Living the Frugal Life

Since I just posted the first frugal challenge about not going out to eat for a month, I thought I would post a tip that has helped me tremendously. The first time I did this, I thought it was the best thing ever. Now that I do it on a regular basis, there is no way I can go back.

It’s called once-a-month cooking. You take one day (Saturday for me) and spend a few hours cooking several meals (enough for the entire month) and then freezing them. I have two cookbooks that help me: Once-a-Month cooking and Dinner’s in the Freezer. Both are good books that tell you step-by-step what to cook, when to freeze, and serving day directions.

It is a commitment to spend most of a weekend day cooking, but it is worth it. Typically, I will plan out the meals and go to the grocery store on Friday. Then, bright and early on Saturday I will start cooking. It goes by incredibly fast, and when you are finished you are filled with a sense of accomplishment, especially knowing you won’t have to cook for some time.

My husband and I both work full time. When I come home from work, I will take something out of the freezer (or refrigerator depending on if the dish had to be thawed or not) and throw it in the oven, grill or on the stove. The dishes don’t always have to be casseroles, you can really make anything and freeze it. Hamburger patties, fajitas, wings, etc - there may be some of the ingredients that you wait until serving day to use.

I definitely recommend once-a-month cooking. As part of the frugal challenge of not going out to eat for a month, this will give you no excuses. You will always have a home-cooked meal waiting on you!

Announcing the first Living the Frugal Life Frugal Challenge!

When my husband and I first started thinking about saving money, we challenged ourselves in several ways. The first challenge was to avoid going out to eat for one month. It was definitely a challenge, but we did it! In my corporate job, I would go out to eat almost every work day. Lunch with friends, coworkers, etc. seemed to make sense to me. Then my husband and I have our favorite Mexican restaurant that we would eat at every week. We would also eat out several times on the weekend. So, let’s add up those expenses per week:

• Lunch during the week(est. $10 per meal, 3 times a week) = $30
• Favorite Mexican restaurant (est. $25) = $25
• Weekend restaurant trips (est. $25 per meal, 2 times) = $50

That is $105 a week just for eating out! Luckily, it’s just the two of us - no kids, yet. Still, that is over $400 a month. How crazy were we?

So, for one month we did not go out to eat. At my job, I occasionally have vendors that come in and take a group out to eat. Because of that, we were allowed to go out to eat if the meal was being paid for by someone else.

The challenge: For the next month, do not go out to eat. Cook at home, fix sandwiches, eat leftovers. Just think of all the money you can save! It typically takes about a month to make a habit, and this is a great habit to start.

Let me know how you do!

This blog was featured on the Finance Fiesta

If you are trying to follow the guidelines to save gas on your daily commute, the 2000 RPM Rule is an excellent way to keep yourself in check. If you keep the tachometer under 2000 RPM, you can be sure of two things:

1. You will improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
2. Infuriate the people behind you. You may have to accelerate a lot slower than usual to keep it under 2000 RPM.

RPM is an abbreviation for revolutions per minute - the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis. You should check your vehicle’s manual to see if 2000 RPM is indeed the highest level for the best gas efficiency. But, as a general rule of thumb, you should not drive about 2000 RPM.

If you’re like me and have never paid much attention to the tachometer, this could be another way to improve the fuel economy of your vehicle and improve your driving skills.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Independence Day holiday. Not only did I take a few days off to relax in the mountains, I also celebrated the birth of my niece! Her name is Grace Kathryn and she was born on July 3rd at 12:35 PM. Mother and baby are both doing great.

In Gracie Kate’s honor, I have gathered a list of frugal baby must haves to get started on the right path of frugality. Her mom had several showers to take care of all the basic and necessary needs and wants, so the list is made up of cute, fun items that her favorite aunt (me) would consider giving her (and her parents):

The Flip Video Camcorder - a simple and convenient camcorder. This is a pocket-sized camcorder that holds 60 minutes of TV-quality video. The USB arm loads directly into your computer. It also includes cables that let you watch the videos instantly. Best of all the basic version is $99.

Bumbo Baby Sitter - I have seen these used all over the place - especially restaurants. They are great for babies learning to sit up. They also come with a cool little play tray for an additional $10. This may be something the parent-to-be registered for, but just in case they didn’t get it at the shower… The Bumbo Baby Sitter is around $40.

Handmade Burp Cloths - So cute and So easy! Just buy a package of burp cloths and material. Sew on the material in the center strip. You can customize their nursery colors or even sew on letters or initials.

Handmade Ruby Doll - I made one of these for my sister and it was so easy. It turned out really cute. Click here for the free pattern.

Handmade plush toys - I think this Owl will be my next handmade project. If you go to etsy.com, you can see all the popular handmade items that are for sale. So if you are not crafty, you can buy something from etsy.com.

Use your MyPoints.com points to send the new parents out to dinner and a movie while providing free childcare. It’s a FREE gift card!

Jewelry - I can’t wait to help deck out my niece with all sorts of jewelry. Here is an adorable bracelet in pearls and silver for only $10.

Pacifier Clips - you can make them so the new baby has one to match every outfit!

I hope this gives you some cute & fun ideas for any baby in your life.

This blog was featured on the Finance Fiesta.