Do you know a little princess hooked on all things American Girl? If the answer is yes and you’re anything like me, you know the price of a fancy doll collection adds up fast! Or maybe your budget allows but your girl is looking to branch out. Whatever your doll situation, the Free Range has you covered, so let’s get started!
Glitter Girls Ice Cream Parlor for 14” Dolls
With 79 pieces including colorful ice cream, gelato, toppings, bowls, utensils and everything else your little one could imagine to make the ultimate frozen treat parlor, this is by far my 6 year old’s most used 14” doll playset even over her Wellie Wishers products. It’s also very budget friendly and holds up to demolition attempts by my toddler son! Looking to expand the ice cream parlor? This ice cream themed putt-putt set is sure to be a hit!
2. Journey Girls Wooden Stable
More economical than the AG stable, this set comes with a variety of accessories including a plaid horse blanket! The wooden stable does require some adult assembly, but the end result is a cute little decorated pen for the horses. This bargain should get your 18” doll off to a bright start on her riding adventures! Need a horse to go along with it? Check out Belle, the spotted beauty from Adora!
3. Journey Girls Pet Salon
If your little one loves all things pets, then check out this pet salon from Journey Girls! With 5 accessories including a hair dryer, your doll’s pet will have all they need to be styled. As a bonus, the color scheme is purple and teal with an adorable bubble backsplash! And if your doll is in the market for a new pet, I suggest this daughter-tested puppy set with 11 pieces.
4. Beverly Hills Doll Summer Beach Accessories
Has your 18” doll gone to the beach lately? Take her in style with this Beverly Hills Collection of beach accessories including a chair and umbrella. The set comes with 10 fun pieces for her fun in the sun! Be sure to pick up some sand toys and a volley ball for all-day play!
5. Princess Costume Dress Up Set
If you know a little princess who likes to play dress up, then check out this adorable set of costumes for her 18” doll. She and her doll can mix it up or go as twins! Love Encanto? Grab her Mirabel and Isabella costumes as a special gift.
Be sure to drop by soon for more budget friendly doll playsets and accessories!
The fitness industry is a 94 billion dollar a year industry*, and that’s just the statistic for 2019. In my own efforts to get in shape, I have personally contributed to this industry by buying exercise equipment, gym memberships, workout gear, etc. While I’ve had varying degrees of success with these purchases, I’m amazed at the wealth of resources there are for people who want to start working out, but don’t want to invest their hard earned money on something that may or may not work.
The internet has a tremendous amount of free workout videos, health advice and information, and I have picked some of my favorites out to save you time, and hopefully get you started on a workout plan that you like. Again, the links that I am including are for beginners only. There is even more extensive workout and training information out there for those in the intermediate and advanced states of fitness.
Even though I know exercise is good for you, I’m still not a fan of working out. I really have to force myself to workout every day. But, what is good to know is that going from a sedintary lifestyle to moderate physical activity has been shown to produce positive benefits for your health.*
Just a quick note about these links, I’m not sponsored in any way to promote these resources. These are just some that I have found helpful, and I wanted to have them all accessible from one place. I hope you will like the ones that I have posted here, and find them useful.
Best Walking Workout Videos
Walking is one of the healthiest exercises out there, and sources say that even taking a brisk 10 minute walk every day can provide health benefits. Walking outside is by far the best way to go, but when you’d rather just stay close to home there are walking exercise programs that you can do instead. You’ll still get in the steps and still get a great workout, but you can do it from the comfort of home.
There are a lot of great walking workouts to try, but the Queen of Walking Workout Instructors is Leslie Sansone. Leslie’s Walk at Home video series come in a wide range of skill levels, and she makes exercise as fun as it can be. Needless to say, I’ve been a huge fan of hers, and I’ve bought many of her DVDs. I do consider those fitness gear purchases money well spent, but sometimes, just watching something from a tablet or phone is faster and easier than starting up the DVD player.
Leslie has so many free videos that you can watch on youtube, and this is one of my all-time favorite ones that she made:
The best thing about this workout is that it’s short (14 minutes) and the equivalent of walking a mile.
For when you have more time and energy
This next video is much more challenging, but still beginner level and fun.
Just think, it’s just 15 minutes, and you’ve walked a mile!
This next workout that I’m recommending is not for everyone, but I really like it, and if getting as many steps as you can a day is your goal, then this one is for you. This is a longer video, clocking in at just over 45 minutes, but it’s a 5K walk that you can do in the comfort of your home. Again, this video is led by Leslie Sansone, who makes the best walking exercise videos out there.
Best free step aerobics videos
To get the most out of these exercises you need to own an aerobic stepper. You can find these on amazon or Walmart starting around $25. I already own one so to start these videos were no cost at all. But, if you feel like $25 is too much to spend, you can just as well do these exercise videos without the stepper, just do the step combinations on the floor and you’ll still get a good workout.
For those who have never done a step aerobic video, the Jenny Ford Step Hero 1-6 workout plan is a great way to get started. Her instructions are easy to follow, and the workouts are just hard enough so that you will feel them the next day.
Even though this exercise series is for beginners, it’s tough and effective.
Jenny Ford has so many great free step workouts to choose from, and I highly recommend subscribing to her channel so you can stay updated on all of her workouts. Lifting weights can also help you improve bone health.
Best beginning toning exercises for the arms
As you may already know, adding weights to a workout can help you maintain or improve strength. Plus, the more muscle you have, the more efficiently you burn calories.
Here is my favorite exercise video for toning the arms. This video is from the free online diet and health program called SparkPeople. I very highly recommend going to www.sparkpeople.com and signing up if you’re interested in a diet and exercise program. There are many free exercise videos on the site, but also on their youtube page. While this video does require that you own some hand weights, hopefully if you don’t have your own, you know of someone who does.
Watch SparkPeople Coach Nicole guide you to toned arms
An Amazingly Hard Arm Toning Workout
Another great arm exercise video workout that I highly recommend is tough, but the more you try it, the easier it will get. The best thing about this workout is that it doesn’t require any extra equipment. The movements are not impossible, but repeating the movements without putting your arms down is so hard. It’s just a 10 minute workout, but it’s extremely effective, and you will seriously feel the burn.
Just getting started on a workout program is tough, especially for those of us who don’t like to exercise. However, there are so many great free exercise videos out there to help you get started. These are just a few that love, and I hope you will give them a try. It is also my hope that you will find these videos helpful to you in making a healthy start.
Keeping household spending in check and sticking to a budget is a top priority in our home. At the same time, we love good food and want to enjoy our lives, so we’ve worked out ways to save money and still get to enjoy delicious meals. It has taken me years to work out a system that works for us, and I hope that some of these tips and tricks that I’ve learned can help you and your family as well.
Are you aware that weekly food costs are the most controllable part of your household budget? Electricity, cable, internet, fuel costs, etc. are all costs that we really can’t control. Since we all need to eat, food costs are a necessary expense. However, I have found that if you take the time to carefully plan your meals, you can actually see positive results in your bank account.
Meal planning gives you more control of your finances
Avoid unnecessary trips to the store
When you follow a meal plan buy only the items on your list, you can avoid over spending by not stopping by the store every day. I can’t tell you how many time I have stopped by the store just to pick up one or two things, but end up spending over $50 worth of impulse buys and junk food. That’s such a waste of money, and it’s got to stop if you want to be in control of your spending.
Cut out the guesswork
If you’ve ever been stressed out by trying to figure out what to make for dinner, you know how easy it is to get overwhelmed and end up just ordering takeout. Again, that’s just a waste of your money, and it’s not as healthy or satisfying as a home cooked meal. I’m not saying to never order takeout or have a restaurant meal, but I try to make that more the exception than the rule. A meal plan cuts out so much of the guesswork of wondering what’s for dinner. There really is a comfort in having the weekly menu posted, and having one less thing to worry about.
Seven tips for easy meal planning on a budget
Plan meals with ingredients that you can use in other meals. This is such a great way to maximize your food budget. For example, you make a big pot of chili for supper Sunday night, the leftovers can be turned in to topping for chili dogs later in the week. Then, say Monday night you plan for a crock pot pulled pork sandwiches, several nights later you can use the leftovers for stuffing in your loaded baked potatoes . Leftover rice from chicken a la king can later be turned into veggie fried rice. There really are a lot of possibilities to stretch your food budget by turning one meal into two.
Plan for meals that will provide a lunch. I almost always have leftovers, and food waste is cut down tremendously by boxing up whatever is left and re-heating it for lunch the next day. Even if there are only 3-4 boiled potatoes left and some salad leftover, I’m going to box it up and have it as sides for my lunch the next day. Remember, the most expensive ingredients are the ones that go wasted or thrown away.
Before you make your shopping list/meal plan, take a few minutes to take inventory of what you have on hand. This will go a long way in helping to stop unnecessary stops to the store, and help give you ideas for meals. For example, you might have several types of pasta, and some canned tomatoes. You can add ground beef or chicken and cheese to your list and make a delicious pasta bake. Build your meals around whatever you already have in stock.
Make as many meals from scratch as you can. Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of heat and go meals, and I do use them. But, eating this way is far more costly than making them own your own. I really don’t want to knock convenience food like frozen pizza, pre-made waffles and pancakes, because I use them, so this tip is only for when you feel that you have the extra time to make these items from scratch. Homemade pizzas and pancakes do taste so much better, and when you buy the ingredients, you can end up using them for multiple other meals.
Plan by category. A good weekly meal plan has a variety of different types of meals so you don’t get bored with eating the same things from week to week. When I plan my weekly meal plan, I think in terms of categories, like Italian, Tex-Mex, Asian inspired, traditional meat and potatoes, soup, fish, vegetarian, etc. I have saved favorite recipes in each of these categories, so I’ll usually choose one of those. Think about Taco Tuesdays, there are so many varieties you can choose from. Think beyond just traditional ground beef, and try mixing it up by trying fish tacos, chicken, or halloumi.
For those who shop in person instead of online, make your shopping list with the layout of the store in mind. I usually shop in person, and I know my store fairly well. The layout of my store is divided into 5 main sections, Produce, Dairy, Meat, Frozen, and Main/Dry goods. I make my list with the store layout in mind so that I can get in and out as quickly as possible.
Plan for snacks! So many times, I have decided to make a run to the store after dinner just to go get snacks. Those impulse runs to the store are so dangerous to your budget and your diet. Quick and easy snacks that I like to keep on hand are: apples, cheese and crackers, hummus, nuts, chocolate, and peanut butter.
Sitting down to a home cooked meal is quality time. Wish I could take beautiful pictures like the stock photos I’ve used for this post.
Good meal planning does take a little bit of extra time, but it is time well spent. Having the stress of trying to come up with a a meal quickly can lead to unhealthy choices and costly. I hope that these tips are helpful, and can help make your meal planning easier.
