Not Just a Mom

Hello and happy Monday!

Well, this Monday hits different as we head back to school after a week of fun in the sun. That’s ok though…it’s always good to get back in a routine, and I always love the month of October and all the fun we have in store.

Today, I’m co-hosting our monthly Not Just a Mom link up with some of my favorite boggers:

This year we’ve discussed:

• Introductions in January
• House rules in February
• Day in the life (weekend edition) in March
• Cleaning hacks in April
• Pet peeves in May
• How we became a mom in June
• Top 5 favorite family activities in July
• What’s in my handbag in August
• Hobbies in September

This month’s topic is money saving tips.

Well, to start, here are a couple of ideas:

…and…

ha ha ha ha…ha!

If I had to guess, I think Travis would say a money saving tip is to not get married 😆…and I’d say don’t have kids haha

I am not necessarily an expert on money saving tips, but I do try to save money whenever I can.

Seriously, I try really hard not to buy something unless it’s on sale or I have a coupon.

Here are a few tips that came to mind:

• Coupons: I don’t really use paper coupons anymore because they don’t seem to exist! I always check apps for deals and coupons. For example, before placing my Kroger order, I always click on the digital coupons.
• Meal plan: I try to have a plan for our meals and tailor our grocery list to that plan. I do think using Clicklist helps with not overspending even though some weeks I still buy more than others. Also, I try to make a meal or two based on what’s in our freezer. So, if I have ground beef in the freezer, I will plan for tacos or spaghetti for dinner. That means, I have less to buy at the grocery store.
• Look for discounts: There are quite a few stores that have teacher discounts like Michael’s, J Crew, and Vineyard Vines. Now, some places only offer discounts during Teacher Appreciation Week, so sometimes I wait and stock up on items then. Listen, I will flash my teacher badge for just about anything free or discounted. haha My school district just started letting teachers get into school/district athletic events for free. Like…what took so long?! Of course, I could get in free to my school events, but I always thought it was odd that they didn’t let teachers in at any school. I’m about to save $5/game during my kids’ sports seasons!
• Library: As much as I love to read, I know I save money by getting books from the library versus purchasing them. I probably only buy one or two books a year, and those are usually books I want to read in the summer.
• Wait for sales: Of course, there are Prime Days and Black Friday/Cyber Monday where you can take advantage of major sales. By now, I kind of know when some of my favorite stores will have sales. Also, again, sometimes there are sales that are only on the app. For example, Target had 30% off women’s boots recently, and that’s when I would buy boots if I needed them. I don’t think I’ve ever paid full price for a Bath and Body Works candle. They always have a deal on two single wick candles or half price three wick candles. Vineyard Vines will always have an “end of summer” sale, and since those are the swim trunks Hayden loves the most, I buy a pair and save them for his Easter basket. Old Navy was having a huge sale on pjs this weekend and I had $10 Old Navy cash. I always get the kids Christmas pjs for their November birthday (mostly just pj bottoms now), and I get them when Old Navy has a sale. Because I also had the $10 cash, I didn’t pay much at all for two pj pants and a Christmas sleep shirt. Of course, just because there’s a sale doesn’t mean you have to buy anything. That being said, I really try to buy as much as possible when there’s a sale or I have a coupon or points to use on something I would buy anyway.
• Space out spending: I try really hard to space out spending. By now, I kind of know when the kids will have sports fees or other things that cost money like a school trip. With the kids having November birthdays and then Christmas in December, we try to not spend as much in September/October. That being said, kids are expensive. lol We just do the best that we can.
• Plan: We try to plan for yearly trips and save accordingly.
• Save: Of course, having a savings plan is always a good idea.
• Girl math: I always return things I don’t want. If I order something and don’t absolutely love it, I will return it. Most stores make returns easy, so that helps! When I took Hadley back to school shopping, she got two pairs of shorts at Pac-Sun. One pair was $40 in store, but then I looked online, and they were $18!! I emailed Pac-Sun, and they gave me a refund for the difference. Girl math: when I return something, I’m saving money 😉
• Cancel apps– Apps like Apple TV, Canva, etc. add up. Sometimes in the summer when we have more time, we will get a month of Apple TV or Paramount to watch a few shows, but then I put a note on my calendar to remind me to cancel. I love Canva, and thought I’d try out the “Pro” version for free for a month. I do love it, so I might keep it for another month, but I will just put a note in my calendar to remind me to cancel if/when needed. Little things add up.
• The kids: They’ve earned some money this summer, and we’ve made sure they put some in their savings account. Since they mostly get cash, they put some in their piggy bank, sometimes they give for offering at church, they have some on hand in case they need it, and then Travis will also put most in their account. Also, for example, I will pay for Hadley to get a manicure as a “back to school” treat, but I always have her pay the tip with her own money. I want her to learn what it means to tip 20% for a service. If there’s a random time she wants something like a new shirt or manicure, she knows she will typically have to pay for it.

What money saving tips do you have? Again, we’re definitely not perfect, and I lean on Travis most for our budgeting…but I get him fed, so we all have our strengths!

Next month, we’re talking about comfort food. I’m kicking this week off with comfort food thanks to the cooler temps. For dinner this week, we’re having chili and Chicken Tortilla soup!

I hope you’ll check out the other ladies’ posts and link up with us if you can!

I hope you have a great start to your week!

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