In case you haven't heard, our house is for sale. I've had SO MANY questions about it! And while I'm still a newbie, I promised to share everything I learn along the way with YOU. I've teamed up with CVS to show you how my family has managed to not go broke and has stayed (relatively) healthy through the house-selling nightmare. CVS has basically anything you would need and always has good deals so don't be a stranger! (And yes, this was all my idea, they didn't tell me to say any of this. Who do you think I am, anyway? *emoji with squinty eyes and tongue sticking out*).

Anywho, here are 3 ways we've learned to stay healthy and save money when selling a house!

First up:

1. Keep healthy, “ready to grab” food on-hand.

The hardest part about someone coming to walk through our house is having to eat on the run. All. The. Time. We used to go straight for the drive-through or grab pre-packed, processed meals. Now I've learned to keep healthy food on-hand and we feel so much better because of it! I was inspired by CVS's #FindYourHealthy campaign so I teamed up with them to show you my favorite healthy foods and snacks to have on-hand:

• Dried fruit
• Nuts
• Trail mix
• Granola bars
• Fruit pouches (great for the big kids AND baby)
• Fruit & Vegetable bars
• Apples (other fruit smashes too easily)
• String cheese
• Hummus cups and pita chips

Basically anything from the Gold Emblem Abound line that CVS carries. SO DANG GOOD and healthy. Here are some of my favorites:

And don't forget to look for coupons!

We keep small dixie cups on the car for distributing snacks to the kiddos. We also keep snack baggies on-hand, but the cups are just easier to eat out of, really.

Ultimately I have found preparation to be key. By keeping products like the ones I listed above on-hand, it really has cut down on calories gained AND dollars spent.

2. Keep activity backpacks packed.

In my Q&A from Tuesday I showed how we keep several “activity backpacks” packed. They are cheap backpacks that we pick up at yard sales or back-to-school clearance. I have 3 of them stocked with activities, and when we are running out the door for showings (or restaurants, or church, or road trips, or…) then we grab one. So easy! Here's what I try to keep inside the bags:

• Crayons
• Coloring books
• Stickers
• Construction paper or blank notebooks
• Color wonder markers and coloring books
• Small puzzles
• A barbie, a few race cars, and a baby toy or two.

Why do we have several bags packed but only grab one when we are headed out the door? We tried packing 1 bag per kid, and that just made for tons of baggage (literally and figuratively). We moved to packing each bag full of universal activities that all the kids would enjoy. We have 3 of them because we rotate the bags so they don't get tired of the contents! Trial and error people, trial and error. Oh, and why does my closet look so messy in that video? Funny you should ask because it is actually pretty organized 90% of the time. But that's what happens when you ask your kids to get chairs and put their own stuff away in the closet. Ugh.

3. Keep up your coupon folder.

I know I've talked about this before, but I keep an accordion file in my car at all times. I use it to keep track of coupons that come in the mail for everything from oil changes, to hair cuts, and restaurant coupons. I keep it in my car so it's always handy. This helps us save money if we end up needing to eat a full meal on the run, at least we don't have to pay full-price for it! I did a Periscope on this, which you can watch below (or watch online HERE).

And remember, CVS has TONS of coupons and deals every week so check them out on the DEALS section of their site. It's really how you can keep healthy foods and activities on-the-go affordable.

3) Keep the car stocked and loaded.

This tip is more of a functional tip than anything. When rushing out the door for a showing, I often don't have much time to think through everything we need and have found ourselves without shoes, diapers, or even a charged phone. Obnoxious. I now try to keep several things in the car at all times so all I have to do is grab the kids and keys, and walk out the door!

Here's what I try to stocked and loaded in the car:

• Sweatshirt or light jacket for each person
• Spare clothes (generic outfit that could work for any of my 3 big kids – basketball shorts, plain white t-shirt, socks, and plain white underwear), and 1 spare outfit for the baby.
• Plenty of diapers, wipes, and formula (in a travel dispenser)
• Electronics chargers (I always keep a spare phone charger in my car)
• Makeup (just a few fundamental pieces like mascara, blush, and lip gloss)
• Dog treats and leash, since we usually have to take Ollie with us.

So there you go! It's not rocket science but hopefully those tips help anyone else who lives life on the run.

What do YOU keep for life on the run? What snacks do YOU eat on-the-go to stay healthy? Leave a comment and share!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m proud to partner with CVS/pharmacy for the #FindYourHealthy campaign. I am being sponsored by CVS/pharmacy for my posts and activities, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.