Contest: Which Mama B Saves The Most?
January 26th, 2010 | 6 Comments
Tags: Contests
In last week’s Dirty Little Secret post, we listed three pricy baby items you can do without. Which leads us to another contest for all you mama b’s out there:
What’s the most inventive, budget-saving thing you do as mama to little ones? What products do you skip? What do you make yourself? Be specific about how much dough you’ve saved! Post in Drop-a-Dime box by next Wednesday February 3 . Winner will get a copy of The Bitches.
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Best BBQ Marinade Contest-Vote
May 31st, 2010 | 4 Comments
Tags: Contests, Food & Spirits
On our Facebook page we asked for your favorite BBQ marinade for summer grilling. We’ve narrowed the recipes to three. Vote for your favorite in the comments section and we’ll tally the votes and let you know the winner.
#1. From...
Beating the Odds
April 1st, 2010 | Comments
Tags: Contests
We had so many amazing stories to consider in Contest #9: Beating the Odds. Sweet stories like salvaging a cake from ruins to win a prize or an underdog baseball team that won a victory against all odds; moving stories of abuse, betrayal,...
Contest #8: Beating The Odds
March 22nd, 2010 | 10 Comments
Tags: Contests
In light of the NCAA College Basketball tournament, we’ve been thinking a lot about Cinderella stories, those come-from-behind, unexpected victories that take our breath away. Tell us: in sports, books, art, life—what’s your favorite underdog...
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Thanks for the info… i’ll put it to good use
As a grandmother of 5 girls under the age of 6 I have to be thrifty and smart. I do shop thrift and resale shops. My best find, FAO SWARTZ and Gund stuffed bears for 99 cents.
I shop at rummage sales and hit the free box usually finding planters. We use seeds from our last years flowers and plant them. The girls love to watch them grow.
I live near the woods so the girls and I go on nature walks, learn about various plants and footprints. Then we bring some wildflowers or weeds home and dry them to make art. It’s cheap, fun and educational.
I also buy food in bulk or on super duper sale for them (it helps their budget).Signing up with the companies online provides coupons for the food or other items they need. I scan the newspapers and magazines for coupons and use them myself for them or give them to to my kids. My favorite in helping with their budget..I watch my grand girls so they can have some free time. Darn, it hurts soo good when I do this!!
For myself, I make up a meal planner for the next week according to what I have available and have coupons for and I watch for the sales at the grocery. I come up with new and exciting meals every week for next to nothing. The most I have saved in one week at the store was $32.84!! That’s enough for almost another weeks worth of food!
A grandbitch on a budget being so resourceful is fun, helpful and feels great!
We’ve raised three children now ages 30, 19 and 16. I had my own home daycare for several years in between child #1 and #2. I was able to buy many products for the infants and toddler I took care of. When our last two children were born I was all set up except for clothes. I had nephews that was born before both our boys and had plenty of hand-me-down outfits to choose from. I joined a mother’s group based on the birth year of the children. Out of that group we developed a babysitting co-op and never had to pay for sitters during our children’s growing up years:) Greatest idea ever.
I know i can make a dollar work. I have a 19,18,14,11 2 girls and 2 boys. Believe me they sure can eat up some food. I can go to the grocery store with $20.00 and have a meal for a couple of days. Let me see someone do that.
I am a momma of four girls (bitches in training) 20, 15, 14 and 2 my older three are basically raised but I am putting my savings skills back into action with the little one, I shop for her clothes at a thrift store that buys used clothes cash on the spot no consignment, I haven’t had to pay for any of her clothes other than the outfit she came home in, baby food was all home made as well as the baby shampoo and soap, no I didn’t buy a bath tub, my kids were all bathed in the kitchen sink until they could sit up. I do use disposable diapers but I never buy them without a coupon and on sale, in the last two years we estimated that we have saved over $5000 in unnecessary expenses and since I have one of the best dressed little ones around nobody would guess that I don’t buy the clothes new
As a single mama b of 3, I’ve had to stretch every dollar as far as I can! They are now 17, 15, and 10, and definitely not getting any cheaper!!
Make your own babyfood (peel and simmer fruits and veggies, whip up in blender or food processor, freeze in ice cube trays, pop into zip-locs when frozen, 1 or 2 “cubes” per feeding)
Buy diapers, wipes, formula, etc. in bulk when you can
Breast-feed (FREE!)
Shop at garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment stores. Use caution when buying baby equiptment such as car seats, etc. Purchase clothes/items the next size up when you find them at good prices. In the spring, I always buy the winter gear for the following year when it’s on clearance.
Use coupons and sign up for stores’ email/mail lists for extra savings. My local thrift store has a punch card – spend $50, get $5 off on your next visit.
Trade coupons and kids’ items with your friends and kids’ friends’ parents.
Babysitting co-ops: each member babysits the other kids so many hours a week/month in exchange for same.
Borrow books/movies from the library. Bring your kids to Story Time.
Watch for specials on EVERYTHING!
Grow a vegetable garden with your kids – they might even be more apt to eat them if they’ve grown them!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed! Free/low cost food shelves, free/reduced school lunches, WIC, church offerings, etc. Just remember to “pass it on!” What comes around, goes around!