Just take a chance and try it!

I have been so busy lately that I have been horrible at posting, but I am back and I have a list of things to post about! Such as today's post! With a blog about changing your path in life and how to survive it, I figured I needed to live the lessons of my blog.

We tend to get ourselves in ruts that are just easier to live with then break, but these ruts can be damaging to us whether its emotionally, physically, or even budget wise. So sometimes we just need to take that chance and try something different even if it doesn't feel normal! Today I took that chance and was shocked at how well it turned out for me! In the past last 3-4 months I have been so consumed with my brothers wedding(which was amazing!), getting things ready for preschool, and helping with the rush of Cornhole Boards that I just was going through my monthly and weekly grocery motions and not finding more savings. Well with the amazing news about my husbands new promotion we got last week, I was forced to rethink the budget due to the increase of drive time and gas he will have.

To cover this new increase in our budget, I wanted to see if I could shave $10 off my weekly grocery budget to cushion the gas budget. So I set a goal to get the full weeks worth of groceries for less then $40! I was determined to do it and figured if I really wanted to amp it up, I needed to take a chance! I had the afternoon free since the girls were in preschool so I figured I would go a little out of my way and try a new grocery store. I am an avid couponer and budgeter so I am pretty familiar with prices of the items we like to get, plus I was equipped with the Sunday ads from other stores so I knew what price ranges I wanted to beat. With all this on my side I figured it was safe to jump head first and try a new store. I am so glad I did! Not only did I get everything on my list, but I also got 4 pears, 3lbs of apples, 2 avocados, 2lbs of red grapes, and an 8pk of Fruit & Veggie juice boxes....final total....$31.86! YES!! Not only did I come in $8.14 under my new budget, but I also got extra produce that I hadn't planned on! BONUS!!

So I know this isn't a scary jump or a big change, but it was a change that I was anxious to make. Now I am kicking myself for not trying this earlier! Sometimes we need to take those little steps to help make the bigger ones a little easier!

Splurge to Save?!?

One of my favorite business based sayings is "Don't put the penny before the dollar", which essentially means sometimes you have to spend a little to make a lot. Well in this case sometimes you have to spend a little to save a lot! So you have to ask yourself, when is it better to splurg to save in the long run? Everyone knows their finances best, so its always best to keep that in mind when making purchases, but here are some splurges that I think are really worth your bang for your budget buck:

Stand-up Deep Freeze: Depending on the size you get, these freezers can run from $250-$1000+, but can offer monthly and yearly savings that total more then the upfront cost. When looking for a freezer it is important to shop around and find your best deal. Remember that some stores will match and beat competitors prices so if you bring in the ad in you can get yourself an even better deal. Also watch for extra specials that stores are running. Currently Menards (yes a plug for my husbands employer!) has their 11% rebate sale. So on top of getting the item on sale, you also will get a rebate check that you can use for additional products.

When shopping for a Freezer, make sure to keep your families needs in mind so you get what you need out of it. I recommend getting at least a 14.1 cubic foot model so you have several shelves, along with door storage. This will assist in making your organization a breeze, and your savings add up. You will be surprised how much you can save when you can buy certain items in bulk and freeze them. (More to come on Freezer Meals and their savings!)

Club Memberships: Whether its Sam's, Costco, or any other big box warehouse in your community, look into the memberships that are available to you. Also look for savings on top of these memberships, many of them will offer gift cards when you sign up, so will offer additional savings, and so on. I personally like having a membership at these locations because you can get some amazing savings...BUT you can also really blow a budget quickly at these locations. These stores are a 'stick to your list' type location. Also like I mentioned in my Couponing Do's and Don'ts post make sure to pay attention to the per unit cost when shopping at these locations. Some items look like a good deal but really its not as much of a savings as you would think. Some of my favorite buys at Sam's:

Skippy Naturals Peanut Butter, 2 40oz containers $8.88...$4.44 unit price

*if you buy at Target 1 40oz container is over $6

Kraft Mac'N'Cheese 12 pack $10.12...$0.84 unit price

*if you buy at Target $1+ unit price

Tysons Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast. 6lbs $13.83...$2.30 per lb

*If you buy at Target $4.99+ for 2lb bag...$2.50 per lbs

Buying the Sunday Paper: The Sunday paper costs around $1.50-$1.75 depending on where you live. Usually you can sign up for a discounted rate if you get it delivered each week, check them out at your local papers website. Although you are paying for this paper each week, you will get a HUGE return on your cost. On average the Sunday paper has $160+ in savings via coupons. Yes I understand that you are most likely not going to use every coupon in these ads, but even if you use $10 worth of that $160 (which I know you will!) you have already more then quadrupled your original cost with the savings! Also I know you can get coupons online at various sites, but then you are printing them at home which costs you ink, and then still cutting them out. Plus another advantage of getting the paper is you also get the store ads in hand to compare prices, sales, and discounts. This is very handy when making you list for the week, or saving a trip from store to store when you can simply ad match at one store! In my eyes...this splurge is worth the savings!