Start Here

Welcome!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I realize there is a lot of information on MoneySavingMom.com, so I put together this page to help you get started.

Pressed for time? Here are 4 quick starting points:

• 31 Days to a Better Budget :: If you want a fast-course in the basics, start here. (Or you can start with the 31 Days to a Better Grocery Budget video series.)
• Help for an Overwhelmed Newbie :: This is a great, 3-part series if you want to start living frugally, but are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect.
• My Top Four Tips for Those in Financial Despair :: If you feel discouraged about your current financial situation, this might be helpful.
• Table of Contents :: Blogs are unlike print material because they are growing constantly, but these are all the topics I cover — all in one big list for easy browsing.

How MoneySavingMom.com can help you

My goal is to tell you about legitimate, practical, non-gimmicky ways to help you save money in your everyday life. I am passionate about living simply and frugally and I strive to help my readers do the same.

What You’ll Find at MoneySavingMom.com

• Deals, Steals & Coupons :: I publish several posts each day highlighting deals, coupons and freebies I can confidently recommend to my readers. I do my very best to post only legitimate offers that provide a real benefit for you. If you’d like to receive these updates for free in your inbox, you can subscribe here. If you would like to receive text alerts for the *HOT* deals, text “follow msmdeals” (no quotes) to 40404 and you’ll be notified immediately.
• Money-Saving Tips & Frugal Ideas :: In addition to deals, I generally post 3 or 4 articles each week that explain money-saving techniques and ideas in depth. For example, I recently wrote 10 Tips for Having a Successful Garage Sale and How I Plan My Freezer Cooking Day + Free Planning Worksheets. You can find more popular articles, as well as some popular series such as how we saved 100% down for a home and how to become a work-at-home mom listed in the sidebar. Another hot topic at the moment is how to save on natural & organic food.
• Deals at Your Local Stores :: Did you know you can drastically reduce your grocery spending by pairing coupons with the items already on sale at your local store(s)? (This is how I keep our weekly grocery budget between $40 and $60.) And now, the time-consuming part of matching coupons with sale items has already been done for you by experienced and passionate couponers in your area. All you have to do to take advantage of the savings is find your favorite stores from our Store Deals list, subscribe to get the deals sent straight to you (scroll down to find your store in the list) and then simply clip the appropriate coupons, make your shopping list and go! It couldn’t be simpler!
• Coupon Database :: If you’re looking for a deal on a particular item or wondering if there is a coupon available, look no further. Check out the MoneySavingMom.com Coupon Database! Simply enter your search term, such as the product name, and search. You’ll instantly see whether or not there are available coupons for that product and where you can find them.

General Tips for Using MoneySavingMom.com

• How to Get A Deal :: Many of my posts alert you to deals on products and services you can get a great prices. Most of the time, these deal posts will include a step-by-step explanation about how to obtain the deal. To get started taking advantage of some great deals — both online and in your area — follow the home page, check out the Deals & Steals category or subscribe and let us send them to you!
• Start Small :: Dip your toes in by taking advantage of one or two deals to start. Don’t feel like you have to do all the deals. If you want to cut your grocery budget, I suggest slowly working through the 31 Days to a Better Grocery Budget Series and you’ll be well on your way to significant savings.
• Read the Comments :: My readers are great about sharing their own experiences with deals and offering help to one another in the process. If you have a question about a particular deal, I encourage you to read the comments from that post!

New to Couponing? Here are some articles I’d recommend you read:

• Getting Started with Coupons :: Some basic tips and ideas. Also, check out these debunked coupon myths.
• Organizing Coupons :: A rundown of different methods of coupon organization, including how I organize my coupons.
• Where to Find Coupons :: A list of places you can find coupons. You can often use more than one of the same coupon so finding multiple coupon inserts from the Sunday newspaper is helpful.
• Coupon Terms & Abbreviations :: The list of coupon lingo and definitions.
• The Drugstore Game :: Here’s what it is, how to get started and the specifics of shopping at CVS and Walgreens.
• Printable Coupons :: You can print coupons simply by going to one of the sites linked to on the printable coupons page, “clipping” them (check their box) and printing. You may be asked to install coupon printing software. This software is safe and will only be required once to print coupons. You may also have to sign up for various mailing lists in order to print some coupons.

Want to Know More?

• Frequently Asked Questions
• About Me

Many Places to Find Me

There are several places I post deals online:

• MoneySavingMom.com is the main one. Subscribe to receive as many deals as you’d like here.
• Facebook :: Sometimes I post deals on the Money Saving Mom Facebook Fan page that you won’t see on MoneySavingMom.com, so be sure to hop on over there as well.
• Twitter :: You can also catch my deals on Twitter if that works better for you!