{Expired} Join the Money Saving Mom Survey Panel & earn up to $30 per week (1,000 more spots available!)

This survey opportunity is now open again to another 1,000 participants. This opportunity is now closed. All who registered are accepted into the program.

I worked closely in previous months with CampusFundraiser to bring your discounted All You magazine subscriptions. CampusFundraiser also has an Online Survey Program and they would like to test this program outside of a collegiate market, which is their normal demographic.

They contacted me and asked if I would be interested in testing this with 50 of my readers. When I read the details and discovered that the accepted participants would have the opportunity to make up to $30 per week each week, I jumped on it as I knew many of you would be thrilled to have such an opportunity.

Please note that CampusFundraiser is paying me a small amount for each survey participants complete in exchange for me helping them to find trustworthy participants. If you do not feel comfortable participating based upon this knowledge, I totally understand.

Here are the details on the program:

There are three different survey opportunities which participants will be able to participate in:

Invitation Survey: These will come every couple of days and provide you the opportunity to complete one survey. They will usually be titled “Movie Survey” or “Need Women 25-35? to give participants some understanding of what type of survey it is. If you are qualified, you move on to participate in the survey and will normally earn 50 market points, which translates to $1 but sometimes, $2, $4 — with the highest surveys ever having been $11, $20 and $45. You will be told in the invitation if the survey is of a high value. If you are not qualified (i.e. they are doing a survey on a man’s razor and you you are a female) you will be “screened out” and will earn usually 5 market points or $0.10 for the attempt.

CF Daily Survey: This will come to your email a few times a week but there is no need to wait for it’s arrival! Copy and paste the link to your desktop and complete a survey every day. The survey pool will continue to offer you opportunities until you are able to complete a survey or the opportunities are out. If the latter happens, simply return to the link later in the day. There are no points offered in screening out of a daily survey and 35 market points ($0.70) offered for your regular Daily complete.

Daily 5 Survey: You can copy and paste the Daily Survey link to your browser and complete up to five surveys per day! There are no points for a screen out, but you’ll get 35 market points or $0.70 for each of the completed surveys. This opportunity informs you of the time involved in each survey (5 minutes-35 minutes) so you can easily decide to return later if you don’t have the time.

Taking advantage of all 3 opportunities can earn an individual around $30 a week or more!

How do you get started?: Click here and register your information to become a part of Money Saving Mom’s panel. The panel is open to another 1,000 participants and will likely fill up quickly.

Please disregard the collegiate or group wording that will be peppered entirely throughout the registration process and remember you are the first participants outside the collegiate market to have been approached with this opportunity.

At the end of the registration process, you will be given a username and password at the bottom of the last screen.  Please save this for your records.  You will need this when checking your account activity going forward.

To check your account activity, simply go to www.campusfundraiser.com and click on “View Your Account” in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Use your login information here. Your activity will be found on the Current Fundraiser Tab, Survey Fundraiser 2010/2011.

How do I get paid?: Once you have earned $25, (which can be on a weekly basis if you are an active participant), just contact CampusFundraiser to request a payout. Make sure to provide your address information during registration and allow 3-4 weeks for processing and mailing of payment.

Please contact mrijos@campusfundraiser.com with questions or to request a payout and please refer to the fact you are part of Money Saving Mom’s test panel.

Activity is updated every few days and will not be available live.

Once registered, you can respond to and complete surveys online, easily making a few dollars per day as you surf the net. Because of CampusFundraiser’s strict privacy policy, your information will not be shared with any 3rd party or the survey companies themselves.  Everything will be filtered through CampusFundraiser themselves and come via email from cfsurveys.com so as not to be confused with any other program you may be taking advantage of.

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Buying Special Diet Foods on a Budget

Guest post by Anne from When Food is Dangerous and Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy

These days, it seems like everyone has to deal with diet restrictions, either for themselves or a family member. Diets can be restricted by a variety of health conditions. Diabetes, heart disease, food allergies, food sensitivities, bowel diseases, celiac disease and lactose intolerance are just a few reasons some people are forced to change their diet — sometimes drastically.

Making the necessary changes can be daunting, especially when you begin to research the costs for replacements and substitutions. I should know! My husband has ulcerative colitis, a condition that does not allow him to eat either excessively fibrous or highly acidic foods, and my son has multiple severe food allergies.

Learning how to cope with these varied diets on a limited budget has stretched my creativity to say the least. If you are struggling in a similar situation, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way:

For most people, whole foods are still an acceptable and desirable part of their diet: meats, fruits, vegetables, and certain grains, seeds and nuts. Focusing on those foods will not only make you healthier, but help you stick to your budget. Avoid overly processed foods with long lists of ingredients that could create dietary issues.

Instead of purchasing items like breads, sweets and snacks, learn how to make them yourself. That way you know exactly what ingredients go into each food item and you can tweak recipes to meet your dietary needs.

I learned early on how to make bread that strikes the balance between my own and my husband’s dietary needs – a mix of whole grains and regular all-purpose flour. For my son, I’ve learned how to make everything from granola bars to fruit leather so as to provide healthy, inexpensive snacks that are safe for him.

This may require some creativity. My husband can’t have tomato sauce, so when it comes to pizza and pasta, I have learned to come up with a variety of creative sauces. Instead of pizza sauce, for example, I use barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, alfredo sauce, or even just olive oil and some herbs. One of my favorite pasta sauce substitutes is actually pumpkin-based!

When first learning about my son’s allergies, I spent a great deal of time researching both local and internet-only sources for flour substitutions because of his wheat allergy.

I learned that the Walmart Supercenter is surprisingly the cheapest source for rice and chickpea flours. Amazon.com’s Subscribe and Save program is probably the cheapest way to purchase Bob’s Red Mill grains and flours, among other foods. Local ethnic markets can also be great inexpensive sources for things like tapioca starch or other food alternatives. I have found that a locally owned organic market is the cheapest place to buy coconut milk and coconut milk yogurt, which I substitute for regular dairy products in my son’s diet.

This one can be very difficult. My husband simply has to live without some foods he used to love, even healthy foods, like spinach and corn on the cob. There just are no substitutes for those foods!

For my son, the choice was a matter of budget. The only “cheeses” and store-bought breads he can eat are prohibitively expensive, so he simply does without. Except for basic food substitutions, like the coconut milk, I almost never buy him specially made and packaged “allergen-free” foods. I either make it myself or forego it altogether because the cost is not worth it to me. And let’s be honest, most of those substitutes taste nothing like the real thing, so what’s the point, anyway?

This principle applies particularly to food-allergy sufferers, but has useful applications for other diets, like gluten- or lactose-free. You don’t really need to shop from the “allergen-free” section at the health food store, and that should be a relief to you if you’ve ever taken a peek at those prices!

Instead, be a detective, and take some time to browse the detailed nutrition information on packaged foods to find ones that are naturally free of allergens, or whatever food it is you have to avoid. I discovered early on that while my son could not have the traditional Cheerios or Gerber Puffs as a first finger food, Kix were a safe option. As a toddler, he still loves them, and I buy them whenever I can get them cheap on sale and with a coupon.

Similarly, I’ve found a variety of safe snacks and convenience foods — all available in any regular grocery store, and often available for cheap on sale and with coupons — that I keep on hand for those times when making his food myself is not an option, or for when we’re on the road without the usual emergency snack or meal from home. Of course, when dealing with allergies, always proceed with caution when trying a new food.

Because of our various diet restrictions, certain foods I used to dislike, or had never experienced, began to creep into my regular menu. For example, I never had much experience with winter squash because my mom never cooked with it. However, since my husband has a limited range of fruits and vegetables he can safely eat, I’ve realized it’s necessary to incorporate all that he can eat, and that includes winter squash! I’ve found some really creative ways to hide it in foods while we adjust ourselves to the taste and texture.

When I was nursing my son and was therefore on his restricted diet, I found that almond milk was my favorite substitute for cow’s milk, and since then, I’ve learned to buy it when on sale — with coupons of course! — to use as a cheaper substitute for baking and cooking.

This is sometimes difficult for me when I get discouraged by the amount of money or time I spend on making and procuring safe foods for my family. It’s imperative, though, that I keep my mind focused on the blessings to be found in our enforced diets: for one thing, we all eat a lot healthier than we would otherwise! A positive perspective goes a long way in helping me continue to improve my efforts to provide safe, healthy, and affordable foods for my family.

Anne Simpson blogs about living with life-threatening food allergies at When Food is Dangerous, and about preparing healthy foods without sacrificing time or money at Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy. She is mentally preparing herself for whatever dietary needs her second son may have when he arrives early next year!

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photo credits: whatsername; kaintuckeean; Elana’s Pantry

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Q&A Tuesday: What do you do if a business refuses to acknowledge that they shorted you over $40?

My boyfriend ran into a situation about a month ago with Dunkin’ Donuts. He paid for a $2 coffee at the drivethru with a $50 bill. He received $7 as his change and no receipt, so he parked the car and went inside to get the receipt and $40 they didn’t give him. The clerks working said they couldn’t open the drawer because the manager wasn’t there.

He went back the next day to speak to the manager. She said she would watch the security tapes and call him that day. He never received a call. He called her back the fallowing day and she rudely told him to “stop trying to rip them off”.

We are truly honest people. We’ve both worked in retail and know how to handle customers. We’ve contacted Dunkin’s consumer care (three times!) and have received no response. Is there anything else we can do? -Vicki

First off, I’m so sorry about this! What a frustrating situation!

In this case, since there’s no receipt and likely no transaction record — as your boyfriend paid with cash — it comes down to your word against theirs. How far you take it will depend upon how much time you have and how much $40 is worth to you. Here are some suggestions I would have for dealing with this type of situation:

I had a really bad experience at CVS one time where the manager accused me of stealing and told me rather loudly to never come back to the store. He didn’t incorrectly charge me, as was the case with you, but he did treat me in a very rude manner for using coupons as intended. As soon as I arrived home from the store, I wrote out what happened in very in-depth detail. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget anything in case I couldn’t get ahold of someone at CVS corporate for a few days.

{By the way, CVS corporate was very polite and apologetic and actually wanted the manager to call and apologize to me personally. I told them that wasn’t necessary, but did ask that they clearly inform this particular store’s manager and employees of how ECBs and coupons worked. Apparently it worked, because that store became very coupon-friendly!}

I see that Dunkin’ Donuts has a contact form and a 1-800 number on their website. I’d contact them through both at least once a day or every other day until you get a response. I’d also call the local store and politely inform them that you are contacting corporate and also reporting this to the Better Business Bureau. They need to understand that this is improper treatment of their customers and will result in consequences for them if they don’t resolve it.

Don’t give up if you don’t get a response within a few days. Keep trying until you get through to someone. But don’t ever allow yourself to be frustrated or flustered with someone on the phone or through email. Showing common courtesy as well as professionalism will always get you much farther than ranting and raving will.

If you cannot resolve this with the local store or with the corporate headquarters, I’d suggest filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. There are some good tips here if you plan to go that route.

If this had happened to you, how would you respond? What suggestions or advice do you have for Vicki and her boyfriend?

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Reader Tip: Saving Money on Paper and Printer Ink

Feel like you’re going through paper and ink like water with all the coupons you print? Erica from EEEndeavors, emailed in some tips to help you save money on paper and ink:

Reuse Your Paper: Most commonly, three coupons will fit on one 8.5×11? sheet of paper. If you only print one, clip off that coupon (as straight as possible) and re-insert to print an additional two coupons. If extra wording or graphics printed with your first coupon, make sure to flip to print on the other side.

Reuse Other Paper: Stop and think about how many papers are thrown away from school or the mail. If it has a blank backside, use it! To avoid confusion, it’s a good idea to “X” out the side that has writing but not a coupon.

Change Your Printer Settings: Change your printer settings to print in Grayscale (only uses black ink) and in Fast Draft mode (uses less ink and prints faster). You can always easily change these settings for when you need higher quality prints, but it is expensive and unnecessary when it comes to coupons.

Fill Your Own Cartridges: I don’t suggest this for color cartridges as I think it’s too risky, but it’s hard to fail if you’re just filling a black ink cartridge. It is messy, but practice makes perfect (and reading directions sure helps!). I paid $14 for my last refill kit, which is enough to fill an average of 20 ink cartridges. If you consider the cost of a factory refilled, generic cartridge (usually $12), this is a $226 savings!

For more helpful tips and ideas, check out Saving Money on Printer Ink and Save Up to $20 Per Year By Switching Fonts.

photo by Renway2007

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Reader Tip: Work-from-home jobs available with NEW Corp

If you need/want a legit work at home job that pays hourly, every other Friday and has paid training, my company, NEW Corp Home-based Customer Care Representatives, is hiring for customer service and tech support. We opened a bunch of new training areas in several states – some that have virtual training available. I have been working for this company for four years now. -Rachel

I don’t know anything personally about this company, but I checked the website out and it looks legit. If you’re looking for a work-at-home job, check to see if they have a training center in your area. If so, you can read the Frequently Asked Questions to get a feel for what the job would entail. And then you can apply, if you’re interested.

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‘Cheapest’ mom shares tips for frugal family-feeding

October 1st 2010

The cold weather is almost upon us. This morning was particularly chilly. Time to get [+]

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Shopping for Text Books

October 1st 2010

The cold weather is almost upon us. This morning was particularly chilly. Time to get [+]

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Ways to Save Money at the Gas Station

October 1st 2010

The cold weather is almost upon us. This morning was particularly chilly. Time to get [+]

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Ways to Save Money on Your Heating & Energy Bills

October 1st 2010

The cold weather is almost upon us. This morning was particularly chilly. Time to get [+]

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The Blessings of Giving

When my husband and I got married seven years ago, we made a commitment to give a tithe of 10 percent of our gross income to our local church. While this has not always been an easy thing to do, it has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

For the first few years of our marriage, we were barely squeaking by on an income of $800 to $1,000 a month. Yet we made tithing our number one budget priority—even before paying our bills.

The blessings from making giving a priority have been amazing.

Read the rest of the article.

Note: I received an email from a reader who was very concerned that I’d write an article for a site sponsored by American Express. I just thought I should clarify that I had committed to writing three articles for Currency.com months ago — and just found out a few weeks ago, to my dismay, that this new financial site was going to be sponsored by American Express.

I would not have written the articles for them had I known of the AMEX sponsorship, as that would be a conflict of interest for me as I do not support or encourage the use of credit cards. However, the articles were already written and slated for publication so I am going to go ahead and share the articles here over the next week as I know some of you will enjoy them. I’ve closed off comments on this post to facilitate discussion on the main article should you wish to comment there.

photo by MindfulOne

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We Paid Cash! :: A Kitchen Faucet

A testimony from Jen

Up until a year ago I was working full-time at a job that paid pretty well. Our home, cars and budget were based on two good incomes. But after my son was born I struggled as a working mom and finally made the decision to stay home. While I don’t regret it at all, it’s meant some major budget overhauling.

Two months ago we read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey and decided we were committed to becoming debt-free. As is always the case, life decided to hit us with a test to see how dedicated we were to our new plan.

For the last month the spray nozzle on our kitchen sink has been leaking. We’ve had to leave it sit in the sink to avoid water damage to the cabinet underneath.

Over Labor Day weekend we decided to tackle the job of replacing it. We were told it would be a simple do-it-yourself job. We had a small gift certificate to Home Depot so we headed there to get the parts we needed.

To make a long story short, after three trips to the hardware store, and a visit from my dad (a general contractor), we found out we had to replace the entire kitchen faucet. The cheapest kitchen faucets run around $100, and that was NOT in the budget! So I got to work trying to figure out what to do.

I checked Craigslist and found a two-year-old kitchen faucet for $20. Turns out it belonged to the kindest older couple who had just re-done their kitchen and decided instead of throwing it away they would see if they could help someone out by putting it on Craigslist. What an answer to prayer!I crawled under the sink myself (my husband couldn’t fit!) and figured out how to remove the old faucet and put the new one in (which included 2 more trips to the hardware store for replacement pipes and connections).

When all was said and done we spent $28 on the faucet and replacement parts.

The best part of this? Two days earlier we had received an unexpected $57 check in the mail from our mortgage company. A year ago we would have immediately blown that on a night out, but because of our new commitment to remaining debt-free, we tucked it away for a special need.  What great confirmation that we are making the right decisions with our money!!

My name is Jen, I am a stay-at-home-mom to a two-year-old son. I have been married for eight years to a wonderful man who supports me in all my endeavors, whether it be rearranging our budget, crazy-coupon-clipping or climbing under the kitchen sink!

Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small? Submit your story for possible publication here.

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Ask the Readers: Do you think it’s a good deal to purchase half a cow?

I have recently been wrestling through the pros/cons of buying regular grocery store beef vs. grass fed, hormone free, antibiotic free beef. I am trying to go through some of my options, and I came across the option of buying a half of a cow. I would just love to know whether or not this is actually more beneficial and cost-effective than just buying it pre-cut and packaged, as needed. -Abby

Long-time readers here may remember that we attempted to buy a quarter of a grass-fed cow one time and it ended pretty disastrously. In fact, I still have visions of four inches of blood at the bottom of the deep freeze. Eww!

However, if you are smarter than us, and put your freezer somewhere where the outlet won’t shut off and spoil your meat while you’re on vacation, then I definitely think buying half a cow can be a very good investment. In fact, we’re hoping to do that ourselves sometime soon now that we have space again for a deep freeze.

To be completely honest, we’re still trying to work up the courage to makes such a big purchase again after it failed so miserably last time. However, we would really like to be able to use higher-quality meat and buying it in bulk makes it much more affordable, so I think we’re going to take the plunge. This time around, though, we’re going to invest in a freezer alarm, we’re keeping the freezer somewhere other than the garage and I’ll probably be a little OCD about checking to make sure the freezer is running.

Have you invested in a side of beef before? Did you think it was a good investment? Any pointers or tips for Abby and our family to consider (other than the obvious of don’t plug your freezer into a weak garage outlet!) I’d love to hear!

photo by Skinnyde

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In the Land of No Double Coupons: Plan a Menu (Part 3)

Guest post by Clair Boone

This is part 3 of Clair’s series, In the Land of No Double Coupons. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

It’s 5:00 p.m. and your husband is due home in half an hour. The kids are going crazy, the baby is crying and you have spent the day cleaning up toys. Just when you think things can’t get worse you realize you have no dinner planned.

Although you could convince your husband to eat cereal or frozen pizza, is that what you want? Or what you want the kids to eat? With the way our lives are nowadays, we run around like headless chickens and try to fit in eating healthy.

If you want to eat healthy and live frugally there’s only one thing to it — you’re gonna have to start meal planning.

According to the Meal Planning Mommies, meal planning is “creating a flexible, livable schedule of family meals.”

Meal planning is:

Meant to take the stress out of dinner time and put the fun back in cooking family meals.Going to help you plan a variety of healthier, cost-efficient meals based on your family’s needs.Going to save you MONEY and TIME.Individual to your family.

Meal planning does not have to be:

A rigid calendar of meals.Meals that don’t suit your family’s tastes/lifestyle.Costly.Time consuming.Stressful.

My meal plan is really simple. At the beginning of each week or sometimes every couple of weeks, I look at what’s already in the stockpile. My stockpile contains items I got for free, cheap or things that I already have on hand.

If we only have chicken in the freezer then I’m going to get creative. If I’ve got a variety then we’re in luck.

Once the meal plan is written using those ingredients, I write a list for the things I need to actually make those random ingredients into meals and then I run out to the store. Not before. Running into the store without a list will end up in copious amount of impulse buying, regretful decisions and the grocery budget up. I know it and I’m guilty.

So make a list and don’t back out.

A few weeks ago we were having friends over for dinner and I decided I was making chili.

As it was time for a grocery shop anyway, I wrote a list of everything we needed that week. We had ground beef around (hence my decision to make chili) and so I knew I needed chili seasoning. I went out, came home and started to cook.

About two minutes into it I realized I was missing a key ingredient: tomatoes! My friends were arriving in half an hour, I didn’t want to go back to the store and risk impulse buying so I can now attest to the fact that tomato sauce, tomato ketchup and a dollop of BBQ sauce makes a great chili!

In other words, if you forgot it at the store, improvise.

Stay tuned for Part 4 tomorrow…

She bought diapers for 20 cents a pack prompting her friends to ask her to start www.mummydeals.org to teach others how to save money. She loves to use her couponing powers to buy things and donate them. Originally from England, Clair Boone is wife to an amazing man, Mum to a toddler and lives near Chicago.

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How to Deal with Not-So-Friendly Cashiers

Guest post by Stephanie from Couponing101.com

“Back in the day,” the customer was always right. These days though, it is fairly common to be argued with, be treated rudely, or even be accused of stealing — all because you’re trying to save money by using coupons.

There are, of course, some great cashiers who can make your store experience pleasant. This post, however, is about how to deal with the ones who make it not so pleasant.

When you have a bad experience at a store, you can always call or email customer service later. However, that can only take place after your experience. Here are some tips to deal with rude cashiers during your encounter.

If you are purposefully trying to use a coupon wrongly, then you won’t get any sympathy from me. Make sure you know the store’s coupon policy and comply with their rules. If that store does not accept printable coupons, don’t try to “sneak” one in the stack. Just because every other store you shop at accepts them, doesn’t mean you should be able to use them at a store that does not.

Cashiers are people too, and deal with the same things you do. They have bad days, deal with grumpy bosses and get stuck in traffic. Treat them the way you would want to be treated. Make polite conversation and make them realize that you are a real person too, not just a customer.

When you sound like you truly know what you are talking about, they are much more likely to believe you. There is no need to be rude though. Becoming angry will likely cause them to become defensive and less likely to want to come to an agreement.

If the cashier is insistent on not allowing a coupon that you know should be allowed, ask to speak to a manager. They are just doing their job and they don’t want to get in trouble with their boss for accepting a coupon they shouldn’t. Also, asking to speak to a manager may make them rethink their reasoning for rejecting your coupon.

If the cashier claims they have a new policy for not accepting printable coupons (or anything else), then ask to see a written copy of this new policy. Let them know you don’t mind waiting right there in line while they look for it.

You could also ask to use their telephone so that you can call corporate and find out for sure. If it is truly a new policy, they will be able to locate written proof quickly and won’t mind if you call corporate to verify.

It is helpful to carry a copy of the store’s coupon policy with you to the store in case a cashier is not familiar with it. Some policies are available on the store’s website, but if it isn’t then you can email them and ask for a copy.

Above all else, don’t let rude cashiers discourage you! In the long run, the benefits of couponing far outweigh the inconvenience of a few rude cashiers!

Stephanie is a stay-at-homeschooling mom of two young children. She blogs at Couponing101.com about coupon strategies and money-saving techniques that will make your cashier encounters far more interesting.

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My Freezer Cooking Accomplishments (and come link up yours!)

I did a mini-Freezer Cooking session last week and here’s what I ended up getting accomplished:

A triple batch of Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Three meal’s worth of Marinated Chicken

Two big bags of chicken cooked and chopped/sliced

One loaf Whole-Wheat Bread

Next week, I’m planning to tackle making a big batch of Homemade Baking Mix and plan to also make meatballs and meatloaf. I’ll share the Baking Mix recipe once we’ve tried it.

__________

Did you have a chance to do any baking or cooking this week? If so, post about it on your blog and leave your link below to your direct blog post. Thanks for joining us!

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Financial Goals and Update (and come link up yours, too!)

Many of you have asked what our financial goals are now that we paid cash for our house. A few months ago, I promised to let you know what these were and I’m finally getting around to doing so! It’s taken us a few months to sort through and develop a game plan financially for this season of our lives, so thank you for your patience.

The question we received a lot when people knew we were living on less than we made and saving to pay cash for a house was, “Will you change your standard of living once you buy a house?”

Our heart’s desire is that we would wisely steward the blessings God has given us by giving to others. We want to be conduits. For some reason, God has chosen to bless us financially and we want to use this blessing to reach out and freely give to others.

We’re very content with what we have and we feel like there’s no need to increase our standard of living. Instead, we want to increase our standard of giving and also invest our money wisely so that we’ll be in a position to give even more.

With this in mind, we are currently researching and praying about our next BHAG, as we like to call them at our house. We’ve not 100% decided on what it will be, but we’re looking into the possibility of investing in commercial real estate (paying cash, of course, because we’re weird like that!)

While we pray and research and start setting aside some of our savings towards that, we do have some more immediate short-term financial goals:

1. Significantly increase our giving to needs in our community and around the world.

2. Pay cash for a replacement washer and dryer for our very used set. (This got moved to the top of the list when our washer up and quit last week!)

3. Pay cash for a replacement for Old Blue Van (We’ve almost finished this goal and it’s a good thing because the driver’s door no longer opens from the outside!)

4. Pay cash for a couch for our basement family room (Which currently is devoid of furniture while we save for it!)

5. Pay cash for bunk beds for the girls.

6. Fully fund our IRAs.

7. Bump up our retirement savings to 10% of our income.

8. Fund our children’s educational savings.

9. Double our Emergency Fund Savings (instead of having around six month’s worth of expenses set aside, we’re planning to set aside a year’s worth of expenses)

Our goal is to have all of these items accomplished by September 1, 2011. We have no idea whether that’s possible, but it’s what we’re shooting for. We have the goals broken down by month and there’s a possibility it might all happen by then. But we’ll see as you never know what curve balls might be around the bend.

If and when we accomplish these goals, the plan is then to throw our extra monthly savings into our BHAG.

photo by Alan Cleaver

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What are your current financial goals? Many of you have asked for me to bring back the monthly financial check-up for us all to share about our financial goals and the monthly progress and set backs. So I’m bringing this feature back beginning the first week in October. I’d love to have you link up with your financial goals and successes below!

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Do-It-Yourself Dollar Store Fall Wreath

Want to spruce up your front door on a dime? Thrifty Decor Chick walks you step-by-step how to make a Dollar Store Fall Wreath. It looks so simple I’m maybe even a total craft class flunkie like me could pull this off!

Thanks, Moms By Heart!

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Weekend Giveaway: Scentsy Warmer and Three Scents (10 Winners)

I love candles. The warmth, the glow, the smell wafting through the house… it’s perfect on a crisp Fall day.

I used to burn candles all the time. Then I had my second daughter. She rolled over at two weeks and has pretty much never stopped moving since then. She’s the child who has no fear and insatiable curiosity. She’s also the child who is just an accident waiting to happen.

And ever since Kaitlynn’s been mobile, we’ve decided it was in best interest to discontinue burning candles lest she get ahold of them and burn the house down. I’m not kidding when I say that. If you’ve met Kaitlynn, you know what I mean.

While we love Kaitlynn to pieces and she’s every bit worth giving up candle-burning for, I still miss candles.

So I was thrilled to discover Scentsy warmers this past year. They are scented, wickless “candles” which are heated in decorative ceramic candle warmers. While not quite as ambient as actual candles, they still glow and smell — and I don’t have to worry about possible fires being started with them!

You know I was pretty smitten because everyone who visited us for the first few weeks after I first learned about Scentsy warmers had to get a demonstration of how they worked and how excited I was about them. I began to realize I was starting to sound like I was a sales representative for Scentsy, so I’ve toned it down a notch and try not to start in on my unpaid “commercial” unless a friend asks first. {By the way, I’m not looking to add any extra things to my plate right now, but Scentsy does offer a Work-At-Home Opportunity in case others of you might be interested.}

I love almost everything about the Scentsy warmers except I found out the hard way that they can’t be moved from room-to-room when they are filled with hot wax (one attempt which resulted in burning hot wax dripping down my arm and on the bathroom countertop was enough to solidify this once and for all for me!). I also think that they lose their scent more quickly than a typical candle does. And finally, I found it a tad bit messy to change scents.

But all in all, I love Scentsy warmers and am pretty sure they are going to be a permanent fixture in our home.

Scentsy has been kind enough to offer a warmer and three different scent package to 10 readers here this weekend. To enter to win, just click on the graphic below and enter your name and email address. This giveaway ends Sunday evening (September 19, 2010) at 11:59 p.m. CST. 10 winners will be chosen and posted on Monday.

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Reader Tip: Donate food daily for free through TheHungerSite.com

by Crystal on September 22, 2010

Your recent post about giving from our abundance made me think of a site I recently discovered — The Hunger Site. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors, every day when you click on the site, you can donate 1.1 cups of food. Cool!

I’ve had fun teaching my little guy about the beatitudes and he loves to crawl up in my lap to help work the computer and donate food for the hungry. Every little bit counts!

There are also other links on the page, like one for giving life saving medicine to children. -Cher

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5 Ways to Repurpose Newspapers

Guest post by Julia from Roots of Simplicity

Do you have a stack of newspapers sitting in your house or garage? Whether you like to read the articles, scan the comics or just clip the coupons (like me!), the daily paper is a versatile resource beyond the information it holds. Besides the recycle bin, there are several other uses for newspapers which can help trim your expenses.

For very messy clean up jobs, newspapers are an ideal choice. Though a paperless kitchen is a worthy goal, sheets of old newspapers can be very handy for lifting the bulk of big messes (eggs, oil, mud, etc.). The final swipe can be done with a wet cloth or paper towel if needed.

You can also prevent a huge countertop spill if you are pouring grease or oil by placing a sheet of newspaper under the container before pouring the liquid.

In addition, newspapers are a thrifty, streak-free way to clean windows and mirrors.

Glossy gift bags are often an expensive addition to the cost of a gift. By using your own materials to create a gift bag, you can save cash and reduce consumption. Use a trimmed cereal box “wrapped” in newsprint for you bag. Poke holes and thread with ribbon (strung with pieces of plastic straws!) for your handles.

You can also customize the bag according to the recipient or what you are giving. For example, for a sports fan, use the sports section; for a general gift, use the comics; for a cooking-related gift, use the food section.

If the gift is too big to fit in a bag, simply use the newspaper as wrapping paper.

Wrap a table in sheets of newspaper and secure with tape. Why buy a single-use tablecloth when you can easily get newspapers for free? I noticed that a popular food magazine (Rachael Ray) recently featured a brown paper table cover for a casual outdoor party.  Instead of buying anything, “go green” and reuse your newspapers for the same effect.

Using a cardboard box, some newspaper, tape and colored tissue paper, you can have fun making and then breaking your own pinata. Tape is easier and quicker than paper mache, but you can go whichever route your creativity and available time indicate. Homemade pinatas can become a fun, frugal, personalized tradition for birthdays and other celebrations.

Changing the diaper of a squirming baby or toddler is not always a tidy affair. Using a newspaper is cheaper and more eco-friendly than buying disposable changing pads, but just as convenient.

Through being resourceful with the newspaper stack that you already have, it is possible to save money and reduce your need to buy specialty paper products.

Do you reuse newspaper in a clever or frugal way? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments!

Julia blogs at Roots of Simplicity. She is a stay-at-home mom of three children who employs her creativity in the kitchen and at the craft table with whatever she has on hand.

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In the Land of No Double Coupons: Use Overage to Your Advantage (Part 4)

Guest post by Clair Boone

This is Part 4 of Clair’s series, In the Land of No Double Coupons. Here’s Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Through rebate programs like CVS and Walgreens our family hasn’t paid for many toiletries in eight years. Yup, Walgreens’ Easy Saver program has been around a while and even when we were missionaries in Thailand for three years, my mother-in-law would stock up and then send it out with anyone who came to visit us!

The one question I get asked a lot is, “If it’s free but you know you can’t use it, would you buy it?” My answer most of the time is, “Absolutely, if I can not only get it free but use a coupon to make it better than free!”

If the Colgate toothpaste is going to be free after Register Rewards but I have a $1 coupon to use on it then it covers the tax and a little extra. Sometimes the deals are even better and when you stand to make overage of around $5, then I love doing those deals.

That means I can use my overage on necessities that are never free, like diapers. And if it’s not something I’ll use, I donate it.

While it’s true that we’ll never be able to snag quite as much free food as the double couponers, there are stores that will enable you to get super cheap or free food like Meijer and Jewel. Those are two stores that I cover each week and if there’s free food to be had, I’ll let you know!

The bottom line is, while The Land of No Double Coupons makes you get more creative, it is a little easier to navigate because you don’t have to stress out about all those coupons. For now, this is Clair Boone reporting from a land far, far away.

She bought diapers for 20 cents a pack prompting her friends to ask her to start www.mummydeals.org to teach others how to save money. She loves to use her couponing powers to buy things and donate them. Originally from England, Clair Boone is wife to an amazing man, Mum to a toddler and lives near Chicago.

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Super Savings Saturday: Quick grocery trips and some bonus pictures

I didn’t have a time slot big enough during the day to fit in a longer grocery shopping trip this week, so I settled for a couple of quick grocery stops. Above is my quick stop into Dillons and the health food store. I was especially excited to find tilapia marked down — yum!

And later on in the week, I stopped in Walmart to pick up free razors, free dish soap and $0.18 per pound bananas and I also stopped by the health food store (again!) to pick up apples.

Near the end of the week, we were almost out of milk, so my husband picked up a gallon of milk and chocolate (not pictured). I also bought three dozen farm-fresh eggs from my brother (not pictured).

Altogether, we spent just under $40 on groceries this week.

And while these pictures have nothing to do with saving money, since I was posting pictures of my groceries, I thought I’d share a handful of other pictures on my camera. These just melt my heart!

Silas is 16 months old and still doesn’t have anywhere near the vocabulary the girls did at this age (though he has long ago perfected the art of communicating by grunting and vowel sounds!) Can you tell he’s rather mischievous and did I mention busy? However, I’m very thrilled that he’s finally starting to enjoy being read to, rocked and sung to. And I’m soaking every bit of his snuggles up because he’s growing up so quickly.

Kaitlynn! There aren’t adequate words to describe this bundle of energy. She keeps me laughing and praying for God’s continual protection over her. (And we sincerely hope she will someday soon develop a healthy fear of something. At the present, she’s almost fearless — which I know can someday be a great asset. But for now? I pray for lots of protection for her and for wisdom and foresight to care for her and guide her.)

Sisters who are fast becoming best friends — well, most of the time that is! It’s so much fun for Kathrynne to finally have a sibling old enough to play along with the creative ideas that she’s constantly coming up with. In a day’s time, the girls might be everything from soccer players who are in a fierce competition, to nurses delivering babies, to entrepreneurs setting up their own card shop. You just never know what they’ll come up with next!

Kathrynne has recently traded her long-held desires for getting a dog to instead save up for a horse. We’ve tried to explain to her that horses are very expensive and we’ll need to move to a place with a bigger yard, but she’s not a bit dissuaded and often talks about, “When I get my horse…” like it’s a done deal. We’ll see!

Ever wonder why you don’t see many pictures of all three children together? Well, it might be because getting them all to stand still long enough to snap the picture is quite a feat indeed. The good news is they ensure that no day is ever dull at our house nor do we ever run out of things to do!

We love ‘em to pieces and thank the Lord constantly for giving us these three children to train and raise and nurture.

___________________

Did you snag any great deals or bargains this week or save money in other ways? If so, be sure to post about them on your blog and leave your link below. Please remember that this weekly round-up is to share deals you personally got and/or money you were able to save this week. In order to keep this weekly round-up focused on helping and inspiring others in their efforts to save money, links which have little-to-no content other than promoting affiliate links, etc. will be deleted. Also, to make it easy for everyone to navigate quickly through the links, your link must link directly to your Super Savings Saturday post.

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Becoming a Work-At-Home Mom: MoneySavingMom.com is born

After the success of the online Supermarket Savings 101 course, I started helping some local ladies with couponing and was putting together a list of the best deals at nearby stores for them each week. I kept thinking about how I was sure others could benefit from these lists outside of my circle of local friends.

At the same time, I felt like my personal blog was becoming too over-run with frugal posts and I wanted to have a place to freely share those. I looked for a blog which was covering the drugstore deals and teaching people step-by-step how to cut their grocery bill, and, surprisingly, I found none.

(Back in 2007, blogging was still a new phenomenon so while there were some finance and frugal blogs, to my knowledge, there weren’t any blogs which were specifically dedicated to sharing deals. And based upon the emails I was receiving, I knew that people were really looking for specific, detailed information on how to work the deals and get the best bang for their buck at the grocery store.)

So I kept feeling this nudge in my heart to start a blog dedicated to helping women with the nuts and bolts of using coupons, getting the best deals and also to just share things about finances and saving money we had learned during our lean law school years. I approached my husband about the blog idea and he loved it. However, we both sat on it for a few weeks as we wanted to make sure it was the direction God was leading and I also wanted to make sure I wasn’t biting off more than I could chew.

I also needed a name for the blog, if I were going to start one. We tossed around a lot of possibilities but finally landed on MoneySavingMom.com. I bought the domain and opened up a little Blogger blog. I didn’t even have a header designed for a few months and it was as barebones as it could be, but people started coming and coming and coming. Pretty soon, the blog was averaging around 5,000 visitors per day, then 10,000, then 15,000 and on and on it went.

MoneySavingMom.com has far exceeded my wildest dreams and I’m humbled that God would allow me to be apart of this. Many times when people ask me what is the key to this blog’s success, I’ll tell them, “Hard work and the blessing of God.” I have put a lot of time and effort into the blog and believe that the lessons I’ve learned through failure have been invaluable. However, I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that MoneySavingMom.com would not be anywhere near what it is without God’s blessing upon it.

For some reason, God allowed us to be at the right place at the right time. We didn’t know that the economy was going to go downhill just a few months after MoneySavingMom.com was born. Nor did we know that couponing and frugality were going to become extremely popular. In addition, I knew very little about SEO when I started (search engine optimization, i.e. how you get your blog to show up at the top of the list when people use a search engine).

I’ve made some major mistakes along the way. I’ve offended people by careless words and actions. I’ve struggled with having my priorities in order. I’ve unintentionally hurt people who are very close to me. I struggle with thinking I am somebody (and every time that happens, God will smack me right in the forehead to remind me how human and fallible I am!)

It’s been a humbling and growing process to have the responsibility upon my shoulders of hundreds of thousands of people around the world reading what I write. You all have been gracious, long-suffering and incredibly kind to me along the way and I appreciate it very much.

I’m honored to be at a place now where I can completely choose my own hours to work and have a very talented team of people who do much of the behind-the-scenes work so that I can give the best part of my day to my husband and children. It hasn’t always been this way and if I were to do over parts of my life, I’d definitely seek, by the grace of God, to work less and have my priorities more in order.

Working from home can be a great thing, but if your family and friends are run over or short-changed in the process, it’s not worth it. At the end of my life, it won’t matter how many blog posts I wrote or how much money I made, but it will matter that I was faithful as a wife and mom! As I’ve often said, anyone can be a successful blogger, but only one person can be your husband’s wife and your children’s mom.

Over the next few weeks, I’d love to answer any specific questions you all might have related to working from home in my Saturday posts. So if you have a question related to working from home you’d love to see answered, please leave it in the comments here or email me. I can’t promise I’ll have an answer or that I’ll be able to get to every question (depending upon how many are asked!), but I’ll at least pick a few and give them my best shot!

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In the Land of No Double Coupons: Skip Junk Food & Shop at ALDI (Part 2)

Guest post by Clair Boone

This is part 2 of Clair’s series, In the Land of No Double Coupons. You can find Part 1 here.

Research has proven that impulse buying increases your spending by about 20%. For me, that’s $40 per month of waste that could go towards bills or put into the savings account.

A major area where impulse buying occurs is junk food. Run into the grocery store hungry and you’re bound to grab a bag of chips to munch on in the car. While standing in line with fussy kids you cave into the pleas for candy and buy suckers.

Those items are only $1 each but if you impulsively put 10 such items in your cart, your bill just jumped $10.

One thing that’s helped us is to simply avoid junk food. Rarely do we have soda pop in the house and although we always have some snacks on hand, most of them are from ALDI where they’re very cheap.

As a mum, I’d rather give my child water or milk over soda pop any day of the week. Why wouldn’t I treat my body in the same way? Unless it’s a real treat (i.e. Dr. Pepper from a drive thru!) then I skip soda pop altogether.

Once an unclean, unkempt place with more MSG and high fructose corn syrup than is healthy for any normal person, ALDI has come a long way! If you haven’t stepped into an ALDI recently, you need to.

Planning a diet or just love eating healthy? ALDI has an inexpensive diet range named Fit n Active. With salad dressings galore, rice cakes, and great brown rice, there’s no need to spend more money on good food.I’ve tried ALDI diapers and they work! At only $5.99 a pack, it’s worth experimenting on them.You can’t find cheaper pie crusts, sugar or most other baking products anywhere else.At around $1 for a giant bag of chips or tortilla chips, there’s no need to pay more for snacks.ALDI has roses for $3.99 for six and bunches of flowers for about $2.99. If you’re rolling your eyes and thinking the quality lacks, then you’re just like me…until someone bought me some from a florist and at the same time Hubs came home with some from ALDI. No word of a lie the ALDI flowers outlasted the florist’s by a whole week!

Stay tuned for Part 3 tomorrow…

She bought diapers for 20 cents a pack prompting her friends to ask her to start www.mummydeals.org to teach others how to save money. She loves to use her couponing powers to buy things and donate them. Originally from England, Clair Boone is wife to an amazing man, Mum to a toddler and lives near Chicago.

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Common Debt Management Myths (Guest Post)

Posted by LuLuGal | August 30, 2010 .

Debt management skills are in great demand at the present time, especially for numerous consumers who find themselves buried beneath a mountain of credit card and other unsecured debt. Debt problems such as these can take on a life of their own and grow to nightmarish proportions when not managed appropriately. Beyond the sobering financial consequences they can exact, debt problems can also disrupt the personal lives of those involved and eventually assume “center stage” among their priorities. Before a debt problem has a chance to develop into an issue of this magnitude, consumers are well-advised to seek out possible solutions and to consider them carefully, finding the one that makes the most sense for their particular needs and circumstances. Along the way to finding the right debt solution, they are almost certain to encounter some well-worn myths. It is hoped that in exposing them here, it will help readers to sidestep them and to move on to other solutions that are actually worthy of their consideration. Here are some of the most often repeated myths:

1. A debt management plan (DMP) through a credit counseling agency will help to reduce all your debt payments.

Credit counseling can be a very effective debt solution, especially so when it is paired with a DMP. Enrolling in a DMP reduces interest rates, stops over-limit and late fees, allows a consolidated monthly payment and brings an end to collection phone calls. You can also expect that your credit score will be protected. The actual financial counseling that is part of credit counseling can be invaluable and can provide a fresh perspective to the situation. However there are limits to the benefits that you will receive from a DMP. The most notable of these limits is that only unsecured debt (such as credit cards and personal loans) can be included, so you’ll get no interest rate reductions on your mortgages, auto loans or other secured debt.

2. Refinance your home or take out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to pay off your high interest unsecured debt at lower rates.

At first glance this may seem like a very attractive option to pursue. You can effectively reduce the interest rates you are paying on your unsecured debt and perhaps even benefit from any tax deductions that may apply to the mortgage-related interest payments. But upon closer scrutiny there are some quite serious drawbacks to this plan. First and foremost, it involves turning your unsecured debt into secured debt. In a worst-case scenario, getting behind with your unsecured debt could only damage your credit. If this debt is instead secured by your home, however, your home is now at risk as well as your credit. You’ve got to be absolutely certain that the increased mortgage or HELOC payment doesn’t pose a risk of this kind to you. Of course if you can refinance at a much lower rate that will keep your payment the same or lower, even with the additional principal, then this becomes an option worth considering. Just keep in mind that qualifying for a mortgage these days is far more difficult than it was just a few years ago.

3. File Chapter 7 bankruptcy, wipe out your debt and just start over.

The bankruptcy laws changed in 2005 with the intention of preventing consumers from abusing the system. There is now a 2-part “means test” that must be passed in order to qualify for a “fresh start” Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Those who don’t pass the test will have to file Chapter 13 instead, which is a court-determined repayment plan lasting for up to 5 years. Bankruptcy has such serious consequences on your credit that if you are going to enter a repayment plan, you would do well to also consider a DMP alongside as another possibility. It will protect your credit score, while bankruptcy will ruin your credit for 7 to 10 years. Even consumers filing bankruptcy must now attend a credit counseling session in the 6 months prior to applying, so you should have ample opportunity to explore the DMP option.

About the Author: Alan Winkler is a writer for RightStartllc’s blog, where he sheds light on the debt relief industry. He provides helpful debt advice and tips and regularly writes educational articles on the various debt solutions out there.

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Ask the Readers: Where do you find good deals on maternity clothes?

I’m 14 1/2 weeks pregnant with our first & now that things are starting to not fit anymore, I have been trying to do some maternity clothes shopping. But wow! I didn’t realize clothing yourself while pregnant was so expensive! Just curious to know if you had any ideas or thoughts on places to go for good deals on maternity clothes. -Eden

Maternity clothes can definitely be very pricey, but there’s no need to spend exorbitant amounts on a whole new wardrobe to clothe you while pregnant. Instead, take it as an opportunity to get creative and think outside the box. Here are some things which have allowed me to spend very little on maternity clothes over the course of my last three pregnancies:

I’m pretty petite, so the 30 pounds I always gain with each pregnancy mean I go up at least two to three sizes in clothing by the end of my pregnancy! Needless to say, I’m not one of those women who can wear her regular jeans the entire pregnancy (I wish!).

However, I’ve found that some things in my wardrobe can still be worn until at least six months. Sweaters, high-waisted blouses and items which can be layered work especially well for this. So start with what you already have in your closet and see if there are some items which can be re-purposed to work as maternity clothes — at least for a little while.

So many friends have been kind to let me borrow their maternity clothes from them over my last few pregnancies. They’ve always offered to share and I’ve been more-than-happy to take them up on their offer. And I’ve been happy to return the favor to others now that I’ve built up my own “collection” of maternity clothes.

Before going out and buying anything new, definitely check out the possibilities available for used clothing. Craigslist, Freecycle, garage sales, eBay, consignment stores and many other sites online carry used maternity clothes — often at a fraction of the price of buying new.

Motherhood Maternity, Target and Old Navy usually have some pretty good clearance racks in the maternity section. If you keep your eye on them when you’re out shopping, you’ll likely be able to find some good deals. And if you can pair the clearance deal with a coupon (which are often released for Target and Old Navy) you might find a killer deal! In addition, you can occasionally find some great deals online at Kohl’s when they have $0.99 shipping and a coupon code.

Since I’m a minimalist, I always find it easiest to just have a few classic pieces which mix and match. A few pair of jeans or capris (depending upon the season, a pair of really comfy yoga pants, a couple of skirts, a few casual shirts and a few dressy shirts. I go for quality over quantity and just wear the items over and over and over again during those four months or so when I’m in maternity clothes full-time.

I’ve found it’s best to buy shirts which have ties in the back as these can be adjusted with your growing belly. I like elastic-banded pants, jeans and skirts which go under the belly (like these) as I can wear them my entire last half of the pregnancy and then for a few weeks postpartum, too. Making sure you buy items which can be worn more than a few weeks saves a lot of time and effort.

What are your ideas and suggestions for saving money on maternity clothes? Tell us in the comments.

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48-Hour Giveaway: Custom Hand Painted Necklaces (10 Winners)

Heather Kent offers beautiful custom hand-painted necklaces. Each necklace is an original watercolor painting protected with clear resin on an inch pendant.

Heather has generously offered to give away 10 custom necklaces to readers here this week and she’ll paint whatever design you’d like. She did an amazing replica of an image on a necklace for me and I was thoroughly impressed!

She gladly accepts custom orders, so these necklaces make the perfect gift for the person who appreciates something truly unique. Plus, her work is really affordable — most of her custom necklaces are under $30. For a hand-painted, custom piece, that’s a great deal!

She also offers a variety of designs in her Etsy shop. You can see pictures of her studio and read more about her on her blog.

Would you like to enter to win a hand-painted necklace from Heather for yourself or to give as a gift? Just click on the graphic below and type in your name and email address. 10 winners will be chosen and posted on Monday. This giveaway ends September 24, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

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Monthly Financial Update August 2010

Posted by LuLuGal | September 13, 2010 .

I made it through the month of August 2010 and came out $469.13 in the black!!!!! I almost lost my mind when I saw those figures and had to go back and double check because I knew I spent a lot and was over budget in a lot of areas and had even used some splurge fund money as well. The reason for still being in the black despite the extra spending was due to a small bonus I got for attending training and workshops over the summer, as well as some advertising on the blog.

While I overspent on some areas I also underspent on other areas and then used the ’saved’ money to pay for those purchases. So, for example, I did not use $69.75 of my utilities budget but I ended up using that money to make a snowflake payment towards debt. The categories were up and down and all over the place but as long as I stay within my total budget for the month then I am in good shape.

I spent $87.10 on gas for the month which was $27.10 over the budgeted amount. I washed the car three weekends at a total cost of $18 which is under the $25 budgeted for the month for car washes.

I spent $5 on coupons because I bought a double pack of newspapers when there were the extra inserts that week. I redeemed $15.04 in coupons at various stores, giving me a net gain of $10.04 on my coupon use for the month. I am also showing a net gain of $59.05 on coupon use for the year, so I will continue to buy my coupons weekly and redeem them as the months go by.

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How I Save Money At CVS: 30 August 2010

Posted by LuLuGal | September 1, 2010 .

On this trip I paid $0.00 out of pocket for $32.75 worth of items. I have not been to CVS for a few weeks because I did not like the selection of things that offered ECBs back and I would not do my regular shopping at CVS because Walmart is lower priced.

I finally saw a few things that I wanted and could give to a friend and the combination of the coupons I had just sweetened the deal for me.

Item: Cascade dishwasher tabs

Price: $3.99

CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $1.00

Coupon used: $0.25 MFR

Item: Bounce dryer sheets

Price: $3.99

CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $1.00

Coupon used: $0.50 MFR

Item: Venus Breeze razor

Price: $9.79

CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $5.00

Coupon used: $2.00

Item: 2 Antiperspirants

Price: $7.49 each

CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $2.00

Coupon used: $4 off one antiperspirant MFR

Total coupons used: $8 ECB +$6.75 MFR

Total paid today: $18.63 , on gift card.

Total CVS Extra Care Bucks earned today: $9.00

Total out of pocket to date: $15.84

Gift Card balance : $28.35

Total CVS Extra Care Bucks earned to date: $139.44

CVS Extra Care Bucks Used to date: $130.44

CVS Extra Care Bucks Balance: $9.00

MFR = manufacturer coupon

ECB = extra care bucks

Join me next time as I look for more ways to save money as I visit CVS.

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Super Savings Saturday: Aldi trip and beef stock-up

We made a trip to Aldi for most of our groceries and then picked up a big roast and three packages of Sterling Silver ground sirloin from Dillon’s (plus some ice cream!). All totaled, we spent right around $54 on groceries this week.

And that was that.

I’m planning to have another Mini Freezer Cooking Day this coming week and make another big batch of Homemade Oatmeal Packets, some Homemade Baking Mix (recipe coming later on this week) and meatballs and meatloaf for the freezer.

I’m also hoping to jump back into using more coupons this week after taking a break from them for a few weeks. The break was nice, but we’re getting low on some things, so I can’t slack for too long lest I end up paying full price for toothbrushes or something!

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We Paid Cash! :: C-Section and Hospital Stay

Testimonial by Mary from Practical Strawberry

When we found out we were expecting in October of 2005, we immediately started saving for the birth. My husband’s income covered most of our expenses, so most of my earnings from my work as a massage therapist went to the Baby Fund. Because we planned to use a midwife, we knew how much the birth would be and it gave me a very concrete, motivating goal.

I feel energized by literally seeing my money accumulate, so I kept a jar on my dresser labeled “Baby Bean” were I would put my spare change and tips from clients. As my belly grew, so did my savings.

By May, I had reached the Birth Fund goal and started to get excited that the rest of the money I earned between then and the baby’s birth in July could be used for some fun new furnishings for our house. Some afternoons after working, I would lay on our bed and mark pages of the IKEA catalog, getting excited about the idea of getting to spend some of our money on something fun, instead of bills, rent, groceries and cars.

Having been a “saver” all my life — although my husband was very sweetly encouraging (he’s the spender) — I eventually decided there was nothing that we really needed and I enjoyed the peace of mind knowing we had the extra money in savings instead of new stuff. And it was a good thing I did!

Our son ended up being breech and instead of the home birth we had planned, I had to have a very expensive C-section delivery and a bit of a hospital stay. Our insurance deductible and other expenses were almost five times as much as we had saved in our original Baby Fund!

Fortunately, the extra money that I had been able to save, combined with what we had been saving in our general savings account was enough to cover the bills. I was even able to negotiate a lower amount for the hospital bill because we paid it in full up front instead of dragging it out for years. It was such a blessing to not have a “baby payment” as part of our early life together as a family of three.

When our second son joined our family, we paid cash for his delivery as well, but the process of saving wasn’t as eventful. We just pulled the money out of our general savings account, which we try to add to each month, although the amount was much less the second time around because we were able to use our midwife.

In telling our story, I often say “I” or “we” when referring to our savings, but am more than aware that our ability to save and the resources that we saved all come from God. I truly credit the Holy Spirit for calming my IKEA coveting, at least that time .

Many times we fail on our budget, but I know that God is conditioning my heart so that I won’t become overly prideful.

Mary blogs about the adventures of life with her crazy guys (husband and sons included) at Practical Strawberry.

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