Thrifty Thursday rewind September 6th

Welcome to the Thrifty Thursday rewind! 

Here are some ways that are  frugal uses for Peroxide

With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!

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 

3 tips for getting out of debt

Any type of debt is not an enjoyable thing to deal with, but it does need to be dealt with. If you are really deep in debt, then the prospect of getting out of it may scare you. I understand that it isn’t easy, but it can be done.  My family did it many years ago when my boys were younger with over 20,000 in debt.   With that in mind, here are 3 tips to pay of your bills and get out of debt.

1. Develop a plan. It’s important to pay off your bills, but you will struggle if you try to do it haphazardly. Instead, write down all of your debts, and decide which one you are going to attack first.  I followed the Dave Ramsey plan which was paying off the smaller debt first.  You should pay as much extra as you can on this target debt and the minimum payment due on all of your other debts. Once the first debt is paid off, combine the amount you were paying on it and add it to the next target debt on your list.  Your debt repayment will snowball!   Put all extra money towards it like an extra job.  Doing this will get your debt paid off quickly, and you get a psychological boost every time a balance is fully paid.
If you have student loan debt, that should be paid after credit card and car loan debt.  

2. Contact the companies  you owe money to. Your creditors may seem evil, and there ethics may be questionable, but you will be amazed at how willing they are to work with you when you give them a call. They may be able to erase late fees, lower your interest rate, offer a settlement, or set up a plan for repayment that you can live with.   For our credit card debt, we played the balance transfer game.

If you have been experiencing financial hardship, be sure to explain it to them. Some creditors offer hardship programs, and these often have the best terms, allowing you to get your debt under control.

3. Ease the way for money coming in, but restrict it for all money going out. Your mindset about money needs to be positive. You should regularly picture money flowing into your life, and be ready to accept opportunities that will add more income. At the same time, you need to restrict the flow of any money being spent.  This is known as abudget!  Ask yourself if it really needs to be spent, if there is a cheaper option, or if it can wait. The less you spend and the longer you delay, the more money you can put towards your debt. Granted, this will take a fair amount of discipline, but it’s necessary if you really want to be debt free.  

The above tips for paying off your bills and getting out of debt are only as useful as you choose to make them. In other words, just reading about them won’t do you any good at all. You need to take action! The good news is that all of these tips are quite easy to do. Furthermore, they will give you the power to get out of debt and stay out of debt. If you need a bit of encouragement to take the first step, then consider it done! The sooner you act, the sooner you will see all of the benefits that go along with being debt free.

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Cheap exercise workout ideas to keep healthy

As a  Mom, I want be healthy active and taking care of my body  to be the best mom possible for my  boys.   Exercise and working out  keep me mentally and physically sane.  I am also at risk for high blood pressure since it on both sides of my family.  Exercise can help keep that away.

Exercising doesn’t need to be really expensive but some folks will use it as an excuse.  . When confronted with the high cost of gym memberships, home exercise equipment, and personal trainers, many decide they just cannot afford the cost of getting healthy. This just isn't the case and it is possible to exercise and get healthy while spending little to no money. Cheap  exercise will take you a long way towards your weight loss goals and overall health.

Follow these frugal exercise tips to find your way into a healthy body without breaking the bank.
Search the classifieds or craigslist  or shop gargage sales  - As many people that are looking for exercise or sporting equipment, there are just about as many people wanting to sell it for pennies on the dollar.
Use what's around your house - lift weights with items like canned vegetables or a gallon of milk.
Do work around your house - Yard work can be very strenuous so get to work raking leaves.

Search online especially youtube  - There are many free videos you can find on the internet. Here is one fitness channel  http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit. Also,  many zumba instructors will put their  zumba routines on youtube. You can create a frugal zumba playlist.  Netflix and Huluoffer some workouts as part of their membership as well.

Walk or run - Walking and running are both free. Take off around the block or head to the nearest park or trail. 

·     Buy a cheap workout DVD- don’t buy the whole systems that you see on TV  for $100 plus dollars.   Most exercise dvd are under $20.    Jillian Michaels 30 day shred,  Bob Harper   Supreme 90

Frugal exercise will help you get into shape without costing a bunch of money.   When you stay healthy, it means less trips to the doctor’s office! 

Frugal Meal planning week of September 2nd

We are doing a lazy labor day  weekend at home.  Just try enjoy the last few days of non craziness!   The boys have been enjoying the pool and we have nightly fires with a few of our neighbors   Nothing like a nice glass of wine by the fire.   I also made a few batches of tomato spaghetti sauce from all of our tomatoes plus my mother in law gave a bunch as well.   So  I am making sauce for her, my mom and my older neighbor across the street and feeding the freezer a bit today. 

The craziness of school will be starting this week! Last week was just getting settled in. This week we start after school activities including soccer, social skills  and cub scouts.  Karate is year round.  

We are also doing a no eat out  challenge for September and October except for my birthday as there are a fewer bigger bills hitting us including life insurance and deposit for my son's 8th grade trip. 

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

Sunday Turkey burgers, sweet potato fries and cucumbers 

Monday BLT  Bacon lettuce and tomato sandwiches  so yummy! 

Tuesday  Easy lazy man cabbage rolls   click for recipe  I am subbing in some cole slaw mix which makes this ever easier to make!! 

Wednesday   chicken and pasta with my sauce  in the crockpot 

Thursday  Pork chops, rice and green beans 

Friday Clean out the fridge night  or we will do tuna melt  sandwiches if not enough 

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!

Free Museum Days From Bank Of America

 A family outing to a museum can be very expensive, luckily Bank of America has a great deal for cardholders. 

If you have any of their cards (check, ATM, or credit), or a Merrill Lynch card, they are offering free museum days to a number of museums the first weekend of every month  There are 150 museums across the nation that are participating. And it’s not just museums!
There are currently places to visit in 31 states.  New this year are Alaska (yes Alaska!), and Minnesota.

Some examples include  Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland OH.   The Philadelphia Museum of art in Pennsylvania.     There are so many including kids, history and zoos. 

Here are the Museums on Us dates for 2012:

If you are taking advantage of Museums on Us I suggest you get to the location as early as possible.  A nice day combined with a free admission tends to bring a lot of people out for the day.  Avoid the longer lines that occur as the day goes on.

Don't make the day a budget buster by eating at the museum or zoo.  Eat before you go or bring a lunch or snacks to tide you over!  Try to avoid the gift shop as well.   I have to keep my husband out of those as he loves to get sort of stuff.

Discount alert $7.50 for $15 GAP Gift Card at Saveology

I have taken advantage of many Saveology offers! I love Daily Deals especially those that fit so nicely in my lifestyle and budget! Try Saveology today!

Here is a great one for back to school shopping!  $7.50 for $15 Gap Gift Card

 Gap outfits the whole family in everyday modern apparel and accessories. Catering to all sizes, shapes, and styles, Gap never misses the beat on what's trending and getting what you need when you need it. With new items, sales, and specials added daily in-store and online, their already low-priced fashions become more affordable by the minute. From the traditional signature pieces we know and love, to adding a modern twist to classic looks, this style icon has been redefining fashion since 1969, with no sign of slowing down. In addition to outfits for the whole family, GAP's specialty GAPFIT, Body, and Maternity divisions provide us with more everyday options than ever before. 

Grab your $7.50 for $15 Gap Gift Card