Every Monday in 2015, I’ll be sharing a different idea to help you save money! Add all of these tips to your frugal repertoire and you’ll be able to save a lot of money this year! I hope you’ll gather a few new ideas or at least some inspiration from this series.
Staying home more often is one of the simplest ways to have more time, spend less money, accumulate less clutter, and to simply live a less busy lifestyle!
Staying home used to be so hard for me. I’d go out to the mall or even drive over to the next city over for some ‘better shopping’, way more than I needed to. These trips would always result in money spent on lunch out, deals I may have thought I needed, and probably takeout for dinner because I was too tired to cook! Totally not worth it.
Staying Home means I have More Time, More Money, Less Clutter and a Simpler Lifestyle!
I’m amazed at how much I can get done at home when I limit my time out in town. I actually enjoy my twice a week grocery shopping trips because I have had time to plan the grocery list and meals. (and actually create the meals that I bought the groceries for!) I’m also somewhat impressed at what I can get accomplished around the house by staying home more often. I also have more time to play with my daughter one on one.
Another perk to spending more time at home is that I do less unnecessary spending. So I’m keeping more money in my bank account and bringing home less clutter. Win win!
Since having Sienna, I’ve found myself needing to be out more often. (For sanity reasons ;)) But I have also consciously chosen activities for us that don’t cost much or any money at all. We’ve gone to the library for story time, joined a Mother Goose program and gone for playdates at friends’ homes. We recently started going to a drop-in gymnastics class that costs only $5. As for me, I have a bi-weekly date with a couple of longtime girlfriends at my one girlfriend’s home. We bring snacks, but the conversations we have, no money can buy!
So as you can see, I don’t cut out every activity because I do value time spent with others in the community and my friends and family. But staying home more often really allows me to focus on what I value most and allows me to become refreshed so I can be a blessing to those I see when we do go out.
Staying home more often really works for me!
Here are some ideas to be happier at home:
Invite friends or family over for a movie/dinner night
Buy/pick some inexpensive flowers such as daffodils
Read a good book
Take a nice bath
Enjoy a dinner by candlelight
Clear out as much clutter as possible, clean off the kitchen countertops, get rid of at least one pile of papers
Listen to your favorite music
Listen to your favorite music LOUD when you’re cleaning
Surround yourself with the things you love, allow no room for things that don’t make you feel happy
Take time to enjoy your favorite hot or cold beverage in the mornings (or evenings)
Keep your favorite candle burning
Play hard with your children
Bake: it tastes great and smells wonderful
Try a new recipe that you found on Pinterest or another recipe site
Work at wanting what you have rather than having what you want
Play board games with family or friends
Stop resenting what your house isn’t and start appreciating what it is.
Display family photos
How does staying home save you more money? Please share in the comments!
Are you looking to save more money this year? Whether you are an occasional couponer or an avid one, take a peek below at 7 steps to organize your coupons for ultimate savings. By making a few changes to your organization, you can make sure your coupons work for you and get you the most bang for your buck. Here is how you can get started organizing your coupons and saving more!
1. Step One: Utilize a binder.
Head to your local dollar store for a simple three ring binder. You can then decorate it to your liking or just keep it clean and plain. Make sure it is sturdy and will last being handled often during the year.
2. Step Two: Divide your binder contents.
Now, divide your binder into sections. Your sections can be as follows: Dairy, Produce, Breads, Meat, Desserts, Breakfast, Toiletries, Cleaning, Soon to Expire. Place plastic sheets into each section which can then be used to hold the coupons for that section. (I like these ones.)
3. Step Three: Print off coupon policies.
Print off the coupon policies to your favorite store and add them to the back of your binder. This way you always have them for easy reference should you need them.
4. Step Four: Make a flyer pocket.
At the front of your binder, make a pocket for flyers. This way, you also have those to easily reference should you need them when shopping.
5. Step five: Do a weekly expiration check.
At the start of each week, do a check of the coupons to remove any that may have expired. If any are soon to expire, remove them and place them in a ‘soon to expire” file so you can use them before they become worthless.
6. Step Six: Bundle double coupon scenarios.
For stores like London Drugs that let you stack coupons, bundle those coupons together before filing them. For example if London Drugs has a store coupon for Dove soap and you have a manufacturer coupon for it as well, clip them together before filing. This way you won’t have to dig and can figure your savings out easily.
7. Step Seven: Track your savings.
Keep a running tally in the back of your binder of how much you have saved. You can do this by storing your receipts or simply jot down the date and the amount of coupon savings you earned. At the end of the month add up your savings and use it as a goal and motivator for next month.
You can make the most of your coupons and really save at the checkout! Give these tips a try and see how they work for you!
I love making my own homemade mixes. In fact, I love making them so much I devoted the entire month of March a couple of years ago to homemade mixes. Not only are they friendly on the wallet, they're more healthy than their store bought counterparts. The convenience factor is also something to be noted. I love knowing that I most likely have all the ingredients on hand to whip up a giant batch of pancake mix (Or taco seasoning. Or oatmeal. The list is endless.) for when the mood strikes on the weekend.
Make Your Own Homemade Mixes
This money saving tip might not save you much if you regularly get mixes for pennies with coupons. But if you're in the habit of buying expensive baking mixes, seasonings, pancake mixes and individual sized oatmeal packs, you'll save a ton.
Homemade mixes will not only save you money because it's more economical than buying them pre-made at the store, but they can also save you money by encouraging you to eat at home. If you have pancake mix already made or pizza dough in the freezer, you have fewer excuses to go out for breakfast or order pizza.
How to Make Your Own Homemade Mixes
First of all, you can check out my March Mixes series for recipes or inspiration. You could first try something that you regularly purchase at the grocery store. Pinterest is also a wealth of information for homemade mixes. Experiment often. When you find a great recipe, keep it on file! Pretty soon you'll have a nice collection of tried and true recipes, plus, a stockpile of mixes in your pantry or freezer!
I thought it would be fun to have a look back at what the top 12 posts for 2014 were on Simply Frugal! Some of these posts were not written in 2014, but thanks to Pinterest, they’re still popular!
This is a post from simply Frugal reader Stephanie with some great, practical tips that I hope you’ll enjoy!
After my spouse lost his job, we started looking for ways to save money wherever possible. We live in the Greater Vancouver area where gas prices are always quite high (currently they are in the range of $138.9 to $145.9 cents/litre). I commute 70km per day and our weekly gas fill-up usually costs between $50-55. I need my car for my job so driving to work is a non-negotiable, plus taking public transit to my office is actually more expensive than driving.
Many people I know live close enough to the U.S. border (and have Nexus) so they typically drive into Washington to fill up, but this doesn’t work for our lifestyle. So, here are my favourite tips on how to save money on gas (while staying in Canada):
1. NEVER fill up your tank during your morning commute- gas usually costs an extra $0.05/L during this time. Always wait to fill it up in the evening, either on your way home from work or later at night. I’ve had good luck on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings with finding the lowest gas prices. GasBuddy is usually quite accurate in reflecting the correct prices at the stations near me. If it’s a fill-up day, I always check GasBuddy before leaving work. This practice saves us anywhere between $1.25-$1.75 per fill-up, which may not sound like much on a weekly basis, but in the long-term it adds up to $65-90 per year.
2. GasBuddy can also calculate the most fuel-efficient route for your commute, based on the make/model/year of your car. Plug in a few options for your daily commute and calculate the true cost of the drive (factoring in tolls, the likeliness of idling/being stuck in traffic, and the “life value” of the time you save by taking the most efficient route home- this is way more important than saving a few cents on gas!)
3. Certain loyalty rewards points can be exchanged for gift cards for gas stations. In the past I have used Aeroplan miles and RBC Rewards points to purchase Esso gift cards, and there are lots of other options out there- check to see what you can redeem for with your rewards points (Esso seems to be the major gas retailer participating in these types of programs). Make sure you know what your rewards program gets you- certain credit cards give you double or triple points at gas stations. In addition to your credit card points, the gas station’s own loyalty rewards points (Esso Extra, Petro-Points, etc.) can also be redeemed for gift cards or for fuel savings rewards.
4. Keep an eye out for gas promotions. For example, Kellogg’s is currently running their “Cash for Gas” promo on selected products when you send in proof of purchase from either 2 cereal boxes or 4 snack products. We are big cereal eaters in our household, so this is a good deal for us as we would be buying these products anyways. For extra savings, try and match up with the deals you see on Simply Frugal (ex. Nutri-Grain bars for $1.88 at Walmart).
And of course, always practice safe driving techniques- don’t speed, keep your tires inflated to the correct pressure, gear up, and don’t carry unnecessary weight (roof racks, cargo, etc.). Not only do these promote safe driving, they also maximize your car’s fuel efficiency.
In an effort to increase the inspiration levels around Simply Frugal, I’m reaching out to you!
First of all, I’m looking for your stories about your frugal journey. Have you recently paid cash for something you never thought you could? Has your family survived a layoff? How are you making things work financially? I’d love to post your real-life stories to inspire and encourage others who may be having a hard go of things or simply need a kick in the pants to get back on track! (or, for those that like a good story!)
Secondly, I’m looking for your frugal tips and ideas that I’d love to share on Simply Frugal. Do you know how to buy and sell a great used car? Are you a gardening guru? How are you saving on gas costs? How do you save an extra $100 a month? How do you successfully stay within your budget? Perhaps you have a great frugal recipe or a kitchen hack that will save time and money? What’s your favourite way to save your hard earned cash?
Those are just some ideas to get your ideas rolling. I think it would be so great to hear and learn from those of you in the Simply Frugal community. We can all make Simply Frugal an even better place!
PS: Did you know you can see a full list of all the articles I’ve written for Simply Frugal as well as all the articles others have written for Simply Frugal right here? 🙂
