We've had some money positives to help with the blip. None are huge but cummulativley chisel away at the savings target balance.
- Our VISA changed our current cash rewards program-this time in a way we can work it to our advantage. We used to have to draw down in $500 increments. We now can draw down our full cash back eanrings and this time is $642, so a cash flow win this year of $142.
- When requesting the draw, DH leaned our card can be upgrded to a better program of 3% back on gas and 2% on groceries. I estimate the increase will be $24 a year on gas and $36 a year on groceries, $60 more bonus dollars a year. You super savers are like "Dear, you have a lot to learn." We are waiting for cash in hand before cancelling and converting because none of the old points will convert. We may lose a few points in doing so, but it won't be many.
- I gulped when paying the deposit for DD2's All State Choir camp that the fee increased from $600 to $650. This was before I learned that a portion of the school ticket sales for concert helps offset the camp and other choir fees for kids so the school is covering $300 per student for All State. Even with the increase, it will be $250 less than we thought we'd be paying.
Cummulativley, these result in approximately $422 more in our hands by years end. There's been some little savings wins as well. This is where I hope the pennies grow into dollars.
- Coborn's had Golden Plump Chicken burgers, 6,1/3 patties for $4.98. We didn't use them last weekend so last night I grilled them up, but first, seasoned both sides with garlic powder, pepper, a little course ground salt, and onion flakes. They were absolutely delicious. Because they are chicken, they hardly cooked down-it was a huge burger. Topped w ith a little mayo and ketchup and it rivaled one of my favorite burgers at our wine bar I like, an aioli turkey burger. With a 20 cent value bun, a gourmet burger for under a $1 is a bargain meal we'll enjoy throughout the summer.
- Stocked up on graduation cards at Dollar tree for 50 cents a card as opposed to even the lowest cost value cards at Target and Walmart at twice that. I needed eight. Next year will be at least twice that.
- I've often mentioned I'm not much of a gardener. Still, in summer I like a little flower color. Instead of buying plants that will die, I got some green plants from the high school. Yesterday I bought a packet of assorted flower seeds for $1.89 and filled a bunch of pots for my deck with potting soil and planted the seeds. Maybe they'll grow and by the end of July, I'll have some nice color as opposed to spending $30-$40 to have color now only to have them die by mid July. I used to do this with the big kids when they were little, but started ealier as they woud bring home their little Mother's Day plants they had grown at child care or school and then we would transplant to a pot, and do a few more.
- On Thursday I got a free cup of cofee when I filled up my gas tank, using my rewards points to save 10 cents on each gallon. Free coffee (saving myself from making at home) plus saved $1.40 in my tank. I'm not sure how long free coffee is offered, but I don't usually get gas at the Coborns station unless I have rewards as I get weekly 7 cents off coupons for Holiday anyway. I'll try and time my next fill with both free coffee and a healthy reward balance.
- Monday we used a free appetizer coupon and part of a gift card for pizza and wings at Green Mill and Thursday I forgot my lunch at home, so bought a small salad at Target along with fruit and root chips for a team meeting, but otherwise ate all meals at home or brought lunch. Even DH came home for lunch this week, eating the leftovers from Green Mill and assorted whatevers he could find.
Those are my savings wins, small and bigger. DD2 needed some new clothes and needs a new swimming suit before she heads with a friends family to Kentucky for a week but we budget clothes and she is not a clothes horse kind of kid. She found a denim like chambry dress and a colorful blue romper for her senior photos, which we will start taking over the course of the summer at various plaes she loves around town. We used Kohl's coupns and now have some Kohls cash to use but shorts she bought at Target. We have to spend money sometimes, and her shop so far was under $70. Hopefully today she'll find the remaining odds and ends to get her through summer and the start of the school year when it is still warm. We also pslurged on buying the DV and CD of the school concert. Priceless!
How was your savings and spending week? Has anyone else found a great deal on a product that turned out to be a winner in your house?
I didn't spend any money last week, as I was traveling. But, was able to use my Uber gift cards for work travel, and will get reimbursed for that. They earned me $60 in grocery store credit, so it's a good tradeoff.
ReplyDeleteExcellent blending of deals!
DeleteThe pennies DO add up! Trust me. And to add them, I don't have to do anything but NOT spend.
ReplyDeleteI did have a spending week, though. I hit the jackpot the other day at the Grocery Outlet, when I stopped by after the school run. They had half gallons of organic milk for 8 cents. (Best by was that day.) I bought two. Coincidentally, I also found boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal there for 8 cents as well. The kids who eat cold cereal were delighted. I don't typically buy cold cereal as I find it expensive per serving, and nutritionally void. I also didn't buy into the milk is necessary idea, so none of us drink it much at all. No worries about the date, because between the cereal, cooking and baking, the milk will be gone in no time.
I also found ANOTHER (ugh) Hormel spiral ham for $0.99/lb. I am not overly fond of ham, but two kids and DH are. I tucked it in my freezer for a later date. (I can't face it anytime soon!)
I hit Rite Aid after another school run to get my free razor and cheap mascara, rolling over Bonus Cash for it. The razor was already given, and I took one mascara, (the only makeup I regularly wear anymore) but the other mascara is tucked aside in the Christmas gift stash, for DD. (Yes, I give things like that for Christmas.) I checked the clearance section, and found contact lens solution at 75% off. I bought all 5 they had remaining with no compunction. (I typically don't clear shelves, unless it's a closeout like this.) Finally, the kids have done a number on the towels in their bathrooms--frayed beyond mending. They don't like the most of the newer towels on the market, and neither do I. They just seem to feel slimy! In any case, on a whim I stopped in the local thrift shop, and found some nice, off white towels, the old Sears Colormate brand, in excellent condition for $2.50 each. I bought four of these to see if the kids would approve, which they did. (See, I DO indulge my kids sometimes.) With any luck, I'll have time to make my way back there later today to see if I can find some more. I had resigned myself to scouring Macy's or Bed Bath and Beyond for acceptable towels to us, and swallowing the price. (And no, we have no problems with the used factor--I washed them in hot water before using, and would have done that with towels I purchased new, as well.)
You made me smile Meg-we are often more alike than not. I absolutely tuck freebies/bargain items aside for my kids gifts.I don't get people that regularly stay in hotels being odd about towels and linens second hand. Do they think the hotel runs out and buys new after each guest?
DeleteWelll….I DID sort of lie once to eldest DS about a thrift shop find. He is my least squeamish about second hand things kid, but said he draws the line at boxer shorts. I found what looked to be like a never worn pair of 100% cotton Tommy Hilfiger boxers there earlier in the year, and put them in a bag of $5/bag clothing. When DS saw me taking them out of the dryer, he asked if they were from the bag sale. I flat out lied, and said "I know you won't wear boxers from a thrift shop bag. These are Dad's. He's never worn them, so I am giving them to you." (I guess I could MAKE that statement true. Those are now his favorite boxers, by the way.
DeleteThe white lies that are sometimes a moms necessity.
DeleteThat simply goes to show every little bit counts to add up to bigger bits! Anytime you can spend less than $5 on meat for an entire family meal is a win in my books
ReplyDeleteThese were so good, and we'll actually get two meals out of them since we're only three.DD2 would never finish a whole one and DH doesn't need two full. He picked up a little more than four pounds of ribs for around $6. We'll get two meals from that as well.
DeleteI would say this was a good week for us - we had 13 no-spend days in a row, took back the cans/bottles ($46), and turned in our coins at the credit union ($115.96)....WISH I could send it to the IRS, but it will go into savings for dh's $750 crown....wat wat wahhhhh
ReplyDeleteLiterally the result of change adding up. Sorry about the crown cost.
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