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Premeditated Leftovers™

Prep-Ahead Meals, Cooking Tips, and Frugal Living

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10 scarf patterns free

10 Free Crochet Scarf Patterns

September 24, 2025 by Christine T 4 Comments

We’ve gathered 10 free crochet scarf patterns that are the perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon, whether you’re looking for an easy beginner crochet project or a unique and beautiful handmade gift to give to friends.   Where I am at, the cold is already setting in. The nights are definitely cooler and IRead More

20 DIY Disney Costumes

20 DIY Disney Costumes for Kids and Adults

September 24, 2025 by Christine T Leave a Comment

These DIY Disney costumes are a frugal way to make a costume for Halloween, a Harvest Festival, a themed party, or even a play. Choose one of these homemade Disney costumes to make instead of buying one. Disney has played a huge role in dressing up and pretend play as long as I can remember.Read More

Woman removing leaves from gutter as part of fall cleaning and winter prep.

Early Fall Cleaning List

September 18, 2025 by Alea Milham 2 Comments

Get your home and yard ready for winter with this early fall cleaning list. Chilly weather is likely to be creeping in where you are by the end of the month so we will take this month to get ready in advance for it! Indoors and out there are things you can do to getRead More

Mid-Summer Cleaning List

Mid-Summer Cleaning List

July 5, 2025 by Alea Milham 1 Comment

It is already July and the beach towels are piling up. Use this mid-summer cleaning list to clean the house before it gets out of hand. We are about halfway through summer and the little people have taken over our home – eating up all the food, crying I am bored every 10 minutes, trackingRead More

soothing face mist recipe

Homemade Soothing Summer Face Mist

May 30, 2025 by Jody 6 Comments

This DIY Soothing Summer Face Mist is a must this summer! The natural ingredients in the face mist will pamper your skin after a day in the sun and sand. Dry desert air, salty beach breezes, ocean water, sweat, sand, and chlorine all the things we love about summer, but can wreak the most havocRead More

Making the Most of Free Concerts in the Park

Making the Most of Free Concerts in the Park

May 18, 2025 by Editor Leave a Comment

One of the things I enjoy most about summer is the free outdoor concerts. Here are tips for making the most of free concerts in the park. Everyone loves something free and concerts in the park are no exception. During the summer, these concerts are a wonderful way to spend time with family, enjoy someRead More

7 Ways to Enjoy a Simpler Summer with your family this year.

7 Ways to Enjoy a Simpler Summer

May 10, 2025 by Katie Femia Leave a Comment

Use these 7 ways to enjoy a simpler summer with your family to reduce your stress and avoid burnout. Does the arrival of summer make you a tad nervous? Are you thinking about all of the yard work, cookouts, summer sports, and other summer responsibilities that come with it? The short summer months can makeRead More

diy giant christmas decorations including large outdoor christmas decorations and oversized indoor holiday decor

15 DIY Giant Christmas Decorations

December 10, 2024 by Christine T Leave a Comment

Check out these DIY Giant Christmas Decorations for a fun DIY Christmas Decor Idea your neighbors will love! Last holiday season I started noticing all of these fun Candy Land type giant Christmas decorations popping up in neighborhoods and I loved how fun and whimsical they are. They turned ordinary homes into gingerbread houses. OfRead More

easy diy gift ideas for girls with directions

10 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Girls

November 30, 2024 by Alea Milham Leave a Comment

Are you trying to make more homemade gifts this year? If you have a little girl on your Christmas list, here are DIY gift ideas for girls to help inspire you. My daughter received so many homemade gifts growing up. I sewed dress up clothes for her and clothing and accessories for her dolls. It wasRead More

10 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Boys

November 30, 2024 by Alea Milham 1 Comment

Are you looking for DIY Christmas gift ideas for boys? We have you covered with easy homemade gifts! Many people think it is harder to make homemade gifts for boys than it is for girls, but I don’t think so. My boys may be easy, but I could just give them wood and nails ifRead More

8 tips for making your Christmas tree last longer

8 Ways to Make Your Christmas Tree Last Longer

November 29, 2024 by Christine T 1 Comment

Are you wondering how to make your Christmas tree last longer this year? Use the tips below to extend the life of your real tree and reduce needle drop. Since a “real” Christmas tree can be quite an investment, you probably want to preserve it as long as possible. In order to do this, youRead More

frugal tips for saving money at coffee shops

10 Ways to Save Money at Coffee Shops

October 15, 2024 by Christine T 1 Comment

Read through these frugal tips to find ways to save money on your drive-thru coffee habit. You have probably heard it before; “Save money by skipping your morning latte at the drive-up coffee shop.” While this is a great way to save money, it is understandable that this little addiction is hard to give upRead More

natural homemade moth repellent sachet bags

Homemade Moth Repellent Sachets

September 22, 2024 by Jody Leave a Comment

These DIY Moth Repellent Bags are a natural alternative to stinky mothballs. Follow the easy tutorial to repel moths and protect your stored clothing. Moths, particularly clothing moths, can be a nuisance and even destructive. However, there are certain scents that moths hate and we can use those scents to help repel them. You canRead More

diy poison ivy bath soak with oatmeal, baking soda, and lavender

Homemade Lavender Infused Poison Ivy Bath Soak

July 4, 2024 by Katie Femia 2 Comments

Make some of this lavender-infused poison ivy bath soak to have on hand for when you or a family member develops a rash from contact with poison ivy or poison oak. If you are reading this post right now, I am so sorry. It probably means that you or a loved one have poison ivyRead More

how to create meal plans that save money, time, and use up leftovers in new meals

How to Create Meal Plans that Save Money and Use Up Leftovers

January 4, 2024 by Alea Milham 4 Comments

My menu plans have changed a lot over the years; primarily to meet the needs of my family and our changing schedules. Meal Plan Techniques I have used: 1. Once a month planning and cooking. 2. A bimonthly rotation of our family’s 14 favorite recipes. I used this method when the kids were young andRead More

50 Ways to Reduce Technology Use in the New Year

50 Ways to Reduce Screen Time This Year

December 28, 2023 by Katie Femia 1 Comment

If you wish you and your family spent less time looking at your phone and more time chatting in real life instead of on social media in 2024, check out this list of 50 Ways to Reduce Screen Time This Year. Like many families, you might be struggling with the balance of social media and technologyRead More

12 Tips for Hosting a New Year’s Eve Party on a Budget

December 25, 2023 by Christine T Leave a Comment

Use these tips for hosting a New Year’s Eve party on a budget to throw a fun bash without breaking the bank. The end of the year is almost upon us and you may be wanting to host a New Year’s Eve bash. Let the year go out with a bang while sticking to yourRead More

retro christmas ideas for the holidays

Frugal Vintage Christmas Celebration Ideas

December 3, 2023 by Christine T 3 Comments

If you are looking for some ways to simplify Christmas and make it less commercial, here are some frugal vintage Christmas celebration ideas to help your family slow down and enjoy the season. I don’t know about you, but I am starting to become very overwhelmed by the amount of pressure we place on ourselvesRead More

DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Lip Balm Recipe and Tutorial

DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Lip Balm

November 24, 2023 by Christine T 5 Comments

DIY peppermint hot chocolate lip balm is perfect for soothing chapped lips in the winter. There are many scents and flavors associated with the holiday season. The invigorating scents of our favorite treats being baked and the scents of the cool, crisp air come to mind for many. When I was growing up, peppermint hotRead More

homemade flannel rice pack

Homemade Fringed Flannel Rice Pack

November 14, 2023 by Jody Leave a Comment

This Homemade Fringed Flannel Rice Heat Pack tutorial is so simple for kids that even if you are intimidated by sewing with a machine yourself this will be as easy to make.   A flannel rice heat pack makes a lovely handmade Christmas gift for grandpas aches and pains, a sibling with sensory issues as aRead More

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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