my strategies at the grocers

There are some many ways to spend or save at the grocers.  Not all of them work for everyone.  Here is a few ways that do and do not work for me.

Don'ts:
1) plan out what I want to eat for a week, because things change during the week, and if I have to buy stuff for just one meal it gets more expensive that way
2)only look at on sale items.  sometimes they are not cheaper than store brand that is not on sale.  If the store brand is the same or better.
3)clip coupon for things you don't normally eat.  just because there is a coupon doesn't mean you have to buy it.
4) stock up on prepackaged foods, we have a few on hand, but too many will run up the cost and take up room in the freezer

Do's
1) look at what is on sale before I think about a few possible meals for the week
2) stock up on things that can be frozen, or have a longer shelf life, like pasta sauce.  They are handy for when you are in a hurry.  We like to get a pack of salmon and freeze individual portions for later.  Also bags of cut corn when they are on sale, a good quick side veggie.
3) eat with the seasons, the fresh produce are cheaper when they are in season
4) run to different stores for sales, but only if they are near each other.
5) ask for rain checks of they are out of the sale items.
6) eat simple meals, they are easier to cook and better for you

money drains & alternatives

Recently I have considered canning my cable, but Mr. LLF wants to keep it.  Since we don't spend a whole lot on entertainment, I am keeping it, for now.  I am looking into alternatives to cable TV with netflix, hulu, and amazon prime.  Then I wanted to look into other money draining expenses and their alternatives.

1. New kids toys - I am not saying all new toys are bad, but I have found decent and gently used kids toys at garage sales and craigslist.  The only toy I haven't found used is LEGOs.
2. Fancy hotels - it seems that the pricier their get, the more the charge for the extras, like internet.  Plus, I am only really just sleeping and keeping my stuff there. 
   ALT: hostels and budget inns, they often have free internet and breakfast.
3. In car DVD players/GPS - one more thing to break and cost a lot to fix.
   ALT: portable DVD players, you can take it with you anywhere other than the car
4. Unitasker gadgets - they just take up space in your drawers, unless you use it more than once a week for that purpose or no other what of getting around it
   ALT:  multitasking gadgets
5. Bank and credit card fees - unless they give me a reward greater than the fee, then maybe (like earn in 5% cash back on everything, and fee was $50 annually)
6. Trash bags - do we really need to pay so much for re enforced bags, plus these are awful for the environment.
   ALT: we get more than enough bags from grocery shopping, or composting and recycling will reduce 90% of trash.
7. wrapping paper -
   ALT - gift wrap bags
8. Books & magazine - I am all for reading, but I don't want to keep all this stuff that I will never again
   ALT: use a book swap, the library.  If you really want to support the writers, send them a check.
9. Big weddings - it's nice to celebrate people getting married, but there's a lot of fluff in weddings that no one but the bride cares about: flowers, brides maid dresses, the cake, fancy invitations, table dressings, favors
   ALT: a small and simple wedding and a kick ass bash afterward - that's what most guests would remember anyways: the food and drinks, the band/DJ, and the fun they had or not.

10 tips on being green and saving money

It surprising how being environmentally friendly can actually save you money and have other benefits as well.  Here is a list of things, and they don't even take that much effort.

1. save the cold water before showering - when you are running the water to get it warm, use a bucket to save that water.  Use the water for flushing the toilet or doing laundry later 
2. use a solar charger for your small electronics - very useful especially when there is a power outage
3. get smart surge protectors - your peripherals will turn off as well as your main item
4. compost and recycle to keep trash minimal
5. if there is trash, use grocery bags as trash bags - you take out trash more often, so less smelly things in the house too
6. use vinegar or baking soda for cleaning, these 2 will clean about 90% of things in the household, cost pennies, and safe for kids and pets
7. use the speed wash cycle and half the recommended amount of soap on most clothes - most clothes are usually not very dirty, especially for being the office
8. leave the lawn clippings on the ground instead of bagging them, this actually helps the grass keep moisture, just mow to make sure the grass doesn't get too high so the clippings are short, and use a push mower
9. save the AC run off and rain water in the summer for watering the lawn/garden on dry days
10. use cloth gift bag for gifts to family member/close friends that you give to annually, you can re-use it or  for them to keep, you can put their names on it or leave it plain.  This may sound weird at first, but they don't keep the normal wrapping paper anyways.  very useful for giving gifts to kids every year.  These are also easy DIY.