Frugal Families Blog

     It is hard in the economy we are in to continue giving sometimes.  Especially when we look in our pockets and look at our debt load and think “What do I have to give back?”.  Everyone has something, a talent, time, etc…  as I have gotten into bargain hunting and couponing I have realized I might not have a lot of money but I do have a lot of creativity.  When I get a coupon for a free item such as lip gloss, or a toy, maybe even a buy one get one for canned food (etc…)  I have started a box for my Christmas Angel family and I put many items I get in there that are brand new and I know will be appreciated.  I also put canned food aside to give for the fall food drives at our local schools.  It is a gift to be creative, resourceful, and it is also lots of hard work.  It is important to me to be a good steward of what I have been given. 

What do you have to give back? 

Okay.  We stand on the brink of $4 per gallon gasoline - with no relief in sight.  It’s been coming.  First, all the news stories about $4 per gallon gas by summer.  A self-fulfilling prophecy.  Yesterday on the news, I heard that prices are not expected to drop after the Memorial Day holiday - unlike in past years.  In fact, the increase in prices may continue.  Add to that the fact that in southeastern Wisconsin, gas prices are as much as 15 cents per gallon higher than in other parts of the state.  While conserving gas is a good idea at any time, it becomes especially important now.

As a result, I’ve made a few changes in my shopping habits.  Back in the days of cheaper gasoline, I would peruse all the sale flyers - and most likely drive from store to store to STORE, cherry picking the loss leaders.  Now…well, actually, with one of the grocery store chains leaving the state, there’s one less store to choose from now.  So this made it a bit easier. 

Of the ”major players” that remain, I shop mainly from three grocery chains.  One chain has a store less than a mile from where I work.  I can walk to the store and shop the sales at lunch.  I may be making more trips, since I’m limited to what I can reasonably expect to carry one mile.  Sometimes it gets heavy.  But I figure between the extra walking and the extra weight carrying - I’m going to be buff by summer!  The nice thing about having this store close by is that I can usually - USUALLY - avoid driving to this chain.  Between that and losing a chain of grocery stores, I’m able to do some of my shopping without using any gasoline at all.

The second chain of grocery stores - well, let’s just say that I’ve become way more selective about what constitutes a bargain - specifically, what makes it worth my while to drive to the store.  The same criteria is now applied to my favorite high-end grocery store.  Sigh.  I love that store.  I REALLY love that store.  Used to be, I’d chance it and make the trip even if there weren’t great loss leaders listed in the paper, because the markdown produce table probably would make up for it.  Well, ”probably” isn’t good enough any more.  There either have to be enough good sales to justify the drive, or we have to be in the neighborhood.  (It helps that this store is on the way to my mother-in-law’s house.)

Yard saling has taken a hit as well.  This may be a good thing, at least until I get the clutter under control.  Regardless, gone are the days of cruising from sale to sale - looking for more sales.  If I truly need something that I think I can find at a yardsale, these days I try to look for subdivision-wide sales.  That way, I can park at one location and walk from sale to sale.  Otherwise, I might try a church sale - bigger selection - or one that I happen to see in my neighborhood.

Yes, these days, I don’t shop around the way I used to.  But I may actually be buying less, and therefore saving money in a different way.   

     For those of us that spend every Spring and Fall on the baseball fields planning is key.  Both of my children have played baseball and softball for years so I never really thought about the fact that when we go to the fields we don’t buy much at the concession stand.  Well the other night I worked the concession stand at our local baseball fields and was shocked by how much people spend and I have to admit because our children play in an organization that is “not for profit” the prices are reasonable, however a typical order that came to my window would go as follows for a family:

 2 gatorades - $3.00

1 soda - $1.25

nachos - $1.50

2 candy bars - $2.00

popcorn - 50 cents

Total - $8.25

     Now that does not seem like much but most of us who spend our lives during baseball/softball season at the fields are there atleast two nights a week and more if we have more than one child playing ball.  If you spent that just two nights a week you would be spending $16.50 a week or $66.00 a month and not really knowing unless you were tracking where your money is going.  Now true the proceeds from the sales go to the organization so if you are in a heavy cash flow situation that can be a great way to snack and help out a local organization that is working for your local kids in the community.  You also could just write that organization a check.  We helped raise money this year by selling sports cups to help repair all of the baseball fields.

     My solution is that I bring my own mini cooler to the ball fields, it can hold up to six drinks that were bought on sales or coupons for my family even for my player in the dugout although my son usually brings a huge cooler for water that he drinks right out of.  I also pack our own peanuts or popcorn.  If my children want something from the concession stand they spend it out of their own allowance that way they are making their own choices to a degree of how they are going to spend their money.  Usually they just eat what I pack and they are quite satisfied. 

Well I guess I better start packing my cooler I’ve got a ballgame tonight!

     We all remember Wimpy in the old Popeye cartoons saying this famous expression, “I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger today.”  The reason this expression came to mind to me tonight is that in spite of all my frugal pursuits which are many.  I am still wanting instant gratification as I know many of us do.  So whats a person to do when faced with so much commercialism on a daily basis, tired, disorganized, frustrated, pulled in many, many different directions.  I have thought about this for the past couple of weeks and reflected on some of these various issues and I have decided that I even though I have been a member of Frugal Families since 2001(I used to be under a different name) I have accomplished more than I give myself credit for.  I who am sitting under a pile of debt at the moment probably would be under even more debt if it were not for Frugal Families.  So here is my plan of action:

1.  Touch base at Frugal Families as much as possible.

2.  Take time to organize my life and plan ahead even if it means I have to say No to some activities.

3.  Set up a budget and follow it as closely as we can.

4.  Start a separate savings account that is not currently attached to my checking so that I can start saving my emergency fund.

 5.  Consolidate some of my debt and cut up the cards again!

6.  Air dry my laundry

7.  Give up renting movies out or going to the movies

8.  Eat out only once a week (Don’t laugh some of us have to take baby steps!)

9.  Continue to cut coupons as I need to stick to a grocery goal of $600 amonth, I know many people can go lower but this seems to be our threshold.

10.  Do not renew any subscriptions except for Mother Earth magazine which I just cannot seem to give up at the moment.

11.  Think about giving up my cable.  (Yes I am still mulling it over!)

I will check back in soon and let you know how its going.  Even though I have been a Frugal Family member for so long there is always something new to learn!

Well, after six years of being a full-time SAHM and work from home mom and practicing dental hygiene on a very part-time basis (or just per diem basis) I’ve taken a part-time dental hygiene position in a  wonderful little quality office only minutes from my home.  I swore I wouldn’t go back to “regular” work again.  I enjoy working from home with the website and I love practicing on a per diem basis but this was a great opportunity and everything came together nicely. 

We had to figure out a few things before I made the final decision.  My husband has ample vacation time AND has the ability to work from home if we have a sick child.  My mom comes over after she goes to the gym to keep an eye on the boys for us (she offered).  My new office doesn’t want to work school vacation weeks and holidays because they have children as well.  As for summer vacation, I’ve got several contacts who could watch the boys for me. 

I’m also trying to get myself back into the more advanced menu planning.  While I’ve been home full-time, menu planning was a generalized thing and was finalized the morning of the meal, for the most part.  I’ve had to think ahead more.  I cleared the dry erase board off and it now tells everyone what the menu is for the week. 

Laundry has taken a slightly less frugal turn.  It’s harder to hang laundry on the racks on work days, so the dryer is happily working again.  NOT my ideal, but I’m only working 2-3 days/wk, so it’s not an all time thing. 

Grocery shopping has also become a tad less frugal only because it’s harder for me to shop 3 stores for just loss leaders.  I have done a bit  more OAMC (Once A Month Cooking).  I have put 4 pre-baked pizza shells into the freezer.  I made 4 loaves of unrisen bread dough and placed those in the freezer as well (for no bread, no time days).  I’ve made up huge batches of meatballs for meatball grinders.  My menu has basically stayed the same EXCEPT that I’ve separated the meals into easy prep or “mom” prep.  LOL.  Easy prep things are the pizza, meatball grinders, grilled cheese sandwiches and soup or anything else the guys can prepare easily, before I get home.  I’ve also dusted off the crockpot which hasn’t seen as much action since I became a SAHM.  I just LOVED how the crock pot had a beautiful roasting chicken just falling off the bone when we got home.  A quick batch of couscous and steamed broccoli (loss-leader broccoli I had blanched and thrown into the freezer) and dinner was on!

I figure my adventures will keep me busy blogging for a bit.  It’s definately a challenge to juggle family and work again.  I’m very dedicated to both.  It’s definately easier with the boys being older now, too.  The boys understand that my paycheck is paying off the last of the non-mortgage debt (see Dave Ramsey) and that my paychecks will help us put them through college.  They’re eager to contribute to our family’s financial future. 

So, like I said, maybe you can learn a few things from my working mom adventures.

Micki LeSueur, a blogger at Shine by Yahoo wrote a GREAT blog suggesting that Ben Bernanke have a chat with Suze Orman (financial guru).  It helps if you’ve seen Suze doing her “can you afford” segment on her show but even if you haven’t, it will still leave you spitting out the coffee.  LOL! 

 http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/money/time-to-set-ben-bernanke-up-with-suze-orman-153194/

I was talking to a frugal friend of mine today.  We were discussing the content for my next newsletter.  She had recommended I discuss our (my husband and I ) intense focus on debt payoff.  By the end of this year, my husband and I will have paid off approximately 40,000 in non-mortgage debt since March of 2005.  That’s when we discovered Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover.  That will be it except for the house and we could conceiveably be free of the mortgage in about 7 years.

I mentioned to her that I’ve hit a frugal funk.  I’ve been hardcore frugal for 6 years now and I don’t think about it anymore.  I guess I don’t think about saving the pennies anymore because I’m always saving the pennies.  I guess it’s hard to remember when I wasn’t frugal so it’s hard to share my frugality because to me it’s old hat but to many of you, it isn’t. 

How do the two points come together you ask?  Well, it’s that hardcore, pennies-do-add-up mentality that has allowed us to “find” more money in our budget to apply to our debt.  How can the pennies add up?  Well, adding just $10 extra/month on a $129,500 mortage will save you $5270 in interest over the life of a 30 year loan.  $10/month doesn’t seem like alot does it?  One less lunch out.  Two less trips to the expensive coffee shop.  $10 seems like “pennies” but it’s all those pennies that add up!

Finding those pennies goes back to having a budget, tracking your spending and thinking about wants and needs.  It can be about compromise to meet the needs and the wants.  We LOVE camping.  I NEED to camp! (okay it MIGHT be a want but I really NEED it, too)  LOL!  BUT this year, we’re realizing that we can still enjoy lots of camping but stay hardcore on our debt payoff by camping more locally and saving gas money.  It’s compromising THIS year so next year we’ll be DEBT FREE!!!  You might NEED a nice wardrobe for work but you can find great nearly new clothes at consignment shops.  You might NEED to furnish a new apartment but you can do it nicely with tag sale finds, consignment shop finds and inexpensive throws and covers.  It’s about compromising what you perceive as a need so you can throw more money to debt.  In all honesty, you NEED to be DEBT FREE!

Forced frugality can get frustrating.  Job loss, reduced income, rising expenses can force some of us into a tight spot.  Being frugal because we HAVE to can be frustrating after a time.  Being frugal because we choose to, isn’t quite as frustrating.  How can you alleviate some of that stress?

Play a mind game:  reflect on your circumstances.  There’s every chance you COULD choose not to be frugal in some areas.  Of course that shorts other areas and could lead to disaster quick.   If you blow a large sum on entertainment, the house payment might not be paid.  So, find those areas you can control.  Food, entertainment, travel, heat and electricity.  (you’ll have to look at your own budget to see what you can tweak)   Make choices about where to cut.  We found we could save money by reducing our land line phone to just minimal service.  No long distance, no caller ID.  Tax refund coming?  Figure out how it can best be used to reduce monthly expenses and give you breathing room.
Being proactive in choosing where to cut costs gives a feeling of power, a sense of control… much less frustrating than feeling forced.

I heard a quote once and can’t remember the author but it goes “I’ve never heard of any calamity in life that whining wouldn’t make it worse”.  

Chin up!  Put on a smile… we’ve got what it takes to make a difference!

One of my members put us onto this blog:

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/02/18/scratch-beginnings-an-interview-with-adam-shepard/#more-1625

Adam’s attitude and determination were impressive.  We often talk about how attitude is everything!  Adam’s opinion on Barbara Enrenreich’s book, “Nickle and Dimed” were right on in my opinion as well.  Barbara went into her project almost ready to fail and she knew that she could go back to her regular life at any time!  Adam had no choice, no fallback life to go to.  His attitude made the difference!  His determination to make positive changes in his life made the difference. 

As I write this, you can download his book for free (I saved it right to my computer).  This might change down the road so grab it while you can!

http://www.getrichslowly.org/files/shepard0221/Scratch%20Beginnings%20Text.pdf

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again.  Attitude makes all the difference!  When we say we can’t do something, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.  Yep, the road might not be easy but most good things don’t come easily.  Paying off debt, improving your job skills with college, saving for a home or any other goal will only be met if you say, “I CAN!”