Welcome to Centsable Savings Stories and Struggles! This week we are featuring Michelle’s story.
You can also find her blogging at Saving Some Green
Background: I have always been a frugal person and have enjoyed getting a great deal and the “thrill of the hunt.” I worked full time before we had children, and planned on not working after we had children. We were presented with a wonderful opportunity while I was pregnant with my son for me to return to work full time in a new position (which I loved!). My husband was attending school full time. Our son was born in August, 2005. Everything was running smoothly until we were blessed with our daughter in September, 2007. Working full time and having two children proved very difficult and exhausting! My husband and I made some huge changes and he is now working full time, but is making much less than I was (I had worked for the company for 9 years and had moved up the ladder). My work has allowed me to change positions and work part time 2 days per week. This change has been a huge blessing for our family, but has required some huge changes and huge sacrifices.
Struggles: In my experience, the more money you make, the more money you spend. That was definitely true in our situation. We were making a decent amount of money and basically spending a lot of money on things that we didn’t need. We weren’t shopping smart. In order for me to be able to work part time, we had to make some changes. I happened across some blogs and became a true believer in budgeting, couponing, etc. For the first time in our marriage, we set a budget! My biggest struggle is that I want to stock up on every good deal even if I have to break my budget to do it, which I know is not good. I also have an addiction to Walgreen’s. I live less than a mile from one and I want to go there every day. It is as if I am going to miss out on some great shampoo deal – yet I have 40 bottles in my linen closet. I have been working on doing everything in moderation, which is easier said than done.
Another struggle that I have is just trying to keep it all together. Sometimes I feel overrun with coupons, and rebates, etc. I spend a lot of time trying to clip and organize my coupons, which can be frustrating at times. Because I am obsessed with not missing a deal, I also have become obsessive about my coupons. I just need to be able to let some deals pass me by…do I really need more Hamburger Helper even at $.75 per box????
Method: I must add that while we were spending a lot of money on things that we didn’t need, we have always paid 10% tithing and we also maintained a regular savings plan of about 10% of our income. We continue this today, even though it is a lesser amount each month. Whether or not paying a tithe is part of your belief, an important part of money management is to also to pay yourself! Start small and work up to 10% (or more). You will be amazed at how little you miss it once you start.
My method for shopping is to cruise other blogs to see what deals they found, review the ads in my paper, and match up coupons, then stock up on things that we use regularly. I do not necessarily plan menus in advance, per say. I prefer the seat of my pants method – and it works for our family. I constantly have an idea of what meals I want to make for the upcoming week that is usually based on what I have hanging around in the fridge. If I need to use up something before it goes bad, then I’ll plan a meal around that. If I am at the grocery store I will look for good deals on perishables and plan a meal around them when I get home. I love fresh fruits and vegetables, but it is not critical for me or our family to have them at every meal or every day, so I don’t buy them unless they are on sale. It is important to me that my family is eating a balanced diet, so I fill in with canned or frozen fruits and/or vegetables. We are also enjoying some produce from our garden.
Budget: I am still perfecting this part. I would like to be about $50-60 per week. I think this is doable if I don’t try to stock up on every deal out there! I have not tried this yet, but I have determined that I would like to try grocery shopping with only cash – this will force me to stay within my budget.
The reality is we are all a work in progress when it comes to shopping, couponing, planning, parenting, etc., etc., etc. There is no perfect method. We all have to come up with a solution that works for us. What works for me may not work for you – and that’s okay! What works for me now may not work for me in 5 years – and that’s okay too! I think we all evolve over time in this process; the point is to enjoy it and keep your priorities straight – Faith, Family, and Friends!
Michelle
Each week we feature a different shopper’s story. If you are interested in sharing your family’s story (successes and struggles alike!) contact Chrissy (centsable.chrissy[at]gmail.com). Non-bloggers welcome!!
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Now – time to share your great deals for the week! Leave a link or a comment below!
