Rise 'n' Shine!

Regular readers of this blog know that I’m a big fan of making your own breakfast goodies, rather than spending money on sugary cereals or frozen pastries. I try to have some type of home-baked good in the house at all times, so that Donnie and I can enjoy a healthy breakfast every day. As a result, I’m always on the lookout for new recipes that are both healthful and delicious.

This recipe for Blueberry Rise ‘n’ Shine Biscuits from Biblical Womanhood certainly fits the bill. The biscuits were incredibly easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious. Because they were made with fresh fruit and whole wheat flour, they stuck with Donnie and me until lunch—something that doesn’t always happen when we eat white flour-based baked goods for breakfast. Best of all, I can tell this recipe will be easily adaptable to whatever fruits are abundant during a given season!

If you’re looking for a simple, tasty, nourishing breakfast recipe, give these Blueberry Rise ‘n’ Shine Biscuits a try. You won’t be sorry!

Photo courtesy of Biblical Womanhood. (Crystal's biscuits turned out much prettier than mine!)

Frugal Fruits (and Veggies!)

One of the best ways I know to save money on produce is to shop at locally owned businesses, rather than supermarket chains. Donnie and I have been faithful customers of a small produce shop in our town since it opened, and as a result we have snagged some fantastic deals on fresh fruits and vegetables.

The prices at this shop are generally lower than those at the grocery store. However, that’s not the only benefit. The owners have come to know us and value our business, so they usually round our total purchase price down at the cash register, saving us a couple bucks a week. They’ve also been known to give us a few pieces of produce to try, for free.

I strongly encourage all of you frugal shoppers who live near a small, locally owned produce shop or stand to take full advantage of it. You’ll save some money, and help a small business owner at the same time. What could be better?

Keep Cool in the Summer Heat

I don't know how the weather has been in the rest of the US, but here in Pennsylvania it has been HOT for the past few weeks. Donnie and I have really struggled to keep our goal of using air conditioning as infrequently as possible.

If you've also been hit by a heat wave, check out the 7 cheapest ways to beat the summer heat, from weather.com. This article has lots of great tips, although it leaves off my favorite: a big bowl of ice cream!

Free Family Football Fun!

It's late July, which means only one thing to football fans: training camp!

Training camp is a great opportunity for your family to enjoy live NFL action, and your kids to meet their favorite players, all without spending a cent. My family makes a point to go to Eagles training camp every year, and we always have a blast!

Click here for more information about your local team's training camp location and activities.

Menu Plan Monday - week of 7/21

We’re having a lot of broccoli this week—not for any particular reason, just because we happen to love it!

Breakfast:

Double chocolate cookies
Oatmeal with peaches and brown sugar

Lunch:
Leftovers
Strawberries
Watermelon

Dinner:

Monday: elbow macaroni with cream cheese basil sauce, Italian sausage, broccoli
Tuesday: pork chops with spicy plum sauce, rice, green beans
Wednesday: Asian-style beef and broccoli over rice
Thursday: nachos topped with spicy steak, homemade refried beans, homemade cheese sauce, and sour cream
Friday: creamy broccoli and potato soup, homemade whole wheat bread
Saturday: fried chicken thighs, broccoli au gratin, mashed potatoes, homemade whole wheat bread

For more great menu plans, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Fabulous Friday Freebies

Metamucil Berry Burst!

Greenies Pet Treats

True Lemon, True Lime, and True Orange

Tide with Dawn Stain Scrubbers

Aveeno Positively Ageless

Cash on the Side

Lately, it seems that everyone I know has not only a traditional job, but also multiple sources of “side income.” This just makes good financial sense in these uncertain economic times.

You don’t have to be a gifted entrepreneur to generate a decent supplemental income. Believe me—I’m not a brilliant business woman, but I have been earning a steady stream of non-salary revenue for over a year now. I certainly don’t plan on quitting my day job any time soon, but I have been able to rest easier knowing that Donnie and I are not entirely dependent upon our paychecks.

Here are some of the ways my friends, family, and coworkers are earning extra cash. How do you diversify your income?

• Planning weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other social events.


• Selling flea market finds on Ebay.


• Providing small-scale home repair and contracting services.


• Teaching music lessons.


• Taking on freelance writing, copy-editing, and graphic design gigs.


• Tutoring.


• Providing consulting and project management services for small businesses.


• Selling craft projects on Etsy.


• Participating in community garage sales and flea markets.


• Singing or playing an instrument at social events.


• Delivering pizzas.


• Selling fresh milk, eggs, produce, and baked goods at farmers’ markets.


• Providing translation services to local businesses.


• Baby-sitting, pet-sitting, or house-sitting.


• Selling homemade dinners to busy coworkers and neighbors.


• Designing, hosting, and maintaining web pages for local businesses.


• Decorating birthday and wedding cakes.


• Providing lawn, garden, and small-scale landscaping services.


• Taking on a paper or phonebook delivery route.


• Doing minor sewing and tailoring work.
  

Bare Bones Budget?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what would happen if Donnie and I were to find ourselves in a serious financial crisis. We already stick to a budget, we don’t buy a lot of “stuff,” and we’re pretty conscientious about cutting corners anywhere we can. If we had to scale back even further, could we do it?

The short answer is, “yes.” Even though we live frugally, there are definitely areas where we could reduce our expenses further. We currently enjoy plenty of non-essential spending, all of which we could eliminate from our budget immediately if need be.

In the event of a true financial crisis, we could save additional funds by making some of these changes:

• More meatless meals. Very few of our meals are entirely vegetarian. If we needed to scale our grocery budget back, we could easily incorporate one or two meatless meals into our menu plan each week. This would not only save money, but also improve our health.

• Ditch the DVR. Donnie and I signed up for TiVo because we work varying hours, and enjoy watching a few of our favorite shows on a weekly basis. In a true financial crisis, we would forego that luxury.

• No new clothes. Donnie and I already spend very little on clothing. When we do shop, we engage in some pretty serious bargain hunting. However, we still spend more than is strictly necessary. My closet is so well stocked that I could probably go the next two or three years without buying new clothes if I had no other choice.

• Stick to the plan. I’m notorious for not sticking to my meal plan. Sometimes I don’t feel like eating the dinner we had intended to make, and sometimes I just don’t feel like cooking at all. We end up making a last minute stop at the grocery store or our favorite fast food place, just to accommodate my whims. In a true financial crisis, I wouldn’t be able to get away with this!

If you had to go on a bare bones budget, what changes would you make?

Frugal Fabulous is BACK!

What a crazy couple of weeks it’s been in the Gregg household. A series of problems with our laptop kept me off the computer for quite some time. Fortunately, Donnie fixed the laptop and I’m back in blogland!

Check back throughout the week for great recipes, tips and tricks to save on household expenses, links to some of my favorite money-saving resources, and the best freebies around. Thanks for stopping by!

SHED Your Stuff!

Earlier this week, the call-in show Radio Times on Philadelphia's WHYY Public Radio featured an hour-long discussion with Julie Morgenstern, author of When Organizing Isn't Enough: SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life.

If you’re interested in learning more about reducing clutter and living a simpler home life, it’s definitely worth a listen!

To hear the entire interview, follow this link.