Good morning! This week is flying by, can you believe it’s Wednesday already? Some of you may actually have snow days today! It goes without saying that snow days are obsolete in Florida. We do have hurricane days though! But not today. While it will be storming, our high is 80 degrees today. I know many of you who are experiencing blizzards right now would probably do anything to experience our weather, but I can tell you first hand – hot humidity is no way to feel like the holidays are here. At least it will be cooling down starting tomorrow!
Ariel from Team Goodbelly recently sent me some coupons for free products, as a thank you for spreading the word about the Goodbelly product. I stopped by Fresh Market yesterday and picked up three containers! One was the Blueberry Acai Goodbelly PLUS which contains 20 billion live and active cultures, as well as packing in some multi-vitamins. This little shot packs so much good for your body!
Check out the stats of all the vitamins I got this morning!
Of course, there’s always the obligatory happy face on every shot.
This flavor was pretty good! If you’re looking for something that’s more like a juice I would suggest the quarts of Goodbelly (I picked up one of the Watermelon Cranberry flavor – my favorite flavor so far!). But honestly, I can’t say a single bad thing about these GoodBelly PLUS shots. Such a tiny swig of “juice” and it’s like magic. 
Curious as to what these probiotic things really are and what they really do for you? The GoodBelly folk made this video that is short and sweet and very educational! Check it out!
If that doesn’t make you want to get some probiotics into your system, I don’t know what will!
A little while later I noshed on a bagel (I know, another bagel?!). Cinnamon raisin, toasted, earth balance.
I’m definitely in a breakfast rut. I keep really wanting green smoothies, but with my blender two steps away from the dump, green smoothies are currently on the same appearance level of Florida snow days. 
One day, mark my words, I WILL have a VitaMix or Blendtec! (With Santa’s budget, one day will have to be in a few years…dang!)
Frugal Holiday Tip #5
When it comes to decorating for the holidays, be creative! It can cost hundreds of dollars if you go all out without a regard to budget. If you can, shop for decorations after the holiday is over! Ross and I got our first Christmas tree for our first married Christmas the year we were engaged. I think we got our 7.5 foot Kennedy Fir, pre-lit artificial tree for $30? And with an artificial tree you get many more years out of it! (Plus you can’t beat the convenience of pre-lit!). At the time we also picked up some nicer ornaments that we loved for also half off. You can also shop at discount stores – last year we got a beautiful satin, embroidered tree skirt at Big Lots for very cheap! Crafty friends can D.I.Y. – do it yourself. If you’re someone who is crafty, go to the craft store and get the cheapest wreath you can find, and a branch of fake holly. With some wire cutters and a hot glue gun you can have a beautiful wreath for your door for less than $5 and in very little time! Have kids? Get them involved with cutting out paper snowflakes that you can hang around your house. And finally, be resourceful! If you have some candlesticks on a shelf, place an ornament on top instead of a candle. My current table centerpiece is my trifle dish with cheap ornaments and old ribbon we retired from our tree. Your options are as limited as your creativity.
Whether it be gift-giving or decorating, no part of the holidays have to break the bank! Check out the other frugal tips:
Great post, loving all the holiday tips. And you cannot get enough probiotics. : )
My hubby is all about shopping AFTER the holiday. That is how we buy most of our decorations!
I’m loving all of your holiday tips lady. Great idea, and very helpful for all of us!
Another bagel, maybe, yes. But bagels are delicious, so no worries. I could eat a bagel at least once per day if I was ‘forced to’.
Shopping AFTER the holiday is the best!! I bought an awesome tree skirt at Target last year after Christmas, super cheap and put it away for this year. I totally forgot I had done that and when we opened up all the Christmas stuff it was like getting an early present!
It is also a great bridal shower theme gift…you can get the newlyweds holiday decorations you can score for cheap after the holidays.
Courtney
adventures in tri-ing
that is an excellent shower idea!! And so useful, because if the newlyweds are going to be on a budget (and who isn’t?) any decorations will be appreciated!
Another great crafty holiday tip is to recycle this year’s Christmas cards into a wreath for next year! Just take all of your cards and cut them in half. Then, use a leaf-shaped cookie cutter (or my husband drew a paper form for me on card-stock) and trace leaf shapes on each half. Once the shapes are traced and cut out, use a dab of glue to attach a toothpick to each one, and then insert each toothpick into a foam wreath (at the craft store from around $1 depending on the size)…continue sticking in “leaves” until the wreath is as full as you want, and voila!
That’s such a cute idea! I love crafts – you’re only limited as much as your imagination!
The Goodbelly shots sound yummy. I will have to try them. You mentioned Fresh Market- are they sold at regular Publix or at WF? (I’m in South FL, so no Trader Joe’s, etc).
I hear you on the lack of snow days. But at least that means we aren’t bundled up like snowmen!
I haven’t found them at Publix, but they do have them at WF too (I wish there was a WF in Gainesville!).
By the way, I just went to the GoodBelly site, and they have an easy store finder feature. There are 13 stores near me that carry it… yay!
I need to try GoodBelly! I haven’t been eating non-dairy yogurt since it’s too high in sugar for me but these seem like they would fit in better with my “requirements” and I’d love to know I’m getting probiotics
Definitely try! One good thing – on the cardboard package inside each package is a coupon! Another plus!
They’re still a little high in sugar (9 g) but I mean, that’s half of some yogurts out there! Plus it has more probiotics than you’d even find in Kombucha! (and it’s way cheaper)
I am trying to convince Dan that we should buy our christmas tree when we move to New York in January — it will be cheaper then!
Priobitics are awesome! I take two per day. I love the smily face on the top. That’s great.
I’ve heard those Good Belly products are yummy! I’d love to try them sometime.
CINN RAISIN BAGELS ARE SO DANG NOMMY!!! i like your style Linds!!
Good tips on how probiotics work. Great tips on holiday decorating.
Forgot to add…I am looking forward to other articles!!!!