Frugal & Focused

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 29 - Be A Blessing

2012-02-29T11:14:00.001-08:00

Frugal living is a way of life. It is about choosing to make the most of the resources you have not only in an effort to not waste them but to use them to bless others.

If you currently aren't very frugal know that becoming more frugal will take a change in the way you think about things.

We live in a disposable society. It's easy to just toss things aside when they get a little worn or a newer model comes out. But we end up wasting a lot of resources when we do that.

There's a saying that goes, "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without." This is a very different way of thinking from the way much of the world lives today. But when you use that phrase as a measuring stick for how you manage your resources, you'll find yourself becoming more thoughtful and creative and less wasteful.

But paying down debt, building up savings and using what you have well isn't the only reason to live frugally. Frugal living allows you to more freely bless others.

When your pantry is well stocked and your freezer is full, it's no problem to fill a bag of groceries for a family in need or bring a meal over to a sick neighbor.

When you're no longer drowning in debt or living paycheck to paycheck, you can use the extra money you have to bring hope to a child living in poverty, provide much needed love and care to pregnant girls in Kenya, give to your local soup kitchen, pay a bill for a family member who is struggling, or support a missionary from your church.

The possibilities to bless others are endless.

2 Corinthians 9:8-11

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

9 As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

This is my heart for frugal living and why I wrote this series. So that we might all be inspired to let our blessings flow through us to others and produce thanksgiving to God.

Thank you for reading along these last 29 days.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 28 - Freezer Cooking

2012-02-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

Over time I have found a lot of ways to save money in the kitchen. I want to serve quality meals to my family but have a limited budget. Figuring out ways to save on food is a priority for me.

One way I've figured out how to save in the kitchen is by freezer cooking. Sometimes I do this once a month over one or two days. Other times I'll spread it out over a week. And some months I'll just double a recipe from time to time and put the extra in the freezer. Whatever approach you take to freezer cooking, it all helps out in the end.

Here are are few ways freezer cooking can save you money:

It makes you plan ahead.

Whether you are doing one big freezer cooking session or just doing some batch cooking, you still have to plan ahead with freezer cooking. When you plan out what you're cooking you can plan your make ahead items around what you already have or can purchase on sale which will save you money.

You can buy in bulk.

Even if the items you need for your freezer cooking aren't on sale you can still save by buying in bulk. Just pay close attention to pricing. I most often do this with meat, chocolate chips, cheese & butter among other items.

It keeps you out of the drive thru.

When you have a meal in the freezer that you can pull out and heat up quickly, you won't be so tempted to run through a drive thru and pick up dinner on a night you're too busy or too frazzled to cook up a meal from scratch.

It keeps you from purchasing expensive processed foods.
When you're freezer cooking you're typically making things from scratch. You can add homemade breakfasts, snacks and dinners to your freezer that you can grab whenever you need them. This keeps you away from overpriced meal kits and boxed snacks and breakfasts at the grocery store.

Another great way freezer cooking helps out is by saving you time. A little extra time spent one day or over a few days can save you a lot of time on a busy night. And our time is a valuable resource.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 27 - Make Your Own Condiments And Recipe Ingredients

2012-02-27T09:53:00.002-08:00

One way I've learned to save money in the kitchen is to make some of the recipe ingredients and condiments I need myself.

You don't have to buy things like taco seasoning, buttermilk and spreadable butter already made because chances are you already have the what you need in your kitchen to make them.

For instance, I make my own spreadable butter when I want some. I always have cooking oil in my pantry and butter in the refrigerator. That's all it takes to make your own spreadable butter. You just soften a stick of butter and blend it with 1/2 cup of canola or olive oil in a blender or food processor.

It's a little thin to begin with but once you put it in the fridge it becomes perfectly spreadable.

I also make my own buttermilk for recipes. Have you priced buttermilk lately? It's expensive, especially if you don't use a lot of it. So, I add 1 T. of vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it sit for a few minutes. Voila! You have buttermilk for your recipe.

I also have started making my own taco seasoning. I don't have my own recipe for it but Jessica at Life As Mom's Taco Seasoning recipe is a good one.

My husband and I have been known to make our own special sauce for burgers as well by mixing mayonnaise, ketchup and pickle relish together.

You can even make your own brown sugar.

So the next time you need an ingredient for a recipe or condiment to add to a meal, take a look around your kitchen and see if you can make it yourself.

And since we're talking food, here's what we'll be eating this week. I defrosted my freezer last week and will be doing some freezer cooking this week to fill it back up. I normally don't do this much baking in a week. I found large cans of pumpkin on sale at Publix recently for .99 cents each so will be using some of that for this month's baking.

Breakfast: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (may make this as muffins), Homemade Cereal Bar Cookies, eggs & toast

Dinner:

Pizza

Beef with Broccoli, brown rice

Sloppy Joes & fries

Baked chicken, potatoes, salad

Spaghetti, salad

Fish & Chips

Leftovers

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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Menu Plan Monday at Orgjunkie.com

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 26 - Goal Setting & Planning

2012-02-26T14:45:00.001-08:00

When you start trying to live more frugally, one of the biggest obstacles you face is being consistent. You can combat this challenge by setting frugal living goals and developing a plan to accomplish them.

Nobody's goals will be exactly the same but here are some scenarios to help you as you plan:

Eliminate debt.

Perhaps you'd like to get rid of your debt. First you'll need to set up a budget and stop accumulating debt. Then you need to figure out where you will come up with the extra money to pay down the debt. Will you get rid of your cable and put that money toward debt? Will you get an extra job to pay down the debt? Will you sell something to come up with extra cash?

After that, you'll need to set a time frame in which you'd like to accomplish the goal to help keep you focused on your plan.

Increase your savings.

Maybe you want to increase the amount of money you're saving. Again, you need to look at your budget and see where you can cut back or figure out a way to bring in extra money to put in savings. However you do it, you need to make sure the money actually makes it into your savings account. If you need to, have the money automatically transferred into your savings each month.

Reduce your grocery bill.

Say you're a family of four currently spending $700 a month on groceries and you want to reduce that amount to $400 a month. Cutting $300 out seems difficult but it's totally doable. You just need develop a plan for reaching that goal.

You may need to start clipping coupons and matching them with sales. Maybe you need to eliminate, cut back or find substitutes for certain expensive items that you you currently buy. You may not be able to cut back that much the first month but you can cut back some and work at reducing it more over time.

Reuse & repurpose more often.

Your goal may be to reuse and repurpose items more often. Start by thinking about what items you could reuse and how you might reuse them. Then figure out how you want to store those items until you need them. For example, I put items I can use for gift wrap in my gift wrap organizer. Clean, used jars go in the pantry to be reused. Old towels that can be used as rags are cut into usable sizes and put in the laundry room for when they're needed.

As you come up with a goal, think it through and develop a plan to help you reach it. This will help you become more consistent as you learn to live frugally and make the most of your resources.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 25 - Get Organized

2012-02-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

Confession time - I am not a "born organized" person. I'm the person with the perpetually messy desk. Yes, that's me. But I'm working on it.

Being disorganized isn't very frugal because it can cost you money. You may end up buying things you don't need because you can't find something you already have.

Last year I took some time to organize my gift wrapping supplies which has kept me from purchasing unnecessary supplies. It has also me helped work toward my goal of reusing items for gift wrap and presentation.

Then in January I organized my pantry. It's easier to see what I have on hand now which keeps me from buying things I don't need as well as using up items before they go to waste.

If you struggle with organization as well, then you're probably aware that it has cost you money at some point.

If you're not a naturally organized person, getting organized can feel overwhelming if you try to tackle everything at once. The key is to break it down into manageable projects.

For example, I keep my gift wrap supplies in my closet. I could have said. "I need to organize this whole closet" but instead I focused on the gift wrap supplies. I do still need to organize other parts of the closet but that's a project for another day.

In January, instead of organizing my whole kitchen I organized my pantry. And I took almost 4 weeks to do it because I took the time to see how I used the items in the pantry, came up with a workable plan and then organized certain sections at a time.

If you need to get organized:

Make a list of you areas that need the most attention. For example, your bathroom cabinets, your refrigerator, your pantry, your pots & pans, your gift wrap supplies, etc.
Pick a project to start with. There are a couple of ways to go. Pick the area that needs the most attention or pick the project you can do the fastest. Both will give you a great sense of accomplishment and inspire you to keep going.
Come up with a plan. Think about how you can make that area the most workable for you. Remember your organization won't look just like someone else's.
Set a time limit. For smaller projects, you can just set aside some time one afternoon. Bigger projects could take a week or a month. Just set a time in which you'd like to accomplish the project and work towards that goal.
Work the plan. You know what you need to do, how you plan to do it and the time frame in which you want to do it. Now you just do it.
Enjoy the results.

Taking the time to get organized helps you know what you have so you don't waste money on things you don't need and you use the things you have.

Are you "born organized"? If not, what area in your house needs the most attention?

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 24 - Use Cash

2012-02-24T08:35:00.001-08:00

One change we made when we began budgeting was to start using cash for expenses. While we never adopted the cash system completely, we still write checks for some of our bills and use debit cards for gas and certain other purchases, we do use cash as a budgeting tool for part of our expenses.

The beauty of using cash is that it forces you to stick to your budget. When you run out of cash you stop spending money. It's really that simple.

Using an envelope system is a great way to organize and manage your cash. Simply divide your budgeted cash and put it in its designated envelope.

At the grocery store, you're less tempted to throw a couple of extra items in your cart when you have $40 in cash in your grocery envelope to cover groceries instead of a debit card or credit card.

When you find yourself in the mood to go out to eat but the dining out envelope is empty, it's time to get creative and make a restaurant meal at home.

Using cash is a useful tool to help you curb your spending. If you find yourself overspending in an area, switching to cash only can help you get your spending back on track.

Using cash is a simple way to stick to a budget and make the most of your resources.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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Frugal Friday at Life As Mom

Sunday Coupon Inserts - 2/26/12

2012-02-24T07:01:00.000-08:00

There will be 2 inserts in this Sunday's paper: 1 SmartSource and 1 PepsiCo Moments To Save

Some of the coupons available include:

$6/1 Allegra 45 ct. or 70 ct.

$1/1 Aveeno product

$1/2 Band-Aid products

$2/1 Clairol hair color

.35/1 3 lb. bag Cuties

$1/3 Hershey's Cadbury or Reese's Egg multipacks 4.8 oz.+

$3/2 Nature Made products

$1/1 Neosporin product

$2/1 Schick Hydro Razor

$1/1 Snapple 16 oz. bottles 6 pk tea or juice

$1/2 jugs Brisk

.75/2 Doritos 11 oz.+

$5/1 Hasbro Monopoly ElectronicBanking Edition game

$2/2 Pepsi mini can 7.5 oz. 8 pks.

$2/2 Starbucks Frappuccino or Double Shot 4 pks.

Check out Sunday Coupon Preview for the a full list of available coupons. Remember coupons may vary by region.

Don't forget you can always print coupons from Coupons.com and Redplum.com and download coupons from CellFire to your shopper card.

Do you want to save big with coupons? Read my suggestions for saving money with coupons or get your degree in couponing from Grocery University.

*This post contains affiliate links.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 23 - Restaurant Meals At Home

2012-02-23T14:00:00.003-08:00

I enjoy eating out but it can be costly. Learning to make your favorite recipes at home is a great way to save money. Thankfully there are a lot of copycat recipes out there for inspiration.

Here are some to get you started.

Almost-Famous Spicy Fried Shrimp if you love Bang Bang Shrimp

Source: foodnetwork.com via Janet on Pinterest

Almost-Famous Chicken Sandwiches if you love Chick-fil-A

Source: foodnetwork.com via Janet on Pinterest

Copycat Olive Garden Salad & Breadsticks

Source: krystaslifeinfood.com via Janet on Pinterest

Chili's Copycat Salsa

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Janet on Pinterest

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits-Top Secret Version

Source: food.com via Janet on Pinterest

{Pictures linked from Pinterest. Link to source under photo.}

So the next time you want to go out to eat but the dining out fund is low, consider making your favorite restaurant meal at home.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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Friday Favorite Finds at Finding Joy In My Kitchen

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 22 - Stay Out Of The Stores

2012-02-22T06:39:00.001-08:00

When I shop, I try to shop wisely by using coupons, shopping sales, buying used, and sticking to a budget. But no matter how frugal I am, I'm still spending money when I go to the store.

One of the simplest ways to live frugally is to stay out of the stores. And while we can't do that entirely, we can certainly limit how much we shop.

Don't shop for entertainment. I used to be a social shopper. I went shopping because it was a fun way to pass the time. And I spent a lot of money on things I didn't need and justified it because the items I bought were on clearance. Eventually I broke the shopping habit and learned there are other enjoyable ways to have fun and spend my time.

Limit trips to the grocery store. Plan your menu, make a list of everything you need and try to limit the number of times you go in a grocery store. Once a week, every other week or even once a month are ideal. The more trips you make the more likely you are to pick up "just a couple of extra things" you don't really need and over time that adds up.

Do without. Before heading to the store for something, ask yourself "Is this something I really need?" "Can I substitute something else for this?" "Can I live without this?" It's very possible the answer will be yes and you can save yourself a trip to the store.

Staying out of the stores saves both time and money which is a great way to make the most of your resources.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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High Value Fisher-Price Printable Coupons: Save On Baby Gear And Toys

2012-02-21T13:52:00.003-08:00

Don't miss out on these great printable coupons from Fisher-Price.

$20.00 off any Fisher-Price babygear swing

$10.00 off any Fisher-Price babygear

$5.00 off Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy's

$5.00 off Fisher-Price Kick & Play Piano Gym

$5.00 off Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy

$5.00 off any Little People toy

$10.00 off Fisher-Price Musical Table

$5.00 off any Imaginext toy purchase of $24.99

*This post contains affiliate links.

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 21 - Simple Ways To Build An Emergency Fund

2012-02-21T08:07:00.000-08:00

Long before my husband and I learned about budgeting we learned about the importance of having an emergency fund. Realizing that you can't always pay for an emergency with a credit card and not wanting to have to rely on others to bail us out, we started keeping some extra savings on hand "just in case".

We weren't particularly good at saving but we did keep enough to cover things like car repairs, medical bills and things like that. Eventually we'd read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and learn about budgeting, saving and building a real emergency fund.

Most financial advisers today recommend keeping at least 3-6 months worth of income in an emergency fund, 6 months or more being preferable. But that takes time and seems overwhelming when you don't have any savings.

Dave Ramsey suggests you start with a $1,000 emergency fund. That's a good place to start because it will cover the amount of most of life's more minor emergencies like an appliance or car repair. Then you can build on that.

Want to start building an emergency fund? Here are a few ideas to help you find some extra cash to put into an emergency fund.

Shop with coupons and save the difference. If you save $20 at the grocery store this week with coupons, move $20 into your emergency fund.

Sell your extra stuff. Go through your house and gather up all those clothes you don't wear, movies you don't watch, books you no longer read, toys your kids don't play with and sell them at a yard sale, consignment sale, or on eBay and Craigslist. Take the cash and put it in your emergency fund.

Give something up. Give up cable, drop your gym membership, skip coffee from your favorite coffee shop or lunch out and save the difference.

Declare a "no spend" week or month. Set a specific period of time and spend only what you absolutely have to during that time. Pay your bills and buy only the things that you need. Keep track of all those extras you would have spent money on and move that money into savings at the end of the "no spend" period.

Put your tax refund into savings. It's tempting to spend that refund but it's also a quick way to give your emergency fund a nice boost.

Save your spare change. Instead of paying with exact change, toss all your change into a container and change it out when it's full. It'll be a nice addition to your emergency fund and you'll never miss the money.

Having an emergency fund helps you address the inevitable financial setbacks we're all bound to face without unnecessary stress. And less stress makes life much more enjoyable.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 20 - "Go To" Meals

2012-02-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

In this series I've mentioned the importance of menu planning in an effort to live frugally. But what do you do when you forgot to thaw the meat for the meal you had planned, or you forgot to put the dough in the bread machine for the pizza, or you just don't feel like making what you had planned that night?

That's when many of us decide to just run through the drive thru or order in pizza. And that can be a budget buster.

So how do you solve that problem? Have the ingredients for a few "go to" meals in your pantry/refrigerator on hand all the time.

A few of our "go to" meals are:

Spaghetti-I always have pasta, pasta sauce and usually ground beef or turkey on hand for a quick meal.
Breakfast for dinner - This one is so versatile. We almost always have what we need to make pancakes, waffles, toast, eggs, biscuits, grits and fresh fruit on hand. And the kids never complain about breakfast for dinner.
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and soup - Again, we have bread and cheese on hand all the time. And as much as I love making soup, there are always at least a few cans of soup in the pantry for a "go to" night.

These meals can all be whipped up faster than you can run through the drive thru or get that pizza delivered and are much cheaper as well. Having "go to" meals is a great way to keep your budget in line.

And since we're talking about food, here's what's on our menu this week. We continued part of the pantry challenge this month and have been trying to eat up what's in the freezer so we can defrost it. We're almost there. I'll be defrosting it in the next day or two and then heading to Sam's to stock up later this week.

Breakfast: Breakfast Cookies, cereal, peanut butter toast, fresh fruit, yogurt

Dinner:

Homemade chicken tenders, butter beans, corn on the cob, cornbread

Spicy Black Eyed Pea Soup

Meatball Calzones

Easy Tex-Mex Bake(new to us recipe)

Dinner Out

Leftovers

Do you have a favorite "go to" meal?

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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Menu Plan Monday at Orgjunkie.com

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 19 - Give Yourself An Allowance

2012-02-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

When my husband and I began following a budget, we quickly picked up on a tip suggested by Dave Ramsey to budget for a little fun money. This is money you set aside each week, month or paycheck to spend however you like. No questions asked.

We've budgeted for fun money consistently since early 2008 with the exception of when my husband was unemployed. It is definitely a tip that works well for us and you may find it helpful as well.

Giving yourself an allowance has real financial benefits.

You're using cash. - Withdraw real, actual cash from your account. This forces you to stick to your budgeted allowance. When your cash is gone, you don't have anymore fun money for the week. You learn to manage your money quickly this way. I know I always want to make that money last as long as possible.

Prevents overspending - When you have a little money to spend as you wish each week, you're less likely to pull out your debit card or credit card to overspend or make impulse purchases.

Helps prevent/reduce budget fatigue - Let's face it, sometimes we can get off track with our budgets. If we don't stay focused on the reasons we're budgeting, the desire to buy what we want instead of what's in the budget can creep in causing budget fatigue. Having a little fun money to spend each week allows you to say yes to things you might not otherwise in your budget like extra meals out, an extra family outing, a fun yard sale find, etc. Being able to say yes to some spontaneous fun helps you stay focused and keep the rest of the budget in line.

Allowing yourself a little budgeted fun money to spend is a great way to keep your spending in line and make the most of what you're given.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 18 - Frugal Flower Gardens

2012-02-18T15:44:00.001-08:00

I love growing flowers and plants. Not only are they lovely to look at but they add curb appeal to your house. But if you're not careful, they can quickly get expensive.

Last spring I wanted to spruce up the front of our rental house but didn't want to spend a lot of money. Since there was nothing growing in the front bed but weeds I was truly starting from scratch.

I started out by adding hostas that were given to me to the front flower bed. Then I added flowers that were either on clearance or could be bought inexpensively as well as new mulch.

But with time my front entryway became a little more inviting with very little money out of my pocket.

Here are some ways to add curb appeal to your home without spending a lot of money.

1. Get free plants from family members and friends.

If you know anyone with well established gardens they'll probably be more than happy to share with you. Over time plants need to be thinned out and separated. A gardener would much rather share their plants with you than see them go to waste.

2. Check out the clearance center at your local garden center.

There's almost always a rack or two of clearance flowers and plants at our local center and probably at yours too. Sometimes these plants will need a little extra TLC but they generally do well once planted and cared for.

3. Add extra color with inexpensive annuals.
I prefer perennial gardens but it's always fun to add a fresh pop of color with annuals. And they are usually very inexpensive which makes your budget happy.

4. Use containers you already have.

Chances are you already have some flower pots or planters. If not you can turn other containers into flower pots like tin cans, tea pots, old baskets or just about anything else you can think of.

5. Start from seeds.
A pack of seeds is inexpensive, about the cost of one small annual container, and will yield several plants depending on the type of seed you buy. It requires a little more patience but is a great way to save money on flowers and plants for your garden.

With a little patience and creativity, you can add budget friendly beauty and curb appeal to your home.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 17 - Budgeting

2012-02-17T07:51:00.001-08:00

I've already spent over half of this month sharing ways to live frugally but the best way to stay on track with frugal living is to create a budget. It's far too easy to waste money when you don't think about where it should go. Giving each dollar a job helps you make the most of your financial resources.

Creating a budget for the first time can be a little intimidating. Budgets make us face the truth of our finances and let's face it, that's not always pretty.

If you've never set up a budget before here are a few steps to get you started.

1. Write down your monthly income. We actually do a four week budget rather than a monthly one. All monthly bills get paid out of four weeks of income rather than a month of income. This gives us two extra checks per year to add to our savings. Figure out what works for you based on how you're paid.

2. Write down your expenses. Are you spending more than you make? Look for places to cut. We were able to eliminate and cut back in a lot of areas.

3. Tell your money where to go. This is where you create your budget because a budget is nothing more than telling your money where to go. You will need to divide your income into categories based on priority.

Here's an example from our budget:

Tithe/Giving

Saving

Housing:

-Rent

-Renter's Insurance

Utilities:

-Gas

-Electric

-Water

-Trash

-Cable/Phone/Internet

-Cell Phone

Food:

-Groceries

-Eating Out

Cars:

-Insurance

-Gas

-Maintenance

Debt/Loan Payment

Medical Expenses

Clothing

Gifts

Allowance

Misc./Extras

Your budget is probably not going to look exactly like ours. We budget out of our net income so we don't budget for health/dental/vision insurance or retirement since it's taken out of my husband's paycheck before we get it.

We also budget for saving each month. I don't know how many times I've heard or read that you should pay yourself first and it's great advice. Having some savings to cover car repairs, unexpected medical expenses or to help pay the bills during a period of unemployment makes those things inconveniences instead of crises. You can also help out someone else who's facing a crisis if you have extra money as well.

Remember, no two budgets are alike. You will have to decide what your budgeting style is and what works best for you. You may want to keep a spreadsheet, use an online program or a combination of different tools.

We started off keeping a spreadsheet. However, I handle the day to day financial management in our household and I found that it didn't fit my personality. I like to keep things simple. What works for me is writing it out in a notebook each month. At the beginning of the month I write out the budgeted expenses. If it's not a category we use cash for I'll write out what was actually spent and then what we were under/over beside the expense at the end of the month. If it's a category we use cash for I don't need to write out what we actually spent.

Figure out your style and do what works for you.You'll soon find that living by a budget helps you make the most of what you've been given.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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Sunday Coupon Inserts 2/19/12

2012-02-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

There will be 1 RedPlum insert in this Sunday's paper.

Some of the coupons available include:

$1/1 Advil Children's product

$5/1 Centrum ProNutrients supplement

$1/1 Covergirl product

$5/1 Dermasilk full size product

$1/1 L'Oreal Paris skincare product

$1.50/2 Milk-Bone dog snacks

$1/1 Swiffer WetJet refill

Check out Sunday Coupon Preview for the a full list of available coupons. Remember coupons may vary by region.

Don't forget you can always print coupons from Coupons.com and Redplum.com and download coupons from CellFire to your shopper card.

Do you want to save big with coupons? Read my suggestions for saving money with coupons or get your degree in couponing from Grocery University.

*This post contains affiliate links.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 16 - Frugal Family Fun

2012-02-16T14:43:00.000-08:00

Having fun together as a family builds strong bonds and creates precious memories. But family fun can get expensive quickly.

Thankfully there are plenty of ways to have fun with the family without spending a lot of money.

Visit a local park. Pack a picnic lunch, a kite or Frisbee and head to the park for the afternoon.

Explore a local museum. Many local museums offer free admission. Take advantage of this and spend some quality family time learning more about where you live.

Tour the historic district. Go on a walking tour of the historic district in your town or a town near where you live. No need for a guide as many of the historical sites will have informational markers.

Attend local events. Visit your community's website and take a look at the current events. There are almost always opportunities for free/cheap family fun like music festivals, car shows, parades, arts & craft fairs(you can just window shop) and more.

Take a hike. Find a local trail and spend some time with your family enjoying nature. Bring your camera along to capture all the interesting things you see.

Hunt for treasure. Geocaching is modern day treasure hunting and what kid doesn't like to hunt for treasure. Visit Geocaching.com to find and choose local geocaches and learn more about geocaching.

Hit the water. Chances are you have a pool, lake, river or ocean (or in my case the Gulf of Mexico) nearby. Swim, splash, canoe or kayak your way to a fun and relaxing day.

Enjoy movie night at home. Swing by Redbox and pick up a movie, pop up some popcorn and settle in for an inexpensive night at the movies right at home.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a lot of fun together as a family. There are plenty of fun and frugal ways to make the most of family time.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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This post linked to:
Frugal Friday at Life As Mom

Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent Winners

2012-02-15T14:07:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent Giveaway!

They are:

Shannon Palmer

anne_faulkenberry

Dana V

Thanks to everyone who entered.

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 15 - 5 Ways To Save On Kids Clothing

2012-02-15T10:27:00.000-08:00

Our clothing budget is limited. When dressing kids who are constantly growing out of things, I'm more focused than ever to get the best value possible. Coming up with a strategy to make the most of the kids clothing budget is essential.

Here are five ways to maximize savings on kids clothing.

photo source: FHBC Consignment Sale

1.Hand Me Downs

Most of the clothing in my youngest daughter's closet are hand me downs from her sister. I store them in a tub when my oldest outgrows them and then open the tub up when Baby Girl is ready for that size. She doesn't mind them one bit and actually looks forward to her "new to her" wardrobe.

You may be able to get hand me downs from outside your home as well from other family members or friends. Free clothing is always a big budget saver.

We didn't really have anyone to pass clothes down to my oldest daughter so I had to develop other ways of saving on clothing.

2. Shop Consignment Sales

Shopping consignment sales is by far my preferred method of saving on kids clothing next to hand me downs. You can get gently used name-brand clothing for only slightly more than you'd pay at a thrift store most of the time. If you've never shopped at a consignment sale be sure to read how I save on kids' clothing at consignment sales.

3. Shop Thrift Stores

I live about a mile from a thrift store so I frequently stop by and check out what they have in stock. Many days I walk out with nothing but other days I find fabulous deals.

The thing with thrift stores is that there's no guarantee you'll find what you need. It's best to keep a running list of clothing items needed so you can pick them up at a thrift store as you find them.

4. Shop Clearance Racks
My shopping strategy for shopping clearance is similar to my thrift store strategy. I keep a running list of items needed. If I run across them at a great price on clearance I'll buy that item. With clearance you can reduce your out of pocket expenses by using store coupons. Many times you can use a coupon released by a store on clearance items so be sure you check online for coupons before you head out to a store.

5. Shop Yard Sales
Shopping yard sales is definitely the strategy that requires the most patience. You just never know what you're going to find. Again go with that running list of items needed. I'd also suggest you don't go with high expectations. Yard sale-ing is more about the process than anything. You may not find what you need but then you may hit the jackpot and find someone clearing out a closet full of kids clothing in just the size you need. And next to hand me downs, this is where you'll find your biggest savings so be patient.

You don't have to use all the strategies suggested to save on clothes for you kids. Any combination of them will help you make the most of your kids clothing budget.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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29 Days of Frugal Living: Day 14 - 5 Simple, No Cost Ways To Show Your Love

2012-02-14T14:09:00.001-08:00

"I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love."

Lennon/McCartney

I couldn't possibly let Valentine's Day go by without talking about love, even in a blog series about frugal living.

You don't need to buy those you love expensive gifts to show them you love them. The best way we can show our family love is to give them ourselves, our time.

This can look different ways to different families but here are a few suggestions.

Read Together
Quiet time reading books is some of the most precious time I have ever spent with my kids and as a family. It helps the children feel valued, become more confident readers and creates special memories for everyone.

Play Games With Them

Pull out the board games, play hopscotch or fire up the Wii for a dance off or bowling tournament. You'll be laughing, connecting and building memories.

Spend Time One On One Daily

Oh, I know this can be hard with busy schedules but is so important to make this a priority.

Have your child help with dinner, go and sit outside with them for five or ten minutes and enjoy nature or take a walk. Or maybe spend some time talking with your child at bedtime. This is what our family does. Sometimes our girls talk a lot during this time. Other nights they're tired and don't talk as much. But more often than not, these are the times that they'll open up about something that's bothering them or that they have questions about. Ultimately it's about carving out time to focus on just that one child to hear whatever it is they need to say or not say.

Be sure to do this with your spouse as well. My husband and I recently revamped our evening schedule to make a more intentional effort to spend one on one time as a couple. We realized we had let our one on one time become more about sitting in the same room watching a TV show or a movie than actually talking and connecting. We still watch movies and TV from time to time but now we focus more on talking about the things we truly value.

Write A Love Note
Nothing can lift a person's spirits like a note letting them know they're loved. Put a little love note in your kids' lunches or on their pillow for them to find. Leave one in your spouse's car or in one of their drawers or on their bedside table for them to find first thing in the morning. They'll appreciate these sweet reminders of your love.

Do One Of Their Chores For Them
In our family, everyone has something that they're responsible for. While I take care of many of the household chores since I'm the one home everyday, my husband and daughters each have their own tasks and chores to do as well.

Stepping in and helping each other out is a great way to show your love. I'm always so grateful when my husband helps with the laundry and dishes. Or when one of my girls makes my bed for me or folds the clothes without being asked. Sometimes I'll put my kids' clothes away for them instead of making them do it or clean up their bathroom for them. It's such a simple way to let the other person know you care.

Giving yourself and your time to your family is a wonderful way to share your love with your family and it doesn't cost you a dime. However, the rewards you reap are abundant.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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This post linked to:
I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 13 - Menu Planning & Inspiration

2012-02-13T11:51:00.000-08:00

If you are a regular reader of Frugal & Focused, then you know I love planning a weekly menu. It's a great way to simplify mealtime at your house and keep the grocery budget in check.

By building a weekly or monthly menu plan around what you already have on hand combined with what is on sale, you won't be as likely so spend money on quick convenience type foods or unnecessary items.

If you've never planned a menu before be sure to check out my suggestions for how to create a menu plan. If you are losing your enthusiasm for menu planning, check out my 7 ways to find mealtime inspiration.

However, when you've been menu planning for a long time, you may still need some more inspiration. That's when a challenge is helpful. Here are a few challenge ideas to get you going.

Pantry Challenge

This January I participated in a pantry challenge. You get to make your own rules but your main goal is to focus on using up items in your pantry or freezer. This is a great way to encourage being creative and trying new things.You may find yourself thinking outside the box and combining ingredients in new ways.

Theme Week

This week is a theme week at our house. It's Turkey Week. I roasted a turkey on Sunday and have planned this week's menu around the leftovers. You can get as creative as you want with this. Have a week where all your dishes have chicken in them or maybe an Italian week and try different Italian dishes all week long. Or maybe challenge yourself to a meatless week. It's up to you.

Cook Your Way Through A Cookbook

You're probably familiar with the movie "Julie and Julia" based on the true story of a woman who challenged herself to cook through Julia Child's first cookbook. This is a great way to get inspiration for your menu. Pick a cookbook and then pick a recipe or two or as many as you want that week to make.

As always, be sure to choose recipes based on what you have on hand and what's on sale to keep the budget in check.

And since we're talking about menu plans, here's our for this week:

Breakfast: Chocolate Butterhorns, Lemon-Blueberry Muffins, fruit, cereal, yogurt

Dinner:

Roast Turkey, creamed corn, rice, asparagus

Lightened Hot Browns

Turkey Noodle Soup

Homemade Pizza

Shredded Turkey and Pinto Bean Burritos

Valentine's Dinner: Red Hot Love Burgers & Spicy Fries. Dessert: Love Potion Ice Cream

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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This post linked to:

Menu Plan Monday at Orgjunkie.com

29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 12 - Frugal & Creative Gift Wrap & Containers

2012-02-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Last summer I organized my out of control gift wrapping supplies. My goal has been to continue to use up the supplies I have and transition to using more creative means of wrapping and presenting gifts.

On day 7 of 29 Days Of Frugal Living, I shared how I had repurposed newspaper and toilet paper rolls for gift giving. But there are plenty of other fun and creative ways to wrap and present gifts that I thought I'd share with you today.

Turn brown lunch sacks into gift bags. I've done this quite a bit. You can fancy them up a bit with ribbon and/or decorative edge scissors like these bags.

Source: thepartystudio.wordpress.com via Janet on Pinterest

Wrap with a map. I think this is such a cute idea, especially for a world traveller or someone who loves geography.

Source: onewomenshaven.blogspot.com via Janet on Pinterest

Make gift bags out of newspaper. I've used newspaper for gift wrap and bows but not to make bags. I love this idea.

Source: howaboutorange.blogspot.com via Janet on Pinterest

Wrap it in a towel. If you're giving a kitchen or bathroom related gift, wrapping it up in a dish towel or a hand towel is a fun way to present the gift. I like the idea of making the gift itself part of the presentation.

Source: thehousewiferookie.blogspot.com via Janet on Pinterest

Put it in a jar. I love canning jars for gift presentation. You can put almost anything in them.

Source: thegunnysack.com via Janet on Pinterest

Turn parchment/aluminum foil/plastic wrap boxes into gift containers. I think this is such a clever idea. It's a great way to repurpose those boxes.

Source: bhg.com via Janet on Pinterest

These ideas use things you already have or are part of the gift itself for the gift presentation making them a frugal choice.

Do you have any fun or creative gift packaging ideas?

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

Photos linked from Pinterest. Link to original source below photo.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 11 - Reduce Water Usage

2012-02-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

Reducing expenses is always a good thing. When you can be environmentally responsible when doing so it's even better. So today I'm sharing some simple ways to reduce your water usage, cut your water costs and reduce your impact on the environment.

Take showers instead of baths. - Okay, so the actual savings depends on the age of your shower head and how long your shower is. If you take a 10 minute shower with an older shower head you'll use about as much water as with a bath. However, with a newer, low-flow shower head you'll use about half the amount. If you have an older shower head either change it to a low-flow one or shorten your showers to save.
Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.- If you leave the water running, you allow about 2 gallons of water a minute to flow down your drain. You'll save approximately 8 gallons a day per person by shutting the water off while you brush.
Use your washing machine and dishwasher only when you have a full load. This can save upwards of 1,000 gallons a month.
Use greywater . Use a bucket or bowl to collect water in the shower or from rinsing vegetables or dishes and use it to flush toilets or to water your garden.
Fix leaky toilets. This can save upwards of 3,000 gallons a year.
Water your lawn wisely. Water in the morning when less evaporation occurs. Make sure you're not watering your driveway and the road while your watering. Adjust the sprinklers to only water the grassy areas. Water less often. This will cause the roots to grow deeper.
Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator. Instead of running the water in the sink until it gets cold enough to drink, just pull the pitcher out of the refrigerator and pour yourself a cold glass of water.
Upgrade fixtures and appliances. - This requires an initial upfront investment but will save money over time. Fixtures like sink faucets and shower heads can be changed out for low-flow versions fairly inexpensively. A low-flow toilet is a slightly bigger investment but could be budgeted for fairly easily with a quick return on investment. Replace washers and dishwashers as needed and enjoy the water savings found with newer models.

Reducing water costs is another way to make the most of what we're given.

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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Sunday Coupon Inserts 2/12/12

2012-02-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

There will be 2 inserts in this Sunday's paper: 1 SmartSource and 1 Redplum.

Some of the coupons available include:
$1/2 Arm & Hammer laundry product
.45/1 Daisy cottage cheese
$3/1 Hill's Science Diet Ideal Balance Canine dry food
.50/1 Johnsonville Italian sausage
$2/1 Schick Hydro razor
$2/1 Zantac product 24 ct.+
$3/1 Centrum Specialist
$1.50/2 M&Ms chocolate candies 9.4 oz.+
$1.50/1 Nivea body lotion

Check out Sunday Coupon Preview for the a full list of available coupons. Remember coupons may vary by region.

Don't forget you can always print coupons from Coupons.com and Redplum.com and download coupons from CellFire to your shopper card.

Do you want to save big with coupons? Read my suggestions for saving money with coupons or get your degree in couponing from Grocery University.

*This post contains affiliate links.

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29 Days Of Frugal Living: Day 10 - Save On Eating Out

2012-02-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

I know eating out isn't all that frugal, but let's be real, okay? Some days I just need to get out of the kitchen. And some days my family just feels like eating out. And some days we just want to go out and celebrate.

But to keep those "some days" from blowing the budget, there's got to be a plan. Here are a few simple strategies to enjoy eating out in a somewhat frugal way.

photo credit: Lehigh Valley's PA's Photostream

Set a budget - Whether you do it weekly or monthly, set aside a certain amount for eating out. Make sure you include tips(minimum of 15%-20% of bill total before discount if using a coupon) in the budget.
Use coupons - More and more restaurants are offering coupons these days. They can be found in Sunday coupon inserts, in your newspaper or by signing up for your favorite restaurant's email newsletter. For example, Logan's Roadhouse is currently offering a $5 off coupon when you sign up for the Logan's Nut E-Club. We also like to buy coupon booklets that our local schools sell as fundraisers. We get to support our childrens' schools and save as well. Many of the coupons are for a free entree with the purchase of an entree so they pay for themselves quickly and save us a good bit over time.
Use deal sites - We get deals through sites like Groupon and Living Social and enjoy significant savings on meals out, usually around 50% off. This allows us to stretch the eating out budget a little further.
Earn free gift cards - If you're going to eat out, you can't beat eating out for free. You can do this by using MyPoints to earn free gift cards. I've been a member of MyPoints for years and love earning free gift cards through them. It's super simple to do. You can earn points by reading and clicking through emails, referring friends, taking surveys and shopping through links on MyPoints. You can earn gift cards to restaurants like Baja Fresh, Chili's, Cracker Barrel, Panera Bread, Starbucks, Subway and many more.
Skip the kid's meal - If your kids are small they probably don't eat very much and usually have plenty of food leftover. Instead let them share your meal.
Go out for lunch - Lunch portions are usually less expensive than dinner portions. They're also a little smaller but in a world of over sized portions this is good for your waistline and your wallet.
Share a meal - Split an appetizer and an entree. Or split and entree and order soup or salads to go with it. Again, with today's over sized portions you'll still get plenty of food. On a recent lunch date, my husband and I split an appetizer and ordered two side salads to go with it and it was plenty of food.
Enjoy the deals - In today's economy restaurants are fighting for your dollar like never before. Many offer deals like 2 meals, an appetizer and dessert for one low set price. Your menu selection is limited but there are still enough choices to please most people. And you can stretch your dollars even farther by bringing home the leftovers and eating them for lunch the next day.

Saving money on meals out is a great way to make the most of what we're given.

What is your favorite way to save money while eating out?

Thanks for joining me for 29 Days of Frugal Living. Stop by tomorrow for another idea as we learn to make the most of what we've been given.

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This post linked to:

Frugal Friday at Life As Mom

*This post contains affiliate links.