Welcome to Centsable Savings Stories and Struggles! Each week someone shares the story of how she became a frugal shopper and what difference it has made in her life. This week, Amee, the other half of the Madame Deals team, is sharing her story. Last week, Renae shared her story which you can read here. When Amee first started looking for ways to cut her bills, she found a group of like-minded friends and the encouragement she needed to persevere. Part of the purpose of Centsable Savings Stories is to offer you that same encouragement. You are not alone! There are many, many people around the country looking for ways to save, and everyone has their own story.
If you’d like to share your story, I’d love to hear from you. Please email me at centsable.katherine[at]gmail.com. More details are at the end of this post.
I am Amee and I am a reformed spender.
I could spend money on anything as long as it was on “sale.” If the item was on sale, I would buy as many as I could in order to equal the original price. One day my husband said, “It isn’t what you save; it is what you spend.” I knew I married him for a reason and his frugality drove me crazy but allowed us to be in a super financial position on the salaries of a military junior officer and a teacher.
When our second child was born, because of the current market, we were unable to pay for her prepaid college fund. I hold a Master’s degree in Education, and I am certified in Regular Education and Special Education. I believe that education is necessary and non- negotiable. I asked my husband if we could pay for her college fund by the month. He said, “You have the checkbook–figure it out.” I knew something had to give, and the only area I could find was our food budget. I told my husband that I was going to cut the grocery bill in order to pay for our daughter’s college. He said, “I will eat tuna, cereal, noodles, etc.” I told him I am not going to change what we eat. I was determined to figure out a way to buy what we use and need for less.
I joined a group of ladies in my mom’s group, and we talked about how to save money. I was so excited by what I was learning that I embraced these ideas and began to teach others. I became friends with Renae who is a fantastic coupon gal so we merged our talents and launched our site. Madame Deals aims to address the whole person and teach people how to embrace who they are and save money at the same time. We are not just moms we want to look great, feel great, and live life within the budget. I am a girly girl who enjoys fashionable clothes and make up. I had to figure out a way to keep my hobbies alive and continue to have a bank account that thrives. That’s what the site is all about.
Each week I feature a different shopper’s story. Centsable Savings Stories are the stories of people just like you who are working toward reducing their budgets, bargain hunting, living a more frugal lifestyle and constantly learning along the way. If you are interested in sharing your family’s successes and struggles, please contact me at centsable.katherine[at]gmail [dot]com. Bloggers and non-bloggers are both welcome to participate. Click here to read the stories of shoppers featured in the past.
Keep tabs on all the best deals by subscribing to BeCentsAble’s feed or get updates direct to your inbox!
