How Budgeting Allowed Me to Say "Yes" and more...

Here's What's New How Budgeting Allowed Me to Say "Yes" Brigette's $66 Weekly Grocery Trip and Menu Plan for 6 How I Saved Another $200+ By Cashing in on Manufacturer's Warranties! :: How Budgeting Allowed Me to Say "Yes" Guest post from Leah As a longtime reader of MoneySavingMom.com, I have learned the importance of wisely budgeting to mitigate emergencies. In fact we know that using money wisely can turn an emergency to an inconvenience. What I didn't realize is that sticking to a budget also allows me to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. Earlier this year, the opportunity arose to take a trip to Greece, with a longtime mentor. Now I'd never been out of North America before, let alone to Europe; but I've been trying to say "yes" to life's opportunities. So I considered. Unfortunately, it was $2,000 for a 10-day trip! Gulp. Big decision. To make it worse, I had only about two days to decide. This was not something to be considered lightly, but after some deliberation and counsel, the answer was clear - YES. I said yes to Greece! It may seem like an impulsive decision to spend $2,000 with only two days to think about it, but honestly, this decision is the fruit of years worth of budgeted living. I would have never been able to say "yes" to this trip if I hadn't: Worked my way through college, staying debt-free Paid for a used car with cash instead of purchasing new Shopped almost exclusively at thrift stores for clothes Minimized eating out expenses Used the library for all book / entertainment needs Made the commitment to save reasonably and always live beneath my means Now I did sell some items on Amazon.com, and I also dedicated some money from my tax return to offset the cost of the trip, but I know that if it hadn't been for many years of faithful budgeting, this decision never would have been possible. Seven cities and two countries later, and I caught the travel bug. I can't wait to go back! So when you cancel that subscription, or pass by that department store in favor of the thrift store, or choose to purchase your furniture from Craigslist, or check that book out of the library instead of purchasing it new, or when you say "no" once again to something that others consider necessary, just remember that it is for a purpose. We choose to live intentionally so that we can not only handle life's catastrophes, but also so that we can live a full life on our OWN terms, not just surviving, but thriving. Taking advantage of every opportunity! What have you said "yes" to because of budgeted living? Leah is the oldest of four girls, works in the restaurant development world with a degree in Business Management, and enjoys exploring intentional living. This includes meaningful relationships, CrossFit, long-distance running, good books, and maybe the occasional piece of dark chocolate. top photo credit :: Brigette's $66 Weekly Grocery Trip and Menu Plan for 6 Zaycon Update: I promised you last week that I would let you know what I thought of my Zaycon order, and I have to tell you - I am HOOKED! The chicken is so much fresher and better-tasting than what we have gotten used to, and the whole ordering online/picking up experience was super easy, quick and painless (I didn't even have to get out of my car!). Obviously, the main attraction for me was the price - it's hard to beat $1.69/lb for boneless, skinless chicken breasts! You do have to purchase 40lbs minimum, and since it is fresh, it needs to be packaged/frozen/taken care of pretty soon after you pick it up - so it does require a little bit of work.  If you have a pick-up location in your area, I would definitely recommend it. I know I plan on buying all my chicken this way from now on! Aldi 1 16-oz pkg Baby Carrots - $0.99, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51 - $0.74 after rebate 1 8-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream - $1.89 1 24-oz container Cottage Cheese - $2.29 2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites - $3.98 1 2-lb bag Carrots - $1.19 1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers - $1.99 2 containers Baby Artisan Lettuce - $3.98 2 Avocados - $1.38 1 32-oz tub Nonfat Greek Yogurt - $3.69 1 5.75-oz jar Green Olives - $1.19 2 1-lb pkgs Ground Turkey - $3.88 1 1-lb bag Tilapia Filets - $3.39 1 jar Kosher Baby Dills - $1.29 1 24-oz pkg Vine Ripe Tomatoes - $1.29 2 cans Green Beans - $0.98 1 4-ct pkg Sweet Corn - $1.49 1 head Cabbage - $1.29 Total: $35.83 Harris Teeter 10 8-oz pkgs Shredded Cheese (B2G3) - $13.00 1 18-ct carton Extra-Large Eggs - $2.95 (YIKES! And this was the cheapest I could get them anywhere this week. Have your egg prices gone up as much as ours have? And does anyone know when the bird flu is going to be over?!) 2 16-oz pkgs Butterball Turkey Bacon - $5.58, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) - $2.58/2 after coupons 1 16-oz can Mama Francesca Parmesan Cheese (B1G1) - $2.15 2 16-oz pkgs Butterball Turkey Rope Sausage - $5.58, used 2 $0.75/1 printable (doubled) - $2.58/2 after coupons 1 16-oz can Old El Paso Refried Beans - $1.69, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled), plus $0.50/1 Harris Teeter evic, plus receive $0.50 back from SavingStar - $0.31 MM after coupons and rebate 1 gallon Milk - $2.99 Total after coupons and rebate: $26.93 Flower Foods Bakery 8 assorted pkgs of Bread, Buns, and Bagels, reduced - $4.00 Total: $4.00 Weekly Grocery Total: $66.76 Weekly Menu Plan Breakfasts Oatmeal and Strawberries (from the freezer) x 2 Homemade Granola x 3 Yogurt (leftover from last week), Toast x 2 Lunches (My goal for lunches this week is to finish up all the oranges and apples that we have accumulated in our fridge over the last few weeks! :)) Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Oranges, Mini Peppers x 2 Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches, Apples, Carrot Sticks x 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, Oranges, Toast Leftovers x 2 Dinners Pan Fried Tilapia, Oven Baked French Fries, Corn on the Cob, Tossed Salad Grilled Hobo Packets, Oranges, Italian Cheese Bread Homemade Cheese Pizza, Raw Veggie Plate with Ranch Dressing Dip Sweet and Sour Chicken Over Rice, Cooked Carrots, Apple Slices Spaghetti Carbonara, French Bread, Green Beans, Tossed Salad Dinner Out with Friends Leftovers Snacks Smoothies (using frozen fruit from the freezer and fresh oranges), Popcorn, Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars :: How I Saved Another $200+ By Cashing in on Manufacturer's Warranties! The following testimony is from Bethany: Back in 2012, I shared how I saved $275 by digging out my tire receipt, to utilize the manufacturer's warranty that had come with the tires, when they didn't last as long as they should have. Today, I thought it was time to share how those manufacturer warranties (not extended or purchased) continue to help me save. I had purchased a pair of dress shoes back in May of 2014, and as I walked into work 5 months after purchasing the shoes, I suddenly felt a bit unsteady. I lifted my foot and found the heel had started to separate from the shoe. When I got home that night I sent an e-mail to the shoe company's customer service group and they advised that I could ship the shoes back to them and they would send me a gift card for the current value of the shoe (I had lost my receipt). Within a couple weeks, I had a $40 gift card in my mail box to the store I had purchased the shoes from! Worse than a broken heel though, is eggs stuck to my non-stick $52 & $108 sauté pans. I was so disappointed when my sauté pans stopped functioning as they should, and the coating on the $108 pan had started to chip. We started to look at new pans one day, but then I remembered that these pans came with a lifetime guarantee. Again, a simple email to the customer service department, they validated my purchase (they were able to look it up by my name), I shipped the faulty pans back to them, and within a couple weeks I had a brand new product. $160 saved - thank you lifetime guarantee! Finally just a month ago my husband purchased a new watch - but every time he put his hand in a wall (he's an electrician) he would bump the side button and the watch would reset to EST - we are on CST. This was extremely frustrating for him, so he went and bought a different one. However, I remembered that the store we purchased the watch from had a 60-day satisfaction guarantee - and he wasn't satisfied so I returned it and they accepted it with no issue. This ended up saving us about $35! Often times, when a product isn't working anymore, we tend to simply toss it in a junk drawer or throw it out - but I encourage you to think twice before tossing that broken item. Consider taking a few minutes to write the manufacturer or look up the return policy for where you bought the item. Even if you don't have the receipt they may give you an in-store credit. Companies only know a product isn't working if consumers tell them. I believe that companies who back their product with a lifetime guarantee truly expect their product to last and would want to correct the issue if it hadn't lasted. You received this email because you are registered on www.moneysavingmom.com with the email address panatllc1.kate@blogger.com. 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