Busy Mom’s Life

I checked out the family management site www.cozi.com this past week.  It was pretty interesting.  There is a family calendar and each member has a different color, and there is a color for all of the family.  So you can put everyone’s busy schedule on the calendar. The calendar also syncs with Outlook and has reminders.  You can also manage your shopping lists.  You can add items and then text the list to your phone to take to the store!  It also has a Family Journal section where you can share pictures and blog about the family happenings.  I definitely liked the site and it is easy to miove around and do what you want to do.  I can see this being very helpful for a family with kids who are  a older and are involved in tons of activities and school.  My daughter is only 15 months and doesn’t have that crazy of a schedule!  But it is still a cool way to keep track of the family events and schedule.  and it is FREE!  So check it out!

Just wanted to share that I did not start my meal planning, leftover management last week!  So, the plan is to start this week!  I did get my new, awesome Tupperware Oval Microwave cooker (a current host special) and I can cook an entire chicken in the microwave in 30-35 minutes!  And since buying a whole chicken is so much more affordable, and my family can use the chicken for multiple meals, it fits in with my money saving, leftover plan!  I am very excited about this!   So I have my goal…and I plan to make it happen.

I have come to love leftovers!  They make preparing dinner SO much easier!  Plus, they help save money by stretching certain items for multiple meals!  My goal is to try and start planning my weekly grocery shopping and meal plan to make a big meal on Sunday and then have left overs for some meals during the week.  I plan to start this weekend and will post about how I am doing!!

What does home mean to me?  The answer to this question has changed quite a bit over the past year and a half.   With the current economy and my husband and I both being laid off at different times, we have talked about the possibility of losing our house.  I love my house.  It is beautiful, and I can imagine living here for years.  But, my physical house is not home to me.  Home is where my husband and daughter are.  Our family is what matters.  We can be happy anywhere, and make it through whatever life throws at us.  Life has reminded me of this very important fact many times in the past year!  And everytime I start to freak out about money, jobs, and bills, I try to remember that as long as my family is healthy and happy then we are fine.  

What does home mean to you?  Check out this contest at Twitter Moms and tell us!

If you are anything like me, someone who loves to read, then you no doubt have books all over the place.  I have a box full of already read paperbacks.  I found this great site – www.paperbackswap.com.  It is free to sign up!  You load the books you own, that you want to swap, by inputting the ISBN number.  All you pay for is the cost to ship your book to the person requesting it.  You get credits once you ship your books – and can use the credit to request books from other members.  You also get 2 credits upon registering – so you can request books right away!  I just signed up, loaded 10 of my books on the site, and requested 1 to be shipped to me.  Pretty cool way to get some new reading material and re-use my old paperbacks, at a minimal cost.

Sunday is grocery shopping day for our family.  Just got home from the store!  Here are some of the things I do to save money on groceries each week:

1.  Coupons – spend a little time each week and clip coupons.  I usually check the Sunday paper each week and clip out the ones I will use.  I also check online.  Today I spent about 10 minutes – went onto Coupon Mom and printed out  some great coupons!  There was a $3.00 off of Huggies Pure and Natural diapers!  Also check out the websites of your favorite brands.  For example, my daughter loves YoBaby Yogurt – so we buy a lot of it.  On the Stonyfield Farms website, there are coupons to print.  Many brands will send you coupons in the mail or via email if you sign up on their site.  I saved 10% of my grocery total in coupons today!  That adds up over time!

2.  Research the sales at area supermarkets.  We do the majority of our shopping at Walmart – and save a lot of money that way.  But, I also check the weekly sales at the other supermarkets, like Raley’s and Safeway. I especially find discounts in  the meat and produce sections.  It can be well worth it to run into the supermarket for those sale items – and stock up!

3.  Check out the store brands – they are cheaper, and usually just as good.  We almost always buy the store brand when available.  

For a little bit of extra effort each week, you can save your family money!!!