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Day 10: $100 Savings Challenge (a $1 date with Kierstyn!)

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Soda

Day 10: $100 Savings Challenge (a $1 date with Kierstyn!)

It’s Day 10 of the $100 Savings Challenge and I don’t have much to report today as far as savings. BUT, I have a fun story about a $1 date from this morning that I’ll share below!

We got home from our Atlanta trip last night. Kierstyn had gymnastics this morning but she was really struggling to get up and around and was in a funk (I think being gone for a week was just hard on her and she felt out of sorts.)

As we left for gymnastics, I could tell she just wasn’t in the best headspace. I was trying to figure out what to do while we were driving and I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to have a date with her instead of taking her to gymnastics. And then, out of nowhere, we hit bumper-to-bumper traffic — something you basically never have at that time of day in that area. Because of it, we were going to be late to gymnastics.

So I looked in the backseat and asked Kierstyn: “Would you like to go out to breakfast with me?” Her eyes lit up and she was SO excited.

She asked if we could go to Wendy’s. I said yes, if they were open for breakfast!

Not only were they open, but they have $1 breakfast sandwiches. Did you know that?? She was absolutely thrilled and it turned her whole day around.

We sat and talked in the restaurant and then we went out to the car and sat and did our makeup together (she is so much like Kaitlynn in this regard and loves playing with my makeup — and she’s actually quite good at putting it on!)

When we came home, she excitedly told Jesse about our date. For $1 (and some gas money), we made a special memory and she felt so loved. And we’ll make up the gymnastics class later! Today, spending time together was what was most important!

Speaking of saving money, I shared this tip on Instagram today. Have you used ChatGPT to menu plan? It works surprisingly well. If you don’t like the ideas it gives you, just ask for more ideas or give it more information and let it try again!

And Betsy Bakes Breads shared this comment above on my post that I loved!

By the way, someone messaged in the following tip last night referring to yesterday’s post. This is definitely something worth looking into!

And now, onto the $100 Savings Challenge! If you haven’t signed up for the $100 Savings Challenge, be sure follow the directions to sign up (there are prizes!!):

How To Participate in the $100 Savings Challenge

Go sign up for the $100 Savings Challenge to get your free 14-day plan.
Every week day of the challenge, I’ll be posting on Instagram, Facebook, and here on the blog as I work through the challenge myself.
I will invite you to do the daily challenges with me and to share your successes! Every day that you complete the challenge and submit it, you’ll be entered to win one of 5 $100 Amazon gift cards we’re giving away randomly at the end.
You can participate every day or just some of the days — whatever works for you! But every day that you participate and fill out the simple form, you are entered to win!

Day 10 Challenge:

Check Venmo and PayPal: Check your Venmo or PayPal accounts for forgotten funds that you haven’t transferred over to your bank account. (Found money: $5–$10)

I have zero to report for today since I don’t have a Venmo account (I know, apparently I still live in the dark ages!) and we only have a Paypal account for our business.

Hopefully I will have better things to report tomorrow!

So, with that added to my total, we are at $95.25 found/saved so far with the challenge. We are in the home-stretch and we are almost to $100! I didn’t know if I was going to make it, so I’m THRILLED that I think I’m going to hit $100!!

How much have you saved/found so far as part of the challenge?

Enter to Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card (we’re giving 5 away!)

Go sign up for the challenge here! And just for fun — and to motivate you to join us for the challenge — if you do today’s challenge and fill out the form linked here, you will be entered to win one of 5 $100 Amazon gift cards I’m giving away at the end of the challenge!

Note: We may possibly share a few of the best entries over the course of the challenge, so by submitting the form, you are giving us permission to possibly post your entry. If you’d rather we don’t post it, please note that on your entry.

Did you participate today? I’d love to hear how today went for you!

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Soda

This homemade sparkling strawberry lemonade is the MOST yummy fizzy strawberry drink that you’d expect to pay $5 (or more!) for at a trendy coffee shop — but you can make it right at home for a fraction of the cost. Even better? You can control how sweet it is and know exactly what’s going into it so it’s likely healthier, too.

Why You’ll Love This Fizzy Strawberry Drink

This summer, I’ve been having so much fun experimenting with homemade syrups and refreshing drinks! If you loved the Homemade Lavender London Fog recipe I shared earlier, you’re going to love this new favorite too: Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Soda.

I love this recipe because it feels like such a special treat, without the special price tag. It’s quick and easy to whip up, and it gives me that bubbly, fruity refreshment I crave on a warm day.

Plus, it’s a fun and creative way to use some of the seasonal tea flavorings I already have in my pantry. Whether I’m sipping it while reading on the porch or making a batch to share with the kids, it always feels like a little moment of summer joy.

This is also a great recipe to make ahead if you’re hosting a gathering. Just prepare the syrup the night before and set up a “make-your-own soda” station with ice, sparkling water, and sliced fruit for garnish. It’s perfect for birthday parties, baby showers, backyard BBQs, or even a simple picnic lunch with your family.

Farmhouse Teas strawberry lemonade flavor for fizzy strawberry drink

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup honey or sugar (I used honey, but feel free to use what you have!)
2 Tablespoons Farmhouse Teas Strawberry Lemonade Kombucha Flavoring (or a similar strawberry lemonade tea like this one)
Sparkling water (you can buy this or make your own with a SodaStream)

How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Soda

The key to this recipe is the syrup, which gives it a bright, fruity, fizzy flavor. Once you’ve made that and stored it in your fridge, your drink comes together in just a few minutes whenever you want it!

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Syrup:

In a small saucepan, combine the 1 cup of water and 1 cup of honey (or sugar) and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir until the sweetener is fully dissolved.
Turn off the heat and add the Strawberry Lemonade tea/flavoring. Stir well.
Let the mixture steep for 15–20 minutes to infuse the flavors.
Strain the syrup using a fine mesh sieve or small strainer to remove the loose leaf tea bits.
Store in a glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Once your syrup is ready, making the soda is super simple.

sparkling strawberry lemonade in a glass

Making a Glass of Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade:

Fill an 8-ounce glass with ice
Add approximately 2 tablespoons to a 1/4 cup of the syrup (depending upon how sweet you’d like it)
Top with sparkling water (about 6–8 ounces, depending on the glass)
Stir and enjoy!

Pro tip: Want it sweeter? Add a little more syrup. Want it lighter and more tart? Use a little less. It’s completely customizable to your taste!

Strawberry Lemonade Soda

I love this fizzy lemonade recipe because it feels like such a special treat, without the special price tag. It’s quick and easy to whip up, and it gives me that bubbly, fruity refreshment I crave on a warm day.

Course Drinks

Keyword dairy free, homemade

Prep Time 25

Servings

Calories 86kcal

Author Crystal Paine

Ingredients

Strawberry Lemonade Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup honey or sugar
2 Tbsp strawberry lemonade tea loose leaf

Individual Glass of Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

8 oz Sparkling water
2 Tbsp Strawberry Lemonade Simple Syrup (add more as desired, up to 1/4 cup)

Instructions

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the 1 cup of water and 1 cup of honey (or sugar) and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir until the sweetener is fully dissolved.
Turn off the heat and add the Strawberry Lemonade flavoring. Stir well.
Let the mixture steep for 15–20 minutes to infuse the flavors.
Strain the syrup using a fine mesh sieve or small strainer to remove the loose leaf tea bits.
Store in a glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Making a Glass of Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

Fill an 8-ounce glass with ice.
Add approximately 2 tablespoons to a 1/4 cup of the syrup (depending upon how sweet you’d like it)
Top with sparkling water (about 6–8 ounces, depending on the glass)
Stir and enjoy!