Money Saving Mom®

Guest post from Asheritah of One Thing Alone

Are you looking for a cheap weekend getaway before the busyness of the holidays sets in? Here’s how my husband and I went on “vacation” for less than $2 and had a blast:

1. We Stayed Local to Save Time and Gas

Although our total vacation cost was less than $2, we originally started with a budget of $250 for a two-night vacation. Even with a $250 budget, we knew would would need to get creative and stay locally.

I asked friends for local recommendations and settled on a nearby national state park. Staying local meant we saved on transportation and maximized our limited time frame. And due to our fuel-efficient Corolla, we got great mileage on our short drive. It’s a win-win.

Total spent on fuel: $14.50 

2. We Searched For Amazing Lodging Deals

During my online search for local vacation destinations, I found a resort offering a free 3-day/2-night stay.

Though I was suspicious at first, I called the number provided and was greeted by a courteous customer service rep who confirmed the deal if I sat through a 2-hour, no-obligation presentation. I agreed!

Total spent on lodging = $0

3. We Packed Our Own Food

The cabin we stayed in had a fully-functional kitchen, complete with fridge, stove, microwave, pots, pans, and dishes.

Since I knew this ahead of time, I packed cold cuts, tomatoes, cereal, milk, and leftovers. We also enjoyed homemade brownies, my mom’s baklava (both of which I packed from home), and ice cream on the ranch as desserts.

Unfortunately, I forgot to pack water, so we ended up paying a premium for two gallons of water. Lesson learned.

Total spent on food = $13

4. We Enjoyed Simple Entertainment

Since we were saving on housing, transportation, and fuel, I wanted to splurge on activities we wouldn’t normally do.

We rented a canoe (which was a first for my husband) and we planned to go horseback riding, but the stable had to cancel for whatever reason. So instead, we hiked the trails, went mountain biking, played ping pong, table pool, Scrabble, watched America’s Ninja Warrior, went star-gazing, and swam in the pool and the lake.

We also had LOTS of good conversations about what we want our lives to look like after we pay off the house. Sometimes it’s good to remember what we’re aiming for so that we can stay on track.

Total spent on activities = $24 

5. We Asked for Extras

Remember earlier, when I call the resort’s customer service number to inquire about the free 3-day/2-night stay? Well, when I was on the phone with them, I asked if there were any additional perks.

They quickly offered to throw in an extra $50 gas card if we attended the presentation that weekend!! Done and done!

Total SAVINGS = $50

After we factored in the FREE $50 gas card, our vacation cost us less than $2!

While it wasn’t the most spectacular getaway we’ve experienced, it definitely was a lot of fun to spend time together without breaking the bank. And it brought us into the homestretch to fulfill our dream of financial independence.

Saving money doesn’t mean depriving yourself of fun experiences. With a little work and a lot of creativity, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a tight budget AND a great vacation!

Asheritah is a writer, speaker, and blogger who helps overwhelmed women find joy in Jesus through her blog One Thing Alone. There she offers written encouragement, short video devotionals, and beautiful Scripture art. She’d love to share a streusel blueberry muffin and hear your story there.

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Guest post from Adeline of Frugal Fanatic

Now that school has started, you may have noticed how quickly all of the different costs add up. Not only did you need to purchase new school clothes and supplies at the beginning of the year, but now you have to figure out how you are going to afford school lunches.

Many parents plan ahead and budget for school supplies throughout the school year, but they forget about school lunches. Having your child buy their lunch from the school each day will quickly add up.

You want to send your child to school with a healthy lunch, but you do not want to spend a ton of money. Here are 5 ways to save money on school lunches.

1. Think Outside the Sandwich

Lunch does not have to be a sandwich every day. Invest in an insulated container that will keep food hot or cold. Leftovers from the night before are perfect. When you make some of your child’s favorite meals you can inexpensively double the recipe to allow for extra servings for lunch.

Not only do you save money, but your child will be happy to be eating one of their favorite foods at school.

2. Slice Your Own Meat and Cheese

If your child likes to eat sandwiches for lunch buy the sandwich meat and cheese in unsliced blocks, and do the slicing yourself. This will save you money instead of spending more to have it sliced at the deli counter.

Even though you will be taking the time to slice it you will quickly see the savings add up.

3. Make Your Own Lunchables

A lot of kids love Lunchables, but they can be pretty expensive. Instead, buy containers with different size sections and make your own version of the Lunchable.

You can use crackers, meats, cheese, veggies with hummus, and fruit. Plus, you will get to use all food you just sliced from our previous tip. This is a frugal alternative and much healthier also.

4. Buy in Bulk and Divide Into Servings At Home

Do not buy single serving packs of snacks like chips, cookies, yogurt and pudding. You are paying for the convenience factor. Instead buy larger packages and separate them into single servings yourself using bags and small containers.

This is a real money saver especially if you used reusable containers.

5. Get Your Kids Involved in the Process

Do not try to force your kids to eat things they really do not like. If you send them to school with a lunch they dislike, chances are they will throw it away. That is like throwing your money in the trash!

Instead, get your kids involved int he lunch-packing process and try to compromise — finding healthy foods that they love and will eat.

It may be difficult at first, but once you get into a routine and find out some of your child’s favorite foods, you can save money while still packing foods they enjoy.

If you are already calculating how much money you are going to spend this school year, try some of these ways to save money on school lunches. You can be frugal and still give your kids a healthy and tasty lunch each day.

What tips do you have for saving money on school lunches?

Addi Ganley is a work-at-home mom of 3 young boys. Her blog, Frugal Fanatic, focuses on how to live a frugal lifestyle. She is passionate about saving money and believes that if you save where you can then you can spend where you want to. Frugal Fanatic is her way of helping other people learn how to manage their finances in every day life.

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Testimonial from Samantha

About 9 months ago, we found out that my daughter had autism, it was a shock and has been something we have spent these last 9 months dealing with, as well as proactively seeking treatment for her.

We have gone the traditional routes with speech, occupational, and physical therapies for her (which are thankfully covered by insurance) as well as the biomedical route.

We also immediately started her on a Gluten-free, Casein-free diet. It is expensive but I have been able to find great deals using the coupons and match-up from your weekly Organic and Natural coupon posts.

One thing that kept coming up in my web research was a cookbook called “Special Diets for Special Kids“.  I really wanted this cookbook, but couldn’t justify the splurge on our already tight budget — so I check my Swagbucks and saw that I had enough gift cards to cash out for $25 (which was enough to pay for the book!)

Another route I have been researching (and was happy to see your post on) was essential oils. I am trying go avoid medications whenever possible, but still keep my family healthy.

While we are somewhat obsessive about hand washing and have started taking a daily multivitamin and even probiotics, I wanted to try some essential oils too. I have been able to purchase “Essential Oils for the Healthy Child” as well as few synergy blends from Plant Therapy using my various on-line earnings, as well as a sample pack from Native American Nutritionals.

So how have I been able to make money online?

Most of the ideas below came directly from your website!!

1. Swagbucks:

I try to run the Swagbucks TV app on my phone or tablet throughout the day as well as do the Daily Poll, Encrave, NOSO, and Discover Content.

2. Surveys:

I have also signed up with several survey companies including Pinecone, MyPoints, Opinion Outpost, Survey Spot, Inbox Dollars, and MySurvey.

While I don’t do those every day or even every week, when I get a free moment or while I’m watching TV with my husband, I will do a few surveys. I have earned about $10 or more from each of those survey companies — which I then cash out to my PayPal account.

3. Coupon Apps:

My final avenue of income as a SAHM is coupon apps such as Ibotta, Jingit, Shopmium, Checkout 51, and Saving Star.

I check each of those after a trip to the grocery store and upload receipts to those for matching offers. Most of those have a PayPal option as well, which I often choose.

This has been a hard year for us, both emotionally and financially, with little money to throw around. But with using my precious free time (I don’t have much as a mommy to 2 preschoolers and an infant) I have been able to make a bit of extra cash to purchase some helpful items for my daughter and my family as a whole.

Thank you!