Thursday's Simple Tip

There has been a lot in the news recently about the swine flu.
I am not here to talk about it.
Not here to discuss vaccinations and whether or not to get them.
Not here to debate whether schools should close or not.
I am just feeling a strong urge to remind you all of a very simple step you can take to help prevent getting this or any other diseases.

WASH YOUR HANDS

Yep. That's it. That's all I really have to say. It's just that simple.

Wash your hands.

I mean really scrub them. The fast action rubbing back and forth of the palms, enough so they get warm while you are doing it. Now that's a good scrub. You don't know what you've touched, or what has previously touched what you just touched, so treat yourself to a good scrub.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not an overly obsessive type in this area of my life. I am not OCD. I do not carry sanitizer everywhere I go. Well, actually now that I have a baby I do. But it stays in my bag mostly. Just so that I have it if I need it.

So, wash your hands. I definitely think it is worth the 30 seconds or so that it takes to do it.

WFMW - Double Duty in the Car

Since I am now mostly a SAHM I don't get to do this as much as I used to, but my husband and I used to work together and he loves to drive. This would leave me about a 20-25 minute ride to work in the passenger seat. We would talk and listen to ESPN (yes, even I love to stay up on all things sports)but I would also love this time to clean out the car! Exciting, huh?
I don't get to do it as often now, but we did recently take a trip to Richmond and I spent a good bit of the trip cleaning out everything I could reach from my seat. It feels so much better in my car now, feels so good to have less clutter, and keeps me motivated to try and make sure it remains clean! Have a bag available to put trash in, have some wipes ready to clean up the dashboard and other areas. You can get small tasks done in the time it takes to get somewhere, or even the time it takes to wait for a green light, instead of spending a whole Saturday afternoon in your car!
Ever sitting in the passenger side, or in the back? Ever get stuck in traffic for a while because of an accident or during rush hour? Ever get stuck at a really long traffic light, or hit every red light on a long stretch of road? How about trying to do something with that time. Something more than complaining about the time you are using and instead spend your time de-cluttering and cleaning. It's what we do best, right? Multitasking!
For more great tips from others visit We Are THAT Family today for Works For Me Wednesday.

OAMM Guest Post

If you are visiting from Once a Month Mom, thanks for stopping by for a visit!
When I started blogging a few months back about great deals there was a part of it that was to keep myself accountable, but there was a part of it to try and find the best deals and share them with others. In my quest to do this I began to find the best bloggers around in all areas of life (since if you are going to go frugal I think you should go all in), from tips to freebies and gardening to cooking. I have learned the ways of CVS and Wgs, I have learned how to find a coupon for just about anything, and I have learned how to cook enough food to last for a month (or more).
I do not actually have enough freezer space to do all the cooking at once, but I have made some amazing meals for our family and I am so excited to start using this same site to make baby food for my 4 month old. Once A Month Mom has been a great resource to me for cooking in large quantities and learning how to store it properly as well as tips, deals, baby food, family life and more. I have the great priviledge of doing a guest post on their site today, so go on over here and check out this amazing resource for yourself, I think you'll be hooked!

Extra Smart Source

What a great day! I mean, really! I was having a great day even before I got home from church and opened my Sunday paper, but then it got even better.
I was flipping through the paper, casually perusing the ads and inserts. Target, K Mart, CVS, Parade, Smart Source, Target, K Mart....wait! Really? Can it be? Are there really two of every insert in today's paper (at least the one I picked up). Sure was!
I would much rather have this kind of mix up than being short on inserts! I got two of every insert that was supposed to be in my paper except the Red Plum. What a disappointment to not get two RP! Wait. I don't think I can complain that I didn't get two RP when I was only supposed to get one, and I was blessed with an extra SS (the bigger of the coupon books too!).
That's how my great day became even better!

Free Friday Night Fun

I am really excited about tonight!! My husband and I spent one day and night away from our infant last week when I surprised him with a trip to a Phillies baseball game. It was a great day, and though we really missed our son, it was great for us to have a day together and for him to spend a lot of quality time with grandma and grandpa.
Tonight is not going to be quite that exciting, but it will be a lot cheaper and it will be fun! I have a coupon for Olive Garden that is about to run out, plus a gift card we were given just before the birth. Beside our baseball game, this will be our first actual date since our son was born and I am way excited. Not only for a free meal, but also free babysitting, and a wonderful night with my best friend, my husband!
Want an idea for a cheap Friday night at home? Pop up some popcorn and go to Hulu.com and watch a few episodes of your favorite show or even a movie they have that you have yet to see. It's free, the picture is great, you can pause it when you need to, and the commercials are not as long.

Simplifying

I have been on a journey to really try to simplify things in our family's life. Last week we had company, thus we took a good bit of our evenings to clean the house. But not just wiping and vacuuming and such, I mean really cleaning. Going through junk and bagging up lots of trash, recyclables and things to give away. It felt good to get rid of stuff. It felt good to be really clean (though we had 3 guys visiting so it didn't last for long!).
Well, today I decided it was time to do more. Time to go through my clothes and simplify that area of my life. I just found out recently that my church is beginning to collect clothes to give away soon and thus, even more motive to go deep in my closets.
It felt great to do it, feels great that it is done and I feel more organized in my closet (now singular) and it feels great to know my clothes will soon go to worthy and needy homes! Here is some (not all) of what I collected. Please note this is just my clothes, not my husband or son's. Feels good!

Going green, one day at a time...

I know it is the end of Earth Day at this point, but wanted to get my two cents in before it is completely gone.
One of the things I have really started to work on in my home (and in my life) is to simplify. To de-clutter. To get rid of junk. To go through piles of things lying around and chuck the things that are from the 1900's!! It has been a very reviving and cleansing process for me.
With this, I have now got piles of stuff to get rid of, but I know not all of it just goes in the dumpster, so I have been trying really hard to make sure I am recycling the things that I can. I know this is not huge, especially for some very environmentally friendly folks, but it is huge for me and my family.
It has been nice to simplify. Nice to get rid of clutter. Nice to know that I can help the environment in the process. And nice to know that maybe we are creating some better habits that our boy will see and learn to love!
Happy Earth Day! Treat it with respect everyday!

Red Box Code

Want something thrifty to do on this rainy Monday (at least where I am)?
Go to your local redbox and use the code M6FR97 to get a free rental for tonight! It's good today only, Monday, 4/20.

Wgs RR

This week I don't see much worth my while for making a trip to Wgs or CVS, but by the end of the week, I may have heard about hidden deals and may make it out. I think I can say this very boldly since I feel as though I am really getting the hang of how to make these trips worth the time and effort spent on researching and reading and clipping, etc.
Many things have really helped me to get better in this arena, but really I think it has just come with time and experience. If you don't have these things yet, or don't want to wait, I have just read over a great summary of how to go about the Walgreens experience, especially how to make using Register Rewards work for your benefit.
Go on over here and read another Angela's blog about her tips, and you can also find some links to other great sites discussing similar info. You'll definitely be an expert by the time you are done reading!

Be Simple, Save Money, Go Green - Part 3

Sorry about missing part 3 yesterday. It was a busy day getting ready for some company, but they are out now and I am catching up.
So I have been discussing some simple ways in which any and all of us can go green without too much of a hassle or too much out of our pocket. Going green doesn't have to mean you spend more green. Let's see how this can work.
To find part 1 go here, and for part 2 go here. Now for three....

8. Recycle Your Paper. Yes, there is the part of this where you buy recycled paper. But what I mean is that you recycle your paper. How many times do we print things (besides our resume) that we use but then toss (maybe even recycle) before thinking about using the back. All you have to do is keep a "scrap" pile next to your regular pile of paper and use it whenever you aren't turning it in for a grade or something. You'll end up buying printer paper less often since you are using both sides.
9. Rechargeable batteries. A simple one here, but sometimes we all need a little reminder. Maybe they are a little more expensive to initially pay for, but you will get a much longer life out of them, and then you are not always throwing away the old ones (good job to those of you who may use regular batteries but at least recycle them).
10. Just Start. Take a step, or a jump, or even a leap, but you have to start somewhere. One of the best places to start is simply recycling. This may not help you save a ton of money in the beginning, but sometimes you can turn things in for change, and change always adds up to more change. Start recycling and soon you'll feel good about this and see the changes around you and you'll want to take a bigger leap!

Just start today!
Good luck!

More simple ways to save money and be green - Part 2

Going green doesn't always mean spending more green. There are many ways you can go green and save money! If you missed part 1, go here.

5. Plan out your errands. If you can plan for the day, or better yet, the week, you can clump your errands together, plan the best route possible (to save time and gas) and you can help the environment in the process by emitting less gas.
6. Take your own bags. Invest a small amount into a few reusable bags and you will be making a great investment for the environment. You can easily take the bags with you when shopping and use them instead of plastic bags. They are often bigger and sturdier, plus you can sometimes get a few cents back for using them. Every penny adds up in the end.
7. Take your own mug. This is the exact same concept as before, except with a mug and a coffee shop. Buy a good mug and take it with you when you get coffee. Most places give a discount for using it, and you don't have to throw away the other cup when you are done, thus, you're going green. Plus it usually keeps your drink hotter (or colder) longer!

Don't worry about trying them all today, but start somewhere and you will be making a big impact on both your wallet and the environment. Watch for part 3 coming your way tomorrow.

WFMW - Baking with Applesauce

If you don't already know about this great blog, We Are THAT Family, head on over today and read hundreds of posts about different tips and tricks that work well for others. It all a part of Works For Me Wednesday and you can learn some great things while you are there as well as join in on the fun!

I have always tried to be a little more on the healthy side of life. Not obsessively, but for the most part. This includes using applesauce in almost anything that I bake in place of the oil. I use it in the same measurement, I use the unsweetened variety, and it works great! This is not my tip as I'm sure many others do this already (and if you don't, I recommend trying it next time and seeing if you can tell the difference).

What I have found that works best for me is buying the smaller, individual size applesauce packets. I know it is often more economical to buy a larger bottle (or even make it yourself, which is how I LOVE to eat it), but I do not bake often enough to use it all up before it goes bad, thus, it is not more economical when I am throwing some away. And, if you can find a good sale + coupon, you can get them very cheap and it will not go bad on you sooner than you can use it.

I keep mine in the pantry, not the fridge, and am just able to open one at a time, which is 1/2 cup. And since most recipes usually call for 1/4 to 1/2 cup, I only have to use one and then I'll add a little cinnamon sugar to the remaining 1/4 cup for a small snack. You should try it today and let me know what you think.

Simple ways to save money and be green- Part 1

Think the little things don't matter to your wallet, or the environment? I think your wrong! Here are a few simple things to think about trying today so you can save your money and your environment at the same time!

1. Turn the lights off. When you leave a room, turn out the lights, especially if you are not going back to that room any time soon. And whenever you can, use energy-saving bulbs too.
2. Don't go so fast! Especially right when the light turns green and you want to gun it. All you're doing is wasting gas and getting to the next red light faster.
3. Get some fresh air. This time of year is a great time to open some windows and save on heat or air. If you can't utilize your windows quite yet, at least turn down your heating or AC when you are leaving your house for the day, or especially for vacation.
4. Use rags. This is the time of year for spring cleaning. Cut up some old t-shirts and use them as rags to clean instead of cleaning with paper towels.

Come back on Thursday for part 2 of these great ideas to go green and save money!

Saving big by starting small

I am almost halfway through my second month of trying to be a more frugal shopper. This has included learning the CVS and Wgs systems, buying newspapers to clip coupons, and following numerous blogs to find the best deals around.
When I first started I decided that I needed to go all in right away. I bought the paper, clipped all the coupons, printed all the internet coupons available, found as many blogs and websites as I could to further my knowledge, and did as much shopping as I could to make sure I was getting ALL the deals everyone was talking about. I did get a LOT of stuff, and without spending too much more money than I had been in a normal month, but I also realized that I probably could have started a lot more gradually in order to better figure out the system before just diving into the deep end.
So this is where I am this month. Trying to be a little more conservative in my choices. I've had some time now to do more research, figure out what the best deals really are, and allow myself room to make wiser choices. The biggest part of this for me is going smaller. Yes, there are amazing deals, and there are people who can get them all and spend only pennies, but I need to be OK with starting small, with knowing when it is OK to pass up a deal.
So for now I am going to set smaller goals, make smaller purchases and have smaller savings in mind so that I can eventually save big!

Free Friday Night Fun

What a great Friday night I just had! And I know I enjoyed it SO much more because it was free, or very close to it!
I printed two of the Buffalo Wild Wings coupons and my husband and I made separate take out orders for our 6 free wings each. Go get yours now! It worked great, at least at my store.
Then my husband went to Wal Mart to rent a free movie with one of the red box codes. Unfortunately, he got frustrated with the slow people in front of him, and then was so focused on remembering what movies he night want to watch, that he forgot about the code and paid the dollar. Oh well, still a frugal purchase for a nice family Friday night! We watched Slumdog Millionaire, and, I'd have to say, worth the dollar, and worth all the awards it received!
What family fun did you have tonight?

Friday's Financial Tip-Coffee

MMMMMM...Cooofffeeeee!
I love it! I had no interest in it while I was pregnant (which was probably a good thing anyway) but now that I am no longer pregnant, I love it again!
In the past, I worked at Starbucks for about 3 years and I learned the greatest things about coffee, how to taste it and know where it was from, how to describe it in a mouthwatering way, and how to be a snob about the coffee I chose to drink. Since I no longer work there, and only work part time now, and have a baby...I can't go out everyday and buy myself a cup of my favorite joe. So, I have been trying out different brands, different varieties, trying to find the most frugal yet still delicious cup of coffee!
This is not easy, but I am so excited about the coffee I got in the mail yesterday. I have not tried it yet, but I will very soon. I did the deal that was out in blogger world found through Boca Java where you could pick 4 bags of coffee (granted they are 8 oz bags) for only $4.95, which included shipping. Well, I got my coffee yesterday, less than a week from when I ordered it and now I can enjoy each cup, knowing that I got a great deal and have enough to last until I find the next great deal. Coffee is one of those things I am not willing to totally sacrifice on the taste for the price.

Here are some things you can do if you want to be frugal but don't want to sacrifice taste:
1. Get to know your local coffee store managers, they may want to give you a discount, free cup every now and then, or give you some credit in return for something you can do for them (such as advertising on your blog).
2. Look for deals on line, and don't be afraid of a membership program as long as they state there is no further obligation from you.
3. It is always more frugal to make the coffee at home. Keep trying to get it right, and eventually it will taste better than what you can get in the store.
4. Learn to love coffee and learn to love it black. You will save on creamers and sugars and you can enjoy the coffee purely for what it is!
5. Learn to love cold coffee. If you can't finish the pot you made, don't just dump it, put it in the fridge and make some "iced coffee" for next time!

Enjoy your morning brew!

Looking at the unit price of products

I never allot as much time as I really need to do my weekly shopping. I always underestimate how long my trip might take, and usually have to return home early (to feed my infant) only to make another trip out later. I think eventually I will get faster, as I am still learning where things are located in each store, but for now, I am ok with my speed (or lack thereof) because I feel it is helping me to save money in the long run.

I am new to shopping at CVS and Wgs, but over the last month I have noticed something (on my slow shopping trips) that makes me think twice about buying products. It is so great when things go on sale at these stores, plus they offer a store coupon and there happens to be a mfg coupon available too! But then I get to the store and realize that the original price is so high that including all of the above discounts, the product may be the same price as getting it at Wal Mart, and then I look a little closer and realize how much smaller the product is in these stores compared to a grocery store or discount store! Have you ever taken time to notice this and figure out how "good" the deal really is?

It is not just these types of stores I have noticed this in, though. Have you heard about or noticed for yourself how the packages of things that we have always gotten are getting smaller but costing the same amount of money? It is really hard to tell unless you are looking at an older version and newer version side by side, but if you are a more observant person (sometimes I am a little too observant) you may notice the difference when you look at it or when you hold it.

So, why am I such a slow shopper? Well, besides learning where things are, I am constantly trying to figure out in my head how good the deal really is compared to what I am getting. This is one thing I really like about Wal Mart, thst the unit price is next to the actual price of most products so I can take a wuick glance and know that I am getting the best deal for my precious dollars!

So,
1. Know the products you lost often buy and the best price you can get them for (unit price).
2. Be willing to spend a little extra time in the begining to shop around.
3. Be willing to wait for a better deal to come along; coupons usually last for at least a couple of months.
4. Take a calculator with you.
5. Learn to stretch each dollar a little further.

WFMW- How to simplify

I am learning to simplify in life, and although I am new at this, and definitely by no means a pro, I can tell you one thing that is working for me right now.

I am not as organized as I used to be (since having a child) and don't have as good a memory as I used to. These things considered, I feel like I lose stuff a LOT more than I ever used to. Because of this I have realized just how much stuff we have around the house. Things that we need surrounded by things we don't, buried underneath the clutter, under the pile of clothes that have been washed but not folded, beside the 10 candles on top of the entertainment center, etc. Get the point? There is so much stuff around-whether needed or not-that I can't find things when I need them anymore, like keys and phone and pacifier...I once spent 6 months in New Zealand with pretty much everything I needed in 2 suitcases. 2 suitcases!! If I could do it for 6 months, why can't I do it for a year, or 2 years, or as a lifestyle? Why do I have SO MUCH STUFF?

So I have decided to try and simplify things, slowly making my way through the house, but starting with a small goal of the kitchen. See, I think if I can start with what's inside of the cabinets, then maybe I won't have so much junk around on the counters but instead can make room behind closed doors for better organization.

I am starting with drinks. I have had a cabinet full of different flavors of drink mixes and teas. Mixes for pitchers and for smaller water bottles, as well as over a dozen different flavors of tea! I've decided I shouldn't need this many choices. I should be able to have just a couple of drink mixes, and a couple of choices when I want tea (especially since right now I drink a lot more coffee than tea anyway!). It's kind of like going on a spending fast, but just in this area, that way I can start small, not get overwhelmed, and I can see results quickly in one area, thus motivating me to move on to the next, gradually creating this way of living that comes naturally for our family.

So far, it's working for me to take it one baby step at a time. What about you? Do you have ways for simplifying your life? Do you have something else that works for you that we can all learn from? Go over here and let us know.

Tuesday's Tip

I am new to couponing and fairly new to blogging, but I feel as though I am picking up on things quickly. One tip I could give from what I have been learning is that just because a store has a product on sale does not mean that it is the best deal you can get on that product. In the same way, just because you have a coupon for a product does not mean that it is worth using the coupon on that product.
As you start trying to live a more frugal life, hopefully you will start shopping around more, learning to find the very best deal. As you do this, you will soon begin to have a pretty good idea of the average price of things at various stores in your area. Once you become familiar with these prices, you will know what stores offer the best price, and you will know whether or not a sale on an item at a store really makes it the very best deal.
For instance, if you find out that Walgreens is having a sale on you favorite shampoo this week, you may decide it is best to stock up while you can. But if you have done some research and you know that this brand of shampoo is always cheaper at Wal-Mart than the sale price at Walgreens, you will know it is not as good a deal as it might seem at first glance. In the same way, if this shampoo goes on sale at Walgreens, and there is a store coupon, and there is a manufacturer's coupon, and you can get the shampoo pracitcally for free, you should be ok with stocking up on something you know you can always use. But again, only if it is an amazing deal and only if you can get it cheaper with all the sales and deals than you could at the other store with a regularly lower price plus the man. coupon.
In the same way, just because you have a coupon does NOT mean that you should definitely use that coupon. When it gets to the end of a month and I have coupons expiring, I don't want to feel like I have to use all the coupons, no matter what, just because I have them. This does not necessarily mean I am saving money, but instead means I am spending money I would not otherwise spend, I am just spending less because I have a coupon. Sometimes you can get s store brand that is just as good, but for a much lower price than a name brand product with a coupon.
Do your research, know your favorite products, know when to use a coupon and when to store a coupon, and know when it is best to just throw the coupon away.
Do you have a tip that you'd like to share with us?

Go Green For Free

Looking to be a little more green in your life? One way is by using reusable shopping bags when you go to stores. Right here you can design a bag, which will not only enter you into a contest to win $1000, but you will also receive a credit on your Kroger card to go into your store and get a free reusable bag to start using today! Great deal! Go green!

March Spending and Saving

I went through all my receipts (i went shopping way too often!) and tallied up how much I actually spent with how much I saved, etc.
Here is the breakdown (this includes all groceries and household items, and I know this is a lot for a family of 3, with one of those being an infant, but that is what I am working on, getting the spending down by using coupons and other means):

What I would have spent if I actually bought everything at retail cost (granted, I wouldn't have bought many of these things if I weren't getting superb deals, but just to look at the numbers): $1174.98

What I saved using coupons, store sales, and rebates: $580.07

What I actually spent OOP:$609.53

Percentage of savings in March: 48.95%

Not bad, but I can definitely do better and still get everything we need for our family!

Spending and Saving

Why do you sometimes have to spend more in order to save more? Don't worry, it's worth it in the long run...
1. Invest in good gardening tools, it's worth it in the long run when you spend less on groceries.
2. Buy some food in bulk so you can cook more at a time, therefore you have meals in the freezer ready to go instead of getting fast food.
3. Invest some time in tracking your savings, it will be well worth your time when you find out how much you are actually saving compared to your spending.

And today.........
Spend more time on research so you can spend less money in the stores.
You may feel like you don't have time for this, you may feel like it is not worth it, but it definitely is. Know the stores you shop at, know the items you most regularly purchase, and know where the best place to shop is for the items you want, even if you have to go to multiple stores. If you have to drive too far to get just an ok deal, it is probably not worth the extra time and gas. But if you have multiple stores nearby and you take the time to find the best deals each week at each store, it will be worth the time and effort spent on research once you see the money you have saved.
Also, spend more on finding coupons for the items you are going to purchase. There are many sites online to find coupons, there are many bloggers that keep everyone updated, and there are also the manufacture's sites that often have coupons for your favorite products. Take a little time to save a lot of money.
Some of my favorites to get started on:
Hip2Save
Coupons.com
Johnson's Baby
Happy Saving!

Free Entertainment

Trying to save some money and need some free entertainment? Go over here to try and win a movie money giveaway! Good Luck!

Spending More to Save More Part 3

So, we have already looked at how you may have to spend more initially to start a garden. But then you can save by growing your own food!
And we have looked at how you may have to initially spend more on food so you can buy and prepare food in bulk, but then you will save on not eating out or buying pre-packaged foods.
Today we are going to look at another way you may have to spend more in order to save more. This is a little different though as we will look at spending more time in order to save more money. And if we all think the same here, time is money in today's world!
If I am going to spend time finding coupons on line, clipping coupons from the newspaper, and shopping at several stores instead of just getting everything at one store, I want to know that what I am saving is worth the time I have put into these savings! If you think your time is valuable, you'll want to know this for sure.
Since last month was my first full month of fully engaging in the world of blogging and couponing and such, I decided that I would take a few minutes and input everything into a spreadsheet so I could see what I was actually saving. Now, I did not actually calculate my exact time spent on everything I did, but I have a rough idea, and now I have a solid idea of my spending and saving ratio. I got the idea of the spreadsheet from The Coupon Project here. It was great for me to look at all that I actually got as well as what I actually spent and saved over the month. Now, as much as I want to look at my numbers and see that I saved over 50%, I have to realized that much of that savings is because some stores mark proces up SO much, that then when they put the item on sale and you have a coupon, it jacks up the saving %. I know I have to take this into account, but I also know that I would not ever buy this product from this store if it were normal price for that store, but with the discounts, it's a great deal, for any store!
If you do engage in the ever-growing population of frugal moms, make sure that it is worth your time! It may take more time initially, but as you get used to the process and you develop a system that works well for you (and you have tracked that you are saving enough that makes it worth you time), you will find you love saving money!

Baby Organization is Trifling!

Today is a special edition of Works For Me Wednesday. This is backwards week where we give you the problem and you help with the solution. Check out where it originates over at We Are THAT Family.
I have a 3 month old baby, first child for us. It's been a fabulous experience! I love being a mom, love every minute of it! I have noticed, though, that I am not nearly as organized and on top of things as I was before I had my son. So how do I do it? How do I maintain my organization; my ability to know where things are and where they are supposed to go? I was graciously given a DVD of pictures that were taken of my son when he was 1 month, but I CAN'T find it ANYwhere! I'm sure that, at the time, I put it somewhere I thought was very smart and I would surely remember, but for the life of me, I am lost! There's also the possibility that my husband did something crazy with it since he was the last to have it and he loses things easily...
But, how do I take the disorganized journey of having an infant in our house now and make it organized? How do I keep from spending hours cleaning everything when we want to have someone over, only to do all over again within the week with new guests? How do I keep from allowing this beautiful, helpless child to take over our house (and my mind) and making my used-to-be-organized life a now disorganized mess? HELP!