What I have learned

It has been about 6 weeks since I have been "re-born" as a FRUGAL mommy! I know, that sounds a bit dramatic but it's the best way I can find to describe the path I have started down recently. I just made a quick (well I say quick but with my two girls tagging along nothing is quick!) run to the bank to make my cash deposit that I have saved for my much anticipated girls scrapbooking weekend. It wasn't meaningful because it was a LOT of money. It was meaningful because it represents a major change of thinking on my part...a change of lifestyle so to speak. One that I promise going to "stick" this time. It's amazing how much I have learned about spending in the last 6 weeks. I will be honest with you, I seriously always believed I was being a frugal Home Manager. I know now that I wasn't really. If only I had known then what I know now...just think of the money I could have saved. But we can't live in the past right. So I moved forward from here. I thought I would write down some of the most important things I have learned in the last 6 weeks to help me make a frugal change for my family. Most of them are small but added together they make a huge difference....At least for us! 1. Coupons are my friends. They are not to be avoided for fear of adding more "to-do" in my life. It's actually very fun to use them...I even like clipping them and keeping them organized. And if you know me...you know this is not something I easily take to...the organized thing I mean! 2. You can actually get FREE stuff if you use coupons. Seriously! I clip just about every coupon I get because you never know when a four pack of drinkable yogurt will go on Manager's Special at Kroger. A .50 cent coupon makes that baby FREE! It might not be something I would have bought normally but for free I'll take it! 3. A .50 cent coupon is a MAJOR score...because it doubles to $1 at Kroger, Meijer or Marsh. Did you know you could get FREE toilet paper at Kroger? I will never look at buying toilet paper in the same way again. 4. Aldi's may be a little far to drive to but it's worth the drive once a month (or less) to stock up on some things. Did you know you can get a big bag of frozen fruit for less than $3 there?! 5. There is an amazing resource for finding bargains and the best coupons out there in online blogs! My favorite of course is Money Saving Mom where I find all sorts of amazing deals, ideas, free stuff, and other great blogs. 6. Being a Frugal Home Manager means making a life change. It's really like a diet right? If you try if for a little while and don't make permanent changes then what good is it? 7. Feeding your family healthy food and making healthy choices doesn't have to be expensive. Plus, if you are a little "sneaky" you can get your kids to eat some pretty healthy stuff! 8. MEAL PLANNING is a MUST! How did I live without this? Meal planning not only saves huge amounts of money but it frees up any time I was wasting in my day trying to figure out what to make. This will save you money right off the bat...I promise! 9. Dave Ramsey is so right about...well, just about everything! I wish I would have REALLY learned that the first time around. 10. You can really save money by doing things from scratch and stock piling your freezer. I would have never believed that setting aside a "cooking day" for myself would fit into my life. But, it has...and it works!! 11. Being frugal and saving money can be FUN guys!! It really doesn't have to be a horrible drag. I have enjoyed this past several weeks so much. I can't wait to share what I have saved with my husband when I get home. It's exciting for me to take my little savings envelope out and count my money that I have saved. So this is a summary of my frugal journey so far. I could probably come up with more ideas if I sat here a little longer. But, I will save those for another time. I can't wait to see what the next 6 weeks holds!