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 - $0.69Huggies diapers size three - 16 cents/diaperHuggies diapers size six … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]