Northern Cheapskate

Frugal. By Nature.

Search Results for: lower your grocery bill

Maximize Your Hard-Earned Money

Maximize Your Hard-Earned Money

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While sure, knowing the difference between an ira vs 401k is important to figure out when it means contributing money to your future, so you want to ensure it’s the best choice for your financial situation, but prior to getting to that point, it may be time to look at your whole financial picture.  It certainly is not easy to handle the household finances, otherwise everyone would not be in debt and would be ahead, instead of living paycheck to paycheck.  I understand money can be tight, but … [Read more...]

The Best Ways to Save at the Grocery Store

The Best Ways to Save at the Grocery Store

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Grocery shopping is not the fun household chore to do, but it is essential in keeping the food cost budget down by avoiding going out to eat, so keeping the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry stocked is a must.  Finding a parking spot, fighting the crowds by those who leave their cart in the middle of the aisle, and the long checkout lines are some annoyances in going grocery shopping, but hopefully seeing that bill come down at the checkout and leaving extra money in your pocket will be enough … [Read more...]

Don’t Let These Common Budget Fails Affect Yours

Don’t Let These Common Budget Fails Affect Yours

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Keeping a successful budget is difficult, probably why two-thirds of American’s fail at it.  In order to have an efficient budget, you will need to budget for monthly expenses, including utilities, mortgage, car payments, and food and gas, but beware of a few items that can ruin a budget quickly if you are not careful. Auto Upkeep & Repair If you have a new lease, you probably not need to worry as oil changes are now only needed once a year and everything is covered under warranty, but … [Read more...]

The Importance of Tracking Your Expenses

The Importance of Tracking Your Expenses

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How much did you spend on groceries this month? How much did you spend on eating out? Can  you answer the question definitively?  Or are you just guessing? We talk about sticking to our budgets and about whether or not an expense is in our budget, but according to a 2013 Gallup Poll, only 32 percent of Americans actually have a written budget. Without that written budget, how do you really know if an expense is in your budget?  Just because you can see money in your bank account isn't … [Read more...]

Coupons 101: Your Guide to Saving Money

An Introduction to Coupons by Christina Brown of Northern Cheapskate Using coupons is one of my all time favorite things to do to save money.  But if you've never used coupons, it's easy to make excuses for not doing it. I'm here to debunk some of the common myths surrounding coupon clipping and show you how you can save money with just a little effort. First, the myths debunked: Coupon clipping takes too much time.  When you're organized and you have a good system, it only takes … [Read more...]

From Trash to Treasure: Your Ideas for Re-Purposing Old Stuff

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I'm so impressed by how creative my readers are! During my reusable tote bag giveaway, I had more than 300 people send me their tips to re-purpose their old stuff into something new. I really wish I could share them all with you (and maybe some day I will), but for now I thought I'd highlight some of my favorites. I've tried to organize them by category so they're more user-friendly. Be sure to check out some of the blogs, too!Baby and Kid StuffI've turned an old milk crate into a toy box. - … [Read more...]