Mommy Octopus

Some of you may remember the last post I wrote about how to save money on meat for April Fools Day.  I’m sure you’ll be relieved to know that I’m writing the post for real this time!  Here are a few tips to save money on meat:

• Check with your grocery store’s butcher and find out if/when they mark down close dated meats.  I’ve been able to find close dated meat for more than 50% off at times.  You do not have to worry about using it all right away – just throw it in the freezer!
• Sometimes buying meat in bulk is cheaper.  Be sure to do a price comparison per ounce to make sure you’re getting the better deal.
• Try to plan a meatless dinner each week.  Some of our favorites are black bean burgers and zucchini casserole.
• Consider making the meat stretch by using oatmeal or breadcrumbs and making a meatloaf.
• Stock up during the sales.  If there is a great price on chicken, don’t just get enough for that week, get enough for several weeks.  Freeze it until you need it.

Do you have any tips on how your family saves money on meat?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Taking a vacation with the family doesn’t have to break your bank.  There are many ways to take a wonderful trip and still stay within the budget.  Here are some ideas that my family has found helpful.

When planning a trip, first choose your destination.  It helps if you are flexible on dates or locations.  You can look online for free travel brochures such as Travel Alaska or order some from Free Travel Guides website.

Hotels:

Once you have an idea where you’d like to visit, go to Groupon and signup for that city’s deals.  We were recently able to get a deal for a suite at a hotel in Savannah Georgia with a $20 food credit for just $69 through Groupon!  We bought two nights and are looking forward to a nice little weekend getaway some time soon.  I’ve seen most of the cities offer some sort of hotel deal.  You also can use this to find great deals on restaurants and other attractions in your destination area.  Another place to check out for hotel deals is Priceline.com.  This can help you find good rates without having to call a million different hotels.  If you do decide to book through Priceline.com, be sure and click through Ebates so you can earn cashback on your trip. Consider staying at a cabin in a State Park.  We have done this many times when we travel.  It’s cheaper plus they usually have good playgrounds for the kids to unwind.  If you are really flexible with dates, check out the Cabins For You facebook page.  They offer Flash Sales quite often.  They tell you what time to call in and if you’re the first caller, you get a cabin in Tennessee for dirt cheap!

Dining:

Now that you’ve figured out where you will be staying, time to think about the next necessity- Food!  This doesn’t have to be much of a worry if you plan in advance.  Our family typically brings our food along with us, allowing to dine out maybe once or twice on a vacation.  It’s much cheaper for us since our kids are very hearty eaters.  Some ways to frugally dine out while traveling is to take along gift certificates.  You can purchase some from Restaurant.com or also from Groupon.  Also consider doing a search for daily deals in that city.  There are TONS of daily deal sites where you can purchase deals.  Also, I frequently talk on my blog about joining survey sites and Swagbucks.  That’s where these sites will come in handy!  On some of them, you have the option to cash out for a prepaid visa card or for gift cards to restaurants such as Long Horn, Chili’s, and Macaroni Grill to name a few.  A few weeks before you take your trip, cash out so you receive your prize in time.

Attractions:

I mentioned using Groupon above, but there are also other ways to save on attractions during your vacation.  Before you leave home, do a search for coupons, discount codes, etc on the attractions that you plan to visit.  Check out their facebook page to see if they are running any promotions.  Call and ask them if they have any coupons out and how you can obtain one.  You may be surprised at all the options out there to make your visit cheaper.

These are just some ideas that I thought up about how we make our vacations more affordable.  Do you have any ideas that I’ve missed?  Leave a comment and tell me what your tips are for dealing with vacations on a budget.

I know we are all struggling with how to save money on gas right now.  The prices are just ridiculous and I know we are hurting.  I hate having to decide whether or not to visit relatives, take a vacation, or even just run out to the store without thinking about gas.  I know we’ve had to reconsider how many times we go to visit our relatives and how many times I go out to the store.  I’ve spent the morning trying to find some ways to save on gas.  Here’s some that I have found.

*First off, there is a nifty website called GasBuddy.  You can go to this website or get the GasBuddy application to find the cheapest gas in your area.  Fantastic way to make sure you’re getting the lowest price around. 

*Have your car serviced.  A vehicle that is maintained properly will run better and give you better mileage, thus saving money on gas.  Make sure your tires are inflated properly.

*Try to plan your trips out so you won’t have to do a lot of back and forth driving.  Plan your routes to avoid heavily congested areas.  This will prevent idling your car and a ton of wasted gas.  If neccessary, use a GPS to find the shortest distance or a route away from busy areas. 

*If possible, drive as little as you can.  Look into sharing rides with friends or co-workers, or consider biking or walking if you are closeby a store.  Wait and snag all the deals at once – don’t rush out for every single deal that is posted.

*Use your windows more and the AC less.  I know it gets HOT, but on days when it’s not unbareable, try to use your windows. 

Do you have any other tips on saving gas?  How has the gas prices changed the way your family does things?

A question I get asked a lot is how to save money on meat products.  I decided to write a post and tell about how our family does it.  You can decide if this method is good for your family.

The best deals we find on meat are usually in the middle of the night.  Occasionally during the day, but most of the time at night.  Yes, it’s a pain, but you do what you have to do in order to save money and stick to the budget.  I suggest heading out around 2-3 am.  Just load all the kids up in the car and drive.  The more people you have with you, the better deals you can find, since you have all of those extra sets of eyes.  Make sure to head out in a large vehicle –  I personally recommend a pickup truck or a large van.  Have the kids all look out the window and  make a game out of it to see who can find the meat first.  If you drive long enough, you will find it!

For my Athens area friends, I recommend heading to Madison County for the best selection.  Keep your eyes peeled on the road and you’re bound to find something appetizing.  The reason you want to head out in the middle of the night is that you will want to snag the meat before the vultures get to it.

Now from personal experience, I suggest staying away from anything you can’t identify, and especially ones that are black with a white stripe.  I absolutely love a good possum stew.  Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!  Here’s the recipe for that:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large possum – skinned, gutted, and cut into pieces
• 4 large potatoes, quartered
• 1 pound carrots, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 onions, sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 medium head cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Throw it all in the crock pot and cook all day.  Mmm… so great to smell that possum cooking all day.   

With all that being said, just one last thing to add…..

I’ve received so many emails from you all checking on how Eliza and I are doing, so thought I’d make a quick post. 

Eliza is doing great now – she’s gotten back up to her birth weight and then some, so she’s growing right on track.  We went back to the doctor yesterday and got a clean bill of health, so she’s doing great!  You’d never know 2 weeks ago, she was so sick and in the NICU.  Can’t believe she’s already 2 weeks old!  I’m also doing well – I feel pretty good and am enjoying my sweet baby girl.  The other kids are doing great and love their baby sister.  My 19 month old I have to watch pretty carefully since she just wants to be a little mommy and try to pick Eliza up.  Thank you all for all the emails.  So wonderful to have such caring readers!  I hope the rest of you are doing great!