This week has some really great sales on, so good that it will have you running out the store feeling like a security guard is following you, they are just that good!
Best deals that I have found this week are at No Frills! They are having their half price sale and it'll be on for 2 weeks! That's 14 days of stocking up and saving a bundle, can you handle it!?!
Here are the highlights:
Sunlight 2x Liquid detergent 64 washloads or Powder 80 washloads for $4.77. This is an awesome deal in itself but if you combine it with the $5 when you buy 2 Sunlight detergent coupons found on the back of Naturel Milk you'll only be paying $4.54 for both or $2.27 each! For powder that would be .03cents per load and liquid would be .04cents per load!
Campbells tomato soup is just .44 cents per can, combine that with the $1.00 off when you buy 3 blue band soups that is only .32 cents for four cans or .11 cents per can
Campbells mushroom, chicken noodle and vegetable soup is also on for .44 cents per can which can be combined with the $1 when you buy 4 cans coupon for a total of .76 cents for four cans or .19cents per can
Pogo original 10's or all beef 8's 600-750g are on sale for $3.97 which is a pretty good deal but combined with the Toonies for Tummies $1 coupon you as a smart shopper will only pay $2.97 a box!
Kelloggs Nutrigrain bars remain on sale for $1.88 per box which can be combined with the $1 off coupon found on specially marked cereal boxes for a great bargain at only .88 cents per box
Kelloggs poptarts and rice krispie squares are also on sale for $1.88 per box
4L Neilson chocolate milk is only $3.99! That is cheaper than what they sell white milk for!
Dole Caesar or light Caesar salad is only $1.47 but combined with the $1.50 off any salad found on specially marked cereal boxes you will pay absolutely nothing and if you have a super nice cashier you might just get .03 cents towards your other purchases if they do not adjust the coupon
My favorite bread Golden Mill Vienna bread is on for just .99 cents per loaf. We intend on picking up at least 50 loaves before the sale is over. This bread freezes so well and comes out just as fresh as when you put it in! Unlike many other breads which you freeze and taste like yeast when unthawed this brand is not like that at all.
Secret deodorant is just $1.49 which can be combined with the $1.00 P&G coupon making it only .49 cents or for even better value why not grab two and a Venus embrace razor which is also on sale for just $5.99 use the $7 when you buy 3 P&G coupon making your total just $1.97 for all three!
So there you have yourself some amazing deals. If you have a SPC card or the VIP SPC you can save 10% more bringing even more savings to you! This is where I intend to do some price matching tomorrow.
Happy Savings!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
What can one person do?
This is a question on many people's minds when it comes to making a different. I am just one person, what can I do? One person is all it takes to start a change, to make a difference in someone's life and to start a chain reaction. When one person takes a stand for something they believe in it's incredible to see the reactions from others following suit.
So what have I as one person done to make a different in my frugal and thrifty journey? Well I've just begun but I will share with you what I have done and what I will continue to work towards.
You see my husband and I do not make a ton of money, we follow a strict budget to make ends meet and pay the bills at the end of each month. There are not always tons of extras and before I started this way of life there was very seldom any extras at all. Since we have begun price matching, searching clearance and using coupons we have not only brought our grocery and personal hygiene aspect of our budget down dramatically but we have also been able to provide my parents and my grandmother with items to bring their budgets down as well. This has given both of their families a chance to get caught up on past due bills, have a few extras that they would not normally have and feel a little more positive about the future. This has also given me the opportunity to be able to take the freebies or pretty darn close to it and make donations to the food bank and local humane society. Without following this way of life there is no way I could have made these changes.
Following this path has also really given me the push to give back to others and make a positive change in others lives. It has helped me teach my children about those who are so less fortunate than us but that we can make a difference in their lives by giving back.
After much consideration and planning we have decided to put together a benefit for the SIDS foundation. This has been an active plan for the past three years when a friend of ours lost their son to SIDS. It is something that has weighed very heavy on our hearts and something that we wanted to do to keep both his memory alive and actively work towards putting an end to SIDS. We've decided that this will be the year to do it. Knowing how to get the best deals now and having a great support system when it comes to finding the best deals we are begun to put together the benefit. With much planning and consideration we should be able to put together a successful benefit with nearly nothing out of our own pockets but will be able to make a large donation to the SIDS foundation. This is one of many ways we plan on giving back.
So you may think that you are just one person, and that just one person can not make a difference. But I beg to differ. One person can make all the difference to a child who has to go without meals because there is no food on the table and the food banks shelves are empty, one person can make a considerable donation to a foundation that may be short on funds or may give just the money needed that may make a break through in research. One person can put a smile on someones face and give them hope when they thought there was none. Don't ever think for one second that one person can not make a difference, because one person can make a world of difference.
Make a difference in someones life! It doesn't have to cost you anything, just a simple smile, hold the door, have a bit of extra patience while shopping, make a meal for a family that is going through a difficult time or just tell someone you are there to listen. Those are all things that don't have to cost anything but can make a world of difference in the life of someone else.
You may be just one person, but together we are a whole lot of people willing to step up and make a change.
So what have I as one person done to make a different in my frugal and thrifty journey? Well I've just begun but I will share with you what I have done and what I will continue to work towards.
You see my husband and I do not make a ton of money, we follow a strict budget to make ends meet and pay the bills at the end of each month. There are not always tons of extras and before I started this way of life there was very seldom any extras at all. Since we have begun price matching, searching clearance and using coupons we have not only brought our grocery and personal hygiene aspect of our budget down dramatically but we have also been able to provide my parents and my grandmother with items to bring their budgets down as well. This has given both of their families a chance to get caught up on past due bills, have a few extras that they would not normally have and feel a little more positive about the future. This has also given me the opportunity to be able to take the freebies or pretty darn close to it and make donations to the food bank and local humane society. Without following this way of life there is no way I could have made these changes.
Following this path has also really given me the push to give back to others and make a positive change in others lives. It has helped me teach my children about those who are so less fortunate than us but that we can make a difference in their lives by giving back.
After much consideration and planning we have decided to put together a benefit for the SIDS foundation. This has been an active plan for the past three years when a friend of ours lost their son to SIDS. It is something that has weighed very heavy on our hearts and something that we wanted to do to keep both his memory alive and actively work towards putting an end to SIDS. We've decided that this will be the year to do it. Knowing how to get the best deals now and having a great support system when it comes to finding the best deals we are begun to put together the benefit. With much planning and consideration we should be able to put together a successful benefit with nearly nothing out of our own pockets but will be able to make a large donation to the SIDS foundation. This is one of many ways we plan on giving back.
So you may think that you are just one person, and that just one person can not make a difference. But I beg to differ. One person can make all the difference to a child who has to go without meals because there is no food on the table and the food banks shelves are empty, one person can make a considerable donation to a foundation that may be short on funds or may give just the money needed that may make a break through in research. One person can put a smile on someones face and give them hope when they thought there was none. Don't ever think for one second that one person can not make a difference, because one person can make a world of difference.
Make a difference in someones life! It doesn't have to cost you anything, just a simple smile, hold the door, have a bit of extra patience while shopping, make a meal for a family that is going through a difficult time or just tell someone you are there to listen. Those are all things that don't have to cost anything but can make a world of difference in the life of someone else.
You may be just one person, but together we are a whole lot of people willing to step up and make a change.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Greenworks, Scrubbing bubbles, Chewy bars the deals go on and on and on
This week is an amazing week for fantastic deals! Yesterday we spent the day loading up our van with deals that were so good it felt like we must have been stealing! Here's what we loaded up on!
Zellers transaction number 1 (we had to do two transactions since their computer only lets them enter 99 items)
3x Smuckers jam on sale at Zehrs for $2.99 price matched to Zellers - 3x $1 coupons= $1.99 each
5x Quaker chewy bars on sale for $1.00 price matched to Food Basics no coupons
1x Nature Valley trail mix granola bar on sale for $1.00 price matched to Food Basics - .99cent coupon = .01cents
20x Campbells Cream of mushroom soap price matched to Food basics for .47cents/can - $1.00 wub4 cans = .22 cents per can
20x Campbells Tomato soup price matched to Food Basics for .47 cents/can - $1.00 wub4 cans = .22 cents per can
3x Mach 3 disposable razors 3 pack price matched to Zehrs for $4.99 each - 3x $2.00 coupons = $2.99 each
8x Beggin strips price matched to Zehrs for $1.99 each - 8x $1.00 coupons = .99cents each
12x Ziploc 100 count sandwich bags price matched to Zehrs for $2.29each - 6x $4.00 wub2 = .29 cents each
21x Greenworks Cleaners on sale at Zellers for $1.99 each - 7x $1.50 coupon wub1 and 5 x $5 coupon wub3 = .30 cents each
10% savings with Student Price Card
For a grand total of $41.67
A total purchase savings of $109.52 excluding all coupons
A total coupon savings for $89.49
A total savings of $199.01
Zellers Transaction #2:
1x Green Works Cleaner on sale at Zellers for $1.99
4x Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer on sale at Zellers for $5.99 - 4x $5.00 coupons = .99 cents each
4x Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer refill - B1 Scrubbing bubbles power sprayer G1 Refill for free = $0 each
For a grand total of $6.69
A total purchase savings of $17.60 excluding coupons
A total coupon savings of $39.96
A total savings of $57.56
Walmart Transaction Number 3 of the day
Janes Chicken strips on sale for $7.00 - $2.00 coupon = $5.00
Scrubbing bubbles toilet gel starter kit on clearance for $7.50 - $7.00 coupon = .50 cents
2x Toaster Strudel blueberry flavor - 2x $2.00 coupons = FREE
Diet Pepsi $3.50 - $3.50 coupon = FREE
Natrel 2% milk $5.77 - $5.00 coupon = .77cents
Johnson and Johnson Bedtime baby set $15.97 - $15.97 coupon = FREE
2x Black Diamond 500g Marble Cheese bar priced matched to Price Chopper at $4.44 each
Total $16.50
Total coupon savings = $37.47
Sobeys was transaction number 4 of the day and I hit it large!
Pilsbury Crescent rolls on sale .99 cents - $1.00 coupon = +.01 cents
6x Marrobones on sale $2.99 each - B1G1 free = $8.97 for all or $1.50 each
5x Pedigree dry dog food 3.3kg normally $9.99/bag on clearance 50% off for $4.99 each - 5x $3.00 coupon = $1.99 each
Beneful Slices 312g on 50% off clearance $2.49 - $1.00 coupon = $1.49
Tide Strain release spray on 50% off clearance $2.50 - $2.00 coupon - .50 cents
2x Gain laundry powder on 50% off clearance $3.15 each - $3.00 coupon wub2 = $3.29 for both or $1.65 each
2x Nutella spread 750g $6.79 - 2x $6.79 coupons = FREE
Busy Bone large 425g on 50% off clearance $3.65 - $3.00 coupon = .65 cents
Total- $35.72
Total coupon savings- $47.55
Total clearance savings - $39.90
Sobeys is generally the last place that I would shop but I could not find the Marrobones anywhere else in that size and they also have a High 5 in the morning promotion going on where you purchase 5 Quaker items one must be a Tropicana product and they will send you $25.00 in coupons! You need to purchase all 5 items in the same transaction and write the UPC codes on the back of the receipt. Unfortunately they did not have any of the forms available so I will have to make another trip to get one. Very good promotion right now with the Quaker granola bars on sale at Food Basics this week for $1.00!
Some great savings this week! My savings yesterday was $381.49 which is far more than what I paid! This is a great week to get Quaker granola bars, Kool-Aid jammers are just $1.00 at Food Basics, Greenworks is a fantastic price and cheese is a great price as well! Save yourself on traveling from one store to another and do price matches! It pays to shop around and use coupons!
Zellers transaction number 1 (we had to do two transactions since their computer only lets them enter 99 items)
3x Smuckers jam on sale at Zehrs for $2.99 price matched to Zellers - 3x $1 coupons= $1.99 each
5x Quaker chewy bars on sale for $1.00 price matched to Food Basics no coupons
1x Nature Valley trail mix granola bar on sale for $1.00 price matched to Food Basics - .99cent coupon = .01cents
20x Campbells Cream of mushroom soap price matched to Food basics for .47cents/can - $1.00 wub4 cans = .22 cents per can
20x Campbells Tomato soup price matched to Food Basics for .47 cents/can - $1.00 wub4 cans = .22 cents per can
3x Mach 3 disposable razors 3 pack price matched to Zehrs for $4.99 each - 3x $2.00 coupons = $2.99 each
8x Beggin strips price matched to Zehrs for $1.99 each - 8x $1.00 coupons = .99cents each
12x Ziploc 100 count sandwich bags price matched to Zehrs for $2.29each - 6x $4.00 wub2 = .29 cents each
21x Greenworks Cleaners on sale at Zellers for $1.99 each - 7x $1.50 coupon wub1 and 5 x $5 coupon wub3 = .30 cents each
10% savings with Student Price Card
For a grand total of $41.67
A total purchase savings of $109.52 excluding all coupons
A total coupon savings for $89.49
A total savings of $199.01
Zellers Transaction #2:
1x Green Works Cleaner on sale at Zellers for $1.99
4x Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer on sale at Zellers for $5.99 - 4x $5.00 coupons = .99 cents each
4x Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer refill - B1 Scrubbing bubbles power sprayer G1 Refill for free = $0 each
For a grand total of $6.69
A total purchase savings of $17.60 excluding coupons
A total coupon savings of $39.96
A total savings of $57.56
Walmart Transaction Number 3 of the day
Janes Chicken strips on sale for $7.00 - $2.00 coupon = $5.00
Scrubbing bubbles toilet gel starter kit on clearance for $7.50 - $7.00 coupon = .50 cents
2x Toaster Strudel blueberry flavor - 2x $2.00 coupons = FREE
Diet Pepsi $3.50 - $3.50 coupon = FREE
Natrel 2% milk $5.77 - $5.00 coupon = .77cents
Johnson and Johnson Bedtime baby set $15.97 - $15.97 coupon = FREE
2x Black Diamond 500g Marble Cheese bar priced matched to Price Chopper at $4.44 each
Total $16.50
Total coupon savings = $37.47
Sobeys was transaction number 4 of the day and I hit it large!
Pilsbury Crescent rolls on sale .99 cents - $1.00 coupon = +.01 cents
6x Marrobones on sale $2.99 each - B1G1 free = $8.97 for all or $1.50 each
5x Pedigree dry dog food 3.3kg normally $9.99/bag on clearance 50% off for $4.99 each - 5x $3.00 coupon = $1.99 each
Beneful Slices 312g on 50% off clearance $2.49 - $1.00 coupon = $1.49
Tide Strain release spray on 50% off clearance $2.50 - $2.00 coupon - .50 cents
2x Gain laundry powder on 50% off clearance $3.15 each - $3.00 coupon wub2 = $3.29 for both or $1.65 each
2x Nutella spread 750g $6.79 - 2x $6.79 coupons = FREE
Busy Bone large 425g on 50% off clearance $3.65 - $3.00 coupon = .65 cents
Total- $35.72
Total coupon savings- $47.55
Total clearance savings - $39.90
Sobeys is generally the last place that I would shop but I could not find the Marrobones anywhere else in that size and they also have a High 5 in the morning promotion going on where you purchase 5 Quaker items one must be a Tropicana product and they will send you $25.00 in coupons! You need to purchase all 5 items in the same transaction and write the UPC codes on the back of the receipt. Unfortunately they did not have any of the forms available so I will have to make another trip to get one. Very good promotion right now with the Quaker granola bars on sale at Food Basics this week for $1.00!
Some great savings this week! My savings yesterday was $381.49 which is far more than what I paid! This is a great week to get Quaker granola bars, Kool-Aid jammers are just $1.00 at Food Basics, Greenworks is a fantastic price and cheese is a great price as well! Save yourself on traveling from one store to another and do price matches! It pays to shop around and use coupons!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Utilities got you down?
There is nothing worse than opening your mail box to find a stack of bills all saying pay me now with hefty dollar signs beside them! What if you could cut that amount down significantly and keep more money in your pocket without having to spend a bundle? We have and boy does it feel good!
Since we have an unpredictable income we use equal billing for our electricity and gas. This ensures that every month we will know what we are paying and makes life a ton easier when it comes to budgeting. This does not really save us any money but it does give us the opportunity to plan for where our money is going each month ahead of time and more often then not have a month free service from what we have over paid. Some will recommend against this because the utility companies are building interest on the money that you are over paying but for anyone who has a small budget or unpredictable income I strongly recommend it.
The biggest savings you can have on your bills is to cut out the extras, do you really need voice mail, call waiting and caller idea? Buying an answering machine at a one time cost of about $10 can save you big bucks at the end of even one year! We were being charged $3 every month just to have voice mail on our phone, that's $36 per year! Out will the frills, on with the savings!
Cell phones, everyone has them and they are expensive! If you need one for work or emergencies when out and about I strongly recommend using pay as you go. If you do not use it a lot every single day pay as you go is the way to save money. Also if you hit a month that you can't afford the extra expense of a cell phone or you know you will not be using it for a few months you are not paying for unused service. It just makes sense! Many cell phone companies offer unlimited text messaging and incoming calls for a minimal cost which could save you quite a bit each and every month.
Electricity, it's something we all need but one of those bills we cringe opening. It's one of our highest bills and one that we used to hold our breath while opening. Not anymore! We have cut our electricity usage in almost half following a few simple tips.
- unplug everything that is not in use, even though it is not turned on it is still drawing electricity
- switch to gas cook stoves, dryers and hot water tanks, the gas usage is far less than electricity
- in the summer avoid turning on your a/c until necessary and even when you do keep it at as minimal use as possible
- update your appliances, you would be surprised just how much energy those old appliances are using
- ensure your freezers are full at all times, this uses less electricity and if you don't have enough food in the freezers to fill it use containers filed with water to fill in the extra space
- shut all lights off when you leave a room, it's amazing how much we pay by just forgetting to flip a switch
- change to energy efficient light bulbs, these babies are a great investment and last much longer than original bulbs
There are just a few that some people just do not think of. There are many common sense electricity saving tips out there. Do a quick search on the internet and you will find a ton. Calling your provider may also help with finding energy savings tips. If you update your appliances some providers offer bonuses for doing so. Some providers are also offering savings for energy usage that is after peak times so this is a good thing to look into to avoid paying the highest rate.
Gas usage can be outrageous especially in the cold winter months and if your like me there is nothing that is going to stop me from staying warm! Here are some tips on how you can still stay toasting with out suffering from the shock of opening that winter bill:
- wear layers in order to keep the furnace turned down just a bit lower
- install window kits to keep drafts from cooling down certain living areas
- install a ceiling fan to circulate the warm air
- turn the temperature on your hot water tanks down, you don't need boiling water coming out of your taps not only is it dangerous but it's costing you a fortune!
- do your laundry all at once, this way the dryer will not completely cool off between loads and you won't have to run it as long
- wash your laundry in cold water
Again you can find loads more great tips all over the internet or if you phone your provider. It never hurts to ask, but you could come out ahead with a lot more money in your pockets!
Water usage is one of our least expensive bills but still one that we like to make sure we keep in check. Any penny saved is a penny more that we have instead of our utility providers:
- wash only full loads of laundry and use cold water
- ensure that all taps are completely turned off and not leaking, you may need to replace seals from time to time
- ensure your toilet is never left running, this can use gallons of water
- never leave the tap running while doing dishes, filling a sink once to rinse will use far less water than allowing it to run the entire time you wash dishes
- only water gardens and grass at dawn or dusk, watering during the day can not only be harmful to your plants but is a big waste of water!
- limit showers to lower water waste
- ensure hoses are always shut off after use
Seems like common sense tips but not everyone does these! It's surprising just how much water gets used every year. You can do your part and save yourself money at the same time!
Hopefully these will give you a good starting point for cutting down your utility bills. These are the three major bills that everyone pays. Things like cable, phone, and other entertainment I consider a luxury. If you feel those things are necessary price around for the best offer and don't be afraid to ask your current provider for a better deal!
Happy savings everyone!
Since we have an unpredictable income we use equal billing for our electricity and gas. This ensures that every month we will know what we are paying and makes life a ton easier when it comes to budgeting. This does not really save us any money but it does give us the opportunity to plan for where our money is going each month ahead of time and more often then not have a month free service from what we have over paid. Some will recommend against this because the utility companies are building interest on the money that you are over paying but for anyone who has a small budget or unpredictable income I strongly recommend it.
The biggest savings you can have on your bills is to cut out the extras, do you really need voice mail, call waiting and caller idea? Buying an answering machine at a one time cost of about $10 can save you big bucks at the end of even one year! We were being charged $3 every month just to have voice mail on our phone, that's $36 per year! Out will the frills, on with the savings!
Cell phones, everyone has them and they are expensive! If you need one for work or emergencies when out and about I strongly recommend using pay as you go. If you do not use it a lot every single day pay as you go is the way to save money. Also if you hit a month that you can't afford the extra expense of a cell phone or you know you will not be using it for a few months you are not paying for unused service. It just makes sense! Many cell phone companies offer unlimited text messaging and incoming calls for a minimal cost which could save you quite a bit each and every month.
Electricity, it's something we all need but one of those bills we cringe opening. It's one of our highest bills and one that we used to hold our breath while opening. Not anymore! We have cut our electricity usage in almost half following a few simple tips.
- unplug everything that is not in use, even though it is not turned on it is still drawing electricity
- switch to gas cook stoves, dryers and hot water tanks, the gas usage is far less than electricity
- in the summer avoid turning on your a/c until necessary and even when you do keep it at as minimal use as possible
- update your appliances, you would be surprised just how much energy those old appliances are using
- ensure your freezers are full at all times, this uses less electricity and if you don't have enough food in the freezers to fill it use containers filed with water to fill in the extra space
- shut all lights off when you leave a room, it's amazing how much we pay by just forgetting to flip a switch
- change to energy efficient light bulbs, these babies are a great investment and last much longer than original bulbs
There are just a few that some people just do not think of. There are many common sense electricity saving tips out there. Do a quick search on the internet and you will find a ton. Calling your provider may also help with finding energy savings tips. If you update your appliances some providers offer bonuses for doing so. Some providers are also offering savings for energy usage that is after peak times so this is a good thing to look into to avoid paying the highest rate.
Gas usage can be outrageous especially in the cold winter months and if your like me there is nothing that is going to stop me from staying warm! Here are some tips on how you can still stay toasting with out suffering from the shock of opening that winter bill:
- wear layers in order to keep the furnace turned down just a bit lower
- install window kits to keep drafts from cooling down certain living areas
- install a ceiling fan to circulate the warm air
- turn the temperature on your hot water tanks down, you don't need boiling water coming out of your taps not only is it dangerous but it's costing you a fortune!
- do your laundry all at once, this way the dryer will not completely cool off between loads and you won't have to run it as long
- wash your laundry in cold water
Again you can find loads more great tips all over the internet or if you phone your provider. It never hurts to ask, but you could come out ahead with a lot more money in your pockets!
Water usage is one of our least expensive bills but still one that we like to make sure we keep in check. Any penny saved is a penny more that we have instead of our utility providers:
- wash only full loads of laundry and use cold water
- ensure that all taps are completely turned off and not leaking, you may need to replace seals from time to time
- ensure your toilet is never left running, this can use gallons of water
- never leave the tap running while doing dishes, filling a sink once to rinse will use far less water than allowing it to run the entire time you wash dishes
- only water gardens and grass at dawn or dusk, watering during the day can not only be harmful to your plants but is a big waste of water!
- limit showers to lower water waste
- ensure hoses are always shut off after use
Seems like common sense tips but not everyone does these! It's surprising just how much water gets used every year. You can do your part and save yourself money at the same time!
Hopefully these will give you a good starting point for cutting down your utility bills. These are the three major bills that everyone pays. Things like cable, phone, and other entertainment I consider a luxury. If you feel those things are necessary price around for the best offer and don't be afraid to ask your current provider for a better deal!
Happy savings everyone!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Where there are questions asked, answers must follow!
I've been asked a lot of questions lately about my journey and thought what better way than to answer them in a blog post for everyone to see. If there is something you have ever wondered hopefully I will cover it in this post and if not I'd be happy to answer for you in future posts!
The easiest question that I have been asked is who am I? Well it seems like a easy question doesn't it and just stating my name would be the easiest answer but I don't think that is what people are really asking. I am a mother to four amazing children ages 9, 7, 5 and 3. My eldest son is Autistic which brings on a whole lot of different expenses and challenges than average families face. I have been married to my amazing husband for nearly 3 years and we have spent the past 7 years together. I was a high school drop out when I had my first son at 16 but have since went back to school and amongst my other goals I will be a high school graduate this year, in just a few months actually. I am a stay at home mom who stretches every penny as far as I can so we can achieve our goals. I am a only child who was raised with very little financial sense and found myself in a whole lot of trouble when I entered the real world. I am determined, motivated, thrifty, very money wise now and equally as concerned about our environment.
Hopefully that will give you an idea of who I am. There are many layers to me, some which contradict the others. My purpose in writing this blog is to help others who have found themselves in the same position that we are in, little income, lots of expenses and big dreams. I've been watching Til Death Do Us Part and learned one very important thing, if you want to get yourself out of debt you either a) cut back on expenses or b) get more income. My husband and I have decided to get where we want to be in the next year we are going to do both and boy has it shown in our plans!
I have been asked many times why now and why have I chosen this route to get ourselves out of debt and build savings. The answer to this is simple, we couldn't go on living the way we were without finding ourselves under a huge pile of debt with ruined credit ratings and absolutely no chance to get out! This was the easiest decision we made, now putting it into action wasn't nearly as easy.
What is our plans? My husband and I plan to be debt free by the end of 2011, we plan to have a nice little savings cushion to fall back on, have education savings begun for our children and a budget that we can work with for years to come. We have huge plans and have worked very hard towards them.
How are we going to accomplish everything above in just 11 months remaining? With a tight budget, extra income whenever we can get it and watching where every penny goes. Before we even entered 2011 my husband and I both sat down and wrote out a very detailed budget which included everything from car insurance and rent to hair cuts, gifts and savings. Everything that we will spend money on is accounted for. We are using an envelope system to keep track of our money and to ensure that we do not over spend. The only thing that we do not use the envelope system for is car insurance, debt repayment and our utility bills since those are automatically taken out of our accounts on a date that we have chosen or we pay online on pay day.
Extra income is a huge blessing on building our savings, stock pile and paying debt off faster. There are many ways that you can earn extra income no matter what your talents are. We have sold many things that we don't need on a website called kijiji. You can also do things like babysitting, having yard sales, selling crafts that you make or baked goods and doing handy man work. The possibilities are endless! What may seem like just a few dollars here and there can end up as a huge amount of money at the end of 12 months.
Lastly we have kept track of where every penny that we spend is going. This will give us a detailed view of where our money is going and where we can cut back. For example if you need to tighten up your budget further because of sickness or having an unexpected bill you may see in your detailed spending sheet that you are spending $1.75/day on coffee from Tim Hortons! It may not seem like much but when you start considering you are buying a coffee every day that becomes $638.75 every single year! That could easily be a few utility bills covered just by skipping that one cup of coffee and making it at home instead.
We have spent countless hours researching how we will save money. Couponing has become a huge part of that. Wednesday night when we receive our weekly flyers we take a look at what will be on special for the week and pair that with the coupons that we have available for big savings. Having a stock pile at home will ensure that we spend the lowest possible price for the grocery items that we use. Watching for sales rotations will help you determine just how many months supply of pantry items you may need, for example if you use Cashmere bathroom tissue and see that it is on special for $5.55 as it was at No Frills this week that maybe the lowest price that you will find it at. If you watch the sales rotations you may find that it goes on special every 6 months so you would need to buy a 6 month supply at that time to make sure you get the best possible price. SmartCanuks.ca has been amazing with helping me find all the weekly deals available paired with coupons and the ladies there have been fantastic at trading coupons with me for the products that I use.
There is a lot that you can do to save money. You may not have a pile of debt haunting you but unless you have 6 months to a year worth of emergency savings you could easily find yourself with debt if illness, injury or job loss was to affect your family. It's always a good idea regardless of income to take a look at their finances on a regular basis to see where there money is going, ensure that you can't get a lower rate with companies and make sure you are keeping as much of your hard earned money in your pocket as possible.
I hope that some of these tips will help you on your savings journey and have cleared up any questions you may have. I will be touching base on saving money on your utilities in my next blog post with lots of energy savings tips that anyone could do!
Happy Savings!
The easiest question that I have been asked is who am I? Well it seems like a easy question doesn't it and just stating my name would be the easiest answer but I don't think that is what people are really asking. I am a mother to four amazing children ages 9, 7, 5 and 3. My eldest son is Autistic which brings on a whole lot of different expenses and challenges than average families face. I have been married to my amazing husband for nearly 3 years and we have spent the past 7 years together. I was a high school drop out when I had my first son at 16 but have since went back to school and amongst my other goals I will be a high school graduate this year, in just a few months actually. I am a stay at home mom who stretches every penny as far as I can so we can achieve our goals. I am a only child who was raised with very little financial sense and found myself in a whole lot of trouble when I entered the real world. I am determined, motivated, thrifty, very money wise now and equally as concerned about our environment.
Hopefully that will give you an idea of who I am. There are many layers to me, some which contradict the others. My purpose in writing this blog is to help others who have found themselves in the same position that we are in, little income, lots of expenses and big dreams. I've been watching Til Death Do Us Part and learned one very important thing, if you want to get yourself out of debt you either a) cut back on expenses or b) get more income. My husband and I have decided to get where we want to be in the next year we are going to do both and boy has it shown in our plans!
I have been asked many times why now and why have I chosen this route to get ourselves out of debt and build savings. The answer to this is simple, we couldn't go on living the way we were without finding ourselves under a huge pile of debt with ruined credit ratings and absolutely no chance to get out! This was the easiest decision we made, now putting it into action wasn't nearly as easy.
What is our plans? My husband and I plan to be debt free by the end of 2011, we plan to have a nice little savings cushion to fall back on, have education savings begun for our children and a budget that we can work with for years to come. We have huge plans and have worked very hard towards them.
How are we going to accomplish everything above in just 11 months remaining? With a tight budget, extra income whenever we can get it and watching where every penny goes. Before we even entered 2011 my husband and I both sat down and wrote out a very detailed budget which included everything from car insurance and rent to hair cuts, gifts and savings. Everything that we will spend money on is accounted for. We are using an envelope system to keep track of our money and to ensure that we do not over spend. The only thing that we do not use the envelope system for is car insurance, debt repayment and our utility bills since those are automatically taken out of our accounts on a date that we have chosen or we pay online on pay day.
Extra income is a huge blessing on building our savings, stock pile and paying debt off faster. There are many ways that you can earn extra income no matter what your talents are. We have sold many things that we don't need on a website called kijiji. You can also do things like babysitting, having yard sales, selling crafts that you make or baked goods and doing handy man work. The possibilities are endless! What may seem like just a few dollars here and there can end up as a huge amount of money at the end of 12 months.
Lastly we have kept track of where every penny that we spend is going. This will give us a detailed view of where our money is going and where we can cut back. For example if you need to tighten up your budget further because of sickness or having an unexpected bill you may see in your detailed spending sheet that you are spending $1.75/day on coffee from Tim Hortons! It may not seem like much but when you start considering you are buying a coffee every day that becomes $638.75 every single year! That could easily be a few utility bills covered just by skipping that one cup of coffee and making it at home instead.
We have spent countless hours researching how we will save money. Couponing has become a huge part of that. Wednesday night when we receive our weekly flyers we take a look at what will be on special for the week and pair that with the coupons that we have available for big savings. Having a stock pile at home will ensure that we spend the lowest possible price for the grocery items that we use. Watching for sales rotations will help you determine just how many months supply of pantry items you may need, for example if you use Cashmere bathroom tissue and see that it is on special for $5.55 as it was at No Frills this week that maybe the lowest price that you will find it at. If you watch the sales rotations you may find that it goes on special every 6 months so you would need to buy a 6 month supply at that time to make sure you get the best possible price. SmartCanuks.ca has been amazing with helping me find all the weekly deals available paired with coupons and the ladies there have been fantastic at trading coupons with me for the products that I use.
There is a lot that you can do to save money. You may not have a pile of debt haunting you but unless you have 6 months to a year worth of emergency savings you could easily find yourself with debt if illness, injury or job loss was to affect your family. It's always a good idea regardless of income to take a look at their finances on a regular basis to see where there money is going, ensure that you can't get a lower rate with companies and make sure you are keeping as much of your hard earned money in your pocket as possible.
I hope that some of these tips will help you on your savings journey and have cleared up any questions you may have. I will be touching base on saving money on your utilities in my next blog post with lots of energy savings tips that anyone could do!
Happy Savings!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
My first month in summary
January was really the first month that I committed myself to using coupons and boy has it been a journey! I've really learned a lot and I am much more sure of myself with each check out that I do. I've learned a lot about the scanning code of practice, which stores will accepted printed coupons, mail in rebates, Optimum points, HBC points the list just goes on and on. I'm very excited to share all I have learned with my readers and can't wait to continue on with this journey.
My stockpile is well on it's way, and I've been able to help out others in our family with free items or majorly reduced prices. I've gained the title of personal shopper and couponing diva from a few! But the biggest gain that I have had this month is massive savings. I didn't start using coupons to this extreme until mid January and everyone around me thought it would just be a fad and I would quickly move onto something else. After seeing this months savings of $884.81 I can proudly say that I will never stop using coupons, this is the first month in a very long time we have come out ahead and we will continue to stay ahead because of our frugal nature.
How did I do it? Well I will be the first to admit that I spent too many hours reading on smartcanuks.ca and talking to the amazing members on there! Without those ladies I truly do not think I would have had half the savings that I had. They pointed me in the right direction, posted lots of great deals and took trades from a newbie like me to get my coupon binder beaming!
I matched my coupons to sales for all of the items that we use and maximized our savings this way. You would not believe the amount of regularly used items that go on sale in rotation that you can find coupons for.
I emailed and called too many companies to even begin to mention to give thanks to and many of them sent me coupons to use towards their products. I've said it before and I'll say it over and over again it pays to compliment!
Price matching at Walmart has become one of my favorites! Not only do they give you .02 cents off the competitors prices but you save gas because your not driving all over the place! This has been a huge savings for me.
I hope to do more detailed posts on each and every one of my savings tips that I have gained along the way. I know there are many people out there who would love to have this kind of savings but they just don't know where to start or think that you have to make a career out of this. You do not have to make a career out of it, sure I spend a ton of time on it but that is because I am not working right now. This gives me an opportunity to stay at home with my kids without having a bigger financial burden on us but we can still pay off our debts, build savings and still eat healthy! Anything that you want badly enough in life can happen it just takes a lot of motivation and the determination to really go for it!
Stay tuned I will be posted in detail how to price match, use coupons most efficiently, building and maintaining a stock pile, how to get the most Shoppers Optimum points possible and how to save yourself money! There are so many ways to save money each month besides just using coupons and I will tell you how!
Happy Savings!
My stockpile is well on it's way, and I've been able to help out others in our family with free items or majorly reduced prices. I've gained the title of personal shopper and couponing diva from a few! But the biggest gain that I have had this month is massive savings. I didn't start using coupons to this extreme until mid January and everyone around me thought it would just be a fad and I would quickly move onto something else. After seeing this months savings of $884.81 I can proudly say that I will never stop using coupons, this is the first month in a very long time we have come out ahead and we will continue to stay ahead because of our frugal nature.
How did I do it? Well I will be the first to admit that I spent too many hours reading on smartcanuks.ca and talking to the amazing members on there! Without those ladies I truly do not think I would have had half the savings that I had. They pointed me in the right direction, posted lots of great deals and took trades from a newbie like me to get my coupon binder beaming!
I matched my coupons to sales for all of the items that we use and maximized our savings this way. You would not believe the amount of regularly used items that go on sale in rotation that you can find coupons for.
I emailed and called too many companies to even begin to mention to give thanks to and many of them sent me coupons to use towards their products. I've said it before and I'll say it over and over again it pays to compliment!
Price matching at Walmart has become one of my favorites! Not only do they give you .02 cents off the competitors prices but you save gas because your not driving all over the place! This has been a huge savings for me.
I hope to do more detailed posts on each and every one of my savings tips that I have gained along the way. I know there are many people out there who would love to have this kind of savings but they just don't know where to start or think that you have to make a career out of this. You do not have to make a career out of it, sure I spend a ton of time on it but that is because I am not working right now. This gives me an opportunity to stay at home with my kids without having a bigger financial burden on us but we can still pay off our debts, build savings and still eat healthy! Anything that you want badly enough in life can happen it just takes a lot of motivation and the determination to really go for it!
Stay tuned I will be posted in detail how to price match, use coupons most efficiently, building and maintaining a stock pile, how to get the most Shoppers Optimum points possible and how to save yourself money! There are so many ways to save money each month besides just using coupons and I will tell you how!
Happy Savings!
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