Saving Money vs. Spending as Little As Possible

When you do your shopping/planning, how do you do it? Based on where you can "save" the most or where you can pay the lowest price possible for the product? Most people don't realize there IS a difference!

Picture that you have 2 ads for 2 different grocery stores in your area in front of you. Store 1 has your favorite brand of Ice Cream on sale for "$2.00 off" and the Store 2 has it on sale "2 for $6". Store 1, regular price is $5.99 Store 2 regular price is $4.49. So the "savings" are easily recognizable, Store 1 you can save $2 on it, Store 2 really only has a savings of $1.50. BUT at Store 2 you'd only pay $3, instead of the $3.99 at Store 1. Which one would you go for? Ah ha! Spending as little as possible.

When purchasing anything, it's always best to consider the bottom dollar out of pocket (OOP) cost. This can apply to small grocery purchases or larger ones like vehicles. Advertising is such a huge roll in giving the illusion you are getting a great deal on something, when it fact it may be a mediocre or terrible deal! Watch out for %-off vs $-off deals and even the "buy more save more" sales. Compare everything! All it takes is a few minutes and a little math.

I always think back to a few years ago, when my first son was starting solid foods. Baby food was on sale 10 for $10. The shelves were pretty well picked over from people trying to stock up. Well, I notice under the sale tag, the regular price for this baby food is only 99¢. People were paying 1¢ MORE for the product (yes, it did ring up at $1) but thought they were getting a great deal!

Whenever I plan my grocery shopping lists I always have a top dollar amount in mind. Our weekly budget is $60. I try to get the MOST out of that money as possible. Which means spending as little as possible on individual items. When I first started couponing I didn't change my budget, I simply shopped smarter. I was getting more food for my $60. I'd stock up on essentials when they were extremely cheap, thus meaning I wouldn't have to buy them at a later date at a higher price. I spend at my budget almost every week, even if I don't *need* much I use it to stock up on other higher priced things like meats that I can put away in the freezer. A well stocked kitchen is the best savings in the long run. Fewer unnecessary trips to the grocery store paying full price on last minute ingredient.

So what about you? How do you normally think about your shopping?

Bloggers Wanted - Diamond Candle Review Opportunity

This is an off site link for a blogger call that I'm trying to sign up for. I'm also giving any bloggers out there the opportunity to sign up for a chance too:



Click the picture for a chance to sign up

Every Little Bit Helps - Amazon Mom

I absolutely LOVE my Amazon Mom account! Amazon Mom is a FREE membership that gives you FREE Amazon Prime Benefits (up to 1 year total)....but it's not just for Moms; it's for any primary caregiver of children with savings specifically targeted for young children. Moms, dads, grandparents, or other guardians are all eligible.

When you sign up you are given 3 months off the start and you can earn an additional 9 months with purchases of $25 or more from the 'baby store'. Every time you make that $25+ purchase (before discounts) you extend your benefits by 1 month. I earned all of mine by purchasing boxes of diapers, that were shipped directly to my door in 2 days!

Some of the great benefits are:

• FREE 2-day Prime Shipping (on Prime eligible products)
• 20% off diapers and wipes
• 15% off nearly everything else!
• Additional Savings on Subscribe & Save Orders
  (more about Subscribe & Save later)
• Other additional special savings (sent via email, Facebook or Twitter)

With the holidays just around the corner, now is a GREAT time to sign up!

Every Little Bit Helps...Inbox Dollars®

Another site I use to earn some REAL CASH is InboxDollars®. You can earn money by reading (clicking) emails, doing surveys, watching videos, playing games, printing coupons, doing tasks, referring friends...and more!

Every Little Bit Helps...MyPoints.com

MyPoints.com is one of my favorite ways to earn 'money' online. The points you earn on MyPoints.com can be redeemed for real gift cards. The gift cards are mailed to you, not virtual gift card codes. MyPoints.com has so many point earning opportunities. Shopping online, printing & redeeming coupons, buying Groupons, Surveys, searches, sharing and (easiest of all) emails. Click through to find out more!

Every Little Bit Helps...Earning Money Online & Product Loyalty Programs

Most of us spend hours online, so why not make it a little more worthwhile? There are probably hundreds (or thousands?!) of sites out there that you can sign up and put forth little time and participation to earn a little something back. Over the next few weeks or so I will periodically post information about various sites I belong to, and what I earn from them. Small disclaimer: a few of them may contain referral links.

Holiday season isn't too far around the corner, so maybe this could add a little cushion into your holiday spending budget. Which of course as of late, seems to be getting smaller for everyone.

No, it won't make you rich, and more than likely it will not generate enough to be considered a significant source of income, but like I said every little bit helps!