Embracing Him

e-Mom is hosting Marriage Monday over at Chrysalis and this month’s topic is 10 Tips for Frugal Living.

When I was a single gal, frugal living never crossed my mind. I was fresh out of college, excited to have a job, and eager to spend my money on the things I had been waiting to own. Though I didn’t spend my money too unwisely, frugality was not on my list of priorities.

Now that we have a family and I am a stay at home mom, I’ve become a real “Frugal Franny” (much to JT’s pleasure!). God has provided JT with a great job and JT does a marvelous job of providing for us. I strive to be frugal because I don’t want to waste the money he works hard to earn and because I want to be a good steward of what God has given us.

Living frugally isn’t as hard as some might think and over the past few years I’ve learned you don’t have to adopt unreasonable ideas or live like a pauper in order to save money. Here are 10 realistic tips for frugal living that have worked for us.

1. Pack your lunch. When JT goes to work or we have a playdate or a daytrip, most of the time we bring our lunches with us. Lunch usually consists of the previous night’s dinner or a homemade sandwich, fruit, and a sandwich bag of chips. Since lunch can cost anywhere between $5 and $10 a person, we save a good amount of money just by eating what we have here at home.
2. Make it yourself. We’ve saved money by making things ourselves. This includes food items such as taco seasoning, spreadable butter, birthday cakes, and pizza dough and household items such as cleaners and even window treatments. When you make things yourself, you don’t have to buy them and you know exactly what is in them.
3. Plan a weekly menu. I have found that if I plan a weekly menu, we are less likely to order take out. I already know what we’ll be eating and therefore can defrost the meat the night before so it’ll be ready to cook in the morning. Menu planning also prevents me from spending money on groceries we don’t need. My grocery list is based on the weekly menu and the staples we need to restock.
4. Venture into a thrift store. You may be surprised by the awesome, money saving deals you can find there. The Goodwill Stores in our area often sell new, overstock items from Target. Once I purchased a set of Corningware baking dishes from Target for $40. The very next day I stopped by The Goodwill Store and found the same exact set of baking dishes brand new for $8. Needless to say, I made a return at Target shortly there after.You can find a plethora of toys, books, and household items there for bargain prices. And if you can find a store in an affluent area, you may be able to score some high end and designer items at rock bottom prices.
5. Shop wisely. For me this means knowing where to shop and using coupons. Though warehouses like Sam’s and Costco can save you money, I’ve found the greatest deals at my local supermarket and drugstores like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. When combined with coupons, you can save quite a bit of money. As I made my grocery shopping list for this week, I realized I’ll be coming back home with 2 toothbrushes, a bottle of Worcestershire sauce, and 2 sticks of deodorant for FREE! My grocery cart will also be filled with items I’ll get for 50% to 75% off just by using coupons. Grab a Sunday newspaper, explore those sales circulars, and start clipping coupons! You won’t regret it. For more shopping tips, check this previous post.
6. Surf the net. There are hundreds of great websites, forums, blogs, and groups online dedicated to money saving ideas. Most of what I have learned about frugal living has come from websites such as The Dollar Stretcher, Money Saving Mom, The Coupon Mom, Hot Coupon World, and The Hillbilly Housewife just to name a few. A simple chat with a few like minded Frugal Frannies often alerts me to ideas and deals I would otherwise have missed.
7. Use your library. We are well acquainted with the staff at our local library because we use the library’s resources so often. Not only do I find great books and DVDs there, I also find free educational activities for the girls there, and even some neat programs I can attend. Your tax dollars pay for the library, so why not put those dollars to work for you. (Just be sure to return items on time. Paying library fines is not frugal!)
8. Create and abide by a budget. (This is such a hard one for me sometimes!) JT and I sit down at least twice a year to discuss our family budget. We each have a set amount of money we can spend each week to cover personal and household expenses. When we stay within the budget we don’t overspend and both JT and I are happier.
9. Spend cash whenever possible. Whenever I use cash I always spend less. I’m going to take this idea and apply it to my spending this week. The envelope system (read more here and here) has been devised with this idea in mind. I will be using cash for my standard purchases this week and I’ll let you know how it goes.
10. Don’t keep up with the Joneses. While my friends and neighbors may take expensive vacations, eat out weekly, employ a housekeeper, and drive new fancy cars, that certainly doesn’t mean we can. We are living within our means and are happy to do so. Trying to keep up with others just for the sake of appearances can often lead to financial problems and is definitely NOT frugal!

Photo: Courtesy of RichSeattle (Flickr)

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

What uncertain times! The mortgage mess has sent many searching for an effective cleanup and we’re experiencing serious gas pains every time we pull up to the pump. Now, even a simple trip to the grocery store has become a major financial undertaking for many!

Though I don’t know how to repair the housing market or lower the cost of a barrel of oil, I can share several ways you can trim dollars off your grocery bill. You don’t have to sit idly while grocery costs skyrocket. Arm yourself with wisdom and give these savings solutions a try. Thankfully, we’ve already noticed a decline in our grocery bill. See if you can save some money too!

1. Clip coupons. Check the Sunday newspapers for coupon inserts from RedPlum, Smartsource, and PG Brand Savers (Proctor and Gamble). You can get duplicate coupons by purchasing more than one Sunday newspaper. You can also get coupon inserts from friends and relatives who aren’t using them. My grandfather always has a copy of the Sunday newspaper and gladly gives me all the coupon inserts.
2. Print internet coupons. Visit www.smartsource.com and www.redplum.com for more money saving coupons. Both sites require you to download free coupon printing software so that grocery clerks will be able to scan them. I love these coupons as I often find they are for $1.00 or more off the regular price of items. Just be sure to check your supermarket’s internet coupon policy. One of my local supermarkets does not accept internet coupons at all. Another local supermarket will accept them, but only up to $1.00.
3. Combine your coupons. I’ve used a combination of newspaper coupons and internet coupons to net big savings at the supermarket. If you time your purchases correctly, you can use these on top of supermarket items already on sale.
4. Study the sales circular. Find out what’s on sale and plan your menu around those items. My favorite supermarket’s sales circular saves me some work by making note of corresponding coupons found in newspaper coupon inserts. Another great thing about sales circulars is that many also include additional coupons you can use for more savings.
5. Sign up for the supermarket savings program. They go by a variety of names (Super Savers, Price Plus, Advantage Plus, Super Shoppers, etc) but they do the same thing: save you money! When you sign up, you’ll receive a card. Each time you shop, present the card to the cashier and any discounts offered on items you purchased will be taken off. Many savings programs offer free turkeys and hams throughout the year (based on the amount you spend during a certain period of time), mail additional coupons to your home, and even offer discounts for families who purchase lots of baby items.
6. Familiarize yourself with your supermarket’s savings policies. Ask the following questions to get the most for your money: Does this store accept competitor’s coupons? Does this store double or triple coupons? Does this store accept internet coupons? What day of the week do sales begin?
7. Stock up on items when they are on sale. One of my local supermarkets drops the prices on meat on the “Sell Buy” date. Often times, prices on these meats are significantly reduced because they cannot sell it after this “Sell Buy” date. This is the perfect time to swoop in, scoop up the great deals, and freeze them immediately for later use. I keep my chest freezer well stocked this way.
8. Stockpile pantry goods as well. Save money by purchasing goods BEFORE you need them. When something goes on sale, I arm myself with coupons and buy enough to last 3 months or so. You never want to be forced to pay full price for an item just because you need it now. Plan ahead.
9. Don’t forget the drugstores. I have found great deals on detergents, hygiene products, and paper toiletries at places such as Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid. Check the sales circulars for these stores as well. They often include money saving coupons. I’ve also used manufacturer’s coupons there as well.
10. Seek money saving solutions online. Two great places to visit are The Grocery Game and Coupon Mom. Both sites help grocery shoppers keep track of coupons and note when items reach rock bottom prices so you can really save money. The Grocery Game charges a fee for the service, but Coupon Mom does not. I’m currently using Coupon Mom and am LOVING it! Another website I love is The Grocery Guide. When you enter your zip code, you can choose a supermarket in your area and view the store’s sales. It also tells you if coupons are available and lets you know where to find those coupons.
11. Cook from “scratch”. Cut your grocery bill by making things yourself. Prepackaged items often are more expensive and less healthy. For me, it’s less expensive to make my own taco seasoning, tomato sauce, salad dressing, and pizza dough than to buy it from the grocery store. In addition to saving money, I find that making things from scratch often means we’re ingesting fewer calories and preservatives.