31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #13 - Cook from Scratch

Another great way to save money is to cook from scratch.  Now, don't be afraid, you've got this.  I am not necessarily talking about making homemade bread, or assembling your own seasonings, unless that's what you want to do, and then by all means, go right ahead.  What I am referring to is eating at home.  Cooking homemade meals doesn't have to be hard or super involved, especially if you have a slow cooker.  We all know about my infatuation and down-right deep love for my slow cooker.  What's a super easy meal to make in a slow cooker you ask -- well, just add 1 turkey breast or pork roast to your slow cooker, season as desired, add washed, pricked potatoes on top (white or sweet), cook on low 6-8 hours, and serve.  This is delicious, cheap, and you can heat up a can or bag of frozen vegetables to go with it.  Super simple, and tasty.
Don't have a slow cooker?  Well, first of all you need to get yourself to a store and buy one.  They go on deep discount during Black Friday (which will be here soon), and often frequent the shelves of thrift stores.  But even if you are just making canned soup and grilled cheese at home, it is still cheaper than ordering that same thing at a diner.  There are so many convenience foods out there, that eating at home shouldn't be hard.  And even though they are not the best foods for you, they are still healthier than the indulgent and deep fried items you can order from a restaurant.  Pick 4 or 5 easy meals, and just rotate through them for dinners.  Spaghetti and meatballs is another super simple one that really only involves boiling, simmering, and 2 stove-top burners.
What about breakfasts and lunches?  Well, if you are a coffee drinker, making your cup of Joe at home will save you a crazy amount of money, even if you use more expensive coffee.  Easy breakfast foods we like are cereal, instant oatmeal, and frozen waffles with fruit.  There's three options for you, one of which doesn't even have to be cooked.  Lunches are just as simple.  Prep them the night before for a smooth morning.  Think PB and J sandwiches, frozen TV dinners, leftovers - I never said the meals had to be exciting, but making your own instead of eating out or picking up fast food will save you a ton of money in the end.
So, in summary, eat at home, because it's cheaper than eating out.

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #12 - Keep a Stockpile

The word 'stockpile' can have some bad connotations associated with it.  That's not what I am talking about here - no shelf clearing, or hoarding allowed.  What I am talking about is having a designated space to hold enough items to get you through until the next sale.  Remember how we discussed items being on sale about every 6 weeks.  Buy enough to last 6 weeks, not 6 years.  Having a stockpile gives you the ability to be more patient and wait for those sales and coupons to match up, because you know you have enough to get you through.  And, having a space which limits how many shampoo bottles you can store will let you know when you have enough.  For some people this is a bin under their bed, or a spare closet, or just a bookshelf in their garage - it looks different for everyone.  I, personally, have two bookcases in our storage room for health and household items, and a chest freezer and a couple spare cupboards in our kitchen for food.  I can fit a LOT in that allotted space, enough to get through until the next sale.  But it's also neat, organized, and each type of item, whether it's soup or dish soap, can only take up a limited amount of space. 
You will definitely want to start small with this concept.  The point of a stockpile is to save money, not build the stockpile, if that makes sense.  So, don't go out and buy extras of everything just to have it, that defeats the purpose.  When you see something at a great price, or better yet, free, buy enough to get you through until the next sale, or however many your budget will allow.  Even if you can only afford to buy enough sale-priced chicken for the next three weeks, you have still saved money for those three weeks.  Over time your stockpile will grow with items you paid little for.  You might only want to apply this concept to one or two things, and that's okay, make it work for you.  If you eat mostly fresh produce, then maybe just stockpile things like toothbrushes and shampoo.  Every little bit helps the budget. 

So, the bottom line is that not all stockpiles are bad, and it's a concept that you can conform to fit your needs, and your budget, all while saving money.

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #11 - Be Careful at Big Box Stores

Big box stores are the black-hole of shopping, am I right?  You go in for milk and 5 hours later you walk out in a dazed state with 15 bags of stuff and you are not really sure what happened.  Sound familiar?  I try to avoid the big box store vortex as much as possible, so I only stop into Wal-mart once a month or every other month if I can make it work.  I also only go in for a few select items.  I have my list, I shop with blinders on as to not get distracted by all of the shiny things, and then I check out as quickly as possible.  Not only do you have to be careful to not get sucked into the seasonal or shoe or whatever section is your weakness, you also need to be wary of prices.  Big box stores are cheaper on average, which means not on everything.  If you are a sale shopper and coupon clipper, chances are that soup you were about to buy is on sale at your grocery store, this week, where they double coupons, and you could get it for free.  Now, this does not mean you should avoid these stores all together, they have their place and usefulness.  I personally buy things like hand soap refills, and toilet paper there because they have the best price that I can find.  Also things like shoes and overnight diapers for my two-year-old.  They have the sizes I need, and prices that fit my budget.  Do I buy everything there, definitely not, but some things are just cheaper at the Wally World.

So, bottom line, make big box stores work for you - price match, use your coupons, check those prices, and make sure to stick to your list, or you might just emerge with more stuff than your trunk can hold and a blown budget.

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #10 - Be Patient

Couponing and saving money requires a lot of patience.  It takes time to clip the coupons and organize them, and you also have to learn to wait for the sale you want to pair that coupon with.  Most items go on sale at the drug and grocery stores every 6 weeks, some items are a little longer, others a little shorter.  Some items are seasonally on sale - so only once or twice a year, like baking supplies.  Household and clothing items, or appliances vary depending on the month.  There are tons of websites out there that will tell you what month is the best time to purchase different items, like sheets or decorations.  Just google it, and then wait.  It takes a little while to get into a rhythm with this method of purchasing, and of course not everything in your house is going to cooperate with the sales cycle.  Your dishwasher is not going to wait for a sale before it konks out on you - so when it does, you google it and find out that in two weeks they'll probably be on sale, then you hand wash your dishes for two weeks and save that cash when you do buy a new one.  It doesn't always work out, but being patient and waiting for a sale when you can will definitely save you some money in the end. 
So, you clip your coupons, make your list, but be patient and wait for sales when you can to maximize your savings!

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #9 - Shop Sparingly

I'm not sure if I should say that this next tip is easy or hard, because depending on the time, it could be either.  But another way to save money is to shop sparingly.  This does take some planning.  However, if you forget something and you don't go back for it enough times, it really does make you more diligent about checking your list before you check-out at the store.  This will also be different for everyone - some families shop once a month, others every other week, some once a week - you just have to find what works best for your family.  But the most important aspect to this tip is to stick with whatever you decide on.  If you say you are only shopping once this week, only go once!  Multiple trips equal multiple opportunities to put things in your cart that aren't on your list.  It is hard to walk by certain aisles in the store and say no to temptation, so why do it more than you have to? 
I personally break my shopping up in to two days, but I also shop multiple stores.  I do the bulk of my shopping on Sunday when I go to CVS, ALDI, and Giant.  Then on Saturday I venture out to the Dollar Tree to grab my coupon-laden-ed newspapers.  This is my standard - there are weeks when I go to an additional store, or not all of these, or I have to go on a different day - but 95% of the time, this is my schedule, and I stick to it.
So, to save some money, stay out of the store as much as possible!

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #8 - Use Rewards Programs

Rewards programs are another great way to save money - they are usually free, and only require a few minutes of your time to sign up for, but the benefits are so worth it!  Most drug stores and grocery stores have rewards programs along with a few 'department-type' stores.  These generally include sale prices and extra coupons.  At most places these in-stores promotions can be paired with manufacturer coupons for even more savings.  My two favorite programs are at CVS and Giant.  CVS has the Extracare Program; this alone will give you sale prices, CVS store coupons, and the ability to earn Extracare Bucks.  There are also the Beauty Club and the Pharmacy Rewards programs that you can sign up for to earn additional Extracare Bucks to spend on whatever.*  I use to shop all three drug stores in our area each week, all of which had their own rewards programs.  I have only continued to shop at CVS because I feel that their program is the most efficient and effective for my family.
Giant is another favorite of mine.  I LOVE that I can earn cents-off each gallon of gas, just by purchasing my groceries each week.  They also have Giant coupons that you can add to your card and then pair with a manufacturer coupon for some AWESOME savings!  Giant is a little on the expensive side for most things, so we do the bulk of our shopping at ALDI, but they have great sales and a wonderful selection of clearance throughout the year. 

So, check if the stores you frequent offer rewards programs - it might just save you some serious coin!

*I think that things like prescriptions and stamps, etc are excluded, but I would say that 98% of what they sell can be bought using ECB's*
 
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Weekly Spending Report: 10/02-08/2016

This week began a new month, which means a new grocery budget and a full grocery envelope!  I also added in the $27 I had leftover from September, which gives me $377 for October.  I did a good bit of stocking up this week since there were some great sales and coupons available.  Things like the vitamins, lotion, diapers, fiber bars, and boneless skinless chicken breast were all excellent deals!  I also restocked on snack, breakfast, and lunch items.  I spent a little more than I usually like to, but it will all even out over the course of the month.  Here's how my spending went this week...

• Tuesday's CVS Trip: $28.64 oop, Earned $29 ECB's ($5 Pharmacy Rewards, $5 Beauty Club, $4 Quarterly Rewards, $5 Curel, and $10 Huggies), and $0.20 Mobisave Rebate ($0.10 each for Pasta Sauce, and Dish Soap)

• Tuesday's ALDI Trip: $46.95 oop (included, but not pictured are 8 gallons of H2O), Earned $0.10 Mobisave Rebate (Tortilla Chips)

• Tuesday's Giant Trip: $25.73 oop, Earned $0.50 Saving Star Rebate (Fiber One Bars)

Total OOP: $101.32
Total Earned: $29.80
Total Remaining for October: $275.82

Linked to I Heart Publix, and many more! 

31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #7 - Clip Coupons

Another way to save on brand name items is to clip coupons.  But you can't just clip the coupon and then forget about it - you need to keep them up-to-date, organized, and with you.  There are various ways to do this.  I have used the little expandable coupon organizers, some people use shoe boxes, some file folders, and others binders - you really just have to find what works for you.  I personally use a binder, because I like how easy it is to use and keep organized, and the ability to always have it with me.  Once you have clipped your coupons, and figured out how you want to organize them, you then need to file them away so they are easy to access when you are ready for them.  Everyone's dividers or labels will be different, but the kind and amount will depend on how many coupons you clip and for what kind of products. 
You will also need to keep your stash of coupons cleaned out.  A coupon does you no good if it expired 6 months ago.  It can also be very disappointing when you thought you were going to get a great deal on something, and then you don't because the coupons you planned to use are expired.  In addition, you need to remember to take your coupons to the store with you.  You cannot use a coupon to save money if it is at home on your fridge.  Depending on the amount of coupons you clip and your organizing system, you can either take all your coupons with you, or just the select few that go with the items on your list.  Part of the reason I use the binder system is because I can easily take it to the store with me and have access to all my coupons while I'm there.  This is really great when you find surprise sales or clearance deals. 
So the bottom line is - clip coupons, file them neatly, keep them up-to-date, and take them with you!

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #6 - Shop Discount Stores

Yesterday we discussed giving store brands a try, but what about the items you want to be brand loyal on, how do you save money on those?  Well, I will tell you, one thing you can do is shop at discount stores.  Just to name a few - Ollie's, Big Lots, Grocery Outlets, Dollar Trees or Generals are all great places to start.  Just make sure to check expiration and sell by dates on the food and health items.  It doesn't hurt to be cautious, and it doesn't save you any money if it expires before you get to use it. 

These stores are AWESOME for items that aren't on your grocery list as well.  Things like craft supplies, paper goods, decor, kitchen utensils, organizing bins, and SO MUCH MORE!  If I am in need of something, like felt or flowers, I will definitely make a quick run into the Dollar Tree to see if I can grab some there instead of paying double or triple for it at Michael's.  Some times you don't always find what you were looking for, but it's definitely worth a shot.  So, tip #6 - try shopping at discount stores to save money on name brand items, and so much more!

Photos for this series are from Flickr.  They are pictures that are under the license of ‘commercial and mods allowed.’  Edits were done by me.  The licensor does not endorse me or my use.

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31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #5 - Buy Store Brands

Today let's talk brands.  We all have those things that we absolutely have to buy a certain brand of - maybe your toothpaste, or toilet paper, or even your peanut butter - one of mine is Kraft Mayo, I buy no other brand.  And that is OKAY, you can still save money on all the other things that you aren't as opinionated about.  Things like frozen and canned vegetables are a good place to start.  Green beans are basically green beans, whether it's a name brand or a store brand.  Another one is cheese.  I have found that one block or bag of shreds is as good as another, and if buying one over the other saves you some coin, then by all means, go ahead and buy the cheaper one.  This concept does take some trial and error, but it's worth it in the end, and sometimes you find that some store brands are actually better than their name-brand counterpart.  So, money-saving tip #5 - try store brands, you might be surprised at the quality, and it's worth at least a try to save some money.

Photos for this series are from Flickr.  They are pictures that are under the license of ‘commercial and mods allowed.’  Edits were done by me.  The licensor does not endorse me or my use.

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