WOW!

That's all I can say!  I stumbled across this awesome, inspiring blog last week.  Gayle is the mom of four kids and she (along with her husband) eat each week on a grocery budget of $60.  That's right, $60 a week for a family of 6 (including at least one teenage boy)!!!  That also includes toiletries but not make-up, clothes, etc.  Also, they only spend $40 per week on gas ($20/2cars).  They do have a garden and she homeschools the kids.  However, judging by our food consumption this summer that may not be a budget helper!  Perhaps my favorite thing about Gayle's plan is that she doesn't use coupons -- that's right NO COUPONS!  Considering that I absolutely loathe coupons, this chick immediately won my favor.

We used to have a much tighter grocery budget, but lately we've gotten a little lax.  I'm ready to tighten the reins; thankfully not because we HAVE to, but just to be more responsible.  We are wasting a lot and we know better!!  That extra cash could be used to pay off some debt and boost our savings.  I'm not sure I want to immediately cut back to $60 per week, but I'm really considering $80.  We'll see.

So, not to be nosy, but I'm wondering what do you spend each week on groceries?  What about clothes, shoes, gas, etc?  Just wondering...

Much Love,

--J

Thrifty Thursday - Monday version

Thursday passed me by. I started a new job, my first office-type job in 8 years! And while its been exciting and fun its also been exhausting and time consuming. So, quickly before I jet off again I thought I'd share a tip or two.

Today I wanted to talk about PRIORITIZE.

--Decide what's important to you and spend money there. Look for ways to save in other, less important areas. I prefer organics but they cost more so I found this list of the 12 most important fruits and veggies to buy organic.

Called the Dirty Dozen, you can find the list here.

Have a great week, much love!

Thrifty Thursday

To recap, when I was asked to teach a class at church recently about saving money on food and cooking healthy meals I divided the information into three parts. I've already posted on the first part - PLAN. Today its time for the second part - EXPERIMENT.

By experiment I mean

• try different cost saving measures and find what fits your style and comfort level. There are many, many options including: Coupons, freezer meals, crockpot meals, stocking up, shopping sales at multiple stores, etc. Not everything works for everybody; try a few methods to find what works for you.
• try new recipes. Again, it may be a flop but it also might become a family favorite.
• 30 Meals in One day is a great resource. I used this program with my sister and we both cooked 30 freezer meals for about $150 for each of us.
• Make your own freezer meals. Make double recipes of family favorites and freeze the second recipe.
• Make your own mixes. I make my own pancake mix and my own muffin mix. You can make your own "Bisquick" type mixes too. The Make A Mix cookbook series is available from Amazon and other retailers.
• Ask your friends and family for their own tips and tricks. Then try them on for size, they just might be a perfect fit!

So, that's it for this Thursday. I've also got two new websites you can check out. These come compliments of my friend Vanessa, a fellow frugalista. She uses www.babycheapskate.com and www.moneysavingmom.com. Thanks Vanessa!

Remember, experiment and try something new, you just might find saving money is easier and more fun than you think!

Thrifty Thursday

This week's tip is a quick one. I love to sew and always have ideas for what I want to make but can never find the right pattern. Plus, I hate spending money on patterns when I probably will only use them once! While googling "free dress patterns" the other day I found the site http://www.burdastyle.com/ . It is AWESOME!!! There are scores of free or super cheap ($2-$4) and very,very chic patterns. On top of that there are "creations" and tutorials that you can view and use. Many of these are variations of the basic patterns Burda sells. Again, awesome!

While browsing last night I found a pattern for a dress that I'd seen and torn from a magazine over two years ago! The dress is awesome and I can't wait to download the pattern and make my own. Today I found a chic and trendy jacket pattern that is now on my immediate to-do list! The patterns are all rated and reviewed too so you can get tips from people who've used them.

If you sew you've got to check this site out. Be prepared to spend some time there though, because you will totally be inspired by all the creative folks who've contributed to this site! In addition to clothes there are baby patterns, accessory patterns even home and pet patterns!!!

Now, save money on some clothes and get to sewing!

Thrifty Thursday - Planning Part II

Last Thursday I gave you the first half of my planning tips. Here's the second half; hope you find something you can use!
--Find the clearance, reduced or manager's special section of your store(s). Most stores have specific discount areas.
--If you don't shop the sales or use coupons Aldi, Sam's Club, and Dollar Tree have good prices daily. (Ex. Aldi's milk is $2.00/gallon for skim and 1%)
--A deep freezer can be invaluable! Think about investing in one. We bought ours (7 cubic feet) at Wal-Mart at the end of summer on sale for less than $200. Also, ask friends or family if they want to part with their freezer or share. When I taught my class the other night a friend said her empty-nester parents have 4 (!!!) deep freezers they aren't using and she also offered to give me her large one that she doesn't need. I'm going to take her up on that!
--Shop the bread store for loaves, buns, bagels, and snack cakes. Day old bread at the bread store is still fresher (and cheaper) than most bread at the grocery store.
--Shop after holidays to stock up on candy, snacks, and specialties. Many candies (like chocolate) can be frozen and then used in baking, etc. (contributed by Shauna Johnson)

Well, that's it for Plan! Next Thursday - Experiment...

Introducing Thrifty Thursday

Several of you commented that you'd like to know some of the tips I collected for my recent "Cooking Healthy on a Budget Class." There are a lot so I thought I'd start a regular feature and give a few tips each Thursday, hence Thrifty Thursday. I hope these are useful. If you want to contribute just email me. I'll post them and give you attribution. Let's save some money and time together!

For the class I taught I divided my information into three sections: Plan, Experiment, and Prioritize. For this segement I'll give tips regarding planning.
1. Always plan a menu. Plan your menu for at least one week. I plan for two weeks and would stretch it to a month if my kitchen had enough storage room. Plan your menu around the ads for your local store(s).
2. Set a budget and DO NOT exceed it. Our limit is $180-$200/two weeks, that includes any clothes, socks, sundries, etc. There have been times when things went back on the shelf because I was too near the limit. We lived and nobody noticed anything missing.
3. Shop for as much as you can at once. See number 1. Stopping by the store "just for a few things" rarely works - you always end up with more than you intended.
4. Use coupons only for items you'd normally buy. A name-brand coupon may not be a deal if you usually buy the store brand.
5. Try to buy ahead. Stock up on items you regularly use when they are on sale.

So, that's about half the list of Plan tips. Next Thursday I post the other half. Remember, if you've got a great tip to share send it to me and I'll get it up. Cha-ching!