10 Tips For Saving More at the Grocery Store: 10 Photos

SavvySugar gives advice on how you can Save More at the Grocery Store.

Personally, I've found that the following methods work:

1. Making a list (and sticking to it)
2. Creating a budget
3. Buying only what you need (and not what you want)
4. Calculating costs as you shop

The method that has worked best for me is #4. I use my cell phone's calculator application and enter in the price of each item as I put it into the grocery cart. By keeping a running tally of how much I've spent helps keep me on track with my budget and ensures that I'm only buying what I need. This method has defintely worked many times for me in the past year. A few months ago, I gave myself the challenge to spend only $20 on groceries at Super Walmart. I was able to buy the bare minumum - some basic things that I needed - for $21 and some change. Not bad, huh?

How do you save money at the grocery store?

Moving? Consider Green Moving Boxes!

If you don't know who Beth Terry is, she's my inspiration for going plastic-free. She recently posted an article on her website - www.fakeplasticfish.com - about companies that rent green moving boxes...made from recycled plastic.

Although she's an anti-plastic advocate, it looks like Beth is willing to be flexible with this plastic moving option. Check out the full story here - Green Moving Boxes Made from… Plastic?

My Son: Eco-Friendly and Proud!

This morning I was so proud of my son and his eco-friendly ways.

His preschool was celebrating the 100th day of school today, so he had to bring in 100 small items to add to the classroom's collection. We decided to do pennies, and as we counted them out, we placed them in a small Tupperware container. At the end, he says, "The teacher says we have to put them in a plastic baggie."

Always one to follow instructions, I start looking for a bag when he says, "But we don't use plastic bags, Mom." I was so proud to hear that my "conservative" ways are actually rubbing off on him!

When we got to school, I felt silly because I could see why they requested everything to be placed in plastic baggies...they were taping them to a board for the display, and well, you can't tape a Tupperware container that way. Fortunately, the school had enough plastic bags to just transfer his pennies and return our container to us, which is great!

Ahhh...it's little moments like these that make me love being a mom! :)

2009 Plastic Free Accomplishments, By the Numbers...

With my mom visiting, my son's birthday party, a new addition to our home (our new puppy Leo), and a huge proposal due at work, it's no wonder I didn't get around to listing my 2010 plastic free goals and 2009 accomplishments. I'll save my goals for future postings, as I'll have a new one each month. But here are my accomplishments so far, by the numbers:

2009 Plastic Free Accomplishments

0 - plastic garbage bags in my kitchen (instead, I use a stainless steel garbage can with *yikes* a removable plastic liner...hey it's still better than using the bags!)

3 months (and counting) - months in which I have not purchased paper towels

6 - washable, reusable towels I purchased to replace paper towels

8 - cloth napkins I own (no more paper napkins!)

10+ - resusable grocery bags I own

36 - number of tampons in the box of Tampax with the biodegradable applicator (I switched to this brand from a Playtex version with a plastic applicator)

55/68 - day/evening temperatures my thermostat is set to for energy efficiency (and cost savings, too!)

There are also some things I accomplished that can't really be quantified, such as:

• Using powered dishwasher soap (packaged in a cardboard box) instead of dishwasher tabs - While I miss the ease of the dishwasher tabs, there really is no difference in how clean the dishes get. I also use the powered soap when I hand wash my dishes, and it works well...my only complaint is that this makes my hands so dry and rough...can anyone suggest where I can find a good pair of eco-friendly cleaning gloves?
• Using powered laundry detergent (packaged in a cardboard box) instead of liquid laundry soap in plastic bottles - Here's one decision I totally regret! When my family switched to liquid laundry soap in the late 1980s/early 1990s, I thought the days of seeing dandruff-like remnents of laundry detergent on my clothes were over. Boy was I wrong! The powered detergent/cardboard box sounds like a great idea, but unless someone can recommend an eco-friendly, affordable brand that doesn't leave detergent flakes behind, I'm going back to the liquid soap I trust and love.
• Using Bar Soap and Deoderant - This is one of my best decisions so far! Bar soap is way less expensive than body wash, and you don't have to keep buying poufs! I also believe it lasts longer, too! I'm also in love with the bar of deoderant I bought from Lush...I joke around and say I smell a little bit like nature, but I swear it's provided me the better protection than any other deoderant I've ever used.

Well, that's all I can think of right now, but I'd love to hear what others have done / plan to do as well. Please post a comment :)

A Twist on New Year's Resolutions

January 1 marked the beginning of a new year. But it was also the beginning of a new decade, a new month, a new week and a new day!

On New Year's Day, many of us make resolutions - usually a laundry list of impossible goals we plan to achieve in the coming year, such as working out, saving more money, etc. I say let's toss out those New Year's resolutions and make New Month resolutions instead!

By creating resolutions each month, we're more likely to achieve our goals, even if we repeat the same goal month after month. The shortened time frame (30 days instead of 365 days) helps because it allows you to achieve short term goals that may be pieces of a larger goal. For instance, instead of making weight loss your New Year's resolution, why not focus on adding more fresh produce to your diet in month one, walking for 20 minutes each day in month two, and so on and so forth.

One of my lofty resolutions for the year is to take better care of my body. So in January, my goal is to get a health assessment/screening and/or a physical. (I've been putting off a cholesterol test for months!) Once I know what kind of shape I'm in, I'll tackle different goals each month that will hopefully lead me to optimal health! (By the way, I'm adding "saving myself" as one of the focuses of this blog...I need to get in shape!)

***UPDATE 1/16/09***
I finally took my cholestorol test. The results? My cholestorol is low, and I have a low risk of getting heart disease. Woo-Hoo! :)
*** END UPDATE***


So....

What's your New Month's Resolution?