Rewards Programs
these can be tricky, but they can also be profitable. Most checking accounts have programs where you can earn cash back. I, for one, am a cash only kind of person but we have a debit for online purchases.
But if you are one who uses a debit card often this may be profitable. Depending on your bank there is a fee associated with such cards. For example, I was using Chase. The annual fee per card ( we had 2) that it came to $50 a year I think. I earned $70 in rewards. So I made a $20 profit.
These programs can be worth it and if you go over the fine print, you should turn a profit.
Showing posts with label Extreme Budget Makeover 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Extreme Budget Makeover 2011. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Assignment #21
How has everyone been doing on your assignments? IF you have an area you need help in let me know. For private messages there is an email link on the blog page. You can email me at theycallmemom at ldsliving dot com. The email address is written as such to prevent spam. No spaces, use the symbols :)
What is your monthly food budget? I was reading another large family blog and saw a post that peeked my interest. It was called the Food Stamp Budget Challenge, or something of that sort. this mother had 9 children, Her challenge was to live on the budget she would have if she had to live off food stamps. With close to 50% of Americans now on food stamps this is becoming a closer reality.
The calculations for this budget, according to her family size was a $1200 a month to spend on food. As we all know food stamps do not cover soap, shampoo, toilet paper, pet food, cleaning supplies etc. This would be in addition to the food stamp budget.
What is your monthly food budget? I was reading another large family blog and saw a post that peeked my interest. It was called the Food Stamp Budget Challenge, or something of that sort. this mother had 9 children, Her challenge was to live on the budget she would have if she had to live off food stamps. With close to 50% of Americans now on food stamps this is becoming a closer reality.
The calculations for this budget, according to her family size was a $1200 a month to spend on food. As we all know food stamps do not cover soap, shampoo, toilet paper, pet food, cleaning supplies etc. This would be in addition to the food stamp budget.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Assignment #20
Health Insurance
I will try not to preach. This is a hot topic for me. My goal is to keep it short and to the point.
Health Insurance, any insurance, is designed to aid in the the case of a devastating event.
I will try not to preach. This is a hot topic for me. My goal is to keep it short and to the point.
Health Insurance, any insurance, is designed to aid in the the case of a devastating event.
Most people today see health insurance as a discount card. The use of insurance is this manner contributes greatly to the rising cost. Just imagine how much your car ins would be if you used your ins card to get new tires, have an oil change or tune up.insurance
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Assignment #19
A Fast Food Fast
And no I do not mean faster. I mean a fast, to fast. However..
For the month of April, do not purchase any fast food. ( Free is ok, but still not as healthy). So if you have a gift card or coupon that you use or share with a friend, that would not be technically cheating, at least on the budget part. For example, I have a free side order from Zaxby's, no purchase necessary.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Assignment #18
Brown Bag it...
Create meals that you can take to work. Pre pack them the night before to make time.
You can pack lunch for less than $1 a day. Got a few co workers? Maybe you can offer a lunch service. Pack them a lunch for $2 a day. :)
Create meals that you can take to work. Pre pack them the night before to make time.
You can pack lunch for less than $1 a day. Got a few co workers? Maybe you can offer a lunch service. Pack them a lunch for $2 a day. :)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Assignment #17
Energy usage
First track your meter readings and make sure they match up with your bill. Also look over your bill for "hidden costs". There may be a few fees you can avoid.
Then go thru your home. Things like a tv, computer should be on a surge protector. Make sure items you do not normally use are unplugged if possible. Try to see what things you can do to reduce your energy use.
With spring here, you can put a fan in your windows to keep the house cool. We do this thru the summer. Not only does it save us $ but we seem to be able to breath better. We buy two large powerful fans for about $40 each. $80 a summer is much cheaper than $300 a month elec bill.
A full fridge and freezer work more efficiently. If you dont have alot of food to store fill soda bottles with water and fill up your empty space. These also come in handy on those hot summer days :)
Turn the dryer off, and use the clothes line. Indoors or out doors hang as much as you can to dry.
Some people swear by CFL bulbs. I prefer incandescent for most uses. But we reduce to a 60 watt. When I need light, I need light and I have 100 watts on hand for those occasions ( like sewing).
Turn down your hot water tank, take shorter showers. Also if you can reuse bath water to water plants. ( I plug the tub and wash our cloth diapers while I shower.) Wash dishes by hand using a small bowl of soapy water in the sink instead of filling the sink with water. Rinse with cold water. Or only run the dishwasher when full.
There are many more ways to cut energy costs. What things have you done?
First track your meter readings and make sure they match up with your bill. Also look over your bill for "hidden costs". There may be a few fees you can avoid.
Then go thru your home. Things like a tv, computer should be on a surge protector. Make sure items you do not normally use are unplugged if possible. Try to see what things you can do to reduce your energy use.
With spring here, you can put a fan in your windows to keep the house cool. We do this thru the summer. Not only does it save us $ but we seem to be able to breath better. We buy two large powerful fans for about $40 each. $80 a summer is much cheaper than $300 a month elec bill.
A full fridge and freezer work more efficiently. If you dont have alot of food to store fill soda bottles with water and fill up your empty space. These also come in handy on those hot summer days :)
Turn the dryer off, and use the clothes line. Indoors or out doors hang as much as you can to dry.
Some people swear by CFL bulbs. I prefer incandescent for most uses. But we reduce to a 60 watt. When I need light, I need light and I have 100 watts on hand for those occasions ( like sewing).
Turn down your hot water tank, take shorter showers. Also if you can reuse bath water to water plants. ( I plug the tub and wash our cloth diapers while I shower.) Wash dishes by hand using a small bowl of soapy water in the sink instead of filling the sink with water. Rinse with cold water. Or only run the dishwasher when full.
There are many more ways to cut energy costs. What things have you done?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Assignment #16
Do it yourself project can save you tons of money. But remember, do not try anything that can turn out to cost you more in the end. But many simple projects can be done by anyone. Minor plumbing repairs, automobile maintenance etc. I have learned how to do minor electrical repairs from working on my grooming equipment.
I do all the haircuts for my family. Every 4-6 weeks I spend about 2 hours cutting hair. At an estimated $10 a person this save me about $80. 8 times a year =$640
If you are crafty you can make many decorative items for your home, many from recycled products. These can also make great gifts!
Try a DIY project this month and share it with us!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Assignment #15
Cooking from scratch
This is a very cost saving change. Prepackaged foods are not only usually more expensive, but not as healthy as what we can make from home. Better health means less sick days, less trips to the docs.
This weeks assignment is to learn two new from scratch recipes. Share them in the comments section :)
This is a very cost saving change. Prepackaged foods are not only usually more expensive, but not as healthy as what we can make from home. Better health means less sick days, less trips to the docs.
This weeks assignment is to learn two new from scratch recipes. Share them in the comments section :)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Assignment #14
Sell, Sell, Sell
Simplicity is key to an inexpensive household. Go thru your clothes, jewelry, dishes etc and purge.
Set aside a reasonable amt for you to keep on hand. For me a tote of clothes on top of the 10 outfits we currently have set out is reasonable per person. Extra clothes means two things. Some never get worn or we spend 2X the amt of time doing laundry. That also costs $. Set aside one set of dishes for you to use and some for when you have company. Go thru your jewelry, CD's, DVD's etc and see what you can sell there. Not only can you make some extra $ but you can make things simpler. Simple lives are less stressful and less expensive.
Places to sell include consignments, online stores, Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon.
Simplicity is key to an inexpensive household. Go thru your clothes, jewelry, dishes etc and purge.
Set aside a reasonable amt for you to keep on hand. For me a tote of clothes on top of the 10 outfits we currently have set out is reasonable per person. Extra clothes means two things. Some never get worn or we spend 2X the amt of time doing laundry. That also costs $. Set aside one set of dishes for you to use and some for when you have company. Go thru your jewelry, CD's, DVD's etc and see what you can sell there. Not only can you make some extra $ but you can make things simpler. Simple lives are less stressful and less expensive.
Places to sell include consignments, online stores, Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Assignment #12
Paying down Debt
The Debt Snowball
The Debt Snowball
Another great Dave Ramsey idea, the debt snowball ( click here)
First. Don't pay anything off. Build a $1000 cash reserve. If you can save $100 a month add that to your envelope budget system. Once you have that $1000, you can work towards paying down your debt.
Make a list of all your debt. Order them smallest to biggest. Once you have your $1000, take they money you were putting towards that and pay off the smallest debt. If you were already making payments on that debt add that payment to your "snowball".
Example:
you pay $80 a month for credit card, balance, $800
you pay $120 a month for doctor bill, balance $1500
you pay $240 a month car pmt, balance $3,000
so you are paying $440 a month on debt.
you take the $100 you had budgeted for savings AND the $80 to pay the credit card. Once its payed off you take that $180 AND the $120 and pay off the doctor. Once that is payed off you take the $300 and the $240 and pay off your car.
Once your debt is clear you now have $540 a month you are use to paying in bills with. Keep budgeting that money but put it into your savings.
Assignment #11
The Envelope Budget System
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Dave Ramsey has a great system for budgeting ( click here)
Make an envelope for all your monthly budgets.
Rent/Mortgage
Utilities
Phone
Cable
Gas
Groceries
Etc.
Then write down how much the budget is. If you budget $400 a month on groceries then write that on the envelope. Thats all you are to spend.
Dave and I both agree its better to be a cash person, but if you must use debit cards use play money in your envelope system. This helps you visually keep track of your money. And you become more conscious of your spending.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Assignment #10
Menus
Menus can help us trim our food budget. They also save time. This is a system that pairs a menu with a grocery list. You can modify it to fit your needs but the way it works is you make a menu for a week and the coordinating shopping list. print out your list and cross off what you have in your pantry. Take the list to the store and buy what you need to fill that list. Hopefully you have a pretty good food storage and only need to purchase fresh items and weekly food storage deals.
Take a sheet of paper and make three lists. Meals you typically eat for breakfasts lunches and dinners. You want to make them practical stuff and balanced. Try to have 14 of each. Also make a column for snacks and desserts.
On a second sheet of paper make 2 one week menus or one two week menus, depending on your shopping cycle. You can also expand to a 4 week menu rotation but we will just start with 2 for this lesson.
On another sheet of paper make several categories, produce, dairy, frozen foods, canned goods. etc. Go thru each meal and write down everything you would need to make that meal. For example if you are having tacos, you need shells, meat or beans, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream. Also write down staple items you mau use in other meals such as salt, dressing, butter etc. If you are doing a one week menu you want two lists. If you are doing a two week menu make one list..etc
When you make your list keep it as orderly as you can. Double check it. If you need 8 oz shredded cheese for tacos on Tuesday and 8 oz for pizza on Friday. Write down 16 oz of cheese on your list. Also go thru and write down staple items such as toothpaste and shampoo.
One your menu's and lists are completed you can type them up and save them. Label them ex: week one list and week one menu. This way you can pull them up as needed. When its time to go shopping all you need to do is print your list and menu. Post the menu on your fridge and edit your shopping list and head to the store. If you are doing the coupons look for items in sales flyers and coupons to match.
Also make note of your stockpile purchases. These will be in addition to your weekly purchases. At first it will be a full list and then the cost of the stockpile goods. But once you get a system your main purchases will be stockpile foods with a few weekly fillers
I hope this isnt' confusing. If so ask questions!
Menus can help us trim our food budget. They also save time. This is a system that pairs a menu with a grocery list. You can modify it to fit your needs but the way it works is you make a menu for a week and the coordinating shopping list. print out your list and cross off what you have in your pantry. Take the list to the store and buy what you need to fill that list. Hopefully you have a pretty good food storage and only need to purchase fresh items and weekly food storage deals.
Take a sheet of paper and make three lists. Meals you typically eat for breakfasts lunches and dinners. You want to make them practical stuff and balanced. Try to have 14 of each. Also make a column for snacks and desserts.
On a second sheet of paper make 2 one week menus or one two week menus, depending on your shopping cycle. You can also expand to a 4 week menu rotation but we will just start with 2 for this lesson.
On another sheet of paper make several categories, produce, dairy, frozen foods, canned goods. etc. Go thru each meal and write down everything you would need to make that meal. For example if you are having tacos, you need shells, meat or beans, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream. Also write down staple items you mau use in other meals such as salt, dressing, butter etc. If you are doing a one week menu you want two lists. If you are doing a two week menu make one list..etc
One your menu's and lists are completed you can type them up and save them. Label them ex: week one list and week one menu. This way you can pull them up as needed. When its time to go shopping all you need to do is print your list and menu. Post the menu on your fridge and edit your shopping list and head to the store. If you are doing the coupons look for items in sales flyers and coupons to match.
Also make note of your stockpile purchases. These will be in addition to your weekly purchases. At first it will be a full list and then the cost of the stockpile goods. But once you get a system your main purchases will be stockpile foods with a few weekly fillers
I hope this isnt' confusing. If so ask questions!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Assignment #9
Well its the 1st of February. We need to finish up our 1st two assignments. One was to track your monthly spending. Write the figures down and put them in a safe place. I will continue to track, but you don't have to. We will do another "check up" in a few mos. The second was to make a list of your keep on hand items.
Todays assignment is to make a spreadsheet for your list. You can use a microsoft program or a sheet of paper.
You will need 5 columns
Item How much you use How many you have on hand How many you need What the average price is
Try to keep this copy in your coupon binder or wherever you can have it handy. This will help you at the store when you find a deal.
Starting to build a food storage
For example, if you use 1 bottle of dish soap a week then you want to fill your storage to have 52 bottles. If you use 1 bottle of laundry soap a month, you need 12. If you use 3 cans of veggies a week you need 156 cans. This doesn't mean go out an buy them today. You wait till the price is right. Most canned veggies are .50¢-.79¢ a can. If they are on sale for say 3/$1 thats a good deal. if you need 156 cans at .50 each thats $78. If you buy them 3/$1 thats $51. A savings of about $27.
You can also start smaller.. a 3 mos storage, or a 6 mos storage. The goal is a year.
To some people the idea of food storage is absurd. Last spring I bought about $80 worth of canned veggies. We had been using some but we try to eat fresh in the summer. This past 2 months or so our grocery budget has almost ceased to exist. Those canned veggies ( along with other food storage items) have helped make many many meals. Had we not prepared for days like this, we many not have been able to eat. We never know what lies ahead in life, but we must do all we can to be prepared.
Assignment #9
Well its the 1st of February. We need to finish up our 1st two assignments. One was to track your monthly spending. Write the figures down and put them in a safe place. I will continue to track, but you don't have to. We will do another "check up" in a few mos. The second was to make a list of your keep on hand items.
Todays assignment is to make a spreadsheet for your list. You can use a microsoft program or a sheet of paper.
You will need 5 columns
Item How much you use How many you have on hand How many you need What the average price is
Try to keep this copy in your coupon binder or wherever you can have it handy. This will help you at the store when you find a deal.
Starting to build a food storage
For example, if you use 1 bottle of dish soap a week then you want to fill your storage to have 52 bottles. If you use 1 bottle of laundry soap a month, you need 12. If you use 3 cans of veggies a week you need 156 cans. This doesn't mean go out an buy them today. You wait till the price is right. Most canned veggies are .50¢-.79¢ a can. If they are on sale for say 3/$1 thats a good deal. if you need 156 cans at .50 each thats $78. If you buy them 3/$1 thats $51. A savings of about $27.
You can also start smaller.. a 3 mos storage, or a 6 mos storage. The goal is a year.
To some people the idea of food storage is absurd. Last spring I bought about $80 worth of canned veggies. We had been using some but we try to eat fresh in the summer. This past 2 months or so our grocery budget has almost ceased to exist. Those canned veggies ( along with other food storage items) have helped make many many meals. Had we not prepared for days like this, we many not have been able to eat. We never know what lies ahead in life, but we must do all we can to be prepared.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Assignment #8
DeClutter
I am a recovering pack rat. I still try to keep stuff that I feel we need, but not as much as I use to. I am also more organized about it.
Your project this week is to go thru one room. Make 3 piles
1. Trash
2. Donate/Sell
3. Move to another room ( just make sure it goes where it goes!)
How can this save me money?
For one, you know what you need when you need it. If you have an iron and cant find it, well you wasted the $ you spent on the iron. Two, if you really need one now you have to buy a new one.
You may also be able to sell or trade your items. Ebay, Paperback swap, Freecycle, Craigslist are just a few places you can sell, trade or donate you good stuff that you no longer need.
A clean, organized room will also save you time.. and time is money!
Assignment #8
DeClutter
I am a recovering pack rat. I still try to keep stuff that I feel we need, but not as much as I use to. I am also more organized about it.
Your project this week is to go thru one room. Make 3 piles
1. Trash
2. Donate/Sell
3. Move to another room ( just make sure it goes where it goes!)
How can this save me money?
For one, you know what you need when you need it. If you have an iron and cant find it, well you wasted the $ you spent on the iron. Two, if you really need one now you have to buy a new one.
You may also be able to sell or trade your items. Ebay, Paperback swap, Freecycle, Craigslist are just a few places you can sell, trade or donate you good stuff that you no longer need.
A clean, organized room will also save you time.. and time is money!
Assignment #7
Savings:
Starting with your next paycheck, take a $5, $10 or $20 bill, depending on your budget abilities , and put it into a secret envelope. Each payday do the same. Put the envelope in a safe, but memorable place. This is your emergency cash stash.
Starting with your next paycheck, take a $5, $10 or $20 bill, depending on your budget abilities , and put it into a secret envelope. Each payday do the same. Put the envelope in a safe, but memorable place. This is your emergency cash stash.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Assignment #6
Sunday paper coupons.
Right now I buy 3-5 papers. If I need more I can buy from Ebay. Also ask around. You may have friends and neighbors who get the paper and toss the coupons. If you have a choice of papers, look for the ones who have the best coupons. And make sure each paper has them in before you buy it. For those in the Louisville Area, the coupons here are better than the local town papers, ie Glasgow Daily, News Enterprise etc.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Assignment #5
The Entertainment Budget
Cable, Movie Rentals and More.. These expenses can eat up ones budget quite fast. Cut the cable.
With high speed internet and companies such as Redbox and Netflix, you can cut your monthly tv/movie budget to $10 or less.
Netflix has a one month free trial and offers a no dvd unlimited viewing plan for $7.99 and a one at a time dvd/watch online plan for $9.99
Redbox and Blockbuster are always offering free codes
Hulu and other websites* offer streaming video of recent tv shows. Some sites even offer live sports.
Not only can limited TV help your budget, but just think of all the other things you could do with that time instead!
*list of sites is being complied
Cable, Movie Rentals and More.. These expenses can eat up ones budget quite fast. Cut the cable.
With high speed internet and companies such as Redbox and Netflix, you can cut your monthly tv/movie budget to $10 or less.
Netflix has a one month free trial and offers a no dvd unlimited viewing plan for $7.99 and a one at a time dvd/watch online plan for $9.99
Redbox and Blockbuster are always offering free codes
Hulu and other websites* offer streaming video of recent tv shows. Some sites even offer live sports.
Not only can limited TV help your budget, but just think of all the other things you could do with that time instead!
*list of sites is being complied
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