Dollar Budget Eating: One Pan Meal Chicken and Potatos with Green Beans

 

I make this all the time. It's cheap, and we usually have all of the ingredients on-hand at all times.

What You'll Need:

9x13 Dish

Cooking Spray

Green Beans (fresh, frozen or canned)

1 Package of  Boneless  Chicken Breast

Potatoes

Minced garlic

Onion

Italian Seasoning

Salt 

Pepper

Butter or Margarine

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Spray your 9x13 dish with non-stick cooking spray. Dice the onions and potatoes. Add the green beans in a row length wise in the dish. Add the Chicken and the potatoes. Sprinkle the diced onions throughout the dish. Season with garlic, Italian Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Add Tablespoons of butter throughout the dish. Bake for 1 hour, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clear.

Tax Returns and Becoming Debt-Free

 

When we were pregnant with our oldest son (currently 1 1/2 years) my husband and I were drowning in debt. We reduced our monthly expenses to only necessary items. Even cutting all un necessary expenses, we were still unable to afford groceries. We went to apply for Food Stamps, and we were told that we made too much money. It was one of the most stressful times in our lives. Now, we are almost debt free (not including student loans or the car payment) and we no longer worry about providing for our kids or paying for groceries, we are even in the process of getting pre approved so that we can buy our first home. We also took a Crown Financial Finance Class. 

With Tax returns being handed back, a lot of people spend the money un wisely, so I thought that I would share one of the first steps we took towards being debt-free and in turn cutting our monthly bills.

When we received our tax returns two years ago, Instead of spending the money, we paid off all of our credit cards and then destroyed them. We started with the credit card with the highest amount of interest each month and paid it off in full. This helped us to eliminate on of our monthly bills, leaving us with more money each month.

We thought we would never be out of debt, but we did it! and you can too! Below is a link to the Crown Website. Their materials and the Money map helped us a ton, and I hope it helps you too.

Crown Financial Ministries

Dollar Budget Eating: Creamy Potato Soup

I keep seeing fall items at the grocery store, and it has made me excited for Fall! Fall is my favorite season, the crisp air, hot soup, cozy sweaters, and the beautiful turning leaves. So I have decide to make soup today for dinner. This is the third recipe I have added to the segment Dollar Budget Eating. This whole meal costs about $8 and serves 2-4 people
What You'll Need:
Potatoes (I used about 6)
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2-3 cans Water
Bacon (optional)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Step 1:Wash and cube the potatoes

Step 2: Add Chicken Soup, and water, add cream cheese

Step 3: cook until potatoes are soft

Step 4: Serve and top with cooked bacon and Shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Tip: add milk and about a Tbs of flour to make more broth for the soup.

Dollar Budget Eating: Kielbasa Skillet Dinner

This skillet dinner is another super easy go-to dinner for my family. We never have leftovers when I make this. The recipe makes about 2-3 servings. You can add your favorite veggies, or just about anything. Last night, we added a can of Cheddar Cheese and diced bell peppers. Delicious!

What You'll Need:
1 Package Kielbasa Sausage (we use the cheapest one was like $1 this week)
1 Onion
3 large potatoes
Garlic (fresh or packaged)
Oil or butter
1 can Drained Corn (optional)
2 diced Tomatoes (optional)
Shredded Cheese (optional)

Step 1: Spray a large skillet with oil or add some butter

Step 2: dice onion and add to skillet on med-high heat

Step 3: cube potatoes small add to skillet. add garlic

Step 4: slice Kielbasa add to skillet

Step 5: if you are going to do so, add tomatoes and corn. Cook until potatoes are cooked.

Step 6: Serve and top with cheese. Enjoy!+

Dollar Budget Eating: Cream Cheese Bean Burritos

Babies are expensive. So is college. People joke about the college years and living off of Ramen and PB and J, but the truth is, it doesn't have to be that way! These burritos can be made in the microwave as well as on the stove

What You'll Need:
8oz Cream Cheese (I use Chive and Green Onion)
2 cans of Re-fried  Beans
Shredded Cheese
Tortillas

Step 1: Empty cream cheese and beans into a microwave safe dish.

Step 2: Microwave 2 minutes, Stirring until cream cheese is mixed in fully.

Step 3: Spoon bean mixture into a tortilla add cheese, and roll up.

Step 4: Enjoy!

These are delicious! However this recipe makes a TON! So you can have leftovers, or pre-make these and roll the burritos up individually in tin foil, or plastic wrap and freeze them.

If you are really rich, you can add salsa, sour cream, Guacamole, or your other favorite burrito topping.

Cleaning Tips for Summer Stains

Summer is filled with green grass, ice cream cones, outdoor activities and beautiful sunshine. But we all know these joys can easily translate into unsightly stains on your family’s clothing. Luckily, it doesn't have to mean the end of the road for your favorite pair of shorts or your daughter's best summer dress. With a little help from us and Tide®, you can keep that summer fresh feeling alive in your clothes. Try our guide to removing those difficult summer stains*.

• Sunscreen Slip-up:If a blob of sunscreen appears on your workout clothes or bathing suit, and it's caused a stain—no worries. To remove sunscreen stains from a colored spandex garment, pre-treat the stain with liquid detergent, and then wash it in warm water. For a swimsuit, hand wash in cool water with Tide Liquid and rinse thoroughly.

• Dirt Dilemma:How does one little kid get so dirty playing outside? We might never know the answer, but we can help you get rid of the offending dirt from your child's clothing.

1. Brush the excess stain off the surface of the fabric.
2. Rinse in cold water to dilute the stain.
3. Using a plastic bucket, create a soak solution by adding 1/2 use Tide per gallon of cold water. Allow the garment to soak for up to 30 minutes, weighting the item with a white towel to keep it totally submerged.
4. Wash in warm water with 1 use of Tide.
5. If stain remains, repeat steps before drying.

• Ice Cream Imperfection:If we can agree that ice cream is delicious, then we can agree that it can also be a royal pain to remove from your clothing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. To rid colored ramie, rayon, or linen* garments of ice cream stains, follow these five simple steps.

1. Brush the excess stain off the surface of the fabric.
2. Rinse in cold water to dilute the stain.
3. Pre-treat stain with detergent. Pour on to cover the affected area and let set for 20 minutes.
4. Wash in warm water with 1 use of Tide.
5. If stain remains, repeat steps before drying.

• Grassy Gaffe:If you have a little one in your household, grass stains can be a way of life. Detergent has come a long way in recent years, and a grass stain doesn't always have to mean ruined clothes. To help remove grass stains from colored cotton, ramie, rayon, and/or linen clothing*, the answer can be as simple as adding Tide Stain Release™ to your wash along with your regular detergent. Or follow these easy instructions.

1. Brush the excess stain off the surface of the fabric.
2. Pre-treat stain with Tide Liquid. Pour Tide on to cover stain and let set for 20 minutes.
3. Wash in warm water with 1 use of Tide.
4. If stain remains, repeat steps before drying.

Now that all your summer clothing is clean, make sure your laundry room stays that way, too. Here are a few tips to keep your laundry room organized:

Create Space

• Make sure you have adequate storage space for all your laundry products—don't just leave them atop the dryer! It should be easy for you to find what you need, and you should be able to easily reach all your laundry tools. You might consider installing inexpensive shelving, if you don't already have some.
• Make space for your ironing board somewhere in your laundry area, as this is usually the next step after washing and drying. Look into attaching an ironing-board hanger to the wall. The board will be out of the way but easily accessible.
• If you don't have room for a folding table, try attaching a fold-down shelf to the wall.

Keep it Clean

• Put a wastebasket next to the dryer to easily dispose of lint buildup from the lint trap.
• Keep a box of Swiffer® 360° Dusters in the laundry area. Use the Swiffer 360° Dusters to quickly dust the room.
• Add a roll of Bounty® paper towels to your laundry room. Use Bounty to wipe up liquid detergent drips or spills.
• Keep a small basket or bowl in the laundry room for "found" items, such as money, lipstick, receipts, and buttons.
• Hang a bulletin board where you can tack socks without mates.

5 Tips, Tricks, and Good Ideas

 1. Buy tablecloths to use as draperies....much less expensive, already hemmed, meant to launder often, and many patterns and colors available out there! 60x84 {or buy 60x104 so you can hem them AND still have matching fabric left over for pillows or other coordinating pieces!}



2.  To avoid tangles while you travel, slip your necklace through a drinking straw.

3.  Use clothes pin clips to prevent silky sleeveless shirts and dresses from slipping off the hanger. And you can say goodbye to wrinkled sundresses on the closet floor.



4. Use conditioner as shaving cream. Not only is it cheeper, it also leaves your skin softer and more hydrated.




5. Absorb odors in the refrigerator’s vegetable drawer with a lining of newspaper.