photo credit: cohdra @ morguefile Sometimes the things we already have at home are the things that can hurt our budget the most. They’ve already been bought, but it’s how we use them or take care of them that makes us spend more money than necessary. We are so used to spending the money on them that we don’t realize the toll they are taking on our checkbooks. Just because we get a product for free or very cheap doesn’t {Read More}
Hidden Things That Break the Budget and How to Avoid Them
December 1, 2011 by 1 Comment
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Giving Kids an Allowance – Things that Break the Budget and How to Avoid Them
October 20, 2011 by 1 Comment
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Last week I talked about providing just the basics for your children, and letting them use their own money to pay for any extras they want. Because the kids spend their own funds for extras they are more likely to value them and take care of them. This week I’m going to talk about how I think they should get that spending money. There are many different views on allowances for kids. Some say they shouldn’t get it. Others say {Read More}
Will You Go Back to Kindergarten With Me?
October 11, 2011 by 1 Comment
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Do you remember being in Kindergarten and making a collage of pictures that represented wants and needs? As a Kindergarten teacher I often had a hard time deciding whether or not to send a student back to the magazines to find another picture. Some examples: Fast food Soda Phones -especially SmartPhones What about a truck?-more specifically a very tricked out truck. And the little girl with a very difficult home life who has a picture of a teddy bear? Some {Read More}
What Are Points (on a mortgage) and Should I Pay Them?
July 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Last week I wrote about how I would go about making the decision to refinance our mortgage if we thought it might be beneficial. This week I’m going to talk about points. These days almost any mortgage loan has points associated with it. Points are a percentage of your loan balance paid up front. Basically you pay points up front in exchange for a lower rate. Your lender could also pay you points up front to get you to take {Read More}
Do You Wonder- "Should I Refinance My Home?"
July 7, 2011 by 1 Comment
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Let me preface this post by saying that I am not a certified public accountant, nor am I an accountant. I am simply someone who loves calculations and loves to help people save money. This post is an explanation of how I would determine if my family should refinance a mortgage. photo © 2010 nikcname | more info (via: Wylio) I’ve heard it said that you should only refinance if you can save more than 1/2 a %. I’ve also {Read More}
My Kids Pay the Maid With Their Allowance!
June 23, 2011 by 4 Comments
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Tuesday night I had the privilege to attend a frugal living class presented by Pary Moppins and her friend. I was inspired to try many new things at home to be more efficient with our time and money. At the close of the class it was suggested that everyone share a frugal tip. I was at a loss because so many of my frugal ideas had already been shared by Julie. So, I shared how we handle allowances and “pay {Read More}
See a Penny, Pick It Up, and All Day Long You’ll Have Good Luck
June 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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“See a penny, pick it up, and all day long you’ll have good luck, give it to a faithful friend, then your luck will never end” There are numerous debates about whether or not the government should stop producing pennies. Some say they aren’t worth anything. Some say they aren’t worth what it costs to produce them (which is factual). Others say that retailers should just forgive balances that would require a penny of cash for payment. So my thoughts? {Read More}
A Stockpile Doesn’t Have to be Extreme
May 26, 2011 by
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I’ve had multiple readers ask to see my stockpile. Several people that are new to couponing or have recently discovered that I coupon, have asked if I have an entire room or garage devoted to my stockpile. The prevailing theory seems to be that since the couponers on TLC’s Extreme Couponing show have massive stockpiles that everyone must have the same practice. I’d like to show you a few pictures of a more normal, modest stockpile. Here’s my main stockpile {Read More}
The Secret to Couponing Is Not the Coupons
April 14, 2011 by 3 Comments
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I know it’s hard to believe, but the secret to couponing is not the coupons, it’s knowing what price you should pay for an item. It’s very easy to get swept up in a sale, especially BOGO sales or 50-60% off sales. You need to know what price is the everyday price, a good price, and a great price. What I’m talking about is having a price list. A price list tells you when you’ve found a good price, even {Read More}