Friday, April 9, 2010
Setting up a budget is the best way to monitor how much money is coming in versus how much is going out each month. Today, I will help you customize your budget to meet your individual needs, and maximize your income. This can be helpful whether you are trying to stay home with your children, already staying home with your children, or you are just wondering what we all wonder, “Where does all of my money go?!”
Using Microsoft Excel, set up columns starting with A for Expense Name, B for usernames and passwords, and C, D, E, etc. for the months of the year. Set up the rows starting with row 3 for your monthly cyclical bills such as mortgage, cell phone payment, electricity, etc. After you are finished listing the cyclical bills that change from month-to-month, add bills that you incur each month like vehicle gas, groceries, entertainment, and clothing.
Once you have set up your spreadsheet, pull your online banking statement up, and print one month’s worth of banking statements. For example, March 1st – April 1st. The easiest way to single out expenses is with a colored highlighter. Highlight all grocery trips with pink, all gas expenses with yellow, etc. Add all of the pink expenses for one month together to figure out what you are spending on groceries. Add all yellow line items to pinpoint what you are spending in gas, and so on. Do this for every single line item on the statement. If you have rare expenses like vehicle registration, it is a good idea to budget a certain amount of money as “miscellaneous” in your budget. This way, nothing is truly a surprise if you budget for it.
At the bottom of your spreadsheet, add a “TOTAL” row. Add all of your expenses in the “March” column and put the total in your “Total” row. Below the total, add a row for “INCOME.” Put your monthly income in the row. Add a “LEFTOVER” row below the Income row. Subtract the TOTAL from the INCOME and this will be what you have for savings, or emergency situations every month after everything has been paid for.
The most important thing is to be realistic about your budget. Don’t cheap out if you REALLY spend $200 on clothing each month and put “$100” as this is not a realistic view of your spending.
If you look over your bank statement and see that you spend $400 on entertainment and eating out, perhaps you’d rather cut this line item to $300 and eat in or rent movies more often. There are a lot of ways to trim your expenses once you know what they are!
Take a couple of hours and sit down to put your budget on paper. You will sleep easier knowing precisely where your money is going and how you can keep more of that money in your pocket!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Four-Day Savings
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Just a couple of things to tell you about today!
Visit Kohls.com to take part in their Three-Day Shopping Pass where you can take 15% off your entire purchase on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When you present your coupon at the register, they return your coupon to YOU so that you may use it throughout the weekend.
Visit WorldMarket.com for their 4-Day Friends and Family event! They are offering a coupon for 25% off Home Furnishings, Decor, etc. today through Sunday. Maybe it's time for that new dining set I've had my eye on!!
If you are in the DFW metroplex and you shop Stacy Furniture, they are offering a tax free weekend. Shop their Allen or Grapevine locations, and purchase your furniture tax free!
What are you waiting for?! GO SHOPPING!
Just a couple of things to tell you about today!
Visit Kohls.com to take part in their Three-Day Shopping Pass where you can take 15% off your entire purchase on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When you present your coupon at the register, they return your coupon to YOU so that you may use it throughout the weekend.
Visit WorldMarket.com for their 4-Day Friends and Family event! They are offering a coupon for 25% off Home Furnishings, Decor, etc. today through Sunday. Maybe it's time for that new dining set I've had my eye on!!
If you are in the DFW metroplex and you shop Stacy Furniture, they are offering a tax free weekend. Shop their Allen or Grapevine locations, and purchase your furniture tax free!
What are you waiting for?! GO SHOPPING!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Delicious Recipe
April 7, 2010
Last night, I was thinking about my favorite meals to make for my family. The ones I like the most are inexpensive, simple, and delicious without that guilty feeling you get when you walk away from a calorie-rich meal. The recipe I’m sharing with you is one that I cannot take credit for. My Mom recommended it to me after she prepared it for herself and my Dad several times.
Don’t shy away because I am saying vegetables and tilapia in the same sentence. My husband is NOT a fan of eating things that swim, and he loves my tilapia and vegetables recipe. So, here’s the skinny:
Ingredients:
-A tilapia filet for each person you are feeding (sometimes Dads need two, and sometimes small fries can share one, but they shrink significantly after being baked)
-Two large raw carrots
-1/2 of a purple onion
-2 large handfuls of fresh green beans
-Paprika, Dried Dill, Salt, Pepper, and Olive Oil.
Instructions:
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
-Cut the veggies into bite size pieces and toss them onto the cookie sheet. Sprinkle the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper. Hand toss until coated.
-Stick ‘em in the oven for 30 minutes.
-While the veggies are cooking, rinse and dry the tilapia. Squeeze lemon juice over them and sprinkle with olive oil, smear until coated. Sprinkle generously with paprika, dried dill, and salt and pepper. Rub and flip the filets until they are red.
-With 8 minutes left on the vegetable timer, scoot the veggies to one side of the cookie sheet and add the tilapia. Cook until the timer sounds.
Your result will be delicious, salty/sweet caramelized vegetables and the most flavorful tilapia that doesn’t taste like fish! This meal is great for Spring and Summer because it is light and flavorful.
You can begin preparing this meal about an hour before you are planning to serve dinner, or you can prepare the entire cookie sheet after breakfast, and pop it in the oven right before dinner, prepping dinner at a more convenient, less hectic time of day. It is totally up to you! Then, you toss the parchment paper into the garbage and put the cookie sheet away. Dishes are done! Enjoy!
Last night, I was thinking about my favorite meals to make for my family. The ones I like the most are inexpensive, simple, and delicious without that guilty feeling you get when you walk away from a calorie-rich meal. The recipe I’m sharing with you is one that I cannot take credit for. My Mom recommended it to me after she prepared it for herself and my Dad several times.
Don’t shy away because I am saying vegetables and tilapia in the same sentence. My husband is NOT a fan of eating things that swim, and he loves my tilapia and vegetables recipe. So, here’s the skinny:
Ingredients:
-A tilapia filet for each person you are feeding (sometimes Dads need two, and sometimes small fries can share one, but they shrink significantly after being baked)
-Two large raw carrots
-1/2 of a purple onion
-2 large handfuls of fresh green beans
-Paprika, Dried Dill, Salt, Pepper, and Olive Oil.
Instructions:
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
-Cut the veggies into bite size pieces and toss them onto the cookie sheet. Sprinkle the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper. Hand toss until coated.
-Stick ‘em in the oven for 30 minutes.
-While the veggies are cooking, rinse and dry the tilapia. Squeeze lemon juice over them and sprinkle with olive oil, smear until coated. Sprinkle generously with paprika, dried dill, and salt and pepper. Rub and flip the filets until they are red.
-With 8 minutes left on the vegetable timer, scoot the veggies to one side of the cookie sheet and add the tilapia. Cook until the timer sounds.
Your result will be delicious, salty/sweet caramelized vegetables and the most flavorful tilapia that doesn’t taste like fish! This meal is great for Spring and Summer because it is light and flavorful.
You can begin preparing this meal about an hour before you are planning to serve dinner, or you can prepare the entire cookie sheet after breakfast, and pop it in the oven right before dinner, prepping dinner at a more convenient, less hectic time of day. It is totally up to you! Then, you toss the parchment paper into the garbage and put the cookie sheet away. Dishes are done! Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Make Your Own Bows!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Before my daughter, Emily, was born in December 2008, I would see these PRECIOUS babies in stores and restaurants with the most beautiful gerbera daisy headbands in their hair! I thought they looked absolutely precious, but when I found them in retail stores, I thought they were a little pricey at around $10 each. Well, you KNOW I had to have one in every color of the rainbow, so I had to figure out what I was going to do to lessen the expense.
We decided to try our hand at making the hair clips ourselves, and they turned out great! 15 months later, and Emily still wears these things on a daily basis. They have held up extremely well, and people compliment her everywhere we go. Would you like to make some? I’d love to help! Here’s how you do it:
Materials:
(2) silk gerbera daisies from your local craft store
(1) large rhinestone jewel that has a FLAT, MIRRORED BACK
(1) small scrapbooking brad (the flatter the top, the better)
(1) small alligator clip from your local beauty supply store
(1) roll of 1/2” grosgrain ribbon in WHITE
(1) glue gun
Let me take a moment to explain about the materials. We have found that using two silk gerbera daisies makes for a more sturdy, fluffy-looking “bow” at the end of your project. You can do it with a single flower, but the double-flower hair bows look the best. Silk flowers are ½ off at Hobby Lobby about once every two weeks, so if you gather your arsenal of flowers during their sale, you will save significantly. The rhinestone is probably the most expensive ingredient to these hair bows, so you might want to wait until jewels are on sale at Hobby Lobby, or sign up for their weekly ad, and use their 40% off coupon. You can use any shape rhinestone that you prefer, but I have found that the large, round ones are the cutest and fit the flowers the best.
How-To:
Here’s how you assemble the flower “bows”:
1. Using a pair of wire snips, cut the flower off of the stem VERY CLOSE to the base of the flower’s head. Remove the thick, green plastic piece that separates the petals from the stem. Once you have done this, the layers of the flower will all be separate. Remove the pollen.
2. Add the two silk flowers to one another and layer the petals according to size (large on the bottom, small on the top). Clasp the layers of petals together using your brad. The TOP of the brad should be at the TOP of the flower.
3. Wrap the entire alligator clip with a length of grosgrain ribbon, tacking the ribbon to the alligator clip with hot glue.
4. Hot glue the rhinestone to the top of the flower where the pollen used to be.
5. Glue the ribbon-wrapped alligator clip to the bottom of the flower, covering the bottom of the brad that is visible. The FLAT SIDE of the alligator clip should rest on your baby’s head, and the angled side of the clip should be glued to the bottom of the flower.
These flowers are SO fun to make, and they are super easy. They take about 5 minutes once you have your materials set up.
You can use the alligator clip to fasten the flowers to a headband if your baby’s hair is on the sparse side, or you can use them to clip their hair back once they have some growth.
*BONUS TIP: If you find that your flowers are slipping out of your baby’s silky hair, purchase a sheet of foam in the craft section of Hobby Lobby and cut strips to fit the length of the alligator clip. Glue the foam to the inside of the alligator clip and your baby’s flowers and bows will stick like glue!
We have experimented with spider mums, and the end product is not as attractive as the gerbera daisies because the petals of the spider mums are a little on the rogue side. It is up to you, but we have found that silk gerbera daisies are the best flowers to use for your baby’s hair bows. I hope you try it and love it – let me know how they turn out!
Before my daughter, Emily, was born in December 2008, I would see these PRECIOUS babies in stores and restaurants with the most beautiful gerbera daisy headbands in their hair! I thought they looked absolutely precious, but when I found them in retail stores, I thought they were a little pricey at around $10 each. Well, you KNOW I had to have one in every color of the rainbow, so I had to figure out what I was going to do to lessen the expense.
We decided to try our hand at making the hair clips ourselves, and they turned out great! 15 months later, and Emily still wears these things on a daily basis. They have held up extremely well, and people compliment her everywhere we go. Would you like to make some? I’d love to help! Here’s how you do it:
Materials:
(2) silk gerbera daisies from your local craft store
(1) large rhinestone jewel that has a FLAT, MIRRORED BACK
(1) small scrapbooking brad (the flatter the top, the better)
(1) small alligator clip from your local beauty supply store
(1) roll of 1/2” grosgrain ribbon in WHITE
(1) glue gun
Let me take a moment to explain about the materials. We have found that using two silk gerbera daisies makes for a more sturdy, fluffy-looking “bow” at the end of your project. You can do it with a single flower, but the double-flower hair bows look the best. Silk flowers are ½ off at Hobby Lobby about once every two weeks, so if you gather your arsenal of flowers during their sale, you will save significantly. The rhinestone is probably the most expensive ingredient to these hair bows, so you might want to wait until jewels are on sale at Hobby Lobby, or sign up for their weekly ad, and use their 40% off coupon. You can use any shape rhinestone that you prefer, but I have found that the large, round ones are the cutest and fit the flowers the best.
How-To:
Here’s how you assemble the flower “bows”:
1. Using a pair of wire snips, cut the flower off of the stem VERY CLOSE to the base of the flower’s head. Remove the thick, green plastic piece that separates the petals from the stem. Once you have done this, the layers of the flower will all be separate. Remove the pollen.
2. Add the two silk flowers to one another and layer the petals according to size (large on the bottom, small on the top). Clasp the layers of petals together using your brad. The TOP of the brad should be at the TOP of the flower.
3. Wrap the entire alligator clip with a length of grosgrain ribbon, tacking the ribbon to the alligator clip with hot glue.
4. Hot glue the rhinestone to the top of the flower where the pollen used to be.
5. Glue the ribbon-wrapped alligator clip to the bottom of the flower, covering the bottom of the brad that is visible. The FLAT SIDE of the alligator clip should rest on your baby’s head, and the angled side of the clip should be glued to the bottom of the flower.
These flowers are SO fun to make, and they are super easy. They take about 5 minutes once you have your materials set up.
You can use the alligator clip to fasten the flowers to a headband if your baby’s hair is on the sparse side, or you can use them to clip their hair back once they have some growth.
*BONUS TIP: If you find that your flowers are slipping out of your baby’s silky hair, purchase a sheet of foam in the craft section of Hobby Lobby and cut strips to fit the length of the alligator clip. Glue the foam to the inside of the alligator clip and your baby’s flowers and bows will stick like glue!
We have experimented with spider mums, and the end product is not as attractive as the gerbera daisies because the petals of the spider mums are a little on the rogue side. It is up to you, but we have found that silk gerbera daisies are the best flowers to use for your baby’s hair bows. I hope you try it and love it – let me know how they turn out!
Friday, April 2, 2010
I'm on a savings HIGH!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Okay, so Garage Saling today was a bust. We knew it was going to rain, but didn't think people would actually BACK OUT of the garage sales they had already applied for permits for, but whatever - we will try it again in a couple of weeks.
Instead, we decided to spend an hour or so at Kohl's because of the coupons that we had accumulated in the last couple of weeks. Here's how it came out for me:
1 shirt for Easter Sunday $38 on sale for $21.99
1 set of summer pajamas for my toddler $20 on sale for $9
1 blingy ring $20 on sale for $7.99 + 20% off of jewelry = $6.39
1 fabric hair flower $10 on sale for $4.50
TOTAL: $88 on sale for $41.88
$10 off coupon = $31.88
15% off total purchase coupon = $4.79
Kohl's tax free (9%) savings = $2.44
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE: $26.68
It states right on my receipt that I saved $63.35. So basically, I got my four items for LESS than the retail price of my shirt, or for roughly the retail price of toddler pajamas. WHAT?! As the lady on the IKEA commercial says, "START THE CAR!"
In recent months, Kohl's has saved me more money than any other store that I frequent. Of course, I frequent a lot of discount stores like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, so it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly how much you saved off of retail prices, but I'm sure it is always significant. However, my savings at Kohl's is written in black and white on my receipt and I am on a high!!
Good Friday was GREAT Friday this year!
Okay, so Garage Saling today was a bust. We knew it was going to rain, but didn't think people would actually BACK OUT of the garage sales they had already applied for permits for, but whatever - we will try it again in a couple of weeks.
Instead, we decided to spend an hour or so at Kohl's because of the coupons that we had accumulated in the last couple of weeks. Here's how it came out for me:
1 shirt for Easter Sunday $38 on sale for $21.99
1 set of summer pajamas for my toddler $20 on sale for $9
1 blingy ring $20 on sale for $7.99 + 20% off of jewelry = $6.39
1 fabric hair flower $10 on sale for $4.50
TOTAL: $88 on sale for $41.88
$10 off coupon = $31.88
15% off total purchase coupon = $4.79
Kohl's tax free (9%) savings = $2.44
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE: $26.68
It states right on my receipt that I saved $63.35. So basically, I got my four items for LESS than the retail price of my shirt, or for roughly the retail price of toddler pajamas. WHAT?! As the lady on the IKEA commercial says, "START THE CAR!"
In recent months, Kohl's has saved me more money than any other store that I frequent. Of course, I frequent a lot of discount stores like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, so it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly how much you saved off of retail prices, but I'm sure it is always significant. However, my savings at Kohl's is written in black and white on my receipt and I am on a high!!
Good Friday was GREAT Friday this year!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Garage Sales!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Before you get your Easter festivities off to a great start, why not hit up a couple of Garage sales?
My sister and I will be venturing out tomorrow, and we’ve mapped our route. Most cities ask that you apply for a Garage Sale permit before holding your sale. When you apply for the permit, you go into their system, and they log the date and times that you have input.
As a garage SALER, you can visit the cities’ websites and see everyone who has applied for a permit. You can see their address, the dates and times they are holding their garage sale, and in most cases, you can also see the items that they will be selling. Score!
Keep a few things in mind as you are shopping…1) how can I reuse, refinish, or repurpose this item? 2) what do I think is a fair price to pay for this item? 3) what items would be more beneficial to get at a garage sale than paying retail price for?
NEVER, EVER be afraid to negotiate! These people do NOT want to haul this junk back into their garages, nor do they want to make the trip to Goodwill with it. You will often find that some people KNOW what they’re doing and price their items to sell. It is very obvious when you approach a sale and things are ‘priced to stay’. Be aware, and don’t settle for the sticker price – offer a low-ball price, and see if you can meet them somewhere in the middle. You never know – you might get lucky and they accept your offer!
I have many items that I’ve found at garage sales that are now proudly displayed in my home from retail stores like Pier One and Lowe’s. I have no problem stripping the paint/stain and refinishing these items, or touching up the rough spots. It’s a treasure hunt and can be SO fun!
Also remember, Kohl’s is practically giving the store away right now. Not only do I have my $10 off any purchase coupon, but I also received email coupons for 15% and 20% off my purchase. With those combined, I can do some serious damage for very little expense. These coupons, and a BUNCH more were featured on Good Morning Texas on Thursday morning. Their sales are unbelievable and in conjunction with your coupons, you are sure to make out like a bandit!
Happy Easter! DO NOT FORGET to run up to your local retailer on Monday and stock up on Easter stuff for next year. Items will be 50% or more off of the previously marked prices.
Before you get your Easter festivities off to a great start, why not hit up a couple of Garage sales?
My sister and I will be venturing out tomorrow, and we’ve mapped our route. Most cities ask that you apply for a Garage Sale permit before holding your sale. When you apply for the permit, you go into their system, and they log the date and times that you have input.
As a garage SALER, you can visit the cities’ websites and see everyone who has applied for a permit. You can see their address, the dates and times they are holding their garage sale, and in most cases, you can also see the items that they will be selling. Score!
Keep a few things in mind as you are shopping…1) how can I reuse, refinish, or repurpose this item? 2) what do I think is a fair price to pay for this item? 3) what items would be more beneficial to get at a garage sale than paying retail price for?
NEVER, EVER be afraid to negotiate! These people do NOT want to haul this junk back into their garages, nor do they want to make the trip to Goodwill with it. You will often find that some people KNOW what they’re doing and price their items to sell. It is very obvious when you approach a sale and things are ‘priced to stay’. Be aware, and don’t settle for the sticker price – offer a low-ball price, and see if you can meet them somewhere in the middle. You never know – you might get lucky and they accept your offer!
I have many items that I’ve found at garage sales that are now proudly displayed in my home from retail stores like Pier One and Lowe’s. I have no problem stripping the paint/stain and refinishing these items, or touching up the rough spots. It’s a treasure hunt and can be SO fun!
Also remember, Kohl’s is practically giving the store away right now. Not only do I have my $10 off any purchase coupon, but I also received email coupons for 15% and 20% off my purchase. With those combined, I can do some serious damage for very little expense. These coupons, and a BUNCH more were featured on Good Morning Texas on Thursday morning. Their sales are unbelievable and in conjunction with your coupons, you are sure to make out like a bandit!
Happy Easter! DO NOT FORGET to run up to your local retailer on Monday and stock up on Easter stuff for next year. Items will be 50% or more off of the previously marked prices.
Stretching your meal options
Thursday, April 1, 2010
I have learned a variety of different ways to save money since we have become a one-income family. Because that one income only comes once a century…I mean once a month, I have learned how to stretch a dollar until it squeaks!
One great way to save is to challenge yourself. Challenge yourself to eat all of the groceries in the pantry/fridge/freezer until it is gone.
How? Make it a game of sorts. Create a list of all of the main dishes, side dishes, and odds and ends that you have. Create the BEST pairings with the things that you have. Once you have done this, make a store list of the necessities that you CANNOT make it through the week without: milk, eggs, diapers, and the like. Then, look at the meals you’ve created with what’s left in your kitchen, and add several odds and ends to make additional meals.
Have leftover roast? Pick up a couple of bolillo rolls and have barbeque sandwiches.
Have a can of fruit and some frozen chicken breasts? Grab some romaine lettuce, marinade your chicken in orange juice and you have Hawaiian chicken salads!
Remember the bolillo rolls that you bought for bbq sandwiches? (They usually come 8 in a bag for about $2 at the bakery) And the romaine lettuce from the Hawaiian chicken salads? Have some bacon? Pick up a large, fresh tomato and serve BLTs for dinner tonight!
These are just a few examples of things that I’ve done in the past. This will keep you from spending money at a restaurant, and cut your grocery bill significantly when you use things that you already have in the pantry. I am a BIG TIME list-checker-offer, so I love to cross off the meals that we’ve eaten or the side/main dishes we have used.
I hope you find this helpful as we all have to make changes in our lifestyles and become good stewards of what we have.
I have learned a variety of different ways to save money since we have become a one-income family. Because that one income only comes once a century…I mean once a month, I have learned how to stretch a dollar until it squeaks!
One great way to save is to challenge yourself. Challenge yourself to eat all of the groceries in the pantry/fridge/freezer until it is gone.
How? Make it a game of sorts. Create a list of all of the main dishes, side dishes, and odds and ends that you have. Create the BEST pairings with the things that you have. Once you have done this, make a store list of the necessities that you CANNOT make it through the week without: milk, eggs, diapers, and the like. Then, look at the meals you’ve created with what’s left in your kitchen, and add several odds and ends to make additional meals.
Have leftover roast? Pick up a couple of bolillo rolls and have barbeque sandwiches.
Have a can of fruit and some frozen chicken breasts? Grab some romaine lettuce, marinade your chicken in orange juice and you have Hawaiian chicken salads!
Remember the bolillo rolls that you bought for bbq sandwiches? (They usually come 8 in a bag for about $2 at the bakery) And the romaine lettuce from the Hawaiian chicken salads? Have some bacon? Pick up a large, fresh tomato and serve BLTs for dinner tonight!
These are just a few examples of things that I’ve done in the past. This will keep you from spending money at a restaurant, and cut your grocery bill significantly when you use things that you already have in the pantry. I am a BIG TIME list-checker-offer, so I love to cross off the meals that we’ve eaten or the side/main dishes we have used.
I hope you find this helpful as we all have to make changes in our lifestyles and become good stewards of what we have.
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