My goal is to stretch our budget and make that money SCREAM and then stretch them some more!

Below is a list of ways that we use to save money.  The entire list can be found here:   List of Ways to Save Money

• Get car insurance quotes and make sure that you have health insurance. - Even if the deductibles have to be fairly high something is better than nothing.  Get the best coverage you can afford and SHOP AROUND!
• Clip coupons at Coupons.com, SmartSource and PrintableGroceryCoupons.net.  Sign-up for brand clubs like Kellogg’s and Kraft!  Oh and if you have dogs, make sure you sign-up for pet clubs and brands like Purina and PetSmart!  If you have horses, I belong to the Purina Rewards Club and not only do you get coupons quarterly but you can also receive coupons for referrals!  Interested?  Check it out here:Referring your friends is simple. All they need to do is enter your unique referral code (listed below) when they enroll in the Purina Difference™ Rewards Program at purinamills.com/rewards.

  Please use my REFERRAL CODE: 20100507-66-03755102

• Buy in bulk and get rewards cards at the supermarket.
• Insulate your home and use fans and ventilation instead of AC.
• Create a budget.  We use the Envelope System and LOVE IT!  I even made my own custom envelopes for nothing more than the paper.  Interested?  Check it out here:  Make your own Cash Envelopes
• Use Skype.com if you talk on the phone a lot, especially internationally.
• Use an online savings account that pays better interest, like ING Direct.
• Pack lunch and bring coffee to work.
• Get a rewards credit or debit card.
• Invest your money. Vanguard or Scottrade is a good place to start.  We have our retirement through Vanguard and we love them!
• Get a credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com, the government sponsored credit reporting website.  You can also get one and updates free at CreditKarma.com
• Ask for a discount on large purchases like a refrigerator or washing machine.  It never hurts to ask, you might be surprised especially if you pay in cash!
• Use the library. They have plenty of books, CD’s and DVDs. You can also request that the library buy certain books.  Our Library here in Locust Grove lets you download books to your Kindle!
• Make saving a game. Set goals and give yourself a reward if you reach them.  - We have a game that if we eat out, we have to put the same amount we spent into savings and if we eat in, we put what it would have cost us into savings.  We do this on shopping too – when I grocery shop, the money we saved using coupons is put into savings as well.  We also have a “Chicken Account” – want to know more about our Chicken account?  Check it out here: Chicken Account.
• Don’t follow your impulse. If you feel the urge to buy something, wait a few days and see if you still want it.
• At the grocery store look down. Items below eye level are often cheaper.
• Print a grocery list and stick to it.
• Set the thermostat when you’re not home to save energy.
• Quit smoking. This calculator shows you how much you could save.  My Daddy quit smoking over a year ago and the benefits not only affect their bottom line but his health as well.  So proud of My Daddy for quitting!
• Buy a quality used car instead of new. A new car is worth thousands less as soon as it leaves the lot.  If you think you want to buy a new vehicle or a new to you vehicle – put the car payment, insurance, Maintenance costs to drive the new car in the bank each month to see if you can afford it – in 6 months time you will have a size-able down payment which can help to lower your payments!
• Get rid of credit card debt. A $20 shirt could actually cost $200 with fees and interest if you don’t pay your credit card bill right away.  Start using the Envelope method and watch your bottom line start to move from red to black each month and you won’t miss those credit card payments!
• Donate and have yard sales for the stuff that you don’t use.  We sell things on a local Facebook classifieds ad, craigslist, ebay and the good ole fashion Yard sales!
• Watch for fees. Fees are everywhere; bank fees, atm fees, cash checking fees, late fees. These can add up over time.
• Group discounts. Try to get a bargain on everything and ask if you can get a discount, especially if you have a large group.
• Instead of buying things new, get them used or for free on Craig’s List, FB classifieds, Ebay, or by word of mouth!  I put out the word that we were needing a riding lawnmower and so did Bear.  About two weeks later, we were able to get a VERY well maintained riding Lawnmower for 450.00 (we had to buy a battery).  This same mower new would cost about $2000.00 and this one only had 100 hours on it!  I told my Dad who went with me to check it out that I got my first Tractor and he said I got a “Fractor” which is a fraction of a Tractor.  Whatever it is, I call it Frank the Fractor!  We mowed on Saturday with it and I had an absolute blast!!

Like I said, these are just some of the items from the larger list that we do to help save our bottom line.  So, what do you do to help your bottom line?  I always like to find out what others are doing!

I am on a mission!  I am bound and determined to Budget.

I have been watching, for quite some time now,  “Till Debt Do Us Part“ on MSNBC.  I just love Gail Vaz-Oxlade – she tells it like it is.  She makes it so easy to follow her steps.  She doesn’t have 20 million different sheets that you have to keep updated.  Just keep track of your money.  Nice and easy lemon squeezee!

Well, one of her ways of getting people to saving instead of spending is jars – yep, similar to envelopes but with Jars and a binder to keep track of what you are spending in each jar. Besides the Jars, she gives people exercises and homework that they must complete to help them understand where their money is going and how to stop the leaks for good.

The goal is to have money left in your jars at the end of the week.

I don’t use jars, but I do use envelopes to budget our money.  Same concept, just using envelopes that I can carry with me in my wallet.

I ordered last year the envelope refills from Dave Ramsey’s website thinking these would work.  Well, they sort of worked but not how I liked.  The were a bit flimsy and tore easily.

Pinterest to the rescue!  I was on this fabulous site (stay tuned, I’ve found some DIY’s that I’m going to do this year) and came across the Cashenvelopes template while reading this blog post Today’s Money: Budgeting with Cash Envelopes.  I downloaded the free template and then went to Wal-mart and purchased 50 sheets of 8.5 x 11, 65lb, card stock in the pastel colors Pink, purple, green, and blue.  Dave’s were milli vanilli and drab.  I paid 4.97 for the 50 sheets vs. the 20.00 I paid for the two sets of envelope refills that I purchased from Dave Ramsey.  Now, I am not bashing Ramsey, I just think Gail is the better budget planner that I can follow and understand.

Last month was my first month that we had significant money left over in our envelopes.  How much, it was more than 100.00 but less than 300.00.  The amount doesn’t matter as much as the fact, I HAD MONEY LEFT IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE ENVELOPES!

I work very hard to keep our horses, dogs, and chickens within a very tight budget while putting money away for those little emergencies that seem to pop-up.  I found some round bales that were very good quality and very reasonable at 1/2 the cost that others were selling them – we paid $50.00 each.  We purchased 10 round bales.  I also found some very large square bales 3x3x8 that was some real good quality hay for 65.00.  We purchased 7 bales.  I was also able to secure 30 square bales for 6.50 a bale and it was good quality hay from one of my suppliers – because I was a regular customer and was established, I got this price and the biggest thing….I paid cash!  We now have hay for just a little over 4 months which should get us to the first cutting of which, I have secured, in advance, 20 round bales.

I tell you this because budgeting is not just the here and now, it is looking out for what your needs will be in the future.  I knew we would be in a hay crisis back in May and began the strategy to ensure that my horses did not suffer nor did our budget.  I began stockpiling.  I found a sale on bags of cubed alfalfa for 8.99 a bag – we purchased 20 bags to help stretch our hay.  I also began to stockpile beet pulp as an added fiber source.  Because of the Cashenvelope system, we were in a position that when we came across these deals for hay, we were able to make these purchases.

I am always on the look out for coupons for Purina Feed (I feed EQ SR and a customer mix) and have been able to get some great coupons by being part of the Purina Rewards Program.  Click on this link Purina Rewards and it will take you to the sign-up page.  If you wouldn’t mind entering my referral number:  20120213-66-06465017  I would greatly appreciate it.  You are rewarded when friends sign-up with your referral.  I took the Purina 60 Day See The Difference Challenge and not only saw a difference in my animals, but also in my pocket!

Back to the budgeting – all of these little things add up into huge savings at the end of the month.  Not only am I using coupons for my animals, I’m using coupons for grocery shopping and anything else that will take a coupon.  I find codes for online discounts that can give you as much as 50% off!  I use Social Media to keep up with what is on sale and what are bargains for stockpiling.  I barter for things that we need.

I will keep you posted on how well we are doing on our budget.  Now that we are starting to see this money at the end of the month, I am going to start a new savings account for our emergency fund.

So, how do you budget?  Any tricks that you have learned to help you budget your money?