tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13238882946555807832024-03-13T12:22:25.729-07:00How to Start SavingHow to make the overwhelming beginnings easier.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-64773442035661573132010-09-21T13:14:00.000-07:002010-09-21T13:34:04.645-07:00Couponing for Necessary Items<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Of course, we don't </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >need</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> packaged granola bars, cookies, cereal, carnation instant breakfast, pre-made soups, peanut butter, mayo, mustard, etc, etc...</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Couponing isn't only for processed foods & unnecessary things! </span>I promise! <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Here are some things everyone uses: </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Toilet Paper</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Paper towels</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Napkins</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Deodorant</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Razors</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Shaving Cream</span> (of some sort) <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Soap</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Toothpaste<br />Toothbrushes<br />Shampoo/Conditioner<br />Laundry Detergent<br />Dishwashing Liquid<br />Cleaning Sprays<br />Etc....<br /><br />You can purchase these things for very very little. Most of these things (ok, not the paper products & laundry det.), I've bought for under $0.50. I can't stand the thought of buying these things for more, now! I will substitute something so that I can wait for a coupon, if at all possible. </span><br /><br />Here's a picture of some necessary things that I bought today:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNURvCVSt_IbCHt8zzqejvRBY85nyC3y4Il-OLO2ZxRLNPRqQG8e7tWyqZRoti3YWJIxmuENdCJHFf2abl8eqVSdMuiolKwSiersy9e4sBjZMky25lzliGPTrA9cNsMcsXprpmz00DrpR/s1600/Couponing.9.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNURvCVSt_IbCHt8zzqejvRBY85nyC3y4Il-OLO2ZxRLNPRqQG8e7tWyqZRoti3YWJIxmuENdCJHFf2abl8eqVSdMuiolKwSiersy9e4sBjZMky25lzliGPTrA9cNsMcsXprpmz00DrpR/s320/Couponing.9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519466127934365346" border="0" /></a>These were items I bought from Walgreens & CVS. I spent $1.94 for all of it. When I paid for it, not only did I use coupons, but I also used CVS "cash" or "Extra Care Bucks." I had $4.99 of it (so if I didn't have any CVS cash, it would have cost me $6.93).<br /><br />After I bought the items, I received $3.80 in ECBucks to use on my next purchase.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So even though I buy cereal </span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">& granola bars & Oreo Cookies </span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">in bulk when there's a really good sale, those aren't the only things you can buy with coupons. You really can get things that you use on a day-to-day basis.</span><br /><br />Happy Couponing!<br /><br />-RebeccaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-37489306010313585212010-07-17T12:50:00.000-07:002010-07-17T13:18:38.285-07:00Hampton Roads Blogs for Local Deals<a href="http://www.thecouponchallenge.com/p/local-eventskid-fun.html">The Coupon Challenge</a><br /><br /><a href="http://thecouponqueensofhr.blogspot.com/">The Coupon Queens of HR</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thecouponconsultant.com/">The Coupon Consultant</a><br /><a href="http://www.momondealz.com/"><br />Mom on Dealz</a><br /><a href="http://dollydomestic.com/"><br />Dolly Domestic</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.afrugalchick.com/">A Frugal Chick</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-34248341070633189292010-03-10T13:00:00.000-08:002010-03-10T13:27:39.264-08:00Reusable Bags<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c8g5ID_6DXfYk8L_boREeHF4-bCBdBFMrmPRTVsjDvcm2j9WAJpMidDRiP7G4qvZ4P-3lJvwnlL1j5Q3n5Uov76n7boedXbLNqYHO7O43S8Kd_okQlzXFBjF6CmoqrIxsBnPIGtgq2KH/s1600-h/walmart_bags_2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c8g5ID_6DXfYk8L_boREeHF4-bCBdBFMrmPRTVsjDvcm2j9WAJpMidDRiP7G4qvZ4P-3lJvwnlL1j5Q3n5Uov76n7boedXbLNqYHO7O43S8Kd_okQlzXFBjF6CmoqrIxsBnPIGtgq2KH/s320/walmart_bags_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447119994383177794" border="0" /></a><br />When the whole reusable bag thing started, I didn't really jump on the bandwagon. But now I really like them. I use them for all sorts of things - taking a trip, dividing the food bag from the toy bag and such, taking some loose items to church that won't fit in the diaper bag. But mostly I use them for grocery shopping.<br /><br />Typically I leave them in my car so I won't forget them, but I do forget sometimes. It's just a matter of making it a habit. Sometimes I need plastic bags for trashcan liners, so I purposely will leave them in the car.<br /><br />You can get ones with short or long handles. I like the long handles because you can easily throw them over your shoulder. You can also get ones that are insulated for those cold items. They are usually $1.00.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Some stores give you a <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">$0.05 discount per bag</span></span> that you use, I'm sure there are more:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Target</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Farm Fresh</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Kroger</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">CVS (must buy the $0.99 tag per bag and remember to bring it with you, not sure if this is a great deal...)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-87234903686601814412010-03-10T12:55:00.000-08:002010-03-10T16:42:15.870-08:00Doubling CouponsHere are some common places that <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-family:arial;" >double coupons</span>:<br /><br />Harris Teeter:<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">$0.99 and under doubled everyday.</span><br />Every once in a while, they will have Super Double Weeks: $1.99 and under.<br /><br />Farm Fresh:<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">$0.99 and under doubled everyday.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">$1.00 and under doubled on Wednesdays.</span><br /><br />Kroger:<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">$0.50 and under doubled everyday.</span><br /><br />Walmart:<br />I've seen signs for double coupons here, but it's pretty rare, and pretty random.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-34529550054537776352010-03-10T12:40:00.000-08:002010-03-10T12:54:52.353-08:00Farm FreshRemember for today (wed) only, you can double your $1.00 coupons. (They double up to $0.99 everyday). Click <a href="http://moneyhood.blogspot.com/search/label/Farm%20Fresh">here</a> for this week's farm fresh matchups. There are some printables that you can use, in case you don't get the paper (but let this be a reminder to get the Sunday paper if you haven't yet!)<br /><br />A couple things I'm taking advantage of tonight (these are the final prices after sale, coupons, and doubling):<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">$0.97 & $0.98 cereals.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">$0.99 tostito chips (coupons are in the FF ad)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">$0.78 Ragu sauces (coupons are in the FF ad)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">$0.48 14.5 oz Delmonte Tomato Cans</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">****To get the best deals at Farm Fresh:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">1) Buy items on sale, preferably their rock bottom price</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">2) Combine $1.00 coupons with items on sale</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">3) Double those $1.00 coupons on Wednesdays (Strategy: On Wednesdays, a $1.00 off coupon is more valuable than a $1.50 off coupon. This is because the $1.00 one will double to $2.00, but the $1.50 one won't.</span>)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">**Of course there are some items for which you won't find coupons, so in those cases, keep your eyes open for the lowest prices on that item and buy it in bulk when you see that price. Plan your meals around what you have in your pantry! </span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://moneyhood.blogspot.com/search/label/Farm%20Fresh"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-33968716584030534122010-03-10T12:17:00.000-08:002010-03-10T12:40:34.573-08:00Cheap Crock Pot Meal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGMLAGzoS1iw4RjnFEOn9RYS-N_0WN6CWjWGySTY0X9JbTpwHUyGSP8tSbndeIXBniTWXlw9XdALHoZGPEpQWUiH2kc3GEayAA8cb8iBaN32-HR0M0TNpFGBlckRMGX_Ts_sD6DVsQjqv/s1600-h/boneless_chuckroast.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGMLAGzoS1iw4RjnFEOn9RYS-N_0WN6CWjWGySTY0X9JbTpwHUyGSP8tSbndeIXBniTWXlw9XdALHoZGPEpQWUiH2kc3GEayAA8cb8iBaN32-HR0M0TNpFGBlckRMGX_Ts_sD6DVsQjqv/s320/boneless_chuckroast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447107224510756098" border="0" /></a><br />This week (Today thru next Tuesday) at Farm Fresh, <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:arial;" >boneless chuck roast is on sale for $1.68/lb.</span> </span></span>This is a great price, perfect for stocking up. I'm planning on getting <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >9-10 lbs</span> tonight.<br /><br />Here's an awesome recipe for <span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >Crock Pot Bbq Sandwiches</span><span style="font-style: italic;">,</span> and how much I paid for each item. (Hunts Bbq sauce often goes on sale for 10/$10, so I get a few at a time at that sale)<br /><br />2 lb Chuck Roast. ($3.36)<br />1/2 bottle of Bbq Sauce, any flavor ($0.50)<br />5 hamburger/sandwich buns ($0.94)<br /><br />Cut off the obvious fat from the roast. Put it in your slow cooker in the late evening. Cook, covered, on low overnight. <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Plug your nose when opening your bedroom door the next morning (especially if you're pregnant!).</span></span> Pour bbq sauce over roast at your convenience, and break up with a fork. Let it sit on low or on warm, with the cover on, until you're ready to eat it (that day, of course). Spoon the bbq on the buns. Side with chips, fries, or fruit, green beans, or cole slaw - whatever you're in the mood for.<br /><br />The recipe makes 5 Sandwiches for $4.80 or $0.96 each!! I've seen chuck roast for $3.99/lb before. Why would you pay that much when you know how cheap you can get it? Think about how much you pay for one at Doumars or Arby's....Lots more than that.<br /><br />Have anymore good chuck roast recipe ideas? Comment and let us know!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-25423769058587553462010-03-03T18:35:00.000-08:002010-03-03T18:51:10.683-08:00Reward Your Hard WorkWhat tends to blow my budget? Coffee. We just love coffee. I would love to go to Starbucks (not loving Dunkin' right now for a few reasons...) every time I got in the car: in cold weather - a nice hot vanilla breve americano, and in hot (if I'm not pregnant) - a VENTI vanilla breve iced coffee. Do you know how little actual liquid is in a tall or a grande iced coffee? Hardly ANY! I can drink them in two sips.<br /><br />Aaaanyway, I'm trying something to help me gain two things: to keep myself under my food budget, and two, to allow myself to get coffee without feeling $guilty$.<br /><br />My strategy. I've allowed myself a food budget. This includes house toiletries, too. However much I UNDER-spend that month, that is the amount that we can spend on coffee NEXT month. Isn't that sneaky? I'll let you know how it worked for March. So far I'm doing OK. But hey, it is March 3rd. Haha. I'd better be doing well.<br /><br />So if you're having trouble sticking to a budget, try and give yourself a little competition. If you're that type of person. I pretty much thrive on competition, and it's usually with myself. <br /><br />For any of you who are interested, when I am pregnant, and it's really hot outside, I like VENTI iced vanilla breve americanos. Very tasty. And if I don't mind spending more money (or if it's one of those serious hormonal days), I like green tea frappucinos. Oh so good.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-69184590034810383012010-02-26T19:37:00.000-08:002010-02-26T20:06:41.161-08:00Our Priority is the HomeProv 31vs10.An excellent wife, who can find?<br /> For her worth is far above jewels.<br /> 11.The heart of her husband trusts in her,<br /> And he will have no lack of gain.<br /> 12.She does him good and not evil<br /> All the days of her life.<br /> 13.She looks for wool and flax<br /> And works with her hands in delight.<br /> 14.She is like merchant ships;<br /> She brings her food from afar.<br /> 15.She rises also while it is still night<br /> And gives food to her household<br /> And portions to her maidens.<br /> 16.She considers a field and buys it;<br /> From her earnings she plants a vineyard.<br /> 17.She girds herself with strength<br /> And makes her arms strong.<br /> 18.She senses that her gain is good;<br /> Her lamp does not go out at night. <br /><br /> 25.Strength and dignity are her clothing,<br /> And she smiles at the future.<br /> 26.She opens her mouth in wisdom,<br /> And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.<br /> 27.She looks well to the ways of her household,<br /> And does not eat the bread of idleness.<br /> 28.Her children rise up and bless her;<br /> Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:<br /> 29."Many daughters have done nobly,<br /> But you excel them all." <br /><br />I believe that a wife's priority should be her and her husband's home. I don't believe a wife shouldn't go to work outside of her home, but that her priority should be the home. Even though I am a stay at home mom, I have to evaluate where my priorities are too. I can easily be entertained by TV shows, movies, friends, & horses and still be home. <br /><br />A few verses above (notice, I did skip a few) that I noted while reading this tonight:<br /><br />14. "Bringing my food from afar." If it's a very good price and I need it (and it's not ridiculous), I'll drive far to get it. I don't mind driving.<br /><br />15. "She rises also while it is still night..." I'm definitely not at this point. Sorry Mark. ;-)<br /><br />16. "She considers a field and buys it." Sometimes us wives that spend more time with house-stuff have the benefit of wisdom in related things. Not that we shouldn't approach our husbands with high priced decisions, but to know that we have the ability (and responsibility!) to learn all we can about it and bring that knowledge to the table in order to make the best decision possible. We are capable of learning about something by ourselves and helping with the decisions.<br /><br />"From her earnings she plants a vineyard..." The money that she earns (*gasp* her job), she does something fruitful with it. It isn't wasted, it's used for the benefit of the family: for savings or for something the family has been hoping to get but didn't need, or maybe to start an investment in something that may make money later! <br /><br />17. "She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong." I need to get back to the gym. <br /><br />18. "She senses that her gain is good." I know God will bless me for my hard work. I'm not doing this for a blessing (I'm sure it's mostly to avoid the natural consequences), but because responsibility bears good fruit in every case. <br /><br />26. "She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." I hope one day I can come close to this, because I fail everyday.<br /><br />27. "She looks well to the ways of her household and is not lazy." Am I taking an honest look at my house - is it running as smoothly as it could be, does it need some changes? What can I do, with diligence, to make it run well? <br /><br />28. "Her children (and husband) rise up and bless her..." Children don't rise up overnight. But they will. There is a light at the end of this seemingly pointless, but in reality, eternal tunnel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-74623478266360145372010-02-26T19:23:00.001-08:002010-02-26T20:27:31.572-08:00My Pantry is Full....My Budget is Hopefully Staying Unbroken...My stockpile is running well. This week, I spent about $40 on groceries because I had everything I needed in my pantry already. Including meat. It was a nice feeling. I'm waiting for a good price to stock up on Ziploc bags before I run out. <br /><br />When you go into your stockpile for something, check and make sure that you aren't close to running out. If you are, write it down on a notepad, and, looking through the flyers/online sales, etc., keep your eye out for the lowest price around. If you've done a pricebook and know what the lowest price is, it should be going back to that price soon. If you can hold out buying it until it reaches that price (and if you run out, try and improvise with other things), you'll be maximizing your spending plan. <br /><br />This is my weekly list, usually:<br /><br />Sandwich Bread/Whole Wheat Rolls<br />Fruit<br />Vegetables<br />Milk<br />One or more stockpile items I'm close to running out of, that are at their lowest price.<br /><br />I rarely follow that well. But as long as I have a good stockpile, I really don't need to buy much else. It's been really neat seeing my pantry stay stocked, and my need list stay small.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-57153880047013486672010-02-26T19:10:00.001-08:002010-02-26T19:23:07.334-08:00Recipe Book is Coming AlongMy recipe book is coming along. I'm going to take some pictures pretty soon. I've printed out quite a few recipes recently and have put them in a 1 1/2" pretty green binder. With sheet protectors. It looks awesome. Pictures to come.<br /><br />I'm really looking forward to having all of my "regular" recipes in there, plus a few empty spots for the new "winners." I'll make one or two new main recipes a month (to stretch the budget) and decide whether or not it makes the book. I'll probably do new sides more frequently because 1) I have fewer side recipes, and 2) they are less expensive. <br /><br />My last post on my recipe book, I said I wanted to write the cost of each meal (to feed about 4 people). I'm just going to write that in on every page (not type it) because I think the prices will change over time. <br /><br />Why write the costs of the meals down? To make sure I don't make too many expensive meals in a week. Of course that's going to take a lot of time because I have to actually know how much the materials cost...<br /><br />This is going to be awesome, too, because it will contain all our family favorites that my children will be used to. In 2006, my mother-in-law made all of the daughters a recipe book of her favorites. Some of those recipes made it in my book already, and I just love that they can be passed down generation to generation. I hope my future daughters-in-law appreciate that! *Fingers crossed*Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-46255395839499982422010-02-17T19:54:00.000-08:002010-02-17T19:57:23.048-08:00Blog Feature - email subscriptionsOn the left side of this page, you can subscribe to this blog if you enter your email address, type in a verification word when prompted, then click on a link in your email inbox to confirm. <br /><br />Each time I update this blog, you will get emailed, and thus remember to read it. :-)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-34149284201721280942010-02-17T19:46:00.001-08:002010-02-17T19:53:44.528-08:00Double Coupon Week & Coupon WebsitesHarris Teeter is having double coupon week at their store. I am planning on at least 2 shopping trips on separate days (because you can take advantage of the doubles only once a day). Check out the Harris Teeter link on the right column for all the stuff you could get free. <br /><br />When you print coupons from websites, you sometimes have to install a coupon printer. Downloading the printer hasn't bothered my computer at all. Coupons (dot) com is the one I most frequently print coupons from. Other sites you have to put your information down. <br /><br />If you have a problem with giving websites your email address, you can make a completely different email address up, and use that one each time you sign up for newsletters/special offers, etc. You can forward that email address to your regular one, and put it under a different label and check whenever you'd like (I LOVE gmail!!). That way your regular inbox isn't filled up with a bunch of offers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-23862258122694985972010-02-17T19:33:00.000-08:002010-02-17T19:44:38.105-08:00New Addition to BlogThis week, I spent some time searching out Virginia blogs that post the coupon match-ups every time a new ad comes out. <br /><br />I have been wasting some serious time looking for good deals at my local stores from other people's blogs. That's all well and good except when they live in Florida or in California or in St. Louis!! Their sales may not be the same as ours (and I've frequently had problems with this...).<br /><br />Anyway, I FINALLY landed on this website (you may want to check it out): becentsable (dot) net and it has some really cool resources. You can become a paying member and get other cool stuff, or you can just search around for free. <br /><br />I like Farm Fresh double coupons & Kroger & Food Lion. So <span style="font-weight:bold;">I added some blogs you can click on (on the right column)</span> that will give you updated coupon match-ups that are in your area (if you live here in VA). And if you're like me and don't get Food Lion ads in the mail, these will help.<br /><br />If you don't live in VA, you can find your state listed on the becentsable website under "Grocery Store Deals." <br /><br />Let's see if this works for me. I'll keep you posted. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-82076577173732681532010-01-30T21:33:00.000-08:002010-01-30T21:40:51.168-08:00Our Computer Broke!Our home computer broke. The hard drive failed - thankfully only 2 picture folders (that we know of) were corrupted. Bummer, though. <br /><br />With that said, we're getting a Mac in the mail on Tuesday probably. I'm hoping that the it has some cool programs that will help me with organization. <br /><br />I've fiddled around with a couple of recipes. I made shrimp soup the other night and while the recipe called for chicken stock or water, I used cream of shrimp soup with some milk, and also added old bay seasoning! And it actually was good! I never do that, but the fact that it was good was definitely a confidence booster for me. Maybe I do have some of my parent's talent for cooking. <br /><br />I'm still brainstorming about my recipe book, though. Maybe I'll head to Office Max to get some good ideas. Or surf the internet some (wait, surf the internet? Do people even say that anymore?).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-34504107107714158582010-01-23T08:33:00.000-08:002010-01-23T08:38:01.757-08:00A Little ComedyI was just re-reading my last post, the parts where I'm probably going to have recipes more than once/in different sections and I thought about a funny Friends episode where Monica is searching through her wedding planning book that she created when she was growing up. The venues, bands, cakes, and flowers were labeled, cross-referenced, and color coated according to their themes and how they related to one another. Maybe one day I'll be that organized, but by that time I may be on the verge of OCD.<br /><br />It does sound tempting to do, though...<br /><br />Ok wait, maybe I <span style="font-style: italic;">am</span> on the verge of OCD.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-27770956099107391782010-01-22T21:17:00.001-08:002010-01-22T21:32:36.396-08:00Upcoming GoalsI thought of something cool in the shower the other night. I'm going to work hard to compile cheap, quick recipes that Mark and I like in a recipe book (with sheet protectors). I'll probably use a 3 ring binder so when I print out recipes I can stick them right in the binder. If they are in cookbooks, I usually type them out and print them out.<br /><br />My goals for my meals:<br /><br />Prep in 30 minutes<br />Bake for however long I need to that evening.<br />Cheap (Under $10 for my family)<br /><br />My goals for my recipes will tell:<br />how many servings it makes,<br />what season it would be best in,<br />how much prep and also cooking/baking time it takes.<br /><br />I might print out a couple of copies of each recipe because sometimes one meal may fall under other categories. For instance, I want to know which of my recipes are good for Sunday meals - those I can either stick in the crock pot in the morning, bake while I'm at church, or get it on the table in 30 minutes from getting back home. Most of those meals will be fine for using at other times, too.<br /><br />My "tabs" will include at least these:<br />Basketball game nights (or evenings when we have to get out the door quick)<br />Sunday Dinner<br />Large get-togethers<br />A log of my own recipes (what I tried, what I liked/didn't like, mistakes I made, etc)<br />Crock Pot Meals<br />Quick Sides<br /><br />Also, I want to experiment with recipes more. I think I've been cooking long enough that I don't have to stick to recipes like I've been doing. Maybe I'll do one recipe every month where I don't use one at all. (Of course I'll have some spaghetti on standby if something terrible happens!). It's time to leave my comfort zone, lay down my pride, and get to making some good creations.<br /><br />Something that's annoying me is that I have a tendency to let food go bad because I don't have the creativity to use it in something. Celery, Carrots, Green Peppers, Lettuce, Green Onions are a few of the vegetables I often let go bad. I want to figure out ways to use them up so I don't waste money.<br /><br />Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!<br /><br />~RebeccaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-10348877756714068842009-11-26T19:11:00.000-08:002009-12-10T11:13:19.553-08:00Stockpiling, Part 1For the next few months, you'll want to start getting your pantry together. The reason I say for the next months, and not in the next grocery trip, is because you're trying to save yourself money. When you see a good price on something, you'll want to buy it in bulk. Don't buy it to last you one week, <em><span style="font-size:130%;">buy as much as you'll need until a good (or even better) price comes up on it</span>.</em> So if chicken breasts are on sale for $1.68, which is a great price, buy a bunch to last you until it becomes that price again (and as you do this more and more, you'll see a trend).<br /><br />I only have a small freezer, we live in an apt, so we don't have space for extra freezers. So, I have to be careful of how much I buy to freeze. I usually buy 8 3-packs of chicken when they are at that price. Then I don't buy chicken again until it goes to that price again. <em><span style="font-size:130%;">Just plan your meals around the food that you have, and you'll save big money</span></em>. Right now, I don't have ground beef in my freezer, which is driving me crazy - i will only buy it at $0.99/lb, and either I missed it, or I bought way too little!<br /><br />Another thing on that point, I try not to buy things that are going to take up space in my freezer: frozen dinners, boxed things, a large amount of ice-cream, etc. I either take them out of the box or try and finish it quickly. Plus, most of that stuff is more expensive than making a dinner from scratch, and definitely less nutritious.<br /><br />For a little while, when you're beefing up your pantry, your "need" list will be long when you go to the grocery store. <span style="font-size:130%;"><em>But as you get your stockpile up, your "need" list will grow shorter and you'll be able to spend less every week</em>.</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Every time</span> you make dinner and you see your stockpile getting short, make a note so that you'll be on the lookout for the sale p<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">rice</span> of the items on which you're short.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-44630358137411230092009-11-25T21:21:00.000-08:002009-11-26T19:11:11.778-08:00Making a Price Book, Part 1How do you know what is a good price on an item? Is the brand name on sale still more expensive than the store brand? What if it is, but with the coupon it isn't?<br /><br />If you get a notebook (3 ring binder, spiral, whatever works for you), you can keep track of what things you buy and what the regular & sale prices are.<br /><br />Each page in the notebook has it's own item. Put the name of the item at the top. I put the abbreviations of stored I shop at (S = Sams, W= Walmart, etc...) Let me do an example.<br /><br />Cream of Mushroom Soup<br /><br />S- 0.78/can Campbells<br />W-1.12/can Campbells<br />K-<br />FF-1.00/can Richfood<br />FL-<br />Walgreen's - 0.20/can Campbells with coupons<br /><br />Some are blank because I haven't priced that item at that store or because it was way more expensive than the other stores anyway. I also sometimes write a really good deal down, so I know how low I could go (See the Walgreen's entry).<br /><br />Go to the lowest unit you can (ex - 1.00/oz or 0.59/lb), normally price tags will have that listed, so you just have to take a quick look and decide.<br /><br />You may want to write down the season in which you bought the item. Especially with fresh fruits and veggies, you may want to buy frozen/canned in the off-seasons.<br /><br />You also may want to write down sale prices, too.<br /><br />Whatever works for you, it may take a couple weeks to figure it all out, as well as compile your price book. Well, maybe months if you're like me! And I'm still not done!<br /><br /><br />If you have a price book, you will know what items are at a good price. And just because something is on sale, it doesn't mean it's the lowest price you can get it at. Sometimes you have to choose to wait if you want to get more for your money (I only buy ground beef at 0.99/lb, and I buy a LOT of it to last until the next sale).<br /><br />When you shop, bring your price book with you as well as a calculator.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-47259022561467507632009-11-24T20:11:00.000-08:002009-11-24T21:14:03.373-08:00The Basics of Coupons, Part 1So you get your newspapers delivered to you with the coupon inserts inside. What do you do now? Do you use every coupon? Do you clip every coupon? Where do you keep your coupons? Do you bring all your coupons with you when you shop? How do you keep track of expired coupons? Is there a good time and a bad time to use my coupons? Some of these questions have more than one answer. I've done it two or three ways, and I've landed on one answer that works for me (for the time being!).<br /><br />I'll answer those above questions and a few more, one at a time.<br /><br />1) Do you use every coupon? Of course not! If you did, you wouldn't be saving money, you would be doing exactly what the manufacturers want you to do: to get hooked on their product , and then buy it without the coupon later. <span style="font-size:130%;">Use the coupons (when at all possible) when there is a already good sale on that product <span style="font-style: italic;">and you would use it</span>, or when you know that it will be free.</span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />2) Should you clip every coupon? I tried this. After 1 month of collecting coupons, I had WAY too many to keep track of. I had to start adding categories all the time to my coupon notebook so I could find them. I do not clip coupons now unless I know I'm going to use them at the store trip I'm planning to take in the next couple of days.<br /></span><br />3) Where do you keep your coupons? Like I said question #2, I personally did not enjoy clipping every coupon. Now, I file them in a cabinet (or you can buy a little filing box and folders from Walmart to do this). I have four folders right now: "P & G" "Smart Source" "Red Plum" and "Miscellaneous." The first three are inserts from the newspaper. I write the date they came to me on the front of each insert and file them in order. In my last folder I have The Entertainment book, my ALL YOU magazines, and toy coupon magazines.<br /><br />4) Do you bring all your coupons with you when you shop? I don't. I used to, but that made my shopping trip super long, and if I have my kids with me, I tend to impulse buy and not think hard enough about the purchase. I take an hour or so before the shopping trip to decide what I'm going to buy, what coupons to use, and put them all in a folder. I use an envelope for the time being, but I really want to get something like <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35094241">THIS</a>. If you have the will-power to stick to your list, you'll usually win in the end.<br /><br />5) How do you keep track of your expired coupons? If you clip your coupons, you'll have to fish through them every once in a while and throw them away, which is time consuming. You may get frustrated that you let so many "good deals" get away. Don't!!! If you didn't impulse-buy in the first place, that's money you didn't spend! That's a good thing! Remember, don't use every coupon, or you'll end up spending more money than you wanted to. If you file them, you just have to throw out the whole insert that contains all expired coupons after a few months. You didn't waste the time clipping them, so time and money were saved! Bingo!<br /><br />6) Is there a good and bad time to use coupons? Well, you're going to save money either way, but your goal should be (if at all possible) to save the MOST money. If you have a $1 off coupon for Coffee Creamer, you can either buy it when it's full price at $3.99, or when it's on sale for $1.99 each. In the first scenario, you'll get the Creamer for $2.99 (still on sale). But in the second scenario, you'll get it for $0.99!! That's awesome! Over time, you'll be able to see a trend of how often you can get a sale price on an item, and you can buy enough with coupons and sale prices to last you until the next sale.<br /><br />7) What if I have only one coupon for an item, but I want to buy several of the same thing? Some people will <span style="font-size:130%;">get multiple copies of the Sunday paper</span> if they see good coupons ahead of time. There are <span style="font-size:130%;">some places online</span> that you can print off coupons, too. You can use one manufacturer's coupon for each of that item you buy. So, using the example in the last question, if you wanted to buy 4 Coffee Creamers for $0.99 each, you would need 4 of those coupons. Here are some ways to get coupons online (sometimes you are only allowed to print 2 copies per computer):<br /><br /><a href="http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=5S2ZUA6PWPEPO">Smart Source</a><br /><a href="http://www.redplum.com/">Red Plum</a><br /><a href="http://hotcouponworld.com/">Hot Coupon World</a><br /><br />8) When can you use more than one coupon on a single item? You can use one manufacturer's coupon AND a store coupon on a single item. Using the Creamer example again, the Creamer was on sale for $1.99. You had a $1 coupon. But you also have a store coupon for $.50. You can get that creamer for $0.49. What if you're at Kroger and coupons are doubled up to $0.50? You'd save $1.00 with the Man. Coupon, and your $0.50 coupon doubles to $1.00. You would get that creamer for free. See? <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">You can get some GREAT deals by waiting for a sale, using more than one coupon per item, and when coupons are doubled. </span></span><br /><br />9) How do I know what's on sale at certain stores? Well, you can look through the ads that come to you in your newspaper & the mail (which aren't all of them), you can search online for the stores you shop at, or you can subscribe to blogs in your region who have already written them down (I do the latter). They will email you, usually on Sunday or Monday, the sales that are happening at the stores, and which coupons to use <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">and where the coupons came from</span></span>. If you file your coupon inserts and date them, you'll then know where to look, and you'll quickly be able to make your list. It'll be hard to find them quickly if you've already clipped them. You can find some blogs on my homepage, and also on their homepages. Just peruse some, and if you like them, subscribe to them.<br /><br />Ok, that's all I can think of right now. Leave a comment of questions you think I should address so I don't miss anything. It will help me tremendously!! :-)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323888294655580783.post-33708005450203089852009-07-29T18:28:00.000-07:002009-07-29T20:33:19.169-07:00Town Hall for Hope on HuluI was excited to find <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/74840/the-dave-ramsey-show-fri-may-2-2009#s-p1-so-i0">this</a> on a blog today. It's the Town Hall for Hope by Dave Ramsey that was aired on April 23rd of this year in response to the hard economic times. You can watch it for free on hulu.com.<br /><br />It's especially great if you're concerned where the economy is going, where we'll be in a few years, and how to lower the risk of anything happening to you and your family. Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0