27 Ways I Save Money

There are so many little (and big) ways you can save money.  And more money in your pocket means more money for the things you love!  Whether it be travel, or that new couch set, being able to put aside some money is always a bonus.  Here are some ways I save money:

1.  Bake lunchbox snacks instead of buying prepackaged.

2.  Hang laundry in the warmer months.

3.  Do laundry on off-peak hydro times.

4.  Make my own bread and tortillas.

5.  Make my own shampoo and soap.

6.  Drink water instead of juice.

7.  Close the bedroom doors without a heating vent in them during the day while the kids are at school.

8.  Meal plan.

9.  Shop the sales for groceries.

10. Use coupons.

11.  Earn and save PC points.

12.  Make homemade gifts for celebrations.

13.  Cut back on eating out.

14.  Buy clothes, furniture, and anything else I can get secondhand.

15.  Use baking soda and vinegar to clean my home.

16.  Use a programmable thermostat.

17. Use Checkout51 for cash rebates on groceries.

18.  Use a Divacup instead of pads or tampons.

19.  when booking a hotel, use budget sites like Priceline or Hotwire.

20. Camp instead of sleeping in a hotel.

21.  Use PC Financial for your banking -it's FREE!!

22.  Avoid ATM fees - use my bank's machine.

23.  Use Netflix instead of cable.

24.  Have a "no-spend" month.

25.  Make my own yogurt.

26.  Wear hand-me-downs.

27.  Plan to run my errands all together to avoid extra trips out

Although I am not doing every single one of these options to save money at the same time, I have used all of these ideas at one time or another, and most of them I do on a regular basis.  If you incorporate some of these ideas into your life you may notice a difference in your pocket book.

Did I miss any really great money-saving ideas?

Peace & Love. ;)

How to Save Money in February

Okay, so the title of this post is a little misleading.  What I am going to share with you today is a way you can save money any time of the year.  However, for me, I have applied this practice to this month-February.

Last week you might remember that I posted about how we were doing a spending freeze.  You can read more about that HERE.

Our spending freeze has been uber successful, so now that I've built momentum, I am not ready to stop.  Not only am I not ready to stop, but I wanted to take it one step further.  How could I save more on top of freezing our spending?

I decided the best way was to cut our grocery bill.  And aside from not eating, which is not optional for anyone in this household (seriously, anyone of us misses a snacktime and we get HANGRY) it seemed to me the way to decrease our grocery bill was to make some convenience food items myself instead of buying them.  I knew that by purchasing less pre-made food it would lower our expenses.

Homemade bread and almond milk

So what have I made so far?  I did start this at the end of January to prepare for the first week of February.

I've made my own:

Bread
Granola (can you say goodbye $4 boxes of cereal that lasts two days in this house?)
Greek yogurt
Tortillas (This was WAY easier than I thought it would be!)
Muffins
Granola bars
Almond milk

Taco night with homemade wraps and greek yogurt, along with a cucumber-mango salsa recipe you can find at Imperfect Homemaking.

On top of repeating the above list throughout the month, I am wanting to make my own chicken broth and I also have some whey from the yogurt I made so I am hoping to ferment some kind of food!  Fermented foods are great for your digestive system.

Doing this long-term would definitely help our budget, but I don't want to set myself up for failure. Life is busy, and it can be hard to find the time to make a lot of stuff at home.  So right now my goal is to do this for February.  I am hoping at the end of the month I will have gained momentum in this area too and commit doing this on a regular basis.

What about you? What do you make at home to save some money?

Take the Spending Freeze Challenge

It seems like every December, after Christmas I declare that January is a "no-spend" month.  Christmas, no matter how much we try to cut back, always adds extra expenses.  But no one generally jumps up and down in excitement when they decide they need to do a spending freeze.

Why would anyone want to challenge themselves to do a spending freeze?  Well, it not only can help you save money, it can help you track and get a handle of where your money is going, how much you are spending on "extras", and also it can help you work towards your financial goals, whether it be to pay down some debt, save for a trip, or make an emergency fund.  

We started our freeze after the first week of January, and already I have found 200 extra dollars to pay towards some debt, and some extra money for a much needed oil change for one of our vehicles.  On top of that, this month I have not stressed about not having enough money, and that is WITH us down one pay cheque in the first week of January due to my husband's work holidays, but had not accrued enough holiday pay as he just started at his place of work last Summer.

And just so we can make sure you have the facts here, so that you see that a spending freeze can help ANYONE, let's just be clear - we don't make a ton of money.  My hard working husband is a first year carpenter apprentice.  The early stages of a new career.  Yet, somehow, we still have managed to find extra money by just NOT SPENDING.

Here's how you can make a spending freeze more tolerable.  Heck, you may even have some moments you actually full out enjoy. ;)

1.  Pick the right time for a spending freeze.  My family likes to spend warmer days out and about, doing things that make it easier to spend a little here and there.  If we were doing a spending freeze in the Summer it would be very difficult.  January, February, and March are really good times for us because not only has Christmas depleted us financially, but emotionally as well.  We are more than happy to stay inside in the coldest months of the year. 

2.  Stay out of the stores, stay off the shopping sites.  Seriously.  Don't just go in to "browse".  You don't need that kind of temptation in your life.  The less you are in the stores, the better.  For me, right now my stores I visit are pretty much narrowed down to grocery stores.  

3. Say no to situations where you know you might spend money.  All those invites to those home sale parties?  Just say no for now.  The girls want to go out to eat?  Just say no, and then cry a little.  I know, it doesn't seem fair, and you are itching for a night away, but it's temporary.  Next month (or whenever you decide to end the spending freeze) you can go out with the girls again.   

4. Find ways to socialize that don't involve spending money.  Invite your friends over to your house for some coffee, tea, and baked goods.  Or if you are like me right now, you are so thankful to one of your friends who planned a girls night at her house that only involves the cost of bringing your own wine which is optional - and yes, ladies, as hard as it is for me to say this, wine IS optional.  I will not be bringing it to this girls night.  Water it is for me.  

5. Think of intentional activities at home.  I have three young kids who can get cabin fever pretty quickly.  and that gives ME cabin fever.  But I find if I plan fun things to do at home, like play board games, have a movie night, cuddle up and read Narnia, or teach them how to cook or crochet, we all end up enjoying our time together, and don't have to spend a dime!  Not even gas money!!!  During the week I have made mental lists of things to do with the kids on the weekend.

Hot Chocolate at home with my boy instead of going out for treats allows some one on one time that fits right into a spending freeze!

6.  Decide what IS and ISN'T a necessity.  A spending freeze still allows you to spend money on the basics because, well, you gotta live!  So decide what is and isn't a necessity.  No, those cans of paint on sale at Home Depot are NOT a necessity - your dining room can wait one more month before it gets a fresh coat of paint. ;) (okay, so I may be saying this to myself....)

A spending freeze can be tough, especially when there are so many beautiful things to buy, delicious restaurants to try, and interesting places to go.  But I promise you, it will be worth it.  Remind yourself daily of your goals in doing this, and remember that it is only temporary.  Yes,most want to spend less in the future as a whole but you won't always have to say no to that Starbucks latte - you will just discover how to enjoy it as a treat, and not a daily event!

So how about it?  Will you commit to doing a spending freeze challenge?

Peace & Love. ;)

How You Can Save Money With Swagbucks

See this beautiful picnic table???

We bought it brand new (in a kit) for $25.00.  The retail price was $80.00  Want to know how I worked my magic??

So, first of all, I did have a $10 coupon I got online for Home Depot, where we purchased the table from.    That leaves us with $45 dollars of savings somewhere.

I use a program called SWAGBUCKS.  It is an online program where you get points for doing things such as:

1.Internet searches
2.Shopping online
3. Surveys
4.Referring your friends
5. Games
6. Codes given through their blog/twitter/etc.
7. Daily polls
8.  And much, much more!

Some people are super hardcore with their Swagbucks account.  I am not overly committed because of time, but I do try to visit the Swagbucks page at least once a day and spend 5 minutes doing a few things to earn points.

When you reach certain levels of points, you can redeem them for things like gift cards, and even paypal money.  There are a bunch of different options when it comes to gift cards, such as things like Home Depot, or one of my personal favorites, Starbucks.

So for that beautiful picnic table, I saved $45 dollars worth of Swagbucks that I redeemed for Home Depot gift cards.  Had I been a little more patient, I could have saved enough to get the table for free.  But the weather got warm and I really wanted a place for the family to eat outside at! :)

Want to start saving?  Click here to get your own Swagbucks account!  

Do you use Swagbucks?  What kinds of things have you used your Swagbucks points for?

7 Reasons Living Below Your Means Makes Life Easier and More Enjoyable

Living below your means can sound scary and impossible.  But I truly believe in many cases it is possible, and in the end will leave you feeling happier.  We have had times we lived below our means and times we haven't.  We are now, once again living below our means, not by much, mind you due to where we are in our life (a career change, and starting over in some areas of our lives) but even a little bit makes a huge difference.  Here are the reasons I believe you should live below your means.

1.  In case of a crisis.  Life is unpredictable.  We don't know if tomorrow we will have a health crisis, or a house fire, or an accident.  Even though more than likely an event like that will cause strain financially no matter where you are in life, the impact will be less if you are in a better financial position.

2.  In case of emergency.  Your furnace can break or your car can die.  Having no emergency fund or room to budge in your budget can send you into sheer panic during one of these events.  Trust me, I know by experience.

3. To save up for items with no stress of debt payments afterwards.  If you are living below your means, chances are, when you have your eye on something such as a trip or new furniture, you will save first before you buy, rather than vice versa.  This will allow you to actually enjoy the furniture or trip without wondering how you are going to pay for it after it is all said and done.

4. To give to others.  We have been on the receiving end of people giving many, many times.  Recently, friends of ours had a house fire.  We instantly wanted to help, and unlike other times before where we didn't know how we would help because of financial difficulties, because we are in a bit of a better position now we were able to help at least a little bit without hesitation.

5. To pay off debt.  We ALL want to pay off our debt.  We all hate having debt hanging over our heads.  Although we still have a long way to go, I have seen a huge progress in the last year for us as we continue to live below our means.

6.  To Get a good night's sleep.  You know how nice it is to go to sleep and not worry on how you are going buy groceries this month?  I've been on both ends, and let me tell you, I love the peace it brings me to be able to know that I don't have to figure out how to feed my family.

7.  So that panic won't set in when the economy struggles.  We have recently planned a camping trip to the US.  The Canadian dollar is not doing well.  Although I wish it was better, we didn't have to stress about our trip because we have financially planned within our means. Gas costs go up and down, food groceries continue to rise, and taxes never seem to drop.  Living below your means makes it easier to handle these financial pressures.

Of course, I must admit, I still panic a bit when hydro goes up, (which in Ontario seems to feel like every ten minutes sometimes)! I'm still a work in progress. :)

Just because you live below your means doesn't mean you won't face financial hardship.  Like I said, a crisis could happen in an instant leaving you in a tough spot.  Things happen in all our lives that are sometimes inside our control and sometimes outside of our control when it comes to our financial situation.  All we can do is try our best to plan and prepare for those moments and work towards being in a better position with our finances. 

And sometimes, there are absolutely no other places in your budget to cut, the only way to improve financially is to make more income.  I get it, we've been there.  Sometimes career changes, or other tough decisions are conversations that need to be had, and changes need to be made.  And it's never easy to make big changes in our lives.  But when it seems to big to handle, just work on taking the NEXT step.

Although we've always had a more frugal lifestyle than others, it doesn't mean we've always made the best choices (we are human, after all!)  And because of some of our choices along as well as other events out of our control we are digging ourselves out of a hole much deeper than we ever wanted to be in.  But for the first time in our life I feel like we finally have some real control over our situation and I hope to keep working towards financial freedom, no matter how long it may take or how slow it may feel sometimes! 

Even slow progress is progress! Remember that.

Peace & Love. :)

            

Do Coupons Really Save You Money?

In the US, there are countless stories of how people drastically cut their grocery bills by using coupons.  Unfortunately, in Canada, we can't get the same results with couponing.  But we still can benefit from using coupons.

The other day, I went shopping and combined some coupons with sales.  I came home with this stash:

Had I bought all these items, at the sale price without coupons and my Checkout51 App on my phone, this would have cost me $17.50.  Again, keep in mind, that is the sale price of most of these items, so if I bought them at regular price it would have been more.  

My Total:

$6.00!!!!!!!

Both of the deodorants and two of the air fresheners were completely Free with my coupons.  All the other items were extremely discounted with coupons.

I did pay $9.00 upfront, but get three back from the cashback rebate program, Checkout51.  To use Checkout51 all you do is upload your receipt and check off the offers you want to take advantage of.  Once you get to $20 you can cash out and they will send you a cheque in the mail.  I got my first check two weeks ago. ;)

When I posted this picture on my Facebook and played a game called "Guess how much I paid for this?"  one of my friends asked me if I regularly bought these items.  That is a very good question.  My answer is YES.  

If you want to save money, do NOT use coupons on things you wouldn't normally buy!  That is NOT saving you money.  The picture above are all products either I or my husband use on a regular basis.

Using your coupons in combination with the weekly sales and mobile cashback apps will dramatically increase your savings.

It takes time to get into the "coupon" groove. At first it can seem really time consuming. I have been couponing for awhile now, but only in the past 6 months or so have I really learned how to get the most out of my coupons.  It still does take time, but not as much as it did in the beginning.  And for me, that time is worth it because it helps with our tight budget.

For many, a big concern is that a lot of coupons are for processed food.  While that is true, I am seeing more and more coupons for health products which even include produce.  I often use coupons for items such as milk, coffee, toothpaste, bread, laundry detergent,  etc.  So while you may see common coupons for things you may not want to buy for your family like pizza pockets, there are many coupons out there that can be used for staples that your family stocks up on.

What about for those of you, who are like me, don't like to be "THAT SHOPPER."  You know, the crazy, couponing, price-matching, money saving lady.  Well, I always try to shop at slower times, and often I will make a joke to the cashier that "I'm sorry, but i am the crazy lady with the coupons."  They usually laugh and then the cashier isn't giving me that annoyed look. ;)  But actually, if you are organized, most cashiers don't mind.

And on the other hand, we shouldn't feel bad about wanting to save money for our families.

I share some of my favorite coupon sites and cashback apps in THIS POST.

Do you use coupons?  Have they helped you save money on your grocery bill?

Peace & Love. :)

Glade Coupon- Buy 1, get 2 FREE!

There is a fantastic coupon available over at save.ca.  Buy one Glade Aerosol or Ultra and get 2 FREE!!!  Last time I bought these air fresheners they were a dollar at Walmart.  So head on over and grab this awesome coupon if you are an air freshener user!! :)  Click HERE to get it.

How I Save Money On Groceries

I feel like my life is one never-ending trip to the grocery store.  I hear that when you have teens they eat you out of the house.   I think I'm in big trouble because it amazes me how much my three little ones can eat so much already.  I constantly hear, "I'm hungry."  Sometimes, they say it while they are still CHEWING!!!!

That being said, I am constantly looking for new ways to save at the grocery store. I read one story on how a family known as "America's Cheapest Family" only goes grocery shopping once a month.  They take walkie talkies, a massive stack of coupons, and takes 4 hours and get everything they need for the next month. Although I am impressed as to how they save money by doing this, we buy a lot of fresh produce that requires us to grocery shop at least once a week, and sometimes even a produce run in the middle of the week.  So kudos to them, but this method unfortunately will not work for my family.

Here is how I save money on groceries.

1.PC PLUS Points Card

I've always loved the PC points program but it just recently got even better.  Everytime I shop at No Frllls (it also works at Independent Grocer and Loblaw's, s well as Royal Canadian Superstore) I get points every time I grocery shop.  It is connected to my bank card at PC Financial (free banking, oh yeah) but you can now get a separate PC points card if you don't have a PC Financial account.  Their newest addition to the program allows you to go online and upload offers that give you more points depending on the product you buy.  New offers are available each Friday.  These points are turned into cash towards free groceries.  It doesn't take long to rack up points on this program!

2. Price Matching

I used to be scared to price match.  I didn't want to be THAT customer, you know?  Then I decided if being "THAT" customer saved me money, I should get over my fear.  Turns out, if you re really organized, it isn't a big inconvenience. And I notice quite a few people do it.  I circle my products of what I am price matching and try to group them together at the end of my order to make it easier.

3.  Coupons

So, I've watched those shows about those extreme couponers in the US.  Couponing in the US is very different than here in Canada.  But there still are savings to be had.  Especially if you use your coupons when the product is on sale.  Sometimes you can even luck out and get a product for free!  Here are some coupon sites for Canadians:

Save.ca

Smartsource.ca

websaver.ca

P&G Everyday

Gocoupons.ca

Along with online coupons, there are coupon inserts that come with the weekly flyers, tearpad coupons in the store, or coupons attached to a product you buy.  You can also contact some companies directly and ask about coupons.  Some companies willl send them to you.  A popular one is Chapman`s Ice Cream.  If you e-mail them, they will send out a coupon for $4.00 worth of Chapman`s products, and you can request this coupon once a year.  Free ice cream, anyone?

4.  Buy discounted products

I often buy meat that is discounted because the expiry date is either that day or the next.  As long as I freeze it when I get home, it is fine.  I also buy discounted bananas that I use for smoothies or baking.

5.  Go by yourself and be prepared

This is a big one. I know this isn't possible for everyone, but if you can leave the kids at home, do it.I go grocery shopping at weird hours because I will have a much more productive trip if I am able to leave the kids at home with my husband.  This prevents me from buying things I don't need, including a stop for Timbits to keep everyone full and happy.  Also make sure you are prepared.  Make sure you don't go on an empty stomach, and bring your water bottle. :)

6.  Shop the Flyers and Meal Plan

I shared in this post how I make meal plans (as well as a printable template).   I try to plan my meals with what is on sale in the flyer that week.

7.  Cash rebate apps

I have a cell phone for two reasons - to text message people AND to save money with my apps. Seriously, to save money I spend 10 dollars a month on that thing and I don't have the phone function working. To use the rebate apps you upload your receipt after you shop, check off the offers in the program of what you bought, and it gives you cash back.  You need to hit a certain threshold before you can cash out, and for me this is a slow way of earning because I refuse to buy products I wouldn't usually buy, but in my opinion, every little bit counts. Here are some of the rebate apps I use.

Checkout51 -by far the best one for me

Zweet

Cartsmart

Snap

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to save on groceries.  Even just starting with a few of these changes can help.  I have seen it make a difference in our grocery bill significantly.

Peace & Love. :)

How Minimalism has Saved me Money (Even though I'm not a minimalist)

A few years ago we had friends who embarked on a journey towards minimalism.  Up until that point I had not ever even heard the term, much less have been aware that it was a lifestyle.  And as I learned more about it I was suddenly very aware of the piles of junk we owned.

Actually, after years of marriage, and three kids later, I realized we hadn't ever really "de-cluttered".  It wasn't because we didn't want to get rid of anything (okay, my husband WAS a bit of a packrat).  For me, it was that I had never really learned the importance of decluttering or even how to do it.  It wasn't until I felt like the mess just NEVER WENT AWAY that I started realizing it could be managed more easily if there was just less stuff.

So it began, my mission to get rid of stuff.  Some of the things that stand out in my mind that we got rid of was some furniture, about 7 big garbage bags full of extra clothes (often hand me downs, but NO ONE needs that many clothes) and about 7 boxes of National Geographics that had been passed down to us but not ONE of them had been read by anyone in our house.

Like the title says, I am far from a minimalist. I step on way too many action figures, wash way too many dishes, and still own way too many outfits to classify as one.  But I have definitely downsized from years before, and here is how minimalism has saved me money, even though I am not a minimalist.

1. I was able to sell some things.  We don't have a lot of high valued items, but we were able to make a little bit of cash because we let some things go, instead of hanging on to them.

2.  I buy less.  I am more careful about my purchases.  I don't just buy things because I like how they look or it is a good deal.  I think about if I really want to add more clutter to my home.   And now I would rather spend my money on experiences way more than buy myself stuff.  Just my personal preference.

3. Owning a smaller home means less bills.  Okay, so this wasn't a conscious choice we made.  We bought the house we could afford at the time which is a very old, smaller home.  And we do hope to have something a little bigger one day.  But we often talk about getting something that is not that much bigger because with it often comes higher heating and electricity bills, and of course the obvious, a bigger mortgage.  Living in a small home has allowed our living costs to be lower.

4.  We own one vehicle.  Again, this is another thing we expect could change in the future as it is getting harder to co-ordinate our schedules as the kids get older.  But for now, one vehicle means less insurance and car expenses.  We have spent our whole marriage so far (over 11 years) with one vehicle.  I actually kind of like how it provides quality family time because we spend a lot of time together in the van instead of two separate vehicles.

There is still plenty of junk in this house, and too much mess for my liking, but every once in awhile I go through another decluttering phase and it always feels very refreshing and often brings me back to the right frame of mind of where I want to spend my money.  However, there are a few things I will not downsize to a small amount:

1.  Matchbox cars and legos.  Can a kid really have too many?  They have provided endless hours of entertainment in this house.
2.  Pens.  Seriously, they go missing all the time anyways, so basically, they are downsized organically.
3.  Books.  I have decluttered these over the years, but never to an extremely low amount.  because my life is incomplete without books.  and don't even try to tell me just to load a bunch of books onto an E-reader.  There is something about holding a book in your hand, about the smell of the pages that no E-reader can fulfill.

The cutest  little book store I was
ever in.

4,  Underwear.  It has to be said.  Everyone should be well-stocked in this area. :)
5.  Blankets.  My house is old and COLD.  And I live in CANADA.  Every Canadian should have a never ending supply of warmth in their linen closet.

What about you?  Are you a minimalist?  Are there things you would NEVER downsize?

Peace & Love. :)

How to Afford the Necessities You Need

In my marriage, we've experienced a lot of financial ups and downs.  Actually, to be honest, more downs than ups, but we've seen God work in amazing ways throughout those trials.  We've learned a lot, and sometimes we've had to kick ourselves for wondering why it has taken us so long to learn some hard lessons.  We've never had a very large income, and as my husband, AKA Electrician Extroardinaire, is still in his first year of apprenticeship, even though we are doing much better than a year ago, we're still working with a tight budget.

When you are really low on funds, it can be hard to walk into a food bank and ask for the help you need.  That is pretty much a last resort for many people.  If you are in need for food and can't afford it, please, go and get some from your local food bank.  You do NOT need to feel ashamed.  Any one of us could easily be in the same boat....all it takes is one crisis in anyone's life to be in the same need.

That being said, if you are struggling financially and can't bring yourself to walk into the food bank, or if you feel you are struggling, but not enough to need the food bank, there are other resources in many communities for low-income families.  You do not need to be unemployed to use many resources out there.  Many programs are aimed for the "working poor."  Because the truth is, you can still be a two-income family and be struggling to make ends meet.  With living costs that are increasing at a rate way faster than the hourly wage at most jobs, it can be tough.  Today I want to share with you some of the community resources I've discovered over the years, by advertising, by using it, or by my line of work when I was employed at a local food bank years ago.

1.  Winter Clothing. Many communities have programs for winter clothing for kids, and sometimes for adults.  These can range from gently used coats to a brand new suit, with boots and even hats and mittens.  

2. Free Clothing.  I often see ads for these at local churches.  Sometimes they will be posted as an exchange, but usually it's just a free clothing event.  You go, rummage through the piles of clothing, and pick what you need.  You don't have to produce income statements usually, but might be limited to a plastic bag or two to make sure there is enough for others.

3.  Good Food Box.  I LOVE that this program exists.  It is a Canadian program and is only offered in so many locations.  Basically, you pay a discounted price at the beginning of the month, and three weeks later you are able to pick up a box of produce.  There are different sizes of boxes and anyone can purchase one.  The best way to find out if this program is offered in your community is to google it with the name of your city as it looks like each community has a webpage of their own.

4,  YMCA Subsidy.  Extra-curriculars for children can add up quickly.  For me, I feel it is VERY important that my kids have swimming lessons as it is a life-saving skill.  Through the Y, we can do swimming lessons and other programs for the whole family at a discounted rate.  You must apply for and qualify for subsidy and produce your income documents, but it is SO worth it.  I have been able to watch my kids progress in their lessons which wouldn't otherwise be financially possible at this time in our life.

5.  Sports Subsidy.  This isn't available in my community, which is a small town, but the closest city we live near has it.  Check your community to see if they have something to help you offset the cost if you want to be able to put your children in sports but can't afford the price tag.

6. Summer Camp.  There are so many camps that offer subsidy or child sponsorship.  If you are interested in a certain camp but don't see any information on whether they offer subsidy, e-mail or call the camp.  I had my eyes set on a certain camp for my daughter but the site didn't indicate if I could apply for subsidy.  I emailed them and it was confirmed that yes, they could offer a discounted rate!

7.  Healthy Smiles Program. Another program I love, especially since there are many hardworking families out there who don't have benefits, and therefore can't afford to take their children (or themselves) to the dentist.  If you qualify, this program covers children 17 and under.  This is an Ontario based program, but do some internet searching to find out if there is one similar in your area.  To check out Healthy Smiles Ontario, Click HERE.  If you do not qualify for Healthy Smiles but your child has an urgent dental need, you may still qualify for another program called CINOT.  

It can be hard to make that call or ask for help, but whenever I have needed to do it, I often tell myself it's so I can give my kids what they need or what may enhance their life.  That thought, as a mom, helps me swallow my pride and do what I feel I need to do.  And for the most part I have been treated with respect and kindness from the employees when going through the process of applying for subsidy or a program to help low-income families.  So hold your head up high and remind yourself that it takes a good Mom to walk into those places and fill out the application for these types of programs no matter how embarrassed you may feel. One day your kids will thank you for it, and you won't regret it.

Peace & Love. :)

Exercising on a Budget

A couple of weeks ago I was walking on my treadmill while watching "Baby Mama."  If you have ever watched Tina Fey and Amy Pohler together, you'll probably agree that you just end up laughing your guts out.  Except, at one of the more serious moments of the movie (which, by the way, is still pretty lighthearted) I found myself in tears.  I don't know if it was the constant snow coming down, or the fact that I hadn't had a bathroom break by myself in way too long, but there I was, walking on the treadmill, watching a comedy, and crying like a baby.  And then I remembered that exercising gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. (I'm pretty I first learned that little tidbit of knowledge from "Legally Blonde." Who says TV is a waste of time?)  So I am guessing, if I wasn't exercising, just the sight of watching Kate find out Angie had lied to her about actually carrying her baby probably would have left me in complete devastation.  Basically, I am pretty sure those endorphins kept me from curling up in a ball at that moment, unable to separate movie world from reality,  Sure, I was crying, but I was still upright, exercising, and doing what i needed to do. Hmm...and this may be why I don't watch many movies.

All that to say, even though I don't do it as much as I should, I believe exercise is important for not only our physical health, but our emotional health as well.  But those memberships to the gym, or equipment can add up quickly.  Here's some tips on how to save.

1.  Buy equipment secondhand.  I bought my treadmill on Kijiji for $50.  It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but I didn't need anything fancy.  But even if you are looking for something fancier, I imagine you can find it for a much cheaper price than brand new in the store.  You would not believe how many ads I saw for treadmills that said "used only 3 times" or "doubles up as a clothing rack."  Which brings me to my second point.

2.  Buy only what you will use.  When I decided I wanted a treadmill, many people tried to talk me out of it.  They've seen many people who paid  a lot of money, and then didn't touch it.  However, i knew I would use it as that is one of my methods of exercise I prefer.  Had I bought kettle balls or exercise videos, it would have been a waste of money as I most likely would have used them once and then let them collect dust.  Think about the form of exercise you are most likely to do, and work with that.

3.  Apply for membership subsidy.  If you are the type who prefers to work in a gym setting, and that is what motivates you, look into whether you qualify for membership subsidy.  The YMCA offers subsidy on memberships as well as many other community fitness centers.  I enjoy a gym setting, but it's probably safer for my pride to do my exercising at home....there may have been this time that I fell off the treadmill, and then when I got up I bashed my head on the arm....that's right, two injuries in 30 seconds. Oh, and there was that time that I almost passed out in a cycling class... Nothing kills your motivation quicker than total and utter embarrassment, which seems to be a reoccurring theme for me at the gym.

4.  Take it outside.  Nothing is more invigorating than exercising outside.  Running, walking, a game of soccer, chasing your toddler at the park....any of that will get your heartrate up, and best of all, it's FREE!!!

What do you do to save money on keeping fit?

Peace & Love. :)

Online Homeschooling Resources

Winter has felt extra long and extra cold this year.  being Canadian, you'd think I'd be used to this by now, but nope, I still whine and gripe about it.  This year could feel extra long due to the fact I have not been able to take my kids outside much.  My middle child struggles with some sensory issues, and wearing a snowsuit basically consists of flailing of the arms and legs and screaming at decibels that shouldn't even exist.  And that's just me. ;)  Needless to say, we've spent most of winter indoors.

Having three very active children whom I homeschool makes for some long days when you can't get outside. Here are a few online resources I use for homeschooling to help us all stay sane for our long, Canadian winters.

1.  Starfall

This free site has allowed me to sneakily trick my children into learning when they just think they are getting some video game time in.  This is particularly helpful when I am doing book work with one child, and need the other older child to stop running around in circles or using the couch as a trampoline.  

2.  GoNoodle

I just started using this site.  It was recommended to me by a friend who works in the school system.  My kids love it!  It allows them to jump around and burn some of that pent up energy. It has a lot of goofy stuff on it which kids find so much fun! There is a little bit of everything on GoNoodle.

3.Cosmic Kids Yoga

I've only been using this one for a few weeks as well.   Cosmic Kids is a channel on youtube. My daughter and my toddler love it as well.  It is nice because it gets them active, without having them be too wild.  Each episode contains a story, and the kids do different yoga moves all through the story.

4.  Sheppard's Software

I haven't used this one too much yet, mostly because I keep forgetting about it.  But I was using it to help my daughter learn the provinces and capital cities.  I haven't explored too many other of the activities on here.

As you can see, there is a common theme here.  All the programs I use are free.  'Cause, that's how we roll here.:)

Peace & Love. :)

When Saving Money Isn't Really Saving Money

I try to live a frugal life, much out of necessity.  I am known to have all second-hand furniture and clothes, to shop at budget stores, and to make things from scratch.  But, I am far from perfect.  I spend too much time in the Tim Horton's drive thru (coincides with my last post about loving pastry....), find my dollar store purchases can add up, and make too many middle of the week grocery store runs.  But I have learned a few things over the years, mostly from mistakes.  And sometimes saving isn't actually saving in the long run.  Here are some of the things I've learned.

1.  Just because the sign says "SALE" doesn't mean you should buy it.  Just because cat food is on for a ridiculously low price, it doesn't mean you should buy it...if you don't have a cat! Only buy things you need or in some cases want.

2.  Signing up and using a credit card that offers points or discounts only saves you money if you pay it off right way.   If you are the type who struggles to pay things on time, or easily racks up money on a credit card, don't sign up for a card that offers you points so you save elsewhere.  In the long run you will end up paying more in interest.  Trust me, I know.

3.  Don't sign up online for a free or discounted deal if it will automatically bill you for a product or services the following month.  I recently signed up for a free deal online that only required me to pay shipping.  Problem was, I didn't realize I was signing up for a monthly subscription of a product.  You can guess what happened next.  I ended up paying the following month for a product that I didn't need before I realized what was happening and could cancel it.  If the site asks you for your credit card information, either be sure to cancel before you get billed for more of the product, or don't do it in the first place.  I am still upset that I didn't know better about this one.

4.  Don't buy old cars that will break down in no time.  Okay, this one might be up for debate.  But I truly believe that sometimes paying the lowest price isn't always the best option.  If you buy an old vehicle to save money, but then end up putting more money into it that you ever wanted to because it's practically being held together by dirt and rust, then when all is said and done you will have put in more or just as much money as you would have if you had just bought something a little newer.  This could probably be said for appliances and electronics too.  If you are adamant about buying an older model, just be sure to do your research.  Take it from someone who knows, it is absolutely discouraging to buy a car at what you thought was a steal, only to have it break down completely less than a year later.

*Image from www.freeimages.com

Peace & Love. :)