Saving by Stockpiling

I have always wished I had the space to do some major stockpiling at our house.  Stockpiling goods is a great way to save money.  Finding the right way to do it is not always easy.

Here is a method I read and I found to be a good way to stockpile and save:

Step 1: Get Started

Assess what your family eats so you know which staples to stockpile.

1. Look through recipes you frequently use and your recent grocery-shopping receipts to draft a list of your most-purchased nonperishables.
2. Think about canned foods (like corn, beans and tomato sauce or paste), dried staples (pasta, cereal and rice), dairy products (butter and cheese) and meat (chicken breast, fryers and ground beef).
3. Check beyond the kitchen for toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste and toilet paper

Step 2: Create a Plan

Now that you know what items your family uses most, create a plan for the best way to buy and store them.

1. Find and clip coupons for items on your stockpile list.
2. Clear out a shelf (or two!) in your pantry and freezer, or designate an area in your basement to keep your stash. Don't store food items in the garage, where the temperature can fluctuate widely.
3. Make a meal plan: use foods from your stash to cook five nights per week. Eat leftovers one night and, if your budget allows, designate one night to dine out

Step 3: Build it up
Assemble your stockpile.

1. Don’t fill your pantry with items that aren’t on sale; wait for markdowns and apply a coupon.
2. Track sales with a price book; aim for a savings of at least 70 percent off the original price.
3. Buy in bulk: If you have six coupons for Cheerios and they’re on sale, making the cereal 50 cents per box, buy all six boxes. The initial cash outlay will be higher, but you won’t have to buy cereal again for six weeks or longer.

Step 4: Keep it fresh
Restock when your cache gets low and track expiration dates so food doesn’t go to waste.

1. Use a marker to write the date the product expires (not the date you bought it) on the package in a place that’s easy to see.
2. Store new purchases behind older items to ensure that nothing sits in your pantry for too long.
3. Before you head to the grocery store, check your pantry to see what you need and shop for the goods you can get free or very cheap after sales and coupons.

Step 5: Get organized
To see at a glance what you have and what you need, arrange your products as grocers do: by category (baked goods, beverages, canned goods, etc.), with labels forward.

1. Freeze it. Leak-proof containers are ideal for freezing fruits, vegetables, meats and leftovers.
2. Keep cans tidy. Use a handy rack to help cans stay in line.
3. Line ’em up. Pour grains into canisters or sealable bins, which stack evenly, helping your pantry stay neat.

February 12 & 13: Rose Cupcakes

**I found these on the Family Fun Website.  They have lots of cute ideas! 

You don't need to have a green thumb -- or be a florist -- to share these beautiful blooms. They're made from spirals of Fruit by the Foot fruit leather centered on mini cupcakes. Here's how to arrange your own bouquet.

Ingredients

• 12 mini cupcakes
• White icing
• Scissors

• 6 rolls of Fruit by the Foot fruit leather in Cherry Rage or strawberry flavor
• 1 roll of Fruit by the Foot fruit leather in Color by the Foot flavor

Instructions

1. Frost 12 mini cupcakes with white icing.
   
2. To make a rose, unroll a piece of the cherry or strawberry fruit leather and divide it in half along the wavy perforated middle line. Take one of the halves and roll up about 5 inches to form the flower's center. Set the rolled strip wavy side up in the middle of a cupcake, as shown, and continue to loosely wrap the remaining fruit leather around the center at a slight angle until the flower is completed.
   
3. Repeat this process for the remaining flowers. (You should be able to get 2 mini roses out of each roll of fruit leather.)
   
4. Cut leaf shapes from the wavy edge of the Color by the Foot strip as shown, then tuck the leaves under the roses.
   

February 10 & 11: Cheap Valentine's Day Ideas

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that don't cost much but have thought and meaning into them!

• Purchase some clear red balloons. Before blowing them up, place either wrapped candies, small gifts, and/or love poems inside each one, and then give them to your loved one as a bouquet.
• Make a meal only out of heart-shaped items
• Decorate a unique-looking jar or box with craft items. Write numerous love notes
  on small pieces of paper and fill the jar with them. Present the jar to your
  sweetheart.
• Write a “Top 10 Reasons Why I Love You” list.
• Plan a scavenger hunt. Write clues and place them in envelopes, and place the
  envelopes around town.
• Write new “updated” wedding vows, and share them.
• Create a *Wish* jar full of little strips of paper and give it to your sweetie with instructions to write their wishes of things that they'd like you to do on the strips of paper. These wishes can be as simple as doing the dishes, or as romantic as a candle lit dinner at their favorite restaurant. Each week or month (depending on how many strips you put in the jar), take one out and grant your loved one their wish!

February 8 & 9: Fondue

When Dave and I were dating to celebrate the milestone of dating for a year, he took me to dinner and a play.  We had one of those coupon books and we had never heard of The Melting Pot before and the coupon was for a free chocolate fondue.  We thought it sounded like fun!  When we got there and were seated, we opened up the menu and we were not prepared at all for the experience!  The prices were way more than we had anticipated.  Our waiter was really great and explained how it all worked and that our best value was to do their BIG NIGHT OUT (a four course meal).  So, we decided to do it.  It was amazing!  We started off with a cheese fondue that we dipped apples, carrots, celery and bread in.  If you want more dippers you can get more.  

The next thing we had was a salad.  We chose the Ceasar Salad and it was so good!  They have these parmesan encrusted pine nuts in the salad that make it so good! 

Next is the main course.  You chose a cooking style to cook your meat in, and we chose Mojo (a citrus oil).  We got fillet minian, chicken, shrimp, tortellini, steak and  pork to cook in it along with refillable vegetables (broccoli, red potatoes, squash and mushrooms).  They give you lots of dips to dip your meat in as well.  It was so much fun! 

Then came what I consider one of the best parts, the chocolate fondue. They have so many varieties to chose from.  We chose the Yin-Yang one that is white and dark chocolate.  They give you strawberries, bananas, pound cake, brownies, cheese cake, and marshmallows to dip in the chocolate.  It was so yummy!  

We had way more food than we could eat and because it is really a long dining experience that we weren't prepared for we had to rush to make the play.  
Dave has taken me there since and we were able to enjoy the experience without rushing, but because the price of it is so high, I decided to see if I could do it myself.  So last year for our anniversary I made Dave a fondue experience.  I didn't do all of the courses because I don't have enough fondue pots, but we have done the cheese fondue on its own just for fun before too.  Here are the recipes for the main course cooking pot and the best sauce for red potatoes. 

Mojo Cooking Style:

Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups warm water
Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1/2 lime
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon finely chopped carrot
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
***Whisk the water orange juice, lime juice, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper in a bowl until combined.  Pour into a fondue pot.  Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat.  Thread a piece of meat or vegetable on a fondue fork.  Cook in the broth to the desired degree of doneness.


Green Goddess Sauce:
3/4 cup cubed softened cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced white onion
***Whisk the cream cheese milk, sour cream, parsley, chives and onion in a bowl until combined.  Chill, covered, until serving time

I have The Melting Pot Recipe Book, so if you are ever looking for some fun fondue ideas or new sauces I would be more than happy to share.
Fondue can make for a fun experience!

February 6 & 7: You Rock Gift!

I saw this on Disney Family Fun's website and thought it was fun especially for older kids.  My sister Esther would love an i-Pod of her own and she even made her own with apps and one for my Michaela.  

 

Materials

• Tape
• 2 (14-inch) pieces of string
• 2 mini peanut butter cups
• 1 (1-ounce) box of conversation hearts

• 2 (4-inch) circles of aluminum foil
• 4- by 7-inch strip of colored paper
• Glue stick
• Sheet of white printer paper or printable scroll wheel and playlist 

 

Instructions

1. Tape each end of a piece of string to a peanut butter cup. Tie on the other piece of string, then tape the loose end to the candy box.
   
   
   
2. Wrap each peanut butter cup in a circle of aluminum foil.
   
3. Wrap the pink paper strip around the candy box and secure it with a glue stick.
   
4. Cut paper shapes and write text for the scroll wheel and playlist (or download and print this one), and use a glue stick to attach them to the box. Write a valentine message on the back of the box.

February 4 & 5: Love Dare

In the movie FIREPROOF, a couple dares to rescue their choking marriage from the flames of divorce and temptation using The Love Dare book as a guide.  It is a daily devotional that steers you through the fiery challenge of developing a strong, committed marriage in a world that threatens to burn it to the ground.

The Love Dare personally leads you through daily devotionals, records your thoughts and experiences, and ends each day daring you to perform a simple act of love for your spouse. This 40-Day journey equips you to melt hardened, separated hearts into an enduring love that can withstand the flames of fear, pride and temptation. The Love Dare book will help you reinforce and enrich your marriage, earn back a love you thought was lost, and hear more about the One who not only designed unconditional, sacrificial love—He illustrated it.

In a world that attacks, devalues, and redefines relationships every day, learn how to rescue and protect your marriage from the firestorm. Take The Love Dare and FIREPROOF your relationship.

Family Christian has the movie FIREPROOF on sale for $5.00 February 9-February 15.  You can also purchase The Love Dare book for $11.24 with their coupon and The Love Dare Day by Day Devotional for $14.99 with their coupon.

Here is a printable of the 40 day challenge condensed.

***I challenge you to purchase the book and focus on having a Christ-centered marriage.  Commit to making your marriage last.

February 3: Heart Chain and Valentines Day Scripture Countdown

This heart chain is really simple and it is cute!  

Here is how:

You will need:
Construction paper and a stapler


Simply, cut out strips of paper like you would for making a normal chain.  Fold the strips in half and then bring the two loose ends together to form a heart shape.  Staple the open ends and then add and repeat while linking them together.


To add to it you could do a countdown to Valentine's Day with Scripture.  Click on the link and there is a printable PDF of scripture verses for you.

February 2: Bear Your Heart Valentine's Day Treat

I thought this was a really cute idea (it is from Disney's Family Fun) and I actually suggested it to my Mom who teaches Cubbies(3/4 year olds) at her church AWANA program.

Real Simple and Cute!

Materials

• Small plastic bags
• Teddy Grahams
• Gummi Bears

• Card stock
• Hole punch
• Ribbon

Instructions

1. To make a bunch for all your favorite cubs, fill small plastic bags with a mix of Teddy Grahams and Gummi Bears.
   
2. Write your message on card stock, use a hole punch to make a hole, and tie the tag on with ribbon.
   
   Suggested Messages:
   "Bag of bear hugs"
   "You're unbearably cute!"
   "Join the cub!"
   "I can't bear being without you!"
   
   
   
   ***Another fun idea is to add Hershey's Hugs!

February 1: Heart Filled Cupcakes

I always like fun ideas to help make Valentines Day fun!  I found these cupcakes filled with a surprise.  How fun to bite into the cupcake and find a heart!

 Vanilla Cupcakes
{Makes 24 cupcakes}
Ingredients
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
5 cups flour
2 2/3 cups whole milk
red food coloring

Directions: 

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F). 

Mix the butter and sugar together at medium speed for about 90 seconds, until fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything gets well combined.

Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla and mix until the batter is smooth.

Alternate between the flour and milk, beating on med-high speed  until the batter is light and creamy.

Pour a little more than 2/3 of the batter (about 3 cups) into a smaller bowl. Add red food coloring until you get your desired pink or red color.

Pour the batter into a non-stick (or lightly greased) lasagna pan baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes until the edges of the cake start to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely (to speed up the process, I stuck in in the fridge).

Once the sheet cake is cool, loosen the edges away from the pan with a knife and then invert the pan onto a cutting board. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out two dozen cake hearts that are small enough to fit into an average-sized cupcake pan.

Spoon two heaping tablespoons of the remaining batter into paper-lined cupcake tins, so they’re about half-full. Put one heart into each tin and press it point down into the batter. Keep all the hearts facing forward in the pan. Cover with another teaspoon of batter and bake for 24 minutes.

Allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Here’s the tricky part—you’ll have to keep the cupcakes facing forward so you get the right cross-section of the heart when you cut or bite into the cupcake. After frosting, put a heart candy on them that can also face forward so you know which way to cut the cupcake in order to see the heart shape inside.

Remember, while frosting, keep track of which direction the heart in the cupcake is facing.

ENJOY!!