My husband and I just finished a three day weekend. I had this idea that by this time of the night I would be sitting laid back, homework done, kitchen cleaned, and a month worth of meals cooked/mostly prepared in the freezer. (lol...what was I thinking?)
Saturday I woke up ready to shop and buy groceries. I had already mapped out what I wanted to purchase for my big cooking weekend, but I didn't realize how much time it would take to cut, clip, an match up coupons with the items I wanted. I had planned out some of the shopping and was able to hit Target, Staples, and Harps, but wasn't ready to finish everything out at Wal-mart. I got a lot of great deals and ended up earning some unexpected money in the process, but by the end of the day I was really tired.
Looking back on the day, I wish I had taken a moment to step back an reevaluate my goals for the weekend. It really didn't matter if I had everything cooked for this weekend, and I needed to focus on my school work as well. Now it is Monday night and I kindof feel like I didn't get much of a weekend. It taught me a lesson though because I don't want to get burned out on trying to make positive changes.
There are always going to be deals out there, coupons to clip, and ways to save money. I have to remind myself to keep my mind focused on why I want to save money. It is so we can have more of the life we want, and it be less stressful not more. Listed below are some tips and ideas about saving money that I have learned.
1. Check out some of the coupon sites such as krazycouponlady.com and moneysavingsmadness. Krazy coupon lady is by far my favorite. They match ads with the best coupons. They have helped us saving money on groceries, gas, and lots of other items.
2. Fill out an send off rebates quickly. I get a lot of free items at staples, but it doesn't matter if I don't fill out the rebates an send them off. I just spent about 10 miniutes getting over $60 in rebates ready to mail off. Some of them you can even submit online.
3. Be creative in making money. I have found all types of ways to make money such as mystery shopping, filling out surveys, and evaluating websites. For me it is a better way to earn money than a second job. This past weekend I was up for an upgrade on my Iphone. I checked the prices being offered on my phone on Gazelle.com, and i was able to get the phone, and sell my current phone for Gazelle.com for $130.00. That is in addition to the activation fee.
Would love to hear from you if you have any ideas about how to save money and live on less!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Saving money day by day!
This week has been such the fun week! Wednesday was my birthday. I was a little sad at first because in the past few years I have been going out of town on my Birthday.But this year we just couldn't afford the cost of the hotel, travel, and then all the extras that go with traveling. I know there are ways to save money on hotels, and I know that eventually I will master that aspect of thrifty living, but for this year we were at home.
As Sunday draws to an end, and I look at returning back to work, I have to say that this Birthday was by far better than the times we went out of town. I feel so much more relaxed and rested. Plus I honestly feel like we got to do a lot more stuff and didn't go broke doing it. On my Birthday we went to Hot Springs. My husband and I had never been to Oaklawn, and so we were both able to get $10 in free play. Plus since it was my birthday I was able to get an extra $10 in free play. We did spend money on gas down to Hot Springs, but it was much less than going to Tunica and we didn't feel like we had to stay there longer and gamble.
Also this week I got a binder and supplies to create a coupon binder/receipe/grocery list binder. I am very excited about that. I am planning on really tracking how much money I am able to save from couponing and finding other discounts. I will share as I go. Plus I am determined to go cook more at home, and make healthier meals.
I know that week by week, I will learn more and more tips as far as how to save money, make the best use of time, and get healthier. I am more excited then I have ever been because my approach feels a lot more fun, and I know have already made progress. My husband and I ended out the week by creating a budget, and for once I feel like it is a very realistic budget. It is going to be exciting to see how much we can accomplish over the course of the year. For now here are five tips or websites that have helped me get started in my goal to get out of debt and save money.
1. ) Plan ahead-as much as possible I am learning to plan ahead regarding where we are going and what we plan to do. This gives me time to check the websites of the places we are going and hunt the internet for discounts. Sometimes planning ahead just means before we walk out the door checking really quick the places we are going.
2) Being flexible. Staying open to trying new brands, new places, and new ideas is crucial. I am a person of habit, so this is a little bit of a challenge for me, but I am learning trying new things can also be a lot of fun.
3) Not being afraid to ask. I have in the past not wanted to bother people. But one thing I decided when things go tight for us financially was that I wasn't going to just stick my head in the sand and pray things were going to get better. I became proactive. I am not afraid to ask or an extension, call and let somebody know what the situation is, or simply just ask if there are any special promotions or discounts. I still have my comfort zone, but I am learning ways around it.
4) Being realistic! As I said above my husband and I set a budget this week. If I think about the big picture of where we want to be and where we are now, I get totally overwhelmed. We based our budget on reaching to goals. 1) By the end of the month we wanted to be caught up on everything, and paying everything/everyone on time. 2) By the end of the month we wanted to have an emergency fund. Our budget wasn't for the entire year, but for the next four months. We set small goals.
5) Budget fun! I almost didn't type this one because I know that anybody who really knows us would say that we definetly eat out and do things. At times it is to our detriment. I think what I realized, however, is that when we tried to set any type of financial plan we didn't budget fun in. We always ended up rebelling. I know that the budget we set for ourselves is not going to be easy, but we both walked away excited because we actually budgeted money each week for us to do something fun.
These are the biggest things I have learned so far. I look forward to hearing anybody elses comments on what works for them. Together we can create the lives we have always wanted.
As Sunday draws to an end, and I look at returning back to work, I have to say that this Birthday was by far better than the times we went out of town. I feel so much more relaxed and rested. Plus I honestly feel like we got to do a lot more stuff and didn't go broke doing it. On my Birthday we went to Hot Springs. My husband and I had never been to Oaklawn, and so we were both able to get $10 in free play. Plus since it was my birthday I was able to get an extra $10 in free play. We did spend money on gas down to Hot Springs, but it was much less than going to Tunica and we didn't feel like we had to stay there longer and gamble.
Also this week I got a binder and supplies to create a coupon binder/receipe/grocery list binder. I am very excited about that. I am planning on really tracking how much money I am able to save from couponing and finding other discounts. I will share as I go. Plus I am determined to go cook more at home, and make healthier meals.
I know that week by week, I will learn more and more tips as far as how to save money, make the best use of time, and get healthier. I am more excited then I have ever been because my approach feels a lot more fun, and I know have already made progress. My husband and I ended out the week by creating a budget, and for once I feel like it is a very realistic budget. It is going to be exciting to see how much we can accomplish over the course of the year. For now here are five tips or websites that have helped me get started in my goal to get out of debt and save money.
1. ) Plan ahead-as much as possible I am learning to plan ahead regarding where we are going and what we plan to do. This gives me time to check the websites of the places we are going and hunt the internet for discounts. Sometimes planning ahead just means before we walk out the door checking really quick the places we are going.
2) Being flexible. Staying open to trying new brands, new places, and new ideas is crucial. I am a person of habit, so this is a little bit of a challenge for me, but I am learning trying new things can also be a lot of fun.
3) Not being afraid to ask. I have in the past not wanted to bother people. But one thing I decided when things go tight for us financially was that I wasn't going to just stick my head in the sand and pray things were going to get better. I became proactive. I am not afraid to ask or an extension, call and let somebody know what the situation is, or simply just ask if there are any special promotions or discounts. I still have my comfort zone, but I am learning ways around it.
4) Being realistic! As I said above my husband and I set a budget this week. If I think about the big picture of where we want to be and where we are now, I get totally overwhelmed. We based our budget on reaching to goals. 1) By the end of the month we wanted to be caught up on everything, and paying everything/everyone on time. 2) By the end of the month we wanted to have an emergency fund. Our budget wasn't for the entire year, but for the next four months. We set small goals.
5) Budget fun! I almost didn't type this one because I know that anybody who really knows us would say that we definetly eat out and do things. At times it is to our detriment. I think what I realized, however, is that when we tried to set any type of financial plan we didn't budget fun in. We always ended up rebelling. I know that the budget we set for ourselves is not going to be easy, but we both walked away excited because we actually budgeted money each week for us to do something fun.
These are the biggest things I have learned so far. I look forward to hearing anybody elses comments on what works for them. Together we can create the lives we have always wanted.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Free money- maybe it does grow on trees!!
Happy New Year World! I don't know why, but this year especially has me excited. I am excited about the changes that have already begun to take effect in my life. I am excited about another year with my wonderful husband. I am excited about all the little trips, adventures, and opportunities that the new year will bring.
Last night my husband and I set 10 new year's resolutions. It was nice to do them together, and writing them down gave me a feeling of determination. Most of the resolutions involved in some way or another our finances. In 2012 I made a big decision and ended my career as a counselor. It meant a big change in income. I don't regret the decision at all, but in order to reach our goals for 2013, we are going to have to do some creative living.
I learned last year that there are a lot of opportunities out there to earn extra money, save money, and do the things you really want to do at a cheaper price. I am determined this year to continually seek out those deals, and to pay attention to where our money is going.
I want to share the tips, tricks, and ideas I find along the way. I am hoping that through this blog others will share their ideas as well. This morning I was excited to wake up to find out that while I slept 25 dollars had been deposited onto mine and my husband's serve cards from American Express. I signed up for the cards in December. American Express was running a special where if you load $25 dollars and open a serve card they will give you $25. I opened two accounts (one for my husband and one for me). I loaded the money last night, and overnight the extra $25 dollars was desposited onto our cards. We had immediate access to the money today when I used the cards. Normally their are fees associated with loading money on the cards, but they are currently waiving those fees as well. If you have kids, you can also set up cards in their names, and get the bonuses.
I have included the link below. Of course I would recommend reading all the information and making sure the fees are still being waived.
www.serve.com/load25
Be sure and let me know if you utilize the link or if you know of other deals or offers.
Last night my husband and I set 10 new year's resolutions. It was nice to do them together, and writing them down gave me a feeling of determination. Most of the resolutions involved in some way or another our finances. In 2012 I made a big decision and ended my career as a counselor. It meant a big change in income. I don't regret the decision at all, but in order to reach our goals for 2013, we are going to have to do some creative living.
I learned last year that there are a lot of opportunities out there to earn extra money, save money, and do the things you really want to do at a cheaper price. I am determined this year to continually seek out those deals, and to pay attention to where our money is going.
I want to share the tips, tricks, and ideas I find along the way. I am hoping that through this blog others will share their ideas as well. This morning I was excited to wake up to find out that while I slept 25 dollars had been deposited onto mine and my husband's serve cards from American Express. I signed up for the cards in December. American Express was running a special where if you load $25 dollars and open a serve card they will give you $25. I opened two accounts (one for my husband and one for me). I loaded the money last night, and overnight the extra $25 dollars was desposited onto our cards. We had immediate access to the money today when I used the cards. Normally their are fees associated with loading money on the cards, but they are currently waiving those fees as well. If you have kids, you can also set up cards in their names, and get the bonuses.
I have included the link below. Of course I would recommend reading all the information and making sure the fees are still being waived.
www.serve.com/load25
Be sure and let me know if you utilize the link or if you know of other deals or offers.
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