Happy October! Get ready for the quickest blog post ever that will save you a TON of money!
It's a new month and I'm trying something new for you guys. I thought it would be fun to create a calendar each month with a super easy money saving tip each day of the month.
So this month, you get the NEW Money Saving Calendar for October 2019!
Did you know that with just a little bit of prep work and an open mind you may have the possibility of cutting your grocery bill in half?
It's totally possible to eat better quality, healthy food while spending less on groceries. Here are some ways for you to cut your grocery bill without sacrificing taste or your health.
Plan Your Meals Ahead Of Time
I have many articles about meal planning, but this is because I can't stress enough how important meal planning is. Especially if you want to cut down your grocery bill.
There are two ways to go about meal planning. You can plan meals based on what you already have at home or plan based on what is on sale in the flyers at your local stores. The first option would be your cheapest option since you're using ingredients you have already purchased. It's still quite possible that you will have to fill in missing ingredients with a trip to the store.
If you go with the second option, you can then plan and base your meals on the sale items. Most of the sale items will be in season so your meals will be too. By planning your meals to match what’s on sale, you’ll be surprised at how much that will cut from your grocery budget.
Take Advantage Of Coupons
The great thing about coupons and couponing is that you'll never have to shop and pay full price for your groceries, it really becomes a fun game when you’re paying less than full price for your items. So, take advantage of all the coupons you can use to get discounts on grocery items.
You can start collecting coupons from your local newspaper or even from mobile phone apps. There are also websites like Simply Frugal that lists all the most recent Canadian coupons.
Purchase Generic Items
Name brand items can be really eye-catching but they can also have the ability to empty your pockets as well. Often the only difference between a grocery's brand-name product and a store-brand product is the packaging.
If you take a closer look at the list of ingredients, in most cases, you'll actually see that they are nearly identical. It's just the price that's different. So, before you take that name brand item off the shelf, do your research and you'll definitely be rewarded with the best deal.
Tip: Ingredients are listed in order of the amount in the item, so if sugar is the first ingredient in your cereal, you know there’s more sugar in it than anything else in the box. So, when checking ingredients between generic and brand name, be sure they are listed in the same order to ensure you’re getting the same “taste”. This is always a great way to determine which version is the more healthy version, if that is your goal with ingredients.
Buy In-Season Fruits And Veggies
Sometimes you just want to satisfy a craving with out of season fruits and veggies but to really make a dent in your grocery bill, you’ll want to purchase in season produce.
Out of season fruits and veggies will definitely be more expensive because they cost more and take more effort when they are not in season.
Buy frozen produce
Often times, buying frozen fruits and vegetables is more cost effective than buying fresh produce. Frozen vegetables are perfect for quick dinner sides and soups. Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies, or fruit crumbles or even sprinkled over yogurt. I also like to freeze fresh cherries that we pick from a local orchard for $1.50 a pound each year.
Plant A Garden
Growing your own food is the best way to go when you really want to lower your expenses and save money on your grocery bill. A great example is having your own herb garden.
If you buy a bunch of herbs they can be expensive and you may only need them for a meal or two (this is again where meal planning can be helpful). But if you have some potted herbs in your garden or kitchen, you'll save a lot of money and have those herbs at your fingertips anytime you need them. Plus fresher always tastes better.
Cutting your grocery bill without sacrificing is definitely doable. It will just require you to make a few changes and find what works for you and your family. Taking control of how your money is spent and saved is a great feeling when you’re trying to stay within a budget.
What are your best tips for cutting your grocery bill? Please tell us in the comments below.
One of the ways I began to save extra money was by ditching some of the disposable products we used in our home and replacing them with reusable household items.
In the beginning, this did cost us a few more dollars but quickly turned into big savings each month we weren’t purchasing the disposable versions!
Now, I know the appeal of disposable items. They can be so gosh darn convenient! But by simply switching out one disposable product for a reusable product, not only will it have a positive impact on our planet, it will also have a positive impact on your wallet! Before you know it, you'll be trying to replace every household product with a reusable one!
Below, I've listed the best reusable household items that we’ve been loving in our own home lately!
Wool Dryer Balls
For years now I have been using wool dryer balls in place of dryer sheets and fabric softener. In fact it's been a while since I bought my wool dryer balls so they're finally starting to fall apart!
If I ever feel like having a bit of a scent to the laundry, I'll add a couple drops of essential oil to a couple of the balls.
When purchasing wool dryer balls, make sure they are 100% wool. This will ensure fluffiness, reduce static and reduce drying time.
Reusable Water bottles
Before we leave the house, I make sure all of our reusable water bottles are filled up so we can avoid buying a bottle of water when we're out and about.
While any reusable water bottle will work, our favorites are the ones that are insulated. They keep water cold for much longer! My husband and I are using bottles like these while I like the Thermos ones for our daughters.
Kitchen towels
Ditch the paper towels once and for all! I have one roll of paper towel on hand and that is to check the oil in our vehicles and for wiping up cooking grease. Other than that I use kitchen towels, cloths, and big bath towels for cleaning up spills, and wiping dirty fingers and faces. Basically reusable towels are used for everything paper towels are typically used for.
It's so easy to make the switch to reusable straws! We've got two different kinds that we use at home. Stainless steel and super fun silicone ones. I don't have a preference for myself, but my daughters like the silicone ones the best. Probably because they're soft (safer for kids!) and fun colored.
Be sure to get a small straw brush to keep your straws clean!
Reusable K-Cup
We were gifted a Keurig coffee maker years ago and it's still one of our favorite appliances and gets daily use. The one thing I don't like about it is the k-cup waste. However, we recently switched to a reusable K-Cup and love it! It's so easy to use and the coffee tastes just as good. Plus now we can get a big bag of ground coffee beans (cost effective) or use the locally roasted beans that we love.
Reusable shopping bags
Now that most grocery stores are charging for plastic grocery bags, I want to avoid that unnecessary expense as much as I can! I have reusable grocery bags stashed in the car and both of my bags in hopes that I won't have to use a plastic bag.
The reusable shopping bags that I have are similar to these ones and fold up really small and are so easy to stash in my purse. I love that they are washing machine friendly so I can toss them in the wash once in while!
Silicone baking mats
With silicone baking mats, there's no need to spray your cooking sheets or use parchment paper. That means you could possibly eliminate two grocery items from your list saving you a bundle in the long term.
Silicone baking mats are really easy to clean and hardly take up any space in your cupboards.
Mason jars
Open up the cupboards or even your fridge and you're bound to find some sort of glass jar! Wash and reuse the glass jars that you find for so many things. I use mine for storing dried beans/lentils/rice, freezing broth, holding makeup brushes and so much more.
Mason jars are fairly inexpensive to buy if you want matching jars. Scour the garage sales too!
Reusable Sandwich Bags
This is a new purchase for us and I'm loving it! I used to wash our plastic sandwich a few times before tossing them, but I'm liking this alternative way better.
These reusable storage bags are freezer friendly, leak-proof, come in various sizes and clean easily.
Travel Mugs
These are a must-have in our family! Every morning, instead of hitting the drive thru, my husband makes a travel mug full of coffee for his morning at work. Saves a ton of coffee money over the long run! I'll bring mine along when I've got a bunch of errands to do. But even if you do go to a coffee shop or something, many places offer a small discount if you bring your own mug. (Starbucks, for example.)
Using these reusable household items is such a great way to begin moving towards a more eco-conscious way of living plus you’ll be saving a lot of money over the long term!
I'd love to know what reusable household items you would add to the list!
Summer vacation doesn't have to equal boredom. Here are 50+ activities for kids this summer.
50+ Fun Activities for Kids
Summer vacation is almost here, and if you’re searching for free summer activities for kids, cheap things to do in summer, or easy summer bucket list ideas, you’re in the right place. Keeping kids entertained all summer doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. There are so many fun, budget-friendly ways to fill your days with memories instead of stress. From outdoor summer activities for kids to creative at-home ideas and simple family-friendly adventures, this list is packed with inspiration to help you enjoy a fun, affordable, and memorable summer.
Summer doesn’t have to be expensive to be memorable. With a little creativity and a mix of outdoor adventures, simple at-home fun, and community activities, you can fill the summer months with meaningful moments the whole family will enjoy. Whether you try a few ideas or work your way through the whole list, the goal is the same: less stress, more connection, and plenty of summer memories made right where you are.
What do your kids like to do? What are your favourite boredom busting ideas?
Here is what I would like to know: a friend of mine is trying to start a pantry or a stockpile so that she is not constantly out of everything and so that she can maybe save a bit of money.
What would you consider your must-haves in your pantry? What staples do you always have on hand?
Food is expensive. When it comes to making a budget for your family, you’ll notice that one of the highest costs you have is food. While it's not possible to eliminate food from your budget, you can decrease the costs by growing your own food.
On that note, did you know that many of the scraps from foods you purchase on a regular basis from the grocery store can be regrown in your very own kitchen? Instead of throwing away food scraps, you can start thinking differently about them!
Below, I've listed 7 foods from the grocery store that you can regrow in the comfort of your home. If you already grow your own food right in your garden, you'll have no problem growing your own produce from scraps.
Celery
One of the simplest foods from the grocery store you can grow from scraps, is celery.
Planting celery is very simple: Cut off the base or the bottom part of the vegetable and place it in a bowl with warm water. Place the container in a spot that has direct sunlight most of the day.
After a week, you’ll notice that there are leaves growing at the base of the celery. Once you see these leaves, it is now ready to be transplanted in the soil.
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine lettuce is easy to grow from leftover scraps. Instead of throwing the bottom of the full head of lettuce in the trash, place it in a bowl with a bit of water.
Keep this bowl in a place with direct sunlight. Mist the leaves with water consistently. After two to three days, you will see that there are shoots of new leaves appearing. Once you see them, your lettuce is now ready to be transplanted or simply harvested for salads.
Bean Sprouts
Growing bean sprouts is easy. Just soak a handful of dry beans in water then leave it overnight.
Drain the water and place the beans in a container. Cover it with a towel, leave it overnight, then rinse it again the next day.
Keep doing this until you see the sprouts growing, then you can transfer them to your garden.
Onion
Another easy vegetable to grow, whether it is indoors or outdoors, are onions.
Cut the root of the onions off and plant it in a garden plot or container. Cover the root with potting soil but leave at least half an inch of the onion exposed. In a few weeks, you will start to see leaves growing.
For Green Onions, use the top part of the onion and leave the bottom 2-3 inches with the roots attached. Place them in a container with water covering the roots. In no time you’ll see the tops of the green onions growing new green. You can keep them this way and just continue using the tops and allowing them to grow in the water. Just change the water periodically and rinse the roots.
Garlic
Garlic is an easy way to start growing scraps with fast results.
For garlic, choose a whole bulb or individual cloves that have started to send out green sprouts. Place the bulb or clove in a small amount of water and change the water daily.
Potato
Did you know that you can grow a potato out of potato peelings?
Check the peelings to see if there are eyes on them. Cut the peelings into two to three-inch pieces but make sure that there are at least three eyes on each peel.
Dry these peelings, then plant them in your soil, about three to four inches deep. In a few weeks, you will see a potato plant starting to grow.
Tomato
Don’t throw away the seeds from the tomatoes! Rinse them and allow them to dry.
Once dried, you can start planting the seeds in a rich potting soil. Once the seedlings are a few inches high, you can transplant them outdoors where there is plenty of sunlight.
Turn your food scraps into golden nuggets. Instead of throwing them away, use them as another source of food. You are not only saving money, you are also assured that your family gets better and healthier food.
