A custom debt-reduction budget that fits your own family’s size, needs, etc., is crucial to debt reduction success.
In our quest for an ever-smaller grocery bill, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to save money on groceries. We’re now managing to feed our family of six for around $400 a month. Yeah, some families do it for cheaper, but we’re trying to balance saving money while still eating things other than beans and rice, so our journey to a lower food bill is going a bit slower than other people’s. 🙂 Here are some of our latest and greatest money saving grocery tips:
If you’ve been reading The Frugal Farmer for any amount of time, ya’ll know that we’re on a super tight budget. We’ve learned how to cut expenses enough to manage our income and our high DTI well, but the things that really get us are those one-time expenses: the occasional doc bill, vet bill, or home or auto repair/maintenance bill. Since our budget is still pretty tight, there’s not really enough room in it to put cash aside for those one-time expenses yet, so we work in other ways to try and find ways to budget for them, as we no longer use credit cards. Here are some things we’ve learned about how to handle those one-time expenses: Read more
I’ve been watching the interest on our Discover card go up and up, since a large portion of our balance there just ended it’s 0% introductory rate and is now costing us money. When I apply my payments, they go toward the rest of the balance first, which is still at zero percent. Prompted by a tip off from a Facebook commenter, I checked into seeing if this was legal or not, I learned some interesting facts** about credit cards, interest rates and our payments to those cards, and here’s what I found out: Read more
It’s 2014, my friends! And since the new year is here, I thought I’d share some ways to save money for 2014. And with your extra funds, you can pay off debt, save up for a special purchase, or maybe take that well-deserved vacation you’ve been thinking about. 🙂 Read more
A Yahoo Finance article says “no”, citing reasons such as the inability to find affordable housing, transportation to a job, and a decent grocery store. I obviously can’t speak for every city or every situation, but I’d like to delve a little bit further into my own childhood situation and how my own mother bootstrapped herself out of poverty. And then, I want your opinion: Was my mom’s situation different? Did she have benefits or opportunities that people living in poverty don’t have today? Read more
Hey, friends! Happy Friday! Today we’ve got a guest post from our friend, Ruben. Bio: Ruben Keogh is a retired plumber and sprinklerfitter, landscaper and lawn-saver who found his true calling after progressing from apprentice to journeyman blogger. When he acquires enough experience, wit and insight to become a master blogger, he’ll let you know. He hikes, fishes and gardens with his wife whenever possible.
If the gift-giving portion of the holiday season is defined by a celebration of generosity, togetherness and goodwill, the New Year observance is a celebration of change. There are resolutions to improve one’s habits and behavior in the coming year, anticipation for new and exciting changes to come, etc. However, for those of us that live in more northerly climes, there is one constant: when the New Year rolls around, it’s gonna be cold. Read more
Happy Friday, frugal friends! Today we welcome back contributing writer Anita with some terrific tips for planning a large vegetable garden. Thanks, Anita!
Years ago when I started gardening it wasn’t my intention to grow all the veggies that my husband and I would need for a whole year, I just wanted some fresh tasting tomatoes and a few other fresh veggies.
However, with the price of vegetables and fruits in grocery stores continually on the rise, I have made it my mission to grow and preserve as much of our food as possible, as a lot of other people across this nation are starting to do.
If the thought of a large vegetable garden appeals to you, here are some tips that can help your garden progress from hobby to serious food supply and planting a survival garden. Read more
As I look around the world, there are two problems that stick out to me, both in my life, and in the lives of most people in America:
1. Money problems
2. Eating problems
I read an article the other day about how people often convince themselves that they are eating “healthy” food when they buy organic chips and the like, and it got me thinking. Read more
Hey, friends! Welcome back our contributing writer, Anita, today, as she shares some great tips on saving money on dairy costs.
Unless you have a cow or goat that you can milk every day, then you are like me, at the mercy of the rising costs of dairy products. Every time I go to the store I remember the days when a gallon of milk was $1.00. Even though my husband and I only go through about 1-2 gallons per week, at $3.00+ a gallon, it adds up. I feel for those with kids: when I was growing up we went through several gallons per weeks, as I loved milk and drank a lot, plus all the cooking and baking my mother did. Read more
Happy Thursday, friends!! Welcome back Kyle from Rather-Be-Shopping for another super helpful, money saving article. Thanks, Kyle, and congrats on the NY Times article!
This past Monday, myself, along with my website Rather-Be-Shopping.com, were lucky enough to be included in a front page article of The New York Times. Believe it or not, the article was about haggling, some might call it “negotiating”, a better price at retail stores, even at high-end stores like Nordstrom. Haggling for a better price has become the new “black” in recent months it seems. If you do it right, and have a solid strategy in place, you can start haggling successfully today. Here is my best advice on getting started. Read more
