Saving Families Money Since 2007
I ran into Dillon’s today to buy some meat for my freezer cooking this week and found a few extra deals, too:
Three packages Sterling Silver Ground Sirloin — $3.73, $3.73, and $4.20
Milano cookies — $1.99, used $0.75/1 coupon (“doubled” to $1 off) = $0.99 after coupon (woot!!)
Half gallon milk — marked down to $1
2 packages of yogurt — marked down to $0.99 each
Total with tax: $16.83
Here were the deals we picked up Target today:
Bought 10 SoBe Lifewater (20 oz) at $1 each = Got $5 Target gift
Bought 1 Merona tee at $6, used the $3/1 Merona coupon = $3 each after coupon
Bought 4 Degree Men’s Travel Size Deodorants at $0.99 each, used 2 $2/2
Degree Men’s Deodorant coupon= free after coupon1 Neutrogena Lip Balm at $2.24, used $2/1 Neutrogena cosmetics coupon = $0.24 after coupon
1 Aquafresh Toothpaste at $3, used $1/1 Aquafresh coupon stacked with $1.50/1 Aquafresh coupon = $0.50 after coupon
3 Banana Boat sunscreen at $0.97 each, used 3 $1/1 Banana Boat coupons = free after coupons
Total with tax: $14.74 + I got a $5 Target gift card back
Guest post from Alison of Experimental Wifery
My husband and I dated for six years before we got married. We thought we had this relationship thing figured out. But, after only nine months of marriage, things had started to get a little rocky.
My gentle, understanding husband had suddenly become grouchy and irritable. Instead of helping him, all I could think to do was nag him to tell me what was wrong. Because we were saving up for a down payment on a house, we didn’t go out together often.
We worked. We ate. We went to bed.
No wonder our marriage was running into trouble. We barely ever talked to each other!
So we went on a date. He told me how much he hated his job (that’s what was making him grumpy) and we problem solved about how to fix it. For the price of a $20 dinner, we solved a problem months of evening meals together hadn’t.
Nine months into our marriage, I learned that great conversations — the kind that make or break a happy marriage — don’t just happen. I believe that healthy marriages need regular date nights — weekly, if at all possible.
A date night is a night that you and your husband set aside to spend time alone together. It’s a time to refresh as a couple. It’s a time to reevaluate what’s working for your family. It’s a time to discuss big ideas together.
But I don’t believe that it is a luxury. I believe that setting aside money every month for a date night is one of the most important things you can do for your marriage.
Still, $20 (or whatever you can budget) doesn’t go far — especially when you throw in the added expense of babysitting. So here are some great ideas to make your date night money stretch a little further:
When you have kids and are paying for a babysitter, the longer you’re out, the more expensive the date — no matter what else you’re doing. Try going out for dinner only. Or have dinner at home before you catch a movie.
Sitters normally charge only $2-3 more for extra kids, so split a sitter with friends. Or check out these great sitter savings ideas.
Look for local restaurants with moderately priced menus. Many restaurants have early-bird or two-for-one specials.
In warmer weather, break out the picnic basket! Visit a local playground or nearby national park for some sandwiches and dessert.
Check out organizations that sell cheap events tickets. Think about events that always have inexpensive tickets — nosebleed seats at a baseball game are a great venue for a little couple’s time.
My husband and I have found that dinner + a movie + a sitter is just too expensive. Instead, choose a special film (in advance!) and order out. Put the kids to bed and enjoy an evening in.
Money doesn’t buy happiness, but I believe a weekly date night is an important investment in your marriage.
Alison blogs about learning to be a better woman and wife at Experimental Wifery. She’s a wife, mommy, and high school English teacher. She lives near Washington, DC, where walking around the monuments at night is a cheap, date-night favorite.
Many, many of you have written in or commented in the last few months that you are really struggling with home organization. So I’m excited to let you know that I’ve teamed up with Andrea Dekker from Simple Organized Living to bring you a brand-new monthly feature called called “Ask the Organizer“.
Each month, we’ll feature one organizing question and let you weigh in your thoughts, answers, and opinions. Then later in the month, Andrea will pick one or two of the most popular responses and share her tips, ideas, and suggestions for dealing with those issues!
This month’s question is:
What do you struggle with most when it comes to organizing busy summer schedules?
What are your biggest challenges when it comes to planning family vacations, fun activities, sporting events, holiday get-togethers, etc.?
Leave your answers below and then check back in a couple of weeks for Andrea’s expert organizing advice!
Smashed Peas and Carrots shows you how to make Mason Jar Frog Lids.
Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.
Jenae from I Can Teach My Child shows you how to make a Mother’s Day Coupon Bouquet.
Thrifty and Thriving has a tutorial for how to make Washer Pendant Necklaces.
And A Thrifty Mom posted details on how to make Mother’s Day Flowers (I think these are so cute!).
Have you posted a frugal Mother’s Day idea or DIY? Submit it here and I might share it over the next few days!
After a busy weekend, I seemed to take forever to get going this morning — even though I got up early.
I finally got the Homemade Baking Mix made tonight at 7:45 p.m.
{Notice anything wrong with this picture? Maybe that I somehow am a month behind?! I noticed that after I’d taken the picture! :)}
And tomorrow we move onto freezer-friendly lunches. I think those are going to be a bit more time-intensive to make, but they are going to be so nice to have in the freezer that it will be every bit worth it!
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in shortening or cold coconut oil until you have fine crumbs.
To freeze: Store in an airtight container or freezer bags in the freezer for up to two months.
To use: Use the Homemade Baking Mix straight from the freezer in place of Bisquick. Or, use this to make our family’s favorite Cinnamon Roll Biscuits. For other recipe ideas, check out a similar Homemade Baking Mix recipe from Kitchen Simplicity.
Homemade Cinnamon Roll Biscuits — you can whip these up in a matter of minutes using the Homemade Baking Mix!
Did you do any freezer cooking today? If so, I’d love to see the results of your efforts! Link up your blog posts below or tell us about your success in the comments.
Are you ready for another week of filling your freezer? This week, we’re tackling lunches.
Here’s my plan for making Freezer-Friendly Lunches this week. Remember that you are more than welcome to change any or all of the recipes as it fits best with your budget and family’s preferences:
Tuesday — Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches {Yes, these freeze really well and it’s nice to have some on hand for when you need to fix a sack lunch really quickly.}
Wednesday — Brown Bag Burritos
Thursday — Pizza Pockets
Friday — Ham & Cheese Pockets
Monday – Southwest Rollups
(I rounded up on the amounts needed, just to be safe. You probably have many of these items already on hand. You’ll want to double-check that you have the correct amounts, though.)
3 pounds ground beef
Ham (you’ll need enough for 3 cups chopped ham)
Chicken (you’ll need 2-4 cups chopped cooked chicken)
4 cans refried beans (you can also make your own Refried Beans with this recipe)
2 cans enchilada sauce
1 jar pizza or pasta sauce
1/2 cup salsa
1-2 loaves of bread
1 jar of peanut butter
1 jar of jelly
36 flour tortillas (If you prefer, you can make your own Homemade Tortillas with this recipe)
1/3 cup minced or dried onion
12 cups flour (whole-wheat, white, and/or a mixture of both)
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
16-oz. block of mozzarella cheese (or 3 cups pre-shredded)
2 16-oz. blocks of cheddar cheese (or 8 cups pre-shredded)
chili powder
garlic powder
salt
oregano
yeast
olive oil
Italian seasoning
sugar
milk
honey
Parmesan cheese, optional
1/2 onion, optional
1/2 green pepper, optional
1/2 c. sliced or chopped mushrooms, optional
4 oz. pepperoni, optional
Foil
Paper Towels (for wrapping burritos)
Plastic Wrap
15 large ziptop freezer bags
Plastic sandwich baggies (for PB&J sandwiches, if you prefer to store them individually to pull out for separate lunches.)
Something to label packages with (marker to write on bags, labels, and/or tape)
Click on the “Print This” tab at the top of the list to generate a printer-friendly list. (If you’re reading via email or a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to print the list.)
The last six months have been some of the most-stretching, faith-building months of my entire life. I’ve jumped farther out of my comfort zone than I ever thought I would.
I recorded an audiobook, released a book, spoke in front of thousands of people (cumulatively — not all at once, gratefully!), traveled to the Dominican Republic with Compassion International, appeared on national television, did dozens and dozens of radio interviews, faced some of my greatest lifelong fears, and saw God come through in big and powerful ways on my behalf.
All of these are things I would have never dreamed I was capable of — and I wasn’t, in my own strength. But it has been a truly awesome experience to experience God’s power in my weakness, and His strength shining through a once very shy and insecure person like me. I’m living proof that, with God, all things are possible!
While I’ve loved {almost!} every minute of the last six months and am so thankful for my husband constantly cheerleading me and encouraging me to do things that are far outside my comfort zone, I’m very ready to step back and have a few weeks to just enjoy some quiet, relaxed days at home for the next few weeks.
Last week’s goals:
Family/Mothering Goals
1. Read five chapters each ofQuest for Truth:Takenand Thomas A Edison: Young Inventor aloud to the children.
2. Start reading a book individually with each child.3. Write a love note to Jesse.
4. Family trip to Joplin, MO.Personal Goals
5. Finish reading The Three R’s, Remembering You, and Read for the Heart.
6. Run at least five times.
7. Start listening to The Little Big Things8. Write and send two handwritten notes.
Home Management
9. Follow my Freezer Cooking plan and blog about it.Business Goals
10. Prep for my speaking engagement in Joplin, MO on Saturday.
This week’s goals:
Family/Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading Quest for Truth:Taken aloud to the children. Start reading Spy for the Night Riders.
2. Spend at least 30 minutes everyday doing something fun together as a family.
3. Write a love note to Jesse.
Personal Goals
4. Finish reading Escape from Saddam. Start The Referral Engine.
5. Run at least five times.
6. Listen to 2 hours of The Little Big Things.
7. Write and send two handwritten notes.
8. Sleep for at least 7.5 hours every night.
Home Management
8. Follow my Freezer Cooking plan and blog about it.
Business Goals
9. Get my “to answer” email file all cleaned out.
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!
You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Breakfasts
Granola bars
Cereal
Strawberry Pineapple Smoothies, Oatmeal
Scrambled eggs, Cinnamon Roll Biscuits, fruit salad
Waffles, scrambled eggs, fruit
Egg-in-hole, fruit
Granola, yogurt, and berry parfaitsLunches
Waffles, scrambled eggs, fruit
Snack-y lunch
Leftovers x 2
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples, granola bars
Salad, Hard-boiled eggs, toast, fruit
Beans and rice, veggiesSnacks
Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream SandwichesDinners
Build Your Own Haystacks
Homemade pizza, tossed salad, fruit salad
Dinner out
Steak, sweet potatoes, Easy Whole Wheat Bread, fruit salad, Pain Au Chocolat
Italian Chicken, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, fruit
Dinner with extended family x 2
What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.
Guest post by Lindsay from Lindsay Sews
With some changes to your everyday life, you can change your spending habits and essentially “raise” thousands of dollars for your adoption by saving.
Here are just a few ideas to get you started!
Ramp up your couponing efforts by getting together a group to swap and share coupons. Subscribe to a few extra copies of the Sunday paper (or find more ways to get coupons for free!) for extra savings on essentials.
Turn off extra features on your cell phone plan, cable subscription, or insurance plan (auto and home). Check your bank statement or credit card bill and see what is being auto-billed to you, that you could cut back on.
Gym membership not being used? Netflix subscription no longer worth the money? You’d be surprised how much money you can save with these simple switches.
Plan your errands nearby your home, so you can walk or ride a bike. If you must drive, group trips together to save on fuel.
Try carpooling or working from home if it’s an option. If you drive a gas guzzler, consider switching to a lower-cost vehicle that has better gas mileage. If you still have a car payment, consider downgrading your vehicle to a car that has a lower payment or no payment.
Make eating at home a fun time by cooking themed meals with friends, and take turns hosting a pot-luck. If you spend money on coffee at the drive through, switch to home-brewed. Plan meals according to what you can get on sale that week, instead of what sounds good in the moment.
Think about how much you currently spend on gifts for birthdays, baby showers, weddings, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Instead of buying gifts for your friends and family this year, make a conscious effort to give them a thoughtful gift like a CD mix of music, a scrapbook made with recycled papers, or a handwritten note.
Instead of shopping for a new dress, swim goggles, or backpack, ask around to see if you can borrow or swap with a friend. If you are tempted by racks of new clothing, switch to thrift stores.
Trade movie nights at the theater for $1-rental movies at home, through sites like Redbox. Instead of taking a large summer vacation, switch to a few shorter, weekend jaunts or go somewhere that you can stay with friends or family.
I also recommend the book Adopt Without Debt by Julie Gumm. After you’ve done the hard work of pinching your pennies, here are some ideas for fundraisers you can use to finance your adoption:
Lindsay Conner is a crafter, writer and editor near Indianapolis. She blogs at Lindsay Sews and sells handmade fabric earrings to raise money for adoption at her Etsy Shop, where MoneySavingMom.com readers can save 30% off with the coupon code SAVE30.
Guest post from Kaylee of Couponing & Cooking
Ten months ago I started couponing. Over the last year, I have certainly had to tweak my couponing ways and find out what works for us, how much we realistically need of each item, and how sale cycles work in my area. However, one of the biggest and most effective changes I have made is couponing using cash.
Although we were seeing a significant impact on our monthly spending by couponing, I still felt like there had to be a better way to make those savings work for us and have a greater impact on our weekly and monthly saving goals.
I have always been a debit card kind of girl. My husband and I have a budget and a savings plan but we just never made that leap to a cash envelope system. After reading MoneySavingMom.com for a few months, I started to think long and hard about the benefits of using cash.
My husband and I discussed it and decided to try using cash for our weekly grocery, toiletries and household shopping. We decided to try it for the month of January and we love it so much it is now a permanent part of our lives.
Here are just four of the ways switching to cash has made me a more effective couponer:
Let’s face it, as someone who coupons, it can be so tempting to spend a little more because you are getting a great deal. I try to be as practical as I can in my couponing but I still struggle with this every once and awhile.
We have set a budget of $80 a week for all household shopping. This includes groceries, toiletries, and all household items. This allows me to buy what we need and add to my stockpile, pantry and freezer without blowing our weekly budget. If there is a great deal that I want to stock up on, I have to take into account what else we need that week before I take advantage of the deal.
I have always tried to make a list before I go shopping and stick to it. Before I started paying in cash, I could be more flexible with my list and what I chose to buy.
Now that I only have a set amount of cash to spend, I carry a calculator with me and as I go through my list I add up my total spending to make sure I am staying on target. This forces me to avoid impulse buys and really ask myself if we truly need something or if I am just buying it because it’s a good deal.
One of the benefits of couponing is having a stockpile or a supply of grocery and household items on hand so you don’t have to make an extra trip and pay full price for something when you run out. It has allowed us plan our meals better, entertain friends on a budget, and give more to homeless shelters and food banks.
Having a set weekly spending budget helps keep our stockpile at a reasonable size. I can’t buy unlimited amounts of things even if it is a great deal. This has forced us to be more practical about couponing and kept us from failing into the trap of having excessive amounts of things or buying what we can’t use in a timely manner.
As I said earlier, couponing significantly lowered our weekly and monthly spending. I was able to start budgeting less for groceries and household items but the number still changed from week to week.
We now pull out two week’s worth of spending cash each pay day. This allows me to know exactly what is going to be coming out and budget the rest of our pay checks accordingly.
If we have extra money left in the envelope at the end of the two weeks, we split it between our long term and short term savings accounts. This allows us to save more on top of what we already budget for savings; and by also putting some of it in a “short term” savings account, we can spent that money on house projects or a fun weekend trip.
If you are reading this and thinking that using cash is a hassle, just know that I was you six months ago! I could never have imagined how something as easy and simple as using cash would make me a more efficient shopper, couponer and budgeter — but I am now converted to the cash envelope system and I’m not looking back!
Kaylee is a full time Catholic high school teacher and novice blogger from South Florida who loves cooking, couponing, and bargain hunting. She’s married to Justin, a firefighter-paramedic who although skeptical at first is totally supportive of her couponing and other money saving endeavors. They are currently enjoying the process of renovating and decorating our first home as time and budget allows. Kaylee blogs about her successes and failures both in the kitchen and at the store at Couponing & Cooking.
I meant to get this posted yesterday, but you know how life goes sometimes! At any rate, here’s what we bought on Wednesday at Aldi and the health food store:
Health Food Store Shopping Trip
2 cartons of Carob Rice Milk — marked down to $0.99 each
2 loaves of Rudi’s bread — used 2 free coupons from Jessica
1 can of Zevia — used free coupon
Vidalia onions — $0.49/lb. = $0.74 total
Kiwi — 5 for $1
Vine-ripened tomatoes — $0.79/lb. = $0.55 total
Roma tomatoes — $0.49/lb = $0.30 totalTotal with tax = $5.69
Aldi Shopping Trip
4 packages strawberries — $0.99 each
2 pounds of butter — $1.84 each (best price I’ve seen in awhile!)
1 package of pears — $0.99
5 Avocados — $0.29 each
Total with tax: $10.82
Guest post from Emily of I Have Coupons for That
I have always enjoyed getting a good bargain on just about everything. However, it wasn’t until after my husband and I married (nearly 12 years ago) that I began using coupons on a regular basis. And while coupons helped save me money when I shopped, I also noticed that sometimes I would spend more than anticipated.
By the time our third child was born, I was shopping every two weeks at the base commissary, spending $250 to $300 each time I shopped. I couldn’t help but wonder what I was doing wrong.
Fast forward to today and I am now able to shop for the same items (for my family of 5) for only $50 each week — which saves us nearly $400 per month, or $4800 per year!
It took a lot of trial and error and it was definitely a learning process, but sticking to the following “rules” helps me stay on track each week:
This was my first mistake. Carrying my debit or credit card provided room for overages at the register. By restricting myself to cash, I could only spend up to my allotted budget.
Keep track of the amount you are spending as you shop.
Instead of shopping twice per month, I now shop every Monday. My shopping list is smaller and I spend less.
This used to make me so mad! I would purchase something because I had a coupon and would return home to find I already had three more of that very same item.
I prepare my meal plan one week in advance, working from my family’s sensible stockpile, pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Any items I may be missing to complete a meal are placed on my shopping list the bottom of my meal planner and those are the items I shop for on Monday.
Creating a stockpile that was practical and would sustain my family in between store sale cycles took some time. Now, I am able to rely on the items within our stockpile and eliminate the need to shop for those items. Without even leaving the house, I have already saved money!
Learning to better match coupons to store sale cycles will offer additional savings.
I was able to conquer our new grocery budget within nine months. Since that time, I have been able to maintain a budget of $50 per week for groceries and household necessities, without having to sacrifice preferred brands.
Emily is a born and raised Virginia Southern Belle, mother of three, proud military wife, and penny saver. She has an eye for things that sparkle and a love for a good bargain. She shares her daily frugal adventures at I Have Coupons for That!
Do you want to take better control of your grocery budget? If so, you’ll want to read my newest eBook, 5 Days to a Better Grocery Budget!
This eBook will give you all the tips, tricks, and practical advice you need to create a grocery budget tailored to your family’s needs that you can actually STICK to (because that’s the key!)
In this eBook, you’ll learn:
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Guest post by Theresa who blogs at MyFaveDeals.com
When it comes to my budget, there is no extra room to make extravagant (or even small) monetary donations, so I have found other ways to help others.
With a daily click you’ll be helping to donate over a cup of food.
There are lots of great samples and freebies posted on MoneySavingMom.com. Instead of keeping all of these for yourself, donate some of them.
Many children’s hospitals accept samples and trial size items to give to families that have extended stays. Also, local shelters can benefit from these items.
Do you really need 10 tubes of toothpaste in your stockpile? Consider donating a of your extras and help others in need.
A co-worker I work with recently ended up staying in the hospital for an extended period of time. His wife was traveling four hours to the hospital and staying overnight when possible with him.
My staff asked for donations and, unfortunately, a monetary donation wasn’t in my budget. I did some brainstorming and put together all my free samples and stockpile items to create a nice travel bag the family could use while they were traveling. Although I couldn’t help financially, the travel bag was a big hit and helped ease the stress of travel.
So even if you aren’t able to make monetary donations, there are plenty of other ways to help and give!
Theresa is a full-time teacher and mother of one. When she’s not teaching she is bargain shopping, trying new recipes, and sharing her favorite deals at her blog MyFavorite Deals.
