I love this time of year, when the temperature outside is comfortable enough to throw open the windows and let the breeze in. After a summer of excruciating heat, I feel the need to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. Most often my choices are free this time of year. Attend a festival for Bluffton or one of the neighboring cities, take a day to play on the beach when it's not too hot, or get the kids out for a walk in your neighborhood or local park. All are affordable ways to enjoy the outdoors and spend some quality time together as a family.
If you are not allergy ridden, turn off your HVAC and use the windows this month, a little fresh air will do the body good and will help cut down on your energy cost to boot. This time of year is also good for a certain kind of cooking which I absolutely adore; Soups, Stews, Chili, and pasta dishes. This time of year many vegetables go on sale such as potatoes and broccoli, as do apples, pumpkins, and pears. Use these as a start to any yummy dish and you will have a money saving treat. Rachel Ray makes a great side dish with mashed sweet potatoes, honey, chicken stock, lemon juice, and nutmeg that is amazing and cheap. Soups, stews, and chili can all be made in big batches when the ingredients are on sale, and leftovers can be frozen for a week that you don't have time to cook or when money is a little tight. A little creativity can be fun in the kitchen, and lead to mouth watering dishes that don't break the bank.
As I start to crave comfort foods this time of year, I make use of pasta sales by baking my pasta. Publix had both pasta and sauce on sale this week. Simply cook the pasta according to the directions, add your favorite sauce and pour into a casserole dish. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven. It's such an easy and affordable way to feed a crowd, and generally most people love baked pasta. When the items are purchased on sale, an 8x10 pan of baked pasta can be made for less than $10.00. In my family this would normally serve at least 4 separate dinners as I divide it out into 2 - 8x8 pans, and freeze one of them for another time.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Movin and Savin . . .
Many folks in the Low Country are moving locally for a variety of different reasons. Some of us have lost our homes to foreclosure, some are trying to lower our monthly rent, and some of us are trying to minimize our losses by renting our owned home only to become tenants ourselves. Regardless of the reasons, moving can be stressful, tiresome, and most of all expensive. Time constraints tend to add to the cost, because most of us have only a day or two to get all of our items from one house to another which means that instead of carrying our stuff willy-nilly, we need to box up all of our items and rent a truck.
We recently moved only a few streets away, and the cost seemed much more than the last time that we had moved. Maybe we had more stuff than I could remember, but my one very important tip would be to clean every last cabinet, drawer, and closet out before you even start packing. Get rid of everything that you don’t need, either in a garage sale or give it to Goodwill, but the less you have to move, the better. Even though I have not taken this advice myself, the cheapest way to purchase moving boxes in online, which offers a discount through most of the truck rental companies, and they will ship them directly to your house. Me, I like to go back ten times to the store because I really didn’t think I was going to need this many boxes. From my experience, the boxes at the Uhaul stores are competitively priced, and the packing paper is cheaper at the Uhaul store than buying it at Lowes. This surprised me, but the other great thing is that the cheaper paper is actually larger which really helps with those glass items that need a lot of wrapping. Out of the top companies: Ryder, Penske, and Uhaul, I found Uhaul to be the most affordable for my local move, but I encourage you to price shop as prices change for the seasons, day of the week, and the distance that you are moving.
A great way to save money on your boxes is to reuse them. If you have moved recently, hopefully you had enough storage space to save your boxes, if not, you are bound to have a friend that might have just moved; ask to barrow or use their boxes. The Uhaul boxes I purchased stated that they were good for 4 uses. Now, some of ours did not make it, but most of them did, which will hopefully save us some funds on our next move.
For the actual labor of the move, in order to save money, you need to be ready to do some heavy lifting. Also, asking a few friends to help never hurt anyone. Offer to buy your friends lunch, dinner or both, and even if they only come for a short while to help move some of the larger items, it will be worth it. If you don’t have anyone that can help you, most of the truck rental companies can recommend movers that you need to pay by the hour; the going rate ranged anywhere from $200 to $1000 for about 3 hours of work depending on the company.
Here are some tips for saving money in a local move:
1. When using a moving company, try to book as far in advance as possible so that you will have time to compare prices and get exact quotes.
2. If possible avoid the summer months for moving, these tend to be the busiest as I was told by Uhaul because parents with children want to wait for the kids to get out of school before they move. Prices go up during these months.
3. Call your car insurance company and see if your truck rental is covered, if it is, it can eliminate the need for extra insurance costs on your truck.
4. Order your packing supplies online – some companies offer up to a 10% discount and free shipping, so if you don’t mind waiting a few days, it can save you money in the long run.
5. If you can find a friend with a pickup truck to help, you can either reserve a smaller truck or eliminate the truck cost all together.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your friends are your friends for a reason, and many people are moving these days so you might be helping your friend move next month.
We recently moved only a few streets away, and the cost seemed much more than the last time that we had moved. Maybe we had more stuff than I could remember, but my one very important tip would be to clean every last cabinet, drawer, and closet out before you even start packing. Get rid of everything that you don’t need, either in a garage sale or give it to Goodwill, but the less you have to move, the better. Even though I have not taken this advice myself, the cheapest way to purchase moving boxes in online, which offers a discount through most of the truck rental companies, and they will ship them directly to your house. Me, I like to go back ten times to the store because I really didn’t think I was going to need this many boxes. From my experience, the boxes at the Uhaul stores are competitively priced, and the packing paper is cheaper at the Uhaul store than buying it at Lowes. This surprised me, but the other great thing is that the cheaper paper is actually larger which really helps with those glass items that need a lot of wrapping. Out of the top companies: Ryder, Penske, and Uhaul, I found Uhaul to be the most affordable for my local move, but I encourage you to price shop as prices change for the seasons, day of the week, and the distance that you are moving.
A great way to save money on your boxes is to reuse them. If you have moved recently, hopefully you had enough storage space to save your boxes, if not, you are bound to have a friend that might have just moved; ask to barrow or use their boxes. The Uhaul boxes I purchased stated that they were good for 4 uses. Now, some of ours did not make it, but most of them did, which will hopefully save us some funds on our next move.
For the actual labor of the move, in order to save money, you need to be ready to do some heavy lifting. Also, asking a few friends to help never hurt anyone. Offer to buy your friends lunch, dinner or both, and even if they only come for a short while to help move some of the larger items, it will be worth it. If you don’t have anyone that can help you, most of the truck rental companies can recommend movers that you need to pay by the hour; the going rate ranged anywhere from $200 to $1000 for about 3 hours of work depending on the company.
Here are some tips for saving money in a local move:
1. When using a moving company, try to book as far in advance as possible so that you will have time to compare prices and get exact quotes.
2. If possible avoid the summer months for moving, these tend to be the busiest as I was told by Uhaul because parents with children want to wait for the kids to get out of school before they move. Prices go up during these months.
3. Call your car insurance company and see if your truck rental is covered, if it is, it can eliminate the need for extra insurance costs on your truck.
4. Order your packing supplies online – some companies offer up to a 10% discount and free shipping, so if you don’t mind waiting a few days, it can save you money in the long run.
5. If you can find a friend with a pickup truck to help, you can either reserve a smaller truck or eliminate the truck cost all together.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your friends are your friends for a reason, and many people are moving these days so you might be helping your friend move next month.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Get back out there!
So after taking a little bit of a hard hit from the vets in our area, I took a little break from writing both my blog and my column. Even though I was accused of "having an axe to grind," that was not my intention at all. I really upset both Bluffton Vet and Coastal Vet by calling them for prices and services, then publishing those prices in the paper. My question I pose to you is this, "If they are so upset that inaccurate information was posted, then why don't they make these prices public knowledge by putting them in black and white on their websites?" I believe that my words were taken a bit out of context, when they cited that "obviously you get what you pay for". You absolutely do "get what you pay for," but the point of my blog is to save readers' money, and sometimes that means sacrificing a little quality in order to get the job done.
When I told my readers to go to the Dollar Store for bread, I have to assume that you know that the Dollar Store does not offer the same amenities and services as Publix, but I figured that my readers were smart enough to know that. Just as when I told my story about calling the local vets, you need to know that they were just that, Phone calls to the clerk who answered the phone at the vet's office. I was merely stating prices on the specific items that I was requesting, and I did not stop by to see the vet's credentials, cleanliness of the facility, or chat with the vet to see if he or she was personable. As for the recommendation of the vet clinic in Beaufort, sorry, but that came directly from the Humane Society on Hilton Head Island. I can only infer that they do not know of a more affordable vet nearby, or I assume they would have referred me there.
Now I will go back to my original intent which is to invite you on my "Money Saving" journey. This morning as I watched the Today Show, there was a quote that was mentioned from Hoda's new book that she says changed her life. "Your journey is not all about you." I agree, if you are on a journey and you are learning from that journey, no matter what it is, you have an obligation to share your experiences and knowledge with those who want to listen. Use your experiences to help others.
When I told my readers to go to the Dollar Store for bread, I have to assume that you know that the Dollar Store does not offer the same amenities and services as Publix, but I figured that my readers were smart enough to know that. Just as when I told my story about calling the local vets, you need to know that they were just that, Phone calls to the clerk who answered the phone at the vet's office. I was merely stating prices on the specific items that I was requesting, and I did not stop by to see the vet's credentials, cleanliness of the facility, or chat with the vet to see if he or she was personable. As for the recommendation of the vet clinic in Beaufort, sorry, but that came directly from the Humane Society on Hilton Head Island. I can only infer that they do not know of a more affordable vet nearby, or I assume they would have referred me there.
Now I will go back to my original intent which is to invite you on my "Money Saving" journey. This morning as I watched the Today Show, there was a quote that was mentioned from Hoda's new book that she says changed her life. "Your journey is not all about you." I agree, if you are on a journey and you are learning from that journey, no matter what it is, you have an obligation to share your experiences and knowledge with those who want to listen. Use your experiences to help others.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Pet Care Adds Up
If you have any pets, you know that they can be extremely costly to take care of, feed, and the vet bills can be nothing short of outrageous. I take my daughters to the pediatrician many times a year, and I never have that pit in the stomach feeling that I do when I visit the vets with my dogs. I agonize over having to make their appointments knowing full well that I will be bullied into items that my dogs probably don't really need, but because I want to be a good Pet Caregiver, I feel too badly to say, "No."
It's that time of year again, the time where the dogs need to go in for their annual checkups, and get their shots. They also need heartworm and flea medications too, which as I sit here typing this I can almost feel my throat begin to close up a little in anticipation of the bill that I will receive. "No MORE", I think as I move to another browser in my screen and begin searching for more vets in the area. Maybe it's just my vet, and possibly I have chosen the most expensive vet in Bluffton. When I find the Vet websites, absolutely none of them list the costs fore services related to the annual check ups, shots, or medication offered. This is not going to be easy, but I'm ready to put in the work to save the money. So we called 3 Vets in Bluffton and none of the prices were the same:
Banfield Pet Hospital
Affordable Pet Clinic (Beaufort, SC)
It's that time of year again, the time where the dogs need to go in for their annual checkups, and get their shots. They also need heartworm and flea medications too, which as I sit here typing this I can almost feel my throat begin to close up a little in anticipation of the bill that I will receive. "No MORE", I think as I move to another browser in my screen and begin searching for more vets in the area. Maybe it's just my vet, and possibly I have chosen the most expensive vet in Bluffton. When I find the Vet websites, absolutely none of them list the costs fore services related to the annual check ups, shots, or medication offered. This is not going to be easy, but I'm ready to put in the work to save the money. So we called 3 Vets in Bluffton and none of the prices were the same:
Banfield Pet Hospital
- Exam $110/ dog not including the Heartworm and feces test - Includes Rabies, DHLP, and Bordetalla shots
- Heartworm and feces test (which they recommend) $75/pet
- Heartworm meds (6 for $35)
- Frontline (4 for $57)
- Exam $186/dog - includes Rabies, DHLP, Bordatella, and Feces test. If you want a 3 year Rabies, add $23.
- Heartworm (Interceptor) ($55.75 for 6 - 55lb and up) ($40.50 for 6 - under 55lbs) and singles for $10
- Frontline (55lb dog - 6 for $78) (45lb dog - 6 for $75), Singles are $18 and $17
- Exam $150/dog - includes 3 year Rabies, DHLP, Bordatella, heartworm and feces test.
- Heartworm (Interceptor) (55lb - 6 for $49)(45lb - 6 for $36)
- Heartworm (Heartgrade) (55lb - 6 for $43) (45lb - 6 for $38)
- Advantage (55lb - 7 for $90) (45lb - 7 for $85)
Affordable Pet Clinic (Beaufort, SC)
- Exam $75/dog includes 3 year Rabies, DHLP, Dewormer, and Heartworm test. Bordatella is $15 extra.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Garage Sale 101
In order to live a more clutter free life and make some additional money, it is always good to have a yard or garage sale from time to time. Our Community has one every spring and fall and we join in almost every time. It always amazes me how much stuff we seem to accumulate in our house, garage, back yard, etc. Even though I have cleaned out my closet numerous times over the last few years, I still have a huge amount of clothing that I never seem to wear. This past Saturday we threw our own garage sale without the help of the community advertisement and the additional houses selling stuff too. I was absolutely amazed by the amount of people that showed up and was so very happy to see almost all of our items go.
When we decided to have our own sale without the rest of the community, I was a little worried. I knew that the traffic was obviously higher on the day of the Community Sale as I am drawn more to a community yard sale than one that is all alone. My thinking is that I can see more at one time and I won't be driving all over town from one to another, so I assumed that others shared my "Garage Sale Laziness" also. I was so WRONG. In the week before the sale, I gathered items from the house, and mentally made note of the furniture that needed to be moved out. The night before the yard sale, my husband and I moved all the items for sale to the garage and tagged most of the stuff with prices. We set up the tables that would be pushed out, cleaned the garage, and cleaned up the items for sale as well. I had advertised on Craigslist a few times that week, and had already gotten a call about some of the items that we had for sale.
The morning of the sale, I meant to get up at 5am, but I didn't actually get out of bed until 6am. By 6:30am my husband and I were pushing the items for sale out to the driveway and setting up. Even though I had advertised that the sale started at 8am, at 7 o'clock on the dot, a van pulled up and 6 or 7 guys came into the driveway to look at the items we had for sale. I had about 3/4 of the stuff out and tagged, and by 7:05 we had sold an entire bedroom set and loaded half of it into the van. After that it was a steady stream of people until about 9:45am. It died down around 10am, and by 11am we had sold the majority of our items. It was a great success and I highly recommend it. If you don't have tables, you can always use 2 sawhorses with a board on top, or for clothes, just place them on a blanket laid out. While I didn't think that we would make as much money without the Community Yard Sale support, but we ended up making more money and I think it was because we did not have any competition and people only bring a certain amount of money. In a community yard sale, they could spend all their money before they get to your sale. I found out that we sold more furniture and big items in our own sale, but sold many more small items and knickknacks in the Community one. Set yours according to what you are selling. Below are some tips that I learned along the way:
1. Get change the night before. Go and get $20 in change, mostly ones and keep in an envelope in your pocket.
2. Advertise, Advertise, Advertise - Put your ad on Craigslist and any other free listings in your area. Include as much detail as possible as people are looking for specific items and it could be just what they are looking for. Mention it on the Bluffton Today blogs and your Facebook status.
3. Have some plastic grocery bags available for customers to carry away their goods.
4. Clean your items before you put them out. Customers are looking for gently used items, not gross dirty items. A rag and some cleaner can do wonders for your stuff.
5. Place signs at your entrance and at every turn telling customers how to get there. Put your address on the sign as well.
6. Get out there early and be ready, we have always sold the majority of our items between 7 and 9am.
7. Be ready to haggle, I'm not that good at this so I leave it to my husband. But price your items $2 or $3 above what you want to sell them for, so you have a little wiggle room.
When we decided to have our own sale without the rest of the community, I was a little worried. I knew that the traffic was obviously higher on the day of the Community Sale as I am drawn more to a community yard sale than one that is all alone. My thinking is that I can see more at one time and I won't be driving all over town from one to another, so I assumed that others shared my "Garage Sale Laziness" also. I was so WRONG. In the week before the sale, I gathered items from the house, and mentally made note of the furniture that needed to be moved out. The night before the yard sale, my husband and I moved all the items for sale to the garage and tagged most of the stuff with prices. We set up the tables that would be pushed out, cleaned the garage, and cleaned up the items for sale as well. I had advertised on Craigslist a few times that week, and had already gotten a call about some of the items that we had for sale.
The morning of the sale, I meant to get up at 5am, but I didn't actually get out of bed until 6am. By 6:30am my husband and I were pushing the items for sale out to the driveway and setting up. Even though I had advertised that the sale started at 8am, at 7 o'clock on the dot, a van pulled up and 6 or 7 guys came into the driveway to look at the items we had for sale. I had about 3/4 of the stuff out and tagged, and by 7:05 we had sold an entire bedroom set and loaded half of it into the van. After that it was a steady stream of people until about 9:45am. It died down around 10am, and by 11am we had sold the majority of our items. It was a great success and I highly recommend it. If you don't have tables, you can always use 2 sawhorses with a board on top, or for clothes, just place them on a blanket laid out. While I didn't think that we would make as much money without the Community Yard Sale support, but we ended up making more money and I think it was because we did not have any competition and people only bring a certain amount of money. In a community yard sale, they could spend all their money before they get to your sale. I found out that we sold more furniture and big items in our own sale, but sold many more small items and knickknacks in the Community one. Set yours according to what you are selling. Below are some tips that I learned along the way:
1. Get change the night before. Go and get $20 in change, mostly ones and keep in an envelope in your pocket.
2. Advertise, Advertise, Advertise - Put your ad on Craigslist and any other free listings in your area. Include as much detail as possible as people are looking for specific items and it could be just what they are looking for. Mention it on the Bluffton Today blogs and your Facebook status.
3. Have some plastic grocery bags available for customers to carry away their goods.
4. Clean your items before you put them out. Customers are looking for gently used items, not gross dirty items. A rag and some cleaner can do wonders for your stuff.
5. Place signs at your entrance and at every turn telling customers how to get there. Put your address on the sign as well.
6. Get out there early and be ready, we have always sold the majority of our items between 7 and 9am.
7. Be ready to haggle, I'm not that good at this so I leave it to my husband. But price your items $2 or $3 above what you want to sell them for, so you have a little wiggle room.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Panic Attack . . .
As I log into Mint.com tonight to take a look at my spending trends lately, the first thing that jumps out at me is a piggy bank wrapped in Christmas lights with a note that says, "The Holidays are only 12 weeks away!" Since I can feel my heart start to beat a little bit faster with this news, I thought I would have to share this with you. OH MY GOD, since I normally do my Christmas shopping starting on black Friday, that means that in about 8 weeks I will need to have enough Christmas money set aside to do my shopping.
Wow, it's amazing to me how quickly that can make me nervous. We have been doing so well with our spending, but somehow around the holidays, we get a little crazy. For the past few years, we have been waking up at 4am to Christmas shop on black Friday morning. Well worth it if you have kids, as there are some really great deals. I normally start googling the black Friday ads weeks before and planning out my mission. I know that I need to get to each store right when it opens if the item I am looking for is something that will go quickly. From recent years, Walmart opens at 5am, Target at 6am, and last year, we were walking into Toys R Us at 4:30am which was 4 hours after they had opened. CRAZY but true, the Saver in me comes out this day every year and I normally do pretty well with my Christmas shopping.
To start, I first make a list of everyone I need to buy for this year. Then I set a budget for each person or couple depending on how they are listed. For the girls, I do set a budget too, but I have never been very good at sticking to it. Then I start to browse the ads and begin picking gifts for each person on my list. I circle the toys for the girls and zone in on the best toys for the best value. I also have a knack for going to my rewards points this time of year. My Wachovia debit gives points for each time it is used as a credit card, and last year I got a $100 Toys R Us gift card with the points that we used to buy our toddler a toy kitchen. I didn't have to pay anything for those points, I just have to remember to use my debit card as a credit card when I pay at places like the gas station and stores.
So beginning this week, I am going to try to cut my spending back another $20 so that I can begin putting that toward my Christmas spending. As I write this, I am labeling an envelope "Christmas Money" and placing it into the junk drawer. I will need to put $20 in each week so that I start out with a pot of $160.00 that money that I know won't go onto the Credit Card.
Wow, it's amazing to me how quickly that can make me nervous. We have been doing so well with our spending, but somehow around the holidays, we get a little crazy. For the past few years, we have been waking up at 4am to Christmas shop on black Friday morning. Well worth it if you have kids, as there are some really great deals. I normally start googling the black Friday ads weeks before and planning out my mission. I know that I need to get to each store right when it opens if the item I am looking for is something that will go quickly. From recent years, Walmart opens at 5am, Target at 6am, and last year, we were walking into Toys R Us at 4:30am which was 4 hours after they had opened. CRAZY but true, the Saver in me comes out this day every year and I normally do pretty well with my Christmas shopping.
To start, I first make a list of everyone I need to buy for this year. Then I set a budget for each person or couple depending on how they are listed. For the girls, I do set a budget too, but I have never been very good at sticking to it. Then I start to browse the ads and begin picking gifts for each person on my list. I circle the toys for the girls and zone in on the best toys for the best value. I also have a knack for going to my rewards points this time of year. My Wachovia debit gives points for each time it is used as a credit card, and last year I got a $100 Toys R Us gift card with the points that we used to buy our toddler a toy kitchen. I didn't have to pay anything for those points, I just have to remember to use my debit card as a credit card when I pay at places like the gas station and stores.
So beginning this week, I am going to try to cut my spending back another $20 so that I can begin putting that toward my Christmas spending. As I write this, I am labeling an envelope "Christmas Money" and placing it into the junk drawer. I will need to put $20 in each week so that I start out with a pot of $160.00 that money that I know won't go onto the Credit Card.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Football Season's Here!!!!
Football Season is here and for us that means Sunday Funday Football with yummy football food and snacks. One of our favorite dips to make is the Chicken Wing Dip that I got from a friend and have since passed the recipe on and on. Such an easy yummy treat, not healthy at all, but this time of year a lot of the ingredients are on sale. You know that I talk about the Rotisserie Chickens a lot, and I have been told that when they go on sale, you can buy them and freeze them in freezer bags if you want to use them in a dish later. I have not tried this yet, but be assured that I will. When they are on sale, I definitely recommend the dip below, and the other ingredients have coupons throughout this season as well:
Chicken Wing Dip
2 Cups Chopped Chicken (I use the chicken from a Rotisserie, but to save money you can cook the chicken yourself)
3/4 Hot Sauce (I use Franks Hot Sauce, and they do put a coupon in the Red Plum insert from time to time)
2 blocks of Cream Cheese (Coupons.com has coupons for cream cheese right now)
1/2 cup Blue Cheese dressing (I use the one in the produce section, and there was a coupon in the Red Plum this week)
1 Cup shredded Cheddar (Again, there is a coupon on Coupon.com and one came out of the Red plum too)
Tortilla scoops (On sale at Publix this week)
In an 8x8 dish or casserole dish, spread the cream cheese on the bottom of the dish. In a separate bowl combine the chicken and hot sauce. Place the chicken mixture over top of the cream cheese. Spread the Blue Cheese dressing on top of the Chicken mixture, top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 mins or until bubbly at the sides. Serve with Tortilla scoops or Triskets. YUMMY!!
(Other recipes call for canned chicken and more blue cheese; I prefer this recipe, but it's totally up to you! Also if you really hate Blue Cheese, you can always substitute Ranch instead.)
Chicken Wing Dip
2 Cups Chopped Chicken (I use the chicken from a Rotisserie, but to save money you can cook the chicken yourself)
3/4 Hot Sauce (I use Franks Hot Sauce, and they do put a coupon in the Red Plum insert from time to time)
2 blocks of Cream Cheese (Coupons.com has coupons for cream cheese right now)
1/2 cup Blue Cheese dressing (I use the one in the produce section, and there was a coupon in the Red Plum this week)
1 Cup shredded Cheddar (Again, there is a coupon on Coupon.com and one came out of the Red plum too)
Tortilla scoops (On sale at Publix this week)
In an 8x8 dish or casserole dish, spread the cream cheese on the bottom of the dish. In a separate bowl combine the chicken and hot sauce. Place the chicken mixture over top of the cream cheese. Spread the Blue Cheese dressing on top of the Chicken mixture, top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 mins or until bubbly at the sides. Serve with Tortilla scoops or Triskets. YUMMY!!
(Other recipes call for canned chicken and more blue cheese; I prefer this recipe, but it's totally up to you! Also if you really hate Blue Cheese, you can always substitute Ranch instead.)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Picnic Time
The weather is getting cooler around here, which for me means that we can finally get outside a bit more to get the much needed fresh air and enjoy the outdoors before winter gets here. Whenever I think of going outside and spending some time, I think “PICNIC.” Picnics are a great chance to save money and enjoy the scenery in the Low Country while not breaking the bank. There are some great offerings for picnic ideas at the local grocery stores this week whether you want to do a dinner picnic at the beach or head to the Beaufort Water front with a blanket for a great water view lunch.
Obviously sandwiches are a great lunch choice, I have found that Food Lion normally has the best deals on lunch meat, but I am not a huge fan of their customer service. Publix has a Serrano Ham in the deli that is always $2.99 per pound, where you only need about a ½ pound for a few sandwiches. This week there is a Land O’lakes coupon at Coupons.com for $1.00 off deli cheese, so if you need some cheese for your sandwiches, this is a great savings. If you want to pump it up a notch, head to the bakery and grab some good sub rolls that are normally about $2.00 or so, or throw it on your bread from home for free – Your Choice. For some healthy side items, Crunch Pak Apple slices are $2.50, Pears are .99 per pound, and the Eat Smart Veggies are $1.67 each. Grab some cookies or cream cake to satisfy your sweet tooth and you can easily feed your gang for less than $10.00.
For a picnic dinner, Publix has a meal deal where you can get fried chicken, 2 sides, and bread for normally around $10.99, I think. This goes on sale from time to time as well. This is not the healthiest option, but it’s such a good choice when you want to splurge on calories because their fried chicken is yummy! We normally grab a container of potato salad and macaroni salad, with the sweet rolls for a treat on the beach. They have the napkins and utensils and the bag to boot, so toss it all in and you have an indulgent treat at a cost saving price.
Obviously sandwiches are a great lunch choice, I have found that Food Lion normally has the best deals on lunch meat, but I am not a huge fan of their customer service. Publix has a Serrano Ham in the deli that is always $2.99 per pound, where you only need about a ½ pound for a few sandwiches. This week there is a Land O’lakes coupon at Coupons.com for $1.00 off deli cheese, so if you need some cheese for your sandwiches, this is a great savings. If you want to pump it up a notch, head to the bakery and grab some good sub rolls that are normally about $2.00 or so, or throw it on your bread from home for free – Your Choice. For some healthy side items, Crunch Pak Apple slices are $2.50, Pears are .99 per pound, and the Eat Smart Veggies are $1.67 each. Grab some cookies or cream cake to satisfy your sweet tooth and you can easily feed your gang for less than $10.00.
For a picnic dinner, Publix has a meal deal where you can get fried chicken, 2 sides, and bread for normally around $10.99, I think. This goes on sale from time to time as well. This is not the healthiest option, but it’s such a good choice when you want to splurge on calories because their fried chicken is yummy! We normally grab a container of potato salad and macaroni salad, with the sweet rolls for a treat on the beach. They have the napkins and utensils and the bag to boot, so toss it all in and you have an indulgent treat at a cost saving price.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Keep Positive, things could be worse . . .
You know that I have been listening to stories from my friends and family lately regarding their finances and troubles with money in general, and my husband constantly reminds me, "it could be worse." I always nod, yes, he is right, but I never really take the time to consider what part could be worse. When he says it, I completely agree, but it's just a hypothetical and doesn't seem to keep me from wallowing later on. This past Sunday we were sitting in church, we had dropped our toddler off in the nursery, but I always keep our infant with me so that I can make sure her needs are met. This isn't always easy, and I do try to keep her as quiet as possible, regardless of what the people around me think. As I was rocking and feeding and rocking her, I heard the pastor start to talk about brooks drying up in our lives. He metaphorically compared a brook drying up to unemployment, loss of a house, or less opportunities and money as before. My husband and I looked at each other eerily, and my focus went back to the pastor. I was thinking about things that we had lost over the last few years.
We make less money, we are on a tighter budget, bills seem to be growing by the minute, and I feel like my brook has begun to dry up. With that I listened more closely, as the pastor singled out a man in the church with his wife. He told the story of this man fighting a very aggressive form of cancer, and how he has been told by doctors that there is not much more they can do for him. Tears filled my eyes as I held my infant closer. He told of the good times in this man's life and how the man is feeling that his brook is drying up. Hard times have befallen him and he doesn't know why. Once the tears started to come, I could not stop them. I was crying for this man, but also crying because of how selfish I felt. Here I was in church worrying about our income growing smaller, when a few rows ahead of me, a woman was worrying that her husband is dying. It touched me, and it make me realize how small my problems really are in comparison. Yes, I will continue to save money and work toward my goal, but I also need a reality check from time to time to remind me that things could be so much worse.
We make less money, we are on a tighter budget, bills seem to be growing by the minute, and I feel like my brook has begun to dry up. With that I listened more closely, as the pastor singled out a man in the church with his wife. He told the story of this man fighting a very aggressive form of cancer, and how he has been told by doctors that there is not much more they can do for him. Tears filled my eyes as I held my infant closer. He told of the good times in this man's life and how the man is feeling that his brook is drying up. Hard times have befallen him and he doesn't know why. Once the tears started to come, I could not stop them. I was crying for this man, but also crying because of how selfish I felt. Here I was in church worrying about our income growing smaller, when a few rows ahead of me, a woman was worrying that her husband is dying. It touched me, and it make me realize how small my problems really are in comparison. Yes, I will continue to save money and work toward my goal, but I also need a reality check from time to time to remind me that things could be so much worse.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Get back on the horse
This is a journey because if I had mastered the art of saving money by now, I wouldn't be in the position of having to keep a tight budget. The biggest reason that we fail in our budgeted spending is that we love to be out and eat out. We went to the beach one night last week and didn't really think about dinner. Around 5:30pm our toddler started to get cranky, and we were just coming off the beach. We were all getting hungry for dinner and it occurred to me that we would be getting home around 6pm or so, then I would need to cook something for dinner and we may not eat until 7pm. Way too late for our little one and we were not wanting to wait either. Across the street is Fudruckers, which is against both of our mantras lately: Eat Healthy and Save Money. So we totally blew it. We spend $26.00 on hamburgers and fries for 3 people. It was yummy, but it came with the feeling of regret afterward.
I refuse to beat myself up for these off track events, that is exactly why it is a journey for us and now we just need to get back on that horse and keep going forward. This week I will try to be a little tighter on my grocery shopping because of our splurge, and keep trying to find additional ways to cut my budget.
I refuse to beat myself up for these off track events, that is exactly why it is a journey for us and now we just need to get back on that horse and keep going forward. This week I will try to be a little tighter on my grocery shopping because of our splurge, and keep trying to find additional ways to cut my budget.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Talk about it!
I was raised that it is taboo to talk about money . . . how much we make, how much we spend, how much debt someone is carrying. Well, in writing this blog I pretty much threw that right out of the window, but I still find myself closing down a bit when people are trying to talk to me about money. I am throwing out the savings ideas left and right, but today when I am getting my hair cut, the hair stylist is talking to me about saving money because she is saving for a car. She starts to tell me a bit about how she ran up some credit cards at 18 years old and is still paying them off. Did I jump in and start giving her some of my ideas, did I at least offer that I had done the same thing when I was 18 years old? Nope, I just sat there and listened. I did offer that I was writing a blog on the subject, she seemed interested, but for some reason I did not say another word about it. I swear that there is a little person that sits on my shoulder saying, "You shouldn't be talking about this, it's not right". I would like to squish that little guy, because here I sit regretting that I didn't pipe up and try to help her.
The point today is to talk about it. Talk to your friends, talk to your family, talk to anyone who will listen, because many of us have been taught not to talk about finances and money. BUT . . . I have found that my friends have some great tips, and each one does things a little different that if we put all the ideas into a plan of action, we could dig ourselves right out of debt. One of my friends uses Ebates.com when she buys diapers from diapers.com. She tells me that the diapers there are the cheapest around, and they offer free shipping. By using Ebates, she gets money back just for purchasing the items that she needs to buy anyway. My other friend collects the Pampers rewards and earns enough to get a diapers.com gift card from time to time, and even gets the rewards from her daycare to earn more. Hey, if no one is using them, why shouldn't she??
As a side note, to save money lately on my beauty routine, I have stopped highlighting my hair cold turkey. I have been coloring and getting my hair done on a monthly basis since I was 15, and now is the time to stop. Just by getting my hair only cut and styled today instead of highlighting it, I saved over $100. Since I would normally spend over $150.00 at the salon to get my hair done, I'm now spending more like $50! Super bonus, I am going to be posting a note next week of some of the salons in the area and their prices. We all know that it's so hard to comparison shop for your hair-do, so we just pay what they tell us to. Today that stops, let's be informed Bluffton consumers instead!
The point today is to talk about it. Talk to your friends, talk to your family, talk to anyone who will listen, because many of us have been taught not to talk about finances and money. BUT . . . I have found that my friends have some great tips, and each one does things a little different that if we put all the ideas into a plan of action, we could dig ourselves right out of debt. One of my friends uses Ebates.com when she buys diapers from diapers.com. She tells me that the diapers there are the cheapest around, and they offer free shipping. By using Ebates, she gets money back just for purchasing the items that she needs to buy anyway. My other friend collects the Pampers rewards and earns enough to get a diapers.com gift card from time to time, and even gets the rewards from her daycare to earn more. Hey, if no one is using them, why shouldn't she??
As a side note, to save money lately on my beauty routine, I have stopped highlighting my hair cold turkey. I have been coloring and getting my hair done on a monthly basis since I was 15, and now is the time to stop. Just by getting my hair only cut and styled today instead of highlighting it, I saved over $100. Since I would normally spend over $150.00 at the salon to get my hair done, I'm now spending more like $50! Super bonus, I am going to be posting a note next week of some of the salons in the area and their prices. We all know that it's so hard to comparison shop for your hair-do, so we just pay what they tell us to. Today that stops, let's be informed Bluffton consumers instead!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Coupons Coupons and More Coupons
If you picked up your Sunday paper this week, then you got the P&G coupon booklet, right???? Great coupons this week, and the big bonus is the Coupon Booklet that you can receive from P&G which they are claiming is worth $110 in savings. Thankfully, I have been saving my receipts each week so that I can comparison shop and look back at prices and savings; so I am already in the habit of sticking them in a safe place.
In order to receive this coupon booklet, you need to spend at least $50 on P&G items between 08/20/10 and 12/31/10. I use Tide and Pampers, and can tell you that I spend close to $80 per month on diapers so I don't see this being a problem at all. Other qualifying items that you may already buy include Crest, Bounty, Cascade, Charmin, Downey, and Duracell batteries. Heck just in getting a hurricane supply bin together you could probably rack up enough items to get this coupon book. The Mail In Form appeared on the 2nd page of the P&G coupons, but if you didn't have a chance to get the Sunday paper this week, there is a link to the form that you can use at www.southernsavers.com.
This Sunday when I went to Publix, I used $18.00 in coupons alone, I was so proud of myself because really that's the equivalent of a package of diapers for me, or a manicure but who's really keeping tabs on that :)
In order to receive this coupon booklet, you need to spend at least $50 on P&G items between 08/20/10 and 12/31/10. I use Tide and Pampers, and can tell you that I spend close to $80 per month on diapers so I don't see this being a problem at all. Other qualifying items that you may already buy include Crest, Bounty, Cascade, Charmin, Downey, and Duracell batteries. Heck just in getting a hurricane supply bin together you could probably rack up enough items to get this coupon book. The Mail In Form appeared on the 2nd page of the P&G coupons, but if you didn't have a chance to get the Sunday paper this week, there is a link to the form that you can use at www.southernsavers.com.
This Sunday when I went to Publix, I used $18.00 in coupons alone, I was so proud of myself because really that's the equivalent of a package of diapers for me, or a manicure but who's really keeping tabs on that :)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Emptying my tank
Over the last year, Mint.com estimates that I have spent $6,600 in gas and fuel for a Toyota Tacoma and a Toyota Venza. Quick math will tell you that according to that information, I spend on average $550 per month, $126 per week, and $18 per day on gas alone. This was a shocking number for me, because I don't consider myself to be a commuter, nor do I think that we spend a great deal of time in the car at all. When I start to add all the auto amounts in my head, including car payments, insurance, maintenance, and gas . . . my heart begins to race as I come up with the number; we spend $52 per day on our cars. For now our car payments are set, we just changed our auto insurance company to lower the monthly costs, and my husband has started to change the oil in our cars himself. That really only leaves us with gas. I did a little research and found some tips for saving money on gas. I am going to start implementing some of them; I say some of them because you must know this about me . . . I love my car and I love to drive. In my car I come up with some of my greatest ideas, I can formulate answers to the biggest problems in my life, and when life gets a little crazy, I can turn up the music and jam my worries away! So knowing this, you must know that giving up driving entirely is not an option, but cutting back - Let's see, shall we:
1. Park in the first spot that you see, don't drive around finding one that is closer or more convenient (I am so guilty of this one, including the fact that I sometimes drop my husband at a store only to drive around the parking lot to lull the baby back to sleep)
2. Take care of your car - apparently cars that are well maintained run more efficiently and get better gas mileage (Oops, I am super guilty of this one, yes I am the girl that will let my car go 10,000 miles without an oil change.)
3. Find better gas prices - I use gasbuddy.com, but don't go overboard when looking for the cheapest gas because if you are driving further to get the better price, you could be spending more than you are saving.
4. Drive less (duh) - but the funny thing about this one is that we are all guilty of it. This is where you go to Target in the morning to get diapers, then head out later to Walgreens to pick up the prescription that you forgot to get earlier. Make a list of everything that you need to do and try to minimize trips.
How much do you spend in gas per day? I'll bet that you don't know. . . find out the answer and possibly find out the key to saving a little bit more money!
1. Park in the first spot that you see, don't drive around finding one that is closer or more convenient (I am so guilty of this one, including the fact that I sometimes drop my husband at a store only to drive around the parking lot to lull the baby back to sleep)
2. Take care of your car - apparently cars that are well maintained run more efficiently and get better gas mileage (Oops, I am super guilty of this one, yes I am the girl that will let my car go 10,000 miles without an oil change.)
3. Find better gas prices - I use gasbuddy.com, but don't go overboard when looking for the cheapest gas because if you are driving further to get the better price, you could be spending more than you are saving.
4. Drive less (duh) - but the funny thing about this one is that we are all guilty of it. This is where you go to Target in the morning to get diapers, then head out later to Walgreens to pick up the prescription that you forgot to get earlier. Make a list of everything that you need to do and try to minimize trips.
How much do you spend in gas per day? I'll bet that you don't know. . . find out the answer and possibly find out the key to saving a little bit more money!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Date Night In!
Planning a date night this weekend to save money on both the babysitter and going out in general. I want to make it nice enough so I'm not missing going out, so while I don't want to go too overboard in my spending, I want to buy nicer items that we normally wouldn't eat for dinner that might be on sale. Publix has small lobster tails on sale for $4.99 each, and grilling veggies on sale for 99 cents per pound. Any of the grilling veggies can be easily tossed in a little bit of olive oil with salt and pepper, then put them in the oven to roast at 425. Roasted veggies and lobster tails for dinner, now you're talking. If you're a steak person, they also have T-Bones and Porterhouse steaks on sale too. Bonus . . . Popcorn is on sale too - buy one get one free so a package is only $1.50. I think I'm gonna have to get some popcorn and a movie, (movie rentals from the machine at Publix are only $1/day and are new releases). For under $15, we can have a date night in with a lobster and roasted veggie dinner, with popcorn and a movie! Grab a bottle of wine from the wine rack and we are in business.
If Publix isn't your store of choice, most grocery stores have the movie rental machine, there is even one at the Parker's on 170. Another good tip that I learned is that grocery stores put their best sale items on the front page of the flyer, so you know it's a good buy if it's on the front page because it's meant to grab your attention.
If Publix isn't your store of choice, most grocery stores have the movie rental machine, there is even one at the Parker's on 170. Another good tip that I learned is that grocery stores put their best sale items on the front page of the flyer, so you know it's a good buy if it's on the front page because it's meant to grab your attention.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Fun Weekend Day Trips
As the weekend is approaching and I've been staying in town week after week to save money, I feel a little bit antsy so I decided to come up with a few day trips from Bluffton that won't break the bank. A day trip with the kids takes a little prior planning, but we can usually drum up some bags and get in the car pretty quickly when we put our mind to it.
Columbia is such an easy drive; only 2 hours and it really doesn't even feel that long, and such a great place to take the kids if you have never been there. They have a wonderful zoo, called the Riverbanks Zoo that boasts a carousel, a train ride, animals that you can feed if you get there in time, and pony rides too. The price is very reasonable for how large it is, Adults are $11.75, children ages 3 to 12 yrs are $9.25, and children under 3 are free. Senior citizens and military also receive extra discounts. Since my two kids are both under 3, it only costs us $23.50 for the day for entry to the park. If you happen to be able to go on a Tuesday this summer, they are offering 2 for 1 admission if you bring 2 cans with you for recycling. Rides and feeding the animals are anywhere from $1 to $5 per person in the zoo, but you really don't have to do those things if you don't want to. To save money on food, we would opt to pack a lunch and eat it on the way, or there is a picnic area near the zoo that you can use as well. The last time we went, we only bought a few snacks, but one of the cafes offered a tiger lunch box that included a PB&J sandwich, Teddygrams, and a juice box for $6.50. It was a super bonus because my toddler got a souvenir and a snack all for $6.50, not bad in a place like that. Check out the website to the zoo for more information:
http://www.riverbanks.org/
If it happens to be raining, head to the EdVenture Children's Museum, which is such a fun interactive place for little ones and their imagination. Children and Adults are $9.50 each, Seniors and military receive a discount, and children under 1 year are free. Our clan pays $28.50 for entry but it is well worth it to wear out our toddler and have a lot of fun ourselves. Again, I would recommend packing a lunch and eating on the way to save on funds, but they also have McDonalds inside if you don't want to stop somewhere on the way. Kids can grocery shop, climb through the worlds largest child, make a large variety of crafts, or go camping indoors!
http://www.edventure.org
Since a tank of gas for my car costs about $35.00, and I normally can get at least 4 hours or more of highway driving in, this entire trip costs no more than $75 for the day, if you don't want to pack your lunch or bring snacks for the car, you could still get to Columbia and back for under $100. So get packing, cause your going on a day trip this weekend!!
Columbia is such an easy drive; only 2 hours and it really doesn't even feel that long, and such a great place to take the kids if you have never been there. They have a wonderful zoo, called the Riverbanks Zoo that boasts a carousel, a train ride, animals that you can feed if you get there in time, and pony rides too. The price is very reasonable for how large it is, Adults are $11.75, children ages 3 to 12 yrs are $9.25, and children under 3 are free. Senior citizens and military also receive extra discounts. Since my two kids are both under 3, it only costs us $23.50 for the day for entry to the park. If you happen to be able to go on a Tuesday this summer, they are offering 2 for 1 admission if you bring 2 cans with you for recycling. Rides and feeding the animals are anywhere from $1 to $5 per person in the zoo, but you really don't have to do those things if you don't want to. To save money on food, we would opt to pack a lunch and eat it on the way, or there is a picnic area near the zoo that you can use as well. The last time we went, we only bought a few snacks, but one of the cafes offered a tiger lunch box that included a PB&J sandwich, Teddygrams, and a juice box for $6.50. It was a super bonus because my toddler got a souvenir and a snack all for $6.50, not bad in a place like that. Check out the website to the zoo for more information:
http://www.riverbanks.org/
If it happens to be raining, head to the EdVenture Children's Museum, which is such a fun interactive place for little ones and their imagination. Children and Adults are $9.50 each, Seniors and military receive a discount, and children under 1 year are free. Our clan pays $28.50 for entry but it is well worth it to wear out our toddler and have a lot of fun ourselves. Again, I would recommend packing a lunch and eating on the way to save on funds, but they also have McDonalds inside if you don't want to stop somewhere on the way. Kids can grocery shop, climb through the worlds largest child, make a large variety of crafts, or go camping indoors!
http://www.edventure.org
Since a tank of gas for my car costs about $35.00, and I normally can get at least 4 hours or more of highway driving in, this entire trip costs no more than $75 for the day, if you don't want to pack your lunch or bring snacks for the car, you could still get to Columbia and back for under $100. So get packing, cause your going on a day trip this weekend!!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Figs and Feedback
I knew as soon as I saw the ad in the Bluffton today that I would probably end up offending someone from Starbucks. Which of course I did, who decidedly called the Vox and complained that the headline for the article even appeared on the front page of the paper. Funny enough, in the article I did say how much I love Starbucks, how great the drive-through attendant is, and that it is in essence, my "happy place." Funny that this person even thinks that by my writing this article about cutting costs I have in essence put his/her job in jeopardy as well. Oh well, I guess you can't please everybody, but it could have just as easily been written about a cigarette company if I smoked, or Macy's if I was addicted to buying clothes. Anyhow back to saving money, in no particular order.
Figs . . . Have you ever eaten a fig? I'm sure that you have heard of Figgy Pudding, I think it's in Scrooge the movie and maybe even a Christmas song, but figs are super delicious. It just so happens that Figs are on sale at Publix, buy one get one free so if you only want one package (which is really all you need to buy at one time since they are very perishable), then they will only cost you $3.00. For figs, this is a great price since they normally run about $6.00 per pint in this area probably due to the fact that they are shipped all the way from California. Figs can be used in so many dishes, and are considered by some diet fanatics and nutritionists to be one of the super foods. This week, we are making a pizza with figs, prosciutto, and both fontina and mozzarella cheese. But since there are about 15 figs in the package, the pizza will only use 5. We will also be broiling them in the oven, drizzling them with honey and serving them over vanilla frozen yogurt for an "off my diet" treat.
If you happen to be having company this week or throwing a get together, buy a package of figs and stuff with cheese, then wrap with thin slices of prosciutto. Super easy and you will look like a gourmet chef. There are many recipes online, but any sweet or savory soft cheese will do just fine. You can serve them cold or pop them in the oven to crisp up the prosciutto and warm the cheese. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Figs can also be frozen for up to about 10 months or so if you don't plan on using the entire package.
Figs . . . Have you ever eaten a fig? I'm sure that you have heard of Figgy Pudding, I think it's in Scrooge the movie and maybe even a Christmas song, but figs are super delicious. It just so happens that Figs are on sale at Publix, buy one get one free so if you only want one package (which is really all you need to buy at one time since they are very perishable), then they will only cost you $3.00. For figs, this is a great price since they normally run about $6.00 per pint in this area probably due to the fact that they are shipped all the way from California. Figs can be used in so many dishes, and are considered by some diet fanatics and nutritionists to be one of the super foods. This week, we are making a pizza with figs, prosciutto, and both fontina and mozzarella cheese. But since there are about 15 figs in the package, the pizza will only use 5. We will also be broiling them in the oven, drizzling them with honey and serving them over vanilla frozen yogurt for an "off my diet" treat.
If you happen to be having company this week or throwing a get together, buy a package of figs and stuff with cheese, then wrap with thin slices of prosciutto. Super easy and you will look like a gourmet chef. There are many recipes online, but any sweet or savory soft cheese will do just fine. You can serve them cold or pop them in the oven to crisp up the prosciutto and warm the cheese. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Figs can also be frozen for up to about 10 months or so if you don't plan on using the entire package.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A Fine Line
As I am waiting in line at Publix today, I have a girl and guy in front of me checking out. I can't help but look at what groceries are on the belt as I wait (C'mon, you know that you do this too). I notice that they have a plethora of hot dog buns, 6 cases of a variety of Dr. Pepper, and Totino's Pizza rolls galore. While I am standing there, the cashier begins to ring the coupons through, which takes no less than 10 or 15 minutes. Her stack of coupons is amazing, I can't take my eyes off the ones that just keep on coming. I am so utterly interested as to how many she really has and how much savings that this is going to add up to. The girl turns to me, nods and apologizes for the seemingly never ending scans of coupons. "I have my own large stack too, so I understand," I offer, but she really doesn't give me the time of day, as I desperately wanted to chat about this to find out if she knew any secrets that I have not yet found. I continued on even though she wasn't really inviting me to, "I use southernsavers.com, it's a great website, they do all the work for you." This time she nods again and tells me that she uses that site too, offering nothing more. Feeling a little obnoxious, like those strangers who think it's OK to touch other people's children in public, I finally close my mouth and mentally tell myself not to open it again until she is gone. As her receipt prints out, I can't help but eavesdrop, because I am dying to know after this production exactly how much she saved. Her total savings was $215.00 - WOW!
Ok, then I begin to remember the items in her cart again and I have come to a conclusion. If you don't mind buying junk food, you can essentially get a super savings at the grocery store. Not for nothing, because my savings was $70.00, it just couldn't touch $215.00. For me there is a fine line, I definitely will have a few junk food items in my cart, but I know that it's also important to eat healthy and know what you are putting in your body. If you don't believe that, then I would urge you to watch both the documentaries: Food Inc and Super Size Me. Food Inc has changed the way that I buy food, and has if nothing else, made me more aware of the hormones, pesticides, and additives that are put into the food that we purchase from the grocery store.
Just a little side tip that I have started doing, before you throw out your already read magazines, flip through them for valuable coupons as well. Most magazines will have at least a few coupons and their expiration dates tend to be much later, the magazines that I found good coupons in were: Southern Living, Good Housekeeping, and Parenting.
I have also decided that I need a better coupon organizer, as I currently only have them separated into 3 categories right now which are: baby, food, and not food. I am finding that the more coupons you clip, the harder it gets to remember what you've got, so I think it's time to spend the $5.00 and upgrade to one with a few more compartments. Here is what I am thinking for more categories: Baby, Frozen, Dairy, Cereal, Paper goods, Canned goods, Drinks, Animal, and Personal Care. I again may need a Misc category too but I think that will better help me when I am preparing for my shopping trip.
Ok, then I begin to remember the items in her cart again and I have come to a conclusion. If you don't mind buying junk food, you can essentially get a super savings at the grocery store. Not for nothing, because my savings was $70.00, it just couldn't touch $215.00. For me there is a fine line, I definitely will have a few junk food items in my cart, but I know that it's also important to eat healthy and know what you are putting in your body. If you don't believe that, then I would urge you to watch both the documentaries: Food Inc and Super Size Me. Food Inc has changed the way that I buy food, and has if nothing else, made me more aware of the hormones, pesticides, and additives that are put into the food that we purchase from the grocery store.
Just a little side tip that I have started doing, before you throw out your already read magazines, flip through them for valuable coupons as well. Most magazines will have at least a few coupons and their expiration dates tend to be much later, the magazines that I found good coupons in were: Southern Living, Good Housekeeping, and Parenting.
I have also decided that I need a better coupon organizer, as I currently only have them separated into 3 categories right now which are: baby, food, and not food. I am finding that the more coupons you clip, the harder it gets to remember what you've got, so I think it's time to spend the $5.00 and upgrade to one with a few more compartments. Here is what I am thinking for more categories: Baby, Frozen, Dairy, Cereal, Paper goods, Canned goods, Drinks, Animal, and Personal Care. I again may need a Misc category too but I think that will better help me when I am preparing for my shopping trip.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Meals on sale
As I browse through the weekly ads this week, I make a mental list of the dinner items on sale that my family will eat and that stay within the confines of our healthy diet. At Publix, I note shrimp, rotisserie chicken, chicken breast tenders, ground beef, and tilapia. Shrimp is so yummy when tossed in a bowl with a tiny bit of olive oil and the grated peel of a lime. I have a flat top grill that flips into a graded grill that I am just in love with, for healthy, easy cooking with kids it's awesome. I just toss the shrimp on, no skewering required and cook for a few minutes, tossing with tongs. Then I top a salad of some sort with these yummy shrimp or serve with a steamed veggie and brown rice (your choice). If you're in a real hurry, the quick cooking rice goes on sale every few weeks and I tend to stock up, because you only have to microwave it for 90 seconds and coming in from a long day's work, I never feel like cooking for more than 15 mins tops.
The rotisserie chicken is wonderful too, you can quickly shred it and use it for so many dishes. With a little bit of mole sauce, cumin, and oregano, you can make the yummiest chicken tacos. Serve these with a salad or black beans and rice, Mmmmmm - it makes me hungry just thinking about it. If you have leftover shredded chicken, throw it in a Ziplock bag or Tupperware and use it during the week for sandwiches. If you're in the mood for spaghetti this week, Publix has ground beef, Barilla pasta, and bag salad on sale this week. Spaghetti sauce has been on sale for the last few weeks, so if you stocked up like I did, you can easily make a pot of pasta that serves 6 people with a small salad for approx $7.00. $1.17 per serving for dinner is exactly what I'm aiming for.
If you shop at Food Lion, your menu should include Shrimp skewers, ground beef, pork loin, and chicken breasts. At Kroger, the ad changes tomorrow but if you are shopping today, the menu should include pork loin, salmon, chicken breasts, tilapia, and rotisserie chicken. Happy planning and shopping this week!
The rotisserie chicken is wonderful too, you can quickly shred it and use it for so many dishes. With a little bit of mole sauce, cumin, and oregano, you can make the yummiest chicken tacos. Serve these with a salad or black beans and rice, Mmmmmm - it makes me hungry just thinking about it. If you have leftover shredded chicken, throw it in a Ziplock bag or Tupperware and use it during the week for sandwiches. If you're in the mood for spaghetti this week, Publix has ground beef, Barilla pasta, and bag salad on sale this week. Spaghetti sauce has been on sale for the last few weeks, so if you stocked up like I did, you can easily make a pot of pasta that serves 6 people with a small salad for approx $7.00. $1.17 per serving for dinner is exactly what I'm aiming for.
If you shop at Food Lion, your menu should include Shrimp skewers, ground beef, pork loin, and chicken breasts. At Kroger, the ad changes tomorrow but if you are shopping today, the menu should include pork loin, salmon, chicken breasts, tilapia, and rotisserie chicken. Happy planning and shopping this week!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Waste more, Spend more
It occurs to me as I begin cleaning out the refrigerator for my weekly shopping routine this week, that I throw away a lot of food. I am always frustrated by the zucchini that was just purchased that seems a little slimy still in it's prepackaged state, or the yogurt that I seemed to have pushed to the back of the fridge when I put the new groceries away. Even with my strict shopping and meal planning, I still seem to be losing money and obviously still over-buying a bit. So as I continued to clean out the fridge, I took out a piece of paper and a pen and started to write it all down:
1 Cantaloupe
Lg plain yogurt
1 bag of mixed greens
1 opened container of pizza sauce
approx 1/4 lb deli ham
1 avocado
2 lemons
1 bag of radishes
3 sm containers of mac & cheese
The saddest part is that I have yet to even get to the pantry or the freezer, let alone opened the refrigerator in the garage. The food that I pulled out of my kitchen refrigerator is estimated at about $13.00 of wasted food that could have been used to pay down my credit card or help with my electric bill; this is only one week of food waste which means that I could be throwing away over $600 a year.
After doing a little bit of research, I found some tips on food storage that I will begin to implement:
1 Cantaloupe
Lg plain yogurt
1 bag of mixed greens
1 opened container of pizza sauce
approx 1/4 lb deli ham
1 avocado
2 lemons
1 bag of radishes
3 sm containers of mac & cheese
The saddest part is that I have yet to even get to the pantry or the freezer, let alone opened the refrigerator in the garage. The food that I pulled out of my kitchen refrigerator is estimated at about $13.00 of wasted food that could have been used to pay down my credit card or help with my electric bill; this is only one week of food waste which means that I could be throwing away over $600 a year.
After doing a little bit of research, I found some tips on food storage that I will begin to implement:
- Store vegetables and fruits separately to reduce ethylene gas build up in the refrigerator
- Store herbs upright in a glass of water covered with at plastic bag for longest shelf life
- While foods like Apples, Cantaloupes, and berries should be stored in the refrigerator, bananas, tomatoes, watermelon, and mangoes should be stored on the counter out of direct sunlight
- Store onions, potatoes, and squash in a cool, dry place
- It is recommended that berries are stored unwashed and in a single layer (this one seems a little tough for space reasons, so I will simply try to eat my berries more quickly)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Celebration Time!
Whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or exciting life event, there will always be a need for Celebration from time to time. As I am learning more each day, the key to saving money in any of these events is planning. This coming Saturday night, my husband and I will be going out to celebrate the fact that I just earned myself a column in the local newspaper, The Bluffton Today. While this may not seem like an enormous achievement, you would have to know that I began my schooling long ago as a Communication major at East Carolina University. I have never pursued this avenue before but it has always been a life long dream for me. So as any good husband would, mine is taking me out for a night on the town to tie one on.
In keeping with my money saving theme, planning is the key to saving money while dining out and enjoying a good time. This lovely area of Bluffton and Hilton Head is famous for its' Early Bird Specials, while you need to attend dinner at a particular time of the evening, these are specials not to be missed. One of my favorite restaurants in the area is Wise Guys, located on Hilton Head Island on Main Street next to Frankie Bones, another yummy restaurant. Wise Guys offers an Early Bird special that is amazing, which consists of a 3 course dinner for $15 between 4:30pm and 5:30pm daily. It just so happens that I follow the Wise Guys Facebook page regularly and they are offering a coupon for a Buy One Get One free during the early bird time. So, for $7.50 each, you and a friend, spouse, or stranger (who am I to judge?) . . . enjoy a 3 course meal served by a wonderfully talented chef. In addition to this great special, they have happy hour from 5pm to 7pm where bottles of wine are $10 off, and drinks are $1 off. Chateau St. Michelle Pinot Grigio is a favorite of mine which Wise Guys offers at $26.00 per bottle. At happy hour, this bottle is only $16.00, since a bottle holds approximately 4 glasses of wine, my husband and I can enjoy a 3 course meal and 2 glasses of wine for $31.00 plus tax. What a wonderful celebration it is!
Below is the link for Wise Guys and the coupon located on their Facebook page, stop by and get a great meal for a great price:
http://www.wiseguyshhi.com/
http://www.wiseguyshhi.com/emails/earlydining.html
In keeping with my money saving theme, planning is the key to saving money while dining out and enjoying a good time. This lovely area of Bluffton and Hilton Head is famous for its' Early Bird Specials, while you need to attend dinner at a particular time of the evening, these are specials not to be missed. One of my favorite restaurants in the area is Wise Guys, located on Hilton Head Island on Main Street next to Frankie Bones, another yummy restaurant. Wise Guys offers an Early Bird special that is amazing, which consists of a 3 course dinner for $15 between 4:30pm and 5:30pm daily. It just so happens that I follow the Wise Guys Facebook page regularly and they are offering a coupon for a Buy One Get One free during the early bird time. So, for $7.50 each, you and a friend, spouse, or stranger (who am I to judge?) . . . enjoy a 3 course meal served by a wonderfully talented chef. In addition to this great special, they have happy hour from 5pm to 7pm where bottles of wine are $10 off, and drinks are $1 off. Chateau St. Michelle Pinot Grigio is a favorite of mine which Wise Guys offers at $26.00 per bottle. At happy hour, this bottle is only $16.00, since a bottle holds approximately 4 glasses of wine, my husband and I can enjoy a 3 course meal and 2 glasses of wine for $31.00 plus tax. What a wonderful celebration it is!
Below is the link for Wise Guys and the coupon located on their Facebook page, stop by and get a great meal for a great price:
http://www.wiseguyshhi.com/
http://www.wiseguyshhi.com/emails/earlydining.html
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