Category: save moneyu

New Ways to Save Money This Year

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A New Year calls for new ways to save money and set goals. Am I right? I feel like it happens more often than not. I try not to make a ton of changes, but I know I need to make some. I put together a list for you to enjoy. Pick one or two of them and kick some butt this year!

  1. Cashback Rewards Cards

I love these perks!! You can make easy money by having a credit card and using it on your daily purchases. With the right rewards card, you can save money on anything from your regular bills to your household expenses; you name it, you can earn back from it.

  1. Switch Bank Accounts

I am in the process of doing this now. Some banks have started charging if it dips below a certain amount, etc. Look into this, and make changes. Those little fees can add up over a year.

  1. Use Coupon Apps

You can find some of my favorite choices here. I get money back just by shopping… at a ton of places. Here’s a quick recap: Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Ebates.

  1. Prepare Meal Plans

All you need to do is plan. This step will also make sure that you don’t have the same food every other night. Allow for quick meals, too, because there will be times when you need something fast after a long day… because mom life.

5. Make a Grocery List and Stick to It

I actually started doing all of my grocery shopping online. It is a lifesaver; it is the best way. I can reorder and stay focused. And, seriously, time saver y’all.

   6. Buy in Bulk, but Be Careful

We don’t buy items in bulk that we don’t think we will use swiftly enough. We buy pantry products in bulk because those don’t expire, but if you are going to purchase perishable items, ensure you can use them in a timely manner.

7. Brown Bag Your Lunch

We try to pack our lunches more often than not. I love being able to bring my meal and have limited take-out foods. It makes us more appreciative when eating out.

8. Learn to Use Up Leftovers

I am a huge fan of this action even though my husband might not be. I like to use the remaining food and cook something else from it. Whenever we have ham leftover, we create a ham and cheese noodle casserole. MMM soo yummy.

We will add more options in as time goes on, these are just some super simple ways for you to take charge of your savings now. What are some ways you save money?

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Where is Your Paycheck Money Really Going?

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I am all about spending money, making money, and saving money. It stresses me out sometimes. I want to be able to save and be secured but it seems like we are often stuck. There isn’t one real reason why we are stuck but I would say it is because of spending.. Right?

Things come up because life happens. It sucks! We can save, but then we have to take it back out because something happened. I know you are nodding your head reading this just because we have all been there. This isn’t a secret, but often times we are ashamed.. We are ashamed because we can’t go out to dinner with our friends that night, or get those new shoes we want, etc.

The question comes up, where does our money really go?! I took a close look at where our money was going and I am happy to share it with you!

  1. 15% food – this is all food, groceries, eating out, etc.
  2. 35% housing – this is our biggest one and includes utilities for the house.
  3. 15% transportation – car loan and even gas or car problems.
  4. 10% cell phone and internet, and also our home security.
  5. 12% other – this includes any savings and retirement, etc (we are working hard on this).
  6. 7% entertainment – this is cable, netflix, etc.

What do you spend your money on? Take a look at your bank and really monitor things over the next month and see where all your money goes! I look at all of these items and wonder if there is a way to save money and where to really save it?

Yours might be different, but we take pride in a lot of debt free items (no student loans or credit cards). We say no to every debt option we can so we can keep our flow low.

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FRUGAL LIVING WINTER PREPARATION TIPS FOR YOUR HOME

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With the winter months here, people can be anxious with their money. We have to stay warm and the bills tend to go up more in these months than in the summer, for most people anyway. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you live frugal during the winter months. 

ENERGY EFFICINECY TIP # 1

  1. DRAFT DOORS AND WINDOWS? Seal up those Cracks!
  2. Seal gaps of less than 1.2 inch Select grade (interior, Exterior, high temperature).
  3. Spray foam by filling in large cracks and small holes. DO NOT USE near flammable applications( e.g. flue, vents).
  4. Weather stripping used to seal movable components, such as doors, windows, and attic accesses

2 ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP # 2

  1. Covering your windows curtains can help reduce heat loss by 10%!
  2. Open the curtains during the day to let the sun warm the room. At night close them to keep the cold air out.

Energy efficiency tip # 3

  1. Do you feel cold air around the outlets? There could be a hole somewhere allowing the air to get through examine it and find out where the source is.

 

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