Most of the time, I am willing to wait for a sale or a coupon (or both) before I buy things. Most of the time, I can do this and stock up so I do not need to pay full price. But there are a few things that I'll pay full price for no matter what. It's great to be able to save on those items but not necessary. Here are five of those type of items (and three things that I'll never pay full price for). Kitchen staples For me, these are things like milk, bread, cheese, yogurt, and every day … [Read more...]

Do you have a coffee habit? I'm not talking the "need coffee to function" habit but the "life is too short for cheap coffee" type of habit. I do. I pretty much refuse to drink either of the major American brands of coffee. But other, better coffee can be hard on the budget. Here are some tips on how to fund your coffee habit without breaking the bank. Shop sales/use coupons For making coffee at home, whether you use a 12 cup coffee maker or a single cup coffee maker that uses pods, looking … [Read more...]

Let's face it. There are some off the wall, weird ways to save money out there. If you've ever seen the television show Extreme Cheapskates, you know what I'm talking about. Some of them are just a bit too crazy for me to even consider. However, some of them, while weird, aren't too out there and actually do help. Some I have tried personally, some are done by people I know. Here are some somewhat weird ways to save money. Washing zip top bags I don't do this one. Having grown up having to … [Read more...]

I often find myself lamenting that living is so expensive. Even a gallon of milk is almost $4 around here. However, there isn't much I can do about the cost of items and the cost of living. With raises few and far between these days, it involves a lot of creative thinking and doing to make what income we do have stretch far enough to cover all our expenses. There is one major thing that helps stretch that budget for me: time. Saving money by using your time is a great frugal living strategy. … [Read more...]