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Guest post from Sara of Save Money, Live Joyfully Fourteen months ago, we welcomed our second child, Junior. A tender-hearted little boy with a smile that could melt even the most calloused of hearts; he was also born profoundly deaf with additional developmental delays. Since his birth, Junior has endured over 100 hospital, doctor, and therapy appointments, all the while I have sought to homeschool our older daughter and keep her enrolled in sports and activities. At the end of every day full of appointments and activities, I would come home exhausted, with no energy to make cost saving meals from scratch, compare weekly ads, or clip coupons. Gone were the days of DIY projects and Pinterest experiments. I was just too tired to save money. After a year of trial and error, I've found some helpful hints that have allowed us to stay on budget while being time and energy efficient. 1. Prioritize This is one of the most difficult, yet freeing steps when you are lacking time, energy, or both. Every 6 months, we perform an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) with Junior's therapists, which is basically a list of points in his development we want see progress in. Our energy then goes towards accomplishing these goals and milestones. I also created my own personalized version of an IFSP to help streamline our household. Make a list of your goals — short-term and long-term. If something comes up that does not fall in line with your priorities or will not propel you towards meeting your goals, you have permission to set it aside for this season of life. We often feel like we have to "do it all", but by creating and sticking to your priorities, you have more time and energy to put towards the most important things in your life. If saving money on groceries is your priority, but you don't think you have time, make large batches of muffins or pancakes to freeze for quick breakfasts, use leftovers for lunch, and make simple-prep dinners in the slow cooker. If spending more time with your family is the priority, look for free activities in your community and consider lowering your cable bill by eliminating channels you don't watch, also giving your family more time together. 2. Simplify Once your priorities are mapped out, it's time to simplify, simplify, simplify. Simpler days, simpler meals, simpler outings. Sell items you no longer need, consider inexpensive experience gifts for Christmas and birthdays, and don't be afraid to say no to things that don't line up with your current priorities. Because of our hectic schedule, meals became more basic, which meant a decrease in our grocery budget. Leftovers were eaten instead of tossed, grocery store trips had to be in-and-out, so I stuck to my list. For health concerns, Junior had to stay isolated for several months, so I didn't have time to wander Target for deals. I may have missed some "great deals", but I saved more by not browsing the aisles and spending money on things I didn't really need. 3. Focus on the "Can", Not the "Cannot" You may not be able to do everything, but applaud yourself on the money saving strategies you HAVE successfully used. Most importantly, do not compare yourself to anybody else. No one else has your life or is in your situation. When I look at my friends who have time to successfully do many DIY projects and fix gourmet meals, I feel like I should be doing more. But, then I look at the ways I am able to save my family money, stop comparing, and feel good about all that I've accomplished instead of what I'm not able to, or have time to accomplish in this stage of life. 4. Give Yourself Grace The first few months of non-stop appointments, we were in the car all the time. Unfortunately, thanks to my inexperience with the new lifestyle, it also meant we also ate out too much. I've since learned to pre-bag snacks for appointment days, and to plan ahead with a coupon if we have to eat out. Circumstances and situations change, and seasons of life come and go. You do the best you can, give yourself grace, and keep pushing towards fulfilling your goals and priorities. Whether you're a working parent, single parent, or someone who just has too much on their plate, I hope these ideas will also help you save a little more, even when you feel like you’re just too tired. Sara is a stay-at-home mom from California. She and her husband desire to seek the Lord first in their lives, as they raise a precocious 5-year old, and a 1-year old with special needs. She shares about living joyfully in all circumstances and utilizing cost saving techniques at Save Money, Live Joyfully.
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The following is a guest post by Caitlin: I ordered some coupons off of a coupon clipping site for the Gillette shaving gel coupons and got 10 $6 off 3, 10 $3 off 2 and 10 $1 off 1 coupons. I decided to take these to my local Target to redeem. I had to do 2 separate transactions and had my sister do the 2nd one because the coupons have a limit of 4 like coupons per transaction per household per day. I received this in total for both transactions: *43 Travel Size Gillette Shaving Gels — $1.47 a piece *5 full size Gillette Shaving Gels — $1.98 a piece *BIC Flex 4 Razor — $4.78 *Nivea for Men Lotion — $5.34 Transaction #1: 24 travel size Gillette shaving gels ($1.47 each)
Use 4 $6/3, 4 $3/2 and 4 $1/1 coupons
Final Cost: FREE 1 package of BIC Flex 4 Disposable Razors ($4.78)
Use the $3 off 1 BIC Smart Source coupon and the $2 off 1 BIC Soleil or Flex 4 Target coupon found at coupons.target.com
Final Cost: FREE 1 Bottle of Nivea Men’s Lotion ($5.34)
Use the $2 off 1 Nivea Body Lotion Smart Source coupon and the $2 off one Nivea Body Lotion Target coupon.
Final Cost: $1.34 Transaction #1 OVERALL Total after coupons: $2.98 Transaction #2: 19 Travel Size Gillette Shaving Gels ($1.47 each)
5 Full Size Gillette Shaving Gels (1.98 each)
Use 4 $6/3, 4 $3/2 and 4 $1/1 coupons
Final Cost: FREE
Some Target’s will still make you pay tax after free items, but mine does not so this transaction we ended up owing nothing!! The shaving cream deal would be better to do at Walmart because they will let you use the overage from the coupons to apply to other items. We will donate the shaving cream to our local homeless shelter. I will keep a few to add to gift bags here and there. Hi, my name is Caitlin. I work full-time and go to school full-time. I also have a young child which is the reason I started to coupon. I never believed that “extreme couponing” was possible, but I have come to find out that it truly is. Couponing has helped me open a savings account for my child and give back to the community with a lot of good free finds that I find!
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Okay, so after writing the post about the Laundry Party on Monday evening, some of you might be thinking I'm an ultra-cheerful mom who turns everything into a celebration. Just to keep it real, I had to confess to you all: I woke up feeling like a grouch yesterday morning. There were a lot of little discouragements that contributed to my attitude, but nothing that was worthy of my all-out grouch mode. Truthfully, I wanted to sit and sulk and nurse my grouchiness. And I did that for the first little bit of the day — even raising my voice at petty little things the kids did. But then I realized where this would take me: if I didn't buck up and get a grip on my bad attitude, I'd have a miserable day — and so would everyone else in my home! So, I asked God to please help me have more joy and then started my day looking for things I could do to help me have a more cheerful attitude. Here are 10 things that helped me: 1. Turn On Some Music I love listening to instrumental music — especially on days when I’m feeling a little uptight. Turn on whatever music helps to put you in a cheerful mood. Want to take it a step further? Don’t just listen; sing along. It’s basically impossible not to feel better after a few minutes of singing! 2. Light a Candle I love fall-scented candles, even when it’s not quite fall yet. Having a pumpkin-flavored candle wafting through the house today made me smile and look forward to the chilly fall days that are just around the corner. 3. Dress For the Day You Hope to Have It might seem petty, but there’s something about getting dressed up that makes me feel a lot more motivated and energetic. Try it and see if it works for you, too! (For the record, “dressed up” can mean whatever you want it to — a little makeup and earrings to go with your jeans and t-shirt or donning that cute dress and putting your hair in an updo. It’s up to you… just so long as it’s not jammies or sweats!  
4. Clean Something Pick a small task — not something overwhelming. It will make you feel fulfilled to start and finish something. I chose to scrub down the top of my oven. Seeing it all shiny clean the rest of the day was very rewarding. 
5. Eat Something Healthy Fuel your body well. Sometimes, hunger can be at the root of a bad attitude. Make yourself a plate of some cut up fruits, veggies, and protein (nuts, hard boiled eggs, chicken, etc.) to munch on. Eat these first before hitting the carbs or sweets and you’ll feel a lot better the rest of the day. 
6. Drink a Cup of Tea As I’ve cut back on coffee, I’ve started drinking a lot more tea. I’ve become a big fan of teas that are especially designed to relax and soothe you — such as the Yogi Honey Lavender Stress Relief tea. Put a dash of honey and milk in it and it’s the perfect treat for those difficult days. 
7. Tackle a Project Find a small project to start and finish. Set the timer and get busy. It amazed me how quickly I was able to get this basket of laundry folded and put away when I set my mind to it. It was such a simple thing, but tackling it and completing it was very fulfilling. 8. Try a Change of Scenery Sometimes, getting out and going somewhere or even just taking a walk around the block in the fresh air and sunshine will do wonders for your sanity. For me, that meant chucking part of my afternoon routine to spend an hour snuggling with my kids and watching a movie was just the change of pace I needed. 9. Count Your Blessings There is always something to be thankful for. And it’s amazing how even difficult things can remind us of how blessed we are. 10. Do Something for Someone Else Sitting and sulking never changes anything, but putting energy and effort into blessing and serving someone else might not change our circumstances or take away our burdens or struggles, but it can certainly help to lift our spirits. What helps you feel more cheerful and joyful on days when you wake up feeling stuck in a funk? Got student debt? Sign up for SmarterBucks (for free!) and earn rewards that help pay down your student loans. Click here to learn more.  Related Stories 
Dillons I only had time to go to one store this week and I chose Dillons. I spent a little more since we were out of town last week and I didn’t get groceries…not to mention our refrigerator was almost bare. 2 Kroger Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, frozen (3 lb bags) – $4.98 each 1 Kroger Frozen Peas – $1 2 Kroger Shredded Cheese (8 oz) – $1.50 each 1 Kroger Butter – $2.59 1 Liberte Yogurt – $1.25, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) - $0.25 5 Quilted Northern Bath Tissue (4 double rolls) – $1.89 each, used 2 $1/1 coupon from the 7/14 RedPlum insert and 3 $0.55/1 blinkie coupon – $1.16 each after coupons (For some reason, Dillons only doubled one of my coupons. I didn’t say anything as I figured it was good for me to get used to no more double coupons which starts August 2o here.) 1 Cheetos – $2.50, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon 1 Kroger Flour – $1.64 1 Kroger Chocolate Chips – $1.59 2 Kroger Value Canned Green Beans – $0.65 each 1 Welch Grape Jelly – $1.97 1.77 lbs Organic Bananas @ $0.67/lb – $1.19 1 Moms Best Cereal – $1.99, used $0.75/1 e-coupon - $1.24 after coupon 0.99 lbs Broccoli @ $0.99/lb – $0.98 1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99 4 Blueberries (pint) – $0.99 each, used 2 $0.50/1 printable - $0.74 each after coupons (Amazing price and we love blueberries so I was super excited about these!) 3 lbs Fuji Apples – $3.99 1 Dillons Milk (gallon) – $1.99 0.91 lbs Roma Tomatoes @ $0.99/lb – $0.90 0.79 lbs Green Beans @ $1.69/lb – $1.34 1 Green Pepper – $0.79 Items part of the Mega Sale (Buy 5, Get $5 off instantly): 4 General Mills Cereal – $2.49 each, used $6/4 e-coupon - $0.99 each after coupon (These are the giant boxes so it’s like getting the regular boxes for $0.49 each!) 1 Turkey Hill Ice Cream – $1.99 Total before coupons and sales: $114.04 Total with tax ($4.47) after coupons and sales: $55.89 Menu Plan for This Week Breakfasts Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast/Homemade Bread Lunches Macaroni & Cheese x2 (We’re having friends over twice this week and are doing Mac & Cheese both times), Leftovers, Grilled Cheese, Fruit Salad, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches Dinners Homemade Cheese Pizza Italian Chicken, Tossed Salad, Fruit Salad Brown Bag Burritos (from the freezer), Green Beans, Tossed Salad, Apples Pasta Salad, Biscuits, Fresh Blueberries Chicken & Rice Casserole, Steamed Broccoli Date Night Dinner at my parents Got student debt? Sign up for SmarterBucks (for free!) and earn rewards that help pay down your student loans. Click here to learn more.  Related Stories 
On Saturday, August 17, 2013, Old Navy has Kid’s Jeans for just $8 and Adult Famous Jeans for just $15. This offer is available in-store only. Thanks, The Savvy Bump! Got student debt? Sign up for SmarterBucks (for free!) and earn rewards that help pay down your student loans. Click here to learn more.  Related Stories Mark Your Calendars! On Thursday, August 22, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST I’ll be doing a live Q&A on Google+! During that hour, I’ll be answering as many of your pre-submitted questions as possible. There’s no set topic for the event — so feel free to ask me anything and I’ll answer as many questions as I can! This will be a fun way for us to just get to hang out live for a bit. (I wish it could be in real-life — but virtual chatting can be the next best thing to real-life chatting!) You can just show up and tune in or you can participate in the live chat that will be happening at the event page during that time, too. There are two ways you can submit your questions ahead of time: 1. Fill out this quick form. 2. Post your questions as a comment on the Google+ event page. I’ll pull questions from both places and answer them during the live event. It’s likely that I won’t be able to answer every question that’s submitted — but, if I can’t get to your question, you may see your question used as inspiration for a future Money Saving Mom® blog post!
To watch the Q&A session live, just head over to the Google+ event page at 3:00pm EST on August 22nd. You don’t have to have a Google+ account to watch the event (but if you’d like to participate during it by leaving comments on the event page, you will need to have a Google+ account). We hope you’ll join us on August 22, 2013 — and feel free to invite your friends, too! By the way, don’t forget you can follow Money Saving Mom® on Google+ and join the Money Saving Mom® Google+ Community! Got student debt? Sign up for SmarterBucks (for free!) and earn rewards that help pay down your student loans. Click here to learn more.  Related Stories 
This is the weekly list of Free Homeschool Curriculum and Resources compiled by Jamerrill from FreeHomeschoolDeals.com. If you aren’t a homeschooler, but you’re a parent, teacher, babysitter, or nanny, you’ll probably find at least a few useful freebies in this list. You may also want to go through the Educational Deals and Freebies from earlier this week for more. 
Are you reading through Narnia this year? Here are free Chronicles of Narnia Resources for Your Homeschool. Educents.com is offering two homeschool freebies this week. You can get 5 Free Science Activity Videos + Guidebook, as well as Bringing Alliteration to Life for Young Children. Both of these freebies have a $10 value. You can download several sets of free Anatomy notebooking pages. There is a free 3-Year Bible Curriculum available that includes Old Testament Chronological Study, New Testament Chronological Study, and Value Keepers of the Bible. Teaching financial skills? Get free lessons, worksheets, quizzes, and tests for grades PreK-12 with these free personal finance lesson plans. 
Free Homeschool Math Curriculum: Math Mammoth Percent (Grades 6-8). This is a limited time offer. This looks perfect for learning about the solar system. Save $4.50 and download free Lapbooking through the Solar System. Get a free Mr. Popper’s Penguins unit and lapbook printables at Homeschool Share. Download a Sharing the Gospel eLesson for free during the month of August. Additional Homeschool Freebies that you don’t want to miss: 
What a great idea for a family fun night! How to Make a Family Time Jar + 60 Free Printable Activity Cards Included. Through August 19, 2013, you can download a free Honing Your Study Skills Curriculum. This unit includes a 5-day Planning Guide, Related Reading List, 15 Hands-On Activities, an 11-page Research Guide, and an Answer Key. Free Fall Apple Activities Printable Set - Free Instant Download Get a Free Printable Writing Prompt from WriteShop during the month of August. Royal Baloo has new free printables based on Blueberries for Sal! Head over for a free Blueberries for Sal Worksheets Set. 
Here are Free Geography Themed Resources for Your Homeschool. Sign up for a free copy of the eBook Well Planned Homeschool – Avoiding Common Back-to-School Mistakes. Character Concepts is offering a free download of Schooltime Activities for Preschoolers. You can listen to free audio stories for kids at Storynory. The free audio stories include: classics, original stories, myths & legends, fairy tales, and more from around the world. Download a free “Now I Know My ABCs” printable checklist. Head over to Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational to download these free United States Bingo game printables. The links to download the free game printables are at the end of the post. *Don’t forget! If you are looking for additional free homeschool resources please check the huge growing list of free homeschool curriculum and resources on MoneySavingMom.com! Jamerrill is the homeschooling mother of a large and growing family. After seasons of spending $50 or less annually to homeschool her children, she started Free Homeschool Deals in 2012 to help all families afford the homeschool life. She also has community of encouragement for homeschool families at Holy Spirit-led Homeschooling. You can follow the homeschool goodness on Pinterest and Facebook. Got student debt? Sign up for SmarterBucks (for free!) and earn rewards that help pay down your student loans. Click here to learn more.  Related Stories | 
to download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
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