Father's Day on The Cheap

Hi Friends.
Yesterday I made up my Father's Day Plan.
Experience has taught me that the only way to save money on special occasions is to PLAN AHEAD. This prevents a flurry of second guessed guilt spending the day before said event. I have drawn up a meal plan with recipes, a schedule of events (including a wake up time for me, because if I don't get up early AIN'T any of it going to happen) and a gift list.
If you are trying to find ideas yourself, the internet is a very helpful place - but if you don't have the time to look, I will try to help you out a little.

Questino's To Ask Whilst Planning Fathers Day:
1) What does my man enjoy?
2) What are his favorite foods?
3) What is my budget?
4) How much effort can I put in?

For us, I have time but not much $$$ to invest.
My man enjoys the outdoors and quality time with those he loves.

SOoooo...
I am going to start the day with a very special family breakfast: I have written to the other side of the world and got his mum's much raved about pancake recipe. Once he's off to work, I will prep lunch and get the rest of us off to church. We'll have a family lunch, then nap - and then a family bike ride through some local nature trails. Then dinner with friends on a farm.
For his gift I am making these cute magnets (possibly as tacks) for his work office, and getting everyone from the family to draw him a picture or make him a note. These little love offerings will all be placed in a "King Of The Day" box. And I will make a card out of stuff I have laying around.

This plan is simple and will cost me a grand total of $2.50.
And THATS how you do it on the cheap!

The Queen of Thrift

I have seriously outdone myself this time. I have been trying to stockpile larger sizes for my daughter so that when the time comes we won't be in a panic about clothes for her.
I hit BFM (Bibles For Missions) this week and they were having a sale. I got 12 items of clothing for my daughter and 5 books.
Just ask.
How much did I spend.
Just ASK!!!!


$3.52

Oh, yeah.

Shoe Love

Alright, if I haven't confessed it yet to you, it must be known that I have a problem with shoes.

I can never get enough of them.

This month we are REALLY trying not to spend money on extras, so I have not spent any unnecessary money except for buying me and a friend coffee, permissible because the last two weeks combined I have spent $60 less on groceries than I normally would in one week (the pantry and fridge are starting to look bare). But last night I went second hand shopping with said friend, and did completely okay until we hit the shoes. 

Shimmery, mint green, peep toe flats. 

Cranberry leather & wood strappy clogs. 

Sweating, I called my husband. 

And for the first time in my married life, he told me to come home without the shoes. 

Luckily, after I had put both pairs back on the rack and was waiting at the till for my friend to purchase her items, I thought to look if I had any VV coupons. Which I did. 

Which was for the exact price of the green flats, if I put them on my friends bill.

Which she generously allowed. 

And WALLLA!

Free shoes!

Yay coupons!

PS - You get VV coupons by buying thier calendar in December each year. They have a monthly coupon that is usually pretty good: buy 4 items get the 5th free, spend $100 get $50 off, etc.