Meal Plan
Meal planning saves me and my family a lot of money. One I'm not ordering out as much and we also have the items that are needed in our home which reduces that amount of time that we're at a grocery store.

Shopping List
Going to the store with a shopping list and only purchasing items on your shopping list. Eliminates overspending and purchasing unwanted items.

Crockpot Life
I did some research and found that a crockpot actually saves on your electric bill because of course, you're not using an entire oven. My goal is to make at least one crockpot meal a week.

Groupon for Dates
I never paid attention until recently. However, Groupon has some really great sale offers if you're paying attention to your alerts and emails. Combine a great deal with cashback with eBates and you're saving even more money. My goal is to also watch how much money we're spending on purchase dates as well and to not just buy because of the price if that makes any sense. Last year we took advantage of some really great deals one being our trip to a local brewery. It was a great deal and out of the norm of what we typically do.

Going out for Lunch
I've learned that most cases, lunch is mostly a lot cheaper than dinner options at our local restaurants and we actually save a by going on dates during the day. Is this ideal all the time? No, however, most restaurants offer lunch specials on the weekends as well and our favorite restaurant actually gives great lunch portions.

Flying Budget-Friendly Flights
I'm all for budget-friendly flights like flying United Airlines' basic economy or flying Spirit Airlines.  However, this year I actually became a cardholder for airlines and it's life-changing. Especially, when attending so many conferences throughout the year. My first checked bag is free which saves me $45 per person. The membership really does pay for itself.  Plus, priority boarding is such a game changer!!

Make Homemade
Last year I really tried to focus on creating more homemade meals. Since I eat mostly a plant-based diet. I typically make a ton of desserts, pie crust, and snacks homemade. It's great because I know first hand what's going in my food and I have more control of the sugar content.

Use Cash Apps
As prior stated, I'm a huge fan of Cash Back apps and my goal is to use them whenever it's applicable. Some of my favorite apps are Top Cash Back, Ebates, DOSH, and Ibotta.

Plan Ahead for Holidays
I am big on planning ahead for the holiday. and it's never too early or too late for you to start too. I want to get better at actually making and budgeting for the holidays in advance no matter how big or small it may be. I found myself. A little last minute with my gift for Michael this year and I could have actually made the gift weeks in advance since I had everything on hand. I also would like to make more DIY gifts in advance, because once the largest holidays come around I typically get really busy and the projects never happen.

Air Dry Clothing
I love air drying my clothes. Of course, it's a lot easier during the warmer months. However, I'm learning to airdry what I can during the wintertime and I've been really impressed with how well I've been doing.

Starting a Garden
For the last couple of years, I've started a garden. I try my best to start a garden indoors. However, I typically forget to water the plant. This year I plan on adding more items to my garden and actually starting in advance. I already purchased a couple of items and I can't wait to get started with it.

Amazon Prime
This is actually my second or third year as a prime member and I actually love the service. I have Prime Music which I love and it's nice to get the items shipped two days or receive a credit if I don't need rush shipping. The two-day shipping really comes in handy, especially during the holidays.

Created/Maintain A Routine
During the fall/winter, my routine has been all out of wack and I really miss having a daily routine. What I love about routines is that it actually keeps you on task and your time and money are accounted for. I have a schedule and a to-do list and know what I need to get done. I know what I need to work on next and what I'm making for dinner. I know what time I want dinner started by because I have a routine. It's not perfect. However, it helps me a lot with staying on task.

Homemade Gifts
This year I want to focus more on personalized homemade gifts. I have a silhouette machine and I need to use it. I did such a great job in the past years making personalized homemade gifts. I have to get back on track with making them and actually setting time aside to create them

Stock Up on Sales
I think I'm the self-proclaimed queen of sales. However, I have to get in the habit of stocking up on items that we use on a daily basis. I know the items that we need to keep on hand and typically run out of on a regular basis. Like spaghetti sauce, stuffing, pasta, and cream of chicken etc. Why pay full price when the items regularly go on sale.

Use a Toaster Oven
Last year during Black Friday. We invested in a toaster oven. I'm so happy that we did. I believe we paid under $20 for it. It's not high tech or anything. However, it does the job and it makes it so much easier when making small portions that require an oven.

Wash After 7:00 pm
I learned a couple of years ago that the electric rates change during the day. I also learned by washing after 7:00 pm at night that I could save money. I typically don't implement this as much during the warmer months. Because I'm typically air drying our clothes. However, it really comes in handy during the winter months with having to use our water and dryer a lot more. I would defiantly check with your electric carrier to see if your rates change.

Bring My Own Bag
This summer my state implemented a bag tax. I always try to remember to bring my own bag, and our Target still offers five cents for each bag you bring.

What are some ways you're saving money this year?

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Christmas is officially less than 60 days away. I know, I know, we typically do not get in the hustle and bustle of the holidays until Black Friday for most. However, I want to kickstart ways that you can save money now. If you follow me on social media. I always try my best to share additional ways in which you could save. These are all tips that I use on a regular basis and have saved my family a lot of money.

Cash Back Apps

I can not stress enough how easy it is to save with apps like

TopCashBack \ Ebates \ Ibotta. I use these apps for all of my shopping. I highly would suggest joining them. They're super easy to use, and the cashout process is really simple. I love that a lot of them have the option to cash out with a check, PayPal, and even gift cards.

Abandon Cart

Though I’ve never used this method. This is an awesome way to save on items that you purchase online. Not all companies offer discounts. However, it doesn’t hurt to try. This is how the offer basically work. Add items to your shopping cart and leave the items in the cart. A lot of times some stores will send an exclusive Offer if your purchase the items in your cart.

Mobile Offers

Many stores offer exclusive offers to those signed up with their mobile/ text offers. These offers are typically different from those sent by email and typically have to be used within a certain amount of time.

Email Signup/ Newsletter

Don’t forget to signup for the stores in which you love. Even signup for the stores in which you have to purchase gifts at. I make sure to signup for all of my kid's favorite stores so I know when they’re having a sale. A lot of stores will also offer a discount by email when you signup for their newsletter. The coupon code is typically emailed within minutes and last for a couple of days for online and in-store.

Do you have any money saving tips for this upcoming holiday season?

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Hello friends,

Today I'm sharing four apps that will help you save thousands. These are all apps that I use on a regular basis and love. 

Receipt Pal is one of my new favorite apps. I started using the app last year. Receipt Pal is an app that allows you to scan your receipts (physical or online) and earn rewards. I have received so many rewards from this app. I typically will use my rewards for Starbucks. However, they do have several other stores that you can redeem your rewards for. Receipt pal is super easy to use and the points really do add up fast.

Ibotta is the perfect app for in-store purchases. I find so many great deals on stores that I already shop at like Joann’s and Sally’s Beauty Supply. I love that Ibotta also has rebates for any brand items at times. This really comes in handy when you purchase an item that falls into that category. Ibotta also gives an extra .25 periodically when you scan your receipt. So if you don’t make a big purchase or with a purchase that has the current Ibotta rebates. Always check to see if there are any receipt rebates available and always check to see what rebates are available. 

I use Ebates for all of my online shopping. They even have in-store options as well. They are a wonderful resource to use throughout the year. Ebates has all of my favorite stores from Expedia to Groupon. I know some people get so hung up on “oh, it’s just $2”. Well depending on how much you spend. It may just be a couple of bucks. But I believe that every cent counts and trust me it adds up because you receive your check every quarter. With wedding and graduation season upon us. Ebates really does come in handy and the saving adds up.

I haven’t had time lately to clip coupons and cartwheel have been a total saver. I typically will search or scan products to see if they are on sale. The great part about Cartwheel is that you can stack the coupons if you do have a manufacturer coupon as well. Cartwheel will also show you if another brand is on sale if it’s not the brand you pick up to give you that additional option if one is available. 

I use Groupon for pretty much everything from date night to vacations. I’ve tried so many amazing restaurants that have become my “go to” I know people have there mixed emotional about Groupon. However, There are restaurants that I would have never gone to if I didn’t purchase a Groupon First. Now, I’m a loyal customer. I purchased a Groupon for a sushi restaurant in my state and honestly, they have the best sushi I’ve ever tried in Connecticut. Long story short. Groupon really has some amazing gems.

I always check Groupon first prior to heading out. I’ve noticed that Groupon has specials periodically. Especially during holiday weekends. I stock up on my favs and also look at places that I’ve been thinking about trying. If you pair Groupon with Ebates you’ll save even more money. 

Typically parents will know beforehand when the tentative trip date. Don't be afraid to ask the school when the tentative date is and what was the cost for the trip the prior year. If your children have an end of the school year trip planned. Most schools will start sending out the information in the fall. Most schools will also offer fundraising to offset the cost for families. This is a great way to subsidize the amount for families.

I know people or would coordinate bake sales at their job or even sell snacks to raise money. If you child creates stuff. This is the perfect opportunity to offer the items for sale and to let your friends and family know that the proceeds are going to their trip found.

For the child that has everything. This is perfect! You can have friends and family contribute to an account if they don't know what to get your child for Birthdays or holidays or even a "just because" gift.

You don't have to know how much the trip is going to cost to start saving for it. Create an account for each child as a school trip fund. This is a great idea to already have the money saved. If you start the found while your child is in elementary school saving $5 a week really starts to add up. When it's time to pay for trips. The money is sitting in the bank receiving interests. It's never too late to create a savings account. A lot of people think it's too late once the child is in middle school or high school. You can always use the money to offset the cost or for your child to use as spending money.