Saving Families Money Since 2007
Today’s question is from Stephanie:
I am curious what an “average” clothing budget might be per person. Is there a figure of how much one should allot for clothing on a per-person basis? For example, I have a figure for food ($40/per person/per week) but what about clothes?
Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.
I’ve been reading your book, 21 Day to a More Disciplined Life, and am loving it! It’s full of great advice for anyone looking to make more of their time. As I’m reading Day 12 I wondered if you had any thoughts about 100% focus vs. multi-tasking.
This chapter focuses on 100% focus, without distractions and I can see how distractions can be death to a goal. On the other hand, as a busy mom, I find that multi-tasking is important and even necessary at times. Do you have any thoughts as to when to multi-task and when to focus? -Rebecca
Great question! I’m a big believer in focused intensity when it comes to comes to many projects.
In fact, I was participating in the BEECH Retreat weekly Thursday night Twitter chat last week when the question came up: “Have you ever sat down to write a blog post & got distracted by social media or email?”
My response? Yes. However, I usually make myself shut down distractions while blogging — otherwise I’ll never get posts written!
If you want to get anything worthwhile done in life, you’ve got to have FOCUS. And I like to take that one step further and make it focused intensity.
Focused Intensity is zeroing in on one specific project and giving it your entire concentration and energy for a determined length of time. I like to set a time limit on it and then challenge myself to see how much I can get done in that timeframe.
For instance, if I’m working on writing a blog post, an article, or a chapter in my next book, I’ll usually shut everything down on my computer, shut my office door, set the timer for 10 or 15 minutes, and work as hard as I can until the timer goes off.
When I work with this kind of focused intensity, I can get a lot done in a short amount of time. Whereas, if I’m all scattered all over the place — trying to write a post while checking and answering emails, keeping up with what’s going on on my Facebook Page, and refreshing my comments page, it will take me a very long time to get any writing done — and I probably won’t do a great job of it.
Everyone is different, but I’ve found that I cannot write well when there are a dozen distractions going on at once. I also find that I’m not able to think and process ideas and post outlines well if I’m constantly interrupted.
I’ve found it typically takes me three to five times longer to finish a post or writing project when I’m constantly interrupted than it does when I can work with focused intensity. So writing is one area where I always choose times of day when I know I can work with minimal interruptions (during the early morning hours, during afternoon quiet times, or on Saturdays.).
There are many, many other things I do that don’t require that same level of focus that writing does. And I’m all about multi-tasking if the end result means greater productivity.
I read while I do my walking warm-up and cool-down on the treadmill. I knit while I’m watching a movie with the family. I scrub my kitchen floor while I talk on the phone. Or, I put bread in the bread machine to mix while I’m chatting with a friend who is over.
There’s no point in just doing one thing, when you can as easily do two things well. I intentionally plan ahead for these opportunities — often even writing them on my daily to-do list. If I know I’m going to be heading to an appointment, I’ll make a note to bring a certain book or writing project, depending upon the appointment. If I know that we’re going to be having a family movie night or I’m having a friend over, I’ll make a note to make sure and get out my knitting or other handwork project.
By planning ahead like this, I’m able to use the time more productively, and in turn, I’m able to chip away at my weekly goal list — all while multi-tasking. So before I know it, projects are getting done without me putting a whole lot of extra effort into them.
That said, make sure when you are multi-tasking that you are actually being more productive. Sometimes, in trying to multi-task, you end up getting less done and just making a mess of multiple things.
What about the rest of you? Do you find that there are certain things you have to focus on without interruption to be productive? What are your favorite ways to multi-task that truly work?
Erin from The Humbled Homemaker emailed in and said:
Most Aldi stores have now released a temporary organic line to test whether there is a demand for these items! I was excited to see this announcement in their weekly flier.
I visited the store on Saturday and sure enough, our Aldi currently had raw milk organic cheese, organic string cheese, organic yogurt, organic frozen berries, organic canned tomatoes, organic jarred pasta sauce, and more! I always shop at Aldi first because their prices are so good. If they keep the organic line, I will be shopping there even more!
I am hoping that if enough people shop while they are testing the line or write to request that they keep it that Aldi will decide to keep it around–and expand on it! Please encourage people to write to Aldi on their Facebook page or email them through their contact form and ask that they continue offering this line of organic products. -Erin
Lindsey emailed in the following tip:
Did you know that there are many Christian publishers who offer free books to bloggers in exchange for a review on the book? I have personally done this and gotten countless children’s books and DVDs, marriage books, cookbooks, devotions, and Bibles from well-known authors such as Mark Driscoll, Max Lucado, Randy Alcorn, Joshua Harris, and countless others.
The companies that I use are:
I think that last year, we received well over $1,000 worth of books completely free. The companies pay for the shipping to your home and you get to keep the book! Some of them I love and end up keeping, but with most of the books, I end up donating to a church library and passing on a good read to someone else or giving them as a special gift to someone who I know will enjoy them.
Every Monday in 2013, I’ll be sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you’ll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you’re already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.
This week’s way to save $100 per year is a no-brainer for many of you. In fact, some of you probably haven’t seen the inside of a coffeeshop in years.
But I have a pretty good idea that a number of you are regularly frequenting your local coffeeshop — and it’s probably making a fairly big dent in your wallet.
Don’t worry! I’m not going to say that you can’t ever step foot in a coffeeshop. I think it can be a fun treat on occasion, but you’ll save a whole lot of money if you can learn to make the stops at the coffeeshop an occasional treat rather than an almost-daily habit.
How Much Can You Save By Making Coffee At Home?
The Simple Dollar estimates that the cost of a 16-oz. brewed at home cup of coffee will cost you no more than $0.50 to $0.60 each, including the cost of energy, cream, sugar, etc. When I calculated it myself, I was coming up with the same costs for high-quality coffee. If you get a good deal on the coffee beans, your savings is going to be even higher.
So, if you’re typically paying $1.50 per cup of coffee, that’s a savings of around $1 per cup five times per week — or $20 per month or $240 per year. If you typically pay $4 for a fancy cup, you’re saving at least $17.50 per week, $70 per month, or $840 per year! Crazy, eh?
After lots of practice, I’ve learned how to make coffee at home just exactly how Jesse and I love it. In fact, we both agree that I can brew a better cup of coffee than any coffee shop we’ve visited.
Here are some of my tips:
1. Invest in Good Coffee Beans
I personally love Starbucks Breakfast Blend, Starbucks Pike Roast, or Avodah Mocha Java. Experiment and try different blends and kinds until you find one you love. Or, just purchase what you typically drink at your local coffeeshop.
It’s probably going to cost quite a bit more than some off-brand at the grocery store, but it’s worth the extra cost if it means you’ll actually make coffee at home!
2. Grind Your Beans Fresh and Coarse
There is a huge difference in taste and freshness when you grind your own beans. And coffee bean grinders are very inexpensive to purchase (you can pick one up on Amazon for around $20) and so worth it.
3. Use a French Press
The French Press makes coffee much more flavorful. It’s totally worth the investment (you can pick one up at Target or Walmart for around $20 to $30) — especially compared to a regular coffeemaker.
However, don’t go invest in a coffee bean grinder and French Press unless you are sure you will actually use them on a very regular basis. Consider borrowing these items from a friend, if you know someone who has these on hand and isn’t using them. Or, you might check your local thrift stores.
4. Use a Coffee Cup You Love
I know it’s a little silly, but I find it’s so much more enjoyable to enjoy a good cup of coffee when you are drinking it from a cup you love. So reward yourself for two weeks of drinking coffee from home by purchasing yourself a coffee cup you love. (By the way, if you’re looking for a good to-go cup, we love the Copco cups.)
Coffee Recipes: How to Make Your Own Homemade Latte Without an Espresso Machine and Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Do you make coffee at home? If so, what tricks and tips do you have for making a really amazing cup of coffee?
No-Flour Banana Muffins from last week’s Freezer Cooking in an Hour session
Breakfasts
Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, and/or Fruit
Lunches
Mac & Cheese, fruit
Chicken Noodle Soup, crackers, veggies
Snack-y lunch
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 2
Ham & Cheese swirls, fruitSnacks
Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip MuffinsFreezer Cooking in an Hour (stay tuned on Thursday when I’ll share a play-by-play on how this goes!)
Homemade Freezer Biscuits
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
Twice Baked Taco PotatoesDinners
Oven Baked Tacos, fruit, veggies
Chicken Noodle Soup, Pull Apart Bread Machine Bread, fruit/veggies
Easy Crockpot Chicken Fajitas, fruit
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup, fruit, veggies,
Chili Tortilla Bake, fruit
Twice Baked Taco Potatoes, green salad, broccoli, fruit
Dinner out
What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.
The internet is a wonderful place to find all sorts of fascinating, uplifting, and educational stuff. I’ve been blessed beyond words by the things I’ve read online and by the people I’ve met online.
But while online relationships can be great, face-to-face friendships are so important. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that they are vital and necessary to living a thriving and rich life. Talking through a computer screen is just never the same as sitting down over a cup of coffee with someone.
And that’s why I’m thrilled that one of my favorite sites is hosting their second annual meet-up. I attended this last year and was so blessed — and I’m excited they are doing it again!
Instead of having to pay airfare and hotel and conference fees, instead of having to figure out how to work out the logistics of leaving your family behind, and instead of having to worry about packing your bags, you can save your money, stay home, and enjoy a fun meet-up in your local area with other women who are craving deep, rich, close friendships and local community.
What’s it called: (in)RL {short for “IRL” or “in real life”}
When is it: A couple hours each on Friday & Saturday April 26 & 27, 2013.
What’s it about: Creating a catalyst for women to connect in real life, right where they are.
Why’s it special: It’s the un-conference that comes to your doorstep; just meet up with girl friends and tune in to our online webcast.
Who’s it for: Last year we explored the nitty gritty of community. This year we’re taking a closer look at what it takes to stay rooted in community when sometimes just walking away would be so much easier and tons more convenient. Women share stories of how they’ve chosen to stay through hard marriages, challenging parenting, worthwhile friendships. How choosing to stay has freed them more fully and unexpectedly than if they’d cut and run.
Find more details here.
Want to participate in this exciting event happening in cities and towns all around the world? Visit the (in)RL website for more details and find a meet-up in your local area (or sign-up to host one).
Guest post from Jamie of From His Presence
You’ve probably heard that playing a musical instrument can do wonders for your child’s education. It’s true, music builds math and reading skills, confidence, and self-discipline; it provides an avenue for your child to make friends with other musicians and it can open doors for college scholarships.
However, music lessons can cost $60-$100 or more each month, and that can be tough on a family’s budget. Here are 5 practical ways afford music lessons, even when money is tight:
Stringed instruments in particular (violin, viola, cello, upright bass) are well-suited for group lessons. Popular string method books for beginners contain exercises that all the instruments can play together, so nobody gets bored.
Group lessons are more fun than playing alone, and playing music with others helps a new string player train his ear to hear correct pitch. Combining funds with other parents to pay for one weekly group lesson is a frugal way to grow young musicians.
The SA is renowned for its ability to train musicians—particularly brass players. The SA community center in my city offers an after-school music program to low-income and high-risk students. Students learn brass, guitar, percussion, and piano.
Not every SA chapter offers music programs, but if yours does and you meet the requirements, you’re not likely to find better instructors anywhere. (Note: I am not affiliated with the SA.)
Check with your local government to see if the city recreation centers offer music/arts programs. If they do, these programs will usually be affordable or even free. Common programs include drum/percussion instruction, dance instruction, etc.
The Joy of Music School in Knoxville, Tennessee, offers free music lessons to disadvantaged youth. If you have a similar school in your area, you’re likely to find excellent teachers and help obtaining an instrument there.
I play in the orchestra at my church, and we have players of all instruments — drums, guitars, bass, strings, brass, woodwinds, and keys — who are ready and willing to mentor.
If you are involved in a local church, ask your worship pastor if he knows any church musicians who would mentor your child. Even if there is no formal program, you still may find someone who is willing to help. Some churches also will have instruments that you child may be able to borrow.
If your child wants to play an instrument, don’t despair! Try one or more of these options and keep your ears open. You may find music lessons are easier to arrange than you dreamed. (Then, you will just have to put up with the noise of practice!)
Do you have any other ideas for how to find affordable music lessons? Leave a comment so everyone can benefit!
Jamie Rohrbaugh is a wife, financial analyst, blogger, musician, and unlikely worship leader from Chattanooga, Tennessee. She plays piano, viola, percussion, and the Amazon Cloud Player. She blogs at From His Presence about how to live ordinary life in God’s manifest presence.
I’ve been working on not procrastinating and getting things done early — and I’ve been amazed at how this has increased my productivity, enabled me to do a better job on chipping away at my goals, and has given me more margin time. I know I should already know this by now, but I’m still surprised — and delighted! 🙂
Here’s my list of goals for last week:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1. Play a game with the girls.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Weekend trip with Jesse for our 10 year anniversary!Personal Goals
4. Memorize Romans 1:1-4.
5. Extra rest and liquids to help me recover from the flu.
6. Finish reading For the Children’s Sake, Lead Your Family Like Jesus, A Woman’s Place: A Noveland 20,000 Days and Counting: The Crash Course for Mastering Your Life Right Now.
Homemaking Goals
7. Do the Freezer Cooking in an Hour session.
8. Finish 25 rows of the scarf for Kathrynne (I finish Kaitlynn’s scarf a few weeks ago and am now working on a matching scarf for Kathrynne.)Business Goals
9. Work on the second round of edits for chapters 4, 5, and 6 of my next book.
10. Finish two guest posts for other sites.
Here’s my list of goals for this week:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1. Read five chapters of Vinegar Boy: Encounter Christ Through the Dramatic Story of Vinegar Boy
2. Play at least one game of Scrabble together as a family.
Personal Goals
3. Memorize Romans 1:5-6.
4. Finish writing all Christmas thank yous.
5. Exercise 5 times.
6. Finish reading You Can Raise a Well-Mannered Child, The Shelter of God’s Promises, The Duck Commander Family, and The Good Life for Less.
Homemaking Goals
7. Do a Freezer Cooking in an Hour session.
8. Finish 30 rows of the scarf for Kathrynne.
Business Goals
9. Work on the second round of edits for three chapters of my next book.
10. Finish two guest posts for other sites.
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.
Our week began with the flu… and by the middle of the week, four out of five of us had had it, were getting it, or were recovering from it. I was sicker than I’ve remembered being for a very long time… it took me five days of being bedridden before I finally felt well enough to be up and around again!
And that was the case for all of us who got it. Gratefully, though, we’re all almost completely well again!
Kathrynne enjoyed playing with her new marble maze that was a Christmas gift from her aunt and uncle before she finally succumbed to the flu.
When Silas and Kaitlynn were well enough to be up, we used our new Yonanas machine (a Christmas gift from my aunt and uncle!) to make banana “ice cream.”
Yum!
We enjoyed a few fast and furious Scrabble games this week while we were recovering. We discovered that it’s a great way for Kathrynne to improve her spelling skills, too!
Jesse and I also celebrated our 10 year anniversary this week. I am so thankful for this wonderful man that God has given me. We’ve had our ups and down and our hard times, but we’ve grown together so much through it all.
Yesterday, Jesse and I made a quick trip to Little Rock to celebrate our anniversary and have some business meetings with a few people here. It’s been fun to get away together and just enjoy some quiet and time to talk and dream about the next 10 years of our marriage.
So that was our week in a nutshell. What was your week like? Tell us in the comments.
Guest post from Alexa of Single Moms Income.
Times are tough, jobs are scarce, and pay is low – that is the reality of America’s economic standstill. Families are having a rough time paying their bills and keeping food on the table. As a single mother I have been faced with these same worries.
The one thing that I have learned through my journey as a single mother is that sacrifices are what hold everything together.
Before my husband and I divorced we lived in a very nice home in a wonderful area. Upon our split I felt that I should be entitled to keep the same standard of living. I frantically and desperately searched to buy a home that would offer me the same comfort. Luckily, the offers that I did put in on houses fell through.
I was so desperate to keep the standard of living that I had once had with two incomes that I was ready to spend every penny I now had on a down payment on a new home. This would have led to my financial devastation.
I was extremely disappointed that my offers fell through, so I took a break from house hunting. After I picked myself up off the ground something clicked in my head. It was more important for me to be financially stable than to live in a nice home – after all I have two beautiful kids who need me now more than ever.
With my new-found thinking, I decided to purchase a trailer and put it on an extra lot that my family owned. I spent $1500 on the trailer with plenty of money left to spend on moving and repairs for the trailer.
I had never envisioned myself being single with two kids and moving into a trailer… but what I now realize is that sacrifices are temporary and are made with a bigger picture in mind. This trailer is not my forever – it is simply a stepping stone for something greater. I now will have a place for my children to live while I work on saving more money and being fiscally responsible.
Of course, my living situation isn’t the only sacrifice I’m willing to make. Becoming a single mother is like starting a whole new life. There will be kinks to work out in my budgets and I am certain that I will have my fair share of struggles.
There are times when I feel sorry for myself, but I stop and think of other people who are in much worse situations than I am. There is a light at the end of every tunnel.
Alexa is a newly single mother to two beautiful girls. She chronicles her journey into single motherhood at Single Moms Income.
Guest post from Tosh of Super Coupon Lady
When I decided to leave the classroom after ten years of teaching, I knew the hardest job I would ever do was just beginning. You see, I wanted badly to be home with my children who (since six weeks old) spent about ten hours a day in daycare. I wanted to have more time for my home, for my faith, and for the many other “I wish I could haves” in life that I seemed to keep putting off.
My husband has a decent job, but by no means can he support our family of four (plus a dog!) on his own. So we carefully concocted a plan of how this would all work. How could I leave the traditional work field and and how could we survive as a one-income family?
Well surprisingly, it was possible. We had to roll our sleeves up and make some tough choices, but in the end it was worth it!
I think you might be surprised how truly simple it is if you are willing to do a little hard work.
This part of the process is the best way to start because it is very encouraging. Make a chart of how much money you can save by going to one income. Will you no longer have to buy daily work lunches? Will you no longer need to purchase work uniforms or expensive business attire? Will you save on gas from not having to drive 25 miles to work?
For us, we not only saved on all of these expenses, but would no longer be paying nearly $1,000 a month for daycare. That was huge.
Next, chart what you will gain. For us it was more time as a family, no more dependance on daycare, time to cook healthier dinners, to be able to stay home with sick children, plus so much more.
While I miss the holiday parties with my classroom children, I am so excited to be helping at the classroom parties of my own children!
Chart these things and see how great it makes you feel and motivates you.
The first thing that we needed to do was start looking at our expenses and making some drastic cuts.
Extras and little conveniences were the first to go. No more cable movie rentals, no more high definition channels, no more extras tied into our cell phone plans. We cut back on dining out, our clothing budget, kept our thermostat at a cooler temperature and just got use to wearing sweaters, plus a lot more.
Try not to look at this step as painful, look at it as eliminating the extra and unnecessary to make room for what you really want — more time with your family!
Even though you left your job and are necessarily looking for a new job, there are still plenty of ways you can supplement your income from the convenience and comfort of your home.
Perhaps you have enjoyed cosmetics and would want to start doing home parties? Perhaps you can watch a neighbor’s child one day a week? There are plenty of ways to add a few hundred extra dollars to your monthly income.
I have been able to help out a few days a month doing some online research for a company, as well as babysit for a friend. I also take online surveys to earn gift cards that come in handy during the holidays. In fact, I was so proud when over $100 worth of gifts was purchased for family this year using gift cards I had earned!
When you find ways to supplement, the extra income helps with groceries, birthday gifts, and other odds and ends that pop up during the month.
Living on one income can be scary, especially if you don’t have an emergency fund. Create one by selling items you no longer need. This can be clothing, jewelry, toys, everything!
Clothing can be taken to consignment stores for instant cash, as can kid’s clothing and toys. Jewelry if broken or outdated can be sold for scrap. Other usable or collectible items can be sold online though auctions such as eBay, and handmade goods can be sold through online venues such as Etsy.
I put a few things a month on eBay to generate extra funds, and it works well. People have bought everything from an old coat I had to an unopened bottle of high end facial cleanser.
Etsy is a great place to sell handmade ornaments and vintage items I have. It is quite fun and satisfying to turn our junk into cash and build an emergency fund should an appliance go out or an emergency pop up.
Remember, living on one income takes work and determination. It can seem daunting at first, but in the end the gains are huge.
Your friends may not quite understand, and you may feel frustrated — I heard many comments like, “It must be nice to not have to work and live off of your husband,” and things of that nature. There seems to be this impression that by leaving my traditional job I now spend my days at Starbucks. What they didn’t see was that I spent the previous evening cutting out coupons with the kiddos and stitching up some fun old fabric into curtains so we wouldn’t have to buy new ones.
The reality is you will never work harder or have to be more prepared and organized. But in the end, it is a decision that is up to each individual and can be very rewarding!
Tosh, aka Super Coupon Lady, teaches others how to coupon easily, save money, and score freebies. You can follow her recipes, frugal tips, style ideas and more on her blog and on Pinterest!
Guest post from Carolynn of My Little Bit of Life
Sometimes I feel so alone trying to make sure my life is in balance. It seems that it’s “all or nothing,” “black or white,” or “hot or cold.”
What ever happened to balance, what happened to gray? Balance was thrown out the window when every parent felt like they had to send their child to an Ivy League school, so let’s just go all out and put our kid in everything — because you know, you’re a terrible parent if your child isn’t trilingual and a prodigy in something by the time they’re four! 🙂
When I was in high school, I remember constantly comparing myself to everyone. One big problem though, I’d compare the worst parts of myself to the best parts of everyone else.
I used to beg and plead to God to make me good at something, anything. I was so tired of just being alright in just about everything!
Now that I’m a parent, my view has totally changed. I like being alright in lots of areas. I know I have a lot of work to do, but I feel like this balance is good for parenting. I don’t want to be a Tiger Mom, getting irate if my child doesn’t bring home a perfect grade card or isn’t the star player all the time.
That’s not realistic, and I feel like those expectations will only set a child up for failure. They may not look like a failure to the outside world, but I would almost guarantee that they feel like failures.
What is this teaching our children? That in order to be loved or worthy, they have to be the best all the time?
If this is what we teach them, then they are in for a rude awakening, because life isn’t like that! Life is full of failures. It’s how we bounce back that makes us who we are!
So, I want to try to show my children a good balance. I’m going to let them see things that I’m good at and things that I struggle with. Every once in a while, I know I’m going to lose my cool and that gives me an opportunity to show them how to “fix” mistakes.
I’m not going to immediately rescue them every time they need my help. I’m going to let them slip and maybe even fall and teach them how to recover.
A very wise friend of mine told me that “The best way to make sure you’re staying balanced is to look at the past year of your life as a whole. Were there months you focused more on your marriage, parenting, or the household. If you’ve committed a few months to each area, you are doing great.”
Despite what some people say, “You can have it all… just not all at once!”
Carolynn is a teacher turned stay-at-home mom to four children. She has a passion for helping parents be better parents and strive to help make life easier for them. Join her on her journey at My Little Bit of Life!
Kim emailed in the following tip:
I’m a little late in the earning extra money for Christmas category, but I have a suggestion for your readers who work outside the home to make some extra money: Ask your employer if there is any extra work that you can do from home for extra pay.
Recently I went on maternity leave, and since I’m a contract employee, I do not get FMLA. I simply asked if they had anything for me to do while I was out.
I didn’t get an answer immediately, but they eventually gave me a stack of work to do easily while the kids were napping. It was several hundred dollars more than I was going to make while out, and it did not hurt to just ask. If they say no then they say no, but if they say yes then — yay!
