One stay at home moms journey to find herself again

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

money, money, money

So I'm thinking more and more about saving money and being frugal. When BD gets out we will most likely take a paycut for at least the first year he's in the Academy and the Force so I'm thinking more and more about saving money and living smart.
I've started line drying, yes..I know..How very Little House on the Prarie, but comeon, I've gotta use the 106 degree heat to some sort of advantage. I keep our big double front windows closed with new fangle energy saving Curtains, which is really really hard for me. I hate being inside and having no way to look outside, I get almost clasutrophobic. I'm also starting to look at coupons more. I wish they had coupons for veggies, meat, and fruits. I buy very litle packaged products and I refuse to buy a product I don't normally buy just so that I can say I used a coupon because in the end I'm still spending more, unless that product is free. I spend approx $150-$175 every 2 weeks on groceries and that includes diapers/wipes/laundry detergent, ect.
I also called our electric company to see if they could get us a lower rate and sure enough they did!
I also have a Khols card *gasp* When the girls need clothes I wait for a sale, which they have pretty reguarly and then using my card I also get another 15-30% off my total. I've walked outta there spending $100 but saving $180 for all the clothes we need. Then I pay it off the next month.
We rarely go out to eat when BD is home...we almost NEVER go to a sitdown resteraunt, unless we have a gift card, and we only eat out at other places 2.. -maybe- 3 times a week. When BD is gone I dont eat out much at all, even fast food, because its just too much work to get both kids in the car, go get something, come back, unload everything and then eat. Just too much work to justify it for me. If we're out and runnin behind and hungry then ya we pick up somethin, but other than that..not normally. This actually has less to do with money and more to do with my lazyness. lol
We don't buy soda for the house but thats just because if we have it, I'll drink it and I dont need to drink Dr Pepper all day. ha

So...Lemme have it, Tell me your best frugal/money saving ideas!

Ps: I do NOT do cloth diapering...somethin about scrapin poo off a diaper just makes me whiggie..although I do have to admit some of those cloth diapers are REALLY cute! but lana will hopefully be outta diapers soon so we'll just have to wait and see if I change my mind on the next baby.

1 comment:

Wendy Stewart said...

OK, some frugal thoughts from your long lost cousin. We like to buy in bulk at Sam's. I know, you have to pay for a membership card, you have to find a place to store excess, and it costs more in the beginning. So, wait until you are out of almost everything and save your money until then. It's worth it. We buy enough of everything that we use a lot of, to last a month. It saves a ton!! If you have doubts, go in and tell them you want to look around to see if you would like to buy a card. They will let you in for free for one day and you can go compare prices. Plus, the kids will love all the free samples of fruit and cereal they hand out. Second, go to Farmland.com and join so you can get coupons. They will send a bunch of them when you first join and I get all my hot dogs and sausage for free with them. Plus, makes bacon cheap. I don't use a lot of coupons other than those or for toys or clothes. You just end up with 40 packs of cookies and no veggies. If you don't have a deep freeze, you might invest in one. It take more energy to charge your cell phone for an hour than to run one for a month. Next, wash all your laundry in cold. The temperature of the water doesn't make a difference. And my last suggestion is to take $20 a check and put it on a Wal-Mart reloadable gift card. I personally hate that place and avoid it like the plague, but it does save money. Don't use that gift card unless you hit the jackpot in the clearance aisles, and you will. You will find a time to stock up on .50 cent batteries, new sheets or towels, or those ever elusive bulk packages of toothpaste they didn't sell out of and had to mark down. Check out HotCouponWorld.com. They talk a lot about coupons, but they have a list of every store and put on it what's on clearance, where the sales are, and when the sales are going to be. They post the ads to all the stores about a week before the ads actually come out. Oh, and I love Kohl's.