Here is the next installment of EML‘s money saving tips.
Homemade
Making things from scratch is a great way to save money and you have the added benefit of knowing exactly what is in your food. While it does take some planning it is well worth the effort and time. For the past week, I have been trying to make more things rather than just buying them and so far I have been happy with the results.
These are some of the things I have made in the past week:
Wheat bread
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Whole-Wheat-Honey-Bread/Detail.aspx
This was good, but got hard very quickly. I am still trying to find a better recipe.
White bread
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Light-Oat-Bread/Detail.aspx
This one is really good.
Wheat hamburger buns
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Wheat-Sandwich-Rolls/Detail.aspx
I used all wheat flour and added some vidal wheat gluten. I would use something that is at least 4 inch to form the buns or they will be a little small.
Apple sauce
http://www.pickyourown.org/applesauce.htm
Apples were dirt cheap last week so I bought 12 lbs and made 4 quarts of apple sauce. It came out to be around $1 cheaper than store bought apple sauce.
Baby food
Home-made baby food is so easy to make that I don’t think I would ever buy jars of food. Using a steam basket, I place the vegetable/fruit and steam for 10-15 mins. Then I just place in the blender and make the puree. If it needs to be thinned downed, then I add the water from the pan. I pour the puree into ice cube trays and freeze. Once they are frozen, I pop them out and store them into a freezer bag/container. Then when my daughter wants to eat, I just take out 2-3 cubes and defrost in the microwave. I currently have around 12 different fruits and vegetable in the freezer ready to be eaten.
Snack Packs
I used to buy the pre-made snack bags of chips, crackers, etc for my husband’s lunch because it was just easier, but I knew that it cost more so last week I decided to make my own. It is actually very easy if I do it all at one time. I divided the chips, etc into serving sizes and then put them in those fold over lunch bags which are cheaper than the Ziploc snack bags. Then to keep them fresh I put everything into a Tupperware.
To make bread products, I would recommended getting a bread machine. It makes things much easier. I was able to get mine for free, but I always see them at thrift stores for $10-$20. I think it would pay for itself after a few weeks depending on how often you use it. The average loaf of wheat bread cost $3-$5 and it only cost me around .80 – $1 for an all wheat loaf. I will make the dough in the machine and then bake in the oven, but when I am short on time I just put everything in the machine and 2 hours later I have a loaf of bread.
This week I am going to try making some tortillas, waffles/pancakes mix, English muffins, granola, and hot chocolate mix. I will let you know if I find any good recipes. Let me know what home-made items you make to save some money.
Category Archives: family life
Tightwad Tuesday – Part 3: Homemade
Cleaning the House
One of Andrew’s favorite pastimes is to dump out his snack bag of cheerios. The other day he did it again so I handed him the vacuum to clean up the mess himself. He did a good job but all the work made him hungry. He decided to just eat the last ones left on the floor. Now if I could get him to do the laundry, I’d be set.
A Word to Mothers
I had plenty to think about when I read this during my prayer time.
“Just as love begins at home, so also peace and the women being the heart of the family – let us pray that we women realize the reason of existence is to love and be loved and through this love become an instrument of peace.”
– Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, October 26, 1991
Gifts for a Pregnant Mom
I received these as gifts for my pregnancy and I love both of them!
Book: Prayerfully Expecting by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle
This book is a beautiful compilation of prayers! Each month begins with a summary of how your baby is growing and then various prayers and novenas that can be said for you, your baby and your family. At the end of each chapter there is a space for you write your own reflections. I have really been enjoying this book! (And I think it would be a great idea to save the book and give it to your child as a gift when they are older. It would be cool to read what your mom was thinking and praying when she was pregnant with you.)
Pregnancy Calendar by Russ
When I pregnant with Bella, a friend gave me the Pregnancy Calendar by Russ. I loved using it and had bought another one when I was pregnant with Andrew. For Baby 3, there is an updated version that replaces the “80’s look” of the older version. (As pictured above.)
You fill in the calendar with your own dates and each week tells you something about your baby’s development and each month has helpful hints for your pregnancy. There are also plenty of stickers to record things such as when you told your family or when you felt the first kick or when you had your baby shower. I hung the calendar in the kitchen and Bella loves to see what day we are on and what is happening that week. We’ve had a lot of fun using it.
Friday Fill-In # 108: The Baby Announcement Edition
It’d been ages and I could use a bit of diversion so here is today’s Friday Fill-In: Baby Edition. (Feel free to add your own fill ins in the comment box.)
1. Oh, I am so pregnant! (Well not really, just ten weeks.)
2. Life changes, big and little.
3. During my first nine weeks, I still didn’t believe it. (I don’t know why I am still in a bit of shock. It wasn’t a complete surprise.)
4. I will have a rambunctious two year old and a newborn in the house; are you kidding me??? (I thought those moms were admirable but crazy. Haha!)
5. Right now I’d like to be taking a nap. (I forgot how stinkin’ tired you get!)
6. My phone is my favorite gadget. (“Sweetie, can you bring home dinner?”)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to having some mother/daughter time with Bella at her Little Flowers Club, tomorrow my plans include getting some bloodwork done and Sunday, I want to just thank God for the blessing of new life!
************
Yes, it is true. We are expecting baby #3. We had been praying about it and decided that after Andrew turned 18 months we’d be ready for another if God should choose to send one. Since we had such a hard time conceiving Bella and Andrew, we assumed that it would be awhile before conceiving again but God had other plans. It happened the first month we tried.
As soon as I realized I was pregnant I called the long-distance Catholic doctor who had been helping me with my infertility/miscarriages. She tested my progesterone and it was low so she put me on it immediately. When I was 6 Ā½ weeks along (and the baby just over 4 weeks old) I went to my local doc and had my first prenatal appointment. Brian and I saw the ultrasound of the baby and heard the heart beating loud and strong. Can you believe that?? At so little and so young?? (How can someone not be touched by the miracle of life?)
I am now starting my tenth week and so far everything seems to be going okay. The baby is due August 28 and I hope by then it has all sunk in. It still seems a bit dream-like. Please keep me and the baby in prayer that we have a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery. I’ll keep you posted as the weeks go by! š
Have a blessed weekend. Love, b.