The Frugal Shrink

Frugal Contemplation

2010-08-10T19:40:00.004-05:00

Today, I went to Walgreens to pick up a prescription. I had to wait for the prescription so I browsed and really enjoyed looking through some magazines (Mother Earth News and a couple of "flea market decorating" types of magazines). After picking up the rx, I got a Dial body wash and a lip gloss. Used two coupons, paid $1.05 out of pocket and got back a $3 Register Reward. I was tired and didn't feel like doing any dinner prep, so I decided to get fast food. On Tuesdays Happy Meals are $2 and I had a coupon for a free smoothie with a Happy Meal purchase. I saved the chocolate milk that comes with the meal for breakfast. Not the healthiest meal, but I do enjoy McNuggets every once in a while. At home, I had a Monk DVD in my mailbox from Netflix to watch.

Just a little bit of forethought saved me money today (used pretax dollars to pick up my rx, didn't buy the magazines, made money on the WG purchase, spent $2 on a meal instead of the normal $5-10). It takes little effort to save money on the unimportant things. I enjoy these little things so much more now that I think about them instead of just going through the motions of my day.

Terrifying Our Children

2010-01-04T21:20:00.002-06:00

I must admit that I enjoy an occasional chicken McNugget Happy Meal. Particularly on Tuesday nights when they are $2 and you get a free Redbox rental. Anyhoo, a couple of months ago I ended up with this chocolate milk jug depicting a rather terrifying Ronald McDonald. This is probably where so many clown phobias come from. Just sayin'.

T.V. Stand Before and After

2009-11-29T19:15:00.005-06:00

I bought this cedar chest a few years ago at a yard sale for $5. I somehow fit it in the tiny backseat of my two-door car- still don't know how I did that! It has become my T.V. stand, largely because I didn't have one and couldn't find one that I liked. I thought it was time for a makeover. I had a free quart of Glidden paint, and my dear mom donated some brushes and primer.

Before:

After the Glidden paint. I also spray painted the hardware.

The last picture cracks me up because apparently I was watching something psychology related. Who knows? This was my first painting project and I love it!

So I Lied.

2009-11-29T18:53:00.002-06:00

I miss blogging, but I do NOT miss the pressure of coming up with new and improved frugal living ideas all the time. I am going to start blogging here again, this time with less of an emphasis on frugal living and more rambling.

Yay rambling!

The End

2009-10-14T21:04:00.002-05:00

The time has come for me to end this blog. I have greatly enjoyed writing on frugal living for the past three years, but I find that I have little left to say on the subject and I don't enjoy the pressure of trying to think of something new and improved to write about.

I will continue living frugally, particularly as I begin paying off my student loan debt. I will likely start other blogs, just not centered solely on frugal living.

Thanks for all of the readership over the past few years! I have very much enjoyed hearing from you and wish the best for all of my readers.

Breadmaker

2009-09-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

A few years ago, my friend B. bought a barely used breadmaker at a yard sale for $5. She decided that she didn't need it, so I bought it from her. I have had it all this time and never used it until now. I made some Italian bread that was delicious. However, I have discovered just WHY it is that it was sold at a yard sale- during the kneading phase it makes the most horrible squeaking noise you can imagine. Hee! I haven't decided what to do about it yet, but the bread was good.

Feed the Pig

2009-09-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

I've seen billboards for the Feed the Pig website, and I finally remembered to check it out. It's an interesting site about saving money. As long as you aren't creeped out by a large pink pig in a suit talking to you...

In Style Magazine Subscription for $5

2009-09-20T18:26:00.003-05:00

Amazon has a one year subscription to In Style for $5. That's the lowest price for this magazine that I've seen! I used a Swagbucks gift certificate again, so it didn't cost me a cent.

The Most Important Tool of Frugal Living

2009-09-15T21:30:00.003-05:00

In my opinion, the most important tool you will ever use in your frugal journey is organization. I don't say this just because I love organization and may or may not own a label maker. No, I say this because lately I have noticed just how much organization plays a part in frugal living.

Part of being able to be frugal is anticipating your needs. I know I will use shampoo, toothpaste, and other toiletries on a regular basis. Planning ahead helps me to get these things for free or nearly free. Further, if I wasn't organized, I would have a really difficult time finding places to store the shampoo stockpile. See what I mean?

Another obvious example of the importance of organization is in your coupon use. The picture above is from last fall and shows the hideous state of my coupons at that time. I couldn't find any of them when I needed them and I missed being able to use some high value coupons because I wasn't organizing them on a regular basis and they expired. In the past this has also been a problem with rebates when I missed sending in a crucial piece or I missed the send in date.

The area that seems to impact people most in regard to organization is with meals. Planning ahead and cooking ahead allows you to create low cost, good-tasting meals and avoid the drive through lane on your way home from work. All too often it is just much easier to avoid all that planning and go with the easier option.

How has organization helped you in your frugal ways? How has your lack of organization hurt you?

Frugal Retail Shopping

2009-09-07T20:41:00.007-05:00

Who says you can't get deals at retail stores? These are my kind of prices. Some recent Marshalls shopping:

Plaid shirt, $2

Skirt, $2 (disgruntled cat not for sale)

Cute thank you notes!!! $3

I also bought a dress for $3, but the picture made me look like an unfortunately flowered couch. Since I am all about flattering photos here, I didn't post that one. ;)

Lessons Learned From Moving

2009-09-01T23:19:00.002-05:00

1) I can unpack for a full day and still have TONS OF STUFF left to unpack.

2) I own over 3400 pounds of stuff. Yes, you read that correctly.

3) Hiring a moving company is a GREAT idea. I should have hired them to unpack, too...

4) The (old) phone company representative might be rude when you call.

5) 2 out of the 4 representatives you speak to at the new phone company will be helpful and polite.

6) You might spend 30+ minutes on the phone just trying to get to someone who knows what they're talking about when your phone doesn't work

7) I have an internet addiction and being without it for six days was a nightmare.

8) My cat, who seems to have a mild form of PTSD, appears to be getting slightly better at adjusting.

9) Everyone who works for trash companies seems to be tired of dealing with people (perhaps they have to put up with a lot of stupidity?).

10) Appliance shopping is very expensive.

11) Going without a refrigerator for a week is also unpleasant.

Moving Day

2009-08-26T09:25:00.003-05:00

I am taking a breather right now while I wait for the moving crew to show up. It seems that things are pretty much packed, although I think I will have to come back tomorrow for food stuffs. I don't have a fridge yet, so that doesn't really matter anyway! ;)

I am also drinking one of those tachycardia-inducing energy drinks (my first ever) and I have to say that it seems to be working. I am notoriously low energy, and moving wipes me out for a good week usually. So I am happy to have any kind of help in that area. Hopefully the fact that I hired movers will also help me, but I am already exhausted from the work that I had to do last night.

Next post will be from my new (rented) duplex!

Focusing on Now

2009-08-11T21:07:00.003-05:00

Last November, there was a day was unseasonably warm. I love being outside on those days, so I decided to go hiking at a local park. I frequently hike at this park and have a pretty good knowledge of the trails. That day, I went on the more difficult trail- straight up a hill and very windy and curvy. As I went up the trail, I noticed that I couldn’t really tell where the trail led. Leaves had blown over and covered the path. I kept stumbling on rocks that I couldn’t see as they were hidden by leaves. As long as I kept my focus on the immediate path, I was okay. But as I looked into the distance to try to see where I was headed, I became confused and could easily have gotten lost in the middle of the woods. I chose to keep my focus on what I could see and had no problems navigating my way back down.

Sometimes our relationships with God are like that. Not that we should never plan for the future or try to figure out where we’re going. It’s just that we're incapable of seeing the big picture. We can only see the limited piece that He’s chosen to show us at this time. So when we focus on the trail too far ahead, it’s easy to get lost from the path that we should be on. Living in the future (or the past) doesn't do us any good and robs us of the miracle of this moment.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Starting Over...Again

2009-08-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

I am moving yet again at the end of this month. The good news is that it is for a job that I think I will really enjoy! The bad news is that moving is just a hateful process. Also good news is that I will be going from a resident position to a full-fledged licensed psychologist position. I am gearing up to really dig in my frugal heels and get some debt paid down. Here we go...

Deal Alert: Born Shoes

2009-08-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Go to 6pm (the ridiculously named shoe store) and search for Born shoes. They have a pretty good selection if you click on the under $50 category- which, sadly, is quite a good deal for Born shoes. Don't forget to go through Cashbaq for an additional 5% back on your purchase!

Ivy's New Bed

2009-08-09T21:54:00.003-05:00

It is definitely nice to have a mom with awesome sewing skills. Clearly Ivy thinks so, too!

Little Luxuries

2009-07-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

One of the main tools for battling frugal burnout is structuring some sort of fun treats into your budget. I have been facing good ol' burnout lately, so I decided to subscribe to Netflix. I can afford the $5 a month plan and it has already been fun receiving DVDs in the mail.

What are your little luxuries?

The Deal Shopper

2009-07-18T15:44:00.002-05:00

I don't think that I am Banana Republic's ideal shopper.

I have their store credit card for the rewards and for the birthday coupons that they send. The rewards as of late take me a loooooooong time to earn, but eventually they do add up. However, I don't think I use them in the way that BR intended. Here are my latest purchases from there:

1) For my birthday, they sent me a $15 coupon. Of course I try to stay as close to the amount of the coupon as possible, but everything in that darn store was on sale, making it difficult. Nevertheless, I persevered and bought a shirt and a pair of socks for $2.56.

2) Last week, they emailed me a $15 coupon code off any purchase online. I scoured the clearance and ordered two needed tank tops, just paying $7 shipping. I basically paid $3.50 per tank top, which is a good price in my book.

3) When they sent me my credit card bill for the $2.56 (hee hee), they also sent a $10 rewards card that I had earned. I went to the store and found a shirt that was 40% off. With my $10 off, I paid $5.24.

I have a feeling that I'm probably not who their marketing team had in mind when they developed these promotions. ;)

I Passed!!!!!!!!

2009-07-14T22:34:00.002-05:00

I passed the big, nasty psychologist licensure exam, otherwise known as the EPPP!!!!! I will have to go take two additional tests, but apparently they aren't quite as big a deal. The EPPP, on the other hand, has a terrible pass rate AND it costs $500 a pop. So needless to say I am THRILLED to have passed the first time!

I had so many people praying for me during this time and I want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who were praying. I was incredibly calm and peaceful during the test-taking process, which I know was a direct result from your prayer. It is so awesome to feel God move.

This means that I should be licensed on September 4th and that will be the absolute final hurdle in this journey to become a licensed psychologist. In September I will also begin paying back the rest of my student loans (the majority are deferred right now as I am a resident). I'm sure that will be a new chapter on this blog as I pay down my debt as quickly as possible.

Can't wait to get started...

Real Simple Magazine $5 Subscription

2009-07-12T18:51:00.003-05:00

This is a GREAT deal if you like Real Simple magazine- Amazon has it right now for $5 for a one year subscription. I used a Swagbucks gift certificate to pay for it, so it was free!!!!!!

Yard Sale Art

2009-07-06T16:33:00.004-05:00

I'd say that roughly 80% of all of the artwork in my house was purchased second hand, either at a yard sale or a flea market. I recently purchased each of these prints for .25 a piece- my all time personal best price for prints this large!!!

Discriminate Against Your Cashiers

2009-07-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is going to be a very un-PC blog post, full of both ageism and sexism. But in my 3+ years of coupon use, I've noticed a thing or two about who is friendly and efficient with coupons. Let me break it down for you: young men are better cashiers when it comes to coupons.

This is the honest truth. The worst? Middle aged women. They are generally unfriendly, do not know the store coupon policy, and/or have taken it upon themselves to become some sort of coupon police. Now, of course there are exceptions to both of these cases. I know some women cashiers who are glad to see me and seem to enjoy my couponing. However, the young guys take coupons without a problem and quickly scan them all in. If a coupon beeps or there is another problem, they take immediate steps to correct the situation- WITHOUT being rude or otherwise problematic.

Let me be very clear. Women are great. I have chosen all women doctors with the exception of my dentist. But when it comes to cashiers, that's a different ball game.

Here's the breakdown of who I choose as a cashier if given the opportunity:

1) Young men (20s and under)

2) Young women (20s and under)

3) All other men

4) Elderly women

5) Middle aged women

This may all be dependent on their reaction to me (I am 27 but appear younger); I don't know. But I discriminate against my cashiers! :D

Shoe Pondering

2009-06-15T08:00:00.003-05:00

Currently, I own the least amount of shoes that I have had as an adult. I'm not sure if that sentence makes sense, so let me clarify- I don't have the two tons of shoes that I usually own. (I can hear the collective gasp from the readers.) Don't be alarmed; I still own a lot. But, for example, I only own three pair of 'casual' sandals, two of which I actually wear. After I fractured my foot, I had to get rid of the majority of my sandals because they were too flat and not padded enough.

I admit that I am not comfortable with this and would like to have more. However, I seem to be making do with the shoes that I have. I honestly only wear maybe 10 pairs of shoes on a regular basis, so the rest could probably be donated or sold. Little by little I am getting rid of some, but I don't anticipate getting rid of all anytime soon.

Nevertheless, maybe this frugal stuff is really getting to me after all.

Frugal Telephone Stand Organization

2009-06-12T22:57:00.005-05:00

My telephone stand was a hideous mess, so I bought an organizer on the cheap that has solved my problem.

Before:

And after:

Much better. And only $2 for the wooden organizer.

Pandora Radio

2009-05-22T11:10:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of Pandora Internet Radio? I've been using it for a few weeks and really like it. You register with them and tell them what songs/bands/etc. you enjoy listening to, and Pandora creates a radio station for you based on your likes/dislikes. You can skip over a few songs each hour, too, if there are some that you really hate. It does a pretty good job in finding songs that I will like, and I didn't realize that there are certain characteristics in songs that make me like them. So I'm learning about my own taste in music, too. ;)

The best part? It's totally free.

Surprise! I Am A Terrible Blogger

2009-05-20T21:30:00.003-05:00

So, I have been doing a terrible job lately at getting regular posts up. I am studying for my licensure exam and am either A) too busy or B) too tired to think of posts right now. I do have some stuff to share when I can find a spare moment. Just know that my posting will continue to be a bit spotty over the next couple of months, but I will try to do a better job!

The Hiding Place

2009-05-06T08:00:00.005-05:00

The Human continues to bother me daily. Never fear, I have a secret hiding place where I will never be found...

A Frugal Easter

2009-05-05T20:34:00.004-05:00

My family is very much into celebrating holidays together. I have claimed Easter as my holiday to host since most holidays are already claimed by other family members. :P My brother and his family go to his mother-in-law's house on Easter, so I just host a few family members. This year I decided to make homemade pizza since I had most of the ingredients already.

The table before. I had a cute photo of the glasses, napkins, and silverware in a basket, but I accidentally deleted it and am too lazy to try again. Oops.

Centerpiece of an Aldi bouquet split between a vase that my mom made for her grandma (isn't it cute!) and a .25 yard sale vase on top of a dollar store table runner.

Easter baskets for adults! No candy in these. I got the baskets at a thrift store for .25 each and lined them with some recycled tissue paper. I bought clearanced spiral memo pads ($2 each), a mail sorter ($2), and a pack of pens to split between the baskets (also $2). Did I mention that I also had a $9 Staples ink coupon to use? So my total out of pocket cost for the office supplies was less than $2 after tax. And hopefully these will be something useful rather than clutter.

Recent Frugal Baby Shower Gift

2009-04-30T22:27:00.005-05:00

All it takes is a little bit of planning...

Cost Breakdown:

* Jumbo pack of Huggies diaper wipes= .99 after coupon

* Two clearanced Little Golden Books= 1.25 each, so 2.50

* Johnson's buddies soap= free after coupon

* Two packs of Huggies diapers= 3.16 for both after coupon, register reward, and rebate

* Cellophane bag= .50

* Ribbon and tissue paper= free from other purchases

Grand total: $7.15

It's Funny 'Cause It's True

2009-04-27T19:09:00.003-05:00

I Am Learning...

2009-04-26T08:09:00.003-05:00

...that God is always faithful. Although I am not.

...that God is so much bigger than I ever imagined.

...that His word is full of wonder. If I study it for the rest of my life, there will still be lessons left to learn.

...that He doesn't *need* me or need to bother with my ridiculousness. But He *loves* me and bothers with me anyway.

...that He still speaks, moves, and grants grace and mercy.

...that He is the only unchanging presence in my life.

Earth Day Freebies

2009-04-23T07:38:00.005-05:00

I have not been doing any couponing or deal hunting lately because I have been spending a lot of time studying for my licensing exam. I thought I'd get a couple of the Earth Day freebies, though. Most of the Earth Day offers weren't available near me, but I did snag a couple. I got a Walgreens tote free with purchase (toilet paper, how exciting!) and I also for some reason received 20% off rather than 15% off. Either way, I'll take it. Of course, I used my giftcard to pay. I also printed out a rebate for free after rebate recycled aluminum foil. Yay free stuff!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities,

The punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

-Isaiah 53:5

Paying Attention

2009-04-11T10:34:00.002-05:00

I am terrible at noticing little details on packages and things, and as a result I often miss out on additional savings. I've been trying to make more of an effort lately. I recently bought an exercise video at Barnes and Noble using both a coupon and a giftcard. When I opened it up there was a card to send for a free subscription to a magazine that I did not want a subscription to. I read the fine print, however, and saw that I could submit the card and a copy of my receipt to get a refund for the subscription price of the magazine!! I did so, and a couple of days ago I got a check for $7. I basically made a profit on that DVD since I didn't pay anything out of pocket to begin with. Make sure you read the fine print!!!

Good-bye, Walgreens Rebates???

2009-04-06T21:16:00.004-05:00

It has been all over the internets lately that WG is going to end their monthly rebate program. This is rather tragic to me as I have been participating in the rebates for several years. April is allegedly the last month for this program, and they are ending with a rather crappy offer this month. I have received hundreds of dollars worth of free items over the last few years and will try to run exact totals sometime this week to post here. They may be rolling out a new program or expanding on the Register Rewards program. We will see. I am grateful for all of the stuff that I have received for free and how this program has helped to stretch my budget!

Swagbucks

2009-04-03T08:53:00.002-05:00

I finally gave in to the whole Swagbucks thing. Swagbucks is a search engine that is powered by Google and Ask.com. You register with Swagbucks, use their search engine, and then you periodically win Swagbucks. After you accumulate a few of these, you can redeem them for all kinds of stuff, most notably (to me) gift cards. You can also earn Swagbucks by referring friends. It's pretty easy to use- I put it on my favorites list so that I will remember to use it instead of Google for basic searches. For more complex searches, I still use Google as it seems that I get better results. I have won 20 Swagbucks thus far just for doing searches!

Worth Reading

2009-04-01T22:47:00.003-05:00

I know I've discussed the Stuff Christians Like blog before. It is usually hilarious, but on Wednesdays the author writes some very good serious posts. Today's post is probably the best one that I have ever read. It's definitely worth reading.

Caregivers Marketplace

2009-03-31T18:41:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of Caregivers Marketplace? It is a rebate program where you submit receipts for certain products and get a small rebate for purchasing them. The following brands are eligible:

*Aspercreme

*Balmex

*Benzodent

*Citrucel

*Comfort

*Cortizone 10

*Cottonelle

*Depend

*Ecotrin

*Ensure

*Glucerna

*Gold Bond

*Good Nites

*Huggies

*Icy Hot

*Kaopectate

*Nature Made

*OsCal

*Poise

*Polident

*Pull-Ups

*Poligrip

They have a full listing of eligible products on their site, so be sure to check out the specifics. I am going to get a rebate on Glucerna cereal and on some Huggies I purchased for a gift. The Glucerna cost me nothing and the Huggies were inexpensive after coupons. These rebates will make the deals even better!

Tracfone Review- 2 Years Later

2009-03-27T10:43:00.002-05:00

At the end of April, it will be two years since I switched my cell phone service to the prepaid Tracfone (Incidentally, I also have a little scar from using a knife to cut into the package. Oops.). My review now is the same as it was then- I love Tracfone!

I have always had good reception and have never had any problems. I'm also excited that whenever I need to purchase a new phone, I can easily transfer my number. I don't talk on it a ton, but I do text fairly frequently. I have a home phone as well right now. I don't know if I'll always use the combo of Tracfone + home phone, but it continues to work well for me at this time.

The phone I originally bought included double minutes for the life of the phone. That means that when I buy 200 minutes of airtime, it automatically doubles to 400 minutes. I always buy airtime online so that I can buy through ebates and get a couple of bucks back AND so that I can use one of the many codes out there to get even more airtime for free. I end up spending $40 for about 460 minutes of airtime every 3-4 months. Not a bad deal. If you rarely use your cell phone, I recommend you make the switch to prepaid!

Cuteness

2009-03-25T19:52:00.001-05:00

My dear auntie has a little farm with sheep. It is lambing season, and she has the cutest little lamb!!!! Go look here.

Why I Don't Bother With Coupon Money Makers

2009-03-23T19:00:00.001-05:00

Frugal confession: I pretty much never bother with coupon money makers. You know, the coupons that have values waaaaaaaaay higher than the actual product cost. The reason I avoid these is because I try, at all costs, to avoid the dreaded register beep. People, if your register beeps you are gonna have drama. As we all know, cashiers aren't necessarily fond of crazy couponers nor are they necessarily well-trained in the way of the coupon. You will get a reputation and they will run screaming when they see you walk in the door. The idea of getting a little bit of overage is not worth the hassle to me. So here's what I do instead:

1) Find a product that is marked just a few cents over the coupon amount. Let's say I have a coupon for $2 off one Dove product. I could buy one bar of soap for .99, thus setting off the register beep. Or I could buy one body wash for $2.14 and pay .14 out of pocket. I'm gonna go for option B here.

2) Buy multiple products with that one coupon. I recently had a $3 off any two J&J products. I could've bought two first aid kits @ .99 each. I did not. I bought three and didn't have a problem.

3) Buy a product that gives you just a few cents of overage. There are times when I can't get #1 or #2 to work, so in these cases I try to make sure that I only get about three cents of overage. I've found that cashiers are much more receptive to a few cents of overage than to $3 in overage.

This is just one way that I make couponing easier on myself. Many people do the money makers very happily, but it's definitely not without hassle.

Website Review: Jane4Girls $800 Annual Budget

2009-03-20T10:55:00.001-05:00

This woman is absolutely amazing. Last year, she set an $800 food budget to feed her family of four. She did this successfully and is doing it again this year. I like to go visit just to see the amazing deals that she gets using coupons, sales, and gift cards. It is all pretty complicated (even for me), but it's definitely a fun and inspiring read.

More Walgreens Fun

2009-03-16T06:46:00.004-05:00

I had a really good week at Walgreens a couple of weeks ago.

Total after sales tax and coupons: 29.35

Total after Register Rewards: 12.85

Grand total after Rebates (including 10% bonus): $1.88!

Blogging Break

2009-03-09T20:06:00.002-05:00

I'll be taking a break from blogging through Wednesday. See you again with new posts on Thursday!

Do People Really Pay This?

2009-03-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the quality of the photos. I found this really cute Elie Tahari wool blend suit jacket for $29 on clearance at Marshalls. I did not enjoy paying $29, but it is wool blend, it fits me very well, and I need a suit jacket. Later I found the original tag still attached for $448. I could buy an entire wardrobe for $448. It's a nice jacket, but it's not that nice!!!!!

Where to Find Online Coupons

2009-03-05T08:00:00.001-06:00

I had an excellent question in the comments a few days ago regarding where I find printable coupons. Here are my usual haunts:

1) Money Saving Mom. If there is a high dollar printable out there, she will post it.

2) Coupons.com

3) Smartsource.com

4) Wow-coupons. This site has sections for grocery, retail, restaurants, etc. *See comment below regarding potential problems with this site*

5) The Slickdeals coupon forums

6) Manufacturer's websites. If I know I am going to buy a particular item, I check that website first.

Garage Sale Preparation

2009-03-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

I LOATHE having garage/yard sales. It is soooo much work for so little money. However, I have a bunch of junk that needs to leave my house and I wouldn't mind making a bit of money in the process. Here is what I am doing to not go crazy in the process:

1) I started cleaning out stuff in January. The sale won't be until late March/early April. Trying to get it all together in one weekend is a sure fire way to make yourself miserable.

2) I will price all of the items weeks in advance.

3) Anything that doesn't sell will be immediately packed up, taken into town, and donated. No hauling crap back into the house.

Anything that I make from this sale will go toward hiring movers for whenever I move next. I have acquired too many heavy furniture pieces (I'm looking at you, Henry Link) to subject the backs of my family members and friends to the moving process. I know they will be glad to hear that. :P

Even They Think I Have Too Many

2009-03-03T19:28:00.003-06:00

I called one of my student loan issuers today because I wanted to make sure that my loans were in deferment until the end of my residency. The conversation went like this:

Student Loan Lady: How can I help you?

Me: I'd like to check to make sure that all of my loans are on deferment through the end of August.

SLL: Okay, let me check. [pause] Let me check. [pause] I'm still checking.

Me: Okay.

SLL: Let me check. [pause] You have a lot of loans.

Me: [laughing] Yes, I went to graduate school.

My total student loan amount is divided up into mini loans, so that's what she was referencing. But I found it pretty funny that someone who works for the student loan company even thinks I have too many!!! Just give me a few years, lady...

Rewards Programs Overview

2009-03-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

I am a member of every rewards program under the sun. I am not referring to store credit cards (we'll get to those later), but to programs where you get coupons or money off your purchase just by scanning a card. You get discounts, the store gets to track your purchases and see what you buy. I couldn't care less about stores tracking my purchases, so if I am offered a rewards program card I sign up. So much so that I have had to purchase an additional wallet to hold all of the cards. :P Here is a basic overview of some of the types of programs:

Store Rewards:

These comprise the bulk of the cards pictured above. With some, you get points for each purchase and then earn a coupon or a gift certificate (Jockey, Staples, Famous Footwear, Naturalizer, J.C. Penney, New York & Company). I have a couple of punch cards (Maurices, local bookstore) where you spend X amount and get $10 off your next purchase. Finally, the rest give you the advertised "discounted" price (Dillons/Kroger, CVS, PetsMart). On the Kroger card you can also load coupons online from places like Cellfire and get additional discounts off of your purchase. This is just the tip of the iceberg with the store cards as there are a bunch more out there.

Airline Rewards:

I don't fly a lot, but when I do I make sure to sign up for the airline's rewards card. They are free to sign up and for someone that flies a lot that could potentially give you some free flights in the future.

Service Rewards:

I get a 10% discount on my oil changes and in the past have used a punch card for free oil changes. Many service stations offer this, just ask! Also ask at your hairstylist, dentist, etc. It never hurts to ask!!!

Credit Card Rewards:

If your credit card is not a rewards card and your account is in good standing, call your company and ask if they will switch it to a rewards account. Make sure there are no associated hidden fees. Some debit cards also offer this option if you run your transaction as a credit card. You will earn points or a % back on your purchases. Many store credit cards offer this also, but steer clear of opening too many store cards. A few good store cards for rewards seem to be Kohl's, J.C. Penney, and Banana Republic/Gap/Old Navy. As always, if you have problems using your self control with your credit cards, do not sign up for any!!

Online Rebates:

I get a percentage back for nearly every online purchase that I make. I use Ebates, Cashbaq, MyPoints, and LuckyMagRewards. If you would like a referral link, feel free to email me or you can just go to their websites and sign up.

This is obviously a lot of information. The important thing is to start to look around when you're making a purchase to be sure that you are getting all that you can. This is just one more way that you can maximize your dollar.

Website Review: Less is Enough

2009-03-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

I am fascinated by this website. We've all seen the challenges to eat cheaply before; usually they don't go so well. This woman is eating on an average of $1 per day for a month to see if she can eat fresh food on that amount. The food that she is eating is basic but much of it looks pretty good. This is challenging the way that I view food and what I really need to eat to be healthy and survive. Is pizza a necessity? No. I need to remember that food is fuel, not just something to be briefly enjoyed.

I recommend you go back to the beginning and read through from there.

Frugal Highlights

2009-02-28T21:06:00.005-06:00

Here are a few frugal highlights from this week:

* I sent off seven books to members of Paperback Swap. That means I will get to order seven books in the future!

* I sorted through stuff for a garage sale that I am planning for March or April. It will be good to get rid of stuff that I don't use.

* I printed two $5 off Glucerna coupons and am hoping to get some free cereal this week with them. I also printed off high dollar ($5 and $3) Huggies coupons as I am hoping to come up with some frugal baby gifts.

* I ordered 100 free business cards.

* I use Feline Pine cat litter and each bag has rewards points on it. I ordered a free litter scoop and reusable shopping tote this week.

* I received a coupon for a free bottle of aspirin from Walgreens because I transferred a prescription away from them. Never fear, I will transfer it back so that I can also get a $25 giftcard.

* I made banana nut muffins and granola bars, both of which will last me for a couple of weeks (some are frozen).

Thank You!!!

2009-02-26T21:23:00.002-06:00

I have apparently been nominated for a Springfield Area Blogger Award (Blogaroni) in the category of Best Resource Blog. Thank you to whoever nominated me! :)

Oh, Ribbon. You Do Make Everything Better!

2009-02-26T08:00:00.004-06:00

I agree with Meredith's theory: humble gifts should have really cute wrappings. I'm trying to wrap some gifts in advance so that I am more organized and I have more time to actually care what my packages look like. You're looking at birthday gifts as far out as July. Oh yes, you are.

Coupon Madness

2009-02-25T22:41:00.003-06:00

Last week I had friends from work over. We had a delicious meal (thanks, Robin!) and then did a bit of couponing. I guess I'm not the only crazy one...

Book Review: A Million Bucks By 30

2009-02-24T21:10:00.003-06:00

I bought this book when I was in Denver last November for a conference. On the last day of our trip my friend B. and I wandered around shopping and found ourselves in a bookstore. I wound up buying two personal finance books (surprise!), this being one of them. At first glance, I thought "This kid looks like a punk" and I debated even buying the book since he looks all smug and irritating on the cover. But I figured he must have something to say if, in fact, he had a million dollars by age 30. So I bought the book despite kind of wanting to punch the author.

And I was surprised by how much I liked the book. It is at times irritating, but mostly it is interesting and funny. The author had $10,000 saved by the time he graduated high school, and through frugality and good business sense he developed a net worth of a million dollars by age twenty-nine. At times he took frugality to an extreme, but who am I to judge when that helped to make him so successful? He certainly has an interesting story. It is a quick read and, I think, worth the time and effort.

Also, he looks a lot less smarmy on his website.

Frugal Failures

2009-02-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

I'm sure some days it seems as though good deals and frugality just neatly fall into my lap. Like the super cute brand new summer skirt I just bought for $1 at Marshalls on Saturday. I tend to only post my successes here, so I thought a post of my failures might also be in order.

* My coupons are usually a hot mess waiting to be cut, sorted, and filed. I still typically find what I need when I need it, but I'm sure I could save a lot more with them if I were more organized.

* I have in the past forgotten to submit my Walgreens rebate after shelling out the money for the FAR items. Or I have lost the corresponding receipt. Yep. I think this has happened about 3x in as many years, but I have also screwed up with other rebates.

* I often fail to plan in advance. For example, I knew for weeks that it was my turn to bring food to my Sunday School class yesterday. I had intended to bake banana bread, but I was too tired after all my shopping on Saturday. :P I found myself contemplating expensive baked goods but instead compromised with canned cinnamon rolls.

* I fail to notice deals that are right in front of my face. This is just part of my personality, I am not terribly observant (not a great quality for a psychologist to have, huh?). On Saturday, I bought Crest white strips and didn't notice until I got home that there was a $5 off coupon attached. Blah!!!!

* I eat out too often and too much. 'Nuff said.

I don't think that I'm that motivated to change any of these, so I'm sure this list will continue to grow as I go about my frugal journey. :D

Free Prints at Walgreens

2009-02-20T09:19:00.002-06:00

Get 20 free 4x6 prints at Walgreens today only. Order online and use code ONEDAY. I'm going to pick up in store so that I don't have to pay shipping.

Recent Deals

2009-02-18T21:57:00.003-06:00

This is a great time of year to shop for yourself or to get a head start on the gift stockpile!

* Thrift stores and other second-hand stores can be wonderful. Just today I purchased two new in package valances for my window in the living room for a grand total of $2.50. They are the tab kind, so I will have to be on the lookout for a good deal on a decorative curtain rod. I also recently bought four good hardback books for .50 a piece.

* A variety of jewelry and scarves for gifts for $1 and $2 a piece. A lightweight jacket for under $10.

* Target clearance- soap dishes and other bathroom sink supplies for .27 a piece. Valentine's day candy for 75% off. Note cards suitable for gift-giving for .68 and .62 per set. Other miscellaneous paper goods drastically reduced in price.

Happy shopping!

Website Review: Get Rich Slowly

2009-02-16T21:26:00.002-06:00

Get Rich Slowly is my favorite personal finance website. I have been reading it for a couple of years now, and J.D. does a very good job of posting on a wide variety of personal finance topics. I have learned a lot from him. His posts are always informative but also easy to understand- not a small task when talking about finances!! If you are a beginner, I recommend going to his site and reading the most popular articles (they're in the middle of the page on the right side). However, this site is good daily reading even for someone well versed in personal finance.

Go check it out!

The Provision of God (Part 1)

2009-02-15T07:53:00.003-06:00

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25-27 NIV

Easier said than done, huh? In these verses, Jesus is not telling us to not prepare for the future; there are plenty of verses and parables about being wise stewards of what we have been given. Rather, he is showing us the power of God's provision and the uselessness of worry. Worrying does not add anything to your life. In some ways, worrying is our way of taking power and control away from God. Worrying gives us something to do about a situation that we often can do nothing about. But if we are resting fully on His promise of provision, that is a whole lot scarier. This means that we actually believe what it is that we say we believe. This means that a great big God, the very creator of the universe, looks at your life and your heart and cares so much about you that He will provide for you and will not let you down.

Do you really believe it?

Don't Forget Online Coupons

2009-02-13T09:00:00.002-06:00

Last Friday I met a friend at Country Kitchen for breakfast. I went online to see if there were any coupons, and sure enough if you signed up for the email list you got a $4 off coupon. This is true for many restaurants, movie theaters, stores, etc. It's worth taking the thirty seconds that it takes to look at a company website. You might just save some money!!!!!!!!!!

Staples Rewards Revisited (Again)

2009-02-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

I have long exalted the praises of Staples' new ink rewards program. Well, now it is EVEN BETTER!!!!! They used to only accept Dell, HP, and Lexmark ink cartridges, but my recent rewards coupon stated that they are now accepting ANY brand of ink cartridges. They are still worth $3 each and you can redeem a maximum of 10 per month (I'm assuming there is still a limit of 3 per day although I don't know for sure). My lovely family members save their ink cartridges for me and I always have a bag full in my trunk just in case I'm going to a town where there is a Staples store (one hour in either direction). When I find myself in one of these towns I just hop on over to Staples and turn in some cartridges. Once a quarter they will send you a coupon for the amount of the cartridges that you turned in. I now have yet another $27 coupon to use at Staples and I put in very little work to get it.

Clearance, Clearance Everywhere

2009-02-10T08:00:00.001-06:00

I've said it a million times before, but this is certainly the time of year to do your shopping! Items in stores are drastically reduced as they try to get rid of old inventory. Some recent notable deals:

* Shirts and pants for $3 a piece (Rue 21 and Gap Outlet)

* Neopets play set marked down to $6 from the original $24 (Target)

* Rhinestone crown gloves and scarf $3 each and huge teapot with play dishes and food inside $6 (Disney Store)

The deals are everywhere right now. It is a great time for you to do some gift shopping or to pick up some clothing for next winter...

Book Review: Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan

2009-02-09T08:00:00.001-06:00

Since 2006, I have read a ridiculous amount of personal finance and frugal living books. By now I'm not learning very much new information since there are only so many ways to save money and get out from under debt, right? So I was surprised at how much I liked this book. Suze gave away downloads for free on Oprah's website at the beginning of the year, but of course I had already purchased it!!! Nevertheless, I hope you downloaded a copy.

What I like about this book:

1) The Topics. Suze covers credit, retirement investing, saving, spending, real estate, college, and protection (insurance, etc.). She goes in depth about each subject and does a very thorough job of answering related questions.

2) The Format. Each chapter is a series of situations followed by what actions you should and should not take. It's a quick read because of this and you can easily jump to whatever subjects are most relevant to you.

3) The Tone. I like that Suze doesn't beat around the bush. She is very up front and to the point, which I always like. There's no flowery ridiculous-ness here.

What I don't like:

1) Lack of Student Loan Debt Information. To be fair, this is my primary complaint about all personal finance books and websites. All of my debt is from student loans and I feel that this is not covered enough. What steps should I be taking? There are only four "action steps" related to this.

If you're a seasoned personal finance reader, this may not be new information to you. But I still highly recommend this book as a quick read for anyone.

Thanks, Double Coupons!

2009-02-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

Two boxes of Cheerios, three packs of Cottonelle, and one bottle of Dial hand soap for $1.75 at Dillon's (Kroger). The cashier was excited telling me how much I saved. :P

Reconsidering the Gift Approach

2009-02-06T15:00:00.001-06:00

I love giving gifts. However, as of late I find myself dreading the whole process. I think that's because I have always knocked myself out trying to find the "perfect" gift for each person. You know, that first edition book that was their childhood favorite. Or the movie that has not been released to video since 1986 but they would just love to have it if you could only find a copy. This has been pressure that I put on myself- to make everyone feel loved and appreciated through a gift.

Enough. I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm still not going to do a bunch of generic gifts with no meaning, but a simple gift that I would like to receive feels like a good compromise. Gifts that are useful that will not sit around collecting dust are a step in the right direction. Some will be hits, some will not. That is okay. I will always try to purchase something the recipient will enjoy, but getting stressed out is not good for me or ultimately my budget as I purchase more than I should to get that "perfect" gift.

Let's hope that this transition is an easy one. ;)

Welcome to The Frugal Shrink!

2009-02-01T20:39:00.004-06:00

Hello faithful readers! Thank you so much for being patient with me over the last few months with my lack of posting and now with this transition. It's been a few years since I started my original blog and it was time for a change. I will be blogging exclusively from here, so change your bookmarks. Here are some of the changes that I will be implementing:

* Regular posting. I have lots of information to cover and will be working out a schedule so that I can write posts in advance and not leave you hanging for weeks on end. I'm going to shoot for 5-7 posts each week. They may not always be huge posts, but there will be something for you to check out regularly.

* New categories. I am renaming all of my categories and will be posting on a wider variety of subjects. I hope to eventually move the old blog over here, so the old categories may show up at that time as well.

* The Tightwad Gazette Challenges. Once a month I will challenge myself to implement some advice, tip, or strategy from The Complete Tightwad Gazette. I will update on how these actually fit into my life. The first two will be washing out/reusing baggies (!) and making my own laundry detergent. We'll see...

Here are some of the new categories:

* The Frugal Shrink Shops- anything to do with shopping, buying, and related deals

* The Frugal Shrink Eats- cooking, menus, and restaurant deals

* The Frugal Shrink Reads- book reviews related to frugal living and personal finance

* The Frugal Shrink Surfs- website reviews related to frugal living, personal finance, and saving money

* The Frugal Shrink Lives- acts of frugality incorporated into my life that don't involve shopping or deals

* The Frugal Shrink Worships- Christianity and my relationship with God. This was really neglected on the old blog but will be a weekly feature now.

* The Frugal Shrink Writes- Miscellaneous

I hope you stick around to see how this develops! With the economy the way it is, more and more people are researching ways to spend less and save more. This is a perfect time for all of us to reach out to others and teach them some of our knowledge.

With that said, let the blogging begin...