Fashion Friday: Celebrity Looks for Less - Reese Witherspoon Celebrity's have some of the best clothes don't they? Well it makes sense when they have a ton of money to spend on clothes! Like this great spring outfit from Reese Witherspoon. It's bright and colorful! View image | gettyimages.com In this picture she is wearing: Jewelry is by Celine The bracelet can cost about $950, the necklace $2,000+ Purse by Givenchy that cost an average of $1,600 for that size strappy sandals by Pedro García that run about $400 Sunglasses are by Tom Ford and are currently $360! That alone is a price tag of over $5,300 and we haven't even added in the shirt and pants! Do you love this look but want it for less? Check out my lower cost version Get this look for under $250 … [Read more...]
5 Tips for Making Your Home Warmer
5 Tips for Making Your Home Warmer With winter weather bearing down on a very large part of the country right now, it’s never been more important to keep your home warm. A cold house can cost you big if you’re not careful, and in more ways than one. High heating bills, doctor bills if your family gets sick, prescription meds and home repairs caused by the cold can all become budget busters very easily. To keep those bills in check, use these 5 tips for making your home warmer to keep your home nice and toasty. Seal the windows For most people, this is a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at how many people know it but don’t actually do it. Taking the time to use a window kit, or even thick trash bags and sealing your windows from any leaks can save you hundreds and not … [Read more...]
Preparing Financially to Become a Stay at Home Parent
Preparing Financially to Become a Stay at Home Parent For as long as I could remember I always wanted to be a stay at home mom. I wanted to go to PTA meetings, be there to chaperone field trips, go to soccer practice, menu plan, grocery shop, and manage the home. The dream has changed a bit since we homeschool the concept of being home with the kids is still the same. Thankfully Hubby and I have been able to make this come true. We got married we weren’t very smart money wise. Basically everything we paid for the wedding went on a credit card. We were young and didn’t care much about budgets and such. But I knew I always wanted to be a stay at home mom so once we found out we were pregnant we had to sit down and figure out if we could make that happen. Then when hubby was deployed … [Read more...]
5 Easy Ways To Save On Groceries Without Clipping Coupons
5 Easy Ways To Save On Groceries Without Clipping Coupons Food budgets consist of the largest portion of many families budgets. These 5 Easy Ways To Save On Groceries Without Clipping Coupons are a great start for you toward staying within your grocery budget. Following these tips can save you hundreds of dollars a month, and potential for thousands per year. Some planning ahead is all it takes to save a lot of money on your family grocery budget. Buy Meat In Bulk: You can almost always get better deals on meat when you buy in bulk. That can be buying a side of beef once per year, or simply buying the larger family style packages in store when they are on sale at great low prices. Shop Clearance Produce & Breads: Almost every grocery store will have a cart or … [Read more...]
Homemade Foaming Soap Trick That Saves You Money!
Homemade Foaming Soap Trick That Saves You Money! Hand soap is something we all need and use on a regular basis (I hope!) Well I have to say I am a fan of foaming soap it seems less 'goopy' (is that even a word?!) then regular hand soap. Plus my kids like it and are amazed by it so it's a bit of an incentive to wash their hands. But foaming soap can cost more than regular soap. I'm not sure why when you can make your own and save a TON of money doing it! Related: 35 Uses for Fels Naptha That Will Change Your Life How you might ask? Well the average bottle of foaming hand soap (without coupons) is about $3. You can get a bottle of regular hand soap for $1.47 on Amazon (no coupons). Using my trick below you can get on the LOW end 5 bottles of foaming hand soap (I tend to … [Read more...]
Tips for Homeschooling as a Working Parent
Tips for Homeschooling as a Working Parent Working parents should be able to homeschool their children, if this is what they decide. A lot of parents decide against homeschooling because they fear they will not be able to devote the right amount of time to it, however, it is possible! Here are some tips for homeschooling as a working parent: #1. Work Together If you’re married and homeschooling, your best bet is to tag team this homeschooling endeavor together. You can take turns teaching lessons, or even decide who will do the majority of the teaching. The other parent can still act as a support system to the whole family. The support system might include helping to aid extra learning lessons or even following up with any assignments that are becoming due. #2. Create a … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Shrink Your Monthly Expenses
6 Ways to Shrink Your Monthly Expenses Do you budget your money and still feel like your bank account is running on empty by the end of each month? The shortage of cash is likely due to your monthly expenses - not the house or car payments, but those recurring fees that pile up throughout the month. Read on to find out how you can shrink your monthly expenses so you can keep more moolah in your bank account! Cancel unused memberships. It's actually been proven that super cheap memberships are paid for month after month, even when the payee isn't using the service. That's because the little expenses are easily forgotten or don't seem worth the hassle of canceling - but they quickly add up! Take a look at the recurring fees you have signed up for, and get rid of any that … [Read more...]
55 Ways to Save on Your Electric Bill
55 Ways to Save on Your Electric Bill I love that my electric company allows us to view our electric and how much we use each day. The other day I was looking and realised we were spending $15 a day! OUCH! Yes I know it's winter and all but still OUCH! So I sat down to think of all the way i know wo to save electric and asked around for a few I didn't know and I got a list of 55 and was able to cut my electric bill. We were able to save $5 a day! This saved us $150 a month! Here is what I came up with! Remember not every option will work for every one, Some will only work if you are remodeling your house! Others you might already be doing every day! See if you can change carried to a lower rate - Many states like, PA offer you a choice of who you can get your electric by. Call … [Read more...]
One Tip Even Beginners Can Do That Can Save You $1200 a Year on Groceries. No Coupons Needed!
We are all looking for ways to save money. One of the biggest variables in everyone’s budgets is groceries. Next to house payments it’s sometimes the biggest bill but that also means it’s budget that can offer you the most savings! Let me be honest we don't all gave time to clip and cut coupons like we know we should. Life takes over, things happen. I know the weeks leading up to baby # 4 being born and weeks after clipping coupon were SO far off my radar! So we needed ways to save money without using coupons for when those times arise. One Tip Even Beginners Can Do That Can Save You $1200 a Year on Groceries. No Coupons Needed! Hubby and I have tried many ways from shopping solely with cash to cutting our budget but this one tick that I have found saves us the most! I call it my … [Read more...]
How to Use the Cash Envelope Budget System
Did you know that using cash instead of a debit or credit card can usually help you cut your spending? The reason behind it is that when you use cash, you typically pay more attention to what you’re spending than you do if you’re just swiping a card. Paying more attention means you spend less because you’re more aware of how much money you actually have. How to Use the Cash Envelope Budget System One of the best ways to manage this budget is with cash envelopes. The cash envelope budget is easy to set up, easy to maintain, and easy to see what you have left. It’s also a fantastic way to see where you’re overspending and where you may be able to lower your budget because you’re underspending! Don't forget you can also add money to your budget with things like earning … [Read more...]
I Lost My Job…Now What?
I Lost My Job…Now What? In today’s day and age, not having a job can be a death sentence for a family. Stress levels immediately jump, worries increase and yes, if not handled correctly, it can tear a family apart. It doesn’t have to be that way though if you’re careful. There are several things you can do to protect yourself and your family in case you lose yours. Lock up your wallets – As soon as you lose your job, all…and I mean all…unnecessary spending has to stop. If you’re not going to have an income coming in, you can’t afford (literally) to be sending the cash you have out. For now, you will need to only spend money on your necessary expenses like rent, utilities, food and transportation. Apply for assistance – As much as some of us hate the idea of being on … [Read more...]
How Knowing Your Grocery Store Layout Can Save You Money
How Knowing Your Grocery Store Layout Can Save You Money Have you ever went to the store for “just milk” and come out with a cart load of groceries? I know I have in the past. You go in for a $3.00 gallon of milk and suddenly? You’ve spent $100.00 that you hadn’t budgeted for and bam, now the electric bill is going to be late, but hey! You’ve got those Oreo’s that were on sale! There are a couple of reasons that this happens. One is that you didn’t shop with a list and got distracted. We all know that shopping with a list keeps you on task and generally can help you spend less. The other reason may be something you didn’t realize. If you don’t know your stores layout? You will almost always spend more. Here’s why: Stores generally place dairy and meat items in the back of the … [Read more...]