The Grocery Game: Pros and Cons

Have you ever heard of The Grocery Game?  I had heard mention of it, but didn't think it would be of benefit to me.  Those on my bargain forums mentioned how they would never spend money when they get the same information through the forums.  A few friends mentioned that they used the Grocery Game and loved it.

Well, call me curious.

I had to give it a try.  I saw they had a free trial, so I decided to hop on board.  I made sure to register under a friend so she'd get credit and potential free weeks.  I started playing The Game.

What is it?

• The Grocery Game is a paid service to help you save money on groceries at various stores.
• A list is issued weekly with the items which are at their rock bottom prices plus the coupon match-ups for those items.
• There are many stores with a list - check your area to see what stores are listed for you. I can get Kroger, Rite Aid, Target, CVS, and Giant Eagle.

 Why use it?

• The list helps you purchase items at their lowest price. 
• By stocking up at the lowest price, you save hundreds per year.
• The hard work is done for you already.

 How much does it cost?

The cost for a 1 store membership is $10 every 8 weeks. That works out to about $1.25 per week. A 2 store membership is $15 every 8 weeks, a 3 store membership is $20 every 8 weeks and so on.

 So, did I like it?  What are the pros and cons?

 Pros:

• The legwork is done for me
• Saves me precious time when hunting deals
• Does help to save money
• Is a remedy for "mommy brain"
• Has a nifty print feature so you can print just the items you intend to purchase
• Has a coupon printing links

Cons:

• Must sign in to access list - not emailed to me (I actually forgot I had signed up for several weeks)
• Is an auto-renew service so you must cancel before the next renew date (more on that later)
• Prices are not 100% accurate for every area - my area tends to run $.10 - $.50 higher on just about all items on any list service, not just the Grocery Game.
• Costs money
• Works best if you have several weeks worth of coupon inserts saved already

Any Problems? Will I keep using it?  Do I recommend it?

I made one very deliberate shopping trip using my list.  If I hadn't made a mistake (user error!) by not counting my mega sale items accurately, I would have saved close to 75% on that trip by buying just the things on the list (not other essentials).  The list works.

I did have a problem.  I was using the free trial.  I increased my stores to just about all.  If it were a paid subscription, it would be $25 per cycle.  I marked the end date on my calendar.  We lost power.  We lost cable. We lost internet.  I forgot.  I didn't see my reminder and didn't cancel in time.  I was charged the $25.  When I finally remembered, I emailed Terri to try to get a refund.  Refunds are not possible, however, she downgraded my service to just one store and extended my time through December to  make up for my mistake.  I appreciated her willingness to work with me.

I will keep using the Grocery Game - it's paid through December!  I have a few months to find out exactly how much I can save using the game to see if I will pay for another cycle. 

As a busy mom, I no longer have the time to scour blogs and forums for every great deal.  The Grocery Game puts everything right at my fingertips.

If you would like to try the free 30-day trial, just click here.  You will need to enter credit card information.  I would greatly appreciate if you enter my email as your referral: penguinelk at yahoo.com (just format it like a normal email address).

Have you used the Grocery Game?  What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.

I am not an affiliate for the Grocery Game.  The opinions in the review are entirely mine.  I was not paid in any way to write this post.

10 Ways to Save Money in the Kitchen - Guest Posted on Frugally Marisha

I feel so loved!  Frugally Marisha graciously asked me to write a guest post for her blog!  How exciting is that!  I decided to begin a series on her blog and continue it here.  I began in the kitchen.

In an effort to write an eBook (with a lot of help from you - check this past post!), I challenged myself to create a list of ways to save money in each room of the house.  My lists are by no means exhaustive.  That's where you come in.  Help me fill in the blanks and write a fantastic eBook which will, in turn, be offered FREE to all readers!

So, with that said, take a trip on over to Frugally Marisha.  Check out my post.  Check out her blog!  Leave her some bloggy comment love!

Free Shipping on Baby Gear

Babies R Us is offering free shipping on all baby gear on their website!  Shipping credit is up to $25 on orders of $100 or more.

Stock up on gifts for upcoming baby showers.  Stock up on diapers.  Get that carseat you have been waiting for.  Get that crib for the new baby's bedroom.  Get all those babyproofing items you've been putting off purchasing.

Check it out!

How to Go from Two Incomes to One and Make it Work

I was just reading a thread on babycenter about a mom who is struggling with the decision of whether or not to go back to work after the baby is born.  She said it seems like they'd have nothing to show for their work after childcare and other expenses.  She was asking for input on what has worked for other families who have made the decision for one parent to stay at home.

We decided when we got married (nearly 10 years ago - goodness!) that I would stay home when we have children.  I must say that it was a really rough transition for us.  We had to absorb a lot of moving costs plus the cost of taking a loss on a home sale.  We had to adjust to the new bill costs in our new home.  We had to absorb the health insurance costs of the birth - we had to switch insurances in the middle so the cost was double.  It honestly took us nearly a year to get a good handle on things.

We now have a baby emergency fund ($1000 in the bank that we don't touch).  We only use our credit card for business expenses that Hubby will be reimbursed for.  We are slowly making headway on our student loan debt and car debt.  We use cash for groceries.  We budget carefully - yeah - we could be better here, but we're improving each month.

Here are some ways that I've been able to help our financial situation while staying at home:

• Couponing.  By learning how to coupon effectively, I have been able to cut our grocery budget from around $400 a month for 2 adults and a baby to just over $200 a month.  Check this past post to learn the basics of couponing.
• Dave Ramsey.  Hubby and I took his Financial Peace University a few years back.  Dave gives common sense advice about money - live on less than you make - so that later you will be able to live very comfortably (thanks to the sacrifices made early on).
  
• Swagbucks.  By using Swagbucks as my search engine (note - just one account per household is allowed), I have earned $120 in Amazon gift cards since March 2009.  By combining some survey income that comes as Amazon gift cards, I have been able to purchase nearly all gifts for birthdays and holidays without spending "real" money.  Learn what Swagbucks is all about in this past post.
• Surveys.  I spend about an hour each day taking surveys and doing product trials from various companies.  It takes a little while to get going where you see any income, but after a few months, it really starts to add up.  I just received 2 packs of diapers to test (Pampers!).  The diapers were free and I will get paid for my time to answer a survey.   Some companies pay directly to paypal, others have prizes (including gift cards) to choose based on a point scale, and some send checks.  Here are a few of my favorite companies:  Opinion Outpost, SayNation!,  Valued Opinions, and MySurvey.  You can check out my reviews of these companies and more here.  You can research the safety of these sites through surveypolice.
• Word of Mouth Marketing.  Word of Mouth Marketing companies send free products or coupons.  You try these products and share your thoughts (and coupons and other samples) with friends.  Some companies require reports of these conversations.  Other companies do not.  The companies I use are:  Vocalpoint, BzzAgent, Smile.ly, SheSpeaks, Pssst!

Hope this helps!  It hasn't been easy, but we're making it and I wouldn't change our plan for anything.  

Thanksgiving Dinner, Free Recipe eBooks, Thanksgiving Coupons and more

Well, quick update from yesterday's post.   Hubby and I woke up this morning, went on a family walk, came home and discovered that the fraudulent charge was gone - it just dropped off of our account!  Woohoo!  Now, I will be contacting multiple fraud departments, the detective, and the FBI internet crimes division to let them know.  It is unfortunate that we cannot get a few pieces of vital information because it never posted to our account, but now we don't have a mess to clean up.

On to the deals!

Walmart is offering a Thanksgiving feast for 8 for just $20!  Here are some details:

According to a survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation, last year’s average cost of a turkey was roughly $1.19 per pound. Beginning today, select Grade A turkeys are available for 40 cents per pound at Walmart.* These gobblers are part of Walmart’s $20 Thanksgiving menu guaranteeing family favorites will be on the dinner table this holiday season. Walmart’s $20 Thanksgiving feast includes:

• One 12-pound Grade A turkey*
• Three 11 to 15.5-ounce cans Green Giant vegetables
• Two 14-ounce cans Ocean Spray cranberry sauce
• Three 6-ounce boxes of Stove Top stuffing
• One 5-pound bag of red potatoes
• One 12-count package of Sara Lee dinner rolls
• One 22-ounce pumpkin roll cake

See some coupon matchups and print some other great holiday coupons by visiting KC Penny Pinching Mama.

Snag a free sample of FLIX - dental picks that are faster than flossing.

Do you like tea?  Twinings is offering a great deal on their glass chest filled with tea plus free shipping.  These would make great gifts.  Click on over to Hip to Save for all the details.

Free eBooks!
Grab a free copy of the FREE Thanksgiving Recipes eBook from Quality Health:



Laura, at Heavenly Homemakers, is offering some sweet ebooks completely free!

For the Love of Pie ebook has 31 great recipes sent by her readers.

Also, grab a copy of Fun, Fabulous, and (mostly) FREE Preschool Projects - a compilation of great ideas from many moms.

Happy bargain hunting!

A Confession Plus Freebies: Coffee, John Piper Audiobook, and more

I confess.  I have been struggling with a loss of excitement over couponing.  Don't get me wrong, I love me a good deal.  I just really haven't cared to pour over coupons and matchups lately.  I noticed this problem about a week ago and have been trying to figure out why I've been in bargain burn-out. 

• Our budget has been VERY tight and I haven't had the wiggle room to stock up on good deals - we've mainly been living out of our pantry and buying just the necessities. 
• We've been quite busy - Hubby has had a crazy work schedule lately with many late nights.
• I have been working a little bit - helping with childcare for our church's Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University plus I actually took out my French horn and helped fill out the section in the Wind Ensemble for the University where Hubby teaches.
• I'm exhausted - I'm 9 weeks pregnant with a toddler who just learned how to run.  Enough said.
• We're in the middle of refinancing our home.  In addition to the stress of finances in general and the stress of preparing for a refi (especially cleaning and decluttering for an appraisal - we had ours today!), we've discovered some property tax issues that were masked a bit when our mortgage company went bankrupt and sold our loan and created an absolute mess with the book keeping.  

I know I need to get back on the horse.  Our pantry is growing thin.  I am so thankful that we have had such a stockpile.  I am thankful for the gifts of meat that my mom randomly brings after she hits a fantastic sale.

With all that said, I want to share some deals and freebies!  Happy bargain hunting!

• Get a FREE temperature testing rubber ducky with the purchase of Johnsons product.
• FREE sample of Folgers Gourmet coffee
• FREE sample of Garnier Skin Renew
• FREE Christmas music sampler download from Amazon
• FREE audio book Desiring God by John Piper
• FREE ebook Thriving on Less
• Toy coupons for Target

How Can I Cut My Grocery Budget?

Over the past year, I have cut our grocery budget from $400/month to just $200 per month for 2 adults, a baby, and a dog.  How did I do that?  MANY different ways!  Here are some ideas that may help you!

1. Menu planning - Each week, I plan out our meals for that week.  I also formulate a basic idea of what we could have the next week as well.  I use a list of our favorite meals to help keep things fresh.  I generally try to plan half of the meals for items we currently have on hand and half that would need to be purchased.
2. Couponing - I have learned to use coupons well.  As I make my shopping list for the week, I use the Kroger ad plus my coupons to maximize savings by matching coupons with sale items.  When I find a great deal on something, I buy a couple extra (I have about $20 built into the budget for these extra purchases) to keep in my stockpile.  I combine electronic coupons from pgesaver, cellfire, and shortcuts with paper coupons for greater savings.
3. Drug Store/Supercenter shopping - I don't limit my grocery and household shopping to the grocery store.  I have been able to build a stockpile of toothpase, for example, of 7 tubes that I paid a total of $1.50 for all seven at various other stores.  These are GOOD toothpastes like Crest EnamelCare.  You can learn the basics of finding good deals at other stores with these links:  Target shopping, Rite Aid shopping, CVS Shopping part 1 and part 2.
4. Eating Out - We eat out a lot less.  With a menu plan, we are tempted much less to go out and grab something quick.  I just need to look at my list and get a meal going without wondering what to cook.  
5. Meals in Reserve - I keep several easy meals in reserve for those days we just don't feel like eating what was planned such as Chef Boyardee, soups, and box meals.  Sometimes I will get ambitious and cook and freeze a meal ahead.
6. Build a stockpile - By slowly building a stockpile of items I have found at great prices, I have been able to eat from the pantry more and buy from the store less.   By keeping myself out of Kroger, I have spent a lot less!
7. Be Honest - I had to be honest about what we will eat.  In the past, I would hoard food - even food we wouldn't eat.  I also would buy lots of expensive steaks (especially when we lived in Nebraska - they were just so darn good!) to treat ourselves.  I had to re-evaluate what meals would be treats.
   

Come back next week for more ideas to cut your grocery budget!  Go on over to Life As Mom for lots of frugal tips!

Kroger Triple Coupons!

Sooo.... I read on another blog that some WV and OH Krogers were tripling coupons up to $.50. I was intrigued. I found an old paper that I hadn't yet read and saw that it was indeed TRUE! I raced to get my Q's together and headed out. I drove the extra couple minutes across the border to OH to avoid paying sales tax on food. I saved 76%. I could have done better, but I made one mistake and indulged a little.

My total before coupons and MEGA sale was $37.88. I paid $9.79. Here's what I got!

1 tub Huggies wipes (used $.50 Q)
1 Reach floss (used $.50 Q)
12 Gerber baby food jars (used 2 $.50 Q's - made a mistake)
3 Betty Crocker Warm Delights (used 3 $.50 Q's)
2 SoBe Lifewaters (had a bogo free Q)
2 Pilsbury cinnamon rolls (used a $.40 off 2 Q)
3 Betty Crocker cookie mix packs (used 3 $.50 Q's)
2 Velveeta shells and cheese cups (used a $1 off next order catalina from last purchase, received another one for this purchase to use next time)
1 Half gallon milk
1 Kroger brand personal margherita pizza


Where did I go wrong?

• I had 3 ecoupons on my card for both the warm delights and the cookies, however, only 2 came off of each. I don't know why.
• I had a $.50 Q for 4 Beech Nut baby food jars with DHA but I grabbed Gerber ones that were on closeout instead so no Q for those (but still closeout)
• We needed milk
• I got hungry and wanted to treat myself since I've been by myself all week and will be through Sunday night with Hubby's work schedule right now. I got myself a pizza.

I was pretty pleased! I may do one more trip before the triples end this weekend.

Gratituesday: Hard Working Bloggers

I am lazy. I am just a lazy person. I could do so much more throughout the day, but I like to sit and relax. I have been a stay at home wife/mother for just a year now and it feels like I should be prepping for another year of teaching. This past year just felt like one very long summer break and I have treated it that way. Now that school is starting up, I am getting the itch to get organized and to get a ton done.

With all that said, I am so thankful for all the ladies that spend hours putting together blog after blog of shopping deals and coupon match-ups. Through these blogs, I have learned how to shop at various stores. I have learned how to stock my pantry so I spend the least amount on groceries. Through these blogs I have shaved about $100 off my monthly grocery budget. I hope to shave another $50 off within the next few months. There is no way I have the time or energy to do all these myself. What a wonderful gift to give others - to teach them to be wise stewards of the resources God has entrusted them with.

I am especially thankful after my Monday shopping trip. I spent a total of $3.oo out of pocket. I purchased one 10-pack of men's athletic socks at Kohl's and paid $.53 after using a $10 gift card that came in the mail with an advertisement. Our next stop was CVS #1. I spent about $1.25 out of pocket. I used $2 in ECB's from a previous deal. I got $8 back in ECB's! I bought 6 Johnson & Johnson Travel First Aid kits for $.99 each and used a $1.00 coupon with 5 of them (the 6th beeped and the cashier would not let me use it although I have used many in the past no problem) and got $6 ECB's. I also got 2 packs of filler paper for $.99 each with $.99 in ECB's back. I was hungry so I got a candy bar. On to CVS #2. I didn't get my favorite cashier. I got one more first aid kit with the same $1 coupon (cashier tried to tell me I could not use it saying the travel pack was a trial size - Johnson and Johnson has sent out emails saying it is fine to use this coupon - she finally pushed it through), a beach ball for Baby, a pack of pens with a raincheck ($.99 with $.99 ECB's) and another candy bar for me. I used $2 ECB's and paid about $1.50.

Money has been really tight with me staying home. We would not be able to afford simple luxuries like cable tv and internet and would not have been able to replace a car with a van if I was still shopping like "normal" people. I am so thankful for these ladies and how they have helped our family! What a blessing!

Affordable Travel

A friend of mine was asking if I had any tips for cheaper hotel stays. I knew of a few things but have learned a bit more since then. Here are some tips!

1. If you just call the hotel, get a price quote then ask, "Is that your best rate or are there other discounts?" Often, hotel staff quotes the basic room rate first even if there are cheaper rates available.
   
2. Call more than one hotel and use the quotes to negotiate a better price.
3. Use online resources such as Expedia, Orbitz, Hotwire, Sidestep, Hotels, Travelocity, and Priceline (they have a bidding option and a flat rate option). Use them to gather information before calling or use them to simply book your hotel. Check more than one site as the rates for the same hotel can vary significantly from site to site.
4. If you want an even better deal, try bidding for your hotel rate. With Priceline, the cheapest rate comes when you don't know the hotel name until after you accept your rate and room. To learn what price range would be in a certain star rating (to increase the likelihood of your bid being accepted), check out the message boards at biddingfortravel.com.
5. Other sites are available to get information on using these travel search engines. Try: betterbidding.com and bidontravel.com.

What have my experiences been? We don't travel too terribly much, but have used many of these sites. Sidestep will compare various search engines (expedia, orbitz, etc) and save you a little work. We used Priceline for our last vacation and plan to use it again in the future. Next time we will use the mesasge boards to try to get an even better deal.

Happy bargain hunting!

Swagtastic!

Have I told you lately I love Swagbucks?

I have been using Swagbucks as my search engine since April. I have downloaded the toolbar and I became a fan on Facebook. I occasionally do Swagcode hunts for extra points. I have a few friends under me who net me points as well. I could follow Swagbucks on Twitter and participate in Twitter promotions, but I have not done that yet. I have received $20 since I started and I am waiting for $10 more to clear in the next few days! Once I hit 45 bucks, I "cash out" and buy a $5 Amazon gift card.



Is this hard? No. Bucks are randomly awarded during normal web searching. Do I have to get an Amazon gift card? No. There are thousands of prizes you can choose! How else can I earn bucks? You can shop online at regular stores by starting with Swagbucks. A certain number of bucks will be awarded per dollar you spend at the participating store. You can trade in old video games, cell phones, and ipods for bucks. These items will be safely recycled. Does Swagbucks spam? Not at all.

There is one element that has confused me recently. My account says I have 48 points, but I was not able to cash out. I discovered that other sites offer swagbucks that can only be used on their sites. These bucks are listed separately on the account page.

Last question - is it worth it? Totally! Between surveys and Swagbucks, I have earned over $60 in Amazon cards. This has really helped our gift giving budget!

Happy swagging!

Grocery Budget Challenge

At the start of the month of June, I challenged myself in the area of the grocery budget. We normally spent around $350 on groceries for the three of us (Baby was mostly nursed so not much went to him). I knew I could do better. I challenged myself to cut back to just $200 for one month. I did my last grocery trip of the month and wanted to report on how that challenge went.

I am pleased to say that I cut our grocery spending by a little more than $100 this past month! I DID go over budget, but honestly, that was a conscious decision during my trip today. I looked at what we needed and knew I could bring us in under budget. I also looked at how Kroger is my weak spot and that I need to limit the number of my trips. I spent $50 extra dollars today to get the things we needed to get through the first week in July. I was pretty happy with this total!

As we approach July, think about how much you can cut out of your grocery budget! Our budget will be different this coming month because of a week of vacation. Our budget for groceries will be about $200 (I am leaving a little wiggle room for the next K-Mart super double promotion) but our eating out budget will greatly increase. We have been saving up for just this occasion.

Let me know how you are cutting back this month!

Here are some links to help you cut that budget:

• shortcuts.com - add coupons directly to your shopper card
• cellfire.com - more coupons to add directly to your shopper card
• pgesaver.com - even more coupons to add directly to your shopper card

Remember to give your shopper card to the cashier first! You can also use paper coupons with the electronic coupons for more savings! One example - today I bought a jumbo pack of Huggies diapers. They were on sale for $8.99. I used a $1.50 coupon plus had another $1.50 electronic coupon. That brings the total to $5.99. I can also send my receipt to Caregivers Marketplace for a $.75 rebate on this purchase. My total for that pack of diapers is a sweet $5.24 or $.15 per diaper.

Old Navy Shopping

Now, I have not been an Old Navy fan. I am quite petite at not even 5 feet tall, so most of their clothing doesn't fit me right. Well, I have become more of a fan recently. First of all, I am no longer a teacher so more casual clothes work in my lifestyle. Secondly, I have discovered great ways to spend virtually no money and get clothes. I realize that the quality of Old Navy clothing isn't the greatest, but spending $2 on a sweater allows me to wear the sweater one season/year until it is worn out then replace it. How does this work? I have a few simple guidelines!

• Old Navy Weekly. This website hosts a hunt for coupons each week. Each week, the site is reloaded with great coupons ranging from 15% off one item to $75 off of $100 purchase. To get a coupon, you click around the website. Sometimes items must be moved. Sometimes you need to watch a video and click something in the video. At one time there was a bbq grill that had to be clicked until smoking then the smoke had to be clicked to reveal the coupon. Hardcore bargain hunters have finding coupons on this website down to a science. The high dollar coupons tend to go quickly. Check on SlickDeals for information on when the site might reset with new coupons (Old Navy has been changing things up a bit) and where the coupons might be found.
• Shop the clearance. I LOVE the Old Navy clearance! I will not pay more than $5 per item. That's my rule. I wait until clearance items are around $2 - $3 then I purchase. Items are usually out of season, but this is a great time to stock up for next year! I did find that the little boy clothes went quickly in clearance.
• Shop the special sales. Occasionally, Old Navy will offer sales on particular items. I was able to hit the graphic T-shirt sale this summer for 2 T's at just $3 each!
  
• Do the survey on the receipt. Receipts usually have an offer for a survey. It is so simple - just a phone call. There is no human to speak to, just computerized answers through your touchpad. At the end of the survey, you are given a code to write on the receipt. You have 90 days to use that receipt and get 10% off your purchases. Simple!

Happy bargain hunting!

What a Shopping Day!

Well, I just finished a round of bargain hunting and think this was the best trip yet! Here's how it all worked. My hubby reminded me yet again that it is not savings if we spen money on things we will not use no matter how inexpensive.

Target:
6 baby food @ $.87 each
4 Glade candle tins @ $1.67 each (sale price)
1 Kashi fruit bar @ 2.89
2 Two-pack GE CFL lightbulbs @ $3. 48/pack (clearanced from $5.xx/pack)
1 Three-pack Bic Soleil Bella razors @ $4.39
1 8x10 Frame @ $2.98 (clearanced from $5.99)

Used:
4 $1.50 Glade coupons
1 $1.50 Kashi coupon
2 $1.00 GE coupons
1 $3.00 Bic coupon

Totals:
Before sales/clearances = $38.20
After sales/clearances = $29.12
After coupons/Out of pocket = $19.02
Saved: $19.18

JC Penney
Stafford Signature dress shirt @ $5.58 (originally $50.00)
2 Classic towel washcloths @$2.00 each (originally $4.99 each)

Used:
1 $10 off $10 purchase coupon gotten through mail

Total:
$1.65

CVS
There was a cart filled with 90% off merchandise!!! Good times!
1 Orbit gum @ $.99 saved $.30
3 Altoids @ $.19 saved $1.80 each
1 Children's Advil @ $.63 saved $5.66
1 Almay pure mineral foundation @ $.90 saved $12.39
1 Crayola beginners markers @ $.65 saved $5.84
1 CVS cough drop @ $.20 saved $1.70
3 TUMS Quick dissolve 24 ct @ $.58 each saved $5.21 each
1 Tylenol cold daytime 24 ct @ $.65 saved $5.84
1 8x10 photo (online promo) @ $0.00 saved $3.99

Used:
$4.00 Extra Bucks

Totals:
Original price total $72.67
Savings total $66.24
Paid $6.43 - $4 ECB = $2.43 out of pocket (paid with rebate card from Swiffer)

Entire Day
Original price $170.85
Savings total $147.75 (86.5%)
Paid (out of pocket inc gift card) $23.10

What a day!

Well, like many of you, we have had another very busy day! Baby turned 8 months old today. Right now at 11:15pm is the first time I have had to sit down and write! We did garage sales this morning, Hubby's softball game this afternoon, a photo shoot around the house with Baby this afternoon, CVS this evening, and church this evening. Tomorrow looks just slightly less crazy with a trial run to K-Mart for super double coupons plus reclaiming the house from the laundry and toy monster.

I wanted to take a minute to share a few links with you:

• Free Homemade Cleaning Products Poster
• Scenarios for KMart Super-Doubles
• An interesting article on who the most generous givers are
• 100 Most Useful Websites article
• 12 US Laws Bloggers Need to Know article

Hodgepodge Post

I am very excited this morning. I am beyond exhausted after a very late night, but excited nonetheless. Hubby performed with a local high school jazz band last night. It ended MUCH later than we expected. We got home at 10:30pm. Baby was such a trooper. He took one little catnap while we were there (he loved the steel drum band and didn't want to miss a second) and was content until the very end. After this late night, I just didn't sleep well even though Baby did.

Anyway, I learned from The Centsational Saver that our local Kroger is doing TRIPLE coupons today through Sunday! Coupons up to $.50 will be tripled! Check your local Kroger to see if they are participating as it is a regional event. Check out The Centsational Saver for deal scenarios!

I also just called my local K-Mart to confirm that they are doing super doubles next week! Double coupons up to $2.00! I have heard talk of a limit of 10 coupons per person per day, but I have not confirmed that.

Other Offers/Random thoughts:

• Summer Scents Gift Pack
  First 10,000* to respond will receive one NEW Glade® Scented Oil Candle Tin.
• Recipe for Crash Hot Potatoes that we will be having for dinner tonight.
• Pinecone Research has open enrollment right now for surveys. I just signed up. I have heard this is a top company to do surveys for and they fill up spots quickly. I also heard they are looking for young people 18 - 24.
  

Intentional Menu

I am being more intentional about my grocery spending this month. I want to keep the spending under $200. We will live somewhat out of our pantry. Here's what we are eating this week! My husband is teaching a university summer class in the mornings so breakfast is a bit limited ( I KNOW I will not be up with him each morning with a baby in the house). Wednesday I will be gone with the baby during the day to watch my mom and her fellow teachers do a tap dance then hubby will be performing on the waterfront that evening. It's always busy around here! Check out I'm An Organizing Junkie and her Menu Planning Monday to see more menu ideas!

Monday:
Breakfast - toast
Lunch - soup and sammies
Dinner - chicken teriyaki

Tuesday:
Breakfast - pancakes
Lunch - cold cuts
Dinner - meatball subs

Wednesday:
Breakfast - toast
Lunch - panini
Dinner - homemade pizza

Thursday:
Breakfast - waffles
Lunch - ravioli
Dinner - grilled pork chops

Friday:
Breakfast - toast
Lunch - peanut butter sandwiches
Dinner - oven fried chicken

Saturday:
Breakfast - French toast
Lunch - “The Best Of” (leftovers)
Dinner - beef stroganoff

Sunday:
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - macaroni and cheese with hot dogs
Dinner - burgers on the grill

Shopping list:
chicken breasts, bread, hot dogs (bogo free at kroger), rice, eggs, waffles, yeast, marjoram, honey
Deal seeking:
garbage bags (target - pair target coupon with manufacturer coupon), paper towels (target - coupons plus gift card rebate - details here), sunscreen (CVS), rock bottom prices on items to restock pantry from this week’s meals

Living with Intention

in⋅ten⋅tion⋅al

 /ɪnˈtɛnʃənl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [in-ten-shuh-nl] –adjective

1. done with intention or on purpose; intended
2. of or pertaining to intention or purpose
   

Related forms:

in⋅ten⋅tion⋅al⋅i⋅ty, noun

in⋅ten⋅tion⋅al⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. designed, planned. See deliberate.

Antonyms:
1. accidental.

A few months ago, I was horrified at how time was sand slipping through my fingers. It hit me all of a sudden that my son wasn't going to remain a baby forever. He will grow. He will do. He will learn. He will leave. The time I have with this sweet boy in my care in this house is but a breath. I have been sitting back just waiting for something to happen, feeling as if I am on summer break. My "summer break" has lasted nearly a year now since I finished teaching. I'm not going back. It is up to me to structure my life and to live intentionally.

This series is preaching to the choir. God put this area of my life on my heart. I have succumbed to laziness. I have been a victim of the law of inertia - as in "an object at rest will stay at rest..." although I haven't felt like I have been resting. I spend a lot of time being busy but not getting much done. Organization has been out the window. The house has been a mess.

I need to be intentional - to be diligent in my role as a wife and mother. My first goal - be intentional with our menu. This month starts our car payments so money will be extra tight for awhile. It is time to stretch that dollar like never before. My goals in this area are:

• plan a menu for all meals - 3 meals a day
• incorporate more healthy and less processed elements into the menu
• grocery shop no more than once per week (deal hunting is different as it normally does not use out of pocket money once you get started - I am using gift cards/ECB's from previous promotions and deals at CVS, Rite Aid, and Target)
  
• spend $200 or less on groceries for the month (including paper goods and health/beauty items)
• pay for groceries with CASH from an ENVELOPE

I am excited about one aspect of eating less processed food. I plan to try making bread again. I made our own bread for an entire summer once and LOVED doing it. The bread was so yummy and fresh and healthy. I no longer have a working mixer with bread hook, so until I get the food processor I want that does bread dough, I plan to try making artisan breads. Check HERE for recipes and instructions for super simple artisan breads!

I want to start getting to know those of you who read my ramblings. Let me know what areas you need to work towards being more intentional.

Car Buying Basics - Take Three

It's time to shop! I am going to give you a bunch of websites and tools to use in your hunt and haggling. Unless you choose a no-pressure/no-haggle dealership like CarMax (although the one time we shopped there, it was no haggle but HIGH pressure), you should be prepared to negotiate price.

If you don't have a lot of time to research every aspect and you know the make and model of the vehicle you want, Consumer Reports has an amazing tool to help you negotiate a good price. This tool was one of the best purchases we made in this process. One other tool that you should not skimp on is the Carfax report. This report will show you some of the repairs done on the vehicle (if done by a garage that reports repairs - many do not), if the odometer is accurate, and if there has been major damage (rebuilt after accident, flooding, etc).

Be prepared with information to back up both the price you are offering to pay for the vehicle and the price you want for your trade. When the dealership gave us the $2000 offer on our Honda trade, DH pulled paperwork out from NADA and Kelly Blue Book showing trade values. Having this information at his fingertips was quite helpful when the manager took him to the computer to pull up their own information.

Once you have gathered your information, have fun! Go for a few test drives. Put the vehicles through their paces. This is a major purchase. Many people spend more time and effort for a stereo purchase than they do for a vehicle purchase. By doing a little research before hand, you can save a lot of money.

When it is time to negotiate, don't be afraid to walk away. Here are tips that served us well:

• Don't say right away that you plan to trade something. The trade-in should be a separate transaction so you know what you are actually paying for the car and what you are getting for the trade.
• Don't be afraid to walk away. Many times, we got the dealership's best price on a certain vehicle and said, "Thank you" and went on our way. Every time, we got a follow up phone call. Armed with these "best prices," you are able to use the lower prices as leverage to bring the higher prices down. In our van transaction, the manager actually called another dealership with a similar van that was priced less. At the time, the dealership was offering a pitifully low price on our trade and had mentioned that his competitor may have the van for less money but wouldn't offer as much for the trade to make up the difference. DH called his bluff. When the manager called his competitor, he learned they would offer a full $1000 more for the trade.
• Don't assume the deal is done when a price has been agreed upon. Some dealerships may try to recoup some profits through creative financing. Make sure you understand the terms completely before signing anything.
• If you are buying a used car, don't be afraid to ask to have your mechanic look it over. Don't be afraid to work some repairs into the deal. We had a check engine light on at the second test drive. In our deal, the engine light and whatever problem caused it would be fixed before we took possession. It took over a week for the problem to be fixed correctly, but now we have a great vehicle in great running condition!
  

Happy shopping!

Car Buying Basics - Take Two

So, now you have an idea of what type of vehicle you want and the rough price range you hope to pay. When we were in this step, we had narrowed our search down to a mid-sized SUV, minivan, or large sedan - something that would fit 2 and potentially 3 carseats that we could use as a family car for long trips with luggage and the dog. We had pretty much decided on an SUV or sedan with 4WD/AWD (we live in the mountains and winters can be rough) but we knew we wanted a minivan eventually.

You have also made the decision about what to trade or sell if applicable. We went back and forth on this issue as well. My car was a 13 year old beater that we just replaced the transmission and knew needed brakes and knew had some sort of leak (turns out it just needed a new power steering pump - not too pricey). My car had a Kelly Blue Book trade in value of a whopping $500. DH's car was in much better shape - a 1999 Honda Accord that drove great. The biggest problem was it was a stick. He had developed foot problems and has been getting shots in his left foot. Shifting wasn't very fun for him. I hadn't driven the car in over a year. I know I am able to drive it and now that most of my anxiety issues have resolved, I could relearn, but we also knew that when I am pregnant again, I would quickly be unable to reach the clutch with my belly in the way (I could no longer drive that car at 5 1/2 months pregnant). Lastly, the Honda had a much higher trade-in value. In the end, we traded the Honda. We thought about doing a private sale. We had done that in the past and decided it wasn't worth the extra hassle for the relatively small amount of money we'd make above trade-in value.

Let's talk finances. I am a huge Dave Ramsey fan. DH and I took the Financial Peace University class last year. We've always been very careful with our money and have tried our hardest to stay out of debt and to pay off my student loan. We have never had a car payment. We never wanted to have a car payment. When we looked at our situation, we weighed everything carefully and decided to finance a small amount and pay extra to get it paid off as soon as possible. If the medical conditions weren't an issue, we definitely would have paid cash. Dave Ramsey suggests always paying cash and never buying brand new unless you have over a million dollars. He feels that unless you have a LOT of money, you just can't afford to take the butt kicking in depreciation with a new car.

I strongly urge you to consider saving up to pay cash for a car. Pay yourself a car payment into a savings account each month. Scrape together as much cash as you can. If you are in dire need of a car, Dave suggests buying what you can with cash even if it is only a $1000 car. Drive that car while you continue saving up money. Once you can, sell the $1000 car for $1000 (no depriciation left at that level) and use what you saved up plus the sale price (ex. $1000) to move up to a $2000 car and so on until you are in a comfortable car.

If you are unable to pay cash outright, I suggest keeping your cost down as much as possible and financing as little as possible. Shop around for rates before purchasing. You can get some quotes, ideas, and information from Bankrate.

Now, for the fun parts! You are just about ready to start test driving! I don't have the willpower to go for test drives without being at the point where I can buy. DH can. Stop back tomorrow for some great links to fill in all the information gaps so you will be ready to shop smartly and buy smartly. I leave you with a FANTASTIC article that looks into the inner workings of car dealerships and car salesmen. This is a long article but a very worthwhile read. Enjoy "Confessions of a Car Salesman."