Where are you in your journey with coupons, deals, rebates, and more!?! Are you ready to refill your coupon binder and fall back into the routine of savings? It is never too late to create a budget and save money!!
I’ve (Litsa) remained a stay at home mom this past year and continue to work on our savings plan—–with coupons and deals to negate debt and to refrain from working outside the home until our little girl enters Kindergarten (only one year left)! It’s a challenge to stay on course with a savings plan in today’s economy but to show you and myself that it matters, I tallied up our savings for January 2013, February 2013, March 2013, April 2013, May 2013 & muddled through June & July! Our savings categories this month are off balance since we’ve been out of the country for the past six weeks but I left a few side notes for our readers’ inspiration/reflection.
Coupons: There are no coupons to use in Greece. Everything at the grocery store is full price and more than we pay for it in the states. Luckily, many villagers grow their own vegetables and we were able to eat healthy meals that my mom prepared with squash, peppers, tomatoes, and more.
Swagbucks/NCP/Cashback/ibotta/rebates/SavingStar: I took a break from all these venues this summer but I have Swagbucks to cash in on when I return in August. I enjoyed downloading apps and audible books for my five year old this summer with an NCP reward gift card–$25 itunes card. I have a little cashback bonus on my Discover Card but better yet a zero balance!! I’ve ACTIVATED SavingStar coupons to use in August and September. It will be helpful to pair their offers with sales and coupons now that our local Kroger does not double coupons.
Items Sold (items around the house): I re-listed an antique desk this summer and have a buyer waiting. We have had it listed for six months but it never sold. My hope is to sell it when we return to negate another $150 or $175 from medical bills. Selling items around the house keeps our home clutter-free too!
Blog Dealing (Two Sources): An unknown amount at this time….worked from Greece for a little extra money since my sister-in-law had to have Internet hooked up for her work. Having the service at my parents’ home allowed me the opportunity to make enough money to write one check for my daughter’s music lessons for the next five months (alleviates the need to write a check every month—and since it is an “added” expense, I have it covered! Think through how even $45 a month adds to your expenses…)
Online/Retail Store Savings: No savings but guess what!?! It might have been my best two months of savings yet. I didn’t buy anything. In Greece, we lived out of two suitcases. Amazing to note how little we need to just live…enjoy outside time and family! I’m thinking through a money savings plan called “Suitcase Savings”—come back to read about it!
Our family’s total was ?? for the months of June & July! That’s a grand total of $6,714.13 for seven months of working from home on deal blogging, living out of a suitcase, using stockpiles/freebies, etc. I’ll know more about how much of my vacation money is left over when I return home but I do know that I used $500 of it to pay back a personal loan to my dad. He didn’t need his money back but I wanted to know that I had done my share of returning it to him. Always pay back personal loans first—and never ask family/friends for money. I, myself, have to remember not to take my dad’s money even when he offers it to me. I must learn to live below my means—not above!
Now, I reiterate as in the past that I don’t encourage you to quit your job because the hours put in on accumulating this figure were FULLTIME hours! However, I can say that our stockpiles are still working wonders and will take us to the end of the year as we negate debt.
There’s always room to save! I opted to color my own hair again at home ($60 savings—and STILL much blonder than salon haircolor—a little summer fun & sun helps!) and I’m not using a gym membership (rather working out on my own outdoors on my walking/running routine)! Additionally, it was a great month to use stockpile items while we vacationed in Greece. We ate what was locally grown—and many bean dishes (less meat entrees)! All of these funds were well spent negating debt (less stress as debt has been lifted off of us)!! Our medical bills from January that came at us like snowballs are down to three bills! Three! I am elated and will focus on eliminating these by the end of the year! When I want to purchase something, I will think of paying lingering bills and having readers that are holding me accountable to my success—in turn I want you to be successful! How can I help you?
And again……there’s that dreaded budget word—–spend what you have coming in before you have the money in hand! That’s my focus for August as I watch sales, deals, and more to buy what we need and eliminate the WANT buying—-an all cash budget for daily needs throughout the month is another goal!! I was not there prior to May but after this seven month journey of savings, I’m ready for a cash budget—-let’s see how it works out!
There were many, many freebies too that came in the mail—-magazines and more! I don’t even know what has piled up at home until I return to find these treasures.
Let your journey of savings and having it all be just as prosperous as ours this SUMMER!
Set goals. Achieve—-as you envision where you want to be a month from now—or a year from now! My personal goal this summer beyond what I’ve already stated is to buy only perishables that we will consume so that we make full use of our stockpiles. We will PAY down medical bills the rest of this summer and hopefully by winter they’ll be gone!! We’ll continue to dine on summer fruits and vegetables—-and return to the routines of clipping coupons as we menu plan and prep for an all cash budget.
Pick a savings pal and get to it! You can do this too! Watch your savings grow, eliminate debt, & live joyfully having everything you desire!
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