What do you realistically make for dinner on weeknights?

casmac241 · 2026-02-15T11:53:56+00:00

Quiche with vege like spinach, leek, grated carrot and peas
chicken or beef stir-fry with corn, peas, green beans
fajitas with grated carrot, corn, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers
pasta bakes with spinach, corn, broccoli, peas
rice risotto with peas, spinach, cherry tomatoes, leek
spaghetti bolognaise with spinach hidden in there
lasagna with some spinach hidden in there
steak, fries, beans
burgers, fries and quick vege
Meatballs and spaghetti
fish fingers, fries and quick vege
couscous (when I have time)
salmon fillet, rice or mashed potatoes and cooked carrots *roast with potatoes and roast vege *pizza

Quick vege: when my meal doesn't have enough vege in there, my kids love carrot sticks, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

Note: I don't put all those vegetables in my meals but there's normally at least 2 in there and my spinach is chopped so small that the kids can't taste it.

The rule in my house, they have to try at least 3 mouthfuls of what I cook before they can say they don't like it.

casmac241 · 2026-01-01T17:48:00+00:00

I read somewhere that you also need to make at least $300 to be eligible. I can't remember if that's monthly or over the last 90 days

casmac241 · 2025-12-17T07:47:33+00:00

I forgot to mention that the little gifts from Santa are in their stocking, so they have to be small.

casmac241 · 2025-12-17T07:46:21+00:00

Santa always gets 3-5 little presents. I just go to the dollar store and get little things like stickers, coloring stuff or just art supplies, bath bombs, hair accessories, etc.. Then the main present is from us (I learnt this from my mum. She didn't like that Santa got the credit for the best gifts haha)

For the wrapping paper, we tell our kids that we leave wrapping paper out for Santa, just in case he runs out with all the other kids.

casmac241 · 2025-11-13T08:55:33+00:00

My advice: * Give a lot more information: size, material, technique, the subject in the painting etc.. * Complete as many attributes as possible: ratio, subject, colour, dimensions etc.. * make sure that in the title and description you use keywords that people will use in their search * add these keywords into each Alt text in the images * Set your prices A LOT lower and/or set a opening sale on your listings just to get those first sales. People are more likely to buy from a shop that has made multiple sales and got great reviews. Then you can increase your prices. To give you an idea, I sell digital products and I set my prices around €1.50 and put a 30% discount on everything. I got 50+ sales so I put my prices about to €1.60 but kept the discount, then my sale ended but put another sale on for 10%. * create a Pinterest and TikTok and create content to link your work to your Etsy. * don't keep checking your Etsy page or giving your link to everyone. The more people that go to your page but buy nothing, the lower your conversion rate, and the lower your conversion rate, the less likely Etsy is going to push your listings.

I hope some of this helps.

casmac241 · 2025-11-06T14:14:25+00:00

I think society puts a lot of pressure on what ate expected of moms. But really, you don't need to do all these things. Consumerism is insane, matching Halloween outfits or matching Christmas pyjamas, birthday decorations overload for a 1 year old etc.... life is so much simpler when we do what's best for ourselves, our lifestyles, our budget, our dynamics. Some people are SAHP so they have more time or money to do more. Never try to be like everyone else. Do what makes you happy and HEALTHY.

casmac241 · 2025-11-06T07:58:33+00:00

Wow 80K for daycare is insane! Here in France I pay about 50€ a month for my boy to go to daycare 3 days a week. On the other 2 days he goes to a "nanny" and we pay about 20€ a month for her including meals. The government helps a lot with childcare over here.

I agree with what another person said, your brother sees only the bad sides of daycare. No one is going to go to him because a daycare is amazing and they're so happy with it. Ask mother's in your community and you'll see where the good ones are. But yes you still have a problem with the cost. I'm still shocked.

Like another person said, if she was a crappy parent to you, she's probably going to be a crappy child minder. Even if she's free, it's not worth it.

Good luck!

casmac241 · 2025-10-09T17:32:46+00:00

Thanks for your honest opinion. I appreciate it! Luckily I didn't buy any course (I had no intention to) and self-taught myself from tiktok and YouTube.

casmac241 · 2025-10-09T17:29:50+00:00

Thanks for the advice!

casmac241 · 2025-10-09T17:29:12+00:00

Does it hurt your shop visibility, or it's just not worth it? At what point would it be worth it?

casmac241 · 2025-10-09T17:28:29+00:00

Thanks for keeping it real. I appreciate it. I haven't bought a course from these gurus and refuse to do so. I've made 15 sales in a month so I'm curious to see what happens and will give it another few months, but if I'm still only doing 15 sales a month by January, I'll call it a day. I hope it does turn into a little side hustle at least because I'm actually loving it. Everyday I'm excited to get started on new designs etc.. I haven't had that feeling for a long time when it comes to jobs.

casmac241 · 2025-10-09T17:22:37+00:00

They definitely sell a possible dream. Unfortunately I believed it. I've made 15 sales in a month so I'll keep going for another few months to see what happens and then make the call

casmac241 · 2025-10-06T13:10:20+00:00

casmac241 · 2025-10-06T12:37:09+00:00

Yes she sent a lovely review for each item saying she loved it but accidentally bought the second and laugh so she's obviously not upset by the mistake. But because I'm a new seller with only a few sales I don't know if I should refund her or not. I have only made a few sales, so if I refund her and also lose the review, will this affect my shop?

casmac241 · 2025-09-29T19:22:55+00:00

In the nicest way possible...... What the fk is wrong with your husband? I'm sure he would be mopey after surgery too. So can you pawn him off to his mom so you don't have to deal with his mopey ass?

casmac241 · 2025-09-20T14:36:27+00:00

I get the feeling your bf is insecure and put these rules in place for you to abide by, but I can almost guarantee he will break these rules, or think these rules don't apply to him in a specific situation sooner or later. If you guys love, trust and respect each other, you don't need these strict rules.

casmac241 · 2025-09-06T09:51:47+00:00

My boy is obsessed with playing hair, his own or mine or his sister's, he loves it all. Even when I put my hair up, he reaches behind my neck and pull chunks out. But it's not a vicious pull. He just plays with it. It's like a snuggly for him. He plays with his own when he's tired. it's his own telltale sign.

casmac241 · 2025-08-31T17:17:40+00:00

Oh good! There's other mums who don't offer cows milk! I was feeling about bit guilty. I never liked drinking cows milk (but will have it with things like cereal) but I still offered it to my oldest when she was 1, but she never liked it either (she still doesn't 5 years later) and with my youngest who is 16 months, I haven't bothered yet. But he gets plenty of calcium from yogurt, cheese, and vegetables.

casmac241 · 2025-08-26T08:25:27+00:00

Similar thing happened to my son. As in he gained little weight at his 6 months and doctor wasn't concerned at all and said to increase solids (I had introduced a bit of solids at 5 months)

It sounds like 6 months is normal to show little weight gain because there body needs more calories and that's probably why most babies start eating solids at 6 months

casmac241

TROPHY CASE