I’ve got a question for you today! I’ve been doing a bit of daydreaming lately, specifically about things I want to do here at Simply Frugal. So yesterday while I was driving around town, I was thinking about you all. So…:
I’m Wondering: What skill(s) do you wish you knew that could impact your finances positively?
This could be budgeting skills, sewing skills, canning skills, learning to have fun without spending…etc
With summer quickly approaching, you might be thinking of hitting the road or the air for vacation time. There's just one thing...you're on a budget and what you have been envisioning for a vacation, is just not going to factor in. What to do, what to do.
Enter the Staycation: your vacation on a budget. No packing, no sore rear ends from sitting in a car, no airport delays. Simply enjoying what your city and surrounding areas have to offer.
Here are a few of my tips to make your Staycation memorable:
Spend the week before playing catch up
This doesn't sound fun but believe me, when there are no chores or work to distract you during your staycation, you have no reason but to enjoy your family, enjoy time for your favourite hobby, and enjoy your break from your regular routine! If playing catch up the week before really doesn't sound appealing, make a conscious effort to deliberately avoid household chores or work during your staycation.
Order your local Entertainment coupon book
Currently, Entertainment coupon books are on sale for $12 each with free shipping. That's a great price for a book that's jam packed with coupons for your local attractions. More often than not, the coupons are for 2 for 1 admission! You can order your Entertainment coupon book here, if you'd like. The books also feature dining coupons and shopping coupons.
Be Adventurous
Try a restaurant with an ethnic cuisine you're not used to. Hike the tallest mountain in your area. Take a local art class. Try something you've always wanted to try, but you've kept putting off because you've been scared or lacking the push to be confident!
Enjoy what your area is famous for
Why do all the tourists flock to your city in the summer? Where I live, we're famous for our wineries, orchards and lakes. It wasn't until we had family come for a visit, which I partook in my first winery tour experience. Even though I'm not a wine drinker, I thoroughly enjoyed the history and even the free wine tasting!
Know it's okay to splurge if the budget will allow
You're on vacation. Eat every meal out if you want. Or spend your entire budget on that river rafting excursion you've been saving for. Step out of your normal every day, non-vacation, routine.
So, are you excited to start your fabulous Staycation? I sure am! I've got some great ideas going through my head!
I have a friend, a wonderful, long-time friend who is quite the hostess. She's an inspiration to me really. Often she hosts little gatherings with only a few gals while other times she hosts big gatherings with many friends and family. Each and every time I head home feeling very loved and taken care of. She has that knack, you know? She seems to be completely in control without an ounce of stress showing.
But, on a few occasions she's confided in me saying that she does stress out. Especially when she's putting on a large gathering. She wants everything to be perfect and pretty. She also says the more she practices, the easier it gets.
It's silly really, how we strive for perfection in showing others what we can do to make a good party when really, hospitality is all about loving on the people who gather.
Hospitality is something I really want to practice more. I make excuses all the time because I don't think our home is very good for entertaining. Our kitchen only fits one person at a time, and our dining table only sits four. And the toys, oh the toys everywhere! But, on the few occasions that I have had people over, it's been wonderful! It's been a nice time catching up with the people that I've wanted to catch up with! That's what really matters.
First of all, the key to hospitality on a budget is to keep it simple. Here are some ideas to help keep things simple:
Allow others to help
I really appreciate it when the host allows me to get in there and help. Whether it be with dishes or with setting the food out, I love having a task to do. Since I'm not particularly great at interacting with a whole crowd of people at once, this allows me to gather and speak with only a few people that are near my "task" area. I'm more comfortable that way. I'm pretty sure allowing others to help also frees up some of the burden the host may be feeling!
Serve tea/coffee with a simple treat
If you want to have several people over, but can't afford to serve a crowd of people a full meal, just have them over for tea or coffee and a simple treat! The friend I mentioned earlier always has a loaf of banana bread in her freezer that she can easily pull out! On another occasion, a friend invited me over at the spur of the moment and served me coffee with these oven S'mores. It was so simple, but the thought amazed me!
Buy store bought treats
Sometimes to make things really easy, I buy a bag of two bite brownies and serve them up with a dollop of whipping cream. Who doesn't love two bite brownies? Same goes for meals. Sometimes a store-bought lasagna costs less than the homemade version.
Make it a Potluck
If you'll be having a large gathering, turn it into a potluck! Why be responsible for everything when others love to bring some of their favourite dishes?
Plan ahead
Maybe this isn't quite keeping things simple because planning can be extra work in itself, but by planning ahead, you might just be able to stash some homemade goodies in your freezer for an impromptu get-together. Or maybe you'll be able to stock up on a few party friendly things when they go on sale. Or maybe you can spend some time compiling a list of guest friendly meals so you don't have to spend time stressing about what you'll feed your guests.
Don't wait until things are perfect
You or your home don't have to be perfect before inviting someone over. That person may very well be blessed just to see that things aren't so perfect in your life! So what if you haven't done last night's dishes? Or there's crumbs all over the floor? If true hospitality is opening our homes and lives to others then it doesn't matter what state you or your home are in because you're inviting them in where you are at in life. While we generally want our homes to be inviting, and relatively clean, don’t let imperfections hinder your from sharing your home!
Forget about food
I know, I know, a gathering without food is not as fun, but it's doable! Serve some drinks, offer good conversation and bring out a game to get the good times rolling. After all, Hospitality is simply about welcoming others into our homes and lives.
Do you have any frugal hospitality tips? What do you do to keep things more simple? Please share!
Sometimes it feels as though the only way to have fun is to spend money. This doesn’t have to be the case at all! Whether you want to learn a new hobby or a new skill, I’ve rounded up 42 things to learn for free!
How to Save Money at Starbucks: 10 Realistic Ways to Spend Less
It's no secret that I love a good cup of Starbucks.
In fact, most Fridays you'll find me at Starbucks with my computer, working on my email newsletter or something else behind the scenes. It makes the tasks a little more bearable!
But as much as I enjoy my Starbucks coffee, I don't want my coffee habit quietly turning into a big monthly expense.
That's the thing about frugal living: you don't have to give up everything you enjoy to save money. Sometimes it's about finding ways to enjoy the things you love while being a little more intentional about what you're spending.
Over the years, I've found quite a few ways to make my Starbucks visits stretch a little further. Some are official Starbucks perks, while others are simply habits that keep me from spending more than I planned.
Here are my favourite realistic ways on how to save money at Starbucks.
1. Join Starbucks Rewards
If you regularly visit Starbucks, joining Starbucks Rewards is probably the easiest place to start.
It's free, and you can earn Stars on eligible purchases, participate in challenges and offers, and redeem your Stars for Rewards. Starbucks has also revamped the program, so the old advice about earning a free drink after a certain number of transactions is no longer accurate.
The current program has three levels: Green, Gold and Reserve. Green members earn 1 Star per dollar, while Gold and Reserve members earn Stars at faster rates.
You can also earn Bonus Stars through qualifying digital Starbucks Card reloads, including 10 Bonus Stars for a $30+ reload or 25 Bonus Stars for a $50+ reload.
My advice: If you're going to buy Starbucks anyway, you might as well earn the rewards.
Just don't let the rewards program convince you to buy coffee you wouldn't otherwise purchase. A free reward isn't actually saving you money if you spent $50 getting there!
2. Pay attention to the offers in your Starbucks app
This is one of my favourite Starbucks savings strategies.
Open the app and actually look at the offers available to you before placing your order.
Starbucks offers personalized promotions, Bonus Star opportunities, games and other member offers.
Sometimes an offer might be worth changing what I was planning to order. Other times, I'll simply ignore it.
That's an important part of saving money: a coupon isn't a good deal if it makes you spend money you weren't planning to spend.
3. Take advantage of Free Mod Mondays
This is a newer Starbucks Rewards perk that's worth knowing about.
Rewards members can receive a coupon for one free drink customization on a select Monday each month. Starbucks says this can include customizations such as cold foam.
If you already have a Starbucks run planned, this is an easy way to make that drink a little more fun without paying extra for the customization.
4. Watch for BOGO and Happy Hour offers
If you're buying Starbucks for yourself and someone else, this is one of the better times to visit.
Starbucks Canada occasionally runs Happy Hour promotions where you can buy a qualifying handcrafted drink and get another of equal or lesser value free. The exact dates and availability can vary, so check your Starbucks app before heading out.
5. Use your free Rewards wisely
When you have enough Stars for a Reward, think about what gives you the best value.
Currently, Starbucks Canada has several redemption levels, including:
25 Stars: $1 off an eligible drink customization
60 Stars: $2 off a qualifying purchase
100 Stars: an eligible brewed coffee, tea, bakery item or packaged snack up to $6
200 Stars: an eligible handcrafted drink or hot breakfast item up to $10
300 Stars: an eligible packaged salad, lunch sandwich or packaged coffee
400 Stars: select merchandise or Starbucks Reserve packaged coffee up to $20
The exact eligible items and terms can change, so check the current Rewards terms before redeeming.
This is where I like to be strategic. If I've earned enough Stars for a $10 handcrafted drink, I'm probably not going to use them on a small item worth $3. I'd rather use the reward on something I'd actually enjoy and get the most value from it. For example, my personal favourite is a vanilla latte. Normally I get a Grande, but if I were redeeming Stars, I'd get a Venti.
6. Don't automatically order the biggest size
This is one of those “saving money” tips that sounds obvious but is surprisingly easy to forget.
You don't need a Venti just because it's an option. Sometimes a Tall or Grande is plenty of coffee.
And here's my honest rule: order the size you actually want, not the size that feels like the best deal. Getting a larger drink that you don't really need isn't saving money.
7. Skip the extras you don't really care about
It's incredibly easy for a $4-ish coffee to become a much more expensive drink once you start adding extras.
Extra shots. Flavoured syrups. Cold foam. Specialty toppings. Food to go with it.
There's nothing wrong with ordering those things when you really want them. But if you're trying to cut your Starbucks spending, take a look at your usual order and ask:
“Which parts of this drink do I actually care about?”
Maybe you discover that you love the coffee but don't really care about the extra shots. Or maybe the cold foam is your favourite part and you'd rather keep that and skip something else.
Frugal doesn't have to mean boring. It just means spending your money where you get the most enjoyment from it.
8. Bring your own coffee on the days you don't really need Starbucks
This is probably the biggest money saving tip on the list.
If I'm going to Starbucks because I genuinely want the Starbucks experience, I'll enjoy it. But if I'm simply tired and want caffeine? That's when my coffee maker at home can save me some serious money.
You don't have to give up Starbucks completely. You can make it a planned treat instead of an automatic daily purchase.
For example, if you normally buy a $5 coffee five times a week, cutting that down to two visits would save roughly $60 a month.
That's the kind of small change that can actually make a difference to your budget.
9. Turn Starbucks into your “treat” instead of your default
I don't think you need to stop buying things you enjoy in order to be frugal.
Instead, decide what is worth paying for to you.
For me, Starbucks is part of my Friday routine when I'm working on my email newsletter. I enjoy getting out of the house, sitting with my computer and having a coffee while I work. That makes it feel like more than just buying a drink.
When you intentionally choose your treats, you tend to enjoy them more and you're less likely to spend money on random little purchases throughout the week.
10. Use gift cards strategically
This is another one that works particularly well for me.
I have often used gift cards that I've earned through rewards programs for my Starbucks purchases.
If I have a Starbucks gift card sitting in my account, it feels like I'm using money I've already earned rather than pulling another $5 or $6 from my regular spending money.
But there's an important distinction here: don't buy gift cards just because they're discounted unless you're certain you'll use them.
The goal isn't to find an excuse to spend more at Starbucks.
The goal is to make the Starbucks purchases you're already going to make cost less.
Bonus: If you're staying in the café, take advantage of the refill policy
Here's a Starbucks perk that can be easy to overlook.
At participating Starbucks locations, customers who enjoy their first beverage in the café can receive free refills of hot or iced brewed coffee or tea during the same visit. There are exclusions, so this doesn't apply to drinks such as Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew or Refreshers.
So if you're someone who likes to sit and work at Starbucks for a while, this can be a great perk.
And honestly, this is one of the reasons my Friday Starbucks trips work for me. I'm not necessarily rushing in, grabbing a coffee and leaving. I'm getting a little change of scenery while I work.
The biggest Starbucks savings tip of all
Here's the advice I think is more important than any Starbucks “hack”:
Don't confuse getting a deal with saving money.
If Starbucks offers me 20% off a drink I wasn't planning to buy, I haven't saved 20%. I've spent 80% of something I didn't need.
But if I was already planning to grab a coffee and I can use a Bonus Star offer, redeem a Reward, take advantage of a BOGO promotion or use a gift card I've earned? Now I'm stretching money I was already planning to spend.
That's the kind of frugal living I like.
I don't want to eliminate every little thing that makes life enjoyable. I want to spend less on the things that don't matter so I have more room in my budget for the things that do.
And for me, sometimes that means sitting at Starbucks with my laptop, working on emails and enjoying a really good cup of coffee.
So tell me, what's your favourite way to save money at Starbucks? If you're looking for how to save money at Starbucks, do you have a favourite tip or “hack” that actually works for you? I'd love for you to share it!
Does winter have you singing the blues? It's about this time of the year when I start to feel like Winter is never going to end. The endless cold and snow just gets me down! Here are some of my ideas to beat the winter blues on a budget:
Make Summer plans
Start planning your spring or summer activities. This is a great way to forget the cold momentarily and have some plans to look forward to!
Buy a bouquet of spring flowers
This is my favourite way to perk myself up! Tulips and daffodils are an affordable option to bring some life and colour into your home. I've seen daffodils as low as $1.99/bunch in the past.
Pamper yourself
Get your hair cut, get a manicure/pedicure or do your nails yourself. Pick a bright cheery colour for your nails. Spend some time making yourself pretty!
Try something new
Have you been wanting to try an art class or a pottery class? Do it. (Check out your local recreation or art center for budget friendly options.) Enjoy baking or cooking? Try an entirely new recipe that may challenge you a bit further.
Exercise
Bundle up and head out for a long walk. Try out some snowshoes. Put in a fun exercise video. It's a proven fact that exercise releases endorphins that make you happy, more relaxed and more alert!
Invite a friend over for coffee or tea
I tend to hibernate in the winter months so inviting a friend over or inviting myself over to a friend's, really is a great pick me up! It's so nice to indulge in great conversation and if you have children, a great excuse for a play date.
Read a book
Stop in at your local library and pick up some books that take place in the summer months or that will "take you away"!
What are your favourite ways to beat the winter blues on a budget?
