Wednesday, December 16, 2009

End of Month (for November)

Ah, sorry I didn't blog about our end of month total...things have been a bit crazy, then I was on a much needed vacation last week!

So our total of savings in the past has been increasing month by month:
September: $290.45
October: $488.06

And now November: $641.98!!! Got to love those coupons and specials!!

How much did your family save last month?

Have a great and thrifty day!!

Always,

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Tuesday's Frugal Tip


Trade services/items with a family member or friend. Child care for some handi-man help, or baked goods for a haircut, whatever you can think of!

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Saturday, October 31, 2009

End of the Month~

If you remember, our total saved with coupons and such at the end of the month for September was $290.65. And since today is the last day of October (Happy Halloween!!), it's time to reveal this month's final amount of savings!

Drum roll please....


The total this month is: $488.06!!


I still can't believe that we saved that much! Working with what is given to us!

What did your family save this month?? I'd love to hear!

Hugs & Giggles,

Friday, October 30, 2009

Some places I frequent...

Hey all! Sorry I haven't blogged lately, things have gotten a bit crazy again at work with submittals and all. So by the time I get home and eat dinner, I'm pooped! I have been working on a little something lately tho...

I have been asked where I find a lot of my coupons and many of the great deals that I take advantage of. First off, I have many of you out there in Blogland to thank for that- So thank you much!! So I've decided to put together a little list of great finds on this wonderful Internet world that we all can jump to with the touch of a mouse.

Coupon Websites

  • Coupons.com- Awesome place for printable coupons
  • AFullCup.com- Great database of printable coupons, plus some store coupons as well (Target, CVS)
  • CouponCabin.com- Both printable coupons and online coupon codes
(Just a tip that I have learned from many on here in Blogland, if you are printing coupons off, with most, you can hit your back button on your browser and print another of the same coupon)
Blogs
  • All of the blogs in my side bar- I always save them there so I don't always have to remember the exact site!
Other Sites I frequent often
  • Ebates.com- a cash back website to navigate from when shopping online. You get $5 for signing up, but must make a purchase within a certain amount of time to get that. There is no limit on the amount for them to send you your check. (As of now, I will be getting $13 back in November. Not bad for navigating through them for things I was going to buy anyways!)
  • SwagBucks.com- a search engine that you can use like any other, but you earn "SwagBucks" as you search that can be used to get different items, gift cards, prizes, etc. (I currently have 63 Swag Bucks, am saving up for some gift cards or cash back through Pay Pal!)
I have also signed up on the email lists of many stores that I shop at often. That way I can get other sales info/coupons that everyone else may not see!
Hope you all find great deals and ideas at these sites, I know I have! If you have any others, feel free to leave a comment, I love finding great deals! I'm sure I'll be adding to this as I remember more sites that I usually check out, so be sure to check back!
Oh, and be sure to stay tuned this weekend for the October "End of the Month Savings Total"! Its a good one!
Hugs & Giggles,

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tuesday's Frugal Tip


Never be afraid to shop thrift stores or garage sales, you never know what great things you will find!

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Mom and I love going to a few different church garage sales around home every year. This year, I found some gorgeous clothes in great conditions, $3 a piece! And a couple dresses that I've worn to weddings, $7.50 (for a BCBG dress- you would never find anything that price in the store) and $10!

What was one of you best thrift store/garage sale finds??

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tuesday's Frugal Tip


Turn off and unplg electronics and appliances when they aren't in use. You'd be surprised how much energy they use when just being plugged in!

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Tuesday's Frugal Tip


Bring your own re-usable bags when shopping.

(Our Target has recently started taking 5 cents off your total purchase per re-usable bag that you bring and use.)

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Monday, October 12, 2009

It's all about the coupons...

Tonight was a good coupon night!

The first stop was to Walgreens. I bought a few things in the ad with coupons, and matched up manufacturer's coupons with each item.

Quilted Northern - $6.99 (on sale)
Kleenex 100 sheet - $2.29
Kleenex 100 sheet - $2.29
Kleenex 100 sheet - $2.29
Kleenex 100 sheet - $2.29
Cinnamon - $1.19
Renuzit Air Freshener - $1.21
Renuzit Air Freshener - $1.21
Renuzit Air Freshener - $1.21

After coupons and $9.00 of Register Rewards, I paid $5.00 out of pocket.

Not too bad if I say so myself! Getting ready for cold season, and air fresheners near Abbi's box.

Gotta love the coupons and saving!!

Hugs & Giggles,

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Financial Vows

As many have been working very hard this year during this difficult economy to pay off their debt, we have been working on this as well. I have lately come up with my list of my:

Financial Vows to become Debt-Free!
1. Only out to lunch once a week

2. Trip to Caribou only once during pay week. (so every other week...which is down from twice a week, eek!)

3. I will think about each item before making a purchase.

4. I will use things up at home before purchasing more non-essentials.

5. We will treat ourselves to one dinner out a month.

6. Only one happy hour a month.

7. The credit card will only be used for online purchases.

8. I will not buy extra pop from the vending machine. (one of the difficult ones for me)

9. I will not buy anymore clothes until I get rid of some.

10. I will do at least 3 mystery shops a month to help with extra income.

11. We will put away $20 a month of my paycheck to our emergency fund.


What are some of your/your family's financial goals to become debt free? I would love to hear them!

Always,

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Tuesday's Frugal Tip


When buying a sale item, buy enough to last 12 weeks. This is the typical amount of time for sales to cycle through.

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Our Newest Addition!

This weekend we added a new little member to our family, little Miss Abbi!

We aren't exactly sure what kind she is, but she is absolutely adorable! All grey with a little white spot on her chest, and the biggest ears. We got her at the Humane Society, (opt to adopt!), a 4 month old precious little one.

Some have asked, how are you saving money if you're getting a kitty? Well, we have saved for a while to get one, along with other ways we are going to save.

~ I am always printing out coupons and watching sale items for things for her
~ We always check the clearance section, and will continue for kitty things. We found a little toy there for her before we went to get her.
~ We'll be looking into getting things in bulk (litter, food, lint rollers, etc.)
~ I buy loose catnip and make catnip toys for her rather than buying them
~ Rather than buy a little kitty bed, I will be making one for her
~ And I've been signing up for lots of little kitty samples. We should be getting some in a few weeks!

Have a happy saving week!

Hugs & Giggles

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

End of the Month

Just a quick little note:

The end of the month is upon us again! We just finished our budget for October, and things are looking alright just about now.

And the grand total of savings during September from coupons: $290.45

So for all of those that don't believe in using coupons, or just don't understand why one would want to take the time, that amount is exactly why! And that is just the savings from coupons (added up from all of our receipts during the month), and does not include things that were bought on sale and such.

How much did you and your family save this month?

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Ways We Save

There are so many ways out there that different people have noted on how to save money. Here are a few that we've found to work for us:

1. Bring lunch to work rather than go out to eat.

2. Shop at garage sales and thrift stores.

3. Shop around before making big purchases.

4. Compare Sunday ads and make our shopping lists.

5. Use coupons, and use them often! Match up sales, store coupons, and manufacturer coupons to maximize the savings.

6. Use Register Rewards at Walgreens and Extra Care Bucks at CVS for all purchases.

7. Got rid of our landline phone, we just use our cell phones anyways.

8. Make a budget each month, revise, and stick to it!

9. Rarely use credit cards anymore. If we do use them, we pay the balance off each month.

10. Sign up for freebies and search for coupons online.

11. I use mass transit to get to work rather than driving.

We also sell items on EBay, Craigslist, Etsy to make a little extra money. Use extra money made to pay down debt (those darn student loans!).

What have you found to work best for your family?

Hello all!

I've been a sales shopper since birth, am thrifty at heart, and have been working to bring these traits to my new life with my awesome, loving husband! Couponing and saving are my game! Especially with being newly married, we have decided to dive into the world of doing all we can to spend less and save our money.

I love a challenge and always keep my eyes open for other ways to save. I get excited to look at the bottom of my receipt and see just how much I saved on a shopping trip! I think it's beginning to rub off on my man!

People have lately been asking me about how I save and if couponing has really helped my hubby & I with the place the economy is at the moment, so I decided to tell my story. I hope you enjoy, learn a lot, and I am excited to learn from you all as well!