Category: Budget

Realistic Resolutions (Podcast #24)

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Realistic Resolutions

Happy New Year from the Delish and Healthy-ish team!

Jen here. Corinne and I kick off Season 2 of the podcast with episode 24 discussing realistic ways to set New Year’s Resolutions. Here they are summarized:

  1. Celebrate what you’ve done well last year and keep those habits going strong. For Corinne, she’s celebrating her triumph over sweets and I am celebrating making my kids’ lunches at night (consistently since September) rather than making them in the middle of the morning chaos. What have you conquered in 2018 that you can keep up in the new year?
  2. Pick out just a few things you want to work on each month or each quarter, and be REAL. Take your yearly to-do list and prioritize the items. If those things don’t make you happier or healthier, kick them off your list! Aim for a TOTAL of 4-6 things this year. I have been putting off scheduling a dermatology appointment and a neglected check-in with my GYN, and I’m going to get those done by March. Can I do it? See number 4 below…
  3. Be consistent and show perseverance about your new challenges and habits. Maybe you want to take control of your finances, get your meal planning groove on,  try healthier eating (um, have you SEEN our incredible 5-Day Detox full of Reilly and Bowen Family Favorites?!?!), or start jogging every day. Really DO those things, and if you can’t go all the way, go part way. Don’t lose interest easily, don’t give up, and you’ll make those things habits for years to come. I’m working on exercising 30 minutes daily no matter what this month. I’m taking 1 month at a time, but so far so good! Corinne is doing daily yoga despite her busy house, and is motivated by how amazing she feels.
  4. Find someone who can help you stay motivated. The buddy system will help you stay motivated and on track. Just this morning, Corinne challenged me to make my dermatology appointment if she made her’s…. and it worked! Boom. Bring on the freckle exam!

New Year’s Resolutions can be an amazing way to make your life better.  Use them as an excuse to try new things and finally cross some chores and headaches off your to-do list. You got this! 

xo,

Jen (& Corinne)

Getting Ready for the Holidays: Decluttering (Episode #19!)

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Episode 19: Getting Ready for the Holidays: Decluttering Toys, Clothes and Linens

Hi friends! Jen here. We won’t keep you here too long, because we want you to go declutter 3 fantastic areas of your house before the holidays hit you. Listen here or check out this summary:

  1. Your kids’ toys. Donate toys that haven’t been used in a while (especially those stuffed animals!), store toys for years down the road, and consider starting a rotating toy system where you put away certain toys for 6 months and then bring them back out again and put others away. Clearing the toy clutter before more toys enter your house will keep you sane in January and beyond.
  2. Your clothes and your kids’ clothes. Downsize, donate and just don’t keep! Go minimalistic on the drawers and clothing closets in your house. As seasons change is a great time to evaluate and get rid of worn-out or unworn clothes. Make room for new things coming in or just get simpler and survive with less.
  3. Your linen closet (if you have one!). Keep 1-2 towels on hand per family member (a few extras for guests if you live alone), only 1 extra set of sheets per bed in the house and get rid of old ratty towels and sheets without hesitation. Roll towels and washcloths for easier access and storage and check out these cheap shelf dividers for towels. You can use small baskets for washcloths, and linens can go in collapsible containers like these. And for a “pop-up” linen closet, check out this best-selling shelf on wheels.

Now get those donation bags filled and feel the amazing breath and freedom of less clutter! 🙂

xo,
Jen & Corinne

Getting Ready for the Holidays: Shopping! (Podcast #17)

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Getting Ready for the Holidays: Shopping

Hi holiday celebrators! We’re back with more holiday prep tips in Podcast 17 where we talk about how, when, and where to shop for the holidays, and give ideas for homemade gifts for neighbors, friends, teachers and party hosts. We’re determined to make this holiday season simple, thoughtful and downright fun!

If you don’t have a chance to listen, I’ve summarized our tips here:

Tips on How to Shop for the Holidays:

  1. Make a list of who you need to buy presents for. Don’t forget teachers, coworders, host and hostess gifts, and some unexpected quick presents to give.
  2. Decide on a budget either per person or total, and try to stick with it.
  3. Put down as many ideas as possible for all the people on your list.
  4. Decide on your homemade present: a sugar scrub in a mini mason jar with coconut oil and peppermint oil? or 32-ounce mason jars filled with the dry ingredients for brownies plus instructions for which wet ingredients to add (one how-to here!).
  5. Make wish lists on Amazon or in a simple spreadhseet to share with family members.

Tips on When to Shop for the Holidays:

  1. Before Halloween! We can all try, right? Ok, that’s only 2 weeks away, but can you imagine? How about just the major presents and then you have November for stocking stuffers, homemade gifts and holiday cards?
  2. If you can’t get all your shopping done in October, at least try to get your list done and check a few purchases off your list. Buying early means you won’t be rushing with less thoughtful gifts toward the end.

Tips on Where to Shop for the Holidays:

  1. Amazon is great for wish lists, searches for “best toys for 8 year-old boys” and best sellers. But Amazon also has such fun ideas for stocking stuffers like these WikkiStix and figurine “Toobs” like these sets of safari animals, around the world monuments, vehicles, and even fruit and veggie toobs!
  2. The Mall is a dreaded, but a great option too. Try to go only once with your list for ideas, and set a time limit for yourself. I like to go early on in the season while the pickin’s are plenty and the crowds are few. My girls (ages 4 and 13) love anything from Claire’s and $5 Below.

We want to hear your tips too! Comment below with your favorite homemade gift ideas and holiday hacks!

xo,
Jen & Corinne

 

No Spend September: Division of Labor (Podcast #15!)

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Division of Household Labor

Hello again! Jen here and we’re still no-spending, but getting really close to “overdoing it October” (ha!). In episode 15 of the podcast and our last one in #NoSpendSeptember2018, we bring up the importance of having a conversation between you and your partner about the division of labor in the house.

We encourage you to sit down and:

        1.  List out the adult chores in the house and to-dos in your family life. These include homework, making lunches, keeping track of school activities, taking kids to the doctor, taking out the trash and paying the bills, to name a few. Name all the things that need to get done. This also includes keeping the kids on track with THEIR chores that we talked about in this post. If you’re a single parent, MAJOR props!!!
        2. Figure out what you’re both willing to do (who likes that chore the least?!). A biggie here for couples is dishes, and another one is the kids’ bedtime routine. Who likes scrubbing spaghetti off the pot AGAIN and chasing the kids around with a toothbrush? Not fun! Draw straws or pick days. If your kids are helping with dishes as part of their chores, then who is the ‘enforcer’? I guess try to make it fun. My kids are really into the army right now, so we hear a lot of “Sir, yes sirs!” during dish time and table cleanup, and that definitely keeps us all laughing.
        3. Determine what is REALLY important to your partner and fit it into the week. Does your partner want to go to the gym, make music or meet up with friends? See how you can make those fun and healthy diversions happen for both of you. Tag-team parenting and chore-doing aren’t rocket science, they’re survival science!
        4. Pick a time to look at the week ahead together. Perhaps it’s a Sunday “date” on the living room couch where you look at the next 7 days and figure out who is doing what and where you might need to reach out for help. Sharing a calendar can also be really helpful. This prevents scrambling at the last minute when one kid needs to get to basketball, one kid needs to get to lacrosse and you need to attend back-to-school night. Time to enlist that carpool or call on a sitter.

     

  2. Share your family and partner responsibility systems in the comments below. We are always upgrading our methods and want to hear from you! xo, Jen & Corinne

No Spend September: Family Chores and Allowance (Podcast #14!)

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Chores and Allowance

Hey Parents! Jen here. This week on Episode 14 in honor of managing money and responsibilities during #NoSpendSeptember2018, Corinne and I chat about how to organize family chores for our kids and how to deal with allowance. Corinne’s kids are ages 1-7 and mine are 4-12, so we’re on slightly different chore and allowance tracks, but chances are, we’ve got you covered!

First of all, here are a few chores even the youngest kids (ages 18 months to 4 years) can do, with assistance:

    • Take laundry to basement
    • Organize toys
    • Help unload dishwasher (plastic or utensils)
    • Vacuum
    • Set table
    • Sweep (kind of…)

So, get those little ones involved. Here are a couple chore systems you can consider for your family:

  1. Pay as you go. Rather than setting up a chart or a system, pull kids in when you need some help doing “above and beyond” activities. Need help weeding the garden or taking out the trash? Here’s a dollar or two. Put it in your piggy bank!
  2. Set an allowance and a daily chore chart. For the younger kids, it’s ok to make some of their chores things that they should be doing already, like brushing their teeth and making their beds. But as they get older (say by age 8), allowance should really be for extra stuff, not what they should be doing anyway like flushing the toilet and clearing their plates at dinner.
  3. Give each kid one chore per week, then switch.  Rather that mixing it up every day during the week, you can simplify your system by giving one kid setting table for one full week and another one dishes. This system can be easier to follow and easier to enforce because it’s simple, especially if kids don’t mind sticking with the same chore(s) for 7 straight days.

Chez Reilly, we have a weekly system magnetized to our fridge where each of the 4 kids has 2 chores per day. That chore could be as painful as scrubbing toothpaste out of the kids’ bathroom sink, or as fun as sticking the shoes in the shoe cubby at the front door (wait, am I only the one that thinks that’s fun?!). Here’s what ours looks like (and here are the chart and the markers if you’re gung-ho!):

I know what you’re thinking, what the heck is the Bed Check?! Well, that person checks to make sure the other kids made their beds and then makes sure they do it if it isn’t done. If beds aren’t made, it’s on the bed check person!

Corinne is setting up a new chore system right now with her oldest daughter Audrey (7 years old) working off of a to-do list each day. I’m sure Corinne will update us on her new system as it unfolds.

Now for Allowance. In our house, we are organized and keep a spreadsheet. As long as chores get done each week, the kids get half their age in dollars (Keller age 12 gets $6, Griffin age 10 gets $5, Jake age 8 gets $4, and Annie age 4 gets $2). I know, that’s $17 per week for stuff we could do in 10 minutes. But it’s teaching them great habits and the appreciation of earned money, or at least we can hope.

Of the money our kids get, 50% goes straight to their piggy banks, 25% gets put in a savings account that they’ll be able to access when they graduate high school, and the other 25% gets donated to a charity at the end of the year. The kids all vote on one charity and last year it was our local humane society. Pretty soon they’re going to start their own non-profit to fund nerf guns and jewelry for themselves just so they can “donate” to it at the end of the year. But until they figure that out, we’ve got an awesome spreadsheet and a nice sum of $217 that’s going to go to a charity at the end of 2018.

I don’t think you can do allowance wrong, just keep in mind that it should probably increase with age along with responsibilities so start really small when they’re young.

I’ll leave you with the cutest chore system ever… I would LOVE to hear if you try that one out! It is chores on coffee 🙂

As always, share your tips in the comments below.

Until we no-spend again next week!

Jen & Corinne

No Spend September: Free Family Activities (Podcast #13!)

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Free Family Activities

Hey No-Spenders! Jen here. We’re almost mid-way through the #NoSpendSeptember2018 challenge and while my spend-hog kids have declared it “the worst month of their lives,” Corinne and I are having fun (mostly!) and feeling like we’re getting more quality time with our clans.

Aside from the gag-ilicious stew I made this past weekend from fridge scraps (adults liked it, kids weren’t sure), the backpack I bought on Amazon because Annie was falling down the stairs with the too-big one I tried to recycle, and Corinne convincing her mother-in-law to buy pizza for her kids, it’s been a VERY successful challenge for us so far. Listen to our wacky convo about it all in Episode 13 along with a bunch of the free and fun things we’ve done with our families and partners to make no-spend exciting. Here they are listed out for your reading pleasure as well:

  1. Go to the library. Make it a weekly trip. Get lots of new books, DVD’s and audiobooks.
  2. Play board games, cards and solve puzzles: Dig into that closet and have a ball rediscovering old games and puzzles. Ramp up the gaming and host a “Board Game Olympics” show-down with several games. Teach your kids the rules of chess (and learn yourself). Play poker with pennies.
  3. Set up an obstacle course around your house. Make a mess, but have a blast.
  4. Make a dedicated basement (or other) space for free, messy play. Speaking of mess, make an out-of-the-way space for your kids to make a mess and not have to clean it up every day. Keep it out of your eye-shot so it doesn’t stress you out.
  5. Make iMovies. Interview your family members, dress up and act goofy, and use the iMovie or another app to make movie trailers or little home movies. Use the slow-mo and time-lapse features. A slow-mo of your kid spitting is fascinating (yes, I have 2 boys!). If I can do this, anyone can.
  6. Make cards and write letters to friends and family. Who doesn’t like mail, especially the unexpected type? Decorate, write a quick note, and send! Walk to the mailbox for extra credit.
  7. Go for a hike or “adventure” walk in your neighborhood. Look for treasure, new creatures, or count things (like fire hydrants or basketball hoops).
  8. Make a picnic dinner for your backyard or local park. Pack it up and head on out! Make the food mess outside, but eat fast before the bees and flies find you!

For lots more ideas, check out this long list. And please share your no-spend ideas in the comments below!

In homemade playdough,

Jen & Corinne

No Spend September: Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Budget (Podcast #12!)

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No Spend September: Grocery Shopping on a Budget

No Spend September is underway! Whether it’s September or February,  you can challenge yourself to a “spending freeze” any time of year! Check out the rules and tips here, and just dive right in. You’ll be suprised how eye-opening and how fun this challenge really is!

To kick off the frugally fun journey, we talk about ways to save money while grocery shopping in episode 12 of the podcast. Plus, you’ll hear updates on how the no-spend month is going for us just a few days in. Stay tuned for more thrifty tips in episodes 13, 14, and 15 too!

For now, here’s a quick run-down of our best grocery shopping budget tips:

  1. Make a grocery list and stick to it.
  2. Avoid impulse buys.
  3. Leave the kids at home, and if you can’t, give them their own budget ($1?) for spending, or bring surprise snacks or toys with you to keep them busy and avoid giving in to their whims.
  4. Set a weekly grocery budget and try to stick with it. Calculate your grocery budget which includes toiletries and diapers by multiplying the number of people in your household by $40. (Listen to the podcast to hear how Jen is trying to stick with $200 per week for her family of 6… which is crazy!).
  5. Buy on-sale items. If your list includes cucumbers for lunches and cherry tomatoes are on sale, swap one for the other to save some cash.
  6. Buy organic produce when you can following EWG’s Dirty Dozen, but don’t sweat it. However, if you buy eggs, dairy, meat or fish, buying organic and certified humane can definitely be worth the extra expense
  7. Don’t forget about frozen fruits and veggies. They’re often more rich in nutrients than fresh produce depending on how far your fresh produce has traveled and they last longer. But buy the Big Bag. 🙂 

Share your “no spend” journey with us on social media using #NoSpendSeptember2018 and check out Jen’s favorite lady Jordan Page on Fun Cheap or Free for more budget-friendly tips!

Need some new recipes to try in your meal plans this month? When you subscribe to our newsletter, you’re in the loop on all our free resources. Right now, our subscribers have access to our 3-Step Weekend Prep guide. The recipes inside are great for saving time and money!

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In lists and brownies from scratch,

Jen & Corinne

Join the No-Spend-September Challenge! Rules and Tips Here

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No Spend September Challenge with Delish and Healthyish
Hi everyone! Jen here. Has summer spending been out of control for you too? Ready for a little challenge to put fire under your pants and money back in your wallets? Join Corinne and me as we challenge ourselves to only buy absolute essentials (including paying bills!) during the entire month of September.

Just the act of paying attention to what you’re spending money on will help you be thrifty in the coming months. Of course you’ll need to get creative with ways to have fun, but we know you can do it (and we can too!). Invite your friends to do the challenge with you and post on social media with #NoSpendSeptember2018. Here are the rules and some ideas to help you get started, and listen to this month’s podcasts (new one every Wednesday!) to get more tips and tricks:

  1. Only buy absolute essentials. Groceries, gas, medicines, toiletries, etc. Try to grocery shop only ONCE per week and stick to a certain budget. Personally, I’m going to stick to $200 per week on groceries for our family of 6. And since we’re not spending on lunches, dinner or drinks out, I’m going to have to send my husband with a packed lunch every day. This not only means one more lunch to pack (AAAAAAHHH!), but also more groceries to stock up on. I’m going to shop exclusively at Aldi and try extra hard to meal plan and stick to my list. If we run out of something toward the end of the week, I’ll bake it, make do, or we’ll go without.
  2. Give yourself $20 (or a set amount under $50) for “can’t avoids” for the whole month. Hang on tight to this extra cash… you may need it for a birthday present, a broken shoe, or a bottle of wine to bring to a dinner party. You can also EARN more September spending money by selling things on Craigslist or Ebay. For example, I just remembered that I have a high school reunion on September 15th, so I posted a few old baby items on Craigslist and I’ve already made $50 that I’ll be able to spend at the reunion venue for dinner and drinks. Goodbye, Ergo, Hello “free” money!
  3. No online shopping unless that’s how you do your essentials. Need some new shoes? Check the local thrift store or wait until October. You can use your “can’t avoid” cash, but think about if there’s any way you can go without or trade shoes with a friend. You can also post your shoe need on Freecycle if you have one in your area. I just got an awesome shelf for free on Freecyle. If you absolutely need to spend money on a non-essential, consider “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Take some money out of your grocery budget and eat dried beans for the week. October’s looking pretty good now, isn’t it?!?
  4. Take advantage of all the free things to do in your area. Libraries, museums, hikes, biking trails, picnic dinners in scenic places and at-home movie nights with popcorn are not only so much fun, but doing them will help your family diversify their activities and many of them will stick with you for the long-term. Check blogs and free events pages of your local paper to get ideas. Instead of going out to dinner with your partner, find a new recipe to cook together.
  5. Keep track of your spending on essentials. This one is optional, but aren’t you curious about how much you spend as a bare minimum? What’s your baseline? If you do this, you’ll know how much EXTRA you’re typically spending per month. Imagine if you could do a no-spend month a couple times a year! All of a sudden, you wouldn’t feel drained by holidays and birthdays.

Keep us posted and don’t forget to hashtag your adventures with #NoSpendSeptember2018. This journey starts on September 1st (which happens to be a Saturday…), so get ready!

Good luck!!

Jen

Back to School: Weekend Meal Prep and Planning

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podcast11.png
Nothing slaps a parent or kid into shape like Back to School. It’s time to get back into routines, stop ordering out so much, stop sleeping in, start going to bed earlier, and start thinking about dinner before 8pm.

So, in episode 11 of the Healthyish podcast, Jen and Corinne share the importance of taking time on the weekends to plan and prep a few foods and meals to make the week MUCH easier—easier to survive without takeout food, with homework chaos, and with easy-peasy lunch packing. They also share school supplies shopping ideas and an idea for a budget-friendly anniversary dinner with kids. Join them as they swear by weekend prep to prevent overwhelm and insanity!

And for our fabulous 3-Day Weekend Prep e-guide, sign up for our mailing list on the right-hand column of the blog and we’ll send that your way. If we’ve wet your whistle, this “Lazy Lasagna” is a life-saver if you prepare one or two on the weekend. You can even construct one or two and stick them in the freezer to thaw and bake months down the road.

Share your favorite weekend food chores with us… what do YOU do with 10, 20, or 30 minutes on the weekend that makes your week of meals so much easier?!

Buried in casseroles,

Jen & Corinne

Refrigerator Purge and Organization

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How to Purge and Organize Your Fridge

Hi, Kitchen Org Gurus! In episode 8 of the podcast, we continue on our kitchen organization journey from episode 7 as we tackle refrigerator purge and organization!

Say goodbye to expired condiments, disorganized shelves, and funky unidentifiable leftovers by using our simple tips. It’s so much easier to enjoy your time in the kitchen when you can find the things you need quickly. And, check out these handy dandy containers and labeling systems to get you started and keep your family on board too:

Clear Refrigerator Organizer Bin

Clear Refrigerator Bins – Set of 2

Chalkboard Labels for Fridge Bins

Velcro Stickies for Laminated Fridge Labels

18-Piece Glass Food Storage Container Set

We’re on Pinterest now too!

Share your favorite kitchen and fridge organization strategies with us–we’re still taking notes too! xo

Jen & Corinne