Thursday Tip -- Make do and have NO REGRETS

Have you ever heard the saying: "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without."
What great words to live by. How many times are we out shopping and see something that it a great deal or just too cute to pass up and in reality do we really NEED the item? Probably not.

I love when a solicitor comes over. "Yes, you can clean my carpets and I will still tell you no in the end." Another terrific lesson I have learned to to SLEEP on it! No I really hate sale people who come to my home and bug me. I love the end telling them no. This has really helped to not impulse buy and have ANY regrets.

The last solicitor who came to my house cleaned my floors and two hours later after dropping and dropping the price they left. My carpets did look good but I had NO REGRETS on NOT buying the vacuum. The sales man kept asking me, "How much was your vacuum." I replied, "80.00" He says, " How many vacuums do you think you will use in your lifetime?" My reply, " As many as it takes."

Freeze those credit cards....Better yet cut them up and get rid of them! If you HAVE TO HAVE that impulse buy have the CASH for it. My grandparents NEVER had ANY debt and what a great feeling that must have been.... As well as my goal one day!

JUST REMEMBER NO REGRETS!!!

Thursday Tip

Here's the Skinny

This weeks tip for saving money is to serve smaller portions. Many times we eat with our eyes. How often did you hear while growing up, "Eat everything on your plate." Young kids are good examples of how we should eat. When a child eats they eat until they are full it does not matter if the plate has been cleared.

One simple way of making this happen it to serve the family on smaller plates. In our home we all now eat on the kids plates. Each plate looks full yet it is less food than it might have been on if it were on a regular plate.

Plus it may be good for our waistline!

Don't forget to load up on the veggies. They are low fat and good for you. Make sure that most of the plate is filled with vegetables and a small amount of Carbs or Protein. We eat to fuel our bodies. Let's make the fuel the best we can!

Thursday Tip

COUPON Cutting

OK so again we all want to save our money so what is one of the things that comes to our minds.... coupon cutting. Now I am not for OR against it. I can see pros and cons to trying to save money with this method.

Pros
* You get to buy things that you might not otherwise buy
* You save money on products you already buy
* You get to try new items for low to no cost at all.
* Its a great way to stock up on pantry/ food storage items

Cons
* You buy things you might not otherwise need or would have bought. (If you are spending more money on things you really don't need are you really saving?)
* It takes time. -- Sometimes LOTS of time.
* If you are shopping based on a meal plan the items on sale may/ may not be on the sale. Therefore trying to lead you astray when sticking to a strict budget.
* A budget may be out the door unless strictly followed - A bit of dedication is needed

Just remember when shopping and using coupons it is not how much you save but how much did you spend? Don't get me wrong this is true with sales too (unless adding to your food storage). You won't save anything by buying something that you could do without (just because it is on sale.) I find when I purchase like this I sometimes waste my money when not used fast enough.

There are many marketing companies paid BIG money to make sure they get the most out of you when you make a trip to the store. USE CAUTION!

Thursday Tip

Beverage of Choice?

Maybe it is me and maybe you feel like this too but sometimes you just don't have it in the budget. Now the inner self at times may try to tempt you to eat out telling you, "it's OK it's off the dollar menu." But can there be a better way? Better for your wallet as well as your waistline? I think so.

Today's tip for saving is to DRINK WATER! So simple I know, but it could save you a bundle. There you are sitting at dinner and the kids want some milk, Kool-aid, soda, or juice to go with dinner. If you can not give it up that is understandable but allow for only ONE then they can have water. I never drank much water as a kid and had to learn to like it. Drinking water could save a ton and you would not have to go out and get it.

Thursday Tip

Cutting Spending

I will try to post a tip of the week each week.

Right now everyone is watching their pennies. The down turn of the economy effects nearly everyone. Would you like to save money on your food? Come on who doesn't?

Try cutting a little spending out of your monthly food allotment. Yes, we all need food but when you are shopping; are you tempted by the Doritos, soda, or other indulging purchase? Start by cutting $25.00 out of your budget. If shopping with your kids make a game out of seeing out little money you can spend for the biggest bang. Show your kids that you can still have really good food and you are not going without by cutting the budget down.

Then take the $25.00 and put it towards a bill such as a credit card.
You have saved on shopping $25.00 X 12 Months = $300.00. The $300.00 taken to pay down a credit card debt with an interest of 12-21% = BIG savings!

Give it a try you might be surprised by the outcome. As well as happy by trickle of savings that occur.