First blog post - a recap

So, since I'm on leave from work for a short time, and not being paid for part of it, we have to be a bit careful with the money we spend. I thought posting a daily, or almost daily, recap of how I do that would be fun for me and hopefully helpful to someone else. I'm not claiming to be an expert, just a Wife and a Mommy that does not want to have to work outside our home and any way I can save money is one more step towards that goal. Here goes.

Today's frugal happening is...well...just that I passed up stopping for coffee on the way home from an errand. I drank the pot of coffee made by my fantastic hubby a little earlier than normal and, after I finished what I was up to, I was DYING for a quick cup of the high test best. I figure that I saved about $2.50 by sticking to my budgetary guns. Based on the three days a week I have to run out early, that saves me $7.50/week or about $350 year (based on 50 weeks, allowing a couple of weeks for when we're on vacation or otherwise engaged).

Since this is my first posting, and I'm hoping that SOMEONE will not only read this but find something useful, I'm adding a couple of frugal happenings that have occurred while I've been on leave. A little extra bang for your proverbial buck, which is what this is all about anyway.

The big savings I've noticed is in the "dining out" category of our monthly budget. I was allowing for one or two visits to the cafeteria at work, per week. Each visit cost $6, on average, so that's $12 per week. Based on the same 50 week assumption, that would be $600 saved per year.

Also food related, m y recent grocery store savings. It works out that my fantastic in-laws infrequently shop at Stop and Shop using a rewards card. To lure them in, the company mails them coupons/incentives. Since some of the incentives require you to spend a certain amount, which my in-laws won't meet, they give us the coupons. The most recent coupon was for $8 off $50 or more, along with a free item (this week was butter - I love to bake, so butter is a staple on the list). I have a family of four, so you know I can meet the minimum. My point here is to set up a trade with a family member or a friend in the same situation - you and your friend shop at different stores, using rewards programs, and swap the incentive coupons for the store you don't typically visit. Total saved this week was about $11.50 - $8 plus $3.50 for the butter. By sticking to my list and keeping with what was on sale, my total grocery bill was $47.

Another area for saving, where I've actually been more creative, is using all the items in my pantry that have been ignored. When I would come home from work and have to make a meal, I would typically focus only on the things in the front. With more time in my day, I'm using that time to really go through what I have on hand and include that in what I'm making. Food manufacturer web sites, like Pillsbury and Betty Crocker, made it even easier to figure out what to do with all that stuff just hanging out waiting to expire.

I write like I talk, as my 10th grade English teacher once told me, so nothing is ever going to be brief or to the point in my musings. You've been warned.