Crock Pot Monday: Italian Chicken Alfredo

I'm going to start a weekly post of crock pot recipes that I'm trying out.  Crock pot cooking is an excellent way to get a great bang for your buck, stretch your food dollars, and also save a ton of time and energy in the kitchen.

As a new mom, it is imperative that I find ways to cut corners and costs and crock pot/slow cooker cooking is the best way that I've found to do this.


Italian Chicken Alfredo
(This is modified from this recipe found on allrecipes.com.  I modified based on the ingredients I had readily available)
1 package of chicken breasts (I purchased a bunch on a buy one, get one sale and froze a bunch - these packages have approximately 3-4 good sized breasts in them)
1/2 regular bottle italian dressing (less than $1 at Aldi)
1 package spaghetti noodles or fettucini noodles (less than $1)
1 package cream cheese (I prefer the Neufchâtel lower fat alternative - generic brand is around $1)
1 can cream mushroom
oregano/parsley to season/taste

1.  Cut up chicken breasts into smaller, bite size chunks.  Toss in the crock pot.
2.  Pour 1/2 container of dressing into the crock pot and mix.
3.  Cook on low for 4 hours.
4.  At 4 hours, add melted cream cheese and cream of mushroom and mix. Add parsley and oregano to taste.
5.  Let sit for another hour.
6.  When you are close to serving time, prepare noodles in boiled water as per directions.  Prepare to your liking (ie, if you like al dente, etc.)
7.  Serve chicken mixture/sauce over noodles.

If you want, you can serve with a green tossed salad. 
7.  Add

Hair Care Tip

Are you using too much product? 

A lot of people think that more is better when it comes to shampoo and conditioner.  That's actually not true.  You only need about a dime size amount of product to wash and condition your hair.  More than that is overkill and doesn't make your hair any cleaner or more illustrious.  In fact, using too much conditioner can make your hair dirtier and weigh it down, while too much shampoo can strip your hair of extra nutrients.

Not only that - but it helps you save too.  If you aren't washing that extra product down the drain, it will extend the life. 

What to skip when creating a baby registry...

When I found out I was pregnant, I was excited about the prospect of creating a baby registry.

When I actually created one, I was overwhelmed. 

When you are pregnant, you get tons of advice - some solicited, some not.  A lot of people will tell you what you surely need and what you shouldn't get. 

If you have tons and tons of family who want to buy things for you and have endless resources for spending, then by all means go all out.  However, knowing what I know now there are several things that I would have changed regarding my registry that would have saved me money and been more beneficial for me:

• Do not get a ton of "newborn" sized anything.  Get one outfit to begin with to see if it will fit.  If you get more, do NOT take off tags and wash yet because you may need to return them.  My son couldn't fit into most newborn sized items, ever.  You can always go out and get more should you need them.
• Don't buy multiples of things unless you know for a fact that you will need/use them.  I got several swaddlers before hand because I thought surely I would use them.   When he was so little it was much easier to swaddle using receiving blankets but by the time I thought to use the actual swaddlers, he was not interested in swaddling.   I also got several different "types" of wraps or carriers....I actually only use one of them.  The rest have gone to waste.  Also I bought one type of  bottles because I thought I would like them.  I didn't.  So then I had to turn around and buy all new bottles of a different kind.
• Do register for bigger clothes ...down the road.  You will be amazed at how quickly those kids grow.  My son is 5 months old and in some styles/brands, he is already wearing 9 month clothing.  Kids can grow into them.
• Don't go crazy registering for too many clothes.  Some outfits never got worn by my little man.  And I quickly found out which ones I like and which ones I don't.  (Some are more user friendly....like anything with zippers as opposed to buttons).
• You don't need 40 something activity toys.  There are so many bouncers, jumpers, walkers, exersaucers, etc. out there.  You don't need multiples of these items.  Some are good for the time being and some are good for different stages, but honestly a good deal of it is overkill.

Those are just a few suggesetions.  I guess my overall gist is that it is hard to anticipate what you and/or your baby will like and even though you want to be prepared, it isn't always the best idea to go ahead and get things. 

When in doubt, gift cards are a great way to go. 

Deal Alert: Old Navy

Old Navy (website: www.oldnavy.com) has an awesome clearance right now. I just stocked up on a ton of basics (plain tees/tops, yoga pants, etc.). None of the tops I bought were more than $5 a piece - with most being around $2.99 or $3.99.

After Christmas Clearance

Here's how to shop after Christmas Clearance to get the best deals:

Now is the best time to shop after Christmas Clearance. The rookie frugalista may think that the best time is right after Christmas, however it is best to wait. Why? Well first of all, right after Christmas, most "Clearance" items are only marked at 50% off. That may seem like a lot, but not when you consider that waiting an extra week can save you anywhere from 75% off to 90% off! Also, there is a much bigger selection at first so you may get carried away with the "oh wow, its on sale so I must buy it even if I don't want it or need it" bug.

What to Get:

• Pick up wrapping paper and other wrapping supplies.
• Christmas decor that you actually will use (for example, if you need a new Christmas tree topper, now is the time to get it. But don't pick up extra odds and ends that will just take up space).
• Non-dated/generic Christmas ornaments - When you get them at a great deal, you can use them for lots of things and actually make wonderful package trimmings. And when you get them for 10 cents a piece, it isn't too shabby.
• Christmas cards for the next year.

What Not to Get:

• Don't pick up the candy unless you absolutely need it (I've picked up Clearance candy for work events, but that's it). You don't really need the extra calories and when you buy it in bulk, it will tempt you to no end.
• Don't get any gift items that are dated OR are trendy. For example - don't pick up that Jonas Brothers notebook that is on clearance for 95% off...you never know if they will be hot when you need to gift the item.
• Don't get a ton of generic "gifts" that you are planning to stash for extra presents. You'll find better deals throughout the year, plus you may end up with a closet full of stuff that you never end up gifting.
• Don't get more things than you can comfortably store. What's the point of loading up on goodies if you are going to be miserable finding a place to store them?

Pointer: If you buy things for next year, remember to place them or store them in a place where you will remember them. If you are going to get a good deal on Christmas cards, they don't do a bit of good if you don't remember where you put them next year!

Why Aldi Can Cut Your Grocery Costs

First of all - this is my first Frugal Fairy post in a long time. Pretty much since before Christmas. Which is sad.

However it is probably because I am pregnant! So I've had other things on my mind besides writing blogs.

But don't worry - with being a mom comes more opportunities for me to blog about things. And I promise I won't ONLY blog about mommy things.

So, onto my post....

The other day while I was shopping at Aldi, I thought to myself "gee, why don't more people shop here?". Then I also thought "gee, why don't more grocery stores adopt the Aldi model?"

So here is a user's guide to Aldi, for those of you who have never been:

1. Bring a quarter: The first thing you'll notice when you arrive at Aldi is that you have to lend a quarter to get your shopping cart. Actually, because of this one of the first things you may notice at Aldi is that there are no rogue buggies roaming the parking lot searching for cars to dent. In order to get a cart, you must deposit a quarter into a little contraption. But don't worry, when you return your cart you will get a quarter back...not your same quarter, but a quarter still.
2. BYOB (Bring your own bags): Aldi was green before green was trendy. To keep costs down for you, Aldi does not provide you or supply you with any bags. Whatever you put into your cart will ultimately end back up in your cart, just like that. It is up to you, the customer, to provide bags and bag your own groceries. Yes, you are cutting out the "luxury" of a bag boy/girl - but then you can package your groceries any way you want to! I bring my own bags from home. However Aldi does have paper bags (for 5 cents I believe) and sturdy, reusable plastic bags (for 10 cents). You can also often find leftover packing boxes up front that are there for your use as well.
3. No fancy shelves: Just to properly forewarn you, Aldi has no frills once inside. Most of the products are placed on a few shelves or are merely in boxes on pallets on the floor. You may get more of a discount/warehouse vibe from Aldi - but that's fine for me!
4. Limited selection: Let me also forewarn you that you probably will not be able to buy all of your groceries at Aldi. Aldi has a limited selection of items. Mostly what I would consider staples. You can purchase things like flour, sugar, cooking oil, milk, eggs, etc. at Aldi. Most products tend to be of an off brand (Aldi brand) but are of good quality. Every once in a while they will have "special purchase" items that might be of a brand (lately I saw Easter candy, including Cadbury and Nestle, just to name some brands). But I wouldn't count on it every time.
5. Bonus Perk 1: Since Aldi is a Europeon based company, some of the foods they carry are actually imported. Aldi has some AWESOME chocolate there. Some of the stuff is ridiculously cheap but comporable to many imported chocolates I've found for much more money!
6. Bonus Perk 2: I tend to think that people (shoppers and staff) are actually a lot more friendly at Aldi. Almost every time that I have been to Aldi, someone in the parking lot has offered to trade me a quarter for my buggy so I didn't have to return it and they didn't have to "check one out". Other shoppers pretty much always slide down/provide/place the courtesy bar/divider between groceries. At other stores I generally have to ask. But at Aldi, most of the time someone will pass it down. I also think most Aldi's allow their check out clerks to sit on stools instead of standing on their feet all day. I personally know that would make me a happier employee - so I'm assuming that's why I encounter so many happy ones!
7. Best Perk: The prices are incredible. I went the other day and bought and entire cart filled to the top with staples such as cereal, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, milk, eggs, bread, english muffins, fresh veggies, canned veggies, juice, cheese, cream cheese, biscuits, hamburger patties, roasting meat, frozen pizzas, sherbert, microwave meals, soups, and more and spent a total of $93! No coupons necessary either. I know for a fact that had I shopped for these items, even at a discount place like Walmart, I would have paid at least $140 for the same items.

Frugality = Compromise

Happy New Year!

As you are making your New Year's Resolutions (I try not to make any because I never keep them), you may be making one to be more frugal this year.

As someone who lives a pretty frugal lifestyle already, I have one piece of advice for those who are looking to spend less: You HAVE to be willing to compromise.

There is a simple equation here: The pickier you are, the more something is going to cost you (both in time and money).

For example, let's say you're going on vacation. You need to book a flight. If you say "I want to leave at exactly this time on exactly this day and have no connecting flights" you are going to pay an arm and a leg. However if you say, "I can leave at ANY time on this day or maybe leave a day earlier, and don't mind an extra connecting flight" your price can drop dramatically. In making travel plans myself, I've seen my airline ticket fee drop $1,000 just by being flexible with my arrival, departure, and specifics.

Let's say you want to get a dog. You can be very specific and say "I want a tea cup yorkie that is AKC" and pay an arm and a leg from a "breeder" or you can say "I want a small dog" and get one at a rescue for a small adoption fee (and my local rescue actually includes the first set of shots AND getting spayed or neutered). You'll pay much more for your specific breed of dog than a rescue dog. Or you can have the best of both worlds and get your dog from a specific breed rescue! (Getting on my soap box here: I encourage everyone to look at rescues first. There are so many wonderful dogs sitting in rescues or in the pound that are loving and just need a place to go. All of my pets have been from rescues and they are phenomenal! Breeders only contribute to the current cat/dog overpopulation situation. Stepping down from soap box.)

Let's say you want to try out a new restaurant. You can go on a Friday night and order off their dinner menu and get some drinks and pay out the wazoo. Or you can maybe go at lunch (if they serve) and order something at a cheaper price and maybe forego the drinks! Bonus: It probably isn't as crowded at lunch.

Money aside, learning to be flexible can also win you brownie points in the customer service area. Many times when something doesn't go exactly as planned at a hotel, restaurant, etc. the staff approaches you as if they expect you to get mad and be furious and demand things. Recently I went to lunch with a friend. She ordered a chicken ceaser salad. When she got the salad, it didn't have any chicken on it. She politely asked the waiter if it was supposed to have chicken on it. He sort of freaked out and apologized profusely and said he'd get the chicken. Well, he forgot it and she went ahead and started eating the salad. When she was almost done, he came back and apologized again. She wasn't angry, just said "I'm ok. It's no problem as long I am not charged for it." He then went to his boss and got them to take off the entire entree. She wasn't mean, she wasn't demanding. She was sweet and flexible. And because of that, they took off the entree and then came back and offered dessert and extra service on the house.

Learning to compromise on certain issues will help you spend less over time.