5 Tips for Spending Less

Guest Post By Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D.,

Author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals

Everyone knows that if you want to get your finances in order and start being smart about your financial future, you need to make a financial plan. And there is lots of terrific advice out there from personal finance experts on what should go into that plan. But knowing how to stick to your plan, whatever it might be, is the really critical part of the puzzle, and it's the part we pay the least attention to. Understanding how to stick to a plan once you've made it isn't a financial issue, it's a motivational one. Luckily, there are very effective strategies you can use to make sure you follow through on your good financial intentions.

Tip #1: Be very specific about what you want to achieve. "Saving money each month" sounds like a good step, but how much money? "Pay off credit card debt" is a great idea, but how quickly? How much will you pay, and on which cards? When the steps in our plans are vague, like "spend less here" or "save more there," there is way too much wiggle room. We find ourselves settling for very small changes in the right direction, when actually, people are much more motivated when working toward challenging goals. Be specific, and set the bar high.

Tip #2: You need to make sure that your plan includes concrete actions you are going to take in order to reach your financial goals. Turn "spend less money eating out" into "I'll bring lunch with me to work each day, and eat out no more than once a week." One of the most common reasons we fail to reach our goals and stick to our plans is that we don't translate what we want to accomplish into real, everyday behavior. "Cut down on my clothing expenses" needs to become "spend no more than $____ on clothes each month," or you'll never succeed in making real change.

Tips #3-5: Most of us are guilty of buying things we don't really need. If your finances are in a sorry state, you will definitely need to get a handle on your impulse buying, and fast. Out-of-control spending is just another example of succumbing to temptation - -  for some of us it's doughnuts or chocolates, for others it's gadgets and designer shoes. Tips #3-5 are simple strategies you can use to help you resist the temptation to spend.

    Tip #3: Never, ever shop as a pick-me-up. When you are tired, anxious, stressed, or depressed, your self-control will be at its weakest. This is a perfect recipe for a bad decision.

    Tip #4: When you are faced with the temptation to splurge, it can help if you stop and think about someone you know who has lots of self-control - -  someone who is financially responsible. Self-control is actually contagious, and studies show that just thinking about someone who has it can boost your own.

    Tip #5: Finally, reward yourself for good behavior. Everyone needs incentives. When you have a fiscally responsible week, or month, treat yourself to something you want that won't totally blow your budget. For some of us, there just isn't enough inherent satisfaction in being frugal to keep you motivated, so reward yourself with something that speaks to you.

© 2010 Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D., author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals

Author Bio

Heidi Grant Halvorson, author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals, is a social psychologist, educational consultant, and most recently assistant professor of psychology at Lehigh University. She has received several grants from the National Science Foundation. In addition to her work as author and co-editor of the highly-regarded academic book The Psychology of Goals (Guilford, 2009), she has authored papers in her field's most prestigious journals.

Dr. Grant Halvorson is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and was recently elected to the highly selective Society for Experimental Social Psychology. She received her PhD from Columbia University working with Carol Dweck (author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success), and her BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
For more information please visit http://heidigranthalvorson.com/ and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

Saving Money While Eating Steak

Once a Month Shopping
I started this a few months ago and although it sounds crazy, it is really paying off. If you are like me, you are probably wondering 'What about fresh fruits and vegetables?' Don't worry, I'll get to that. I promise I eat healthy, no hot dogs and mac and cheese for us.
I take a weekend and make my way to a few different stores. I buy a lot of our snacks from Target, like our trail mix and archer brand chips. We buy enough to last us the entire month.
At Wal-mart we buy 10lb bags of quarter chicken for $6. I cut the chicken myself into thighs and legs and we get 5 meals out of each bag. So I buy a few bags depending on how much chicken I want to eat.
We make our way to the health food store to get our wild rice and raw honey before we go to Daytona where we stock up on off brand juice and a few different canned vegetables at Aldi's. Finally we go to Sam's wholesale club. We buy all of our meats, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese for the month. I get home and divide it all up freezing what we don't need for the week. We also buy all of our flour, crackers, dried fruits, cereal, oatmeal etc. 
 It really pays off for us because I cook from scratch a lot and the foods we eat rarely have coupons. Buying them in bulk makes them so much cheaper. I have saved so much money just shopping once a month because I'm not buying things I don't need. I'm really really bad at Target, whoever does their end caps is making them a lot of money! I can't leave that store without spending under $100, I just don't have the will power. When I go there on my once a month trip I'm in a hurry to get to so many stores I'm in and out!

Okay, now for the fruits and vegetables. I stock up when I'm at Sam's and freeze what I don't use fresh. In the winter I do have to pick up a few things at the farmer's market fruit wise but we eat canned veggies, frozen veggies, and lettuce we grow. In the summer we grow everything. We have blueberries, blackberries, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, loquats, grapes, and much much more.
We've only been doing this a few months but I've developed a well stocked freezer and pantry. I find I'm buying less each time I go too.

4 Free Cook books

Every body loves recipes!I can't believe Gooseberry Patch is giving away 4 of their e-book cook books.
Gooseberry Patch cook books are packed with great recipes! You can download these to your e-reader or to your computer.
Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes: Exclusive on-line cookbook
Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Mac & Cheese Recipes: Exclusive on-line cookbook
Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Meatloaf Recipes: Exclusive on-line cookbook
Circle of Friends Cookbook 25 Slow Cooker Recipes: Exclusive online cookbook

Overages & Money Makers

Part of the WUC Virtual Class System
Have you ever been paid to shop? I know you’re probably rolling your eyes right now, thinking another one of those ‘too good to be true’ kind of deals. Well, I was honestly right there with you years ago. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that some deals can be so good that literally you will come out ahead!! The very idea of walking into a store, paying nothing AND then earning a little bit for next time is so foreign most people don’t even believe it’s possible. I’m here to tell you it happens, although not all that often!

An overage is the difference between an item's actual value and the coupon's face value. For example, let’s say you have a packet of tuna that’s on sale for $.50, and you have a coupon for $1. That’s a strange thing, right? What do you do? Well many stores will honor the $1 coupon even though the item only costs $.50!!! That means by simply using that coupon, you will earn $.50. Now when I say ‘earn’ the stores generally never give you money back, but what they do allow, is for you to get something additional that is $.50 and pay nothing!!

So, imagine a scenario where you have twenty $.50 coupons for tuna. You are earning a $.50 credit for each one off your bill simply by redeeming the coupon. After using twenty coupons, you have a $10 credit towards anything in the store! I go buy meat, chicken and other essentials that never have coupons and pay nothing! This is an important concept with overages. You must find things to ‘eat up’ the credit you have built up. The last thing you want is to get to the register and have a negative total. They zero it out and you lose the overage! Overages are rare, but they do happen. Another important thing to remember is that an overage is a privilege not a right. Stores can adjust down the coupon which results in a free item READ MORE HERE

My $60 Electric Bill

I opened my electric bill the other day and it was $60. It has even gotten as low as $47. Sometimes I get calls from companies who want to show me how to save money on my electric bill but when I tell them what I pay they laugh and tell me they couldn't help me.
How is my electric bill so low? Well, it's a combination of things.
My home is on the smaller side so naturally, that helps BUT to counter that, it is older and the homes now are a lot more efficient. So if you are in a newer home, you can save more. I live in Florida. The Winters are usually mild so we don't use the heat or a/c.This winter however was a lot colder and we used the heat. Our bill was around $120, we only used the heat at night and just put more clothes on. We also use thermal curtains to keep the heat in. During the Spring and Fall I keep the windows open. Sure I have to dusk a lot more but the breeze feels so nice.Summer, well I am in Florida so that a/c comes on when I'm not at the beach.
During the day we don't use lights. We open our curtains for natural light.In the evening we don't use many lights. When we are finished in a room, the light goes off.After the children go to bed we use our light on a dimmer or pendant lights while watching t.v.
I wash everything in cold. They even make special detergents for that. You are suppose to save $10 a load by washing in cold. Sounds good for me!
During the summer I hang my clothes outside. I wait until they are almost dry then bring them back in and toss them in the dryer with a fabric sheet for a little bit. They don't get that nasty tought feel clothes usually getbeing hung out on the line.
I LOVE to cook but we don't bake too much, only occassionally.We grill a lot outside too so that helps with our electric bill. 
I don't use a microwave and when my coffee (decaf for me :) or hot water is finished brewingI transfer it to a large thermas to keep it hot and turn the coffee maker off. The coffee maker staying on keeping your coffee warm is just wasting energy and do that day after day it really adds up.
These are just simple things you can do. You can even take it further and get an energy efficient water heater or put a timer on yours. I do neither although I should.  Hope I helped and hope you see your bill coming down soon.

Longer Thicker Lashes Naturally

Women want sexy lashes, they are a symbol of femininity. I know I do. We even go as far as buying fake lashes or using special mascaras to make them thicker and longer looking. There are a few different products to assist in helping grow your eyelashes like Latisse and Rapidlash, they can get a bit pricey, especially when you can do it naturally and quite inexpensively.

1. Improve your diet – With proper nutrition your nails, hair, and eyelashes grow faster. Also make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Hydrating your body is great for you, all the way to your eyelashes. If they aren’t hydrated properly they break and fall out.

2. Keep them lubricated. The regular application of Vaseline has been known to make them grow. Use a small makeup brush to apply. You can also use Vitamin E oil, it has been known to stimulate growth and sooth irritation.

3. Remove your eye makeup at night, especially mascara. It can make your lashes brittle and break. Eye shadows can clog the pores your eyelashes grow from. By removing the makeup and giving your pours time to breath, it accelerates the growth of your eyelashes.

4. Trim your eyelashes. Yes I know this sounds crazy and you’d think it would be counterproductive but just like trimming your hair, it stimulates growth. Just remember to only trim the tips.

Remember to use caution when applying products or doing things around the delicate eye area to avoid possible injury.

Edit -It was brought to my attention that Vaseline can clog the pours - I've never had a problem but I think it's important you know.

Spring Plantings (with coupons)

We've been working hard in our yard. Freshening up our landscaping, planting fruit trees, and getting our veggies in the ground and in our veggie bins. We have several peppers, carrots, radishes, beans, several different types of lettuces and herbs. Fruits such as strawberries, thornless blackberry, a couple of different varies of grapes, papaya, figs, keylimes, limes, loquat, and many many blueberry plants!

I'm extremely excited! We haven't even gotten to the okra and corn, that should be this weekend. Yes, we've been very busy! We intend on planting a lot more! We have a large urban garden every season.


We use these totes for things like carrots, tomatoes, radishes, and lettuces.
You actually mix mud or concrete in these but we use them in our garden. Easy to move in and out of the shade. I guess these would also be good if you rented too.

We usually buy all of our pretty flowers and veggies seeds from Homedepot.
I found some Home Depot Promotional Codes for you! I'm hoping to talk my hubby
into some new patio furniture! They had free shipping on it.

Here are some more promotional codes for all types of great products!

Waste Not, Want Not" and Make it Delicious!

Waste Not, Want Not" and Make it Delicious!
By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali,
Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes


There is no more appropriate time than now to think about how and why we cook. Food is a way of connecting with the people who surround us. Through it, we communicate emotions like love, compassion and understanding, and there is no better opportunity to communicate with our children than at the table. It's where we can discuss our values of life that are important to us as individuals, as a family and as a part of the world we live in.

As overconsumption and greed have come to haunt us, now is a time for reflection. We should be looking back at the generations before us to understand their approach to the table. Growing food, shepherding animals, foraging for the gifts of nature is all part of respecting food. Nothing needs to be wasted. Bread can be recycled and used in soups, casseroles, lasagnas and desserts. Water is carefully conserved as in the pasta recipe I share below where the same water in which vegetables are cooked is used to cook the pasta that follows, and then that is saved for soups or for making risotto.

When one respects the food we prepare, it also leads to a more sensible and balanced intake of proteins, legumes and vegetables.

So "waste not, want not" and make it delicious!

Excerpt from Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy (Alfred A. Knopf, 2009)

FRESH CAVATELLI WITH CAULIFLOWER
Maccarun ch'I Hiucc

Serves 6

Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables, and I regret that many people don't sufficiently appreciate its unique flavor and nutritional value. This is not the case in Molise, where it is cooked often and creatively, as exemplified by the following two simple vegetarian pasta dishes. The first recipe, maccarun ch'i hiucc, is zesty with garlic and peperoncino.

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

½ teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 large head cauliflower, cut in small florets

1 batch (1½ pounds) Fresh Cavatelli (preceding recipe), or 1 pound dried pasta

1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor)

Recommended equipment: A large pasta pot; a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12 inch diameter or larger


Fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.

Pour the olive oil into the skillet, set over medium-high heat, and scatter in the sliced garlic. Let the garlic start to sizzle, then toss in the peperoncino and parsley; stir and cook for a minute. Ladle in a cup of the pasta cooking water, stir well, and adjust the heat to keep the liquid in the skillet simmering and reducing gradually while you cook the cauliflower and pasta.

With the pasta water at a rolling boil, drop in the cauliflower florets, and cook them for about 3 minutes, until barely tender. Drop in the cavatelli, stir, and return the water quickly to a boil. Cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully tender and the pasta is al dente (if you are using dried pasta, it will, of course, take longer).

Lift out the florets and cavatelli with a spider or strainer, drain briefly, and spill them into the skillet. Toss well, to coat all the pasta and vegetable pieces with the garlicky dressing, then turn off the heat, sprinkle over the skillet the grated cheese, and toss again. Heap the cauliflower and cavatelli in warm bowls, and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PARFAIT
Pane di Cioccolato al Cucchiaio

Serves 6

This recalls for me the chocolate-and-bread sandwiches that sometimes were my lunch, and always a special treat. And it is another inventive way surplus is used in Umbrian cuisine, with leftover country bread serving as the foundation of an elegant layered dessert. Though it is soaked with chocolate and espresso sauce and buried in whipped cream, the bread doesn't disintegrate, and provides a pleasing textural contrast in every heavenly spoonful.

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

8 ounces country-style white bread, crusts removed

½ cup freshly brewed espresso

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ cups chilled heavy cream

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Recommended equipment: A large rimmed tray or baking sheet, such as a half-sheet pan (12 by 18 inches); a spouted measuring cup, 1 pint or larger; 6 parfait glasses or wineglasses, preferably balloon-shaped

Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl set in a pan of hot (not boiling) water. When the chocolate begins to melt, stir until completely smooth. Keep it warm, over the water, off the heat.

Slice the bread into ½-inch-thick slices, and lay them flat in one layer, close together, on the tray or baking sheet.

Pour the warm espresso into a spouted measuring cup, stir in the rum and sugar until sugar dissolves, then stir in half the melted chocolate. Pour the sauce all over the bread slices, then flip them over and turn them on the tray, to make sure all the surfaces are coated. Let the bread absorb the sauce for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, whip the cream until soft peaks form, by hand or with an electric mixer.

To assemble the parfaits: Break the bread into 1-inch pieces. Use half the pieces to make the bottom parfait layer in the six serving glasses, dropping an equal amount of chocolatey bread into each. Scrape up some of the unabsorbed chocolate sauce that remains on the baking sheet, and drizzle a bit over the bread layers. Next, drop a layer of whipped cream in the glasses, using up half the cream. Top the cream layer with toasted almonds, using half the nuts.

Repeat the layering sequence: drop more soaked bread into each glass, drizzle over it the chocolate sauce from the tray and the remaining melted chocolate. Dollop another layer of whipped cream in the glasses, using it all up, and sprinkle the remaining almonds on top of each parfait. This dessert is best when served immediately while the melted chocolate is still warm and runny.

©2010 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali, authors of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes

Author Bio
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, coauthor of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipe, is the author of five previous books, four of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, and can be reached at her Web site, www.LidiasItaly.com


Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia's daughter and coauthor of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipe, received her Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance art history from Oxford University. Since 1996 she has led food/wine/art tours of Italy. She lives with her husband and children on Long Island.

Three Ways to Plan a Frugal Christmas Your Family Will Want to Remember

Three Ways to Plan a Frugal Christmas Your Family Will Want to Remember
By: Denise Willams

Christmas has easily become one of the most expensive and stress-filled holidays we celebrate each year.

That's a little ironic considering Christmas all began with the birth of a Baby in a lowly stable, and was celebrated only by shepherds who were out in the fields with their sheep. Two thousand years later, we still remember that day and honor the birth of a Babe who owned few material goods yet whose life changed the world.

Is this the year you want to help your family put aside all their material expectations, and create a meaningful Christmas they will want to remember?

Here are some simple things you can do to remove financial considerations from your holiday, and focus on what's truly important.

1. Begin the Christmas season by having a frank talk with your family about the meaning of Christmas and your desire to change the emphasis of your celebrations this year. Plan ahead of time how you will express your thoughts and plans to your young children, older children and teens, or even the friends and extended family members you celebrate with.

Don't start out the conversation by saying, "We don't have the money for Christmas that we usually do..." Instead focus on your changing priorities. Christmas celebrations are not about money, but about the desires of our hearts. Speak to your loved ones from your heart, not from your wallet, about the kind of Christmas you want to celebrate this year. Otherwise, you're perpetuating the myth that Christmas is all about money.

2. Add a twist to your favorite traditions by using them to serve others. Do you fill your freezer with holiday baking each year? Go crazy decorating your Christmas tree? Maybe taking to the malls is an important way for you to get into the Christmas spirit each season.

You don't need to stop doing these activities that you look forward to each year. But now that you're planning a frugal Christmas that's not money focused, you can use these activities to serve others.

Instead of baking just for your family, share your baked goodies with shut-in folks and lonely neighbors, or hold a bake sale to raise money for a children's charity. Decorate a Christmas tree for someone who can't do it on their own, or for a homeless shelter. Instead of browsing the malls for piles of Christmas gifts like you usually do, remember those in need and buy them necessities that would make their lives easier. Contact a homeless or a women's shelter to find out what items are needed. These will cost you a lot less than buying extravagant Christmas gifts, and the joy you get from giving them will last a lot longer.

3. Plan ahead so you and your family won't feel deprived during the holiday season. Don't just write up a list of things you won't be doing this year. Make a list of all the new activities you'll be replacing them with.

If you usually spend Christmas Day opening your gifts and oohing and aahing over what everyone got, you will feel disappointed when there's not as much to open and nothing left to do on that day. Plan to fill the day with other things to keep your mind on the true meaning of the season.

Some ideas might be to hold an open house and invite everyone you know to drop by. Invite a senior who is home alone this year to come for Christmas Day. Serve a meal at a shelter. Think of ways you can bless others and then get the whole family involved in doing them.


Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Would you like to enjoy a meaningful, peace-filled Christmas this year? Denise's Christmas e-book, Saving Christmas, has 30 Christmas ideas, tips and stories that will help you do exactly that, and comes with bonuses to share with family and friends all year long. Visit SavingChristmasBook.com to download your copy and start planning a Christmas you and your family will want to remember for a lifetime.

Being Grateful

Being Grateful by Tawdra Kandle

As you might know from reading some of my previous articles, I am big into kids expressing appreciating and gratitude. I’m also very mindful of the fact that WE as parents are our kids’ first and most influential models. So in light of that. . .

I’m grateful. . .for parents who raised me lovingly and strictly. They didn’t try to be my friends; they were always my parents, and I knew and respected that. They weren’t perfect, but they were always present for me, and I knew that I had their unconditional love. I’m grateful that I had each of them for 63 years, and that they were able to know and be known by all of my children before they left us.

I’m grateful. . .for my sister, who was my first ‘practice’ kid. She has turned out remarkably well, mostly due to her courage, strength of mind and fortitude. She has the most loving, giving heart and she displays amazing patience with her wonderful sons, for whom I am also profoundly grateful. That patience and love is also shown by her husband, my brother in law, whom I appreciate more than he knows.

I’m grateful. . .for grandparents who shared history and tradition with me. My maternal grandmother was from the south, and for the first four years of my life she taught me that the Confederacy had won the “War of Northern Aggression.” She was also Catholic, and she shared those beliefs and traditions with me, her Protestant granddaughter. My paternal grandmother was a farm girl, raised a strict Methodist. She modeled for me a love of reading and writing, and she was steadfast in her love and support of me. My grandfathers were wonderful men as well, and they taught me the value of hard work and family ties.

I’m grateful. . .for a husband who has always recognized the value of my contributions to the household, even when it’s ‘only’ cooking, cleaning and laundry. I’m grateful that when I told him I wanted to homeschool our children, he set out to be as supportive and helpful as possible. I’m grateful that he is steady in a crisis when I am losing my head. I’m grateful that God matched us so that our strengths perfectly complement each other.

I’m grateful. . .for four healthy, happy children. For our daughter who is college, whose intelligence is matched only by her wit. She can make me laugh harder than almost anyone else. For our daughter who is a senior in high school, whose talents astound me continually and whose heart is so open and so full of grace. For our daughter who is in 8th grade, whose way with words, both spoken and written, leaves me speechless, and whose insight is remarkable, and whose capacity for kindness is boundless. For our son, who displays remarkable fortitude in the face of four women running his life, and who is sweet, loving and giving. His generosity is amazing.

I’m grateful for the rest of my family, for my many loving friends, for the freedom of the nation in which I live, for the roof over my head and the food on my table. I’m grateful that God has given me opportunity to share with those in need.

I have so much more I could write. . .but there are some Thanksgiving goodies waiting to be made. . .so you can be grateful that I cut it short here. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 9 years to almost 21 years. She and her husband of over 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel.

Tawdra's Couponing Adventure: Part 5 Can This Really Be A Way Of Life?

My Couponing Adventure: Part 5 Can This Really Be A Way Of Life?

by Tawdra Kandle

I took a brief break from actively pursuing my couponing while my middle daughters were in California. With two people away and my husband on a special diet, there wasn’t much need to shop for anything than fresh vegetables.

I did continue to faithfully clip and organize my coupons, and I actually used some outside the realm of the grocery store circuit. At Ulta (a cosmetic store), I took advantage of some great offers and used coupons to purchase some girly necessities, and I was able to put away a few goodies for Christmas, too-some of them for FREE!

This week I carefully jumped back into the pool. I got rid of some expired Q’s and pulled up the lists.

Incidentally, I’ve been finding coupons from other sources lately, too. When I buy any magazines, I peruse them carefully for those precious slips of paper. . .and many of the products I’ve purchased have come with great coupons enclosed, too. Love those EXTRA savings!

Yesterday I assembled lists and coupons, and today I managed to hit Publix and Target. At Publix, I simply used some Q’s that were about to expire for some cool deals. But I was pretty pleased with my Target trip.

I bought two boxes of Pop Tarts which were on sale for $2.52 each. I had .75 off coupons for each, so I paid $3.54 for both. . .AND I also received a free gallon of milk, worth $2.49. Not too shabby.

Then there was the ice cream deal. Edy’s 1.5 gallons were on sale for $2.50. I had 5 $1.00 off Q’s. . .and when I purchased 5 1.5 gallons, I also received a $5 gift card from Target. So I paid $7.50 out of pocket for 5 containers of ice cream, but when you figure in the gift card, the actual price total was $2.50. Wow!

I was really happy with my overall totals at both stores. I still have to make trips to CVS and Kmart this week.

But can this be a sustainable way of life?

I love even the little savings I’ve been seeing. I am thrilled that I have already made a meaningful start to my Christmas shopping. Even my son’s birthday shopping has been coupon-happy!

I’m planning to continue this adventure full-force. I’ve noticed that it’s getting easier the longer I do it, mostly because I’m building up my coupon supply in an organized way. I love it when a list calls for a coupon and I find it! With our new pantry, we can easily see what we’ve stockpiled.

On the other hand, I don’t know that I will ever be one of those women at the grocery store who only has to pay a few dollars for a cart load of groceries. I have to feed too many opinionated people!

I’ve also realized that I have some standards for my family’s eating that I’m not willing to sacrifice. While the experts recommend clipping ALL coupons just in case you come across a deal too good to pass up, I know there are things that my family have chosen not to eat. I chose not to clip those coupons.

Time is another big consideration. The idea of hitting multiple stores to find more of a bargain or planning to shop each and every day makes me tired. Being a homeschooling mom gives me a certain freedom, but it also bears the responsibility of managing my time wisely. So I am definitely going to stick to my shopping schedule of CVS on Sundays and Publix on Thursdays.

I realized how much I had learned over this past month when my aunt came to visit and I sat down to share some coupon tips. For the first time in my various attempts at successful couponing, I’m happy with my organization style. I haven’t tried to do bite off too much right away, and I think I can make this work.

Come to think of it, that might be the key—starting slowly and being organized. Knowing how much you can handle and not beating yourself up when you miss a sale or a coupon opportunity just might be the difference between success and failure.
So. . .have you been inspired to tackle couponing? Do you have tips or ideas? I’d love to hear them. Learning from each other is the best way to keep this coupon adventure rolling along

Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 8 years to almost 20 years. She and her husband of nearly 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel.

Tawdra's Couponing Adventure: Part 4

My Couponing Adventure: Part 4: Putting It All Into Practice By Tawdra Kandle

You might recall that my goal was to actually get out there and use these lovely, valuable coupons this week. So. . .here’s my weekly log:

SUNDAY: I came home from church and grabbed the Sunday paper out from under my husband’s very nose. I spread out on the living room floor, first separating all the sections I needed (coupons, ads, comics. . .). Wow! Three coupon circulars this week—Red Plum, Smart Savers and one from General Mills. Cool. I pulled out my business envelopes and clipped my coupons, organizing them into the newly labeled envelopes. The next step was pulling up Tanya’s website. I scanned the CVS and Walgreens specials and copied/pasted the ones I liked onto a Word document. I glanced at the Publix sales, which had begun on Thursday and wondered if I might somehow make it in there before the sales ended. Just in case, I also copied and pasted some of those onto my list. The new Target specials weren’t up yet.

I was pretty excited too because I’d received two Target ad books in the mail last week. The coupons in there were awesome, and one of the books (not both. . .hmm, I wonder why??) had a $5 off any $50 order as well as a $5 off $25 of school supplies. So I’m pretty psyched to see the Target deals this week and figure out which ones I can maximize.

I had hoped to get to CVS today, but we’ve had some glitches. It’s not a normal week in my household, since we’re in the midst of sending two daughters off to visit family and friends in California, and we also spent the weekend outfitting a new pantry and moving everything into it. All that means that I didn’t get to CVS or Walgreens.

I was reminded of another obstacle we face in reaching total coupon bliss. My family has more than one shopper. My husband will run out to the grocery store, or my daughter will. . that doesn’t help our grocery budget. And then last night my daughter and I ended up making a late evening run to Publix. I wasn’t coupon ready—we only needed lemons—but it made me think that we need to come up with a plan for avoiding these quick runs to the store.

MONDAY: So this morning I’m glad I didn’t make it to CVS yesterday—in my email, I received a $5 off any purchase of $25 or more at CVS but only on Wednesday this week! Hoorah! Now I can plan to go that day and know I’m really going to clean up. Time to sit down and match my coupons to my list for this week. I know, I should’ve done it yesterday. . .but it didn’t happen. One of the things I’m determined is that I won’t fall prey to coupon guilt. I won’t feel bad if I don’t get it all done. Otherwise I’m afraid that I’ll end up ditching the whole thing.

TUESDAY: I had to go to Target today anyway, so I made a plan and used my coupons. It was fun! In some ways, it’s hard to tell how much I’m saving, since I’ve been buying some stuff that isn’t on the couponing plan. My daughters are going away for two weeks, and I had to buy them some necessities. Still, I noted that with my coupons and including a gift card I earned, I saved over $50.

WEDNESDAY: Today was my day to use the CVS coupon. I worried it wasn’t going to happen, since we had to take the girls to the airport, but we did manage to stop on the way home. I stuck carefully to my small list, and I bought a Revlon mousse foundation, a pack of Sharpie Highlighters and razor refills. I added quickly in my head and realized that I would be short the $25 needed to use my coupon. Going down the makeup aisle, I noticed that my daughter’s favorite makeup was on sale, 40% off. I chose some eyeshadow and headed for the register. Following Tanya’s advice, I held onto all the coupons until everything was rung up. I first submitted my $5 off coupon, then my other manufacturers’ coupons, and finally, my Extra Care Bucks earned a few weeks ago. I was thrilled beyond measure when the cashier announced that I only owed tax! My total went from over $30 to $1.56.

Okay, it’s not quite the $400 to $22 I’ve seen, but it’s a start! The only negative of this trip was that I didn’t earn any ECB’s (Extra Care Bucks) because the offer for one item had ended yesterday.

I also stopped by Publix and hit their sale last minute (their new sales begin tomorrow). I bought ice cream, salad dressing and water ice BOGO (buy one, get one free). I had coupons for the salad dressing and water ice, and I could use one coupon per item, even when it was free. I also took advantage of Publix’s “buy theirs, get ours free” offer (buy a name brand item and get the Publix brand free) and bought graham crackers, cereal bars and cashews. I had coupons for the graham crackers and nuts, too!

On the down side of the Publix trip, the muffin mixes that had been on the web site as being on sale and BOGO were not either at this Publix. I had coupons for them and so went ahead and bought them. Also, because I brought my husband, I ended up having more items in my order than I had planned! My total at Publix went from $57.51 to $41.37. Not great, but considering everything in my cart, not too bad either.

Lessons learned: Make sure of the dates for special sales and offers. Ask about items that aren’t marked according to the list (my muffin mixes!). Don’t take husbands or young children to the store.

I know tomorrow is supposed to be my Publix day again, with the new sales, but with two of my loyal babysitters out of the loop and in California, I think I’ll call it a week.

Next Week: Can This Really Be a Way of Life?

Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 8 years to almost 20 years. She and her husband of nearly 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel.

Tawdra's Couponing Adventure Part 3

My Couponing Adventure: Part 3—The Plan’s The Thing
by Tawdra Kandle

Now that I had conquered (or at least tamed) the art of organizing my coupons, it was time to make a plan for actually using them.

In my past attempts, this part was my downfall. To be perfectly honest (and the experts admit to this), serious couponing requires serious time, even beyond the clipping and organizing. There are so many stores, each offering their own sales and specials every week. If you intend to stockpile shop, you really can’t afford to miss a week.

So I would always find myself trying to fit in all of the stores and then being frustrated when I couldn’t sustain the weekly routine of hitting two grocery stores and two drug stores. I was also disappointed when the big deals were already gone by the time I made it to the store (this is particularly true of drug stores).

This time I determined to make it work. I started out by visiting the Coupon Queeny’s website and checking out the weekly specials at our local stores. Deciding that the key to making this work long-term is starting out slow and manageable before ramping it up, I chose to focus on one grocery store and one drug store. I copied and pasted the applicable offers onto a Word document so that I had my shopping list on the fewest pages possible.

Once the list was printed, I tackled coupon matching. I flipped through my well-organized coupons and found the ones that went with each sale. Coupon Queeny suggests obtaining as many multiple coupons as possible through buying extra newspapers or picking up as many blinkies as possible, but since I’m such a newby, I don’t have much of a stockpile yet. I did have several copies of the brand-name facial tissue coupon that I found on the Internet, so I paper clipped them onto my list along with my other coupons.

Coupon Queeny also tells us that it takes about four weeks to have the coupons you need at your fingertips, so I’m trying not to be too disappointed when I don’t have all of the ones she references on her lists.

As I made my plan, I was forced to muse upon the obstacles I face as a coupon maven. First of all, there is the aforementioned time issue. I’m a homeschooling mom of four. Planning and executing our school days occupies me almost full-time. I’m also a wife, a writer and a homemaker, and at the moment, with my husband in school, I’m juggling most of the household responsibilities. Making time to save money is a big obstacle.

And then there are the smaller problems. One of the things the Coupon Queeny recommends is losing brand loyalty. She points out that we can save much more money if we’re willing to buy whatever brand is on sale. I understand that; I’m a big believer in buying generic brands for some products. But I do have my favorites! I’m picky about paper towels and toilet tissue, among other things. How much am I willing to give up to save some bucks?

There is also the question of integrity. Using coupons is certainly not illegal. I understand that the manufacturers issue the coupons to stimulate sales and that the retailers are reimbursed. But I have to admit that I wonder if using the coupons to this extreme is quite. . .honest. Pulling multiple blinkies from the machines in the stores makes me feel a little guilty. What if there aren’t enough for everyone? What if I’ve taken more than my share?

I found a possible solution around the time requirements. It turns out that while the major drugstores (CVS and Walgreens) run their specials and sales from Sundays through Saturdays, our local grocery store, Publix, runs its sales from Thursdays through Wednesdays. So if I plan to hit CVS and Walgreens on Sunday afternoons, when the sales are new (and hopefully there are still products in the stores) and then go to Publix on Thursdays. . .well, that just might work.

As for the brand names, I’m going to try to make small changes. There are some areas where I’m willing to compromise and others where it’s going to be harder.

The integrity question. . .that’s a tough one. I’m willing to use the coupons that I can find and to use the ones on the computer. And I’ll grab some blinkies when I’m shopping, because the manufacturers put them there for me. But for the time being, I’m not going to do anything that makes me feel I’m abusing the system.

This week, I saved some money by shopping at CVS, using the coupons with the sales and earning over $20 in Extra Care Bucks to apply to next week’s shopping. I had to go to Target to pick up prescriptions this week anyway, so I made sure to bring a list and my coupons. I saved a fair amount.
But I know I can do better, and I’m looking forward to organizing tomorrow’s coupons into their envelopes and making the plan for this week.

Next week: Part 4: Putting It all into practice
Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 8 years to almost 20 years. She and her husband of nearly 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel. She is also a staff writer for www.takingtimeformommy.com

Tawdra's Couponing Adventure Part 2

My Coupon Adventure
Part 2: The First Steps: SO MANY COUPONS!!
by Tawdra Kandle

I came home from my coupon class just bursting with good ideas and money saving wisdom.
I couldn’t wait to put it all into practice!

But the first steps are often the hardest. I had to undertake the monumental task of organizing my coupons.

I used to keep my coupons in one of those handy little organizers. If you’re only a recreational couponer, that’s perfectly adequate. However, if you are seriously coupon planning and using all the websites, a better system is needed. One site had suggested not clipping the coupons at all; rather, you keep them intact and organize the inserts in a larger accordion folder by date and type.

For instance, the two popular inserts in my newspaper are Red Plum and Smart Source. Using this system, I would file each insert under either RP 7/31 or SS 7/31. Then when I’d check the websites and see that a coupon I need was in the Smart Source insert from July 31st, I’d know exactly where to look for it. I wouldn’t need to flip through my categorized Qs.

Coupon Queeny Tanya offers a binder organization system. She even sells it at her classes and through her website. The night I was there, those binders were snatched up like hotcakes. I’m sure they work well, but they didn’t look like my style. All the coupons had to be put into these little windows, like a baseball card book! I couldn’t imagine doing that every week.

As I mused over my own system, though, I decided to tweak it slightly. So this morning I sat down on the living room floor surrounded by coupon inserts, store fliers and envelopes. I went through my older coupons and put the expired ones in a pile. (Interesting note: give your expired Qs to military friends—commissaries and post exchanges accept expired coupons for 6 months past their dates. Or donate them to a shelter, as they are also frequently able to use them.) Then I began clipping coupons from each insert. As I did, I organized them into category piles which I fastened with paper clips. After I finished each insert, I put the coupons into a business sized envelope marked with the type of insert (Smart Source or Red Plum) and the date of issue.
This has a few advantages for me. First, it eliminates the coupons I don’t need and won’t use. Although the Coupon Queeny recommends clipping all coupons, there are things that I know my family simply won’t use and that would be difficult to donate to food banks, churches, etc. I admit I might change that thought later, but for now, my main goal is to get this system working for my family.

I also made up a separate envelope for blinkies, those coupons that roll out of little blinking machines at the grocery store. I had many store specific coupons, and so I added envelopes labeled just for those stores (one for CVS and one for Publix, for instance).

One of the most interesting things I learned from Coupon Queeny was that Publix, one of our grocery stores, accepts coupons from competitors. This was a revelation! The closest grocery store to us is a small Winn-Dixie. We use it for quick last minute pick ups, and we often earn register coupons for $10 off a $50 order. However, I almost never use them. Now that I know I can take these same register Qs to Publix, I’m excited! That’s like someone giving me ten dollars. And so I tucked those into my Publix envelope.

I did have some coupons that defied organization. These were stray coupons from here or there that didn’t have a date or issuer, coupons that came from products I’d bought or those that arrived in the mail. I used my old coupon organizer and placed them there according to category. I hope I remember to check that little wallet of goodies when I’m planning my lists.

It makes me happy to have my little money-saving slips of paper ready to use. Tonight I started hitting the websites to see what’s on sale this week. . .
Tune in next week for Part 3: The Plan’s The Thing.

Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 8 years to almost 20 years. She and her husband of nearly 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel. She is also a staff writer for www.takingtimeformommy.com

Tawdra's Couponing Adventure Part 1

My Coupon Adventure
by Tawdra Kandle

Chapter One: The Class

Coupons are not new to me. I grew up with a mom who clipped them and used them. . .well, sporadically, at least. She was an enthusiastic clipper, but she frequently left them sitting on the counter instead of taking them to the grocery store.

In my life as a wife and mom, I’ve always clipped coupons, too. I always loved the little rush I got when I really saved money or when coupons allowed me to treat my family to some little treat that might otherwise be out of our reach. But I was far from a pro.

One of my homeschool groups started discussing coupons and shopping savings a few weeks ago, when one of our members did an interview with Coupon Queeny Tanya Senseney, a local mom who is a certified coupon pro. Tanya took our homeschooling friend shopping. She purchased over $400 of groceries. After coupons, she paid about $22. After hearing that (and seeing the pictures to prove it!), some of us decided to attend Tanya’s coupon 101 class.

I will admit, I was a little skeptical. When I’ve read about other coupon fanatics, they seemed to save money mainly on things like highly processed food or convenience items. I wondered if I could feed my family healthy food or buy my usual favorites while still using coupons.

Tanya’s class was organized into several sections: the first was an overview of coupon use, an explanation of terms that she uses throughout and how to plan your coupon use. (Note to reader: I hate to do it, but I have to really overuse the word ‘coupon’ in this article. There’s no way around it. Real pros sometimes substitute the letter Q for coupon, but that might be confusing. Bear with me!) After that, she went into the details of shopping in several specific stores.

The Basics:

What I’m sharing here is a gross oversimplification of the whole process, but I’m trying to cover the main points.

The first step is to obtain your coupons. There are more sources out there than you might guess! Of course, the prime source is the Sunday newspaper. Tanya suggests buying several newspapers in order to get duplicate sets of coupons, but she also gives some alternative ideas, such as visiting recycling bins to rescue coupons that have been tossed by those less motivated to save. (I myself recalled that frequently members of my online Freecycling group offer their coupon fliers for free each week. Hmmmm. . .)

As it turns out, many stores also put out free consumer magazines that contain coupons. And the weekly sales ads that arrive in the mailbox each week often have them, too.
Then there are the ‘blinkies’, peelies, tearpads and winetags—all found in store on or near various products. And we haven’t even touched on the Internet printable coupons.

Planning It Out

Now that we all had learned how to get our hands on these precious little pieces of paper, it was time to learn how to maximize them. The weekly ads are key to this process: checking what’s on sale and then matching that to the best coupons is really the heart of true couponing. There are plenty of websites that actually do this for you, and this is a huge relief to anyone who has tried to do it on her own.

Tanya gave us some excellent guidelines, too. She clued us in on which local stores do price matching—bring all the sales ads to the store, and the cashier will match the lowest price you can prove. She cautioned us to always, always bring a list to the store and stick to it! It’s also imperative to watch the cashier; few will purposely miss scanning a coupon, but it’s possible for those little slips to stick together sometimes. Keep your eyes open.

This brings to mind both an advantage and a disadvantage that we have in Florida. The disadvantage is that double couponing is almost non-existent. (For the uninitiated, double couponing is when stores double the face value of the coupon presented. For instance, a twenty five cent coupon doubles to give you fifty cents off.) The advantage is that nearly every grocery store bags the customers’ groceries, allowing that shopper to keep a closer eye on the cash register.

We also learned about the practice of stockpile shopping. It’s not a new idea, but few families are actually doing it. Instead of shopping for weekly or even monthly needs, stockpile shopping means buying what is on sale (and also has a good coupon, in the best of all worlds) in a large quantity. Ideally, after about a four week shopping cycle, you have built up enough inventory that you can shop the sales exclusively.


And What’s More. . .

We ended the evening by learning about two specific national chains and how to maximize the opportunities to save there. CVS and Walgreens both offer special incentives and reward programs. When combined with coupons and sales, these programs are even more amazing.

We left the class that night with a great deal of information about and enthusiasm for couponing and saving money at the grocery store. My girlfriend and I had bought along our daughters to the class, in the hopes that we could draft them into joining our couponing adventure. While the girls were impressed by the savings and ideas, they were slightly less excited than the moms were about putting it all into practice.

Could we do it? Can I do it? I was determined to try. Come along, won’t you, as I embark upon my great coupon adventure. . .

To Be Continued

Coming next issue: The First Steps: SO MANY COUPONS!!

Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 8 years to almost 20 years. She and her husband of nearly 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel. She is also a staff writer for www.takingtimeformommy.com