Checking in...

I have a link to this blog as the signature to my email.  Every time I send an email, I guiltily look at the link, knowing I should get back into the swing of things.  It's been an extremely challenging year and a half; with the delivery of yet ANOTHER baby (and the final one-we both got our tubes tied just to be sure!), and trying to wrangle four kids under the age of 7, it left me with no time to even shower some days, let alone sit with a clear head for long enough to post a blog entry.  This week school starts for us, and this year I'll have two in school full-time.  I get a break for a year, before I have to go back to running another babe to part-time school, so I hope to be sharing more helpful tips with you all.  Hopefully some of you check back from time to time to see if there are any new posts.  I promise I'll start up again in the next week or two.

Long time no see...

Good to be back. A lot has happened over the past couple months...we had a nice Christmas holiday, we've had a bizarrely nice winter, chose 2012 as THE year, my year, that I was going to make myself healthy. Then BOOM! We find out #4 is on the way. Totally didn't see that one coming. At. All. This year the belts going to tighten just a little more.

So fishing for a suggestion on what to blog about tonight, and someone threw out "Travel". There are lots of cool things and places to discover that can totally be within your budget. I'll take the trip I planned to Minnesota this weekend. I decided I wanted to take the family on a little mini-getaway to the Mall of America and the Water Park of America. The Water park is attached to the Raddison Hotel. For a standard guest room (2 queens), it'll cost you $250/night to stay on the weekend. This does not include water park passes. If you want a package that does include them, it'll run you at minimum $290. This is for 2 kids, 2 adults. This hotel also does not offer a pool for those guests who do not wish to utilize the water park. From what I can tell, it also does not offer any type of breakfast, leaving you to have to cover 3 meals a day for 4 people for the weekend.

If you aren't familiar with the Bloomington area, it's also very close to Downtown Minneapolis and the MSP airport. That means tons of hotels in the area. I found a 1 room suite at the Marriott Residence Inn that had a fully-stocked kitchen, dining area, and sofa sleeper. It has a pool and hot tub, and also offers a full hot breakfast. There is also free house drinks during the week. All this for $90/night. I'm totally ok with making my kids sleep on the sofa sleeper if it saves me almost $200 a night. This hotel is approximately 1 mile away from both the water park and the mall, and totally worth not staying on the water park property. For the water park tickets, I happened to come across a sale where I was able to procure them for 20% off. I got the morning pass only, as I know my kids won't spend an entire day at the water park before collapsing. for 4 morning passes it would have cost $100. I paid with tax $88, a total savings of $12. Not much, but better than nothing. Also, because our hotel offers breakfast, I only have to pay for 2 meals a day instead of 3. Here's a break down of the cost savings:

Raddison Hotel + 4 passes: $600

Staying off property at Marriott, saving 20% on 4 water park passes: $268

TOTAL SAVINGS: $332 (!!!!!)

Amazing at how much money a mile and a sharp eye just saved me. This was just to give you an example, but if you're savvy, and shop around instead of taking the first offer given, you can save a bundle. Here are some more money-saving travel tips:

*The cheapest day of the week to fly is Wednesday; followed by Tuesday and Saturday. Fridays and Sundays are more expensive.

*Best time to buy tickets is Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern time. However, be careful; as most travel deals are pulled by Thursday, leaving you to pay more if you buy on the weekend.

*Stay at a hotel that offers breakfast- This cuts out 1 meal a day that you won't have to pay for.

*Do you really need to stay at a 5-star hotel? If you're going on vacation, how much time do you really think you're going to spend in your hotel room? Not much, I'd wager. Pick a cheaper hotel that meets your basic requirements (a place to sleep and shower). There are plenty of lesser-known nice ones out there that are much cheaper than resorts and are still close to everything. just be careful on this one-read the reviews and check out the area.

Travelling with a group? Consider renting a vacation villa rather than a hotel room. In 2010, My family and my parents, siblings, and grandparents went to Florida. We rented a 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 3 living room house with complete kitchen and dining area, swimming pool, and gaming area. for 2 weeks my family's share was just over $600. We were able to cook each morning and night, saving on eating out, and had plenty of privacy. Much cheaper than staying at a resort.

*Check for discounts-There's almost always discounts for those who are in the Military or are Veterans, AARP members, AAA members, students, and more. Whenever I go somewhere, even if it's just to the hardware store, I always ask if there's a military discount. 9 times out of 10 you'll get one.

*Cheaper to drive or fly-Even with gas prices skyrocketing, it's still possible that it could be cheaper to drive. On www.mapquest.com, you can input your starting and ending place, the amount of MPG your vehicle gets, and it will give you an estimate of the fuel costs. From there you can decide which is cheaper.

*Stay on a property that offers laundry facilities or has facilities close by- by doing this, you and your travel partner can pack just a few day's worth of items in one suitcase, rather than using multiple suitcases. No one is going to notice you're wearing the same stuff over and over, and this way you save on baggage fees.

There's a few hints to get you started, but always be looking, and do your research. It is possible to go enjoy yourself on a budget!!

Check this out!: http://www.farecompare.com/travel-advice/tips-from-air-travel-insiders/ for more travel tips.

I'm...dreaming of a white not-too-expensive-penny-pinching-frugal-hope-I-can-do-it-without-breaking-the-bank Christmas...

Ahh, blog how I've missed you. It's been a long time; what, with that pesky thing called life always getting in the way. I never got around to finishing my Thanksgiving post, so I'll post here about some money saving tips, as we're only 17 days away from Christmas!

Christmas is not so much about "Christ" any more, as it is about "mas". "Mas" is the Spanish word for "more" which is what the holiday seasons are becoming more and more about. More spending, more frivolous gifts, more people out for themselves, trying to get the best deals and not caring about those they hurt in the process. I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to take part in black friday shopping. I absolutely hate shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas, even just for groceries, because this time of year seems any more to bring out the worst in people. Tangent aside, I decided this year that this year Christmas for my family is going to be more about spending time together doing things as a family and not quite so much about what's under the tree.

There's one thing I'd like to ask of you before I get on with this post. Take the time to do something for those less fortunate. Get your kids involved. No matter how small, any gesture can be a life-changing difference for those in need. While we should do this all year round, take the time to donate a toy to toys for tots, take some food, warm clothing, or blankets to your local shelter, or some cookies to a senior home to brighten their day. It's an incredible experience to see the light in someone's eyes when you make that selfless gesture. This year I've decided to get a group of friends together and have each one make a gallon of soup and freeze it, and take it down to our local shelter along with some holiday cookies. While the cookies aren't necessarily a need, I'm sure they'll brighten up someone's day, even if just for a few moments.

Sorry, I like to talk-a lot.

Let's start with gifts: Gifts do not have to be over-the-top and expensive, or even purchased for that matter. Gifts that come from the heart and are made/purchased with the receiver in mind are the best of all. My son is very much into superheroes right now; so one of his gifts is going to be a Batman cape that I am going to sew for him. For my friends I am taking all the homemade goodies I canned this year and making gift baskets.

Decorations: My one splurge is to take the kids and hubby out and each child gets to pick a new ornament to put on the tree each year. My hubby and I choose one together, because our anniversary is two days before Christmas. The rest of our tree is decorated with ornaments made by the kids at school and daycare. We also make gingerbread men and hang them on the tree. They're very inexpensive, make your house smell awesome, and the kids love making them and then eating one off the tree each day as we get closer to Christmas. We get to spend time together doing it, and these are the memories we will treasure forever. You can also decorate with cheap things such as stringing ropes of cranberries and popcorn, glitter-covered pine cones, and more. Do what they used to do in the old days, and look to nature.

Christmas cards: I always buy them, plan on sending them out, and then never do. This year when I opened my box of stuff from last year, I found a brand new box of cards, but couldn't use them because the insides were stamped with 2010. Then the lightbulb went off and I realized I could tear the fronts off and turn them into Christmas postcards! This way I didn't have to waste the cards by tossing them out. If you save Christmas cards that you receive from friends, do the same with these. Cut the pretty side away and recycle it as a postcard.

Wrapping paper: This stuff is ridiculously expensive, and not worth it for the amount you get.

*Use the comic section of your local newspaper to wrap gifts. Use your children's artwork, or create your own on rolls of plain white or brown paper. Your money will go much further on a roll of brown packing paper than a roll of Christmas paper.

* If you sew, scrap fabric also makes great wrapping paper. You can also use plain or colored tissue paper. Make gift tags with small pieces of wrapping paper. Don't waste money on expensive bows and ribbon. If you really need it, check out the dollar store, you'll find stuff just as pretty and half as much!

Food: Many grocery stores are offering great deals during the holidays, some are even giving away food, or cash! Read the paper every week for your local deals, or if you don’t subscribe to the newspaper, pick up the free ad flyers at the store and take it home so you’ll have time to look it over really good before shopping.

*Compare prices. I like to buy whatever’s on sale at one store, then a few days later when we need more milk anyways, I go to a different store and get their best deals. It’s a great money-saver.

*Store brands are great when making casseroles and side dishes… no one will even notice. Stock up while everything’s on sale, just an extra can or box here and there…but not a storage closet full! If you end up with too many bargain buys, share them with your local food bank!

*Last of all, make your party a potluck; this way you're not stuck footing the food bill for a huge party.

Entertainment: It’s wonderful to take your family to the movie theater during the Christmas holiday break, but this could also be a good time to catch up on the videos that have come out for rental during the holiday season. With Netflix you can rent DVDs online or stream movies instantly. No more charges for late fees or crazy amounts of money spent on popcorn.

*Another great and frugal way to entertain the family through the holidays is to take a drive around your town, or another town nearby to see their Christmas lights. It’s a family tradition of ours to do this during Christmas week and we look forward to it every year.

*Get out the board games; the kids will love spending time with you. If you don’t have many to choose from, maybe you can borrow a new game from a friend or neighbor. You never know-they might have a closet full they never even use and would be delighted to share them with you.

*Playing cards is always fun too, even when the kids are little you can play Go Fish… we’re making memories here folks!

*Sing, sing, sing! Many churches and groups even have caroling get-togethers in December, what fun. Sit around a warm fire, or cozy up in the living room with blankets and cocoa.

*Tell family stories… or have everyone take turns saying how they have been blessed throughout the year, like we do at Thanksgiving. Being thankful shouldn’t end in November, keep the spirit going.

*Have a family gathering to decorate the tree, wrap gifts, or bake cookies. Check out a Christmas book from the library and read it together as a family. Or, decide on a story and have everyone contribute a chapter to create a new Christmas book... maybe even one about your own family! My husband has all our children snuggle up to him while he reads "The Night Before Christmas".

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Take this time to reflect on all the things you are thankful for, and spend some quality time with your family. Whichever holiday you celebrate, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyful Kwanzaa, and Winter Solstice.

Bringing up baby...on the cheap

Since my last post, I have started school full time again, moved into a house, and had a baby. Please excuse my lackadaisical posting, I just really haven't felt up to it. Get comfy, however-this is a longer post.

Babies are not cheap. Once the drugs and adrenaline wear off, and sleep deprivation sets in, you sit there and wonder "Why did I do this a third time? My other two children were (almost)self-sufficient and sleeping through the night, and do not cost me nearly as much". The prices for diapers and formula alone are outrageous. Then you get started after a few months with incorporating baby food, and it gets even steeper. It's a good thing my new darling daughter knows just when to smile at mama to make it so worthwhile!

When I had my first child, as most of us do with our first children, I wanted what I thought was the best of everything, regardless of the cost. New clothes, new nursery furniture, name brand diapers, name brand formula, the works. I just about broke the bank. By the time the second baby rolls around, you're still buying name brand diapers and formula, but you re-use your furniture and don't decline hand-me-downs. By the time subsequent children come around, you are looking for as many ways as possible to save money.

We had not planned on having a 3rd child, so we had given away all our clothing and furniture. When I went browsing at the store to see how much this stuff was going to cost me, I couldn't believe how much more expensive things had gotten since my last child was born four years ago. $150 for a swing, are you kidding me?!?! This was just at Target and Walmart, I can't imagine what stores like babies-r-us are wanting for this stuff. Sorry baby, but you will not be getting anything new.

Furniture-I immediately started scouring garage sales and craigslist for furniture, gear, and clothing. I never jumped on the first deal I came across, and was able to score some amazing finds such as a swing and brand new car seat for $24 for both, $47 for a crib, changing table, and high chair, which after purchasing I immediately turned around and sold the changing table for $30, knowing I wouldn't use it. That means I actually wound up with a very nice all-wood crib and chair for $17. In total, for a crib, bassinet, swing, stroller, bouncy seat, high chair, and car seat I spent $81. Everything is or looks practically brand new.

Clothing-I found a great garage sale where the lady had twin baby girls and snatched up one of everything she had, and scored a huge deal when I got 3 garbage bags full of clothes for $30. I was expecting to toss at least 1 bags' worth out based on where they came from, but to my delightful surprise, the bags were full of perfectly nice, non-stained clothes from Carters, baby gap, old navy and more. I only had to buy a few newborn outfits because my daughter was much smaller than anticipated, so when she was born she did not fit into 0-3 months clothing yet. I spent roughly $50 on clothing, and she is now set until she turns 1 year old.

My biggest concern came to formula. I am not able (due to medical reasons) to breastfeed my children, so we have to use formula. A 24.5 ounce can of Enfamil or Similac brand formula costs $25.99. Each can will make almost 44 bottles. My daughter eats about six-4 oz. bottles a day. This means I would go through one of these cans a week. That's just over $100 a month on formula alone. I've always thought that using a generic brand formula meant that I'd be a horrible mother by giving her something that is an off-brand. That's until I researched generic formula and found that the same companies that make the name brand of formula also make the generic brands. It is the exact same thing sold under different labels.

I also spoke to baby's doctor about this, and she told me she was proud of the fact that she used a generic brand of diapers and formula, knowing it was saving her money. She told me that people are just paying for that magical name brand; but when it comes down to it, it's exactly the same stuff and she had no problems with me feeding it to my daughter. I have since been using the Target brand of formula which costs me $19.99 for 36.1 ounces. The only thing I will say though is that, under NO circumstance, should you purchase your formula if it says it was made in a foreign country. Remember a few years ago when there was an outbreak of babies dying in China because of tainted formula? It's not regulated like it is in the U.S.A.

Diapers-again with the generic brands. Most generic brands of diapers today are just as good as your huggies and pampers. While this is one area I personally will not skimp on, the fact that I use the generic brands of most everything else means that I can allow myself to splurge on the one thing I know works best for my kids. Using coupons and my target debit card always helps me to save $3-$5 a pack anyways, so the costs almost equal out. No one is going to be looking at your baby's butt, so why should it matter if it's wrapped in a generic or name-brand diaper?

Baby food-Jars of baby food are very pricey for the amount you get. It's also processed and full of preservatives, not to mention cooked down so much that most nutrients are lost in the canning process. I started making my own baby food with my second child but he was so picky he would not eat it; forcing me to buy the food in jars. This baby will not get a choice; it's my way or the highway (OK, not really, but you know what I mean). Making baby food literally takes just minutes out of your day and is SO much better for baby, so long as you know where it comes from. You can even make your own rice cereal. It takes no time at all to flash steam some fruits and veggies, then puree them with a little water, breast milk, or formula. Freeze them into ice cube trays and then bag them up and throw them in the freezer. When it's time to use them, simply pull out a couple of cubes (each cube is approximately one ounce), and stick it in the microwave for a few seconds until thawed. If you have fruits and veggies from your garden in the freezer, this is perfect. You can also buy them from the organic section or even use frozen ones. See the links below for great directions on how to make your own baby food for pennies on the dollar.

Hint for the day: Your baby is NOT going to care if their diapers are designer or generic, if your formula has a cute baby stork on the front, or if their clothes are not name brand. So long as he/she has a full tummy, a clean bottom, warm clothes, and mama's love they are perfectly content.

Check this out!: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/babyfirstfoods.htm This site has great recipes and tips for making your own baby food for baby starting with first foods to combo foods, finger foods, and toddler foods.

*SPECIAL NOTE*: The holidays are quickly approaching. I've all ready seen stores putting up their Christmas items for the past few weeks. It comes earlier every year. Stay tuned for some great tips on saving money during the holidays. I found some very cool websites for money-saving tips that I'm very excited to share with you! After all, there's only 69 days until Christmas! :P

Buy used, save the difference.

One of my favorite TV shows is the "19 Kids and Counting" series starring the Duggar family. While I don't necessarily agree with some of their views, I find them absolutely down-to-earth and extremely wise in the way of family management and frugal living. While catching up on some episodes, one was titled "Buy Used, Save The Difference". It went on to show how the family does not invest in anything new-be it clothing, cars, household goods, etc. They shop at thrift stores, garage sales, used car sales, and more.

I decided to give this a try, knowing that I was going to have to be making many purchases due to having two kids in school and a new baby on the way. With the baby, I was going to have to buy everything, because we had gotten rid of everything not anticipating having another child. Instead of going out to Target or Babies r us, I went straight to craigslist. I checked every day for a good deal on something in excellent shape, and managed to get a crib, car seat with base, swing, bouncy seat, bathtub, bassinet, stroller, high chair, and changing table for less than $100. And everything was in practically new shape, with no signs of wear and tear. I decided to go to the local Salvation Army and Goodwill to buy my kids some play clothes this summer, because they're growing so fast it just doesn't make sense to buy new when they'll outgrow it after a few times wearing it. While in there one day, I came across a bread maker (see post "breaking bread to break even") for $4.99; again, in great shape. This will now save me time on making batches of bread dough. As we were walking out, I noticed a crib mattress sitting in the front door area. This was one purchase I had yet to make, and was dreading because they are expensive. I went to take a look at it, and saw that not only was it in perfectly new condition with no stains, tears, or signs of bedbugs (it also had a vinyl shell), but it was a Sealy brand mattress and a higher end one to boot. A $150 mattress for $9.99. I immediately went in and bought it.

These are just a few of the savings I made this summer by buying used. I realize that there is still somewhat of a stigma attached to purchasing/owning second-hand items. I live in a town that seems to think that money grows on trees, and that people can go and spend frivolously. This just simply isn't my case. I can't afford name-brand clothes, extra pairs of shoes to keep at school, new furniture or to buy my groceries at whole foods. Nor would I want to pay all that extra money just to keep face. You can save a ton of money by buying used and saving the difference and putting that money towards something more important like an emergency fund, college accounts for the kids, retirement, etc. Do NOT feel bad about buying used, I sure don't. The nice thing is, that most people are so wasteful, they rid themselves of perfectly good clothing and items just to buy new stuff. This works out well for me, because I get the still-nice stuff at about 75% less than the previous owner paid!

Hint for the day: Check out your local thrift stores. More often than not nowadays, they aren't accepting junk and old stuff any more, but stuff that looks practically new. This stuff still gets sold at crazy-low pricing, and you score!

Check this out!: http://www.duggarfamily.com/ For some great tips on saving around the home, family management and more.

Bartering for goods and services and learning how to be self-sustaining

I've done it...I've gotten my hubby to jump on the money-saving train! And boy, let me tell you...he dove in head first and made a major savings trade right off the bat! More about that shortly...

If there is anyone reading this who hasn't been following the news as of late, you will soon start to hear that the economy has taken a turn for the worse. Saving money is more important than ever, as is learning how to be self-sustaining in the event of sudden panic. I used to laugh at my step-mom for wanting to set up food and supply stores in their home as well as coming up with an emergency plan in the event that "all hell breaks loose". With the market crashing all around us, I'm not laughing so hard any more.

Networking with other people with a variety of things or talents to barter with can get you so much amazing stuff for so little. Earlier, I talked about my husband diving in head first to the bartering. He has been wanting to take martial arts lessons for some time, but we couldn't afford the $150.00 per month. Because he works as a systems administrator, and has extensive knowledge of web developing, he came up with a plan to approach the martial arts studio to discuss his building them a tournament website in exchange for lessons. They were open to negotiate, so he went ahead and built an amazing website for them. They were very pleased with his work, and now for as long as he continues to maintain the website, he can take lessons for no charge in exchange. Right there is $150/month in savings.

I've been working hard this summer at making as much of our own food as possible (breads, preserves, freezing fruits and veggies, meals, etc). I've also been working on bartering with other folks in exchange for goods/services. I recently spoke with a woman who has extra produce from her garden that she is bartering up. I offered to make her some homemade tomato sauce in exchange for her produce. I'm waiting to hear back to see how much she has left. I also posted that I am a chef/baker by trade and willing to barter up some goods for the holidays in exchange for other goods/services.

Chances are, you can offer up some type of service be it sewing, cleaning, cooking, baking, baby-sitting, pet-sitting, or more that other people can use. In exchange, people would be willing to barter something they have, or just be willing to pay a small amount of cash in exchange. I've been complaining about wanting my house cleaned before the baby comes, and some friends of mine have offered to help in exchange for some goodies. If I didn't feel horrible about making my friends come scrub my floors, I'd totally take them up on it, but you get the idea.

Helpful hint for the day: As far as the economic crisis...start taking some time, if you haven't all ready, to start learning on how to depend on yourself in the event of an emergency. start by making some basic bread dough and throwing it in the freezer. When cooking, freeze your leftovers and mark them for use on a later date. Learn some different ways to preserve fresh produce. Come up with an "in case of emergency" plan in the event of a panic. It sounds completely ridiculous sometimes when I think about it, but it never hurts to have something in place.

Check this out!: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=local+bartering+sites Check this out to help you get started on looking for local bartering websites.

Store Brand vs. Name Brand-how do they really compare?

Always looking for the next big way to save money, I decided to track the difference between store brand vs. name brand items. I have always been a big proponent of using store brands-after all, when it comes down to it, the ingredients are almost identical. However, I will say that there are some items that I do refuse to purchase the generic of, and that's ok! I can justify spending a little more on items I know are better quality by buying as many store brand items as possible. I made a grocery list and then wrote down both the cost of the generic item and the name-brand item. I was amazed at the difference in costs of some of these items. See below:

ITEM	STORE BRAND PRICE	NAME BRAND PRICE	PRICE WITH COUPON
1 GALLON WATER	$0.99	NONE
1 GALLON ICE CREAM	$5.49	$6.99
ROASTING CHICKEN	$3.99	$6.99
18 EGGS	$2.24	NONE
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR (5 LBS.)	$1.64	$2.24
SHALLOT (1)	$0.58	$2.99 (PER BAG OF 3)
FROZEN VEGGIES (1 BAG)	$0.99 CENTS	$1.89
SMOKED SAUSAGE (1 PKG.)	$2.39	$2.54	$1.54
CREAMED CORN (1 CAN)	$0.69	$0.92
REGULAR CORN (1 CAN)	$0.69	$0.92
CORN MUFFIN MIX (1 BOX)	NONE	$0.47
GREEN PEPPER (1)	$0.89 EACH	ORGANIC $1.99 EACH
ZUCCHINI (1)	$1.99 EACH	ORGANIC $1.79 EACH
BREAKFAST SAUSAGE (1 PKG)	$1.19	$1.89
ROTEL (1 CAN)	$0.69	$1.02
VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP (1 CAN)	$1.09	$1.32
TOMATO SOUP (1 CAN)	$0.57	$0.79
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE	$0.99	$1.99
GARLIC POWDER	$1.89	$2.79
TOTAL:	$28.99	$38.21
TOTAL SAVED:	$14.40

As you can see, some name brand items were actually cheaper than the generic brand, but you can see the savings added up. If you take the amount saved and multiply it by 4 (the number of trips I make a month to the store), that adds up to almost $60 in savings. Factor in coupons and you can save even more! Just be sure to do your homework when in the store and check the prices.

Another way to save is to become part of a store's loyalty program. Last month on a trip to target, the clerk that was checking out my purchase told me of a new Target "Debit" card. It's not a regular credit card, but a card that links directly to your bank account. It's free to sign up and there are no fees, and it applies a 5% discount to your purchase any time you shop at Target. I did this, and now just using the Target card alone I save about $5 a shopping trip. You can also sign your children's school up to receive 1% of the amount of your purchase. They also send me regular coupons in the mail. On my last trip between the card and two coupons, I saved almost $30. It truly does add up! Many stores are starting to offer similar programs, so don't be afraid to ask the next time you go shopping.