The Sweet Life On A Budget

  Meal planning is essential to eating healthy, keeping the grocery bill down, and maintaining your sanity throughout a workweek.   In addition to meal planning, I try to meal prep as much as possible over the weekend.   This helps to lower my stress during the week.    However, if we have a particularly busy weekend, I try to plan simple or crockpot meals.    Meal Prep Plan Hard-Boiled Eggs Banana Bread Lunch Salads NOTE- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog posting, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      Breakfast Options:  Yogurt Hard-Boiled Eggs Banana Bread Cereals Weak August 9-15 Monday Mississippi Roast Beef Mashed Potatoes Corn Tuesday Beef Street Tacos (W/ LO Beef) LO Corn Salad  Wednesday  Pasta Bake Salad Garlic Bread  Thursday  Leftovers (Pasta Bake) Friday https://sweetlifeonabudget.blogspot.com/2019/05/pizza-277-per-pie.html Pizza Baked Mushrooms    Saturday BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes Salad

    Making small changes that have big results.  On Friday’s I share weekly deals that cost less than $1.00.   These deals help to keep us on our budget and living The Sweet Life.  Although I do not advocate shopping at a large number of stores during this health crisis, if you are going to a particular store that has a deal- just pick it up too.     Unfortunately, I haven’t been shopping at CVS for a while, so my CRTs are very limited and not exceptional at this point.   As I do more shopping at CVS the better the deals will be.  Start small and grow your experience.      Kroger Deals (August 18-24) ** Check your Best Customer Coupons .      This month I received a Suave Body Wash (16oz), Flora Plant Butter, and OIKOS Yogurt (6oz).    Flintstone Vitamins (70 ct) Cost: $5.99 Kroger: Buy 5 get $5.00 (- 1.00) Coupons: $3.00 (Digital) OOP: $2.00 IBOTTA: $3.00 Final Cost: FREE + $1.01 MM One A Day Vitamins ( 80ct)   Cost: $7.49  Kroger: Buy 5 get $5.00 (- 1.00) Coupon: $3.00 OOP:

  Meal planning is essential to eating healthy, keeping the grocery bill down, and maintaining your sanity throughout a workweek.   In addition to meal planning, I try to meal prep as much as possible over the weekend.   This helps to lower my stress during the week.    However, if we have a particularly busy weekend, I try to plan simple or crockpot meals.    Meal Prep Plan Hard-Boiled Eggs Yogurt Energy Balls Apple Spice Oatmeal Bake Coffee Cake (Pot Luck Breakfast) NOTE- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog posting, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      Breakfast Options:  https://sweetlifeonabudget.blogspot.com/2018/11/making-yogurt-101.html Yogurt Hard-Boiled Eggs Oatmeal Bake Poptarts Weak August 9-15 Monday   Cheese Steak Sandwiches French Fries Vegetable Sticks  Tuesday Street Tacos Salad  Wednesday  Cajun Shrimp Pasta Salad Broccoli Bread  Thursday  Kielbasa Potato Cubes Peppers and Onions  Frid

  So far this year we were able to pick up 149 free items.  Our life has gotten really busy and a little overwhelming, so we are grateful for everything we are able to pick up at such deep discounts.       As always, I am able to secure these items though Kroger incentives, Giant Eagle Advantage Program, Drug Store (Walgreens/CVS)  Rewards programs, sales, Pinch Me, Smart Source, Meijer’s Buy 10 get the 11th free sale, and Rebates Programs (IBOTTA/SavingStar).    Here is my July 2021 list of Free-Bees!   July (43)  3 Airhead Ropes (5 oz)- CVS Sale, ECB, IBOTTA Airhead Bites (6 oz)- CVS Sale, ECB, IBOTTA  Emblem Candy- Spearmint leaves (6 oz)- CVS App Coupon  Soleil Simply Smooth (3ct)- Kroger Sale and Coupon  Colgate Total (3.3 oz)- Kroger Sale and Coupon Colgate Renewal- Kroger Sale and Coupon Colgate 360 Sensitive Toothbrush (1 ct)- Kroger Sale and Coupon  4 Colgate Total Gum Protection (3.3 oz)- CVS Sale, Coupon, Store Coupon, ECB Peanut M & M (1.47 oz)- CVS ECB 2 Starbucks Ins

  Meal planning is essential to eating healthy, keeping the grocery bill down and maintaining your sanity throughout a work week.   In addition to meal planning, I try to meal prep as much as possible over the weekend.   This helps to lower my stress during the week.    However, if we have a particularly busy weekend, I try to plan simple or crockpot meals.    Meal Prep Plan Hard Boiled Eggs Yogurt Energy Balls Hummus NOTE- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog posting, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      Breakfast Options:  https://sweetlifeonabudget.blogspot.com/2018/11/making-yogurt-101.html Yogurt Cereal Hard Boiled Eggs Bagels Weak July 26- August 1 Monday   Jambalaya  Green Beans   Tuesday Burgers French Fries LO Vegetables  Wednesday  Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan  Pasta Salad Bread  Thursday  Out to Eat  Friday   Buffalo Chicken Pizza * Salad Appetizers    Saturday Date Night Sunday Kielbasa  Ric