I now have both! And I am happy with the total amount spent. The tea pot was only $3.99 at Value Village and the boots were $15, usually retailing for $60+. </div>
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Thrift Shop Tips</span></h2>
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Here are my tips for getting the most out of thrift shopping:</div>
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1.) <b>Keep a running list </b>of things you need/want to buy that way you can go straight into the the store and know what aisles you need to look down. This keeps you from getting distracted, taking longer or spending on things you don't actually need and forgetting the things you do need. </div>
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2.)<b> Know what name brands</b> you like and how much they cost regularly. Some thrift stores have a common price for a certain item. Example, all ladies tops are $5. This is a great deal if you love and find some dress shirts from H&M which are usually $15-$45 but not so great if the top you grab is from Wal Mart and usually retails for only $7.50 anyways.</div>
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3.) <b>Thrift stores have sales!</b> A lot of people don't know that thrift stores actually often have sale days or sales items. For example, a store may want to clear out their sweaters after winter and have them all for $2 in the spring. Our Salvation Army has 50% off and $2 sales all the time, if you're not sure whether they have sales or not, just call and ask. </div>
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4.) <b>Try things on.</b> Always. Even if the dress is a stretchy material and the boots are definitely in your size. Defects in clothing are often hard to spot even if you look closely at the item, until you try it on. That dress may be the perfect size for you but turns out there's a hole in the armpit and the zipper gets stuck halfway up. Maybe the boots fit great but the lining is coming out on the inside and it's too uncomfortable to wear! </div>
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5.) <b>Make a Donation. </b>When you make a donation at most thrift stores, you get can get something in return. At the Salvation Army here you tell them when you are dropping off a bag or box and they will give you a $10 off $25 purchase coupon, quite a bit considering it's already a thrift store! Value Village gives you a stamp card and once you make a certain amount of donations, you receive a discount on your purchase. </div>
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6.)<b> Take your time.</b> You may not want to spend hours at the store, but make sure you slow down and look at the items as you shop. You don't want to skip over something you may love or miss seeing that the $5 name brand dress shirt still has the $35 price tag on the inside and your brother would love it for his birthday. </div>
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The shirt below is probably my favourite deal from my trips this fall. </div>
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Gorgeous Forever21 dress shirt, $40 tag still on, paid $7!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-82551250782885049262015-12-06T21:44:00.003-05:002015-12-06T21:57:15.869-05:00Freezer Food Part #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you read my <a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2015/11/post-baby-freezer-food-part-1.html">Freezer Food Part #1</a> post then you know I've really been hoping to stock the freezer full of some simple, healthy, quick foods for after Baby Larochelle comes. Since my almost fully pregnant body isn't exactly up to a huge 12 hour long cooking session I decided to break it down into a few different cooking days and finally got to my first one last week! I am super excited to be building up a stockpile of food, it helps take away some of the stress and anticipation of birth and having a newborn baby in the house. In fact, I'm thinking of making it a more regular part of our lives, pregnant or not!<br />
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Since I wanted to keep it simple this time around, I chose 4 easy foods with similar ingredients which meant less stuff to buy, less items to cut up and less chance of cross contamination. The items I made this time were:<br />
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Lunch Burritos</div>
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Meatballs</div>
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Chili </div>
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Ravioli and Tortellini Pasta Packs</div>
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The first thing I did was cut up all my vegetables which, in this case, was only peppers and onions. Having a big bowl of each cut up and ready to go made throwing everything together so much easier.<br />
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Next I browned all the beef, except for about 2lbs which I set aside for meatballs. I did half the beef in one pan to use for the burritos and pasta and the rest in a huge pot for my chili.With the meat I tossed peppers and onions into both pans, just setting aside enough onions for the meatballs later on.<br />
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While that cooked, I set out my awesome freezer containers I picked up at the wholesale store and filled them with Ravioli and Tortellini. I then added a big spoonful of Classico pasta sauce, either Alfredo or Italian to each container. I usually don't buy these but they were on sale and saved me a ton of time over making the sauces myself.<br />
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Then I opened cans and added my beans, spices and tomato sauces to the chili pot. Since I let the chili simmer for a long time, I was able to just stir occasionally while I worked on other things.<br />
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Now that my ground beef, pepper, onion mix was ready I moved to pasta packs and burritos. The only thing left for the pasta was adding the beef mixture to the top and putting the lids on. I also put the containers into large freezer bags as an extra measure against freezer burn. </div>
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Next, I laid tortillas all over the counter for my burritos. I started by just adding a scoop of canned baked beans, re-fried beans are better but I just had these available. Then I added a scoop of beef mixture, some cheese and rolled them up. So quick and easy. I wrapped the burritos in a layer of aluminum foil before placing them in freezer bags.<br />
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Since my chili was basically ready at this point, I just let it to cool before putting into freezer bags and moved to my meatballs. I don't really follow anything for meatballs but any basic meatball recipe should work good. Just make sure you cook the meatballs and then freeze them without adding any sauce. Once they were done I portioned out my meatballs and chili, placed everything into labelled freezer bags and put them in the deep freezer!<br />
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I am definitely impressed with the end result. It only took about 3 hours and I now have lots of good food in the freezer and the whole process produced surprisingly less dishes than anticipated, yay!<br />
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Here is how I plan to use the foods, just in case you are curious.<br />
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- Pasta packs and burritos will most likely be used as quick, microwavable lunches for my husband and I, hopefully we will throw a few fresh vegetable or fruit slices on the side. If we are being completely honest, I've already broken into these when I was too lazy... I mean too busy to make lunch and they are amazing.<br />
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- We will have big bowls of chili for dinner a few different nights, probably with buns or salad, and then use leftovers for things like chili cheese dogs or chili fries.<br />
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- Meatballs will probably be eaten once as topping to a big pot of spaghetti and then the rest will be cooked using my <a href="http://www.iheartnaptime.net/bbq-meatballs/">favourite, super simple glaze</a> recipe from <a href="http://www.iheartnaptime.net/bbq-meatballs/">I Heart Naptime.</a><br />
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Next I hope to take an afternoon and work on some of the breakfasts and snack foods I had on my original freezer meal planning list. While I may not get around to everything, I really want to do muffins, waffles and homemade granola bars.I better get moving since there are only 26 days, 2 hours and 3 minutes until the due date.... and I have a feeling he may come early!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-45145045098768142162015-11-24T16:06:00.001-05:002016-09-09T20:20:56.283-04:00Winter Centerpiece<br />
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While running into Michaels the other day to grab yarn for another DIY project, I was totally in awe at all the gorgeous winter wonderland style decorations and pieces that they had out. It reminded me that I wanted to update the centerpiece on our table and so I decided to leave Michaels, since the expensive decorations were extremely tempting, and hit up Dollarama for some DIY project supplies. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Roll of gold sparkle fabric, winter "braches" and some platic snowflakes, $5</span></div>
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Once I got home, I consulted my "Christmas" board on Pinterest and was ready to get started. First, I threw on some my super cozy footsie pajamas and made myself a hot chocolate with whipped cream to get me in the mood. This step is 100% manditory!</div>
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I gathered my supplies from Dollarama and then went out to the yard and the park nearby to get the rest. This included sticks and pinecones. To make these look more wintery, I lightly painted them with some leftover white wall paint then added some clear sparkling nailpolish.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61D81r_cfS4K-3VQ6uIa_h5h7blao9jQrGCZ6PRFhhrbAUBTRyXHdC0-cQU38qR2mHpVFegk-0FA6rASPzvgHmr2Ny0eQiBqejNw7YoH7Tjb_7atJfIPp-KSrVPuoEVI3icU-ApWIirc/s1600/IMG_1653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61D81r_cfS4K-3VQ6uIa_h5h7blao9jQrGCZ6PRFhhrbAUBTRyXHdC0-cQU38qR2mHpVFegk-0FA6rASPzvgHmr2Ny0eQiBqejNw7YoH7Tjb_7atJfIPp-KSrVPuoEVI3icU-ApWIirc/s320/IMG_1653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once everything was dry I threw it all together in a simple glass vase and set that on top of my "table runner" (fabric I got at Dollarama). </div>
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Then I added the branches from the dollar store. Last, I found some of my shiny thread (also from Dollarama in the past) and started hanging snowflakes from the branches. I also scattered some of them alongside the pinecones beside the vase. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDSRx7dO0vTzSuDdVVrbXbGK2TaYcjVgeYtiCAdak5P94D9xLcguAgJhqfwdsdr9zIgstgYORNUQ6SmZKoZM91RFm7Ke21nJ5-20X09xW6cGEK40lMIUMtoKCwCBGp52cApETPBBzIkU/s1600/IMG_1656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDSRx7dO0vTzSuDdVVrbXbGK2TaYcjVgeYtiCAdak5P94D9xLcguAgJhqfwdsdr9zIgstgYORNUQ6SmZKoZM91RFm7Ke21nJ5-20X09xW6cGEK40lMIUMtoKCwCBGp52cApETPBBzIkU/s320/IMG_1656.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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Overall, I am totally happy with both the $5 price tag and the end result. My house feels more wintery already and I haven't even started my actual Christmas decorating! I hope this motivates you to get to work on some of your own decorating.</div>
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In fact, this project was so much fun it convinced me to add a DIY section to the blog. I am not super original, so most of my projects are copies of things I love off of Pinterest or a things I've seen at the store. I still want to share the projects that I do as motivation, though. Do it yourseld projects are such a huge part of frugal and simple living, plus they're really enjoyable. Hopefully sharing what I'm up to will encourage you to save money by attempting some of your own projects in the near future. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-44597579821279600452015-11-19T10:28:00.000-05:002016-06-12T21:53:06.555-04:00Free FoodYesterday I decided to redeem some points and get some free food! I am totally surprised by the number of people who grocery shop but don't bother with a rewards system. In my opinion, it is totally worth it.<br />
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I redeemed <a href="https://www.pcplus.ca/loyaltyHome.jsp">PcPlus Points</a> at Superstore and Optimum points at Shoppers Drug Mart. In case you aren't familiar, PC Points is a system used at most Loblaws Inc. stores across Canada, including Real Canadian Superstores, Loblaws, Independent, No Frills, Valu Mart, CityMarket and a ton of others depending on where you live. It offers points, both in-store and digitally, for buying certain items. Read more about it <a href="https://www.pcplus.ca/loyalty-help.jsp">here</a>. </div>
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Yes, points can take a while to add up (it's much faster if you load extra offers digitally though) but either way it ends up being free food with very minimal effort on our part. </div>
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Here is what I got yesterday by redeeming 30,000 PC Points ($30) and 8,000 ($10) Optimum Points. I also received 2,500 PC Points from my shopping trip which will amount to another $2 . 50 free groceries in the future. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-91111956076539907062015-11-17T16:51:00.001-05:002015-11-19T10:32:23.764-05:00Baby's Coming Freezer Food Part #1One month, fifteen days, seven hours and fifty five minutes until Baby Larochelles' due date. 1 month, 15 days, 7 hrs and 55 minutes.... <br />
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How can one period of time seem so long and so short at the same time?! I am so ready to not be pregnant anymore, to not get leg cramps, not have heartburn, not feel like a whale, not waddle while I walk. I am so ready to be able to climb all the way up the stairs without having an asthama attack, but I am also so not prepared to have a baby in this house! One of the main things I am going to do to make life a little less hectic when our little man is born is to start preparing freezer food. <br />
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This is one of the biggest suggestions I have seen and heard from women who have already had babies. New moms (and dads) need to eat in order to have enough energy to care for a baby. Also, did you know you actually need to consume more extra calories while breastfeeding than while pregnant! So, in order to keep from overspending on premade or frozen food at the grocery store, or filling up on fast food after baby comes, I want to have some good, healthy, non-processed and quick to make food ready to go in the freezer.<br />
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Anyone who is on Pinterest has definitely seen quite a few crazy looking freezer meal articles up there, like "50 Freezer Meals in 20 Minutes for $30"... Okay, I may be over exagerating a bit but while the articles sound awesome, many seem just a little unrealistic or like too much to take on at once (especially while pregnant). Also, I really like using fresh fruits and vegetables in my dinners so frozen meals you can just dump in the crockpot don't really appeal to me. So, instead of doing a huge freezer meal session and having full meals made up for after baby comes, I plan to focus more on freezing small batches of my favourite breakfast, lunch and snack food over the next month and then just including a few dinner items which I can incorporate into a quick meal. <br />
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After tons of research and consideration, I picked out a few simple foods that freeze really well and I think will fit my family's needs best. </div>
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Fruit Muffins</div>
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Waffles or Pancakes</div>
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Breakfast Sandwhiches or Breakfast Burritos</div>
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Banana Loafs</div>
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Cookies</div>
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Homemade Granola Bars</div>
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Lunch Burritos</div>
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Freezer Pizzas</div>
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Meatballs</div>
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Chili</div>
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I love the idea of having breakfast all ready to go because it makes mornings so much easier. With these things prepared, my husband can grab a quick bite before work and I can eat something right after I wake up. </div>
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Muffins, granola bars, loafs and cookies are also great snacks that can be thrown straight from the freezer and into my husbands lunch box, helping him resist the temptation to buy lunch at McDonalds or somewhere else! I also really love homemade granola bars because I don't really like eating protein other than at dinner and this is a good way to sneak it in.</div>
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I chose meatballs and chili because there are sooo many different things that you can do with them. I can thaw out some freezer meatballs or a freezer bag of chili and easily use them to make different dinners depending on my mood. </div>
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I will update more once I actually get cooking. I plan to share which foods I actually end up making, how I plan to use them and recipes that I used along with other feedback. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-77877330641190429852015-10-09T20:44:00.003-04:002015-11-19T10:32:43.172-05:00Seasonal Eating<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujrHLfPzlWZohrqQ0xcd_tnrFRWTRFX-1E8qQcC58NQfZuj9FtUCNPluH1Opeoqh-Ot3cs4KGnsZBMAok_RxBGkJQJasLpiG590CCBTyndyS7V5WrNDoDcx0myKspVZDOyPLPXHu1rBg/s1600/IMG_1453a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujrHLfPzlWZohrqQ0xcd_tnrFRWTRFX-1E8qQcC58NQfZuj9FtUCNPluH1Opeoqh-Ot3cs4KGnsZBMAok_RxBGkJQJasLpiG590CCBTyndyS7V5WrNDoDcx0myKspVZDOyPLPXHu1rBg/s640/IMG_1453a.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithUmiNGykr9wVgRmD7uR7RbXsS4x0YFfyIjzSDUgjUKqmxS2cBhG5Z0V7go6_PukUCCX-VNaf6lqlzhnn6oqJM7jiJaYrl3cwlMaT756FuBOaUVcPy_NdkcFI9AgHulffnzQAh8SYzvY/s1600/IMG_1550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithUmiNGykr9wVgRmD7uR7RbXsS4x0YFfyIjzSDUgjUKqmxS2cBhG5Z0V7go6_PukUCCX-VNaf6lqlzhnn6oqJM7jiJaYrl3cwlMaT756FuBOaUVcPy_NdkcFI9AgHulffnzQAh8SYzvY/s320/IMG_1550.JPG" width="213" /></a>There is no denying that we are in the middle of Autumn! Besides the fact that its October, there's the beautiful, colourful leaves, the big bins of apples at the grocery stores and, of course, advertising for pumpkin flavoured EVERYTHING! I am so not complaining though, I love fall and everything that comes along with it.<br />
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Last weekend we made a trip out to the pumpkin farm and it really got me thinking about "fall" foods. With the convenience of current grocery stores, we can have basically any produce we want, in one form or another, at any time of the year. Honestly, I couldn't tell you when half of the fruit and vegetables out there are actually "in season". But, I wish I could and I am working on it because eating seasonally is a huge part of frugal living! Actually, there are many different benefits of eating seasonally.<br />
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1.) <b>Produce is always cheaper when it is "in season"</b>. Planning your meals around what produce is in season and on sale will definitely save you money on your grocery trips. Grapes are a great example. We love grapes and I try to buy them fairly often but we definitely eat more grapes in August when they are $1.50-$1.99/lb compared to the middle of winter when they are $4.99/lb. And that's perfectly okay because there will be something else to enjoy in the winter months... such as winter squashes. I bought a butternut squash before the fall and it was over $1.50/lb but now that they're in season I was able to pick up a bunch for only $0.49/lb.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpw5mjxAqNDR1ovDSpHcIRgtgDzX2tttjMf1GgR_5M1FRGDEvItudF2jf0RaSmyycnZcLIwMj3I9vNEXAjw1yZjrTICKAT60qDYcH6T6oR10T8IPzJYDtKBj4sSagZpWNZBY7ag6Mmh0/s1600/106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpw5mjxAqNDR1ovDSpHcIRgtgDzX2tttjMf1GgR_5M1FRGDEvItudF2jf0RaSmyycnZcLIwMj3I9vNEXAjw1yZjrTICKAT60qDYcH6T6oR10T8IPzJYDtKBj4sSagZpWNZBY7ag6Mmh0/s320/106.JPG" width="213" /></a>2.) <b>Everything tastes better</b>. We also love apples, I buy them practically year round but nothing compares to buying fresh apples in the fall. Better yet, apple picking. Have you ever picked and eaten an apple fresh off the tree? Yum...<br />
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3.) <b>Better for you and better for the environment</b>. When a fruit or vegetable is in season, it is much more likely that the grocery store got it locally. Or you picked it yourself from a small farm or local farmers market. This produce is much less likely to have been chemically 'enhanced' or sprayed or whatever it is they do to our food on commercial mega-farms. Local produce also means that the food wasn't transported nearly as far. The Ontario grown strawberries that I buy in the summer didn't require nearly as much transportation as the California grown ones they sell in the winter meaning less greenhouse gas emission. Furthermore, the baskets of strawberries that I picked from a local farm required even less travel and they tasted fresher than any I have ever bought from a grocery store.<br />
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Eating seasonally may seem really restricting or boring but it doesn't have to be. Once you get the hang of buying and cooking 'in season' you will see that there are a ton of different ways to cook one food alone. Here's a list of a few things that are in season right now, along with some of my favourite recipes.<br />
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<b><u>Apples</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2015/02/apple-white-cheddar-spinach-salad-honey-apple-cider-vinaigrette.html">Apple Spinach Salad with Honey Apple Vinaigrette </a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jocooks.com/other/sweets/caramel-apple-dip/">Caramel Apple Dip</a></div>
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<a href="http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/2014/10/apple-crisp.html">Apple Crisp</a></div>
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A<a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/02/apple-muffins.html">pple Muffins</a></div>
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Baked Apples. Just peel and slice the apples, toss in desired amount of cinnamon and sugar than toss in the oven at 400 until soft. Or... just cut the apples up and eat them! I've been having tons of apples this past month. My favourite lately is apples dipped in peanut butter or apples with a few nice slices of cheddar cheese. </div>
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<b><u>Squash</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.raisinggenerationnourished.com/2014/10/butternut-squash-apple-soup/">Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_acorn_squash/">Baked Acorn Squash</a></div>
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<a href="http://completerecipes.com/Simple-Roasted-Butternut-Squash.html?back_url=./">Roast Squash</a></div>
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<b><u>Carrots</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2015/08/cream-of-carrot-soup.html">Cream of Carrot Soup</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2013/11/brown-sugar-glazed-carrots.html">Glazed Carrots</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/13-different-ways-make-hummus">Carrot slices with homemade hummus</a></div>
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<u><b>Pumpkin</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://thesweetspotblog.com/pumpkin-puree-homemade-organic/">Pumpkin Puree (Make your own instead of buying canned)</a></div>
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<a href="http://therecipecritic.com/2013/10/pumpkin-pie-white-hot-chocolate/">Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate </a></div>
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Made this yesterday and it was delicious!</div>
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<a href="http://www.happinessishomemade.net/2013/10/07/make-pumpkin-puree-and-pumpkin-spice-cookies/">Pumpkin Spice Cookies</a></div>
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I already can't wait to make these again...<br />
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<a href="http://rachelschultz.com/2013/09/04/pumpkin-donut-muffins/">Pumpkin Donut Muffins</a></div>
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Roast Pumpkin Seeds</div>
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<a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/08/pumpkin-scones-starbucks-copycat/">Pumpkin Scones</a></div>
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<a href="http://freecoconutrecipes.com/maple-cinnamon-roasted-pumpkin/">Roast Pumpkin</a></div>
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Don't forget, you can always freeze things as well so that you can enjoy the flavour even when it is out of season. Try freezing the pumpkin or apple muffins for a nice breakfast or treat in the winter months. Also, you can cube and freeze the squash while it is on sale and roast it for a great, inexpensive side dish, even when it is out of season. Check back later for a some freezer cooking posts and I will let you know what else I love to freeze. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-32735982652985321642015-09-29T15:43:00.002-04:002015-09-29T15:47:29.717-04:00Banana Muffins<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYLV9cqWopwcUo0OJpCV5MCA9UZr27tjK-GAOMuXcUuFmu0DDQn-TXHzIc6S0Ks1VR0BQuPdgaVBp7MYl97w4ykvSDvKtB7KhI1yXjYwcrDaHn6Ui3dCGtdYlNIcMwkll85r0SFJlh9Y/s1600/Muffins+Blog-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYLV9cqWopwcUo0OJpCV5MCA9UZr27tjK-GAOMuXcUuFmu0DDQn-TXHzIc6S0Ks1VR0BQuPdgaVBp7MYl97w4ykvSDvKtB7KhI1yXjYwcrDaHn6Ui3dCGtdYlNIcMwkll85r0SFJlh9Y/s400/Muffins+Blog-page-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OH2yeA8Wh9o9n2nkp4VaKqBF2I8rWkyTGd1lxtkyl085_jXAqWJtP-BrJC9QNH4FINm5pcexh_VByk2ElTUv2QfJ39AnOkqors5XIbVQbVUy841DZzOxnDDl-9bvi2tQIyrXbgzwNDU/s1600/IMG_1506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OH2yeA8Wh9o9n2nkp4VaKqBF2I8rWkyTGd1lxtkyl085_jXAqWJtP-BrJC9QNH4FINm5pcexh_VByk2ElTUv2QfJ39AnOkqors5XIbVQbVUy841DZzOxnDDl-9bvi2tQIyrXbgzwNDU/s200/IMG_1506.JPG" width="132" /></a>I absolutely love this fall weather! So many gorgeous colours and the air even smells good. Yesterday I went for a long walk on a beautiful trail about 5 minutes from my house... I can not believe we have lived here for over a year and I haven't been on it before! The scenery was so nice I couldn't help but bring some of it back with me and throw together a quick and easy centerpiece.<br />
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Now that the leaves are making the house look nice, I figured I would make it smells nice too and did some baking today. I decided to use up some 'rotten' bananas from the freezer and make banana muffins.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lYNnRyzvalA_pZ57Qc6xeE0m6TL63QXAEixaW_M8W-jSXMqVx6wtlXILi7Ey9LkFaAaTg_58wPTS5rsr1qgOj9cMkkTk4zTCL2nBiB85vnhb4NxNV1u7446Cu8DPpj6DhzUojxNJIt0/s1600/IMG_1523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lYNnRyzvalA_pZ57Qc6xeE0m6TL63QXAEixaW_M8W-jSXMqVx6wtlXILi7Ey9LkFaAaTg_58wPTS5rsr1qgOj9cMkkTk4zTCL2nBiB85vnhb4NxNV1u7446Cu8DPpj6DhzUojxNJIt0/s320/IMG_1523.JPG" width="213" /></a>Muffins are one of the easiest foods to grab and eat at anytime, which is why I love having them around the house. Today I thought I would do a cost break down of homemade banana muffins verses those you can buy pre-made at the grocery store or at a coffee shop. The <a href="http://patriciaspatchwork.blogspot.ca/2013/11/moist-banana-bread-amish-recipe.html">banana muffin recipe</a> that I use is actually a 'banana bread' recipe from <a href="http://patriciaspatchwork.blogspot.ca/2013/11/moist-banana-bread-amish-recipe.html">My Patchwork Quilt</a>. The only thing I do differently is replace the margarine with an equal amount of apple sauce. I made a loaf and some smaller muffins but this recipe will make 12 or more very large muffins, like the huge ones they sell at Tim Hortons or Starbucks, but cheaper! Once I broke it down, the whole recipe only cost me $2.15.<br />
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<b><u>Price Breakdown (One Muffin)</u></b><br />
Coffee Shop: Average $1-$2 each<br />
Grocery Store: $0.50<br />
Homemade: $0.18<br />
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By taking an afternoon to make some homemade muffins and eating one twice a week, rather than grabbing it at the grocery store or on your way to work in the morning, you could save between $33.28 to $189.28 a year! These muffins are equally as delicious as any store bought ones (if not better!) and make your whole house smell good. If banana isn't your favourite, don't worry, I hope to share a few of my other favourite muffin recipes over the next few weeks as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduFv9D2yvuzpeooAXgNipK-UDZanQCn57vkbHWgR1cy7vNps2OnxkMlk0a3bdXMEc93odJESGyBOx5C2Txu_nXCURHJIG5HCNJuulgRaxHco8ESh35Bt4VtmWtA6hlviBK9aiyRTsYhs/s1600/IMG_1518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduFv9D2yvuzpeooAXgNipK-UDZanQCn57vkbHWgR1cy7vNps2OnxkMlk0a3bdXMEc93odJESGyBOx5C2Txu_nXCURHJIG5HCNJuulgRaxHco8ESh35Bt4VtmWtA6hlviBK9aiyRTsYhs/s400/IMG_1518.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-34681710133017877052015-09-15T19:08:00.002-04:002015-09-15T19:13:43.370-04:00Summer SavingsThe weather is slowly starting to cool off and some of the leaves in the backyard have started to turn red. Fall is on the way! There are sooo many things I love about fall. So many awesome apple and pumpkin recipes that I'm dying to try in the next few weeks. But first, I am just trying to deal with and find recipes for all the produce from our garden! Picking fresh beans and tomatoes from the garden got me thinking about all the ways that the summer months help us save money and I thought I would share a few of my favourites.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoxfwBsWVMgoovuyM7GwKT6zVY_HAOYZeReSm18boIQvPG-SPJ_0348wist72BkgVhBpGQ8o9e9vCLJaKQUrV_GX6JJ4HhA73EOPUu0rnsWyEbXXu6fFS5XfWUsRmSim0AeoY1oljoXY/s1600/102_0182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoxfwBsWVMgoovuyM7GwKT6zVY_HAOYZeReSm18boIQvPG-SPJ_0348wist72BkgVhBpGQ8o9e9vCLJaKQUrV_GX6JJ4HhA73EOPUu0rnsWyEbXXu6fFS5XfWUsRmSim0AeoY1oljoXY/s320/102_0182.JPG" width="240" /></a><b>1.) <u>Gardening</u>, </b>obviously. I started getting produce, lettuce to be exact, in June and continue to harvest an abundance of vegetables to this day. I figure there are still a few weeks left for the garden. Despite what some people may think, you really don't need to put a lot of time or money into gardening in order for it to be worthwhile. You also don't need a ton of space. My husband spent an evening preparing my garden, I spent an afternoon planting and then we probably only spent a few hours weeding it over the entire summer. It would look a lot better if we had done more, but it still grew a 'ton' of food. Even if you don't have a large yard for planting, or even if you live in an apartment, you can grow lots of vegetables in a small space or in pots. We only had two cucumber plants grow this year and still got about 20 cucumbers so far, and I have seen people plant cucumbers in a pot on their porch before. Check out the links below to learn more about small space gardening. Garden food is so fresh and delicious, plus it is free!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9w-wpYL8hLv5GdhvOISNa92EzCEVaQJpEW_XgDGOTWvwiGJC5JQjt4-v-cNjZu_rnSWbUnwED5hbQ6ODXy4lzI1v2HGGwN5H8nQYc-1j6CTefIW6O2Jg7d4YnA27K2bKrnGokFr1GgM/s1600/102_0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9w-wpYL8hLv5GdhvOISNa92EzCEVaQJpEW_XgDGOTWvwiGJC5JQjt4-v-cNjZu_rnSWbUnwED5hbQ6ODXy4lzI1v2HGGwN5H8nQYc-1j6CTefIW6O2Jg7d4YnA27K2bKrnGokFr1GgM/s200/102_0258.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://theselfsufficientliving.com/vegetables-that-grow-well-in-a-container-or-pots/">Container Gardening</a><br />
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<a href="http://brownthumbmama.com/2014/02/5-best-container-vegetables.html">Five Best Container Vegetables</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.seasonedhomemaker.com/easy-vegetables-that-anyone-can-grow/">Vegetables That Anyone Can Grow</a><br />
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<a href="http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/funstuff/7222/plant-a-compact-vegetable-garden/">How To Plant A Compact Garden</a><br />
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<b>2.) <u>Use the Sunlight</u>.</b> Choosing to open the shades and light your house with sunshine rather than electricity is common knowledge, yet lots of the time people don't do it. Sometimes I walk into a sunny room in my own house and turn the light on, even though its basically as bright without it. Maybe it's just out of habit? Either way, I am working on opening all of the blinds and curtains when I wake up, especially in the warmer months.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1IKxJgTYk3daQIHG7kTRmPq61wd4rqvZMeW-yLW5wzxHHfM5l2xerHSet-oISq4wTAEjuu7eFF-y8tZyQr1rNOqrLuGrtPmBIvxADMcMSW84ttaPizwQcwJQt6PLG99nmnNxldhrpaE/s1600/102_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1IKxJgTYk3daQIHG7kTRmPq61wd4rqvZMeW-yLW5wzxHHfM5l2xerHSet-oISq4wTAEjuu7eFF-y8tZyQr1rNOqrLuGrtPmBIvxADMcMSW84ttaPizwQcwJQt6PLG99nmnNxldhrpaE/s320/102_0134.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
Next, let your laundry dry outside in the wind and sunshine. I read an article the other day that said the <a href="http://www.thesimpledollar.com/a-cost-comparison-of-home-laundry-and-laundromats/">average cost of using a dryer was $0.31 to $0.49 per load</a>. Definitely more if you do it at the laundromat. So, a family doing about 5 loads a week, or 260 loads a year is spending $80 to $127 on energy for their dryer. Drying outdoor as often as you can will help bring down the cost, make your laundry smell fresh like sunshine and flowers and force you to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Also, this doesn't just apply to people with the convenience of a pre-strung clothesline hanging in their back yard. Metal drying racks work really well, or you can be like me and use whatever you have available to you. I use a shoe rack we happen to have, our patio chairs and sometimes the fence.<br />
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These don't just apply to summer either. Let the sunshine light your house all year and hang your clothes out to dry on any sunny, windy days throughout spring and into late fall. Apparently<a href="http://naturalmommie.com/2012/10/freeze-drying-clothes-line-drying-laundry-in-cold-weather/"> freeze drying items in winter</a> is a thing too, though I have yet to try it out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GddbMts56ex3xPV6JvwuoShWYllw4n4NgCrXbzGSkNYTvcf6P5f2K82OdYoMWvRZICSWtFkLOFpI_j65ZPLCjQpM1UROHObkM-jTwmi4V9bCqEDh-lNPmQatETDn_OdT8fkUsXNNAho/s1600/100_8221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GddbMts56ex3xPV6JvwuoShWYllw4n4NgCrXbzGSkNYTvcf6P5f2K82OdYoMWvRZICSWtFkLOFpI_j65ZPLCjQpM1UROHObkM-jTwmi4V9bCqEDh-lNPmQatETDn_OdT8fkUsXNNAho/s200/100_8221.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>3.) <u>Entertainment.</u></b><u> </u>We've only gone for dinner once since spring and the movies maybe twice but we still had plenty of fun! Why pay for activities that keep you cooped up inside when you could be out enjoying all the free ones. My favorite frugal things to do in summer are:<br />
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- Go to the beach<br />
- Outdoor pool<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSnzf9iEGuNS4aSAQdPF0pJonzqHXWXyZwFyW64hiTfS6kk6Fxl-tj8-URNzBqZkvuumlKIzWE66qUgeOVBUMg9gSKBwQUdVn539lq7k_M-qU3YzAxd_2LUHXvFStFnoGZgHDlLyvyjA/s1600/100_9847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSnzf9iEGuNS4aSAQdPF0pJonzqHXWXyZwFyW64hiTfS6kk6Fxl-tj8-URNzBqZkvuumlKIzWE66qUgeOVBUMg9gSKBwQUdVn539lq7k_M-qU3YzAxd_2LUHXvFStFnoGZgHDlLyvyjA/s200/100_9847.JPG" width="200" /></a>-Hiking! Even if you aren't athletic (or you are pregnant!) trails range from super easy to more difficult. Plus nature is basically a free stress reliever.<br />
- Water park or splash pad<br />
- Picnic! Find a nice spot by a lake or river or even just at a park<br />
- Picking fruit! Even if there are no great berry patches hidden around your home, you could always go to a local farm. This is obviously more expensive but in the end you get both fresh fruit and a great experience.<br />
- Have a baking session with all the awesome fruit you just picked.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxfamCW0JagfWPaqZxx7-hzVS8VQASq4fiVhIzl-BoUnxLPpSfoH5JSGVjQPwbGeGnaPEpJP-sdVRoDViFXxSGXC_TBhVJpyMCgAYGLYqSdM0oeihP5J71cDaHhjQ0plC-raFebk6KDg/s1600/100_9799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxfamCW0JagfWPaqZxx7-hzVS8VQASq4fiVhIzl-BoUnxLPpSfoH5JSGVjQPwbGeGnaPEpJP-sdVRoDViFXxSGXC_TBhVJpyMCgAYGLYqSdM0oeihP5J71cDaHhjQ0plC-raFebk6KDg/s200/100_9799.JPG" width="150" /></a>- Invite some friends over and have a potluck BBQ.<br />
- Bonfire... unless there's a fire ban.<br />
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I hope these suggestions will help you to save money over next few weeks, the very last few of summer. Also, start planning your garden! Do the research now and you will be a gardening expert when it comes time to plant next spring.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-47365289320983398892015-08-24T15:05:00.002-04:002015-08-24T15:05:47.036-04:00Cream of Carrot Soup<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssz4y3cN7Gi2oeZ2WmmFIMUVu2MGms5NbVtss2ZUI7dIwc9evPlWKnrT5haq88hjpkZliN4xtaIexUFnzlnoDmAOBG0kF8fPfmNdyjGY1a68yhXjeQ2OK3jQwH57O3KKasQCwSeST_E4/s1600/IMG_1378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssz4y3cN7Gi2oeZ2WmmFIMUVu2MGms5NbVtss2ZUI7dIwc9evPlWKnrT5haq88hjpkZliN4xtaIexUFnzlnoDmAOBG0kF8fPfmNdyjGY1a68yhXjeQ2OK3jQwH57O3KKasQCwSeST_E4/s320/IMG_1378.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since the weather today feels a little bit more like the middle of October than the end of August, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to make soup! Cream of carrot soup has been one of my favorites since I first made it in a cooking class in college. I have been craving carrot soup for the last few weeks and it completely lived up to my expectations. While making it I also decided it was fairly frugal considering it makes a fair amount and it is healthier and tastier than canned soups. I decided to share my version of the recipe and the price breakdown. </div>
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Cream of Carrot Soup<br />
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- 2lb Carrots<br />
- 1 Potato<br />
- 1 Onion<br />
- 3 cups Chicken Broth<br />
- 1/4 cup Butter<br />
- 1/2 cup Cream (I use 18%)<br />
- Salt and Pepper<br />
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There aren't a ton of directions to follow since this soup is really easy and pretty hard to mess up. First peel and chop the veggies, they can be in chunks about 1/2 inch. Melt the butter in your pot over medium heat. Add vegetables, chicken broth and some salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stir occasionally.</div>
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Once the time is up, make sure the vegetables are soft and then let it cool off. Should look like the photo below. </div>
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Next, blend the soup. If you're lucky, you have an immersion blender, if you're like me you will do it in batches in the single portion blender which is all you own... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9NoqTmdXm-GKuwjA4rhGhmSr1pGUhfzAByHI-ID1WTXzb1gVIrw6HOpf_wNIozLVKIfESmBRwNJpM8R6hgOA9t2AsIf6wyPyUKlaR1lQIRw3z-ptIcZDvZtpFe4AcJ8fX0MDra3P6tY/s1600/102_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9NoqTmdXm-GKuwjA4rhGhmSr1pGUhfzAByHI-ID1WTXzb1gVIrw6HOpf_wNIozLVKIfESmBRwNJpM8R6hgOA9t2AsIf6wyPyUKlaR1lQIRw3z-ptIcZDvZtpFe4AcJ8fX0MDra3P6tY/s320/102_0197.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Next add cream, it can be more or less than half a cup depending on your preference, then add more salt and pepper to taste. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Warm it back up on low and serve. My batch made about 1.5 liters, or four big bowlfuls. Here was the price breakdown:</span></div>
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Carrots $1.50<br />
Potato $0.10<br />
Onion $0.10<br />
Chicken Broth $0.75<br />
Butter $0.40<br />
Cream <u>$0.50</u><br />
<b>Recipe Total $3.35</b><br />
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In this case it may technically be cheaper to buy a few cans of soup at the store for less than $1 each (do they even make cream of carrot in a can??) but this delicious, homemade version is sure to leave you more satisfied, with less preservatives and a lot more vitamins, for a very decent price! Enjoy. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-26031166615429974082015-08-07T14:39:00.003-04:002015-11-19T10:33:05.283-05:001 Chunk Pork, 7 Delicious Meals <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other day my Mom and three brothers came up to visit. The increase in people meant a quick, unplanned, trip to the grocery store. While there, we came across a huge bin containing giant cuts of unseasoned pork loin for $1.39/lb. Since I try to buy all my meat for less than $3/lb (except salmon cause that's never going to happen around here) this was a huge find. It was the highlight of my day, other than seeing my family of course!<br />
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I didn't really feel like dealing with this huge thing when I got home but since throwing the whole chunk in the freezer at once would mean cooking the whole freakin' thing at once later on, I decided to take the time to pre-portion it for the freezer. My husband put the groceries away once few months ago when I wasn't feeling well and didn't divide the meat up... we had pork for like a week straight. </div>
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In the end, it didn't take very long to deal with. I cut half of it into three chunks for pork roasts or pulled pork later on, grabbed some good freezer bags, labelled them with the date and tossed those in the deep freezer. Here are a few recipes to try with your pork roasts:</div>
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<a href="http://www.skinnymom.com/slow-cooker-pulled-pork/">Slow Cooker Pulled Pork</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/04/applesauce-pork-tenderloin-recipe.html">Applesauce Pork Tenderloin</a></div>
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<a href="http://jamiecooksitup.net/2014/02/crock-pot-pork-roast-with-vegetables-and-gravy-renewed/">Pork, Vegetable and Gravy Roast</a></div>
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The rest of the meat I cut into strips to make pork and broccoli, which I will most likely serve over rice or noodles. I used <a href="http://www.mommysavers.com/crock-pot-freezer-meal-chinese-beef-broccoli/">this recipe for beef and broccoli</a> from <a href="http://mommysavers.com/">mommysavers.com</a>, (obviously replacing the beef with pork) and just tossed the marinade ingredients together in a bowl then poured over the meat in the labelled freezer bags. I separately bagged the broccoli in smaller ziplocs, since it doesn't need to cook as long, and added that to the bigger freezer bag containing the meat. It made four good sized packs, leaving me with a total of seven future meals from the one, $11 pork loin. </div>
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I think that I am most excited about the pork and broccoli meal packs as they are a head start on all the pre-baby freezer cooking that I'm hoping to get done. They are something simple that my husband or I can throw in the crockpot without even having to add anything! Seriously, do not be afraid to buy large chunks/portions of meat at the store. They are usually cheaper and don't take very long to divide up and freeze, plus it means less trips to the store for meat as your freezer will get stocked up more quickly. </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-38237989044380607972015-08-03T21:38:00.002-04:002015-08-03T21:38:46.013-04:00Big Changes <br />
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The past few months have been so crazy that I've barely had five minutes to think about blogging, let alone actually write anything out! Here's the short version... We got approved as foster parents, we found out we were expecting a baby, we fostered five different kids and then my house got really quiet as the kids moved on and my husband left the province for a two month training course (one month down, one to go!). I've basically been gone doing a lot of visiting family, adjusting to being pregnant, recovering from all the kids and social workers and attempting to organize the house.<br />
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But now I'm back and excited to start working on some new posts. Over the next few weeks I am going to share some of my favourite ways that summer time can bring big savings; food, energy and entertainment wise. Then I plan to work on a short series about freezer meals, how they can save you money, and my favourite things to freeze (with recipes). Be sure to check back!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-80527855846741678662015-04-22T17:06:00.002-04:002016-08-24T11:07:05.145-04:00Homemade Flour Tortillas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOugKXbZKgEYvNMtIogIU74vcb2_KQ36HD1U86oXF5Tqn9xwtANwf5Z9lTsDU9lo2EcW9eU4PQC-BAQr4zD7pWwIVca_FZE3WS2odpWbo1hZDs1ck7R93vn9nMOhb70Ld4OTa2IYqvBc/s1600/100_9656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOugKXbZKgEYvNMtIogIU74vcb2_KQ36HD1U86oXF5Tqn9xwtANwf5Z9lTsDU9lo2EcW9eU4PQC-BAQr4zD7pWwIVca_FZE3WS2odpWbo1hZDs1ck7R93vn9nMOhb70Ld4OTa2IYqvBc/s1600/100_9656.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've had some time off lately and finally got a chance to do some organizing! Now that it's done, I've been able to keep on top of the housework, which has left me with a little bit of time to experiment in my kitchen! Since we've been trying to make more food homemade rather than buying processed products, I decided to try making spinach tortillas this afternoon. I've tried them before and the results weren't great but today I found a new recipe and they were a success! Beside for the fact that no matter how hard I try, I can't get them even close to actually being round. Oh well....<br />
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<b><u>Price Breakdown</u></b><br />
Store bought (8 Pack): $3.00<br />
Recipe Cost (8 Tortillas): $0.85<br />
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Making your own tortillas will save you $2.15 per pack. If you buy tortillas once a month, you could save almost $26 a year and if you buy them weekly, you'd save over $100! Plus, they're really good. I admit to eating one while making the rest and I almost ate a second one.<br />
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My spinach tortillas. They may be slightly deformed,</div>
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but they are still completely delicious!</div>
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Click <a href="http://hotpotmeal.blogspot.ca/2013/04/homemade-spinach-tortillas.html#.UYB74soQOsM&disp=224762">here</a> for the recipe I used from <a href="http://hotpotmeal.blogspot.ca/">Hot Pot Cooking</a>. I made spinach tortillas but the site also gives instructions for making regular ones. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-13980663248913048732015-02-18T14:27:00.002-05:002015-02-18T14:27:23.631-05:00Freebie February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I absolutely love freebies. Free samples, which show up to surprise me in my mailbox months after I have ordered and completely forgotten about them, are my absolute favourite. BUT they are definitely not the only way to get stuff for free. When I decided to write about getting freebies, I started thinking about all the stuff we've received over the last few years and was surprised to realize how much it really is. We have got thousands of dollars worth of free stuff and, the best part, it was totally easy! </div>
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Here is some of the stuff we got, how we did it and how you can too:</div>
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<u><b>Free Samples In The Mail</b></u></div>
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In the last few months, I opened my mailbox to a ton of awesome samples. These ranged anywhere from laundry soap to protein bars to a full sized bag of cat food. </div>
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My favourite sites to browse for these mail samples are <a href="http://todaysfreestuff.ca/">Todays Free Stuff</a> and <a href="http://www.freestufffinder.ca/">Free Stuff Finder</a>. I check every few days or so. Some days there's nothing that interests me and some days I'll order 5 samples. </div>
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<b><u>Facebook Groups/ Kijiji</u></b></h3>
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Another great way to get free stuff is to take it off of someone else's hands. There is a whole section for "FREE" stuff on <a href="http://www.kijiji.ca/">Kijiji</a>. Just browse through, or if you need something specific, try posting a "WANTED" ad. </div>
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On Facebook I am part of a "Pay It Forward" group for my area. When I no longer need something, I post it on there for other people and I comment on other peoples ads when I see something that I like. Note, people usually like to get rid of stuff ASAP so make sure that you comment on a day when you are free and can literally jump in your car or walk over and pick up right away. You have more chance of getting stuff this way. Search for a Pay It Forward, Free Stuff, Buy Nothing etc. group for your area. </div>
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All 3 board games turned out to be brand new with the cards still wrapped!</div>
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Huge box of free kids clothes</div>
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Even my kitty came free from Kijiji</div>
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<b><u>The Library</u></b></h3>
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Our library often has a table at the exit with all the discontinued books, free for people to take home. Most people walk past the table without looking... and then there's me. I've been seen struggling to walk home with a huge stack of books in my arms. Even if your library doesn't have this, you could always ask what they do with the discontinue books. Many will sell them off super cheap if not free. </div>
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<u><b>All Those Random Contests</b></u></h3>
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You know all those booths that are set up at job fairs, farmers markets, trade shows, street fairs etc? Well many of those have free contests and lots of people don't take the time to enter. My husband has won a free ipod and a $25 Itunes card, on two separate occasions. </div>
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Also, if your work has contests, draws or safety reports, do them! A contest at my husbands work is how we ended up with our Ipad, which is now a member of the family. Also, at my Dads work, whenever employees saw a safety concern, or something that didn't meet code, they could fill out a safety note and get entered to win prized. I remember my dad winning a fair sized gift card one month. </div>
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<u><b>Leftovers</b></u></h3>
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Whenever large events are run, way too much food is usually brought in. Often times the leftovers will go to the volunteers or a catering company but it doesn't hurt to take what's free and ask if you're not sure. The worst they can do is say no. I'm always surprised when I leave somewhere to see that people leave water bottles and snacks behind. </div>
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The other day I went to a 15 Hour Scrapbooking Marathon Fundraiser. Close to the end there were two yogurt parfaits left on the snack table so I grabbed them before leaving and we had them for breakfast the next day. </div>
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Also, my husband was away training this weekend and their food is catered by a local hotel. I don't know if it's just because it was the first weekend, but he said there was WAY too much food and most of ended up in the garbage. After seeing a ton of perfectly good chicken thrown away, he was able to snag a full loaf of bread and some fruit. You can always ask.</div>
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<u>The Dentists</u></h3>
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Just thought I would throw this one in. Even when they don't ask me if I need a new toothbrush, I always asks for something at the dentist. They usually end up giving me a toothbrush, floss, sometimes those mini toothpastes and once I even got a 250 ml sample bottle of Listerine. I've never had them say no... yet. </div>
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<u>Receipt Surveys/Store Contests</u></h3>
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You know those survey contests that are on basically every receipt you get? Yeah, they might be worth filling out. They're not too long... usually, and you can win some pretty big prizes. My husband won $1000 in Shoppers Drug Mart gift cards once when we filled out the online survey and lots of other stores give gift cards too. </div>
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Also, lots of stores have promotions, like scratch and win cards, right at the cash. The other day I got two paper "poker chips" free with my $5 purchase and I won a free chocolate bar. Yet, many people walk away without even grabbing them! </div>
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There you have it. Those are some of the different, not too difficult, methods of finding and getting awesome stuff for free. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-75372135286036487632015-02-03T15:09:00.003-05:002015-02-03T15:11:06.560-05:00Frozen Pizzas <h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Homemade Vs. Storebought</b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGVlvPB8ovddcL5nqwXitYUVceTC9ssLCBKEPwOOTZAf5yvObVajlmgbDva84m49vzT7fenJ_YTnbelbKnFLKBGvo00UXXfWbG3bjYGcgPPm6RBjcpXx04ylZFmvhGA2pgYy1Dc1KraA/s1600/pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGVlvPB8ovddcL5nqwXitYUVceTC9ssLCBKEPwOOTZAf5yvObVajlmgbDva84m49vzT7fenJ_YTnbelbKnFLKBGvo00UXXfWbG3bjYGcgPPm6RBjcpXx04ylZFmvhGA2pgYy1Dc1KraA/s1600/pizza.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Store-bought freezer pizzas may not make the healthiest, most delicious meals ever but there is no denying how convenient they are. We love homemade pizza in our house but they do take a lot of prep work so I decided that from now on I will make an extra one whenever I do pizzas and freeze it for a super easy, delicious future meal.</div>
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Preparing my toppings while the dough rises. </div>
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Homemade dough, yum!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83zFuQMz-1mR_KFl7BMusChrOuhRFqPs-4j9sduV-n1nQCRrWa_2tl3tADgnK81Vz90Ts44wC9TQ6fdsdulE_M6sPmEJbFYq2G0vmKUJxaVLnUquYcv1_feW2tSgjJLmVyLjbDloW4c8/s1600/IMG_1145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83zFuQMz-1mR_KFl7BMusChrOuhRFqPs-4j9sduV-n1nQCRrWa_2tl3tADgnK81Vz90Ts44wC9TQ6fdsdulE_M6sPmEJbFYq2G0vmKUJxaVLnUquYcv1_feW2tSgjJLmVyLjbDloW4c8/s1600/IMG_1145.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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The freezer pizza.</div>
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I made it the same as usual, rolled out my crust and partially cooked it. Then I topped it and added the cheese but instead of throwing it back in the oven, I wrapped it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and popped it in the freezer. </div>
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The final product. </div>
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I already knew that my homemade freezer pizzas would be healthier and yummier than store bought but I decided to also do a price breakdown and see if it was cheaper.</div>
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<u>Price Breakdown</u></div>
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Storebought: Average $5-$7 </div>
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Homemade: $3.05</div>
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Obviously prices will vary depending on the toppings used and whether the crust is homemade or not. Our pizza had pepperoni, ham, green pepper, onion, pineapple and pizza cheese mix. I figured it costed about $3.05 and it tasted great, so I am going to fill my freezer with a bunch of them for future use. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-33502178097552066842015-01-28T17:52:00.000-05:002015-01-28T17:52:10.834-05:00January Grocery UpdateIf you have been following my $175 Monthly Grocery Series, than you know that this year I am aiming to spend about $175 on groceries each month. Right now I just want to update on how we did in January. If you missed the series, check<a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2014/12/175-grocery-budget-part-1.html"> here</a>.<br />
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This was my initial trip. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiJA4uYQ-VD_F1PP9a72nOSJs_PP87QKMzogUDnLMwmRHm0NDoiedioiFwya-wzhzFH4JMZrg14wc7Q6j01hz8oU2reNly7oPK0B1NCAlpB56Ok2qAW7nJec9Kw3PV9sxClDEmpQiaTY/s1600/100_9324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiJA4uYQ-VD_F1PP9a72nOSJs_PP87QKMzogUDnLMwmRHm0NDoiedioiFwya-wzhzFH4JMZrg14wc7Q6j01hz8oU2reNly7oPK0B1NCAlpB56Ok2qAW7nJec9Kw3PV9sxClDEmpQiaTY/s1600/100_9324.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mini Trip (Stock up on good deals) #1</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBItAAclg_lydvWOuI4oW70LPuw_m-JmuS7_f-ohAzbdQ2BzGaKPN3HoU8MjdKXcaMyiAZF_AdV20tILKr_Q1jQkL3HMFXCCo6kIG6yoVl4hzEYnjqqT-8tPcfAL7VMZG4akGLPtvTC-8/s1600/100_9368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBItAAclg_lydvWOuI4oW70LPuw_m-JmuS7_f-ohAzbdQ2BzGaKPN3HoU8MjdKXcaMyiAZF_AdV20tILKr_Q1jQkL3HMFXCCo6kIG6yoVl4hzEYnjqqT-8tPcfAL7VMZG4akGLPtvTC-8/s1600/100_9368.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mini Trip #2</div>
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Money Spent: $193.37</div>
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<u>- Cashback: $16.50</u></div>
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<b>Total: $176.87</b></div>
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So that you can get a better idea of what we eat and how much $176.87 can really get you, here is the meal plan we followed throughout January. </div>
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<b><u>Breakfasts</u></b></div>
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Cereal and Milk</div>
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Oatmeal with fruit</div>
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Eggs/Omelettes</div>
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Yogurt Parfaits</div>
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Breakfast Burritos</div>
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Pancakes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSdAbw3qSx6j3ECrpgFHHOmaJypxrMTX28N-38n8E000I3flYY0nS-idQ0K64JbQiG6K0c_pG8DxtPp09KRhuTaUxD-wvDXbNlSsXlQiz1bGFi1UnEIxLD0vfciS6XYXnDH9r1bRCBNE/s1600/100_9326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSdAbw3qSx6j3ECrpgFHHOmaJypxrMTX28N-38n8E000I3flYY0nS-idQ0K64JbQiG6K0c_pG8DxtPp09KRhuTaUxD-wvDXbNlSsXlQiz1bGFi1UnEIxLD0vfciS6XYXnDH9r1bRCBNE/s1600/100_9326.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Lunches</u></b></div>
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Sandwhiches</div>
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Soup </div>
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Tuna Salad</div>
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Pasta Salad</div>
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Baked Beans</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCTjk0HnS_Wrb4qSNdIOpQDgvSEgdlEQzBB0eQrI0ktI1YYQi6DiJ9ZoF6rwaBy2X0GVF9K9NxqwRJKuOJwYoBuc1Z4Iloyxhect6qWcf1uyo-4vD3KC8HCv97iPV6F7tOhtyIA3e5XM/s1600/100_9337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCTjk0HnS_Wrb4qSNdIOpQDgvSEgdlEQzBB0eQrI0ktI1YYQi6DiJ9ZoF6rwaBy2X0GVF9K9NxqwRJKuOJwYoBuc1Z4Iloyxhect6qWcf1uyo-4vD3KC8HCv97iPV6F7tOhtyIA3e5XM/s1600/100_9337.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Dinners</u></b></div>
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Alfredo Penne and Peppers</div>
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Turkey Pot Pies</div>
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Creamy Spinach and Tomato Pasta</div>
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Chili and Garlic Toast</div>
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Burritos and Salad</div>
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Shepherds Pie</div>
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Chicken and Bean Quesadillas</div>
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Jamaican Chicken w/ Rice</div>
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Jambalaya</div>
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Chili Cheese Fries</div>
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Apple Harvest Chicken Salad</div>
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Chicken Salad Sandwiches</div>
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Fiesta Nachos</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrGN_cxLEwxNYpLToH_Pv8-m9tnCBOnTjy4v4sLr5XJ6I-4pRfE80Z7ZEAgZMeqLzt_nHP27pDe9S4ozPavEifKrHmRrZw97Opzh7qEEfcnm8P67hA_de_4kRS2dyZcYi_ReYkbUSlvs/s1600/100_9318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrGN_cxLEwxNYpLToH_Pv8-m9tnCBOnTjy4v4sLr5XJ6I-4pRfE80Z7ZEAgZMeqLzt_nHP27pDe9S4ozPavEifKrHmRrZw97Opzh7qEEfcnm8P67hA_de_4kRS2dyZcYi_ReYkbUSlvs/s1600/100_9318.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Snacks</u></b></div>
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Muffins</div>
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Fruit</div>
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<a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2014/12/great-granola-bars.html">Homemade Granola Bars</a></div>
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Scones</div>
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Veggies and Dip</div>
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Fruit Cups</div>
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Banana Bread</div>
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Nuts</div>
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Crackers and Cheese</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-28700106936535550532015-01-22T21:42:00.000-05:002016-09-09T20:29:07.771-04:00$175 Grocery Budget Part 4<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20DDT9iTvg6tabogjx-Jlvuk9aGTSV5zqKQEce5TEJzM6nX-SvRYfymDEoAzEcsrKtduHXKRKVII5Lh-23ftM5tWFkvSw-PYm22cDYYzVorkL615jfy3Wk2FzG-8xkMVSxjd0LMMJJiQ/s1600/175+Budget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20DDT9iTvg6tabogjx-Jlvuk9aGTSV5zqKQEce5TEJzM6nX-SvRYfymDEoAzEcsrKtduHXKRKVII5Lh-23ftM5tWFkvSw-PYm22cDYYzVorkL615jfy3Wk2FzG-8xkMVSxjd0LMMJJiQ/s1600/175+Budget.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Click <a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2015/01/175-grocery-budget-part-3.html">here</a> for Part 3</div>
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If you're like me, you probably want to walk through the door after a shopping trip, drop your bags in the entryway, flop down on the couch with a cozy blanket and take a nap while loose apples roll down the hallway. Reality is, a grocery trip doesn't end the second you walk in the front door. The things that I do once I get home from the store are a large part of how I save money on groceries. </div>
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First, I make sure that all my pantry and fresh food items are stored properly. The last thing I want to do is throw out unused food because it went bad. </div>
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Second, I prepare my freezer items. When I go shopping, I often come home with a ton of items which will go straight into my freezer. I take all the soon to expire cartons of milk that I got 50% off and toss them in the freezer. Then I clean and cut up all of the discounted fruits and vegetables that I am going to freeze. These are usually things like peppers, peaches, bananas etc. I also stock up on cheese when it is on sale and freeze it for later. </div>
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Next, I divide up my meat. It is a lot cheaper to buy meat in the larger packages, but I never need that much at once. I use freezer bags to split big packs of ground beef, chicken breasts, drumsticks, pork chops and sausages into smaller portions. Most of these also go straight into the freezer. </div>
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The last thing I do, not usually on the same day, is cook and bake a ton of homemade things. There are so many items that are cheaper to make homemade than to buy at all. My favourite things to DIY in order to save money are homemade buns/bread, <a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2014/12/baked-beans.html">baked beans</a>, <a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2014/12/great-granola-bars.html">granola bars</a>, protein bars, fruit cups, muffins and scones. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-89481089295189331262015-01-16T17:02:00.000-05:002016-09-09T20:27:58.047-04:00$175 Grocery Budget - Part 3<div abp="613" style="text-align: center;">
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Click <a abp="158" href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2014/12/175-grocery-budget-part-1.html">HERE</a> if you missed Part 1. Click <a abp="53" href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2015/01/175-grocery-budget-part-2.html">HERE</a> for Part 2. </div>
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Actually going to the store is probably the hardest part of keeping my grocery bill under $175. Even with a well organized meal plan and grocery list, it can be tempting to throw in 'just a few' extras. Before you know it, you've got a bag of chips, some frozen waffles, a tub of ice cream and a $250 grocery bill. Here's what I do to keep my grocery bill down while at the store. </div>
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First, choosing which day to go shopping makes a big difference. The store that I shop at starts a new flyer every Friday and they start marking things down around Tuesday. I found that if I go on Wednesday, I will find a ton of fruit, milk, bread and yogurt, usually about 4 days away from the best before date, for 50% off. I love those big pink 50% off stickers. However, if I wait until Thursday, there isn't as much left. </div>
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Next, there are certain things that I always bring to the store that help me stay organized and save money. First, my own shopping bags. I have quite a few reusable ones and then I grab a handful of plastic ones. This saves me from buying bags and it's good for the environment. Also, I have my grocery list, a pen to check off what I have already grabbed, my ipad so I can double check the cashback items, any flyers from other stores that I plan to price match and, of course, a ziplock full of coupons. </div>
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The first thing I do when I get to the store is make a mad dash for the clearance rack. I go here first so that I can grab anything that's on my list for 50% off before grabbing it at regular price. Also, the sooner I get there, the more stuff that will be left. Then I make a quick trip to the dairy aisle to snag any yogurt, milk or juice that's marked down, but only if it's on my list. </div>
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After I mark off any clearance items from my shopping list, I start at the front of the store and go around like normal. I avoid going down any aisle that I don't need stuff from, and I don't stop to look at items that aren't on my list. </div>
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Before I check out, I separate all the items that require coupons or price matching. If I have time, I also double check the coupons/cashback deals to make sure I didn't grab the wrong item since I won't have time to go back once I'm in line. I put all of those items up last. I do all the pricematching at once and then I have the coupon items scanned last and give the cashier my coupons with each item so that she doesn't have to pull them back out to double check. Then I always hand over my PC Plus Points card, even if I don't think I'm getting any points that week... sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. </div>
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The last major "must do" before leaving the store is making sure that I have my receipt safely in my wallet and not just in a bag or box where it could fly away. Without that receipt, I can't get any cashback! </div>
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Check back to hear what I do at home that saves me money on groceries. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3110630015520352131.post-67597176049610747872015-01-04T16:11:00.000-05:002016-09-09T20:26:12.129-04:00$175 Grocery Budget - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20DDT9iTvg6tabogjx-Jlvuk9aGTSV5zqKQEce5TEJzM6nX-SvRYfymDEoAzEcsrKtduHXKRKVII5Lh-23ftM5tWFkvSw-PYm22cDYYzVorkL615jfy3Wk2FzG-8xkMVSxjd0LMMJJiQ/s1600/175+Budget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20DDT9iTvg6tabogjx-Jlvuk9aGTSV5zqKQEce5TEJzM6nX-SvRYfymDEoAzEcsrKtduHXKRKVII5Lh-23ftM5tWFkvSw-PYm22cDYYzVorkL615jfy3Wk2FzG-8xkMVSxjd0LMMJJiQ/s1600/175+Budget.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Click <a href="http://lovefromthelarochelles.blogspot.ca/2014/12/175-grocery-budget-part-1.html">HERE</a> if you missed Part 1 of the series. </div>
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As you probably guessed, attempting a monthly budget of $175 takes lots of planning. My monthly grocery trip starts wayyy before I step through the doors of the store. It involves flyers, lists, meal plans and more.<br />
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The first thing I do is look through my pantry and freezer and make a list of what I already have and DON'T need to buy. This often includes the staples, like meat, cheese, butter, cereal, and crackers because I stock up on these items when I find a good sale.<br />
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Next, I go through all the flyers and write down the REALLY good sales on my grocery list. Now that I've been doing this for a while, I have what I consider really good sales and sales that are just okay. Really good sales are items that I'm going to stock up on no matter what because the price is good (Ex. Crispers for $1 at Walmart, I bought 6 bags. When cheese is under $5 I buy at least 3). Sales that are just "Okay" I keep in the back of my mind to check if I have a coupon, cashback or PC Plus pts to make the deal even better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-d7sgU7-zFeCp7bysmEYK7_qTP7V1fyNnJUS27fMssfiq64s4s3rlNN5en-rpGD2556tREthMASW4Le92nd-Ok66tADg6CZS5IHchorl6aa3zpBgFyrB-KzrRNayhCWOYzAQqon2TYI/s1600/PC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-d7sgU7-zFeCp7bysmEYK7_qTP7V1fyNnJUS27fMssfiq64s4s3rlNN5en-rpGD2556tREthMASW4Le92nd-Ok66tADg6CZS5IHchorl6aa3zpBgFyrB-KzrRNayhCWOYzAQqon2TYI/s1600/PC.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Third, I pull up <a href="https://pcplus.ca/loyaltyHome.jsp?DPSLogout=true&_requestid=303468">PC Plus</a> in my browser so I can load my offers for the week. If you haven't heard of this, it's a points program available at Loblaws, Superstore, Independent and No Frills. Purchasing certain in-store items gives you points plus you can get extra offers, personalized to your shopping habits, by signing your card up online and loading your offers every week. I have had this for about a year and I have almost 50,000 points which will give me $50 in free groceries when I redeem them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmX-e-696Ydfuo79EJrCo6wr6LP2fm9WjuucCp2cuArkaUyeE3XYoZWa6cR-jK4LYyr5FjkR_h5ly7EtMkVagxkSf0AUt0HCvJFcpMFFZ4UUUAI8-IGkvTOpJqRNml-jn0DOACA4HPFsU/s1600/Checkout51.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmX-e-696Ydfuo79EJrCo6wr6LP2fm9WjuucCp2cuArkaUyeE3XYoZWa6cR-jK4LYyr5FjkR_h5ly7EtMkVagxkSf0AUt0HCvJFcpMFFZ4UUUAI8-IGkvTOpJqRNml-jn0DOACA4HPFsU/s1600/Checkout51.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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At the same time, I grab my Ipad, to look through my cachback offers, and pull out my ziplock full of coupons. Although there are a few different cashback apps out there, the ones that I consider best are <a href="http://www.checkout51.com/">Checkout51</a> and <a href="https://www.zweet.com/">Zweet</a>. I have had Checkout51 for less than 6 months and have already earned over $50 back and I have had Zweet for a few weeks and already have $5 in my account. Coupons I get from all over. I mainly print or mail order them from websites like <a href="http://www.smartsource.ca/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=VV3BTXLWNQYWS&locale=en_CA">Smartsource</a>, <a href="https://www.websaver.ca/en_ca/">Websaver</a>,<a href="http://www.pgeveryday.ca/offers"> P&G Everyday</a> and <a href="http://save.ca/coupons">Save.ca</a> but I also often find them on the coupon board on my way into the store or in the aisles.<br />
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Once I have everything pulled up, I check for overlaps. I often find that I have cashback or PCPlus pts (or both) for a sale item. Also, the Checkout51 and Zweet offers will often overlap or I'll have a coupon for something that is also offering Cashback. If I have offers or coupons for an item that I don't often buy or isn't on sale, I will go on Walmart.ca to check the price and see if it's still a good deal. I add all good deals to the grocery list that I have going. I always write the price beside the item and note if it has a coupon, cashback, pts, pricematch etc. That way, when I am at the store, I won't grab the wrong item because I will notice the price difference and I won't forget which coupons I need to use.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZ9BX_mFbJM17Fic9p94Wwj-moaM88fakLXpU7qLoFc614NtgIBM05xoeceUTZpLnRFgf3CsnRByl4r4l9TAgg5feX84ZJnhnVc-a8W9ZJELhhW6qwKnplR26dHslx43ixThrTG1I3aY/s1600/100_9242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZ9BX_mFbJM17Fic9p94Wwj-moaM88fakLXpU7qLoFc614NtgIBM05xoeceUTZpLnRFgf3CsnRByl4r4l9TAgg5feX84ZJnhnVc-a8W9ZJELhhW6qwKnplR26dHslx43ixThrTG1I3aY/s1600/100_9242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, once the deals are written down, I look over what I am buying, and what I already have and figure out a meal plan. Then I add missing items to my grocery list. For example, if ground beef and pasta sauce are on my list of good deals then I will make spaghetti part of my meal plan and add noodles to my grocery list. For extra items like these, I will usually buy the no name brand or whatever is cheapest at the store.<br />
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Once I have a general meal plan and a grocery list, complete with prices, it's time to review. I add up the prices and hope that my total is under $175.00. If it isn't, I will go back over the list and see if there's anything that we don't really need for the month and then cross it off. I also check if there's anything missing that I may be running out of. Potatoes and carrots, for example, are something I always keep in the house since they are generally cheap anyways.<br />
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It may sound like a ton of work but it isn't as bad as it sounds. It totally pays out in the end. Plus, I love feeling completely organized and prepared when I head to the grocery store.<br />
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Stay tuned for Part 3 and find out what I do while at the store to keep my bill under $175. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459799734303322397noreply@blogger.com1