Frugal Friday 473

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Friday evening Mark and I enjoyed the Scout Leader Party. Mark has been a leader with his pack/troop since he turned 18 and the other leaders are his best friends. This is the first year that I have gone along for the party and it was good to see everyone. Thank you to Kristi for keeping the kids for the evening and for making them dinner.

- Saturday we had a long, slow day at home. We have been running for weeks on end, going to bed way too late, and just generally wearing ourselves down. The boys did a little Saturday morning run for a scout project, I caught up on some work for our homeschool co-op and my book business, and Annabeth enjoyed reading for the day. 

- Sunday evening we enjoyed a free country concert at our church. They played a great mix of Christmas songs, original country songs, some old Gospel songs, and a beautiful version of one of my favorites "The Nails in Your Hands." This was the song that at age 16 I sang as I quietly dedicated my life to the Lord. I had known for years that Jesus died for my sins but on a warm summer night, near a campfire, I closed my eyes and sang that song just to Jesus. I let Him know that "forever my heart, forever my life is yours..." That night was my "heartwarming" moment as I knew Who I lived for, Who I served, and why I would choose to spend my life living Acts 20:24.

- Monday was delightfully sunny! We took a prairie walk around the Trafalgar Library after school. It was great to get some sunshine in.

- Each year, since 2015, Annabeth and I take an annual dessert walk around our town square. A few years ago, she asked if the tradition could be to get Starbucks Snowman cookies for the walk. Monday was so wonderfully, winter warm (43) that we did our walk that night. It was one of our remaining Christmas Bucket List items and while it wasn't free I had built it into our December budget.

- This week I ran my Annual Giving Tree fundraiser with my book business. This year, we will be donating activity books to KIC-IT. We will donate them the first week of January alongside donations from our homeschool co-op as it is our annual service project. Thank you to all who supported this fundraiser!

- The kids enjoyed several Christmas parties this week. Owen had his Cub Scout party and tagged along to the Boy Scout party with Mark. They both also enjoyed a pizza and game night at dance. They took along their teacher gifts - hand painted cards and boxes of chocolate. 

The real cold came in last night and we are thankful for a warm house, time together, and a weekend to celebrate the Savior's birth. 

Happy Savings to All! Merry Christmas to all! 

Frugal Friday 472

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here's how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Friday night the kids and I enjoyed a free Christmas event at a local library. They got their faces painted, played games, looked at Santa and gingerbread houses, and met a live reindeer. We always love the reindeer from Silly Safari - such a fun tradition!

Free Fun! Thanks JCPL

- While we were at the library, Mark attended the Coroner's Christmas Party. They were treated to a very nice dinner and he received some thoughtful gifts from the Coroner's Family and some other deputies. 

- Saturday the kids and I had Christmas with the Eblings. We went to their house so they cooked the meals and we took sides and desserts. We made sure to pitch in with dishes and clean-up as a thank you. We took all the kids down to the Charlestown Christmas Square. They have the most beautiful, well done Christmas music and light show. We love that it's free too! 

- Mark was on call so he stayed home. He finished a HUGE homemade Christmas gift that he has been working on. We're all excited to gift it! He did take a break during the day and did a bit of shopping with his mom. 

- Sunday after church we had lunch at Kristi's. She treated us to pizza, ice cream, and sent home the leftovers. Thank you!

- Tuesday we made homemade gingerbread men. We've never done this before but the kids had it on their checklist so we made them. In the afternoon, we went to the JoCo History Museum for the Tree Walk. We do this every year and even at 11 and 7 my kids think it's a winter wonderland! I love that it's free! 

- Yesterday we enjoyed the Eiteljorg Museum. We got into the museum free with a pass from the library and that also got us access to the beautiful Jingle Rails Exhibit. The library pass saved us $38. We also got our parking validated at the museum saving us $20! 

This has been on my Christmas Bucket List for years but we've never made it

It was WELL worth carving out the day for it! The train part was beautiful!

We had a good, busy week. The kids are counting down to Christmas break and we have 7/10 of our Bucket List finished now. Looking forward to more holiday fun this weekend. 

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 471

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here's how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Saturday Annabeth and I headed to the library for an American Girl Holiday. The event ended up being cancelled but she enjoyed some board games with friends while I had a long chat with a dear friend. God knows best and gave us just what we each needed. The boys did some browsing, without buying, at an antique mall. They did enjoy breakfast out and purchased Annabeth's Christmas gift from Owen.

- Saturday evening we went to the Courthouse Lighting. Our little town is basically a Hallmark Movie town. We browsed some local shops and then walked downtown, stopping to chat with friends. It was a beautiful, clear night and we had a great time.

- Sunday evening we had the Rileys over for dinner. We made a big feast, even person at our house chose a menu item, we had ham and turkey, corn casserole, green bean casserole, and rolls. The little kids provided plenty of entertainment - I love filling our house with people.

- Monday afternoon Christmas came early. My parents are renovating their house and have gifted us the piano from their house. My kids will be the 4th generation to learn to play on it which is so incredibly special to me. I always make time to play when I go visit and it's been wonderful having it here already! For now, I am teaching the kids lessons each day after school. We may eventually graduate to paying a teacher but for now everyone is listening well and practicing their assignments. 

I love the light up tree. It's a family heirloom and this is the first year I have been 

brave enough to put it out since Annabeth was a toddler.

The Joy to the World globe was a special order from my friend's shop 

- The week of Thanksgiving we sat down with the kids and made a Christmas Bucket List. Because we live away from much of our family and because Mark often works the holidays, our Christmas season always looks different. I wanted to make sure that we checked off all of the "must do" items on the kids' lists. I was very glad I asked as they didn't even mention some things I thought they would have to do. They came up with 10 items so we're going to make them happen in December! 

- Tuesday we checked off "Make Christmas Tree Cookies"  The sugar cookies were free as our church gave the kids little Advent kits that included the cookie mix and I had clearance Christmas sprinkles from last year that I had saved.

The little mix was perfect - each kid got to make

and eat 3 cookies. Just the right amount for the week

- Wednesday we had a busy day of appointments so we did not do book work. Instead, the kids made gingerbread houses in the afternoon. I know that we could make some from scratch but it is a rare treat for Annabeth to have store bought items that are safe for her and she really wanted this fun, pink LOL Doll version. I waited until the kits were 20% off and we were able to get both for $17. The kids had a great time!

LOL Doll House

Owen's Puppy and Dog House

- Last night I enjoyed an evening out with the Ladies from our co-op. We each brought a dish to share and fellowshipped while making glass ornaments. It was a lovely evening out with a great message about finding peace. 

We had a busy, fun week! I'm trying to make the most of all of the free holiday fun that the kids chose for our December.

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 470

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here's how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- We spent Thanksgiving - Saturday in Evansville. We had a great visit with family there. I enjoyed a window shopping trip/coffee date with Mama, the kids each had a one-on-one date with their Aunt Lu, and Mark and I snuck in a coffee/shopping date on Shop Small Saturday. We enjoyed Thanksgiving with my dad's side of the family and it was especially special for me to have our kids play with my cousins kids. It was the first time we've had all six together which was wonderful! 

- We had scheduled to put up our Christmas decor after church on Sunday. We got home and Mark said he didn't feel like getting the ladder out, getting the tree out of the attic, etc. So the kids and I put up the Advent calendar, Nativity, etc and then Mark came in from the garage to surprise us with a REAL tree! I often had one growing up and he has always wanted one. It was such a fun surprise for us! 

Our first real tree!
It's been such a treat!

- Last weekend was a big shopping weekend: Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and Cyber Monday. I always say that things are only a good deal if you NEED them. We did some window shopping Black Friday but didn't buy anything. We did Shop Small at Lula Mae's and Dwell in Darmstadt. We purchased two Christmas gifts and local coffee/breakfast. As for Cyber Monday, I did splurge on an item I've had my eye on forever! I was able to save over 50% so I decided to support their small business and finally buy it. It's Disney related so we'll just have to go back soon so I can wear it.

- Instead of donating to a charity for Giving Tuesday, we shopped for the Angel Tree at our church. Each of the kids had chosen tags that said "Craft Kit - Ages 10-14." They really enjoyed walking the aisles of the store and looking for the perfect kits. We also sorted through our Christmas decor and will also be donating gently used items to a project at church. 

- We ate our meals at home this week. It was a hectic week and it would have been MUCH easier to stop for fast food but we opted not to. Mark and I also chose to cook-in for our date night this week. Mark made pork chops, green bean casserole, and stuffing. It was great and obviously way more affordable than eating out.

- Yesterday was our co-op's Christmas party. As part of the celebrations, we had a Craft/Small Business Bazaar. Annabeth and Mark made scrunchies for her to sell and I took along some of my Usborne and Kane Miller books. Annabeth nearly sold out of scrunchies and I sold a good bit of stocking stuffer type books. The kids had the most wonderful time playing games, eating snacks, and completing STEAM Christmas activities.

Ready for Christmas!

Owen and I wore our Christmas shirts from our Disney Trip

Annabeth is on Year #4 for her sweater, a gift from Angie O'Leary 

and Year 2 for her dress which was thrifted.

- Last night Annabeth attended a Brick Bot class at a local library. She has loved this series of free classes. 

We are looking forward to a fun weekend with more free activities at our local libraries and time with family. 

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 469 - Disney Edition

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here's how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money these past two weeks: 

I said two weeks ago that I would be back after my annual social media break with a BIG Frugal Friday Post and here it is! We spent over 10 days on vacation and I want to share where we spent money, how we saved money, and how we got a sit-down meal for FREE!

- Friday, November 11 we drove down to my parents house for the night. They generously kept Oscar for us while we were gone, a huge savings as we paid several hundred dollars to dog sitters over the summer. We did bring back little Disney treats for them as a "Thank You" but I know they really love having a pup around as well. 

- Saturday we drove just under 8 hours from Evansville to Barnesville, GA. We spent the night in an incredible old cabin! The cabin was on a working cattle/sheep farm so we enjoyed a good wander around the property looking at all of the animals. They had a sweet, old blue heeler who walked with us and asked the kids to play fetch over and over. The actual cabin was really, really neat and we enjoyed lighting just one candle at the kitchen table to see how pioneers would have read at night. We all slept up in the loft that night which led to a great time talking about the Ingalls Family. I loved paying real people on AirBnb vs a chain hotel. It was just $108 for the night. 

Outside the cabin

The main floor had a small kitchen area, table, chairs, and a neat

old fashioned bathroom in the back. The kids were afraid of the claw foot tub.

The cozy loft was perfect with a full bed and two twins. 

- Sunday morning we were up before the rooster crowed, literally - it was just beginning to crow as we packed the car. We drove the rest of the way to Orlando and checked into our hotel. This Disney Trip we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in a Royal Guest Room. This was a splurge but was so very important to Annabeth. She LOVED having the Princess Tiana themed room, resort shop, and cafe as that is her favorite princess. Since we paid a bit more for the hotel this year, we did not do any sit-down dining at the parks.

- We took our own breakfast foods, snacks, desserts, and water to the hotel/parks. This meant no one asked to buy drinks or to stop to eat outside of meal times where we had to buy food. We also took advantage of huge Disney portions and split meals and enjoyed the $20 resort pizza deal. 

- This year we did splurge on Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. At 7 and 11, the kids really didn't have very much of a Christmas list this year. They don't play with toys as much now and we have plenty of games. They also didn't really need anything for their activities or sports so we opted for this experience to be their gift. With the tickets we got 8 hours in Magic Kingdom with limited attendance (no lines!), cookies and special holiday drinks while at the park, keepsake ornaments, and keepsake artwork. This was a great Christmas gift and other than the ornaments in the ornament boxes - zero clutter!

Christmas and Disney Magic

- We went to Disney in 2020 and 2021 so we felt pretty confident that the kids have all of the souvenirs that they really needed/wanted. We agreed ahead of time that if someone saw something that loved we would consider buying it but overall the plan was to have the kids spend their own money. They had each saved quite a bit from birthday money, lemonade stand, and gifts from the grandparents. It was fun to watch them budget and to see what they bought. The last night, Mark did give them each $20 to spend at the Christmas Party. I think they could have done without those souvenirs as there weren't any holiday party specific ones for sale but he loves buying them things so all were happy. 

They each opted to buy a Resort Cup.

You buy once and then can refill it all week for free.

They loved getting juice or sprite in it and it is a decent cup that comes home and still

gets used. 

Owen's Favorite Souvenir

This $10 sword from Pirates of the Caribbean made him SO happy!

Annabeth's Favorite Souvenir

This little Princess Tiana doll and extra outfit for her. She had seen something

similar last year and had purposely saved for one this year.

- My all time most favorite restaurant is Rainforest Cafe. Since we were headed to Animal Kingdom this year, I knew I wanted to eat there. The kids love it but Mark isn't too thrilled by the atmosphere or food. I saved my Ibotta points all summer and was able to earn a gift card that paid for all but $0.14 of the meal! This is a frugal reminder that asking for, and saving gift cards, for the trip is a great way to off set costs!

- Before the trip, we took advantage of Meijer's 10% off gift card deals throughout the year. We were able to get $100 off our trip with these coupons! 

- We drove home a bit of a long way this year, through Alabama so the kids could check it off their "States to Visit" list. We stayed the night at a chain hotel, I couldn't find an airbnb or anything locally owned near our activity, but scored a great deal for just $111 for the night with free breakfast! 

- Saturday morning we drove an hour into the mountains and hiked at Cheaha State Park. This park contains the highest point in Alabama so we figured the kids would get a great view of this new state to visit! Our stay was pretty far off the interstate so the kids were able to see some neat old towns, farms, and mountains to get a feel for mid and northern Alabama. Admission to the state park was just $14 for our family. 

We climbed to the top of the Observation Tower so we would officially

be at the Highest Point in Alabama

The view from our Pulpit Rock hike

Nature Photography by Mark

- We had saved Papa John's rewards so we had a free pizza the night we came home. That made an easy dinner the night we came home to unpack.

- I had also saved a Starbucks reward for after our trip. I picked up a coffee for the Monday that I was unpacking and cleaning. 

- If you are interested in planning your own incredible vacation - please reach out! It's my pleasure to offer my free services to clients who are ready to travel! You can find me on Facebook or via e-mail at a.riley@magicalvacationplanner.com 

We truly had the most wonderful time away. I love being away, just the four of us, and really connecting. We love driving because it saves money but also because I think some of our sweetest memories will be spent singing, talking, and laughing on those car rides. I am thankful the our children can appreciate the magic of Disney on the same trip that we visit a farm and hike a mountain. I pray they always explore, wander, and wonder at the marvels of God's creation. 

This Thanksgiving Weekend means I've been blogging over 14 years. Thank you for joining us on our journey to "owe no man anything but love."

Happy Savings to All!

Frugal Friday 468

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here's how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Saturday morning Mark and the kids hiked with Owen's Cub Scout Den. It was windy and drizzly but they didn't mind at all! They had a great time! 

- While they were out, I hosted a Ladies' Morning Out for our homeschool co-op. We had a nice, small group which made for great conversation. I made two kids of egg white bites, apple pie french toast, and chocolate chip pumpkin bread. We had a ton of leftovers and which worked well for Saturday lunch and Sunday dinner.

- Sunday after church we went to Kristi's house for lunch. She made chili, Mark made cornbread muffins, and we spent a long, slow afternoon together. The kids and Kristi played games while I took a nap - it was glorious! We also all watched a movie together. She sent us home with blueberries and turkey - thank you!

- Mark had another sale from his Etsy Shop. While he hasn't had time to build a lot of stock for his shop, I know he's really enjoyed a lot of custom projects for family/friends and is working on a lot of Christmas gifts as well. 

- I ran a quick Inventory Sale in my Usborne Books & More VIP Group. The income from this covered Owen's surprise math book buy as well as his haircut this week. 

- Tuesday evening Mark volunteered at the Eagle Board. As a result, Owen didn't have Cub Scouts. Annabeth had dance so O and I threw his bike in the back of the car and biked/walked at the high school trail. It was a gorgeous night!

I cannot believe how many 70 and sunny days we've had in November!

Praise the Lord!

- Sometimes we have to spend money to save money later. This week on a Homeschool Sale page Owen's math books for next year came up. They were over 50% off the SALE price that I usually buy them for. They also included the teacher manual, which I didn't buy Annabeth's 3rd grade year, so I felt like it really was a great deal! Saved: $50+ 

- Owen is taking a P.E. Class at Franklin College this month. Annabeth took this same class when she was younger and he is SO excited that it's his turn! 

We are looking forward to a wonderful weekend with family. We'll see you back in 2 weeks for a mega Frugal Friday after my annual social media break! 

Happy Savings to All! 

Frugal Friday 467

 Happy Frugal Friday!

Here's how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Friday night we drove down to Evansville for the weekend. For the first time since December, Mark was able to come with us! This was such a HUGE blessing as he is on call year-round. We are thankful to State Police for covering for the weekend.

- We enjoyed a wonderful weekend with my family in Evansville/Owensboro. My parents and Momaw spoiled us with eat out meals and coffee. We also did a bit of window shopping at the little stores in Darmstadt. 

- Saturday morning we made our annual trip to Goebel Farms for pumpkins. This has been my family's pumpkin shop since I was a little girl and I love taking our kids. The farm has added some new features over the years like petting zoo area, corn to play in, photo props, etc but other than the corn maze/hayrides it's all still free! We did buy three pumpkins and spent just $14.

- We drove back home Sunday afternoon. I made sure to have a quick, easy dinner on hand in the freezer so we wouldn't be tempted to stop for fast food or to order pizza. That often becomes our go-to when coming back in town and really adds to the cost of the weekend away. Simply planning ahead helped us save a bundle on that meal. 

- Monday was Halloween. I have had really mixed emotions over the years about how much "Halloween" we want to really do/celebrate with our kids. We've traditionally let them dress up, do church events, and a bit of trick-or-treat. Many years, like this year, Halloween fell on a dance night so the kids just wore their costumes to class and got candy from the studio. That afternoon we did read a Sherlock Holmes novel, carved pumpkins, and roasted pumpkin seeds. 

Annabeth as "Luna Lovegood" and Owen as a "Sheriff" 

with their freshly carved pumpkins. The mums are from a fall fundraiser.

- We did our weekly grocery shop for $78. This was more than I wanted to spend but we are hosting some company this weekend so I needed a bit extra in the budget to allow for that. I did carefully use meat and veggies from our freezer for dinners and apples and applesauce for some quick homemade muffins.

- We did a deep clean of our schoolroom area. We have a new piece of furniture coming later this year so we'll need to move some other things around. This was good motivation to really sort through the current books, artwork, etc and to get everything tidy again. I also wanted it to get done ahead of company coming this weekend. 

- Earlier this fall I bought several items from the Matilda Jane Good Luck Trunk Sale. One was a top for me that I didn't love the fit on. It is very fall and yet I haven't pulled it out to wear it all season. I listed it online and sold it for more than I bought it for! I'm much happier to have the money to spend on something I really want vs something I "might wear sometime."

- Yesterday the kids and I enjoyed a field trip with our homeschool co-op to the Kids Commons Museum in Columbus. The price of this museum has really increased since the last time we went. It would have been $27 for the kids and me on a regular day. With our field trip we had special pricing so it was just $12 so $15 saved! We opted for street parking that was free vs a paid parking garage. 

- Last night, Annabeth enjoyed a Lego robotics class at a local library. I am SO thankful that our libraries provide so many classes for our kids to enjoy. Owen made some new friends in the kids' area and built with magnitiles. 

- Mark worked days and several nights this week. By last night, I was ready for a break so I opted to grab a pizza on the way home from the library. We used a giftcard so it was free! 

My favorite moment of the week was Friday night when my sister came over. She had on a great Colorado sweatshirt with trees on it. I said, "Have you been to Colorado?" to which she replied, "Nope. I just liked this shirt I found while thrifitng." I laughed as I was also wearing a Colorado sweatshirt, with flowers, that I had found while thriftintg. We often show up in similar outfits and it always makes me laugh! 

We are thankful for another beautiful, fall week. Mark worked 18+ hour days but his team did some critical work in our area. We covet your prayers for law enforcement, for the good they do that no one ever sees, for the lives saved by their steadfastness, and I ask you especially to pray for offenders with evil in their hearts. Pray that they will resist sin, lean on Jesus, and do what is right. 

Happy Savings to All.