Last year, I wrote numerous articles about grocery shopping, saving money with coupons, stockpiling, The Grocery Game, and getting groceries for next to nothing.  This year, I’m really struggling.

In December, our family moved to a very rural area.  It’s beautiful out here.  The neighbors have llamas, donkeys, horses, and cows.  It’s nice and quiet.  There’s just one problem . . . the only grocery store around is Food Lion. 

Food Lion does have some nice weekly specials that I like to stockpile, but I am really missing my Lowe’s Foods.  Each week, I would print out The Grocery Game list for Lowe’s Food, clip my coupons, and I felt a great deal of satisfaction when I rolled out of there saving such a nice chunk of change.  It was a personal goal to keep our weekly grocery budget under $75.  Many weeks I did not spend half that amount.  Some weeks I did, but our cabinets were so full!!!!  After my husband was laid off, we ate off our stockpile for months and was able to share with others too!

There are other groceries stores around in the larger cities, but who wants to drive 15-20 miles to the grocery store?  I sure don’t.  That takes a lot of extra time from my schedule. 

Since moving here, I have had to increase our food budget by at least $25 per month.  Now that we have an active, growing 11-year-old (who eats more than I do), I find I’m spending even more.  As a very thrifty person, this is really hard for me.  Sometimes I am spending over $100 per week on groceries!!!!! 

I need to put all this out of control spending to rest.  I think if I had a regular plan in place, I could start saving a lot more money.  I’m thinking I need to plan one day each week to go to “the big city” (lol) to do my grocery shopping.

What do you think?  How can this thrifty mommy get back on track?

Yesterday I told you about Dave Ramsey’s envelope system which helps budget your money so that you don’t overspend.  I’ve been thinking more about budgets and realize this is a subject that needs to be addressed and it’s also an area in which I need improvement.

A study of Harvard graduates showed that those with with written goals achieve more than others.  Some words from Dave Ramsey:

Your budget is a written goal for your money.  People who win at anything have written goals.  Goals are what you are aiming at.  Your money won’t behave unless you tame it.  You need to have a budget for every month.  Spend every dollar on paper before the month begins. Give every dollar of your income a name before the month begins.  This is called zero-based budgeting.  Income-outgo=exactly zero.  Match up every income dollar until you have given it an outgo name (this includes savings).

We have learned the importance of saving for rainy days and having an emergency fund.  We are trying to live a debt free life, even with two house payments.  (Yes, it still hasn’t sold!)

How is your budget?

image from daveramsey.com

As I’ve mentioned before, my husband and I have attended Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University classes at our church.  These classes were very beneficial to our finances, as well as our marriage.  Finally, we were on the same page financially and were both working toward paying off debt and saving.

One of Dave Ramsey’s tips for budgeting is to use an envelope system.  You simply make an envelope for every area spending which can include: groceries, gas, childcare, entertainment/eating out, clothing, and more.  The envelope system is a great way to keep you from spending more than you had allotted.  It may take a few pay periods to find the right amount for each category.

No Credit Needed has posted a great envelope tutorial on youtube.  Check it out.

Are any of you using the envelope system?

Lately we have known way too many people who have lost thier jobs.  Karen and I just wanted to let you know that we are praying for all of you who are struggling, regardless of your job status.  But we are especially praying for those of you looking for jobs.

These last few weeks, my family has been hit as well.  We are so thankful to have our jobs.  My job is tenuous but so far, so good.  But my family hasn’t been so fortunate as of late.

• My dad was laid off in February
• My step-dad was cut to 20 hours a week from full time and lost his insurance
• My sister is waiting for her furlough
• My sister-in-law lost her job a few months ago

Keep up the hard work with finding a job.  We are praying for you.

The other day, I went to Wal-Mart and was walking to the kids section when I noticed the guy marking down the bath wraps that I wanted!  I have been contemplating making it but knew the material alone would cost me $10.  They had them marked down for $2.50.  I was so excited that I bought mine without thinking about Turkey Butt wanting one.

Of course, when I brought it home, she wanted one just like it.  So I went back the next day and they had marked them up to $5 (regular price $10).  I bought her one but it was painful.  I was still happy to have mine for cheap and now Turkey Butt and I get out of the bath and sit in our wraps for a while together.  She loves it!

I love Pottery Barn but will never pay full price for their stuff.  I think it is great quality but too expensive.  Maybe I’m just cheap.  But I was cruizin’ around and saw some great deals in their Clearance sale items.  You should check it out.  I love their Pink Patchwork Stars Nursery Bedding.  It’s so sweet!

I love drifting around the net.  And to answer your questions, no.  I have not found the end of the Internet yet.  But what I did find were some great sites and great deals.  So I thought I would show you some really great finds.  It’s great.  Do you feel great yet?  HAHA

• Baby Cheapskate - Angie always finds great diaper deals and if you miss her diaper deals for the week,  you basically through your diaper budget out the window and waste your hard earned money.  I love her!
• She Knows Coupons - Eliza does a great job of giving you the latest updates on the latest and greatest coupon deals out there.
• Frugal Living - I just love Pat and all she does.  I especially love reading her blogs as she has a way of putting things that make me laugh and WANT to save money!  “I was lazy today and made pudding from an instant mix instead of cooking it from scratch. Scratch is a little cheaper (although generic mix is pretty cheap!), but it’s a lot better, and I suspect it’s better for you.”  She just cracks me up!
• 5 Minutes for Mom - I can’t say enough about the Tackle it Tuesday challenges.  They also keep us in touch with their fantastic kids.  I keep coming back for the antics.
• Dumb Little Man - I love the way they focus on ways to make you more marketable and their post on the 6 frugal ways to beat Cabin Fever is right up my alley.  I am so ready for spring!

I pay on average, $5 per hour for a baby sitter.  My son goes to bed at 7:30 so most of the night, the sitter just has to watch TV.  I pay a minimum of $20, usually, no matter how long we are gone.  My husband and I went to see a movie the other night.  We went to a 9:30 movie so the baby sitter didn’t have to get to the house until our son was asleep and Turkey Butt was falling asleep.  The movie was $13, a snack (I hadn’t eaten yet) was $12, and the sitter was $20.  So my total movie night cost me $45.  That was painful.  I liked the movie but not the price.

How much do you pay for a baby sitter?  Do you pay a base pay or by the hour?

Ok, so I am not really trying to turn Thrifty Mommy into a political blog but there are some things that are just griping me!!

This stimulus package is a big one.  These ideas are just mine and feel free to disagree as I am really wanting someone to explain the other side because I am just not getting it right now.

• If we don’t have the money to spend, why are we spending it?  I realize that we need to do something.  However, I am of the mind that if we don’t liek the practices of a bank, then we don’t do any business with that bank.  If we feel that the auto industry is not being responsible with their finances, then we don’t buy their cars.  That is what bankruptcy restructuring is for.
• If it doesn’t create a job in the next 6 months, it shouldn’t be in the bill.  I don’t see any reason why $650 billion dollars is in the stimulus package to fund the digital TV switch.
• If it needs to be funded by the government, it should be passed through committee and voted on it’s merit instead of being pushed through in the stimulus package.  I am not against giving $300 million to combat violence against women, but it should go through committee and be voted on by it’s own merit.  Don’t bypass the system and sneak it in here.
• Every child needs to be taken care of.  But $2 billion for child care assistance should be passed on it’s own merit.
• Funding college scholarships will benefit in the long run but it won’t bring on new jobs in the next 6 months.  Deal with it separate and find a way to pay for it that won’t bring us further in debt.
• $4.2 billion for “neighborhood stabilization activities” should be a local governance issue.  Not a federal issue and not here.
• Come on!!! $448 billion for a new home for the Department of Homeland Defense?  Yes, it will bring more construction jobs, but why does it have to be here?  Why can’t you pay for it in the budget for DHD?
• $350 million for Agriculture Department computers? That will make their jobs easier but it won’t add a single job or stimulate any economic progress.

I think some of these spending bills are good and will increase productivity but they shouldn’t be in THIS bill.   Here are some good ideas that are in the bill that I think are good ideas.

• Money to rebuild bridges and roads
• Money to create jobs in the private sector in the next 6 months - not 2 years from now
• Giving the people back their money to spend how they want. I can spend it much better  than they can.

My financial background has taught me a few things that I do try to live by.

• If I can’t pay for it in cash, I either need to save for it or do without.
• If I can’t afford to pay it back, I don’t need to borrow - a loan or credit
• If I can’t afford to save a little each month, I am spending too much.

So please tell me where you think I am missing the boat because I totally don’t uderstand why if we are in such a deep hole already, why we need to spend $1.3 trillion after interest.

So I went to Sam’s Club today and tried to comparison shop.  I have always heard how much cheaper their diapers were so I made a list of my usual regular items and then went to Wal-Mart and figured out how much they were per unit.  I checked a few items I use regularly and usually cost me an arm and part of a leg.  I thought I would let you in on a little secret…

Huggies Diapers: Sam’s  $.2373/ diaper  Wal-Mart  $.2936

Clorox 2: Sam’s  $.1692/load  Wal-Mart  $.1970/load

Oxiclean: Sam’s  $1.162/lb  Wal-mart  $1.96/lb

Surf:  Sam’s $.087/load  Wal-Mart  $.0993/load

Downy:  Sam’s $.0726/load  Wal-mart  $.075

Gain:  Sam’s  $.1257/load  Wal-Mart  $.133/load

Dishwashing Gel:  Sam’s $.0387/oz  Wal-Mart  $.0384/oz

Wipes:  Sam’s  $.0292/wipe  Wal-Mart  $.0232/wipe

Turns out, Sam’s WAS cheaper.  Their organic milk, however, was $.30/half gallon more expensive.  So I will continue to buy my organic milk at Kroger for less than #3/half gallon.