Just took all three of the kids, plus Grandma (thank God!) and went to Safeway. There was an unadvertised meat sale going on! So here is what we got:
Beef Bottom Round Roast 2.56 lbs NORMALLY $11.49 ($4.49/ lb) ON SALE FOR $1.99/lb which means I got it for $5.09!
And I got another roast that would have been $12.53 but I got it for $5.55!
Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage was BOGO and I had a $1 manufacturer's coupon! Two for $2.99 (less than the price of one: $3.99)
All total, I spent $14.63 on loads of meat...I love Safeway!
I saved 51% off of the total bill by shopping the sales and using my manufacturer's coupons.
I LOVE SAVING MONEY!!!!
And tonight, I put one of those slabs of premium beef (Rancher's Reserve) in my crockpot and let it cook. Tender, melt-in-your-mouth roast...effortless! Throw a package of onion soup mix (mine was generic) and a side of mashed potatoes...yummm!
FIVE IN THE POTTER'S HAND
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ravings of An Insomniac...
How can I be wide awake at 1:37 am?
Why did I just wake up in the middle of the MORNING (it isn't nighttime any longer...)????
As if I didn't get enough of not sleeping well...
Sigh.
On a brighter note, I am excited and nervous about Biblestudy tonight. We are going to put feet to our faith and go outside of church to do our workbooks. We are believing for open doors and curiosity of those around us. This is supposed to bolster our courage for actual witnessing. I'm still scared. There I admitted it. I am scared I will come up with nothing when someone asks me for a reason for the Hope that is within me. I'm scared I'll say the wrong thing and offend someone and turn them away from Christ rather than leading them to Him. And yet, I know it has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with my obedience. It is not dependent on my words, but what He says through me. He will give me the right Holy-Spirit-inspired words to say. And I have had practice with my two boys! :) If I can tell a child about Jesus, surely I can tell a stranger!
The other thing that occupies my thoughts in the wee hours of the morning is school. I feel like a hypocrite. I say I am homeschooling the boys, but we haven't done any school for two weeks! That first week of no school, I had a very valid excuse: laryngitis all week long. This second week, what is my excuse? Fatigue. How do other moms do it all? I am barely staying afloat with my laundry! Sometimes, I feel like I just need a mommy vacation for a day or so. Do they have those? The worst part about not schooling right now is the questions, from my kids. "Mommy, are we going to do school today?" (picture this asked with sweet expectant faces...now you understand the guilt!) I feel so overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities right now. And I feel like there is so much change needed, but I am tired of having to improve upon myself. I am wearied with undergoing construction of my person. Do you ever get tired of fixing all of your shortcomings? Do you ever get overwhelmed with the amount of items that need changing that you see reflected in the mirror of your soul? Sigh.
And right now I am reminded of the words of a favorite song of mine (I cannot remember the title...lol...but it is still a favorite!):
Here I am once again,
I pour out my heart for I know that You hear every cry
You are listening
No matter what state my heart is in
You are faithful to answer
With words that are true and a hope that is real
As I feel Your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within
In the safety of this place
I'm longing to pour out my heart
Say that I love You
Pour out my heart
Say that I need You
Pour out my heart
Say that You're faithful
Pour out my heart
And say that You're wonderful!
(sorry can't remember who wrote this, otherwise I would give credit!)
I love to sing it with arms open wide in surrendered abandon to the One Who knows me inside and out...
Psalm 62:8
"Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
The best part is that He is awake even at 2:01 am! :)
I know He knows what my children need in the form of education. I just need to ask. I need to take the time to ask. That's the problem, making the time to find out His heart on the matter. I guess that is in part where my frustration lies, I know that I am supposed to be homeschooling them. That is the reason we are making so many sacrifices as a family, so we can be the ones to educate our children. That is my main impetus for being a stay at home mom, so that I can be at home to educate my children. And I guess that is also the reason I feel so guilty too, my husband works hard at his job, am I working as equally as hard at mine?
**Side note here, how come the rest of this post is in italics??? I cannot get it to go back to regular font. Aggh!**
Anyway, do you, as busy mothers, ever feel like any of the above??
The other thing about home education that I am struggling with, is finding our rhythym and homeschooling niche. There are those that swear by the Classical education method, some rave about unschooling, other families love their curricula, then there are others that embrace the ideals of Charlotte Mason. How do you decide, without too much trial and error, what is the best "method" for you? The sheer volume of choices is overwhelming! We are somewhat constrained by our budget, so curriculum is out of the running. We love to read, but until they can read for themselves, it would be rather burdensome to make reading our number one vessel for education. (I must add a disclaimer here: I strongly believe that reading well-written literature can give you a far better education than most textbooks. I personally devour books by the month!) And still, my boys are too active to want to sit down to workbooks every day either. We believe, as a parents of our children, that education happens all around us every day. We just have to be alert to those teachable moments. And we have to be willing to grasp those snippets of time with enthusiasm.
Well, now I am getting sleepy, and since I have such a big day ahead of me...today, I had better take advantage of slumber while I can! :)
Why did I just wake up in the middle of the MORNING (it isn't nighttime any longer...)????
As if I didn't get enough of not sleeping well...
Sigh.
On a brighter note, I am excited and nervous about Biblestudy tonight. We are going to put feet to our faith and go outside of church to do our workbooks. We are believing for open doors and curiosity of those around us. This is supposed to bolster our courage for actual witnessing. I'm still scared. There I admitted it. I am scared I will come up with nothing when someone asks me for a reason for the Hope that is within me. I'm scared I'll say the wrong thing and offend someone and turn them away from Christ rather than leading them to Him. And yet, I know it has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with my obedience. It is not dependent on my words, but what He says through me. He will give me the right Holy-Spirit-inspired words to say. And I have had practice with my two boys! :) If I can tell a child about Jesus, surely I can tell a stranger!
The other thing that occupies my thoughts in the wee hours of the morning is school. I feel like a hypocrite. I say I am homeschooling the boys, but we haven't done any school for two weeks! That first week of no school, I had a very valid excuse: laryngitis all week long. This second week, what is my excuse? Fatigue. How do other moms do it all? I am barely staying afloat with my laundry! Sometimes, I feel like I just need a mommy vacation for a day or so. Do they have those? The worst part about not schooling right now is the questions, from my kids. "Mommy, are we going to do school today?" (picture this asked with sweet expectant faces...now you understand the guilt!) I feel so overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities right now. And I feel like there is so much change needed, but I am tired of having to improve upon myself. I am wearied with undergoing construction of my person. Do you ever get tired of fixing all of your shortcomings? Do you ever get overwhelmed with the amount of items that need changing that you see reflected in the mirror of your soul? Sigh.
And right now I am reminded of the words of a favorite song of mine (I cannot remember the title...lol...but it is still a favorite!):
Here I am once again,
I pour out my heart for I know that You hear every cry
You are listening
No matter what state my heart is in
You are faithful to answer
With words that are true and a hope that is real
As I feel Your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within
In the safety of this place
I'm longing to pour out my heart
Say that I love You
Pour out my heart
Say that I need You
Pour out my heart
Say that You're faithful
Pour out my heart
And say that You're wonderful!
(sorry can't remember who wrote this, otherwise I would give credit!)
I love to sing it with arms open wide in surrendered abandon to the One Who knows me inside and out...
Psalm 62:8
"Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
The best part is that He is awake even at 2:01 am! :)
I know He knows what my children need in the form of education. I just need to ask. I need to take the time to ask. That's the problem, making the time to find out His heart on the matter. I guess that is in part where my frustration lies, I know that I am supposed to be homeschooling them. That is the reason we are making so many sacrifices as a family, so we can be the ones to educate our children. That is my main impetus for being a stay at home mom, so that I can be at home to educate my children. And I guess that is also the reason I feel so guilty too, my husband works hard at his job, am I working as equally as hard at mine?
**Side note here, how come the rest of this post is in italics??? I cannot get it to go back to regular font. Aggh!**
Anyway, do you, as busy mothers, ever feel like any of the above??
The other thing about home education that I am struggling with, is finding our rhythym and homeschooling niche. There are those that swear by the Classical education method, some rave about unschooling, other families love their curricula, then there are others that embrace the ideals of Charlotte Mason. How do you decide, without too much trial and error, what is the best "method" for you? The sheer volume of choices is overwhelming! We are somewhat constrained by our budget, so curriculum is out of the running. We love to read, but until they can read for themselves, it would be rather burdensome to make reading our number one vessel for education. (I must add a disclaimer here: I strongly believe that reading well-written literature can give you a far better education than most textbooks. I personally devour books by the month!) And still, my boys are too active to want to sit down to workbooks every day either. We believe, as a parents of our children, that education happens all around us every day. We just have to be alert to those teachable moments. And we have to be willing to grasp those snippets of time with enthusiasm.
Well, now I am getting sleepy, and since I have such a big day ahead of me...today, I had better take advantage of slumber while I can! :)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
To Be Continued..
Sorry dear readers, I am just too tired to write about "Have a New Kid By Friday."
I will report that I have returned to my old, familiar parenting rut. No, I am not proud of it, but just thought I would be honest with you. Changing the way you've done something for six years is HARD work! But I am working on it.
For now, I am just trying to survive the sleep deprivation I have been suffering from. I have got to figure out a way to get Miss Precious in her own bed! (She isn't the main problem, my horrible mattress is...lol) But she is still very much attached to me and still nurses at night. Her frequency has lessened, but I doubt she could go all night without a comfort snack.
Oh, I know that exercise would help me with my energy levels too, but I loathe to exercise. I had a walking partner, but she and I are both wimps when it comes to our Pacific Northwest autumn weather! We don't particularly enjoy walking with all of our kids in the pouring down rain or bitter cold. So that has gone the way of our summer weather...lol.
Anyone have any ideas on how to re-motivate yourself for school when a whole week of laryngitis kept you from teaching? I think I am suffering from a lack of creativity, which translates into lack of motivation. I love my kids and I know I am suppose to be homeschooling them, I just have to find the right educational avenue that works for all of us... no small feat!
So, when I can put together a coherent sounding sentence, and when I have enough functioning brain cells to evaluate my parenting, I will resume our series. Again, I encourage you to get the book from your local library!
I will report that I have returned to my old, familiar parenting rut. No, I am not proud of it, but just thought I would be honest with you. Changing the way you've done something for six years is HARD work! But I am working on it.
For now, I am just trying to survive the sleep deprivation I have been suffering from. I have got to figure out a way to get Miss Precious in her own bed! (She isn't the main problem, my horrible mattress is...lol) But she is still very much attached to me and still nurses at night. Her frequency has lessened, but I doubt she could go all night without a comfort snack.
Oh, I know that exercise would help me with my energy levels too, but I loathe to exercise. I had a walking partner, but she and I are both wimps when it comes to our Pacific Northwest autumn weather! We don't particularly enjoy walking with all of our kids in the pouring down rain or bitter cold. So that has gone the way of our summer weather...lol.
Anyone have any ideas on how to re-motivate yourself for school when a whole week of laryngitis kept you from teaching? I think I am suffering from a lack of creativity, which translates into lack of motivation. I love my kids and I know I am suppose to be homeschooling them, I just have to find the right educational avenue that works for all of us... no small feat!
So, when I can put together a coherent sounding sentence, and when I have enough functioning brain cells to evaluate my parenting, I will resume our series. Again, I encourage you to get the book from your local library!
Monday, October 13, 2008
HANKBF..Part Two
Continuing my post from Friday...
On Monday, Dr. Leman has you consider these four things:
1) Observe what is going on in your house. What areas in your relationship with your child(ren) really bother you?
In my notebook, I wrote:
When they talk back, whine or complain.
Having to tell or explain what I want them to do MULTIPLE times.
Tattle-taling on each other.
2) Think about how you'd like things to change.
Well, this could take a while as I am VERY sleep-deprived! I would like for them to respect me enough to do it the first time with no backtalk. They need to respect each other enough to not try to get each other into trouble on purpose!
Respect is going to be a big issue in our home, I can already tell. For one, I didn't grow up in a house where there was mutual respect between my mother and my father. So, I often don't know what respect looks like, which makes it hard to model! I am working on this one though.
3) Decide to take the bull by the horns.
You have to make the decision that enough is enough! Changing what you have always done is a LOT harder than it looks. This morning I have caught myself repeating my instructions on more than one occasion! But change is not impossible, just challenging! :)
4) Expect great things to happen.
I think that this will be the hardest one of all, because I have been known to expect the worst to happen. Creating a positive mindset has always been a struggle for me.
So what changes do I have to make?
I have to learn how to parent with respect, both for myself and my children. This means no repeating instructions, no yelling to get their attention, no threatening with discipline,; just consistent, calmly stated, reasonable requests.
I have to foster a positive attitude about this whole change. Phil 4:8!
Notes from the chapter:
Say it once, turn your back and don't look back!
If they don't obey, pay their sibling to do it. Up until this point, we have not had an allowance for our children. We just expected them to pick up and help out around the house because they live here too. However, they won't learn anything about money handling and wise stewardship if we don't give them the chance.
What does my attitude say? Behavior is learned and my children are modeling the behavior they have seen. Yikes! Sometimes as a parent we think that our children just seemingly pick up bad habits from thin air. Whereas, in reality, most likely they are picking them up from US!
Do I expect my kids to misbehave? When we go somewhere do I run down the list of "you can'ts and don't you dares"? This one is a lot harder to NOT do than it looks!
What is the reason my child is doing what they are doing?
How do I feel in this situation?
Is this situation between my child and me a mountain or a molehill? In other words, is it of moral, ethical or eternal value? More often than not, you find yourself saying "no" to all of the above.
Character is caught from those you grow up with. GULP! Parenting is scary when you put it in terms like that! But THANK YOU LORD, we have Someone Who can help us develop better character!
Let reality be the teacher.
Learn to respond rather than react. Response comes from love, reacting is flesh-based.
B doesn't happen until A is completed. The simplest yet most challenging formula for parenting success...
So there you have my notes and thoughts about chapter one. Come on back tomorrow for chapter two!
On Monday, Dr. Leman has you consider these four things:
1) Observe what is going on in your house. What areas in your relationship with your child(ren) really bother you?
In my notebook, I wrote:
When they talk back, whine or complain.
Having to tell or explain what I want them to do MULTIPLE times.
Tattle-taling on each other.
2) Think about how you'd like things to change.
Well, this could take a while as I am VERY sleep-deprived! I would like for them to respect me enough to do it the first time with no backtalk. They need to respect each other enough to not try to get each other into trouble on purpose!
Respect is going to be a big issue in our home, I can already tell. For one, I didn't grow up in a house where there was mutual respect between my mother and my father. So, I often don't know what respect looks like, which makes it hard to model! I am working on this one though.
3) Decide to take the bull by the horns.
You have to make the decision that enough is enough! Changing what you have always done is a LOT harder than it looks. This morning I have caught myself repeating my instructions on more than one occasion! But change is not impossible, just challenging! :)
4) Expect great things to happen.
I think that this will be the hardest one of all, because I have been known to expect the worst to happen. Creating a positive mindset has always been a struggle for me.
So what changes do I have to make?
I have to learn how to parent with respect, both for myself and my children. This means no repeating instructions, no yelling to get their attention, no threatening with discipline,; just consistent, calmly stated, reasonable requests.
I have to foster a positive attitude about this whole change. Phil 4:8!
Notes from the chapter:
Say it once, turn your back and don't look back!
If they don't obey, pay their sibling to do it. Up until this point, we have not had an allowance for our children. We just expected them to pick up and help out around the house because they live here too. However, they won't learn anything about money handling and wise stewardship if we don't give them the chance.
What does my attitude say? Behavior is learned and my children are modeling the behavior they have seen. Yikes! Sometimes as a parent we think that our children just seemingly pick up bad habits from thin air. Whereas, in reality, most likely they are picking them up from US!
Do I expect my kids to misbehave? When we go somewhere do I run down the list of "you can'ts and don't you dares"? This one is a lot harder to NOT do than it looks!
What is the reason my child is doing what they are doing?
How do I feel in this situation?
Is this situation between my child and me a mountain or a molehill? In other words, is it of moral, ethical or eternal value? More often than not, you find yourself saying "no" to all of the above.
Character is caught from those you grow up with. GULP! Parenting is scary when you put it in terms like that! But THANK YOU LORD, we have Someone Who can help us develop better character!
Let reality be the teacher.
Learn to respond rather than react. Response comes from love, reacting is flesh-based.
B doesn't happen until A is completed. The simplest yet most challenging formula for parenting success...
So there you have my notes and thoughts about chapter one. Come on back tomorrow for chapter two!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Have A New Kid By Friday!
(And you thought she always smiled!)
Tired of the tantrums, worn out from the battle of wills?
You too can have a new kid by Friday! No, we are not selling our children, although there are days I am tempted to put out a sign in the front lawn...
Seriously though, I am reading "Have A New Kid By Friday" by Dr. Kevin Leman. His straightforward, no-nonsense, humorous approach really appeals to me.
I will share a little bit of what I have learned so far without spoiling the whole Monday through Friday challenge.
How to Respect Your Children:
* Never do for them what they can and should do for themselves.
(So this means, let them make their own PB&J, clean up their own room and sort their own laundry! Now, this may mean that I will have to bite my tongue when it isn't done perfectly
*Don't repeat your instructions.
(Dr. Leman maintains that this says "You are too stupid to figure it out the first time I said it." to your child. I'll be wasting a lot less breath in the coming week!)
*Expect the best of them.
(He gave an example of taking the kids to the grocery store. What is the first thing you do? Tell them "Be quiet, sit down and don't grab anything off the shelves.", right? So we are EXPECTING them to misbehave, and children will always live up to your expectations.)
*Don't praise them.
(WHAT?!?!?! I'll have to admit that was my first reaction. But he goes on to explain that praise links a child's self-worth to what he does. So when I praise my child, they get the message that "I'm only worth something if I can do this or that well." That was the message that was conveyed loud and clear by my dad when I was growing up. Small wonder why that is something I struggle with today!)
*Encourage them.
(Dr. Leman states that encouragement emphasizes the act and not the person. So when we tell them they did a good job on cleaning the room and that they should be proud to be so responsible, we are placing emphasis on the behavior rather than reinforcing that your value is wrapped up in what you do.)
The main thing that I have absorbed as I have read this book, is that if I want to see change in my children, I must effect change in myself first! Oh, there is going to be a lot of change going on in the FITPH household in the coming weeks!
On Monday I am going to outline what he says to do that first day. Then I let you in on my private thoughts as I read that chapter. Come on back, it will be good!
Oh, and borrow this book from the library...you won't be sorry!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
New Birth!
Tonight Mr. Dramatic made the momentous and life-changing decision to ask Jesus into his heart! It came with little fanfare, just taking advantage of the opportunity that God placed within my reach. I made sure that he was serious about it and understood what he was doing. When I quizzed him, "What is sin?" He answered "Disobeyin'."
Yep, he gets it :) It is nice to know that all the times I have said that to them really sank into their hearts.
I cannot remember if I noted it on my blog that Mr. Independent accepted Jesus on September 22nd of this year. Again, just grasping the moment when it was presented. And I made certain that he understood what he was doing too.
My goal this year was to see both of my sons get saved. I have been praying and believing for them to come to the knowledge of their need for a Savior. Now I can just build upon their salvation and bring them to know this God Who loves them infinitely.
God is faithful to finish the work that He has begun!
3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
Yep, he gets it :) It is nice to know that all the times I have said that to them really sank into their hearts.
I cannot remember if I noted it on my blog that Mr. Independent accepted Jesus on September 22nd of this year. Again, just grasping the moment when it was presented. And I made certain that he understood what he was doing too.
My goal this year was to see both of my sons get saved. I have been praying and believing for them to come to the knowledge of their need for a Savior. Now I can just build upon their salvation and bring them to know this God Who loves them infinitely.
God is faithful to finish the work that He has begun!
3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
How I Do It...
After my post yesterday, Gerberdaisie left me a couple of questions to answer:
That's great that you've reduced your grocery bill! We've reduced ours a bunch, mainly out of necessity with life changes :) Did you use coupons at all, or were you just more conscious with purchases?
And because I tend to ramble when I write, I thought it would be better to address the questions here rather than in a very long comment...lol!
First of all, at the beginning of this year we were spending roughly $700 on groceries for a family of five. Our daughter was born August of 2007, and I quit working my part-time job to be at home with our kids. That cut our income by $600 a month. I started looking for ways to economize and the only category that wasn't a fixed expense was groceries. So I basically made it my part-time job to see how much I could reduce our expenditures at the store.
I began by just being more conscious of what I was purchasing and how much we really needed it. After a month or two, I realized that we were buying a lot of pre-packaged, more expensive items. We decided to do away with foodstuffs that fit that category. Yes, we said goodbye to Minute Rice, chicken nuggets, pre-made juices, etc. And instead, we stocked up on rice in bulk, whole chickens (when on sale), and juices from concentrate. It was a small step in the right direction.
In May of this year, I discovered coupons. I read a couple of books on the subject, but my favorite by far was "Shop, Save and Share" by Ellie Kay. Check it out at your local library and take notes! She goes over basic couponing and more advanced transactions. Plus, she encourages you to give of your excess freebies. Giving to others is important even when you feel like you can't squeak it out of your tight budget. God blesses us because we are generous :)
So when I started couponing, our grocery bill went from $700 a month to $600 a month! That was just in the first month. Talk about motivating results! I just dutifully followed what Ellie wrote in her book and it works! When I first began couponing, I was skeptical that I wouldn't just be wasting my time. Because it is time and energy spent (not to mention braincells!) to line up good deals and do price comparisons. But after tallying up the receipts for the month, I was a believer! In just using coupons and shopping the store sales, I saved $342.85 (off of the regular prices) for the month!
Last month and this month, our budget was so tight that we couldn't justify spending the extra $3 on two papers. So we have gone without coupons for about two months now. I utilized the FoodDay coupons that come free every week. And I let those flyers guide me to great sales on meat and poultry.
But it wasn't until recently, when we really tightened up the budget, that I realized we could lower the grocery budget even more. It's amazing what necessity can motivate you to do...lol!
I realized having a meal plan and working that plan would save me money too. That part of it, I am still working the bugs out of! Maybe in a couple of months I will be able to declare victory in that area too.
Our meals are not gourmet. We do a lot of meatless meals too. And, like this particular paycheck cycle, wherein I only have $15 to last me two weeks, you get really creative with your meals!
It is really the grace of God that it all works so well. I give Him all the credit, because in reality it shouldn't work. The numbers don't add up. But we are faithful tithers and givers, and He blesses our obedience! He is our Source, and we are dependent on Him for our provision.
Recently, a friend who gets the paper every week, brought me all of her unused coupons. So now, I am going to get back into couponing! I will use the coupons to buy stuff we couldn't normally afford.
My advice Gerberdaisie, is this:
1) Pray for wisdom and good deals before you go shopping.
2) Shop with a list and take cash--you are more aware of the amount you are spending if you are having to count it out to the clerk!
3) Stick to the list--make sure that the items on your list are the absolute necessiites.
4) Don't go shopping with small children in tow--I love my kids, but they distract me from adding up savings and totals. On the few occasions where I have taken them, I have almost always wound up at home realizing I was overcharged for something.
5) Shop at your peak time. What I mean is, go shopping when you are the most alert, which may not necessarily coincide with the less busy hours of the store. :(
6) Have your coupons well organized! You don't have to buy any expensive holders, make do with what you have! I used a Rubbermaid container and put a piece of cardboard in the middle of it to act as a divider. On one side I have envelopes with little letter tags on them: A-Z. The other side is where I keep my calculator and pens. What works for me is filing coupons according to the brand name. Lysol would go in the 'L' envelope. Some people swear by filing according to categories. I don't have enough functioning braincells to remember if I filed the Comet Cleaner under 'C' for cleaners or 'B' for bathroom! Make it easy on yourself :)
7) Watch the individual totals as they are being rung up. Make sure that you are getting those store deals! This is why you don't go shopping with kids. It is physically impossible to keep your eyes on two different things: the cash register totals or your children who are in the process of rearranging the candy!
8) If you find an error, be polite and kind. People are more willing to help you out if you are nice :)
9) Use manufacturers coupons and store coupons together to get the best deals. This is perfectly legal and you can really score at the register with this tactic.
10) Don't forget to price shop according to quantity as well. Sometimes the advertised deals aren't the best.
11) Take advantage of the loss leaders, but don't let the store take advantage of you! Stick to your list!
12) Shop at several different stores. Yes, it is a pain, but this is how I started to realize most of my savings!
13) Keep your mission uppermost in your mind. What is that drives you other than the money? For me, the reason I do all this work is so that I can stay at home and raise our children. This is my mission. What is yours?
I hope that helps you a little!
You can take a look at these for some more ideas:
How addictive couponing is
No more drive-thru denial
How my friend does it!
Here are some great sites that I frequent as well:
Money Saving Mom
Grocery Cart Challenge
That's great that you've reduced your grocery bill! We've reduced ours a bunch, mainly out of necessity with life changes :) Did you use coupons at all, or were you just more conscious with purchases?
And because I tend to ramble when I write, I thought it would be better to address the questions here rather than in a very long comment...lol!
First of all, at the beginning of this year we were spending roughly $700 on groceries for a family of five. Our daughter was born August of 2007, and I quit working my part-time job to be at home with our kids. That cut our income by $600 a month. I started looking for ways to economize and the only category that wasn't a fixed expense was groceries. So I basically made it my part-time job to see how much I could reduce our expenditures at the store.
I began by just being more conscious of what I was purchasing and how much we really needed it. After a month or two, I realized that we were buying a lot of pre-packaged, more expensive items. We decided to do away with foodstuffs that fit that category. Yes, we said goodbye to Minute Rice, chicken nuggets, pre-made juices, etc. And instead, we stocked up on rice in bulk, whole chickens (when on sale), and juices from concentrate. It was a small step in the right direction.
In May of this year, I discovered coupons. I read a couple of books on the subject, but my favorite by far was "Shop, Save and Share" by Ellie Kay. Check it out at your local library and take notes! She goes over basic couponing and more advanced transactions. Plus, she encourages you to give of your excess freebies. Giving to others is important even when you feel like you can't squeak it out of your tight budget. God blesses us because we are generous :)
So when I started couponing, our grocery bill went from $700 a month to $600 a month! That was just in the first month. Talk about motivating results! I just dutifully followed what Ellie wrote in her book and it works! When I first began couponing, I was skeptical that I wouldn't just be wasting my time. Because it is time and energy spent (not to mention braincells!) to line up good deals and do price comparisons. But after tallying up the receipts for the month, I was a believer! In just using coupons and shopping the store sales, I saved $342.85 (off of the regular prices) for the month!
Last month and this month, our budget was so tight that we couldn't justify spending the extra $3 on two papers. So we have gone without coupons for about two months now. I utilized the FoodDay coupons that come free every week. And I let those flyers guide me to great sales on meat and poultry.
But it wasn't until recently, when we really tightened up the budget, that I realized we could lower the grocery budget even more. It's amazing what necessity can motivate you to do...lol!
I realized having a meal plan and working that plan would save me money too. That part of it, I am still working the bugs out of! Maybe in a couple of months I will be able to declare victory in that area too.
Our meals are not gourmet. We do a lot of meatless meals too. And, like this particular paycheck cycle, wherein I only have $15 to last me two weeks, you get really creative with your meals!
It is really the grace of God that it all works so well. I give Him all the credit, because in reality it shouldn't work. The numbers don't add up. But we are faithful tithers and givers, and He blesses our obedience! He is our Source, and we are dependent on Him for our provision.
Recently, a friend who gets the paper every week, brought me all of her unused coupons. So now, I am going to get back into couponing! I will use the coupons to buy stuff we couldn't normally afford.
My advice Gerberdaisie, is this:
1) Pray for wisdom and good deals before you go shopping.
2) Shop with a list and take cash--you are more aware of the amount you are spending if you are having to count it out to the clerk!
3) Stick to the list--make sure that the items on your list are the absolute necessiites.
4) Don't go shopping with small children in tow--I love my kids, but they distract me from adding up savings and totals. On the few occasions where I have taken them, I have almost always wound up at home realizing I was overcharged for something.
5) Shop at your peak time. What I mean is, go shopping when you are the most alert, which may not necessarily coincide with the less busy hours of the store. :(
6) Have your coupons well organized! You don't have to buy any expensive holders, make do with what you have! I used a Rubbermaid container and put a piece of cardboard in the middle of it to act as a divider. On one side I have envelopes with little letter tags on them: A-Z. The other side is where I keep my calculator and pens. What works for me is filing coupons according to the brand name. Lysol would go in the 'L' envelope. Some people swear by filing according to categories. I don't have enough functioning braincells to remember if I filed the Comet Cleaner under 'C' for cleaners or 'B' for bathroom! Make it easy on yourself :)
7) Watch the individual totals as they are being rung up. Make sure that you are getting those store deals! This is why you don't go shopping with kids. It is physically impossible to keep your eyes on two different things: the cash register totals or your children who are in the process of rearranging the candy!
8) If you find an error, be polite and kind. People are more willing to help you out if you are nice :)
9) Use manufacturers coupons and store coupons together to get the best deals. This is perfectly legal and you can really score at the register with this tactic.
10) Don't forget to price shop according to quantity as well. Sometimes the advertised deals aren't the best.
11) Take advantage of the loss leaders, but don't let the store take advantage of you! Stick to your list!
12) Shop at several different stores. Yes, it is a pain, but this is how I started to realize most of my savings!
13) Keep your mission uppermost in your mind. What is that drives you other than the money? For me, the reason I do all this work is so that I can stay at home and raise our children. This is my mission. What is yours?
I hope that helps you a little!
You can take a look at these for some more ideas:
How addictive couponing is
No more drive-thru denial
How my friend does it!
Here are some great sites that I frequent as well:
Money Saving Mom
Grocery Cart Challenge
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