Mama Money Bags

Do you watch how much you spend at the food store? I know I do! Meat is especially pricey, but Mama Money Bags can help you learn how to cut back. Probably the easiest way to save on meat is to buy in bulk and then divide the meat into separate meals at home. Why buy in bulk? It's cheaper per pound! I buy a large pack of boneless skinless chicken breast at Wegmans, which I then prep immediately into different dinners (for example, marinated meat, sliced chicken for fajitas, and smaller chunks of chicken for pasta). Then, I stick what I can't use right away into the freezer so it's ready for when I cook. Doing this helps cut back on take-out, too! Sometimes, though, I am super lucky at one of my local stores (usually Wegmans, Target, or Acme) and I stumble upon what my husband calls "scratch and dent" meat--aka, meat that's close to its sell-by date. It usually has a sticker or coupon attached to the packaging. Here's one from Target (similar ones...

I went into Lilly Pulitzer yesterday, primarily because I saw they were giving away Duck Donuts. Anyway, while walking around with my free donut, I spotted this visor. So pretty! And I love visors! But at $38, it's a little steep for this Cheap Mom. Then I saw that items in the Tennis Collection got a free towel (not that I need another towel...). My internal debate grew strong, but so did my resolve to not buy anything. See how they did that? Lure me in with the promise of free donuts, tempt me more with a free promo... Only when I looked up the special on my phone as I walked away, I saw they excluded the "less expensive" visor from the promo. Touche Lilly P! Touche! If you want to find out more money saving tips, check out  Mama Money Bags , my e-book on Amazon Kindle. It's just $2.99 and you'll learn so much about being frugal.

I did some Cheap Mom shopping yesterday. You see, I had the $10 CVS coupon that I got from taking a survey (previously mentioned in this post about "making up" money ). Since it expires in about a week, and because I noticed our shampoo stockpile was getting very low, I stopped at CVS on my way home from work. I bought three bottles of Pantene and a bag of Tide Pods--I'll be sure not to eat them. All that right there retails for almost $20 at CVS and I spent $1.06! How? Here's a quick rundown so you too can learn how to fill your Mama Money Bags: - Pantene was on sale for $4 each with $3 ExtraBucks when I bought three. I looked in the ad and on the signs in front of the product. - There was also a $1 Pantene coupon that I loaded onto my CVS card via their app. - Making it $11 minus my $10 ExtraBucks, for a total of $1.06. - The three bottles resulted in $3 ExtraBucks being printed out. - There was a $2 Tide coupon that I also loaded onto my CVS card via t...

Rainy weekend. I spent a good chunk of it counting box tops. You know, those tiny little rectangles that come on products you buy--cereal, soup, baggies, even mac and cheese. They look like unless junk. But you know what? Those tiny rectangles added up to nearly $800 for my youngest daughter's school this year. Here's an example. Things I collected on my weekly walk around the neighborhood. I admit it: Mondays are my favorite days of the week for collecting these goodies. Looks like a bunch of garbage, right? Right there, my friends, is the equivalent of 65 cents! Yes, I know we're not talking about earth-shattering amounts of money, but when it comes to free money you find, maybe, just maybe, 65 cents really isn't too bad. Week after week, it really adds up. Plus, I contribute my own box tops, and my daughter's class is suddenly giving $65, even though we're the only ones who bothered collecting them. To quote a recent episode of my favorite sit...

Happy Mother's Day! Since Mama Money Bags is mostly meant for women who are looking for ways to save in this crazy economy, I just wanted to say enjoy your special day. Enjoy the little crafts your kids make you and their snuggles. That's what it's all about. Whether you're already a Cheap Mom like me or just starting out on a frugal lifestyle, know that you are strong and can make the changes needed to better your financial situation. As for me, like always, I picked out my own gifts. Hey, it's who I am and I own it proudly. I'm getting a Flynn Rider key chain, Disney pajamas from the outlet, and Austenland on DVD. My husband actually did the buying, but I was very detailed about what I wanted and even gave him some coupons to use. Most of all, though, I'm looking forward to my kids' gifts. My youngest daughter said I can't look in her backpack until Sunday and my son is busy at work on a new comic called Cheap Mom and the Saver (apparentl...

One way I fill my Mama Money Bags--especially after an unplanned purchase--is to "find" or "make up" extra money. It's not money I work for usually; it's unexpected finds that help out my weekly budget. After the sample sale, in which I bought the Barefoot Dreams robe I talked about on my last post and am currently wearing, I set out to make back the $33 I spent on 6 items--but wasn't necessarily planning on spending. It's been 3 days and I've already made it back, plus more. - $12 comes from Kidzeyes, a survey site my older two kids have participated in for about 5 years (see picture below). - $3 comes from a free Hallmark card that they're giving away every Friday through July. I needed to buy a card for my nephew's graduation; this free one is great. - $20+ comes from Coke rewards--22 cap codes got me coupons for a free large soda, large popcorn, and black ticket to AMC. - $10 comes from a CVS survey they sent me after I had to ...

#lovemyqvcjob Okay, pretty sure that by hashtagging that, I'm good to go. As a QVC employee--I write product descriptions for them--a benefit is being able to go to the weekly sample sale. Now, for a Cheap Mom like me, the sample sale is like a Holy Grail of sales, up there with Black Friday. So many deals! Today's find was better than most though. A Barefoot Dreams robe for $6--a savings of almost 96% (although I'm lacking the matching socks). It was love at first sight--me and the robe. It's soft and supple and perhaps one of the most exquisite things I own. That said, the steeply discounted price makes you start thinking about prices and items differently. What's really worth $150? What's really worth $6? Why do things cost what they do--yes, I know all about supply and demand, but should we actually pay it? And, most importantly, what's going into your Mama Money Bags? That said, it's certainly nice to treat yourself to a bit of luxury now and ...

I'm now on day four of not spending anything. To be honest, I'm starting to miss it a little, and that's the interesting part of budgeting and managing your finances. I think we're almost programmed to want to spend money--on food or a thing. It fills a void, a boredom, if you will. It gives a rush. Update: I only made it four days in a row this time; next week is always a new challenge.

The main idea behind Mama Money Bags is putting you in control of your personal finances. You have the power to save for your goals, your future. You have the power to get yourself out of debt. One way I accomplish this is through no-buy months, which are full of no-buy days in which I spend absolutely nothing. I didn't buy anything today, nor yesterday. It takes planning and resourcefulness, dare I even say stubbornness? Yes, because I'm a pretty stubborn person. Try it tomorrow. Don't spend a cent on anything, and see how you do. Could you do it again the day after tomorrow (wasn't that a movie? Love my sci-fi!)? My exceptions are bills, gas, and medical co-pays. Report back if you want as you start filling your Mama Money Bags!

After creating this blog over three years ago, I finally am doing something about it! My new e-book, Mama Money Bags , is coming soon. It's full of ideas to help mamas all over take control of their personal finances so they can live their best life possible. Stay tuned! In the meantime, you can find me at: https://www.facebook.com/MamaMoneyBagsBook/ https://twitter.com/MamaMoneyBags?lang=en https://amzn.to/2IxhBOf