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Guest post from Liz of The Quick Journey blog As a wife and mom who is trying to save money for our family, trying “off-brand” products sometimes makes me nervous. Will the off-brand items be as good? Will they taste the same? Will the products hold up as well as the name brand? Those are all questions I have when I am about to place a cheaper branded item in my shopping cart. If you shared these same concerns, I wanted to share a few off-brand items that I feel are equal, or better than the name brand items. These are items that I will buy without hesitation because I have had such good success with them in the past. These are items that taste yummy, hold up to wear and tear, and perform really well despite the lower price tag. 1. Diapers I am super picky about what diapers I use — I like a diaper that holds moisture well and doesn’t get saggy. After diapering four kiddos (one is still in diapers), I will choose Target brand diapers every time. I much prefer them to the name brand diapers and the lower price point coupled with coupons and the Cartwheel app… you can’t go wrong! 2. Plastic Baggies When I have snacks and food inside a plastic baggie and then shoved in a full diaper bag, I need those baggies to stand the test of time! There is nothing worse than cleaning smeared PB&J out of a diaper bag. My favorite, go-to, baggies are the Boulder brand from Aldi. I have tried every version and size of their baggies and they are just as good, if not better, than the name brand. 3. Paper Towels As I mentioned above, I have four kids, so there are a lot of messes happening in my house on a daily basis. While we like to limit our use of paper products, there are just times that require a paper towel. I used to be a huge fan of the name brand towels that cost an arm and a leg, but I now use the Walmart Great Value brand of paper towels as I find them to be very durable and long-lasting when scrubbing yucky messes. 4. Canned Goods I have found, after much trial and error, that canned goods, like soups, veggies, fruits, sauces, are pretty much all created equal. If you are new to off-brand buying, canned goods is a good place to start! Definitely do your pocketbook a favor and save your pennies by buying off-brand canned goods. These are just a few of the off-brand items I but to save more at the grocery store! What off-brand items do you buy? Liz is a stay-at-home momma to her four kiddos. She enjoys cooking, drinking a piping hot cup of coffee, and reminiscing with her “high school sweetheart” hubby. She shares her journey through motherhood on The Quick Journey blog.
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I usually “live in a cave” when it comes to current events… but it’s almost been impossible to avoid the fact that Kim Kardashian chose to pose nude for the world recently.
Only God knows her heart. Only God knows why she made this decision. I’m not here to call her names. She’s been called enough things this week. I’m not here to talk about how her actions make other women feel. Many other writers have done a great job of that. Nor am I here to open up a discussion on what is and isn’t appropriate to be shared with the public. But what I think we all can learn from Kim Kardashian is an important lesson on contentment. Yes, contentment. You see, so many of us buy into the lie that money and fame will buy happiness. We chase after more. We wish we had a bigger house, a nicer car, a better job, more clothes. We want to be in a place where we can afford to buy higher quality items or have more wiggle room in our budget. We look at that family at church, or the family in our neighborhood, or that blogger online, or that family member, or that movie celebrity and we envy what they have that we don’t. We think, “If only we had this…” “If only we had that…” If only we had more money…” “If only we had more in savings…” “If only we had a better job…” We believe that more will automatically equal greater happiness and fulfillment. We want what the Jones’ have. But here’s the thing: the Jones’ probably aren’t happy. As Kim K. has shown us this week, having a net worth of $65 million dollars doesn’t equate happiness. Even though she can pretty much afford to pay for whatever it is on earth that she wants, from my perspective, it appears that she’s still seeking something she doesn’t already have. 
I think it’s fantastic to get on a written budget. I think it’s often helpful and good to look for ways to increase your income. But, ultimately, know that the best thing you can invest your time and effort into is developing contentment. If you’re not 100% fulfilled, happy, and embracing right where you are, there’s a good chance you’ll never find fulfillment or joy elsewhere — no matter how much money you make, how many likes your post gets on Facebook, what kind of house you live in, or what kind of promotion you get at work. Contentment is much more valuable than the greatest net worth on earth. 
You all are going to be happy because I've got another Thirty-One Gifts giveaway for you today! The last few giveaways I've done from Thirty-One Gifts have been some of my most popular giveaways ever, so I'm excited to bring you yet another one, this time courtesy of Kirstin Tracy. 
What Is Thirty-One Gifts? If you're not familiar with Thirty-One Gifts, they are a company that offers durable and adorable bags and totes in a variety of styles and kinds. They can all be personalized, too. Kirstin sent me some of the Oh-Snap Bins and these are so fun! There are so many different uses for them! You can use the in the bathroom, in the office, in the playroom, or even in the garage! 
These Oh-Snap Bins can be mixed and matched, as well as personalized. They are very durable and adorable! Want to Keep in the Loop About Specials or Get a Free Catalog? Be sure to join Kirstin’s Facebook Group to find out about monthly products specials and more from Thirty-One Gifts. Plus, you’ll want to fill out Kirstin’s 2-question survey in order to join her monthly newsletter or receive a catalog. You’ll also be signed up for a separate $50 gift card giveaway! Also, if you are interested, fill out this form to find out more information about hosting your own online party or joining Kirstin’s team so you can earn money selling Thirty-One products. 
Thirty-One Gifts offers fun monthly specials. During the month of November, for every $35 you spend, you can get either the Medium Utility Tote or the Square Utility Tote for just $7 each. Get 10% Off Any Order! In addition, Kirstin is offering 10% off any orders from MoneySavingMom.com readers. This offer is only valid this weekend only. Here's how to place an order and qualify for 10% off: ::Go to Kirstin’s Thirty-One Gifts site. ::Click on Place an Order and then click on the MSM Giveaway Event. ::Place your order and get 10% off! ::Please note: Kirstin will have to manually deduct the 10% off after the online event is closed so you won't see the 10% discount until after she manually submits the orders. Would like to win FOUR Oh-Snap Bins in their fabric of their choice plus the November Customer Special, either the Medium Utility Tote or the Square Utility Tote? Kirstin is giving away this gift package to 4 readers this weekend. To enter to win, just click on the graphic below and type in your name and email address. This giveaway ends Sunday, November 16, at 11:59 pm, CST. Four winners will be chosen and posted next week. 
I met her three days after we moved to TN. My friend, Angie, invited our family to drop by this Monday evening “thing” they were apart of called Meaty Monday — where everyone brings meat for the grill and a side dish. My introverted inner self is not one to jump at the opportunity to go spend all evening with people I don’t know. However, we were new to this area and knew the only way to plug in was to dive in head first — even when it was way outside comfort zones. So we showed up to this Monday “thing” and there was Tam Hodge. Cute, spunky, funny, and friendly. We chatted a bit. I found out that she and her family lived in our neighborhood, that they homeschooled, and that they had moved here a few years ago. She texted me a follow-up text a few days later. We started texting. And from the get-go I told her that I don’t do fluffy friendships. Don’t get me wrong. Those who know me well, know that I love to laugh, I love to have a great time with friends, and I can be goofy. However, you can be sure that spending any length of time with me will also include hard questions, going deep, and authenticity. Because I don’t do surface-y friendships. She didn’t seem fazed by my honest confessions of what I was looking for in friendship. In fact, she seemed genuinely open to that sort of friendship. 
So I kept walking forward. We kept texting. We started getting together regularly. And a beautiful friendship emerged. Tam has been God’s gift to me in our move to TN. She’s listened. She’s cared. She’s let me be brutally honest as I’ve processed. And she’s loved me — messes and imperfections and all. As I’ve gotten to know her more, I’ve realized that there is so much more to her than first meets the eye. She’s beautiful. She’s warm. She’s hilarious. And she deeply cares for people. 
But more than that, she’s a woman who has experienced some of the greatest suffering of anyone I know — including repeated abuse from multiple abusers, intense rejection by those closest to her, and incredible physical pain. Of anyone I know, she could have reason to go through life feeling like a victim — hurting, reserved, sad. But those words are the exact opposite of my friend, Tam. She radiates joy and hope! Instead of being a victim of her circumstances, she’s chosen to be a VICTOR. And every single day, her life inspires me. I am crazy proud of her bravery and courage and hard work to write her story. Her book, And Now I Choose, releases today and I highly recommend it for anyone who has experienced the pain of abuse, abortion, divorce, rejection, and feeling broken and not good enough. Tam’s story will give you hope. It will inspire you to overcome the odds. It will encourage you to choose joy. It will motivate you that you, too, can become a victor not a victim. Go get a copy of her book, And Now I Choose. It’s available in ebook or paperback form on Amazon here. And you also might consider buying an extra copy for a friend who could use the encouragement of someone who walked through great trauma and tragedy and found healing and hope.
Walgreens
4 Xtra Laundry Detergent – $1.50 each
Used 2 $1/2 printable 1 Dawn Dish Detergent – $1
Used $0.25/1 printable 2 jars Lindsay Olives – $0.89 each with in-ad coupon
Used $1/2 printable Total before coupons and sales: $15.75 Total after coupons and sales: $5.52
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