Living on Less

What does one do when they go from two people with two incomes to  four people with one income?   Let me tell you.  Enjoy Life by Living  on less.  That became my job when our twins entered this world.

Prior to having twins my husband and I enjoyed $100 facials and  expensive nights on the town.  Enjoying my favorite Sephora products happened without a second thought.   As Family Manager it’s most important I closely manage the family funds, and have adopted a new way of living.  My once $100 facials are now carefully researched to find deals that local or regional department stores and spas offer for little to nothing or free.  What began as a sacrifice became the best thing that has happened in my life; coupon and deal shopping to save the family money.

I couldn’t have imagined how many FREE items there are out there to be had.  It seems companies want to pay us to use their products, and in the spirit of saving money I did just that.  The internet has been the best tool for us frugal shoppers with so many resources to locate deals.

Coupon and deal shopping is a way of living for us now and I’m so elated that our children are being raised to understand that regardless of your financial status you should spend wisely and save.  Now our kids know before we walk out the door that we should check the coupon book to see if there are coupons for our desired location.

Here are the rules I live by when shopping for our family:

1. Find a coupon blog to follow – Prior to creating my own coupon blog I followed some of the best out there.  Coupon Blogs do daily research on deals; we’ve already done the work for you.  We list deals for the week to your favorite store(s) and usually links for coupons.
2. Plan your shopping trips – by planning I mean, know where you’re going.  This can be either for food, toiletries or other necessities.  Even if you need something on an urgent basis like Tylenol. Don’t forget to grab your coupon.
3. Make lists – so very import because it’s easy to become distracted, thus making another tip to the store.
4. Menu Planning – This saved us a ton of money. By knowing what you will have for the week, it will make shopping so much easier and cost effective.  Even if you have a large family it’s possible to keep staples for stockpiling all month long.
5. Buy items when you DO NOT need them – by far the best lesson I’ve learned so far. For example, The Christmas in July is something I’ve always heard about but never took advantage of it. By purchasing our kids Christmas item now, I can focus on the spirit of the holiday instead of rushing out in the holiday craziness.  By purchasing items when you need them, I learned I would make unnecessary trips to the store.

By taking an extra 1-2 hours per week you can save your family money.  We like to make this a family bonding and learning opportunity each week.  Whether we are all deciding what we will have for the week in our Menu Plan or cutting coupons and this is a great small motor skill tasks for 3-4 yr olds.  Your new way of living can be time spent with the family which is so priceless.