Easy money saving tips for the family!

While I am at work my brain is consumed with ways to meet the budget, save money and think outside the box to make up for the big purchase I just had to make. Nobody wants to go over budget. Nobody. Unfortunately for my husband who loves to spend money, these same money saving thoughts that consume my brain at work also consume my brain at home.

We work way too hard for our money to throw it away. I have learned a few tips and tricks in my days that have really helped me save. Now, I'm not saying I use these tips all the time- but I sure try. Try them, maybe you will do a better job than me.

1) Use what you have. Why go out to dinner when you have already gone grocery shopping and have enough food to cook dinner? Resist the going out to eat temptation. This is very hard, but also very possible. Check your pantry before you go grocery shopping. I have about 5 containers of garlic salt because I kept forgetting to check before I bought more. I wasted approx. $5.

2) Make a family budget. There is a lot of free online budgeting tools. Or you can ask for Quicken for Christmas (that's what I did- thanks dad!) I budget everything down to diapers and dog food. Stick to that budget. I give myself a certain amount of money for going out to eat, or even "play" money. When that money is gone so is my going out to eat privileges for that week and misc. activities like going to the movies. Man, I sure hate when that money is gone.

3) Re-evaluate your cell phone/cable plans. I was with my cell phone provider for about 5 years when I finally realized I was getting ripped off and paying way too much. I ended up going with a family plan on my husbands provider and was able to save $40/month!! - examine how many minutes/texts your actually using, do you really need all that you pay for? I have also been known to call my cable provider and ask for a discount for being such a loyal customer. Right now I am saving another $35/month due to my sweet negotiating skills with the cable guys. Tracy-1 Cable company- 0.

4) Use online coupons. I would rather shop all day online ANY DAY than step into a mall. I even have my credit card number memorized in case I need it real quick for a special last minute deal on amazon. Pathetic, I know. However before I buy I always google a coupon (then again I google everything). I almost always find free shipping, or percentage off coupons. Try it!

5) Look online for deals before you subject yourself to the mall. Most of the time you can find items online at a much better cost. The top items I have found cheaper online are: books, movies, most electronics, diapers, most electronics, and wipes.

6) Become a pro at the need/want thought process. Really take a moment to go through the thought process before you make a big purchase. Unless it's one of those great 24 hour deals on amazon, then just go ahead and buy it. I kid, I kid. (kind of). But seriously, you don't need everything that's on sale.   My husband has been asking for a new 60 inch TV for about 2 years. There is continually great sales on them . Guess what? We have a perfectly fine, nice flat screen- sorry pops, no new flat screen for you. Things come on sale all the time. Move on folks. Move on.

7) Make it automatic. Before we even see my husbands paycheck a certain amount goes into a savings account out of state, we only access this money during emergencies only. It's so much easier to save when you never even see the money to begin with.

8) Get a programmable thermostat (and use it).  Make your house cooler/warmer when your gone and sleeping depending on the season. This will seriously save you a lot of money. I have heard it can save you about 25% on your bill and I believe it! Now, I don't know how to work my thermostat, so you may need a very smart husband for this.

9) Buy generic when you can. Almost all generic brand food and medicine is the same as the name brand. Trust me, generic diced tomatoes taste the same as the name brand. I buy almost all my groceries generic and I am pretty sure that how I am able to grocery shop on a crazy budget.  Insert blog shout out here----Feed your family on a budget

10) Sign up for a warehouse membership- I have a Costco membership for $55/annually. You don't have to only buy bulk food at these stores (although that's fun too) Gas at Costco is MUCH cheaper than anywhere else nearby, you can also find clothes, or home goods for a great price. YOU MUST BE CAREFUL USING THIS TIP. It is also very easy to go into Costco and come out with 50 items you did not need. Use tip #6 when in Costco.

You are now rich! Well maybe not, but wouldn't that be cool? What easy money saving tips work for you and your family?

Tips for traveling with kids

My husband works for Southwest Airlines (woot woot) which means we are very fortunate to travel basically anywhere we want for FREE. I can't complain, it sure is nice. He's a keeper. There is one thing I can complain about- traveling with kids. There is really nothing too fun or exciting about it. I have become very brave at times and completed my fair share of traveling with my little nuggets, here are a few things I have learned to make things a bit easier on mom, dad and munchkin. 

1) The number ONE life saver when traveling with a child age 3+ is an Ipad. Download some fun apps, pay for Netflix and your golden for a a few solid hours. I really don't condone my son playing on his Ipad for long lengths of time . .HOWEVER if we are in any sort of aircraft, and he is playing quietly on his Ipad- go to town son. Go to town.

2) Dumdum lollipops- call me crazy that I am saying give your child candy on a plane. These suckers work at keeping a kid quiet (no pun intended). Xavier could suck on a dumdum lollipop all day long- these are also great for bribing: "Close your eyes on the airplane for 1 hour and you can have a lollipop." . .this works every time and normally the kid is so tired from all the excitement of flying that they pass out for 2-3 hours. Win!

3) Coloring books- Once your kid is on a nice sugar high from the lollipops and is sick of the games on his/her Ipad, take out some good ole fashion coloring books. These entertain my kids for hours!! Teach them how to draw inside the lines and they will be concentrated on those lines for awhile!

4) For our little infant nuggets travelers: Squeezable food: Anything an infant can squeeze in their mouth they will love. These are also very easy to carry along with you as they don't take up much space. Charlotte can stay busy with a tube of gogurt all afternoon.

5) Also for your infant: Put a little "Baby Einstein" on YouTube on your Ipad and let her be mesmerized. Seriously, Baby Einstein is genius (no pun intended, I'm on a roll with these puns) I don't know what it is about cheesy, creepy puppets, classical music, and big pictures of elephants and guitars . .but it works and I will take it.

6) If you can take a red eye flight that travels to your destination throughout the night DO IT! Your babies will sleep the whole way, you may get an ounce of sleep and everyone will be happy- this is for sure a WIN.

7) Snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks: I can not say enough times to bring enough snacks. Mix it up, bring fruit, goldfish, cheeze its, and cheerios. It's nice to have a wide array of snacks to offer when your kids are in the middle of a massive meltdown and the entire airplane cabin is staring at you. Trust me, this does happen.

8) Be the first ones on the plane and the last ones off. Sit as close to the back as you can without having to smell too much of the airplane bathroom. Other passengers get very annoyed when they are waiting behind you, your bags, and crazy kids to board or get off the plane. Be respectful and know that you and your family are going to take more time to get settled then most.

What are some travel tips you have for traveling with the wee ones? I'd love to hear them!

Life after kid #2

Ever since I was approx. 7 years old I have wanted to be a mother. Not just a mother of 1 or 2 kids, more like 6-8 kids. I don't exactly know if I have my husband sold on 8 kids . . .it's a work in progress. Put in a good word for me, will ya?

Everyone told me that after baby #2 I would not want anymore. Here is what I have learned. The good, the bad, the ugly.

1) Baby #2 does a NUMBER on your body. It's not pretty ladies. I believe my hips grew 2 inches in size, I achieved 15 more stretch marks, and my pooch is never going away. It also may help not to gain 35-55 lbs per pregnancy.

2) My nuggets are 3.5 years apart, I originally wanted them close together but I am VERY glad I waited. It's nice to have only 1 pooping their pants and puking down my shirt. It is also nice to have my son step up to his role as "big brother" and help out. "Xavier, can you get me a diaper? "Xavier, can you get me a bib?" "Xavier, can you get your sisters shoes?" "Xavier, can you put your sister to bed and grab mommy a beer?" . .I kid I kid.

3) The first 3 months with a infant and bigger kid is tough, grueling work. I reccomend having a live in nanny during this time. However, if you can not afford a live in nanny like myself, make sure you have an amazing husband. These 3 months you will just be trying to adjust to life with 2 kids on different nap/eating/sleeping/playing schedules. You will not sit down, you will not sleep, you will not shower . . .somehow I always found time to eat. Shocking.

4) Sending your 2nd child to daycare while you head back to work. Is just as hard as it was with the first. This part I am guessing never gets easy. Unless you start your day with a major meltdown or diaper blow out, a this point sending kids off to daycare is easy peasy.

5) Baby number 2 will most likely be nothing like baby #1.  They will probably be polar opposites. Xavier would always listen on the one stern "No". Charlotte is the most stubborn, mischevious, impatient child in the greater Broomfield area You tell her  "no" she does what she was doing 10X as bad.

6) One child will have a melt down over not having a spiderman bike while the other is crying because you won't let her suck on keys. Each child melting down at once will happen. There will be a lot of screaming, a lot of crying, a lot of kids throwing themselves to the floors. Walk away, ignore and go have a glass of wine. They will stop eventually.

7) You will have little to no privacy or "you" time. Have to go pee? Guess what, your kid is following you in the bathroom. Have to cook dinner? Guess what, your baby will be pulling on your leg to hold her. Want a bath? Guess what, so do your 2 kids. Get use to it, you got another 18 or so years until it's "you" time.

8) Kid bedtime will be one of your best friends. Enough said

9) It's OK to ask for help. You are not a bad mom. You are not a bad wife. You are busy, you are going nuts. Ask your husband for a hand will ya?

10) Continue to find time to spend with your older child alone with no baby distraction. Make him/her feel important, like they are still your little baby. When Charlotte goes to bed there is nothing I'd rather do than cuddle Xavier and talk to him about his day.

11) Continue doing all the things you did with just 1 kid when you have that second. Like going out to dinner? GO! Get out and do things with your kids, they will love it to. It will be crazy and you may want to rip your hair out- but it does get easier, I promise!

Given all these things I have learned. I have also learned that I love the craziness of my household, I love how loud my house is, I love being busy with my kids, I love spending my time with them,  I love watching them grow, I love to love them, and I love that they have each other in this crazy life.

A second child has only made me want to fill my house with more. I was made for this. I got this.

What lessons have you learned after your 2nd child?