Spa Day

Earlier this month, I decided to take Grace to a salon that specializes in haircuts for kids.  Being the frugal woman that I am, I usually cut her hair myself, but I’ve had more trouble lately getting a straight line across the bottom.  Her hair is really thick and heavy, which makes it harder to look like a clean cut. 

Anyway, Grace was in heaven.  I really wish this was a video so you could hear her delighted “Oooohs” and “Aaaahs” during the shampoo.  The girl washing her hair was cracking up, and I suspect she scrubbed it longer because Grace loved it so much.

She keeps asking me when we’re going back.  I watched the girl really closely when she was cutting Grace’s hair, so hopefully I’ll be able to do it myself next time.  We’ll see!

Works For Me – Coupon Binder

I’ve been wanting to put together a larger coupon binder for a while now, and I finally took the time to do it!  Up until now, I’ve used the Couponizer. 

It’s worked fine and been worth the money I paid for it…but I’ve worn it out.  With lots of use it begins to fall apart, especially when you stuff in coupons from three or more Sunday papers every week. 

I decided to put my own notebook together, so I looked around on the internet for pictures of what works for other moms.  Then I got on EBay and ordered 30 plastic baseball card holders for $4.25.  I had planned on buying a Trapper Keeper so I could keep everything zipped up to minimize the coupons falling out, but I couldn’t pass up the cutest binder ever at Target the other day for $4.99.  So, here’s my completed binder!

Inside, the first pocket holds all of my weekly circulars.

 

The next pocket holds my lists, pens, and other small objects.

 

Then I place my coupons, divided by category, into the baseball card holders.

I had enough holders to actually separate most of them by brand within each category.  Now, when I’m in the store, it only takes a second to see if I have a coupon for Bounty dryer sheets, instead of digging through a loose stack of “household cleaning” coupons and watching them fall all over the floor! 

When a friend saw my completed binder, she asked, “Do you carry that to the store every time?”  Yes, I do.  Couponing has saved us a lot of money over the years, and it’s worth the minor inconvenience of remembering to carry it with me!

Happy couponing!

For more Works For Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

The American Way

I ran to the UPS Store this morning to fax some documents and saw something that made me laugh.  If you’re a bargain shopper, you probably know that CVS and Walgreens are having fabulous sales on office and school supplies right now. 

Well, the manager at the UPS Store is also very aware of these deals and decided to take advantage of stocking up his inventory this morning.  The UPS Store has a section where you can buy various office supplies (pens, pencils, highlighters, etc.).  They are dreadfully overpriced and mainly there just for convenience. 

The UPS manager walked in the store with two big bags from CVS and Walgreens.  He eagerly showed another employee all the office supplies he had scored for next to nothing.  He then proceeded to go to the wall of office supplies and restock his inventory with what he had just bought at the pharmacies.  Hilarious.  And quite smart.  Capitalism at it’s finest.

Works For Me – Buying Meat

My husband is a big meat-eater.  I’m not so much, but I enjoy cooking what he likes.  So I’m always looking for good deals on his favorite things like chicken breast, hamburger meat, steak, roast, and pork chops.

One of the keys for reducing the overall cost of buying meat is adequate freezer space.  My husband bought me an extra small freezer that I keep in the garage, and it has paid for itself at least a couple of times already since we purchased it two years ago.  Consider buying a deep freezer on Craigslist for even more savings.  Buying in bulk and freezing greatly reduces my grocery budget and ensures that we always have something for dinner!

Because meat is a bigger-ticket item, I find that it is often worth it to scour the weekly ads and consider making a special trip to a store that I might not usually frequent. 

But the best advice I can give to get great prices on meat is to make friends with your butcher.  Almost all meat departments will drastically slash prices on packages of meat when they begin to approach their “sell by” date.  The butchers in two main meat departments in which I shop have been very friendly and eager to tell me about their procedure for marking down the meat.  One store does most of their markdowns every Thursday, and the other store has a butcher that does markdowns every morning.  I’ve tailored my shopping times to fit when I am most likely to score good prices on meat. 

Of course, these strategies will result in fluctuations in the weekly grocery budget.  Some weeks I spend more because I can’t pass up a low price, but it works out because my overall prices are greatly reduced.  And that works for me.

For more works-for-me tips, visit We Are THAT Family.

Works For Me Wednesday – Grocery List

I keep my grocery list on my laptop.  The document stays open on my desktop so I can quickly add to the list when I think of something.  I also keep a notepad in the kitchen to quickly jot something down, then I transfer the items to my laptop when I get the chance.

On Wednesday, when the grocery ads come out, I sit down and make my weekly grocery shopping plan.  If I am shopping at two or more stores, I separate my items into different columns.  If I have a coupon, I add a star (*) in front of the item to remind myself in the store.  If an item is on sale, I add an exclamation point (!) as well. 

I also rearrange my list into the order of the aisles so my shopping trip is quick and easy.  Sometimes, if I’m having a Super-Mom moment, I’ll even pull out the coupons I know I’m using ahead of time.  When it’s time to go, I click “Print”, grab my Coupon binder, and I’m off! 

It takes a few minutes to organize my list on my computer, but it makes my shopping quicker, more organized, and cheaper.  That definitely works for me!

For more works for me tips, visit We Are THAT Family.

CVS Advisor

  I love to shop and save money at CVS.  There are countless websites and blogs that are devoted entirely to the activity of finding the best deals at CVS by using coupons and Extra Care Bucks.  I found out today that anyone can sign up to be a CVS Advisor. 

When you become an advisor, you are occasionally invited to participate in surveys and opinion polls.  When you do so, you will receive anywhere from $2-$15 dollars in Extra Care Bucks each time you participate.  You will also receive a $5-$15 ECB sign-up bonus when you register!

I just signed up myself, so I’m hoping this will be beneficial!

Living Simply Saturdays

I read a powerful post this week on the subject of living simply. The author spoke of seemingly harmless indulgences (in her case, coffee) that temporarily fill our desires while ignoring our deepest needs.

Even seemingly simple things can become substitutes for trusting in God alone to take care of us. This article was very convicting for me. How many times over the years have I done/bought/eaten something that I didn't need just because I had a bad day or "deserved" it after something stressful happened? Instead of praying and casting my burdens upon the One who has given me so much, I relied on worldly pleasures to calm my anxieties.

Another area where I need to trust God more is in the area of finances. I have always worried about money. Now that I stay at home with our daughter and don't work outside the home, I find myself worrying even more. Instead of worrying, what I need to do is be thankful for what God has given me including: a husband who works hard to provide for our family, opportunities for me to earn extra money by working at home (Ebay, sewing, babysitting), and the desire to be a good steward with our money.

I'm still working on the last one. I pray for a heart that is willing (and eager!)to do without many luxuries that other people deem necessary. I don't need a new car or designer clothes or a vacation every year. Grace doesn't need the latest toy or Gap Kids fashion. And I don't need to obsess about the amount of money we have (or don't have) in retirement accounts or savings accounts. God has always provided our needs, sometimes despite unwise purchases. For this I am learning to be more and more thankful. I feel a responsibility to be a good steward of our money by budgeting wisely, thoughtfully spending money, tithing faithfully, and being willing to do without things I don't need. All while trusting in a wise God who is preparing a place for me in heaven.

I'm not saying it is wrong or sinful to buy luxury items or build wealth. I am talking about matters of the heart. Are we being good stewards of our money and trusting in God alone for our ultimate joy and happiness? This is tough, and I'm sure that I will always struggle with this to some degree in my lifetime. What a comfort it is to know that the tastiest Starbucks Venti White Chocolate Mocha or the prettiest Coldwater Creek jacket or the healthiest savings account doesn't begin to compare with the glory of my future home in heaven.