Summer Fun Bag Part 2: Preschool basket

Hi!  I am back today to share with you what I put in my preschooler's Summer Fun basket!

We also used this on a recent road trip--both the basket and the some of the contents were PERFECT for keeping busy in the car (bonus!!)

Here is a list of items I included:

I found these great books and flashcards at the dollar store.

Cost: $3

These are some more of the "bought" items I included.  The button lacing kit and wood stick kits were just $.69 each at a local discount store.

The magnetic Go Fish game was on clearance at World Market for $3.

The plastic plate/bowl/cup was from Target at $.50 each

I made the Date with Mom and Date with Dad coupons from the idea I found on this website.

Cost: $5.90

I made these File Folder games from Dollar store flashcards.

I love the idea of File Folder games, but didn't want to shell out the money right now for something like this (although it does look very cool!)

I am notorious for waiting until the last minute to do this sort of creative thing

(a personality flaw developed in my life after kids.)

I included a pocket for the extra pieces on the front using CD envelopes I had on hand.

Cost for 3 letter-match file folder games: $1

More printables!

I loved the UP Adventure book look alike (complete with badges) from Family.com to encourage summer exploration activities.

And the Passport (like the one from the Elementary bag) is an amazing tool to help the kids while I run errands.

Cost: $0

If you are at all familiar with the idea of "Busy Bags" for toddlers and preschoolers, you should DEFINITELY look into it!  It is basically a self-contained game to help the kids practice skills--everything from fine motor to letters and numbers!  There are TONS of ideas out there and I have some pinned on my Summer Fun Pinterest Board and Kids Crafts.

I made the Clothespin Number Match (11-20)

Numbers Flip book (1-10)

Popsicle stick drop (letters, numbers and shapes) 

{Scroll down to see the post that inspired this activity!}

Cost for all was $1 for the clothespins+popsicle sticks.

The last idea I LOVE LOVE LOVE.  

Here is the concept: Get an old board book, paint with chalkboard paint, then let the kids go crazy drawing on it and then wiping it off.

As you can see, I added some drawing "prompts" to the book.  I will try to get some pics of more of the pages soon.  I used a silver Sharpie to draw the prompts.

I was inspired by this chalkboard book.

Cost: $3.50 for the paint.

We had the chalk (as evidenced by the torn box!)

After adding in the glowsticks and candy ($.75) 

and the $1 basket I was DONE.

Total cost: $16.15

It was $1.15 over my budget, due mainly to the extra splurge at the dollar store. 

 I wasn't expecting to find the awesome workbooks and flashcards!

If you missed the other Summer Fun bag I did in Part One, you can find it here:

Elementary Summer Fun Bag

I think these ideas are great for keeping the kids busy everyday (not just in the summer!)

Coming soon the Toddler Summer Fun Basket!

Travel

Here is a little freebie for you. My friend, Marji, passed this exhaustive list onto me many years ago (it used to include things like diapers, bottles and baby paraphernalia) but I have edited it to fit our needs now.  This is THE BEST THING because there is little I have to "try to remember" as I am packing.

Here is why it works:

1. I don't have to remember things while I will (inevitably) get distracted about a dozen times while trying to pack up our family of five.

2. I don't forget anything.  This list is TRIED AND TRUE.  I have used it for years and I have found it fool proof. In other words--we never forget stuff! (And I really mean never!) 

I recently found a similar list from the Container Store for $11.  What?  Yes. Really.  After Marji and I pined after all the money we could have made from her list, we decided to share (as she did with me several years, and kids, ago) for FREE.

So here you go: in case you are traveling this Spring Break or over the summer or sometime in the future (which I hope you will be!)  Print out a new copy whenever you need it.

Marji wanted to leave you one last tip for using the list: 

"Write the weather/temperature of the place you are traveling on the list so you can pack accordingly. And cross off anything you don't need for that particular trip prior to packing."

And big thank you to Marji for the helpful list!!

I hope it makes your packing a lot easier too!!

Download here:

Travel Checklist

Finding Your Couponing Groove

Now that I have been "scaling back" my blogging and couponing (which, by the way, I'm sure you're GLAD now that I don't blow up your newsfeed throughout the day) I only check "coupon stuff" about once a day. (GASP!)

 Sometimes it's mornings, and sometimes it's in the afternoons or evenings. In doing so, I inevitably miss a few deals (and some that I would have really liked to have gotten!).  But this is just a reminder that ANY SAVINGS IS BETTER THAN NONE and (say it with me) EVERYTHING GOES ON SALE AGAIN EVENTUALLY. 

I love to save, but sometimes it isn't possible.  Like today--I NEEDED toilet paper and the request from the husband was to "quit buying the scratchy kind you always get on sale."  So there I was, paying full price for some nice soft Charmin today at Publix.  

I just wanted to share that because couponing doesn't have to be like another job that takes lots of time.....IT SO DOES NOT!  It's a way of life, just like eating healthy or working out.  It's a conscious decision to do WHAT you can to make sure you are saving as MUCH as you can with the time you have.  It's shopping CONSCIOUSLY.  EDUCATING yourself on grocery sales cycles and pricing. Making a commitment to a self-awareness about what is going in your cart. ORGANIZING your shopping trips and not just walking into a store without a plan.

I have been couponing for the last seven years.  SEVEN.  I have found what works for me after many, many trials and errors. So if you are new and just dipping your toes in this pool of couponing, keep in mind that developing what works for you takes time, practice and patience.

If you come to one of my coupon classes, you will hear me say that saving any money is better than you were doing before coming to my class. I mean it.  If saving 20% on $100 grocery bill each  week makes you happy (which it should!) then you are saving $80 a month!  Eighty-dollars: Just from making some small changes after coming to a class. 

Try not to compare your trips to the ones you see online where people have saved 80% or 90%.  That is rare (and to be applauded) but it's not the norm.  

And, by all means, if you have been going at it and are getting burned out--do what I have done--SCALE BACK!  TAKE A BREAK!  LET SOME DEALS GO!  I promise you will settle into what works for you.

This Spring I will be starting a series where I address some frequently asked coupon questions! I think it will really help clarify many confusing issues for you!

I would love to have you weigh-in on your most perplexing coupon issues!  

Customizing your weekly meal plan (E-MEALZ)

It's no secret that I use and love E-mealz!  Today I wanted to share with you exactly HOW I use it in conjunction with my couponing and money saving efforts.

First things first--what IS E-mealz?  E-mealz is a meal planning service.  You sign up for a subscription based on store, diet, family preference, etc.... Then each week you log on and download your 7-day meal plan with complete instructions and suggestions for sides.  You also get a grocery list--conveniently divided by sections of the store--that you can take when you go shopping. Check it out and see ALL the meal plans they have for different stores and diet preferences (including organic and gluten-free meal plans!!) 

Today I want to share with you my FIVE steps for customizing my weekly E-mealz meal plan for our family.  It takes about 10 minutes TOTAL, but helps me make it work best for our family and save me some more money in the process.

1. Print your list and decide your meals

Some weeks I make all 7 meals, while other weeks I may scale it back to 4 or 5 depending on what we have going on that week (or what leftovers we still have in the fridge.)  You can see this week I am cooking 4 of the meals on the list.

2. Cross off ingredients

Next I work off my grocery list and cross off any ingredients from the meals I am NOT making (in this case meals 1, 2 and 3) so I don't have to search through the entire list while at the store.  I also cross off the staples list at the bottom for the meals I am not cooking that week.

3. Shop your stockpile

As a couponer, I have a stockpile in my pantry, freezer and fridge, so that is my first "shopping trip!"  I consult the remaining ingredients and cross off any I already have in my stockpile.  I also make any necessary changes to quantities.  For example, if I originally needed 2 onions for my meals, but I have one already, then I change that quantity on my list to just 1 onion.  

I also use this opportunity to decide what substitutions I can make.  If one of the meals pairs the Tilapia with some brown rice, but I have a box of Rice-a-roni in the pantry, I make a note of that on my weekly menu.  Then I cross the brown rice off my grocery list.

By simply shopping my stockpile I am using what I have and reducing my out of pocket expenses when I go shopping.

4. Highlight purchases

Next, I go through my list with a highlighter and mark what I will be purchasing at the store. Although this isn't a ground breaking step, it certainly helps you to shop quickly when you have two cranky toddlers with you right before lunch time!  Plus I ensure that I don't miss anything when I am at the store.  This is just one little thing, but it has really made a big difference in my time in the store!

5. Search for coupons

Finally, I look at my list of highlighted ingredients and I search for coupons.  The easiest way I find to do this is by using a Coupon Database that you will most likely find on your favorite coupon matchup website.  

For example you can see from my list that one of my ingredients is Keebler Townhouse crackers and the E-mealz team has noted it is on a BOGO sale at my store this week.  So I will go to the coupon database and search for those crackers to find any coupons that I can use to go with that sale.  You can also simply search the term "Crackers" if you aren't brand specific to also find coupons that way.  The coupon database will tell you WHERE to find the coupons--either in a past insert, or in printable form.  I love taking just a few minutes to check some of the ingredients with this database as I find I can usually shave another $5 off my total weekly grocery bill for this meal plan.

Here is an example searching for cream cheese coupons:

After I have all that done, I do some quick math to add up what my total should be (pre tax) after coupons and sales.  You can see from my list that I am going to be able to get my 4 meals this week for just $35!  That is under $10 a meal that will feed us and leave some left overs for our "left over" night we have every week.

Not bad!

This really does make my life so simple and I am never left to wonder what we are going to do for dinner!  I usually go shopping over the weekend in a separate trip from my weekly "couponing shopping trip." This is my Monday- Friday menu, so I want to pick up the necessary items, along with the fresh ingredients, only a few days before I use them.

I hope you will give E-mealz a try!  They have been so so kind and given my readers an EXCLUSIVE code to save 15% off your subscription. Click any of the E-mealz icons to get your subscription started!   I ask that you become a follower here and on Facebook in order to use this code and save 15%: MOMUMENTAL.

Week 1 Lesson 3: Organizational methods

Today's lesson includes HOW to organize all those coupons!
There are two basic methods: clip or file.

• Clipping the coupons includes clipping them all out and organizing them into a box, binder or envelopes.
• Filing simply allows you to take the weekly coupon inserts, write the date on the front, and file it in a hanging file.

I do a combination of the two--

1. I have a coupon binder where I file miscellaneous coupons or internet printables, store coupons, target coupons, mailers, etc.  I organize these by type of food or product.
2. When I go to the store, I pull the coupons I need and place them in a small envelope with my grocery list on the outside!  Easy peasy!
3. I also take the Sunday inserts and file them by date.  I would like to be able to clip them all and file them in my binder, but most weeks I don't have time for that!  Maybe one day!  For now, this works for me!

I want to refer you to a great video on how to organize your coupons.  Hip2save has a video blog (a vlog, if you will) that goes through how to set up a coupon binder and in her second vlog, she takes a shopping trip to Walmart to walk you through buying the pieces and the cost of the binder.  Watch her here.

I will try to get pictures of my binder, file and envelopes over the weekend, but for now Disney calls!