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Gift Ideas for Toddlers Under $25

September 25, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Check Out These Budget Friendly Gifts for Toddlers.

Toddlers are honestly one of my favorite people to shop for! They are so fun, cute and excited about almost anything! Their toys are always bright and colorful and just bring me a lot of joy. I also think toddlers are perfect for budget friendly gifts. They do not need anything fancy and will be happy with a free, empty box! Here are a few budget friendly gift ideas for toddlers all under $25. I hope you find just what you’re looking for!

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LeapFrog Learning Book:

There is so much learning that happens during the toddler years. This LeapFrog Learning Book is the perfect way to enhance this important learning by teaching new words to your child. It has lights, songs, pictures, and everything that any kid could want in a book. Plus, it’s affordable! Yay!

Melissa & Doug Safari Chunky Puzzle:

Little hands will love this Safari Chunky Puzzle. The pieces are easy to maneuver and a great toy to help with fine motor development.

Drum Set:

With over 10,000 positive reviews this Toddler Drum Set is a sure to be a favorite. It comes with different melodies to play with, or has other options for free play, letters, and numbers. We all know toddlers love to make noise and this drum set is perfect for doing just that!

Matching Eggs Set:

Help toddlers learn colors and shapes with this STEM toy. The Matching Eggs Set helps toddlers develop fine motor skills as they learn and practice matching items together.

Numbers Train:

I love this cute LEGO DUPLO Numbers Train. It makes a perfect educational toy as it will help kids learn their numbers and counting. Plus, a train is so fun to push and pull for free play.

Kids Tent:

My kids always loved when we had a kids sized tent in the house. This Under the Sea Tent is perfect for toddlers to snuggle, hide, and play in. If the Under the Sea theme isn’t for your toddler, they even have other styles to choose from!

Shopping Cart:

Toddlers love to push just about anything around the house. This cute Shopping Cart is perfect to get those little legs moving! It also comes with 30 pieces of play food to make the shopping experience even more fun for your little one.

Mega Bloks:

These fun Mega Bloks are perfect for little hands to hold and build with. This set of building blocks comes with 80 pieces and has fantastic reviews!

Slice and Bake Cookie Set:

Ok, but how cute is this Slice and Bake Cookie Set???? I mean, I want one for myself! This is such a fun way to encourage pretend play with your toddler! And the price is right!

VTech Spin and Learn Flashlight:

Let your toddler have their own kid friendly flashlight with the VTech Spin and Learn Flashlight. It’s less than $10 and comes complete with songs, sounds and lights!

Fine Motor Hedgehog:

This Hedgehog Toy is perfect for helping little ones develop those important fine motor skills. It has over 10,000 positive review and currently priced below $15! A great deal!

Play Doctor Set:

When my oldest was just 2 years old we bought her a Play Doctor Set and throughout the next ten years that was the most beloved toy by all of my kids and their friends. It was worth every penny and I am saving it for my grandkids to pay with one day!

Here is a similar Play Doctor Set that I know all of the toddlers in the world will love! It’s less than $15 and comes with 11 pieces to play doctor with.

Shape Sorter:

Every kid needs a shape sorter and this wooden shape sorter is perfect! It has bright colors and 12 different shapes for sorting.

Pull Along Rocket:

Toddlers love push and pull toys. This Pull Along Rocket will provide a lot of entertainment for kids to pull along behind them. Plus, it’s less than $10! Yay!!!

Take Apart Truck With Toy Drill:

Most kids love toys that make them feel more grown up. This Take Apart Truck with Toy Drill is perfect for that! The drill gives toddlers the ability to take apart a truck, and put it together again!

Storybook Projector:

This Storybook Projector is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen! It’s a projector you can attach to your smartphone and then projects images from a story on the wall or ceiling as you read.

Kids are sure to love this fun, magical way to read a story.

Luv N Snuggle Baby Doll:

Baby dolls are well loved toys for toddlers to practice pretend play. The Luv N Snuggle Baby Doll is the perfect size for toddlers to carry around and love on.

Melissa & Doug Dust! Sweep! Mop! Toy:

Another fun toy for encouraging pretend play is the Melissa & Doug Dust! Sweep! Mop! Toy. It comes with a kid sized mop, broom, and duster perfect for them to mimic cleaning around the house. And, (my favorite part) this toy includes a place to store the toys that is equally cute and fun! It’s currently on sale for just under $25!

Board Books Set:

Toddlers love to look at books with bright, big pictures. Give them this Board Book Set with 10 books focused on teaching them all about numbers, colors, animals, and more! This set is a great deal at less than $20!

Doodle Mat:

Mess free coloring exists with this Aqua Doodle Mat. You won’t have to worry about paint or markers on the walls or furniture when your toddler uses this fun mat for coloring.

Fishing Bath Toy:

This Fishing Bath Toy looks like so much fun for any water play. Your toddler will get to play fisherman with 30 different colorful fish. Use it in the bathtub or just for playing around the house!

Bristle Blocks:

Another fun and easy building block for toddlers to use are these Bristle Blocks. The pieces are chunky and easy to stick together. This set even comes with flowers and jungle animals!

Toddler Busy Board:

Toddlers will have so much fun learning new skills and keeping their fingers busy with this Toddler Busy Board. It would be the perfect toy for car trips or quiet church activities.

Scavenger Hunt Game:

This Scavenger Hunt Game is perfect for helping little ones explore their home. The colors are bright and fun and the game is less than $15! This would be such a fun way to encourage parent-child or sibling-sibling interaction at home.

Dog Bubble Machine:

There is just something about bubbles that makes everything more fun! This Dog Bubble Machine will keep the bubbles flowing for your toddler. It has over 5,000 positive reviews and will be an instant favorite!

In Conclusion

The most important thing when buying presents for loved ones is to remember that the price of the gift is not what’s important. All that matters is that you have taken the time, thought and kindness to choose something they will enjoy. Toddlers are great are truly appreciating all the little and beautiful things in life!

Cheap Gift Ideas for Teen Boys All Under $25!

25 Gift Ideas for Tween Girls; all under $25!

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What frugal gift ideas for toddlers do you have???

Cheap Foods to Buy For a Well Stocked Pantry

September 17, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Budget Friendly Foods You Should Keep Stocked.

Having a pantry stocked with frugal foods will help you save money on groceries and curb the temptation to buy take out. Today I get to share with you a few of the best cheap foods to buy for your pantry.

Cheap Foods To Buy for Baking

Watch the grocery stores for sales on baking items. These sales usually come in October/November. This is a great time to stock up on baking supplies so they will last you until the next sale.

1. Flour

Flour is essential for most baking. It is used to make breads, muffins, pancakes, and even in soups and stews. Fortunately, flour is also very cheap! It will stay fresh in the pantry for a year. You can extend the storage time by keeping it in the fridge or freezer.

2. Sugar

Sugar is another must have for baking! It enhances flavor and is common in most recipes. Sugar will stay fresh in the pantry for two years.

3. Baking Soda and Baking Powder

When baking from scratch you will also want both baking soda and baking powder. You can store baking soda in the pantry for up to two years. Baking powder doesn’t last as long and should be used within a years time.

4. Yeast

If you are wanting to make any homemade bread or pizza crust you will need yeast. Yeast will last for 6 months on the shelf. Or! You can store it in the freezer (like I do) for 2 years.

5. Vegetable Oil

Oil is another important and cheap staple to keep in your pantry. When you see a good sale, stock up. It will stay fresh on your shelf (unopened) for two years.

6. Cocoa

Cocoa will give you a chocolate fix, without having to spend a lot of money (just the way we like it!). I like to use cocoa to make brownies, cakes, cookies, and hot chocolate.

Cheap Foods to Buy For The Pantry

7. Pasta

Pasta is a great item to keep stocked at home. It’s cheap, plus it can be cooked many different ways. You know you are getting a good deal on pasta when it’s under $1/box.

8. Rice

It doesn’t get much cheaper than rice! You can use it as a side dish with fish, chicken, etc. Or stir it into casseroles to make them a little more filling.

9. Dried Herbs/Spices

What pantry is complete without some spices? These give your meals that flavor we all want. Dried herbs are a lot cheaper than buying fresh.

A few good pantry staples are:

Salt & Pepper
Chili Powder
Oregano
Basil
Garlic Powder
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

10. Condiments

Condiments are great to have stocked! They just make everything better! We personally use ketchup, mayo and mustard the most. Oh, and hot sauce for my husband…I don’t think he could go without it!

May is a good time to buy condiments, as this is when they will usually go on sale.

Related: 10 Quick Ways to Lower your Grocery Bill

11. Vinegar

Vinegar is so useful in recipes and a great cleaning agent. Plus, it’s super cheap! Keep some stocked at all times for making marinades, salad dressings, or homemade cleaners.

12. Oatmeal

One of our favorite breakfasts are these overnight oats. They are quick, easy, and delicious!

Oatmeal is also great to have stocked for making cookies, granola, in smoothies and of course for breakfast.

Cheap Protein Foods to Buy

13. Canned Beans

Canned beans are an excellent source of protein. They are also very affordable (that’s what we like to hear!). To save even more money buy dried beans and can them yourself!

I like to use beans in burritos, soups, and stews. They are also a great BBQ side or pot luck food.

14. Peanut Butter

If you’re looking for a kid friendly, mom approved protein, peanut butter is a wonderful option. We use peanut butter in our oatmeal, sandwiches, on toast, and on apples.

15. Ground Beef

Ground beef is something I always have in my freezer. It’s easy to pull out for quick meals.

The cheapest way to stock up on ground beef is to buy it in bulk. Buy a large 5 lb, or 10 lb loaf. Separate it into 1 lb sections. Freeze these sections in separate freezer bags. Sometimes I’ll cook it all up to make meal prep even quicker.

16. Chicken

Chicken is one of the most frugal meats and great for buying in bulk! And there really isn’t anything better than a freezer full of chicken!

Learn more how to prep bulk chicken in my article, What to do with your bulk chicken; including 6 Freezer Chicken Recipes.

17. Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and are fairly cheap. They will stay fresh in your fridge for a month. Keep eggs stocked in your fridge to use for breakfast, lunch and in baking.

Cheap Produce To Buy

18. Frozen Vegetables

A great staple to keep stocked in your freezer are bags of frozen vegetables. These are much cheaper than fresh vegetables and it’s nice to always have quick access to veggies.

I use our frozen vegetables as side dishes, in stir fry, soups and casseroles.

19. Carrots

When we are talking about cheap foods to buy, I have to mention carrots! For a cheap fresh vegetable keep a bag of carrots on hand. I like the petite carrots, but if you buy the large unpeeled carrots they will be even less expensive.

20. Potatoes

Potatoes are hearty, filling and versatile. They can also be cooked in dozens of different ways. Use them in soups and stews. Shred them into your tacos to make it a little more filling. Mash them, bake them, or fry them! The possibilities are endless!

The most budget friendly way to buy potatoes is to buy a large box when they are in season and keep them in a cool, dark and dry place. They will stay fresh for 6 months if stored correctly.

21. Canned Fruit

Watch grocery stores for case lot sales. This is when you can get a case of canned goods for a big discounted price. I love to stock up during these sales and keep the canned fruit in my pantry until the next sale.

We eat canned fruit as snacks and I put them in my kids school lunchboxes.

22. Canned Tomatoes

Canned Tomatoes are very cheap, especially when you watch for the Case Lot Sales. They are great to have on hand to use in soups, stews, pasta sauce or to make some salsa (my fave!).

Related: 8 Foods You Should Freeze in an Ice Cube Tray

23. Bananas

Bananas are one of the cheaper fruits available. Put them in smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal and eat them for lunch.

If your bananas start to go bad freeze them! Simply peel it, put it in a freezer bag, and toss into the freezer. I use these frozen bananas in smoothies and for banana bread or banana muffins.

Cheap Foods to Buy For Snacking

24. Raisins

I always have a box of raisins in my pantry. They are high in fiber and a great energy boost. Eat raisins as snacks, throw them in a salad or mix them in your oatmeal.

25. Popcorn

Want to know a secret about me? I am legit addicted to popcorn. I eat it Every.Single.Night. It’s my very favorite food. And fortunately, it doesn’t cost a lot of money to keep it stocked in my pantry. My kids also love popcorn as an after school snack!

In Conclusion

There are many cheap foods to buy to keep your pantry well stocked, without breaking the bank. Remember to keep watching for sales and deals. And, ALWAYS use what you buy!

Pin for Later:

What cheap foods do you recommend buying for a frugal pantry stock up?

How to exercise for free (or crazy cheap!)

September 17, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Cheap ways to workout!

We all know exercising is important to our long term health. It keeps the heart healthy and strong. I’ve also noticed that when I get a good workout I am in a better mood and have more energy (funny how that works!). One of the best things about working out is that there are so many different ways to do so! Today I am excited to share how to exercise for free!

Why Exercise for Free?

I know a gym is handy, fun, convenient and full of all the best equipment. But, when you are trying to stretch your budget every dollar counts and makes a difference.

One of the first things I suggest to people trying to spend less money is to cut their gym membership.

Now, I am a huge believer that budgets should be personal and catered to your needs and preferences. If a gym membership is a priority to you, then let’s keep it in the budget.

But, if you want to cut costs, this is one area I believe many people could do so.

Related: Extreme Ways to Cut Your Budget

Go for a Walk/Run

One of the cheapest and easiest ways to exercise is to go for a walk or run. This is a great way to get out of the house, enjoy some fresh air and go for a long brisk walk around your neighborhood.

Work up to what you feel most comfortable with. If you enjoy running, run. If you would rather walk, walk! Do what is best for you!

Use this time to explore some new parks or areas. Try a different running path every day of the week to keep it interesting!

YouTube Videos

Did you know that YouTube is full of free awesome workout videos? Because it is! You can find all types of free workouts just by the click of a few buttons. From kickboxing to yoga it’s all on YouTube!

This is a great cheap way to exercise without even having to leave your house. Wake up, workout, and then continue on your day!

There are thousands of YouTube workout channels and not all of them will be the right fit for you. It will take some trial and error to find the channels that you’ll enjoy most. So, don’t give up if you aren’t satisfied with the first few videos you try!

My personal favorite YouTube channels for working out are: Yoga with Adrienne, Fitness Blender, and PopSugar Fitness.

Buy Used Workout Equipment

If you are looking for something more than videos can offer you, try shopping for used workout equipment. You can find some great deals this way!

A few years ago I was able to find a high quality, very gently used, elliptical for only $25! It took some patience, but it was so worth it!

The best places to shop for gently used items at a fraction of the price are thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and garage sales.

Related: 5 Websites To Sell Your House Clutter

Make Exercise Part of Your Routine

A great way to exercise without spending a lot of extra money is to make exercise a part of your daily routine and activities. If you are going to be spending time with friends anyways, make it an active activity! (oh how I love multitasking!)

Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Invite friends to go on a hike with you.
Go on a family bike ride.
Play tennis on the free park tennis courts.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Bike to work instead of drive.
Play volleyball with a group of friends.

Look for Discounts

If you have been wanting to join a gym sign up using a discount. Many gyms will offer membership discounts around the new year or on Black Friday.

You can also check other couponing discount sites, such as Groupon. They will often have coupons for gyms in the area.

Use a Fitness App

Fitness Apps are the new craze and are totally affordable! These apps provide you with fitness motivation, workouts, and reminders (which is awesome, because I need reminders when it comes to working out…..).

Some fitness apps are free (hooray!), and some will charge a small monthly fee. Do some research to find the apps that will work best for you and your budget.

Check out this great list of workout apps to help you get found the right fit for you.

Use What You Have

There are so many supplies we are told to buy in order to workout successfully. But, I have learned we really do not have to buy everything the experts recommend. You already have so many supplies at home that will work just as good as whatever you could buy.

Instead of a yoga mat use a towel.
Instead of free weights use some canned goods or gallons of water.
Instead of a medicine ball use a soccer ball.
Instead of resistance bands use pantyhose.
Instead of fitness gliders use paper plates.

Try to be creative and think outside the box! Look around your home to find some items that you can use before going to the store to buy something new.

Related: How to Eat Healthy For Cheap

In Conclusion

You can workout, exercise, and stay healthy without spending a lot of money. It takes a little creativity, time and effort, but it is so worth it! If your budget is tight, consider one of these alternative options.

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Enjoy saving money as you exercise for free!

How to Start Budgeting for Beginners

September 7, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

Your Budgeting Questions Answered!

I receive so many messages on a daily basis from people wanting to learn how to start budgeting, but they don’t know how to take that first step. It is always so amazing to me when I see others who want to improve their life and financial situation. This isn’t an easy thing! It can be scary trying to make such a big change into the unknown. There can be a lot of questions when you first start budgeting and I want to answer some of those for you.

Disclosure: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

How do I begin budgeting?

The very most asked question I receive on Instagram is “How do I start budgeting?” I think one of the hardest parts of most new habits is starting. It is always hard to take that first big, sometimes scary, step in a new direction. I have three suggestions to help you get on the right track for a successful budget.

1. Make A Zero Based Budget

I recommend making a Zero Based Budget. This is a budget where your expenses and income will be the same, you give every dollar a job to do. This doesn’t mean you SPEND every dollar, it means that it has a purpose and place within your budget.

If you are new to budgeting, it might take you a while to figure out just how much money to budget for each category. This is normal! A budget is fluid, meaning it is always changing.

I had about a year of FAILED budget (no lie) before I finally learned what works for me and my family.

A great resource to get started is my Free Budget Worksheet. Grab it by signing up below!

2. Track All Expenses

Once you make your Zero Based Budget I recommend tracking all of your expenses throughout the month. Yes, this means to right down every.single.thing you spend. Even that $1 pack of gum.

Tracking your expenses keeps your budget accurate, and gives you a great window into your spending habits. By tracking your spending habits, you will be able to see what areas you are over spending in and areas you could cut back.

3. Check Out Dave Ramsey

I highly recommend everyone new to budgeting, frugal living, or paying off debt read the book, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. This book changed my mind and was the one thing that put me on my path to frugal living and mindful spending.

Check it out from your library, borrow it from a friend, or order it from Amazon. No matter how you get it, just read it. Dave Ramsey uses easy to understand terms as he explains exactly how to fix your financial situation.

What is the best way to keep track of day to day spending?

Ok. So now that we understand it’s important to track spending, let’s talk about exactly how to do that!

There are a few different ways to track your spending. Truth is, there are many different ways to track spending. What’s most important is that you stay consistent with tracking. Now, let’s discuss your other options.

1. Excel Spreadsheet

When we started budgeting my husband put in hours making us an excel spreadsheet budget. It was full of details and catered to our spending and needs.

Using an excel spreadsheet for tracking expenses is free and easy to customize, but can be very time consuming!

2. App or Software

After using the excel spreadsheet for a few years we moved on to a computer budgeting program. It was seriously the best decision.

We have been using You Need a Budget for about 10 years now and have never looked back. It is so user friendly and very affordable! You can download the app onto your phone and update it as you spend.

A few other great apps available are Every Dollar, Mint, and Pocket Guard.

3. Paper and Pen

There is nothing wrong with tracking expenses with paper and pen. As a matter of fact, I know many who prefer doing it this way.

When tracking spending it is important to stay consistent. Pick a day of the week, schedule a time, and develop a routine for tracking your spending.

How do you use cash envelopes?

Cash envelopes are a great way to limit your spending and stick to your budget. They are fairly easy to use too!

Just make your budget, and then get out enough envelopes for your spending categories. Label each envelope, “Clothing”, “Groceries”, etc. Stuff the envelope with enough cash to cover your budgeted amount.

As you go throughout the month, use the cash envelope to purchase items in each category. Once the cash is gone, your spending for the month is done!

Related: Have More Money With The Cash Envelope System

How do you make a grocery budget?

First, I want to remind you that grocery budgets will vary greatly! There is no secret amount or right/wrong way to budget for groceries. Food prices vary in different parts of the world, and different families have different needs/diets.

It will take some trial and error to find the right grocery budget for you. A good rule of thumb is $100/person/month. So, a family of four would have a budget of $400/month. However, if you find yourself needing more in your budget that’s OK. Make your budget work for YOU!

How do you save money on groceries?

Groceries are one of the biggest expenses for most budgets. But! I have learned a few ways to ease this burden!

1. Meal Plan

The number one way I have found to keep those costs low is to meal plan. Plan out every meal you want to eat for the week. As you meal plan, write out your grocery list, and stick to this list while you shop. Having a plan reduces the temptation to impulse shop and eat out.

2. Walmart Grocery Pickup

Another fantastic way to stick to your grocery budget is to use Walmart Grocery Pickup. It is completely FREE and you get to shop at home (in your PJs!) and then pick your groceries up at the store. You don’t even have to get out of your car!!

The thing about Walmart Grocery Pickup is that you are able to watch your cart total on the app as you shop. If you find you are spending more than your budgeted amount, just delete a few items from the cart! So easy! So helpful!

Related: 10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

What are the easiest cashback apps for frugal beginners?

I’m always getting asked about the best cash back apps. And, I love answering this question because cash back apps are one of my favorite things ever!!

Here are a few of my favorite:

1. Ibotta

Ibotta is the cashback app I have been using the longest. It’s easy, straightforward and always has a few rebates available! Sign up using this link for up to a $20 bonus! Whoo!

2. Fetch Rewards

The easiest cashback app ever is Fetch Rewards. Fetch Rewards takes less than a minute to use, and rewards you with points for every receipt. These points can be redeemed for gift cards to your favorite places (Target and Amazon!!). Try it for yourself here and use code FETCH2K to get 2,000 bonus points!

3. Rakuten

Another very easy app to use is Rakuten. Rakuten gives you cashback when you shop online at participating retailers. I never buy anything online without first checking the Rakuten website! Sign up today and get $10 bonus when you spend your first $25!

I share more details about cashback apps here!

What should my budget look like? What is normal for our family?

When you are learning how to start budgeting it’s important to remember that no two budgets look the same, and that’s how it’s suppose to be.

My normal will be different than your normal. What I spend on groceries, will be different then what you will spend on groceries, etc. This is one of my favorite parts of a budget. You can customize it and find something that works for you personally!

What can you do when you cut back, budget and still don’t have enough?

I loved this question; because it is so relatable and real situation for many of us.

My first piece of advice is to keep your head up! You are NOT alone! There are so many dealing with similar struggles. I strongly believe that together, we CAN help each other reach our financial goals. Reach out to facebook groups and instagram accounts that discuss this issue. Surrounding yourself with others in this situation should give you the strength, support and ideas to help get you through it.

When you have done EVERYTHING you can think of and the money is just still NOT adding up, that means it’s time to take more extreme actions. Here are a few ideas to take when you need to be “gazelle intense.”

Related: How to Cut Your Budget; When There is Nothing Left to Cut

1. Sell items in your home

Look around your house for items you don’t use very often. Sell these to earn a little extra money. My goal is to always earn about $50 each month just by selling my clutter.

10 Items In Your House You Can Sell Quickly To Make Money

5 Places Online To Sell Your Clutter and Earn Cash).

2. Start a side hustle

Try to find another way to bring in extra money. A side hustle is a job you can do during your free time. Here are a few side hustle ideas you can do at home.

3. Make some sacrifices

Look through your budget one more time and find a few things you could cut out to have more money. A few ideas are to stop eating out, lower your phone data plan, stop going to movies, skip the daily Starbucks, or cancel your TV subscriptions.

4. Earn more money

Consider asking for a raise from your current employer. If you have been working at the same location for over a year, many employers will consider giving you a raise.

If a raise won’t happen you might want to make a job change. Begin searching around for a job that will pay better and still make you happy.

5. Downgrade

If you are in desperate need of more money and none of the other suggestions will work for you, you might want to look into downgrading in a few areas of your life. This might mean trading in your car for a cheaper model or moving into a more affordable home.

I understand it is NOT easy when the money just ISN’T there. ESPECIALLY when you feel as if you have sacrificed again, and again and again. I get it, I have been there! Keep your head up. Keep trying. Be “gazelle intense.” I believe in you!

In Conclusion

I hope this article answered all of your questions about budgeting! Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. I’m always happy to help!

Remember that learning to budget takes time, and that’s OK! Don’t give up if you fail the first few times…..keep trying and keep learning.

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I hope this helps you understand how to start budgeting for beginners.

Fall Bucket List for Families

September 3, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Fun family activities for fall.

Ahhhh fall! My favorite time of year. A fresh start as school begins again, the crisp fall air, and a bountiful garden harvest. There are so many fall activities making the season perfect in every way! With fall just around the corner, we decided to make a fall bucket list for families of everything we want to do this season. Here is what we came up with! As always, everything is either free or frugal (that’s just how I roll)!

“Sweet Frugal Life is an Amazon Associate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

1. Have a Bonfire

Fall is the perfect time for a bonfire. Invite some friends over, or head up to the mountains and enjoy a large fire together. Make sure to bring some marshmallows to roast! Enjoy snuggling under a blanket and the fresh crisp air.

2. Go Apple Picking

Fall is a great time to buy apples for a low price. Check out your local farmers market for cheap apples…or better yet go pick them yourself at a u pick apple orchard! This is a great activity to get your whole family involved in.

3. Carve Pumpkins

What’s Halloween (or fall) without a carved pumpkin??? Buy a few pumpkins from the store (or grow your own) and spend time together being creative as you carve pumpkins. You don’t even need to buy the carving kits in the store. Just print out a few free templates from the internet and use your kitchen knives for carving.

4. Fall Scavenger Hunt

Take your kids on a fall scavenger hunt through your neighborhood and in the forest. Use a brown paper bag (or whatever you have at home) to collect different colored leaves, acorns, pine cones, etc.

5. Fall Crafting

Fall is the perfect time for crafting! As the weather cool, spend some time inside working on a craft together as a family.

Check out this super easy Toilet Paper Roll Pumpkin. It’s the best project for both crafters and non-crafters.

6. Attend a High School Football Game

Enjoy some community spirit at your local high school football game. There is just something special about the cool fall air, bright Friday night lights, and energy of a crowd.

Tickets are usually only a few dollars and a great way to spend a weekend!

7. Make Applesauce

Have you ever had homemade applesauce? It is so much better than store bought! My kids look forward to it every year!

Making applesauce is a big of a process, but a fun way to spend an afternoon together as a family. Plus, there is just nothing better than the smell of sweet apples and cinnamon in the house. It just makes me happy!

Be sure to grab this applesauce maker and apple corer/peeler/spiralizer. They both make the applesauce process much easier, promise!

8. Go to the Pumpkin Patch

Spend a fun family day at the pumpkin patch. It’s can be so fun walking around and looking at all of the different colors, shapes, and sizes of each pumpkin.

To make the experience a little cheaper you could choose one pumpkin as a family to share together.

9. Go On a Hike

Fall is the perfect time of year to get up in the mountains and enjoy nature with a hike. You could even make a day out of it by packing a picnic! I love seeing the beauty in the forest as the leaves are changing color.

10. Bake Something

Is there anything better than fall baking??? I think not! Spend some time together in the kitchen baking some fun fall treats.

Here are a few of my fave recipes to try: Grandmas Famous Banana Bread Recipe or Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe.

11. Play in the Leaves

Rake up a big pile of leaves and then have some fun jumping into them! This is the perfect way to get your kids to help with the work…and then celebrate with some fun!

12. Drink Apple Cider

On the first day of fall each year I buy a box of Apple Cider for our family to enjoy. My kids love this simple tradition!

13. Go to The Corn Maze

Go to your local corn maze and get lost! Try it both during day time and night time for different experiences.

Most corn mazes will offer daily deals, so be sure to look out for “buy one get one free” or “family discount” days.

14. Paint a Pumpkin

Don’t like carving pumpkins? Consider painting one instead. Paint a funny face on it or even a pretty design, the sky’s the limit!

Related: 25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

15. Dip Apples in Caramel

Making caramel apples is a fun fall activity, but can get a little messy! So, I love to buy apples and caramel for dipping instead. It’s much less work and you can control how much caramel goes on each apple (the more the better in my opinion!).

16. Make a Fall Treat

We always have treats on our fall bucket list for families. There are so many delicious goodies you can make during fall. Pumpkin cookies or apple pie to just name a few! My kids personal favorite though are these Monster Rice Krispie Treats. They are perfect for Halloween time.

17. Go On a Hay Ride

Hay rides are so much fun and perfect for fall! Look at your community events and find a place where they might be offering hay rides. They are usually only a few dollars!

18. Roast Pumpkin Seeds

After carving pumpkins, be sure to save the seeds for roasting. It’s super easy to do too!

Just wash them and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Easy and so so tasty!

19. Go To The Farmers Market

Does your community have a farmers market? Spend a day as a family browsing the different booths. Farmers markets are a fun place to taste a few samples, listen to some good music and maybe buy a treat or two. It makes for a lovely morning out.

20. Plant Fall Bulbs

Plant a few flower bulbs in your yard. When you plant them in the fall you will be rewarded with beautiful flowers in the spring. My favorite bulbs to plant each fall are tulips and daffodils.

21. Watch Football at Home

What’s fall without some football??? Invite a few friends over to watch the football game together. Ask everyone to bring an appetizer or dessert so you can eat while enjoying the game.

22. Watch a Halloween Movie

Watch a fun Halloween movie together as a family. A few good family friendly Halloween movies are: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble, The Haunted Mansion, Casper, and Hocus Pocus.

In Conclusion

Fall is such a magical time of year, but it doesn’t have to be expensive! I hope a few of these cheap bucket list ideas helps you to have a wonderful fall with your family!

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What are a few things on your fall bucket list for families?

How to Save Money When Eating Out

September 3, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life6 Comments

Best tips to save money on eating out.

It’s so fun to go out to eat! You don’t have to wash any dishes, someone does all of the cooking for you, you don’t have to wash any dishes, the food is delicious, and did I mention you don’t have to wash any dishes??!?!?! The only negative to eating out is that restaurants can be so expensive! Going out to eat regularly can take a huge toll on your budget. Today I am going to share a few tips to teach you how to save money when eating out.

I am a member of online affiliate programs. I will be compensated for purchases made from links in this post.

5 Ways to Spend Less at Restaurants

Want to eat out without spending a lot of money? I have you covered with these frugal restaurant hacks.

1. Eat Out For Lunch

One of our favorite ways to save money when eating out is to eat out for lunch rather than dinner. Most lunch menus will be very similar to a dinner menu, but with cheaper prices.

Eating at restaurants for lunch is also perfect for ordering a smaller meal, such as a sandwich or a salad. This is a great way to enjoy the great food (and less dishes!), without having to spend full price.

2. Skip The Extras

There are so many fun extras available at restaurants! You can order a drink, appetizer, dessert, extra sides and so on and so on. It can be easy to get carried away once you sit down and start ordering.

I’ve found that the best way to stretch my dollar is to skip all of the extras. Instead of ordering a drink, order water. Skip the appetizer and dessert as well. They are both very over priced. Instead, consider stopping for a cheap treat on your way home; or better yet eat something sweet once you get home!

Related: 20 FREE Valentine Date Ideas

3. Shop the Deals

Become familiar with your local restaurant deals. Many restaurants will have specialty discount nights. These might be in the form of kids eat free nights, buy one get one free or special family deals.

Before eating out do a little research to find the restaurant deals in your areas. Plan the nights you eat out around the discounts.

Another great place for restaurant deals is the website Restaurant.com. This is a great website for huge discounts on your favorite restaurants. How it works is you buy a gift card to a restaurant of your choice, for a largely discounted price. I just bought a $10 card at our favorite yogurt shop for only $4!! Great deal, right????

Try to buy a discounted gift card from Restaurant.com before going out to eat, you will begin to see a huge savings.

4. Split the Meal

Turn one restaurant meal into two meals by splitting your entree in half!

This can be done by only eating half of your meal and then getting a takeout box to bring the rest home. You will get two meals for the price of one! Yay!

Another option is to split the entree with your spouse or friend. My husband and I split meals quite often and the servers are always more than happy to accommodate us and bring out two plates with one entree.

5. Turn an Appetizer into a Meal

Another great way to save money when eating out is to turn an appetizer into an entree.

Appetizers are often much cheaper than an entree, but still provides a large amount of food. Consider order a trio appetizer for a well rounded meal. Many times I actually prefer an appetizer than a meal. Win, win!

In Conclusion:

Eating out is a fun way to take a break and enjoy a good meal. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a meal out, as long as you stay within budget. Remember to plan ahead and practice self control!

10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

The Best Frugal Living Tips You Need to Know

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I hope this helped you learn how to save money when eating out!

How to Eat Healthy For Cheap

August 27, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Best tips for eating healthy on a tight budget.

I honestly believe that health is wealth. It’s so important for us to invest in good health. This will save us money, time, stress and hardship in our future. One of the questions I get asked most on Instagram is how to eat healthy for cheap.

I understand that a lot of healthy foods can be expensive and it can feel almost impossible to stay in budget while buying healthy foods. There are a few tricks I’m excited to share with you about how you can still eat healthy while on a budget.

How To Eat Healthy On a Budget

1. Make a Meal Plan

A good meal plan is always the first step to saving money on food.

Take some time to look through your cupboards, fridge, etc. and take note of what you already have at home. Plan meals around those items first.

Next, look through store ads using the free Flipp App. Flipp gives you access to the weekly grocery flyers in your area. Produce and organic foods will go on sale throughout the month. Make your meal plan based around what’s on sale for the week.

Related: Start Meal Planning For The Complete Beginner

2. Shop In Season

Deals and sales will change throughout the year. Always plan meals and buy food that is currently in season. This will give you the best value.

For example: strawberries and broccoli will be cheaper in the spring. Apples and spinach will be cheaper in the fall.

Stock up on the produce in season and freeze it to use throughout the year. Here are a few tutorials for freezing peas, corn, strawberries, and raspberries.

When you find a good deal on produce, make sure to stock up and freeze the excess for later use. Here are a few tutorials to teach you how to freeze: peas, corn, and strawberries.

3. Start a Garden

Have you ever considered starting a garden? It’s a great way to save money on produce.

Try growing a few of your favorite fruits and vegetables in an at home garden. You don’t even need a lot of space to begin! A small container garden can easily be started on a patio.

I grow a fairly large garden each year. My goal is to never buy produce during the summer, and eat out of the garden instead.

Related: 9 Vegetables to Grow in Your Beginner Garden

4. Buy Local

Shop at local farmers markets for healthy, organically grown produce and grass fed meat.. You can usually find the best deals when buying from a local farmer.

5. Eat Frugal Healthy Foods

There are a lot of foods that are both cheap to buy and healthy to eat. Focus on the foods that fit in the budget, and skip the more expensive items.

A few healthy, but frugal foods are:

Eggs
Beans
Oatmeal (check out this easy overnight oatmeal recipe)
Lentils
Quinoa
Apples
Popcorn
Potatoes
Brown Rice
Carrots
Spinach

6. Buy in Bulk

Many of the healthy grains, such as brown rice, quinoa and lentils, will be cheaper if bought in bulk.

Words of caution: Remember to always check the price per unit before buying something in bulk. Many times a bulk item will be cheaper, but not always.

I also like to buy my meat in bulk from Butcher Box. The quality is outstanding and I love their grass-fed beef and free-range organic chicken. Plus, there is nothing better than a box of meat delivered right to my doorstep!

7. Use Cashback

Most people don’t realize this, but most of the cash back apps have produce and other healthy foods available for rebates. I just checked ibotta and they currently offer a rebate on grapes, veggie burgers, and any protein drink (yay!).

My favorite cash back apps for groceries are:

8. Skip Convenience Foods

Learn to make foods yourself, rather than buying convenience items. For example, dry beans will be much cheaper than canned beans.

A good rule of thumb to follow is to shop the outer edges of the store and skip the aisles. The whole, fresh foods are kept on the outer edges, and the more expensive convenience foods are usually down the aisles.

9. Shop At A Discount Grocery Store

Health food stores, such as Whole Foods, can be fun to shop at for healthy foods, but they aren’t very budget friendly.

You can find high quality, healthy foods at local grocery chains or discount stores, such as Aldi.

10. Prevent Waste

Many healthy foods have a shorter shelf date, which means you need to be diligent in using it up to prevent kitchen waste.

Here are a few tips for preventing waste:

Only buy as much as you will eat. Often our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and we purchase more than we can eat before it goes bad. Make sure to only buy what you will actually use up during it’s shelf life.
Find a way to reuse leftovers. If you only ate half a banana, freeze the other half to put in your fruit smoothie the next day.

11. Grocery Shop Online

One of the best things for my grocery has been shopping online using Walmart’s free Grocery Pickup service. It gives me the ability to grocery shop from home (in my PJs most days) and watch my cart total before checking out. If I ever go over budget, I simply delete a few items from my cart. It’s the best!

Most grocery stores offer online grocery pickup or deliver. Give it a try when buying your healthy groceries. I hope it saves you as much money as it has saved me!

You can try Walmart Grocery Pickup for free here and get $10 off your first order of $35 or more.

In Conclusion

There are many different ways you can eat healthy for cheap. It takes a little bit of planning, but it can be done! The most important thing is to set a budget, and stick to it!

10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

How to Make Zucchini Noodles With a Spiralizer

15 Products You Should Always Buy Generic

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I hope this articles helps you eat healthy for cheap.

Best Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

August 20, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Check out these easy DIY Christmas Gift Ideas.

I am already so excited for Christmas! It is my very favorite time of the year. I love the smells, the music, the traditions and the memories made each year. I love giving gifts and seeing their faces light up with joy as they open the package. Some of my favorite presents I have ever given or received are the ones that have been homemade. There is just something so special about using your hands and heart to prepare gifts for your loved ones. Today, I am excited to share with you a few of the best homemade Christmas gift ideas.

Homemade Decoration Gifts

It’s always so fun to receive a handmade decoration as a Christmas gift. I love pulling out these homemade gifts each year and remembering the person who made it for me.

Here are a few DIY decoration gifts you could make.

DIY Candle

You can whip up a few candles in one batch with this DIY Candle Tutorial. These candles would be a great item to include in a gift basket with some lotions or bath salts.

Snowflake Table Runner

A few years ago I made a table runner as a Christmas gift for my Mother In Law. It was so complicated! I wish I had known about this no sew snowflake table runner at the time, it would have saved me a lot of time and stress.

This snowflake table runner is not only adorable, but also super easy to make. No sewing required!

DIY Snowmen

These snowmen made out of logs are some of the cutest things I’ve ever seen! This is such a fun, cute and frugal gift idea. Make one for you and one for a friend!

Feather Candle Holder

If you’re looking for a cheap, easy, and beautiful decoration to gift your loved ones be sure to look at this Feather Candle Holder. You can make it using supplies found at the dollar store and is an easy craft project to put together.

Hanger Snowflake

Did you know you can use clothes hangers to make a beautiful snowflake decoration?? You totally can and Happy Mom Projects has a great tutorial teaching you exactly how to do this.

I love this gift idea and would be so fun to receive!

Related: 25 Gift Ideas for Tween Girls; all under $25!

DIY Rope Planter

How beautiful is this DIY Rope Planter? I seriously love it so much. This would make a great homemade gift for anyone that loves plants or boho decor.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments to Gift

My personal belief is that you can never have to many Christmas tree ornaments! Ornaments make great gifts for friends, family, kids, neighbors, and basically anyone on your list!

It’s so fun to decorate my tree each year and remember the dear friends who made a few of the special ornaments for me.

No Sew Fabric Christmas Ornament

Check out this darling handmade ornament. It requires absolutely no sewing and is a great way to use up some extra fabric you might have around the house.

Gnome Ornament

These gnome ornaments are so cute and looks like such a fun craft. Check out the full tutorial at Day to Day Adventures.

Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

I love encouraging my kids to make handmade gifts for their friends. These pipe cleaner ornaments are perfect for little hands. Let your kids help choose the design and make it together.

They can then wrap it up and deliver their handmade ornaments to all of their friends.

Crochet Paw Print Ornament

This crochet paw print ornament makes a perfect gift for your pet loving friends. Check out Simply Hooked by Janet for the full tutorial!

Beach Christmas Ornaments

Do you have a friend who loves everything beach themed? Why not make them some of these beach Christmas ornaments? They look so easy to throw together and look so cute hanging on the tree.

Salt Dough Ornaments

Salt dough ornaments are a fun craft you can make with your kids. Spend a few hours creating together and then let them gift their homemade ornaments to family and friends. Check out the tutorial here.

Crochet Peppermint Party Snail Ornament

Here is another fun crochet ornament pattern. The tutorial is for the cutest peppermint snail and I love the originality of this gift! Such a fun present idea for anyone on your list.

Homemade Gifts to Wear

My favorite gifts are one that are practical and useful! Which is why I love all of these homemade gifts that you can wear. I can’t wait to make them all!

Pocket Scarf

Have you ever heard of a pocket scarf? Well, it’s basically how it sounds, a scarf with a pocket. These make such fun gifts because of the added pocket feature.

Infinity scarfs are a fairly easy DIY project to make, so you can make a few of these in no time. Be sure to check out the full tutorial and free printable at A Daily Dose of Mom.

Christmas Apron

Check out this adorable Christmas Apron from My Golden Thimble. This apron would make a great gift for your family or friends. I even want to make one for me!

Homemade Knit Cowl

Cowls are a fairly easy knitting project. They are actually the only thing I know how to knit! Knitting is a great way to pass the time while watching TV or traveling.

This knit cowl tutorial makes for fun Christmas gifts you can make and give to your loved ones.

DIY Face Mask Holder

This isn’t technically something you can wear, but it will help organize face masks, which we do wear.

Most of us have masks laying around and need somewhere to store them. Make your friends and family members this handy DIY Face Mask Holder. It has three pockets to store clean face masks, dirty face masks and hand sanitizer! Everything we need!

Check out the full tutorial here from Vicky Myers Creations.

Handmade Gifts for the Home

It’s always fun to receive a new addition to the home. Check out these great handmade gifts others can enjoy in their home.

Bowl Cozies and Hot Pads

First up are these Bowl Cozies and Hot Pads. They are one of those things that you always need and you can never have to many hot pads! Check out the full tutorial here , they are beautiful!

Camper Potholder

Do you have a friend or family member who loves camping? Make them this adorable Camper Potholder. The tutorial is really detailed and easy to understand. Plus, it’s a great way to use up scrap fabric.

Fabric Coasters

How cute are these Boro Fabric Coasters from Fabric and Flowers?!?! They are the cutest. This would be such a fun gift to make and a perfect way to use up some fabric scraps you have around the house.

Related: Christmas Gift Ideas for Teen Girls under $25

Mini Sewing Kit

This Mini Sewing Kit is a great way to upcycle an old altoid tin you have laying around. You could gift it to a friend who loves sewing, a teenager heading off to college, or turn it into something other than a sewing kit. It could be a cute present for a child who loves to collect small objects, such as polly pockets.

Holiday Room Spray

There really isn’t anything I enjoy more than the scent of Christmas in my home. Whip up a few of these room sprays to gift to your loved ones, and then keep one for yourself!

The tutorial includes 5 different recipes and the cute free printables.

Flower Dyed Tea Towel

I honestly believe you can never have to many tea towels. I am always using them for dishes and love receiving them as gifts.

Check out this DIY tea towel made by dying the towel with flowers. It makes for a beautiful design on the towel and a great gift.

DIY Rae Dunn Rolling Pin

How cute is this Rae Dunn inspired rolling pin?? It’s seriously one of the most beautiful gifts! Check out the full tutorial over on Confessions of Parenting. You might just be the new favorite neighbor with this gift!

Redbox Movie Night

Gift your friends, neighbors or coworkers a free movie night on you with this Redbox Movie Gift idea. You can print out the free printable here and read all about how to put this fun gift together.

Mason Jar Tissue Dispenser

This Mason Jar Tissue Dispenser is such a great idea and genius way to reuse mason jars. We all need tissues, so we might as well have them look cute, right?!?!

DIY Glitter Tumbler

How cute are these glitter tumblers?? I seriously love them! They are such a fun and original DIY gift!

DIY Christmas Gifts for the Bath

Beard Balm

Check out this awesome beard balm recipe. My husband loves to sport a beard, so this would be a great recipe to make for him. The recipe is easy to follow and will be a great gift for the bearded man in your life.

Felted Soap

I love the colors on this DIY felted soap. It’s such a fun way to put some personality on a homemade gift. I think the felted soap would also be a great DIY gift for your kids to make for their friends or teachers.

Peppermint Sugar Scrub

This Peppermint Sugar Scrub is beautiful and I bet it smells just as good! The recipe even includes free printable labels (yay!). Homemade sugar scrub is a great gift for friends or teachers. I love gifts that are useful and fun!

Shower Melts

All you need is 3 ingredient (and one of them is water) to make these homemade shower melts. They look so cute packaged up in a jar with a ribbon. Such a fun, easy gift for your loved ones.

Peppermint Bath Salts

There truly isn’t anything better than soaking in a hot peppermint bath on a cold winters day. Help your friends or teachers do that with this homemade peppermint bath salts gift. Beauty Crafter has a great tutorial how to make the bath salts and it only requires 4 ingredients!

Marbled Goat Milk Soap

Another great soap recipe is this Marbled Goat Milk Soap also from Fiber Artsy. She uses a soap mold to make the soap shapes and a toothpick to give the desired swirl effect. I love the idea of gifting homemade soaps to your family and friends for Christmas.

Related: Cheap Gift Ideas for Teen Boys All Under $25!

DIY Bath Bombs

Check out this DIY Bath Bombs Recipe for a fun homemade gift idea. I love how you can customize the bath bomb using different shapes and oils. The recipe is very straight forward and easy to follow too!

Fizzy Bath Salts

Here is another great bath salts recipe. This recipe allows you to mix up the scents to customize to your friends favorite smells.

DIY Bath Bombs

Check out this fun tutorial for DIY Bath Bombs. Bath bombs make great gifts for teens, teachers, and friends. We all need a little rest and relaxation, right?!?

Coconut Lime Mint Sugar Scrub

My two favorite scents are coconut and lime, so I was excited to find this DIY Coconut Lime Mint Sugar Scrub. I can’t wait to make a huge batch. The tutorial even includes free printables (yay!) to complete the gift.

Homemade Christmas Gifts For Kids

Quillow

I had never heard of a Quillow before until I found this great homemade gift idea from The Gifty Family. I immediately fell in love with the idea. A Quillow is basically a quilt and pillow in one!

The Quillow tutorial says it will only take 15 minutes (I like quick!) and is totally doable for all sewing levels (yay!). I think these would make adorable gifts for your kids, nieces and nephews, or for your child to give to their friends.

Play Dough Kits

Play Dough is one of my kids favorite activities. It keeps them entertained for hours. Whip up a batch of play dough and put together a play dough kit like this one from Parties Made Personal.

This is such a frugal, fun gift for kids to enjoy and keep them busy during the winter months.

DIY Scrunchie

Tweens and Teens are all about the scrunchies right now. You can easily make them yourself with this DIY scrunchie tutorial. Whip up a bunch to give to all your favorite kiddos.

Money Notepad

Anyone else feel like teens are just hard to give to??? Cause I do! I never know what they want, like, need, etc.

Well, I don’t know a single teen who wouldn’t love to get a stack of dollar bills! Which is exactly why I fell in love with this Money Notepad DIY Gift. It’s such a fun way to gift money, and give the teenagers what they really want (and probably need tbh)!

Rice Bag Heating Pad

My kids love using these Rice Bag Heating Pads in the winter time. They are really easy to make and are a perfect gift for all the kids on your list.

Homemade Christmas Gifts For Grandparents

Grandparents can be hard to give to, but I have found they really treasure items that remind them of their grand kids. Here are a few gifts for grandparents.

Kid-Crafted Dish Towels

Looking for a fun gift idea your kids could make for Grandma and Grandpa? Check out this fun Kid-Crafted Dish Towels tutorial. I love the hands on activity and giving your kids an opportunity to help create a gift. The grandparents would treasure these towels for years.

Related: 25 Gift Ideas for 5-7 year old boys under $25

Child’s Handprint Emboridery

Another cute gift for grandparents is this Child’s Handprint Embroidery gift. It’s such a special keepsake and so cute. Embroidery is a fun project to work on while listening to a book or watching TV. I can’t wait to make this!

Homemade Cards

These DIY Christmas Cards are so sweet and would make great gifts for the grandparents. They are made using items you probably have around your house and yard and I love the unique flare they each have.

Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts

One of the most fun parts of Christmas is the food! I love receiving plates or jars of treats from my neighbors. It’s such a fun way to share family recipes with each other.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Homemade hot chocolate mix is so easy to make yourself and such a fun frugal gift. With only 4 ingredients you can mix up a huge batch of this mix, put it in a cute jar, and deliver it to all of your neighbors, friends and co workers.

Peppermint Bark Mason Jar

Gifting homemade treats can be made extra special just by putting them in a cute container. This Peppermint Bark Mason Jar gift includes a free printable to pretty up the jar and a yummy peppermint bark recipe! Look how pretty! I would love to receive this for Christmas!

Gingerbread Scones

My mouth is watering just thinking about these delicious gingerbread scones from The Curious Frugal! Gingerbread tastes just like Christmas and homemade scones make a great gift for neighbors, friends, and teachers.

Greek Cookies (Kourabiedes)

I had never heard of Greek Cookies before I found this recipe, but if they taste as good as they look, sign me up! Make up a few batches of these cookies, put them on a pretty plate to deliver to your neighbors.

It will be a fun way to share a new recipe and some holiday spirit.

Sweet Zucchini Relish

I love giving my neighbors jars of this Sweet Zucchini Relish for Christmas. Most people haven’t heard of Zucchini Relish and it’s fun sharing this delicious recipe with them.

Vanilla Bean Salted Caramels

Our neighbors gift us homemade caramels every December, and I for reals look forward to it all.year.long. They are heavenly!

Be sure to try out this Vanilla Bean Salted Caramel recipe. It makes for great neighbor gifts and the best treat ever.

Homemade Candied Pecans

This yummy candied pecans recipe only requires 4 ingredients and is paleo and vegan friendly (yay!). Candied pecans make great gifts to pass to neighbors, friends and teachers.

Christmas Tree Cookies

These Christmas Tree Cookies are such a cute addition to a plate of Christmas treats for your neighbors and friends. They are so easy to make and have the best flavor!

Mason Jar Treats

I love the simplicity of this homemade mason jar treats gift. If you are looking for something quick and simple to make as a gift be sure to check out this tutorial on At My Sisters Place.

Related: Cheap Gift Ideas for Neighbors, Teachers, and Friends

Homemade Vanilla Extract

How fun would it be to receive a homemade bottle of vanilla extract? This is something I have always wanted to try and I think would make for such a special gift to anyone on your gifting list.

The recipe only has two ingredients, and comes with free printable gift tags. Check it out here.

Gingerbread Candied Nuts

Here is another delicious candied nut recipe. I love that it includes gingerbread spice (so good!). Just make sure you don’t eat it all before sharing it with your loved ones (which is something I might accidentally do!).

Snowman Mason Jar

I love this Snowman Mason Jar where it turns an edible gift into a cute package as well. All you need is a mason jar and a few craft supplies!

Cinnamon Hard Candy

This Cinnamon Hard Candy recipe is so easy to make and always a fun favorite! I love gifting treats that aren’t very common, but well liked. Cinnamon Hard Candy is exactly that! Be sure to check out the full recipe here.

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What are some of your homemade Christmas Gifts ideas?

How to Make Sweet Zucchini Relish Recipe

August 12, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Easy Canned Zucchini Relish Recipe.

When I married my husband, I had no idea the plethora of new and delicious recipes I would learn about. My in laws have introduced me to so many yummy foods that I never even knew existed. One of them is this Sweet Zucchini Relish recipe.

This is honestly the very best relish I have ever had. Every single person who I have shared this relish with loves it! I am always being asked to share the recipe. Zucchini relish is perfect to eat this relish on hamburgers, hot dogs, biscuits and gravy, and sandwiches.

I love to make a big batch of zucchini relish every summer to use up our garden zucchini surplus. A jar of zucchini relish makes a wonderful gift to give to new neighbors, friends or as Christmas gifts.

Related: How to Make Zucchini Noodles With a Spiralizer

Zucchini Relish Prep

Zucchini relish is so easy to make. It takes a little prep and planning, but the steps are really simple.

First, you need to grate 10 cups of zucchini and 4 cups onion. If you have a food processor, I suggest using it. Sadly, my food processor was broken so I used my grater.

Dump your shredded zucchini and onion into a large bowl.

Next, add 5 tablespoons of salt and stir well.

Cover bowl and put in fridge and let it sit overnight.

The Next Morning

After your relish sits for 12 hours (or overnight) get it out and put it into a strainer.

Rinse with cold water.

Afterwards, use a spoon to try to push out as much moisture/water from the relish as possible.

Once you have gotten out as much moisture as possible, pour the zucchini mixture into a large pot.

Shred 2 green bell peppers and 1 red bell pepper. You can use 3 green peppers if you prefer, the red just adds a little color. Put the shredded peppers into pot.

After that add the following ingredients to the pot:

6 cups sugar
2 tsp. celery seed
2 1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. black pepper

Stir well. Turn stove to low and cook mixture for 30-1 hour.

The more moisture your zucchini has, the longer it will need to cook. It’s OK for it to still be a little runny/watery when bottling.

Fill hot mason jars with relish and top with a hot canning lid.

Process pints following canning procedures in hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Let sit on counter to cool and lids to seal.

Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions!

Related: Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Sweet Zucchini Relish

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

10 cups zucchini
4 cups onion
5 Tbsp salt
2 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
6 cups sugar
2 tsp celery seed
2 1/2 cups vinegar
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Use food processor or grater to shred zucchini and onions. Put in large bowl.
Add salt to mixture.
Cover bowl and put in fridge to sit overnight.
After sitting overnight put zucchini in a strainer and rinse well with cold water.
Use spoon to press out as much moisture as possible from zucchini.
Pour mixture into a large, heavy pot.
Grind peppers and add to mixture.
Add sugar, celery seed, vinegar, nutmeg, dry mustard, turmeric, cornstarch, and black pepper. Stir well.
Turn stove to low and cook relish for 30-60 minutes. The more moisture the zucchini has, the longer it will need to cook. It is OK for it to be a little runny and watery when bottling.
Pour mixture into hot pint sized mason jars. Process in hot water bath, using safe canning procedures, for 15 minutes.

I can’t wait for you to try this sweet zucchini relish recipe! You will love it!

Pin this recipe so you can make it again:

How to make canned zucchini relish.

Budget Friendly Birthday Traditions for Kids

August 10, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Fun Birthday Traditions to Start This Year.

I love celebrating my kids birthdays every year. They love having their special day all about them. fun to have one day just focused on helping them feel important and loved. I try really hard to give them a special day to remember, WITHOUT spending very much money; I truly believe that you do NOT need to spend money to help a child feel special. Here are a few of our budget friendly birthday traditions for kids.

Decorate Bedroom

The night before a birthday, I sneak into my childs room after they fall asleep, and decorate.

I blow up a bunch of balloons and leave them on the floor and then hang streamers from the doorway.They know every night before they go to bed what will happen, but they still love it. It’s so fun for them to wake up to a party!

Birthday Breakfast

A birthday is always started with our traditional breakfast of birthday pancakes. These are so easy to make, but the kids favorite.

Whip up a batch of this delicious pancake recipe and then add some sprinkles to the batter. So easy!

Sometimes, if I’m feeling real fancy, I’ll try to make a pancake in the shape of their initials….but let’s be real, I’m rarely fancy! 😉

Your-Choice Dinner

The birthday child at our house always gets to choose what I make for dinner the night of their birthday. If they choose pizza, I make pizza! If they want waffles, well then, I make waffles!

This isn’t a hard tradition by any means, but my kids think it’s fun to get to be in charge of all the dinner plans.

Related: Budget Friendly Pancake and Pajama Birthday Party for Tweens!

Red Birthday Plate

Another fun birthday tradition for kids is the “Red Birthday Plate.” I bought this red plate years ago at a home decor store. It’s a little chipped and loved, but also full of memories and joy.

This red plate only comes out on someones birthday. The birthday child gets to eat their dinner on this special plate.

This is a tradition I grew up with and have enjoyed carrying the tradition on with my own children. It’s so simple, yet for some reason, it brings so much joy to whoever gets to eat on the birthday plate.

Birthday Love

Another fun traditions happens while we are eating dinner.

Everyone in the family takes a turn telling the birthday child what they love about them. I love focusing on all of the many wonderful qualities in each of my kids, and getting to hear them express these to each other.

Bedtime Stories

At bedtime I lay with the birthday child and share the story of their birth. I try to go through all the details from that special day years ago, including the highs and lows.

Of course, I always end with sharing how that day was one of the most special, important, beautiful days of my life and I talk about just how perfect my life has become because they were born.

In Conclusion

None of these traditions cost a lot of money. Sure, I spend a few dollars on streamers and balloons, but really that’s it! It does NOT take a “pinterest worthy” birthday to celebrate a loved one. All it takes is a little thought and a lot of love.

Kids Birthday Party on a Budget

34 Places That Will Give you a Birthday Freebie

Check Out These Budget Friendly Gifts for Toddlers.

Melissa & Doug Safari Chunky Puzzle:

Matching Eggs Set:

Numbers Train:

Kids Tent:

Shopping Cart:

Mega Bloks:

Slice and Bake Cookie Set:

VTech Spin and Learn Flashlight:

Fine Motor Hedgehog:

Play Doctor Set:

Shape Sorter:

Pull Along Rocket:

Take Apart Truck With Toy Drill:

Luv N Snuggle Baby Doll:

Melissa & Doug Dust! Sweep! Mop! Toy:

Board Books Set:

Doodle Mat:

Fishing Bath Toy:

Bristle Blocks:

Toddler Busy Board:

Dog Bubble Machine:

In Conclusion

Related Articles:

Pin for Future Reference:

What frugal gift ideas for toddlers do you have???

Budget Friendly Foods You Should Keep Stocked.

Cheap Foods To Buy for Baking

1. Flour

2. Sugar

3. Baking Soda and Baking Powder

4. Yeast

5. Vegetable Oil

6. Cocoa

Cheap Foods to Buy For The Pantry

7. Pasta

8. Rice

9. Dried Herbs/Spices

10. Condiments

11. Vinegar

12. Oatmeal

Cheap Protein Foods to Buy

13. Canned Beans

14. Peanut Butter

15. Ground Beef

16. Chicken

17. Eggs

Cheap Produce To Buy

18. Frozen Vegetables

19. Carrots

20. Potatoes

21. Canned Fruit

22. Canned Tomatoes

23. Bananas

Cheap Foods to Buy For Snacking

24. Raisins

25. Popcorn

In Conclusion

Pin for Later:

What cheap foods do you recommend buying for a frugal pantry stock up?

Cheap ways to workout!

Why Exercise for Free?

Go for a Walk/Run

YouTube Videos

Buy Used Workout Equipment

Make Exercise Part of Your Routine

Look for Discounts

Use a Fitness App

Use What You Have

In Conclusion

Pin for future reference:

Enjoy saving money as you exercise for free!

Your Budgeting Questions Answered!

How do I begin budgeting?

What is the best way to keep track of day to day spending?

How do you use cash envelopes?

How do you make a grocery budget?

How do you save money on groceries?

What are the easiest cashback apps for frugal beginners?

What should my budget look like? What is normal for our family?