For All the Students Out There

This post is for you!  My husband recently went back to school to get his PhD.  We don't have cable and I have two kids running around so often getting to the store for things other than groceries can be difficult.

We looked at getting an Amazon Prime membership but wasn't sure it was worth $79 to us at the time. However, we did find that my husband qualified for Amazon Student, which gave us a discount on Amazon Prime membership (only $39 for a max.total of 4 years).  Half price?  It was a no brainer!

We've had Amazon Prime for a year and its been great!  We enjoy access to the instant videos on Prime which are free with our membership and free 2 day shipping.  With all the incentive groups out there (Swagbucks and E-Miles) that offer Amazon gift cards as prizes for earning "bucks" or for depositing miles, it makes it a no brainer too.

Get In Shape for Less

It's the New Year and that means resolution time!  I think its safe to say that almost everyone puts "lose weight" or some iteration thereof on their resolution list at least once in their lifetime.  So here are some tips to keep the cost low on your quest to be fit!

• Check out workout DVD's from the library.  It's free!  No gym membership required!  My library even has some Zumba dvds.   
• Search the web for workout videos.  You'd be surprised what you can find.  Try Youku.com in addition to Youtube.  I've found some Zumba videos there...
• Check out a membership to your local YMCA or Rec. Center.  Usually its less than $100 a year and it may include classes as well as gym and pool usage.  
• When in doubt...search Pinterest.  There are many things posted on getting in shape/losing weight on Pinterest and you may just find the blog/inspiration you've been looking for.  Here's a link to one of my boards that has some fitness stuff on it to get your started.  

Hope this helps you on your way to a slimmer/more fit YOU!  And Happy New Year!

Holiday Cards...Can they be done on a Budget?

It's the most wonderful time of the year....Time for holiday cards....you either love 'em or hate 'em.  The big question is, though, can you do them on a budget?  I think the answer is, "yes."  Here are some tips for budgeting for cards this year.

1. Look for deals for free cards.  Shutterfly, Treat, and Cardstore all provide codes around this time of year for free cards.  All you pay is shipping.  Heck, Cardstore even ships them for free so they are completely free!  You may need to sign up for their emailed newsletter to get a code or search retailmenot.com or raininghotcoupons.com for a code.

2. Postage...its a killer...I suggest only sending cards to those people you are really close to and maintain a relationship with more than just at the holidays.  It really cuts down on the number you need to send.

3. Still having a hard time justifying the money for postage?  Adjust what you are spending on gifts.  A lot of our gifts this year are handmade.  I've pinned some great ideas on my Pinterest board and have even used some of them in the past couple of years!  (What good are Pinterest boards unless you use them? Right?)

A Frugal Gift Idea for A Spouse/Significant Other

My husband and I usually skip gifts for each other at Christmas.  I mean, how fun is it when you both have the same credit cards and can check statements online for purchases made with the card?  In an effort to save money, we just don't do gifts.  Well, I've come up with an idea to keep the cost low (i.e. it's not costing me anything but my time) and provide my spouse a meaningful Christmas gift.

Putzing around on Pinterest, I found a pin for 12 Love Notes for Christmas.  I took a look at it and while I like her idea, I think it can be done cheaper and with better notes than the ones she provides for downloading and printing.

I have postcards lying around my house.  I'm taking 12 of them and on each one I'm going to write about significant, funny, sad, or interesting memories we each have but may have not thought about in a while on each one.  Some will be recounting of the story with a commentary on the event as I see it now and others will just be nice things that I feel like I never tell him enough.  I'll give each one to him 12 days before Christmas day.

Not only does this provide a no-cost gift.  It's one I know he'll love the best out of everything that he gets.  It never gets old or breaks and it truly comes from the heart.  And, best of all, Christmas lasts 12 days instead of just one!  I'm hoping this makes the Christmas season this year more special than in the past.

Cheap Cleaners

A few months ago I would have told you you were crazy if you told me I wouldn't need to buy cleaning products.  Well, I'm a believer.  I use vinegar all the time to clean bathrooms, glass and other surfaces.   Hey, it kills 99.9% of germs without creating bacterial resistance like other antibacterial cleaners.  It's a win-win.

I make my own carpet cleaner too.  A bit of vinegar and some baking soda does the trick.  Hey you can also use some dish soap, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in a mixture for laundry stain removal.   Works just as good or better than Oxiclean.

The other good news is also that each of these things cost pennies on the dollar to make yourself which is way better than what you'd pay for them at the grocery store, even with coupons.  They're environmentally friendly and you aren't introducing your kids, pets, and other family members to harmful chemicals.  Another winning situation. :)

What You Should Know About Money Before You Are 30

There's a great article in USAA magazine this month about what you should know about money before you are 30.   The link to the article is here.  There is some really great information for service members that I didn't even know about (but wish I had).  Hope it proves helpful!

Taming the Want Monster

I found this great blog post over at the Minimalist Mom that really spoke to me.  We really are bombarded by a ton of ads within a given day thus causing us to want more "stuff."  But is the "stuff" what makes us happy?  I'd be willing to argue that it's not.

In addition to the suggestions she mentions to tame the Want Monster, I know I evaluate my purchases based on whether or not I can justify long term use of an object.  If I'm only going to use it for a short bit of time, it's probably not worth spending money on.  There must be an alternative.  I also don't make impulse purchases.  I always give myself a few days (sometimes weeks or months) before I buy something.  I like to really think about whether I need it or not.  Most of the time, I find out that I don't need something and thus I avoid spending money on it period.

We are not defunct of "stuff." We still have some "stuff" that we didn't necessarily need in our house.  I don't think a few "luxuries" are bad.  The Want Monster has won when you are overrun with "stuff" and you don't even use most of it.  If you find yourself constantly cleaning out and getting rid of "stuff" and some of that stuff was seldom used, minimizing the Want Monster's claim on your life might be for you. :)