Food... this starts with planning and then shopping... gonna talk about planning today. I did my planning for the week yesterday, I use the internet to pull up all the local store ads (there is only one that I cannot pull up, and I don't get that ad at this house so I just have to deal without it) I use tabs to have them all up but you can also pull them up one at a time or use the printed ads. I also have one more tool that I use that is evernote (pc and android) I can type it on the computer then it will update on my phone without me having to do anything (I like time savers!!) I then start planning the meals for the week around the ads for example this week I am making baked ziti, the always cheap spaghetti, stroganff , a roast, and planned a leftover day (we always have leftover roast for sandwiches) why these items? pasta was on sale last week and this week one brand for .50 a lb so I picked up 10 lbs (or about 6-7 meals worth) the spaghetti sauce was .25 off the normal sale price, cheese was on sale for .60 off, mushrooms were about .50 off, the roast was about 1.00 a lb off.
I also stock up on great deals when I find them. Like the pasta, I got the month's supply in one week but paid less then half of the normal price :) I don't have the time to find and clip coupons like the extreme couponers on TV, I will clip the ones I know that I know I will use. but I don't get the paper as no one reads it so why waste the money for 1-2 coupons a month (that was my average when I did get the paper) there are better options online like coupons.com where you can print the ones you will use.
Right now my normal food budget is about 60-75 a week (remember that is for the average of 6 people) I know where to get milk at the best price (sams club, I also get my gas there) that stop about .5 miles out of my way saves me about 2 a week. we use about 3 gallons of milk a week and about 4-6lbs of cereal, 2 lbs of cheese (used for sandwiches, toppings, once in a while a snack) right now the kids are sick of several cereals as I have found those 3 on sale for the past 6 weeks but it saved us 6 a week for 6 weeks... it adds up :)
How I shop.... this is a big one, UT does not do much with double coupons, but I have walmart that will price match any paper ad (and they don't make you bring in the ad) so I make my list noting what store the sale price is at. then I make 4 stops normally... I start at the local discount store (we have winco) I shop there for the items that I need but do not have a sale price for and I check their prices on meat and veggies (they often change their prices to better than the local sales) then I go to Sams for the milk and eggs (local/fresh 5 dozen for less than store brands) then to walmart for the price matches, the last stop is only if needed that is smiths (there soda if often on sale and I cannot have walmart price match it as the "brand" is different) 2 rules for shopping never take people who ask for everything, and eat before you go. both of these make it easier to stick to the list and not add extras (I do try to plan a treat in as often as possible)
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
How to trim the budget tips
I have been learning how to trim and still have things that most people think of as extras.. Our main ones are cable/internet and netflix that is our entertainment budget each month, once in a rare while we will go out to a movie or dinner (that is normally for a birthday or wedding aniv.) With my husband being home all the time we needed something to keep him busy :) below are a few tips that have worked for me
1) Shop around for cable prices then ask your preferred provider to match that cost. I have basic digital and 20mbs internet for just over $40 a month (normal cost is about $100) I asked my cable company to match the price from a cheap provider (I did all the math for intro rate and the normal rate for the 2 years total cost then divided by 24 for the monthly cost)
2) Get netflix or Hulu+ for about $10 a month you watch shows and movies... we like anime so netflix is a great option they have lots and we spend hours each month watching (I also get to watch several of my favorite TV shows from their start)
3) Plan in advance for the times you do go out, that way you can look for coupons and other discounts for the location you want to go to. check living social, groupon and any local offers.
4) Plan nights in with a nice dinner and movie (redbox or netflix dvd are good options) I can make a Nice dinner for 6 people for about $25-35, and if you take 6 people out the bill will be that at most fast food places + that for the movie.
5) Talk to your cell phone carrier about company discounts, I was able to get a 12% discount on our plan just because of where I work (that is about $30 a month, as we have 6 phone lines..) I have gotten the monthly bill down to $50 a line (that includes taxes, any insurance, and fees) 2 of the lines have unlimited minutes (really we only need one {mine} but the plans offer 2 then add a line for $10 with 500 min add internet at the lowest, we use the wi-fi at home most of the time....)
6) Watch your thermostat! in the winter keep the house to where you all want long sleeves and or a blanket (we go 60-65, higher only if someone is sick and needs it to help with body temp) that alone can save you lots!!! my bill went from $200 a month (from keeping it about 70) to $150 in the winter with an OLD furnace (down to $75 with the new furnace) and in the summer keep the house a little on the warm side (the power company here says every degree below 78 can increase your bill by about 3%) My husband has issues with heat (he gets really sick in heat) so we keep ours just about 77-78 in the day and 76 at night normally our power bill does not go over $150 in the summer but this summer has been different, new house, AC that did not work right, Hotter day and night so it has gotten really high...working with the power company now to find out why (and if I can charge the company that messed up the AC) and if someone is taking power from us.
next installment FOOD.... and the focus for a while, shopping tips, meal ideas, how to plan....
1) Shop around for cable prices then ask your preferred provider to match that cost. I have basic digital and 20mbs internet for just over $40 a month (normal cost is about $100) I asked my cable company to match the price from a cheap provider (I did all the math for intro rate and the normal rate for the 2 years total cost then divided by 24 for the monthly cost)
2) Get netflix or Hulu+ for about $10 a month you watch shows and movies... we like anime so netflix is a great option they have lots and we spend hours each month watching (I also get to watch several of my favorite TV shows from their start)
3) Plan in advance for the times you do go out, that way you can look for coupons and other discounts for the location you want to go to. check living social, groupon and any local offers.
4) Plan nights in with a nice dinner and movie (redbox or netflix dvd are good options) I can make a Nice dinner for 6 people for about $25-35, and if you take 6 people out the bill will be that at most fast food places + that for the movie.
5) Talk to your cell phone carrier about company discounts, I was able to get a 12% discount on our plan just because of where I work (that is about $30 a month, as we have 6 phone lines..) I have gotten the monthly bill down to $50 a line (that includes taxes, any insurance, and fees) 2 of the lines have unlimited minutes (really we only need one {mine} but the plans offer 2 then add a line for $10 with 500 min add internet at the lowest, we use the wi-fi at home most of the time....)
6) Watch your thermostat! in the winter keep the house to where you all want long sleeves and or a blanket (we go 60-65, higher only if someone is sick and needs it to help with body temp) that alone can save you lots!!! my bill went from $200 a month (from keeping it about 70) to $150 in the winter with an OLD furnace (down to $75 with the new furnace) and in the summer keep the house a little on the warm side (the power company here says every degree below 78 can increase your bill by about 3%) My husband has issues with heat (he gets really sick in heat) so we keep ours just about 77-78 in the day and 76 at night normally our power bill does not go over $150 in the summer but this summer has been different, new house, AC that did not work right, Hotter day and night so it has gotten really high...working with the power company now to find out why (and if I can charge the company that messed up the AC) and if someone is taking power from us.
next installment FOOD.... and the focus for a while, shopping tips, meal ideas, how to plan....
Monday, August 20, 2012
Why and about me
After the past few years and the curve balls life has thrown my and my family. I thought that it was time to start sharing some of the things I have learned :) But first a little about yours truly and the family. I am a married step-mom of 3 and Love it! No one said that being a step parent was easy but it has many rewarding moments.
My Family
My Husband is unable to work as he has an unknown neurological disorder, the Dr is classifying it as Fibromyalgia as it does fit there 100%, but the Dr thinks there is more to it and I agree, we just cannot find it. My husband lives in never ending nerve pain. medication helps but causes as many issues as it fixes (or more) He does what he can around the house and mentally supports me.
My eldest step daughter (21) is out on her own and handling it well :) I wish that her moving out was better timed but other factors messed that up (we had to move, and could not find a place in our budget with the right # of bedrooms)
My step son (20) is learning how to get a job and be an adult right now, not an easy time for him, but we are doing everything we can to help him (even if that means tough love sometimes). His best friend is staying here more then his home right now due to issues there, so that makes his bedroom TIGHT and tempers can flare for little to no reason (I guess this goes for all of us most of time time right now...)
My youngest step daughter (18) is just starting to look for her first job and has a plan in place to save $ so she and her other half can move out on their own. He also lives with us due to family issues (nothing major just the squabbling that is normal, but can be fixed by removing the new adult :)
Me :)
I have had the nickname smiles as I use them a lot in communication. I tend to be a happy person but that is the outside me, inside I struggle with depression on a daily basis (HUGE thanks to my social worker/counselor Sharon who taught me how to deal with this, or I would be in a mental institution by now LOL) I am finding out how strong I am and am thankful for all my life's lessons I have learned. I cannot say that I have any regrets about my life. This is my second marriage and the first taught me loads! I am a better person now and I hope that he is also (I have not talked with him in any way for a long time) I love to game yes, a girl gamer. pc mostly but I do have a play station so I can play with the kids sometimes, I only own one game for it right now. My current games of choice are Diablo 3 and Sims 3, for the past 2 1/2 months Sims3 with cheats was the only game I could play, I can play Diablo 3 in short segments now (about 45 min is my tops right now). I also love to crochet and have 6 baby blankets to donate to the local children's hospital this holiday season. Other then that work and home are my life, I work full time and have cooking duty most nights (nights that I work I don't do the dishes one of the kids does) I cannot say we do a lot of cleaning but we try to keep the house passable.
In the last year we have had 4 surgery's (yes, four!) My husband had his knee scoped about July last year, found out that he has some nasty arthritis on the underside of his patella, the dr removed some of the build up and that has helped a little with the pain but mostly the locking up (it would lock and he could not bend it without MAJOR pain) then in December the youngest was having major abdominal pain and we found out that she had a cyst on her spleen so it had to come out (it was about 3 time normal size and weighed about 5 lbs) that was the worst one as she spent 2 1/2 days in the hospital, she now has a nice scar running down her tummy almost to her belly button (we call the scar the exclamation mark) it is about 4 1/2- 5 inches... but she is getting better (it had been pushing on her tummy and making it hard to eat, so she is having to re-train her body). Her healing has been a long road but then again it was a long road getting there, we think that it had been growing for about 4-6 years. The dr did not agree but did not dis-agree... the scar tissue has given her some issues (searing pain anyone?, but thankfully are getting better).Then this July I had eye surgery to re-fix an issue I was born with (my eyes were crossed, so at 9 months old they cut and moved the muscles so I could see normally, this time it was a different set of muscles but that is normal) so I am just getting back to work this coming Friday after not being there for over 2 months (still having issues reading a computer but that is part of why I started this blog to work my eyes) then just last week the eldest had to have her appendix out! Thankfully hers was able to be done laparoscopicly, so she went back to work Sunday (I am still impressed! when I saw her Fri evening she was in the end of the first 48 hours after and was about to fall asleep standing up, but her incisions looked good no red) . I got my money's worth from the insurance company (sorry guys but this is life some times)
The main reason I wanted a blog was to share my money saving tips and how to cut corners without feeling so strapped. I am currently feeding 5-7 people a night so I plan on 6 every night. and I do it all on bout $100 a week or $400 a month! we usually have leftovers or sandwiches for lunch (fend for yourself) as we have dinner as a family (for the most part) breakfast is cereal and milk simple but good for you. I will get into that more next post this one is already way to long :)
My Family
My Husband is unable to work as he has an unknown neurological disorder, the Dr is classifying it as Fibromyalgia as it does fit there 100%, but the Dr thinks there is more to it and I agree, we just cannot find it. My husband lives in never ending nerve pain. medication helps but causes as many issues as it fixes (or more) He does what he can around the house and mentally supports me.
My eldest step daughter (21) is out on her own and handling it well :) I wish that her moving out was better timed but other factors messed that up (we had to move, and could not find a place in our budget with the right # of bedrooms)
My step son (20) is learning how to get a job and be an adult right now, not an easy time for him, but we are doing everything we can to help him (even if that means tough love sometimes). His best friend is staying here more then his home right now due to issues there, so that makes his bedroom TIGHT and tempers can flare for little to no reason (I guess this goes for all of us most of time time right now...)
My youngest step daughter (18) is just starting to look for her first job and has a plan in place to save $ so she and her other half can move out on their own. He also lives with us due to family issues (nothing major just the squabbling that is normal, but can be fixed by removing the new adult :)
Me :)
I have had the nickname smiles as I use them a lot in communication. I tend to be a happy person but that is the outside me, inside I struggle with depression on a daily basis (HUGE thanks to my social worker/counselor Sharon who taught me how to deal with this, or I would be in a mental institution by now LOL) I am finding out how strong I am and am thankful for all my life's lessons I have learned. I cannot say that I have any regrets about my life. This is my second marriage and the first taught me loads! I am a better person now and I hope that he is also (I have not talked with him in any way for a long time) I love to game yes, a girl gamer. pc mostly but I do have a play station so I can play with the kids sometimes, I only own one game for it right now. My current games of choice are Diablo 3 and Sims 3, for the past 2 1/2 months Sims3 with cheats was the only game I could play, I can play Diablo 3 in short segments now (about 45 min is my tops right now). I also love to crochet and have 6 baby blankets to donate to the local children's hospital this holiday season. Other then that work and home are my life, I work full time and have cooking duty most nights (nights that I work I don't do the dishes one of the kids does) I cannot say we do a lot of cleaning but we try to keep the house passable.
In the last year we have had 4 surgery's (yes, four!) My husband had his knee scoped about July last year, found out that he has some nasty arthritis on the underside of his patella, the dr removed some of the build up and that has helped a little with the pain but mostly the locking up (it would lock and he could not bend it without MAJOR pain) then in December the youngest was having major abdominal pain and we found out that she had a cyst on her spleen so it had to come out (it was about 3 time normal size and weighed about 5 lbs) that was the worst one as she spent 2 1/2 days in the hospital, she now has a nice scar running down her tummy almost to her belly button (we call the scar the exclamation mark) it is about 4 1/2- 5 inches... but she is getting better (it had been pushing on her tummy and making it hard to eat, so she is having to re-train her body). Her healing has been a long road but then again it was a long road getting there, we think that it had been growing for about 4-6 years. The dr did not agree but did not dis-agree... the scar tissue has given her some issues (searing pain anyone?, but thankfully are getting better).Then this July I had eye surgery to re-fix an issue I was born with (my eyes were crossed, so at 9 months old they cut and moved the muscles so I could see normally, this time it was a different set of muscles but that is normal) so I am just getting back to work this coming Friday after not being there for over 2 months (still having issues reading a computer but that is part of why I started this blog to work my eyes) then just last week the eldest had to have her appendix out! Thankfully hers was able to be done laparoscopicly, so she went back to work Sunday (I am still impressed! when I saw her Fri evening she was in the end of the first 48 hours after and was about to fall asleep standing up, but her incisions looked good no red) . I got my money's worth from the insurance company (sorry guys but this is life some times)
The main reason I wanted a blog was to share my money saving tips and how to cut corners without feeling so strapped. I am currently feeding 5-7 people a night so I plan on 6 every night. and I do it all on bout $100 a week or $400 a month! we usually have leftovers or sandwiches for lunch (fend for yourself) as we have dinner as a family (for the most part) breakfast is cereal and milk simple but good for you. I will get into that more next post this one is already way to long :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)