Got No Dough - Saving Money in Slim Times

I’ve always been one of those people who thought that finding coupons, cutting them out and then actually remembering to use them was a huge hassle. And for some people, that is probably still true. However, when I started getting addicted to CVS bargains, I realized that I would have to deal with those dreadful coupons after all. It’s been a couple of weeks now and I have to say that they aren’t as bad as I had made them out to be.

Before I tell you any more information on coupons, let me sell you on the idea first. Just yesterday I got some fantastic deals that even amazed my husband. His response was, “there’s just no stopping you is there?” I had two coupons that were $2 off of any two Johnson Buddies products. I also had a coupon for $2 off the new Honey Bunches of Oats with Chocolate Clusters. So I swung by Walmart after depositing my paycheck in the bank (as to not waste gas), and picked up a box of the cereal and two of the Buddies soaps that my son loves and needs. I also picked up a copy of All You magazine which not only is my favorite magazine, but it’s cheap and full of COUPONS (including one that will make me money this coming week).

So, let’s see:

• $1.98 for the cereal

• .94¢ for each of the soaps

• $1.77 for the magazine

Grand total = $5.91
Minus coupons -$4.00

Total Out of Pocket = $1.91

So, if you want to get started with using coupons, you first have to know where to get them. The most obvious place is your Sunday newspaper. My Mom saves her newspaper for me and it costs me nothing that way. Otherwise, I’d have to spend $1 on the Sunday edition. It takes me less than 10 minutes and I typically cut out anything that I could possibly use - whether or not it’s the current brand I use. For example, I’ll cut out all shampoo coupons despite the fact that I use Dove shampoo right now. The reason is because when that certain brand goes on sale at CVS, I will get it either super cheap or perhaps even free.

You can also get coupons online. Check the manufacturers website, do a search for the exact product or visit one of the following sites: www.smartsource.com, www.coupons.com, www.mycoupons.com. There are actually a TON of websites, but I don’t want to give out an overwhelming list for someone who may just be getting started. I also like to get my coupons through MyPoints because then I earn points for the coupons I print and use.

In the next few days I’ll explain how I keep my coupons organized, how I choose which products to buy and how to get GREAT super cheap deals.

Sometimes I look at what search terms brought people to my site and realize they must have been pretty disappointed when they got here. Therefore, every Friday, I’m going to take the top searches for the week and elaborate a little more on them.

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

By and far, the most frequent term to get to my site has to do with making your own laundry detergent. I think people are more interested in more recipes to make the detergent. Since I made that post, I have found a couple more ideas on doing it.

• How to Make Laundry Detergent from Keeping the Home (no washing soda needed)
• Making Your Own Laundry Detergent: A Detailed Visual Guide from The Simple Dollar

Do I have to use a dishwasher rinse aid if my dishwasher has a dispenser?

The easy answer to this is no. The dispenser is there for your convenience and doesn’t have to be used. If you find your dishes are gritty or spotty, then by all means use a rinse aid. You can either buy a commercial brand or fill it with vinegar. And if you don’t have a dispenser at all, you can buy a rinse aid that hangs in your dishwasher.

No money and in need of groceries

This is a situation I have found myself in too many times. First of all, if you have absolutely no money at all, you’re going to have to ask for help. Family, friends, church, or food banks will be happy to help you. Look into public assistance if you have to until you can get back on your feet.

If your budget is limited, I can give you a resource that saved my life: $45 Emergency Menu by Hillbilly Housewife. It’s based on making everything from scratch, which is a lot of work, but when you have no money, it is invaluable. In the process I’ve learned to eat healthier and learned to make so many things in the kitchen.

how to make slim with glue and borax

I saw “slim” appear many times and couldn’t figure out what it was. I searched wikipedia thinking it might be a foreign term. I searched urban dictionary thinking it might be slang. I was really at a loss, so I decided to Google it myself. That’s when I realized I was an idiot. It’s a typo and supposed to be: How to Make SLIME with glue and borax. Without further ado:

• Homemade Slime
• Blennophobia - Fear of Slime

And there you have it. Hopefully someone will be a little less disappointed this week.

I read a lot of money related posts each day and most of them are aimed at people who have money and just need to use it a little more wisely. My goal was to reach a different level of people - those who are facing difficult financial times due to any number of factors. That is a spot I’ve found myself in several times in my life and I’m hoping that I can help someone else out with my experiences.

One of the most difficult things to deal with when you are in a financial crisis is how to provide food for your family. I’ve found myself searching Google on a couple of occasions trying to find frugal meals and some of the stuff you come up with is ridiculous. For anyone who’s ever seen VeggieTales - Duke and the Great Pie War it’s like water soup with water sauce.

Anyhow, my point being that I’m hoping to post an entire collection of super frugal meals that I’ve come up with over the years (ok, so I’ve only been a housewife for five years, but it feels much longer).  Some are my own concoctions, some have been handed down to me and some are treasures I’ve run across on the internet.

So, I’ll kick this off with one of my favorites - steak and a veggie.  Sounds like a joke doesn’t it?  At our local grocery store, you can get the super thin steaks (sometimes called flank steaks) for about $1.50.  It’s enough to feed two people.  Add a canned vegetable like corn, which I can buy for .50¢ a can.  If you have some bread laying around, put some butter on it and voila, an entire meal for about $2.50.  The nice thing is that it’s a well rounded meal too.

Stay tuned for….beans and rice AGAIN?

So now that we have learned to control our portion sizes and have quit eating out, we can move on to the next step in our quest to lose weight and save money which is to watch what we drink.  Here are some of the things we may be drinking and their downfalls:

1. Coffee - Whether brewed at home or bought outside the home, the price of coffee can put a dent in your wallet.  Add in the unnecessary calories and caffeine and it’s just all around a bad choice.
2. Soda - Here is where I’m going to be a hypocrite and tell you that you should drink soda while I continue to gulp it down.  Seriously though, it’s full of sugar, caffeine, empty calories and the stuff is expensive.  At .50¢ to $1 a pop (pardon the pun), one a day adds up to $182.50 - $365 a year.  I know some better things to spend that kind of money on!
3. Juice - Chant this mantra with me - everything in moderation, everything in moderation.  Yes, juice probably seems like a healthy choice, but it is PACKED with calories!  And again, the price is high so this becomes a bad choice.
4. Milk - Around my area, a gallon of milk costs more than a gallon of gas - need I say more?  Plus we won’t even discuss the amount of fat in milk which makes this choice doubly bad.  But don’t cut out milk altogether unless you have another source of calcium in your diet.

So what are some alternatives?  Here are two that will cost less and won’t affect your waistline.

1. Water - yep, good old H2O.  Buying bottles of it can get expensive, so if you don’t have good tap water, you may want to look into getting a reusable filter for your faucet.   Add a slice of lemon for even more flavor.
2. Tea - There are many different flavors and types of tea to choose from.  You can make a gallon of iced tea for less than a dollar and if you get a decaf variety, it’s even more beneficial.

We live in a country where people overeat, don’t exercise and are slowly becoming more and more overweight. A new year brings new resolutions of losing weight, but people set unattainable goals and set themselves up for failure. Instead of resolving to join a gym, exercise 4 times a week and start a low carb diet, how about tweaking some of the things you already do and making them work for you?

Today, let’s look at portion size. Does anyone even know what a “normal” portion is and what it looks like?? Most people cannot accurately estimate a serving size and it leads to overeating. In conjunction with super sized fast food meals and it’s no wonder people are failing - we’re consuming way too many calories!

Here are some common foods, their serving size and how to easily decipher how much of them you should eat:

• Cereal - 1 Cup - the size of your fist
• Pancake - 1 - the size of a CD
• Pasta, Rice, Potatoes - 1/2 Cup - 1/2 of a baseball
• Bread - 1 slice - the size of a cassette
• Cornbread - 1 Piece - the size of a bar of soap
• Cheese - 1 1/2 oz. - 4 stacked dice or 2 slices
• Ice Cream - 1/2 Cup - 1/2 of a baseball
• Margarine - 1 Teaspoon - 1 dice
• Meat, Fish, Poultry - 3 oz. - the size of a deck of cards
• Raisins - 1/4 cup - the size of a large egg
• Peanut Butter - 2 Tablespoons - the size of a ping pong ball

When you first start doing portion control, you’ll probably feel like you’re going to starve to death. It is a short term feeling and as your body adjusts you’ll start to wonder how you ever ate such large quantities. And your pocketbook will thank you.

Although this is a supposed to be a great time of year, for many people it is anything but.  Finances are tight and Christmas is approaching.  A time where you are expected to spend a fortune on gifts for others when in reality, you’re struggling just to survive.  Take the focus off the expensive gifts and turn it to your families.

Christmas dinner is one thing I look forward to every year.  On Christmas Eve I always visit my Mom’s house and we eat together as a family, regardless of how many of us show up.  Well, since this year has been hard on everyone, we’ve decided to lighten the load for everyone and do a potluck.

You can split it up however it works for you, but we’ve decided to each bring a side dish and a desert.  My Mom will be providing the turkey and/or ham (she hasn’t decided).   Here are some possibilities for side dishes:

• Green bean casserole
• Corn
• Stuffing
• Mashed potatoes
• Rolls
• Cranberry apple salad

And here are some possibilities for dessert:

• Pumpkin pie
• Pumpkin cheesecake
• Banana bread
• Fruitcake
• Rumcake
• Sugar cookies

Again, remember, the focus of the season should be your family and spending time with them.  The memories will last a lot longer than material items ever could.

This year Thanksgiving may not happen for us due to our finances. I’m grateful, however, that we have family to visit so that we will indeed get a Thanksgiving meal. In years past, this is the simple menu I have prepared and it’s quite inexpensive.

Turkey
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Stuffing
Green Beans
Rolls
Yams & Marshmallows
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake

I’ll include some recipes in the next couple of days.

Thanksgiving is less than a week away and if you haven’t seen the sales at the grocery stores, you’re missing out. So many great foods are super cheap, so I’d recommend grabbing a couple extra of each.

• Turkey - get an extra smaller one and stick it in the freezer. Turkeys can be frozen for up to one year, so why not save it for 6 months from now when you’re wishing Thanksgiving would hurry up and come.
• Stuffing - Not only is stuffing a great side dish for later, but it also makes a very inexpensive topping for casseroles. Mix a small amount of stuffing with butter and use it in place of bread crumbs.
• Cranberry Sauce - I’m not a big fan of cranberry sauce, but there are actually a lot of yummy recipes you can find. Definitely grab a few cans.
• Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider - Nothing makes a night feel special more than a fancy wine-looking bottle and nice glasses. Serve it once a month and make it a special treat for your family.

And I realize that this is a busy time of year for most people, so if you have a local grocery store that will deliver, I highly recommend looking into it.  Locally, I have Vons.com and I can go online, choose all of my groceries and have it delivered for $5.  Many times they even have specials too, so I can get free delivery.  That’s heaven to me because with two small boys, grocery shopping is a nightmare!

So remember to stock up this week and enjoy Thanksgiving for longer than one day a year!

One of the largest chunks of my grocery bill tends to be produce. Although most of us strive to provide our families with nutritious meals, the high price of produce can really make it difficult. One of the easiest ways to cut back on this cost is to know which fruits and vegetables are in season and come up with a variety of side dishes containing them.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere we are coming up on the end of Autumn. Here are the fruits and vegetables currently in season, how to piece a good piece and how long they can be stored.

• Acorn Squash - Look for a squash with a deep color and make sure it has no blemishes, cracks or soft spots. Store up to two months in a cool dry place.
• Apples - Look for apples that are smooth, clean and shiny and watch out for bruises or punctures. Store in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Watch for rotten apples!
• Butternut Squash - Make sure the color is uniform and hard. Avoid soft spots or cracks. Store up to three months in a cool, dry place.
• Cauliflower - Look for firm white heads with healthy looking leaves. Store up to one week.
• Figs - Look for figs that are plump, soft and sweet smelling. Inspect the stem to make sure it is intact. Refrigerate for up to two days.
• Grapes - Look for grapes that are plump and have a nice color. Avoid shriveled or discolored skin. Refrigerate in a vented bag for up to a week.
• Mushrooms - Make sure the mushrooms are firm and don’t have black spots or look shriveled. Store in a paper bag for up to three days.
• Parsnips - Look for firm, smooth parsnips without the little roots growing out of them. Wrap in a paper towel and store up to a month.
• Pears - Look for pears that are firm, unblemished and have a nice color to them. Watch for soft or shriveled pieces. Store in the refrigerator for a week.
• Pomegranate - Choose one that is heavy, smooth and without blemish. Store at room temperature up to three days, in the refrigerator up to a month or freeze up to three months.
• Pumpkin - Look for a nice smooth skin and uniform color. Store in the refrigerator for a week.
• Sweet Potatoes - Pick potatoes that are heavy, smooth and firm. Avoid shriveled pieces, cracks and black spots. Store in a cool, dark place for up to two weeks.

So now, go out, pick out some nice fruits and vegetables that are in season and cook up a nutritious frugal meal.

When saving money is one of your biggest goals, you have to beware of pitfalls that can cost you more money in the end. It’s not always best to buy something if it’s cheaper, because some cheaper items are much lower quality or just won’t suit your needs.

Here are nine items that I don’t buy the generic version of and why:

1. Laundry Detergent - I find that the generic detergents don’t clean as well and don’t smell as well. In order to get comparable results, I have to use more of the generic detergent which absolutely kills the savings.
2. Liquid Dish Soap - I’m actually very picky when it comes to my dish soap. It has to smell nice, have antibacterial properties and have really good lather. There is only one soap that measures up for me and that is the orange Palmolive. I’ve tried using cheaper orange dish soaps and I find that they are very thin and I have to constantly add more soap to get lather. Once again, I have to increase the quantity which eliminates the savings.
3. Paper Towels - Well, I suppose the paper towels I use are semi-generic, but I absolutely cannot stand the store brands. They are small, tear easily and are not very absorbent. By the time I use enough towels to soak up a spill, half the roll is gone.
4. Cheese Slices - Have you ever tried to make grilled cheese sandwiches with generic cheese slices? The cheese just sits there and doesn’t melt no matter how long you cook it. It eventually turns hard and disgusting and inedible. Instead, I wait for the name brand to go on sale and use a coupon. It costs the same and tastes a thousand times better.
5. Oreos - Ever been craving a nice cream filled Oreo? You go to the store and find a generic brand for a dollar less and rush home with your package. Then you take the first bite and it’s nothing like you dreamed. It’s downright horrible and you realize why the good stuff is a dollar more. You’re better off buying the real thing and just eating less of them.
6. Soda - Again, here is an area where you can have big savings by drinking the store brand. You can save even more if you don’t drink soda at all, but this is one of those things that I choose to buy so that I’m not absolutely miserable in my quest to save money. For those who love soda like I do will notice a very distinct difference in taste between name brands and generic. It completely defeats the purpose because you will likely throw away a complete bottle because you can’t stomach it. Instead, I stick to my Diet Pepsi and spend the extra 30 cents for a 2 liter.
7. Makeup - I have a confession - I’m a huge fan of a very expensive makeup. I rarely buy it though because obviously the price doesn’t fit in my budget. When I get money for Christmas or my birthday, I love to splurge on myself though. So, one time I ran out and I went and bought some cheaper makeup at Walmart. I used it the first day and the results were disastrous. It had very little coverage and didn’t blend well. I was so disheartened because not only did I not have my favorite makeup but now I had just spent $8 on this new makeup that was completely useless to me. I ended up spending the extra to go buy my favorite makeup. And you know what’s funny? It tends to last much longer, so it really doesn’t cost much more. I count it as a lesson learned and won’t do it again.
8. Diapers - Again, don’t get me wrong because the diapers I do buy are semi-generic, but I will never buy the actual store brands again. They make a terrible crinkle sound every time your child moves, they don’t absorb well and the inside completely falls apart, leaving cotton and the little absorbency balls everywhere. If it doesn’t work as intended, no amount of savings is worth it. I prefer the Kirkland Signature brand (Costco) or Luvs.
9. Feminine Products -This is similar to the diapers issue. Nobody wants to walk around feeling like they’ve got a piece of plastic between their legs. Even worse is the top layer that falls apart when you buy cheap. Spend a little more and get something that makes you comfortable. You’re worth it!

In a coming article, I’ll talk about the flip side and tell you some of my favorite generic items - the things will great quality and low prices!