a few savings ideas

So here we are a month into the new year - how has everyone been doing with their New Year's resolutions?  I have probably been keeping up with half of mine, half the time...which I am actually pretty happy about.  I'll do a post update next week.

I am assuming whether it was a resolution for you or not, most people would like to save more money. (Me, me, me!!!!)  But the trick to doing so WITHOUT sacrificing quality of life or the things you like to buy and it takes some learning.

I went on a savings quest 2 years ago.  Since that time, I really have just learned how to coupon.  This has been wonderful at helping me still get what I want (organic milk for instance, most of the time), but I pay less money.  I consistently save more than I spend (spending $65 for instance but saving $75).  My favorite part of couponing is getting most of our toiletries for free (shampoo, lotion, toothpaste/brushes, etc) so that I free up "real food" money.  I am still learning, though.  I don't like how I do some months - this past one I spent $497 on groceries and household needs - so all drugstore (not Bailey's Rx) and grocery trips.  Now, when I started this journey I spent upwards of $150/wk, so spending $500 a month would have been good!  This past month I had to rebound from not couponing at all through December, so we went through some of our stockpile - esp meat and I had to replenish.  This next month, my goal is to spend $400 - all of the things we need and to continue to build my stockpile.

Anyway, here are a few things I just implemented this year to save more at the store.

*No more lunchmeat at the deli counter.  Even at $4.99/lb which is a SALE price for Boar's Head turkey, that is just too much!  I was spending at least $10/wk on Kevin's lunchmeat.  So now I am cooking up an extra serving or two of whatever meat I am making that week - chicken breast for instance, or london broil, and I slice it thin for his sandwiches.  I also have been making egg/tuna/chicken salad a few times, and he gets pb&j at least once a week.   I have 2 turkeys in the freezer that I got for .39/lb at Thanksgiving time that I look forward to cooking soon and saving some of that meat for his sammies.

*Speaking of meat, I have been stretching it with more veggies and sides.  I have been making soup once a week also, which helps too - soup is a frugal meal.

*I stay on top of what's in the fridge.  I used to waste too much!  I'd have high hopes of my kids eating blueberries let's say, and maybe we'd make it through one pint not two.  For shame!  Now I flash freeze the berries (and any other fruit/veg that can freeze) after a few days to insure it won't go to waste.  Our fave way to eat fruits that are in the freezer are in smoothies and waffles, and for veggies - soup.

*Buy big, and separate.  This new year, I have switched most of the girls yogurt to organic.  When they were babies/toddlers they ate organic, but I got away from it in favor of Gogurts for school - so easy to pack!  Well, I'll still buy go-gurts once in awhile but they eat yogurt every day, so now they are getting organic and I buy the quart size and separate it into reusable containers for their lunches and freeze the night before so it stays cool until lunch.  Sometimes it is cheaper to buy small and use a coupon (ie - if a coupon says $1 off, any size - use 4 coupons and get 4 of the smaller one that's on sale for $2, than buying the bigger one that's $8.  So you spend $4 for the same amount of product, than buying the bigger one and spending $7.  See?) but in instances such as the yogurt, it's cheaper to buy big.  (Stonyfield Farms has coupons on their website by the way - you can still coupon with organic!)

*Speaking of couponing organic, look through your circular!!  Last week at ShopRite I scored Gala organic apples (my fave!) and organic cut baby carrots for .99/lb with a coupon that was in the circular.  No limit was on the apples, so I got a huge bag, apples last for a while.

*I made a list of products I like, and am going to be emailing the companies.  I have done this a few times, but want to do more of it.  My favorite coupon I received from emailing the company so far has been Eggland's best - they sent me 4 .50 off coupons.  I waited for a sale - SR then had Eggland's best for $1.77 - the .50 doubled (most grocery stores double coupons, drugstores and supercenters like Target and Walmart don't) so I got the eggs for .77 each.

Do you have any tips?  I'd love to hear them!!

Whatever Wednesday

Yo.  It is 3:04 pm, about 1/2 hr until my chickies come home.  Bailey went back to school today which was l.o.v.e.l.y.  I had cried my eyes out for about 2 weeks when she started 1st grade this year, not knowing how I'd make it through every day with her gone, my angel baby, for 7 hours.  Well I've gotten quite used to angel baby being gone each day and when she is home during the week missing school and all her friends (read: whining, following me around, closing her door to her sister which makes sister furious...) I realize how nicely I've adjusted to full day school.  I see her for about 2 hrs in the morning unless my hubby's home and let's me sleep in (xoxo to you Kev) and from 3:45 on in the afternoon...and weekends...and snow days, sick days, MLK and every other kind of day...and summers.  I feel really blessed to have the best of both worlds - time when my children are in school to allow me to do other things, and time with them when they're home.

Taylor at this point spends 3 hrs/day except every other Friday in school, but next year she'll be full day like Bailey.  It's 1/2 day kindergarten in our district but they are putting her in 1/2 day "normal" kindergarten and 1/2 day special ed.  She'll leave on the morning bus wiht Bailey to go to her special kindergarten, eat lunch with them and then leave to go to normal.  A few of her friends from this year's class have the same arrangement, which is a huge relief.  She has had the same room, teacher, aides and therapists for 2 years and it's all changing - a big check-minus in Taylor's book.  So the fact that she will at least be at the same school, with a few friends, is awesome.

I'm not sure yet if I will cry as I did with Bailey, but I am sure now I will get over it.

Today I was talking with a few friends about what my plans will be for next year when both girls are gone all day.  So...I really think I want to somehow market myself as a "coupon consultant."  Several times a week I am talking coupons with people, and I love it.  I love saving money and I love talking about how.  There are so many "secrets" that people don't know about and I want to share what I know so other people can free up more money for things they want and need.  I am not sure what this will look like yet, but for starters I am going to make myself available to talk to MOPS and other mothers groups in the area.  Maybe do a workshop out of churches, libraries, etc.  Tomorrow I am speaking to a MOPS group in Cherry Hill - no charge, but great practice.  I spoke at my own MOPS group also, earlier this year.  Truly, to really delve into it, I need much more time than an hour to show people how to coupon effectively and efficiently.

So that's what I'm thinking about today.  I wish sometimes God could just call me up and tell me what He wants me to do, and what I'll be good at.  I never thought I'd want to venture into something like this, but I kind of fell into couponing, grew to really appreciate it and love it, and now I think perhaps I might even be able to make a small income helping other people learn the system while still being "at home" with my kids.  I feel excited!

Sales Saturday

I am pleased with how I did this week at the grocery.  I only went to ShopRite, but I stopped by twice, on my first trip I spent $19.55 out of pocket, and saved $121.71.  My second trip I spent $1.83 and saved $14.96.  No trips to CVS or Rite Aid.

More and more I am having friends and even strangers at the store ask about couponing and how to do it.  I've said it before so pardon if I'm annoying, but I LOVE the website Living Rich with Coupons - she's on FB too.  I am so thankful for her site, it makes couponing much easier for me.  But here are a few random tips from me.

*Don't even start "couponing" unless you are interested in it.  Once you get a system down, it is not too bad, but it is time consuming.  If you know you'll hate cutting/printing/organizing coupons, don't.  Instead, pay a lot more attention to your circulars.  These come in the mail usually on Thursday or Friday.  I used to be so annoyed and now I can't wait to get them!!  Anyway, look through the different ones and circle items your family needs or wants that are a good price.  The store that has the best sales gets your business that week!!

*Buy coupons off Ebay.  For example. a week or 2 ago, there was a coupon in the Sunday coupon insert (out of the Sunday paper) for "free or up to $3 off" any size Purina One Beyond dry cat food.  We have 3 cats so I view this as a hot coupon.  I have several from my coupon friends and ones I got myself, but I also ordered 40 off of Ebay.  This cost me almost $15, but the value of the coupons is $120.  This cat food has a long shelf life, so I can store them in my garage easily.  My ShopRite will not let me get all 40 at once, and I wouldn't want to clear them out like that anyway - so over the next month I will get cat food every time I go to the store, in groups of 4.  Most stores put a limit of "4 like coupons" in one transaction.

*If you are close to a neighbor that gets a Sunday paper, ask if they use their coupons and if they don't, would they mind giving them to you.  One of my neighbors bless her heart, cuts out what she wants and then hangs the rest of the circular on my door in a bag.  I also get coupons from my in-laws, my fake sister-in-law, and my couponing group of friends.  Your couponing pile will add up.

*View coupons as money.  First of all, most grocery stores double the face value of a coupon - .50 off becomes $1, etc.  Wouldn't you pick up a $1 off the street and feel good about it?  Same with saving $1. Every little bit adds up.

*Find a good way to organize your coupons, and a good time to do it.  I personally have a coupon binder.  It is a large 3-ring zippered binder, filled with baseball card sleeves and dividers.  I picked it up from Staples and I call it my baby.  TMI?

*Keep track of your savings, it motivates you.

*Menu plan and if you can, designate a morning a week (or evening, whatever) to prepping your meals. Chop veggies, shred cheese, etc.  Even make the whole meal.  What does this have to do w couponing?  First, plan your meals around the sales.  Pork is $1.49/lb?  That's a great price.  Buy a huge tenderloin (around $15) and cut it up into sections - you'll probably get at least 4 meals out of it for a family of four. I AM a family of four, but 2 out of our 4 won't eat pork - so for us we get at least 6 or 7 meals out of it.  I will freeze most (yes, I am blessed to have an extra freezer in my garage - an investment I think is a great idea for couponers but mine was free!) but also have BBQ pork or pork fried rice that week.  Second, you save money by not having 5pm roll around and you don't care what it costs to order take-out, you are NOT doing one more thing that day by making dinner.  Been there done that - and still do.  But less often.

*Sometimes it pays to stop at an extra store that week.   Farmers markets, drugstores, groceries.  Yes, time is money, but if you save $50, spending an extra hour and 1/2...and buy exactly what you need and want...that's time well spent.  Same with couponing.  If you spend 2 hours a week, but save $60 - that's $30/hour.  Not bad, right?

*Ok I already said something along these lines, but that's how important I think this is - if you want to get into couponing, get a friend who wants to do it too.  It is so much more fun.  You can share coupons, tell each other about deals, meet up at a diner while you go organize or cut your coupons.

Let me know if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer!

couponing

I have nothing interesting to say.

Today I have been trying to play catch up with a few things, and it feels good.  On my list was grocery/drugstore shopping and so far I have hit up 2 Rite Aids, tonight I am going to go to 2 more and also the ShopRite.  Why go to 4 Rite Aids?!  Because after coupons and UP rewards (a coupon that prints on the bottom of receipts), I am paying $1/box of Playtex tampons (not free but a good price!) and getting Johnson and Johnson baby products for free.  I never want to empty one store of all their stash - I'm nice like that - so I hit up various stores.  At ShopRite I plan on spending around $50 - last week I spent $60.   Not too bad, and less than 1/2 what I used to pay!!

It makes me feel good to get products my family needs and uses for a lot less money.  If I don't need it, I'll donate it and that feels good too.  Perhaps my food addiction could be replaced with a coupon addiction? That'd be awesome.

If you want info about couponing, I'd go to the Living Rich with Coupons website - I think that's the most thorough and easy to read site.  She has a FB page too.