"Local Ladies:" Meet Money Saving Mama in Michigan

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Wendy, the blog author of Money Saving Mama in Michigan (.blogspot.com), is a Mid- Michigan blogger (Lansing to be exact!)

Wendy is a View Ambassador (she has the inside scoop for the future shows), she loves to share links for FREE samples, hosts give aways, and shares the links to all of the FaceBook freebies!

Wendy, thank you for carving time out of your days to help save other families money!

Thought Provoking Thursday

Sometimes I think that spending coupons can bring out the most competitive spirit in each of us! If you are anything like me, I like to watch every grocery/household purchasing cent that I spend, because caring for the needs of my family has become more of a "game" to me!

I've learned, that playing this "game" to the best of one's ability, requires these "skills:"

1. START by taking a good look at where you are NOW! How much are you currently spending to feed and care of the basics in running your household smoothly? Honestly, is the key to future success, review your receipts and evaluate where you are and where you'd like to be, financially speaking.

2. COVER YOUR BASES: Take inventory of the items that you already have on hand (how many bags of FREE Green Giant Steamers are still in your freezer?), and what items your family uses most frequently. For the 'constant purchasables,' like toothpaste and laundry detergent, stock up for 6 months to a year's worth of these items at a time (of course, when they are deeply discounted) and keep from having to purchase at less than spectacular prices for longer periods of time.

3. MOVE FORWARD: Think towards future purchases! How will you continue to slice and dice your grocery/household purchases? Will you purchase toilet paper and shampoo from the drug stores (even though the prices are much higher) because you can spend your store rewards on these essential items? Will you purchase more fresh produce this summer to freeze for the slim pickin's days of winter produce? Will you try some new recipes in order to eat more often from your stockpile?

4. HOME: Have you created a home environment that successfully cares for every need that arises for your family while keeping an eye on your budget? Do you eat well, do your kids enjoy special treats (if your kids know that they only get those special treats if you have a coupon for those items, raise your hand!!!) and is your bathroom cupboards and fully stocked with enough toothpaste to last you to 2011!

And here are the last two essential elements to happy 'gamesmanship...'

TEAM SPIRIT: Shop for the good of those outside of your immediate family! Planning and purchasing items for others who may benefit from your generosity will always have a win/win effect!

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP: Don't get wrapped up with someone else being able to spend less than you... length of time spending coupons, number of family members, types of foods purchased, and personal shopping habits all factor into who spends how much (or how little)! Focus, instead, on improving your standards for yourself!

Have YOUR ideas of shopping changed since YOU began spending coupons? Do YOU view shopping as a game?

REMINDERS:

Have you ever wanted to SHOP with ME... ask any coupon question, have me coach you in where/how to purchase your family's favorites... and SPEND MY COUPONS?

Well, I'm being auctioned off!!! I'm FIGHTING CANCER with COUPONS, and a $5 donation HERE could win you a shopping date with yours truly!

Drawing to be held on March 12, 2010. Winner will be notified immediately after drawing!!!

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Coupon Class in Livonia

Saturday March 13, 10am-Noon

The class is approximately 2 hours in length and includes tips, tricks and skills to purchasing all of your grocery and household needs for less!

You must register (along right sidebar) to secure your seat! Find the rest of the class details HERE!

"Local Ladies:" Meet Spectacular Savings

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Heather, the blog author of Spectacular Savings (.net) writes a fantastic blog filled with fabulous finds! Spectacular Savings is based in the Kalamazoo area, and offers coupon match ups for Meijer and Rite Aid!

Two unique features found at Spectacular Savings are the "Save More, Give More" weekly post alerting you to FREE or nearly FREE items that are absolutely donation worthy, and Heather's passion for freezer cooking!

Heather, thanks for spending some time online to share your tips, tricks and insight with the rest of us!

Want-A-Peek Wednesday

Meijer

Grocery Total: $87.00
Spent: $24.31
Saved: $62.69
Store Rewards Spent: $5 (RR's) and a $7 store credit

Items purchased with coupons:
KEY: MFC= Manufacturer's coupon, MBC= Meijer Mealbox coupon, IP= Internet printable coupon.

Benevia (IP), Green Giant boxed veggies (IP's & rain check), Dial soap pump (IP), Ore Ida (MFC)

Great Scoop for Bakers!

Jolyn just wrote a great article about purchasing baking supplies for less than full retail since coupons for these types of supplies are not always available! Be sure to read the comments!!!

I didn't grow up in a house with a whole lot of baking... but I'm working on brushing up my skills thanks to savvier spending! If I burn something or the recipe flops (it could *never * be my fault... wink!) I'm not frustrated by wasting a ton of money/ingredients... I'm just frustrated about wasting my time and energy!!! ;)

"Local Ladies:" Meet Monroe on a Budget

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Paula, the blog author of Monroe on a Budget (blogsmonroe.com/budget), is also an author in black and white! Paula, by day, is a newspaper reporter for The Monroe Evening News!

Paula, who targets her writing to the middle class, has written some extremely informative articles from assistance programs to utility bills... and I think, everything in between! Check out all of the scoop that she has gathered, along her left sidebar!

Paula, thank you for sharing your knowledge of frugal living resources for those of us battling this tough economy here in Michigan! Keep the great articles coming!

Tutorial Tuesday: Soaking Beans

I've wanted to try soaking my own beans for quite a while, but I've been kind of timid about the whole process- but seriously, its not so bad!

I personally hate standing in the bean aisle at the grocery store! I hate choosing between the store brand, national brand and the 'you soak' varieties! Sometimes there is just a few cents difference between the store and national brands... and the 'you soak' seems like so much work! Honestly, grocery shopping should NOT be so difficult!

So here goes...

Ingredients: beans.

First start by opening your bag o' beans (hey, since its March, its o'everything!) and rinse your beans. Pick out any oddball finds and discard!

Place your beans (I am using a 1 pound bag) in a large pot and add 6-8 cups of water to your beans.

Boil for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, cover the pot with the lid, and allow to stand for 1 hour. (Not so tough so far huh?)

After the hour of soaking in warm water, drain your pot, and then refill your pot with another 6 cups of water...

Simmer your beans (with the lid on, but off set just enough that steam can escape) for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until your beans are as tender as you like to eat them!

Viola! They look just like their canned counterpart!

The 1 pound bags of dry beans plumped to almost 6 cups of ready to eat beans!

I'm kind of on the fence as to if soaking/cooking my own beans is worth it to me...

Cans of beans retail anywhere from $.59- $.99/can, so the average retail would be $.79/can.

I feel that after rinsing canned beans, an 11 3/4 ounce can yields 1.5 cups of beans, so by this math standard, I would receive approximately 4 cans (6 cups) worth of cooked beans.

My 1 pound bag of dry beans cost $1.39, so divide that by 4 (cans worth) and it equals $.35/can.

This savings, per "can" is pretty substantial! I was pretty surprised!

I did not, however, enjoy the smell of the beans cooking- it wasn't awful, but not pleasant! All, in all, I'm sure that I will soak and cook my beans again, but I will probably do much larger batches and freeze the beans for later use!

Have YOU ever soaked beans? Do YOU think soaking beans is worth it? Do YOU have any other tips, tricks or recipes YOU'D like to share?

"Local Ladies:" Meet West Michigan Mommy

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Melissa, the blog author of West Michigan Mommy (.com), does a FANTASTIC job of sharing coupon match ups, locating freebies and keeping her ear to the ground for fun times around town for the West side of the state!

Melissa matches coupons for Meijer, Family Fare, Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid on a weekly basis! I appreciate that Melissa takes the time to have 'accurate' coupon match ups for her West readers, since Meijer does NOT double coupons on the West side of the state... bummer!

Melissa, thanks for all of the time you spend online while still being able to care for your family of four! YOU are helping us ALL to save!

Drug Store Deals: March 7th Weekly Edition

THANK YOU Coupon Crazy Chrys for your drug store deal-ing coupon match-ups!

Drug store deals for this week:

CVS:
FREE Oral B toothbrushes, $2/4 boxes of Kelloggs cereal

Walgreens:

$.05 Nestle candy bars, Glade 3 wicks for $1.99

Rite Aid:
FREE Cover Girl & Trident

Chrys is a local Detroit blogger who is a master of spending very little out of pocket at CVS, Walgreen's and Rite Aid- and she has graciously allowed me to link her drug store coupon match-ups with you each Monday... WOO HOO, thanks Chrys!!! Coupon Crazy Chrys is now available along my sidebar!