Yay! It's time for the coupon lesson! I love, love, love saving money! If you have ever watched Extreme Couponing on TLC, you watch as extreme couponers not only save a ton of cash, but get a rush of endorphins from the accomplishment of saving so much money. It really does happen that way.
Now, I'm not one who spends 20 hours or more on couponing every week and I don't clear shelves or build stockpiles - not one as big as what is on the show anyway - and you will never catch me grocery shopping for 8 to 10 hours at a time, BUT I do take a couple of hours during the week to gather the coupons I will need, plan my list and match everything up to the sales ads.
I have heard people say "I never get coupons that I would use" or I think it's a waste of time" and I've also heard "It's embarrassing to coupon" ......Really? It's embarrassing to save money? Not this girl!
Coupons are everywhere. You can find them in your local newspaper, on the back of your grocery store receipts, you can print them off online and if you sign up for your local grocery stores reward program they will not only give you the store discount, they will track what you buy and send you coupons in the mail.
I have downloaded the coupon.com toolbar on one of my computers. It lists every available coupon out there and updates daily. They organize the coupons for you. For example; Under the grocery section, there are subcategories, dairy, meat, cereal, coffee, baking, etc. They also list clothing coupons for many, many clothing stores, shoe stores, even Lowes and Home Depot.
If you have a smart phone, you can load the coupons onto your phone and scan them at the register. If you shop online, there are coupon codes listed that you can use at checkout to get as much as 75% off.
Let's start with groceries: I plan our meals a week in advance. I list every ingredient that I will need to buy according to my recipes. Then I get out this weeks sales ads. Again, if you do not get your newspaper, most stores list their sales ads online or you can sign up to have them emailed to you every week along with special sales for reward card holders.
I match the things on my list with what is on sale and then I hunt down a coupon for it. Many times, I have gotten the items that I need for free. It sounds like a lot of work but it isn't. If you do not want to download a coupon toolbar, run a google search for the coupon you are looking for.
You are allowed to print off 3 coupons for the same item per coupon site. NOTE: Call your store and ask what their coupon policy is first. Our Kroger will double coupons up to fifty cents, making the savings 1.00. BUT if you load Kroger coupons onto your reward card online, they do not double.
Kroger will track what you buy and send you excellent coupons in the mail for both name brand and Kroger brand items. They also send amazing coupons like the one I got this week - $18.00 off a $180.00 purchase. That combined with my other coupons saved me $120.00 this week! Your favorite store may do the same thing!
If you have 'The Dollar Tree' in your area, they are now taking manufacturer coupons. Jump on that! Everything there is a dollar to begin with so you can get many items for free!
Walmart takes coupons, so does The Dollar General Store, Walgreens, Food Lion.....just call the stores where you want to shop and ask what the coupon policy is.
NOTE: In some states, mine included, you have to pay the tax on your coupons. Don't panic. Paying 65 cents to save $120.00 really isn't a big deal. Just know if your state requires tax on coupons before you head to the store.
When it comes to clothing, household items like furniture, yard items, pet items....it's all the same process. Find what you want, decide what store you want to buy it from and hunt down a coupon or a coupon code if you are buying online or want to scan your smart phone at the register.
Speaking of smart phones; you can scan the bar code of an item while you are in the store and it will automatically pull up the available coupons for that item.
If you are shopping online and can not find a coupon code, go to the manufacturer website. Oftentimes they will have a coupon for you.
Same with fruit, vegetables, meats and dairy products. These are notoriously hard to find, unless, that is, you email the manufacturer. Let them know how much you enjoy their product and tell them you are having difficulty finding a coupon for a particular item. They will send you coupons as a way of saying 'Thank you and please tell your friends about us'.
Another helpful hint; if you are planning on freezing some of your meat, buy it at the end of a sales period. You will find it on sale with a sticker that says 'Managers Special'. If that meat is not sold in the next few days, it will go bad so you can get it at a deep discount. Don't worry. If you are planning to freeze it right away for a future meal it will not spoil. The store just can not leave it in the refrigerator case for three or four more days. They would rather sell it at a discount before it spoils than throw it away.
Mix up your shopping. I but a lot of dry goods at The Dollar Tree. Everything is a dollar and I can use coupons. If I can get something cheaper at Aldis than Kroger, I'll drive to Aldis.
They key is planning. I spend 70% less if I plan a shopping trip and stick to that plan rather than wing it and make impulse buys that kill my budget.
1.Create your list
2.Call your store and ask what the coupon policy is and if you need to pay tax on your coupons
3. Pull your coupons
4. Plan your trip to save gas if you are going to more than one store. (I make a circle that ends at the beginning and leads me home)
Yes, it takes a little effort and planning on your part but it is well worth it. In the past 4 months I have saved well over $1,000.00. I have three teenagers. In this house, food is like air to them. I can't keep a full cupboard!
Good luck with your couponing! If you have any questions or if I can clarify something for you let me know. If you have any tips of your own, share! Now go save some money!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
What A Bust!
Today did not go even close to what I had planned. I hate it when that happens. I was going to get some work done, run to town and finish up a few errands that I have been putting off, cook dinner and spend the evening relaxing with my husband.
Instead, I spent half the day tracking down a possible computer virus, being treated like crap by someone I was trying to help and then the rest of the day trying to catch up on the work I missed this morning. Errands did not get run and the husband is still at work and it is 10:30 p.m. He is on a deadline to finish up a job so there is no telling when he will get home tonight.
The weather man says it will be cold for the rest of the week so it looks like I will be staying in where it's nice and warm. I'm going to choose to see that as my silver lining to an otherwise crappy day. At least I will get some work done.
When I started my business, I was well aware that there would be a learning curve. I think I am just about halfway around that curve. There are tiny little details that present themselves on a daily basis that I had not thought of ahead of time and I am finding that problem solving needs to be quick and decisive in order to move forward. I did not move very far today. Maybe an inch. Maybe.
It will all be better in the morning. I will just keep at it until I am where I want to be.
In the meantime, I have not forgotten that so many people have asked me how to coupon effectively. I will explain everything that I know in tomorrow's post. I am not an extreme couponer. I suppose that I could be but I just do not have the time to put 20 hours a week into it. That and I dislike shelf clearers because unless you are preparing for war, a long winter or giving to a food bank, I see absolutely no reason to clear an entire shelf of product when the person behind you only needed one. It's rude and selfish. That's just how I feel about it.
But I WILL explain it so you can save some cash not only at the grocery store but in clothing stores and restaurants as well.
For now, I just heard my husband pull in. So have a good night ya'll!
Instead, I spent half the day tracking down a possible computer virus, being treated like crap by someone I was trying to help and then the rest of the day trying to catch up on the work I missed this morning. Errands did not get run and the husband is still at work and it is 10:30 p.m. He is on a deadline to finish up a job so there is no telling when he will get home tonight.
The weather man says it will be cold for the rest of the week so it looks like I will be staying in where it's nice and warm. I'm going to choose to see that as my silver lining to an otherwise crappy day. At least I will get some work done.
When I started my business, I was well aware that there would be a learning curve. I think I am just about halfway around that curve. There are tiny little details that present themselves on a daily basis that I had not thought of ahead of time and I am finding that problem solving needs to be quick and decisive in order to move forward. I did not move very far today. Maybe an inch. Maybe.
It will all be better in the morning. I will just keep at it until I am where I want to be.
In the meantime, I have not forgotten that so many people have asked me how to coupon effectively. I will explain everything that I know in tomorrow's post. I am not an extreme couponer. I suppose that I could be but I just do not have the time to put 20 hours a week into it. That and I dislike shelf clearers because unless you are preparing for war, a long winter or giving to a food bank, I see absolutely no reason to clear an entire shelf of product when the person behind you only needed one. It's rude and selfish. That's just how I feel about it.
But I WILL explain it so you can save some cash not only at the grocery store but in clothing stores and restaurants as well.
For now, I just heard my husband pull in. So have a good night ya'll!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Saving The Budget
Several of my friends have asked me repeatedly for some of the recipes and tricks that I use to save our budget. I keep promising to get them written down and out to everyone but then I get busy and forget. So before bed tonight I will get them down before I forget again.
I do make our own laundry detergent and here is why; it cleans better and saves a lot of money. Most detergents, no matter how much you pay for them are half to three quarters water and then you have to buy a pre-treater anyway because the detergent doesn't get out all of the stains.
Here is the recipe that I use. It ends up costing $0.02 per load and cleans better than anything else I have used.
1 Cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 Cup Borax
1/2 Cup OxyClean (generic works just as well)
1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap (in the laundry isle) OR 1 Bar Ivory bath soap
I have a Ninja blender so I cut the bar soap into small pieces, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until the mixture looks like sand. If you do not have a blender or food processor, you can use a cheese grater to grate the soap and mix everything well.
You only need to use 1 Tablespoon per load or if the clothes are particularly dirty, I use the oxyclean scoop. Put it in the washer first so it will dissolve under the load rather than clump on top of the load. It is no sudsing so you can use it in your HE washer.
If you prefer liquid laundry detergent, add this entire mixture to a five gallon bucket of HOT water and stir to dissolve. Keep the lid on tight between uses. NOTE: The problem with turning this into liquid detergent is that the longer it sits, the more gelatinous it gets and you have to stir before every use. But if you do want to use it this way, use 1/3 Cup per load.
Fabric Softener:
I no longer use this because I have found that the Dollar store brand is just as cheap and works just as well but in a pinch when you don't want to run to the store, here is the recipe.
1 Cup of your favorite hair conditioner
1 Cup of Vinegar.
1 Cup of HOT water
Mix all three ingredients until the conditioner is fully dissolved and use like you would any other fabric softener. The vinegar does a good job of softening the clothes and the smell does rinse out in the wash.
Dryer Sheets:
Dampen a wash rag. Pour a quarter size amount of fabric softener on the rag. Fold in half and rub together to get it into the rag and toss it in the dryer with the rest of your load. Works like a charm!
Some people prefer to do this with vinegar only. I am not one of those people because I do not like the smell.
No detergent for the dishwasher? Use a scoop of oxyclean. It cleans the dishes and the dishwasher at the same time!
I do love saving money but not at the expense of cleanliness. I will post the things that I use for my own family in future posts and if you have tips or recipes, feel free to share them. For now, I am taking my tired self to bed.
I do make our own laundry detergent and here is why; it cleans better and saves a lot of money. Most detergents, no matter how much you pay for them are half to three quarters water and then you have to buy a pre-treater anyway because the detergent doesn't get out all of the stains.
Here is the recipe that I use. It ends up costing $0.02 per load and cleans better than anything else I have used.
1 Cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 Cup Borax
1/2 Cup OxyClean (generic works just as well)
1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap (in the laundry isle) OR 1 Bar Ivory bath soap
I have a Ninja blender so I cut the bar soap into small pieces, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until the mixture looks like sand. If you do not have a blender or food processor, you can use a cheese grater to grate the soap and mix everything well.
You only need to use 1 Tablespoon per load or if the clothes are particularly dirty, I use the oxyclean scoop. Put it in the washer first so it will dissolve under the load rather than clump on top of the load. It is no sudsing so you can use it in your HE washer.
If you prefer liquid laundry detergent, add this entire mixture to a five gallon bucket of HOT water and stir to dissolve. Keep the lid on tight between uses. NOTE: The problem with turning this into liquid detergent is that the longer it sits, the more gelatinous it gets and you have to stir before every use. But if you do want to use it this way, use 1/3 Cup per load.
Fabric Softener:
I no longer use this because I have found that the Dollar store brand is just as cheap and works just as well but in a pinch when you don't want to run to the store, here is the recipe.
1 Cup of your favorite hair conditioner
1 Cup of Vinegar.
1 Cup of HOT water
Mix all three ingredients until the conditioner is fully dissolved and use like you would any other fabric softener. The vinegar does a good job of softening the clothes and the smell does rinse out in the wash.
Dryer Sheets:
Dampen a wash rag. Pour a quarter size amount of fabric softener on the rag. Fold in half and rub together to get it into the rag and toss it in the dryer with the rest of your load. Works like a charm!
Some people prefer to do this with vinegar only. I am not one of those people because I do not like the smell.
No detergent for the dishwasher? Use a scoop of oxyclean. It cleans the dishes and the dishwasher at the same time!
I do love saving money but not at the expense of cleanliness. I will post the things that I use for my own family in future posts and if you have tips or recipes, feel free to share them. For now, I am taking my tired self to bed.
Dr. Seuss
Today has been one of those days. It is cold and rainy and the woods are covered in a low floating mist. It's pretty and creepy at the same time.
I have spent the day organizing everything my daughter needs to send in her enormous amount of scholarship and grant applications. No small task. She has applied for everything she can get her hands on. Each one has different requirements. I don't know how she does it all with the extra classes she is taking, all of the clubs and her volunteer work. She has amazing organizational skills. She must have been switched at birth.
My husband had the day off. Ya know, as much as I am happy that he has a day to rest, I am equally annoyed that for some reason there seems to be an expectation that it is my job to keep him entertained. Today I decided it reminds me of a Dr. Seuss book.
Tell me what you want to do.
Take a ride and buy some shoes?
Do you want to drive real far?
Do you want to clean the car?
Should we go out here or there?
What do you mean, not anywhere?
I do not want to clean the car or buy some shoes or drive real far.
I will not go out here or there. I will not go out anywhere.
Sweetheart, this is getting old. My fibro hurts. It's way too cold.
So if you want to go outside, just bundle up or freeze your hide.
Yes people, this is how my mind works.
So I sent him out to run his errands all by his big boy self today. In the meantime, I cleaned the house, organized my daughter's endless scholarships and grants and cooked dinner and finished the laundry. He gets the day off. His name is not Mom. That would be me.
He is a pretty understanding guy. He knows me well enough to know that I was not being mean. It is a bad day for fibromyalgia. The cold and I are mortal enemies and while I know that if I did want to go with him today, he would have sweated himself right out of the car to keep me warm, I just needed to stay in today.
Weather plays a major role in my life. Too hot, too cold, too humid, a storm moving in, the barometric pressure rises or falls, heck...the wind blows the wrong direction and fibro suddenly grows teeth. It sucks.
I have a theory that GM foods and meat and milk that are pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics, not to mention what is in our water all have played a role in autoimmune diseases.
To test my theory, my husband is building a greenhouse for me so that I can grow heirloom veggies and fruits and see if eating those unaltered foods helps to improve my pain levels.
He is also planning on raising our own beef and chicken without all of the hormones and antibiotics. He is starting our new chicken coop this week.
We have raised chickens before. It takes 14 - 18 months to raise a chick from hatchling to fully mature meat bird. Do you know how long it takes to raise the chicken that you buy in the store? 28 days. Yes, you read that right. 28 days. All thanks to growth hormones. That just can't be good for you!
I have done countless hours of research on the food - autoimmune disease connection and I am convinced that if I want to feel better at all, I have to take matters into my own hands. I am fortunate enough to have a like-minded husband. Even if the heavy lifting falls to him.
So while the weather outside is frightful, I think I will work for a while longer tonight and crawl in bed early.
I hope all of you have a safe, warm, happy evening.
I have spent the day organizing everything my daughter needs to send in her enormous amount of scholarship and grant applications. No small task. She has applied for everything she can get her hands on. Each one has different requirements. I don't know how she does it all with the extra classes she is taking, all of the clubs and her volunteer work. She has amazing organizational skills. She must have been switched at birth.
My husband had the day off. Ya know, as much as I am happy that he has a day to rest, I am equally annoyed that for some reason there seems to be an expectation that it is my job to keep him entertained. Today I decided it reminds me of a Dr. Seuss book.
Tell me what you want to do.
Take a ride and buy some shoes?
Do you want to drive real far?
Do you want to clean the car?
Should we go out here or there?
What do you mean, not anywhere?
I do not want to clean the car or buy some shoes or drive real far.
I will not go out here or there. I will not go out anywhere.
Sweetheart, this is getting old. My fibro hurts. It's way too cold.
So if you want to go outside, just bundle up or freeze your hide.
Yes people, this is how my mind works.
So I sent him out to run his errands all by his big boy self today. In the meantime, I cleaned the house, organized my daughter's endless scholarships and grants and cooked dinner and finished the laundry. He gets the day off. His name is not Mom. That would be me.
He is a pretty understanding guy. He knows me well enough to know that I was not being mean. It is a bad day for fibromyalgia. The cold and I are mortal enemies and while I know that if I did want to go with him today, he would have sweated himself right out of the car to keep me warm, I just needed to stay in today.
Weather plays a major role in my life. Too hot, too cold, too humid, a storm moving in, the barometric pressure rises or falls, heck...the wind blows the wrong direction and fibro suddenly grows teeth. It sucks.
I have a theory that GM foods and meat and milk that are pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics, not to mention what is in our water all have played a role in autoimmune diseases.
To test my theory, my husband is building a greenhouse for me so that I can grow heirloom veggies and fruits and see if eating those unaltered foods helps to improve my pain levels.
He is also planning on raising our own beef and chicken without all of the hormones and antibiotics. He is starting our new chicken coop this week.
We have raised chickens before. It takes 14 - 18 months to raise a chick from hatchling to fully mature meat bird. Do you know how long it takes to raise the chicken that you buy in the store? 28 days. Yes, you read that right. 28 days. All thanks to growth hormones. That just can't be good for you!
I have done countless hours of research on the food - autoimmune disease connection and I am convinced that if I want to feel better at all, I have to take matters into my own hands. I am fortunate enough to have a like-minded husband. Even if the heavy lifting falls to him.
So while the weather outside is frightful, I think I will work for a while longer tonight and crawl in bed early.
I hope all of you have a safe, warm, happy evening.
Monday, February 25, 2013
To New Beginings....
I have decided to re-vamp my blog. Now, I can not say that I will go in this direction or that direction because let's face it, I am interested in so many things, there is just no telling what I will post here from day to day. We are all complex human beings whose lives are in a constant state of fluidity - and that's the beauty of all of us!
One day I may show you how to do a new hairstyle. One day I may show you how to make a peyote stitch necklace from size 11 seed beads. One day I may tell you how to build solar panels or how to build a greenhouse from scraps or tell you all about Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial pain, which are both a daily pain in my.....well, in my whole body! :) You thought I was going to say something else, didn't you. The point is, who knows where we will go?
To update everyone who had been reading this blog before I took my hiatus, Pap passed away on Thanksgiving. We knew it was coming and though it was hard and some of my family fell into a depression because of Pap's.....I don't want to call it loss. I don't believe that death claims us. We are never lost. God says we go on and I believe Him....so I will call it Pap's move, the depression has finally lifted and it feels like the sunshine is coming out again.
We are all many things in this life. Take me, I am a survivor, a Mother, a Wife, a Sister, a Friend, an artist, a business owner and a bit of a know it all - not because I like to rub my intelligence in others' faces but because I read EVERYTHING. I put that in all caps because, I'm just not kidding. There is so much useless knowledge floating around in my head! I am one of those people who want desperately to know the who, what, when, where, why and how of everything. I love that in this day and age if I want to know something, I can find it out in about five short minutes! I am also a firm believer that in this age of information, ignorance is a choice. I detest willful ignorance.
Some people believe I am nuts. I'm okay with that. Some think I'm a bitch. I'm fine with that too. Some think I'm a great person and I love that but in the end, I am me. I like me. I want to get to know you and I hope you visit often. Who knows where we'll go?
One day I may show you how to do a new hairstyle. One day I may show you how to make a peyote stitch necklace from size 11 seed beads. One day I may tell you how to build solar panels or how to build a greenhouse from scraps or tell you all about Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial pain, which are both a daily pain in my.....well, in my whole body! :) You thought I was going to say something else, didn't you. The point is, who knows where we will go?
To update everyone who had been reading this blog before I took my hiatus, Pap passed away on Thanksgiving. We knew it was coming and though it was hard and some of my family fell into a depression because of Pap's.....I don't want to call it loss. I don't believe that death claims us. We are never lost. God says we go on and I believe Him....so I will call it Pap's move, the depression has finally lifted and it feels like the sunshine is coming out again.
We are all many things in this life. Take me, I am a survivor, a Mother, a Wife, a Sister, a Friend, an artist, a business owner and a bit of a know it all - not because I like to rub my intelligence in others' faces but because I read EVERYTHING. I put that in all caps because, I'm just not kidding. There is so much useless knowledge floating around in my head! I am one of those people who want desperately to know the who, what, when, where, why and how of everything. I love that in this day and age if I want to know something, I can find it out in about five short minutes! I am also a firm believer that in this age of information, ignorance is a choice. I detest willful ignorance.
Some people believe I am nuts. I'm okay with that. Some think I'm a bitch. I'm fine with that too. Some think I'm a great person and I love that but in the end, I am me. I like me. I want to get to know you and I hope you visit often. Who knows where we'll go?
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