Best buys in January:

Motorcycles (I’m sure you are all running out for this one!!)
Furniture
Carpet and flooring
Video games
Suits
Air conditioners
Boats (and even more of you are going to buy your boat, now!)
Big appliances
Bedding and bathroom linens
Outdoor gear
Wrapping paper
Electronics
Houses
Bicycles
Remodeling
Vacations
Patio furniture and grills
Outdoor gear
Jewelry

Thanks MSN and MoneyTalksNews

The post What are the Best Things to Buy in January? appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

After that method flopped horribly we stopped using cash all together. And while it is a pain at times to only have a debit card, it stops needless spending and I can track where every penny goes! I write every single debit transaction in our checkbook and balance it a few times a week so we always know what we have.

Our new bill method is also quite a bit more organized and works great for us, so I thought I’d share! I actually write all our bills for the month on a planner we have…It helps to keep track of how many paychecks we have coming in for the month and when each bill is due exactly. Once a bill is paid, I highlight it so I know it’s gone. I’m embarrassed to say we made a lot of mistakes early on in our marriage and this process is helping us eliminate that.

The post Late Again? How to Pay Your Bills on Time, Everytime appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Living within a budget takes a bit of effort on your part. A sure-fire way to fail is to set your household spending money too low. Of course, you may not have much control over that area of your finances—what’s left over is all you have. But, don’t panic just yet. Here are a few ways you can make a budget work for you.

1) Seasonal sales are a great way to keep your spending on target and still get what you need. Christmas, Easter, Halloween and back to school sales usually start weeks ahead of schedule. If you can manage to wait it out and get to the sales a few days before they end, you can get some super cheap deals. Plus, then you look AFTER the holiday for even deeper discounts and stock up for the next year.

Also Read 3 Secrets to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

2) Watch for supermarket mark-downs. Meats, produce and other perishables will be marked down so the stores don’t have to throw away food when it expires. Find out what days your grocery stores mark down these products and be there early to get the best choices. But make sure not to buy more than you can use since throwing away food is a waste of your money. Freeze what you can and plan on using the rest within a specific time frame. I love using this tip to get organic fruits and veggies, meats and the gluten free items our family loves for a great price.

3) Keep an eye on your favorite grocery stores and figure out the best days and times to shop. When do the sales items change? When do they mark down meat for the week? When are the shelves full and the parking lot empty?  Get to know the manager or some of the stockers and clerks.  They might be glad to give you some of this great info. Knowing when you’ll find the best selection at the lowest prices can make quite a difference in your grocery budget.

4) Shop on the first and last days of the sale. Shopping on the first day means you can pretty much get what you want at lower prices. On the other hand, waiting until the last day may mean the prices will drop even lower so the store can get rid of the products. The selection might be limited, but you can really score some great deals by waiting it out. Remember, they are only deals if you really need the products.  One local store to me does Double Ad Wednesdays- this is a great day to shop at this store for nice deals.

Also Read: How to Build an Emergency Fund Quickly

5) Shopping online is one simple way to budget your money. Because you are shopping at home, there is no rush and you can compare products and prices until you find exactly what you are looking for at a price that fits your budget. Be sure to budget shipping costs too. You also save money on gas.

6) Stop impulse buying using this one simple trick. If you need to buy something, go window shopping and leave your money, checkbook and credit cards at home. Make a list of all the items that might fit within your budget, include their prices. Then you can go home, study that list and make the best choice, after that go back to the store and buy only the items on the updated, best deal, list. This way you get the best price and you know exactly how much you will be spending.

Living within a budget does require you to may need to spend some time finding our about local and online sales so you can find the best price. But, that means you don’t have to live without, you just have to spend the money you have wisely.

The post Living Within a Budget – It’s Not as Hard as You Think appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Hoping to pick up some better habits when it comes to money? The below are all great ones to consider.

And I get that not all of them is going to work for everyone, but I challenge you to consider doing as many as you can.

It might not be as hard as you think!

1. Use coupons. Non-frugal people don’t understand how $0.50 and $1.00 coupons can add up to big savings. You don’t have to spend hours couponing—just a few minutes when you get the Sunday paper!

Read Learn How To Use Coupons and Shop Strategically

2. Have clear goals. Know your long-term goals, like paying off credit card debt, having enough money for a house down payment, or saving a certain amount for retirement. Clear goals make it easier to be frugal.

Read 3 Easy Ways to Get Your Budget Back on Track

3. Stop comparing yourself to others. If you always want the things or lifestyle other people have, you will always be trying to catch up to an impossible standard. Learn to be happy with what you have and what you can afford

4. Eat out less. Eat at home as much as possible. When you do go out, use coupons or choose budget-friendly restaurants.

5. Keep a thorough budget. To truly be frugal, you need to know where your money is going. This includes money spent on bills, flexible expenses, and other costs that come up throughout the month.

Read Basic Steps for Setting up a Budget

6. Don’t drive outside your means. Just because you can afford a certain car doesn’t mean you should buy it. Taking out a smaller car loan or paying in cash can help you put more money where it matters. Don’t look for the biggest, flashiest car—look for something that fits in your budget and lifestyle.

7. Stay in contact with your spouse about finances. If you have a partner, you need to be on the same page in regards to finances. Have frequent conversations about your financial standing and goals.

8. Know what your indulgences are. If you allow yourself to indulge on a couple things that matter, you won’t feel the need to treat yourself in every area of your life. Choose one or two things you really love to splurge on.

Read You Will Never Have The Life You Want

9. Don’t be house poor. Buying the biggest house you can afford can leave you without money for trips, emergencies, and retirement. This is all about learning to be happy with less!

10. Keep your priorities in line. Your priorities are your future, your financial security, and your family. Remember this during every financial decision and you can’t go wrong.

What are your best habits when it comes to being frugal? Share them below.

The post Top 10 Habits of Frugal People appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

We all know that comparison-shopping saves money, and chances are you’ve done it before to great effect. Most people only do it on major purchases like appliances, furniture, or electronics because it’s time consuming and requires a fair amount of forethought.

Well, times have changed. There’s no reason to overspend on almost anything anymore. Technology has made comparison-shopping quick and painless in some unlikely ways:

Also Read: You Have to Change Your Mindset to Save Money

1. Major Comparison Services For Auto and Home Insurance

Property and casualty insurance is one of the most competitive industries in the world. There are over 15 A-rated companies that sell auto and home insurance nationwide. Let them fight for your business, and you can save a bundle.

Don’t just go to one insurance company’s website that compares you to four or five top companies. You need to use a service like Answer Financil) that compares your rates to offers from all the A-rated companies in the country.

The business is so competitive; that you’re likely to have a better rate about every eight months, provided your driving record is improving. In any case, you should comparison shop for auto and home insurance at least once a year. Ask yourself: is your loyalty worth hundreds of dollars a year?

Top Tip: Ask for the highest deductible they offer. You’ll get a lower rate, and the financial reward may outweigh the risk.

Also See our Savings Worksheet (Free Download)

2. Online Discount Services

You can have a lot of fun, save time and a ton of money doing this! Gone are the boring days of scouring a newspaper or phone book for coupons. Groupon is a service that offers 50% discounts on a regular basis to restaurants or entertainment spots in your area. LivingSocial has discounts to local social events and vacation spots. Their site is a great way to get out and have fun without straying from your budget.

If you like designer clothes and accessories, ShopIttoMe.com is a great website for comparison-shopping and sales. They send you personalized emails about sale items specifically in your size. Google product search and Yahoo shopping are two of the most popular ways to find discounted products online.

Also Read: 8 Tricks to Get Yourself to Save More Money

3. The Social Networks

Many of the major retailers are on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking websites. If you subscribe to their news feeds or fan pages they’ll often notify you about all the best sales, discounts, and special events ahead of time. This is a great way to buy smart and stay within budget.

The post 3 Easy Ways to Comparison Shop (and Save Money!) appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

• Family and friends – Reach out to family and friends to help you get extra funds that you need right away. This can be in the form of a loan or a gift, depending on you and the person helping you.
• Sell your old and broken jewelry – If you have jewelry you don’t need anymore, consider selling it. Most cities have reputable jewelry dealers who will buy gold jewelry. Even if you have a broken necklace, they will usually purchase it at a fair price.
• Pawn jewelry or other valuables – If you cannot bear to sell items and you know you will be able to buy them back (remember that will be at a higher price than what you pawned it for) you can pawn it at a local pawnshop. If you can, call around to see who will give you the best terms as far as what you can get for your items, how much you have to pay back, and how much time you have.
• Sell your old cellphone – Even if your cellphone is old, you can still sell it for its parts. This can be an easy way to get some money for an emergency. Just make sure you clear off any personal data first.
• Sell your records or old CDs – Vinyl records are collector’s items and you can sometimes fetch a good price for something you may not have listened to in years. You can also sell old CDs, getting a decent price if they are in good condition.
• Do you have reliable public transportation? If you do, sell your vehicle and use public transportation to get around. This will not only get you a lot of cash fast, it will also save you money on gas in the long run.
• Payment extensions – If you have a car loan, student loans or home mortgage, you may be able to get a payment holiday. This can free up a lot of money for you with little impact to your overall budget, since payment extensions just tend to extend the length of your loan.
• Pinch pennies – Sometimes all it takes to get through a money emergency is pinching pennies. There are so many easy (and some not so easy) ways cut your budget. Sit down and write down everything you are spending money on. You may need to make some deep cuts, but often you can cut out the luxuries and save a lot.  If you can pinch pennies to take care of the emergency, that is going to be the best choice. See our posts on Getting Free Basic Cable

What happened to short-term loans and account overdraft options?

These are both costly and should be your absolute last resort. Short-term loans tend to be a never-ending cycle of taking out loans. Overdraft options on your account will get you out of an immediate emergency, but at the cost of multiple fees.

What advice do you have for surviving a money emergency?

The post What to Do in a Money Emergency appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. Insurance Policies – Are you paying too much for your car insurance? You hear that question all the time in commercials, usually for companies that will charge you just as much as you pay now. You can save on your car (and other) insurance. Shop around. Even if an auto loan makes you pay full coverage, that does not mean that you have to go with the most expensive provider. Shop carefully as well. Discount insurance companies that specialize in lower coverage have very high rates for full coverage insurance. If you own your home, shop bundles to see if you can lower the overall bill for home and auto insurance. Some of those bundles will also combine life insurance, which can lower that cost as well.

Also Read: Be Prepared: 7 Things Insurance Doesn’t Cover that Might Surprise You

2. Utilities – We think of utilities as being the unchangeable bill. You will always have to pay for gas (if you’re not all electric), electricity, water, sewage, cable, etc. You can still look at ways to reduce those bills.
• Train your kids to turn off lights when they leave the room.
• Change out incandescent bulbs for low wattage CFC bulbs. The bulbs are less expensive, last longer than most incandescent bulbs, and use less power when they are on.
• Do you leave your computer on all day? Turn it off and only turn it on when you need it.
• If you stay at home, utilize natural light for your rooms during the peak of the day.
• If you do not stay at home, set the thermostat before you leave so that you’re not wasting the AC on cooling a house when no one is there. If you are out of your house more than 4 hours, set your thermostat 5-degrees higher than you have it set at home. If you worry about your pets (they will just seek cool areas of your home if they feel too warm) be sure to fill the water bowl on your way out for the day.
• What about your cable bill? Do you actually watch TV or do you just have it on in the background? Is cable TV that important to you compared to saving for something important? More and more families are ditching cable TV packages for less expensive streaming options like Hulu or Netflix. Compare an internet only budget + streaming with internet + TV. You can save a lot of money, especially if you splurge on the big movie channels or sports packages. A digital HD tuner will get your local sports coverage and you can always indulge your partner with a combination trip to the park and old-fashioned sports on the radio on the weekend. Better yet, he can host his friends over for a cookout, enjoy outdoor activity, and listen to the game on the AM dial.

Also Read: Don’t Let it ZAP Your Pocketbook! 14 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill

3. Groceries – Unless you are already super-frugal, your grocery budget can be smaller. Replace brand names with generic brands on food, over the counter medication, and non-food items like paper towels and detergents. Use less meat. Meat is a big part of the grocery budget, but you can get away with using 1/2 pound instead of a whole pound if you are making pasta dishes and watch your budget go farther. Are you making a stew in the crock-pot? Cut that roast in 1/2 for 2 meals and make up the difference with vegetables instead (healthier and less expensive per pot). Clip coupons and shop store deals. Make a quick stop on the way home from work if one store has a weekly special mid-week. Give the list to the person not responsible for cooking, or use that day as your crockpot meal day so that you don’t have to shop and rush to cook (or worse cook more expensive and less healthy processed food meals or order in).

Also Read: Ways to Save on Your Grocery Budget (When You Don’t Have Time for Coupons)

4. Pets – If you have pets, you can probably cut costs.
Don’t pay premium for name brands. Unless your vet has specifically directed you to a diet (and don’t be afraid to discuss cost with your vet to look for less expensive alternatives) you can cut your per container costs on food for your pet by a lot of money. If you need to or prefer canned food to dry, go with less expensive store brands. You can mix wet and dry as well to help lighten the budget. For example, if you want to control your cat’s weight, can food is better than hard food, but more expensive. Go with two meals of canned food and one of dry food to help even out your budget while still helping kitty keep a good weight.

Also Read: Pets are Expensive!! Frugal Tips for Pet Owners.

• Do not overfeed the animals. If you have multiple animals, train them to feed from separate bowls so that you can feed them evenly only what they need. This will save you money. Do not graze your animals. This leads to left over, uneaten food that is just a waste of money (and a bug lure. Anything you don’t have to spend for extra bug treatments for your home is a money saver too!).
• Ditch the groomers. Fido may smell nice when he comes home from the groomer, but you don’t need the budget sink. Get a pet brush, pet shampoo, and do it yourself. If you don’t want the smell of wet dog in your house, get a quiet blow dryer to dry your pet with.
• Take advantage of preventative care. Just as you are healthier with regular doctor visits, your pet is healthier with regular vet visits, when potential problems can be found early and nipped in the bud. Talk to your vet about plans for twice a year visits (for most pets twice a year is recommended) and about longer lasting vaccines when they are available. Figure out of pocket costs for your visits and compare that to pet care plans.

The post 4 Budget Tweaks You Can Make Right Now appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Add Two Extra Payments Per Year

Typically, most lenders require you to pay your mortgage once per month on the first day of the month. This adds up to 12 full payments per year. However, a growing number of banks are offering biweekly payment options. Rather than paying once a month, you pay every two weeks. This works out to two extra payments per year. In addition, this may pay down the loan faster and help you spend less on interest!

Also Read: How to Start a Retirement Savings At Any Age

Round Up Your Payments

Rounding up your mortgage payment is a fairly easy way to save money on your mortgage and pay it off early. Round up as much as you can. Even if it’s just up to the next $10 mark (paying $760 instead of $752.10) or the next $100 mark ($800 instead of $712), you can shave months off of your mortgage and be debt-free faster.

Refinance When Interest Rates Are Low

Refinancing may not be a good choice if you simply plan on paying the regular amount for another 30 years. But if you have the dedication needed to stick to your original payment plan, you can save lots of money with a lower interest rate. Rather than taking advantage of the new lower payment, simply continue to make your old payment. It’s a painless way to save money!

Also Read 3 Easy Ways to Get Your Budget Back on Track

Your mortgage will likely be your biggest debt, but you don’t need to cart it around for 30 years. These years can get you into a paid-off house quicker.

The post 3 Easy Tips That Help You Pay Off Your Mortgage Early appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

When my husband and I were $80,000 in debt we had to figure out something to help get us out.  I came across the Dave Ramsey series and really loved a lot of it.  He is very inspirational and helped us develop a plan to “snowball our debt away.” One of his strategies is to use Envelope Budgeting where you put your monthly budget (in cash) into envelopes.  When it’s gone, it’s gone and you can’t spend more.

Personally, even after getting out of debt, I still do some of this.  I am visual person and seeing the money I have available for the month keeps me feeling comfortable and I know what I have to spend.  If I am running low, I know I need to cut back. I use one of these wallets instead of actual envelopes, if you scroll down (on Amazon) there are a couple of options.

Lets check out the Envelope Budgeting system.

Set Realistic Budget Amounts

For envelope budgeting to work, you have to be realistic about how much money you spend. If you know you spend over $200 on gas every two weeks, don’t try to cut down to $100 per two week period. That’s just setting yourself up for failure. Pick amounts for food, gas, fun, entertainment, and other categories that you spend on every pay period. Make sure they are attainable but still appropriate for your income.

Also Read How to Live Beneath Your Means

Clearly Label Your Envelopes

You’ll need an envelope for each budget category: food, gas, entertainment, and so on. Label each envelope with its category and how much money you start the pay period with. Fill each envelope when you get paid and dedicate yourself to only spending the amount that is in each envelope.

If you run out of money, you may be tempted to put it on debit, put it on credit, or “borrow” from the next pay period’s envelope. Don’t do it! It may be uncomfortable to adjust, but you’ll quickly get used to only having a set amount of money to spend.

Also Read Top 10 Habits of Frugal People

Save the Extra!

Challenge yourself to not spend the full amount in each envelope. Any amount you have left over at the end of the pay period should go into a savings jar or savings account. Use that money to build up your buffer or treat yourself!

Envelope budgeting is an easy way to limit your spending and only spend the money you actually have. Give yourself a few months to get used to it and reap the rewards!

The post How to Use Envelope Budgeting to Stay Out of Debt appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Downsize Your Coffee Menu

You love your coffee shop coffee, whether it is Starbucks or a local shop. That latte, however, can add up very quickly. If you simply must have your coffee on the go, opt for fast food coffee over the expensive latte. While you may not like the idea of fast food coffee, remember you can flavor it with your own creamer once you get to the office and you can save yourself a lot of money. Consider that the average price for a Tall Starbucks Latte is $2.85, while a plain medium coffee at McDonalds is only $1.49. You are saving yourself over $300 a year by ditching the counter for the drive thru.

Brew It Yourself

Why buy your coffee out every morning? If you have a kitchen counter, you have all the space you need for a coffee maker. If you’re the only one who drinks coffee in your house, you can get a small pot coffee maker or consider buying a coffee maker that dispenses by the cup. That does not have to be one of the expensive machines with the expensive coffee to go with it. If you shop around, you can also find traditional coffee makers that dispense by the cup from a reservoir instead of a pot. If you work for a large company that offers incentive rewards, you can even use those to get your coffee maker. This can save you up to $1000 a year if you enjoy the fancy lattes at Starbucks.

Buy Store Brand and In Bulk

If you are already brewing your coffee at home, chances are you are still spending too much on coffee. You can still get a good cup of coffee from the store brand. You do not have to go with the name brand, some of which get very expensive. If you buy in bulk, you can save yourself even more money. Some grocery stores will have large containers of coffee, but the best way to buy in bulk is with your Costco, Sams, or BJ membership. These warehouse stores are designed to sell to restaurants, but also open their doors to the public. Buy their brand of coffee in bulk and you will save yourself a lot of money over the course of a year.

Keeping it Fresh

One of the challenges of buying bulk coffee is keeping the coffee fresh. The best thing to do is buy your bulk coffee as beans and grind them yourself. You can grind that morning or grind on the weekend and keep the ground coffee for the week. The freezer is a good way to keep the grinds fresh.

Only Make What You Need

If you make a whole 10-cup pot of coffee and only drink two cups, you have wasted money. Only brew the coffee you need. If you’re brewing for guests and make too much, consider saving the left-over coffee. You can put it in the refrigerator and heat it the next morning.

Don’t Overdo the Grounds

The other place we waste coffee is in the number of grounds we use. Different companies will recommend a different amount of coffee grounds to make their “perfect pot” of coffee. Really, you only need 1 level tablespoon of coffee for every 1 measured cup of water. If you feel that your coffee is not strong enough, grind your beans as fine as your grinder will make them. The finer the coffee grind, the more water that moves through it, which means the richer the brewed coffee.

Buy Discount Giftcards

Head over to CardPool and get a discount on Coffee Shop giftcards like Starbucks.  It’s a great way to save a bit extra if you need a cup of joe.

And lastly.. Make sure to re-use your grounds.  Find out 10 cool ways to re-use your coffee grounds. What is your favorite way to save money on coffee?

The post How to Save Big Time Money on Coffee appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

If you haven’t build an Emergency Fund yet see this post: How to Build an Emergency Fund Quickly

What is an Emergency?

Everyone has a different definition for what constitutes an emergency. When it comes to your emergency fund, however, the distinction should be clear. An emergency is going to fit these criteria.

A One-Time Unexpected Event

Did you lose your job? That’s an emergency and you may need those emergency funds to pay the bills until you find a new job. Did a tornado or other natural disaster strike your home? You may need the emergency funds to cover the deductible.

One-time unexpected events are things you can make contingency plans for, but you cannot predict when they will happen. Annual occurrences like holidays and back-to-school time you can plan ahead and budget for. Sometimes you can even plan for expected health problems, such as flare-ups from a chronic illness or seasonal allergies. Even the baby you may not have planned for gives you plenty of time – nine months – to save and plan ahead. When it comes to medical expenses, only use the emergency fund for things that are completely unexpected – broken bones, injury from a car accident – that you cannot work out a payment plan to cover.

Absolutely Necessary

An emergency will be something that you cannot do without. If you are in an accident or your car suddenly breaks down unexpectedly, you need your vehicle for work. If you have mold in your house or termites, you need to get that addressed right away. Things that you need to make it to work and live healthy are the things you need your emergency fund for when something goes wrong. If you have an old but functioning refrigerator, you do not need to replace it, however if your refrigerator suddenly breaks down, you have to be able to keep foods fresh and cool. Your washer and dryer though, can wait until you save up some money. You can reach out to a friend, neighbor, family member, or just your local laundry mat on a Saturday or Sunday.

Urgent

So you are getting ready to have a baby. You are 30 weeks along. You have been stocking up on diapers and putting the nursery together. Then something happens and you’re in labor early. Even though you can plan for the arrival of the baby, if an emergency happens you may need the emergency fund. The extra hospital expenses surrounding the care of a premature infant may mean you need to dip into the emergency fund or you may need to get the car seat and bassinet that you planning to save up for over the next ten weeks.

Use the emergency funds for things that simply cannot wait. The broken bone, the emergency medical procedure, these are things you have to take care of right away. If the emergency is something that can wait, however, pinch expenses and save up to get the emergency taken care of. This can be the aforementioned washer and dryer.

Alternatives to Dipping

You should never feel bad about having to dip into the emergency fund. That does not mean, however, that do not have to consider alternatives to dipping into the fund. Sometimes even a major emergency can be handled by pinching pennies and foregoing a luxury expense. See our post on What to Do in a Money Emergency.

You can also consider using credit to cover the emergency, but if you do, you should follow these two guidelines.

• Do not borrow more than you need for the emergency. Whether you are taking out money from your home equity or using a credit card, do not use more than you need.
• Make sure that you can pay off the balance quickly. Interest is not something you want to spend money on. If you are going to use a credit card to cover the emergency instead of your emergency fund, make sure that you can budget a fast pay-down – within 6 months if it is a large amount.

An emergency can happen. The best thing to do is to plan. Remember that your emergency fund is only one plan. Regular car maintenance can prevent unexpected breakdowns. Saving up for known medical expenses, such as a surgery you know you will need to have later in the year or the baby on the way, will keep those expenses from becoming emergencies. Your emergency fund is there when you need it, so do not be afraid to use it when the emergency happens.

The post When is it OK to Use Emergency Funds? (and When it’s Not) appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Vehicle Maintenance

If you have a vehicle, it needs regular maintenance. You may need your oil changed or your tires rotated. These regular expenses will dip into your budget if you do not plan for them, and you will find yourself unable to reach that magic in-the-black number you are looking for at the end of the month.

Pet Care

If you have pets, you have pet expenses. Not only do you have to budget for food. You also have to budget for other regular care expenses, such as cat litter, flea treatments, pet shampoo, and of course regular vet visits and vaccinations. Even indoor animals need to have regular vet visits and vaccinations to ensure their health. When you don’t plan for these expenses, you will find yourself without that extra money at the end of the month.

Special Occasions

Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Birthdays, and other holidays come every year, just like clockwork. Are you budgeting for them and saving money aside? Stores love holidays because they are guaranteed to make money as people come in to buy items. You will not love the holidays if you do not plan because each holiday will eat into your bottom line by the end of the month. Include setting aside money for special occasions in your budget so that you do not get surprised at the end of the month.

Fees

Do you have a bank account? You are probably paying fees. While we may not think anything of a single $2 fee for the emergency ATM use, fees add up over time. If you are having to hit the ATM regularly for cash and you’re paying a monthly maintenance fee on your account, you are watching money slip away. Avoid the ATM. Shop bank accounts for fee-free accounts. While these expenses may not seem like much, they add up over time.

Memberships and Extracurricular Activities

If your children have extracurricular activities, you have an expense you may not have planned for. You may have budgeted for fees and dues, but what about the incidentals that surround going to and from these activities. Do you get food on the way or after? Do you pick up drinks to have there? If you are not planning for the things that happen around the extracurricular activities, then you are spending money you are not budgeting for.
Memberships are another item people overlook. If you have annual or semi-annual memberships, be sure to plan for them. Make sure that you capture all of the incidental memberships in your budget, no matter how small. Do you have Netflix? Include it. Make sure you include your child’s game memberships as well as any you or your husband may have. Do you have a membership for a social website? Do not forget it either. While one membership fee may not seem like a lot, if you’re not in the habit of capturing these expenses, they will get away from you.

Any other expenses you realize you have been overlooking?

The post Expenses You Are Overlooking in Your Budget appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

What is your eating situation?

How busy is your week? Do you have a lot of time to cook meals or are you rushed in the evening to get food on the table. Often times we rely on fast food, delivery, or prepackaged frozen meals because we simply have no time. You can cook fresh, healthy meals at home without rushing. If you have a slow cooker and a little time to plan, you can have a fast meal as soon as you walk in the door.

What is your food mood? Heavy stews are wonderful in the winter, but often we prefer lighter foods in hot weather. Bad days and rainy days sometimes have us craving comfort food. Be mindful of these shifts when you plan your menu for the week. Check the weather and check work schedules. If someone has a stressful meeting or a big test coming up that week, plan their favorite comfort food for that evening.

Map Out Your Meals

Once you understand your eating situation, map out your habits and plan for them. Sit down with your pen and paper, write out the days of the week and the meals you have to plan for. Start by recalling the meals you ate over the last two weeks. What meals tend to dominate during different parts of the week? Do not forget breakfast, lunch, and snacks as well.

Once you have your habits mapped out, you have a basic plan for a menu. Decide what changes you want to make and put your recipes together. These are your go-to meals every week. If Monday is always taco night, you will know exactly what you need. If Wednesday is always leftovers, then you know how to portion out Monday and Tuesday meals.

Collect Recipes

The danger of a planned menu is that it becomes monotonous. Once we are bored with the meals, we begin to eat out again and the menu goes by the wayside. Begin collecting other recipes and insert them into your weekly routines. This can be anything from a new crockpot variation to a new way to spice up a quick-fry fish.

Find out from others in your home what they want to try for a meal and look up easy to prepare recipes. You can start your own recipe journal. You also want a calendar just for noting your meals. This will help you avoid a boring culinary routine. If you notice that you have had pasta three days this week, you know to toss in something new.

Cook Around Themes

You do not have to do this very day of the week, but at least 2 days a week where the meals are themed is fun and predictable. You can make the themes focused on a specific type of meal, for example Friday is always homemade pizza night.

You can also make these days broad themes. Tuesday will always be Asian night, where you and your family find recipes you can create that are Asian-themed. Friday can always be Italian night, where you seek out authentic Italian recipes instead of the same pizza or spaghetti stand-by. You can also explore your own cultural culinary heritage as a theme night as well.

Do you menu plan or just wing it?

The post How to Get Started with Menu Planning appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

DIY Coffee Body Scrub

What you will need:
2 cups of used coffee grounds from your morning pot
1 tablespoon olive or massage oil
1 cup sea salt (I get this at the $.99 store)
(optional) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or a dash of cinnamon
(optional) 15 drops off your favorite essential oil (mint or orange might be nice)

Bringing it together:
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork. Put the scrub to a wide mouthed jar, and store in a cool place until you are ready to use it. Should last for up to two weeks, probably longer if you store in the fridge (but that might be pretty cold on the body!!- you could half the recipe if you don’t think you will not use it up)

To Use:
Apply the scrub in the shower directly on your skin and rub in circular motions with your fingers or a washcloth. Make sure you don’t your this scrub on your face. After rinsing off the scrub wash with soap as usual.

*note* This scrub has a little bit of oil in it, so use care in the shower as the oil could make the shower slippery.

Let us know if you try it and how it works for you!!

Also see our post on 10 Ways to ReUse Coffee Grounds.

The post DIY Coffee Body Scrub appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Certain toiletries and personal items

While some generic toiletries are best avoided at the dollar store, there are quite a few that can save you big bucks. Q-tips and cotton balls are pretty much the same wherever you get them, but they cost much less at the dollar store. Reading glasses, sunglasses, and toothbrushes (especially ones for kids) are a steal. And you can even get Pregnancy tests (they are suppose to be just as accurate).

Pick up some nail polish remover too!  As mentioned below, keep your eye out for name brands and pick up those if you find them.

Also Read:  Top 10 Habits of Frugal People

Cleaning supplies

Whether you’re cleaning the couch, your bathroom, or clothes, you can find just about any cleaning supply you need at the dollar store. This is a great way to try out a new cleaner that you’re not sure about.

Baking supplies

If it’s time to bake cookies or bars, stop at the dollar store first. You can get aluminum foil, parchment paper, and wax paper. Disposable aluminum baking trays can also be picked up in packs here.

Also Read: Buying in Bulk: Items to Skip and Items to Buy

Food storage

As long as you can find BPA-free food storage, get all you need at the dollar store. They often have name brand items, like Betty Crocker. This makes it less of a hassle when you don’t get your food storage back from people.  I also love to snag my food storage and sandwich bags.

Holiday decorations

With switching out holiday decorations every couple months, who can afford to buy full-priced decorations at other stores? You can decorate your entire house for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or any other holiday for relatively cheap.

Party Supplies

These are so cheap (well, $1) and perfect for kids birthdays and get-togethers.  I have even noticed a lot of character supplies.  Totally worth the $1 you will spend vs several elsewhere.

Also read: 15 Tips on Making Your Produce Last Longer

Greeting cards

At other stores, greeting cards run $1.99 to over $5.00—yikes! On the other hand, cards at the dollar store are often 2/$1.

Brand Named Stuff

My local $.99 Cent Only often has brand named items like toothpastes, foods and even some toiletries and medications. Just make sure to look carefully at the sell by date.  I have have found that the brand name items are often overbuys on products that are coming up soon.  So make sure you can use it or freeze it (if it’s food) by the sell by date.

One other tip: If you come across something interesting at the dollar store but you have never heard of it before then do a search on Google with your smart phone for the item and add the term “reviews”.  A few will probably come up and let you know if you want to stock up on this item or just let it be.

Have you ever gotten these items at the dollar store—what do you think? Is there anything you’d add to the list?

The post 8 Things We Love to Buy at the Dollar Store appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

• Milk
• Butter
• Eggs
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Canned tomato paste
• Canned chicken broth
• Olive oil
• Bottled minced garlic
• Bottled water
• Dog & cat food (Kirkland brand)
• Cat litter
• Paper towels and toilet paper
• Aluminum foil and plastic wrap
• Freezer bags
• Trash bags
• Laundry detergent

Of course, you have to buy a large portion of these items as well, but we seem to be able to get through these easily before they go bad, and these are items that are not frequently on sale at the grocery store.

Right now in my area (Southern California), Costco has issued coupons for many of the above items, making them spectacular deals. Grab this opportunity to stock up, or watch for a similar opportunity in your area!

The post 16 Things You Should Buy at Costco appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Looking for a YUMMY Body Butter to use in the shower for shaving or moisturizing?  The coconut oil in this butter will leave you feeling soft and the orange, energized.

Then this DIY Orange Body Butter is perfect for you!

It’s made with ALL ingredients you might find in your kitchen and is a fun project for yourself or a girls get-together.

Also try our Citrus Salt Scrub, it’s a perfect pairing for this project!

I LOVE natural alternatives for beauty products.  It’s nice to know the things you are putting on your body are safe 9and you can pronounce all the ingredients!

This recipe uses Orange Essential Oil.  One of my favorite brands you can purchase on Amazon is Eden’s Garden.  I have been very pleased with their brand and the cost is reasonable.

FrugalLivingMom.com

Diy Orange Body Butter

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Ingredients

• 1 C Pure Coconut Oil
• 2 1/2 TBSP Honey
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 4 drops of Orange Essential Oil
• Jar with lid

Instructions

1. -Melt the coconut oil in the microwave in a medium bowl. (About 15 seconds).
2. Add in the honey, stir well.
3. Add the orange zest. stir well.
4. Add the orange essential oil, stir well.
5. Cover and allow to solidify.
6. Once it is solidified beat it with stand up mixer until fluffy. (works best)
7. Add the jar with a lid.
8. Store out of the sunlight (will melt).
9. Use this as a shaving cream or as a prep before or during showering.

7.8.1.2

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https://www.frugallivingmom.com/diy-orange-body-butter/

• 1 C Pure Coconut Oil
• 2 1/2 TBSP Honey
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 4 drops of Orange Essential Oil
• Jar with lid

Body Butter Directions:

-Melt the coconut oil in the microwave in a medium bowl. (About 15 seconds).
-Add in the honey, stir well.
-Add the orange zest.  stir well.
-Add the orange essential oil, stir well.
-Cover and allow to solidify.
-Once it is solidified beat it with stand up mixer until fluffy. (works best)
-Add the jar with a lid.
-Store out of the sunlight.
-Use this as a shaving cream or as a prep before or during showering.

The post DIY Orange Body Butter appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

There are a ton of websites out there, including Frugal Living Mom that really tout the joys of spending your money more wisely. But I do think that if you are new to the frugal lifestyle all this information can seem overwhelming and impossible to achieve.

Some of the best advice I have heard is to take baby steps to becoming frugal. Seriously it can be really frustrating to try to go from spending $200 a week on groceries down to $40- but you might feel like this is what is necessary to be a successful “frugalista”.

My advice, you don’t have to go cold turkey with spending. See if you can cut your bill by 20% by incorporating a few coupons, sales and markdowns. Then when you’ve got that down cut it down some more. Pretty soon your bargain hunting will become a habit and it will get easier and in no time you will be closer to that $40 a week grocery bill.

What if you are used to going out to eat several times a week and are used to that convenience but now you can’t afford it anymore. Well, even though pre-prepared food items are not necessarily the most frugal compared to making everything from scratch they sure are cheaper than going out and are still very convenient. How about starting out by picking up a few prepared meals for the week then weaning yourself down to only one a week, if you feel like you can do it. Another option for reducing the cost of your “going out to eat habit” is to use coupons. Either purchase an Entertainment Book or just check you mail for local restaurant coupons. There are so many opportunities for BOGO meals.

One strategy that my hubby and I tried this year was to sit down and evaluate all of our bills. We were able to go through our credit card statements and other monthly billing and really evaluate where the money was going and what things where really frivolous. If you do this you might be amazed how easily money flows out the door without you really even noticing. Just by cutting things like some dinners out, reducing our cable, changing our phone plan, etc. we were easily able to cut over $500 a month off our expenses. It doesn’t sound like much- but that is $6000 per year. If you where able to put that away in savings, even with out interest, in 10 years you would have $60,000. Crazy huh? $500 a month worth of cuts hurts so little- I can personally attest to it.

Take the steps to become frugal one at a time- you will find it easier and more comfortable. Plus you will take the time to develop good habits that you want to stick to.

The post It’s OK to Take Babysteps to Living Frugally appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Sometimes, running out of money before you run out of month isn’t a sign that you don’t have enough money coming in—it’s a sign that you live above your means. How do you know if you’re the type to live above your means? If you have ever gotten a raise and noticed that you run out of money just as quickly as you did before, you probably live above your means. The good news is that you can learn how to live beneath your means.

Keep a Brutally Honest Budget

The first step to living below your means is completing a completely transparent, honest budget. Make a list of your fixed expenses, including rent, utilities, and other bills. No rounding up or down—you want to know exactly how much money is going out every month.

Then you need to make a list of flexible expenses, including food, gas, grooming, and entertainment money. Write down how much you want to spend in these areas, not how much you currently spend—we’ll deal with that in the next step. Include every category you spend money in, no matter how random it may seem.

Know Exactly How Much Money is Coming In

Now, it’s time to know how much money you have coming in to cover your various expenses. If you don’t have recent paystubs, you may be able to estimate your income. Figure out what your gross income is for each pay period. Subtract any insurance, 401k, or flex spending money that comes out before taxes. Multiply the remaining amount .75 to estimate how much money you bring in.

Ideally, you should use paystubs to figure out how much money you have coming in. This gives you an exact figure to work with, instead of a ballpark figure.

Don’t miss :The Ultimate Guide to Living Within Your Means

Track All of Your Expenses for One Month

Now here comes the tough part. Track every bit of money you spend for 30 days. Include money spent on debit, credit, and cash. At the end of each week, sort your transactions into the categories you have listed in your budget. When the end of the month comes, you can go through and see exactly how much money you have spent. You may be surprised to see how much you go over your budget in certain areas.

Fix Your Budget and Set Up Auto-Save

Still asking yourself, how to live within my means? It’s time to edit your budget. But first, figure out how much money you want to be saving. Whether it’s $200 or $2,000 per month, set up an auto-save payment that comes out of your bank every time you get paid. If the money isn’t there to spend, you’ll have a lot harder time going over budget!

If you need some more help, check out these great books:

Now, look at the money you have left. After paying for essential expenses like food, mortgage, and gas, where can you cut back? Construct a budget that fits your income and savings goals.

Increase Your Income

And if you are still having trouble you may want to look at some ways to increase your income.  We have a great article on little ways you can increase your income fairly easily from home. And if you just want to earn a little extra for little luxuries, like Starbucks, web surveys are a great way to do this.  Some of my favorites are Pinecone, I-psos , e-Poll and Valued Opinions.  You won’t get rich, but they are easy and make a way you can have the little things you enjoy.

So, does living beneath you means mean you can never afford “extras” or dream big?  No, it doesn’t!  You simply need to take the time to figure out HOW you might afford those dreams without going into debt.  You could take a side job, sell some items, start a small business.  Don’t think of living beneath your means as restrictive, just think of it as a safe boundary.  And when you are able to increase your income you can increase your boundary.

Living beneath your means is not always easy to do, it takes discipline.  I hope these tips get you on the right path and you start thinking of all the ways you can dream and live big in a way you can afford.

The post How to Live Beneath Your Means appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

As any Lazy Girl knows, housework is the pits. Now, I know there are those of you out there that LOVE to clean.

But I am a Lazy Girl.. so that is not me. Yet even Lazy Girls can’t have a gross home.

If I was not a Frugal Girl, too, I would have a housecleaner.  I had a house cleaner come out one time because I got a Groupon.  It was AMAZING.  Here is the thing, though.. she was here for 4 hours, FOUR HOURS, and did not even finish.

I don’t have time to spend 4+ hours cleaning the house (and not even be done).  Although, my hubby would really like it if I would (but that is another story).  I also don’t have the money to have a house cleaner come out a a couple of a month.  Believe me, I looked into it.  It’s not cheap.

So, alas, what is a lazy girl to do?  Well here a few tricks to help you house feel a bit cleaner, without taking 4+ hours or costing an arm and a leg.

And depending on how lazy you are feeling you can pick and choose or do them all.

1. Pick up all the junk.  Kids (and adults, but we won’t talk about that) make BIG messes.  Grab a bin or basket and throw in all the kid’s stuff.  I put their stuff in the hall for them to put away.  My rule is if you leave it there overnight, it will not be there in the morning.  Surprisingly, it works most of the time! (As a note, pare down the kid’s stuff… they really don’t need 50 toys, a few will do.  But we will talk about that in another post))

2. Vacuum. I don’t know if it is in my head, but just vacuuming makes my house feel 50% cleaner!

3. Do the Dishes.  Yeah, I hate this one.  This is one area where I am the Laziest.  But a sink full of dishes REALLY makes the house feel dirty.  My husband HATES this but my secret for getting it done fast is to do as little rinsing as a can.  You need to rinse off the big stuff because that can clog up your dishwasher.  But other than that, I just stick them in.  Sure a few things need to go through again, but I would rather do that then stand there rinsing.  But that’s me.

Also see: How to Fake a Clean House.

4. Make your bed.  Nothing fancy, just pull up your bedspread and arrange the pillows.  Your bedroom will feel much cleaner.

5. Toss the junk mail in the trash right away.  I don’t know about you, but I am consumed with papers.  Do everything you can to get rid of immediately.  When you check the mail stand next to the recycling and just toss any junk.

6. Light a Candle.  Yep, if the house isn’t REALLY clean at least it can smell like it is.

What are your best tips for quick cleaning? Leave us a comment or two.

The post How to Make Your House Feel Clean Even When You Don’t Have Much Time appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Want to eat healthy? Trying to do it on a shoestring budget? According to “Eat Vegan on $4 a Day” by Ellen Jaffe Jones it isn’t all that hard any longer. It seems in fact it’s getting easier!

Here’s a few tips and tricks that might help you when getting started:

Tip#1 Make breakfast count! Any of these “bases” can be made into breakfast with a little warm water or almond milk & some fruit or sweetener. Here’s a list of cheap & simple grains: Steel cut oats, Rolled Barley, Rye, Millet, Quinoa. Add some nuts or a little maple syrup & you have a great meal that will sustain you for hours & is completely full of nutrients. These grains have all kinds of vitamins & folate, fiber & essential amino acids that allow your body to have a wonderful start on the day. Also makes a satiating mid-day snack!

Tip#2 Beans, Rice, Noodles & Rice Noodles (a gluten free choice) are fantastic “starters” for ALL recipes healthy. You can top beans with ground meat alternatives you can find in your “health” section of any local supermarket these days. Make a simple sauce & voila-a meal for pennies on the dollar! Add some fresh vegetables like broccoli or zucchinis to add much needed nutrients & fullness. Don’t forget to save the left overs!

Tip#3 Purchase Debbie Meyer Green Bags. They are about $10 at your local health food store, Amazon or Bed Bath & Beyond. Each package contains 20 bags (10 small & 10 large) & each bag can be used 10 times. That’s 200 uses, or 200+ weeks if you monitor your bags well & make sure to let them dry in between uses. For $10 your easily extending your produce shopping by 1 week sometimes 2 depending on what you store & how quickly you use it.

Tip#4 Shop the perimeter of the store. The grocery store is designed to make you want to buy as much as possible. Often it’s unhealthful snacks & processed foods & drinks that run up the tab. Stick to the basics & don’t bring the junk home so there’s no temptation to eat it. Not only does is keep you unhealthy but it keeps your bill up too.

Tip#5 Smoothies are a great snack to make & require few ingredients to find a decent combination you enjoy. Start with something simple like soy or almond milk & strawberries & a frozen banana. Then branch out. Your body will thank you & so will your pocket book. Who needs a $6 smoothie from a chain store when you can make your own?! They also serve as a great meal replacer if you’re trying to curb hunger & drop pounds in a safe & healthy manner.

Tip#6 Buy store brands when possible. Store brand almost always beat the brand name prices. This is especially true for staples like dried beans, flour, grains, and salt. Also, a great many supermarket chains are offering their own organic brands too.

Tip#7 Pay with cash & carry only the amount you intend to spend. Use a calculator when you shop to help you feign off surprise totals at the register. You’ll feel like a rockstar too when you are right on target!

Tip#8 Check out your local Asian market if there’s one nearby. They often have a multitude of gluten free options including rice noodles & basic ingredients for a fraction of the cost.

Tip#9 Get busy with the Crockpot! There’s a million different ways to slow cook beans & give them a new flavor & twist. Explore more recipes through slow cooking. There’s nothing better than coming home from work & knowing that 9/10’s of the dinner prep is done.

Tip#10 Share produce with your friends. Trying to find a good price on produce without running up the bill? Check out your local Community Supported Agriculture Program or Co-Operative Grocery Store instead of going straight to the big chain health food center.. Get a few friends together & split bulk orders to cut down on the price. It will save you money & time, plus you get to see your friend when you pick it up without having to drag the family into the grocery store. Win win.

Tovah Terranova is a vegan living in San Diego, CA. She also is a wife, mother of two & a full time entrepreneur. She devotes the majority of her time to her family & her passion for writing & all things vegan.

The post 10 Tips for Eating Vegan on a Budget appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. Keep monthly expenses low even when your income increases
You got a raise—yay! Don’t go out and buy a bigger car, a bigger house, or upgrade your grocery budget. Millionaires are rich because they don’t spend more than they need to. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean it has to be spent.

2. Budget even if you think you don’t need it
You may think that a budget is unnecessary for you because of your income level or because your monthly expenses are low. Wrong! Everyone can benefit from a budget. Grab a notebook and set aside an afternoon to hammer out a realistic, practical budget.

Also read: Top 10 Habits of Frugal People

3. Become a really fabulous cook
Going out to eat is fun, no doubt about it. But spending that same amount of money on a home-cooked meal can allow you to enjoy delicacies you’d never be able to afford at a restaurant. Become skilled in different cooking styles and you can enjoy date nights at home.

4. Buy for quality, not price
The better deal isn’t always the lower-priced item. The better deal is the item that will last longer. Even if you spend more upfront on a major purchase, figure out if it will save you money in the long run.

5. Make your money work for you
Your money isn’t doing you much good if it’s going to extravagant expenses or wasting away in a no-interest savings account. Invest, put your money into a retirement fund, or look into real estate/business opportunities to make your money work for your financial future.

Also Read How I Save 50-70% on Lean Ground Beef

6. Eat at home, get dessert out
You don’t want to deprive yourself of the joy of going out to eat. To save your budget, eat dinner at home and then get dessert at an ice cream parlor or restaurant. You get the experience without the huge bill.

What are your best frugal secrets?  Don’t keep them to yourself and share them below.

The post 6 Frugal Secrets Nobody Has Told You appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

I can’t believe how much meat is these days, I actually get a little depressed when I check the grocery ads. I like to stock my freezer when good deals come up, but they are simply getting fewer and fewer these days.

That said I still do believe that your grocery budget is one of the easiest places to save money. Our family regularly eats a lot of chicken because it’s one of the least expensive cuts of meat per pound (I usually can get it for under $2 a lb) and a lot of ground beef using this surprising easy tip (I get my lean ground beef for around $1.50 a lb!).

While you can save money on dry goods, and other items with coupons, that’s not really an option for meat most of the time. Meat can easily take up a huge chunk of your budget. If you’re tired of spending too much money on meat and you need to stretch your dollars, we’ve got some tips for you!

Stock Up
If you just buy what you need each week, your menu or purchases will be dependent on the grocery store’s sales and current prices. Instead, find good deals each week at the grocery store. Buy enough to last you several weeks and freeze it! By the time you use up your freezer store, it will be time for another sale and you can stock back up again. This trick allows you to buy different meat each week and slowly build up a diverse freezer. (tip: make sure to buy turkey and ham around the holidays, it’s SO cheap.)

Buy Bone-In Meat
Boneless cuts of meat are definitely convenient, but you can pay a lot for that convenience. Buy bone-in cuts and cut the bones out yourself after cooking. As a bonus, bone-in cuts of meat often have better, richer flavor. You can use the bones to make stock for soup or sauces too!

Use Tougher Cuts of Meat
We’d all love to eat beef tenderloin every night, but you can save money by buying tougher cuts like flank steak, chuck steak, and cube steak. If you braise or slow cook your meat, rather than frying or cooking on the stove top, tough cuts of meat can become as tender as delicious as more expensive options.

Use Everything
Be honest with yourself about how much food you throw away. You likely have meat left at the end of each meal. Stretch it out and make it last! If you have extra taco meat, make taco-style baked potatoes the next day. If you have pot roast, use the shredded meat for lunch sandwiches. Extra ham slices? Dice them and toss them into an egg scramble. Not only will you spend less on meat, you’ll feel good about using up everything you get. Casseroles, soups, and other one-pot meals are always a good option for leftover meat.

Use Less Meat
I know this can be hard but start checking out Pinterest for new meal ideas that don’t need as much meat. Double up veggies or add more rice or beans. One easy way to stretch your taco meat is to add cooked beans, rice or lentils (or mix and match). It still tastes great and it meaty, but only takes half the meat. (Read my post on how I save 50-75% on Lean Ground Beef for another tip)

Use More Pork and Chicken and Less Beef
Beef is just really expensive. I regularly can find pork roast and bone in chicken breast for $.99 a lb when beef roast is $4 or more (on sale) a lb. Many recipe that call for shredded beef could just as easily use shredded pork or chicken.

You can save 50% or more on your meat budget and still eat well every day. It might take you some time to get into the habit of buying the right meat and using it up, but once you do, you’ll see a big difference in your grocery budget.

The post How I Save At Least 50% on My Meat Budget appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. You are not budgeting. Sit down and create a household budget. The easiest way to save money is to assign money to all of your needs. Once you begin saving money, you can pay down debt. Having a budget also means that you do not end up spending more than you can pay off each month on your credit cards.

2. You are making minimum payments. When you make the budget, you can also pick a bill to stop making minimum payments to. Any amount you pay over the minimum will chip down that debt. If you’re nervous about overpaying because you are afraid that you will not have enough money, start small. Pay $5 over on the first month, $10 over the next month, and $20 over the next month, doubling each time until you reach an overpayment amount that sees you chipping down the balance and keeping your budget balanced. Once you have the first bill paid off, move on to overpaying the next one.

Also Read: Top 10 Habits of Frugal People

Note: Watch out for pre-payment penalties. Some installment loans like mortgages or auto-loans may have them snuck into the contract. If yours has one save those bills for last. Get the rest of your debt paid down, give yourself about 3 – 6 months showing good, balance free credit, and refinance them into something that is 1. lower, and 2. without the penalties.

3. You are relying on credit for big projects or emergencies and not your savings. Stop doing that. Budget and set aside money to cover emergencies and major projects or purchases that you know will have to make.

4. You see credit as income. Credit is not income and it is not extra money that you can spend. Close your credit cards if you think it is. You do more damage to your credit by building up high balances than you do by closing an account. Keep only 1 or 2 credit cards open. Use them for the expenses that you will pay off every month in full, things you pay for out of pocket anyway. If an emergency happens that you simply have to go to the credit card because not enough is saved, have a budget plan you can shift to that will allow you to pay down that balance quickly.

Also Read: 3 Secrets to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

5. You think debt just happens. Just because others are in debt does not mean that you have to be. Budget and buy according to your needs, not what others are doing. Debt does not “just happen.” Debt happens when we allow it to or make a conscious choice to go into debt.

6. You are entitled to the things you buy. You’re not entitled to the best car, television, house, or computer. Spend based on what you can actually afford and still save, not based on what others in your “bracket” or your peers and co-workers buy. When you try to play the “keeping up with the Joneses” game, you only put yourself into needless debt.

The post 6 Reasons You Are Still in Debt appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. Hot out? Go to the mall and do some window shopping.
2. Play Hospital. Let the kids be the doctor and fix you up.
3. Bake something – for your neighbors. Muffins, cookies, and cupcakes, oh my!
4. Visit the library for story time (younger kids) or movie night (older kids).
5. Put on a play or direct a movie. Have the kids write the script and you can video tape them.
6. Play cards – make up your own card game, or play games like Old Maid.
7. Create your own play-doh.
8. Hike trails at a local park.
9. Play dress-up. Yes, you too, Mom!
10. Camp out in the back yard!
11. Cook together – let the kids pick the recipe.
12. “Adopt” a grandparent from a nursing home. Visit them, make them cards, etc.

Also see: When the School Days are Done.. Kids, They Want to Have Fun..

13. Wash the car, then have a water fight!
14. Ride bikes.
15. Make holiday and birthday gifts or cards and store them away for that special occasion.
16. Take a bus. In our area, the Metro is only like $3 but because we have a vehicle we’ve never used it. I smell an adventure coming on!
17. Go for a nature walk and collect leaves. Come home and do leaf rubbings.
18. Play restaurant.
19. Make hair accessories.
20. Put on a concert.
21. Set up a lemonade stand.
22. Have a movie night – at home! Hit up the Red Box and get some microwavable popcorn.
23. Near the coast? Head to the beach and build a sand castle together.
24. Look up Urban Legends in your area and visit a ‘haunted’ house.
25. Make tye-dye t-shirts.
26. Raining? Who cares! Get out and splash around.
27. Find a penpal. Swap-bot.com and other similar sites offer this for free.
28. Start a blog.
29. Learn how to say “I love you” in another language.
30. Write a story, but do it together. Have one kid write the first paragraph, then another writes the second, and keep going until you have a real story put together.

What do you do to keep the kids from saying they are bored?

The post 30 Boredom Busters for Kids appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

Take a peek below at the top ten uses for old coffee grounds from your coffee maker. Next time, you won’t want to pitch them you can actually reuse them!

10 Uses for Coffee Grounds:

1. Banish smelly hands.
Get rid of cooking odor on your skin by rubbing a handful of used coffee grounds on your hands and rinsing with warm water.

2. Make compost.
Coffee grounds are rich in phosphorous, potassium, magnesium and copper. If you want, just ask for used grounds for free at your local coffee shop.

3.Repel ants.
Sprinkle dry, used coffee grounds in problem areas where you notice ants in your home or yard and they will  just pick up and leave.

Also see: Should I Dumpster Dive? Would You?

4.Kill fridge odor.
If your fridge is full of foul odors, place a bowl of fresh, unused coffee grounds inside and leave it for a day or two. The coffee will absorb the odors and leave your fridge smelling fresh.

5. Get shiny hair.
Brew up an extra-strong pot, let it cool and apply it to your dry, clean hair. Leave it on for at least twenty minutes, then rinse. Keep it up once a week or so for best results.

6. Fertilize plants.
Azaleas, blueberry shrubs and rhododendrons are just a few of the plants that flourish when treated with coffee thanks to all those nutrients. You can also dilute the leftover coffee in your mug and pour it right into your potted plants.

7. Keep cats out of your garden.
By sprinkling used coffee grounds on the soil, and cats will want nothing to do with it.

8. Repel fleas.
Rub used, damp coffee grounds through your pet’s fur after bathing to repel fleas.

9. Repair furniture scratches.
Scratches on wood furniture disappear by simply rubbing in a little bit of instant coffee dampened into a paste with hot water. Repeat if necessary.

10. Scrub.
Mildly abrasive, coffee grounds are great for scrubbing surfaces like cooking ranges and refrigerators. Use them alone or mix them with a little dish soap.

As you can see, your old and previously worthless coffee grounds are worth their weight in gold! So don’t toss them, save them! They can replace many other products around your house that would otherwise cost you precious money. The best part? Coffee grounds are free!

Skip buying pest repellents, scrubs, fertilizers, and cleaning products. Instead, try reusing coffee grounds a try and see what they can do for you!

Reusing Coffee Grounds

The post Save those Gorgeous Grounds: Reusing Coffee Grounds Can Save You Money! appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. Start your retirement savings as early as possible and do not think you have to retire at 65. It is best to start saving by the time you are 25. If that is not realistic or you are starting late, don’t panic. Start saving now. The longer you save, the more you will have for retirement. You can stretch out your work time beyond 65, so long as you are able to work. This will give you more time to save.

Also read: 3 Secrets to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

2. Pick a target number to put into a retirement savings account each week. If you have 40 years to retirement and $35 a week to put into a retirement savings with a growth mutual fund, you can retire with anywhere from $800,000 to $1.5 million in your account. If you have less time, then adjust the weekly amount accordingly. Experts recommend that you save 15% of your weekly income for retirement. You will want to adjust that according to your budget and your time to retirement.

3. Choose investment accounts with low or no cost. Shop around. If you are setting up an Individual IRA, find a retirement account that you can invest in with little or no cost to you. Save money in a low/no cost savings account until you have enough to put into an investment account to cover any minimum balance requirements. When choosing investments, insist on low (less than 1%) or no cost growth funds. If you invest in a 401(k) you may have less wiggle room to choose fee costs. Read information carefully to find the investment that will get you the best return, lowest risk, and lowest fee cost.

4. Take advantage of 401(k) and your 401(k) match programs. Your 401(k) is your easiest way to budget retirement savings because we often create our budgets based on our net income, not gross. Start saving in a 401(k) as soon as it is available to you. If your employer offers a match, invest enough to receive it. You will save more if your employer is helping you.

5. Do not take loans or withdrawals against your retirement account. Loans are money that you’re not saving. Withdrawals are money you are taking from your savings and extra taxes you have to pay. If you have an emergency, exhaust every other avenue available to you before you dip into or borrow from your retirement account. If you are considering buying a house, delay the purchase until you do not need to withdrawal from the plan to help make the down payment.

Also Read: How to Build an Emergency Fund Quickly

6. Increase your savings as circumstances change. Did you get a raise? Increase your savings. Kids out of the house and expenses are down? Increase your savings. Are you no longer buying diapers and formula? Increase your savings. Check your budget every year at least and see where you can put more aside for your retirement savings.

7. Get out of debt. Any debt you have is money you are not saving. Pay off your debt as quickly as possible and stay out of debt. Budget below your means so that you can pay off the debt and still start your retirement savings.

The post 7 Steps You Can Take to Retire a Millionaire appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. Control the invite list. If you’re going to have cake for your party, it is cheaper to plan for 10 than 20. For a kid, invite guests according to age: 4 guests for a 4 year old, etc.
2. Avoid parties at mealtime. This is my favorite tip that will save you a bundle! If you’re feeding guests lunch or dinner, your bill will add up. Schedule parties between meals so that they will be after lunch and wrapping up before dinner.

Also Read: How I Keep My Girls in Cute Clothes- On a Budget

3. For kids parties, skip the favor bags. While it is cute to send guests home with a thank you, you don’t have to. If you simply must do favors, consider inexpensive crafts the kids can do during playtime.
4. Keep it simple. You do not have to plan a “schedule” for your party. Whether adult or kid, you only need 3 divisions. Have fun. Eat cake/open presents. Have fun. That’s it. Have games handy to keep older kids or adults busy. Otherwise, let the kids entertain themselves. Birthday parties are playdates with cake.
5. Set a realistic birthday budget. Include presents, theme decorations, everything for the birthday. Decide what you can spend for everything, and plan according to your budget. If you have extra money left over, you can save it for next year or do something a little extra for your loved one.

Check out: 30 Boredom Busters for Kids

6. Shop sales and thrift stores ahead of time. A few months ahead of the birthday, do an interest check-in and decide on a few themes to choose from. Shop around sales for items that will fit into your planned themes, and pick based on what you can get cheaply. If your loved one has big fandom tastes, you can often find items on sale after holidays related to that fandom (or that you can relate to it).
7. Do. Not. Spend. Money. On. A. Cake. Ready-made cakes are expensive. Yes, your child will love the cake, but you will not like how it chips out of your budget. Instead, bake it yourself. My favorite way to do birthdays is with cupcakes. I can bake 1 box or several if I have a lot of people to bake for. Plan 2 cupcakes per person (1 – 2 per child depending on age). Tip: If you must have favors, you can shop post-holiday sales and dollar stores for inexpensive cupcake toppers that will match your party theme and serve as favors for the kids.

The post How to Celebrate Birthdays without Breaking the Bank appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

1. Use natural lighting. Open the blinds and curtains, and let the light shine in! Also, replace your incandescent light bulbs with the higher efficiency fluorescent bulbs. They use less than half the amount of energy!

2. Insulate! Heat rises, so insulate your attic to save some cash.

3. Turn down your water heater to 120 degrees. There’s really no reason to have it any higher than that, and it’ll save you more than you may realize.

4. Turn off lights when they’re not in use. Yes, this is an obvious one, but it’s something many of us forget about from time to time.

5. When the weather is nice, take the time to hang your clothes out to dry. Even if you just do a few loads a week this way, the savings will add up quickly.

6. Get rid of the major energy-suckers. A few things are taking up energy and you may not even realize it: TVs, VCRs, computers, and even microwaves. Plug these items into a power strip and then turn the power strip off when not in use.

7. Wash clothes in cold water when at all possible.

Also see: Take Your Heating Bill Down a Notch in 6 Easy Steps

8. Shop for Energy Star bulbs and appliances. It’s not realistic for everyone to just go out and buy all new appliances today to save money on their electricity bill. However, when it’s time for a new refrigerator, shop Energy Star appliances. They’re designed to be more efficient and will save you money in the long run.

9. Try to avoid using the air conditioner, unless it’s realllly hot. Use fans instead, when possible.

10. Keep the refrigerator set at between 36 to 42° F. Set the freezer at 0° F. Lower temperatures increase power consumption.

11. Install a programmable thermostat. You can automatically lower (or raise, depending on the season) the temperature at night.

12. Caulk the windows. If you live in an older home, to seal up air leaks.

13. Light a candle. In small rooms like the bathroom, a candle can provide enough light to do your business.

14. Turn off the heated dry option on your dishwasher. You may not even know that button is pushed.

15. Don’t turn on the lights.  Often it’s simply a habit to turn on the lights when you enter a room.  Start being mindful of it you actually NEED the lights to do what you are in the room for.  I find I often do not need the extra light.

How do you save money on utilities?

The post Don’t Let it ZAP Your Pocketbook! 15 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.

It’s inevitable. You buy a big bunch of bananas on sale and half of them go brown.

Instead of being bummed, maybe you should celebrate because there is all sorts of good things you can do with those babies! Of course you can go with the old standby of banana bread, which is delicious. But did you know there is so much more you can do with them?

Check out all these great ways to use up your brown bananas:

• Give some to your dog: You can feed your dog bananas. Of course any people food should be in moderation but according to this site you can feed your dog a few slices.
• Dry them: Try your hand at making some banana chips. You can do it in the microwave, in the oven or the dehydrator.
• Make a hair mask: You can even use bananas as a hair product. Make this Banana Hair mask for silky, shiny hair.
• Make them into Ice Cream: This is my favorite way to use them up. We make ice cream with our frozen, brown bananas several times a week. The girls love it and it is a way for them to have ice cream when ever they want it. Check out my recipe for Banana Chocolate Almond Crunch Ice Cream
• Soften your Cracked Heals: I need this SO bad! Use bananas and coconut oil to heal your cracked heals. See how here.
• Make a Face Mask: You can even use bananas on your face for soft and moisturized skin. Get the recipe.
• Fry Them- Chop up a brown banana and saute over medium with a couple teaspoons of butter for few minutes. Eat as a snack our serve over ice cream or french toast.
• Make Banana Pops: If your brown bananas aren’t too soft pop them on a stick and coat with yummy toppings like chocolate! /
• Make Pancakes: Make these paleo, gluten free pancakes with bananas. No flour needed and only a few ingredients.
• Stir into Oatmeal– Chop or mash them up and stir into regular oatmeal or baked oatmeal.
• Freeze Them: Chop them up and seal in a zip top bag. You can use these in smoothies, ice cream or thaw for baking.
• Banana Bread: Of course you can make banana bread with brown bananas. If you want a yummy gluten free recipe, check ours out.

What are YOUR tips on using up brown bananas?

The post Clever Tips On Using Brown Bananas appeared first on Frugal Living Mom.