Be Budget-Wise!

In our quest to be smart and save, most of us have made changes in our grocery budget and have chosen to eat out less. No doubt that is a great way to save, every time we eat out and the meal costs $40 and up I think of how much food I could have bought at the grocery store for the same amount. However, sometimes we get in a rut, buying and making the same meals regularly, then boredom sets in and we become more likely to resort to eating out.

That's why we need fresh ideas for budget friendly meals that are easy to make and the whole family will be satisfied with. So today I'm pointing you to another favorite website of mine, Kraft Foods, where they have a section devoted to budget-wise meals. Take a look and see if you can pick up a few new ideas that will tempt your taste buds and be kind to your wallet. here's the link. http://bit.ly/EZbRk

Have a wonderful day!

Smart Mom

The Woman of Proverbs

"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels." Proverbs 31:10

As a Christian, the Bible is the authority in my life. I love to start my day with the Lord, I am reading through the Old Testament right now. As I daily consider ideas and tips to share regarding being smart about saving, my thoughts turn to the example of a worthy woman as described in Proverbs 31:10-31. There is no doubt that she really has her act together and can put me to shame, she is the epitome of preparedness, considering how she can make the most of her resources for the benefit of her family. She appears perfect and many a Christian woman has felt discouraged that she could not live up to such a standard. I say, do not be overwhelmed, rather use her example to encourage and motivate yourself toward excellence. We cannot achieve perfection of our own strength, it is only of the Lord. As we receive the forgiveness of Jesus and He blesses us with the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can now walk and live by His power. Will we all of a sudden become like the Proverbs 31 woman? Probably not, but as we surrender daily to the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will gently transform us into His likeness.

If you would like to know more about the gift of salvation offered by Jesus, please feel free to e-mail me at smartmomsavings@gmail.com. Also if you do not have a Bible and would like one, I can send you one for free, I have several available to give away, but I can't afford to mail too many at my expense, so I'll have to limit this to just a few at this time, again just e-mail me and let me know you would like one.

"Her children rise up and bless her;" Proverbs 31:28

I hope you have blessed day,
Smart Mom

Oh bananas!

Do you ever have banana issues? You can buy them when they're still a little green and nobody wants to eat them because they're not ripe enough or you get them just perfect but before you know it they're turning black. Good thing we can save the day with banana bread, huh? I've been making the same banana bread recipe for years now, it's pretty good and super easy. Last week I had blueberries so I added them and we all loved it, so I thought I'd share my recipe with you today, so that you can get some savings out of your bananas. If we hadn't already eaten the bread I would take a picture to include here, oh well! You'll have to make your own to see how it looks.

By the way, if your bananas are ready to turn into bread but you don't have the time, peel them and put them in a freezer bag, freeze them until you're ready to bake, it works just fine.

Blueberry Banana Bread

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 cups mashed bananas (about 5 medium)

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans (9x5x3).

Beat all ingredients except blueberries in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 45 seconds, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in blueberries. Pour batter into pans.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake tester inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves and remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing.

Variations:

Whole wheat banana bread: Substitute whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour.

Banana nut bread: Add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts. Omit blueberries.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: Substitute chocolate chips for the blueberries.

Hope you enjoy these recipes. Have a blessed day!

Smart Mom

Back to School and Freebie Friday

Didn't get a blog out yesterday :( sorry, today however I am so thankful that we are cooler and I am getting my house back to a normal temperature, I got some sleep last night so I feel much better today and a bit more productive.

I got the Staples e-mail today with their specials for next week, they are selling packs of filler paper for 1 cent each, I am definitely getting those for school. The kids and I went in on Monday and got some of the deals I told you about last week, I saw the filler paper on sale for 79 cents (I think) but I had a feeling it would go lower because we got it last year for a steal, so I decided to wait... smart choice. By the way, those sale prices are effective Sun. - Thurs.

Ok, so it's Freebie Friday... I've been looking around for a really nice freebie... sometimes it's hard to find, I came across this offer and although it's not completely free, you get 7 free bonus recipe books with your purchase. Anyway, I really like to cook so it appeals to me, they are offering recipes from all our favorite restaurants. Click on the link to take a look.
America's Secret Recipes

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Be blessed!

Smart Mom

Staying cool...or not..

It's almost 9pm on Wednesday as I write this, the temperature reached an unbearable 107 degrees here, I haven't heard yet but I think it might be a record. Anyway, I don't care too much about that I just want it to cool down a little, it's about 90 degrees in my house right now.

So what's my Smart Mom tip of the day...? I'm keeping it short because I want to get off my computer, yeah.. you guessed it.. it's too hot.. so I just want to refer you to a website I visited today, there's so much to look at there http://www.couponmom.com/ You'll find coupons for groceries, restaurants and all kinds of stuff, just be aware that some of the offers may require something of you, perhaps a few dollars or ultimately getting your name on a mailing list. Here's a tip for that one, create a free account with Gmail or Yahoo etc. and use it exclusively for those times when you want to sign up for something free, but don't really want your inbox to turn into Central Station! That way you can keep your personal email address personal.

Well, have a great day, I'll try to post a few updates on Twitter throughout the day. Follow me there if you like www.Twitter.com/smartmomsavings

Save On Your Services

The temperatures are in the 90's here right now and I wish I could think of some Smart Mom tips to cut back on the misery of being too hot without air conditioning. I'm trying to keep my home cool with all the usual methods, but I'm failing.... it was still in the 80's after 10 pm last night, so cooling off overnight is a myth at the moment... oh well, may as well try to find other areas to save....

After taking a look at your major accounts, you might want to evaluate some of your everyday expenses to see if you can reduce your budget without compromising too much on the things you want. Some areas to look at could include:

• Cable TV/Satellite TV: try cutting back to a more limited service, I reduced my bill by about $40 a month and we still get enough channels (so few are worth watching anyway!)


• Phone/ Long distance calling: don't pay for more than you will use each month, the phone companies always try to up sell you to a better package - and they should, that's their business- just be aware of what you are paying for, you might be able to eliminate some features you never use. Take a look at Skype for free calling and video calling http://www.skype.com/ I haven't used this service but I have friends who have and they gave it a thumbs-up.


• Cellular phone service: if you don't use it much, look into a prepaid or pay as you go plan; if you use your cell phone a lot be sure to get unlimited minutes in your plan. Shop around


• Internet service providers: you can find many services online for free, but typically you will have to pay someone to provide you with access to the internet. Compare services from your phone company, cable/satellite company, cellular company. Be sure to find the service that meets your needs, really, who wants dial-up anymore

Check out the discounts you would receive if you bundle your services with one provider, and watch your mailbox for special offers. Of course, if you find you don't need any of the services I mentioned, cool.. you can eliminate them altogether. (Did I say cool? I must be dreaming of lower temperatures.)

Well, gotta go now, see you tomorrow.

Smart Mom

Account Check-Up!

Still on the topic of getting your finances in order, it is important to be in control of your accounts, yesterday we discussed setting yourself up with a system and establishing a routine for keeping your transactions up to date. Today, we'll talk about accounts and how to make sure they're working for you.

First of all, make a list of all of your accounts -maybe you already have them in your software program, if so you've got a head start, if not that's ok.

You'll need to examine each account individually. Some of the types of accounts you may have are:

• Bank/Credit Union Checking, Savings, Moneymarket, investment etc.



• Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express etc.)



• Store credit cards (eg. Sears, Macy's etc.)



• Mortgage accounts



• Auto loans



• Lines of Credit



• Personal loans



• Retirement accounts



• Mutual Funds

This may take a little time, don't get overwhelmed, just take them one at a time.

Evaluate each account based on the following questions:

1. Are there any monthly service fees?



2. What is my interest rate?



3. What are the penalties for overdraft, returned item etc?



4. Are there any prepayment penalties for paying off an account early?



5. Is it feasible to transfer this account elsewhere if I find a better deal?

No service charges and low interest rates for credit are always the best option, many banks and credit unions offer free checking, just make sure you are aware of any qualifying factors (such as maintaining a minimum balance etc.). Do shop around if you find yourself in a less than ideal situation. As you look at each account, please be careful to evaluate whether there's a real benefit in making the switch. It may be unrealistic for you to attempt to refinance your mortgage or auto loan, so be sure to read the fine print. If you have reasonable credit and want a better rate of interest on your credit card, it's definitely worth considering transferring a balance, there's a lot of competition in the credit card market.

Don't forget to look at the interest dividend rate you are receiving on any savings and investment accounts, you might be able to get a greater return elsewhere.

I know, all of this doesn't sound like a fun way to spend a summer's day but remember your investment of time will reap rewards later.

Blessings!

Smart Mom