Frugal Living Lessons I Have Learned This Week...

I started this blog with the intention of sharing coupons, coupon codes, and various other ways to save money with my readers.

Today I want to share a story about lessons I have learned in saving money and living frugal. Just a quick personal story on my journey to save money for our family. Due to the economy and slower than normal sales, my husband recently had to take a pay cut at work. Needless to say, I started to review the budget to find more ways to save money and possibly cut back our spending.

The first to go was eating out. We never really ate out all that much but now we needed to curb it for the time being. And since summer is upon us and grilling days I'm not sure I will miss eating out all that much. Since we have a nice sun room we will simply be enjoying more meals there. Considering an average meal out would cost $20-$30 we are now saving $40-$60 a month.

The next thing to go was (gulp) car washes. You see, I have become spoiled in driving through the car wash to get the car cleaned. Yes, five minutes and the job is done. That being said, at $10 a car wash twice a month I could save $20 each month. So yesterday I grabbed my bucket, car wash cleaner and a hose and an hour later I had the job done. Not as easy as the five minute car wash where I didn't need to lift a finger but I am saving money! And the bonus was the kids ran around the yard and enjoyed being squirted with the hose.

Then my sister stopped over yesterday and we went to Walmart together. As she gets into my car she remarks at how nasty our grille is and it really is...lol...it's been around for about 10 years now and has seen better days but it still works! She told me we should just break down and buy a new one. Well, first of all, the nasty old grille still works perfectly fine. My point is why spend money on a new one when it's not needed and we don't have the extra money to buy one now. Her reply, just charge it. Again, not feeling like we have to buy a new grille at this time and why go into debt for one. When it stops working then we will look at a new one. Until then why spend $100-$200 on something that works fine, just doesn't look good.

Speaking of Walmart...I brought along a coupon from my "All You" magazine for a Taco Bell Taco Dinner Kit for $1 off one box. My kids love tacos and it's a quick dinner to make for them. The Taco Bell Dinner Kits were just $1.98 at Walmart so with my $1 off coupon I paid just .98 cents for the Taco Kit! The evening we have tacos our entire dinner for the four of us will cost around $4-$5...can't beat that.
I just subscribed to "All You" magazine and love it. It's a great magazine that has interesting articles and tips to read and you get the added bonus of all the fantastic money saving coupons. Follow the link below to get your subscription. It's currently $15 for a year then Amazon has an offer to take $5 off so you end up paying $10 for a year!

We can all find little ways to save money each day in the way we live. My most recent changes were a few meals out and the car washes. Consider giving up the expensive coffee or switch from bottled water to filtered and watch the savings add up!

Donna

Share Your Freebies!

Found a great coupon, Free Sample or Giveaway that you'd like to share, I would LOVE to hear about it!
I am always looking for the best Free Samples, Coupons and Deals to share with everyone here on my blog. If you find a great Freebie somewhere please let me know. I will post a link back to your blog or site as being the source of the great tip that you shared.
Just email me...occity98@yahoo.com
I look forward to hearing about and sharing your great money saving tips and Freebies!

Donna!

My CVS Picks Of The Week

My favorite CVS Deals of the Week!



Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner $4.99/ $3.99 with CVS Card/ $2.99 With CVS Extra Buck Award/ Then take $3.00 off 2 with the P&G Brand Saver Coupon in Sunday's insert bringing the total down to $1.49 each bottle!



Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal $44.99 regular price/ Get $10 extra bucks at CVS and use your P&G Brand Saver Coupon for another $10.00 bringing your total to $24.99!

Freebies Are Just a Click Away!

Shop 4 Freebies is a fantastic resource to save money! They offer coupons, sample, money saving tips, free meal locator, freebie hunting tips, a forum to interact with other frugal shoppers (who often share tips as well) and so much more can be found on their site! I check their site daily for deals, savings and freebies! The link above and to the left can take you directly to the deals.

Enjoy Shop 4 Freebies!

Deal Of The Week!

Kraft Salad Dressing is selling for $1.58 at Walmart this week and if you clipped your coupons from Sunday's papers, there is a coupon for $1.50 off Kraft Salad Dressings. That means you can purchase your salad dressing for just .08 Cents!! And if you're like me and purchased extra copies of the paper then you can grab several bottles of salad dressing...what a great deal !

Setting Financial Goals

Living frugal doesn't mean you have to give up everything you like to do. For me it is centered around the financial goals we have set forth for our family. Setting financial goals is an important step to living more frugal and saving money. Having a goal in mind will keep you motivated to make little money saving changes every day.

There are two main types of financial goals, short term and long term. Or if you're like me, three types, mid term goals. Sit down and assess where you are at financially and where you want to be. This is a must to setting your goals. We started to look at ways to save money last summer when gas prices topped out around $4/gallon. And when the economy continued to tumble we decided to take a look at where we were at with our finances and set financial goals.

Our example is as follows:

Short Term Goal - Find ways to free up a little extra money each month so we could do something fun as a family. We like to take the kids to the zoo, a movie, go out to eat once or twice a month or even a fun scenic family train ride. Cutting back and saving money in some area's of our budget allows us to do one or two of these fun activities each month.

What I like to call Mid Term Goal - Become Debt Free! We realize that becoming debt free will make us more financially comfortable as well as help with our long term goal. I labeled this a mid term goal since it's not something we can achieve over night rather, it's a goal that will take many months and a lot of financial discipline.

Long Term Goal - Build a house or move to a newer one! This is a goal we have set for ourselves as a family and believe it will take 3-5 years to make a reality. Keeping this goal in mind is very motivating to work hard on the short term and mid term goals we have made and stick to them. Knowing there is a prize, so to speak, at the end of the road makes me want to find even more ways to save money.

Again, living frugal doesn't mean you have to give up living. Always keep your goals in mind and depending on how much you want to see those goals happen can help determine how much you want to save money. So make your plans, set your financial goals and find ways to make them happen. Frugal living won't seem like such a bad thing if you have a goal you are working for! Good Luck!

Online Movie Rentals !

Our closet movie rental store charges $2.99 for new movie releases each night. Renting movies online at Netflix allows us to pay a one time monthly fee of $8.99 and the movies are sent right to our home. Another alternative is those Red Box rentals. There is one at our local grocery store and they charge just $1.00 a night. The negative side to this is having to drive back and forth since the rentals are just for one night. To save even more money, borrow DVD's from the library! You may not always get the latest releases but it's free. Getting our kids DVD's at the library is definitely a good money saving tip!

Dollar Store Deals

Economic times like these have more and more people turning to Dollar Stores more than ever. I am not always good about doing this myself but have been trying to get there more often as there really are some great deals to be found there.

For instance, cards...at 50 cents a card compared to at least $2 the savings will add up quickly. On your next visit have a list of upcoming birthday's and stock up. Another thing I like to get at the Dollar Store is gift bags, tissue paper and wrapping paper. I don't know about you but I am always shocked at the prices of the gift bags at major department stores. You can't go wrong grabbing several for $1. My kids get invited to quite a few friends birthday parties so this is something that adds up to savings for us.

Toothpaste, shampoo, plastic containers, picture frames...more great Dollar Store finds! As a mom, one of my favorite aisles is the kids aisle. I always find such great things...coloring books, crayons, books, cheap little toys to take on road trips even some cute gift items like jump ropes, sidewalk chalk and bubbles!

I am going to do a Dollar Store challenge soon and post my purchases on my blog and compare what these items would have cost elsewhere so we can see the savings.

So check out your local Dollar Store...take the time to browse around and see what goods you can find!

Entertainment Book Filled With Coupons

Looking to save hundreds if not thousands on Dining - Entertainment - Travel - Attractions - Shopping - Movies and Much More, then you need to purchase your copy of the coupon Entertainment Book! You don't need to sacrifice eating out as often and entertainment with these savings.

This is a fantastic way to save money on so much! And with people trying to save money as often as possible these days this coupon book would be a great help. We have gotten a copy for years and you get so much more than just dining coupons. The dining coupons are a great savings and a way to help take your family out to dinner a little more often. Many places will offer buy one get one 1/2 off dinners and much more in the coupon book. There are savings on bowling, movies, travel and so much more. Use your coupons for a great family day out...dinner and bowling with the kids or a movie!

You can find a link to purchase your copy of the Entertainment Book on the top left hand side of my blog....order your copy today and start saving!

Money Saving Tips For Dining Out

Frugal Tip Of The Day - Money Saving Tips For Dining Out

Many people enjoy going out to dinner but if you are on a tight budget this may seem like an impossible thing to do often or at all. I know many people are focusing on ways to save money in this tough economy but that doesn't mean you need to completely give up on dining out. If dining out is something you enjoy doing with family and friends then there are a few money saving strategies you can do to make it more affordable.

Limit the amount of times you eat out each month. Cutting back in other areas of your budget can allow for a meal or two out each month and you and your family will truly look forward to those times.

Here is a list of money saving dining out tips:

* Order water in place of soda, tea or alcoholic beverages. An average soda at a restaurant can cost $2.00 or more! An average family of 4 would save at least $8 on their bill ! So go ahead and order a glass of water...it's healthier for you too!

* Look for restaurants that offer early bird specials or coupons. Head out early and take advantage of these savings and enjoy smaller crowds!

* Buy an Entertainment Book of coupons online and save!. At an average cost of $15, depending on where you live, you can save hundreds if not more on dining out and entertainment. They often offer buy one get one 1/2 off dinners at many local and national restaurant chains. This is a fantastic way to keep your dining out bills lower. Just follow the link at the top left hand corner of my blog and you can find out where to purchase your Entertainment Book full of money saving coupons!

* Look for restaurants that offer free or reduced children's meals. Many restaurants offer birthday clubs. Sign your children up for free and they will receive a free meal coupon annually! What a great way to celebrate their birthday and have a budget meal out as a family. Two great sources are www.mykidseatfree.com and www.kidsmealdeals.com Check them out and start saving!

* Share a large meal. Portion sizes have increased and that is especially true at restaurants. Share a meal with someone else at the table and save some money. This is especially true if you have young children! Have two children share a meal or share your meal with your children. This can add up to a good savings on your bill.

* Take leftovers home! This won't save on your bill but you will have your lunch or dinner for the next day and this will save a little on your groceries.

* Skip the costly appetizers. More often than not you will receive a basket of bread or rolls along with a salad with your meal. Why pay for an appetizer when you will have more than enough to eat with your meal!

* Order from the special's board. Make sure to check them out as you walk into the restaurant and if you missed them just ask the waitress. Ordering the special of the day can save a few dollars!

There are several ways to save and still enjoy a meal out. For so many of us it's a nice day out with family. Finding ways to save can mean more treats like this each month. One last money saving tip related to eating out: Check your local grocery store for restaurant gift cards. Our grocery store offers a fuel perks program where for every $50 you spend (including gift cards!) you earn 10 cents off a gallon of gas. If you know you are going out to eat pick up a gift card or two while grocery shopping and earn extra savings on your fuel. Look for promotions on those fuel perks too....every so often our local store offers double fuel earnings on gift cards...good time to stock up and really save on fuel!

I LOVE My Library

Frugal Tip Of The Day - Saving Money By Visiting The Library

Sorry I wasn't able to post yesterday. I came down with this horrible head cold and once my grocery shopping and a little laundry was done, I needed to lay down and take it easy. Still feeling not so great today but trying to catch up on everything.

Have your visited your local library lately? Library visits and borrow rates have been climbing over the past six months due to the economic down turn. There is so much more to your library than just borrowing books. Libraries let you borrow books and magazines. But did you know you can also borrow DVD's? Save the expense of rental fee's and borrow a few DVD's each week.

Trying to cut back on spending then consider giving up your internet service and using the internet for free at the library. For some of us that sounds impossible...WHAT, live without my internet!! But to someone who may have suffered a job loss or cut in pay this can be a way to save over $25 a month. Plan a couple visits each week to check emails and surf for a little while. You will want to visit your library to see what times seems to be easier to grab a free computer.

Another great freebie the library offers is many classes for your kids! Check with your local library to see what they offer. Ours has many programs for toddlers and preschoolers as well as a great summer reading program for school age children. There are so many programs available at your local libraries and you will have built in some free entertainment as well as a way to connect with other parents! So next time you visit your library be sure to ask about the programs they offer and a list of class dates and times!

Visit your local library's website to learn for yourself about all the offerings. While researching this blog post I found out you can now download audio books for your MP3 player for free! So log on to the your library's website to learn about the latest offerings you can take advantage of and save some money!

How Much Are You Saving on Phone, Internet and Cable

Frugal Tip For Today: How To Save Money on Your Phone, Internet and Cable

Whether you are looking to save money because of a job loss or just trying to cut costs to have some extra money each, it pays to look at your phone, internet and cable tv services.

Let's start by taking a look at your phone services...you have several options for savings here. If you are like me and rarely use your cell phone, I actually just like to have it for peace of mind while driving, then you should consider eliminating your monthly service and going to a pre-paid phone plan. Our cell phone plan had cost us $75 a month and one of those phones was a duplicate as my husband had a company paid cell phone for work. By not renewing our contract after it ended and going with a pre-paid phone we saved over $65 a month. We purchased pre-paid minutes at $30 for 3 months costing us $10 a month. That's quite a bit extra we were paying for something that simply wasn't used much.

On the flipside, if you are someone that does use your cell phone quite a bit then look at eliminating your land line and saving over $30 a month. Make sure you look at your cell phone plan to ensure you have enough minutes on the plan to cover what you'll need by going exclusively cellular.

At the very least look at your cell phone bill to find ways to save a few dollars each month. Consider skipping the texting and internet service. Look at how many minutes you are using and if you seem to have quite a few left each month, downgrade your plan to one with less minutes and is less expensive.

Bundle your services to save money and have them all on one bill each month. By combining cable, internet and phone with long distance through our cable company we saved over $30 a month and now only pay one bill. These plans typically average $100 a month but can vary by area. Switch to automatic online bill pay and save the postage....every bit helps.

Look at your cable bill...do you really need HD, Pay Per View and Premium Channels? Go back to basic cable and the savings will quickly add up here as well. Also, head to the library! You can borrow DVD's for free and save money on movie rentals. If you are really in a financial pinch you may want to eliminate your internet plan and use the free internet service at the library while you are there to borrow DVD's, Books and Magazines!

Saving money on these budget busters is easy to do by making just a few changes.

Brown Bag It

Brown bag your lunch instead of eating out or running through the drive thru. Not only will you add money to your wallet but chances are you may lose a few pounds by skipping the fast food. Consider this...if you spend an average of $6 a day on lunch you will save:

$30 a Week
$120 a Month
$1440 a Year !!!

WOW...with an extra $1440 a year you can put that money away in savings, pay down debt or take a vacation! And you will be eating healthier lunches for weight loss with this simple change in your lifestyle. Give it a try...your wallet and waistline will thank you!

The same concept applies to those of you who love to have their morning latte! Considering you spend $4 a day on your latte you can save:

$20 a Week
$80 a Month
$960 a Year !!!

Making your own coffee each morning or grabbing a cup at the office can also pay off big over the year.

Go Green To Save Some Green!

Save money on your energy with a small easy to make change...light bulbs! Yes, light bulbs. By switching from your incandescent bulbs to the compact fluorescents you can begin to save money on your energy bills. Yes, the compact fluorescents cost more initially at the store but they last longer which means you will need to purchase bulbs a lot less often and these energy saving bulbs use less energy adding up to even more savings! So on your next shopping trip, add compact fluorescent bulbs to your list.

These new CFL bulbs can save you 75% on your energy consumption and have a life span ten times that of your typical incandescent bulb. They also give off 75% less heat.
Consider this: If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an energy star bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent green house gases equivalent to to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars! Please check out this website www.energystar.gov I found a lot of great information for this tip from their website and they have many more ways to save energy posted on their site.

Welcome to my Frugal Mom's Guide to Saving Money

I am starting this blog as a way to share the money saving tips and ideas I have used over the years. In today's economy we can all use ideas about how to save money and make your dollar go further. This is especially true for mom's, both stay at home and those that work outside the house.
I would like this blog to be different in that I plan to post a daily "money saving tip" every day as well as new articles a few times a week.
So please keep watching as I get this blog set up. I will be adding to it frequently in the coming weeks.

Thanks!
Donna