One of the things that I love about my house is the pantry. I think that with every home that you own, there’s always that one area that you love and know you’ll probably never have again. In our last house, it was a beautiful exposed brick fireplace … in this house, it’s the pantry. Hands down. It’s huge!!!

Since beginning The Grocery Game over 3 years ago, it’s been fully stocked. I’ve posted pictures occassionally and many of you have asked to see exactly what is in there and how it is organized.

So, without further wait, here it is: The Pantry Tour.

It may seem early, but it’s only 128 days until Christmas. I know … I know … it’s 128 days.

But … if your life runs like mine, I’m going to blink and it will be Thanksgiving – or worse, Christmas Eve.

I have three simple tips today that I hope will help you take some early steps toward holiday spending. They are basic, but like most basic things – they are true.

1. Make a list of who you have to buy for. If money is tight, make a list of those that are necessary and put them in priority order if need be.

2. Set a spending limit for the entire list. Something like “We will spend $1,000 TOTAL on Christmas this year.”

3. Go back to the list you made for #1. Split up your spending limit and decide how much each person will be allotted. It’s hard to do, but you have to set a limit for each person.

4. Put the list with the spending limits in your purse and carry it with you at all times. As you see items on sale, purchase them (and remember where you hide them … that is my downfall!)

You’ll be finished shopping earlier AND you won’t break the bank!

Merry Christmas

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

I’ve had a Sam’s Club card for as long as I can remember. I’ve used it for different things through each stage of my life and it’s not always been for buying their bulk/wholesale items.

Prior to deep and heavy couponing, I was always tempted to stock up when I visited there. 400 rolls of toilet paper … 9,000 paper plates, 370 paper towels … I mean – I would use those things over time. They don’t go bad. But, I didn’t have the space to store them. So, although it would have been convenient to buy the items I wanted – storage was my issue.

I never considered asking another friend to split the purchase with me. Without the use of coupons, the items at discount warehouse stores are usually cheaper than other discounters. (Heck … you could even split the cost of the store membership!)

Single people, college students, or families with space issues, grab a friend at hit the warehouse club … together!

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

This has been a huge savings week for me.Yesterday, I put a JC Penney code to work and wanted to share it with you.

It’s a $10 off of $10 coupon code. They have done this a couple of times before, but I’ve never taken advantage. However, this is QUITE the deal …

Visit the Shoes/Clearance tab.

The sale that I’m going to show you is good for all clearance shoes – men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes . They were beginning to be picked through. But, it’s worth a look.

These shoes that I ordered for Piper were regularly $30 and are on sale for $11.99. (I ordered them bigger for next summer.)

Here’s the KEY! JC Penney is doing “Free Shipping on Shoes”. You can’t go wrong with this!

At checkout, use code “TEN2YOU”. The free shipping will happen automatically.

My total after tax was $2.14.

Now that … my friends, is a deal.

It’s no secret that I love coupons and that I stockpile food/items when they go on sale. I’ve been doing this for over three years and it affords my family many luxuries that we wouldn’t have otherwise. I strongly believe that the time I invest in research is more than made up for at the cash register.

This summer, we’ve eaten out of our stockpile. It’s necessary every once in a while (1) so that things don’t expire and (2) it pads your bank account. It also gives me a break from hardcore couponing, because I only buy what we need – much of which is fresh produce, milk and bread.

August makes me think of back-to-school and with that comes the time to dive back in with my scissors. I have a budget of $100/week for food, cleaning supplies, tolietries, and health & beauty items. It’s not a lot, but once you get the hang of how and when to buy – it’s more than enough.

Tonight was my first big run at Kroger (my grocery store of choice, although I also shop at HEB).

My total was $65.41 and I had a savings of $128.10 (or 66%). I always think that a savings of 40% or higher is great – especially if you are buying produce and fresh veggies. If you are new, any savings at all is a success, so don’t feel bad.

Here’s what I got for $65:

6 packages of Ball Park Hot Dogs – Reg.$3.79; Sale 2/$3. I used (3) $.75 coupons = Total price $1.13 each

2 quarts of Strawberries – Reg. $3.49; Sale $.97

2 loaves of Sara Lee Wheat Bread – Reg. $2.29; Sale “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” = Total price $1.15 each

3 boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch – Reg. $3.99; Sale $1.99. I used (1) $1 off of 2 coupon; (1) $1 off coupon; and a 55-cent Cellfire coupon = Total price $1.22 each

1 box Capri Sun – Reg. $1.90. I had a free coupon from a catalina (the coupons that print out with your receipt).

2 Kroger Spaghetti Sauces – Reg. $1.11; Sale $1.00.

10 Lady Speed Stick – Reg. $1.79; Sale $.88. I used (10) 50-cent coupons which were doubled. Total = FREE

15 Starkist Tuna packets – Reg. $1.39; Sale $1.00. I used (5) “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” coupons. Total = $.67 each

10 Smart Ones Lunches – Reg. $2.48; Sale $1.88. I used (1) “Buy 10, Get $3 off” coupon. Total = $1.58 each

Lettuce – $.97 cents

Gravy – $1.29 (Don “needed” this for dinner. Totally threw my percentages off!)

3 Downy Fabric Softners – Reg. $5.99; Sale $4.99. I used (1) $2 off Kroger coupon and (2) $1 coupons. Total = $2.99 for one and $3.99 for two*

3 Gillette Body Washes – Reg. 4.29; Sale $2.99. I used (3) $2 off coupons. Total = $.99 each*

3 Cover Girl Eye Shadows – Reg. $2.99; Sale $2.24. I used (3) $1 off coupons. Total – $1.24 each *

3 Herbal Essence Shampoo/Conditioner – Reg. $3.79; Sale $2.99. I used (3) “Buy Sham/Cond, Get a Styler Free” coupons. Total = $2.99 cents each*

1 Herbal Essence Conditioner – Reg. $3.79; Sale $2.99. Total = $2.99*

3 Herbal Essence Hair Sprays – Reg. $3.79; Sale $2.99. Free from coupon above

3 Bounty 2-Packs – Reg. $4.19; Sale $2.99. I used (3) 25-cent coupons. Total = $2.74 each*

3 Crest Toothpastes – Reg. $2.19; Sale $1.00. I used (3) $1 off coupons. Total = FREE

You may notice the asteriks … Those items signify a part of the Proctor and Gamble Sale. The promotion stated “Buy 4 PG products, Save $4 off your bill”. The products with the asterik qualified for the sale. When you see promotions like this it’s especially helpful to know if you can run it multiple times in one visit. In this case you could. I worked my list where I ran it 4 times for a savings of $16. If you work that into the equation …

3 Downy Fabric Softners -  Total = $.99 for one and $1.99 for two*
3 Gillette Body Washes -  Total = FREE
3 Cover Girl Eye Shadows -  Total – $.24 each *
3 Herbal Essence Shampoo/Conditioner -  Total = $.99 cents each*
1 Herbal Essence Conditioner – Total = $1.99* (I had 15 items filling the promotion and needed an additional item. This was my “fill-in” so that I could make the deal work!)
3 Herbal Essence Hair Sprays – Total = FREE
3 Bounty 2-Packs – Total = $1.24each*

It’s nearly impossible to save this much money without the use of coupons. If you don’t get good coupons in your Sunday paper, order them online. Don’t forget about the printable ones as well!

Happy Shopping!

You only have to open up a Sunday newspaper to know that school supply sales are in full swing. I’ve gotten a lot of questions lately regarding the best time to buy the supplies. Starting back to school is expensive – new clothes, lunch money, childcare, etc. People want to make their money go far. I completely understand.

Depending upon where you live, the date that kids go back to school can vary. When I was growing up, we started around mid-August. In college, it was sbout the same time. Once I was out of college and began teaching summer camps, Kentucky and Tennessee began trending in year-round school. With this concept, school begins in late July or very early August. Here in Texas, we don’t start until the end of August.

With all of these trends, the national vendors get their goods out early. And, with that being said, the sales start early. Mid-August is still the “national” average for a school start. The time to buy those supplies is NOW.

I love blogging about a good deal, but there are a lot of people that have it down to a science. One of those is “Deal Seeking Mom“. She has a post that is a MUST READ for anyone shopping for school supplies this week. If you are in the market, check it out.

Remember … “there’s no cents in paying full price!”

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

I think we all know that fuel prices tend to go up in the summer. I’m not sure why, but that’s the way it’s always been … and I guess it always will be. But, can you win at the fuelpump? I think you can. Here are three things to remember:

1. Wednesday is the cheapest day to fill up. Gas prices rise on the weekends, but tend to level off at the beginning of the week. Wait until Wednesday, it’s the day that prices bottom out (if they are going too!).

2. Fill up in the morning. Gas is most dense when it’s cool. Since pumps charge you for volume and not density, it makes the most sense to fill up when your tank and the fuel pump are the coolest.

3. Make sure you are filling up with the proper fuel grade. If you don’t need premium gas, is it worth the extra cost to use it? Speak with your mechanic to see what grade they recommend for your vehicle.

4. Watch for retailers that give you a reward for filling up at their stations. If the gas is good and you can earn cash back or a discount with a retailer that you would frequent anyway, don’t feel bad “double-dipping”. It’s all part of saving money.

Remember … “there’s no cents in paying full price!”

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

Act quickly … some of these expire today!

Walgreens - Photos are 10-cents each! Use code “Celebrate10″.

Snapfish - 50 prints for 50-cents. Use code “july4penny”.

DisneyShopping - Remember me talking about buying shirts and gifts early for my Disney trip. I ship them ahead of time so we aren’t stuck buying expensive clothing in the parks. DisneyShopping is having a huge sale and offering free shipping. Use code “freeship”. (Today is the last day!!!)

Oshgosh and Carters are offering free shipping! No code needed.

I think we all have our guilty pleasures. For me, I like to buy music … for my husband, it’s lunch at Subway every day. When making our budget each month, I like to allow for those things.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to purchase a gift card. For example, I know how much music I can afford to buy each month. I’ve set my limit at $10. On the first of each month, I buy a $10 iTunes gift card. When it’s gone, it’s gone and I don’t have anything else to spend until the following month.

If your kids are constantly hounding you at the store for toys and treats, consider getting them a gift card at the beginning of the month as well. Not only will it be a quick math lesson, but it will also help them learn the value of money and budgeting. (Allow them to carry over their balance on the gift card from one month to the next! It could be a great savings lesson.)

* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.

Although I don’t formally practice all of the principles of Dave Ramsey, I do believe in his concepts. One of those is spending every penny before the month starts. Of course, you can’t do that if you don’t have a budget.

Last year, I bought a Bill Organizer from a fall fundraiser that my son’s school sponsored. I thought I had it all figured out until I actively started using this portfolio. Seeing who we were paying, when and how much – written down every month – really opened my eyes to what was going out on a recurring basis.

For families, summer often brings different expenses. During the month of May, I took the opportunity to look at how things would change and what adjustments I could make to pad our emergency fund. Since the accident, I’m so glad that I did … it really saved us from scrambling around!

Last night, I looked at the budget again setting things up for the fall. The kids will return to daycare, extracurricular activities begin again, and things will change again. It’s nice to have things lined out so that I can be prepared in advance.

More than anything, though, it gives me a chance to see what expenses can be cut out. Now that I’ve been doing this (pretty intensely) for over a year, there isn’t much left to cut. But, for example, it gave me a chance to look at the couple of goodies that we still enjoy … Netflix, for example. We’re on the 1 disc at a time plan. Although we don’t use the disc service much, the kids use the Instant Streaming to the Wii everyday. It costs around $10/month, but because these movies are available to us at any time – it’s kept us from buying a lot of DVDs to entertain the kids. We use it all the time, so I chose to keep it.

If you are interested in really seeing where your money is going, I recommend starting with the web-based program “Mint.com“. You enter your account information and it tracks your spending. By using the category feature, it allows you to be very in-depth with your transactions. I used the program for a month and then printed a report to see if my written budget matched what I was actually spending. It can be eye opening, trust me!

Any tips that you’d like to share are welcome. The best learning when it comes to budgeting, I think, comes from those that are doing it too! Leave a comment … let’s learn from each other!