Clipping Coupons

Here's my Frugal Friday advice.  Clip coupons.  I know it sounds so simple, and those who don't do it probably think it won't save them enough to bother.  But it will.  When I first started cutting them out, I used to keep track to see if it was even worth the effort.  And let me tell you, some days it takes effort.  When I was keeping track of our savings I would count every dollar saved, whether by coupon or sale.  When I was store hopping (that's for another post) I was saving anywhere from $200 - $400 a month. That's HUGE!  Here's some easy tips on clipping coupons:

• Invest in a coupon file system so you can find them easily.
• Cut out more than you think you'll need. (You can always throw them away if you don't use them)
• Don't buy something just because you have a coupon.
• If something is on sale (that you use frequently), and you have more than one coupon, use them both.  If it's an item you use regularly it's worth it to buy it for the extra savings. (Don't do this unless its something you use a lot, or something like canned goods that have a long shelf life)
• Don't get hung up on shopping at just one store.  Look through the sale flyers and see which store has the better sales for what you need to purchase.

I've added a bunch of coupon sites to my right sidebar.  If you don't get the Sunday paper you can just go to these sites and print out the ones you want.  Some of them require you to install a coupon reader.  It downloads in just a minute and you'll be on your way to saving more.

Online Shopping + Frugal Friday = An Amazing Deal

I've always been a window shopper.  I'm not one to go walk around the store looking for a gift, etc.  I'd much rather be home & look through a catalog, or online.  Most of the time I will even buy it online. 

When deciding whether to buy online or go to the store there is a lot to consider.  I live 1/2 from the closest store, so its a 45 mile round trip for me.  Not very practical.  The gas to get there costs more than shipping charges.  But even if you live close don't rule out shopping online.  Here's my latest example:

When my daughter was born a friend gave me a gift card to a specific store at the mall.  I never go to the mall . . . . and I mean never.  I might have been 3 times in the past 2 years.  So, I never think to go to this store, even with a gift card in my purse.  Finally this morning I decided to check out their online store (I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner).  Here's what I got:

• 5 pairs of shorts - ($10 each X 5 = $50 value)
• 1 pair of jeans - (1 pair = $15 value)
• 5 shirts - ($10 each X 5 = $50)
• $5 shippin ALL the time.

$120 total +tax.  This stuff is not ridiculously priced, but none the less, this is a TON of money.  I wouldn't even consider spending this much all at once. But check out how it worked out.

• 5 pairs of shorts - ($5 each X 5 = $25)
• 1 pair of jeans - ($3.99)...I thought this was awesome :)
• 5 shirts ($5 each X 5 = $25)
• $5 shipping

Ok, now I have the order down to $58.99.  Here's another tip....
ALWAYS LOOK TO SEE IF THERE IS A PROMO CODE ONLINE.
In your internet search field put in the store name & promo code (or coupon code). There are sights out there that find them for you.  You can get percentages off, free shipping, and more.  I never place an order without checking for this first.  I found a code for 15% off my order, which saved me another $8.10.  Now my total was down to $50.89 +tax. Don't forget the only reason I was shopping at this particular store was my giftcard.  Thanks to my amazing friend my giftcard was $50.

After they added in tax my total was $2.04.  Yes, that's right!

$120 worth of clothes for $2.04! Now that's my kind of bargain!

Sell It - Frugal Friday

I recently heard on the radio that the average household has $25,000 worth of "stuff" they either don't want or don't use!  Are you serious?  All I could think was, "WOW! That's a lot of money!"  So, here's my Frugal Friday tip.  Start spring cleaning and get rid of what you're not using. 

I'm a huge eBay fan.  At one point, years ago, my husband used to tell me he was going to have to start nailing things down if he didn't want me to sell them :).  But in all seriousness.....Why do we keep things that aren't being used?  If we sold the items that are just hanging around, for even 1/4 of their worth, we would have over $6,000!!!  This makes me want to re-evalute what I keep & why I keep it.  Some things may have sentimental value, etc. but if they're just collecting dust.....

If there is something you want to purchase, and can't afford to, this may motivate you.  I tend to use the money I make selling items to purchase my homeschool curriculum for the upcoming year.  I don't like it to come out of our living expenses, so this works perfect.  It does take some effort to sell your items, so if you don't want to take the time, by all means you can donate it too.  You'd still be organizing and decluttering while helping a good cause.

Frugal Friday and Power Shopping

POWER SHOP!

Ok, so it's definately not what you think!  Frugal Friday is about saving money, not spending it.  So, here's my Frugal Friday tip.  Power walk while you shop.  Let me explain. When I'm ready to go shopping (grocery, dept. store, etc.) I make my list and  I take all 5 girls with me (they are all under the age of 8).  People think I'm nuts, but let me tell you.....this works.  I've have learned over the years that kids have a time limit.  They will behave in the store for so long, and then every mother knows what happens.  They start to whine, have temper tantrums, act up, walk away from you, etc.  This is exactly why I take my kids.  They have their timers too.  And they start ticking from the moment I walk into a store.  So, here's what I do. 

1. I make sure I have my list & I go as far as to try to put similar items together so I don't have to go back to an isle because I forgot something. (ex: frozen items, meats, etc.)
2. I take all my kids with me. (It's not that bad once you get used to it.)
3. When I get to the store I power shop!  Walk as fast as you can through the store to get everything on your list.  Sometimes I walk so fast my girls actually have to run to catch up to me :).
4. Do not stop to look at something that is not on your list!

I'm sure some of you are laughing at me :) but let me tell you this works for a number of reasons. 

1. You will save money because you are not browsing while you shop.
2. Your kids timers will be ticking, so if you're smart you'll get out of there before their time is up.
3. You'll be getting just a little bit of excercise because of the fast pace you're keeping through the store.

Try it!  I can go through Sam's or BJ's - with all 5 kids in tow - and spend $185 in 20 minutes.  I know that doesn't sound like saving money, but that is for a family of 8 - for 2 weeks.

~Kristine

Free Dunkin' Donuts Sample

I LOVE Dunkin' Donuts coffee.  We head there every Sunday after church and have some 'family time'.  So, when I saw this posted on a friends blog I thought I'd pass on the good news to my fellow bloggers.  Plus, FREE is great!



Enjoy!

Diapers - Frugal Friday

My children have always been on the large side at birth. Almost all of them weighed 9+ lbs (or very close to it). Three of them were so large that in the hospital I had the nurses looking for a package of size 1 diapers because they didn't fit into the standard newborn size that the hospital gives you. I always laughed. So, with this pregnancy, as with the rest of them, I went for my 3rd trimester ultrasound and they told me I was looking at another 8 1/2 - 9 lb. baby. I wasn't really surprised, but I will admit I was a little disappointed, seeing as I had been praying for a 'normal' size baby to deliver.  So, when it was time to start stocking up and preparing for this little girl I naturally went and bought size 1 diapers. I didn't even consider the newborn size.

Here I am, with a 6 day old baby that still fits into newborn diapers! She went through the package the hospital gave us and my wonderful husband went out and bought another package of 'peanut diapers' for her. (I've taken to calling her 'peanut' seeing as she's the smallest newborn I've ever had :).

All that was for my Frugal Friday tip ..... Save money on diapers!

Obviously the first week or two babies grow very quickly. But after that there are tons of ways to save money on diapers.

• Buy them by the case
• Use coupons
• Use a warehouse club that will give you a discount on the case, plus you can use one of there coupons and a manufacturers coupon all at the same time
• If you have an abundance of coupons that will expire before you will use them buy a bunch of small packages and use a coupon for every one. This is also effective if you're not sure you will use a whole case before the baby outgrows them.
• If you're not stuck on a specific brand (like me:) some generic may work well for you. You won't have coupons but may save just as much in the long run.

If you have any other suggestions I'm all ears. I've had as many as 3 in diapers all at the same time, so I'm open to any money saver ideas you may have.

Frugal Friday - Buying in Bulk

You can save money if you buy in bulk. I know some of you are thinking that I have a large family, so it makes sense for me to buy in bulk.  But, I buy in bulk even on items we don't use a ton of. 

For example: I buy egg noodles & elbow macaroni in 5 lb. bags.  If it doesn't come is a zipper seal bag I put it in gallon size storage bags.  Most items that are non-perishable come in smaller packages on the inside, so you don't waste it once it's open.  Companies are even making many perishables now with resealable bags to make it more convenient for storing the extra. 

I also recommend buying cereal at a warehouse club, especially if you and/or your children eat it daily (or even a few times a week). Here's why....You get two bags inside that box. The part that most people miss is that the bags are larger than that single box of cereal you buy at the grocery store. Take LIFE for example.  Most days, this would probably be my son's choice of cereal so I keep it in stock.  If you buy a box of Life in the grocery store it is anywhere from $2.75 (on sale) to $4.99 (at a more expensive store). Here's what you may miss. Most grocery store boxes are approx. 22 oz.  When you buy a warehouse box you get 2 bags, that are 31 oz. each, for about $6.49.  It's almost like getting a 3rd box at the grocery store free (but you don't need to wait for the sale).

There are many other items that, if you pay attention, are a value to you wallet.  Sometimes the math goes beyond the price....you may need to break it down by ounces, etc.

Frugal Friday

Over the year or two I've noticed our food bill going up with each shopping excursion.  As our family gets bigger it gets harder and harder to stay within a budget. I've tried different things to see where we can cut our costs. Some have worked, and some haven't. So, I've decided to share what has worked for our family.

One of the first things I did was create a dinner calendar. I downloaded a calendar straight from Microsoft. You don't need anything fancy. Just 12 months and one block for each day of the month.  I make it out at least 2 weeks in advance, sometimes even 3. I started doing two weeks at a time because my hubby only gets paid 2x a month and I was struggling at the end of the pay period to have enough for another trip to the store. I found that by making this out in advance, I can buy items I use more often in bigger containers (which ends up costing less per oz.).

You then can look at the calendar, make a list of items you will need, and shop only from that list. By not 'winging it' you will make less trips to the store & if you really stick to your list you will spend less.

I'm not strict with this list. If I'm running late one day I will look to a day that has something quick I can make. I'll just switch the two dinners to make it work for me. This will also help make dinner at a consistent time each night. I used to start searching at 5:00 for something to make. We eat at 6:00, so this quickly became a problem.

For a brief period right around the holidays I stopped making a schedule. I found my stress level at dinner time was much higher. It didn't take me long to get back in the groove again. Now that I've been doing it a while I can definately see the benefits.

If you have any other ideas I'd love to hear them. I'm always looking for more ways to cut back.