So what is Swagbucks?

I do a lot of searching online Google was the one I always felt comfortable with. I kept reading about Swagbucks from different blogs and friends. Swagbucks is an online search engine that rewards you for searching online. I asked more details and realized that I could earn bucks to get things like gift cards. Swagbucks is very simple to sign up for. In fact, it takes all of about one minute. There are no fees, no credit card required, and no phone number or address requested.

After that, you are credited 30 points to your account and then download the toolbar and every day as you're searching online, you earn a few more points. If it sounds interesting to you just sign up here.

History of my frugal ways

I decided to start blogging my savings due to multiple people asking how I do what I do. I tried many things before I found what worked for me. Initially, just looking at sales. Then I came across The Grocery Game. The concept was great and can work well for someone who doesn't have the time to plan. But I couldn't see paying to save money. Then I was introduced to a friend at church, Sue. She has a family of 9 and shared with our mom's group what worked for her. From that, I found a couple things that would definitely be things to live by.

The main thing I learned was to have a price list. I will explain in detail what this means in a future post. I clip coupons, review circulars from Safeway, Food Lion and Weis. I also shop at Aldi's, which is a great discount store that always has great prices, so I use them when I can't get good prices at the other chains. I also refer to a blog http://www.moneysavingmom.com/, which helps with savings currently going on in stores.

I menu plan for our week, which helps me decide what I need to get, that I don't already have at home. This brings me to the word "stockpile". I buy things when they are at their cheapest. This way I have them on hand at home at all times. It prevents running out and having to pay full price for an item. And conversely when I don't feel like shopping, I know I have plenty to get me through those weeks. I have found creative ways to store this stockpile, which I will show later.

Our family budgets $100 per week for groceries, including cleaning and personal items. I usually am under that per week, but then I store the extra money in the event I come across a big sale such as meat. Prior to making my menu and grocery shop, I pray that God will help me find the deals to meet what we need for that week. He hasn't failed me yet, and always seems to surprise me when I least expect.

I hope this will help you in your shopping adventures. It is a task we all have to do, but we don't have to break the bank in doing.