FRUGAL LIVING TIPS

Robert D. Hales said, “I have learned that the three most loving words are “I love you,” and the four most caring words for those we love are “We can’t afford it.” It is so important to understand your own finances and know what needs and wants are. Here are some tips that may help:)

•Create a budget! You must know how much is coming in, and how much is going out. It is easy to tract how you can save money when you know where you money is going! Click here for a free budget sheet.
•Make sure you are shopping sales for your family groceries. Use coupons! You will be surprised at how far your dollar will go. Check out 3 month supply for more tips.
•Create a schedule. It is hard to always fill out your budget if you don’t have a set time & place to do it. Make every first Thursday of the month at 8 pm a time to do your budget - scratch that - not during The Office - come up with a time that works for you!
2 Responses to “Budget Tips”
Tiff, on June 12th, 2009 at 9:54 am Said:
Plant a garden. Even the smallest space can save you money. If you don’t already have permanent fruit or vegetables like Grape vines, blueberry bushes, strawberry plants, it is so easy to begin. Planting these kinds of things is nice because all you do is plant them once, water, fertilize and enjoy the fruits for years and years. Watching your food grow is very satisfying.

Holly Magleby, on September 11th, 2009 at 8:06 am Said:
My daughter and I have helped my parents plant tomatoes,watermelon, green peppers,pumpkins & raspberries and we have 3 apple trees and a pie cherry tree that were growing on our property when we moved into our house 22 years ago, a nectarine tree, some peach trees and a few cherry trees that my dad has planted since then.
I enjoy helping to care for them and being able to get fruit from them. we have already gotten fruit from our pie cherry tree, our nectarine tree and our peach tree. Our apples will soon be ready to harvest.
My daughter gets excited about the pumpkins, tomatoes and peppers that we are looking forward to harvesting when they are ready.
It has been very satisfying and exciting to not have to go to a store to get some fruitsand vegetables. It is fun seeing the fruits of our labors and having something to show for our efforts.
I encourage all of you to grow as much of your own food as you can. It may be hard work, but you won’t regret it.

CLOTHNG TIPS
•Don’t be afraid of garage sales, especially if you have children! Dig through those boxes. There are often times a lot of really great gently used clothes that are a steal of a deal.
•I never buy ANYTHING full price. When I walk into a store, I go straight for the clearance section. A lot of times, there are wonderful items. Keep in mind, time flies, and a lot of the items you find will fit great for next season!
•Do NOT be afraid of credit cards - as long as you use them wisely. A great neighbor of mine introduced me to Kohls. Get a Kohl’s credit card! 12 times a year you get an extra 15%, 20%, or 30% off EVERYTHING in the store. Shop only the clearance sections, and you can get some AMAZING deals. When you charge your Kohl’s credit card, pay it off with a check at the register. No fuss - and no worries about having to pay it later.
•Shop second hand stores. There are so many items that you can get for a great deal. You just have to be willing to put a little work into finding them!
•Do a swap! Get a couple of friends together that are about your same size. Go through your closet and find clothes that you are tired of. Do a trade! Make it a fun girls night - you will walk away with some great items.
•MORE coming soon

RANDOM TIPS

•It’s the most wonderful time of the year - year round! Whenever you hear a loved one say something they want - write it down! That way, you can shop sales throughout the year, and come the Holidays, you will have all your purchases done! You will also be able to spread your budget year round, instead of spending a TON of money around the holidays.
•Shop clearance for gift ideas and stock up. I came across some towel warmers for $10!! The year before I spent $60 on the exact some towel warmer for my in-laws. Yup - I was sad!
•Set aside a “going out to eat” budget & get it in cash! You only have the alloted amount each month in cash to spend. Once it is spent, you no longer can go out to eat. That way it really helps you to plan your meals b/c you know you can’t fall back on a dollar menu!