• Living on a Budget: You CAN Walk Away with Empty Hands

    You can walk out of a store without buying anything…..really it’s okay!  Earlier this month I went into Walmart with the intention of purchasing an item.  I had received a $5 coupon for a particular item in the mail and a few weeks earlier I noticed that item for $6.  When I went in they no longer had it at the same price and the least expensive item of that brand was over $10 so I decided it just wasn’t worth it.

    Walmart is one of those stores it is hard to walk out of empty handed, but since the item I went in for wasn’t within my budget and I didn’t need anything else I left without purchasing anything.  The store was on my way home so I didn’t waste any extra gas in going to the store.  In some ways it was empowering to walk out of the store without anything except my purse in my hand.  There was a time in my life it would have been a lot harder to do that.  I am thankful for a husband who helps me stay accountable with the budget so we can have the opportunity to share with others.

    Are there any stores you find hard to walk out of empty handed?  Is it easy for you to do?

    Photo by StopNLook

  • Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (April Update)

    April is my third month tracking my Creative Cash.  What is Creative Cash?  Creative Cash is finding ways to come up with extra cash to share with others as well as work on our current goal.  I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is important to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses and to share with others.  The extra amount I bring in on top of the work is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already.  I have tested this goal over the last couple months as I am challenging myself to make my life more simplified.   I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year.  Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much.  We believe it is important to be accountable with our finances and give to others.

    Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors.  As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split.  It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others.  At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.

    April was a great month even though I was out of town for half the month.  Thankfully we started the month strong and I was able to  go over my goal of $100.  I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:

    • $23.11 – Items sold on Ebay (after fees):   The all the items sold were coupons.  I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, in your stockpile, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.
    • $64.70 – A portion of the proceeds from our family garage sale the first weekend in April.
    • $26.20 – A portion of the proceeds from the Upstate Kids Consignment Sale
    • $28.85 – A portion of the proceeds from the Mothers of Multiples Club Consignment Sale.
    • $3.87 – Bag of Aluminum cans taken to the Recycling Place.
    • $18.99 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned  (3 rebates, returns, cash back,  extra money, etc…) that was added to my stash for the month.

    April’s “Creative Cash” total was $165.72 which means $82.86 extra that goes towards our current goal (paying down debt) and $82.86 goes towards charity.  It was exciting to go above the $100 goal again and to know it helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way.  I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in May so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others.  Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in April.  I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.

    I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating  and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us.  I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well.  Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it!  Do you know of another way to earn creative cash?   I would love to hear your idea!

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

    Photo by StopNLook

  • Baskin Robbins: $0.31 Scoop Night (Wednesday, 4/27)

    Baskin Robbins has their  $0.31 Scoop Night on Wednesday night, 4/27/11, from 5 PM to 10 PM.

    The 31 Cent scoop night is in honor America’s firefighters and you help by participating and/or donating during the event.

    Baskin-Robbins is donating $100,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation™ (NFFF).

    Check you local store to make sure they are participating in the event.  In the past the stores are pretty full during this event so you may want to go early or make sure you go when you have enough time.  Also, to keep the line moving they typically take cash only during this special event.  Enjoy treating your family to a good treat while helping a great cause!

  • CVS: Allegra 180 (30 Count) for $2

    For those of you who are suffering along with me during this heighten pollen season there is a way to get relief without breaking your budget.  I was able to get Allegra 180 (which I used to take with a prescription) for $2.83 without using any of my ECB’s from previous purchases.

    Here’s how you get it:

    • Buy 1 Box of Allegra 180 (30 count) on sale at CVS this week for $18.83
    • Use $5.00 coupon for Allegra you receive by scanning your at the in store kiosk
    • Use $4.00 coupon for Allegra you receive by scanning your at the in store kiosk (I was able to use both store coupons, so go ahead stack them)
    • Use $2.00 Allegra Manufacturer’s Coupons Attached to the in store displays (Walgreens also has $2 off coupons on their displays), take one and use it when you check out
    • Receive a $5 ECB back with your purchase

    Our originally the Allegra 180 for a month was $18.83 but by using and stacking the 3 coupons plus the ECBs.  You can’t beat $2 for allergy medicine for 30 days.  If you are like me you may only have to use it once in awhile so it could last you even longer.  Make sure to always scan your card at the in store kiosk whenever you can.  I make it a habit to do it each time I am in the store, sometimes I use the coupons and other times I don’t but it doesn’t hurt to check it out!

    Another great way to help with allergies is buy local honey and have a teaspoon twice a day.  Most of the year I do great but during high pollen season I can really get stuffy and my eyes start itching.

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

     

  • CVS: Spent $5 and Got $31 ECB’s Back!

    CVS has a few great deals this week.  I was happy to get some items this week for free with ECB’s  plus a little overage on a couple products once I used a few coupons.   This week I was able to get a handful of items for $5.55 and received $31.97 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 1 – Benefiber Citrus Packs (16 count) – $7.49
    • 1 – Benefiber Chewable Tablets (36 count)– $6.89
    • 1 – Gas X Prevent (20 count) – $6.29
    • 1 – Complete Multipurpose Eye Solution plus Free Case – $8.99
    • 2 – Oral B Advantage Toothbrush (plus free scope) – $2.99
    • 1 – Gold Bond Body Wash – $5.88
    • 1 – Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse – $3.49
    • 1 – Crest Clinical Gum Toothpaste – $3.49

    The total was over $51 with tax before using coupons.  Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $3.00 Benefiber Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $3.00 Benefiber Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $4.00 Gax-X Prevention Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $1.00 Complete Multipurpose Eye Solution Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $2.00 Oral-B Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $2.99 B1G1F Oral-B Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $2.00 Gold Bond Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $1.0o Crest Rinse Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $1.00 Crest Toothpaste Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $25.49 ECB coupons from prior purchases

    I received $31.97 ECB’s back today:

    • $10.00 ECB’s for Benefiber & Gas-X Products
    • $8.99 ECB’s for Complete Multipurpose Solution
    • $5.00 ECB’s for Crest or Oral-B Pro-Health
    • $3.00 ECB’s for Gold Bond Body Wash
    • $2.00 ECB’s for Winter Spending
    • $1.98 ECB’s for Oral-B Manual Toothbrush
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Green Bag Tags

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

  • Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (March Update)

    Last month I began a monthly challenge called Creative Cash.  Creative Cash is finding ways to come up with extra cash to share with others as well as work on our current goal.  I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is important to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses and to share with others.  The extra amount I bring in on top of the work is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already.  I have tested this goal over the last couple months as I am challenging myself to make my life more simplified.   I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year.  Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much.  We believe it is important to be accountable with our finances and give to others.

    Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors.  As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split.  It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others.  At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.

    March was a great month and I was able to  go over my goal of $100 (although not quite as good as my February Creative Cash since I didn’t have a bunch of coupons saved up).  I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:

    • $85.92 – Items sold on Ebay:   The majority of items sold were coupons (I did sell a small office supply that I received free after rebate for about $8 of the amount sold).  I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, in your stockpile, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.
    • $30.00 – Items sold on Craigslist: I sold lawn care items/tools that we were no longer using.  We had really good luck on Craigslist again this month, it can be hit and miss on Craigslist depending on the week and what people are looking for on the site.
    • $6.40 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned  (a rebate, return, cash back,  extra money, etc…) that was added to my stash for the month.

    March’s “Creative Cash” total was $122.32 which means $61.16 extra that goes towards our current goal, paying down debt and $61.16 goes towards charity.  It was exciting to go above the $100 goal again and to know it helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way.  I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in April so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others.  Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in March.  I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.

    I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating  and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us.  I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well.  Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it!  Do you know of another way to earn creative cash?   I would love to hear your idea!

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

    Photo by StopNLook

  • Twice as Fun: A Visit From The Tooth Fairy

    My little Karlie is growing up!

    Karlie recently lost her first baby tooth which was an exciting day for the whole family.  It marked a new stage in her life which means my baby is growing up!  Although our girls know the “tooth fairy” really doesn’t exist it is fun to celebrate a new milestone in the lives of our kids.

    Brina was excited for Karlie too and shared in the celebrations but is now ready for her baby teeth to start falling out as well.  That is one hard part about having two at the same age, they are excited for each other but are ready for their turn too.  Each of us is made uniquely so we let Brina know she will have a chance to celebrate too when her big teeth come through.  I told her teeth will come in when it is perfect for her.  Those who know me realize that I have been dreading this stage of Motherhood because I just don’t like wiggly teeth.  I have to say it is amazing how much you can actually handle once you are going through it with your child.

    Here are some pictures from Karlie’s First Tooth Fairy Celebration:

     

    Karlie's Dollar from the "Tooth Fairy" for losing her first tooth!

    We put $1 Dollar in a butterfly Ziploc bag for Karlie losing her first tooth!  She was super excited to see cash under her pillow the next morning.  Karlie was up before the sun came up because she was so excited about losing her first tooth!

    A Special Note from the Tooth Fairy

    The front side of her present had a note from the Tooth Fairy that said – “Congratulations Karlie on getting your 1st big girl tooth!  Love, Tooth Fairy”   She thought it was super silly especially the “eyes” on the word tooth!

    A Note from the Tooth Fairy to Karlie!

    On the back side of her gift there was another note from the Tooth Fairy – “Karlie, Congratulations on losing your 1st baby tooth!  You are growing up to be a beautiful girl! Love, The Tooth Fairy”  Karlie thought it was great getting two special notes from the Tooth Fairy!

     

    Karlie's Tooth Fairy goodies - $1 Dollar and 1 Book!

    Karlie was super excited to find her treasure under her pillow the next morning.  I picked out shiny “star” wrapping paper for Karlie because she enjoys rockets, planets, and science.  She even kept the paper for several days after opening the gift!

     

    Karlie showing off her new book from the "Tooth Fairy"!

    Karlie was super excited to get a new book!  Both girls love horses so they had fun reading this book together several times over the last few days.

     

    Karlie's baby tooth in a little treasure chest!

    The dentist gave the Karlie a cute little yellow treasure chest to put her baby tooth in.  She was super excited about the mini treasure chest!

    It was a lot of fun celebrating the loss of Karlie’s first baby tooth.  Karlie knows that there is no such thing as “The Tooth Fairy” even though we call it the Tooth Fairy.  She was thrilled to get something special either way even if Mom and Dad are the Tooth Fairy.  As parents we feel like it is okay to celebrate the monumental moments with your kids, however, we chose let them know if something that we celebrate such as the “Tooth Fairy” is really imaginary.  We don’t want our kids growing up thinking we lied to them about something that isn’t even real.  Every family has to make a decision about what is best for their family.

    Please share with us your ideas on what you do to celebrate your children losing their teeth and what the “Tooth Fairy” brings for special goodies!

    Twice as Fun is a series on raising Twins and all the joy that comes with it.  We have been richly blessed to have twin daughters in our lives and want to share with you our thoughts, challenges, wisdom and love for raising multiples.  Our girls have different interests and hobbies but they both know how to add excitement to our lives and make us chuckle.

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    Now that I completed 9 weeks of my No Grocery Shopping challenge I want to share what is next on my agenda as far as grocery shopping is concerned.  I would LOVE to live off my pantry and freezer for the entire year, however, it is getting lower and I need to start shopping for some additional items.  I learned a lot from the recent challenge and want to keep my family fed while staying within our budget.

    Explanation: For the first time ever I am going on a strictly cash system for our groceries.  It is my desire to spend no more than $40 per week for my family of 4.  I am sticking to just grocery and food related items at this time since I have a separate budget for household, health & beauty.  If I find that I still have extra consistently I may decide to roll the other items into this as well.  As an additional bonus if I have more than a half of week of “extra” money remaining at the end of the month I want to contribute that money towards my Creative Cash. Although I know I will have days and weeks with hiccups like with any challenge it is my desire to be more accountable with what I have been given.  I perceive this budget change to have many benefits over the past systems I have used for example it will allow me the opportunity to buy items on sale but not over do it plus makes me more responsible with the money we have been given, and helps control the spontaneous purchases.  Only time will tell how well it works for our family.

    Every family is different so you need to decide what is best for your specific family and situation.  I am starting this endeavor after several months of thought and prayer regarding our family finances.  On a side note I do want to let you know that just because the title says Living on a Budget:  Groceries $40 for 4 that does not mean we will never host guests in our home or take a meal to someone in need.  Our guests and meal deliveries throughout the month are also included in this budget so the actual number will vary from month to month regarding how many people we feed but for simplicity sake it is Groceries $40 for 4 due to our family size and budgeting.

    I hope to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  I hope by taking the extra time to watch my grocery spending it will allow us to feed our family, enjoy life, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

    Photo by MoneyBlogNewz

  • Living on a Budget: Creative Cash

    Although I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day it is important that I am finding ways not only to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses.  The extra amount I bring in on top of the work items is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already.  I have tested this goal over the last couple months as I am challenging myself as I make my life more simplified.   I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year.  Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much.  We believe it is important to honor God with our finances and give to others.

    Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors.  As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split.  It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others.  At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.

    February was a wonderful month and we were able to accumulate more than anticipated.  I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:

    • $196.88 – Items sold on Ebay:   The majority of items sold were coupons (only 2 toys were sold and they counted for less than $15 of the total amount made).  I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.  I had been saving up several to sell so February was a good month with Ebay.  You can check Ebay to see what is the best way to sell them and if it is worth your time to do it.   I have sold anything from lots of grocery coupons to baby coupons to store coupons and more.  Hint – Baby Formula checks / coupons sell really well on Ebay especially if you will not be using them.  Also, Bed Bath & Beyond coupons never expire and sell really well in lots plus you can add the Linens n’ Things coupons to the lot or use them in the stores.
    • $21.24 – Recycled Goods:  we took several items to our local recycle location this month.  It was the biggest recycling month we’ve had because we had a broken dishwasher, a couple scrap metal pieces such as heat vent and an old sewing machine, plus several months worth of regular cans (the price was $255.00 / NT) and aluminum cans ($0.66 / LB).  Our trash company doesn’t pick up recycled goods for us so we decided to do it as a family on our own and as an added perk we get a little extra in return.  Especially if you are already recycling try finding a place in your area that takes recycled goods near you.  I went to CRC Scrap Recycling since I was already going to be working in that area.
    • $120.00 – Items sold on Craigslist: we had a few bigger items that we were no longer using that we sold.  We had really great luck on Craigslist this month, it can be hit and miss on Craigslist depending on the week and what people are looking for on the site.
    • $37.89 – Ebates cash – we ordered just a few items online and received this rebate.  If you are already ordering items online you should check out Ebates.  They give you extra cash back on many online purchases and any additional savings on items we are already purchasing is a bonus.
    • $15.38 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned  (a rebate, return, and extra money) that was added to my stash for the month of February.

    February’s “Creative Cash” total was $391.39 which means $195.69 extra that goes towards our current goal, paying down debt and $195.70 goes towards charity.  It was exciting to surge past the $100 goal and to know it helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way.  I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in March so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others.  Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in February.  I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.

    I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating  and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us.  I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well.  Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it!  If you know of another way to earn creative cash I would love to hear it!

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

    Photo by StopNLook