Not Made of Money

Home Organizing On a Budget

by Mrs. Not Made of Money Leave a Comment

An organized home is a beautiful sight. Nothing is as reassuring as the ability to find anything in your house within a few moments because everything has its own place. It’s just much easier to relax in a well-organized home.

Of course, the first step to getting organized is to get rid of any unnecessary clutter. But what do you do with the stuff you’re left with after you’ve purged your home of its extraneous contents? You can’t get rid of everything, so now you’ve got to deal with everything that’s left.

Getting organized is easy when you have plenty of containers and systems to hold your stuff. The problem is that all of those pretty containers can be expensive. You could easily spend way more than is reasonable to find ways to organize things like craft supplies, paperwork, or even toiletry items.

The good news, though, is that you don’t have to spend a ton to get organized. Instead, use items that you already have around the house to create your own storage devices. Look at the disposable storage containers you purchase every time you purchase your favorite groceries or toiletries. With a little creativity (and some time spent cleaning the containers up) you can have all the tools you need to keep your home tidy and enjoyable.

Try a few of these ideas:

Glass jars from grocery items – These make great containers to collect everything from bits of ribbons to hair ties. As an added bonus, the clarity of the jar makes it easy to know exactly what’s in each jar.

Shoeboxes – Shoe boxes are the perfect size to hold tons of things. I like to keep scrapbooking supplies in them because they are big enough to lie may paper goods flat. You can even turn shoeboxes into “pretty storage” by wrapping them in wrapping paper.

Tissue boxes – These are the perfect way to keep those empty plastic bags from floating all over your kitchen. Simply stuff the bags into a tissue box. You can, then, pull them out one at a time as you need them.

Plastic containers for cold cuts – If you scrub these out really well, they are perfect for holding your makeup and medications. They stack nicely under the sink and can even be packed in suitcases when you travel.

Diaper Boxes – You know those big boxes of diaper packs? Once you’ve used up all the diapers, they are perfect for storing winter clothing or children’s toys. Use self-adhesive contact paper to dress them up.

Learn to evaluate items for multi-purpose use. With a bit of creativity you can have the best of both worlds – an organized home without the high price.

Tips To Maximize Your Savings When Buying in Bulk

by Mrs. Not Made of Money Leave a Comment

The popularity of warehouse stores like Sam’s Club and Costco encourage people to reap the rewards of shopping in bulk. These stores tout cheaper prices for the average consumer who chooses to become a member of their warehouse club. But do you know how to maximize your savings?

Buying items in bulk quantities has its benefits, but it has its hazards, as well. Too often consumers are tempted by the vastness of the warehouse stores to purchase things they don’t really need. Also some items aren’t really priced at bargain prices but simply are available. Getting all of the benefits of shopping in bulk quantities requires that the consumer do his homework and make the purchases that will realize actual savings.

Only buy products you actually use

Sometimes when you’re shopping in a wholesale club it’s easy to become enamored with the abundance of products available at discounted prices. However, if the product goes to waste in your closet or pantry, then it wasn’t a bargain, no matter what you paid for it.

Don’t buy more than you can use before the product will spoil

Paper goods are great items to buy in bulk. They store forever (provided you have adequate space) and never go bad. You have to be a little more cautious when purchasing food stuffs, though. If you purchase fifty pounds of hamburger but have to throw out the last ten pounds your purchase wasn’t quite cost-effective.

Be familiar with the prices of products you use

Not everything available at a wholesale club is a bargain. If you know how your favorite products are usually priced at your local grocery store, you’ll be able to determine which products really are a good buy.

Share the wealth of your shopping proceeds

To help get your money’s worth out of your wholesale club membership, you can share your shopping bargains with friends or family. This alternative helps eliminate the worry about buying more than you can use in a short amount of time. You can share the cost of bulk items with friends or family and then split up the large, bulk purchases for single families.

Buying product in bulk quantities can lead to a large savings for you and your family. You just need to be savvy about which things you purchase.

Budget Friendly Graduation Gift Ideas

by Mrs. Not Made of Money Leave a Comment

Graduating from high school or college are monumental occasions that should be celebrated by family and friends. If you have a loved one who is about to reach one of these milestone moments, you are absolutely right to want to commemorate the occasion with a special gift. Aside from wedding gifts, graduation presents are the types of things that young adults will remember forever. Choosing a special graduation gift may tempt you to spend more than you normally allot for family gifts. Who wants to be the one family member who gave a cheap gift? Budgetary concerns don’t have to be an issue, however, if you take the time to choose a gift that will carry meaning for you and the graduate. Here are a few graduation gift ideas to get you started:

Family Heirlooms

If you’ve been saving a special family piece for an appropriate occasion, graduation just might be the right one. Examples might be a pair of earrings or a tie tack. Graduation gifts often mark the rite of passage that the graduate has just experienced by giving them a gift that shows that you recognize their personal maturity.

Household Tool Box

Since graduates are often about to set up house in their first apartments, they are certain to appreciate the thought of this gift. Think back to your first apartment and the tools that you wished you had. This tool box should include a hammer, an adjustable wrench, a couple of screwdrivers, a tape measure, and a level. Choose a container for your gift that suits the graduate. A guy might appreciate a sturdy, steel toolbox. A young lady might prefer a bright-colored plastic box.

A Gift that Reflects the Graduates Tastes

Gifts that show you know what types of things interest the graduate are always great gifts. If your graduate just got his degree in journalism, he might appreciate a copy of a famous journalist’s biography. The artist in your family will love tickets to an upcoming art exhibit. Think about the types of things the graduate talked about last time you saw him and try to correspond your gift with that topic.

Ultimately, finding an appropriate graduation gift just requires that you spend more time than money. Think about your graduate’s likes, his future plans, and your family traditions and you’re sure to find the perfect gift.

Five Grocery Shopping Mistakes You Must Avoid If You Want To Save Money

by Mrs. Not Made of Money Leave a Comment

Going to the grocery store can be an expensive affair. We all have the story of the time we went in to spend $10 and ended up spending $100. However, with a little planning and good decision making, any grocery shopper can keep his or her bill low. Here are five grocery shopping mistakes you should avoid to save money at the grocery store.

Buying Name Brands

These days almost every name brand item has a generic substitute. In most cases these generics have the same level of quality as the name brand. Sometimes they are even made at the same facility, but with different packaging! Make sure and go for the generic items unless you have some reason not to do so.

Other posts related to saving money on your grocery bill:

Buying Too Many Perishable Items

It is easy to overestimate how much you will use before another trip to the store. Be careful not to buy to much of any perishable items at the store. For example, it can sometimes save you money to buy the half-gallon of milk instead of the gallon if you will only use half a gallon before it goes bad, even if the gallon is cheaper per ounce.

Going to the Store When Hungry

Everything looks good at the grocery store when you are hungry. If you go to the store before eating you may find that you stuff your cart with more than you need, and with several unhealthy items as well! Try to go right after a meal to avoid impulse buys and to avoid getting more than what you need.

Not Making a List/Not Sticking to the List

It can be easy to think that you know everything that you need before going to the store and can figure it out when you get there. However, if you don’t make a list, you will find that you might make a bunch of impulse buys and come home with several things you don’t need. You will probably also waste time by wandering around the store trying to remember exactly what you need. Also, keep in mind that you need to stick to that list when you get to the store!

Ignoring Sales and Coupons

If you do not pay attention to sales and coupons, you can miss out on some serious deals. Make sure and check the local paper before you go to the store and see what coupons you can find. Clip those and take them with you. Also, see what stores are having sales. You may have to visit 2 or 3 stores to get everything you need, but it can be worth the effort.

Saving money at the grocery store can take some work. However, if you avoid the mistakes listed above, you can get the same groceries you get every month for much less!

Tips For Simplifying Your Finances

by Mrs. Not Made of Money Leave a Comment

So many people that I talk to want to get a good handle on their family’s finances, but they are so intimidated by their finances that they don’t know where to start. How can they stay on top of all of their financial assets, their goals, and their debts at the same time? The overwhelming stress over personal finance can cause people to avoid even beginning to work through their concerns. The trick to managing everything is to simplify wherever you can. If you’re hoping to wrangle your finances into a more manageable form, I’ve listed below five tips for simplifying your finances.

The stress can make sense. Finances become pretty complicated over the years. You might have a 401(k) with your employer, a checking account, a savings account, an IRA (rolled from an old 401(k) with a different employer) and a couple of credit cards. Then, you get married and find that your husband has his own version of the same things. Therefore, the whole situation adds up to a lot of accounts to manage.

Consolidate your finances

There are some accounts you can’t control. The brokerage company that holds your 401(k) is chosen by your employer, and you have no input in the matter. Many other things, however, are completely in your control. Merge multiple checking accounts into one, main household account. Use one credit/debit card for all of your purchases. As a result, the fewer different accounts you have out there, the less time you will spend reconciling statements each month.

Use financial tools to track your accounts

No one wants to have to pull a bunch of different statements together to get an idea of their financial position. Fortunately, you don’t have to do that. There are multiple ways to tie all of those accounts to one tool, and some of them are free! While our family uses Quicken, one of my friends prefers to use Mint.com. The site has a cool budget tool, too.

Make automatic savings contributions

Of course you don’t need the hassle of writing a check each month to your savings account. By simply enrolling in automatic deposit you won’t have to worry about making those extra trips to the bank. Instead, your money will automatically move to your savings account on the day that you instruct it to move. No fuss; no muss!

Utilize your bank’s electronic bill payment tool

Forget the days of writing a check and mailing it to your creditors. Manual check writing is inconvenient, and the checks take too long to process. Today you can pay your bills with a click of a button or two. You can also enter payments ahead of time, and specify the date that you want them to be paid. Automating tasks is an easy step in simplifying your finances.

Go green!

Finally, did you know that simplifying your finances could be good for the environment? It can be if you turn off the paper statements for your accounts. Instead, access them online. This way, you can print or save any statements you need from the appropriate website.

What ways do you simplify your finances?

12 Money Saving Tips To Help You Stick To Your Budget

by Mrs. Not Made of Money Leave a Comment

*This post contains affiliate links which means I receive compensation when you make a purchase from clicking through the links. Please see my disclosure statement.

I think we’ve all been there at some time or another. We pay our bills and wonder “where did all the money go?” In these tough economic times budgets are stretched to the limit. Here are some practical money saving tips that can help you save money and stay focused on your budget:

1. Have a clearly defined budget.
The best way to stick to a budget would be to have a clearly defined one, that means it needs to be written down. Know how much you want to spend on everything every month. Call it a spending plan to make it more fun. Prepare your plan for spending and then stick to it. In case you overspend on something, make up for it by cutting back elsewhere.

2. Careful with those credit cards.
Carry only one or two credit cards (or better still, none) with you and use them as sparingly as possible. Only charge those purchases you can pay off fully in the next month.

3. Utilize Rewards programs when available.
Get a card with a rewards program so that whenever you use your card you end up earning points which can be redeemed for discounts or freebies.

4. Shop during sales.
Make it a habit to shop only at sales. My goal is to never pay more than 50% of the retail price. Buy your Christmas and birthday gifts when clearance sales are going on. Target and Walmart have huge discounts on toys after Christmas, so stock up for the following Christmas and for birthdays throughout the year.

5. Buy secondhand to save money.
Put your mother’s ‘old is gold’ advice to good use. Garage sales, second hand cars, electrical equipment, cell phones etc. are great as long as you manage to find them in good condition.

6. Eat the majority of your meals at home.
Eating out frequently is a huge waste of money. Not only do you pay exorbitant prices for the food, but with the taxes, tips and everything included, it does add up to quite a bit. Eat at home as much as possible, and save yourself loads of money.

7. Carpool to work or when dropping your kids off at school.
Avoid taking the car if you only have a few blocks to go. Walking or public transportation can be great alternatives.

8. Make a grocery list every time you go shopping.
It seems like such a simple thing to do, but having a written grocery list can help to keep your budget in check. Prepare your menu ahead of time and make your grocery list from that.

9. Look for deals, coupons, and specials before you buy anything.
Look for deals and promotional offers before you buy anything. Apply this principle wherever possible- right from plane tickets to when ordering pizza. I always make a point to check the latest price for the item I am looking for on Amazon.com. Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

10. Avoid shopping on impulse.
Give yourself a day to think before you indulge yourself in something expensive. You may change your mind if you rationally think about whether you actually really need it.

11. DIY is a great way to save money.
Learn to do basic repairs around the house. Start a garden in your backyard. Paint the walls yourself instead of hiring someone.

12. Set reminders to pay all your bills on time.
Late fees and extra charges on your bills are unnecessary expenditure and are best avoided.