A Momma and the Boys Living on a Budget

Best way to make financial goals for 2012

2011-12-01T05:48:00.000-08:00

The New Year is here and if you're struggling to make ends meet or if you want to set a goal to take a vacation in 2012 you may need to consider doing to frugal living in order for it to happen.

Setting frugal goals is a wonderful way to spend less and have more and the New Year is the perfect time to make that happen. There are a number of things you can do to make it happen, but it's best to start now so you'll know exactly what to do to make it happen. Here are a few suggestions to help you set the frugal goals for 2012.

I would say the area you'll see the most savings when it comes to living frugally has to be at the grocery store. An easy way to save at the store is to purchase generic items whenever possible. Now you make find that's not always possible or you may not like the generic item and if that's the case you'll need to purchase name brand, but if you can't taste the difference, you should do it. For example, we don't like generic cheese, but we don't have a problem with generic soup when it's used in a meal and not a stand alone item.

Another way to save money at the store is to use coupons. Now you must be careful on this because there may be times when you have a coupon for the name brand product, but if the price isn't lower with the coupon and you don't mind a generic, you need to go that route. You'll need to pay close attention to the prices and quantities or you'll end up spending more than what is necessary.

One last technique that will help you save money at the store is to use price matching. If your store offers this, you should take the time to write down the price of items you need at other stores and then ask the cashier to match it if it's higher at the store you're at. This is a practice that not all stores follow, so it's important to check before you take the time to do it.

Another way to save money in the New Year comes with the things you do daily. An example of this would be if you work outside the home. If you work outside the home you can save money in two ways. The first way is with your meals. If you don't have the time or the ability to go home, you need to bring your lunch with you instead of going out or purchasing lunch from the convenience store or vending machine. It costs less to bring food from home than it does to go out.

Another way to save money if you work outside the home is to stay at work for lunch instead of wasting the gas to go home. You'd be amazed at the gas you'll save if you don't go home five days a week. Depending on the vehicle you drive you may save enough to purchase a weeks worth of groceries or pay double on a bill you have.

Setting frugal goals for the New Year is a good way to save money and prevent yourself from living pay check to pay check or having more bills than income during the month. These two steps are just the beginning when it comes to saving money. Take a little time and think about all the things you spend money on in a month and then see what you can remove to add more money to your wallet.

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business. She has learned to set frugal goals to help save her family money. If you're looking for ways to save money, click here to purchase her "Taking it to the Extreme: A Guide to Couponing" ebook. She'll show you how to save money at the grocery store when you use coupons & price matching.

How to fix your credit

2011-11-30T02:18:00.001-08:00

Fix Your Credit Easily By Following A Few Steps

Having a good credit score can help you get a lower interest rate when you go to buy a car or a house, but not everyone has a good credit score. If your credit score is not as good as you would like it to be, then check out these tips to help you repair your credit. Keep track of who you authorize to put an inquiry of your credit report. Inquires do have a negative effect on your report. Review your credit report and dispute any inquiries that you have not authorized. Keeping track of small items like this, can have a large cumulative effect on your credit report. If you are constantly forgetting to pay your bills, leading to bad credit, set up automatic bill payments with your bank. You can set it to be the minimum for your credit card and a full payment for other items like cable television or your cell phone and you'll never forget it again. Ordering one's free credit report from the three major credit recording companies is absolutely vital to the credit repair process. The report will enumerate every debt and unpaid bill that is hurting one's credit. Often a free credit report will point the way to debts and problems one was not even aware of. Whether these are errors or legitimate issues, they must be addressed to heal one's credit score. Limit phone calls from debt collectors. Limit the time you spend talking to debt collectors on the phone, and be careful of what information you share with them, as they may not be legitimate. Don't be strong-armed into sending anyone money until you have something in writing. Once you receive a collection notice in the mail, you can then demand documentation that they have the legal right to collect money from you. This information must be mailed to you within 30 days of the original debt collection notice. If they can't provide this documentation, they have to cease debt collection efforts immediately. An important tip to consider when working to repair your credit, is to only apply for a loan when you are almost certain that you will be approved. This is important because you may lessen the chances of getting approved in the future if you are rejected. One of the main reasons why people have poor credit is they do not pay their bills on time. What you should do is talk to your bank and set up automatic and recurring payments for your bills. As long as you have money in your account, you won't have to worry about not paying on time. As you can see from these tips, there are many ways to help you repair your credit and raise your credit score. Educating yourself about the proper way to build credit will help you out in the long run. If you would like to repair your credit, you can apply the advice from this article and start repairing your credit right away.

Printable Grocery Coupons for October 2011

2011-10-09T14:08:00.001-07:00

Here are printable grocery coupons for Oct 2011

Ziploc money saving tips

2011-09-04T03:55:00.001-07:00

If you sign up for Ziploc right at home newsletter you will get money saving tips, great recipes and special offers. Here are a highlight of some tips shared on their forums Storing leftover pizza Use a Ziploc® Brand Big Bag for storing leftover pizza. It’s the perfect size! Ready-to-make pancakes Prep pancakes the night before and store the batter in a Ziploc® Brand Twist 'n Loc® Container. Then all you have to do in the morning is get the griddle hot! Creating 100-calorie snack packs To help with portion control, use Ziploc® Brand Containers to make several 100-calorie snack packs at one time. Keep these snack packs in the pantry or fridge so they're easily accessible.

September grocery coupons

2011-09-01T11:17:00.001-07:00

Here are grocery coupons available for the month of September
Pillsbury

Cereal

Yogurt

Pizza/Snacks

Misc Food & Household

Health & Beauty

Games

Frugal Meal Dinner planning Aug 21st

2011-08-22T02:20:00.000-07:00

Here is what we are having for dinner this week:

Sun Steak, sweet potato fries, green beans

Mon Easy Mexican Lasagna with Tortillas

Tues Chicken, broccoli and pasta

Wed Mexican Lasagna

Thurs Leftover chicken and pasta

Fri Turkey burger melts, french fries, veggie

Sat Homemade pizza

Get Kellog's coupons

2011-08-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Kellogg is offering some coupons if you sign up for their email program. Signup to get Access to $5.00-$10.00 in coupons plus Enjoy your favorite Kellogg brands for less with money-saving coupons Get special offers and promotions Be the first to know about new products and the latest innovations at Kellogg. You will also receive the tastiest Kellogg recipes from their food.

Grocery store food printable coupons for August

2011-08-02T02:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some great new coupons for the month of August that will help you lower your food bill. Combine them with some saving at your local supermarket.

Food Coupons

Personal Care Products

New Dental teeth printable coupons

2011-07-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Check out these great new coupons that will save you money on dental health

Easy frugal cooking tips for leftovers

2011-07-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

As a busy mom of 3 boys I try to make sure I am not wasting food. I have in my menu plan using leftovers and it helps keeping my food budget down.

One of the problems with leftovers, is that we tend to serve them day after day until they are gone.. Say you prepare a giant roast beef for Sunday dinner - there are plenty of leftovers, but the family will get tired if you keep serving slices of roast beef over and over for the rest of the week. You will have to get creative with your meal planning to keep dishes on the table that your family will actually eat.

You can start by chopping that roast up into bite size pieces. Add in some frozen vegetables, and some instant rice. Cook in a large frying pan or a wok, add in soy sauce and a beaten egg and you have a frugal meal of beef fried rice.

That's just one way that a leftover roast can be re-used. Don't forget beef stroganoff, a classic that's simple to make - just add some cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and egg noodles and you have a classic comfort food dish.

Another option would be to make a fritteria added the chop up roast (actually any leftover meat), added 2 cups of frozen brocolli, milk, 4 eggs, cheese and simply bake. I will usually add some chop up roasted potatos as a side.

Don't let leftover meatloaf go to waste - just take them and break them apart - they can become the basis for a traditional spaghetti meat sauce or you can add some taco seasoning and create a meal of tacos or burritos that is sure to be a family crowd pleaser. If doing the spagehtti and beef, I usually throw it in the crockpot to left the sauce and meat soak together,

Using a little creative thinking can turn any bunch of leftovers into frugal meals that last the whole week. Just take a moment to plan your main "big" meal and then brainstorm 2 or 3 other meals that can be made with it and make sure you have all the ingredients on hand in your pantry.

You'll be more likely to re-use leftovers if you don't have to hit the grocery store for last minute items. If you have enough leftover leftovers, you can even freeze this meal and pull it out of the freezer on another night.

By strategically using leftovers you will save time and money. Just watch your grocery bill go down and your free-time increase. You can even use the savings to order in one night - don't worry - we won't tell.

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Frugal back to school tips

2011-07-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Depending on where you live you may only have a few more weeks left of summer vacation.
As frugal SAHM (stay at home moms), getting ready to send our kids back to school for another school year, there are a few tips that I recommend that can make the transition smoother, while saving money and even teaching your kids a thing or two about tightwad living.

1. Stock Up on Supplies
Late July and the month of August are the best times for a SAHM to get school supplies for literally pennies on the dollar. Most SAHMs get what is on their child's supply list and are happy with their savings. But then, most moms also run out of sharp crayons, filler paper, notebooks and scissors (anyone here actually remember where their scissors are?) by mid-year. Be a frugal SAHM and spend a little extra money now to stock up on supplies to last you through the entire school year.

2. Color Coordinate
In our house, each child has his or her own color. It makes life so much easier! The red backpack, lunch box, pencil box, folders and notebooks belong to one child, while the blue belong to another. Now when someone leaves their notebook in the middle of the floor after school, I don't have to dig around to try to figure out whose it is!

3. Butter Up the Teacher
Remember all those cheap school supplies you got? Well, with the economy as it currently is, more and more parents are not able to provide what their children need to be successful in school. Usually, it is the teachers that end up picking up the slack, at a great expense to their already tight funds. Consider donating extra supplies to your child's teacher directly.

4. School Food
In our frugal SAHM house, we pack our lunches and snacks instead of purchasing them from school. Sunday is our preparedness day. We bake cookies and other treats to last the week (well, sometimes they get gobbled up early; we've learned to hide things from Daddy!) We also prewash, peel, and cut up veggies and put them into sandwich baggies for the week, such as carrots and celery. Juice boxes are stored in the freezer to keep lunch (and juice) cool until lunchtime everyday.

5. Money Management for Teens
The frugal SAHM tips above work great for elementary-aged kids, but what about teenagers? There is a whole different set of rules when it comes to teens! First, they should be given control over some of their own finances.
Offer to give your teen the same amount of money you would pay each month for school lunches. Your teen has the option of buying school lunch or using the cash to buy food at the grocery store to take a sack lunch, and pocket the difference. The rule here is that lunch must be eaten. Your teen will surprise you!

Hopefully these SAHM back to school tips will get you off to a great school year!

Rayven Perkins is an expert at saving money. She has spent more than 10 years finding and implementing unique cost-cutting strategies that allow her family to live comfortably off one income in a two-income society. Visit her site to learn how to stretch your dollar, easiest ways to save money and supplement income in order to stay a stay at home mom.

Frugal Tips for Washington DC

2011-06-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

We are heading to DC in few weeks! We got our hotel Holiday Inn near the Capital as well as taking the Armtrak to Union Station.
Although hotels are costly and parking a challenge, the nation's capital is full of free attractions and things to do.

The White House And The Pentagon

Entrance to President's Park is free and gives the frugal traveler great views of the White House. The visitors center has some very nice permanent exhibits. Tours of the White House can be arranged by your congressman . However applications have to be received at least six months in advance.

Tours are also available of the Pentagon. These also have to be arranged well ahead of time.

Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument

The National Mall And Memorial Parks contain some of the U.S.'s most important monuments. These include The Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the Washington Monument within walking distances of each other. The Mall itself is a great place to picnic and people watch. Entrance is free

Smithsonian Museums

. Entrance as with all of the 17 Smithsonian buildings and the National Zoo is free. There are also free tours available. The building itself is beautiful.

National Museum of Natural History

, the National Museum Of Natural History is a favorite with kids. They have tarantula feedings, dinosaurs, and preserved animals. As with all the Smithsonian Museums, the National Museum Of Natural History is free.

National Museum Of American History

Another free Smithsonian Museum, the National Museum Of American History showcases American culture and history. From Dorothy's ruby red slippers to full sized locomotives, think of an American icon and you can likely find it in this museum.

Washington D.C. is full of free tourist attractions with American politics, history, and culture as the focus. The Smithsonian Museums alone, a great rainy day alternative, can take weeks to explore. The city is a must see for both American visitors and residents.

You can use restuarant.com and groupon to get some good deals on restuatants

Friday Freebies

2010-07-23T01:52:00.000-07:00

Einsteinbros.com Free bagels friday morning in July

NEW Gain Dish Soap - Free 11oz SamplesDates: 7/22/2010 - 7/25/2010 free at walmartCome try the NEW Gain Dish Soap! Free 11oz samples will be distributed throughout the event so you can try these amazing fresh scents that come with an incredible clean. Be the first to try the new Gain Dish Soaphttp://instoresnow.walmart.com/Event...txtEventId=137

__________________
Lanacane- Free Anti-Chafing Gel Sample (US)http://www.lanacane.com/survey.asp

Free Natural Sleep Aid Sample (US)http://dontdisturbmesite.com/index.p...form&form_id=1

Costco- Free Nicorette Fruit Chill Starter Kit (US)http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...=1&topnav=&s=1

Free Womanity Fragrance Sample (US)http://esampling.womanity.com/us/

HAIRTRIGGERED- Free Shampoo & Conditioner Sample (US)
http://erik-prautsch.com/smoothsmooth_sample.php

Sam's Club- Free Sample of Axe Bodyspray for Members (US)http://www5.samsclub.com/Showcase/Un...XEPhoenix.aspx

free better than ears dog treat @walmart

http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhan...ktid88773.aspx

Friday Freebies

2010-07-16T01:38:00.000-07:00

Free bowling during the summer for kids at http://www.kidsbowlfree.com. You do have to register and they send you coupons for each week. Free Movies all summer!http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/freefamilyfilm.aspx

STAYFREE® - Free Sample –

Hard Water Test Kit, Water Conditioning –

Facebook- Free Sample of Purity Facial Cleansing Cloths (US)http://www.facebook.com/tos.php?api_...s&locale=en_US

Boboli- Free Party Pack for hosting a House Party (US)http://houseparty.com/landing_pages/view/bobolibbqIf selected, your FREE Beat BBQ Boredom party pack will include:Coupons for hosts to purchase 8 Boboli Pizza Crusts Coupons for Boboli Pizza Crust for your guests 1 Food Tent for your Pizza 15 Branded Grocery Totes 15 Branded Picture Frame Refrigerator Magnets Boboli Recipe Cards Grilling Tips & Product Information

Soooo Sweet! sample

Special Offers on ProSobee - Enfamil print freebie coupon

Head & Shoulders samples

Gas-X® Prevention Sample Gas-X®

Frugal Dinner planning Mar 30th

2008-03-31T01:14:00.000-07:00

Sunday Dinner over my mom

Mom Steak stir fry ( I didn't realize I got stir fry steak on marked down we usually do not do stir fry)

Tues Chicken, veggies and roasted potatoes

Wed Pork chops (I picked up a ton of thin cut pork chops that were on meat marked down-good deal)

Thurs Fish sticks and roasted potatoes

Fri Layered Ground beef crockpot

Sat Pizza

CVS weekly extra care bucks deals 3/30-4/5

2008-03-30T04:41:00.000-07:00

Here are the CVS starting today Of course check your coupons to see if you can match any up. I

ECB Specials
$5 ECB WYB $15 of the following: Fantastik, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout,
Windex$.2.99, Palmolive Dish Soap $0.99, Suavitel Fabric conditioner 2/$7.00 – Limit 1
$5 ECB WYB 3 Kiss or Broadway Artificial Nails - Limit 1
$4.99 ECB WYB Softsoap Spa 12 oz - $4.99
$5 ECB WYB $15 Maybelline cosmetic item - Limit 1
$2 ECB WYB Zantac 150 (24 ct) or Zantac 75 (30 ct) - 9.99 - Limit 1

$10 ECB WYB Accu-Chek Diabetes Monitoring Kit (Avia or Compact Plus) $19.99 Limit 2

$3 ECB WYB Bowl Appetite or Fiber One Bars 2 pk - $6.99 – Limit 5
$1 ECB WYB Gold Emblem Roasted or Smoked Almonds 21.6 oz - $7.99 – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB Three (3) Essence of Beauty Cosmetic Accessories or Bath Products – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB $15 Neutrogena Skin Care – Limit 5
$10 ECB WYB 24.7 Skin Care products – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB $15 of any Caress, Dove, Lever Bar Soap or Dove Body wash – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB $15 Garnier items – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB $15 Clean & Clear - starting at $4.29 – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB any University Medical Acne or Skin Care with regular retail price $19.99 or more – Limit 5
$5 ECB WYB $15 of Jergens Moisturizer, natural glow (excludes 10 oz and trial sizes). John Freida Collection shampoo, conditioner or styler, Biore, Curel – Limit 5
$3 ECB WYB Two (2) Mennen Deodorant - 2/$6 – Limit 5
$3 ECB WYB Colgate 360 degree Micro Sonic toothbrush – Limit 5
$2 ECB WYB $10 Abbott Nutrition product – Limit 5
$10 ECB WYB CVS/pharmacy One-Time-Use Video Camcorder - 29.99 – Limit 5
$10 ECB WYB CVS/pharmacy Digital One-Time-Use Camera - 19.99 – Limit 5
$3 ECB WYB Photo Book - 12.99 – Limit 5

$5 ECB WYB $15 Nivea, Nivea for Men or Eucerin - Limit 10

Buy ONE Get ONE FREE
Natures Bounty Vitamins or Supplements
Colgate Toothpaste or Toothbrush
CVS Alkaline Batteries
All L’Oreal Foundation, Powder, Blush, Concealer or Lipcolor
Olay Body Wash
Twizzlers
CVS Fish Oil or Coenzyme Q10
CVS Calcium Supplements
Life Fitness

Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off
Adult of Childrens Sunglasses
All lumene
Styli-Style or prestige cosmetics
Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Tommy, Ralph Lauren or Liz Clairborne
All L’Oreal Mascara, Eye Shadow, or Liner
Ellin LaVar Hair Care
Marc Anthony Hair Care
Optimum Care Relaxer or Oil Therapy
Scunci Kids or Fashion Ornamentals
CVS Baby Care
Bic Disposable Razors
Reading Glasses by magnavision
All Icy Hot products
CVS Food Storage Bags or Wrap

Friday Freebies and coupons

2008-03-28T03:04:00.000-07:00

The Baltimore Life Companies - Freebie For Baby

Take the Unisom 8-Day Challenge

Ultra Antacid by Zicam sample

Estroven: Special Offers and Promotions by Estroven $3.00 off coupon

KnowMenopause Inside & Out DVD, featuring Cheryl Ladd.

Fiber One® Cereal

Gerber baby food sample

ZingiberRx - Topical joint and muscle pain relief cream for arthritis sufferers. sample

- Request Form for Food Allergy and Intolerance Survival Guide

Free t-shirt from ohshot.com

GoldBond

freebie newsletter

Frugal Spring Lawn care tips

2008-03-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

Now that we are in the early stages of spring, there are plenty of things to do to prepare your lawn for the coming weeks. For the month of March, we will focus on several lawn care topics of interest: Compost, Irrigation, and Mowing

Compost

Organic compost is one of the easiest and most environmentally friendly ways to treat your lawn. At this point in the season, you should take great care not to apply any fertilization too early, which can lead to overwhelming growth while the weather is still cold and can cause stress to the turf. However, compost comprised of clippings from mowing your lawn can be gathered together and applied to your lawn later in the month or even at the beginning of April. Besides grass clippings, virtually any organic material can be used for compost.

The two key points when using compost are: 1.) Apply the compost so that it can make its way down into the turf and does not remain on the grass blades 2.) Water your lawn after you've applied compost, to activate the compost microbes and wash them onto your soil.

Irrigation

Have you ever wondered why your neighbor's lawn looks so green all the time while it's a struggle to maintain your own lawn? Perhaps your neighbor has a permanently in-ground irrigation system. Irrigation is key to maintaining a constantly green lawn and can help move your lawn to its greenest potential, especially during the growing season. Irrigation, if done correctly, can help you save time and even conserve water because of the control you have over the amount of water, and when and where your lawn will receive water.

Installing an irrigation system yourself is definitely a doable project if you plan accordingly and acquire the right equipment. However, it will be a lengthy project that can consume several of your weekends, depending on how large your lawn is. For irrigation equipment and drip irrigation supplies, you can either purchase or rent them from any modern hardware store.

If you are unfamiliar with irrigation systems or it will be your first time to install one, the best thing to do would be to contact a professional to guide you through the irrigation system process. A badly installed irrigation system can cost you over the next several years on needed repairs or revisions to the system.

During the planning stages for your irrigation system, it would be a good idea to get some advice from a knowledgeable person on the topic. For high-pressure systems, it is very difficult to plot exact spray patterns. Having a consultant on hand can help you determine specialized sprinklers and emitters for specific lawn needs. The technology of drip irrigation is constantly changing and it would be a good idea to talk to someone who knows the trends.

For March, you should irrigate your lawn about twice a week (unless it has been raining). Lawns are that over-irrigated can be more prone to pests, lawn diseases, or even promote a shallow root system.

Mowing

Once your lawn turns green, it is time to mow. Make sure you have the lawn mower blades set at an appropriate height from 3/4 to 1 inch, keeping in mind that it may vary depending on the type of lawn you have. How often should you mow? For March, mowing your grass once a week should do the trick.

Keep in mind that cutting your grass less than once a week while the grass is actively growing can result in the immediate loss of a large quantity of leaf. This can come as a shock to the grass and may encourage an open turf prone to moss and weeds. Maintaining a consistent mowing schedule is also beneficial.

If you find that your grass has grown tall after coming back from a trip, you should tip it at the first cut and reduce the height at the next cutting a few days later. After that, you can resume your normal and recommended height for cutting.

March is the best time to begin mowing your lawn and by starting now, you can cultivate your lawn and keep the grass blades looking fine.

Fran Phalin is a homeowner and freelance editor/writer on things that work and is based in Austin, Texas. Fran has worked successfully with the guys at ABC to get her lawn care problems resolved.

ABC Pest & Lawn offers a comprehensive solution for lawn care service for you which includes mowing and edging.

Frugal Dinner planning Mar 23

2008-03-24T01:11:00.001-07:00

Sunday Easter dinner

Mon Chicken, broccoli and stuffing casserole

Tues Chili

Wed Spaghetti and meatballs

Thurs Breakfast for dinner

Fri Clean out the fridge night!!

Sat Pizza

CVS weekly extra care bucks deals 3/23-29

2008-03-23T03:58:00.000-07:00

Here are the CVS starting today Of course check your coupons to see if you can match any up. I

ECB Specials 3/23 Limit 1 unless otherwise noted! Holiday week so slow week!
$2 ECB WYB Nilla Wafers, Chips Ahoy or Fig Newtons 12-16 oz 2/$5.00 – Limit 1
$5 ECB WYB Two (2) CVS Highly Defining Skin Care: 1.7-5 oz PSA $8.49 – Limit 1
$2 ECB WYB Bengay Pain Relief $6.99 – Limit 1
$3 ECB WYB Clear Care Contact Solution $7.99 – Limit 1

$3 ECB WYB Two (2) Russell Stover Private Reserve Triple chocolate mousse or vanilla bean brulee 4.5 oz – Limit 5
$2 ECB WYB any (1) new Revlon item shown: Colorstay Mineral Eye Shadow $7.99
Colorstay Mineral Foundation or Blush $11.99, Custom Creations Foundation $9.99 - limit of 5
$5 ECB WYB $10 TRESemme Hair Care – Limit 5
$2.99 ECB WYB Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste Whitening, gel or advanced fresh 4-4.2 oz – Limit 5

Buy ONE Get ONE FREE
All Maybelline Foundation, Powder, Blush, Concealer
Move Free
CVS Cleaning Pads/Cloths (swiffer type)

Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off
Got2B Styling Products
Neutrogena
All Wet N’ Wild
CVS Pharmacy Razor Blades
All Sally Hanson Hair Removers
All CVS Suncare or Sunless tanners
All Milani Cosmetics
All Adult & Childrens Sunglasses
All papermate pens, highlighters, sharpies
All CVS Spectravite
All Life Fitness Vitamins or Supplements
All Ocuvite, Preservavision Vitamin & Mineral Supplements
All CVS Frames/Albums

Other deals
Irish Spring 3 pack $0.97
Softsoap Liquid Soap $0.97
Kellogg’s Cereal 2/$3.00
$0.88 Specials – ANY For $0.88 – Kleenex tissues, Colgate Toothbrush, Colgate Toothpaste, CVS Bagged Candy.

Abbreviations:
ECB = Extra Care Buck
PSA = Prices starting at
CRT = Cash Register Tape
WYB = When You Buy

Helpful websites!!!
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/extracarehome
http://deals.families.com/cvs,f533
http://www.terismessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=13237
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...splay.php?f=62

Freebies and coupons

2008-03-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

Dove deorderant free sample

Free Comic Book Day

Glad flex force garbage bags

Vasoline skin care lotion

Purell Hand santizer

Colgate toothpaste

Serentiy pads

Doggy Delightz - sample

Clinque mascara

Free wildseeds

Mercury Magazines - get 3 free magazines

Glade® Wisp® Flameless Candle $5.00 off coupon

Free Blood Glucose meter for diabetics

March Madness Plasma tv survey

Frugal Five Meet Mary

2008-03-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

Mary is a frugal mom from Pennsylvania in her late 30s

What is your financial life?
I am married have been for 10 years. My husband and I have 1 son age 8. We have recently remodelled our kitchen and bathroom in the house we bought a few years back. Luckily it is a 30 year fixed mortgage with a good rate. My husband works the family business which is commmerical painting. I work part-time in a local insurance office for the past 2 years.

What is your budget buster?
Groceries, utilities and gas . Both are getting higher and higher. Seems no matter how I try to cut back, conserve, etc. I am spending more and more.

What is your favorite money saving tip?
Bring your own lunch to work! This is a huge money saver for my husband and me. You can easily spend between $6.00-$9.00 on lunch a day.

If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it?
Since we have recently remodelled, I would like to add the finishing touches.

What is your best resource for frugal living?
My favorites places for saving money are www.hotcouponworld.com and www.savingadvice.com

If you would like to be profiled send an email to info @ budgetdial.com

13 frugal uses for Peroxide

2008-03-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

I received this in my email and I thought I would share the benefits of peroxide! I think I will be buying some the next time I hit the market.

'I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole
bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store.

My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and
most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. Have you ever smelled
bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is
not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and
asked them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know
better!

Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's
chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our troops. Peroxide was
invented during WWI in the 20's. It was used to save and help
cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals.

Please think about this:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the
bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it
out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores , and your teeth
will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of
mouthwash.

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them
free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill
germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag
when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide
on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture
of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and
let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten
minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would
not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and
water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming
your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50
mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and
help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow
your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist
right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it
for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair,
spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it
through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blond hair like the
hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a
light brown, faddish, or dirty blond. It also lightens gradually,
so it's not a drastic change.

11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils,
fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a
load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on
clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a
minute,
then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing,
which is why I love it so much for this. I could go on and on. It is
a little brown bottle no home should be without!

With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way
to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!

Frugal meal planning Mar 16th

2008-03-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

My full pantry is helping keep my food bill down this week. I only needed to pick up some milk, bread and bananas plus a package of juice boxes.

Sunday Steak (got it on the marked down aisle) roasted potatoes, green beans

Monday Lasagna

Tuesday Chicken drums sticks, mashed potatoes, veggie

Wed Leftover lasagna

Thursday Taco Bar I got 4 boxes of tacos for 75 cents each because they were a little crushed! I will probably use two here

Friday Clean out the fridge night or ravoli if no leftovers

Saturday Homemade pizza

Simplest ways to save money

2008-03-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

Saving money lately has not been easy for most. The more people I talk to the more I realize that no one can save money for themselves and most people are driving themselves further into debt with credit cards and loans. Being able to save money for various things is key to lowering stress and increasing your quality of life.

The first step to saving is to evaluate where all your money goes. If you stop at Starbucks everyday for that coffee or like to shop, there is an easy way to cut back expenses. Most people have habits whether they like to admit it or not. Personally, I buy myself an energy drink everyday and found that I spend $60 a month on them. So instead of stopping at the corner store everyday, I started buying them in bulk and save a about a dollar a day. This may not seem like much but if you can do this with three items, it comes out to over $1000 a year.

Also, 90% of the people out there plan on saving but never get the chance because they spend all of their paycheck before they put money aside. It is crucial to PAY YOURSELF FIRST! Even if you just put $25 aside per paycheck you are on your way to creating a very nice buffer of money to be used how you see fit. Don't wait till after everything is paid to save. Save before and you will find that it is much easier to be diligent.

Next, to avoid using that ominous credit card or cards, leave them at home and hide them from yourself. If you have to, have your spouse hide it so you do not use it on a regular basis. I don't know how many times I have gone and seen something I want but not had the money to buy it so I use credit. The problem is you don't have the money so why spend it. Use your savings plan to do so, it may take longer but in the end it is worth it. You will not have to pay interest and you will save even more by doing so.

Finally, the easiest way to save a large amount of money at a time for those who get paid every two weeks is to realize that you have two extra pay check a year. So if you make $2000 a paycheck, plan ahead and figure out which paycheck goes to which bills and you will find that two months out of the year the is an extra $2000 to save. So in the end you have $4000 extra dollars a year.

These are very basic but simple ways to save and if you look at your expenses and income on a personal level you will find many areas you can save money in. Don't fall behind and stay as regular on your bills as possible and pay them off as quick as you can. Hopefully if you follow some of these tips you will find yourself saving $2000 - $10000 a year without changing much in your lifestyle. DON'T BE AFRAID TO LET THAT SAVINGS ACCOUNT BUILD. Forget what is in there and check it only a few times a year so you don't get the urge to spend it.

Check out more simple ways to save money

for even more ideas.