Saving Money Mommy-Style

By Mommy Shauna

For my first post I wanted to share what I learned last summer from the blogging world about saving. Having only one income coming in, due to my maternity leave, I had to really buckle down. I had to focus on what we needed and could afford. I was so amazed at the things I learned.

In one week I made the following purchases:

Publix - total before coupons was approximately $38.00. I paid $9.80.

Kroger - total before coupons was approximately $75.00. I paid $29.70.

Walgreens - 10 tubs of baby wipes for $4.20. I saved $24.70!

I was ecstatic!

There are many wonderful moms who have figured out how to help keep their family costs very low and kind enough to share these deals they find on their blogs. Once you find a few of these blogs it will allow you to connect to other ones for even more deals. I’ve listed some of my favorites below to get you started.

www.iheartsavingmoney.com

www.iheartpublix.com

www.dealseekingmom.com

www.thekrazycouponlady.com

For my shopping needs I tend to lean towards Kroger for big shopping trips. They always have mega sales and lots of unadvertised sale items in addition to what is in the sales paper. About once a month, they also have special sale days (usually on Thursday). I think they are great for getting a lot of snacks (for the kids) and meat for low prices in big quantities.

And Publix is great because they have weekly buy one, get one deals. You don’t have to buy both items for the low price, so if you get one it is 50% off. Combine that with a coupon and you are getting items for pennies. Literally! I got two bags of dog food and a pack of baby wipes for free last week with my coupons! Publix also takes competitor coupons. So if you have Kroger coupons use them at Publix. Though check with your Publix to see who they consider a competitor.

So, find the blogs that fit your shopping style best and try to check them often. Or even better, subscribe to their newsletters or RSS feeds so that you are sure to get the best deals right away! Some deals or coupons are so great that they go fast. Most websites have print limits on coupons and a set amount of special offers available.

I just want to say that I am forever grateful to these mommy bloggers for bringing these great deals to my attention. And more importantly forever changing the way I think about spending. If you have a blog or site you recommend for more savings please feel free to leave a comment below or email us. We would love to hear all about it!

Shauna’s Tips to Effective Saving:

• Shop the sale items as much as possible.
• Look for a coupon before buying anything.
• Stock up on your regularly purchased items when the prices are low. (What this does is build your stock pile minimizing what you have to purchase when you do go shopping)
• Learn the coupon policies for the places you shop most. For example many stores will take one store coupon and one manufacturer’s coupon for the same item.
• Check blogs for the most current deals.