Sign up for my newsletter and get a copy of my "28 Ways to Slash Your Grocery Budget"

One Hundred Dollars a Month

I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.


Instagram has returned invalid data.

The Bridge Ladies, Snap Camera, Ginger Snaps, 10 Serger Tips for Beginners and More

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By on · Leave a Comment

quotes - do not take life too

Quote of the Day “Do not take life too seriously.  You will never get out of it alive.”

watering-cans

Hello Tuesday.

This morning over on Dig for Your Dinner I’m talking about why I prefer to hand water my garden vs installing a fancy irrigation system. I don’t know about you but I am loving all this nice weather we’ve been having lately!!!

Have an AWESOME day everyone,

♥ Mavis

*This deal post will be updated throughout the morning so be sure and check back for deals. * Amazon prices can change without notice. Please verify price before ordering. Amazon offers Free Shipping with a $49 purchase or Amazon Prime. {Sign up for a free Amazon Prime 30 day trial!}

poloride snap cameraAmazon Deal of the Day for 5/3/16 – Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera $99.98

french press

More Amazon Daily Deals for 5/3/16

the bridge ladiesAvailable Kindle Books I think look interesting…

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can. Don’t have a Kindle? Download the kindle app on your other devices. It’s easy! 🙂

tide podsSubscribe and Save Deals

Subscribe and Save prices reflect a 15% discount for ordering 5 or more items in 1 month.

10 Serger Tips for Beginners

Have you been thinking about stepping up your sewing game, a serger is where it is at.  Here’s 10 Serger Tips for Beginners to get  you started.  Find more projects and tips on my DIY Pinterest Board

soccer canopy

Home and Kitchen Deals

Greek-Salad-Wrap-with-Feta-Cheese

I love everything about wraps.  They are tasty, they make you feel like a fancy pants sort of chef, and they got together in minutes.  This Greek Salad Wrap with Feta Cheese makes mouths happy.  {Pin it for Later}.

rei jacket
REI Outlet Deal of the Day – Women’s Cordillera Athena Down Jacket $109.73 shipped {was $220}

rei hammock

More Awesome Deals from REI:

memory game cardsAdd on Items

*These are all Amazon Add-on Items and they will ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping on $25 orders with Amazon Prime {or will ship FREE on $35 orders without Prime}. 

amazon pantry

If you are an Amazon Prime Member, you can get FREE Prime Pantry shipping {a $5.99 value} when you buy five qualifying items and use promo code PANTRYMAY at checkout.Shop Prime Pantry.

superhero capes for kidsKid’s Stuff

 

dig-for-your-dinner-1

May is the official gardening season kick-off.  If you have been tossing around the idea of starting a garden, or holding off for the right weather, NOW is the time.  Get yourself May’s Gardening eBook {and June, July and August while you are at it!} for a complete guide to growing your own food.  The next few months of eBooks are jam-packed with gardening tips and tricks–and they cater to any commitment level.  So, what are you waiting for?  Go get your garden on!

weight watchers smart-ones-free-coupon

Check out these New Printable Coupons:

Find More Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Everything You Need to Know About Container Gardening

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By on · 8 Comments

I hope to add a little more garden space to my yard this year, but with our permanence at this house being so up in the air, I have been a little hesitant to make any huge investments.  Last year, I thought I was “settling” by having several containers on my back patio, in lieu of spending money on more garden boxes, but it turned out, it wasn’t settling at all.  The containers did really, really well.  I don’t know if it was just last year being unseasonably warm, or if the containers, protected a bit by the house, actually produced longer than my tradition garden.  Either way, I  plan to put the containers to the test again this year.

Container gardening really is the perfect solution if you want a small-scale garden with relatively little permanent commitment.  It takes only the tiniest bit of knowledge for them to thrive and produce like mad.

container garden bean teepeeFirst off, select your containers.  If the container is going to be a focal point, you may want to splurge and get yourself something pretty to look at.  Of course, you can also get pretty creative here and save quite a bit of money;  large unused storage totes, buckets left over from planting large trees, cinder blocks filled with dirt will all do.  The key, no matter what your container, is to make sure it has proper drainage.

container gardeningIf there is not drainage built in {even planters you buy at the store sometimes don’t come with enough drainage in my opinion}, you’ll need to get out the drill and get to making some holes.  One single hole just ain’t gonna cut it.  Put several on the bottom of the container {so long as the material you’re working with will allow}.  While plants definitely need water, they don’t like “wet feet,” so taking the extra step to ensure drainage will prevent problems down the road.

DIY-How-to-Make-Your-Own-Potting-SoilNext, you’ll need to fill it with soil.  Don’t be tempted to just toss regular old garden soil into  your buckets.  The type of soil is KEY.  Soil specifically formulated as potting soil is really your best bet.  It is designed to ensure proper drainage and aeration–without it, you’ll just suffocate your plants.  You can buy commercially prepared potting soil or make your own.  If you compost on any sort of regular basis, making your own may save you cash.

container gardening tipsWhen I fill my large pots, I personally like to scavenge around for, old planting containers,  river rocks, etc. and toss them in the bottom of the containers.  It helps with drainage and saves me money on dirt, because I don’t have to use as much to fill the container.  I avoid using smaller rocks, like gravel, because it can actually impede drainage, by causing water to back up in the soil–or so I have read.  I will admit, I have always just followed the no-gravel advice, and have never really tested it personally.

how to grow lettuce in containersOnce your pots are full of dirt, water it in well, and get to planting.  You want to put plants with similar watering needs and sunlight needs in the same pot.  It will make your life a lot easier.  If you are gardening in a location of your yard where you will need to “chase the sun” by moving your pots around, you may want to set your pots up on wheels.  Plant spacing still applies, even in container gardening.  I like to follow basic square foot gardening spacing when dealing with containers.  I have found that it allows me to pack the plants in tight, but not so tight they suffocate each other out.  It’s a happy compromise that seems to work.

tomato container gardenOnce you have planted your container garden, all you really have to do is maintain it.  Weeding will probably not even be necessary {a MAJOR benefit to container gardening}, but you will have to pay attention to your watering schedule.  The soil in containers dries out much, much faster than traditional bed gardening and/or raised bed gardening.  So, you may have to water your containers more often than a traditional garden.  Usually, you can get away with once a day {morning is best}, but in the dead heat of summer, you may want to check them twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.  Usually, you’ll be able to tell the plants could use a drink by simply by looking out the window.  The plants in containers that have dried out will start to wilt almost immediately–it’s like they are hanging heads in disappointment at your neglect–it’s a plant guilt-trip.

Finally, while I don’t typically prescribe to the whole fertilizer thing {I like to just maintain healthy soil through crop rotation, cover crops, compost, etc.}, container gardening is a different animal altogether.  The plants have a limited nutrient source, and once it is gone, they can’t draw from nearby soil.  For highest yields/more blooms, you may want to consider a regular fertilizing schedule.  You can find pretty effective organic fertilizers at your local nursery.

Even if you decide not to fertilize, you’ll want to replace the dirt in your containers yearly, for the same exact reason. To save a little cash, you can replace 1/3 to 1/2 of the potting soil with fresh on a yearly basis.  Replacing at least some of the soil will provide your plants with the added nutrients that they likely sucked right out of the previous year’s soil.

I know that totally seems like a lot of steps, but really, once you have the right ingredients, it’s soil+sun+water=happy plants.  So, what do you think, will you be doing any container gardening this year?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

How We Spend Less Than $100 a Month on Groceries Week 18 of 52

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By on · 15 Comments

How We Spend Less Than $100 a Month on Groceries

That whole No Spend April Challenge? Piece of cake. We I made it {The boys were oblivious to the whole thing} and I can’t wait to do it again later this year.

I truly believe it’s good to get our of your comfort zone every once in awhile.

I know most of you thought I was a total nut to not hit up the grocery store at least once in the past 30 days and I’m totally okay with that. Even though we didn’t eat as many FRESH fruits and vegetables as I would have liked, we did make a big dent in our frozen fruit supply and are now down to just frozen corn and peas in the freezer.

Maybe subliminally I’m just trying to prepare myself to live off the coast of Maine during the winter months and I’m just playing out the possibility of a wicked Nor’easter rolling in {it could totally happen} where I’m totally trapped in a house and can’t make it town to buy milk for an entire month. Maybe Amazon Prime has closed shop and food can’t be delivered. Maybe my neighbors have all gone made and I can’t ask for help. Or maybe I’m the loon and can’t find the door to leave. Maybe I need to be on meds.

Maybe I just needed to detox from the grocery store and EAT THE FOOD WE ALREADY HAD and be grateful for that. Or maybe, just maybe, I needed to do a no spend month so I could buy more groceries in the month of May for an upcoming project and I didn’t want to dig myself into even a bigger hole I couldn’t climb out of.

Well, whatever the reason, you’ll have to wait until next week to find out. 😉

Here are the meals I ate last week {minus the snacks}:

Monday

Breakfast – Oatmeal. It’s the breakfast of champions. Seriously.
Lunch – 32 ounce smoothie Yee-Haw!
Dinner – Homemade soft tacos

crock pot pastaTuesday

Breakfast – Oatmeal
Lunch – Breaded Zaycon chicken and rice
Dinner – Crockpot pasta and meatballs

Iucy puggleWednesday

Breakfast – Waffle with syrup and frozen berries
Lunch – I have no idea
Dinner – Chicken stir fry and rice {Lucy stole our last carrot} 🙁

Thursday

Breakfast – Steel cut oats
Linner – Chipotle {date day}

sproutsFriday

Breakfast – Oatmeal with last summers loganberries
Lunch – Tuna salad on top of sprouts
Dinner – Chicken soft tacos, homemade tortillas of course

radishSaturday

Breakfast – Smoothie {officially out of orange juice!}
Linner – Beans, rice and tortillas

pancakesSunday

Breakfast – Pancakes and Zaycon bacon
Linner – Meatballs and rice

~Mavis

How about YOU? Feel inspired to try a no spend month?

~Mavis

  • Total Spent in April $0
  • Total Spent in March $136.58
  • Total Spent in February $106.85
  • Total Spent in Janaury $105.36

Freebies we’ve been gifted or were earned in 2016:  $200

  • $100 gift card to Whole Foods {Christmas gift from my parents}
  • $100 gift card to Trader Joe’s {Christmas gift from my parents}
  • 22 packets of vegetable seeds

Go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

AllRecipes, A Place of My Own, Peanut Butter Deal, Fiskars Lopper Tool and More

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By on · Leave a Comment

always remember that you are absolutely uniqueQuote of the Day “Always remember that you are absolutely unique.  Just like everybody else.”

tomato-plants

With temps in the 80’s here in Western Washington I decided it was finally time to set out the heirloom tomato plants. How about you? Have you set out your toms yet? I shared some pictures over on Dig for Your Dinner this morning {including one of Lucy and her babies} in case you want to take a peek.

Have a great day everyone,

♥ Mavis

*This deal post will be updated throughout the morning so be sure and check back for deals. * Amazon prices can change without notice. Please verify price before ordering. Amazon offers Free Shipping with a $49 purchase or Amazon Prime. {Sign up for a free Amazon Prime 30 day trial!}

crayola products

Amazon Deal of the Day for 5/2/16 – 40% off Select Crayola Toys

laura ashley sewing machineMore Amazon Daily Deals for 5/2/16

a place of my ownAvailable Kindle Books I think look interesting…

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can. Don’t have a Kindle? Download the kindle app on your other devices. It’s easy! 🙂

51TkD1FSkwLAmazon is offering a Dried Fruit Snack Sample Box ($7.99 Credit with Purchase)

  • For a limited time, buy this box for $7.99 and receive a credit of $7.99 towards the purchase of select Dried Fruit products shipped and sold from Amazon.com. See Terms and Conditions below for details.
  • A week after your product ships, you will receive an email with instructions on how to use your promotional credit.
  • Limit one promotional credit per customer. Offer available for a limited time. Items may vary based on availability
  • Each box contains 6 or more samples from various brands. GET THIS DEAL

allrecipesDiscount Mags is offering a 1 year subscription to All Recipes Magazine for only $6.99 a year when you use code MAVIS at checkout. This deal will expire 5/3/16 at midnight EST.

meyers clean daySubscribe and Save Deals

Subscribe and Save prices reflect a 15% discount for ordering 5 or more items in 1 month.

bag of urine

Weird, but true:  All the Cool People Pee in Their Garden.  Find out how urine can enhance the health of your garden.  Find more garden tips on my Pinterest Board

air mattressHome and Kitchen Deals

Blackberry and Toasted Pecan Quinoa

Spring time makes me want to nut on berries {pun intended}.  This Blackberry and Toasted Pecan Quinoa breakfast will get you well past the lunch hour.  {Pin it for Later}.

Black Diamond HoodieREI Outlet Deal of the Day – Men’s Black Diamond B.D.V. Hoodie  $98.73 shipped {was $199}

rei mega deals

Don’t forget to check out the REI Mega Deals section where you can Save 50% or more on your favorite brands May 1-8.

jif peanut butterAdd on Items

*These are all Amazon Add-on Items and they will ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping on $25 orders with Amazon Prime {or will ship FREE on $35 orders without Prime}. 

fringe sandals

Today only Cents of Style is offering their Fringe Sandals for $17.95 + FREE SHIPPING w/code FRINGEISIN at checkout.

amazon pantry

If you are an Amazon Prime Member, you can get FREE Prime Pantry shipping {a $5.99 value} when you buy five qualifying items and use promo code PANTRYMAY at checkout.Shop Prime Pantry.

step2 deskKid’s Stuff

may ebook

May is the official gardening season kick-off.  If you have been tossing around the idea of starting a garden, or holding off for the right weather, NOW is the time.  Get yourself May’s Gardening eBook {and June, July and August while you are at it!} for a complete guide to growing your own food.  The next few months of eBooks are jam-packed with gardening tips and tricks–and they cater to any commitment level.  So, what are you waiting for? Go get your garden on!

giveaway winner

Congratulations to Carla for winning the Roo Apron giveaway! A big thank you to everyone who entered.

bear naked granola

Check out these New Printable Coupons:

Find More Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Mavis Butterfield Etsy