Sunday, September 30, 2012

NFL Play 60 gets kids moving and exercising


Many kids today live a lot differently than their parents did. Gone are the days when Moms and Dad would push their children out the door on a summer morning with the words "Go play!" and not see their children until lunch time. After lunch, it was outdoors until dinner, with possibly a game of  tag or hide and go seek  until the evening lights come on. Today's kids play video games, watch cartoons and kid's programs that are available all day, and are shuttled from one activity to another .  I try to get my boys outside as much as possible plus they do several sports including soccer, basketball, baseball and karate.  My oldest likes to run/walk  with me on the weekends  Also, we have a lot of boys in our neighbor  that  are often playing soccer, street hockey and just hide and go seek.! . However many other moms don’t do the same. Many of my  kids classmates are overweight.
The NFL has gone public with a solution called PLAY 60, a program created to encourage children to get a minimum of 60 minutes of active play per day.  My sons elementary school has partnered up with  them to start a  weekly fit club before and after school.  My kids who are in elementary school go twice a week to this and during the summer one participated in a  6 week morning program . They even received a visit from Tim Green a  former NFL player  and got a special visit to Patriots training camp because of high participation.
NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Resources will include: 
  • Details on the six-week Challenge and how to get students to sign up
  • Ideas on how to promote the Challenge within your school in fun, creative ways
  • Information about additional resources to help get students up and active
  • Ideas on how to incorporate physical fitness in the classroom year-round
If you school doesn’t have a fit club or a NFL play 60 challenge-go and push the school to do it! They offer grants  so it  shouldn’t really be a money thing for your school. 


Saturday, September 29, 2012

Jingit: Get Paid to Watch Online Ads, Shop and more


Earn more cash at Walmart and Jingit! I am excited about this. It seems like an easy way to earn money doing fun stuff!
 
  It’s a Win-Win
With Jingit, you can earn real cash, instantly for watching ads online; or checking in and shopping for select products at your favorite stores; even for giving your feedback to leading brands by taking brief surveys. In return, those brands get your attention! 


It is the Real Deal
Jingit is real cash in real time. They work with large brands like, Kraft, Elmer’s and Walmart, and Kraft Fighting Hunger Together.
It’s Easy to Start
Just sign in with your existing Facebook account, then complete the 30 second registration process and start earning. No social security numbers required, and Jingit will not sell or share your personal info.
Earn Online
Watch videos, give feedback, earn instant cash. It really is that easy. So any time you see an ad with the Jingit logo online — at Jingit.com or on their partners’ sites — click on it! That ad pays you!
Earn on the Go
The same content and earning that takes place online takes place on your smart phone or tablet. Plus, you can download our app and earn even more by checking in at your favorite stores.
Spend Instantly
With the Jingit Visa Debit Card, your cash is safer than ever, with Jingit’s trusted financial partner US Bank. The Jingit Visa Debit Card is easy and affordable, it also allows you to track your spending!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Frugal Five Meet Darcy from Colorado


Darcy  is a homeschooling stay at home mom to two boys    living in Denver Colorado area



What is your financial life?

My husband and I are currently living paycheck to paycheck.  I have been debating on getting a part time night job to help stretch our budget.   If I can squeeze $100/month for this it would help. I also want to get more adept at crunching our budget with the way prices are going up. I want to conserve now and get to where it feels normal not to spend before we hit a bump in the road . We also have some 
credit card debt to pay down.  


What is your budget buster?

I try to be a homeschooling addict. I need to get over this addiction. I love to buy supplies.  

What is your favorite money saving tip?

There is so many free learning activities in the  Denver area. Find free things to do at home or in your local area so we don't feel the need to spend money "doing" something. We use our local library-it is a wonderful resource. It has a ton of documentaries and I do use Netflix for some teaching as well.


If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it?

I would take ½ of it to go to credit card debt and then other half towards Christmas shopping.

What is your best resource for frugal living?

I love reading frugal 
blogs and am addicted to savingadvice.com 

Walgreen New Shopping rewards program

Walgreens has launched a new loyalty program called Balance Rewards! Balance Rewards offers easy enrollment, instant points and endless rewards, as well as ways to get, stay and live well at Walgreens.  Shoppers  can get enrolled and start earning deeper discounts today! 


  • Instant Points: Customers can instantly earn and redeem points for thousands of items in store and online. Customers will also earn points for prescriptions where state law allows, and for purchases and activities that help them stay well, like the Walk with Walgreens program and immunizations.
  • Endless Rewards: Customers can choose how and when to redeem their points, giving customers the opportunity to earn the rewards that are the most valuable to them. Points will not expire as long as customers remain active by shopping at Walgreens at least once every six months and redeem their points within three years.

Spend $30 in one purchase on anything in-store and online and earn 5,000 Balance Rewards bonus points!


(9/23 - 10/6) 20% off EB5 Skin Care

(9/1 - 10/6) Up to 25% off Blood Pressure Monitors and Oximeters

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Hot Schick Razor printable coupons

Razor blades are so pricey! For those of us that don’t use an electric shaver, disposable razors are regular items on our shopping lists. Personal hygiene is important in our society today, and an integral part for men and women is keeping a close shave in certain areas. 

Razor coupons are a great tool to lower the amount of money you spend on shaving
 Here are some HOT HOT razor coupons that you can print out today


  $4.00 off Schick Quattro for Women Razor or Refill

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Thrifty Thursday rewind September 27th

Welcome to the Thrifty Thursday rewind!  I am excited to we have team up with A Life in Balance for Thrifty Thursday going forward! 

 I can't believe it is end of September.  We have successfully completed the first  month of school.  I have been doing this blog for almost 8 years  7 years ago this month I did  
One hundred things about my money life  I took a look back at some things  that changed.   Many things stayed the same even though my boys are growing up. I was frugal then and I am frugal now.  

What changed.... 



2. I don't need tivo, if I want to record something. I got a vcr.  (VCR is long no longer around  but we have Hulu plus)

3. I don't have an Ipod, I got plenty of CDs and the radio  I did get an ipod shuffle in 2007 and I did treat myself to an iphone in 2010. I know it a want not a need. I will have it for years no need to upgrade again.


7 We do have cable tv, but I refuse upgrade to digital tv.  We did upgrade to digital cable for a few  years when they gave us a decent package but we dropped down to basic cable in 2011.

 20. I do have one car loan which should be paid off within 18 months.   (That car is long paid off and I am still driving it.  We bought another car in June 2009 100% cash. I  hope to never have a car loan again)


21. I am on Dave Ramsey' Baby step number 3 but I don't follow all of his rules. I like Dave for debt reduction. We are currently doing steps 4 and 5 –retirement and college.  Ocassionally I go back to step 3 if we needed to dip into the Emergency fund.

40. I live in Walmart Not really anymore more of a Target girl since they openend in my neighborhood 5 years ago. 

41`. I have a budget category called Walmart  Nope got rid of this 

42. I buy Walmart brand diapers
Luckily not anymore my kids have been potty trained for years.

47. Saturday nights that menu plans usually goes out the window.  (actually we are much better about this now-especially  since I got 2 boys that don’t eat off the kids menu anymore. We have established pizza  and movie night for Saturdays in our house 

48. I am not organized enough to use coupons.  Actually I have gotten better  on this!

50. I go to the bread store and get good deals there Bread store closed down years ago. 

94. I am filling up my gas tank today. It was $2.75 at the station down the street. (Gas it about $3.80 a gallon)

97. They just said with gas could go up to $4.00 a gallon with Hurricane Rita on the radio.  Gas did hit over $4.00 a gallon

99. DH's work isn't that far.  I wish I could say this was true. He got laid off from a year in 2009 and it took about 6 months to find another money.  Luckily we had savings plus unemployment. He is making less than he at his old job. 


HOW DO YOU SAVE MONEY?

Please remember to follow the Thrifty  Thursday Rewind  linkup  
  1. Link up an old  money saving idea post (we want to give love to some of your older posts)
  2. No giveaways or deals posts.
  3. Recipes are allowed, but share how it is thrifty! 
  4.  A link back is nice but not required 
  5. Visit the other links and share a comment 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Zucchuni and Summer Squash Tater Tots recipe


One of my new favorite recipes this year is zucchini tator tots. I found it first on the My fitness pal boards during the summer when I had an over abundance of zucchini . It is  a great  recipe and another fun way to get some vegetables in.  My boys and husband gobbled these up.      I also made this with summer squash and they came out great when I got some dent fruits and vegetable bin a the grocery store.  

To make 24 mini   or 12 full size muffins.

·         2 cup zucchini or summer squash  shredded  (easy tip put them in the food processer)
·         2  eggs
·         onion, diced (I prefer the red onion but yellow is fine)
·         ½  cup mozzarella cheese
·         ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
Summer squash tator tots 
·         ½  cup dry breadcrumbs
·         Garlic power and Italian seasons



Mix all the ingredients together in then fill the muffin tins.
Cook for 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees
They should pop out pretty easily. if they don't take a knife and cut them out. 

I prefer the mini muffin tins as I feel like they are more like tater tots. 


Monday, September 24, 2012

Common sense tips about preventing skin cancer


As a redhead with very fair skin I had a number of  sunburns over the years.  Sunscreen was not pushed as much as it is today .  I would lay out in the sun and I think I even put baby oil on my skin.     I had a melanoma skin cancer 12  years ago at age 30   that was discovered by my primary care doctor doing a skin screening check .  Luckily it was caught early and my only follow up treatment has been going to the dermatologist  on a regular basis for   mole check and  an annual  chest x-ray.    A few weeks ago  I had my annual appointment and my dermatologist  found a mole that she didn’t like the look of.   She want to remove it and have it a biopsied on it. 

Here are some common sense tips that my doctor shared with me year ago to prevent a recurrence   I am not in the medical profession, so check with your own doctor for more details. 

1. Reduce your time in the sun.
  • Especially between 10am-3pm , when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest or when UV index is 3 or more.  

2. Shade your Skin
  • Seek shade under trees, or create your own shade with a hat, shirt, or umbrella.  We had a background pool and when I am watching the boys I make sure I have I am on the our cabana umbrella tent that  we have  on the pool deck.
  • If you are at the beach make sure you and the kids are still covered up. There are plenty of uv protection bathing suits out there. They may bit a pricey.   I make sure that my 3 boys who are very fair like their mom have the special tv shirts. 
  • If I am at the beach, I make sure I have a wide brim hat and  sitting under an umbrella or in my special chair.

3. Beware of clouds and winter time.
  • Up to 80% of the sun’s rays can penetrate light clouds, mist and fog. You can still get a sunburn on a cloudy day.  You can still get a sunburn during the winter months.

4. Remember about Reflection
  • Water, sand, snow and concrete can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s damaging rays.

5. Slop on the Sunscreen
  • Use sunscreens with an SPF of 30  or more that contain both UVA and UVB protection.
  • Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outside, and reapply every 2 hours (more often when working, playing, or swimming).  Use Waterproof sunscreen for the kids  when they are swimming

6. Spot Check Your Moles Examine your moles and freckles every month to check for any changes. See your doctor immediately if you notice:
  • a mole or discoloration that appears suddenly or begins to change 
  • a sore that does not heal 
  • areas of skin that are red and bumpy, bleed or are itchy
  • Your doctor should also do a whole skin check during your annual physical. 
 Luckily this mole on my back was not cancerous so I will continue on with my life and using good judgment with the sun. 

Frugal Meal planning for the week of September 23rd

Fall is here! It still is warm but not cool enough for soups. I can't wait for soup weather. Nothing like some homemade soup to warm up a body on a cold day.   


We made out pretty well with our food plan for last week!  No eating for our challenge.  

Sunday  Steak, sweet potato fries, green beans 

Monday   Easy cabbage rolls  using cole slaw again. It was so good and even easier to make.  I love making this because it does give me leftovers for my lunch for a few days 

Tuesday    Pulled Pork and zucchini  tots   

Wednesday   chicken and dumplings from Top chef cookbook-click here if want to enter to win it

Thursday Clean out the fridge night 

Friday  Over my sister's house for my parents anniversary  dinner  It is potluck dinner.  I will be making quick and easy chicken parm   It is one of my go to for large family gatherings. 

Saturday Homemade pizza 


Are you looking for even more menu ideas 
check out  Monday meal plans at organizing junky  And if you a frugal blogger please join thrifty thursday linkup!


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Top Chef The Busy Mom's cookbook giveaway

I am always looking for a new cookbook and recipes  so I am so excited to bring this new giveaway to YOU!

I have partnered with The Crazy Nuts Mom to bring you this wonderful review and giveaway of The Busy Mom’s Cookbook by Antonia Lofaso who was on Top Chef  tv show. I happily agreed because I’m a Momma  and I’m incredibly busy. with cub scouts, karate and soceer at this time and .  This giveaway runs from 9/22 to 9/29 for U.S. Residence.
;
 I selected 3 recipes to take this cookbook for a test drive (because I’m addicted to having cookbooks). I made Roasted Chicken 101, Chicken and Dumplings and Strawberry Shortcake with Whipped Cream.


 I got have gotten a few whole chickens on a great deal lately and was excited to try out a new roasting recipe.   I always love roasting a whole chicken because you always get a second meal out of  it. 
 
They were so simple to follow and the tips she provides. For the Roasted Chicken 101, I had to rub it down with olive oil. What a great idea, I never thought to use olive oil.  I love it! And then she went on to explain WHY ‘The beauty of a roasted chicken is the crispy brown skin, and the oil will help you accomplish this’. I can tell you the chicken was the absolutely delicious  and very simple to make. Because I love to stretch a dollar I took the left over chicken and made the chicken and dumplings. recipe.  I have never made chicken and dumplings before.  I had no idea it could taste so good. Because we (me) don’t like peas, we used green beans to make this and I’m sure whatever veggies you have would work just as well.  Two out of 3 boys gave it a thumbs up to do a do over.  So it will go on our weekly menu planning. 
   


I also want to try a desert.  I am not a homemade desert maker for the most part.  I may bake brownies out of a box but not from scratch.  One of my twins has been waiting strawberry shortcake.
 The Strawberry Shortcake and Whipped Cream. I have never made whipped cream before. I don’t like to get my Kitchen aid  mixer out often (I don't have enough counter space so it sits in my downstairs pantry), but the directions said if I whisked it by hand, it would take 10 minutes.  After a minute, I ran downstairs and got the mixer out and did it her way. Super fast and simple. The hint of nutmeg and cinnamon in the biscuits were very tasty.   My son thanked me for making this desert for him after one of our homemade pizza nights.

   
Well, I can do one better! I have been given 2 copies of the busy mom's Cookbook to giveaway  Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Good luck to all! This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook or Twitter in any way. Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook for my review. My opinions are my own and may differ from yours on this cookbook. Momma and the boys living on a budget  is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.
Rafflecopter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, September 21, 2012

Frugal Five Meet Kelsey


Kelsey is newly married mom with 2 kids from Texas. 
What is your financial life?

I'm recently married 1 year now to my 2nd husband. I have 2 kids from my 1st married who are 8 and 10.  My husband has 3 grown children in their 20s. Together we have an almost respectable income, which I leverage as best I can into  paying off my credit card debt that I brought  into the marriage .   I was divorced for 3 years before getting married and spent way too much. 

What is your budget buster?
All the expenses for the kids.  My son has special needs so I have therapy costs that are not covered by insurance. My ex husband sometimes pays.   My daughter is really into martial arts and trying to compete.  We have had to spend some evenings in a hotel room due to far away competitions.

What is your favorite money saving tip?
I really try to have us eat a home.  When I was a single mom, I would eat out way too much. Now that I am more settled, I make a monthly menu plan plus we I try to do different schedules. 

If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it?
I would probably put half of it toward paying down credit card debt, one
quarter of it into our investment account, and spend the other $250 on
stockpiling groceries and buying household items that will save us money
later.

What is your best resource for frugal living?
I love reading different message boards and blogs to keep me inspired.   My favorite one is frugal mom .net forums 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thrifty Thursday Rewind September 20th

Welcome to the Thrifty Thursday rewind.  One thing I am hearing alot of lately is very high car payments on some of the money themed message boards that I see.   I learned from my parents not to have a car loan more than 3 years and keep it around $200 a month.  I have kept to that advice.   We don't have any auto loans right now since we bought our last car in cash.  I don't buy brand new cars I buy a few year later and have a savings for buying a new to us car.  Knock on wood, we won't have to buy a  car for a few years.

Are you Car Rich, Cash Poor? We no longer but have our 1996 but I still drive my 2001 around town.



HOW DO YOU SAVE MONEY?

Please remember to follow the Thrifty  Thursday Rewind  linkup  
  1. Link up an old  money saving idea post (we want to give love to some of your older posts)
  2. No giveaways or deals posts.
  3. Recipes are allowed, but share how it is thrifty! 
  4.  A link back is nice but not required 
  5. Visit the other links and share a comment 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

$2.00 off Air Wick Air freshener coupon


Air Wick® has partnered with the National Park Foundation to capture the spirit of our nation’s pristine treasures so you can  enjoy the scents of fall in your home. Print out a $2.00 off coupon 

 


Acadia Sweet Vanilla &  Pumpkins
Sweet Vanilla &  Pumpkins brings the magnificence of Acadia National Park to life with its rich autumnal blend of sandalwood, vanilla and creamy pumpkin.

Shenandoah Apple Harvest
The aroma of the ripening Apple Harvest combines with cedarwood and cinnamon spice to inspire rich memories of the fall in Shenandoah National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains Warm Spice  Twilight
Inspired by the view of a spectacular fall sunset, Warm Spice and Twilight captures notes of amber, clove, and anise to transport you to the majestic ridges of the Smoky Mountains.

Famous Footwear 15% off coupon


I like Famous footwear for shoe shopping. I was able to get my back to school shoes Nikes and Adidas brands  for  less than $90 for 3 boys.  Good footwear is important!  Now Momma needs some near shoes plus  the boys near need winter boots and new dress shoes.   Luckily, that Famous Footwear has a new coupon out.

Be Sure To Print Your New Coupon From Famous Footwear

And Take It In And Check Out The Big Selection They Have In Shoes Out!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Free Greeting Card & Shipping From Card Store


Did you know that September and October have the highest number of Birthdays? 

Get a FREE greeting card from Cardstore.com right now, with envelop and free shipping!

Here is how to get your free card:

Head to Cardstore.com   here
Select the card you want and personalize it
Enter promo code CCL2673 at checkout (after your shipping info) – good through 9/23
Free standard shipping is included if you ship to yourself, no special code needed for that
Fine Print: 1 Free Card valid per Cardstore.com account. Free Card valid in the US and Canada only, and cannot be combined with any other offer. Free Shipping only valid in the US.

Cardstore will even send it directly to their mailbox, stamp included! It's hard enough remembering birthdays, so let Cardstore give you a break this time by doing the rest of the work. P.S. You can even pick the delivery date if you don't have any September Birthdays coming up. Send a little you today!

Frugal Menu Planning week of September 16th

We are settled back into the school routine, soccer and cub scouts.  We did have one slip up on Tuesday night with my no eating out challenge.- and my husband bought the boy subs since I needed to deal with a small health issue with my Dad.  I may pick up some extra frozen pizzas because life happens   My   Dad will be ok he felt funny so we took him to the ER.    So we moved a few things around with our menu plan 


Please follow me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/MommaAndTheBoysLivingOnABudget


Sunday 

Steak and eggs, green beans, butternut squash fries 


Monday  

Cheesy beef and broccoli (this fell off our menu last week) 


Tuesday 

Shaved steak over peppers, mushrooms and onions 


Wednesday  

Chili    going to be rainy deary day 


Thursday  

Chicken and pasta 

Friday 
Tuna melts 

Saturday 
Homemade pizza 


Are you looking for even more menu ideas 
check out  Monday meal plans at organizing junky  And if you a frugal blogger please join thrifty thursday linkup!




Sunday, September 16, 2012

7 healthy weight loss tips for tailgating football parties


NFL and college football season is finally here! Don’t let the  games put a halt to summer weight loss and fitness goals. There are many ways to still have fun tailgating while also being being healthy.  Check out these seven  tailgating tips for those watching their weight.

1. Bring your own food. The more prepared you are for the tailgating , the better. Tailgating typically includes  high calorie food such as cheeseburgers on the grill, sausages, nachos, cookies and other snacks. Bring flavorful yet easy-to-pack options like fruit salad, baked chips with light dip, marinated chicken,  turkey sausage or turkey burgers or veggie burgers  to throw on the grill and light side dishes like cucumber salad instead of heavy mayo potato salad.   If you are low carbing,  skip the roll and place it in a lettuce leaf or just have a naked burger. 



2. Eat the right stuff: Fill up on protein, veggies and fruit instead of eating the empty, calorie-laden snacks that are out on the table.


3. Bring your own drinks :  By bringing your own alcohol, you can save tons of calories. Skip pre-made pitchers of sangria and margaritas or full-calorie beers by having options of your own. If you have ice and plenty of Coors Light, Bud Lights  and pitchers of wine spritzers or whatever your go-to drink is, you won’t be missing out on any of the fun. 

4. Go light on the drinks: There will be plenty of time during the game for watching Tom Brady or Peyton Manning  strut his stuff while sipping a beer.  Alternate water with alcoholic drinks and you can save a few hundred calories.  Also if watch what I am drinking I am better about what goes into my mouth!


5. Move around  Many NFL stadiums  are packed with things to do and places to shop before or after the game. Burn off some of the football food and drinks with at least a half hour to an hour of walking around. You could even do a loop during halftime at the game to see all aspects of the stadium. Besides walking, why not bring a football to toss, a frisbee to throw and burn even more calories while hanging out pre and post game? Playing games and sports will keep you occupied from consuming too much food and drinks before the game even starts and will kill time when traffic is crazy getting out of the parking lots after the  game.

6. Save calories and plan ahead . Try to go light on the eating and drinking for the week. Weight Watchers, for instance, gives members a weekly allowance of additional points to play around with for special events like football games. This is the perfect time to use some of those bonus points to enjoy great food during the football season. Don't go out on Saturday night and have a big meal.  

7. Breakfast and the morning  matters : You may go nuts over-thinking how to burn calories and prevent yourself from taking in too much food and drinks while tailgating. The solution to this headache is to wake up early, have a healthy breakfast  and get a workout in before tailgating even begins. 

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Bloggers Wanted Kids playhouse giveaway

Secret Garden Playhouse Event is hosted by Mom to Bed by 8.

Prize: Little Tikes Secret Garden Playhouse
The event dates: 10/1 - 10/22
Free Event ~ Sign-Up Here – Bloggers Wanted Secret Garden Playhouse Event

Friday, September 14, 2012

Sign up for a Hotels.com FREE account and join Welcome Rewards


Whenever I can  I try to sign up for loyalty programs with manufacterers, websites and companoies. Alot of times they will send out promo codes and other offers and you get a bonus-those loyalty points can be cashed in.  Hotels.com is the latest one that I found! 



Sign up for a Hotels.com account and join Welcome Reward. Collect 10 nights. Get 1 free! Available on over 65,000 hotels worldwide. No date restrictions, just get free nights as you stay. With Hotels.com you dont have to stay at just 1 Hotel chain. You will get really great rates on your hotels and earn a FREE night!

We don’t stay at hotels very often but I did join this because it will be nice to get a free night after 10 night! It’s FREE and easy!

Frugal Five Meet Maggie

Maggie is a frugal mom with 2  kids ranging from   21 and 16 years old from Rhode Island 


What is your financial life?

I have been primarily  stay at home mom to 2  boys  and have a great husband that I have been married for 22 years. For many years, my husband and I lived on one  income. It  has been a challenge and we've struggled a lot along the way. We do have a mortgage and believe in paying cash. Things are ok now and I'd like to keep them that way and "save for a rainy day" While I don't believe in using credit cards, I have never really saved money.  I have only been back in the workforce for the past 5 years working in a doctor's office. that money has really gone towards my oldest college money.  He lives at home and goes to the local state college. He is pretty good about contributing as well. I don't want him to get student loans.   My main concern is retirement we are still 20 plus years away from that  but I feel that we don't have enough money saved and are behind the 8 ball. 


What is your budget buster?

Feeding 2   growing   boys! They eat eat and eat! I am always looking for healthy and filling recipes. 

What is your favorite money saving tip?

Pay in cash. If you can not afford it  Don't buy it.  I am a huge fan of Suze Orman and love her Can I afford segment on tv 


If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it?

I would put it towards my emergency  fund. 

What is your best resource for frugal living?

Living bellow  your means I follow a frugal mom message boardsI keep a calendar  and write on it if I spend or spend "allowable" or no spend. It helps keep me accountable. The first month I did it, I was surprised how many times I spent on a whim.  Each month I do better, last month I only spent on allowable items (groceries, things I have budgeted for). I'm still working on my extra spending like eating out for lunch, but I am a work in progress and I try not to be too hard on myself. 

Do you want to be featured on the Frugal Five  contact us through our facebook page