Sweet Frugal Life - Being Frugal Doesn't Make Life Any Less Sweet

Easy Broccoli Grape Salad Recipe

September 23, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

How to make a Broccoli and Grape Salad.

Have you ever eaten a broccoli and grape salad??? Because if you haven’t, you are for real missing out big time! It’s sweet, flavorful and delicious, basically all the best things! Every time I make this easy broccoli grape salad recipe I always get so many compliments and requests for the recipe. It’s a huge crowd hit!

Today I’m sharing this recipe with each of you! I know you are going to love this easy salad recipe and wow everyone you serve it to. I am so excited for you!

This recipe was passed down from my grandma, to my mom and to me. I love sharing it with others because I get to remember my dear mom and grandmother and the hands that have perfected the recipe. It’s been loved and shared by so many! Aren’t family recipes just the best kind of recipes??? I think so!

Broccoli Grape Salad Recipe

To make this salad you will need:

4 bunches of broccoli, florets cut
2 cups of grapes, sliced in half
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Putting It All Together

First, cut broccoli florets off of 4 bunches of broccoli and put them into a large bowl. Then slice 2 cups of grapes in half. Add them to the bowl.

Next, add the honey roasted peanuts and sunflower seeds. I love watching all of the colors come together in this salad!

In a separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar and apple cider vinegar.

Once mixed, pour dressing over the salad and stir well.

All done! It’s ready to serve! This salad tastes even better after it sits in the fridge for 12-24 hours. So, don’t be afraid to make it in advance!

Broccoli Grape Salad

This easy salad recipe is a crowd favorite!

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Prep Time 15 mins

Course Salad

Ingredients

4 bunches broccoli cut
2 cups grapes sliced in half
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Mix broccoli, grapes, sunflower seeds and honey roasted peanuts together in a large bowl.
In a small separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar and apple cider vinegar to make the dressing.
Pour dressing over broccoli and grapes mixture.
Stir well until mixed throughout.

Keyword easy recipes, salad

Try it! You’ll like it!

Let me know if you try this broccoli and grape salad! I would love to know what you think of the recipe! Just last week I took it to a BBQ with friends and everyone was complimenting me and going back for seconds and thirds. I love surprising crowds with this salad!

Mel’s Home Cooking

Do you want even more easy recipes? Check out my cookbook, Mel’s Home Cooking, for more quick to fix recipes.

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I can’t wait for you to try this easy broccoli grape salad recipe!

How To Host A Clothing Swap

September 16, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Everything you need to know about hosting a clothing swap.

Who doesn’t love free clothes??? I LOVE free clothes. But, do you want to know what is even better then free clothing??? Helping all of your friends score free clothes too. It makes for the perfect girls night! Time with friends plus free clothing equals everyone is happy! Want to know what the heck I am talking about??? I’m talking hosting a clothing swap!

What Is A Clothing Swap?

A clothing swap is a party where everyone can bring their gently used clothing/accessories to exchange for other gently used clothing/accessories. Each clothing swap will differ from each other in terms of rules and expectations, but the simple motive stays the same: to help others get rid of clothing no longer loved and find new clothing to love again….without having to spend any money!

Why Host A Clothing Swap?

There are many reasons to host a clothing swap! I’ve already mentioned the chance to get new to you clothing for free! But, here are a few other great reasons:

A clothing swap is an environmentally friendly to recycle clothes and reduce waste.
It’s a fun way to spend a night out with friends and make new friends!
Attending a clothing swap will motivate you to clean out your closet and get rid of items you rarely wear.
It encourages you to try new clothing that you normally wouldn’t wear.

How To Host A Clothing Swap?

A clothing swap is fairly simple to host, and the best part of hosting is that you get to make up the rules! Here are a few things to consider when planning your event:

1. Choose A Location

The first step to planning a clothing swap is to choose a location. The location will depend based on the number of people attending. Most of the clothing swaps I have attended have been small and held in a friends living room.

If you have a bigger crowd attending you might be able to find free rental space at a local library or church.

2. Set The Rules

You should spend some time deciding what the rules for your swap will be. This is an important step to ensure that everyone knows what to expect from the party and you can all be on the same page. A few rules I recommend are:

Clothes should be in good condition. No stains, holes, broken zippers, etc.
Clothing should be freshly washed.
Encourage guests to bring 10-15 high quality clothing items. Quality is more important than quantity when it comes to hosting a clothing swap. If to many clothing items are brought, the swap can become overwhelming to sort through.
Set a theme. Make sure to set a theme for the types of clothing to be swapped. Some swaps focus on trading children’s clothing, others might be just for women’s clothing. Decide what type of clothing you want at the swap and let your guests know ahead of time.

3. Invite Guests

Now that you have your rules set, you can start inviting the guests. If you are wanting a small clothing swap, limit your guest list to your closest friends and family. If you want a bigger swap, try branching out and inviting acquaintances along with your friends.

4. Set Up

It’s important for the clothing to be dropped off before the actual event is set to begin. You might want to ask for clothing to be dropped off the night before the official swap, to give you plenty of time to set up. But, asking for donations 1 hour before the swap can also work! It will depend on how many people and items you are expecting.

When setting up the swap, make sure to organize clothing items by size and category to make it easier for your guests to sort through.

It’s also a good idea to have a place for guests to try on items during the swap. If you are hosting at your home, a guest bathroom works great.

5. Swap Time

When it’s time to swap you can organize it a few different ways:

Free for all: Let everyone shop and grab items to their delight. This works best for small groups or close friends. If the group is to big it could cause problems with some people grabbing the “favorite” items first and others leaving without anything. The goal is for all attendees to leave happy!
Lottery: Another way to arrange the swap is to use a lottery. Write all guests names down on separate pieces of paper and put them into a bowl. Draw names out one at a time and assign each name a number in the order they were drawn. Next, let the first 1-5 names drawn shop for the first 15-20 minutes. Then the next 5 names can shop for the next 15-20 minutes, and so on. This gives all guests a fair chance at the clothing.
Swap For Swap: Another way to ensure fair swapping is to give each guest a ticket for every item of clothing they bring. If one person brings 7 clothing items, they will receive 7 tickets. For each ticket they are given they will be able receive that many items of clothing to bring home.

Now, all that’s left to do is enjoy the clothing swap and watch everyone leave with a pile of new to them clothing!

6. Donate Unwanted

After the party is over, make sure to donate whatever clothing items are leftover. Choose a charity, such as Goodwill or Salvation Army to donate the leftover items to.

In Conclusion

A clothing swap is such a fun way to hang out with friends and get some new articles of clothing. They are totally addicting though! Once you start going to these activities, it’s hard to stop!

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I hope this helped you learn how to host a clothing swap.

Tips For Budgeting As A Couple

September 11, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

How to get your spouse to budget when they don’t want to.

Do you struggle budgeting as a couple? I can so relate! I have been there!

My husband and I are constantly working on getting on the same page with a budget.

It all started about 10 years ago when I read a book that changed my life, Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover book and I knew it was time to start looking at our finances differently. I decided right then and there that my husband and I would make a budget, and stick to it faithfully.

Later that night I happily told my husband the good news, “We are going to start budgeting and will be able to save so much money!” I announced.

I looked at his face, fully expecting to see the same enthusiasm that I felt……but instead of joy, I saw annoyance.

“Why do we need to budget? We spend less than I make every month” he asked me.

I spent a few minutes explaining to him that a budget could help us save for our future, eliminate some unnecessary spending, and set us up for financial success, fully expecting him to be just as excited about it as I was.

But, he just didn’t have the same vision as I had. Which, in hindsight is understandable. I had accepted him to jump on board with my new found financial knowledge, simply because I was telling him that it was a good idea. I wanted him to feel like I felt, without ever giving him the opportunity to form his own views.

Here’s the thing about relationships: you can not force your spouse to have your same views. That’s not how a marriage works. A marriage is a partnership between two separate people. Each of the partners will, should, and have their own opinions, thoughts, goals, and ideas. I’m going to say it again, you can not force your spouse to be something they aren’t.

It took me a few months of talking (and disagreeing) to my husband about budgeting before I finally asked, “Can we just try it? Let’s just try it for one month and see how it goes. I think it could really help us!”

Fortunately, he agreed. We sat together one evening and set up a budget. There were frustrations, we have had plenty of mishaps, and we have had to start and restart time and time again. But. A decade later and we still budget. In fact, my husband is the one that 99% of the time reminds me it’s time to discuss the budget.

So what changed? I believe there were two main points that changed my husbands mind about the whole budget thing.

He saw that a budget did in fact make a difference. My husband needed to decide for himself if he felt that a budget was worthwhile. Once he saw how much more money we did actually save on a budget, he embraced the vision.
It became a habit. He really didn’t like the idea of having “one more thing” on his to do list. But, after a few months it has become a habit and doesn’t feel like an extra chore, it’s just what we do.

Now, I understand that not all situations go like mine. Some spouses are more willing and others are much less willing to budget together. Here are a few tips to help you when your spouse just doesn’t want to budget.

Tips For Budgeting As A Couple

1. Communicate

Communication is so important in a marriage, and finances is no different. Communicate with your spouse why you want to budget and your goals and concerns for your future. Explain to him why this is important to you, and why it is important to you to do together.

In return, listen. Listen to your spouses concerns. Ask him why he doesn’t want to budget, ask him how you can help make it easier for them, and genuinely listen and care about his responses.

2. Make it Fun

Try to make budgeting fun (yes! budgeting can be fun…..ish!). Instead of saying something like, “Let’s have a budget meeting.” (I mean, that prob sounds fairly boring to anyone, right!?), invite your spouse to something fun, plus a budget meeting!

You could go on a walk, have a picnic, or bring their favorite foods to enjoy while discussing the budget. Make the budget meetings a little less boring and try to make it a fun experience for everyone involved.

2. No blaming

When it comes to the budget you need to work as a team. Avoid putting blame on your spouse. Instead of, “You spent way to much this month!” say phrases like, “We spent to much this month.” Yes! Even if it truly might be your spouse overspending, work as a team and never ever blame. The only thing blaming will bring is contention, and contention won’t make a budget.

3. Be Willing to Compromise

Compromise is a must when budgeting as a couple. Maybe you are super frugal and your spouse isn’t, this is totally normal!

Find a way to meet in the middle. Perhaps your spouse wants to get a hair cut and color every month, but you feel that makes the budget to tight. Ask if they would be willing to get a cut and color every 6-8 weeks instead. Give your spouse freedom in their budget, while also making sure the budget is kept.

4. Personal Spending Money

Include personal spending money for both you and your spouse. This spending money gives both of you the freedom to spend how you want, when you want, with completely no guilt or judgement attached to it.

The amount received for personal spending will vary based on your income and expenses. However, you and your spouse should both receive the exact same amount.

I love having this guilt free spending money!

Related: Budget for Beginners: FAQ

5. Be the Example

Maybe your spouse just doesn’t get it, and that’s OK! The whole idea of budgeting might be a little daunting or strange to them, which is exactly how my husband was. Be an example of living by a successful budget so they can learn from you.

Excitedly show your partner how much money you saved by doing “xyz” that month. Your positive attitude just might rub off and they will want to join in on your success.

6. Celebrate the Wins

Positive reinforcement goes a long ways in marriage, and life in general. When your spouse sticks to the budget, celebrate. Buy them their favorite treat, genuinely praise them, and let them know how proud you are of them.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated and having mini celebrations can help budgeting feel much more bearable.

7. Make a Plan Together

Together is the key word in this. Sit down and discuss your goals for the future and present. Plan how you can reach these goals and make a plan going forward. Allow your spouse to give their opinions about the way the plan and budget will look. It might not be exactly how you think it should be, but remember compromise matters.

When Nothing Works

If you have tried everything you can to get your spouse to budget and it’s just not working, you are not alone. Financial disagreements are common among all couples.

Focus on the things that you can control within your budget. Spend wisely. Budget as best as you can by yourself and do what you can to keep the finances in order. Alone is never fun, but it can be done. Lean on support groups through facebook or family and friends to help give you the support you need.

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I hope this gave you some good tips about budgeting as a couple.

Rice Krispie Monsters

September 10, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

Check out these easy spooky rice krispie treats!

My kids school has a fun Halloween carnival each year. It’s a great fundraiser and always a lot of fun for the kids to participate in. As part of the carnival they have a Bake Sale. All of the baked goods are donated and sold off as a way to earn money for the school. I’ve started making these easy Rice Krispie Monsters every year for the bake sale and they are always one of the first items sold! These spooky rice krispie treats are truly so fun for everyone!

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.”

Rice Krispie Monsters Directions

One of my favorite parts of this easy Halloween treat is that it is so easy to make, but makes such a cute and fun statement.

1. Make Rice Krispies

The first step is to make rice krispie treats according to the package directions. If you have never made rice krispie treats before, don’t worry, they are a so so easy and only take a few minutes to whip up.

Pour your finished rice krispie treats into a 9×13 pan and let them cool and harden.

Once your spooky rice krispies are cool, cut them into rectangles. The size and dimension really doesn’t matter. It actually would be cute to have a few different sizes and maybe a little un-uniformed! They are rice krispie monsters after all!

2. Prepare Chocolate

Next, you will want to prepare your chocolate for dipping.

I bought these candy melts from Walmart. You can order them off of Amazon, but they were cheaper at Walmart. It’s fun to experiment with different colors. I have found turquoise, purple, and orange to be our favorite monster colors.

To melt your chocolate, pour the candy melts into a glass bowl and place in microwave. Heat on 50% heat for 1 minute. Stir well and then return to microwave for another 15 seconds. Keep stirring and heating in 15 second intervals until chocolate is smooth and melted.

Related: The Ultimate Fall Frugal Bucket List for Families

3. Dip Rice Krispies in Chocolate

Now it’s time to make your monsters! My kids love helping with this part!

Dip each rice krispie rectangle half way into the melted chocolate. Be quick with this step. As the chocolate cools it is harder to dip and use.

Lay each dipped rice krispie treat on a parchment paper and add eyes before chocolate hardens.

4. Add Candy Eyes

All that’s left is to add on the candy eyes. I also bought these at Walmart, but they are available on Amazon.

This part is so easy and fun! Use your creativity to make silly faces on each monster! My kids had some fun ideas for making the eyes unique.

Let your cute rice krispie monsters cool, and the chocolate harden.

And that is it! You are done! Now, feed your monster treats to your little monster darlings. 😉

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Pin for future reference:

Enjoy these yummy Rice Krispie Monsters!

How to Make Tissue Paper Pom Poms

September 9, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

Easy Tissue Paper Pom Pom Tutorial.

Have you ever wondered how to make tissue paper pom poms? I LOVE to make them! They are one of the easiest, cheapest DIY decoration around. I have made some for my daughters rooms, and they are always a staple at all my kids birthday parties.

A lot of stores sell pre-made pom poms, that just need to be fluffed up, but I’m telling you…..those are not worth the money. You can easily make them yourself for a much cheaper price! I promise you can even do it if you are NOT a crafter, these are that easy!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Supplies for Tissue Paper Pom Poms

You only need a few supplies to start making tissue paper pom poms.

6 sheets of tissue paper. You can use more tissue paper if you want to, the more sheets you use the fluffier your pom-pom will be.
String
Scissors

And that’s it!! Make sure to check your local Dollar Tree for great prices on tissue paper.

How to Make Tissue Paper Pom Poms

First, unfold your tissue paper and layer each of the sheets on top of each other. Smooth it out and make sure all of the sides are even with each other. This doesn’t need to be perfect, just do the best you can!

Starting at the shorter end fold the tissue paper (all sheets together) accordion style. Your finished product should look similar to the pictures below.

Related: How to Make Your Very Own Pom-Pom Garland

Take some string, (I just used thread because it’s what I had) and tie a knot in the middle of the folded tissue paper. Leave a long piece of string, this is what you will use to hang your pom-pom with.

Now, snip two small cuts on both ends of the tissue paper. This is what gives the flowery shape to the pom-pom. This is not a necessary step! There have been plenty of times I’ve forgotten to do it, and they still turned out super cute!

You are almost finished!

Now, gently separate each sheet of tissue paper from each other. This will fluff out the pom-pom. Fluff one side of the pom-pom and then the other side.

The tissue paper might begin to tear during this step. Try to go slowly, so if you do notice a tear you can stop it before it gets bigger. The rips usually blend into the pom-pom, but they still aren’t fun to get.

Adjust the fluffs until you get it just right, and you are done! It only takes about 10 minutes to make your own tissue paper pom-pom! Quick and easy at it’s best!

I used these pom-poms for my daughters Pancake and Pajamas birthday party. It’s such a fun, cheap decoration. My favorite part of making these pom-poms are that their are so many fun and beautiful colors to choose from. The look can be very different depending on the colors that you choose.

Make sure to check out my video below for another tissue paper pom-pom tutorial!

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I hope you love these DIY tissue paper pom-poms!

My Honest GetUpside App Review

September 8, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Here’s what I really think about the GetUpside App!

A few months ago, one of the members of my Facebook Frugal Community Group told me about an easy way to earn cashback on gasoline purchases called GetUpside. I immediately loved the idea of getting cashback on gas, because gasoline prices have gotten so expensive the past few months! After hearing about the app it only took me a few seconds to download it and start searching for offers near me. And so far, I have LOVED using this app! I wish would have started using it sooner! Here is my honest GetUpside App review! Let me know if you have any questions!

What Is The GetUpside App?

The GetUpside App is an app that rewards you with cashback when you shop at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. (Disclaimer: I have only used it at gas stations and that is what my GetUpside app review will be focused on.)

How Does It Work?

One of my favorite things about GetUpside is that it is so so easy to use! Here’s how it works:

1. Download The App

The first thing you will need to do is download the GetUpside app to your phone. The app is completely free to use and download! Once you sign in, make sure to enter code AFF20 to get a BONUS 20 cents cashback/gallon at the gas station. The best part of this bonus is you can stack it with the OTHER offers in the app for bigger cashback! Yay!

2. Find Offers

Next, you will need to search for offers in your area. This is easily done using location services and the in app map.

The map will show you each of the offers near you and how much cashback you are eligible for.

3. Claim Offer

When you find the offer you want, click the “Claim” button. You will be given 4 hours to redeem the offer you selected, so make sure to use it within that time frame.

I have found it works best to claim the offer when you are sitting at the gas station about to fill up. This way you won’t forget about it!

4. Scan Receipt

Before scanning your receipt you will need to enter your credit card info into the app. This info is only used to verify purchases, it will not be used to charge you for anything.

After filling your car with gas, print the receipt and scan it into the GetUpside app. Your cashback will be added to your GetUpside account within 24-48 hours.

**There is also an option to add your credit card info for quicker receipt submission, but I have never tried this option.

5. Cash Out

Now for the fun part! You get to redeem your earnings! Yay! When you are ready to get your earnings, just click on the “Cash Out” option. You have a few different ways to redeem.

Cash Out: GetUpside lets you cash out via paypal or direct deposit to your bank account. You can choose this option whenever you want, no minimum amount required! However they will charge a $1 processing fee when requesting cashback under $15, so I recommend waiting until you have $15 or more to redeem using this method. Which honestly, it didn’t take very long for me to get to $15 earnings.
Digital Gift Card: The next option is to redeem your earnings for a digital gift card. GetUpside offers a big selection of gift cards. You will find a selection of gift cards to retail shopping, restaurants, Walmart, and even Amazon! Here are a few of the options available currently:

6. Bonus Cashback

If you like using GetUpside make sure to share your referral code with your friends and family. This will benefit both of you!

When you share your referral code your friend will get an extra 15 cents/gallon cash back the first time they use an app and YOU will get a bonus 15 cents/gallon cashback. Win-win!

Does GetUpside Really Save Money?

I get asked a lot if GetUpside is actually a good way to save money. The truth is, it depends.

Yes, GetUpside can be a great way to earn cashback when filling up your car. This is free money and a great way to offset the rising fuel costs.

But! There have been times when the cashback offerw on GetUpside were actually more expensive than other gas stations (yes, even after the cashback!). These type of offers are not worth it!

I recommend you always check the GasBuddy app to find gas prices in your area and compare those prices with the cashback offers on the GetUpside app. Choose whichever one is cheaper. Sometimes it might be cheaper to use GetUpside and other times it won’t be.

GetUpside Pros

I loved so many things about using GetUpside. Here are a few of my very very favorite!

The app is very user friendly and easy to navigate.
I love the map that shows the offers nearest me, it’s so helpful for finding gas stations.
Free money! I love earning cashback on items I would be buying anyways! Gas for my car is necessary, so I might as well get a kick back at the same time!
The referral program is amazing. When you refer GetUpside to a friend you will get a bonus 15 cents/gallon cashback to use within the app. PLUS! You will get 1 cent/gallon cashback on every gallon of gas your friend buys using the app….forever! It’s the referral program that just keeps on giving!

GetUpside Cons

I love this easy to use cashback app, but their are some cons! Below are some of my biggest cons with using GetUpside.

It does not work with cash. You can only redeem a receipt if you pay with a credit or debit card.
The app is not available everywhere. There are some location where GetUpside does not offer cashback options. I wish it was more global friendly.
GetUpside can be more expensive. Occasionally the cashback received from GetUpside is still more expensive than competitor gas stations.
Prices aren’t always accurate. I love that GetUpside tells you the price of gasoline, along with the cashback offer available. However, there have been a couple of times when the prices GetUpside quoted me was not the actual price at the gas station. This has been rare, but it has happened.

Is GetUpside For You?

Still wondering if GetUpside is for you or not? I recommend you download the app and look to see the offers in your area, if you find some good offers, try it out! You have nothing to lose!

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I hope you enjoyed this honest GetUpside App review!

Easy After School Snack Ideas

September 5, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

Quick after school snacks for kids!

I am always looking for easy after school snack ideas. After school snack time is one of my favorite parts of the day because it is a time for my kids to sit down, refill their bellies, and talk to ME (if I’m lucky tbh)! 😉

I will admit, a big reason I make the after school snack a priority is for selfish reasons. My goal is that as they eat their snack they will tell me all the highs and lows of their day. It doesn’t always happen this way, but sometimes I see success. There have been amazing days when they have sat down and poured their hearts out to me over the snack. And those days make it all worthwhile!

I spent the past month taking a daily picture of our after school snacks. A “pinterest mom” I am not; my parenting thrives on simple and cheap. If you are looking for the healthiest, fanciest snacks…..this is NOT that type of blog.

However, if you are looking for a few easy snack ideas then keep reading, you just might find one here!

Easy After School Snack Ideas Week 1

Day 1: Peanut butter cookie, raisins

Day 2: Cinnamon sugar tortilla, grapes

Day 3: Whole wheat banana chocolate chip muffin, strawberries

Day 4: Bagel with cream cheese, strawberries

Day 5: Applesauce

Week 2

Day 1: Peanut butter cookie, dried apples

Day 2: Peanut butter crackers for running errands

Day 3: String cheese, orange

Day 4: Animal crackers, celery with peanut butter

Day 5: Fruit leather and dried apples

Week 3

Day 1: Animal crackers, grapes for running errands

Day 2: Homemade Graham Crackers, grapes

Day 3: Apple slices with peanut butter and chocolate chips (I use this mandoline slicer for the apples)

Day 4: Monster Rice Krispie Treats

Day 5: Frozen Blueberries

Week 4

Day 1: Oil popped popcorn

Day 2: Muffin Tin Snack of carrots, animal crackers, cheerios, raisins and string cheese

Day 3: Pumpkin muffin and raisins

Day 4: String cheese and carrots

Day 5: Cheerios and raisins

In Conclusion

It was actually so fun to look back and see all of the different snacks we had over the past month! I hope that you found them helpful! Feeding kids doesn’t need to take a lot of work or cost a lot of money!

Pin For Later:

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What are some of your favorite easy after school snacks ideas?

DIY Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

September 2, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

Check out this No Sew Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial!

Halloween is just around the corner! I love this time of year; I love the pumpkins, the crisp cool air, the changing leaves, and the excitement in my children. My kids love to dress up and run around the neighborhood trick or treating. The urge to craft came on strong the other day and I decided it would be so fun to make my kids new bags for trick or treating. I wanted to create something cute, but also simple and frugal (because that’s how I roll!). I came up with the idea of this DIY trick or treat bag. I’ll be honest with you….it was even EASIER than I originally had planned! (win!)

DIY Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

My favorite thing about this tutorial is that it is an easy craft projects for non sewers, but comes out looking professional!

The first thing you will need to do to make this no sew Trick or Treat bag is to gather all of your supplies.

Supplies Needed:

–Canvas Craft Tote
Scrap fabric (I chose Halloween colors)
Wonder Under
Iron/ironing board
Pattern for tracing

Find Your Pattern

Now that you have gathered your supplies it’s time to find your pattern. You can choose any design, picture or pattern. It doesn’t even need to be Halloween related!

When we were choosing patterns I asked my kids what picture they wanted on each of their bags. My daughter requested a cat and my son asked for a spider, so those are the patterns I searched for.

You can easily find patterns by searching on google, they are fairly easy to find. Just type in the pattern that you want. For example, if you want to use a spider just type in, “spider tracing pattern.” You will find many different patterns to choose from!

Another great option for patterns is to look at clip art in Microsoft Word.

Once you have found the pattern you want to use, print it and cut it out.

Prepare Your Design

Next you will need to transfer the pattern onto your chosen fabric. I recommend following the directions on your wonder under fusing, they are all a little different.

When I transferred my pattern I cut out a large square of wonder under (large enough to cover the entire shape), and ironed the rough side onto the wrong side of the fabric.

Then I used my tracing pattern to trace the shape onto the paper side of the wonder under.

Once the pattern is traced, cut the picture out (fabric and all), fabric scissors are really helpful to cut out the fabric.

Lastly, gently pull off the paper backing of the wonder under.

Iron On The Picture

Now, center your cut out fabric picture on the bag where you want it. Use a warm iron to iron the picture to the bag. The wonder under fusing will fuse the fabric to the bag, making it stick.

I have found that holding the iron steady for 5-10 seconds over each section of the picture helps give the applique a nice firm hold.

That’s it! You’re done! See, I told you it would be easy!! It probably took me a total of one hour to finish both bags! Quick crafting, is my type of crafting! Imagine all the fun designs and fabric you could iron onto a bag! So many fun ideas!

In Conclusion

Use your imagination when making this DIY Trick or Treat Bag. There are so many fun possibilities. You could iron on a pumpkin, ghost, witch hat, bat, skeleton, or fun lettering.

I can’t wait to watch my kids go trick or treating with their new bags!

Easy Pumpkin Craft Tutorial For a Fun Fall Decoration

Fall Bucket List for Families

Monster Rice Krispie Treats

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I hope you love this DIY Trick or Treat Bag as much as we did!

Easy Food Substitutions To Save Money

August 20, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Here are a few easy food substitutions to help you save money on groceries and prevent extra grocery trips.

Have you ever been in this situation: start cooking dinner, get half way through the recipe, and then realize you are missing ONE important ingredient??? Now you are stuck with the dilemma of trying to decide if you should take the time to go to the grocery store for that one item or switch dinner plans last minute. This situation has happened to me more times than I can count, and I feel like either decision I make ends up costing me money. If I go to the store I always buy more than that one item, but if I switch dinner plans last minute there is a lot of food that goes to waste. This is where easy food substitutions can be a huge game saver! Here are some easy food substitutions to save money.

Easy Food Substitutions To Save Money

Here are a few of my favorite food substitutions to help you save money, time and headaches! 😉 Let me know what (if any) you would add to this list!

1. Buttermilk

A few of my very favorite recipes call for buttermilk, like my fluffy pancakes recipe here. But, do you want to know a little secret? I have never once bought buttermilk from the store to make them!

Instead, I just make my own buttermilk substitute. It is so quick, easy and I always have the ingredients on hand!

To make your own buttermilk just add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then it’s ready to use! So easy!

*I have also heard you can use lemon juice instead of vinegar, but vinegar is cheaper, so that’s what I use!

2. Lemon Zest

Honestly, I really don’t like zesting lemons. It’s a bit of a hassle, and I never have lemons around anyways.

So, I started substituting lemon juice for lemon zest and it works wonderfully!

You can use 2 Tbsp of lemon juice to replace 1 tsp of lemon zest in recipes.

3. Fresh Lemon Juice

Speaking of lemons, another great lemon substitute is to use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice. I always have bottled lemon juice stocked, but I rarely buy lemons. This substitute is perfect to save me a trip to the grocery store.

Use 2-3 Tbsps of lemon juice in place of the juice of one lemon.

4. Ground Beef

Meat is one of the most expensive items at the grocery store. If you’re wanting to save money on groceries I recommend planning a few meatless meals each week.

However, if you’re wanting to cook with meat, specifically ground beef, you can substitute some of the meat for black beans, which will also save you money!

Just mash the beans up and add them to your ground beef while it’s browning. This is also a great trick for stretching dinners a little further, without having to spend a lot of extra money.

Related: 10 Incredibly Easy Ways to Stretch Meals

5. Greek Yogurt

If you have any baking recipes that call for Greek yogurt, there is a very easy substitute! All you have to do is replace the yogurt with sour cream!

You can use a 1:1 ratio, meaning use the exact same amount of sour cream that the recipe needed of Greek Yogurt.

6. Self Rising Flour

When baking you might come across a few recipes that call for Self Rising Flour. Rather than going out and buying flour for that specific recipe, just make your own using items you probably already have in your pantry!

To make 1 cup of self rising flour mix together:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

That’s it! You’ve just made your own self rising flour for pennies!

7. Half and Half

A cheap and easy substitute for half and half is milk. True, milk won’t be as rich as using half and half, but I make this easy substitute all of the time and hardly notice a difference.

If you are really wanting a flavor more similar to half and half, just add 1 Tbsp of melted butter to a cup of milk and use to replace 1 cup of half and half.

8. Vanilla

Vanilla extract can be a very expensive ingredient to keep stocked up in your pantry. But, fortunately there is a cheaper substitute you can try! Yay!

My favorite substitution for vanilla is maple syrup. Just use a 1:1 ratio when replacing vanilla extract with maple syrup, making it quick and easy to remember, just the way we like it!

Related: Cheap Foods to Buy For a Well Stocked Pantry

9. Allspice

Do you have a recipe that calls for allspice, but you don’t want to buy an ingredient to only use 1/4 tsp?!? I get it, I’ve been there too! Just make your own allspice instead!

To make allspice mix together 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground cloves. This will make the equivalent of 1 tsp Allspice.

10. Breadcrumbs

Save yourself some money and make your own breadcrumbs at home rather than purchasing them at the store! Breadcrumbs are so easy to make and a great way to use up a loaf of bread before it goes bad.

To make homemade breadcrumbs:

Place 4-6 bread slices on a cookie sheet.
Put cookie sheet in a 300 degree oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until bread is hard and dry.
Let bread cool.
Once cool, put bread into a food processor and pulse until the bread has turned into fine bread crumbs.

That’s it! You will now have breadcrumbs to use however your recipe calls for them! Enjoy!

11. Eggs

If you run out of eggs right in the middle of baking, no worries! You can easily substitute mayo (yes, mayo!) for eggs.

Just use 3 Tbsp of mayo to replace each egg called for in the recipe.

12. Corn Syrup

Every time I buy corn syrup for a recipe, it ends up sitting in my cupboard untouched for months and months. I just don’t cook with it enough to make the cost worth it!

So, I’ve started making my own and haven’t looked back since. It is MUCH cheaper than buying the real thing!

To make your own corn syrup mix together:

1 1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water

This will make one cup of corn syrup substitute! Enjoy!

13. Cream Of Chicken Soup

Another easy ingredient to make yourself is Condensed Cream Of Chicken Soup mix. You can whip up a big jar of this every few months, leave it sitting on your shelf and then use when needed. It’s so cheap and quick to make!

Check out my recipe here: Cream of Chicken Soup Mix recipe. Let me know if you have any questions about it!

14. Garlic

Honestly, I never ever buy garlic. I told my friend this once and she thought I was crazy! It’s just not a priority in my kitchen.

But, when I do have a recipe that calls for one garlic clove I will substitute 1/8 tsp garlic powder instead. It works like a charm!

15. Evaporated Milk

If you are in a pinch needing a can of evaporated milk, just grab a jug of regular cows milk from your refrigerator.

Simmer 2 1/4 cups milk on the stove in a sauce pan. Stir and simmer until the milk goes down to one cup. This should make 1 cup of evaporated milk.

16. Sour Cream

Sour cream (for baking) is another ingredient that has an easy swap! You can substitute 1 cup of plain yogurt for 1 cup of sour cream. And, if you remember from earlier in the article, this substitute works both ways!

If you are using a recipe that calls for 1 cup of plain yogurt and you don’t have any, just use 1 cup of sour cream instead! Easy peasy!

17. Tomato Sauce

If you are needing a can of tomato sauce, but don’t have any on hand, use tomato paste instead!

All you have to do is mix 3/4 cup tomato paste with 1 cup water and you will have the perfect substitute for 2 cups tomato sauce. I love using this substitution when making soups or stews.

In Conclusion

Don’t be afraid to get creative when cooking in the kitchen. My first instinct when I am missing an ingredient is to run to the store and buy it. However, if I stop and take a minute to find an easy alternative I have found that I can save a lot of time and money. I promise, if I can do it, so can you!

What easy food substitution would you add to this list? I would love more suggestions!

Cheap Foods to Buy For a Well Stocked Pantry

Freezer Chicken Recipes and How to Freeze Bulk Chicken

How To Make A Recipe Binder

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I hope this article gave you some good suggestions of easy food substitutions to save money.

How To Save Money On Electric Bill In Winter

August 15, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Tips to reduce electricity bill.

It’s time to prepare for the cold winter months (I’m seriously not excited about this!). The winter months is a time when many households see a rise in electricity costs. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help lower these expenses. Today I am going to share a few ways to help you learn how to save money on electric bill in winter. I hope they help you as much as they have helped me.

Do These Tips Really Work?

I get asked a lot if using the tips shared below will actually make a difference in electricity costs.

The short answer: Yes!

Every change that you make with your electricity usage can make a big difference in the amount of money you are paying in your utility bills each week.

According to Energy.gov if you turn your thermostat back (tip #2) by just 7 degrees you can save up to 10% a year on electricity costs! And this is just one of the eight changes you can make.

How To Save Money On Electric Bill In Winter

Here are a few tips to help you save a few bucks this winter. Remember, every little change makes a big difference. So choose one, or eight tips to start implementing into your routine. Let me know if you see any changes in your bills, I would love to hear what helped you!

1. Wear Layers

As the temperatures start cooling it’s time to pull out your long sleeve shirts and warm sweaters. These warmer layers will help you stay warm inside without having to increase the thermostat.

If you find yourself tempted to increase the thermostat, add another layer or blanket instead! I mean, snuggling under a blanket is one of my favorite parts of winter!

Related: 25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

2. Lower Your Thermostat

Like mentioned earlier, you can find big savings in your utility bills simply by changing your thermostat setting. Every degree you lower your settings will make a difference, but if you set your thermostat 7 degrees lower than you normally have it and you will see up to 10% extra savings a year!

Another important tip to try is to turn your thermostat even lower when you are sleeping or out of the house. We like to adjust ours to 55 degrees during these times.

3. Use your Blinds/Curtains

Curtains and blinds are more than just a pretty decoration. They are a great way to save money on electric bill in winter.

When the sun is shining open your blinds and curtains to allow the house to heat naturally from the sun. But, be sure to close them once the sun goes down; this gives your home extra insulation from the cooler weather.

4. Change Filters Regularly

Truthfully, when I first became a homeowner I had no idea that my furnace even had a filter in it. It was a mind blowing moment when someone told me my energy bill would decrease if I would change the filter regularly.

We have been consistent with changing it every 3-4 months since then and have noticed a difference in our bills!

Related: 25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

5. Caulk Window and Door Cracks

Another important step to saving money on electric bill in winter is to caulk around your windows and doors.

The first thing you will want to do is check around doors and windows for small air leaks. This is easily done by moving your hand around the edges of the window and door to feel for cold air seeping through. Try to check for leaks when your house is warm and the outdoors are extra cold.

When you do find a leak, caulk it well with a sealant, we like this one from Amazon.

6. Keep Vents Uncovered

It’s really important to keep all air vents uncovered to allow the air to circulate freely throughout your home. Check all of the vents in your home to make sure they don’t have any furniture or rugs covering them.

7. Reverse Your Ceiling Fan

Most people assume that ceiling fans shouldn’t be used during the winter months, but they are actually a great way to save money on the electric bill during winter!

The trick is to set your ceiling fan to spin in reverse by turning it to the clockwise setting. This will push the warm air from the ceiling downward to the ground keeping you feeling much warmer.

8. Avoid Heating Unused Rooms

If a room doesn’t get used regularly, there is no reason to pay money to keep it heated. The best way to accomplish this is to close the vents in rooms that aren’t used often. A guest room, laundry room, and basement storage rooms are all example of places that don’t need to be heated.

In Conclusion

You don’t have to pay what you have been paying for your electricity bill anymore! Try implementing a few of these tricks and you just might be surprised about how much money you start to save!

Do you have another suggestion about how to save money on electric bill in Winter? Drop it in the comments below!

10 Ways To Save Money On Electricity This Summer

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How To Find Extra Money In Your Budget

How to make a Broccoli and Grape Salad.

Broccoli Grape Salad Recipe

Putting It All Together

Broccoli Grape Salad

Ingredients

Instructions

Try it! You’ll like it!

Mel’s Home Cooking

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I can’t wait for you to try this easy broccoli grape salad recipe!

Everything you need to know about hosting a clothing swap.

What Is A Clothing Swap?

Why Host A Clothing Swap?

How To Host A Clothing Swap?

1. Choose A Location

2. Set The Rules

3. Invite Guests

4. Set Up

5. Swap Time

6. Donate Unwanted

In Conclusion

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I hope this helped you learn how to host a clothing swap.

How to get your spouse to budget when they don’t want to.

Tips For Budgeting As A Couple

1. Communicate

2. Make it Fun

2. No blaming

3. Be Willing to Compromise

4. Personal Spending Money

5. Be the Example

6. Celebrate the Wins

7. Make a Plan Together

When Nothing Works

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I hope this gave you some good tips about budgeting as a couple.

Check out these easy spooky rice krispie treats!

Rice Krispie Monsters Directions

1. Make Rice Krispies

2. Prepare Chocolate

3. Dip Rice Krispies in Chocolate

4. Add Candy Eyes

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Enjoy these yummy Rice Krispie Monsters!

Easy Tissue Paper Pom Pom Tutorial.

Supplies for Tissue Paper Pom Poms

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I hope you love these DIY tissue paper pom-poms!

Here’s what I really think about the GetUpside App!

What Is The GetUpside App?

How Does It Work?

1. Download The App

2. Find Offers

3. Claim Offer

4. Scan Receipt

5. Cash Out

6. Bonus Cashback

Does GetUpside Really Save Money?

GetUpside Pros

GetUpside Cons

Is GetUpside For You?

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I hope you enjoyed this honest GetUpside App review!

Quick after school snacks for kids!

Easy After School Snack Ideas Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

In Conclusion

Pin For Later:

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Check out this No Sew Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial!