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Wow, you all listed some great ideas in the comments and a few folks replied back to me through email.  I will list them below.

You know, saving money really does have to be a mind set.  There are habits that are very simple that could potentially, as a habit, save us quite a bit of dough.  You may think that’s only $.30 savings.  So I encourage just for 1 month – everytime you think oh that’s only ? cents or dollars – to take that amount and put it in a jar. You will be SHOCKED what it will add up to be.  I did it for two weeks and it added up to almost $15.  That may not sound like a lot but it’s $30 a month and possibly $360 a year. This is a mind set that could really be beneficial for your saving and your spending.

Here are a few of my savings ideas for today.

1. Check your receipt.   At KMart the other day, I won a Cha-Ching reward.  I stopped by the next time I as in that area and got my free pack of gum. It’s a stocking stuffer – shhhhhhh!     The last time I was at Hallmark I got a print out at the bottom of my receipt to save $2 on my next order.   I did forget an ornament that led me back to Hallmark.  Because I didn’t put the receipt in my savings book I forgot to use it.   Ugggghhhhhh!  I know it’s only $2.  But $2 here and $2 there adds up after awhile.

2. Use the measurements in the cups or caps that come with your detergents.  You will not go through  laundry detergent as quickly if you will go by the measurements on the cup.  For dish washing detergent, I use a tablespoon to keep me from pouring too much in the sink.  For hand washing soap, I’m trying to get everyone in my house to agree that one pump is sufficient. And honestly it’s not that they don’t agree, it’s the action part of it that seems so hard.

3.  Drink the water in your glass.  How many times do you fix yourself a glass of ice water and then get busy and walk off and leave it.  You come back and the ice is melted and so you dump it out and fix yourself another glass of ice water.  There is nothing wrong with that water!!!  Put another ice cube in it and “bottoms up.”

4. Don’t punch it on the gas pedal when you start off in your car at the stop sign or the red light.  This uses much more gas and gains you a fraction of a second if any.  Get in the habit of not punching the gas pedal, you will absolutely amazed what it will do for your frame of mind.  It’s much more peaceful.  (smile)

5. Use old printed pieces of paper for your kids to make art.  They can draw on the unprinted side, use it for scraps, or shred it for confetti, gift, or packing filler.  This truly beats having to buy it.

6. Make a menu – this really will keep you from buying too much at the grocery store.  I don’t assign a meal to each night but at least I can look at the list of meals and know that I have ingredients to make it.  This also helps me to switch it up a bit and not cook the same thing all the time, because different items are on sale each week.

Keep the ideas coming and read through the comments you will get some great ideas from those.

One of the ideas that I received on my email is from my friend, Amy, who has introduced me to www.thedollarstretcher.com  You will find lots of great savings ideas here. Also I want to recommend Mary Hunt’s book How to Live Your Life Half Price.   Her method for buying a car is fabulous!

That’s all for this post, more saving ideas to come.  Merry Christmas and Happy Savings!

Yes, I know it’s been awhile, since I  blogged.  Life got really busy for while and fall is my traveling time.  But I actually have said “no” to several things this December in an effort to slow down.  Thus a little time to write this post. I had the thought the other day to share some things we are trying to implement in our family as I was explaining to my children why we were having Chicken Pot Pie for the third day in a row.  We are using our resources.

Things get tight for people in December.   Each year about this time, I find myself  thinking of ways to save money.  I try to think of new ways and remember the old ones that worked.   Throughout the year I get lax about some of these things, as I’m sure most of us do.  But seems like a couple of times each year we really have to buckle down with these ideas, and Christmas is one of those times.

So without further adieu here’s some of my “titghten the financial belt” ideas.

1. Eat your leftovers.  You heard me.  We throw away too much food.  Pull up your “big girl” (boy) pants and know that you will not die or get sick from eating Chicken Pot Pie until it’s gone.  Eating your leftovers really does keep you from going through your groceries so fast.

2. Wait until it’s on DVD or at least Netflix.  Why go pay $10 to $12 for a movie ticket, when I can see five movies in a month through my Netflix account, which is actually less than a movie ticket.  Adding more to my savings, my popcorn and drinks aren’t as expensive as the theater’s and I can refill as often as I like.

3. Celebrating the Holidays “in.”  We’ve just stayed home this year.  My kids have helped me to bake and decorate, we’ve watched movies, and read Christmas stories together. I have loved it!  However, there are lots of resources out there to help you find the free things to do during the season if you get cabin fever.   It’s just staying in also saves on gas.  (smile)

4.  I don’t buy as much when I make a list. So I’m making myself take the time to make sure that my coupons and savings deals are in my purse.  Making a note on my list next to the items that I have coupons for is also helpful.  I’m not talking about grocery coupons. There are many different programs for organizing your grocery coupons, I’m speaking more specifically of non-grocery items that you get coupons for and forget that you have them.   Make it a goal not to pay full price for anything.

5. I did an online yard sale.  After cleaning out, I listed only the best of items, a description, and the price in a document, and emailed it out to friends.  I sold several toys and will enjoy a little extra cash as well as a little more space in the house.

6. Limit snacks and drinks.

• My friend Jaina lets her kids choose three snacks every morning and those are their snacks for the day.  This keeps them from over eating and also keeps them from blowing through the stash in the pantry.
• We have told our kids that for every drink they drink, like KoolAide, orange juice, or soda,  they must drink a full glass of water.  This has kept us from drinking the orange juice each morning until it’s gone. (cha-ching – not buying juice as often) Should be better for their teeth (cha ching – savings, no cavities) and help them to be more healthy. (cha-ching – more savings, no co-pays.)
• My friend LA has gone to water all day except for meal time.  You go girl!
• I’m also making my children take their vitamins each morning and echinechea!  Yep, I’m going for meanest mother of the year!   At least I haven’t made my kids starting counting the number of squares of toilet paper they can use each time they potty!  I mean there is a line, right?

7. Save those big shopping bags for garbage bags and use your dryer sheets twice. (OH yeah, meanest mom award is in the bag now!)

8. Instead of buying Christmas boxes I went to my recycle bins.  Lots of things fit in shoe boxes and when I ran out yesterday, I went and borrowed on from my neighbor.  (She wasn’t going to use it, I asked.)  Did you know that some books will fit in frozen pizza boxes?  And they are easier to wrap too!  OH yeah, I’m on a roll now!

9. And last but not least find ways to use food that is growing stale or is close to expiration date. This is another effort of mine to keep from wasting food.  Or find ways to stretch recipes.  Below are some examples.

• Stale bread makes great french toast or toasted bread for sandwiches, or “seasoned your way” croutons.
• Stale crackers make great toppings for casseroles.
• Leftover sausage patties or hamburgers make great breakfast burritos with egg and cheese the next morning.  Both can also be crumbled up for pizza toppings.
• 1 cup of elbow noodles and a one half cup of water will make a packet of Lipton Soup go 2 or 3 servings further.
• Use dark or ripened bananas for banana bread.

Ok I know, some of these ideas are not new.  So now you can share your ideas with me.  I would love to know what you do with your leftovers or any of your great cutting back ideas.  Put them in the comments below or email them to me and I’ll repost them here.

I can’t wait to hear from you!

Happy Savings and a Merry Christmas too!

Jesus said many times in the New Testament that we are to take care of the poor and needy.  In our world right now there are plenty of poor and needy.

There are flood victims here in middle Tennessee that still need help.

There are homeless in many of our cities.

There are orphans everywhere – here and abroad.

I am going to Africa, and we will need supplies to take with us for the orphange.

I’m sure there are people right in our back doors that we miss everyday that are desperate for our help and our love.

Find somewhere – someone to help.  There are lots of ways to give.   Please keep checking this blog, in the coming days (Sunday) I will publish a list of needs.  These are items that we will need to pack and take to Africa.

Please be in prayer this week for the children that we will be ministering to.

Please also be in prayer for the flood victims.   Some have lost everything.   And if you are about to have a yard sale maybe look through and see if you have any household items to give to those who have lost all the basics like a toaster and a hair dryer.

We have lots of GREAT BIG needs out there – it’s a good thing we have a GREAT BIG GOD!

Much Love!

Darlene

So you won’t to save money but aren’t really thrilled with the thought of clipping coupons.  Maybe you really don’t mind the coupons you just forget that they are in your purse or even better, you leave them in the car. Well here are some things that you can do to cut your grocery budget.

1. Eat your leftovers. We waste so much food. If you have cooked a pot roast and your family didn’t eat it the next day, you can freeze and have it next week.  OR If you made pot roast with potatoes and carrots, then a couple of days later have open faced roast beef sandwiches with brown gravy.  (This is a favorite for my family.)

2. Use your freezer. Put leftovers in it (not everything freezes) but remember to use up what you have in there as well. I have 3 bags of corn from the garden that spoiled because one was simply there too long.  And the others because they were in there long enough that the seal was broken from being moved around.  If I had just cooked them sooner, they would taken place of some other side that was honestly not as healthy as a great fresh grown vegetable.

3. Rotate your pantry so that  you only buy items when they are on sale.  Almost everything rotates to be on sale every 8 to 12 weeks.  So if you can do without it simply wait for the item to be back on sale.   You can see great savings with this simple test.

4. Eat proportionately! OK don’t roll your eyes at that. :-)  It is not written anywhere that you must clean the bowl.  It is ok to have leftovers. They will keep for a few days – but then make sure you go back and finish them up a few days later.  I will admit this step and eating your leftovers are both habits.  Our grandparents and great-grandparents would laugh at the fact that we need to be told these things.  For them these steps were a way of life.  If they didn’t do these things, they didn’t have enough to go around.  With this economy we would do well, to borrow some of their habits.  :-)

5. Plan your meals by the sale paper. This will also help you to stick to Step 3.  Planning your meals by the sale paper of your local grocery can be a great way to stick to Step 3.  You can combine this with what’s already in your pantry and really save.   Suppose meat is on sale in the paper and you have rice and a vegetable in your pantry.  Go to allrecipes.com, and type in your ingredients. It will give you some options of dishes you can make.

6.  There is a thing such as downloadable coupons.  In certain areas of the country (unfortunately not everywhere) you can download coupons directly on your grocery’s loyalty card.  For me this is Kroger.  I download coupons on my Kroger card at ShortCuts.com.  When I check  out at Kroger and scan my Kroger card, the coupons are automatically deducted for the corresponding products that I bought.  I print off a list of what I’ve downloaded and keep in my purse, so that I can remember what coupons are on my card.  This is very easy, nothing to keep up with but the list in my purse.

It may sound a little too simple, but I can testify it works.  If you have your own tips, please share in the comments, we all need to learn from one another.

I had the distinct privilege of talking to my girlfriends tonight about doing coupons.  I think some of them seemed overwhelmed.  My biggest encouragement is to just get started and some of the things that you feel overwhelmed about coupons will work itself out .

Get started and as you dive into the mechanics of getting your coupons and sorting them and finding the websites that will help you, you will find yourself not so overwhelmed anymore.    As I was talking to my girlfriends tonight, I told them that I’m happy with what I’m saving –  and I am.  BUT What if I could do more and not spend more time?  Right now my thoughts are that to try and save more will cost me more of my time but I don’t know that for absolutely certain.  So now I’m saying to myself – “Get started!”

I will be looking into some coupon classes.  My current goal will be to see if there are ways that I can save a little and either incorporate the knowledge and practice into my established routine, or to adjust my routine so that I’m  not spending tons more time.  Because honestly I do love saving, but I feel that I give enough of time to it. Part of these feelings are just my stage of life – 3 children, homeschooling, work, teaching piano, involved at church.  Makes me tired just to type it out.

But I promise to investigate.   And yes, I will let you know what I find.  And if I find that it takes much more time, then I will be glad to continue as I am now.  I am all for saving but not at the expense of time with my family or friends.

Everyone has to do coupons in their own way.  My way is my way. It is what works for me and it’s what makes sense to me.  I shared that with the girls, but for many aspects they will find their own way of saving. Couponing is done for many reasons or convictions and sometimes in today’s economy out of sheer necessity.  Whatever the reason or to what level a person goes we can always find ways to give to help others.

If I could save more, maybe I could give more.  God has done a great work in my heart over the last few months and one of the things that has come out that is to give more.

So my current plan of action is to check into some of the coupon classes and to encourage the girls to keep working at it to find their own system.

And  I will encourage you to find someone to encourage and someone or somewhere to give.

2 Cor. 8: 1-7

¹And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. ²Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. ³For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ⁵And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. ⁶So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. ⁷But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

I can remember a time when I didn’t really tell people or even talk about the fact that I did coupons.  I admit I was afraid of the stipulation that it put on not only me but on my husband and how we provide for our family.  Thank goodness I’ve grown, and so has my family.  Through couponing I have been able to save on our family budget.  I have been able to show my kids how God can bless through honest work and preparation and answered prayer.   So the reasons for my couponing have changed quite a bit over the years.  Some of these reasons are: Because God has given me the ability and resources to be a good steward of our income. Because it still does help the family budget. Because my kids are learning how to stick to a budget, and more importantly how God answers prayers.  Just to name a few.

Why am I lumping couponing with God answering prayers? I’ll give you a couple of examples. We recently found out about a need in our community.  But at that point in our lives, going and giving a lump of cash was going to be a little difficult.  After asking God how I could I help, He sent an idea while I was cutting out coupons.  ”Put together a couple of meals.”  Once we arrived at the grocery store my oldest daughter and I prayed that God would help us find some really good sales to fulfill this need.  God answered the prayer in a huge way.  We were able to put together more than we thought.  My child saw that God is in the business of answering prayers, and what a little faith in His answers will do.  I saw how God is concerned even about the small things, and that if I will simply ask Him, He will show me how to share what’s already His.  I also saw that God pursues and wants my children to know Him.  The blessing was the look on my daughter’s face when I explained what a good deal we had found!

Now, we are on a new endeavor with our church in our community, and recently I had prayed that God would help me be brave and establish relationships with people that I could share His love with.  That very day, two different women stopped me in the grocery store to ask about my coupon book.  One of them I see often in the grocery store, and we are now on a first name basis. I’m praying that God will further establish that relationship.

So am I embarrassed about my coupons now? Absolutely not!  Would I love to not need to do them at times?  Absolutely yes! But I wouldn’t take anything for the people that I have met, who have said “Please show me how you do that.” Apparently God has a different plan than my just learning to be good at using coupons.

I must clarify that I am not the best couponer.  I know people who save much more than I do. But I will say that I will continue trusting the Lord that His plan is not just about my budget or my learning to be a steward, but about sharing His love with a lost and dying world.

I have met a few music artists, but I ‘ve never fallen over one, fainted over one, or even swooned. BUT last week I met the Coupon Mom. You may laugh but it’s the first time in my life I felt like screaming as she was introduced. Let me clarify that I did not scream. I was just plum giddy.  It’s a good thing I didn’t have to talk to her, I would’ve been tongue tied.  (I know some of you are thinking, “yeah right”.)

I discovered her website, www.couponmom.com, a little over a year ago.  I have been so thankful for her website and have had the privilege of helping others discover her coupon method too.  Last week I attended a conference and she was there as one of the speakers.  After listening to her story and how the website all came to be, I adored her even more. Folks, she is the real deal.  She is walking the talk that she talks.  The hand of the God was so evident in her story and she didn’t hesitate to give Him credit. Donating to charities and food banks is her motto.

If you have ever visited her website, the deals she finds for really inexpensive or free items, she will list “great for donating”.  She said that they did a poll among her website registrants and 85% of them donate to charities.  That is making a difference in the world.

The thing I love about her is that her website is free.  That sounds like I love it because you don’t pay for it, but actually it’s free because she desires to help people save money.

Please forgive me if you have read this and felt like it was a bit of “hero worship” that is not what I intended.  But it is very exciting to see someone living out their potential through Jesus Christ.  To see someone in the public eye whose talk matches their walk.  And she is just a mom like most of us.  It is encouraging to have her example.

If you even need some ideas to save money, I hope you will check out her website.  You do have to create a registration but it is free.   So check it out and enjoy!!

Hello friends. It’s been a while, but darleneabbott.net finally has a home.  For now, it’s just a simple blog. But my husband is also working diligently behind the scenes to turn this humble little house of words into a great big wonderful website. (Thanks, honey.)

So drop me a comment, and let me know you stopped by.  I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Darlene :)