Pearly Whites

Since I have been focusing a lot of my posts on saving money, I decided to take some time to write about issues and topics in parenting. Along with sharing how to save money, I also like to share my experience as a mother. One such joy & trial we have been experiencing lately is the milestone of teeth.

 It seems like my baby was teething for months and month without the sign of pearly whites. Looking back I wonder if the reason for her sleeping pattern changing was due to the fact that she was preparing for teeth. Around 3 to 4 months, my once sleep-through-the-night baby, was waking up multiple times during the night. This has lasted for about 4 months now until last night. For those 3 months, she had every sign of teething possible. Just when I thought, "Maybe she'll get a tooth soon," the symptoms stopped and nothing happened. Until about 1 week and half ago, we spotted her first tooth. It was just barely there and looked painful. Not long, like two days, after her first tooth, she got her second tooth. And somewhere inbetween, she got a third. Now she is working on her fourth one. Which means that she will have went from 0 to 4 in about 2ish weeks!

Teething can be stressful & painful for both parent & child. I found myself getting up more at night & being less patient with all the crying. My daughter is a pretty good baby. She hardly ever cries or fusses, but teething has changed that--but only for a few days. I kept asking myself, "How much medicine should I be giving her?" or "What can I do to help her?" When babies are getting teeth, you truly feel helpless. There are lots of remedies out there for teething, but it's so hard to know which ones are best for your baby. Here is some helpful information about teething and teething products that I have found helpful:

• Children's Tylenol--I only gave to my child right before bedtime or when I could tell nothing else was helping.
• Baby Oragel--Use on baby's gums to numb them. I like this and it worked for a while.
• Cold Teething Rings--old trick but it does work. Place teething toys in the fridge for an hour or two. Then give to baby.
• Something Cold--I have given my baby Italian ice a few times (very, very tiny bites) or ice cream to help soothe her. Even a metal spoon that is cold feels good on their gums. Or try cold baby food-like applesauce.
• Teething pacifier--This I have yet to try, but have had people recommend that it works.
• Cold wash cloth--another old trick, but works well.
• Teething crackers--they now make crackers just for teething. My baby liked these.
• Teething tablets--Most stores carry teething tablets that are homeopathic and 100% natural. I have used these a few times & they seem to work.

Substitute

How often do you cook with or eat meals with meat? In 2007 a report found that these are the amounts of meat the average American consumes each year:

Chicken: 84.9 pounds
Beef: 63.5 pounds
Pork: 48.2 pounds
Turkey: 17.5 pounds
Lamb and Mutton: 1 pound

It's not hard to believe that the US is the number 1 consumer of meat in the world. Not only are we the largest consumer of meat but meat production has increased by 500% since 1950. Since 1961, we have almost doubled the amount of meat we consume each year. Now, don't take this the wrong way because I enjoy meat; but, we consume too much meat.  The portion of meat we should be eating is 3 oz but in reality we are eating much bigger portions of meat than that. Most meals we make or eat at a restaurant, the meat is the main dish with tiny sides of a starch or vegetable. Research & studies have shown that Americans eat way more meat than fruits or vegetables. In fact, only a small percentage of people actually eat the suggested amount of fruits & vegetables each day. So, you might be asking yourself, "What's your point?' My point is that if we reduce the amount of meat we eat at each meal, we could not only save money but we could also become healthier.

Meat can be expensive, and if you are using it as your main entree it can cost even more.  When buying meat, I almost always buy it on sale. If there is a really good sale, I buy multiple packages and freeze them. I've read books and articles that show what a good price is for different cuts & types of meats. So, before going to the store, I set target prices for the meats I buy. If it's not within my target price, I don't buy it. I will shop around or wait for a sale. If I were to use meat--beef, chicken, poultry--in every meal, everyday I would be spending a lot of money. Instead of using meat in every meal, I have begun to substitute.  There are several other choices for cooking that do not involve meat. Here are some examples:

-Beans--black, pinto, letil
-Rice
-Pasta
-Tuna
-Eggs

Now, I am aware that tuna is a type of meat, but it is usually much cheaper than other meats. Most of these other options have a lot of protein in them which will make you full.  If you do use meat often, try using recipes that call for smaller amounts of meat, like stir-fry. You can also substitute meat meals by insterting the following:

-Nacho night
-Soup & salad night
-Cereal night
-Baked potato night
-Pancake/Breakfast night

These are all meals that will save you money and usually time as well. Some of these might not be "kid friendly" but you can adjust accordingly to what your family prefers.

Sources:
 -Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), FAOSTAT on-line statistical service (FAO, Rome, 2004). Available online at: http://apps.fao.org.
-http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1495
-National Turkey Federation: http://www.eatturkey.com / http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2008-11-14-3913750537_x.htm

Free Treat

Taco Bell currently has a coupon for a FREE Fruitista Freeze at coupons.com with the purchase of anything on the menu. That means you could buy something off the value menu for $1 or less and still receive this freeze drink for FREE! To find out more & get your coupon, click on the link above.

Cut the Clutter: Dishes

http://www.rubiconcoaching.ca/wp/?tag=proactivity

The other day I came across an article about cutting down on the clutter in the home.  This article has several tips on how to cut the clutter & live more simply. As I was scrolling down to view the comments on the article, I came across an interesting comment. I haven't tried this idea yet, but find it fascinating. Here is what the lady suggested:

"I have more space in my kitchen cabinets because each family member has 1 dinner plate, 1 bowl, 2 cups, 1 salad plate and 1 tea cup. We keep a set of dishes for entertaining too, but that’s it. I can remember when I had several sets of dishes and my sink was overflowing and my cabinets were cluttered. Not anymore."
Saidah @ AProverbswife.com

This idea is interesting because it would save in so many ways! First, on dishes. I don't know about you, but it seems like I am always doing dishes. Just when the sink is clear, more dishes start to pile up. So this idea would eliminate the big pile of dishes in the sink. Second, it would clear up cabinet space--which would be nice. This would allow room for groceries or storing other things you cannot find a spot for. Last, it would save on water & energy because you wouldn't be doing loads & loads of dishes in the dishwasher. The downfall is that you would have to wash the plates, bowls and cups each time you used them. I would tweek this idea just a little bit. What if each family member had 2 plates, 2 bowls, 2 cups and 1 salad plate instead? I think this would allow for less washing throughout the day. It would still serve the purpose of less clutter & less dishes. See more on cutting the clutter here:  

http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/04/get-rid-of-clutter.html

Cut the Cost: Laundry Detergent

Laundry is one of the essential things in life. If you have multiple children or people living in your home, the loads of laundry can add up fast. Pouring in detergent each time adds up too, and fast. Here is a fantastic resource/article by Money Saving Mom on ways to save when buying laundry detergent. There is even a video which shows how to make your own laundry soap:

http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/03/four-ways-to-save-money-on-laundry-detergent.html 

Sweet Deal

Copyright Dairy Queen

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Dairy Queen blizzards! Although they are a little pricey, I still crave them often. So, to feed my craving I decided to search for blizzard coupons online a few years ago. I eventually came across a way to buy one blizzard, get one free. Below is the link to Dairy Queen's website where if you become a blizzard fan club member, you can receive 2 BOGO free coupons. You will earn 1 just for signing up & 1 when it's your birthday. It's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Especially when you are craving a blizzard on a hot summer night.

At the bottom of the page, there is a box that says "Blizzard Fan Club" and a place to join by entering your first & last name. Then that will take you to a page to fill out a few more things about yourself. Enjoy!!!

http://dairyqueen.com/us-en/

Weekly Wisdom

Although I love to save money, I have learned that being too frugal is not always a good thing. Here is my weekly wisdom for the week:


Some things are worth buying new. This lovely tip comes from a very wise man, my husband. As sad as it may sound, my husband has had to remind me a time or two, that sometimes it is better to buy new than used. For example, some people might feel comfortable buying a used pair of underwear. I, on the other hand, do not. Some things are worth buying new. Need another example? Baby bottles--You never know where the bottles have been, honestly. Your baby’s health is more important than saving a few dollars. Although baby bottles can be pricey, some things are just worth buying new. Being frugal can be helpful in some areas of life, but it is okay to buy new too. Saving money is a good thing, but it’s okay to splurge every once in a while.


More weekly wisdom next week!

Weekly Menus

Before going to the grocery store, I like to plan out the meals we are going to eat for the week. I create a weekly menu & pick out the recipes I plan to use. Below I've created two versions of weekly menus. Each have a plan to write the recipe you plan to use, the ingredients it calls for & a spot to write the items you will need to purchase from the store. One menu has just a single blank weekly menu on the page. The other one has 2 weeks of blank menus. So, save them to your computer, print them out & plan out a week's worth of meals!

Dave Ramsey "Budgeting" Money Makeover - 1/10

Need to budget your money? This video gives simple suggestions on where to start.

Less is More

A while back, I decided I had way too much stuff. Stuff in the closets, stuff in the drawers, stuff under the bed, stuff downstairs, upstairs, in the garage and everywhere. Too much stuff. I found myself wondering, "How did I end up with all this stuff?" In the next moment I decided all this extra stuff had to go. I don't know how or why we feel the need as humans to buy, buy, buy; but, we do. We then end up with stuff, stuff, stuff. Some stuff we need and must have. But some stuff just takes up space and energy. Sometimes when I purchase something, I do not think about the simple fact that I will have to find a spot in my house for that something. In fact, I think many times I forget this and that is why I have ended up with stuff I do not need. When I realized how much useless stuff I had and that I had no good place to store it all, I decided to prioritize and declutterize---if that's a word. I began throwing gobs and gobs of things away or placing them in a pile for give-away. If you have ever done this before, than you can attest to how good it feels to get rid of things you don't use or have any use for. Then I began organizing the stuff I needed or wanted to keep. This is still an on-going process. I cannot fully express how refreshing it is to have less. If I did not have such emotional attachments to some of my belongings, I would get rid of more. The simple fact is---less is more.  Not just more space, but more in the sense that it reminds you of what is really important in your life. Stuff is just not important. It is exactly what I just stated--stuff. It can't make you happy and it can't do much for you but sit and gather dust. I'll tell you what can bring joy and happiness and worth to your life---faith, family & friends. So, instead of collecting stuff, try collecting people & relationships. They last a lot longer & the space they take up will be in your heart.

If it Ain't on the List...

Since I have several ideas on ways to save money, I decided to just start posting them like this instead of constantly writing "Way to Save # so and so." It just seemed like a better idea.

If it ain't on the list, it doesn't come home. This applies to all forms of shopping, not just grocery shopping. I must admit, I am horrible about following this way to save money; but, I believe it's a handy one to know. More often then not, when I come home from the store, I end up with several items I had no intention of buying. I then begin asking myself why. Then I beat myself up for spending way more money than desired. Followed by the "I will not let this happen again" self-talk. Sadly, I must inform you that my self-talks do not last very long. I soon find myself standing in my kitchen with bags and bags of groceries and a less than desirable 2-foot long receipt of items I did not really need.

Sticking to your list will save not only money but also time. If you make a plan before you go to the store, you are more less likely to impulse buy. In case you do not know what an impulse buy is, it is anything you buy that you did not intend to buy. For example, you go to the store and see a cute, little to-go mug that you don't really need & that you didn't come to the store for but decide to buy it anyway. My husband used to say I did this type of shopping a lot. Almost everything I bought was an impulse buy. Impulse buys are not wrong, but should be done in moderation. Having an idea of what you are going to buy helps you stick to your budget and save money. Also, take the coupons and/or ads with you so that you remember what you are going to buy. I not only take a list, coupons & the ads but I also circle the items on the ads that I am going to buy. I then write down the items I am going to buy with the coupons and the items I circled on the ad. This saves me time. Then I only have to look one place to find everything I am going to purchase. I take the ads with me just in case. The times I do not go to the store with a list, I end up spending over an hour looking for things I think I need. Then I end up with odds and ends items and a bill that I never wanted. When I shop with a purpose and stick to the list, I end up with the items I needed and money still in the bank. Not only do I save money by sticking to what is on my list, I also save time. Trips to the store have to be semi-quick these days with a little one that comes with. Her battery expires within a half-hour so I know that I must be quick. I must say that having a little one helps you to be intentional & purpose minded when going to the store.

So, before you step out the door---make a list, gather coupons & ads and when you get to the store, stick to what you had planned before.

Diaper Dilemma

Who knew ten years ago I would be writing about diapers! When you are young you fantasize about what your life will be like when you grow up, who you will marry, the beautiful house you will have and the many children you will raise; but, rarely does one think about which diapers they will choose. At least I never did! And here I sit writing about diapers. Not only am I going to tell you about diapers, but I am actually excited to do it. Sad as it might be, I like to educate people on saving money, even if it's about diapers.


So if you are a mom, you might know that diapers are not only a necessity but diapers are costly. The decision of buying diapers comes with consequences. Buy the wrong ones and anything from explosions to hurricanes might occur. When my daughter was first born we bought one of the more expensive brands of diapers--Pampers Sensitive Swaddlers. I had every good intention when buying these diapers. I wanted my newborn to have a comfortable experience when she went to the restroom and I wanted her to have protection against leaks. These diapers were great....until she needed more & the lady at the register told me the total for 70 some diapers---which would only last for a week, if that. At first, we could get buy on the overwhelming supply of diapers kind friends and family had purchased for us. But when that supply ran out and we were left standing at the register forking over lots of money for diapers. I knew there had to be a cheaper way.


We have tried almost every kind of diaper there is. Pampers--in various versions, Huggies, Walmart's brand--Parent's Choice, Luvs and Baker's brand. When it came down to it there were two things I wanted out of a diaper--lost cost & leak protection. I never thought in a million years that I would go to a store and calculate how much each diaper would cost. I would take the price of the box of diapers & divide it by the number of diapers in the box. This is how I compared diaper cost. It really is incredible how much each individual diaper costs! Some are 22 cents a diaper! What becomes even more difficult is putting a fresh 22 cent diaper on your child, and two minutes later you are changing it. Sometimes I would think, "Well, looks like 22 cents is going to have to come out of your college fund." Sad, really, but oh so true. Diapers are pricey. We once tried Sam's Club to see if diapers would be cheaper there. We purchased Huggies Snug and Dry diapers--a huge box of like 202 diapers I believe--for about $37. This equals out to be 18 cents a diaper--possibly more with tax. The downfall of Sam's Club is that they only offer a few brands of diapers. The good thing is that you get a lot of diapers for a decent price. Another handy tip is to look online and sign up for coupons. So, if you take the coupons with you, you might be able to save a few dollars more.


Overall, brand name diapers will always cost more, even with coupons; however, brand names do come in handy for quality. I have put a lot of faith and trust in Pampers Baby Dry. They offer 12 hour leak protection, which I can attest is true, so far anyway. Other brands have leaked during the night, but these diapers stand above the rest. I love these diapers for nighttime, but I do not love the price. My daughter was wearing these diapers all day and all night which ended up costing us an arm and a leg. We were paying about 20-21 cents per diaper. Which might not seem like a lot, but it sure does add up, especially when you are using 6-10 diapers a day. In order to solve this diaper dilemma, I had to find a quality diaper that was easy on the wallet. Target. I found that Target makes inexpensive, quality diapers. Target's brand Up & Up makes diapers that are pretty cheap & also pretty good. I have several friends with children newborn to toddler who trust this brand to cushion their babies to buns. I have used Target's diapers for many months now and have not had any issues.


In the end, I decided to rotate between 2 diapers--Pampers Baby Dry & Target's Up & Up. During the day I use Target's brand. At night, I trust in Pampers Baby Dry. It's a great compromise & it saves money too! Here is a look at how it breaks down---for Target's brand I get 96 diapers for about $13.60ish so that's 14 cents a diaper. For Pampers Baby Dry I get 96 diapers for about $19.99 (sometimes less if I have a coupon) so that's 20 cents a diaper. Since I only use Pampers at night, one box of 96 can last around a month and a few weeks. I highly recommend rotating diapers. You still get the quality and name you trust while saving money at the same time.


Tips:
-Buy on sale & with a coupon if you are choosing name brand diapers
-Try different store brands to find the ones you love
-Trust brand name diapers for overnight protection
-Price it out before you buy--how much are you spending per diaper?
-Watch for rashes caused by cheap diapers
-Trust you gut--you will know when you've found the diaper that works for you

Bond

"Before you were conceived

I wanted you

Before you were born

I loved you

Before you were here an hour
I would give my life for you
This is the miracle of life."

Maureen Hawkins

 

Love is a powerful thing. There is the kind of  love between two friends, love for our pets, love between a husband and a wife, and then there is the love we have for our children.  This love is one of the most sacrificial kinds of love--parental love. Before our children are even a second old, we would do anything for them, including giving our own lives for theirs. This love is not conditional for babies cannot do anything for us. Love between a husband and wife may be at times sacrificial but let's face it, even love in a marriage is conditional. It's conditional on whether or not he does the dishes or picks up after himself. Or whether she cooks dinner or cleans the toothpaste out of the sink. Although we have good intentions and do not plan to have this kind of love in our marriages, we sometimes do. But, love for a child is not conditional at all. Babies are helpless. There is nothing babies do to make us love them. They bring joy to our hearts, yes, but they cannot clean, cook or pay for anything yet we love them nonetheless. As we begin to love our children, a bond begins to grow. Over time we see them change & experience life with them. We watch their personalities develop and the bond we have with them grows stronger.

Of all the bonds we share with others, the bond between a mother and child is hard to miss. Moments after having my daughter I wondered if there was something wrong with me. I did not feel the instant bond I had heard so much about. I loved her, this I knew, but I did not feel that overwhelming, unbreakable bond that I thought I would have from the moment I saw her. My husband will joke with me now about that bond. He will sarcastically ask, "So are you still worried about not having a bond with her?" Of course I say no, not at all. The bond with my daughter had to happen over time. I had to get to know her. When she was placed in my arms, I loved her dearly but she was almost a stranger to me. I had known her in my womb, but I did not know her completely. My husband and I put so much pressure on ourselves to have this instant bond with her, but love grows over time and bonds are made through experiences. Each day the bond I have with my little girl grows stronger and stronger. And although my husband loves our daughter & has a bond with her, the bond between mother and child is different. Even my husband will confess that my relationship with her is unique from his. I'm not sure if it's because I carried her for ten months or if it's because I feed her or if it's just because I am her mom. We have found that she seems to associate my husband as the fun one and me as the nurturing and soothing one. Even though she is only eight months, she is able to make that distinction.

The parent-child relationship amazes me, especially the mother and child bond. If you look around our world and even in nature, moms and their babies has a special relationship. Little cubs nuzzle their mothers. Little joeys nestle in their mother's pouch. Bonds are all around us. When children grow up and leave home, that bond still remains. Although I am a mother now, I still have a mom and that will never change. In my heart there is still a strong tie to my mother that I will have the rest of my earthly life. My hope and prayer is that when my daughter is grown, she will still feel the same way. I hope she is never too old or too cool for her mom.

Great Resource for Saving a Buck!

When my husband and I were taking about me staying home, he bought me this book:

It ended up being a great resource for how to live on less, and not just for stay at home moms. This book has it all. The author, Jonni McCoy, has already priced out items & compared what is the better buy. She also has recipes for any budget and tips on how to live on less. I found this book to be most helpful in spending less money, especially on groceries. She has tips & directions for how to make things yourself. I also found that she has a website that has even more tips & ideas for living on less. With the economy in the state it's in, living on less is something all of us are being forced to do. Having a family in today's society makes stretching the dollar even more difficult. Jonni has many family-friendly ways to save and she shows you how. Check out her website for more ways to save a buck or two! : http://www.miserlymoms.com/index.html

Being Purpose Driven

Before we got married, my husband and I decided that if possible, I would stay home with our children. We felt God calling us to do this and that is was the best decision to make. After having our first child, we knew that staying home with her was the only option for us. Unless a person is very well off, I don't think anyone can "afford" to stay home. It must be a decision where a person knows there will have to be many sacrifices made in order to achieve that goal. When we had our daughter I was currently a Kindergarten teacher. I took about 3 months off and then had to return to work for 3 more months to finish off the school year. In a way it was beneficial to have to return to work so that we would know if staying at home was the best option for us. Those 3 months I returned to work were the hardest and longest days. I felt like I never saw my daughter and I started to feel as if she didn't know who I was anymore. Thankfully she was 3 months when I returned to work so she wasn't as aware as a one year old might be. Nevertheless, it was extremely challenging and hard on both my husband and I. There were many tears shed, on both our parts, and many heart aches for one of us to be with her during the day. We were blessed enough to have family or close friends taking care of her, but even that wouldn't suffice what we wanted for our family. I hoped that those 3 months would pass quickly and that I would not have to return to work again. We prayed for God's direction and hoped that his answer would be what we longed for as well.


After praying and looking at our budget, we decided to take a huge leap of faith. The answer was easy yet came with sacrifices--I would stay at home with our little girl. We looked at where we could make cuts in our monthly budget and where we might come up short for money. My husband works two jobs right now but one is a temporary job so we needed to figure out how much we would have when he wasn't getting a second paycheck.  We discussed that some huge cuts would need to be made. First, our grocery bill needed to be cut in half. I wasn't good about making a list or shopping the ads or cutting coupons. This would have to change. Next, we looked at what we could do without. Cable? Phone bill? Eating out? We decided to get rid of cable, cut the minutes in our phone plan & be strict about how much we ate out. Last, pay off any bills that we could.  Debt is not something we like. Debt stresses people out & can do tremendous damage to a marriage. We do not have credit cards for this reason. We did however, have medical bills that caused us stress and huge chunks of money each month. In an effort to cut money spent in our monthly budget, we decided to try to pay off all of our medical bills before I received my last paycheck. It's only by God's faithfulness that we were able to accomplish this. I still cannot believe we were able to do this! After we had made cuts across the board, we still needed a small sum of money each month to meet all of our financial needs, but it was much smaller than when we had started.


In order to stay at home, without having to have a full-time job, we would also need to look at other ways to save money. I started looking at various ways to save money when buying groceries and baby items since those two things cost the most amount of money. I began shopping the weekly ads, finding coupons & looking for recipes that called for items I already had in the cupboard.  Instead of making several trips to the grocery store each week, I began only going once a week, with a list and budget in mind. I also started writing out the meals I was going to make each week & decided to only use meat in 2 or 3 meals. In the remaining meals I would use tuna, eggs or we would eat cereal.  When buying baby items I began to look more closely at clearance items & consignment stores. These are things I already did, but now I began to think futuristic instead of just the immediate now. I also looked online for deals & bargains.


All of these things I began to do in an effort to remain a stay at home mom. There was a purpose in mind--my daughter--and I never will forget that. The journey is only just beginning, this is the last month I receive a paycheck, but I am praying & putting my faith in God to provide. I am aware of the sacrifices, tears & hardship that lies ahead for us, but when I look at my daughter I know that it will all be completely worth it. God has given me this great blessing of having and raising a child and I want to ensure that she receives the love, care and attention she needs. I created this blog to share my ideas, tips, resources & thoughts so that other moms might be able to stay at home with their children as well. Staying at home is a decision that calls for faith. We are stepping out in faith & trusting in the Lord to provide as he has said he will. Please check back for ideas, tips and resources on saving money--one of my favorite things to do!

Way to Save--#2 Be Thrifty

“Thrifting” is not a new concept, but one I feel is not taken advantage of enough. By “thrifting” I mean Goodwill, thrift stores, garage sales, craigslist, ebay or consignment stores. All these places are great venues to save money at. Finding a bargain brings me a momentary happiness. I love a good deal and it’s hard to pass one up. Thrifting can save a lot of money if you are wise in what you are purchasing; especially when shopping for children’s items. As a stay-at-home mom I am always looking for ways to save a penny--well maybe not a penny but a dollar. Although thrifting does take a little more time than going to a retail store and buying it new, the savings will still outweigh the time spent.

Just the other day I went to Salvation Army and found a gently used push walker toy for $3 as compared to buying the same toy new for $20. This toy was hard plastic so all I needed to do was disinfect it really well and it was good as new! My daughter is 8 months and never know the difference. I have also purchased otherwise expensive toys for only a few dollars at other local thrift stores such as Mama Kelly's in Old Towne Bellevue. I recommend buying toys that are able to wipe clean and disinfect. One amazing deal that I snagged was at Mama Kelly's in Bellevue. Taggies are these plush blankets and toys that have tag ribbons all around the edges because for some reason or another, kids and babies love tags! These Taggie blankets retail for around $15-$30 new. I found a new--doesn't look used at all--taggie blanket (the bigger size) for $2.50! The Taggie blanket retails for around $20--even on ebay! That is one amazing deal!!!

If you do not have time or a way to go out to thrift, you can always go online to hot spots such as craigslist, ebay and other auction-like websites. You can find almost anything online now days with a click of a mouse!

Consignment stores are perfect for finding a bargain. In the Omaha metro area there are several consignment stores that are great for finding a good deal on gently used kid’s stuff. My favorite store for this is Bigwheels to Butterflies. They have amazing prices on clothes, toys and baby gear. I do almost all my shopping for my daughter there and am able to get so much more for my money. Since babies only wear outfits once or twice, the clothes are in impeccable condition. I usually can find outfits for around $2.50-3.50. Some name brand items are a few dollars more but most of the time their clothes fall within that range. They also sell toys, baby gear, shoes and anything else you could need for a baby or toddler. The nice thing about buying from stores like this is that once you are done with the item, you can sell it back to them! I like this concept most of all. This store has two locations in the Omaha area—168th & Maple and 72nd & 370. Not only do they have these two stores, but they also have a sister store called B2B—Last Chance where everything is $1. Seriously, everything is only one dollar! They take the items that do not sell at the other locations and send them to this store. Not only will you find clothes there but also toys, shoes, hats, socks, tights, leggings, swimsuits, movies & books. Next to Bigwheels to Butterflies, their B2B store is my favorite. With a little digging, I can find great clothes for only $1 each. Sometimes they have a sale and everything is only 50 cents!!! Thrifting is a great way to save a buck, especially on kid’s items. Kid’s are so rough on their clothes, why not buy “play clothes” at a consignment store?

Another way to save by thrifting is to sell your kid’s stuff at a consignment store as a mentioned before. When finding a deal online I prefer to use CraigsList and Ebay. I like CriagsList because it’s local and I don’t have to pay shipping. Ebay is nice when looking for a particular item but you do have to pay shipping. Both are great for saving money, but I always price out items to see if I am getting a good deal or getting hosed. Other thrifting avenues are great for saving money---Goodwill, thrift stores, flea markets & garage sales. With a little digging, you are sure to find great bargains & save money!

Ways to Save---#1 Make it Yourself

This is probably not a new idea to most, but probably an idea most people do not take advantage of. In being a stay-at-home mom there is some creativity that is needed. When we buy things that are pre-packaged, it costs more money. Again, nothing new right? Convenience is never cheap. We blame it on time. We say that we are too busy and there is not enough time to make it ourselves. What we sometimes do not realize is that when we are buying items that are pre-packaged or items that are more expensive because we do not have time to do it ourselves, we are actually costing ourselves more money. How? We are spending more money because we are paying a higher price for the item and then having to work or save more money to account for the item we just purchased. Instead, make it yourself. There are several ways to do this.

When it comes to babies and all of the things they need, the bank account can soon be dented. First, baby food—make your own. There is a great website that shows you how to make your own baby food and store it--http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ . Not only does this website show you how to make it but they give you recipes and age-appropriate foods to give your child. When making my own baby food for my daughter I used simple recipes. You can buy any fruits or veggies, cook them, throw them in a blender & then store them. I used ice cube trays for this. When the food is done blending in the blender, spoon the food into the ice cube trays. Put foil over the trays and place them in the freezer. Once they are done, pop the cubes out & put them in Ziploc baggies. Date & label the baggies and place them in the freezer. By freezing the food in ice cube trays you then have a 1 oz serving of food in each cube. When you need food, take as many cubes you will need out of the baggie and place them in a container. Put the container in the fridge & you are set! What is nice about making your own baby food is that you control what you put in your baby’s food & you control how you cook it & store it. It saves so much money! For example, you can buy one sweet potato for under a dollar & make about 12 servings out of it. Compare that to 3 jars of 4 oz sweet potato baby food for anywhere from $1.25-$2.00. You can also buy frozen veggies & fruits to make your own baby food as well. You just need to cook it first. You can usually buy a bag of frozen veggies for around 80 cents to 1 dollar for a 12 oz to 16 oz bag---which would equate to 3 to 4 jars of 4 oz baby food for about $2-$4. Then you stick them in the microwave with a little water, throw them in the blender, spoon them into the ice cube trays & freeze them. Easy as can be!

Another baby food item you can make yourself is teething crackers & table foods. Wholesomebabyfood.com has a wealth of recipes and information on how to do this. Overall, making your own baby food is simple & saves money. You are in control of what you put in & how you store it.

Where to Start...

When the idea came to me to start a blog, I had 10 thousand things I wanted to write about...now of course, I cannot think of any of those things. So, to start, I will explain why I decided to create this blog. This blog came to be for several reasons. One, I love to write. I started thinking back to when I used to write almost everyday. I would write poetry and stories and tell about real life experiences. Two, there are so many topics and issues I am passionate about and would like to share with others. Writing is becoming an out-dated item. People used to document important things in their lives or write about issues or topics they had studied. Now, the only writing people do is in creating their status for Facebook or Twitter. Writing is becoming a lost art. Three, when I read or hear something that impacts me, I reflect on it & long to share it with others. After reading a bible verse or listening to a sermon or a song, my mind fills with ideas and thoughts just waiting to be written out. I believe God gave us our thoughts for a reason. We can chose to do good with those thoughts and help others. Four, in being a stay-at-home mom I am finding ways to become creative with saving money & time. I would like to share with others how to save money by becoming thrifty. I am a big advocate for thrift shopping & finding great deals. Being a good steward of God's money means that I should love deals and saving money. I have been finding deals & bargains for a few years now and feel selfish keeping these ideas to myself. Although I know there are hundreds of blogs by stay-at-home moms just like me, I hope to be different and unique in my approach. This blog will not only be about saving money & my adventures as a stay-at-home mom, but also a faith-based blog with a mission to reach the lost & disciple other believers.