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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Belt tightening and Mail order

I work in the evenings. From home. It's huge pain but helps a lot with groceries and gas. I was working Saturday afternoons through Sunday mornings. Half of those Sunday mornings my husband is also working. Not from home. We go to church on Sundays. I was working. Stuck on the phone and getting myself and 5 others ready for church. I quit those Saturdays. Just like that. Now we are "down" 25% of that food/gas money. Gas is going up and up. (it is $4.10-$4.15 here. what is where you are?)

I need to find some ways to tighten belts. All of them.

Im trying really really hard not to run out to the store for things: planning more ahead and shopping when Im taking my kids to activities. I always opted out of those kids' activities. And now here we are:) So shopping is Monday nights when my oldest is a Boy Scout den chief and Thursday nights when two oldest are at Scout Meetings. I can do this right?

The thing that I have been doing more and more of is mail order. Amazon Prime and drugstore.com.
I find things on sale (10-15% off) and then sign up for subscribe and save (another 15% off) and free shipping. We also put all our food/gas/Amazon purchases on an Amazon card and get a small percentage in points. So far I have just been collecting points but I did cash in some for gas to a filed trip to the Reagan Library.

Here are examples of my standbys on Amazon:

Baby Wipes (for those times Im not using washcloths or something spills or...)

$27.82 for a 12 pack.



Pull ups (another convenience that I can only afford this way)

$16.23 for 52




Annie's Macaroni and cheese (rice pasta)



$19.07 for 3 large bags



$17.83 for 3 large bags




 
 
$20.54 for 102


These may not be the cheapest available but I needed them and they came within 2 days:)


12 pack for $32.31


I splurged a little and got these: $21.85 for 6




AND

$22.95 for 6


It's definitely not rocket science and I'm sure my system could use some tweaking but it makes my life a tiny but more simple. Speaking of..I probably should have just added these items all to a widget :)
BTW these we are on the Feingold diet and these items are all safe on Stage 1 (I wouldn't use the pull ups for a target child though) I am also an Amazon associate. If you decide to purchase any of these items and go through the links that I provided, I will receive a small commission.
 
We also just "broke down" and got a subscription to Costco. Our nearest store is a half hour away but my husband drives by there four days a week coming home from work. Im developing a shopping list/price book for there too. What do you buy at Costco?

It takes so much energy to figure these things out. There are so many things that I DONT have figured out. I'm toying with the idea of starting a linky. Something like a Titus 2, teach me, type thing. Any thoughts? wisdom? Suggested days, inspired names or buttons or treasured tips all ready to go?



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