Category Archives: Our Frugal Stories

$200 Grocery Challenge

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on October 2, 2011 None comments

Before we moved into our new house my boyfriend and I spent way too much money eating out, take out and fast food. We decided that after we moved we would eat at home and cook more often. So far, we are doing really well. This month we decided to take it a step further and limit ourselves to a budget of $200 for groceries and household items, like toilet paper. The people that I have mentioned this to that don’t coupon think that this number is extremely low. The people that do coupon may think it’s too high. I think it’s a start.

One thing that we are doing with this budget is putting the $200 cash into a jar and when we spend any of it we are putting the receipts in the jar with the rest of the money. I am very curious to see how many of certain items we purchase in a month. For example- We have well water that is fine for daily activities but we don’t use it as drinking water (see my post about it). I want to know how many gallons of water we buy in one month. I want to know how many gallons of milk we buy in one month.

Finding out this information will be beneficial because I hope that it will allow me to make purchases of food and household items in bulk that will last for one month’s time.

The Results-

Our first month of our $200 Grocery Challenge ended yesterday with good results. We spent $197.68 total, almost exactly our budget of $200.

I now know that in one month we use-

– 19.5 gallons of water

– 3 Gallons of Milk

– 4 Coffee creamers (this would have been more but we ran out of money and used sugar and milk instead)

– 4 12 Packs of Toilet Paper

– 2 Loaves of bread

And those are just a few things I picked out.

Some of the strategies we used –

– Shopping at ALDI a discount grocery store – Click HERE to read about ALDI

– Using CVS and Walgreens store dollars to our advantage

– Using what we already had in our pantry and freezer

– Not wasting food

– Buying what was on sale

– And we stopped buying when we ran out of money

What we won’t do again-

– A couple of times we went to the closest store instead of the cheapest store and this really made a dent in our budget. One of my big shopping trips this month was at WinnDixie after a really long day at work when I didn’t have the energy to make the longer drive to ALDI. I was able to take advantage of their B1G1 meat department but almost everything else that I bought cost a lot more.

– The couponing trips that I was able to make this month saved a lot of money, especially at Publix who probably has the best couponing deals in the area I live in. It is not always easy for me to find the time to do large couponing/grocery shopping trips but it really is worth it. (See shopping trip HERE)

– We bought a large quantity of Ibuprofen that we were out of and it will last a long time, but it was more money than we probably should have spent on one item and we didn’t get that great of a deal on it.

– Next month I won’t forget my shopping list at the last shopping trip of the month and forget to buy any drinks including water. This is very important because we can’t drink the water from the well.

Overall-

Overall, I think that limiting ourselves to a $200 budget was a good for us because it did help restrict what we bought this month. I wanted to buy B1G1 Tilipia Filets towards the end of the month but it didn’t fit in the budget and we ended up having more meat than we used this month anyway. I have found that it is much harder to stock up on larger quantities of food that we will not use in that specific month because we have budgeted for exactly one month.

I also made the mistake of forgetting to buy drinking water and any other drinks on my last shopping trip of the month and we ran out of everything to drink in the house on the 29^th besides milk and even that was running low (see Two Gallons of Milk for the Price of one Forever). It was the 29^th and we ended up making a trip to CVS with the $7 ECBs (CVS dollars) that I had left over. We used those to buy water, milk, and a 2 liter of soda which got us through the last two days of the month.

This really does highlight how running to the closest store for a couple things you need can make a huge impact on your budget. It also shows me how much money I save shopping at ALDI for basic grocery items and then hitting sales only at more expensive stores. We are planning on using the $200 budget again next month and now that I have learned a few things from this month I’m excited to see how it will turn out.

Having a Water Well- Does it really save you money?

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on October 2, 2011 3 comments

When my boyfriend and I moved into our new house we were very excited to have a water well and NO WATER OR SEWER BILL. While wells no longer come with a bucket and a rope that you have to haul up every morning (see the above picture of our well), having a well has been more interesting than we expected.

Our very sweet landlords had lived in our house and drank the well water for thirty years. They assured us it was good to drink and that they have had it recently tested. In addition, we don’t have to add salt to the well and it doesn’t turn our clothes or anything else yellow, like most wells, because it’s a spring fed well.

Once we moved into the house though, we noticed that there were small particles in the water. I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t like amebas with my water. That’s a joke, but we did stop drinking the water right away. We are still able to use it for everything else besides consumption. As renters, we didn’t want to make a long term investment in a water filtration system because we don’t know how long we will be living here.

I kept track this month and we used 18 to 20 gallons of water for drinking, which cost us about $15 dollars. In my former apartment, our water and sewer bill cost us around $35 a month and I know that is a lot cheaper than most houses. My sister’s water bill is around $60 a month at her house. We really are saving a decent amount of money but I will comment that it is much less convenient to be constantly having to buy gallons of water. I may look into other options such as filters or water coolers in the future but for now we are sticking to the simplest solution- buying water jugs. When I am hauling them into the house I remind myself that it’s one less bill to pay every month and that alone makes it worthwhile.

Edit- Since I published this post we have been able to go back to drinking the well water. I think they might have been due to pipes sitting for too long before we moved in. We make sure to flush the well regularly and we have never had a problem with particles in the water since and I’m very picky. We use a Brita pitcher and we have both been very healthy. I actually had the chance to speak with a local man who does water testing and he assured me that we have spring fed wells and that the water is good quality.

Shopping with my Mom and Sister

Posted by shopaholicsavers on September 8, 2011 None comments

I had a great day yesterday shopping with my mom and sister. We went to several thrift shops, CVS, and Big Lots. We got a lot of bargains. Here are a few of my favorite.

At CVS the CVS coupon printer was printing coupons for free candy bars and there is also a Hershey bar Free after ECBs (CVS dollars). I also bought 4 small boxes of cereal for .50 cents each

At Big Lots my sister found cat litter for $1 a bag

I have needed a new curtain for the small window in my shower. While it is unlikely that anyone could actually see in we didn’t want to take that chance. I bought 1 yard of clearance fabric for $1.50 and made my own curtain by draping it over the curtain rod and cutting the excess. Why pay for expensive curtains?

About the Author

Posted by shopaholicsavers on September 3, 2011 None comments

I want to clarify something that I often think when I am typing my posts. You do not know me besides for this blog. I could be a crazy cat lady with absolutely no money. The things I write about in this blog could be strategies of desperation not frugality. However, thankfully, neither of those things is true. I live in a beautiful home in a nice area with my boyfriend and our pets. We have plenty of money to pay our bills. We have expensive furniture and decent cars. Why are we frugal? Because we want to choose where our money goes and when. We don’t want to owe anyone anything. The truth? Our cars were bought with cash years ago and we don’t have car payments. Our expensive furniture was not expensive for us because most of it was obtained second hand or with smart shopping or was given to us. Instead of using the money we have left over after we pay our bills frivolously we try to use it consciously so that we can save for really amazing experiences.

And guess what? We just returned from a cruise to the Bahamas!!!! We had an amazing time, we lounged in the sun and stuffed ourselves with unlimited food.

That being said, we do occasionally go out to eat and to the movies and shopping (sometimes even without coupons *gasp*). We do not live a life that in anyway makes us feel deprived. Our smart spending enables us to live a really amazing life, work less, do more fun stuff and help those we love when they need it. 🙂

Budgeting While Working Crazy Hours

Posted by shopaholicsavers on June 7, 2011 4 comments

I am currently working about 45 to 50 hours a week and spending 10 hours a week in the car commuting back and forth to work. It’s hard to find time to coupon, time to grocery shop, time to be organized. All of these things end up costing me money. When I can’t make it to the grocery store or cook I end up eating out a lot more. When I run out of something and don’t have time to make it to the cheapest store I sometimes end up buying it at the closest store for a higher price. I have no idea how women with children can work this many hours.

Work itself comes with many expenses. I spend at least $180 a month on gas just for work and that will probably go up this summer. My choice to buy a fuel efficient car (no not a hybrid, just a small car) has saved me thousands. I bought my car with cash so I have no car payment. I also spend much more than I should buying work lunches. At my former job location I spent $100 a month on toll roads getting to work. I need new work dress shoes and more dress clothes. Sometimes I wonder how much working costs me?

Reading the book The Tightwad Gazette taught me that a lack of time to do things for yourself will cost you a lot of money. When I worked waiting tables at a restaurant the number of hours I worked was directly proportional to the amount of money I needed. I didn’t like working there so I spent my free time figuring out how to save money so I could work even less. I stopped buying paper products (minus toilet paper). I combined trips to save gas. I went to the library to check out DVDs and books instead of renting and buying. I tried to cook more and eat out less. I tried to make sure that I used any perishable food items before they went bad because I hate throwing food away. I wore clothes that I already owned. I shopped at thrift shops. I couponed my heart out. We went to free movie screenings and the $2 theatre for entertainment. Yes, at times it bothered me not to have any money to spare.

Now I feel that I have traded having little money for having little time. Was this a good trade? Sometimes I wonder. I do know that I waste more money now, but I also have more in my savings. I have dental insurance, eye insurance, and life insurance now. I recently spent over $350 on theme park annual passes for a special occasion and I could afford them. Some days I feel like all I do is work. Some days I love working. There is definitely a trade off and I’m not sure which is better.

Moving Is Expensive

Posted by shopaholicsavers on June 7, 2011 None comments

My boyfriend and I are currently looking for a new place to live. We are being given a dog by a family member so we want to live in a house with a yard. The question that we are debating the most is should we choose a nicer place, in a great neighborhood, that will cost more than we want to spend (although could still afford) or do we want to live in an okay house, in an okay neighborhood that might not be quite so safe. When it comes to houses, do you really get what you pay for?

We are leaning towards spending more for a safer neighborhood and a nicer place. Can you put a price tag on peace of mind? If there was one it might make the decision easier. The truth is, we both like to be home a lot and my boyfriend works nights when I will be home alone. That makes me think that it would be worth it to pay a little more. Also having a fenced in yard would make it a lot easier to let the dog out at close to 6AM when I wake up for work instead of always having to walk the dog.

At the same time, I know that one of the best ways to save money is to cut back on your primary expenses and housing is our biggest one. Maybe it’s the biggest one for a reason.

My New Job and New Finances

Posted by shopaholicsavers on March 6, 2011 None comments

About a week and a half ago, I started a new job. I put myself through college, without any debt, by working as a waitress.I made very good money and I don’t take it for granted that I was lucky to have such a good paying job in such a bad economy, but after waiting tables for 5 years and too many visions of throwing drinks in the faces of rude customers I figured it was time to get a new job. After a particularly bad day, I decided that I wanted to be out of the restaurant industry in two months and exactly one month later I started working for my new company. It’s my first full time, post college job. It’s also the first time I have a somewhat set schedule, benefits, and a steady paycheck. I’m still working on switching over from the restaurant sleep schedule of up until 3 am to sleep until 12 pm. Now I get up at 6:30 am for an hour drive to work, a nine hour work day, and an hour drive back home. I am extremely fortunate that I LOVE my new job.

This blog focuses on saving money without compromising lifestyle and changing jobs can have a big impact on personal finances. I am no financial expert but here are some of my experiences. Initially changing jobs/careers can be bad for your finances. I planned ahead financially for the wait for my first paycheck but going from a job where I took home cash every day to waiting for a paycheck every two weeks in new to me. Initially there were expenses such as new clothes, shoes, and other professional accessories. At Goodwill I got four pairs of shoes for the price of one pair at Payless. I also found a pair of perfectly fitting Forever 21 dress pants for under $2. I am also now spending A LOT more money on gas to get to work. The first week at my new job was so crazy that I decided to eat out for lunches. I spent *gasp* probably around $60 for one week of work lunches. I knew that this was not an amount of money that I am comfortable spending on a weekly basis so the first day I had off I bought *gasp* $50 in groceries. With coupons I usually spend about $20 a week on all household groceries and products, but I didn’t have the time. There is definitely a huge price to be paid for convenience. Now that I am somewhat able to sleep on a schedule that allows me to get up at 6:30am and function for a whole day without massive amounts of coffee (which I have now also bought in bulk) I made a huge salad for lunches and a huge stew for dinners. I am one of those people that doesn’t mind eating the same things for a week straight as long as I don’t have to cook daily. I’ve tried and so far cooking is not my thing, especially now that I have even less time.

I have recently been reading many frugal financial advice books and I agree with the theory that the less money you spend, the less time you can spend working. I am hoping to work more now so that I can work less later, but, I am surprised to say, that so far I really enjoy getting up and going to work. Knowing what I get paid and being able to afford more means that my goal for this coming year will be to continue to live below my means. I have read about people who make over a hundred thousand dollars a year and still consider themselves broke. This is because people consistently live at or above their income level. In other words- they spend what they make. I want to live debt free and have a healthy savings account. I want to be able to pay cash for a new-to-me car when my current car (that I bought with cash for $2,000 off eBay 5 years ago) dies. Now that my income doesn’t fluctuate so drastically I will probably attempt to create a budget to follow. This is not to say that I’m not going to treat myself on occasion. Today, I really wanted a manicure/pedicure and having just been paid I can definitely afford it. However, the idea of spending over $60 and sitting in a salon for over an hour didn’t appeal to me, so I did the manicure/pedicure myself from the comfort of my own apartment with the supplies I already had. I guess this goes back to the same point I keep reading over and over again in frugal advice books- it doesn’t have to cost money to treat yourself. I am also proud that I didn’t run out to spend my first paycheck in less time than it took me to earn it (not that I ever thought I would).

Free WiFi

Posted by shopaholicsavers on March 2, 2011 None comments

As I have written, I started a new full time job which has so far left me with little time to blog as I am still transitioning from the life of a late night waitress to an early morning schedule. I LOVE my new job so far but I am determined to find more time to update Shopaholic Savers. My idea- Eat at places that offer Free WiFi so that I can go on the internet in the middle of the day. I am currently writing this in a McDonalds by my job. Today I quickly looked up free WiFi and found this LINK which will tell you which fast food places to look for it if you are interested. Have a great day everyone!

Shopaholic Savers Update

Posted by shopaholicsavers on February 28, 2011 None comments

I’ve learned a lot this week, including that switching jobs can be initially bad for your finances and your blog. But stay tuned because things are starting to calm down and there will be more updates soon.

1/3/11 A Very Strange Shopping Trip

Posted by shopaholicsavers on January 3, 2011 1 comments

Tonight was a very strange shopping trip. I got out of work around 10 pm and long story short I still hadn’t bought my usual Sunday papers (I wish I could only buy the coupons!). So I went home looked up Walgreens and CVS deals for the stores around the corner hoping that one of them would have Sunday papers.

When I left my apartment I drove past the trash compactor where the residents take their trash. I live in a very nice community but it is also a high traffic community where people move in and out of a lot and often they can’t take all of their possessions. People often leave things next to the compactor such as furniture that won’t fit inside it and I have noticed that people will come and take things as well as dropping them off. I think that this sort of swapping is very beneficial to the environment because it prevents a lot of larger items from ending up at the dump when others can use them. As I drove by tonight I noticed some items and I got a clear plastic three drawer set which I know sells for $18 new because I have two in my closet. I’m not sure what I will do with it but I’m sure that someone in my family can use it or yard sale it.

From there I went to the 24 hr CVS which it turns out is no longer a 24 hr CVS and it was closed! So I went across the street to Walgreens (Walgreens and CVS always seem to be across the street from each other). Unfortunately the Walgreens didn’t have any Sunday papers but I decided to do a deal I had on Children’s Flu Medicine. It was $8.99 Register Rewards (Walgreens Store Dollars) WYB Children’s Oscillococcinum Homeopathic Flu Medicine at $8.99. Other coupon websites were recommending using the $5 off coupon in the Walgreens January coupon book and a $2 off printable coupon in order to pay $2 and get $9 Register Rewards back. However, when it I went to purchase the flu medicine it only rang up at $3.62. I used the $2 off coupon and paid $1.62 and I got back $9 Register Rewards and the coupon printer also printed out a coupon for Free Breathe Right Nasal Strips. I did this deal twice.