Long time

Happy Sunday Everyone!

I hope I am finding you all in good health.
I was watching Glenn Beck like I always do and this past week the show was about long term food storage. This topic is right up my alley because I fully believe that you should have reserve at least 3 months of food storage. This has been difficult at my house because we move so much but since I know we aren't moving in the next few months, it is my intention to purchase what my family needs for 3 months. This includes food, paper goods and anything my famiily may need in-between. I will list what I am able to do each week and I would also like to see how much money it will take me to get 3 months worth of food in my home. I am going to try to make it as inexpensive as possible. Wish me luck!!!

A New Direction to Living for Less?

As each year passes we always find new and different to live for less. Back when my grandparents were alive you think had cable tv and a cell phone? Not a chance, even though cell phones hadn't been invented yet.

I am taking a look at different ways to live on less with out it hurting so bad. I can remember when I was a child and my parents were divorced I was still pretty young about 8 or so. I stayed with my mother and my sister stayed with our father. I can remember many nights going to bed hungry, waking up hungry and not getting any lunch unless it was a school day and then I would get a big bill to take to my mother at the end of the day and she would ask me how come I ate at school? I am sure most people didn't grow up this way. Looking back on it now, my mother made bad choices she always had smokes and what ever type of drink she wanted but never had time for me or money to buy silly stuff like food.

Ok, I will get off the past because I am working for the future and for my children. We live in a very expensive part of the country. I am lucky, I am able to use the commissary to do shopping however, it isn't always the best deal. I am a deal seeker I want the .69 chicken breast and the dollar a bag frozen veggies. I do find these deals and I will show you how to find the deals too... I am on a quest to make not only make my budget a bit tighter I want to do it making good food, heart healthy food and change my path on how I eat and what I feed my family.

I will up post my progress for you my readers and let you know how I do and I will continue to add freebies and coupons daily~ If you have any advice on this subject please share it with me.

Get your free sample of Prilosec I love free samples because you get to try the product before you purchase it.

Free Living Magazine for 12 Months!

This Freebie won't last long! Free Living Magazine for an entire year from RewardsGold! No bills and no credit card to sign up. You pay nothing for 12 months that saves almost 30 dollars and you still get access to all of Martha advice! I hope all of my readers get this awesome Freebie before they run out!

Free Sample of Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner

Dove is offering a free sample of Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner! Dove is expensive in the store so I love to try it out before I buy it, not only that but there is usually a good coupon in with the sample! Total Bonus!

Free Lipton Tea Bags!

Get 4 free bags of Lipton Tea Bags! Plus you get a bonus a travel tea holder. I love getting products I use everyday for free!!!

Lever 2000 Sample

Offered via Walmart I love getting soap samples because when I run out and forgot to purchase any I have back up! Plus Lever 2000 really works well. Click here for the coupon!

Get a free sample of Bounce Dryer sheets! The sample is via Sam's Club but you don't have to be a member to get the sample.

Ideal Preferred Over Sugar Sample

Try out this awesome free sample of Ideal preferred over sugar sample. This sample can take up to 4 weeks to reach you but I love trying new things so I am willing to wait. Plus with samples usually comes a high dollar coupon I can use toward the product!

World Market Coupon

Save $10 on your purchase of $30 dollars or more at World Market coupon valid until 3/14/2010

2.00 off Land O'Frost Premium

Print your coupon for $2.00 off any 1 package of Land O'Frost Premium lunch meat! I have seen this on sale for $2.00 you can't beat free. Make sure you print 2!

Save $1.50 off any Fresh Express Salads

This awesome printable coupons also comes with a great recipe.

Print this high dollar coupon that is good until 12/31/10 so you have plenty of time to use the coupon!

Fekkai Hair Care Sample

I love to get to try new shampoo and what better way to get to try it then to get a free sample. There are 3 items to chose from!

Please Click here to request your free sample.

Free Sample

Check out this great free sample for Emergen C! After all you can't be a free sample!

Tide Coupon and Free Sample

Last week I told you about a coupon at Tide.com, Well, today on Facebook I was sent a link for a free sample and Coupon via P&G products. I love free samples and when they come with coupons it is even better. I use the Free Samples when I take our comforters to the Laundry Mat, we have a king and it doesn't fit in my washer at home. They also come in handy when your out and you have to get a load of laundry done! This website has a few other coupons and samples you can get too.

Del Monte Coupon

Printable coupon $1.00 off 4 Del Monte items with the coupon they offer many different options with this coupon. Del Monte's website offers awesome recipes that will save you money and in this day in age we need to save every penny!

Finding Coupons

Coupons can be difficult to find if you don't know where to look. Even more important is how to get the coupons for items you use. The one thing I can tell you is to not purchase something just because you have a coupon for it. Only use coupons for items you use. There are several steps to finding coupons you will need.

Step 1
Get your Sunday paper if you live in a small area get the paper for the nearest large city so you can get coupons from it. Most small newspapers don't have coupons in them. I would keep them and organize them in a large expand file you will want to label the coupons with the date on the tap. This tip goes to my good friend Donna we are 2 of a kind and she is a wonderful friend.

Step 2
There are many online coupon sites that can offer great savings as well. Many of the coupons on the sites are free to print and can save good money as well.

Step 3
Magazines are also a great way to find coupons. There are many out there that have great coupons in them All You, Family Circle to name a few.

Step 4
If you can't find a coupon for an item that you use, try looking up the manufactures website. Sometimes there will be coupons you can print directly from the site. Or you can contact them and most companies will send you coupons just for enquiring.

Step 5
Before you go shopping after you have made your list, check your local sale papers and if you can get some of the lost leaders and you have coupons for them I say go for it. I am not telling you to drive all over town to save a few dollars. But if you need Chicken and you can get it for .99 cents a pound I would go over and stock up on it.

Step 6
Now you have an idea of what you need to purchase and you have your coupons ready to go it is time to match the coupon with the items and head to the store.

Happy Shopping!

Organize Your Dinners

How many people have ever sat down and organized your dinners?

This post is a How-To-Guide to organizing your dinners. The reason for organizing your dinners is because with times the way they are every cent matters and why buy something if you don't need it.

Step 1
Take inventory of what you have. This means if your starting out, to take everything out and see what you have to work with. Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer it is best if your new at this to take everything out this will also help you organize your food supplies

Step 2
Figure out how many meals you will need to make and how many people you need to feed. This will depend on how often you can go shopping. I shop for 2 weeks at a time and I feed 4 people and 7 animals.

Step 3
Once you have step 1 and 2 complete, take out your calendar and figure out what you will serve for breakfast, lunch and dinner for that time period. The amount of meals may change because your children may eat lunch at school some of the time or your spouse may take a day out of the week that they may eat out for lunch.

Step 4
The most important step in this process is work with what you have first. For example you have enough chicken for 6 meals make sure you do not purchase any more until you have used what you have first.

Step 5
There are staples in every household. What the staples may be will change from family to family. Some basic staples are flour, sugar, salt, pepper, corn meal, milk and bread. These may not be your staples but they give you an idea.

Step 6
Most families use about 20 to 30 different recipes on average. I recommend you looking at those recipes and figure out ways to change them up using the same ingredients. This makes it look and feel like a change without extra cost.

Step 7
Now your armed with what you need to purchase at the grocery store. Make a list and include everything you need on that list. The most important thing is to take the list with you to the store and only get what is on the list.

I will post another How-To-Guide on locating the coupons needed and how to shop for what you need and save big bucks while you do it.

Freebie Alert

Ok so everyone knows how much I love samples! Well here is one I saw on TV tonight and wanted to share Uniball Super Ink! Make sure you get yours after all free is always good.

USDA Amount on Food

I realize this is a little of my normal topic but I came across a USDA webite site talking about how much a family of a certain size should spend x amount per week or month.

Here are my findings
1994 a couple of 2 in 20-40's should spend 81.70 and per month 345.30
2009 a family of 4 should spend 182.00 a week on grocery or 788.70

We are a family of 4 with 7 animals and mine isn't even close to that!

What is everyone else spending?