I’m definitely an advocate for not being too strict when it comes to saving money. You’d end up splurging big time! That’s why I’m happy to welcome Rose from Online Degree Programs. Her guest post outlines very doable tips for saving money on food during the week. Thanks, Rose! – fi

It’s easy to get carried away with spending on the weekends when we have lots of free time for shopping, going out with friends and eating out. But that’s why it’s even more important to budget expenses during the week. One of the easiest ways to cut back is to come up with a more sensible food spending plan for the work week. From breakfast meetings to coffee runs to lunches to happy hour, there are lots of temptations for wasting on money on food. Check out these food savings tips for the work week that will keep your wallet happy and your diet in better shape, too.

• Write everything down. For all budgets, especially food budgets, one of the most effective tips for spending less is to record every expense. When you see how much money you’re throwing away on drive-thrus and happy hour, you’ll cut back naturally.
• Buy a coffee mug. This little investment pays off big time if you brew your own coffee at home in the mornings. If you spend $4-5 on Starbucks every day, you’ll save at least $20 a week just on coffee.
• Bring snacks. Avoid the vending machine temptation by bagging your own snacks. Take carrots, apples, and healthy snack packs that you can buy in bulk at the grocery store.
• Make your own lunch. If your colleagues are always going out to lunch, you can still bring your own lunch to eat beforehand and just order a salad, a drink or small side to save money on group lunches.
• Limit your happy hours. Going to happy hour several times a week lowers productivity when you get home, makes you gain weight, reduces motivation to work out and eat healthy later, and wastes lots of money.
• Go to the grocery store at the start of each week. If you buy all your food (fresh vegetables and ingredients are cheaper than packaged and frozen ones) ahead of time, you’ll be more likely to use it up so that it won’t go bad during the week.
• Splurge on the weekends. Give yourself some motivation to save up during the week by planning a nice dinner with friends on the weekends.

This post was contributed by Rose Jensen, who writes about the online degree programs. She welcomes your feedback at Rose.Jensen28@ yahoo.com.

Monica of MommyBrainReports.com understands you want to give your little one the best, but she’s here to show you that the best doesn’t have to be the most expensive. Let’s extend a warm welcome to Monica!

“When I had my twins in 2005, I knew I was not going to be able breast feed them. I was disappointed because I knew that was the best option both nutritionally, for them and financially, for us. But, I knew there were many options out there to help us save money.

While we were in the hospital, we used the formula they gave us. I can’t remember what brand it was at this point, but I know it was one of those big name brands. The girls did ok on it, but we did deal with some gassiness. We figured it would pass eventually. When we got home, I instantly signed up for every coupon program I could find. We saw how fast the girls were going through formula and just didn’t know what we’d do. Weeks went by, and we saw they were going through a can of powder every 2 days. The coupons were helping, but only taking a few dollars off here and there. We needed a better solution.  I decided to look into store brand formulas.

I’ve heard many people tell me that store brand this or generic that is not as good as the real thing, but in this case, I had to see for myself. I had heard many people talking about Parent’s Choice products and thought it was worth a try. I did some research on the internet and found out that the FDA has really strict guidelines as far as what nutritional value infant formulas carry. Sure, every store has their brand products, but for me, Walmart was closest and easiest for me, so it made sense to check them out first. It was quite surprising. We took a look at the nutritional information on the name brand infant formula label and then looked at the Parent’s Choice infant formula label. They were exactly the same. Could it be true? The Parent’s Choice formula was 1/2 the price of the name brand formula! We instantly made the switch, and my girls seemed to love it! I know I loved it because I was able to save the money for other things.. like diapers, and clothing. Over a year of formula feeding, that savings really added up for us!

Looking back, I know now that all of my worrying about going with a store brand was really for nothing. In fact, and article recently came out from Consumer Reports, an advocate for helping parents make wise purchasing decisions,  saying that they recommend buying a store brand, powdered infant formula over the National Brands, if you must, or choose to formula feed. Even Consumer Reports did the research: “We found that the store brand of formula at a local Wal-Mart (Parent’s Choice) cost 50 percent less per ounce than a leading national brand (Enfamil). According to the FDA, all formula marketed in the United States must meet the same nutrient specifications, which are set at levels to fulfill the needs of infants.” That’s a huge endorsement for store brand products coming from an unbiased source.

If you’re looking for ways to save money, you can learn more by using an online baby formula savings calculator at http://www.parentschoiceformula.com/baby-formula-savings-calculator.aspx.

I know that some babies have special formula needs, like sensitive tummy, or soy formulas. Most store brands will have you covered there also. Check out http://www.parentschoiceformula.com/parents-choice-formula-finder.aspx to see what formula you might need. You can also request free samples of the infant formulas so you can try them out to see how baby likes them!

Coming from personal experience, I can say that we did struggle with saving money, and we made decisions that would benefit our children and our family as a whole. I’m very glad I took the time to research more about store brand vs. name brand, and was able to save some money while not sacrificing their nutritional needs.”

Once you get the hang of using coupons, you can save money left, right and center without a single thought. But how do you start? Well, Kimberly of Retire With Coupons can help! Here’s the Extreme Couponer herself:

As an avid couponer, I am grateful to have the skills to pay a fraction of what the national average is for groceries.  But, when our economy tanked, I had never been as thankful as I am today.  Many people use coupons to help with their budgets, but not as many are considered the extreme couponer – a title I appreciate, not only as a benefit to my family, but because I’m able to share my experience with others to help individual and family budgets, as well as food pantries, and other social service agencies!

How do we begin?  These are my top five tips on utilizing coupons to keep your out of pocket expense low, while purchasing as much as possible!

1.  Know your local store policies and legalities. Each store has specific rules for coupon use.  Some stores double the value of coupons, but others don’t.  Some stores will allow you to bring in coupons after your purchase (if you’ve forgotten them), but others won’t.  Some stores will price match, and other stores will accept a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on one item!  By knowing the policies of the stores you shop at the most often, you’re able to save more money.

2.  Ask your family, friends, and co-workers for extra coupons. A lot of people never use coupons.  This means there are a lot of available coupons for your use.  Ask!  You’ll be surprised at how many people toss the inserts of their paper, and how many people would be more than happy to share them with you!

3.  Get organized! Once you understand store policies, and you have a great supply of incoming coupons, you need to get organize.  You’ll need a system for organizing your coupons, as well as a system for organizing your shopping lists, and the best deals at each store!

4.  Don’t be brand loyal. Many people believe buying the generic brand will always cost less than if you buy name brand.  This isn’t true.  By combining sales, coupons, and promotions, you’ll often be able to buy the item that is normally more expensive at a price that is lower than the generic!  And, if you’re partial to one particular brand, and just can’t live without it, find other items you aren’t brand loyal with, and save money on that purchase to cover the items you truly love!

5.  Get Rain checks. If a store has a great deal, and they are out of the product, ask for a rain check!  You normally have at least 30 days to redeem that rain check, and you won’t miss out on something you really wanted!

Kimberly McCormick is the owner of Retire With Coupons.  She may be contacted via email at kimberly@retirewithcoupons.com, or via her site http://www.retirewithcoupons.com.

Hi! Bekah of Motherhood Moment has even more tips on how to be green, green, green! If you missed her first tips, please refer to part I. I’m going to put a few of these tips to test myself. Thanks, Bekah! -fi

Adjust your thermostat for AC and heat. Use fans or the fan setting on your thermostat to circulate air so it feels cooler, and be sure to shut windows and shades. Consider getting window film to block sunlight reflection as well (it blocks the rays but you can still see through the window). Use smaller appliances, such as microwaves and toaster ovens, instead of using the oven in the summer. In the winter, wear more clothes instead of turning up the heat. Toss an extra blanket on the bed and turn the heat way down at night; use a programmable thermostat to start warming up the house when you get up. And if you’ll be gone for more than four hours, then turn the heat way down or the AC off.

If possible, carpool, walk, bus, bike, or telecommute. This saves transportation and maintenance costs on your vehicle. It can also give you exercise, a social outlet for chatter, time to read the paper or a book, or more time at home by saving the drive time.

Use your own shopping bags. Many stores will give you a credit of 5 cents for each bag, which isn’t much, but adds up and is an easy way to prevent more plastic or paper bags from being made.

Use cloth instead of paper towels and napkins.

Make your own cleaning supplies. Nearly every cleaner in your home can be replaced by things like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and other common (and cheap) pantry items. Recipes can be found all over with quick internet searches.

There are countless other ways to save resources and money, but these tips should help you get started making the move to a “greener” lifestyle – in more ways than one!

Bekah
motherhood-moment.blogspot.com

I love it when tips on saving money also help you save the planet! Hurray for dual-purpose tips! Thanks to Bekah of Motherhood Moment, a blog with a collection of tips and tricks to save money, time and the environment. I hope you enjoy! Fi

Everyone knows that going green is a good thing, but a lot of times it’s expensive to look for all organic and natural products. There are a lot of ways to save money while you’re saving the environment – bonus for your pocketbook and for our planet! Most of these are very easy to implement as well, and require very little adjustment or effort.

Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs. It is true that they have mercury, but the health risks are minimal – even if the bulb breaks. Plus, they can be easily recycled. You’ll save about $3 per year per bulb, even with the higher cost at the outset.

Recycle aggressively. There are a lot of things that can be recycled with very little effort, including plastics besides #1 and #2, shoes, styrofoam, and much more. Earth911.com provides a great place to start looking for recycling things in your area. This can help you cut down your garbage service to a lower volume, which can save $10 a month or more depending on your service cost.

Compost, especially if you garden. You’ll save money on garbage disposal and on fertilizers for the garden. Setting up a rain barrel will save on your water bill (although water isn’t expensive in most places, this is still a worthwhile savings and a savings of natural resources).

Line dry your clothes. Depending on your dryer and energy costs, you’ll save $50-$100 per year on average. Wash clothes in cold water. It reduces fading and energy use.

Please come back tomorrow for part II of Saving “Green”!

Unfortunately, I can’t make laundry fun. But I’m very pleased to introduce Rachel of Our Frugal Experiment, a blog dedicated to helping you take baby frugal steps. She’s got some awesome advice on being greener (money-savvy and environmentally friendly) in the laundry room!  -Fi

I don’t have a laundry room. It’s a laundry closet. I discovered that even in a small space I could make changes.

1. Clean out lint trap. It keeps your dryer efficient and can prevent a possible house fire. Dryer sheets can leave an invisible layer of residue across the mesh in your lint trap. This can cause your dryer to run less efficiently and have a shorter life. Just use a toothbrush and some soap and it should clean it right up.

2. Don’t use dryer sheets or make your own. I never use dryer sheets. But if you use them a simple way to make one is soak a washcloth in fabric softener. Lay it flat and let it dry completely before you add it to your load. You can use it anywhere between 8-12 times!

3. Make Your Own Fabric Softener. This is simple.

1. Start running water into your washer
2. Put in 1/2 – 1 cup of baking soda
3. Add clothes and detergent
4. Pour about 1/4 cup white vinegar into a Downy ball & put it on top of the laundry

4. Hang your clothes to dry. This is a great energy saver. We don’t have much of a yard, so my husband and father-in-law hung a clothes line right over the washer and dryer. Now I try to hang everything, except for towels. If you have an inside line for a larger family, you may just hang some clothes, but you will be able to do this year-round.

5. Make Your Own Detergent. A friend of mine gave me a recipe for detergent and a few samples. It worked great, it’s cheap, lasts for a long time, and has no harmful chemicals. Here are the details:

• 12 cups Borax
• 8 cups baking soda
• 8 cups grated ivory soap (about 9 bars)
• 8 cups super washing soda

1. Mix together ingredients very well and crush all clumps
2. Only use 1/8 cup (about 2 Tbs) per load (will not suds-up or bubble)

Tips:
Freeze soap before grating to make it a little easier & faster
Use 1/4 c. white vinegar as a fabric softener in the rinse cycle

These are things that I have found to be effective. Do you have any other ideas to add to my list? I would love to hear about it!

Lori of Hooray for Freebates is back with more tips on how to find and salvage quality items from the trash. If you missed her previous tips, take a look at part I.

Watch for home renovations. Depending on what you’re looking for, you could get your hands on light fixtures, bath fixtures, or even the kitchen sink! We have two rental properties. My husband has scored us beautiful chandeliers, ceiling fans, hallway light fixtures, ceramic tiles, metal shelving, and more to be used at our rentals. Sometimes all they needed was a little tinkering and TLC.

Be safe while you’re scoping out other people’s trash. Even though it’s trash, some people might not appreciate your taking stuff out of it. If the owner happens to appear, be courteous and ask if they’d have a problem with your taking the item. You never know, they might have more inside that they’re willing to give you! My father in law was “caught” taking something out of the trash once. He struck up a conversation with the homeowner and told him what his plans for the item were. The homeowner went back into his house to give my FIL some additional parts and other items associated with the item, and my FIL got a great deal out of it! Also note that taking items from someone else’s trash could be illegal in some areas, so make sure you know what the statutes are where you live!

Be willing to use some elbow grease or spend a few dollars to make your “new” item perfect. We got three great toys for my son…all from the trash! They only needed a little scrubbing and minor work. We spent $13 on a new part for a Peg Perego John Deere motorized truck ($350 retail!), nothing on a Harley Davidson scooter ($80 retail!), and about 20 min of elbow grease & soap to clean up Mickey D’s ($50 retail).

Be sure your treasures are safe for use. Consider the reason the original owner was throwing out your new-found item. Replace any broken parts that could pose a threat to you or your kids’ safety. Especially watch out for kids/baby equipment that has been thrown out. It could be under a recall.

Happy Diving!

Take a look at Hooray for Freebates for Lori’s creatively frugal ways to save a lot of money. Thanks, Lori!

Have you noticed how many people throw away good items when de-cluttering? That’s a lot of unnecessary waste! Lori of Hooray for Freebates offers up some great tips on how to find and salvage these quality and very useful thrown-out items! Here she is:

No, I haven’t gone off my rocker. Finding things in the trash is a great way to get stuff for free. Of course you have to be picky about what you take, and you have to make sure you are being safe about it as well. Here are a few tips to get you going.

There are some people in the world that just don’t want to be bothered with an item if it no longer works or they no longer have a use for it. Even if something is in perfectly good condition or might need a small repair, they put it out on the curb rather than donating it to Goodwill or a similar organization, or freecycling/freepeating it. You can take advantage of these types of situations to score what you need. Here are a few things we keep in mind when we’re on the hunt.

Know when it’s “trash night” for your neighborhood or other areas you might want to scope out. This way, you can plan when to head out. Wait until later in the evening to go if you can. This way most of the things going out will be out already. This has worked the best for us for scoring great freebies.

Keep your eyes on houses that recently have gone up for sale. These people are very likely to be moving soon, and might put things in the trash rather than move them. Similarly, if you’re a college student or live in a college town, keep your eyes peeled on the dorm or apartment dumpsters at the end of the semester. A reader told me how he made a small fortune by rounding up all kinds of stuff and selling textbooks on half.com and the rest on Craigslist.

Be aware of garage/yard sales. When we’re done with our garage sales, leftovers usually get donated, but sometimes people just throw the extras away.

Take a look at part II tomorrow for finding quality items for free!