August Budget

Tomorrow is the first day of a new month.  Have you made your budget yet? I absolutely love it when the first if the month is the first day of flyers day! Man, I am a nerd!
Don’t forget that school supplies need to come out of the budget for this month.  My daughters also need $6 for their agenda on the first day of school. I like to have that in their book bag when we place the school supplies inside.
2 pairs of sneakers are needed ( I cheat and try to get them at a thrift store and clean them with resolve and magic erasers) for school, as well as a new outfit for back to school.  This is my highest month for the clothing budget.
Some activities also need to be paid this month, even though the classes don’t start until September.
Man what am I forgetting?

It pays to be frugal.

Christmas...5 months from today!

Well, it’s that time of year where I mention that dirty word...Christmas🎅🏻 It is 5 minus from today, do you have a plan?

Today I picked up this nice reusable bag at Sobeys for about the same price as a gift bag from the Dollarama.  My mom loves plants and I will use it for her gifts and then she can reuse it when she shops.  I plan to pick up one or two a month with my grocery shopping.

I have a bin that I use just for adult gifts.   When I see things cheap ( and I start on Boxing Day) that I think would be a good gift for an adult I throw it in this bin. I keep the bin in the same place all year so I know where to look for fast hostess gifts, birthday and Christmas presents.

I have hidden way up high, gifts for my children.  As I see things they will like I pick it up and put it in their bin.  Each child has a bin and a bag that is for their Christmas stocking.  I check it every few months to see how much I’ve bought.  I take notes on what is in each bag for them.  My mom and husband also have a bag up there.  Morgan, don’t peek after reading this!

I also have an envelope for my budget that is for Christmas.  Determine how much you want to spend. A year on decorations, gifts, food and wrapping paper and cards.  Divide it by 12 and start tucking money away.  I absolutely love Christmas and it doesn’t cause me stress. I attribute it to my planning.
 Comment on our Facebook page how you prepare and save for Christmas we can all learn from each other

It pays to be frugal.

How much do you use?

OK it’s no secret that I love to stockpile items.   When I see a deal I love to take advantage of it and maximize it to the full potential.
There are items that I stock pile excessively, most of which are toiletries.  I know I am always going to use razors, soap and toilet paper and these items will never go bad.
I encourage you to take a moment and do a little inventory of your items.  Count how many you have and then see how long it takes to use the product.  This will help you be aware of how much you truly use and be able to begin to maximize the deals.
I’ll use toilet paper as an exa,ple. Oh I have a lot in this house, oops, but we’ll it was cheap and I have the space to stockpile. In the linen closet I stock the shelf and count each roll once a year and out a piece of paper by the item or a note on my iPad.  I know on March 9 I filled the shelf, and I know that  July 14 it was empty. During this 4 month and 5 days period we used 76 rolls of toilet paper.  I know for sure that 6 packages of my favourite brand lasts 4 months, or on average 18 packages a year.  This will help me plan out the buying cycles of the year.

 I encourage people to shop the flyers and take advantage of loyalty offers and coupons to get the best bang for your buck.
It pays to be frugal.

Be aware of loyalty points

I was grocery shopping early this morning, and I noticed a lot of bonus Air Miles on items. Now we all know I love my miles, but I want to take a moment and warn you about them.  I will use this product as an example.  Usually this box is on sale for $1.89 at various stores.  If you are shopping to just collect Air Miles you would spend  $19.74 on this to get $1 worth of Air Miles.  Or, if you wait for a sale you spend $11.34 for the same product. I would rather have the $8.40 in my grocery budget envelope then 10 Air Miles.  

Yes, miles and other loyalty points are awesome but I strongly urge you to know your prices before you make your decision.  

It pays to be frugal