Eat Out For Less- Steak Dinner For Under $20!

Daniel and I do not eat out very often.  It is hard to justify the added expense of eating out when we are trying so hard to save money.  We occasionally splurge on Subway or a $5 pizza, but we typically stick with our menu plan and eat at home.  We make an exception for some special occasions, like our anniversary.

This year we went to Smitty's Pancake and Steak house in Idaho Falls to celebrate our anniversary.  We could have chosen to drink water, share a main dish, and skip desert to cut back on cost.  Instead, we were able to get a nicer meal for less by using a restaurant.com gift certificate.  Here is how our meal worked:

Subtotal: $35.18
Gratuity: $6.33
Tax: $.61
Used $25.00 Gift Certificate from Restaurants.com
Total: $17.12 + $2 for Gift Certificate

So we were able to enjoy a steak dinner for under $20.  If you are planning on spending money eating out, check out the gift certificates available at restaurant.com.  You can get more of a meal for less.  Each certificate has requirements you must meet to use it. 

Our Gift Certificate Requirements:

• Spend at least $35.00 before gratuity & taxes
• Pay 18% Gratuity
• Valid for Dinner Only
• Not Valid Friday or Saturday

Right now you can get a $25 restaurant gift certificate for $2.00 at Restaurant.com.  Just used the coupon code MEAL at checkout.  They go on sale often for under $5- so always watch for the codes! 

If you are planning on going out for dinner for Valentine's Day, this could be a great way to get more for less!

My Freezer Cooking Day

Yesterday I had a mini freezer cooking day.  I froze a batch of pumpkin muffins, 1 batch of pumpkin pancakes (Daniel and I decided to try this and see if we like them warmed up before I freeze a bunch), 1 batch of bread machine rolls, and (6) 3/4 cup bags of squash.

I started the day by cooking a squash from my mother.  I cut the squash in thirds, removed the seeds, and cooked the squash for 2 1/2 hours. 

Then I scooped out the squash and blended it until it was smooth.  This is what I used to make the muffins and pancakes.  Then I froze the rest to use later.

Having quick snacks and meals in the freezer really helps us to stick to our budget.  It gives us quick options for dinner when we don't feel like cooking.  The last month I have tried to stock my freezer for the first few weeks after our baby is born.  Hopefully this preparation will allow us to eat well and stay within our budget!

Does Money Bring Us Happiness?

This is a topic that can be debated back and forth and have logical points on both sides.  I recently thought of a quote from the movie Cool Runnings that summarizes my feelings toward money and happiness.

"If you're not enough without it,

you'll never be enough with it." 

I believe that if we can learn to be happy with what we have & live within our means then we can always find happiness- through the good and bad financial times in our lives.

There are several couples that I look up to as financial examples in my life.  The biggest is my parents.  They have always worked hard to stay out of debt and live within their means.  Over the past few years as many families have struggled with finances due to the economy, my parents have not been nearly as affected.  Sure, things are tight, but they have learned to be grateful for what they have instead of focussing on all the things they would like to have.

It is easy to say, "when we have more money..." Instead we should try to focus on all of our blessings. Focus on what we do have and be happy- whether it be a lot or a little.  Through the meager years our family camping trip may need to be a tent in the back yard because we can't afford the gas, time off, or camping site fees- but we can have a lot of fun camping in the backyard for free!  If we are happy with a little, as our income increases and times are good, we will be able to save more and give more to others.

My conclusion is that hapiness comes from being grateful.  You can always want more- more vacation time, more money to spend on vacations, more nice clothes, a bigger house, and the list goes on.  Instead of getting into that mind frame- let's practice gratitude. 

Happiness comes from being truely grateful for the blessings the Lord has given us and being willing to give and share all that we have with others.

Harvesting and Freezing Vegetables

Daniel and I spent Monday night harvesting and freezing vegetables from our garden. It has been so fun to have the garden and learn from that experience. It has also been great to have the produce! We have enjoyed a lot of yellow squash, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, and peppers.

We are trying to preserve as much from our garden as we can to help cut the cost of buying produce throughout this next year. Last year I experimented with canning, which was a lot of fun. This year I do not have access to the canning equipment, so we decided to freeze what we could.

The great thing about freezing is that anyone can do it. It does not take any special equipment- just a little bit of your time. I have written posts about freezing corn, tomatoes, and green chilies.

I plan to use the corn & tomatoes in taco soup this winter. I will also use the tomatoes in other soups and sauces. The chilies are for chicken enchiladas and other Mexican dishes.

This weekend I will be spending time with my mother canning apple sauce.  We want to have this for when our baby can start eating soft foods.  I also plan to freeze pumpkin this year.  We baked and froze pumpkin last year and have loved it!  I will share directions and recipes on that later on.

Preserving fruits and vegetables does take a little time.  I definitely think it is worth the time.  I really enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that I did it myself.  I also feel good knowing what is in the food I am eating.  In my experience, it is very cost effective.  All of the produce we have preserved comes from our garden or our friends.  Since we were able to plant our garden for close to nothing, thanks to my generous mother, the food we are saving is close to free.  Canning & preserving is not for everyone, but it is one way that we have saved money on eating healthy.

I am so excited to start the winter with a well stocked freezer!

Find Joy in the Journey

Daniel and I went on a beautiful relaxing camping trip & hike last weekend. As we began our hike, I stopped quite often to take pictures of us and the scenery along the trail. Daniel made a teasing comment that we could take a lot of pictures, but we were not going to get to our destination very quickly.

I realized that sometimes our destination becomes such a big focus that we forget to enjoy the journey- not only while hiking, but in the frugal life of budgets and saving.

We live on a very strict budget with the goal of getting through vet school with as little debt as possible. Once we get in to vet school, hopefully next fall, we will have 4 years of life as a vet school student and family. We will not have a lot of extras and we will try to live on next to nothing. But over the course of the next 5 years, we will take breaks from coupon shopping, we will splurge on an occasional treat, we will save money for family trips, and we will find joy in the simple things in every day life.

The amazing part of working towards being debt free and living on a budget is the freedom that comes from it. Everyday I gain a greater love for the power of savings and being self reliant. We can save for Vet school, we can save for our new baby, and we can also save for vacations and fun family activities. It is important to use your budget to plan your life completely- including the fun as well as the necessities.

Don't get so caught up in budgeting that you forget to add a few dollars to the fun fund. Enjoy the journey of life. Make time for the things that you and your family love. Time goes by too fast to live only for the future.