frugal living Archives - Page 2 of 23

How to Save Money Buying Things You’re Already Buying

December 2, 2014 by Aliesha

I’m not much for extreme couponing… it just doesn’t fit my life right now! But I do love to score awesome deals, and I have a few “tricks” for saving money on things I would be getting anyway! (Because, let’s face it, coupons are mostly designed to encourage you to buy things you weren’t planning on buying.)

These are some great websites and apps I use weekly to help reduce costs, without clipping coupons!

Ebates
I’ve been using Ebates for a while to save money on online purchases. I do more shopping online that in-store shopping, simply because we live in a rural area, and taking three kids to a bunch of stores isn’t exactly easy. Ebates gives you cash back on every purchase you make at select stores, as long as you click through the link on Ebates. Planning on buying something at Target.com? Go to Ebates first, click through, and shop as normal (except get 2.5% back)! Stores include Target, Walmart, Amazon, Kohl’s, Snapfish, Groupon, Sears, Macy’s, Apple Store, Home Depot, The Children’s Place, JCPenney, Living Social, and TONS more! Super easy… and rewarding! You get paid (PayPal) when your balance reaches $5.00. Sign up here. (Using that link will give you a $10 bonus for joining and making your first purchase!)

Checkout 51 App
I started using Checkout 51 earlier this year in order to save money on groceries. You can even use this with Aldi (which, as you may know, does not accept coupons). Each week (new deals show up on Thursday), you view the offers available ($.25-$4.00 off specific products). After you’ve done your grocery shopping, just upload your receipt (using the in-app camera makes it easy and fast), and select the offers you are redeeming. Most of the offers are for specific brands, but each week they have 2-4 offers for non-branded products, like apples, yogurt, milk, bread, squash, onions, butter, cheese, eggs, etc. Last summer there was an offer for $.25 off a cucumber, and Aldi had cucumbers for $.39, so it only cost me $.14! If you don’t have a smart phone, you can upload your receipt using your desktop computer (as long as you have a scanner or digital camera). You can upload more than one receipt each week, but only one member of your household can redeem each receipt. Make sure you also enter the giveaway each week (chance to win $500). When you have redeemed $20, you can submit a request for payout, and they will mail you a check. Sign up here.

Snap by Groupon App
This is very similar to Checkout 51 in that you upload your receipt using the in-app camera and redeem offers. They don’t have a set schedule as to when offers go live (that I can tell), and the offers are gone when they reach the redemption limit. Snap by Groupon usually has 4-6 non-branded product offers (bread, pomegranates, turkey, cranberries, green beans, squash, potatoes, onions, milk, etc.) in addition to the branded offers (Huggies, Chobani, etc.). The offers are usually $.25-$3.00 off. I love it when they have an offer for $1.00 off any loaf of bread, since that makes a loaf at Aldi just $.29! Like Checkout 51, you can use a desktop computer to upload receipts if you do not have a smart phone. You must submit your receipt within 2 days of the purchase, so I always just do it as soon as I get home from the grocery store so I don’t forget! Once your account hits $20, you can request payout (they’ll send you a check). Sign up here.

shopkick App
I learned about this app this summer, and I think it’s pretty fun! You don’t have to buy anything to earn “kicks” (points towards gift cards) with this app, but you do have to have a smart phone and turn on location services. Just turn on location services, open the app, and see what stores near you are currently offering walk-in kicks. Then, just walk in the store! You’ll get anywhere from 25-500 kicks, depending on the day and the store. Kicks accumulate in your account, which can then be redeemed for gift cards to stores (i.e. 1250 kicks for a $5 Target gift card). This is fun to do in the mall, since you can walk in and out of lots of different stores! You can also earn kicks by scanning products, but I haven’t tried that yet. I’ve earned $20 in Target gift cards since I signed up! Sign up here.

What are your favorite ways to earn cash on purchases? Have you used any of these apps/sites before?

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Disclosure: Some of these links in this post are referral links (I always disclose affiliate/referral links). If you sign up using those links, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support of my family and this blog. I was not compensated to write this post; I just wanted to share these money-saving ideas with you! My opinions are 100% my own, and I wouldn’t share these apps/sites with you if I didn’t use them personally!

7 Meals from One Pork Loin – Did It Work?

October 15, 2014 by Aliesha

I was inspired recently by this post to create a week’s worth of meals from one pork loin (that’s an awesome blog, by the way)! We followed all the recipes last week, and I wanted to share the results with you!

(The recipes and the full “plan” can be found in the post I linked to above!)

Meal 1 – Pulled Pork on Biscuits with Coleslaw (Monday dinner)

This was leftover from the first night. (I cooked about half the pork loin the first night.)

Meal 2 – Mexican Carnitas with Mexican Slaw in Tortillas (Tuesday dinner)

(I cooked the other half of the pork loin the second night.)

Meal 3 – Barbeque Pizza on Honey Wheat Crust (Wednesday dinner)

As you can see, I put a decent amount of meat on the pizza! No skimping here!

Meal 4 – Leftover Barbeque Pizza (Thursday lunch, 2 adult servings)

This was how much meat was left from the first half of the pork loin after it had been used for two meals.

Meal 5 – Mexican Shredded Pork Bowl over Rice with Biscuits (Thursday dinner)

We had this much stew leftover!

Meal 6 – Same as Meal 5, served for Lunch (Friday lunch)

Meal 7 – Baked Potato Bar with Pulled Pork (Friday dinner)

I made both white potatoes and sweet potatoes.

I had just enough pork leftover to freeze to make a sandwich for Tad one day on another week!

Meal 8 – Shredded Pork Nachos (Saturday dinner)

Meal 9 – Leftover Mexican Stew (Sunday lunch, 2 adult servings)

And that’s all, folks!

So to answer the question in this post’s title… YES! It worked! We actually got NINE meals out of this pork loin (serving two adults, a preschooler, and two toddlers).

The pork loin was around 5.5lbs. and cost $16.98 at Aldi. I had most of the ingredients on hand to make all these meals, but I did spend an additional $8.04 to buy the other things I needed. (That wasn’t all I spent on groceries for the week, of course. I bought other produce, dairy, and a few other pantry staples.) This “plan” really helped me spend less money on groceries last week!

Pin it for later!

What are your favorite ways to stretch meat?

16 Ways to Eat Rice and Beans

August 2, 2014 by Aliesha

I’m sure if you’re trying to save money on your grocery bill, you have heard the advice to eat lots of rice and beans! When I first heard this advice (or saw “rice and beans” on other people’s menus week after week), I thought that sounded kind of gross and definitely boring.

BUT! Due to financial challenges our family has experienced in the last few years, we have learned to enjoy “rice and beans” in many different ways! It’s certainly not boring, and I’ve managed to find ways that are delicious. We serve two or three of these recipes at our table most weeks.

Without further ado, here are 16 ways to eat rice and/or beans!

1. Bean Burritos
Stick some pinto (or black) beans in the food processor and give them a whirl, then heat and season with cumin, salt (if needed), and garlic powder. Spoon into tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, then roll up (tucking in the ends) and serve.

2. Spanish Black Beans and Rice
I’ve made this recipe as written, but I’ve also changed it up by using a green pepper instead of red and pinto beans instead of black. It reminded me of dishes I ate in the Dominican Republic.

3. Bean and Rice Bowls
We eat these a lot. I make brown or white rice (often cooked in nourishing chicken broth) as well as seasoned beans (black beans + green chilies or pinto beans + cumin) and serve them in bowls, topped with cilantro, cheese, and salsa or fresh tomatoes! These are warm, delicious, and filling!

4. Fried Rice (guest post on Money Saving Mom today!)
We love eating fried rice for lunch, and it’s just as good without any chicken in it! It’s a great way to use seasonal veggies (or whatever is about to expire in your fridge)!

5. Cheese Quesadillas with Black Beans on the Side
This couldn’t be easier. I use whole wheat tortillas, whatever cheese I have on hand (though cheddar or monterey jack are delicious), and lots of black beans seasoned with cumin and green chilies! I also frequently put cooked, leftover rice inside the quesadillas as well.

6. Tacos with Beans and Rice
Easy – just make tacos as normal, but serve up generous portions of black or pinto beans and rice on each taco to fill everyone up without using as much meat! This “trick” also works for stretching taco salads and chicken burritos! Another thing I like to do is cook lentils and add a few cups in with the taco meat to help it go further (and it’s not very noticeable).

7. Cheesy Rice
I don’t have an exact recipe for this, but I just make a white sauce, add cheddar cheese, and pour over cooked rice (brown or white). You can eat it right away or bake it to give it a “browned” look on top. With a side of broccoli and/or homemade rolls, this can be a lunch. Or, serve it alongside ham and green beans for dinner.

8. Black Bean Soup
This recipe is a snap to throw together, and it’s a filling lunch. We like to top it with grated cheese and eat tortilla chips on the side.

9. Hummus
Serve this with fresh veggies, pita chips or crackers, fruit, and cheese and call it a “snacky” lunch!

10. White Chicken Chili
The recipe I use is from Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist, but there are lots of other good recipes out there too. You can make this with less chicken (I usually do).

11. Black Bean Corn Salsa
This isn’t a meal, but it is a great side dish, particularly for Cinco de Mayo celebrations or picnics! It’s so yummy with chips or as a topping for tacos. We even like to put it on top of rice and bean bowls!

12. Chili
I don’t have a recipe for my chili, but I just combine lots of beans (any variety – kidney, black, pinto, even garbanzo), diced tomatoes (canned), a bit of tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, diced onion, minced garlic, and a little molasses and simmer all day. Yep, no meat required! We like to eat some homemade cornbread on the side.

13. Minestrone Soup
I add more beans to this now… more like 3 cans (white/canellini and kidney are both great). This is another great way to use in-season veggies!

14. Chicken and Black Bean Soup
I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s always turned out SO well! I usually make it with less chicken and more beans. Great soup for a cold day.

15. Korean Beef Bowl
This dish involves beef, but the fact that there is a generous portion of rice given to each person helps it streeetch pretty far!

16. Black Bean Brownies
This is a “bonus” recipe, since it’s not a main dish. But it’s a yummy way to get some protein into your diet!

So there you have it! Sixteen different ways of eating rice and/or beans to help stretch your grocery budget.

Do you have any favorite rice/bean recipes to share?