NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 30- Splurge Wisely. We all need to splurge at times, but when you do make sure to be wise about it. It's one thing to splurge on ice cream once in awhile, but it's not a splurge if you do it every day. You also need to make sure you aren't splurging in every area of your life. If you want to splurge on cable/sattelite tv, perhaps choose not to splurge on going to the movies several times a month. If you like to get manicures maybe don't round off that trip with new clothes. If you really want to splurge right, budget some "mad money" so you don't have to feel guilty about spending it, and you probably shouldn't splurge on things you can't afford. Living within your means still applies.

Clever Tricks for Cutting Your Salt Intake

 This comes from something I saw on the Doctors the other day, and I have to say it is really worth it to try.  The movement is called the "Halt the Salt Movement." We Americans eat too much salt, and a lot of times we don't even know it because we haven't added any to our food. Most Americans eat two or three (or more) times the recommended daily allowance.

High salt intake can have some serious health problems too, the number one being high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and stroke. It really is a silent killer.

Here is what you pledge to do:
1. Eat no more than 1500 mg of sodium a day. (This is about a teaspoon of salt!)
2. Compare nutrition labels and choose lower sodium options.
3. Eat and serve your family three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits.
4. Spread awareness and encourage others to Halt the Salt!
5. Let food companies know you want less salt!

The worst part about all of this is so much of what is sold in the stores contains tons of salt, even when it doesn't taste salty and sometimes tastes sweet! Processed foods use salt a lot of the time to hide unwanted flavors and to keep food longer. Sometimes we pick foods that say healthy, whole grain, etc. thinking they are better for us, but a lot of times they have more salt than the regular variety.

As a personal side note, we've cut back on a lot of processed foods in our house, and when we did eat some of the stuff we had in the pantry it actually tasted gross to us. A lot of that stuff went to a local food pantry!

I hope you'll join me by clicking HERE to sign the pledge!

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has the new ad up, you can find it HERE.

I honestly do not see anything that interests me, so I *gasp* may not be going to Publix this week, but you never know what I might see between now and Thursday!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 29- Try a warehouse club membership. I've talked about all the ways to save before. Even if you just buy gas and milk you will recoup your membership fee. Want to make it even better? Go in with a friend to split the membership costs. Most clubs offer a second card free, so split the cost. You could also go in with a bunch of friends to split packs of things you know you cannot use before they expire/go bad. Most clubs also offer your money back if you are dissatisfied with your membership, and most will give you your money back if you buy their house brand and it doesn't live up to your expectations. So it's worth a try in my book.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Salad
Tuesday- Beef and Broccoli
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday- Breaded Pork Chops, Apple Sauce, Sweet Potatoes
Friday- Steak, olive oil pasta, peas
Saturday- Chicken (undecided what kind currently)
Sunday- Spaghetti and Meatballs, Green Beans


What's your menu for the week?
Don't forget to link up below!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 28- Get out of debt. If you really want to save money, you need to get out of debt. Interest payments are just wasted money for you. Debt payments eat up money you could be using for something else.

Publix Trip 11/27/10

I spent $60.36 for $141.00 worth of groceries, saving $80.64 or 57%! I will submit for the Huggies G/C which brings it to a savings of 64%!

See my original list here.

Added:

(3)Nivea $3.89

   -(1) $3/1 from 10/17/10 RP

   -(2) $3/1 (IP no longer available)

(2)Baker's Chocolate 2/$5

   -(1) $1/2 HERE

   -(2) 50¢/1 Target HERE

(1)Crest Pro-Health for Me $3.29

   -(1)$2/1 Vocalpoint coupon

Deleted:

Snausages because they were out.

Coupons, Coupon Changes, Prices, and Price Changes:

Cheez-its BOGO $3.99 not $4.09 

Pretzels $1.99

Pringles Extreme $1.50 (free with coupon)

Publix Apple Juice $1.99

Huggies Wipes $2.99 (free with coupons)

Added these coupons:

-$1/2 Peelie found on cheez-its

-$1/2 Cheez-it Wazlgreen's IVC

-$1/2 Oreo Walgreen's IVC

Not the best savings, but not bad since it includes two boxes of diapers and two tubs of wipes!

Hope your Thanksgiving weekend has been great!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 27- Utilize your local library. I've blogged about this before, but it really is a great way to save money. I go to the library often (we're talking once a week or more), and check out all sorts of things. They also offer great free programs. If ever I see a book that I'm interested in, I get it from the library and then I don't waste money buying it. If there's a movie I'm mildly interested in, I get it from the library (saving my redbox codes for movies I want to see).

Shopping List

Blue= Manufacturer's

Green= Publix

Red= Competitor

(2)Cheez-it BOGO $4.09

(2)Pretzels ?

   -(2)$1.50/1 wyb 1 Cheez-it or Crispix Target HERE

(2) Jif BOGO $5.87

(1) 3 lb. Bag Tangerines 2/$3

(2) Oreos $2.99

   -(2)$1/1 Printable HERE

(2) Crystal Light BOGO $3.99

(1) Pringles Extreme

   -(1)Free Product Coupon

(10)Publix Yogurt 20/$5

(10)Gerber Pasta Pick-ups 10/$9

(1) Publix Apple Juice ?

   -(1)$1/1 Publix Baby Club

(2)Huggies Box Diapers $19.99

   -(2)$3/1 In-ad Coupon

   -(2)$2.50/1 HERE

   -$10 G/C wyb $35 MIR All the Trimmings Booklet

(2) Huggies Tub Wipes 

   -(2)Free wyb Huggies Box Diapers All the Trimmings Booklet

   -$10 G/C wyb $35 MIR All the Trimmings Booklet

(2) Scotch Tape BOGO $2.79

  -(2)$1/1 Winter Family Savings Booklet

(1)Snausages 

  -$1/1 peelie

-$5/$25 Purchase Save-a-lot

   

I'm not expecting spectacular savings, but it's all stuff we use. There's a few things I'm still trying to decide on as well...

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 26- Have dinner as a family at home. People spend a lot of money eating out. A lot of money. Even when it's fast food, it really adds up. Dinner at home doesn't have to be fancy, but even if it is chances are it will be cheaper. Eating at home also means you can control what goes into your foods, saving money on health costs down the road.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 25- Spend time with your family. How does this save you money? Showing love is about giving your time, not buying the coolest toy/gadget out there. Spend a night of week spending time with your family and you won't have to spend it paying for one more activity. You can do it in your home by playing board games, sharing a lesson (on budgeting, cooking, etc.), or buy many other free activities. Or you can go to a park, go for a walk, etc. The point is it's free.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy the food, family, football, and sales!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 24- Avoid doing major shopping with your kids. Kids are notorious for "I want...," "Mommy can we buy this," etc. Sometimes we find ourselves going "if your good, I'll treat you to ____." Either way we may find ourselves buying things not on our list to keep the child from making a scene. Now I know this isn't always realistic, but there are options. 1)Swap errand time with another Mom. 2) Shop on your partner's watch. 3)If you really need to take them with you make sure they are well rested and with a full belly, and be aware of their schedule. If their nap time is in 30 min, it's probably not the best time to go grocery shopping. Also, bring snacks to the store, and if your going to Publix don't forget the free cookie at the bakery!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 23- Never shop hungry. Or tired, angry, sad, depressed, or stressed out.Why? If you are hungry, everything looks good, and you make impulse buys. If you are tired, angry, depressed, or stressed out, you may be tempted to do some "retail therapy," but unfortunately this results in a lot of wasted money and large impulse buys. Even in the food store your more likely to buy that Ben and Jerry's full price because you feel sad and think that it will cheer you up. Stores are set-up to appeal to these moods, so avoid shopping when you feel that way.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 22- Have Patience. What does this have to do with saving money? A lot actually. If you have patience, you won't be tempted to buy something the moment it comes out. Or you can hold onto that great coupon you just got until you can match it with an equally awesome sale. What's the worst that can happen if you wait? You can still buy the product later or you forget you even wanted it and spend no money. Win-win.

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has the new ad up, you can find it HERE.

This weeks ad doesn't start until Friday, so don't go rushing out on Thanksgiving!

I'm not seeing much I am excited about yet, but you never know what could be in the rest of the ad!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Bean and Cheese Burritos
Tuesday- Hot Dogs, Mac and Cheese, Veggie
Wednesday- Take and Bake Pizza
Thursday- Thanksgiving
Friday- White Turkey Chili
Saturday- Leftovers
Sunday- Turkey Noodle Soup

As you can see, I'm keeping the food easy at the beginning of the week to save time and fridge space.

And for those wondering what the Thanksgiving Menu is:
Turkey
Homemade Stuffing (I use the bags of stuffing I bought last week as part of the recipe)
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Sweet Potato casserole
Sautéed Green Beans
Cranberry Sauce
Deviled Eggs
Homemade Rolls
Homemade Pumpkin Pie

What's your menu for the week?
Don't forget to link up below!

Information for the Week

With Thanksgiving this week, things will be a little different. Mainly to save my sanity, I will scale back on posts this week.
Here's what to expect this week:
Meal Plan Monday
NaBloPoMo Posts
Publix Ad
Shopping List
Shopping Trip for whenever I go

Next week all your favorite posts will be back for you to enjoy!

Make sure to enjoy your week!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 21- Enjoy God's Creations. Even if you aren't religious, this simply means get out there and enjoy the free things in life. Go to a local park. Lay out in your backyard and stare at the stars. Watch a sunrise or sunset. These things are free, but are a great way to relax or have fun.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 20- Utilize incentive programs. There are plenty of programs out there that offer money or points on products you already by, so you might as well use them. Upromise is a great example of this. There are tons more out there.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 19- Grow a garden. The up front cost is easily negated by the produce you will have, and you have all the comfort of knowing what has been sprayed on your plants. Gardening is also a great way to burn calories.

Friday Favorites- Recipe!

One of my favorite dishes to make is my version of Beef Stroganoff. It's one of my husband's favorite dishes, so I serve it often. I hope you'll enjoy it as well. I don't have a formal recipe, but these are my best approximations.

Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 lb of Beef for Stewing
1 Tbsp minced Garlic
1 Small Onion, diced
6 White Mushrooms, diced
2 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Package Egg Noodles prepared

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large deep-frying pan with lid over medium heat. Brown the beef, garlic, onion, and mushrooms.
2. When items are browned add enough water (about 4-6 cups) to the pan to cover the meat. Add the Worchestershire sauce and the salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.
4. Simmer until meat is tender and able to be broken into smaller pieces and water has reduced to about
1 1/2 cups. Remove from heat.
5. In a small cup, mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Stir mixture into pan. Return to burner and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring often. Boil for 1 minute then remove from heat.
6. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Serve over noodles.

Makes 6-8 portions.

Enjoy!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 18- Organize. If you don't know what you have, you don't know what you need. This keeps you from buying food and items you don't need, and keeps you from that ever money draining word of waste. The best way to organize? The one that you will keep up with.

Publix Trip 11/18/10

I spent $45.12 for $131.90 worth of groceries, saving $86.78 or 66%!

See my original list here.

Added:
(2) Pepperidge Farm Stuffing 2/$4
   -$2/4 from Share Something Delicious Booklet
(2) Ziploc Containers 2/$5
   -(2)$1/1 from Yellow Advantage Buy Flyer
   -(1)$1.50/2 found in previous package of containers
(1)Scope $3.99
   -(1)$2/1 from 11/7/10 RP
(1) Garlic 0.13lb @ $3.29 lb (43¢)
(3)Gerber Graduates Pasta Pick-ups 10/$10
(1) Mrs. Smith Pie Shell 2/$4 (I meant to put this on the list to begin with...)

Deleted:
(2)Uncle Ben's Rice because I had used the correct blinkies already.

Prices, Price Changes, Coupons, and Coupon Changes:
Crisco Oil BOGO $3.79 not $3.89
Wheat Thins Crunch Sticks BOGO $3.39 not $2.99
Ritz BOGO $3.69 not $3.09 (Kraft products are always more expensive here...)
Green Beans- 79¢
Sweet Potatoes- $1.58
Anaheim Pepper- 0.14lb @ $2.99/lb= 42¢
Mini Marshmallows- $1.29
Diced Chiles- 99¢/ea
White Beans- $1.49
-$5/$25 purchase coupon
-$5 Publix Gift Card from Huggies MIR promotion


I think I did pretty well considering having to buy quite a few things not on sale. I love cooking for the Holidays, so I absolutely love this time of year.

Saving Money on Babies and Toddlers: Clothes

Children go through clothing a lot, especially babies and toddlers. This can cost a ton of money, but there are ways to make the damage minimal.

• Coupons. I feel like a broken record, but coupons exist for everything. I remember using coupons from Gerber to buy onesies. There are of course coupons for stores like Carter's, the Children's Place, etc. There have also been coupons for Target that were money off Circo clothing. Moral of the story, it's always worth it to look for a coupon.
• Sales. There are always sales on baby/toddler clothing. Buy what's on sale.
• Clearance. A great way to buy clothes is to shop the clearance section. This is especially great if you shop ahead, meaning you shop for future months and years. In my area, I love it because they put the fall stuff on clearance to move in the winter stuff, but I live in South Florida, so the fall stuff is usually adequate.
• Skip the Name Brand. Unless you can get that Baby Gap outfit super cheap (or someone gives it to you), it's probably not worth it. Children grow quick, and they are messy. Spend less money, and you won't have to be upset if they spit-up all over it.
• Consignment. I love children's consignment stores/sales. It may be used, but at good stores/sales they make sure they aren't soiled or worn-out. It's worth it for the steep discounts you can get on nice clothes. Also, you can sell clothes as well to make money.
• Hand-me Downs. There's nothing wrong with accepting clothes from someone whose kid outgrew them, especially for babies/toddlers.
• Trade. Trade clothes with a fellow mom. Maybe you just had a boy, but had saved your daughters clothes, trade with another Mom who might be in the opposite situation. If you want to still have them afterwards, make sure your name is in them. This is an especially great idea for special occasion type wear.
• Other Venues. Goodwill, garage sales, etc. are often good places to find clothes for your little one. It's worth a look.

If you have an idea that I have overlooked, please share in the comments!

Shopping List for 11/18/2010

Blue= Manufacturer's Coupons
Green= Publix Coupon
Red=Competitor's Coupon


(2)Rondele Cheese Spread BOGO $4.29
   -(1)$1/1 Peelie
   -(1)$1/1 Tearpad
(2)Celery BOGO $1.69
(2) Crisco Oil BOGO $3.89
   -(1)$1/2 Hangtag
(2)Uncle Ben's Rice BOGO $1.99
   -(2)$1/1 Blinkie
(2)Dove Promises BOGO $4.29
   -(1)$1/2 from 11/14/10 RP
   -(1)$1/2 Target HERE
(2)Thomas English Muffins BOGO $3.49
(2)Lay's Potato Chips BOGO $3.99
(4)Wheat Thins Crunch Stix BOGO $2.99
   -(1) $1/1 Tearpad
   -(1) $1/1 from 9/19/10 SS
   -(2) $1/1 HERE
   -(2) $1/2 Target HERE
(2)Nabisco Ritz Crackers BOGO $3.09
   -(1)$1/2 from 11/14/10 SS
   -(1)$1/2 Walgreen's IVC
(2)Kraft Chunk Cheese 2/$4
   -(1)$1/2 Target HERE
(3)Breakstone's Sourcream 2/$2
   -(1)55¢/1 from 11/14/10 SS
   -(2)55¢/1 HERE
(1)Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce 89¢
(2)Pepperidge Farm Stuffing 2/$4
(4)Mueller's Medium Noodles 99¢
   -(2)$1/2 HERE
(1) Gold Medal Flour $1.49
   -(1)55¢/1 Peelie
(4)Publix Soft Drinks 2/$1
(1)Green Beans 99¢/lb
(5)Sweet Potatoes 39¢/lb
(1)Idaho Potatoes 5 lb bag $1.99


Things that aren't brand specific, but I need to buy:
(1)Bag Mini Marshmallows
(1)Annaheim Chili Pepper
(2)Cans Diced Chiles
(1)Bag White Beans

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 17- Reuse and reinvent. I've talked about buying reusable items over disposable, but there are other things you can reuse instead of buying a specialty item. Check out my posts here for more on that. Also, reinvent your food as well. If you are having trouble with waste from leftovers, reinvent them into a different meal.

How Do I Use it? Pasta Part I: Background

Mmm... Pasta. I do love pasta. I think that's probably because of my Italian roots. Let's look at some of the information on pasta.

• Origin is a but of mystery. Ideas include China, Africa, Greece, Italy, and Israel.
• Italy actually has laws as to how pasta can be made. 
• Traditionally cooked al dente meaning firm to the bite. 
• Tons of varieties. In fact there are over 600 worldwide.
• Source of complex carbs.

Why Should it be in Your Food Storage?

• Relatively inexpensive
• Great for use as a main dish or a side dish.
• Filling
• Good source of fiber and other minerals
• Great comfort food. Seems silly now, but in times of great stress you might be happy to eat spaghetti or mac and cheese.

As usual join me in two weeks to learn more about the most common varieties.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 16- In relation to yesterday's tip about DIY, whenever you need to call a service person, do whatever you can to watch what they are doing. Why? Because next time you may be able to DIY. Don't be afraid to ask questions either. Also, by watching them you make sure they are doing the correct work.

New Uses for Egg Cartons

I've talked about uses for egg shells before, but what about the cartons that house them? They really are useful for a ton of things. Check out the list below for ideas.

• Packing Material. Cut it up and use it like packing peanuts.
• Make it into a game for kids, by putting numbers in each cup and tossing small balls into the cup. Whoever scores the highest wins.
• Storage for little items. Especially good for crafts (like beads) or kids items (marbles, barbie items, legos)
• Palette. I used this several times when I was a kid. Keeps the colors separated and easy to use, and you can just toss it when you are done.
• Jewelry organizer. You can decorate it first, and then use it in a drawer to keep jewelry from tangling. You can also easily poke earrings through the styrofoam.
• Seed starting. (Really tons of things can be used as a seed starter, I feel like this comes on the list a ton)
• Candles. Egg cartons make a great mold for small candles. 
• Fire starter. (This is only for cardboard egg cartons). Fill the cartons with dryer lint, and then pore melted wax over the lint. You can tear apart the sections and use for fire starters when you are camping, or in your fireplace. Use left over candle pieces for the melted wax.
• Golf Ball Storage. I think that's pretty self-explanatory.
• Money Box. Use it as a money box for yard sales.
• Christmas Storage. Great to store small ornaments.
• Organize in the garage. Use it to separate nuts, bolts, screws, and nails.
• Use it to store light-bulbs for those small items like night-lights.
• Art Projects. Check out this one.
• Other Crafts. I remember cutting out the cups and threading a pipe cleaner through to make flowers.
• Donate them. There are plenty of schools and other organizations that seek out these versatile tools.
• Store the plastic easter eggs in egg cartons for storage.
• Make a trashcan out of several.

If one of these ideas doesn't work for you, or you have too many egg cartons to work with, there are places to recycle them. I know Publix has a bin outside of their stores where you can put the styrofoam kind. The cardboard kind should be recyclable anywhere cardboard is accepted.

Do you have an idea to share on how to use egg cartons? Share below and I will add it to the list.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 15- Become a DIY-er in your home. Basically, don't spend money on things you can do for yourself, like yard work or painting. Even minor plumbing and other work can be done by yourself. There's tons of websites devoted to showing you how to do these simple tasks, so no excuses.

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has the new ad up, you can find it HERE.

I see some good things so far, but it's just the BOGO's currently. I can't wait to see the rest of the ad.

I kind of already am anticipating a lower than normal savings, just because I need somethings for Thanksgiving that I haven't seen on sale yet. But *crosses fingers* maybe they will be in the rest of the ad.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Rice and beans, Corn-on-the-cob
Tuesday- Oven Ranch Chicken, Pasta Side, Peas
Wednesday- Hamburger Helper, Veggie
Thursday- Pork Chops, Side, and Veggie (I haven't decided what kind of pork chops yet)
Friday- DIY (My husband will be on a boyscout campout)
Saturday- Dinner at Church
Sunday- Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Don't forget to link up below!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 14- Shop in season. We've forgotten that there used to be a season to food. We now can get anything we want at any time of year, but we pay for it dearly. If we take the simple step of selecting foods that are in season right then, we will save some money.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 13- Shop Farmer's Markets! You can score some great deals on produce there. I went to my local market last week and got two zucchini, two squash, and two red bell peppers for $2! It's a great alternative to stores. Sure I still buy good sales on produce at the store, but by shopping your local farmers market you are supporting local business and getting fresh produce! Yum!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 12- Beware of vampires. Energy vampires that is. Many things use energy even when you aren't using them. Invest in a power strip and use it to turn off those vampires. The most common vampires are cell phone chargers (without the phone plugged in), tvs, cable/satellite boxes, and anything that sits in a standby mode or has a clock on it.

Friday Favorites- Wii

I love my Wii. I really do. I've always had video games around me, but I think the Wii is just so unique. I love using the.Wii Fit as well.

. 

My other favorite game is Mario Party 8. It's kind of a holiday tradition in my family to play Mario Party, even my Mom gets involved in the fun.

I think the reason it's a favorite of mine is it's all the fun of video games, but also encourages activity. I also love the news channel on it and I think the Mii are fun as well. 

I hope you enjoyed my favorite. If you have a Wii, what is your favorite thing about it? What are your favorite games?

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 11- Get Greener. When it comes to your utility bill, the best way to see savings is to make green switches. Change out your light bulbs, add insulation, opt for energy saving appliances,etc., and you will see a change in your utility bills.

Publix Trip 11/11/10

I spent $27.18 for $88.51 worth of groceries, saving $61.33 or 69%.

See my original list here.

Added:
(1)25lb Turkey! 59¢/lb ($14.30)
(1)Starkist Tuna Pouch 99¢
   -(1)50¢/1 from Cooking Light Magazine
   -(1)50¢/1 from Publix Harvest of Savings Booklet
(1)Muir Glen 89¢
(1)Goldfish Grahams 2/$3
   -(1)75¢/1 from Cooking Light Magazine
(1)Publix OJ 2/$5

Deleted:
Nothing!

Prices, Price Changes, Coupons, and Coupon Changes:
Nestle Morsels BOGO $2.93 not $2.95
Publix Sour Cream 4/$3 (75¢/ea) not 99¢
Wholly Guacamole $2.99
Muir Glen Paste $1.09 each
Renuzit Cones 99¢

It was a good trip! Crowded in the store with it being Veteran's Day and with all the snow birds... I was so excited about the turkey. I wanted one a little smaller, but they seemed to be lacking turkeys in the 18-22 lb range. Although, I do not mind extra turkey at all. With the $5/$25 coupon it made the turkey about $10 for about 25 lbs. That's fantastic in my book!

Saving Money on Babies and Toddlers: Food

Children can be really expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Today starts a series on how to save money on those little bundles of joy. We'll start off with food.

• Breastfeed. Breastfeeding is best, and a whole heck of a lot cheaper. 
• Save on Formula. Some people cannot breastfeed for a variety of reasons. I myself had a ton of problems that resulted in our breastfeeding relationship ending at 6 weeks. Formula can be expensive. Really expensive. So what do you do? You have a few options. There are coupons. Sign-up with all the formula companies and they will send you coupons or formula checks. Pair them with a great sale, and you will save some cash. You'll also find tons of moms who are willing to give or trade away checks for the company they don't use. Another solution is asking the doctor for samples. Another solution is to try the store brand. Most store brands are made by the same company, so if it's onsale at Publix one week and Target the next, you can rest assured it's the same formula. My personal favorite was warehouse clubs. You can buy their house brand and get double the regular amount for the same price.
• Solids. There are a few options to take here. Make your own, buy it, or a combination of the two. Making your own can be very cost effective, but can be time consuming. Buying it can cost money, but be less time consuming. Personally, I was about the combination of the two. There are times when you can get baby food really cheap (and even free!). When you buy produce in season, you can often make quite a bit of baby food out of it. Either way, use coupons/sales to reduce your costs.
• Snacks. Older babies and toddlers love snacks. Cheerios is of course a favorite. Cheerios go on sale a lot, and often with coupons. I pretty much avoid the prepackaged snacks because they are often horribly over priced, and only buy them when they are super cheap (which is rare). Make your own snacks or stick to cheerios, goldfish, and the like.
• Toddler Meals. Most of the time these just aren't worth it. Again they are horribly over priced. Toddlers can eat most of the foods you eat as long as it is cut up to their size. My only exception is the Gerber Pasta Pick-ups. I buy these when they are on-sale, and they are great for emergency kits or for when you need to be able to feed your toddler something quick or need to take a meal with you.
• Baby/Toddler Juices. Most of the juices marketed to babies/toddlers are not much more than regular juice with more water. Toddlers are only really supposed to have 4-6 oz of juice a day. I personally just by 100% juice when it is on-sale and fill a sippy half-way then fill the other half with water. It lasts longer and costs less.
• Eating Out. I tend to pick places where kids eat free or those under 2 eat free (most buffets). I hardly buy a kids meal for a toddler because they are often overpriced and half of it ends up on the floor. Instead I either use the aforementioned pasta pick-ups or feed them from my plate.

Hopefully these tips help! Let me know if you have any tips for saving money on babies and toddlers when it comes to food!

Shopping List for 11/11/10

Blue= Manufacturer's Coupon
Green= Publix Coupon
Red= Competitor's Coupon


(4) Nestle Tollhouse Morsels BOGO $2.95
   -(2)$1/2 HERE
(2) Publix Sour Cream 99¢
(2)Light Brown Sugar 99¢
(1)Softsoap Liquid 10/$10
   -(1)50¢/1 All You November 2010
(2)Reynolds Aluminum Foil $2.99
   -(2)$1/1 HERE
Wholly Guacamole
   -(1)$4/1 Facebook Promo (no longer available)
Green Beans 99¢/lb
Broccoli 2/$4
(4)Muir Glenn
   -(4) $1/1 HERE
   -(1)$1/2 Publix Harvest of Savings Booklet
(5)Renuzit Cones
   -(4)$1/1 HERE
   -(1)B3G1 from Yellow Advantage Buy Flyer
(2)Olivio Spread 10/$10
   -(2)$1/1 HERE

-$5/$25 Purchase Save-a-lot Coupon
iheartpublix is reporting cheap turkey at her store, I hope I find the same!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 10- Reusable is often cheaper than disposable. Paper towels, tissues, paper cups, paper plates, etc. can cost a lot of money, and although it is possible to save some money on these items with rare moments of free, it is usually cheaper to use reusable items then pay for these. Some examples might be towels and rags in place of paper towels, cloth napkins instead of paper, regular cups and plates over disposable, handkerchief instead of tissues, reusable containers instead of baggies, lunchboxes instead of brown bags. We put tons of waste into the landfills and take tons of money from our pockets all in the name of easy, but really simple switches usually aren't that hard to adjust too.

How Do I Use it? Beans Part IV: Special Concerns

Water- One of the biggest concerns with beans is that it uses a lot of water. You need water to soak and then water to cook them in. If water is scarce this could be a major problem.

Indigestion- Beans are known for there ability to give you bloating and gas. The best way to avoid this is to use fresh water after soaking. However, given the previous statement, you may have weigh which is worse. 

Fermentation- Beans can ferment, especially during the soaking phase. To avoid this, beans should not soak in warm weather. This could be a problem should you not have electricity in a hotter climate. If you have a electricity, soak them in the fridge.

Cooking Source- Almost all beans need to be cooked in order to be digested properly. If you are going to store beans, make sure to have a source to cook them.

Dried Beans- For long term storage, it must be dried beans, not the precooked beans found in cans at the store. 

Beans Part I, II, III

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 9- Utilize Mail In Rebates or MIR. I have gotten back a ton of money through mail in rebates. Some of it in the form of checks, some gift cards, and some in high value coupons. It takes a little extra time, but it's well worth it in my book. For more on MIR, check out my post HERE.

Clever Tricks for Organizing: Paper Clutter

Papers tend to clutter almost everyone's house. They just seem to creep onto every horizontal surface. Usually it's because you want to keep it out so you don't forget about it, but of course you can't find it when you need it. Frustrating. Here are some tips for organizing paper clutter.

• "Touch It Once" Rule. When you get the mail sort through it right then. Junk mail in the recycling, anything you need to do something with either do it right then or put it into a to do file. File anything that needs to be filed.
• The To-Read Dilemma. This is things like magazines, catalogs, newsletters, and newspapers. The easiest solution is a nice basket where you like to read. If you haven't read them within a few months, it might be best to toss it.
• School "Stuff" Kids can bring home a lot of stuff from school. Treat it like the mail, if it is something that needs action put it in the to do folder (or do it right then), if its something to file away (like a report card) file it away. For papers reminding you of something, write it on the family calendar and recycle the paper. 
• Filing. You really need a place to file papers. Without it, you may drown in papers. I will caution though when creating a filing system, do not let any file become to large or it ruins the purpose of the file. For example a file labeled "home" may be better organized into categories such as "home insurance," "home repairs," and "home sale/buy documents." 
• Menus. Consider a binder with clear plastic inserts to stick take-out menus and pizza menus. Keep it in a drawer or cabinet in the kitchen.
• Coupons/Ads. Make sure to have a filing system for these. If you don't have time to file the coupons the moment you get them, have some sort of basket to put them in until you have time to put them in your system. For ads, if you aren't looking for something specific from them, it's best just to toss them in a recycling.
• Shredding. A shredder is a great investment to keep personal information safe. Keep it close to where you work on things you may need to shred.
• Scrap Paper. I like to reuse the backs of paper to print coupons on or for anything that doesn't need to look pretty. To keep it tamed, I keep it in a basket next to my printer.

How Long to Keep Papers

This question is quite common. We all worry about throwing something out we still need. Hopefully this will help out some. 

• Utility Statements- There really isn't much need to keep these unless you are claiming them as a business expense on your taxes (which we will get to tax documents in a little bit). Some people keep them for a year to be able to compare year to year, although many utilities companies show the year's usage on the bill now. Some people keep the utility statements to use in selling their house, but again most of this information can be found on the latest bill.
• Mortgage Statements- Definitely keep the last statement of the year which has the tax information on it, but most monthly statements are unnecessary to keep. Once you have paid it off definitely keep the discharge statement for as long as you own the property and for six years after you sell the property.
• Pay Stubs- Keep these for one year to check against your W-2. If it matches correctly to your W-2 discard the pay stubs and keep just the W-2. (Although you may want to keep the last few from the year if you are planning any major purchases as pay stubs are often asked for as a document for many things)
• Car- Save the sales receipt, deed, and any repair information for as long as you have the car.
• Bank Statements- Keep for one year. 
• Credit Card Statements- If you use it for budgeting or if you refer back to them, keep them for a year. Otherwise the last one for the year is the most important (if you claim the interest on taxes).
• Investments- Keep what you need for tax purposes. When in doubt contact your accountant.
• Tax Information- Anything used for your taxes should be kept for 7 years. Each year you can add the new one and discard the oldest.
• Medical Bills- Most experts say one year if you itemize them. However, having been burned more than once by medical billing I keep mine for several years. My personal story is that I had a kidney stone and received a CT scan. I thought my insurance covered it. Six months later I received a bill saying I needed to pay the entire amount. I called and found out what went wrong and worked it all out. I received no more bills. Two years later I checked my credit report and found I had a collection account for that bill. Because I had recorded all the information on the original bill I got it all worked out.
• Medical Records- Keep forever. 
• Insurance Information- Keep current policies and claim information. It's also wise to keep policies for as long as the statute of limitations for your state in case someone tries to make a claim against you. Keep all policies that you have made a claim against.
• Receipts- Keep for as long as the return period. If you use credit or debit, keep until you check your statement. You can get rid of the rest unless needed for tax purposes.
• Bills of Purchase- Keep for as long as you own the item.
• Bill of Sale- Keep with tax documents for the year it was sold.

My Best Advice?

Sign-up for electronic bills/statements. Most online statements are downloadable, so you can download them to your computer (and back them up elsewhere). Save trees and your counter top!

Please let me know if you have any tips, and I will add them above!

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has the new ad up, you can find it HERE.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 8- Pay Attention to Your Bills/Receipts/Statements. Do you realize how much money is lost to inaccuracies? For example, if you aren't paying attention at the store, you may pick-up something that says BOGO on the shelf, but it rings up full price for both. You may receive a bill and just pay it, not questioning the charges at all. You may receive bank/credit card statements and pay it, and not notice you were charged a fee for something you shouldn't have been. Medical bills are the most notorious for charging you for a service you didn't receive. Always get an itemized bill when it comes to hospitals/doctors. And fight it! It's your money and little mistakes add up!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Whole-wheat pasta with Broccoli and Chickpeas
Tuesday- Lazy Nachos
Wednesday- Sloppy Joes, Tater Tots, Peas
Thursday- Chicken Cordon Bleu, Mac and Cheese, Green Beans
Friday- Beef Stroganoff, Peas
Saturday- Brown Sugar and Apple Sauce Pork Chops, Carrots, Rice
Sunday- Easy Chicken Parmigiana

Please link-up below!

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 7- Kick addictions to the curb. Addictions of any kind cost money, most certainly if they are tobacco, drugs, or alcohol. But there are other kinds of addictions as well like coffee, soda, and chocolate. Or movies, fast food, and itunes downloads. When you have an addiction to something you are more willing to pay any price for it because when it runs out you have to have it. Some addictions should be cut entirely for your health (smoking, drugs, and alcohol), and others should be cut back if not cut out entirely. Have you ever noticed that some things that used to be the occasional treat are now a daily must-have? Just cut-it back or get rid of it.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to participate in NaBloPoMo this month, which is National Blog Posting Month.

My month will be a "Month of Money Saving Tips." Each day for the entire month of November, I will give you a quick tip to help you save money!

Tip 6- "An ounce of cure is worth a pound of prevention." In other words, if something isn't working right, it's better to do something about it now then wait for it to become worse. For example, the pipe under the sink drips a little bit. You ignore it, and eventually you have mildew. Another example would be not changing your batteries on your smoke alarm and not having fire extinguishers in your house. It may cost some money right now, but it could save you thousands later. It's always cheaper to fix a minor problem than a major one.