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The Lure of Bargain Shopping

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Dave Ramsey often says that in every marriage there is typically a saver and a spender. And while my hubby isn’t a big spender by any means, he is the one more comfortable with spending, and I’m definitely the saver. Or the thrifty one, or the cheap one, or the tight one. However, you want to phrase it.

The one area that does seem to trip me up and really test my discipline is a good deal. There is something about getting a good bargain on an item that makes the item seem even more valuable. Are you with me? Like these shoes look even better because I got them on sale for 1/2 price.

But even good bargains can blow the budget, and if you’re like me, give you a bad case of buyer’s remorse. We were shopping with family over the weekend and I picked up an awesome stash– everything from a new yoga mat to pillows for the guest bed to a Garth Brooks box set. Fifty dollars and a few hours later, I was lying in bed kicking myself for spending money on things I didn’t really need. Now, $50 doesn’t seem like that much money but repeatedly giving in to the urge to snag a deal can put a dent in the bank account. That’s when I decided to set some rules for future bargain shopping.

Rule #1: Is this item something I had already planned to buy?

Rule #2: Is this item something I will actually use on a regular basis, at least once per week?

Rule #3: Is this item something I absolutely adore vs. just getting it because it’s a good price?

Rule #4: Is this really a good price? Could I get a better price if I waited or looked at another store?

Rule #5: Is this item on my list? Next time I go shopping, I’ll make a list of the things I need to buy and stick.to.it.

So I get to add a couple of errands to my to-do list this week as I return several of the items that I shouldn’t have purchased to begin with. But the extra time and inconvenience it will take will help me learn my lesson and not repeat the same mistake.

Free Expenses Tracker for Organized Christmas Shopping

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I have become a running joke in my family when it comes to Christmas presents. But in my defense, parents are really hard to buy for. My dad wants expensive things like boat parts or guns, and I never know whether my mom will actually use whatever I get her. (She has a bad track record– kitchen gadgets still in the box and candles unburned. Ha!)

Now that I have made all my excuses, let me tell you what I did. You know those personalized cake pans that are ideal for taking to a potluck? They are awesome and I love the one I was given as a gift. So I decided to get my mom one for Christmas. Good job, Ashley. But I didn’t keep records of my Christmas purchases that year, so a couple of years later, I got her another cake pan. Party foul!

But I won’t make that mistake again since I have vowed to track my Christmas purchases until I die. I thought I’d share my tracking spreadsheet to keep you from making my mistake.

Also, for the people in your life who are hard to get for, don’t be ashamed to buy gift cards. I’ve decided to use the golden rule for this one. I love getting gift cards so I can buy what I want, rather than what someone thinks I want. Really, who doesn’t love an Amazon gift card?

6 Ways to Save When Eating Out

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You would think with a toddler who does everything at 100% of max volume, our dining out expenses would be low. Wrong. Although we certainly aren’t enjoying any fine dining accompanied by classical music, we are big takeout fans. It usually happens on the weekends or on nights when little girls have run mommy ragged, and she doesn’t feel like cooking.

Anyway, in an attempt to cut down our dining out expenses, I rounded up a few tips to help without cutting out restaurants altogether.

  1. Skip the drinks.
    Even if you’re not drinking alcohol, having a glass of tea or soda costs a fortune. At about $2 each, just order water and stop at the grocery for a nicer beverage afterward.
  2. Share an entrée.
    One person can order an appetizer or side dish, while the other orders an entrée and a side. Appetizers and sides typically cost way less than entrees, and you’ll still have plenty of food to share with the large size of entrees. Another trick is to order an appetizer and a dessert to share, and skip the entrees completely.
  3. Find out where kids eat free.
    If you have kids, make a list of the restaurants that offer free kids meals and on what nights these deals are. Who wants to pay $5 for a kids meal that your kids just pick at anyway?
  4. Serve yourself or get takeout.
    Carrying out your food or choosing a restaurant where you do not have waiter means you eliminate or at least minimize the tip.
  5. Consider discount cards.
    If you eat at local restaurants pretty frequently, consider purchasing a discount card that is usually sold by school organizations. With 3 or 4 restaurant visits, you will recoup the cost of the discount card/book, and save a ton on your favorite restaurants.
  6. Keep an eye out for coupons.
    The Wednesday and Sunday newspapers both typically have restaurant coupons. Clip these even if you aren’t sure you will use them. Then, if you have a fierce craving for a meal not made with your own two hands, you can still save.

What other tricks do you have for saving cash when eating out?

Cut Grocery Spending without Couponing

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Does anyone else feel like they spend a fortune on groceries each month? It doesn’t seem to matter whether we are eating extra healthy or eating more processed foods, I can’t seem to get through the month without spending a ridiculous amount on groceries. But since my husband isn’t willing to starve and not feeding my daughter would be child abuse, I’ve tried to find a few ways to save money on groceries without turning into an extreme couponer. (Ain’t nobody got time for that.)

Here are the ways I’ve found to cut back:

  • Shop at ALDI.
    ALDI doesn’t have everything, but what they do have, I buy. Their food is almost always priced lower than everyone else, and they continue to get more and more healthy products like organic snacks, coconut oil and grass-fed beef. This girl has no problem bagging her own groceries if you save me bunches of moolah.
  • Download the Ibotta & Checkout 51 apps.
    I tried these apps after reading recommendations by Money Saving Mom. Both apps are super simple to use. Just add offers to your list and submit a photo of your grocery receipt after you buy the items. They add the dollars to your account, and you get either a gift card or Paypal deposit when you reach a set amount. The only reason I have not continued using these apps is because we do not buy much processed food, so I couldn’t use many of the offers. But if you do, check these out.
  • Create a price list.
    Make a list of the food items you buy most often, and write down how much the stores that you shop at charge for each item. Don’t forget to include wholesale stores and websites like Amazon if you have memberships. Making a price list means you’ll know with certainty which store has the best price and whether an item on sale is actually a good deal. Admittedly, I haven’t updated my list in a while, but I need to.
  • Go meatless on Mondays.
    Meat is one of the more expensive items to buy, and you can save a few dollars each week by cooking a meatless meal. Even hardcore meat eaters can make it one meal without the meat, right?
  • Shop the sales.
    If you compare the weekly ads and see that chicken is on sale at a great price, then make sure you have a chicken dish added to your menu for the week. And if you have the space in your freezer, you can buy extra and take advantage of the great buy.
  • Buy bagged produce.
    If you can get produce in a bag like apples, citrus, potatoes and onions, it is probably a better deal than buying them individually. Just make sure that if you buy 10 onions, you use them enough to eat them before they go bad. I speak from experience.

What other ways do you save on groceries? Are you big couponers or are you too lazy to do the work like me?

Show Me the Money: 3 Tools for Tracking Your Expenses

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When I met my husband in 2003, I was an old-school, money-tracking kind of gal. I logged everything in my check register and checked my transactions every month against my paper bank statement. Super cool, right? Anyway, when I met my hubby, he convinced me to “go digital” and try Quicken. Once I got the hang of it, I was sold and never looked back. (And the hubby enjoyed being right.)

No matter what method you use, tracking your income and expenses is a must to manage your money well. Knowledge is power, right?

Luke 14:28 says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” So here are the top 3 tools I recommend for counting your costs from beginner to advanced.

  1. EveryDollar.com
    EveryDollar was created by the Dave Ramsey team to help you create a budget in 10 minutes or less. It incorporates the baby step system into the budgeting categories and is an easy way to learn how to create a zero-based budget like Dave teaches. The biggest downside is that the free version doesn’t import transactions from your bank accounts automatically; you have to enter them manually unless you want to pay for the Plus version, which costs $99 per year. It is accessible from any device and offers Apple and Android mobile apps.
  2. Mint.com
    Mint is a free service that allows you to create a budget and import and categorize transactions from banks, investments and credit card accounts. You can set up alerts and be notified about bills due, large deposits made and if you exceed your budget in a certain category. It is accessible from any device and offers a robust mobile app.
  3. Quicken
    Quicken is owned by the same company as Mint and offers all the same features with one exception: it is a software program that is housed on a computer and not accessible online. And although you have to sacrifice some of the accessibility, Quicken makes up for that in added features. It allows you to attach images and PDF files (which I use for business receipts), make bill payments and generate in-depth reports. Some of the report options include net worth over time, spending over time, spending by store and more. It also has a mobile app similar to Mint. They offer three software options that range in price from $40 to $105 for Windows and $75 for Mac.
    Quicken is my favorite tool, because it is invaluable to me during tax time. I can print out reports in minutes that contain all the information our CPA needs to complete our taxes.

What about you? Do you track your expenses? Maybe you use something different than these 3 tools. Feel free to share what you use and what you like about it.