Saving Money

Happy Wednesday!
Lately I have been asked how I spend $100 or less a week for food, paper products, cleaning supplies, laundry stuff , dog food and health and beauty products. The answer is simple. COUPONS!

I’m going to try to keep this simple for now but please feel free to contact me with questions or wanting more info.

First things is to remember if you want to cut your grocery bill it will take time. You will need to build a stockpile so that you never pay full price again. This begins with buying your Sunday newspaper. You will need to find out what paper in your area gives the best coupons. We really only have 1 here but when I can get my hands on a Detroit Free Press it is like striking gold. The other thing I do is I buy 4 papers. I get mine on Sunday mornings at the Dollar Tree since they normally sell for $1.75. Why 4 papers? Because the main store I use coupons at will allow me to use 4 of the same coupons at a time. You will need to contact your grocery stores and find out their coupon policies. The store I go to will double up to $1.00 so say x brand of deodorant is on sale for $2 and I have a $1 of one I get that for fee! Ironically the store I go to is one of the more pricier stores in town but combining sales and coupons make it worth the 18 min drive there once a week. I try to only buy what is on sale that I have coupons for there to keep my cost down. I get what I can’t get there at Aldis.

Another huge way to save money is with rebates. I only do Rite Aid and I take my rebate and put it on a gift card and only use that money to buy more things that are cheap or free after rebate!

Things I don’t pay for or pay very little for:
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Deodorant
Yogurt
Shampoos and Conditioners
Boxed potatoes
Makeup
Dishwasher detergent
Salad dressing
Frozen veggies
And lots more.

My trip for this week. Remember I don’t shop like a lot of you do so this is obviously not a weeks worth of groceries for us but things to add to the stockpile for when we need them. Oh and please don’t to food banks if you end up with to much.

1/19/09 at Giant Eagle
8 Reese’s Whips
4 Four Piece Rubbermaid food containers
2 mild Ortega taco sauces
2 Suave deodorant
4 boxes of Nature Valley granola bars

Paid $6.20
Saved $32.67 85% savings!

You will spend more time at this in the beginning because it is something new. I spend about 45 min a week clipping and putting coupons away and maybe another 15 minutes pulling the coupons I will be using. Remember if the store is out of something get a rain check!

I know this a just a little bit of information so like I said please contact me if you have any further questions.

Overwhelmed!

I seem to get overwhelmed very easily. It can be when I need to clean something if it is too bad I just don't know where to start or I get distracted. Example cleaning craft room and take a dirty glass to the kitchen then I start picking up in there. I also find that some days I just have no idea where to start. I know what I need to do but again don't know where to start. I would make lists of things to do and then it would become overwhelming to me. I finally have found something to help! Instead of making a list of what I need to do I right stuff down on a list after I do it. Something in my strange head wants to see my list longer and I get a lot more done. Feels so much better to me than to check something off a list and see 5 other things that I need to do.
Strange huh?!

New Year

I know we are almost 2 weeks into the new year but I'm just getting around to accepting the fact that 2009 is here! This is a big year for us. I have a daughter turning 16 so I'm planning the Sweet 16 party to hopefully live up to what she has dreamed of but I doubt that because her dream has a Jeep Liberty as a gift and that isn't going to happen.
My husband and I will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary this year in May and in Dec I will be turning 40. None of these seem like they are possible!

I'm working hard this year to find a balance in my life. So far I've been doing good. Still lots of room to improve but finding peace which was the goal!

Hope 2009 is good to you!

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to all of my friends and family.

It is just my family at home today which is very nice. The girls are off playing with their gifts and I am actually sewing. I think everyone but Brian is still in their PJ's. Christmas dinner is started and we will probably sit down to watch a movie later on tonight.

However you are spending today enjoy!

Another Opportunity!

I have decided to expand my horizons and have started listing items on a new handmade site. The site is in its beginning stages and still has a few bugs to work out but I love the information I get from it.
I'm working very hard on managing 2 sites so right now I'm not listing much on artfire.

For you crafters and artists who are looking to keep more money in your pocket you may want to check it out. You can join one of 2 ways, either the free membership that is limited or the $7 a month plan which allows you to list as much as you want and no fees when you sell.
Check it out here!
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=sevenforlife&afuid=5665

Cyber Monday!

I plan to make some online purchases and I'm running a special on my etsy site today too.

I find it funny that today something was posted that we are in a recession and have been since Dec 2007. I took us a year to figure that out???? Maybe now that is has been declared we can recover.

Happy Cyber Monday!

Oh No!

Well the day has come. My oldest has her temps. In 6 short months she might be out on the road alone. That will be a scary day. I haven't been out with her but her father and sister have and they have both been returned home safely. With the exception of an incident that no one is allowed to speak of (I did get it involved a stop sign out of Lauren) she seems to be doing well. I just don't know if my nerves and control issues can be in the passenger seat. Lauren has a soccer game tonight and guess how wants to drive there? Funny thing is last season she wanted nothing to do with her sisters soccer games!

I have included a picture of her just for proof to those who may doubt it!