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I am a stay at home mom with three wonderful kids. I have been married for over 8 years to my best friend. I am head over heals in love with him. He always supports my crazy "thrifty adventures". We have a lot of fun together.
I was raised on a small dairy farm. Where I learned very young, the value of hard work and how to be thrifty in all areas of life. Growing up our meals were made from scratch. Only on special occasion would we get name brand cereal, chips, or any other fancy treats. Now that I am a Mom with my own budget, the basic foods always comes first. I too make most of our meals from scratch and take pride in feeding my family a well balanced healthy diet.
I enjoy seeing how far I can make our budget stretch, and when I take the time to match sales with coupons I am able to get all those "fun & fancy" items that would other wise be out of my budget. Being thrifty has always been a way of life for me, but it has also become a real joy. .gif)
 
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Well the other morning while Sarah was sleeping and I was getting the kids ready for school, I saw something that I have seen but never actually hit me. Our kids make some really healthy food choices, even at a young age. Maleeya, our 2 year old, loves Raisin Bran Cereal. Every morning she grabs the box and waits for me to get her a bowl. Later that morning she wanted pistachio nuts and a cup of apple sauce.
The packing – Do it yourself. I have moved with my parents, when my dad’s company paid to pack us. It was terrible from what I remember. It was almost as if they scoped out our stuff to figure out what they wanted to keep. And no this wasn’t some mom and pop company, and was a large national company. Do it your self to make sure your glass china is packed correctly, and if it breaks you can only be upset at yourself. The box’s – Drive behind grocery stores, warehouses, and other major stores that get shipments. Dumpster dive. These boxes for the most part will be clean, many are still glued together. Also craigslist.org always has boxes in your local area, many times they are new, and just used once. They are usually free as well. The moving trucks? Well if you need a moving truck for across country, or from one state to another, shop around for shipping container rates. Not the name brand stuff, that you see on TV, but the actually shipping and trucking companies. My brother moved across the country and he called a trucking company by the name of ABF, and they had different size shipping containers, 8×8, 12×8, 16×8. (Not exact sizes but along those lines). Surprising they where incredibly cheap. You just had to bring your stuff to the truck yard and pack your stuff. They then delivered it directly to your new home and drop it off. It only took a few days in transport. Once in your new home your biggest expense will probably be curtains and blinds. These are one of those expenses that either you make the curtains your self, or you go and buy the blinds at warehouse stores. One of the best ways to cut cost on any move is to pull up your britches and do the labor yourself. Ask your church, or folks at work for help. Its a good way to hang out together, and in some cases they may be excited to get rid of you. What are some of the ways you have saved in moving? It’s Matt, So we have been posting on our remodel of our house. There are so many things to do. Now don’t get me wrong, the house is livable. Many people would be fine with it how it was. BUT it is just not what we wanted. So we have been investing in our home since we bought it. We recently got a comment about how to be thrifty when remodeling. That is a really difficult thing to do. Most remodeling jobs consist of labor, labor, labor. I would bet to say over 75% of the cost would be strictly labor cost. So how do you do a remodel job but still be thrifty…. DIY. Do It Yourself! Granted you can go to thrift shops, yard sales, and auctions. You can also make things yourself. Like in our other house I made the cabinets from scratch. They were not those snap together things in a box. I planed down raw lumber into cabinet doors, and built the entire thing myself. I laid the tile, and did all the electrical stuff too. See our other house below:
Now if you are a bit design idea deficient, then the best thing might be to find groups of items in the warehouse stores. When I do a project, it seems like I make 3-4 trips per day. Luckily we live down the street from one. Now yes these stores may cost more, but if you are in need of ideas, or need to buy things already planned out for you then this is also where you can go to. Now back to the 75% of the cost of a normal remodel. The labor in remodeling is what will empty your wallet. Ever since I was little, I was always trying to find ways to do things by myself, and also the most efficient way. Paying some one else to do something for me is NOT efficient. Granted they could do it faster, but if I can learn to do it then to me that is better cost efficiency. Part of being Thrifty, is to learn to do things your self! This is one thing that as a guy I can help with this blog. I think some people are scared to try some thing new. Maybe they are afraid that they might screw things up, or maybe they think they wont be able to learn something that at first seems to be so complex. To do a project yourself, just like couponing, start small. Try building a bird house before you build a cabinet! Try to wire a lamp (they have cool kits) before you wire all new lights in your ceiling. Try tileing a bathroom in the back of the house before you tear out your kitchen every one sees. Don’t be scared, don’t feel like it will never stick in your thick skull. You can, and you should! The sense of accomplishment, and pride in your self are something you will never forget. So start your search for the project you want to do. Look on the web, read about it. Browse the hardware warehouses. Plan it out in your head and on paper, and help your self to be a Thrifty Home re-modeler, or fixer upper.
Your are my best friend. The one I confide in. The girl who makes me happy. The Wife who welcomes me home. The companion that cheers me up and comforts me. The mother of our children. The teacher of our family. The example to me. My eternal friend, companion, partner, counselor, teacher, example, and love of my life and eternities there after. I LOVE YOU – Matt Well wasn’t that a cute surprise. Matt has always been so sweet, I thought about posting a “love note” to him but felt a little silly, so I did not do it. I have been thinking about it for weeks, now I feel bad that I didn’t. He never hesitates to let me and others know how me feels about me. He always makes me feel like I am the prettiest girl in the world, whether I am all dressed up, out in the yard working, sleep deprived and looking horrible, or have a huge pregnant tummy…me makes me feel that I am cute as a can be. I still remember the day he walked into the car dealership I was working at. I sure thought he was cute, but would never let him or anyone else know. After being friends for a year, and realizing he had become my best friend, I finally agreed to go on a date with him ( He gives me a hard time, cause I told him no every time he asked before that). I feel blessed everyday that I was not only able to marry my sweetheart, who I find just as cute now as I did the first day I saw him…..but also my best friend. I honestly can’t wait for him to get home at the end of his workday, he is a wonderful Daddy, husband, and works hard to provide for our family. He is turning our ugly “70’s house” into a beautiful home for our family. But most important he loves me and makes me laugh. So Matt once again thanks for all you do for me, thanks for never hesitating so show your love for me…..I love being married to you! Love you-Sarah Every time the Olympics come on Matt’s family stops almost everything to watch and cheer on the US team. We added a widget to the bottom right side of our site that will be showing the latest news from the US team at the Winter Olympics that starts tonight!
Its Matt - Its not too late to get this either for your self or tell your spouse to get with it! Sarah has always been very thrifty. Even on special occasions. I remember when we first got married and I bought her a dozen long stem roses on Valentines Day. She said thanks, but later made it very clear that she doesn’t like getting flowers or jewelry or candy as gifts. Only because she feels its a wasted effort. She would rather spend that money on something that is useful. So the next holiday after that I bought a vacuum and she thoroughly enjoyed that gift… go figure So for all of you that are in need of thrifty, purposeful, and thoughtful gifts, get them what I got Sarah last Valentines Day. A subscription for coupon inserts.
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It brings in even more citizens to the state which then pay more in taxes, and purchase more products here. It creates more jobs for local support people on the base. Which brings you right back to the economic growth The list could go on and on… For more info, and to simply put your self down to show your support by signing a poll, CLICK HERE
Go Here to get a FREE mulit-tool. From Copenhagen.It does require last 4 digits of SSN for age verification. This is common practice for tobacco websites so you know before trying for this Freebie. And Due to state law, they are unable to email Utah or Michigan residents.
Get a Free Taylor Made Burner 6-Iron HERE
Thanks Good Deal Mama
Mckeely has been working so hard making her Daddy snacks! This is one she made me yesterday. She took about 30 mins to make this! Let me explain what the ingredients are:
She always includes a cup of water for me to drink. But once I found out it had butter all over I had to do the parent trick and pretend I was eating. Then once she walked away, quickly take it somewhere else. She is so cute, and such a daddy’s girl. This would make a great Valentines gift for the sports fan in your life! It’s just in time.
Only the first 5,000 can get it. Click here to get your free subscription. Thanks Couponers United To the Mom who brought me into this world:
Love Matt
The battle is true, the place fought is not, to read about the battle click here. But the idea of what took place is a moment I am sure all of our brave men and women all over the world would hope that took place. May our troops far and wide feel peace this Christmas Day. We all love you and pray for you.
And yes we own this CD. It’s Matt- I wanted to start off that way so that you wouldn’t get confused about who is talking here. There have been some comments and emails that we have gotten over the last couple of months that have showed a miss conception of our family. We recently have had a few emails stating the surprise of how unhealthy we feed our children. These are from readers who really don’t know, and haven’t had my wifes cooking…mmmmm The photos we show of our deals are the items we get for our food storage. SO the 15 bags of Hersey chocolate chips… yeah most are still out there in the freezer in our garage. And the soda and the chips, and all of the other “junk” food are still in the garage too. If it helps I would be happy to lay out our daily meal menu, to show we eat probably more healthy then most American families. Today – Grapefruit and toast breakfast Yesterday dinner – Italian baked chicken, with rice and pea’s Lunch – home made chicken and dumpling soup. See how we can do this is when chicken goes on sale… like it did back in the summer we buy ALOT. We have a tall full size freezer, AND a full size fridge with freezer on top in the garage, in addition to our fridge in the kitchen. We have 70 lbs of all purpose flour. 100 lbs of salt. 50 lbs of sugar. 100 lbs of rice. 50 lbs of beef frozen. 60 lbs of chicken frozen. 100 cans of Campbells soup. 30 cans of chili, 30 qts of home made grape juice, 100+ cans for fruit, 20 boxes of frozen veggies, the list goes on… I have done a little nonprofessional study and have found that kids love their veggies.. if you don’t feed them yucky baby food. None of our kids ate baby food. You know the ones like mac and beef… or squash and carrots..yuck! have you tried them? We used baby food once as a Fear Factor event at a family reunion.. Way to be introduced to the eating world with yucky tasting food. They went from rice flakes to apple sauce to gently smashed peas, mash potatoes and mashed butternut squash. If you ask our kids what their favorite food is: Matthew will say Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn, green beans and potatoes. Oh and he loves tomatoes and salad. Don’t know how I almost left that out. He can eat more salad then every one in our family. Mckeely loves broccoli, squash, chicken, beef. When she was young she would say meat and cheese please. Maleeya – loves corn, potatoes, squash, broccoli. And for breakfast she prefers raisin bran over other “kid” cereals Our kids will eat broccoli just as happy as they will eat ice cream any day of the week. So the point I am trying to make. Is that just because you see junk food or no meat or no potatoes, or no veggies doesn’t mean that we don’t eat them. You see we have a large food storage, and from what you see here is not what we have been using over the past months. Just because we didn’t buy chicken to eat this week or next, doesn’t mean we didn’t have any. We don’t need to buy things if you have them in storage. We have boxes of steam fresh veggies that you warm up in the microwave. Those Brussels sprouts are really good with some cheese. In the summer all we eat for dinner is fruit and veggies from our garden. Its hard to eat sugar items in the heat. And we also tend to cut back on meat as well. It’s just too hot to cook. Our family will sit down to a dinner of watermelon, and cantaloupe. So remember Food Storage is the key. We use our food storage, we put bulk food in our food storage. We save money using our food storage.
It’s Matt…I am concerned about how our readers are living, not in the sense of how big your house is, or what you did today, but about your financial well being. We received a couple emails everyday asking how to save money, or how can get all the deals you do, you must be rich? Readers tell us they are unsure if they can afford a newspaper subscription. I’ll tell you now that we are not rich, never have been, never will. In the past our family has struggled with where the next meal will come from, and wondered how in the world will we be able to keep our house. A few things are for sure, we have never been late on payment, we have always had something in our stomach, and we have always put our family and our Savior first. Every now and then these emails are heart breaking. I wish I had billions of dollars to help each person I meet. Every so often I seem to post on topics that come to my mind. Like awhile ago I posted on How We Budget and recently I did a Deep look inside to cut back. I’m not sure what else I could write to help those I have never meet. I only wish you could be financially secure. I hope if you or even if you are not financially stable, that you would read these post I have link here and maybe there is something in your life you can change. Just like Daddy Warbucks changed to allow Annie in his life. FYI Daddy Warbucks is from the movie Annie
Nivea for Men High Performance Shave gel $4.99 Adidas Moves cologne trail size $0.99 Blue Seduction for Men trial size $0.99 Advertised savings off the shave gel – Minus $1.50 Subtotal $4.47 Paid with a Catalina – Minus $4.00 Paid $0.47 Got a $2.50 Catalina back! I got paid $2.03 I really don’t wear cologne that much and when I do I get bored with the same smell over and over. I prefer trial sizes. They last for months at my rate, and on top of that I switch around and smell different when ever I wear it! So to all those guys out there… Bring it! Let’s coupon! Granted Sarah set it all up for me… But I picked the products and she handed me the catalinas and coupons… but I’ll go with it! lol
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:” NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpolations of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us. And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by confidently being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine. (signed) G. Washington |
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We had a reader ask about ways to make moving thrifty. There really is not any way to move thrifty. Moving does cost alot. Sarah has moved all of 2 times. Once when she first married me, to our other house, which is now our rental. Then again when we moved into our current home. So I don’t think she would be the best and most experienced person to answer this. I have lived in 7 states back east, and multiple homes here in Idaho. Here are some Thrifty Tips for moving. If you have any more, which I sure others will, post them here.
To my wife of almost 10 yrs.
Living in a great state like Idaho, we all need to support those around us. Whether you are pro military or not, supporting jobs, and income growth for the community is a key to our own well being and economic stability. Gowen Field, a Nation Guard base, along with the US Air Force Base in Mountain Home, need our support. They are trying to bring in new squadrons of the newest fighter jet the F-35. Why is this important?
Attention Sports Fans: Get 28 issues of Sports Illustrated for only $15 (89% off the cover price)! Offer valid through 2.08.10.
Get your husband or the car enthusiast a free 1 year subscription to Auto Week Magazine.
I love my mom so much. Thanks for patiently waiting for my procrastinating spirit to come to this world. I know you struggled for a long time wondering why you and dad couldn’t have children for 7 yrs. I was just tinkering with the clouds waiting to make a grand entrance.
Thanks for being you. Thanks for learning so much in your childhood. Thanks even for the grandparents who didn’t get to know your children. Thanks even for that “Jay Leno” chin that your dad passed on! Hopefully they didn’t let you drink that night at the Copacabana Club.
Thanks for your beauty and for your education. Thanks for all the long nights helping me with my homework!
Thanks for writing to dad while he was away during war. Thanks for warming his heart. Thanks for putting up with all of his ideas! (Dad and Mom on their honeymoon)
Thanks for planning all of these vacations so our entire family can be together. We love you mom. Thanks for always being there and being you! HAPPY BIRTHDAY…29 right?
A special song (somewhat true) that basically took place during WWI. No matter what type of music you listen to this is a very good song. 
So this is my first transaction at Walgreens!
General Thanksgiving
