Menu Planning Made Easy

It's almost time for school to start, and this year I'm beginning a new adventure: my oldest is starting school (insert  *gasp* emoticon). I'm actually really excited about this new phase, and it's given me an adrenaline burst to get certain facets of our lives a little more organized - or at least, more functionable (that's a word, right?). So, when I saw this idea posted on facebook a few weeks I ago, I immediately took a screen shot of it and quite literally burst out "That's it!" It's the menu planning option I've been looking for for years. Believe me, I have done them ALL: the notebooks, the day planners, the special meal planners you can download, writing out the week's meals on a chalkboard, writing out the week's meals on an old picture frame and glass with a dry erase marker. Nothing has really ended up working that well. But THIS. This is genius. And right up front I'm not taking any credit for it, since some person-whose-name-I-forget posted it originally. I'm simply sharing what I did, so that if this helps you, you can do the same. 

Here's my Easy Menu Planner: 

OVERALL CONCEPT: Compile a list of meals that you use regularly and write them on cards so that you can pin them up and rotate them as needed.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: 

• Scrapbook paper
• Adhesive of some kind (tape, glue, etc.)
• Various decorative stickers
• Sticky Letters (or really awesome handwriting)
• Notecards
• Magnetic Clips (like these)
• Sticky note pad
• Magnetic cup/container (like this)

INSTRUCTIONS: 

First, I started out by compiling all my recipe cards that I regularly use for meals and writing out each meal name on my menu-planning cards, with just the ingredients needed on that back. That way, as I'm making a shopping list, I can just flip the card over to see what's needed. 

Then, I created a little "board" out of scrapbook paper and used my awesome sticky letters from the Target dollar bins to label everything (including the magnetic clips for each day). 

After that, I simply clipped a few menu cards onto each day's spot and put the rest into the magnetic cup (along with my writing pen and a pad of sticky notes for making shopping lists each week). 

For breakfasts and lunches, I didn't really need "meal cards," since we sort of rotate the same few things. So I just pinned them up as a reference point. 

And that's it! Each week (typically on Sunday afternoons), I'll just go through my cards and clip up the ones I want to use for the week. And if I know we won't be there a certain night I can just leave it blank (e.g picture below). Then I can make my shopping list off of the ingredients (before shopping Monday or Tuesday). 

Hope this helps some others of you who have also been looking for news ways to menu plan. Feel free to let us know if you have other suggestions or additions to this as well! (Or simply awesome recipes that I should add to my own stash. Good food ideas are always welcome :-) ). Here are some of our favorites. 

Megan for The Sisterhood

DIY Jewelry Organizers: Less Than $10



"Organization Disaster"

One area that has always been an organization disaster for me, has been my jewelry. Because of the lack of organization, many pieces have not been worn. Thanks to a seed idea seen on a friend's blog, and directions found on several websites, I have been able to transform my once unorganized pile of jewelry into organized wall and dresser-top decorations.

I was able to make two organizers for less than $10.  However, if you can "upcycle" an old picture frame, this project would cost even less.  The following directions explain how I assembled both an 8x10 wall-mounted and a 5x7 dresser top jewlery organizer:

Supplies Needed:

"What you need"

Picture frame
Burlap fabric (enough to cover frame opening)
Hot glue gun and glue
Staple Gun
⅜” Staples
20 guage wire
Small eye hooks (optional)

Directions (8x10 necklace and dangle earrings):

1. Remove glass and backing to the picture frame2. Stretch Wire across the frame opening
3. Apply Glue to the edges of the frame
4. Press edges of the burlap securely into the glue, over the wire (pulling the burlap taunt)
5. Trim the excess burlap
6. Insert staples along the edge of burlap where needed to help secure
7. Replace the frame backing for hanging on the wall
8. Hooks were added to the bottom of the frame for bracelets and other necklaces





Directions (5x7 post earrings):

1. Follow steps 1-6 above
2. Do not add the frame backing in order to access the back of the earrings



Finished Jewelry Organizers

Sarah's Savings: Couponing for Beginners

(c) Microsoft Office

I share the desire that many moms and wives have to save money and stretch goods as far as possible. For the most part, I learned my methods from a friend (through her blog actually) and through just doing it myself and finding my own system. "Extreme couponing" has become a recent craze, and although I don’t have the time or the space to go “extreme,” I have enjoyed some really great deals from applying some basic couponing principles. I want to try to share how someone, with limited funds and stores can get some good deals and make those “goods” and “dollars” last.

The Coupon Pyramid

For me, what worked was visualizing the couponing method as a triangle: the more levels I moved up in the triangle, the smaller my final purchase amounts would be. So here's my couponing pyramid with an explanation of each level.

The Coupon Pyramid

The first level, Store Sales, includes what your store is putting on sale for that week. Sometimes you can access this information online, and sometimes you'll receive it in the mail if you are on their mailing list. If neither of these apply, go into the store, grab a flier and take it home to make your “game plan.” 

On the second level, the Manufacturer's Coupons are a little more widespread for saving on “goods” at any store at any time. There may be times that you have no store coupons, but you could still use a manufacturer’s coupon and save a little bit of money for an item that you must get either way. 

The top-most level, Store Coupons, may involve a little more homework, but it is well worth it! These are the coupons that are meant only for the store you have your eye on for the week. Sometimes their coupons are right inside their fliers and sometimes they are located on their website for printing. I think this level is important for some deep savings because these coupons and the manufacturers can both be used on a single item. In other words, two manufacturer’s coupons or two store coupons will not work on one item, but if you have one of each, then you have more savings!

Beware: Rules & Restrictions

In the area that I live, our stores do not allow a customer to walk out of ANY store paying only with coupons (ie. with carts full of “free goods”). So before you set out for your couponing adventure, make sure you read the rules, both from your store and from your coupons. Let me share a few examples of “rules” you may need to look for. 

• In one of my stores, a customer must purchase a minimum of $25 after coupons and before tax. So when I plan a couponing trip there, I make sure that there are other items (on sale of course) that I need. 
• Some of our stores offer “double coupon days” on certain days of the month. The idea is that they will double the amount on most your manufacturer coupons - and these are the days I plan ahead for! But again, there are rules. Some manufacturer's coupons won’t allow you to double or triple the value, so you have to make sure you read the fine print carefully. And some stores only let you double a certain number of coupons in one transaction. For example, our store says the maximum number of coupons that can be doubled in any transaction is 5. 

It may take a little bit of practice to master the rules relating to couponing, but once you have, you can enjoy the savings.

Some personal illustrations with couponing

Because some of my family members are still in diapers, I love stacking coupons for name brand diapers and getting them for the same price, if not cheaper price than, the off-brands. My family also eats a lot of cereal - 3 boxes a week actually, and that’s just with me and 3 little kids! So I stock up on name brand cereal coupons, wait for a double coupon day and start grabbing boxes off the shelf left and right, most of which end up costing me only a $1 a box. I’ve gotten bags of pretzels and boxes of crackers for $1 a piece. And a few times have gotten milk, coffee creamer and eggs for free. Not only can you find great coupons for food items, but also for health and beauty items. Sometimes the coupons for these items are actually easier to find; and because they don’t spoil, they can save you money longer! I’ve gotten makeup for $2, laundry detergent for $1.50, shampoo for $1, deoderent for 75 cents, body wash for 50 cents and antibacterial wipes for 30 cents (all name-brands as well). I hope this encourages you to look into clipping some coupons and saving some money!