Tip of the day time!

Always check the clearance section first! I have seen very few stores that do not have a clearance aisle or department in their shop. Don't see one? Just ask!

Just this past weekend I was on a mission to purchase a new Easter flag because our old one was looking, well, old. Before I headed to the flag section at the craft store I visited the clearance aisle first and found some great Easter flags there marked down to only $4! Nothing wrong with them, they were just leftover from past Easters and there was plenty of new stock.

Clearance doesn't always have just out-of-season items. Always check it first before paying full price for something seasonal!

So you have chosen 2 places to grocery shop and evaluate your usual shopping list for any must-have brand name items. Now it is time to make this week's shopping list. Where to begin? With a meal plan!

Meal planning is a must for any frugal gal. A 15 minute planning session will save you time and money! Look through your cupboards, fridge, and freezer and see what meals you can shape around them. Jot them down. Now look at your main grocery store's ad and see what kinds of meats and main dish ingredients are on sale. Plan some meals based on what can be bought cheaply. Example, if ground beef is on special then you might start thinking meatloaf, meatballs and spaghetti, tacos, etc. But if pork loin isn't on sale, don't go planning on pork chops and applesauce this week! Save that for another time.

When you are meal planning, figure out how many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners will need to be prepared...keeping in mind any weekly engagements such as a lunch date with your hubby or dinner at your in-laws. You certainly don't want to buy food that you don't need. Unless it is something that is a good price to add to your stockpile at home.

More on that next time!

Here is the second installment for the grocery guide series.

So you have made your list and you've checked out the prices at the stores in your area. Which one had the best prices overall? That is your go-to store. Now, I would suggest either picking up a 2nd place store or a discount, edited supermarket like Aldi or Save-a-Lot to frequent as well.

Go back to that list you made. Put a star next to each item you and your family that is non-negotiable. What do I mean? All of us have our deal breakers, certain products we are loyal to for brand. Mine are ketchup, steak sauce, and cold cuts. I simply will not cut corners on those! We've tried cheaper brands and generics and we just didn't like them. These deal breakers are the foods that I buy only when on sale or have a coupon, or hopefully both! When this does happen, I stockpile them. This way if we run out of the brand name ketchup and it isn't on sale that week we will still have some socked away at home.

The other weekly basics can be picked up at whichever store you found to be cheapest. For us that store is Aldi. To my family, milk is milk, and eggs are eggs. It doesn't matter to them where they come from so I go with the cheapest.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Grocery Guide.

It's time for the tip of the day.

Why bother browsing through the piles of catalogs that come in the mail weekly? They only serve to breed discontent! Suddenly you "need" things you never ever thought of buying before. Toss those catalogs right into the trash can and don't give them a second thought.

Ready to hit the garage sale circuit now that spring is here? Don't head out 'til you read these tips on how to hit the yard sales the right way!

Planning on having a yard sale of your own soon? No worries! I also wrote a 4 part series on how to maximize sales.

Top o' the morning to ya, my frugal friends! Tip o' the day is here!

It's St. Patrick's day an whether you are Irish or not, you can't help but notice the good deals on hams and corned beef. They are traditional Irish foods to be eaten with cabbage, which is so cheap it is practically free at stores this week. If you space in your freezer, I would suggest stocking up on some of those meats today and tomorrow while they are a sweet price.

Also, work some cabbage into your menu plans for the next few weeks. Even if you're not a fan of boiled ham and cabbage, cabbage can add flavor to plenty of other foods, like cole slaw, soups and stews, stirfries, and more!

Tip of the day time.

Sometimes couponers and bargain hunters get so caught up in the thrill of a great deal that they overbuy items for their stockpile. Here's what I tell all my friends who are newbies...ONLY BUY WHAT YOU KNOW YOU WILL USE.

Long ago, when I got my first apartment I would get so excited about sales. I would stock up on packs and packs of toilet paper (reasonable, because we will always use that) and I'd also pile bottle after bottle of soda into my cart (unreasonable, because sometimes they soda would expire and go flat before we could drink them).

Be sure whatever you are stockpiling from good deals will be used by your family within a reasonable amount of time. No one needs 50 tubes of toothpaste. Or 25 packs of hot dogs. Unless, maybe, if you are the Duggar family.

I get an awful lot of email asking me various things about frugal living and saving money! I thought I would share one today.

Well, I am glad you asked this question, and it is one I get a lot, especially when I have speaking engagements! Off the top of my head, I will say that once I passed a Little Tikes sliding board on my mother's neighbor's curb. I could not believe someone would throw away a perfectly good toy! So about three blocks later I turned the car around and went back to snag it. One man's trash in another man's treasure, eh?

One of my readers, who shall remain nameless, recently bought a whole dinner (Chinese takeout) using all the coins found in the family vehicle. Money is money and it ALL spends, right?

Tip of the day - hip, hip, hurray!

Today's tip is one you have probably heard time and time again, but it bears repeating.

Get an emergency fund together. No matter how little you can save, put SOMETHING away each week. Even people who live paycheck to paycheck can do a little something. Because when the rainy day comes you'll want to be ready.

And I am glad today! The rain has come----my washer and dryer have broken. Yes, both of them. And if it weren't for the good ole emergency fund we'd be hauling our duds to the laundromat on a weekly basis (which costs about $20 a shot) from here on out. But instead we can use that cushion to shop around for a good deal on a new set.

Tip of the day time is here!

Yard sale and flea market season is just around the corner here (and where you are it may have already started!) Find some good ones using Craigslist. Yes, Craigslist. I have found some of the biggest an best community yard sales posted on Craigslist, because hey--who doesn't love free advertising? Sometimes these ones aren't in the newspaper, so check it out!

Tip of the day time.

Whether you observe or not, Lent is here and that means most every grocery store is having sales on seafood....fresh, frozen, and canned. Take advantage and fill your freezer!

Tip of the day time is here!

This one is for those of use with kiddos. Nowadays it is not uncommon for families to have children involve in 2-4 activities at a time EACH. Not only will this cause stress an eat up all the family's free time, but it will rack up $300-500 per child. Encourage your children to choose only one activity at a time or per season and stick with it.

You'll be saving on:

-gas

-equipment

-extra fees/dues

-money wasted on night after night of fast food because you are too busy

to cook and sit down to eat

Here's your tip of the day!

Do you think medical costs are set in stone? Wrong! Everything, and I mean everything is negotiable, assuming you talk to the right person. Ask to speak directly to the billing administrator and ask if there are any discounts, such as paying the lump sum all up front, or all in cash, etc.

Tip of the day is here!

You've opened up your bank account statement and there is an overdrawn charge. Grr. If this isn't an ongoing practice for you, give them a call. Many banks are happy to remove the charge if you ask if they see you have been a good customer in the past.

Tip of the day time is here again.

Next time you don't feel like making dinner, order in. Ordering in versus going out saves on drinks AND tips. Pick up the phone and enjoy dinner at home.

Tip of the day is here.

How can you be sure whether or not a couple will double? Well, most coupons have a number code that begins with either a 5 or a 9.

A 5 will double, yes m'am! Even if the coupon says the phrase "do not double". I have no idea why, that's just the way it is.

Sadly, a 9 absolutely will not double, even if the store you are shopping at doubles coupons.

Recently I have been receiving lots of requests for a step-by-step guide to how I shop for groceries. I aim to please! I hope you enjoy the first installment of Free 2 Be Frugal's Grocery Guide.

The very first place to start is by checking out how prices vary from store to store in your area. You are going to find that some shops have great prices on certain items, while other shops have good deals on other products. What I urge you to do is make a price book. Don't be afraid. This will take a little work, but I know you can do it. And the fruits of your labor will show when you determine which store will save you the most money!

To make a price book all you need to do is open up a Word document (you'll want this typed so you can have multiple copies, as well as be able to edit it later). Now make a list of the most frequently bought items you shop for at the grocery store. Close your eyes and visualize the store, aisle by aisle. List each item with a bullet. Now you'll need to choose some stores to investigate at. This is something you are going to want to do alone. Read: no kids, no hubbies.

I recommend choosing at least one major grocery store in your area (ShopRite, Acme, Pathmark, etc.) as well as 1 or 2 other discount stores (Aldi, Save-a-Lot, SuperTarget, SuperWalmart). Visit each store and jot down the price for each item on your list. If you are at a store you've had experience shopping at in the past, you may also want to note the item's frequent sale price if know it. Do this for the entire list, and do it at each store you have chosen.

Below is an example of my list:

Here is the preview of this weekend's coupon inserts! How many copies of the newspaper will you buy?

Tip of the day time!

You know that old saying "the squeaky wheel gets the oil"? Well, it still holds true today! I was at the craft store picking up something for Cub Scouts and had no coupons on me. So I asked if there were any lying around that I could have. Sure enough the woman smile and scanned one in for me. I save 40%!

So don't be afraid to open your mouth. What's the worst that could happen? She could have said no and I would have told her thanks anyway, paid, then went on my merry way.

As a mother of a kindergartener, I am always on the lookout for a healthy snack that will be accepted by finicky taste buds. What mom isn't, right?

When Team Mom offered our family the opportunity to try the newest kiddie snack, I quickly agreed! The latest from The National Raisin Company, Raisels are a new, healthy alternative to candy and sugary fruit snacks. They come in 4 different unique flavors, Sour Apple TKO, Sour Orange Burst, Sour Lemon, and Sour Peach Pucker. And Raisels have no sodium, no HFCS, no artificial sweeteners, and less sugar than other fruit snacks.

The consensus? My kiddo rated them a 7 out of 10. He was diggin' the apple flavor, but wasn't crazy about the others. I had to agree. A watermelon flavor is on the way to market, so I am pretty psyched to try those.

Tip of the day time, my frugal friends!

Lots of people are renting their movies through Netflix these days. Our family joined the ranks about 2 years ago. We initially signed up to be able to be sent 2 videos at a time. But then we noticed we didn't have as much time to get to them as we would like so we downgraded to just 1 disk at a time.

And guess what? A few months ago we found out you could lower your monthly bill even more by choosing the no-disk option. They don't send you any disks but you can stream plenty of videos either on your computer or through other devices (we use our BluRay player). We absolutely love this. Not only are we paying less than we ever have we have been able to cut down to the lowest form of cable. In addition to movies, Netflix will stream ENTIRE seasons of your family's favorite shows. Who needs to pay for Nickelodeon anymore when 20 episodes of Spongebob, Diego, and Backyardigans are all in our tv already?

Our family loves games! We've been known to hold Game Nights here with our little family, as well as with other families. Whip up some snacks (Like these Ranch Pretzels), crank up the tunes, and let the games begin!

Sometimes we play games that people of all ages can play together, but sometimes it can be nice to mix it up a bit and have a grown-up game going while the kiddos are doing their own game or activity. So when I was asked to review the Mega Bloks Domino Build Game from Mega Brands, I jumped at the chance! The game is geared toward kiddos ages 3-6 and up to four people can play the game. As a preschool teacher, I know that fine motor skills and matching are important skills for littles to master and the game is a fun way to hone them. My son is five and he had a blast figuring out this game with his friends. And this mama was so impressed with it that she bought an extra set for her class to play with!

Why not sign up for the Mega Bloks Family Club? When you do, you will receive up to $25 in coupons to pick up this and other great games and activity sets from Mega Bloks.

Tip of the day!

If you are a pet owner, specifically a dog owner, listen up! Stop buying toy after toy for doggies who shred one after another with their aggressive playing and chewing. Instead, buy them a calf's hoof. Yep, I said hoof. They look like rocks.

Even mainstream pet shops like PetSmart sell them (for about $1.50) They can be found on the rawhide aisle and will seriously last for what feels like forever.