AH-MAZING (suuuuuper easy) Slow Cooker Roast

My grandma was the most amazing cook on earth. She had this way of combining simple ingredients that would make a masterpiece. A dash of this, a sprinkle of that, and poof: heaven in your mouth. Through many years of experimenting, trial, and MANY errors (bless my wonderful husband) I've become a fairly good cook. I'm by no means my grandma, but I hope to be someday.

I don't know why but slow cooker roast beef is one of the hardest things for me to make! I just never really seem to like the combination of flavors, tenderness of the meat, too many vegetables, not enough vegetables, too little broth, too much broth, it's bland....you get the picture. I had a hunk of beef in the freezer (no, not my husband! hehe) that needed to be cooked so I reluctantly pulled it out and took one more shot at a slow cooker roast. To my complete amazement, it turned out amazing this time!! The combination of flavors was a heavenly chorus to my taste buds. Don't let the amount of garlic scare you....it was awesome!! So, as I share this recipe, I hope it turns out just as yummy for you as well!


Crockpot Roast Beef

2ish lbs beef roast (really any nice chunk of beef will do. haha!)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
10 cloves garlic (minced)
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup hot water
1ish cup baby carrots
2 small onions quartered and peeled apart
5ish small potatoes quartered (I left the skin on)

*Mix together mushroom soup, garlic, bullion cubes, mustard, and water in slow cooker.
*Trim off fat from beef (Some like the fat on. It's entirely up to you) and place in soup mixture.
*Layer vegetables over meat starting with onions, then carrots, then potatoes.
*Turn slow cooker to low and cook 7-8hrs. It's okay if it cooks longer but it should be done in about 7-8hrs.
*You can give it a stir every few hours, but not necessary.


Ahhhhhh, finally a roast I'm excited to make over and over and over again! Enjoy!!

Vacation of Your Dreams on a Budget {Part 2}

I'd like to say my long absence from blogging has been to hold my great following of readers in suspense. To hold you on the edge of your seat, biting nails, fidgeting with anticipation....

Did it work? ;-)

My come-back blog is dedicated to all those who have been patiently waiting on new money-saving tips. I hope I don't disappoint you. Let's save some Benjamins!


Vacationing vs. Money Saving. Those two oppose each other, right? I mean, honestly who goes on vacation thinking they will save money? Although you may have every intention of sitting on a beach, drinking mojitos, and ordering the cabana boy around, (no judgment, hehe) there are some key ways you can have that very relaxing vacation and still save money.

1. Vacation with family/friends. I understand some people go on vacation to get away from family and friends. That's completely understandable. But, considering that isn't you, it can be a money-saving option to split a rental house with others. You can get all the amenities you need at a fraction of the cost. Carpooling, groceries, lodging, it can all be split and be quite cost effective.

2. Bring your own food. We drove to the beach this summer so it was feasible for me to pack a cooler and large box of food. When we actually got to the beach we did make a Wal-Mart run but only spent around $20. We planned ahead of time and brought snacks, fruit, cookies, cereal, milk, cheese, vegetables, and juice with us in the car. The cost of groceries at hot vacation spots is astronomical. What a banana costs in Destin, Florida is about 3 times more than what it costs at home. No joke.

3. Pay with CASH. Shoooooooooooow me the money!! There have been actual studies that have proven people are far less likely to spend cash. Think about the last time you paid for something with a credit card. Do you even know how much you spent? I bet it didn't really occur to you how it felt. What about when you use your debit card? You feel that more than when using a credit card, but it's still easy and quick. You don't actually see the subtraction of money taking place so it's not as painful. But pay for something with cash and you actually see the money go away. It almost hurts to see Mr. Benjamin go to another home and all you have left are a few Mr. Jackson's, a Lincoln, and two Washingtons. (if you don't know which bills those are, look it up!!) This takes some getting used to, but you will be amazed at how well this works.

4. Create a budget for your vacation and stick to it. Whatever you decide to spend on vacation, don't go above it. Research as much as you can ahead of time to see the cost of restaurants, snorkeling, boat rental, ski equipment, etc. The more prepared you are, the more realistic your budget can be. By paying with cash, once the money is gone, it's gone. You will be able to stick to your budget as well as not buying a bunch of touristy souvenirs. If paying with cash you may decide you don't really need 4 back scratchers carved out of pig skin. (then again, maybe you do...still no judgment ;-)

5. Do spend money on something nice. Vacation is about relaxing and doing things we don't get to do at home. It's OKAY to spend money on yourself. Make sure you plan a big splurge for you and/or your family. For us, we really wanted some GOOD seafood. Man, oh man, was it worth every penny. There's a delicate balance between saving and spending and enjoying and splurging. Do plan on spending your money on something good. After all, you are on vacation, right?

Vacation of Your Dreams on a Budget {Part 1}

My family recently had the opportunity to go an amazing beach vacation in Destin, Florida. It was well timed as we haven't really left town for the past two years. Budget and vacation....those two words don't seem to go together do they? "But Lili, I'm going on vacation to forget all my worries! I don't want to care about money while I'm there!!" I hear you! But if you take some time to plan ahead, you can save some serious money and hopefully get to do everything you want to do on vacation.

I can assure you that you CAN have the vacation of your dreams and STILL come home with money to spare!


Before Trip Savings:

1. Garage Sale. We had a major garage sale about a month before our vacation. We live in one of those neighborhoods where someone is always having a yard sale and the foot traffic is constant throughout the weekends. Not only did we make great money, but we cleaned out the garage!! More money in my pocket AND a clean house.....YES PLEASE!! If you've never tried having a garage sale, I highly recommend it. It is a lot of work, but so worth it in the end. Our garage sale money paid for ALL of our gas to and from Florida...about $350 worth. Not bad!

2. Drive. Unless you find a seriously amazing deal on airfare, driving will be your best money-saving transportation option. Make sure you (or an honest mechanic) do a thorough inspection of the car BEFORE you leave. Oil change, tire repairs, etc will help ensure you don't break down on the way. If your car won't make it to your destination, car rental will still most likely be cheaper than airfare for your whole family. Driving can be so fun with the family as well. We don't have an ipad, portable dvd player, or any other fancy electronic distraction device and our son did fantastic! (More on that in another post) So, make a mix CD, make stops on the way, go to the visitor centers in each state, get off the beaten path! We had a blast!

3. Preplan road trip meals and snacks. Half the fun of a good road trip is all the junk food, right? It's nice to just eat whatever sometimes. However, as I'm sure many of you already know, stopping frequently for food on the road can get expensive....and fast! We brought a large cooler with us and filled it with all kinds of yummy goodies for the road: tuna (to make sandwiches), chips, fruit, CANDY, Pepsi, etc. It kept our food nice and cold and completely eliminated the need to stop at fast food places. We could eat at anytime we wanted and didn't have to stop driving or even get off the highway. Hands down, this saved us probably close to $100 each way in food.

4. Look for sale/clearance items months before your vacation. I was able to buy several sunscreens on clearance at Walmart about two months before our vacation. I knew we would be using it a good bit so I snagged it the second I saw it. Every little bit really adds up! In Florida it was marked up almost DOUBLE (even at Walmart)!! It is good planning to bring your own sunscreen with you and not rely on last second purchases on vacation.

5. You don't need a brand new wardrobe for a week. Unless you don't have a specific item needed for vacation, your regular clothes will be just fine for your vacation. I'm not a big shorts person so I realized I needed to purchase a pair or two. I went to Target, used a special clothing coupon (they post them on their website ALL the time) and got exactly what I needed without spending an arm and a leg. Consignment shopping is another great way to save on clothing! I got my son's swim trunks, sun hat, and sandals all at a consignment sale and believe me we have gotten our money's worth!!


Stay tuned for the next post in my vacation series. You CAN do this!!!!!!!

Delicious Homemade Granola

Granola has to be one of my favorite things to eat. Love the salty, sweet, and crunch all mixed into one awesome treat. Not to mention filling! After looking at a few recipes on various websites, I decided to make my own version and man, oh man, is it yummy!

Never again will I spend money on store-bought granola. Talk about a money saver!


You will need:

• 4 Cups rolled oats 
• 1 Cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 Cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 + 1/8 Cup brown sugar
• 1/4 + 1/8 Cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 + 1/8 Cup honey
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 tsp salt

First, mix together oats, pecans, and almonds in a large bowl, set aside. Next, mix brown sugar, oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a sauce pan over medium heat until brown sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla. 

Pour liquid over oat mixture and stir until evenly coated. (It may look a little dry, but don't worry the heat of the oven will melt the sugar even more, giving it the classic granola crunch)

Line a baking pan (preferably one with raised edges) with foil and spray with cooking spray. Pour granola mixture onto foil. 

Bake at 325 for 30 min. Stir and the 15 minute mark

Remove pan from oven and firmly press down the cooked granola. It will be HOT so use a big spatula to do this. Let fully cool.

After completely cooled, lift granola out of pan and break into pieces and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

**store in air tight container for best long term storage

Price Matching

"Okay, so Lili, you told me to keep those store circulars that I get in my mailbox every week. I've seen some good sales, but seriously...you really want me to go to 3 different stores?!?!"

Perhaps you've thought just that. Great savings, but 3 stores? "I'm a mom, I have a job, I'm tired. I don't want to go 12 different places and use up my precious gas." I hear you. Believe me, I do. So what's the solution? Price matching.

Did you know Walmart and Target will match any price for any item? This means that if Delmonte ketchup is on sale at the grocery store for $1.00, Walmart AND Target will match that same price! It has to be the same size and quantities and it must be on an advertisement. Yes, this means that these stores will come down on their own prices to entice you to shop there more often. They hope you will not only buy ketchup, but also bananas, diapers, lotion, soft drinks, kitty litter, etc.

Just yesterday I was saving money at my local Target and needed to pick up some bananas. Produce is my absolute favorite item to price match! My local Aldi had bananas on sale for $0.29/lb. Yes, you read that right....WAY cheap! Walmart is currently selling bananas for $0.54/lb and Target for $0.55/lb. Keep in mind prices vary greatly by region. I brought my local ad with me to Target and they price matched Aldi's price and I got a huge bundle of bananas for $1.04! Now that's what I'm talking about!!

Walmart is a bit easier to pricematch. The cashiers will do it right at the register. But at Target, you will have to take it to the customer service desk and they will do it there. Both stores say you don't need to bring the ad with you, but I ALWAYS do. It makes it SOOOO much easier in determining exact quantities, size, and pricing.

The ad must have a price listed. Walmart and Target will not honor a "buy one, get one free" offer if a price is not listed. The savings really do add up when you have a price-matched item, then add a coupon on top of that. Cha-ching!


Walmart Ad/Price Match policy is here
Target Ad/Price Match policy is here


Happy shopping!!

Crockpot Pinto Beans

Beans are such a cheap, filling meal. When cooked correctly, they make your taste buds soar! The last 6 months I've been experimenting and trying my hand at slow cooking dry beans in my crockpot and I'm officially a convert. Often times people will say you need ham, a ham hock, or some form of pork for your beans. Although it does add tremendous flavor, often times it's not necessarily easy on the budget.

I came up with this recipe the other day because I had no pork in the house and Walmart had it for $3.48/lb!!! Aaaaaaaaaand I wasn't about to pay that! The result of adding bullion to the beans was a full flavor experience and left my husband and I both going back for more. Delish!



Crockpot Pinto Beans

1  lb dry pinto beans
1  onion chopped (yellow or white)
4-5  cloves garlic minced/crushed/chopped
1  tsp chili powder
15  cranks (or 1/2 tsp) black pepper
3  chicken bullion cubes
5  cups water

* Place the dry beans in a large bowl and cover with 3in of cold water. Put beans in the fridge   overnight.
* In the morning your beans will be thick and almost to the top of the water. Pour beans into a colander and rinse.
* Put rinsed beans, garlic, onion, chili powder, black pepper in crockpot. Cover with 5 cups of hot water.
* Add bullion cubes.
* Cook on HIGH for 6-8hrs. The time will vary with each crockpot but you will know the beans are done when they are soft without being complete mush.
* Add salt to taste after beans are cooked. Adding before cooking can dry out your beans


Add spices you like. Flavor those babies up! Enjoy!

and tonight's dinner will be.......

One of the key ways my family stays frugal.........drum roll please...........wait for it.........wait for it.........M-E-N-U......P-L-A-N-N-I-N-G! (said as Barney Stinson would say it)

Menu seems a rather daunting word at times but I really use it as the meal/dinner plans for your family for 1 week. That's right, I said one week. It is important that you have a plan for every night of the week. This will help you greatly in your grocery shopping, list making, saving money, and staying on target when at the store.

Did someone say Target? LOVE that place! They have such cute clothes....

Now what was I talking about? Oh yes, staying on task :-)

Make a plan! You do not have to be an expert chef to plan a weekly menu. Have you ever heard someone talking about their "meal rotation"? This is in reference to what they normally make for their family. Before I started weekly menu planning, dinner time would be an hour and a half away and I'd stand in front of the fridge and wonder how I could concoct a masterpiece out of an ear of corn, a can of tuna, and a piece of bread. Hey wait, I might be on to something here......focus, Lili, focus. I'm sure your family has weekly favs and you have those "go-to" recipes when you're in a pinch. Use these! You do not need to have chicken le cordon bleu, boeuf bourguignon, or any other impossible-to-pronouce french food nor would that really help on the total cost. Show me the money! You had me at hello :-)

Here's an example of my menu for this week:

MONDAY--fajitas

TUESDAY--chili

WEDNESDAY--parmesan chicken strips

THURSDAY--pot roast

FRIDAY--leftovers

SATURDAY--dinner with friends

SUNDAY--spinach and tuna noodle casserole or leftovers (if there are enough)


Bam! There you have it. I don't plan out breakfast or lunch because those are usually meals we do on our own. Make sure you WRITE DOWN your list and put it somewhere you will see it. You have the freedom to change it up on those days the doctor appointment ran late, the kids never napped, or the plumber is STILL working on that toilet. The freedom that comes with meal planning is that with a plan the stress of dinner is alleviated. You know what your family will eat and you can plan your day according to that.

It's important to plan leftover nights into your menu as well. I hate it when I make something and then for whatever reason we forget to eat it throughout the week. All of a sudden I will get a hankerin' for that leftover spaghetti but when I pull it out of the fridge it's grown some "friends". What a bummer! Not to mention, money wasted.

As you get into the habit of weekly menu planning you can plan out 2 or 3 weeks at a time easily. I can't tell you how easy grocery shopping is when I have a pre-made menu and a list in hand of all ingredients I will need and won't need to make multiple trips to the store because I'm planning dinner on the fly. This also keeps me from wandering the isles and putting things in my cart at random. But that's another post altogether.

Your assignment should you choose to accept:
1.  Look in your pantry/freezer and see how many meals you can plan with what you already have
2.  Write down a week's worth of dinners and post it on the fridge (or anywhere you will see it)
3.  Make a grocery list based on your weekly menu
4.  Enjoy the fruits of your planning!


I believe that's enough for now. You can do it!