suddenly frugal

I woke up the other day determined to cut our budget. Why I just can’t cut out going out to eat or cancel our Direct TV I don’t know.  As most of you know (particularly my poor husband) it’s always extremes for me.  I started with our grocery bill.  I like the kids to eat as wholesomely as possible consequently our grocery bill tends to fluctuate a great deal each week, generally heading in a higher and higher direction.  The first thing I analyzed was our produce budget.  How is it possible that I’m spending 20-30 dollars per week on fruits and vegetables when we live in a state where you can garden year round and furthermore live in a house that contains multiple gardens in the backyard.  Something wasn’t adding up, so I tweaked that budget category.  I am going to focus on only eating the produce we can grow. 

So you can imagine I was as pleased as punch when some one far less thrifty decided to throw these out.  On a side note, we showed up to the bus stop a little early the other day and I told the boys we needed to kill about twenty minutes.  I was quite surprised (and maybe a little pleased) when Tommy pointed out that it was garbage day and suggested we drive around the bus stop neighborhood to see if anyone was throwing out anything good.  Back to my point, I have no idea what these boxes where in their previous life, maybe some type of closet creation,  but I know what they’re going to be now.  Yup, more raised bed gardens.  Scott isn’t nearly as excited as me yet, I’m sure it’s coming though.  I’m currently researching how I can get the best quality cheapest organic soil.  This is no easy task I assure you. 

On the gardening note, I’m optimistic about that this theory of growing all the produce we eat can, I think it can actually work.  We are blessed to live in South Florida where we have gardening weather for much of the year.  We have more sunshine than I know what to do with most days.  Full of determination, I found a buy one get one sale on seeds at Lowes the other morning and stocked up.  Last night, Scott and I spent date night in the backyard with four of our favorite little men.  I planted new carrots, shallots, cukes, peppers and chives.  We will have our first heads of lettuce within days and have been enjoying a constant supply of onions, carrots and celery for the last few weeks.  Everyone has become accustomed to the “pull one plant one” rule.  When I send you out to the garden to pull three onions for dinner you will be given three new onions to plant.  You pull, plant and deliver your onions to the kitchen sink.  It’s a beautiful cycle and seems to be working well.  Scott cleaned up the banana trees and weeded all the prickilies out of the lawn. 

Still concerned about the rest of the grocery and household supply budget I found a great new passion.  Couponing.  I follow a website that helps stack manufacturer, competitor and store coupons against producst that are already on sale.  She focuses on our local Publix stores due to their generous coupon policy.  Mostly I get great deals on these products, occasionally I get them free and even more occasionally the store gives me money back.  Yippee!  My bill last week was $208, then I handed the cashier my 32 coupons and he gave me my new total $104.  I couldn’t contain my smile.  Erin 1 Publix 0!  This is not even a good day compared with expert couponers.  Chatting with them I noted that they often save 65 to 75%.   This being said, you do have less choice of what items you are buying each week.  If it’s relatively healthy, on sale and I have coupons, we buy it, if it’s not we don’t.  The expert websites note that most items go on sale roughly every 12 weeks.  So if you can get an item for a fair “stock up” price or better yet, free, you buy a 12 week supply.  Some things, like a 12 week supply of taco seasoning, don’t take up much room, but a 12 week supply of diapers and wipes, you better have some room set aside.  Right now, I’m building my “little Walmart” in my master closet.  But space is limited so I need to reorganize and redesignate some other underutilized spaces around our tiny house.  I am also super limited on freezer space as a certain, what’s the opposite of pack rat, minimalist mouse maybe, cleaned the garage the other day and gave away my chest freezer because he didn’t want to clean it.  So I am on Craigslist trying to buy another freezer.  I will not be happy if I go to pick up a freezer and find out I’ve just bought back the freezer than Scott gave away!

The other super duper money saving idea I’ve come up with it my new latest and greatest part time career.  I must remain secretive to a certain extent here as my new profession’s code of honor allows little disclosure on the topic.  Let me just say that I may or may not have received a free oil change the other day possibly working under cover for a certain corporate headquarters.  I may or may not have had to measure the temperature of the coffee and check the date on the newspaper in the waiting area.  In the event that this actually did happen, I wouldn’t be picking up several other large stores where I am already doing shopping at to spy around a little for corporate headquarters.  Spy around at rather nice rates and benefits I may say. 

So here’s to saving money.  Look out for me Mr. Man because you’re not gettin any of my money today!