Show us Your Life: Saving Money

I am a Stay at Home Mom of 2 boys...........well 3 if you count my husband. Two years ago when I had Stephen I really really really wanted to stay at home. After working for Regions Bank for 8 years I quit. I knew it would be AWESOME staying at home, but with that being said I knew it would also be a financial struggle. We would really have to watch the money. So here are a few tips I use to help me stay at home!!!

1. Coupons - I use sites like Southern Savers. Since using her site I have saved SO much money! I have cut my bill more than in half. I usually save about 60-70% on average a week. I ONLY buy what we use. I love getting FREE toothpaste, toothbrushes, girlie stuff, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bars of soap, toilet paper, paper towels. I also got 2 bottles of sunscreen for free this week.

2. Consignment sale and stores - I love consignment shopping. Its a nice way to buy good clothes. My kids are always dressed really well(if I pick their clothes out). I LOVE when I can buy Ralph Lauren, Old Navy, Gap, The Childrens Place all for really cheap. I usually look in their closets and drawers and see what they need. For the summer I usually remember swim lessons, bible school and vacations. Those weeks are super busy for us and its hard for me to do laundry every day when we aren't home except to sleep. I can buy several nice shirts and not have to worry about it getting ruined or having to wear something dirty or even have to wear the same shirt to bible school or swim trunks in the same week. I also like to see what size of shoes they are wearing and have a back up pair. My boys LOVE to play in the mud and go to the creek. I can buy a good pair of shoes for less than 5 bucks and not have a fit when they get muddy.

3. I wash all of our regular clothes on cold. Barts work clothes and any clothes or shoes that get muddy are washed with Barts work clothes on hot. Also I try to do back to back drying. It saves money not having to warm the dryer up. I have a basket in our bathroom for mine and Barts clothes and a basket in Stephens room for Jackson and Stephens clothes. I was our laundry then dry and while its drying I wash the boys clothes. Then immediately dry them.

4. Surveys - I do a few a week and buy the end of the month I usually have enough to get a $20 check. This helps when we go out to eat.

5. Discount card - Jackson's school did a fundraiser and sold discount cards for $10. We save on just about everything in Cleveland. 10% off here, 15% there all helps when the card is good for 1 year.

6. Bart uses his credit card for EVERYTHING. When we get enough points we cash them in and get a check. Summer of 09 we cashed in and got a $500 check. That paid for our hotel room for our summer vacation!

7. Craigslist - Bart LOVES wheelin and dealin!!! He checks every night for a good deal. He buys and then sales for a profit!! We have also found big ticket items like Jackson's 4wheeler.

That's all I can think of right now. If you are new to my blog and coming from Kelly's Korner please check my right side bar for sales. There you will find most of my CVS and Walgreens sale as well as my consignment sales.