Saving money on food

Food costs are on the rise just as gas prices are.
I heard a news story saying the average family tosses out around $1200 in food from the fridge each year!
This is a shockingly high dollar amount! I admit as a single person sometimes I too end up tossing food and I feel guilty every time.
We have such fast paced lives that sometimes it's easier to grab fast food meals on the go vs. cooking.
Clipping coupons can really help to shrink the grocery budget. I usually average over $1000 a year in savings per year and more after calculating coupon savings. Coupon clipping does take some time and organizational skills.To save even small amounts in the beginning, you would be surprised how much you have saved at the end of the year if you keep track of how much you spend vs. how much you save.
I have 2 coupon binders or wallets, that are always well stocked. I categorize the coupons alphabetically .
One binder is for current coupons, the second since my store takes expired coupons up to three months past the expiration date is for expired coupons. I then match the coupons to the current store ads for that week to save even more money.
Target and Walmart will price match if you bring in the store ad.
Check your store for clearance corners. One of the grocery stores I frequent, has a clearance section where items that have been accidentally cut into when opening a case are marked down. There is nothing wrong with these items, other than the fact that the outer packaging has been cut and taped. Health and beauty and pet products are also marked down in this area. There are also items close to their expiration dates.
If you have a secnd freezer and are able to run into sales on frozen foods stockpiling frozen items is a good idea. Making meals ahead of time so that all you have to do at the end of a busy  day is thaw and reheat also saves time.
Get to know the department managers especially in meat. Most stores have mark down days or will reduce the prices later in the evening.
Saving a little now can add up to alot! Until next time!
L.

Get paid to recycle!

Have you heard about a recycling program that pays you to recycle?
In many communities garbage companies now participate in Recyclebank.com
Your recycling is tracked and you earn points to recycle. These points can be obtained through surveys also.
The points can be redeemed for gift cards to various participating merchants.
I have contacted my garbage company about this great program but they don't participate and it doesn't sound like they plan to anytime soon. In fact, I reviewed my recent garbage bill and they are now charging me to recycle!  A great way for those of us that are frugal to recycle  for the environment now  and for future generations. I am a diligent recycler and only hope my garbage company will soon participate in this program. Check it out to see if your city is participating and start earning points!

Gardening

With the price of gas rising more every couple of days the price of groceries is also skyrocketing!
Since most of the produce etc. is trucked in this time of the year, the high price of gas to transport the food is causing the prices to rise.
From late Spring to mid Fall I love going to the Farmer's markets locally.Fresh vegetables very reasonably priced. Sometimes if you go close to the end of the evening some of the vendors are willing to haggle some on the prices vs. bringing it all back home. I am fortunate to have a sister who is a master gardener and each Spring as a labor of love she puts a vegetable garden in for me. Some years have yielded a better harvest than others but this is such a great way to save money and  have fresh vegetables! If you have the space in your yard, you will be surprised at how much money you can save for the small investment of the seeds!
If you live in an apartment or don't have a large enough yard, consider container gardening.You can start seeds inside during the Winter months.
Most communities now have community gardens where you can rent a plot of land for a certain amount and put a garden in. Check it out and see if your community has a community garden.
Until next time.
L.

How I saved $64 at the grocery store

With the price of groceries going up and expected to rise more it's important for me to maximize my grocery shopping budget. I have a system that I find is useful and helps to keep me focused on the items I need.
Each week I look over the ads for the stores, making my list and matching coupons to sale items.
One of the grocery stores doubles 5 coupons up to $1.00 twice a week, when you spend $25.00 which isn't hard to do these days! Doubling the coupons helps to bring the grocery total way down! After reviewing the ads I then go to my pantry and cupboards to see what I need based on what's on sale that week and add those items to my list.
On one of my better grocery shopping trips I was able to get 38 items for $19.73 for  a total  savings of $64!
One of the featured items that week was a new pasta that had come out on sale for $1.00, there were also $1.00/1 coupons in the paper before that so I knew I would be getting some FREE pasta!
Some might think this system takes too much time, but it really doesn't and the organization  helps.
I think I spend an hr. or so each week and that includes clipping and organizing my coupons.
I will be talking more about how to save with coupons in a future post. Save your receipts and give this method a try. You will be shocked when you compare previous receipts to this new method of shopping, the nice surprise will be the extra money you have to put towards other things you need.
Until next time, happy shopping! L.

Free meals on your Birthday!

Who says there's no such thing as  a free lunch or dinner?
Did you know many places offer free meals on your Birthday? All you have to do is register on the websites and bring along your ID.
Here are some that I know of: IHOP free meal
Denny's: Free Grand Slam
Arby's : Free item with purchase
Noodles and Company: Free noodlebowl
Dairy Queen: buy 1 get 1 free Blizzard
Famous Dave's: bring in the coupon to see what your mystery gift is, appetizer etc.
Schlotzky's: not sure since we don't have them where I live but I know they have a free item on your Birthday.
Benihana: $30 gift certificate for Birthday person
Auntie Anne's pretzels: coupon for buy 1 get 1 free pretzel
Cold Stone Cremery : free scoop

clothing stores: Old Navy $10/$50 purchase
I know there are many more that are regional. It's a good idea to check with restaurants in your region.
Have fun celebrating with your Birthday freebies!
Until next time. L.

Selling unwanted items to make extra money

There are many ways to make extra money right in your home!
Have any brand name clothes that are next to new? Consign them, most consignment shops pay you about 45% of the marked  price. You can also opt to receive 50% if you decide to purchase clothes.
Once upon a Child will buy your gently used kids items, you can receive store credits, cash or gift cards.
Weeding through your home library, dvd collection or cd collection? Half Price books and similar stores will purchase these items from you. Don't expect to get much money for them , the stores don't pay much since they have a profit margin. There are also smaller used bookstores that will take your old books, dvds and cds for store credit.
Craigslist is another great way to make some cash selling items you no longer want or need.
For safety reasons, remember to meet the interested party in a public place. You also have to be aware of scams from distant buyers. Craigslist has safety tips and things to be aware of listed on the website for buyers and sellers safety.
I hope these tips help you to put some extra cash in your pocket.
Until next time. L.