WANT TO WORK FROM HOME? CLICK HERE FOR THE STEP-BY-STEP PLAN!
Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom®

Saving Families Money Since 2007

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List.

Summer Bucket List

Classic View
Grid View
Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 21, 2012 comment

5 Tips for Living in a Small Space {Embrace your space!}

Read More

5 Tips for Living in a Small Space {Embrace your space!}

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The following is a guest post from Emily of Our Frugal Happy Life:

This summer, we (suddenly) downsized from a four-bedroom, one-bathroom house to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo. We simplified everything, reexamined what we really need on a regular basis, and reorganized our home to fit us better.

However, living in a small space can be challenging at times. As I am learning to focus more on being intentional in my homemaking endeavors, I have five tips for those of you who live in smaller homes.

1. Don’t compare your home to other homes.

You will only be jealous if you want what other people have! Concentrate on what you have, not what others have. Don’t let the green envy monster get the best of you!

2. Embrace the space you do have.

Be grateful that God has given you a home! Even if you feel like you’re cramped for space, many people would give anything to have the space you have. Embrace your space — and find creative ways to use it!

3. Be creative with your space!

Use traditional spaces for non-traditional storage.

  • What can you store in the bathroom vanities? I store paper products and other bathroom odds and ends.
  • How can you maximize your closet space? We have a walk-in closet in our master bedroom and we don’t just use our closet for clothes! All of our plastic storage totes are stacked on one side of our closet and we store boxes on the top shelves.
  • Utilize under-the-bed plastic storage totes. These can be great space-savers!

4. Organize your space to work efficiently.

Working in a small space is so much easier if the area is organized in a way that benefits you. Here’s how I do this in our kitchen:

  • Keep the kitchen clutter-free. One of my nightly goals is to clear off the kitchen island.
  • Leave often-used appliances on the counters. This may go against what others suggest, but I find that it works so well for me. I simply don’t have the space to store all of my appliances. And I’m more inclined to use them when they are right there on my counter.
  • Utilize the space on top of the cabinets, if you have it. We store quite a few items on top of our cabinets.
  • Use the cabinet and drawer space wisely. Organize your cabinets and drawers in a way that works well for you; group like items together.

5. Keep a handle on your stockpile.

My health and beauty stockpile is stored in a few boxes in our bathroom closet. And like I’ve said before, not having a pantry is a good thing for me: my food stockpile is controlled!

What tips do you have for living in a small space? How do you “embrace your space,” no matter the size?

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 20, 2012 comment

Finally! The Freezer Cooking List is done!

Read More

Finally! The Freezer Cooking List is done!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

So, I didn’t quite get my whole Freezer Cooking List done yesterday, but I did get the wheat ground, the chicken baked, and the Chocolate Granola Bars made. {By the way, the bars are fantastic. I will definitely be making this recipe again!}

Then, it was time to get ready for a date with my husband. And, after we came home and had our family Bible Time and put the children to bed, I crashed into bed myself. So much much for my plans of running and cooking after we got home from our date! 🙂

But I tackled the Whole Wheat Waffle recipe this morning–making some for breakfast and cooking the rest while we did our morning homeschooling.

And the kitchen, naturally, turned into somewhat of a disaster zone (it seems to be able to go from clean to this in about two minutes flat, I kid you not!).

I made the mistake of running downstairs to check something on my computer. Only to forget I was also cooking a waffle at the same time. Gratefully, I smelled a burned smell and quickly raced upstairs to rescue the waffle before it got too burned.

After lunch, the children watched a DVD for school while I participated in a Twitter chat with @TwitterBooks. So fun! Thanks to those of you who joined in!

And, then I whipped up a batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins before heading to get ready for a movie night at our friends’ house tonight.

It feels so good to have some baked goods in the freezer again–even if it did take me twice as long to make them as I was planning on it taking me! Hopefully, next week’s Freezer Cooking session will be more efficient than this week’s. But if not, oh well, sometimes that’s just life with three children! 🙂

Did you get any baking or cooking done today?

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 20, 2012 comment

4 reasons I use cash instead of credit cards

Read More

4 reasons I use cash instead of credit cards

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m honored to be guest posting over at Simple Mom today on a rather controversial subject: why I use cash instead of credit cards. Here’s a snippet of my post:

We have a policy at our house: if we can’t pay cash for it, we don’t buy it. It’s a plain and simple policy, but it’s saved us a boatload of debt, fights over money, and stress about our finances.

Sure, it has meant we’ve gone without a lot of different things we wanted over the years because we didn’t have money to pay for it. But truthfully, I’ll take the peace and freedom that comes from living without credit card debt over all the bling and stuff. It’s worth more than money can buy, anyway.

Do I think credit cards are evil? Well, I wouldn’t go so far to say they are wrong or immoral, but I would say that I’d strongly encourage anyone who is currently swiping plastic on a regular basis to step back and consider a few things…

Click on over to read the whole post and be sure to leave a comment over there to be entered to win one of 10 copies of my book!

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 20, 2012 comment

Reader Tip: Make Money Selling Books with MyBookBuyer.com

Read More

Reader Tip: Make Money Selling Books with MyBookBuyer.com

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I loved this tip from Krista:

I saw the Cash4books site on your extra earning page and decided to check them out. I didn’t have much luck, so I decided to see if there were other places out there.

I found MyBookBuyer.com and started checking books with them. I am getting ready to send in 17 books which, if all are accepted, will net me $68. On the other site, I was only going to make $21. So, if you’re considering selling books, it pays to check multiple sites! -Krista

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 20, 2012 comment

5 More Tips for Feeding Your Family Whole Foods on a Budget

Read More

5 More Tips for Feeding Your Family Whole Foods on a Budget

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Tammy of Skinny Mom’s Kitchen

I was inspired to write this article after reading Crystal’s guest post 8 Tips for Feeding Your Family Whole Foods on a Budget over at Heavenly Homemakers.

Over a year ago, I made the commitment to start feeding my family of four healthier minimally processed foods. This decision was based on my increased food and nutrition knowledge as well as the desire to lose weight.

As I expected, I began to lose weight–40 pounds to be exact! However, the unexpected surprise was the decrease in my grocery bill.

Prior to adopting a healthier whole foods lifestyle our grocery budget was on average $800-$900 a month–and sometimes more. Additionally, we would spend another $200 a month on take-out.

Today, since increasing the amount of whole foods and decreasing prepackaged process foods we buy, we are spending $300-$400 in groceries and $50 in take-out a month. That is more than a 50% savings!

Not only are we eating better but we are saving money too! Who knew?

I also want to point out that I never use coupons. I tried a couple times but failed miserably. My grocery savings has been solely based on cooking more wholesome nutrition foods at home. Of course, I do purchase some processed foods, but for the most part I try to prepare most of our food from scratch.

Before I go over my tips I want to quickly demystify the concept of whole foods. According to Wikipedia, “whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined or processed and refined as little as possible”.

A lot of times, because we think too much into it, we become overwhelmed trying to visualize how to move towards this lifestyle. However, adopting a healthier whole foods diet can be as simple as baking cookies instead of buying prepackaged, making homemade pizza instead of ordering out, or eating brown rice instead of instant white.

It is likely that you may already be moving towards a whole food diet without even realizing it. Of course there is more to it, but even the simplest changes can have increased health and money-saving benefits.

In addition to the eight tips that Crystal offered I would like to give a few more that I have used to make whole foods affordable:

Bulk up your ground beef with rice, bulgur, and/or beans.

I prefer to purchase grass-fed beef but it is expensive compared to its counterpart. We are talking $5 or more a pound! So to stretch it a little further, I always add in grains or beans.

For example, when I make taco meat, I use one pound of meat, one cup of cooked bulgur, and two cups of cooked black beans. This little trick typically provides our family of four with two full taco dinners.

Prepare your own baked goods.

Do you know what you can bake with a 5-pound bag of flour (white, wheat, or flour of choice)? Well a 5-pound bag, costs around $3-$5, and will yield 20 cups of flour. Therefore, using basic recipes, with 20 cups of flour I can make either 6-7 loaves of bread, 10 quick breads, 10 pizza doughs, 120 muffins, 144 chocolate chip cookies, 150 pancakes, or a little of everything.

Of course you will also need sugar, butter, oil, and other basic ingredients. However, even with all the ingredients the savings compared to buying everything prepackage is significant.

For example, a prepackaged loaf of whole grain bread can easily cost over $3 adding up to $18-$21 just in bread. Greater than the savings is the nutritional value of the food. When you take control of preparing the foods your family eats, you are controlling the ingredients and ultimately the quality of the food.

Use small kitchen appliances to make cooking from scratch easier.

Many people think that it is impossible to cook from scratch. I am here to tell you that not only is it possible but much easier than you think, especially with a few nifty small appliances. I use my slow cooker, rice cooker, and bread machine weekly to prepare a number of recipes from scratch.

For example, beans, shredded chicken, sauces, large batches of brown rice, honey wheat bread, and pizza dough are all foods I am able to make regularly because of these small appliances.

Keep a grocery cost spreadsheet.

Admittedly, I did not do this at first. When I finally did implement this approach I saw a huge difference in my grocery savings. As with everything, just knowing what you spend is half the battle. Basically, a grocery cost spreadsheet lists out the foods you purchase along with the price. This spreadsheet is most effective when referred to as you put your grocery list together. That way you can figure out almost exactly what you are going to spend beforehand.

To start my spreadsheet, I used old grocery receipts to locate prices of the items I purchase regularly. Then I would continue to increase the list by jotting down prices as I grocery shopped. Before I knew it I had put together a spreadsheet filled with the prices of many different grocery items.

Of course prices change and you may want to try new things but it will give you a starting point to work with before you shop. There has been many times, after referring to my spreadsheet that I needed to make changes to my menu plan because I was going to be over budget.

Combine menu planning with make-ahead meals and freezer cooking.

In my experience, this has been the cornerstone to affording whole foods. All three of these concepts alone are effective in reducing stress, saving money, and eating healthier. However, when intentionally used together these three tools will provide even greater benefits. Think of it is this way.

Menu planning provides the road map for what you will eat and the ingredients to purchase. Make ahead meals and freezer cooking are the vehicles and fuel to help you get to your destination (affording a whole foods diet). It is much easier to eat healthy whole foods when they are already prepared and ready to eat. Not to mention you will also save money by reducing food waste because every food and ingredient you purchase will have an intended purpose.

The last bit of advice I can give is to start small, slowly make changes, and don’t put pressure on yourself. You are the only one that knows what is best for your family and budget.

How do you eat whole foods on a budget?

Tammy, the author of Skinny Mom’s Kitchen, is dedicated to helping busy moms eat healthier and lose weight by teaching them how to combine calorie awareness with menu planning, freezer cooking, and other make ahead cooking strategies. She loves showing others how easy, and affordable, it is to serve their family healthy nutritious meals everyday.

photo credit

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

Click here to sign up!
Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 19, 2012 comment

5 Ways to Earn Rewards and Extra Money With Your Smart Phone

Read More

5 Ways to Earn Rewards and Extra Money With Your Smart Phone

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Anna of Real Ways to Earn Money Online

From the day I got my iPhone, it became one of my “can’t live without it” possessions. My excitement over my new toy only increased when I learned that in addition to playing games, tracking calories, and organizing my grocery list, I could also use it to earn money and redeemable points!

There are several different apps out there you can use for these purposes, but the following five are truly exceptional:

1. Field Agent:

Field Agent is for iPhone users only. You get paid for using your phone to do things like take pictures of store displays and answer short surveys. Most jobs pay between $2 and $8 each. Payment is made with Paypal.

2. Gig Walk:

The Gig Walk app is also just for the iPhone, and it is very similar to Field Agent. You get paid cash for doing little odd jobs which normally involve taking pictures with your phone while you’re out and about.

The app is limited for use by people in certain geographic areas which currently include the San Francisco Bay area, Chicago, Los Angeles, South Florida, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Payout is via Paypal.

3. Check Point:

The CheckPoints app is my favorite! I use it almost every time I go shopping. You just open the app, find the products listed in the store, and scan the item barcodes with your phone.

You’ll get redeemable points for each item you scan, and you can use these to get gift cards to your favorite stores (including Amazon)! You can also earn points for downloading and trying out apps.The Checkpoints app is available for iPhone and Android users.

4. WeReward:

The WeReward app will award you points for taking pictures of yourself with different products, checking in at various places of business, and for trying out new apps. Every point you get equals one cent and most “jobs” pay anywhere from 10 points to 500 points.

You can cash out with Paypal once you have $10 in your account. This app is open to iPhone, Blackberry, and Android users.

5. ShopKick:

Using the ShopKick app is a lot like using the Checkpoints app — you scan products while you shop and earn points that you can redeem for gift cards.

You can also use the app to take advantage of special in-store offers exclusive to Shopkick users. These offers are easily redeemable right at the cash register — you just let the cashier scan your phone. The app is available for iPhone and Android users.

These smartphone apps are all FREE to download and use. Just do a search for them in your app store, install, and start getting rewarded for things you do every day!

Anna Thurman researches various online money-earning opportunities and work at home jobs. Her findings are published via her website, Real Ways to Earn Money Online.

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 19, 2012 comment

Freezer Cooking Update (if you can call it that!)

Read More

Freezer Cooking Update (if you can call it that!)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I promised you an update to my freezer cooking adventures at 2 p.m. and I’m afraid it’s well past 2 p.m. and I have little to report when it comes to actual freezer cooking done.

However, I did read four books aloud to the children, finish our morning homeschooling lessons with the girls, unplug a stopped up toilet and clean up and disinfect the bathroom, took Silas potty multiple times (he’s doing so well with potty-training! yay!!), make lunch with the children, teach Kathrynne how to make sushi (before you think I’m some supermom, I should make it clear that we had gotten a free Annie Chun’s kit in the mail so it was a snap to do!), start a load of laundry, play basketball with Kathrynne, help Kaitlynn get her banged lip to stop bleeding, clean up the lunch dishes, answer some emails, and have a short phone call with my publicist.

So it wasn’t like I sat around and did nothing. 🙂

And I also baked the chicken

And ground the flour.

But now that we’re done with homeschooling and Silas is down for a nap, it’s time to finish the rest of the freezer cooking list. I’ll report back later this evening with my progress. Hopefully, everything will get crossed off. We’ll see!

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 19, 2012 comment

Today’s Freezer Cooking List

Read More

Today’s Freezer Cooking List

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Since my book launch is finally behind me, I’m excited to get back to some more normal things in my life–and to get back to posting menu plans, freezer cooking, recipes, shopping trips, busy bag ideas, and do-it-yourself stuff here.

Today, after a four-week hiatus, I’m doing a short freezer cooking session today. I jotted down a quick list and am ready to roll up my sleeves and get busy. Well, after I get my room picked up (it looks like a stuff bomb went off!) and our morning homeschooling finished.

Here’s my list:

Bake Chicken Breasts

Grind Flour

Whole-Wheat Waffles

Chocolate Granola Bars

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I’ll share an update on my progress and some pictures at 2 p.m.

Anyone else doing any freezer cooking today? I’d love to hear what you’re making!

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 19, 2012 comment

Navigating the Road to Financial Success

Read More

Navigating the Road to Financial Success

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I wrote an article for RooMag recently on Navigating the Road to Financial Success. Here’s a snippet:

What would happen if you took a family road trip to an unfamiliar location hundreds of miles away and you left your map or GPS at home? Very likely you’d waste hours driving around trying to figure out which way you were supposed to go and you’d probably never reach your destination unless you stopped and bought a map or kept stopping to ask for directions.

It’s the same with finances: if you don’t really know where you are going in the first place, you’re going to be hard-pressed to ever reach your desired destination.

So many people dream of getting out of debt, saving to pay cash for another vehicle, paying off their house early, or giving more generously to others. Very few people, however, get beyond the dreaming stage. Instead, they drive around and around without a map, wishing they could go somewhere, but never determining where it is they want to go nor how they are going to get there.

Read the whole article.

photo credit

Shared Jan 18, 2012 comment

Doing Something is Always Better Than Doing Nothing

Read More

Doing Something is Always Better Than Doing Nothing

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

It’s so easy when you start considering goal-setting to become overwhelmed by all the areas in your life you feel are in desperate need of change.

From improving as a wife and mom, to starting a business or blog, to writing a book, to learning a new skill, to starting a new ministry or being involved in one that’s already existing, to eating more healthfully, to learning to cook from scratch, to cutting your grocery bill, to experimenting with do-it-yourself ideas, to remodeling part of the house or redecorating a room, to getting in shape, to being more involved in your church or community… and on and on the list goes.

We women have so many responsibilities on our plates and we have dreams, ideas, and all sorts of things we’d love to do if we could ever find an extra ten hours in our day. But the reality is that those extra ten hours probably aren’t going to be falling from the sky any time in the near future. So we must work with what we have–and do the best we can with that.

Recognize Your Limitations.

We’re all in different seasons and stages of life. We all have different challenges and struggles. Therefore, it’s imperative that each of us recognizes our own limitations.

Think about your own unique challenges. Some of you are in school full-time. Some of you work full-time. Some of you have lots of little children. Some of you have a brand-new baby (or twins!). Some of you have health issues. Some of you are caring for elderly parents or grandparents. Some of you are in the middle of moving cross country. Some of you are dealing with a death of someone you love. Some of you are pregnant or in the middle of adopting. Some of you have children with special needs. Some of you are going through heart-breaking circumstances that many of us can’t even begin to imagine.

No matter your age or stage of life, you have your own set of difficulties and things to juggle. If it’s not something you can change, accept it realizing that what you’re able to accomplish will not be what someone else who is in a different season of life is able to accomplish. And that’s perfectly okay!

Focus on What Matters Most

If you only have a small amount of time to devote to goal-setting, you’ll want to maximize upon it by making sure you’re focusing on the most important things. Here’s what I’d suggest doing:

  • Jot Down Ideas. Over the course of the next 3-5 days, just start jotting down every goal idea that pops into your head that you’d really like to tackle soon. If you’re anything like me, your list will probably be long. Don’t be overwhelmed! You’re just brainstorming to help you narrow down and prioritize your goals list.
  • Prioritize Your List. After you have a nice long list, go over it carefully and thoughtfully considering which items on the list are really going to make a specific and near-immediate impact upon your everyday life. Learning to make woven baskets might be fun goal to pursue at some time, but it probably isn’t going to have a direct impact upon your everyday life like exercising, going to bed early, or menu-planning will.
  • Pare Down Your List. After you’ve prioritized the list, pare that list down to the top two or three. If this is a struggle for you, step back and try to think of how each goal will directly affect your life. Thinking things through to the direct effects over the course of the next few months usually is all it takes for me to prioritize and decide upon the most important priorities. However, if you’re struggling with this exercise, I’d suggest asking your husband or a good friend to help you.
  • Make a Specific Plan. Once you have this list of 2-3, think how you will fit these goals into your everyday life. You have to make a specific plan for how it will happen, or it likely will just be a good idea that never gets off the ground. If you want to read 12 books this year, you need to read 1/4 of a book each week–or about 5-10 pages per day, depending upon how long the books are that you read.
  • Be Realistic! It’s imperative that you think long and hard about what you can realistically commit to. You’re better off sticking with one goal that only takes 15 minutes a week and actually following through with it, than trying to do five goals you don’t have time for and then not following through at all.

Commit to Do What You Can Do.

No matter your limitations, adopt Teddy Roosevelt’s motto: “Do what you can with what you’ve got where you are.”

All we can do is all we can do. Spending time wishing we were in someone else’s shoes doesn’t change or improve our situation. If you’re in a really busy season of life, you may only be able to devote an extra 10 minutes five times per week to tackling your goals. Don’t be discouraged.

Do what you can do and don’t worry about what you can’t do! Doing something is always better than doing nothing.

What will you do first?

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!
Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 18, 2012 comment

Ask the Readers: What are some simple ways a family with four small children can give?

Read More

Ask the Readers: What are some simple ways a family with four small children can give?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Tara:

Although the “season of giving” is technically over, I have been so inspired by other people’s giving posts in December that I have made a New Years Resolution to continue to find ways to give throughout the year. I would love to compile a list of ways my homeschool family could
minister to others and was hoping the readers on Money Saving Mom® could help me brainstorm more ideas.

I am looking ideas that a family with 4 small children can do together. They can be quick, long, cheap, expensive. I would love to collect ideas that we could do every time we are out — like helping someone load groceries into their car, collecting carts, picking up trash, etc. I really want to use this year to teach my children to look around for the needs of others and meet them. -Tara

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 18, 2012 comment

How I Find Killer Online Steals and Deals

Read More

How I Find Killer Online Steals and Deals

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post by Lindsay of Creative Dough

My saving journey started last summer when I made the decision to find slouch boots online for $10. This declaration branded me “dreamer” in my circle of friends and family saying:

“Nobody gets boots for $10. If you’re really lucky, you’ll find them for $20.”

But I did!

I was determined. The fact that I didn’t give in to the shiny price tag of those $20 rip-offs has proved to make all the difference. Not only did I find my $10 very cute boots, but I’ve found similar deals again and again.

Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way:

1. High to low pricing

There is a little drop down menu that can be found at most online shopping sites that immediately puts the cheapest products first. Look for your product on that first page. Can you find it in your price range? If the answer is “no,” this probably isn’t your website (try looking at a cheaper online/clearance store).

2. Search engines

Ask for what you want. If you would like a pair of boots for $10, type exactly that. For me, it’s kind of a wishing game. I ask the search engine for $10 boots and scan the area, if none of the websites lead me to anything substantial, then I must have asked incorrectly, so I ask again, only a different way this time (ex: Websites with cheap boots, $10 shoes, etc.)

3. Yahoo! Questions

I’ve been viewing Yahoo! questions for years. Chances are, you aren’t the only one searching for those $10 boots. Just tack the words “yahoo questions” at the end of your search and you will be surprised at the wealth of information these forums hold, and you don’t have to be a member to view them.

4. Promo Codes

Before you check out, quickly search for promo codes. Retail Me Not is a great online resource to find those last minute price cuts.

5. Make sure you include the cost of shipping

Those boots may look $10 online, but with shipping they could be $16. To save on shipping, order more than one product at a time, order with a friend and share the shipping, or look for a free shipping promo code.

Finally, be patient; good things come in time. Happy Saving!

Lauren is a fun, easy-going girl who doesn’t like to spend more than $20 at a time. This takes some creative thinking, which is how she came up with her blog name, Creative Dough. Her goal is to help people who are looking to save more than just a few extra dollars!

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 18, 2012 comment

The Small Things Add Up

Read More

The Small Things Add Up

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post by Sabrina from The Unlikely Homemaker

In the same way that the small things you purchase add up to a lot at the end of the month, the small ways you save can also add up to a huge amount at the end of the month.

Spending $5 at a thrift store every week for a few children’s shirts saves you money over buying them new, but over the course of a month that is $22 (plus tax!). While that is still not much, when you have almost no money, it’s like gold. I would much rather keep that $22 in my pocket and repair clothes we already own.

Buying a Sweet Tea every day on the way to pick your kids up from school can add up $22 or more if you also buy snacks for the kids. I would rather make my own at home using tea bags and honey.

If you buy a pack of gum every time you go grocery shopping (say, three times a week?) that can total $13 per month minimum, assuming you are only paying $1 per pack.

Going out to dinner can sometimes be cost/stress effective, but sometimes it is far better to prepare a meal at home. For two adults and two children (one who is only a year old) it can cost my family around $50 to have dinner out. That includes drinks and any appetizers we choose to get. For us to go out once a week, we would be spending $216 a month! Instead, we choose to go once a month, and use coupons so our cost is about $25-$30. That’s a $191 per month savings.

Buying your children a snack at the grocery store because you forgot to feed them before you left can add up to $13 a month or even more if you aren’t choosing something for under $1 (or if you have multiple children to buy for). It is much less expensive to buy a box of granola bars (or similar) and keep them in your car. That way, you won’t have to leave the store early or buy them a snack while you are there.

Small savings every day can add up to a lot. Following just the simple tips above, we save over $250 per month and saving in the small things has freed up enough extra money for me to be able to stay home with our children without it causing too much financial stress.

What are some small ways you cut corners and save money?

Sabrina Hartman is a new-ish stay at home mom to a 2-1/2-year-old and a 1-year-old. She loves to find new ways to save money to compensate for leaving the workplace, and is finding her inner homemaker in the process. She tracks her homemaking life and tips at The Unlikely Homemaker and offers a kitchen tip/guide site at Kitchen Cheat Sheet.

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 18, 2012 comment

Making the most of underemployment

Read More

Making the most of underemployment

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I really enjoyed this article by Laura Ziesel on Making the Most of Underemployment. Here’s a snippet:

When my husband and I moved to California a year and a half ago, we had no jobs lined up, only a spot in grad school. Upon arriving, we settled into our new town and immediately started applying for jobs. After we arrived in California, it was about two months before we found work, although even then I was underemployed and continued looking for work. But we look back upon those months as some of the best we’ve had. Although money was tight, we decided to make the best out of our situations.

Most likely, you’ve been in a similar position, or you may find yourself in one in the future. Though the unemployment rate is on the decline (the most recent jobs report finds it at 8.5 percent), 59 percent of Americans still believe the economy is worsening (according to a new Gallup poll). And regardless of the state of the nation, twentysomethings are still likely to encounter tough times, big moves or life changes—like going back to school or having a spouse do so—that leave them with a little more free time. Here are some of the things we did that helped us not only survive, but thrive:

Read the full article for lots of helpful tips and encouragement.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 17, 2012 comment

4 Things That Will Keep You From Goal-Setting Success

Read More

4 Things That Will Keep You From Goal-Setting Success

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Struggling with goal-setting? Consider if any of these four things are hindering your success:

1. Biting Off More Than You Can Chew

One of the biggest reasons I was a goal-setting failure for so long was because I would set these gigantic and impossible goals. It’s better to set microscopic goals and actually make some good headway on them, than to set goals that are so far out of your reach that you give up before you even take a step in the right direction.

When considering your goals, be very realistic–especially if you’re new to goal-setting. Don’t create an enormous and impossibly long. Stick with a few simple and achievable goals and break them down into bite-sized pieces.

As you become more experienced in goal-setting, you can set your sights higher. But when you’re first starting out, keep it simple and doable. Your success at simple goals will give you momentum to attempt more audacious goals later on down the road.

2. Fear of Failure

If you’ve failed at goal-setting in the past, it’s easy to convince yourself it’s not even worth trying again because you’ll probably just fail yet another time. Do not let the fear of failure keep you from taking the first step in the direction of success. Even if you do end up stumbling and falling and struggling, you’ll still be much farther along than if you never started at all.

Remove sentences that start with, “I can’t…” and “I’m not good enough…” from your vocabulary. These words will never set you up for success, they’ll just trap you in defeatism

Don’t compare yourself to others. Instead, celebrate your progress and success–even if it seems barely measurable. Stay focused and positive; you can do it!

3. Lack of Discipline

Setting small goals and having a positive attitude will help propel you toward goal-setting success. However, if you do those things, but you don’t have the discipline to follow through with your goals, you’ll never get very far.

You are only guaranteed success in goal-setting if you have the discipline, perseverance, and commitment to follow through with your goals.

4. Lack of Accountability

Accountability is the key to discipline. Write your goals out, break them down into bite-sized pieces, post them in a very conspicuous location, and review them on a daily basis.

I’ve found that it’s helpful to review my yearly goals list when making my weekly goals list and my daily to-do list. This keeps me on track and reminds what I need to do this week and today to get where I hope to be at the end of the year.

I also recommend finding an accountability partner to check up with you on a regular basis and see how you’re doing. Not only can they serve as a cheerleader to keep you moving in the right direction, they can help you get back on track if you start veering off course.

What keeps you from goal-setting success?

photo credit