New Year's Resolutions

Every new year, I get a little wistful about making resolutions. So this year I decided to make some resolutions that you all could share with me. If we all tackled these, we would be healthier, happier, and have a little bigger wallet.

In the year 2008, I resolve to:

• Create a written budget. I will keep better track of my money so I don't wonder where it went.


• Plan weekly menus. I will try to plan them to use what I have and to take advantage of sales at the grocery store. It will be good to not each so much mac and cheese and helper.


• Check my credit report, and those of my other family members. Everyone is allowed one free credit report check annually. I just want to make sure ours are accurate.


• Exercise three times a week. (This will be the hardest one for me. I am lazy.)


• Consume more water and less soda. My kidneys and my wallet will thank me.


• Hold the mother of all garage sales. I need to do a massive purge - so why not bring in a bit of change at the same time?

That's my list for now. I know there are more things I could do, and I probably will do them... but you have to start somewhere.

What are some of your resolutions?

Losing Weight on a Budget

I don't know about you, but we have a LOT of candy, cookies, and other fattening things in our house right now. They are so hard to resist.... and so hard to get off my thighs!

When I was pregnant with the twins, I gained 50 pounds.. and amazingly enough, 47 of those pounds came off very easily within the first two months of their birth. But, unfortunately, a few pounds have snuck back on (I think it's the daily snack of Goldfish crackers!). I've been trying to figure out how I can lose weight and get in shape (I don't think I've been "in" shape since about 6th grade!)

About four years ago, I did Weight Watchers. I lost 20 pounds. By osmosis, my husband lost 30. Now three kids later, our weight has crept back up. I was contemplating returning to Weight Watchers since I know it works. But getting to meetings is a challenge for me, and as a cheapskate, I can no longer justify the $40+ a month to be a member.

So I found this website and I signed up for it. It's called SparkPeople, and it does quite a few of the things that the Weight Watchers Online program does - a community of people to chat with, a food and exercise tracker, regular e-mail reminders and tips, exercise demonstrations and ideas, and more. It also customizes a diet and exercise plan based on your personal goals. The whole things is FREE, which is what I am totally jazzed about.

I'm only in day two... and to be honest, I've really only been tracking my food (which I realize now is really not all that healthy for me!). The program seems easy to follow and the site is easy to navigate. I plan to dive head first into living healthier at the start of the new year and keep you updated. First I have to get all this fattening stuff out of my house! Kit Kat, anyone?

Laundry Money

If you took a look at my laundry room, you would be surprised by the 20 containers of Tide on the shelves... It's not that I am obsessive compulsive (okay, I am, but not in this case). What happened was that two years ago I bought a Maytag Neptune washer and dryer and they came with 36 coupons for free 100-oz bottles of Tide. The problem was that the coupons were going to expire last June... so I made sure that every time I went to the store, I picked up my free bottles of Tide. The best part was that Tide changed their formula to a concentrated one, so at the end I ended up getting about three times the amount of detergent than I expected!

But, I digress. Here are some ways I save on laundry:

• Buy the best laundry detergent you can afford (with coupons). I've bought the cheap stuff, and it doesn't work. Find coupons and samples and get your clothes clean the first time.


• If you are using a quality detergent, you don't need to use the amount they recommend. You can use half that amount and your clothes will still get clean.


• Line dry your clothes - especially things like sweaters and other delicate items. They'll last longer.


• If you use your dryer, set it to sensor dry so that it stops drying when the clothes are dry.


• You don't usually need to use fabric softener. But if you feel you must, you can cut the fabric softener sheets into thirds. Just one third of the sheet works just as well as a whole one.


• Always wash and dry full loads of laundry.


• Wear your clothes more than once (gasp!) Sometimes people wash things that aren't even dirty. Stop that. It's wasteful.


• Fold and put away your clothes right after you are done with laundry. No ironing.


• You do not need to buy "wrinkle-releaser." If your shirt is wrinkly, simply mist it with a water bottle and smooth it out on your bed. Then take your shower and get dressed. By the time you leave the house, your clothes will be dry and wrinkle-free. (This works best on cotton. You can also mist things and give them a spin in the dryer, but that's not much of a cost savings).


• Get an energy efficient washer and dryer. You will use less water, detergent, and electricity, AND your clothes will get cleaner.

We survived!

The holidays are over... but the sugar rush continues. I'll have to add weight loss to my new year's resolutions, I'm afraid.

We had a fabulous Christmas (four different times, actually). We are truly blessed! I hope you had a great holiday, too!

And now we're settling back into the old routine. A few people have asked me if I went to the after-Christmas sales, but I didn't. I was too exhausted and we really didn't need anything. I should have been looking for gifts for next year, but I just couldn't get started that early. I may take a look tomorrow when I am in town to see if there's anything left.

Did any of you find great deals after Christmas?

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I knew the holidays with three boys under the age of three would be busy... but I didn't realize just how busy!

I probably won't get much of a chance to blog over the next few days (we celebrate Christmas four different times in two days!), but I do want to take this brief moment to wish everyone a very happy (and safe) holiday!

Please remember that it isn't about how much money you have or what "stuff" you get. Christmas is about family & friends and togetherness. Enjoy!

Keeping "tabs" on products

The other day I went to put a diaper on my son and discovered that it was missing a tab. So aside from taping it, the diaper was completely useless. I was just going to let it go, but then I thought, "Hey, I have three kids in diapers. I NEED every diaper in this package."

So, I called Huggies and told them what happened. They apologized, asked for some information and promised to send me some coupons to "Compensate me for my inconvenience."

In today's mail, I had a coupon for $3 off any Huggies product, and two $1 off coupons for any Kimberly Clark product., and an apology note. Sweet!

I don't usually call and complain to companies. But when I feel there is a significant problem, I almost always do. For example, I got a $50 gift card and phone call apology from Sears following a really awful repair situation I had a few years ago. We had a set of Playtex bottles that didn't have any holes in the nipples (poor baby!!!), and I got coupons for replacements and other products. I also got a coupon for a free jar of Kraft Miracle Whip because I couldn't get the jar open. (Eventually I did, but SHEESH, it shouldn't have been that hard... I mean, what if I was an old person - I could have died trying!)

Anyway, the bottom line is that YOU are the customer, and if you don't say anything, how will they be able to improve on their product or service? So speak up, and you may be rewarded with better products and maybe some savings.

Sign Me Up for Bargains

One of the things I have done that has helped me save money is signing up to be on companies' e-mail lists. I have set up a yahoo e-mail account, because once you start signing up for these things, you will get a gazillion messages a week.

Companies will send you links to information, recipes, and most importantly, coupons! I've also gotten a lot of tips on big sales and free shipping offers by doing this.

I've added another favorite to my list of blogs - iMommies. Today iMommies posted about a coupon available at Kmart.com that could essentially get you a free braided rug. So while I was checking out the Kmart website for myself, I decided to join their e-mail list. This afternoon I got an e-mail from them with a $5 off a purchase of $50 or more. So next time I find a diaper sale at Kmart, I'll be able to score some additional savings. Sweet!

A good shopping trip

Yesterday my mom took me to Target (still not allowed to drive a car yet). It was nice to get out of the house. I had quite a few coupons (a total of $28 worth) and so I got some good deals. I like to document my savings because it keeps me motivated and reminds me of what I can do by spending a little time clipping coupons and printing coupons off the Web.

Here are some of my deals:

• Gerber Rice Cereal - 16 oz package - $0.69
• Huggies diapers size three - 16 cents/diaper
• Huggies diapers size six - 26 cents/diaper
• 12.9 oz can of Similac Advance formula $5.19 (normally $13 a can).
• two, 2-oz bottles of Purell hand sanitizer (perfect for the diaper bag) - FREE

If you haven't looked at yet, check out CouponMom's website. It can really help you find great deals on things.

Free Publicity

As a cheapskate, I can't help but love free things. So I was really excited when Heidi Holtan from KAXE 91.7 FM Radio approached me about recording some "Northern Cheapskate" spots for them. Free publicity for my blog is great! The first segment will air tomorrow during the KAXE Morning Show. I've been told it will play at around 6:50 a.m. and then maybe one other time later during the show. If people like it, it could become a regular Monday feature.

For those of you who don't know, KAXE is one of the last truly independent public radio stations around. It has a great mix of news, music (you rarely hear repeats!) and entertainment. Favorite shows of mine include the Morning Show, Between You & Me, Real Good Words, and Green Cheese (free Saturday night entertainment!) The folks at KAXE have a way of making you feel like you're part of the cool crowd... and for a nerd like me, that's a good feeling. The best part is that if you can't find KAXE on your dial, you can also listen to live audio-streaming on the internet at their website.

I'm excited to be able to share tips and information about frugal living with a wider audience. I want to inspire others to get jazzed about saving money and getting out of debt. I hope you get a chance to tune in. Let me know what you think!

Staying on top things

I've had many people tell me I am "too organized." Friends and family say they are impressed that I am able to stay so organized with three kids. I don't see organization as an option. If I don't stay on top of things and stay organized, things just don't work right in our house. And that makes me insane!

So how do I do it? I have a planner. Early in my career, I had a boss who sent me to a day-long time management seminar put on by Franklin Covey. I learned so much in that one day about how to prioritize things and make the most of my time. Yes, the system is pricey (you could find other planners for less), but it has more than paid for itself in terms of my sanity.

I make many lists, prioritize things, and if I don't finish something today, I make sure to put it on tomorrow's list. It's a lot easier to remember things if you've written them down. I also write notes on conversations I've had with businesses, doctors, etc., so I can go back and review details and instructions. This is really helpful when you have billing problems with a company or are managing a chronic health issue.

Other things that I do:

I make sure I know what I have. This means keeping your pantry, closets, cupboards, etc., clean and organized. When I cleaned out my linen closet this summer, I found I had four bottles of Febreeze... I don't even use Febreeze... but now I know that I certainly don't need any more. By knowing what's in my pantry and freezer, I know when to stock up on sale items. This has saved me a lot of money.

I keep things in the same place. For example, I always keep my keys in the same place so I'm not running all over the house looking for them.

I keep my diaper bag packed and ready to go at all times. You never know when you might have to leave in a hurry, so being ready helps. When I get home from being out and about, one of the first things I do is restock the diaper bag so I'm ready for the next outing. I also keep a small cosmetic bag packed with the essentials - cell phone, wallet, toiletries - that I can easily move between my diaper bag and purse. This is helpful for the times when I am able to leave the house without the kids and don't need to carry a diaper bag. I can just grab the cosmetic bag, throw it in my purse, and off I go. When I get home, I can just throw it back in the diaper bag and I'm ready to go somewhere with the kids.

There are definitely days where I feel paralyzed by a lengthy to-do list. But if you can stay on top of things - even if it means doing just a little bit every day - it's not so bad.

Practical presents

I'm kind of a minimalist when it comes to gift-giving and receiving. I just don't believe the focus of the holidays should be stuff. But I have found that it is nearly impossible to escape people wanting to give us stuff. Ever since I was a kid, I've always been drawn to practical things. I remember giving my grandma my Christmas list and she would say, "You don't really want that, do you?"

But it is true. The first Christmas my husband I were together he gave me a food processor. I wanted the food processor. I've also asked for things like sweaters, dishes, pots & pans, a Spotlifter, and this year, (much to my husband's amusement), I asked for photo paper. I don't buy a lot of things during the year... and so if people are set on giving me something, I want it to be practical and useful. I try to do the same thing with gifts that I give to others.

I'd still much rather just spend time with family and friends than fret over stuff.

Prescription for Saving

Well, Monday's minor surgery ended up being a bit more major than I had planned, but I'm home now and recovering. The extra stay at the hospital gave me time think about how I try to save on my medical expenses.

Whenever possible, I try to read up on my symptoms and conditions. I do not self-diagnose... I simple want to have an idea of questions I should ask and possible treatments. I do my best to squeeze every ounce of information out of my doctors. Smart Money magazine recently reported that the average visit with your general practitioner is about 12 minutes. I make sure that whenever I go to the doctor (or the kids do) that I come with a written list of questions. That way I can be sure my doctor doesn't rush me and I can make the most of my co-pay. My kids and I have the same doctor, so I'm able to ask questions about all of us during any single visit.

My ob/gyn has been helpful enough to call and talk with me via phone on certain questions that I've had, which saved me a ton of money on co-pays (and the hassle of finding baby sitters). Both my GP and the ob/gyn are also good about finding me free samples of medications that I've needed and my pharmacy always substitutes generics for the name brand pills whenever possible. I have also had my doctor prescribe a higher dose than I need, and then I split the pills to make them go further. (You can't do this with all meds, but some you can).

The best prescription for saving money on medical costs is to simply to take care of yourself by eating well and exercising.... not always the easiest thing for me, but I do what I can.

On a side note: I really appreciate living in a small community where you know many people on a first-name basis. The quality of my medical care has been superb - far better than I've received in larger cities.

Diaper deals

I have three boys in diapers, so I HAVE TO find bargains on diapers. I never buy diapers unless they are on sale... and they are almost always on sale. I also never buy diapers without a coupon. Fortunately, I have a lot of nice family and friends who send me coupons for diapers frequently.

When I had my first son, I tried many different kinds of disposable diapers, and finally settled on Huggies because they seemed to fit my son the best. So I became a bit of brand snob and that was the only kind I bought.

When the twins came, lots of people gave us diapers - all different brands... and I quickly learned not to be a diaper snob any more. I now buy whatever is on sale... the only exception is that I don't really care for the Wal-Mart Parent's Choice brand... those were the only diapers I've had a lot of issues with. I still prefer the name brands for my toddler (he produces a LOT of pee and the name brands seem to contain it better), but the twins have been doing well with the Target brand diapers. I also found a great website - Baby Cheapskate - that has reviews of diapers and rock bottom prices per diaper. It has a lot of useful information and is updated frequently.

I have tried ordering from Diapers.com. They take manufacturer's coupons (you have to mail them in ahead of time), they offer free shipping if your order is over $50, and a cash back program if you spend $75 or more. On the plus side, I loved getting the diapers delivered right to my door. I also loved that they came in GIANT packages. On the downside, I found that sometimes their prices were not as good as what I could find locally or elsewhere online. Example: My twins wear Huggies Overnights at bedtime or otherwise they leak. No stores in my area sell these diapers in their size, so I have to get them online. Amazon.com had these diapers for a couple of bucks cheaper than Diapers.com did (even when you factored in coupons) and they also have free shipping.

Some of you may wonder why a person who claims to be frugal does not use cloth diapers. To be honest, I have a strong aversion to handling human excrement. I want to be done with it as soon as possible. I'm also not convinced that the cost of detergent, hot water, and drying outweighs the cost of disposables. Plus, my time is worth something, too. I have better things to do than scrub baby poop out of a piece of terry cloth. I already do laundry every other day and that's enough for me. My sanity is worth a little something.

The best thing you can do when it comes to disposable diapers is to always figure out the cost per diaper and then look for the lowest cost possible. Put the word out to friends and family that you would appreciate diaper coupons for all brands.

Avoiding Christmas crunch

The holidays are a time of great temptation. There's a sale around every corner and it's hard to stay focused on the true meaning of the season. But if you ever want to have financial security in your life, you need to keep these things in mind:

DO NOT USE CREDIT CARDS FOR CHRISTMAS. Pay cash. Start saving for Christmas each January. Watch the sales year-round and buy things as you see them on sale. Subscribe to e-mails from companies you like. They'll tell you about sales, overstocks, and free shipping. Shop thrift stores for one-of-a-kind gifts. Sell your old junk and use the cash to get presents. The best gift you can give your family is the gift of financial solvency.

Do not worry about how much others spend on you. There have been times when I have been embarrassed by others' generosity. I have felt that I had to spend a certain dollar amount just so I wouldn't look "cheap." How dumb! Living beyond your means to impress family and friends is insane. You need to do what you can afford. Just remember that you are doing the best you can with the resources you have and that ultimately, it's the thought that counts, not how much money you spend.

If you're creative, make your own gifts. Some of the best gifts are those that can't be bought in a store. Things like photographs, baked goodies, handcrafted toys, and quilts are all meaning gifts.

You don't need to buy your kids ten zillion presents. I once heard a discussion on public radio about how extravagant Christmas has become. A woman called in and said she only buys her children three presents each. She said, "Three presents was good enough for Jesus - it should be good enough for them!"

Amen!

The baby food experiment, revisited

So, last weekend I made my own baby food. Using recipes I gleaned from http://wholesomebabyfood.com, I made a whole lot of squash, pears, sweet potatoes, and avocados. I used these little things called "Bebe cubes" to freeze and store the food.

The actual cooking and pureeing of the baby food was pretty easy. From start to finish, it took me about 1.5 hours. I think I could have done it in less time had I been more organized. I made a total of 85 little 1-oz. cubes of food.

Things I have learned from this process:

• I estimate that if I continue to do this (about twice a month), I will save approximately $50/month to feed my twins.
• My boys seem to like the homemade food more than the stuff you buy.
• The stuff I made smells a lot better than the stuff you buy.
• I questioned why we don't eat sweet potatoes more often. They're tasty!
• The "Bebe Cubes" suck. I already broke one when I dropped it while taking it out of the freezer. And if you fill them even the tiniest bit over the "max" line, the lids pop open exposing your product to severe freezer burn.
• I will continue to use the cubes... because, heck, I already own them. But I will also see about other small storage options... i.e. freezer storage bags and containers.
• It was fun making the food and I like knowing exactly what is in my babies' food.

Oil prices are gouging my budget

We have a duel fuel system for our hot-water heating system in our home. We use a combination of an oil boiler and an electric boiler to heat our home. The electric boiler is actually controlled by our power company. During peak times, they can shut it off. This causes our back-up system, the oil boiler, to kick in. By operating our heating system this way, we save about $150/month on our heating bill (compared to just running the oil boiler). We keep our home at a constant 68 degrees because we have babies in the house, and to be quite honest, I am just too crabby if I'm cold.

I had the oil tank filled for the first (and hopefully, ONLY) time this winter. YIKES! At $3.51/gallon, I spent $640. The cost of oil is up more than $1/gallon from last year. Fortunately, my oil company gives you a discount if you pay in full within five days of filling, so I did save $9. (whoopee).

I am very grateful that we put in the electric boiler last year. When we had it installed, I estimated it would take about 4 years to pay for itself. With oil prices as high as they are, I know it will pay for itself even sooner. I really sympathize with families who rely solely on oil or gas for heat, because I know what a giant crimp in the budget this year's oil purchase has been for us. The only thing you can really do is turn down your thermostats, put on a sweater, and make sure your home is weatherized.

A year ago there were two

One year ago today, I had the ultrasound that showed I was having not one, but TWO babies. When you find out you're having twins, you feel a mix of emotions. You feel doubly blessed. You question why you bought a Ford Focus.

One of the best pieces of advice came from a friend of mine, who suggested finding which businesses have programs for parents of multiples. I did some web research, and with a few phone calls and letters, snagged some great stuff for the babies.

Here's a list of some of the things I got for free just by asking:

• Gerber - coupons for baby food and sippy cups
• Huggies - $9 worth of coupons for any Huggies products
• Pampers - $6 worth of coupons for diapers, $3 for other Pampers products... and for some reason, they also sent an $8 Iams coupon for dog food???
• Luvs - $8 in Luvs coupons and a coupon for a free jumbo pack of Pampers.
  
• Sassy, Inc. - Two pacifiers and $4 worth of coupons for Sassy products.
• Earth's Best - Coupons for four free jars of baby food, free samples of lotion for me, plus a big bunch of coupons.
• Beech Nut - a whole book of coupons and a booklet with recipes that use baby food.
• Nature's Goodness - Coupons for four free jars of baby food, a free box of rice cereal, a free jug of juice, and other discount coupons.
• Evenflo - 6 baby bottles with standard nipples, plus 6 extra orthodontic nipples, and two sippy cups, and two teether toys.
• First Years - Two sippy cups and two soft teether books.

So, if you or someone you know is having twins or more, tell them to call or write to companies that sell products for babies. You will be pleasantly surprised at these companies' generosity.

Kill-a-watt

Ever wonder how much electricity that old refrigerator is using? Well, at my local library you can check out a cool little device called a "Kill-a-Watt" to find out. You can also purchase these in stores, but if your library or power company has one you can check out for free, that's all the better.

To use it, you simply plug in the appliance/item you want to know about, and then plug it into the wall. The "Kill-a-Watt" measures how much electricity the item uses. It's best to let it measure the usage for at least a week or two.

I used the "Kill-a-Watt" to find out what an energy sucker my 1980s chest freezer is. I estimate that the freezer costs me about $10/month to run. New freezers cost about $3-$4/month to run. I had been thinking about replacing my freezer for awhile, but now that I see how much energy it uses, I am even more motivated to save up to buy a new one.