....and the livin's easy...

I have to admit....my head is spinning with the stories and ideas I have planned for this blog, so much so, that I was really having a hard time deciding WHAT to post today!
   Some of my dilemma has to do with my mildly OCD personality, the part of me that wants to give you money saving ideas and ALL of the ways to help you do that, all at once ( alas, this makes for a pretty crappy blog, if it's all a BLOB), the other half is my throw caution to the wind side, and wants to show you some new beauty products etc, but again...I need separate posts for all of those things too.
    So, I sat down and wrote a list( yes, I'm old school..I use a pen and <gasp> paper) and found a happy medium,  money saving, and incorporates some principles that I use to score some of my frivolous makeup and beauty expenses too.


                                                 Simple Easy ways to cut household expenses

• D.I.Y whenever you can, for as much as you can-Once again, the internet is an amazing source and wealth of information, especially when it comes to DIY and saving money( seems everybody's doing it) I have recently had the pleasure of joining Pinterest, and thankfully there's a category of DIY/crafts..for me, it may just be the perfect place to dwell, so many fun things, ideas and sites all in one place, just be sure to "pin it" when you see it so you don't miss a thing. Some items I have been making myself ( and LOVING) are homemade laundry soap, fabric softener, laundry pre-treater, body wash, body scrub..and my latest...flavored coffee creamers and fresh baked bread. Not only are these easy and in my opinion fun to make, but the savings is truly remarkable...I'll be doing individual posts about each DIY item I've listed..so stay tuned :)

• Ditch the disposable for the reusable-This is a step , that like many other changes in one's life, may take a bit of time to transition to...some people choose to do this as a means of "going green" , my sole purpose for doing this was to " save on green"...disposable razors and paper towels are just two money sucking items that can be replaced for more cost efficient items.

• Thrift shop-Again, I don't expect all ideas to be for everyone, but this is one that can REALLY be a money saver. Now..I'll be honest.. I've been writing about how to save money, but there are things I will not give up, or skimp on..( I WILL keep my cell phone and cable T.V.) but as far as my wardrobe..well, I'm not a fashionista, so thrifting works for me..I just bought my entire summer capri wardrobe, and t-shirts for around $30, YUP ALL of it, however, here's my restriction to this rule....my son gets new, new toys, new clothes and new shoes( I get new shoes too, but not as frequently as a 6 year old), this is also a fantastic way to un-clutter and purge all of those items in your closet that you really don't know what to do with, thrift stores LOVE donations.

• Circular shop and store hop-Weekly circulars to local grocery stores are your weekly meal plan, use sale items as well as items in season to plan your family's weekly meals, or to supplement previously purchased items. Store hopping is also a way to shop sales and save money, but only if it proves beneficial to your gas tank and budget, I happen to be lucky to live near an area that has multiple stores within a 1-2 mile strip, so the idea of stopping at 3,4 or even 5 different stores is not such a far fetched notion for me, but for someone say, in Alaska that may have a 2 hour drive to the nearest store, not a viable option, understood. Hey, I can't make it all happen!!!

• Coupon, but not to the extreme-I LOVE a deal, bargain..and I LOVE me some coupons..I can't lie, BUT I will never understand the need for 86 bottles of yellow mustard or 103 bottles of hot sauce.I coupon and save money and every once in a while, I can get a REALLY GOOD deal( there will be more posts on couponing and some of my sweeter deals another time) I also "stack" coupons whenever I can..meaning, if I buy something at Target I use a regular manufacturer's coupon in conjunction with a target or target printable coupon, and save even more, not always possible, but worth it when you can make it happen

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• Make a list, pay cash when possible- I know, I know, in a swipe and go world..WHY would you carry cash???? The answer is simple, when you VISUALLY see what leaves your hands, you rethink some impulse buys, which is why a list is important too..not just for food but for all shopping, when you have an agenda, it's easier to stick to, saving you not only money..but your own TIME too, which as we all know..you simply can't put a price on....

O.K., you budget bandits, you sultans of savings....I'm off to make my list, and check it twice...until next time!!   Lauri :)