Tuesday Tips

When Sister C's family has to travel, I like to make a trip uptown before we leave for our snacks for on the way.  We had a 500 mile trip (one way) to Hubby R's family this week, and we could EASILY spend $75 in snacks at rest stops, gas stations and fast food each way for our family of six.  So instead, I'll start "stocking up" on snacks a week, maybe two, before we leave.  For this trip, I spent around $20 on snack bars, chips, candy and drinks.  Then we stopped for lunch only on our way and spent about $15.  Our family saved $40 just getting to Indiana!  AND we still have stuff leftover to eat on the way home!  I've started a little "Travel Stash" of goodies in our closet when I see candy on clearance or when I can get drinks for super cheap.  It's saved us A LOT of money that can be used for a little splurge when we get to Indiana, like taking Grandpa out for dinner, or saving that to put towards our fund for coming back to Indiana.  :o) 

In what ways do you save on snacks for traveling?  In the past we've brought our cooler with and stocked that with milk, cheese, bread and sandwich meat so we don't have to stop at a fast food restaurant at all, but we needed the space in our vehicle this time around. 

Financially Fit Friday

Emergency Fund - Stocked

Vehicle Fund - Stocked

• We'll be purchasing this vehicle in June.  Right now we are technically "borrowing" it. 

Indiana Fund (Stocked)

Colorado Fund (Goal is $500)

• Deposited $10 of fun money
• New Total - $269.16
• This total will greatly diminish as soon as Sister S cashes a check - the tickets were bought :D

Credit Card Beginning Balance 4/29/11 - $6031.08

• $10.05 in spare change - this is 2 week's worth, as I was too lazy last week to go into the bank.
• $19 in leftover tips and paychecks
• Current Balance - $5502.08
• I forgot to transfer 5c.  Oops. 
• We had more leftover from tips and paychecks, but Hubby R's Mom passed away, so we're heading to Indiana tomorrow, so we're leaving all the money where it is now. 

     *If you follow Dave Ramsey, he says no matter what to pay down your next lowest balance.  This is not our next lowest balance, but it's our highest interest rate one.  Now that we've paid off so many loans in the last 2 years, we believe this is a better route to go, where as our other loans have such a small interest rate on them, this is by far the worst "loan" we have.  So,  Ready...Set...GO!

Ground Beef 49c/lb

Here's another reason why you NEED to be on Hy-Vee's NOWWOW.  I, Sister C, just received a text for a one pound roll of ground beef for only 49c.  Yeah.  49c.  All I have to do is show the code on my phone to the cashier.  Nice.  :D

In the past I've received codes for 25c eggs, 99c Pepsi 12 pack and 99c pizzas.  You can select which types of texts you want to receive.  I get them all in case I need a reminder on a sale to mention to all you lovely folks :D

Tuesday Tips

Today's tip...
If you don't have time to clip coupons - then find someone who does have time :D

No More Rack Deals!

Sister C is part of a lot of deal sites, but this is one I really like to follow.  They only have a few deals each day, and they sometimes go pretty quickly.  Check them out - I've found all kinds of goodies over the last few weeks.  Today, they have a cute little clutch purse for $10.  If you use my referral link HERE, you should receive a $10 credit - making this item FREE.  All their deals are only $2 to ship per item - not bad if you ask me, especially if you get something FREE with your credit! 

Kellogg's Gas Gift Card

Go HERE to see what this deal is about.  Sister C just received her first one in the mail :D

Speaking of gas, rumor has it gas should drop quite a bit.  We're keeping just enough in our vehicles right now until it does drop, sometime at the end of this week.  I hope the rumor is true :D

CVS Run

Sister C ran up to CVS to finish off the Nestle deal they have.  This is a reason why I love CVS - they keep track of the deals for you.  :D

I had run up to CVS earlier this week and used up some more coupons I had to get some Nestle candy bars, that cost me nothing after the coupons.  So I had $7 towards the $20 needed to get a $5 EBC, without spending a penny.

Today...

2 Colgate Toothpastes $2.77 each, used $1 off from All You and 75c from 5/1/11 = $3.79
6 Nestle Crunch bars 50c each, used 3 - $1/2 from a tear pad = FREE
4 Stouffers Pizza $3 each = $12
Used $4/$20 CVS purchase, emailed to me
Used $10 EBC from Airwick

Total $1.79 + tax
Received $5 ECB from Nestle + $5.54 from Colgate

I actually had this figured out to pay a few pennies, but they ran out of Crunch bars.  But This way we got dinner also :D

Note - When CVS runs a special like the Colgate, when you buy one Colgate for $2.77 and get $2.77 in EBCs with a limit of 2, if you buy 2 in a single transaction, they will add it together into one EBC.  I thought I'd get two separate ones.  So I learned something new today :D